WorldWideScience

Sample records for high pristane phytane

  1. A thermal and chemical degradation approach to decipher pristane and phytane precursors in sedimentary organic matter

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Koopmans, M.P.; Rijpstra, W.I.C.; Klapwijk, M.M.; Lewan, M.D.

    1999-01-01

    A thermal and chemical degradation approach was followed to determine the precursors of pristane (Pr) and phytane (Ph) in samples from the Gessoso-solfifera, Ghareb and Green River Formations. Hydrous pyrolysis of these samples yields large amounts of Pr and Ph carbon skeletons, indicating that

  2. Phytanic acid alpha-oxidation: decarboxylation of 2-hydroxyphytanoyl-CoA to pristanic acid in human liver

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verhoeven, N. M.; Wanders, R. J.; Schor, D. S.; Jansen, G. A.; Jakobs, C.

    1997-01-01

    The degradation of the first intermediate in the alpha-oxidation of phytanic acid, 2-hydroxyphytanoyl-CoA, was investigated. Human liver homogenates were incubated with 2-hydroxyphytanoyl-CoA or 2-hydroxyphytanic acid, after which formation of 2-ketophytanic acid and pristanic acid were studied.

  3. The metabolism of phytanic acid and pristanic acid in man: a review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verhoeven, N. M.; Wanders, R. J.; Poll-The, B. T.; Saudubray, J. M.; Jakobs, C.

    1998-01-01

    The branched-chain fatty acid phytanic acid is a constituent of the diet, present in diary products, meat and fish. Degradation of this fatty acid in the human body is preceded by activation to phytanoyl-CoA and starts with one cycle of alpha-oxidation. Intermediates in this pathway are

  4. Effect of dairy fat on plasma phytanic acid in healthy volunteers - a randomized controlled study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Werner, Louise B.; Hellgren, Lars; Raff, Marianne

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Phytanic acid produced in ruminants from chlorophyll may have preventive effects on the metabolic syndrome, partly due to its reported RXR and PPAR- α agonist activity. Milk from cows fed increased levels of green plant material, contains increased phytanic acid concentrations......, but it is unknown to what extent minor increases in phytanic acid content in dairy fat leads to higher circulating levels of phytanic acid in plasma of the consumers. OBJECTIVE: To investigate if cow feeding regimes affects concentration of plasma phytanic acid and risk markers of the metabolic syndrome in human...... or high content of chlorophyll. RESULTS: There tended to be a difference in plasma phytanic acid (P = 0.0730) concentration after the dietary intervention. Plasma phytanic acid increased significantly within both groups with the highest increase in control group (24%) compared to phytanic acid group (15...

  5. Effect of dairy fat on plasma phytanic acid in healthy volunteers - a randomized controlled study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Drachmann Tue

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Phytanic acid produced in ruminants from chlorophyll may have preventive effects on the metabolic syndrome, partly due to its reported RXR and PPAR- α agonist activity. Milk from cows fed increased levels of green plant material, contains increased phytanic acid concentrations, but it is unknown to what extent minor increases in phytanic acid content in dairy fat leads to higher circulating levels of phytanic acid in plasma of the consumers. Objective To investigate if cow feeding regimes affects concentration of plasma phytanic acid and risk markers of the metabolic syndrome in human. Design In a double-blind, randomized, 4 wk, parallel intervention study 14 healthy young subjects were given 45 g milk fat/d from test butter and cheese with 0.24 wt% phytanic acid or a control diet with 0.13 wt% phytanic acid. Difference in phytanic acid was obtained by feeding roughage with low or high content of chlorophyll. Results There tended to be a difference in plasma phytanic acid (P = 0.0730 concentration after the dietary intervention. Plasma phytanic acid increased significantly within both groups with the highest increase in control group (24% compared to phytanic acid group (15%. There were no significant effects of phytanic acid on risk markers for the metabolic syndrome. Conclusions The results indicate that increased intake of dairy fat modify the plasma phytanic acid concentration, regardless of cows feeding regime and the minor difference in dietary phytanic acid. Whether the phytanic acid has potential to affects the risk markers of the metabolic syndrome in human still remain to be elucidated. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01343576

  6. Endogenous interleukin (IL)-17A promotes pristane-induced systemic autoimmunity and lupus nephritis induced by pristane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Summers, S A; Odobasic, D; Khouri, M B; Steinmetz, O M; Yang, Y; Holdsworth, S R; Kitching, A R

    2014-06-01

    Interleukin (IL)-17A is increased both in serum and in kidney biopsies from patients with lupus nephritis, but direct evidence of pathogenicity is less well established. Administration of pristane to genetically intact mice results in the production of autoantibodies and proliferative glomerulonephritis, resembling human lupus nephritis. These studies sought to define the role of IL-17A in experimental lupus induced by pristane administration. Pristane was administered to wild-type (WT) and IL-17A(-/-) mice. Local and systemic immune responses were assessed after 6 days and 8 weeks, and autoimmunity, glomerular inflammation and renal injury were measured at 7 months. IL-17A production increased significantly 6 days after pristane injection, with innate immune cells, neutrophils (Ly6G(+)) and macrophages (F4/80(+)) being the predominant source of IL-17A. After 8 weeks, while systemic IL-17A was still readily detected in WT mice, the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, interferon (IFN)-γ and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) were diminished in the absence of endogenous IL-17A. Seven months after pristane treatment humoral autoimmunity was diminished in the absence of IL-17A, with decreased levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)G and anti-dsDNA antibodies. Renal inflammation and injury was less in the absence of IL-17A. Compared to WT mice, glomerular IgG, complement deposition, glomerular CD4(+) T cells and intrarenal expression of T helper type 1 (Th1)-associated proinflammatory mediators were decreased in IL-17A(-/-) mice. WT mice developed progressive proteinuria, but functional and histological renal injury was attenuated in the absence of IL-17A. Therefore, IL-17A is required for the full development of autoimmunity and lupus nephritis in experimental SLE, and early in the development of autoimmunity, innate immune cells produce IL-17A. © 2014 British Society for Immunology.

  7. Effects of Pristane on Cytochrome P450 Isozyme Expression in Rat Tissues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marvin A. Cuchens

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Chemical carcinogenesis studies are powerful tools to obtain information on potential mechanisms of chemical factors for malignancies. In this study Western blot analyses, using monoclonal antibodies specific for three different cytochrome P450 (CYP isozymes (CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP2B, were employed to examine the effect(s of 3-methylcholanthrene and/or pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane on the basal and inducible levels of expression of CYP proteins within Copenhagen rat tissues. Pristane exposure led to tissue specific differences in the CYP isozymes expressed and elicited increased CYP protein expression over 3-methylcholanthrene induced levels in microsomes isolated from liver, Peyer's Patches, and thymus. Within the context of the chemical carcinogenesis model employed in this study, these observations correlated with the induction of B-cell malignancies by low doses of 3-methylcholanthrene and of thymic lymphomas by a high 3-methylcholanthrene dose. The data suggest that pristane treatment affects CYP isozyme expression. This pristane-mediated effect clearly could be a contributing factor in the chemical carcinogenesis of the previously observed lymphoid malignancies, and a possible basis for the tumor enhancing effects of pristane.

  8. Phytanic acid impairs mitochondrial respiration through protonophoric action.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Komen, J.C.; Distelmaier, F.; Koopman, W.J.H.; Wanders, R.J.; Smeitink, J.A.M.; Willems, P.H.G.M.

    2007-01-01

    Refsum disease is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by accumulation of the dietary branched-chain fatty acid phytanic acid in plasma and tissues caused by a defect in the alphaoxidation pathway. The accumulation of phytanic acid is believed to be the main pathophysiological

  9. Phytanic acid impairs mitochondrial respiration through protonophoric action

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Komen, J. C.; Distelmaier, F.; Koopman, W. J. H.; Wanders, R. J. A.; Smeitink, J.; Willems, P. H. M. G.

    2007-01-01

    Refsum disease is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by accumulation of the dietary branched-chain fatty acid phytanic acid in plasma and tissues caused by a defect in the alphaoxidation pathway. The accumulation of phytanic acid is believed to be the main pathophysiological

  10. Phytanic acid-an overlooked bioactive fatty acid in dairy fat?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hellgren, Lars

    2010-01-01

    dissipation in skeletal muscles. Phytanic acid levels in serum are associated with an increased risk of developing prostate cancer, but the available data do not support a general causal link between circulating phytanic acid and prostate cancer risk. However, certain individuals, with specific single......Phytanic acid is a multibranched fatty acid with reported retinoid X receptor (RXR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha) agonist activity, which have been suggested to have preventive effects on metabolic dysfunctions. Serum level in man is strongly correlated...

  11. Phytanoyl-CoA hydroxylase activity is induced by phytanic acid

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zomer, A. W.; Jansen, G. A.; van der Burg, B.; Verhoeven, N. M.; Jakobs, C.; van der Saag, P. T.; Wanders, R. J.; Poll-The, B. T.

    2000-01-01

    Phytanic acid (3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadecanoic acid) is a branched-chain fatty acid present in various dietary products such as milk, cheese and fish. In patients with Refsum disease, accumulation of phytanic acid occurs due to a deficiency of phytanoyl-CoA hydroxylase, a peroxisomal enzyme

  12. Fate of the isoprenoid hydrocarbon, pristane, in rainbow trout

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Bon, A.M.; Cravedi, J.P.; Tulliez, J.

    1987-01-01

    The excretion routes and tissue distribution of [ 3 H]pristane were measured in rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, after a single intragastric dose (0.1 mg). This branched-alkane was quickly and largely absorbed. The balance study showed that the major routes of excretion were fecal (40.4% of the dose) and branchial (39.6%). In feces radioactivity was exclusively due to [ 3 H]pristane, whereas 3 H resulting from gill excretion was principally associated with tritiated water. Only 2.6% of the radioactivity was cleared via the kidneys and found in the urine as metabolites. After 48 hr, no hydrocarbon accumulation was observed in gall bladder, while in liver and fat, respectively, 69 and 34% of the radioactivity originated from pristane, the rest of the labeling being mostly associated with lipid components

  13. Lanthanide Phytanates: Liquid-Crystalline Phase Behavior, Colloidal Particle Dispersions, and Potential as Medical Imaging Agents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Conn, Charlotte E.; Panchagnula, Venkateswarlu; Weerawardena, Asoka; Waddington, Lynne J.; Kennedy, Danielle F.; Drummond, Calum J. (CSIRO/MHT); (CSIRO/MSE)

    2010-08-23

    Lanthanide salts of phytanic acid, an isoprenoid-type amphiphile, have been synthesized and characterized. Elemental analysis and FTIR spectroscopy were used to confirm the formed product and showed that three phytanate anions are complexed with one lanthanide cation. The physicochemical properties of the lanthanide phytanates were investigated using DSC, XRD, SAXS, and cross-polarized optical microscopy. Several of the hydrated salts form a liquid-crystalline hexagonal columnar mesophase at room temperature, and samarium(III) phytanate forms this phase even in the absence of water. Select lanthanide phytanates were dispersed in water, and cryo-TEM images indicate that some structure has been retained in the dispersed phase. NMR relaxivity measurements were conducted on these systems. It has been shown that a particulate dispersion of gadolinium(III) phytanate displays proton relaxivity values comparable to those of a commercial contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging and a colloidal dispersion of europium(III) phytanate exhibits the characteristics of a fluorescence imaging agent.

  14. Lanthanide Phytanates: Liquid-Crystalline Phase Behavior, Colloidal Particle Dispersions, and Potential as Medical Imaging Agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conn, Charlotte E.; Panchagnula, Venkateswarlu; Weerawardena, Asoka; Waddington, Lynne J.; Kennedy, Danielle F.; Drummond, Calum J.

    2010-01-01

    Lanthanide salts of phytanic acid, an isoprenoid-type amphiphile, have been synthesized and characterized. Elemental analysis and FTIR spectroscopy were used to confirm the formed product and showed that three phytanate anions are complexed with one lanthanide cation. The physicochemical properties of the lanthanide phytanates were investigated using DSC, XRD, SAXS, and cross-polarized optical microscopy. Several of the hydrated salts form a liquid-crystalline hexagonal columnar mesophase at room temperature, and samarium(III) phytanate forms this phase even in the absence of water. Select lanthanide phytanates were dispersed in water, and cryo-TEM images indicate that some structure has been retained in the dispersed phase. NMR relaxivity measurements were conducted on these systems. It has been shown that a particulate dispersion of gadolinium(III) phytanate displays proton relaxivity values comparable to those of a commercial contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging and a colloidal dispersion of europium(III) phytanate exhibits the characteristics of a fluorescence imaging agent.

  15. Regulatory Effect of Melatonin on Cytokine Disturbances in the Pristane-Induced Lupus Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ling-ling Zhou

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE develops in relation to many environmental factors. In our opinion, it is more important to investigate the effect of melatonin on the environmental- related SLE. In the present study, 0.5 ml pristane were used to induce SLE in female BALB/c mice. Melatonin (0.01, 0.1, 1.0 mg/kg was orally administered immediately after pristane-injection for 24 weeks. IgM anti ssDNA and histone antibodies were detected after 0, 1, 2, 4, 8 weeks pristane injection. The levels of IL-2, IL-6 and IL-13 were detected after 24 weeks. Renal lesions were also observed. The results showed that melatonin antagonized the increasing levels of IgM anti ssDNA and histone autoantibodies. Melatonin could also decrease the IL-6 and IL-13 production and increase the IL-2 production. Besides, melatonin could lessen the renal lesions caused by pristane. These results suggested that melatonin has a beneficial effect on pristane-induced lupus through regulating the cytokines disturbances.

  16. Depositional Environment of the Sangkarewang Oil Shale, Ombilin Basin, Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Komang Anggayana

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Five samples from 56 m long drill core of lacustrine Sangkarewang oil shale have been studied by means of petrography and organic geochemistry to investigate the organic matter composition and depositional environments of the shale. The organic matter consists of abundant lamalginite (30%, v/v and very limited amount of vitrinite, suggesting aquatic depositional environments with minor terrestrial influence. Organic geochemical analysis exhibits the dominance of pristane, phytane, and generally n-alkanes compounds. These compounds might originate mostly from aquatic photosynthetic organisms. The oil shale was likely deposited in anoxic lake environments, suggested by the presence of framboidal pyrite (6%, v/v and preserved organic matter with total organic carbon (TOC about 4.9%. The pristane/phytane ratio is relatively high about 3.9 and thought as source sensitive rather than redox sensitive. Hopanoid and aryl isoprenoid compounds are present in minor amounts. The latter compounds are interpreted to be derived from green sulfur bacteria dwelling in anoxic and the presence of H2S in bottom water.

  17. Effects of Butter and Phytanic acid intake on metabolic parameters and T-cell polarization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Drachmann, Tue

    The still growing obesity epidemic is a major risk for our society, as it is associated with the development of the so called metabolic syndrome, which is a clinical diagnosis correlated to development of metabolic disorders. Lack of physical activity, excess energy intake, and nutritional factors...... addition of phytanic acid. Third, we investigated butter and phytanic acid effects on human T-cell polarization, both by in vitro incubation with phytanic acid, and by a 12 weeks intervention with intake of butter. Finally, we performed two human interventions, first one with intake of butter and cheese...... fatty acids are raised in dairy fat along with the amount of green plant material intake of the cattle. Phytanic acid is one of these minor fatty acids, due to agonist activities for nuclear receptors with central roles in among others the lipid and glucose metabolism. To determine the effects of both...

  18. Identification of differences in human and great ape phytanic acid metabolism that could influence gene expression profiles and physiological functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siegmund Kimberly D

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background It has been proposed that anatomical differences in human and great ape guts arose in response to species-specific diets and energy demands. To investigate functional genomic consequences of these differences, we compared their physiological levels of phytanic acid, a branched chain fatty acid that can be derived from the microbial degradation of chlorophyll in ruminant guts. Humans who accumulate large stores of phytanic acid commonly develop cerebellar ataxia, peripheral polyneuropathy, and retinitis pigmentosa in addition to other medical conditions. Furthermore, phytanic acid is an activator of the PPAR-alpha transcription factor that influences the expression of genes relevant to lipid metabolism. Results Despite their trace dietary phytanic acid intake, all great ape species had elevated red blood cell (RBC phytanic acid levels relative to humans on diverse diets. Unlike humans, chimpanzees showed sexual dimorphism in RBC phytanic acid levels, which were higher in males relative to females. Cultured skin fibroblasts from all species had a robust capacity to degrade phytanic acid. We provide indirect evidence that great apes, in contrast to humans, derive significant amounts of phytanic acid from the hindgut fermentation of plant materials. This would represent a novel reduction of metabolic activity in humans relative to the great apes. Conclusion We identified differences in the physiological levels of phytanic acid in humans and great apes and propose this is causally related to their gut anatomies and microbiomes. Phytanic acid levels could contribute to cross-species and sex-specific differences in human and great ape transcriptomes, especially those related to lipid metabolism. Based on the medical conditions caused by phytanic acid accumulation, we suggest that differences in phytanic acid metabolism could influence the functions of human and great ape nervous, cardiovascular, and skeletal systems.

  19. Diagnosis of Refsum's disease using [1-14C]phytanic acid as substrate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poulos, A.

    1981-01-01

    The suitability of using [1- 14 C]phytanic acid as a substrate for the diagnosis of Refsum's disease has been examined. Normal fibroblasts cultured in medium containing low concentrations of foetal calf serum (0.5%) oxidised added [1- 14 C]phytanic acid to 14 CO 2 only slowly up to about 2 days; byond this period a marked stimulation in oxidation was observed. Easily measurable conversion of the radiolabelled acid (from 1.5 to 5.0%) was obtaned by numbers of cells at least one order of magnitude fewer than previously described. Fibroblasts from adult patients with Refsum's disease displayed about 5-10% of the normal mean activity. Small differences in residual activity were observed in the different cell lines. However, no obvious relationship was found between the degree of residual activity, the level of plasma phytanate, and the patient's clinical condition and history. (author)

  20. Occurrence and Sources of Aliphatic Hydrocarbons in Soils within ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ADOWIE PERE

    Keywords: Asphalt Plants; Soil; Aliphatic hydrocarbons; Pristane; Phytane. Hot mix asphalt (HMA) plant is an assemblage of mechanical equipment where aggregates or inert mineral materials such as sand, gravel, crushed stones, Slag, rock dust or powder are blended, heated, dried and mixed with bitumen in measured ...

  1. Activation of Retinoid X Receptors by Phytanic Acid and Docohexaenoic Acid: Role in the Prevention and Therapy of Prostate Cancer

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Tang, Xiao-Han

    2005-01-01

    .... Meanwhile, both phytanic acid and DHA inhibited the growth of Pc-3 and LNCaP cells. Phytanic acid and retinoic acid synergistically inhibited the growth of both of these prostate cancer cell lines...

  2. The effect of maturation on the configuration of pristane in sediments and petroleum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patience, R. L.; Rowland, S. J.; Maxwell, J. R.

    1978-01-01

    The absolute stereochemistry of pristane in a sample of contemporary marine zooplankton, Messel shale (Germany) and Djatibarang (Java) crude has been determined by gas chromatographic methods. The relative stereochemistry in Irati shale (Brazil), Green River (U.S.) crude, Halibut (Australia) crude has also been determined, and confirmed for a sample of the Green River shale. The stereoisomer distributions indicate a loss of stereospecificity of the phytol-derived 6(R), 10(S) pristane with increasing geological maturation. For example, the least mature geological sample, the Eocene Messel shale, contains solely the 6(R), 10(S) isomer, whereas a mature sample, Djatibarange crude, contains 50% of the 6(R), 10(S) isomer and 25% of each of the 6(R), 10(R) and 6(S), 10(S) isomers.

  3. The use of chromatographic indexes to study the biodegradation of crude oil in cold/icy seawater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siron, R.; Pelletier, E.

    1993-01-01

    A group of five protected mesocosms (3.5 m 3 each) was used to study the biodegradation of dispersed crude oil in cold and icy seawater. A wide range of oil concentrations was tested over four experiments lasting two weeks to six months. Various oil treatments were studied with respect to the natural bacterial degradation: chemically dispersed and untreated crude oil; and oil adsorbed on, and released from, an immersed substrate. The study was concerned with oil accommodated in the water column, accumulated in surface (sheens and emulsions), and collected in sediment traps. The oil biodegradation was assessed by means of the following gas chromatographic indexes: C17/pristane; C18/phytane; n-alkanes/isoprenoids; pristane/phytane; naphthalene/phenanthrene; 2-methyl naphthalene/1-methyl naphthalene; and methylnaphthalenes/total substituted naphthalenes. A combined index of biodegradation defined from the most significant hydrocarbon ratios is proposed to evaluate the overall biodegradation of dissolved compounds and oil droplets, involving both aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. Coupled with mesocosm facilities, this approach appears very convenient to determine the potential degradability of crude oils by natural indigenous microflora. 26 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs

  4. Chemometric assessment of enhanced bioremediation of oil contaminated soils

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Soleimani, Mohsen; Farhoudi, Majid; Christensen, Jan H.

    2013-01-01

    Bioremediation is a promising technique for reclamation of oil polluted soils. In this study, six methods for enhancing bioremediation were tested on oil contaminated soils from three refinery areas in Iran (Isfahan, Arak, and Tehran). The methods included bacterial enrichment, planting...... relative removal of isoprenoids (e.g. norpristane, pristane and phytane). It is concluded that the CHEMSIC method is a valuable tool for assessing bioremediation efficiency....

  5. Immunomodulation Effects of Bryophyllum Pinnatum on Pregnant Pristane-Induced Lupus Mice Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurdiana Nurdiana

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine the effect of Bryophyllum pinnatum treatment in modulating immune response and the pregnancy outcomes of pregnant pristane-induced lupus mice model. Methods: Sixteen Balb/c mice were intraperitoneally injected with single 0.5 cc pristane to induce lupus manifestations. After 12 weeks of injection, mice were mated and considered as gestational day 0 (GD0. Mice were divided into 4 groups based on the dosages of Bryophyllum pinnatum: control (no treatment, B1 (10.5 mg/kg, B2 (21 mg/kg, and B3 (42 mg/kg. The treatment was given orally every day started from GD9 until 9 days. At the end of the study, blood pressure and fetal size were measured. Serum anti-dsDNA and urine albumin levels were measured by ELISA. Spleen T helper (Th and mature B cells percentages were measured by flow cytometry. Results: Administration of Bryophyllum pinnatum reduced the percentages of Th1 (p=0.006, Th2 (p=0.005, Th17 (p=0.000, and mature B cells (p=0.007 in dose-dependent manner. B1 and B2 had significantly lower of systolic blood pressure compared to control (p=0.026 and p=0.022 respectively. Significantly lower of anti-dsDNA levels were found in B1 group compared to control (p=0.014. However, no significantly different of urine albumin levels were found between groups. Bryophyllum pinnatum also significantly increased the fetus body weight in dose-dependent manner (p=0.000. Conclusion: Treatment of Bryophyllum pinnatum could improve the pregnancy outcome and modulate the immune response in pregnant pristane-induced lupus mice. Therefore, Bryophyllum pinnatum is a potential herb which can be developed as an immunosuppressive agent in the future.

  6. Prenatal diagnosis of Zellweger syndrome and related disorders: impaired degradation of phytanic acid

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poulos, A.; van Crugten, C.; Sharp, P.; Carey, W. F.; Robertson, E.; Becroft, D. M.; Saudubray, J. M.; Poll-The, B. T.; Christensen, E.; Brandt, N.

    1986-01-01

    Normal amniocytes and chorionic villous cells in culture are able to produce 14CO2 from exogenous [1-14C] phytanic acid. In contrast, cells from four fetuses at risk for the cerebro-hepato-renal (Zellweger) syndrome and related disorders showed a greatly reduced activity, indicating a block in

  7. Effects by periodontitis on pristane-induced arthritis in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eriksson, Kaja; Lönnblom, Erik; Tour, Gregory; Kats, Anna; Mydel, Piotr; Georgsson, Pierre; Hultgren, Catharina; Kharlamova, Nastya; Norin, Ulrika; Jönsson, Jörgen; Lundmark, Anna; Hellvard, Annelie; Lundberg, Karin; Jansson, Leif; Holmdahl, Rikard; Yucel-Lindberg, Tülay

    2016-11-03

    An infection-immune association of periodontal disease with rheumatoid arthritis has been suggested. This study aimed to investigate the effect of pre-existing periodontitis on the development and the immune/inflammatory response of pristane-induced arthritis. We investigated the effect of periodontitis induced by ligature placement and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) infection, in combination with Fusobacterium nucleatum to promote its colonization, on the development of pristane-induced arthritis (PIA) in rats (Dark Agouti). Disease progression and severity of periodontitis and arthritis was monitored using clinical assessment, micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)/intraoral radiographs, antibody response, the inflammatory markers such as α-1-acid glycoprotein (α-1-AGP) and c-reactive protein (CRP) as well as cytokine multiplex profiling at different time intervals after induction. Experimentally induced periodontitis manifested clinically (P periodontitis-induction led to severe arthritis in all rats demonstrating that the severity of arthritis was not affected by the pre-existence of periodontitis. Endpoint analysis showed that 89% of the periodontitis-affected animals were positive for antibodies against arginine gingipain B and furthermore, the plasma antibody levels to a citrullinated P. gingivalis peptidylarginine deiminase (PPAD) peptide (denoted CPP3) were significantly (P periodontitis rats with PIA. Additionally, there was a trend towards increased pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels, and increased α-1-AGP levels in plasma from periodontitis-challenged PIA rats. Pre-existence of periodontitis induced antibodies against citrullinated peptide derived from PPAD in rats with PIA. However, there were no differences in the development or severity of PIA between periodontitis challenged and periodontitis free rats.

  8. Determination of anthropogenic and biogenic compounds on atmospheric aerosol collected in urban, biomass burning and forest areas in São Paulo, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasconcellos, Pérola C; Souza, Davi Z; Sanchez-Ccoyllo, Odon; Bustillos, José Oscar V; Lee, Helena; Santos, Fernando C; Nascimento, Katia H; Araújo, Maria P; Saarnio, Karri; Teinilä, Kimmo; Hillamo, Risto

    2010-11-01

    This study was conducted at three sites of different characteristics in São Paulo State: São Paulo (SPA), Piracicaba (PRB) and Mata Atlântica Forest (MAT). PM(10), n-alkanes, pristane and phytane, PAHs, water-soluble ions and biomass burning tracers like levoglucosan and retene, were determined in quartz fiber filters. Samplings occurred on May 8th to August 8th, 2007 at the MAT site; on August 15th to 29th in 2007 and November 10th to 29th in 2008 at the PRB site and, March 13th to April 4th in 2007 and August 7th to 29th in 2008 at the SPA site. Aliphatic compounds emitted biogenically were less abundant at the urban sites than at the forest site, and its distribution showed the influence of tropical vascular plants. Air mass transport from biomass burning regions is likely to impact the sites with specific molecular markers. The concentrations of all species were variable and dependent of seasonal changes. In the most dry and polluted seasons, n-alkane and cation total concentrations were similar between the megacity and the biomass burning site. PAHs and inorganic ion abundances were higher at São Paulo than Piracicaba, yet, the site influenced by biomass burning seems to be the most impacted by the organic anion abundance in the atmosphere. Pristane and phytane confirm the contamination by petroleum residues at urban sites; at the MAT site, biological activity and long range transport of pollutants might influence the levels of pristane. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Isolation and characterization of novel hydrocarbon-degrading euryhaline consortia from crude oil and mangrove sediments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piedad Díaz, M; Grigson, S J; Peppiatt, C J; Burgess, J G

    2000-11-01

    Two novel and versatile bacterial consortia were developed for the biodegradation of hydrocarbons. They were isolated from crude oil from the Cormorant Field in the North Sea (MPD-7) and from sediment associated with mangrove roots (MPD-M). The bacterial consortia were able to degrade both aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in crude oils very effectively in seawater (35 g/L NaCl) and synthetic media containing 0 to 100 g/L NaCl (1.7 M). Salinities over twice that of normal seawater decreased the biodegradation rates. However, even at the highest salinity biodegradation was significant. Ratios of nC17 to pristane and nC18 to phytane were significantly lowered across the range of salinity. The lowest values were at 0 and 20 g/L (0.34 M). Phytane was degraded in preference to pristane. The degradation of these compounds was constant over the salinity range, with evidence of a slight increase for consortium MPD-M with increasing salinity. In general, the consortium isolated from mangrove root sediments was more efficient in metabolizing North Sea crude oil than the consortium isolated from Cormorant crude oil. The 5 strains that comprise MPD-M have been tentatively identified as species of the genera Marinobacter, Bacillus, and Erwinia. This is the first report of hydrocarbon-degrading consortia isolated from crude oil and mangrove sediments that are capable of treating oily wastes over such a wide range of salinity.

  10. Patterns and sources of particle-phase aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban and rural sites of western Greece

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalaitzoglou, Maria; Terzi, Eleni; Samara, Constantini

    Particle-bound aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs and PAHs, respectively) were determined in the ambient air of the Eordea basin, in western Greece, where intensive coal burning for power generation takes place. Thirteen PAHs, n-alkanes (C 14-C 35), hopanes, and isoprenoid hydrocarbons (pristane and phytane) were determined in the total suspended particles collected from the atmosphere of four sites within the basin receiving potential impacts from various sources, such as fly ash, coal mining, automobile traffic, domestic heating, and agricultural or refuse burning. The same organic species were also determined in the fly ash generated in power stations, and in particulate emissions from open burning of biomass (dry corn leaves) and refuse burning. Organic particle sources were resolved using concentration diagnostic ratios and factor analysis (FA). A multivariate statistical receptor model (Absolute Principal Component Analysis, APCA) was finally employed to estimate the contribution of identified sources to the measured concentrations of organic pollutants. Four major sources for ambient PAHs and AHs were identified displaying variable contribution in different sites: (a) fossil fuel combustion, (b) biogenic emissions, (c) refuse burning, and (d) oil residues. Fuel combustion was the major source of ambient PAHs and an important source of n-alkanes in the range C 21-C 28. Oil residues were found to be the major source of low molecular weight n-alkanes (particularly the C 14-C 16), and an important source of pristane, phytane and UCM. Biogenic sources were primarily responsible for the high molecular weight n-alkanes explaining almost the entire concentration levels of homologues >C 32. Biomass burning was particularly important for the C 23-C 26n-alkanes. Despite the vicinity of certain sampling sites to power stations, coal fly ash was not identifiable as a source for ambient PAHs and AHs.

  11. Bioremediation of experimental petroleum spills on mineral soils in the Vestfold Hills, Antarctica

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kerry, E.

    1993-01-01

    The effect of nutrient and water enhancement on the biodegradation of petroleum was tested in Antarctic mineral soils. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were applied in solution, with or without gum xanthan or plastic covers, to sites artificially contaminated with distillate. The effectiveness of these procedures was assessed by measuring changes in total petroleum hydrocarbons; heptadecane/pristane and octadecane/phytane ratios; in concentrations of major hydrocarbon components and in microbial numbers and activity. Significantly lower hydrocarbon concentration were recorded after one year in soils treated with fertilizer solutions, but only in the surface 3 cm. These soils also showed lowered heptadecane/pristane and octadecane/phytane ratios and had the highest levels of microbial activity relative to other plots. Soils treated with gum xanthan or covered with plastic had the highest residual hydrocarbon levels. Both treatments inhibited evaporative loss of hydrocarbon, and there were indications that gum xanthan was utilized by the microbiota as an alternative carbon source to distillate. Higher temperatures were recorded under the plastic but no stimulation of biodegradation was detected. Estimated numbers of metabolically active bacteria were in the range 10 7 to 10 8 g -1 dry weight of soil, with an estimated biomass of 0.03 to 0.26 mg g -1 soil. Estimated numbers of amoebae were in the range 10 6 10 7 g -1 soil (biomass of 2 to 4 mg g -1 ). The highest populations were recorded in fertilized, contaminated soils, the only soils where petroleum degradation was demonstrated. 23 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs

  12. A case study on fuel oil contamination in a mangrove swamp in Hong Kong

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tam, N.F.Y.; Wong, T.W.Y.; Wong, Y.S. [City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon (Hong Kong). Department of Biology

    2005-07-01

    Mangroves commonly found along tropical and subtropical coastlines are susceptible to oil pollution. In December 2000, around 500 1 m tall Kandelia candel saplings at the age of 3-5 years old located at the foreshore region of Sheung Pak Nai swamp, Hong Kong SAR, were found to be damaged by oil pollution. More than 80% of the saplings were either dead or washed away and leaving less than 5% healthy saplings with dense green leaves. Elevated concentrations of light n-alkanes (ranging from n-C{sub 14} to n-C{sub 20}), pristane and phytane were recorded in surface sediments collected in December 2000. The ratio between light and total n-alkanes was 0.4. The total petroleum hydrocarbons (60-80 {mu}g g{sup -1} TPH) and unresolved complex mixtures (60-70 {mu}g g{sup -1} UCM) were higher than the background values of other mangrove sediments in Hong Kong, which were 40 and 20 {mu}g g{sup -1}, respectively. In certain root zone sediments, TPH concentrations were above 1000 {mu}g g{sup -1}. These results suggest that surface sediments in Sheung Pak Nai were contaminated by petroleum oil, most likely by illegal discharge of fuel oil which occurred between 1998 and 2002. One year later, in December 2001, unhealthy saplings had recovered and re-grown. The concentrations of TPH and UCM in sediments declined to around 40 {mu}g g{sup -1}, pristane and phytane dropped by 80%, and the ratio of light to total n-alkanes was 0.15, suggesting that residual oil in sediments was weathered leading to a remarkable recovery of the unhealthy saplings. (author)

  13. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of very long chain fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid, phytanic acid and plasmalogen for the screening of peroxisomal disorders

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Takemoto, Yasuhiko; Suzuki, Yasuyuki; Horibe, Ryoko; Shimozawa, Nobuyuki; Wanders, Ronald J. A.; Kondo, Naomi

    2003-01-01

    Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), phytanic acid, and plasmalogens are usually measured individually. A novel method for the screening of peroxisomal disorders, using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), was developed. Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids,

  14. Isoprenoid hydrocarbons produced by thermal alteration of Nostoc muscorum and Rhodopseudomonas spheroides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philp, R. P.; Brown, S.; Calvin, M.

    1978-01-01

    The potential of algae and photosynthetic bacteria to serve as precursors of kerogen was studied to determine what factors affect the relative rates of formation of precursor hydrocarbons. Cells of Nostoc muscorum and Rhodopseudomonas spheroides were subjected to thermal alteration (by heating samples in glass tubes sealed under nitrogen) for two, four, and twelve weeks. Both unextracted and extracted cells in the absence and presence of montmorillonite were investigated, and the isoprenoid hydrocarbons produced in these experiments were determined. Phytane and five isomeric phytenes were the main hydrocarbons observed; their relative rates of formation in the different experimental conditions are described. No phytadienes, pristane, or pristenes were detected.

  15. Content and distribution of phytanic acid diastereomers in organic milk as affected by feed composition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Che, Brita Ngum; Kristensen, Troels; Nebel, Caroline

    2013-01-01

    Phytanic acid (PA) is a bioactive compound found in milk that is derived from the phytol chain of chlorophyll, and the content of PA in milk fat depends on the availability of phytol from feed. In this study, the content of PA diastereomers was analyzed in milk sampled from five organic herds twice...... during the grazing season (May and September). The total content of PA was higher in September compared to May, but was not affected by breed (Danish Holstein or Danish Jersey). Total PA could not be directly related to intake of green feed items. The distribution between diastereomers was closely...

  16. A statistical approach to the interpretation of aliphatic hydrocarbon distributions in marine sediments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rapp, J.B.

    1991-01-01

    Q-mode factor analysis was used to quantitate the distribution of the major aliphatic hydrocarbon (n-alkanes, pristane, phytane) systems in sediments from a variety of marine environments. The compositions of the pure end members of the systems were obtained from factor scores and the distribution of the systems within each sample was obtained from factor loadings. All the data, from the diverse environments sampled (estuarine (San Francisco Bay), fresh-water (San Francisco Peninsula), polar-marine (Antarctica) and geothermal-marine (Gorda Ridge) sediments), were reduced to three major systems: a terrestrial system (mostly high molecular weight aliphatics with odd-numbered-carbon predominance), a mature system (mostly low molecular weight aliphatics without predominance) and a system containing mostly high molecular weight aliphatics with even-numbered-carbon predominance. With this statistical approach, it is possible to assign the percentage contribution from various sources to the observed distribution of aliphatic hydrocarbons in each sediment sample. ?? 1991.

  17. Methyl salicylate 2-O-β-d-lactoside alleviates the pathological progression of pristane-induced systemic lupus erythematosus-like disease in mice via suppression of inflammatory response and signal transduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Yang-Yang; Yan, Yu; Zhang, Hui-Fang; Lin, Yi-Huang; Chen, Yu-Cai; Yan, Yi; Wu, Ping; Fang, Jian-Song; Yang, Shu-Hui; Du, Guan-Hua

    2016-01-01

    Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with a high incidence rate and insufficient therapy worldwide, is a complex disease involving multiple organs characterized primarily by inflammation due to deposition of immunocomplexes formed by production of autoantibodies. The mechanism of SLE remains unclear, and the disease still cannot be cured. We used pristane to induce SLE in female BALB/c mice. Methyl salicylate 2- O -β-d-lactoside (MSL; 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg) was orally administered 45 days after pristane injection for 4.5 months. The results showed that MSL antagonized the increasing levels of multiple types of antibodies and cytokines in lupus mice. MSL was found to suppress joint swelling and have potent inhibitory effect on arthritis-like symptoms. MSL also significantly decreased the spleen index and expression of inflammatory markers in the lupus mice. MSL protected the kidneys of lupus mice from injury through inhibiting the expression of inflammatory cytokines and reducing the IgG and C3 immunocomplex deposits. Further Western blot assays revealed that the downregulation of the intracellular inflammatory signals of NFκB and JAK/STAT3 might be the potential molecular mechanisms of the pharmacological activity of MSL against SLE in vivo. These findings may demonstrate that MSL has the potential to be a useful and highly effective treatment for SLE.

  18. Contamination of limpets (Patella vulgata) following the Sea Empress oil spill

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glegg, G.A.; Hickman, L.; Rowland, S.J.

    1999-01-01

    Following the grounding of the Sea Empress oil tanker at the entrance to Milford Haven, UK, in February 1997, samples of limpets (Patella vulgata) were collected from local coastal sites (after 2 weeks and 4 and 7 months) and analysed for oil contamination. Initially, relatively high concentrations of volatile two and three ring aromatic hydrocarbons (up to 86 μg g -1 dry weight) were found which decreased by order of magnitude between surveys. These results are compared with a similar rapid decrease in concentrations of volatile hydrocarbons while loss of heavier components is slower. An assessment of the non-volatile fingerprint sterane hydrocarbons showed limpet samples to be contaminated with hydrocarbons but was inconclusive about the source of those hydrocarbons. Another common fingerprint, the pristane:phytane ratio was investigated but this was found to be masked by the presence of natural biogenic compounds. (Author)

  19. Identification of long and very long chain fatty acids, plasmalogen-C16:0 and phytanic acid as new lipid biomarkers in Tunisian coronary artery disease patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadj Ahmed, Samia; Koubaa, Nadia; Kharroubi, Wafa; Zarrouk, Amira; Mnari, Amira; Batbout, Fethi; Gamra, Habib; Hammami, Sonia; Lizard, Gérard; Hammami, Mohamed

    2017-07-01

    Long and very long chain fatty acids (LCFAs and VLCFAs) may play an active role in coronary artery diseases (CAD) etiology. Our aim was to evaluate the associations between LCPUFAs (C20:4n-6; C20:5n-3 and C22:6n-3) and VLCSFAs (C22:0, C24:0; and C26:0), as well as markers of peroxisomal integrity evaluated by phytanic acid and plasmalogen-C16:0 (PL-C16:0) in addition to the markers of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde [MDA] and conjugated dienes [CD]) and inflammation (high sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP]) with vascular severity evaluated by Gensini score in order to determine their possible effects on CAD in Tunisian population. Lipidomic strategy based on GC/MS-SIM was used to quantify LCPUFAs, VLCSFAs, and PL-C16:0 in red blood cells of CAD patients, non-CAD patients, and controls. We observed a significant increase in phytanic acid, PL-C16:0 and VLCFAs, particularly C26:0, in CAD group compared to controls. Further our findings showed positive correlations of C26:0 with MDA and with vascular severity score (Gensini score). In addition, a significant negative correlation was shown between hs-CRP and C22:6 n-3 (r=-0.297; p=0.002) and a significant positive association was observed between hs-CRP and C20:4 n-6 levels (r=0.196; p=0.039). Our results show changes in LCPUFAs and VLCSFAs concentrations in RBC among study groups, and suggest alterations in fatty acids metabolism regulated by elongase and desaturase enzymes. The positive correlations of C20:4n-6 and the negative correlations of C22:6n-3, simultaneously with Gensini score and hs-CRP, suggest a link of both inflammation and vascular severity complication of CAD with LCPUFAs and VLCSFAs. Induction of lipid oxidation, can be one of the outcomes of LCFAs and VLCFAs accumulation in vascular tissues and, thus, playing an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Quantification of LCPUFAs and VLCSFAs, phytanic acid and PL-C16:0 simultaneously, would be of great value for the screening of

  20. Effects of Low Phytanic Acid-Concentrated DHA on Activated Microglial Cells: Comparison with a Standard Phytanic Acid-Concentrated DHA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz-Roso, María Belén; Olivares-Álvaro, Elena; Quintela, José Carlos; Ballesteros, Sandra; Espinosa-Parrilla, Juan F; Ruiz-Roso, Baltasar; Lahera, Vicente; de Las Heras, Natalia; Martín-Fernández, Beatriz

    2018-05-30

    Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) is an essential omega-3 (ω-3) long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid of neuronal membranes involved in normal growth, development, and function. DHA has been proposed to reduce deleterious effects in neurodegenerative processes. Even though, some inconsistencies in findings from clinical and pre-clinical studies with DHA could be attributed to the presence of phytanic acid (PhA) in standard DHA treatments. Thus, the aim of our study was to analyze and compare the effects of a low PhA-concentrated DHA with a standard PhA-concentrated DHA under different neurotoxic conditions in BV-2 activated microglial cells. To this end, mouse microglial BV-2 cells were stimulated with either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and co-incubated with DHA 50 ppm of PhA (DHA (PhA:50)) or DHA 500 ppm of PhA (DHA (PhA:500)). Cell viability, superoxide anion (O 2 - ) production, Interleukin 6 (L-6), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), glutathione peroxidase (GtPx), glutathione reductase (GtRd), Caspase-3, and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein expression were explored. Low PhA-concentrated DHA protected against LPS or H 2 O 2 -induced cell viability reduction in BV-2 activated cells and O 2 - production reduction compared to DHA (PhA:500). Low PhA-concentrated DHA also decreased COX-2, IL-6, iNOS, GtPx, GtRd, and SOD-1 protein expression when compared to DHA (PhA:500). Furthermore, low PhA-concentrated DHA increased BDNF protein expression in comparison to DHA (PhA:500). The study provides data supporting the beneficial effect of low PhA-concentrated DHA in neurotoxic injury when compared to a standard PhA-concentrated DHA in activated microglia.

  1. Hydrocarbon Prospectivity of Nigeria's Inland Basins: From the View Point of Organic Geochemistry and Organic Petrology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Obaje, N. G.; Abubakar, M. B.; Jauro, A.; Tukur, A.; Wehner, H.

    2003-01-01

    The inland basins of Nigeria comprise the Anambra basin, the lower, middle and upper Benue trough, the southeastern sector of the Chad basin, the Mid-Niger (Bida) basin, and the Sokoto basin. Organic geochemical and organic petrologic studies indicate that coal beds constitute major potential source rocks in the whole of the Benue trough (Anambra basin inclusive). The generation and production of liquid and i gaseous hydrocarbons from coal beds presently is world-wide indisputable. In the Anambra basin, the coal beds in the Mamu Formation have TOC contents of up to 60.8wt%, mean Hydrogen Index (HI) of 364mgHC/gTOC, vitrinite reflectivity (Ro) of 0.54 to 0.56% and Tmax 430 to 433degrees C. Biomarker data indicate a dominance of high molecular weight : n-alkanes, very high pristane/phytane ratios, pronounced odd-over-even predominance (OEP), preponderance of C29 regular steranes but with also relatively high contents of C28. In the middle Benue trough, the coal beds of the Awgu Formation have TOC contents of up to 79.1 Owt%, Ro of 0.83 to 1.07%, and mean HI of 281 mgHC/gTOC; unimodal distributions of both low and high molecular weight n-alkanes with no obvious OEP, and a predominance of C29 steranes but also with relatively high contents of C27 and C28. Coal beds from the Lamja Formation in the upper Benue trough yielded TOC contents of up to 50.7wt% with HI of 184mgHC/gTOC, Ro of 0.70 to 0.73%, low and high molecular weights n- alkane dominance with an unpronounced OEP, high pristane/phytane ratios, and very high contents of C29 regular steranes. On a basinal evaluation level, incorporating source rock data from the other formations in the respective sectors, plots on the modified Van Krevelen diagram alongside biomarker and maceral data indicate good i to fair source rock qualities (oil and gas) in the Anambra basin and middle Benue trough; and fair to poor (gaseous to dry) in the upper Benue trough and the Chad basin, with sporadic good to fair source rock

  2. Nutrient demand in bioventing of fuel oil pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Breedveld, G.D.; Hauge, A.; Olstad, G.

    1995-01-01

    The effect of nutrient addition on bioventing of fuel oil pollution in an artificially polluted sandy soil has been studied at different experimental scales to assess the predictive value of laboratory treatability studies. The results of batch studies, laboratory column studies, and pilot-scale field tests (10 tons of soil) were compared. The qualitative response to nutrient addition was comparable in all experiments. Without nutrient addition, a minimal respiration rate was observed. With nutrient addition, respiration rates increased almost instantaneously. The highest rates were observed in the batch studies. The column study and pilot-scale field test indicated similar respiration rates, at approximately one sixth the respiration rates in the batch study. Respiration rates in the pilot-scale field study decreased during the winter season. Analysis of the residual oil composition in soil samples showed a relation between the degree of weathering, measured as the n-C 17 /pristane and n-C 18 /phytane ratio, and nutrient addition. Lower n-C 17 /pristane ratios were observed at higher total nitrogen content. After 1 year of bioventing with nutrient addition, a 66% reduction in TPH content was observed. Without nutrient addition, the residual oil still closely resembled the original fuel oil product, with only minor removal of the light-end compounds

  3. Diverse captive non-human primates with phytanic acid-deficient diets rich in plant products have substantial phytanic acid levels in their red blood cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moser Ann B

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Humans and rodents with impaired phytanic acid (PA metabolism can accumulate toxic stores of PA that have deleterious effects on multiple organ systems. Ruminants and certain fish obtain PA from the microbial degradation of dietary chlorophyll and/or through chlorophyll-derived precursors. In contrast, humans cannot derive PA from chlorophyll and instead normally obtain it only from meat, dairy, and fish products. Results Captive apes and Old world monkeys had significantly higher red blood cell (RBC PA levels relative to humans when all subjects were fed PA-deficient diets. Given the adverse health effects resulting from PA over accumulation, we investigated the molecular evolution of thirteen PA metabolism genes in apes, Old world monkeys, and New world monkeys. All non-human primate (NHP orthologs are predicted to encode full-length proteins with the marmoset Phyh gene containing a rare, but functional, GA splice donor dinucleotide. Acox2, Scp2, and Pecr sequences had amino acid positions with accelerated substitution rates while Amacr had significant variation in evolutionary rates in apes relative to other primates. Conclusions Unlike humans, diverse captive NHPs with PA-deficient diets rich in plant products have substantial RBC PA levels. The favored hypothesis is that NHPs can derive significant amounts of PA from the degradation of ingested chlorophyll through gut fermentation. If correct, this raises the possibility that RBC PA levels could serve as a biomarker for evaluating the digestive health of captive NHPs. Furthermore, the evolutionary rates of the several genes relevant to PA metabolism provide candidate genetic adaptations to NHP diets.

  4. Chlorophyll-derived fatty acids regulate expression of lipid metabolizing enzymes in liver - a nutritional opportunity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wolfrum Christian

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Nutritional values of fatty acid classes are normally discussed on the basis of their saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated structures with implicit understanding that they are straight-chain. Here we focus on chlorophyll-derived phytanic and pristanic acids that are minor isoprenoid branched-chain lipid constituents in food, but of unknown nutritional value. After describing the enzyme machinery that degrades these nutrient fatty acids in the peroxisome, we show by the criteria of a mouse model and of a human cell culture model that they induce with high potency expression of enzymes responsible for beta-oxidation of straight-chain fatty acids in the peroxisome. We summarize present mechanistic knowledge on fatty acid signaling to the nucleus, which involves protein/protein contacts between peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR and fatty acid binding protein (FABP. In this signaling event the branched-chain fatty acids are the most effective ones. Finally, on the basis of this nutrient-gene interaction we discuss nutritional opportunities and therapeutic aspects of the chlorophyll-derived fatty acids.

  5. Arthritis severity locus Cia4 is an early regulator of IL-6, IL-1β, and NF-κB activators' expression in pristane-induced arthritis

    OpenAIRE

    Brenner, Max; Laragione, Teresina; Gulko, Pércio S.

    2013-01-01

    Cia4 is a locus on rat chromosome 7 that regulates disease severity and joint damage in models of rheumatoid arthritis, including pristane-induced arthritis (PIA). To identify molecular processes regulated by Cia4, synovial tissues from MHC-identical DA (severe erosive) and DA.F344(Cia4) congenics (mild nonerosive) rats were collected at preclinical and recent onset stages following the induction of PIA and analyzed for gene expression levels. Il6 levels were significantly higher in DA compar...

  6. Paleoenvironmental implications from biomarker and stable isotope investigations on the Pliocene Velenje lignite seam (Slovenia)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bechtel, A.; Sachsenhofer, R.F.; Markic, M.; Gratzer, R.; Lucke, A.; Puttmann, W. [Montan University of Leoben, Leoben (Austria)

    2003-07-01

    A Pliocene lignite seam up to 160 m thick occurs in the Velenje basin (Slovenia). The seam originated in a topogenous mire and evolved within a non-marine, transgressive setting. Differences in soluble organic matter yield and hydrocarbon content of borehole samples from the lignite are related to differences in the composition of free lipids of microbial origin and/or hydrocarbons derived from the biogeochemical degradation of plant tissue. Variations of the redox conditions within the mire are reflected by pristane/phytane ratios. The abundance of terpenoid biomarkers indicates the predominance of gymnosperms over angiosperms, which is consistent with palynomorphic spectra dominated by pollen of the Sequoia-Taxodium-Metasequoia plant community rather than by angiosperms. Evidence is also provided that the content of land plant derived biomarkers and the preservation of plant tissue is controlled by the input of resin-rich, decay-resistant conifers.

  7. Organic petrology and geochemistry of the Carboniferous coal seams from the Central Asturian Coal Basin (NW Spain)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Piedad-Sanchez, Noe; Martinez, Luis; Izart, Alain; Elie, Marcel [UMR G2R/7566, Geologie et Gestion des Ressources Minerales et Energetiques, Faculte des Sciences, Universite Henri Poincare, Nancy 1, BP-239, Boulevard des Aiguillettes, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex 54506 (France); Suarez-Ruiz, Isabel [Instituto Nacional del Carbon (CSIC), C/ Francisco Pintado Fe, 26, Ap. Co., 73, Oviedo 33011 (Spain); Keravis, Didier [Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTO), CNRS-Universite d' Orleans, Batiment Geosciences, BP 6759, Orleans 45067 (France)

    2004-03-23

    This paper presents for the first time a petrological and geochemical study of coals from the Central Asturian Coal Basin (North Spain) of Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian), mainly of Moscovian, age. A paleoenvironmental approach was used, taking into account both petrographic and organic geochemical studies. Vitrinite reflectance (R{sub r}) ranges from 0.5% to 2.5%, which indicates a high volatile bituminous to semianthracite and anthracite coal rank. The coal samples selected for paleoenvironmental reconstruction are located inside the oil-gas-prone phase, corresponding to the interval between the onset of oil generation and first gas generation and efficient expulsion of oil. This phase is represented by coals that have retained their hydrocarbon potential and also preserved biomarker information. Paleodepositional reconstruction based on maceral and petrographic indices points to a swamp environment with vitrinite-rich coal facies and variable mineral matter content. The gelification index (GI) and groundwater influence index (GWI) indicate strong gelification and wet conditions. The biomarkers exhibit a high pristane/phytane ratio, suggesting an increase in this ratio from diagenetic processes, and a high diterpanes ratio. This, in turn, would seem to indicate a high swamp water table and a humid climate. The maximum point of coal accumulation occurred during the regressive part of the Late Moscovian sequence and in the most humid climate described for this period of time in the well-known coal basins of Europe and North America.

  8. Comparison of the therapeutic effects of thymoquinone and methotrexate on renal injury in pristane induced arthritis in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faisal, R.

    2015-01-01

    To determine the effect of thymoquinone and methotrexate on blood urea and serum creatinine in arthritic rats. Study Design:Experimental, comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, from March to August 2013. Methodology: Thirty two female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into four equal groups (n=8); group A(healthy control), group B (positive control), group C (Thymoquinone treated) and group D (Methotrexate treated). Arthritis developed within two weeks after a single pristane injection. Total leukocyte count, blood urea and serum creatinine were taken at day 0, 15 and 30. While clinical score of inflammation was taken at day 0 and then on every alternate day. Results: Development of arthritis and renal involvement was accompanied by significant raise in total leukocyte count, clinical score of inflammation, blood urea and serum creatinine as compared to healthy control rats (group A) till day 15 (p < 0.001). From day 15 to day 30 both thymoquinone (group C) and methotrexate (group D) significantly lowered the total leukocyte count, clinical score of inflammation and improved blood urea and serum creatinine as compared to arthritic rats (group B) (p < 0.001). Methotrexate was found a bit more effective than thymoquinone. Conclusion: Evaluation of results supported the beneficial effects of thymoquinone in renal injury produced by rheumatoid arthritis. (author)

  9. The organic carbon isotope of lacustrine sediments of the Upper Shahejie formation in Huanghua Depression: a record of sedimentary environment and productivity of an ancient lake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fei, Weiwei; Huang, Xiaoyan; Dai, Na; Zhong, Ningning

    2013-01-01

    -rich lamellae is the result of algae blooming and deposition in ancient lakes, as carbonate lamellae is the result of CaCO_3 saturation precipitation with CO_2 decreasing in surface water due to the algal blooming. Lamellar deposition pattern of the mudstone recorded the geological process of algae’s blooming, death and burial. (2) The carbon isotopic composition of organic matter can be a sensitive indicator of the relative significance of bioproductivity and redox conditions as the main factor controlling the formation of organic-rich sediments. δ"1"3C_o_r_g shows a positive correlation with TOC when bioproductivity dominated, however, a negative correlation when redox conditions dominated (Harris et al., 2004). The study on biomarker shows pristane/phytane ratios nearly constant throughout the interval, suggesting the redox environments remained stable. The negative correlation between pristane/phytane ratios and TOC is not obvious, whereas δ"1"3C_o_r_g shows a good positive correlation to TOC%, adjusted R is 0.89. Thus it can be seen that bioproductivity exerted a significant control on organic carbon accumulation in the upper of Shahejie Formation.

  10. Immunomodulatory Effect of Agave tequilana Evaluated on an Autoimmunity Like-SLE Model Induced in Balb/c Mice with Pristane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutiérrez Nava, Zúlima Jannette; Jiménez-Aparicio, Antonio Ruperto; Herrera-Ruiz, Maribel Lucila; Jiménez-Ferrer, Enrique

    2017-05-25

    In this work, the immunomodulatory activity of the acetone extract and the fructans obtained from Agave tequilana were evaluated, on the systemic autoimmunity type-SLE model generated by the administration of 2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane (TMPD, also known as pristane) on Balb/c female mice. The systemic autoimmunity type-SLE was observed seven months after the application of TMPD, in which the animals from the negative control group (animals with damage and without any other treatment) developed articular inflammation, proteinuria, an increment of the antinuclear antibody titters and tissue pro-inflammatory cytokines levels (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α e IFN-γ) as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. The administration of the different treatments and the extracts of A. tequilana , provoked the decrease of: articular inflammation, the development of proteinuria, ssDNA/dsDNA antinuclear antibody titters and cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-10. The phytochemical analysis of the acetone extract identified the presence of the following compounds: β-sitosterol glycoside; 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol (phytol); octadecadienoic acid-2,3-dihydroxypropyl ester; stigmasta-3,5-dien-7-one; cycloartenone and cycloartenol. Therefore, A. tequilana contains active compounds with the capacity to modify the evolution of the systemic autoimmunity type-SLE on a murine model.

  11. Immunomodulatory Effect of Agave tequilana Evaluated on an Autoimmunity Like-SLE Model Induced in Balb/c Mice with Pristane

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zúlima Jannette Gutiérrez Nava

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available In this work, the immunomodulatory activity of the acetone extract and the fructans obtained from Agave tequilana were evaluated, on the systemic autoimmunity type-SLE model generated by the administration of 2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane (TMPD, also known as pristane on Balb/c female mice. The systemic autoimmunity type-SLE was observed seven months after the application of TMPD, in which the animals from the negative control group (animals with damage and without any other treatment developed articular inflammation, proteinuria, an increment of the antinuclear antibody titters and tissue pro-inflammatory cytokines levels (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α e IFN-γ as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. The administration of the different treatments and the extracts of A. tequilana, provoked the decrease of: articular inflammation, the development of proteinuria, ssDNA/dsDNA antinuclear antibody titters and cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-10. The phytochemical analysis of the acetone extract identified the presence of the following compounds: β-sitosterol glycoside; 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol (phytol; octadecadienoic acid-2,3-dihydroxypropyl ester; stigmasta-3,5-dien-7-one; cycloartenone and cycloartenol. Therefore, A. tequilana contains active compounds with the capacity to modify the evolution of the systemic autoimmunity type-SLE on a murine model.

  12. Hopane, a new chemical tool for measuring oil biodegradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butler, E.L.; Douglas, G.S.; Steinhauer, W.G.; Prince, R.C.; Aczel, T.; Hsu, C.S.; Bronson, M.T.; Clark, J.R.; Lindstrom, J.E.

    1991-01-01

    The ability to determine the fate of spilled oil in the environment is critically dependent on an understanding of natural oil degradation processes. Immediately after an oil spill, physical weathering such as evaporation, dispersion and solubilization alter the chemical, physical, and toxicological properties of the spilled product. After this initial weathering, microbial degradation is the principal route for the eventual removal of oil from the environment. A joint Bioremediation Monitoring Program employed a novel approach in characterizing and quantifying the rate of oil biodegradation on selected beaches of Prince William Sound. Hopanes, a class of polycyclic alkanes that are water-insoluble and extremely resistant to biodegradation, were used as an internal oil reference to quantify the depletion of crude oil and its individual components in oiled beach sediments. The depletions of total oil and individual oil components were calculated relative to 30 percent depleted Prudhoe Bay crude oil, a reference material that approximates the composition of the spilled oil that landed on the beaches. In this paper, traditional weathering indicators such as C 18 /phytane, C 17 /pristane, and the aromatic weathering ratio were compared to the hopane oil degradation indicator

  13. Monitoring in situ biodegradation of hydrocarbons by using stable carbon isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aggarwal, P.K.; Hinchee, R.E.

    1991-01-01

    Spilled or leaked nonhalogenated petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil can generally be metabolized by indigenous, aerobic bacteria. In situ biological degradation of hydrocarbons may be accelerated by supplying inorganic nutrients and/or oxygen. Approaches to monitoring and verifying enhanced in situ biodegradation have included measurements of changes over time in the (a) concentration of hydrocarbons, (b) temperature, (c) number of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms, (d) ratio of fast-degrading hydrocarbons (e.g., pristanes or phytanes), and (e) metabolic intermediates. Measurements of oxygen consumption over time and elevated carbon dioxide concentrations in soil gas also have been used as indicators of hydrocarbon degradation. An alternative approach that may help substantiate biodegradation is to measure stable carbon isotope ratios in soil gas CO 2 . Stable carbon isotope ratio analysis is inexpensive and commercially available at many laboratories. Carbon dioxide produced by hydrocarbon degradation may be distinguished from that produced by other processes based on the carbon isotopic compositions characteristic of the source material and/or fractionation accompanying microbial metabolism. Here the authors demonstrate the applicability of the stable isotope technique for monitoring enhanced. aerobic biodegradation of hydrocarbons using data from three locations in the United States

  14. Application of biological markers for the identification of oil-type pollutants in recent sediments: Alluvial formation of the Danube river, Oil refinery Pančevo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rašović Aleksandar S.

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper was to examine to which extent the abundance and distribution of certain biological markers may be used for the identification of oil-type pollutants in recent sediments and ground waters. The samples were taken from the area of the Oil Refinery Pančevo (alluvial formation of the Danube River. The organic matter of the investigated samples was isolated using an extraction method with chloroform. The group composition and usual biological markers were analyzed in the obtained extracts. n-Alkanes and acyclic isoprenoids, pristane and phytane were analyzed using gas chromatographie (GC analysis of saturated hydrocarbons. Polycyclic alkanes of the sterane and terpane type were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS, i.e. by analyzing the carbamide non-adduct of the total alkane fraction (Single Ion Monitoring SIM-technique. The obtained results indicate that n-alkanes can be used for the identification of oil-type pollutants (for example, if the oil-pollutant is biodegraded or present in very low concentrations, and steranes and triterpanes can be used as very reliable indicators of oil-type pollution in recent sediments and ground waters.

  15. Pristanic acid provokes lipid, protein, and DNA oxidative damage and reduces the antioxidant defenses in cerebellum of young rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Busanello, Estela Natacha Brandt; Lobato, Vannessa Gonçalves Araujo; Zanatta, Ângela; Borges, Clarissa Günther; Tonin, Anelise Miotti; Viegas, Carolina Maso; Manfredini, Vanusa; Ribeiro, César Augusto João; Vargas, Carmen Regla; de Souza, Diogo Onofre Gomes; Wajner, Moacir

    2014-12-01

    Zellweger syndrome (ZS) and some peroxisomal diseases are severe inherited disorders mainly characterized by neurological symptoms and cerebellum abnormalities, whose pathogenesis is poorly understood. Biochemically, these diseases are mainly characterized by accumulation of pristanic acid (Prist) and other fatty acids in the brain and other tissues. In this work, we evaluated the in vitro influence of Prist on redox homeostasis by measuring lipid, protein, and DNA damage, as well as the antioxidant defenses and the activities of aconitase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase in cerebellum of 30-day-old rats. The effect of Prist on DNA damage was also evaluated in blood of these animals. Some parameters were also evaluated in cerebellum from neonatal rats and in cerebellum neuronal cultures. Prist significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and carbonyl formation and reduced sulfhydryl content and glutathione (GSH) concentrations in cerebellum of young rats. It also caused DNA strand damage in cerebellum and induced a high micronuclei frequency in blood. On the other hand, this fatty acid significantly reduced α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and aconitase activities in rat cerebellum. We also verified that Prist-induced increase of MDA levels was totally prevented by melatonin and attenuated by α-tocopherol but not by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, indicating the involvement of reactive oxygen species in this effect. Cerebellum from neonate rats also showed marked alterations of redox homeostasis, including an increase of MDA levels and a decrease of sulfhydryl content and GSH concentrations elicited by Prist. Finally, Prist provoked an increase of dichlorofluorescein (DCFH) oxidation in cerebellum-cultivated neurons. Our present data indicate that Prist compromises redox homeostasis in rat cerebellum and blood and inhibits critical enzymes of the citric acid cycle that are susceptible to free radical attack. The

  16. Chemical characteristics of Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) jet of the Gosau Group of Gams/Hieflau (Styria, Austria)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bechtel, A.; Gratzer, R.; Sachsenhofer, R.F. [Institut fuer Geowissenschaften, Prospektion und Angewandte Sedimentologie, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Peter-Tunner-Str. 5, A-8700 Leoben (Austria)

    2001-03-01

    Jet and coaly sediments within the Upper Cretaceous (Gosau) Schoenleiten Formation were collected from two outcrops near Gams/Hieflau (Styria, Austria). For comparison, additional jet and coal samples from different Gosau localities were included in the study. The identification of jet as bituminous driftwood (collotelinite) has been provided by microscopical examination of organic matter [Kollmann, H.A. and Sachsenhofer, R.F., Mitt. Ref. Geol. und Palaeont. Landesmuseum Joanneum SH 2 (1998) 223]. Rock-Eval analyses revealed enhanced HI and lower T{sub max} values of jet compared with the coals and coaly shales. The results reflect the higher contents of bituminous organic matter compared to vitrain-rich coals of similar maturity. In comparison with the coals and coaly shales, high amounts of liberated hydrocarbons (mg HC/g C{sub org}) are in contrast to generally lower yields of soluble organic matter during extraction with dichloromethane, indicating that portions of the hydrocarbons are liberated from lipids loosely bound to kerogen during pyrolysis. Further differences in n-alkane distribution patterns, odd over even predominance, pristane/phytane, and pristane/n-C{sub 17} ratios exist between jet, coals and coaly shales. The microbial origin of short-chain n-alkanes presumably resulted from the degradation of the predominant odd-numbered long-chain n-alkanes within the jet. The occurrence of biological markers (sesqui and diterpenoids) within the sediments (coaly shales), coals and jet samples indicates the origin of terrestrial organic matter from conifers. Biomarker composition of jet samples indicates enhanced aromatisation of sesqui and diterpenoids. These results correspond to enhanced aromatisation of steranes, as reflected by generally higher relative contents of triaromatic steroids in the jet. Because of comparable maturation (0.5-0.6% R{sub r}) of the coals, coaly shales and the jet samples, confirmed by the isomerisation of {alpha}{beta} C{sub 31

  17. Determination And Characteristic Oil Biomarker Of Illegal Crude Oil Production Using Mass Spectroscopy in Musi Banyuasin District

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edhi suryanto

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available South Sumatra is one of the largest petroleum producing provinces in Indonesia, especially in the region of Musi Banyuasin Petroleum resources other than legally cultivated by Pertamina as government representatives, but on the other hand the community also participate through Illegal Drilling activities. This study aims to determine the hydrocarbon content and characterization of petroleum produced illegally by communities in the Sangadesa, Babattoman and Keluang districts through the biomarker analysis of the distribution of n-Alkane C10-C34 (m/z: 57, pristane, phytane, sterane C27-C29 (m/z: 217,218,259 and specific biomarker using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy agilent GCMSD 6890/5973i with data analysis using MSD Chemstation F.01.01.2317 and Library Database NIST14. Petroleum samples taken from 10 illegal wells with a depth range of 80-250 meters and production period of 3 months until 3 years. Oil is produced through The illegal drilling is not the main oil source rock but the result of migration. Biomarkers Hydrocarbon analysis is one of the most widely used devices for exploration geochemistry, exploitation, production and forensic environment in the assessment and determination of sources of pollution related to petroleum material and derivatives very well.

  18. Chemometric assessment of enhanced bioremediation of oil contaminated soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soleimani, Mohsen; Farhoudi, Majid; Christensen, Jan H

    2013-06-15

    Bioremediation is a promising technique for reclamation of oil polluted soils. In this study, six methods for enhancing bioremediation were tested on oil contaminated soils from three refinery areas in Iran (Isfahan, Arak, and Tehran). The methods included bacterial enrichment, planting, and addition of nitrogen and phosphorous, molasses, hydrogen peroxide, and a surfactant (Tween 80). Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations and CHEMometric analysis of Selected Ion Chromatograms (SIC) termed CHEMSIC method of petroleum biomarkers including terpanes, regular, diaromatic and triaromatic steranes were used for determining the level and type of hydrocarbon contamination. The same methods were used to study oil weathering of 2 to 6 ring polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs). Results demonstrated that bacterial enrichment and addition of nutrients were most efficient with 50% to 62% removal of TPH. Furthermore, the CHEMSIC results demonstrated that the bacterial enrichment was more efficient in degradation of n-alkanes and low molecular weight PACs as well as alkylated PACs (e.g. C₃-C₄ naphthalenes, C₂ phenanthrenes and C₂-C₃ dibenzothiophenes), while nutrient addition led to a larger relative removal of isoprenoids (e.g. norpristane, pristane and phytane). It is concluded that the CHEMSIC method is a valuable tool for assessing bioremediation efficiency. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Optimal Physical and Nutrient Parameters for Growth of Trichoderma virens UKMP-1M for Heavy Crude Oil Degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ainon Hamzah; Buzarin, M.A.; Aidil Abdul Hamid; Thmanomar, O.; Sahidan Senafi

    2012-01-01

    This study was carried out to determine the optimal parameters for the production of biomass of Trichoderma virens UKMP-1M, a fungus isolated from oil-polluted wastewater. The isolate showed maximum growth at day six after incubation in Mineral Salt Medium (MSM) in the presence of 3 % (v/ v) heavy Khefji Sour crude oil. Although it grew at pH between 5.0 and 7.0, it grew best at pH 5.5. T. virens UKMP-1M grew at temperatures between 25 and 35 degree Celsius, with its highest growth at 30 degree Celsius. Aeration by agitation at 200 rpm was shown to yield the greatest biomass. Peptone at concentration of 1.5 % (w/ v) was determined to be a better nitrogen source than urea, potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ), yeast extract, ammonium sulphate ((NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ) and ammonium chloride (NH 4 Cl). Addition of 1 % (v/ v) crude oil to the MSM medium led to higher biomass production than the addition of 3 %, 5 %, 7 % and 10 % (v/ v) crude oil. The result also revealed that 40 % of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), 100 % of pristane and 74 % of phytane compounds were degraded after 9 days of incubation at optimal physical and nutrient parameters. (author)

  20. Discriminating Brazilian crude oils using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and multiway principal component analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prata, Paloma S; Alexandrino, Guilherme L; Mogollón, Noroska Gabriela S; Augusto, Fabio

    2016-11-11

    The geochemical characterization of petroleum is an essential task to develop new strategies and technologies when analyzing the commercial potential of crude oils for exploitation. Due to the chemical complexity of these samples, the use of modern analytical techniques along with multivariate exploratory data analysis approaches is an interesting strategy to extract relevant geochemical characteristics about the oils. In this work, important geochemical information obtained from crude oils from different production basins were obtained analyzing the maltene fraction of the oils by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC×GC-QMS), and performing multiway principal component analysis (MPCA) of the chromatographic data. The results showed that four MPC explained 93.57% of the data variance, expressing mainly the differences on the profiles of the saturated hydrocarbon fraction of the oils (C 13 -C 18 and C 19 -C 30 n-alkanes and the pristane/phytane ratio). The MPC1 grouped the samples severely biodegraded oils, while the type of the depositional paleoenvironments of the oils and its oxidation conditions (as well as their thermal maturity) could be inferred analysing others relevant MPC. Additionally, considerations about the source of the oil samples was also possible based on the overall distribution of relevant biomarkers such as the phenanthrene derivatives, tri-, tetra- and pentacyclic terpanes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Geochemical imprint of depositional conditions on organic matter in laminated-Bioturbated interbeds from fine-grained marine sequences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pratt, L.M.; Claypool, G.E.; King, J.D.

    1986-01-01

    Laminated organic-rich shales are interbedded at a scale of centimeters to a few meters with bioturbated organic-poor mudstones or limestones in some fine-grained marine sequences. We have analyzed the organic matter in pairs of laminated/bioturbated interbeds from Cretaceous and Devonian rocks deposited in epicontinental and oceanic settings for the purpose of studying the influence of depositional and early diagenetic environment on the organic geochemical properties of marine shales. Results of these analyses indicate that for rocks that are still in a diagenetic stage of thermal alteration, the relative abundance of biomarker compounds and specific biomarker indices can be useful indicators of depositional and early diagenetic conditions. Pristane/phytane ratios are generally highest for laminated rocks from epicontinental basins and appear to reflect the input of isoprenoid precursors more than oxygenated versus anoxic depositional conditions. The thermally immature laminated rocks are characterized by relatively high contents of 17??(H), 21??(H)-hopanes, hopenes, sterenes and diasterenes, and by strong predominance of the 22R over 22S homohopane isomers. Thermally immature bioturbated samples are characterized by absence of the ??,??-hopanes, by low contents of both saturated and unsaturated polycyclic hydrocarbons, and by slight or no predominance of the 22R over 22S homohopane isomers. There are less obvious compositional differences between the saturated hydrocarbons in the laminated and bioturbated units from the thermally mature sequences. For both the thermally mature and immature laminated samples, the degree of isomerization at the 22C position for hopanes and at the 20C position for steranes is generally consistent with the degree of thermal maturity interpreted from other properties of the organic matter. The bioturbated samples, however, exhibit inconsistent and anomalously high degrees of isomerization for the homohopanes, resulting either from

  2. Kinetic modeling of the thermal evolution of crude oils in sedimentary basins; Modelisation cinetique de l'evolution thermique des petroles dans les gisements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bounaceur, R.

    2001-01-15

    The aim of this work is to obtain a better understanding of the reactions involved in the thermal cracking of crude oil in sedimentary basins, and to study its kinetics as a function of temperature and pressure. We study the kinetics of pyrolysis of alkanes at low temperature, high pressure and high conversion and we propose three methods of reduction of the corresponding mechanisms. Several compounds having an inhibiting or accelerating effect on the rate of decomposition of alkanes were also studied. This research led to the construction of a general kinetic model of 5200 elementary steps representing the pyrolysis of a complex mixture of 52 molecules belonging to various chemical families: 30 linear alkanes (from CH{sub 4} to C{sub 30}H{sub 62}), 10 branched-chain alkanes (including pristane and phytane), 2 naphthenes (propyl-cyclo-pentane and propyl-cyclohexane), tetralin, 1-methyl-indan, 4 aromatics (benzene, toluene, butyl-benzene and decyl-benzene), 3 hetero-atomic compounds (a disulfide, a mercaptan and H{sub 2}S). This model is compared to experimental data coming from the pyrolysis of two oils: one from the North Sea and the other from Pematang. The results obtained show a good agreement between the experimental and simulated values. Then, we simulated the cracking of these two oils by using the following burial scenario: initial temperature of 160 degrees, 50 m per million years (ma) in a constant geothermal gradient of 30 degrees C/km, implying a heating rate of 1.5 degrees C/ma. Under these conditions, our model shows that these two oils start to crack only towards 210-220 degrees C and that their time of half-life corresponds to a temperature around 230-240 degrees C. The model also makes it possible to simulate the evolution of geochemical parameters such as the GOR, the API degree... (author)

  3. Monitoring biodegradation of diesel fuel in bioventing processes using in situ respiration rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, T H; Byun, I G; Kim, Y O; Hwang, I S; Park, T J

    2006-01-01

    An in situ measuring system of respiration rate was applied for monitoring biodegradation of diesel fuel in a bioventing process for bioremediation of diesel contaminated soil. Two laboratory-scale soil columns were packed with 5 kg of soil that was artificially contaminated by diesel fuel as final TPH (total petroleum hydrocarbon) concentration of 8,000 mg/kg soil. Nutrient was added to make a relative concentration of C:N:P = 100:10:1. One soil column was operated with continuous venting mode, and the other one with intermittent (6 h venting/6 h rest) venting mode. On-line O2 and CO2 gas measuring system was applied to measure O2 utilisation and CO2 production during biodegradation of diesel for 5 months. Biodegradation rate of TPH was calculated from respiration rate measured by the on-line gas measuring system. There were no apparent differences between calculated biodegradation rates from two columns with different venting modes. The variation of biodegradation rates corresponded well with trend of the remaining TPH concentrations comparing other biodegradation indicators, such as C17/pristane and C18/phytane ratio, dehydrogenase activity, and the ratio of hydrocarbon utilising bacteria to total heterotrophic bacteria. These results suggested that the on-line measuring system of respiration rate would be applied to monitoring biodegradation rate and to determine the potential applicability of bioventing process for bioremediation of oil contaminated soil.

  4. In situ analytical pyrolysis of coal macerals and solid bitumens by laser micropyrolysis GC-MS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greenwood, P.F.; George, S.C.; Pickel, W. [CSIRO Petroleum, PO Box 136, NSW 1670 N. Ryde (Australia); Zhu, Y. [Petroleum Geochemistry Research Center, Jianghan Petroleum University, Jingzhou, 434102 Hubei (China); Zhong, N. [Applied Geochemistry Laboratory, University of Petroleum, Changping, 102200 Beijing (China)

    2001-04-01

    Specific macerals in coals and distinct solid organic bitumens within limestones from northern China were separately analysed in situ by laser micropyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major pyrolysates from the resinite and cutinite macerals included aromatic hydrocarbons such as alkylnaphthalenes, alkylbenzenes, alkyltetralins (in the resinite) and alkylphenols (in the cutinite), and aliphatic hydrocarbons such as n-alk-1-enes, n-alkanes, pristane and phytane. The same classes of hydrocarbons were also detected in co-occurring vitrinites, including very similar relative distributions of alkylnaphthalenes in the case of the resin-rich coal. Several observed quantitative differences are consistent with previous molecular data from maceral concentrates. The qualitative similarity of the maceral data suggest (1) extensive assimilation of free hydrocarbons by all macerals within the coals; or (2) inefficient targeting of the macerals by the laser, although microscopic observation showed that the laser craters were generally constrained within surface boundaries of the maceral. The organic composition of a solid bitumen within a Carboniferous limestone was characterised by a distinctive distribution of C{sub 0}-C{sub 4} alkyldibenzofurans, as well as alkylbenzenes, alkylnaphthalenes and a low molecular weight distribution of n-alk-1-enes and n-alkanes. These data suggest the solid bitumen comprises a strongly aromatic matrix with terrestrially-derived oxygen functionality and alkyl linkages. The same aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbon products were also detected in the morphologically homogenous carbonates hosting the solid bitumens, indicating the presence of sub-microscopic organic moieties throughout the limestone.

  5. Infantile Refsum's disease: biochemical findings suggesting multiple peroxisomal dysfunction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poll-The, B. T.; Saudubray, J. M.; Ogier, H.; Schutgens, R. B.; Wanders, R. J.; Schrakamp, G.; van den Bosch, H.; Trijbels, J. M.; Poulos, A.; Moser, H. W.

    1986-01-01

    Infantile Refsum's disease was diagnosed in three male patients, presenting with facial dysmorphia, retinitis pigmentosa, neurosensory hearing loss, hepatomegaly, osteopenia and delayed growth and psychomotor development. An elevated plasma phytanic acid concentration and a deficient phytanic acid

  6. Bioremediation potential of microorganisms derived from petroleum reservoirs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dellagnezze, Bruna Martins; Vasconcelos de Sousa, Gabriel; Lopes Martins, Laercio; Ferreira Domingos, Daniela; Limache, Elmer E.G.; Pantaroto de Vasconcellos, Suzan; Feitosa da Cruz, Georgiana; Oliveira, Valéria Maia de

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Metagenomic clones could degrade saturated hydrocarbons up to 47% in petroleum. • Metagenomic clones consumed more than 90% of some aromatic portion after 21 days. • Isolated strains could degrade n-alkanes with rates up to 99% after 21 days. • Bacterial strains and metagenomic clones showed high petroleum degradation potential. - Abstract: Bacterial strains and metagenomic clones, both obtained from petroleum reservoirs, were evaluated for petroleum degradation abilities either individually or in pools using seawater microcosms for 21 days. Gas Chromatography–Flame Ionization Detector (GC–FID) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) analyses were carried out to evaluate crude oil degradation. The results showed that metagenomic clones 1A and 2B were able to biodegrade n-alkanes (C14 to C33) and isoprenoids (phytane and pristane), with rates ranging from 31% to 47%, respectively. The bacteria Dietzia maris CBMAI 705 and Micrococcus sp. CBMAI 636 showed higher rates reaching 99% after 21 days. The metagenomic clone pool biodegraded these compounds at rates ranging from 11% to 45%. Regarding aromatic compound biodegradation, metagenomic clones 2B and 10A were able to biodegrade up to 94% of phenanthrene and methylphenanthrenes (3-MP, 2-MP, 9-MP and 1-MP) with rates ranging from 55% to 70% after 21 days, while the bacteria Dietzia maris CBMAI 705 and Micrococcus sp. CBMAI 636 were able to biodegrade 63% and up to 99% of phenanthrene, respectively, and methylphenanthrenes (3-MP, 2-MP, 9-MP and 1-MP) with rates ranging from 23% to 99% after 21 days. In this work, isolated strains as well as metagenomic clones were capable of degrading several petroleum compounds, revealing an innovative strategy and a great potential for further biotechnological and bioremediation applications

  7. Integrated Use of n-Alkanes and PAH to Evaluate the Anthropogenic Hydrocarbon Sources and the Toxicity Assessment of Surface Sediments from the Southwestern Coasts of the Caspian Sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Golshan Shirneshan

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH compounds and normal alkanes form a large group of undegradable environmental contaminats. This study aims to determine the sources and distribution of oil pollution (PAH compounds and normal alkanes in the sediments of the southwestern coastal areas of the Caspian Sea and to compare their levels with the relevant standards. For this purpose, 18 surface sediment samples were collected from depths of 10, 20, and 50 meters along two transects in the vertical direction located in the coastal areas of Sangachin and Hashtpar (Gilan Province. The samples were then examined using mass-spectrometric gas chromatography. The origins of n-alkanes were identified using CPI index (0.76-0.95, U/R (3.30‒6.57, and Pristane/Phytane (0.21‒0.42. The sources of PAHs were determined using the index ratios of LMW/HMW (1.93‒13.37, Phenanthrene/Anthracene (11.44‒ 16.7, Chrysene/Benzo (a anthracene (4.69‒10/33, Fluoranthene/Pyrene (0.53‒0.69, and MP/P (0.05‒0.08. Results confirmed the dominant petrogenic source of the hydrocarbons found in the region. The total concentrations of 30 aliphatic hydrocarbons and PAHs in the sediments ranged from 823.8 to 3899.5 µg/g and from 626.95 to 3842.5362 ng/g, respectively. Comparison of the measured PAH concentrations with US sediment quality guidelines revealed that the levels of naphthalene, fluorine, Acenaphthylene, and Acenaphthene exceeded the ERLs at stations with depths of 50m in Sangachin and Hashtpar while comparisons with Canadian standards indicated that they were higher than PELs at all the stations sampled. A major point of great concern is the high concentration of naphthalene as the most toxic PAH compound, which naturally warrants due attention to adopt appropriate management programs.

  8. The origin of oil in the Cretaceous succession from the South Pars Oil Layer of the Persian Gulf

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahmani, Omeid; Aali, Jafar; Junin, Radzuan; Mohseni, Hassan; Padmanabhan, Eswaran; Azdarpour, Amin; Zarza, Sahar; Moayyed, Mohsen; Ghazanfari, Parviz

    2013-07-01

    The origin of the oil in Barremian-Hauterivian and Albian age source rock samples from two oil wells (SPO-2 and SPO-3) in the South Pars oil field has been investigated by analyzing the quantity of total organic carbon (TOC) and thermal maturity of organic matter (OM). The source rocks were found in the interval 1,000-1,044 m for the Kazhdumi Formation (Albian) and 1,157-1,230 m for the Gadvan Formation (Barremian-Hauterivian). Elemental analysis was carried out on 36 samples from the source rock candidates (Gadvan and Kazhdumi formations) of the Cretaceous succession of the South Pars Oil Layer (SPOL). This analysis indicated that the OM of the Barremian-Hauterivian and Albian samples in the SPOL was composed of kerogen Types II and II-III, respectively. The average TOC of analyzed samples is less than 1 wt%, suggesting that the Cretaceous source rocks are poor hydrocarbon (HC) producers. Thermal maturity and Ro values revealed that more than 90 % of oil samples are immature. The source of the analyzed samples taken from Gadvan and Kazhdumi formations most likely contained a content high in mixed plant and marine algal OM deposited under oxic to suboxic bottom water conditions. The Pristane/nC17 versus Phytane/nC18 diagram showed Type II-III kerogen of mixture environments for source rock samples from the SPOL. Burial history modeling indicates that at the end of the Cretaceous time, pre-Permian sediments remained immature in the Qatar Arch. Therefore, lateral migration of HC from the nearby Cretaceous source rock kitchens toward the north and south of the Qatar Arch is the most probable origin for the significant oils in the SPOL.

  9. Specific combination of compound heterozygous mutations in 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 4 (HSD17B4 defines a new subtype of D-bifunctional protein deficiency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McMillan Hugh J

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background D-bifunctional protein (DBP deficiency is typically apparent within the first month of life with most infants demonstrating hypotonia, psychomotor delay and seizures. Few children survive beyond two years of age. Among patients with prolonged survival all demonstrate severe gross motor delay, absent language development, and severe hearing and visual impairment. DBP contains three catalytically active domains; an N-terminal dehydrogenase, a central hydratase and a C-terminal sterol carrier protein-2-like domain. Three subtypes of the disease are identified based upon the domain affected; DBP type I results from a combined deficiency of dehydrogenase and hydratase activity; DBP type II from isolated hydratase deficiency and DBP type III from isolated dehydrogenase deficiency. Here we report two brothers (16½ and 14 years old with DBP deficiency characterized by normal early childhood followed by sensorineural hearing loss, progressive cerebellar and sensory ataxia and subclinical retinitis pigmentosa. Methods and results Biochemical analysis revealed normal levels of plasma VLCFA, phytanic acid and pristanic acid, and normal bile acids in urine; based on these results no diagnosis was made. Exome analysis was performed using the Agilent SureSelect 50Mb All Exon Kit and the Illumina HiSeq 2000 next-generation-sequencing (NGS platform. Compound heterozygous mutations were identified by exome sequencing and confirmed by Sanger sequencing within the dehydrogenase domain (c.101C>T; p.Ala34Val and hydratase domain (c.1547T>C; p.Ile516Thr of the 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 4 gene (HSD17B4. These mutations have been previously reported in patients with severe-forms of DBP deficiency, however each mutation was reported in combination with another mutation affecting the same domain. Subsequent studies in fibroblasts revealed normal VLCFA levels, normal C26:0 but reduced pristanic acid beta-oxidation activity. Both DBP

  10. Preserved Organic Matter in the Alpine Tethyan Ocean Continental Transition (Totalp unit, Eastern Swiss Alps)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mateeva, T.; Wolff, G. A.; Kusznir, N.; Wheeler, J.; Manatschal, G.

    2015-12-01

    Observations at hydrothermal systems in modern ocean settings suggest that methane produced by serpentinization can support methanotrophic bio-systems. An important question is whether such bio-systems are localised or are more pervasive in their association with serpentinized mantle in the subsurface. This has implications for the global importance of the hidden sub-surface bio-systems, the fate of methane and the carbon cycle. The Totalp unit, a remnant of a former Ocean Continent Transition (OCT) exposed in Alps of Eastern Switzerland, has been chosen to investigate the presence or absence of methanotrophic biosystems within serpentinized exhumed mantle in the Alpine Tethyan margin. The Totalp unit is made of serpentinized mantle and ophicalcites overlain by Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous post-rift sediments. The Totalp unit has undergone little Alpine deformation and only a low-grade metamorphic overprint (serpentinized peridotite, ophicalcite and post-rift sediments contain hydrocarbons in the form of n-alkanes in the range C20 - C40; isoprenoids, for example pristane and phytane are present in sediments. The organic biological marker distribution is consistent with the temperature history of the OCT (i.e.lower maximum temperature than 200°C). First results from Totalp show evidence for preservation of marine organic matter in the serpentinized mantle and overlying sediments, although there is no evidence that any organic matter is generated from methanotrophic bio-systems. Nevertheless, focussing on Tethyan hydrothermal systems and preserved hydrocarbons will be critical in understanding whether methanotrophic biomarkers can be preserved and if so whether the methane originated from serpentenization.

  11. Crude oil degradation by bacterial consortia under four different redox and temperature conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Shunzi; Li, Xia; Chen, Jianfa; Zhao, Liping; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Xiaojun

    2015-02-01

    There is emerging interest in the anaerobic degradation of crude oil. However, there is limited knowledge about the geochemical effects and microbiological activities for it. A mixture of anaerobic sludge and the production water from an oil well was used as an inoculum to construct four consortia, which were incubated under sulfate-reducing or methanogenic conditions at either mesophilic or thermophilic temperatures. Significant degradation of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons and the changing quantities of some marker compounds, such as pristane, phytane, hopane and norhopane, and their relative quantities, suggested the activity of microorganisms in the consortia. Notably, the redox conditions and temperature strongly affected the diversity and structure of the enriched microbial communities and the oil degradation. Although some specific biomarker showed larger change under methanogenic condition, the degradation efficiencies for total aromatic and saturated hydrocarbon were higher under sulfate-reducing condition. After the 540-day incubation, bacteria of unknown classifications were dominant in the thermophilic methanogenic consortia, whereas Clostridium dominated the mesophilic methanogenic consortia. With the exception of the dominant phylotypes that were shared with the methanogenic consortia, the sulfate-reducing consortia were predominantly composed of Thermotogae, Deltaproteobacteria, Spirochaeta, and Synergistetes phyla. In conclusion, results in this study demonstrated that the different groups of degraders were responsible for degradation in the four constructed crude oil degrading consortia and consequently led to the existence of different amount of marker compounds under these distinct conditions. There might be distinct metabolic mechanism for degrading crude oil under sulfate-reducing and methanogenic conditions.

  12. Characteristics of source rocks of the Datangpo Fm, Nanhua System, at the southeastern margin of Sichuan Basin and their significance to oil and gas exploration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zengye Xie

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, much attention has been paid to the development environment, biogenetic compositions and hydrocarbon generation characteristics of ancient source rocks in the deep strata of the Sichuan Basin because oil and gas exploration extends continuously to the deep and ultra-deep strata and a giant gas field with the explored reserves of more than 1 × 1012 m3 was discovered in the Middle and Upper Proterozoic–Lower Paleozoic strata in the stable inherited paleo-uplift of the central Sichuan Basin. Based on the previous geological research results, outcrop section of the Datangpo Fm, Nanhua System, at the southeastern margin of the Sichuan Basin was observed and the samples taken from the source rocks were tested and analyzed in terms of their organic geochemistry and organic petrology. It is shown that high-quality black shale source rocks of the Datangpo Fm are developed in the tensional background at the southeastern margin of the Sichuan Basin between two glacial ages, i.e., Gucheng and Nantuo ages in the Nanhua Period. Their thickness is 16–180 m and mineral compositions are mainly clay minerals and clastic quartz. Besides, shale in the Datangpo Fm is of high-quality sapropel type source rock with high abundance at an over-mature stage, and it is characterized by low pristane/phytane ratios (0.32–0.83, low gammacerane abundance, high-abundance tricyclic terpane and higher-content C27 and C29 gonane, indicating that biogenetic compositions are mainly algae and microbes in a strong reducing environment with low salinity. It is concluded that the Datangpo Fm source rocks may be developed in the rift of Nanhua System in central Sichuan Basin. Paleo-uplifts and paleo-slopes before the Caledonian are the favorable locations for the accumulation of dispersed liquid hydrocarbons and paleo-reservoirs derived from the Datangpo Fm source rocks. In addition, scale accumulation zones of dispersed organic matter cracking gas and paleo

  13. Microfossils, biomolecules and biominerals in carbonaceous meteorites: implications to the origin of life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoover, Richard B.

    2012-11-01

    Environmental and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM and FESEM) investigations have shown that a wide variety of carbonaceous meteorites contain the remains of large filaments embedded within freshly fractured interior surfaces of the meteorite rock matrix. The filaments occur singly or in dense assemblages and mats and are often encased within carbon-rich, electron transparent sheaths. Electron Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) spot analysis and 2D X-Ray maps indicate the filaments rarely have detectable nitrogen levels and exhibit elemental compositions consistent with that interpretation that of the meteorite rock matrix. Many of the meteorite filaments are exceptionally well-preserved and show evidence of cells, cell-wall constrictions and specialized cells and processes for reproduction, nitrogen fixation, attachment and motility. Morphological and morphometric analyses permit many of the filaments to be associated with morphotypes of known genera and species of known filamentous trichomic prokaryotes (cyanobacteria and sulfur bacteria). The presence in carbonaceous meteorites of diagenetic breakdown products of chlorophyll (pristane and phytane) along with indigenous and extraterrestrial chiral protein amino acids, nucleobases and other life-critical biomolecules provides strong support to the hypothesis that these filaments represent the remains of cyanobacteria and other microorganisms that grew on the meteorite parent body. The absence of other life-critical biomolecules in the meteorites and the lack of detectable levels of nitrogen indicate the filaments died long ago and can not possibly represent modern microbial contaminants that entered the stones after they arrived on Earth. This paper presents new evidence for microfossils, biomolecules and biominerals in carbonaceous meteorites and considers the implications to some of the major hypotheses for the Origin of Life.

  14. Ex situ bioremediation of a soil contaminated by mazut (heavy residual fuel oil)--a field experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beškoski, Vladimir P; Gojgić-Cvijović, Gordana; Milić, Jelena; Ilić, Mila; Miletić, Srdjan; Solević, Tatjana; Vrvić, Miroslav M

    2011-03-01

    Mazut (heavy residual fuel oil)-polluted soil was exposed to bioremediation in an ex situ field-scale (600 m(3)) study. Re-inoculation was performed periodically with biomasses of microbial consortia isolated from the mazut-contaminated soil. Biostimulation was conducted by adding nutritional elements (N, P and K). The biopile (depth 0.4m) was comprised of mechanically mixed polluted soil with softwood sawdust and crude river sand. Aeration was improved by systematic mixing. The biopile was protected from direct external influences by a polyethylene cover. Part (10 m(3)) of the material prepared for bioremediation was set aside uninoculated, and maintained as an untreated control pile (CP). Biostimulation and re-inoculation with zymogenous microorganisms increased the number of hydrocarbon degraders after 50 d by more than 20 times in the treated soil. During the 5 months, the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) content of the contaminated soil was reduced to 6% of the initial value, from 5.2 to 0.3 g kg(-1) dry matter, while TPH reduced to only 90% of the initial value in the CP. After 150 d there were 96%, 97% and 83% reductions for the aliphatic, aromatic, and nitrogen-sulphur-oxygen and asphaltene fractions, respectively. The isoprenoids, pristane and phytane, were more than 55% biodegraded, which indicated that they are not suitable biomarkers for following bioremediation. According to the available data, this is the first field-scale study of the bioremediation of mazut and mazut sediment-polluted soil, and the efficiency achieved was far above that described in the literature to date for heavy fuel oil. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Effect of Sewage-Sludge on Bioremediation of a Crude-Oil Polluted Soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Sharifi Hosseini

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Khuzestan Province accommodates the largest oil-fields with huge petroleum production in Iran. During the Persian Gulf war in 1991, more than 6-8 million gallons of oil was spilt in the Persian Gulf, the greatest amount of which was transported into Khuzestan soil. Thus, oil removal from contaminated soil by advanced technologies such as bioremediation seems to be of vital necessity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sewage-sludge application on bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil. Soil samples (5kg were artificially contaminated with crude oil to a level of 1000 mg/kg. Sewage sludge treatments were applied at the 3 levels of 0, 100, and 200 gr/5kg soil in 3 replicates. The soils were kept in the normal moisture aerobic environment for 5 and 10 weeks. The soils were then analyzed for Hydrocarbon-degrading heterotrophic bacterial count. Oil extraction from the samples was accomplished using the oil Soxhlet extraction method and oil degradation was measured by GC chromatography. The results showed that the hydrocarbon-degrading and heterotrophic bacterial counts in all the treatments increased with time. Results indicate that heterotrophic bacterial population increased from 6×103 cfu/gr soil to  2×1010  cfu/gr soil. Also, C/N ratio decreased from 6 to 3. GC results indicated that all normal Alkanes and Isopernoids, i.e. Phytane and Pristane, decreased by 50-90 percent in all the treatments. It was also found that the application of sewage sludge at 100 gr/5kg soil to oil-contaminated soil leads to greater rates of biodegradation after 5 weeks

  16. Compound-specific isotopic analyses: a novel tool for reconstruction of ancient biogeochemical processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayes, J. M.; Freeman, K. H.; Popp, B. N.; Hoham, C. H.

    1990-01-01

    Patterns of isotopic fractionation in biogeochemical processes are reviewed and it is suggested that isotopic fractionations will be small when substrates are large. If so, isotopic compositions of biomarkers will reflect those of their biosynthetic precursors. This prediction is tested by consideration of results of analyses of geoporphyrins and geolipids from the Greenhorn Formation (Cretaceous, Western Interior Seaway of North America) and the Messel Shale (Eocene, lacustrine, southern Germany). It is shown (i) that isotopic compositions of porphyrins that are related to a common source, but which have been altered structurally, cluster tightly and (ii) that isotopic differences between geolipids and porphyrins related to a common source are equal to those observed in modern biosynthetic products. Both of these observations are consistent with preservation of biologically controlled isotopic compositions during diagenesis. Isotopic compositions of individual compounds can thus be interpreted in terms of biogeochemical processes in ancient depositional environments. In the Cretaceous samples, isotopic compositions of n-alkanes are covariant with those of total organic carbon, while delta values for pristane and phytane are covariant with those of porphyrins. In this unit representing an open marine environment, the preserved acyclic polyisoprenoids apparently derive mainly from primary material, while the extractable, n-alkanes derive mainly from lower levels of the food chain. In the Messel Shale, isotopic compositions of individual biomarkers range from -20.9 to -73.4% vs PDB. Isotopic compositions of specific compounds can be interpreted in terms of origin from methylotrophic, chemautotrophic, and chemolithotrophic microorganisms as well as from primary producers that lived in the water column and sediments of this ancient lake.

  17. Extractable organic matter in PM10 from LiWan district of Guangzhou City, PR China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, Xinhui; Sheng, Guoying; Peng, Peng an; Zhang, Zhiqiang; Fu, Jiamo

    2002-12-02

    PM10 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. The sigma(n)-alkane and sigmaPAHs ranged from 26.4 to 719.2 ng/m3 and 7.4 to 159.4 ng/m3, respectively. A seasonal fluctuation was clearly evident with higher concentrations occurring during the colder months (April). In addition, some compositional differences are observed for the organic compounds in samples collected from different heights above ground level. Higher sites had a significant contribution from vascular plant wax. The presence of petroleum products with no carbon number preference, pristane, phytane and a significant unresolved complex mixture (UCM) with unresolved to resolved components ratio (U/R) of 6.2-13.2 confirm the petroleum component. The relative distribution of n-alkanes and the values of molecular diagnostic ratio, such as carbon preference index (CPI) values ranging from 1.0 to 1.4 (for the whole range of n-alkanes), indicated the importance of petroleum and diesel residues and gasoline emissions, as well as the minor contribution of n-alkanes emitted directly from epicuticular waxes. Indeed, the percent contribution of leaf 'wax' n-alkanes (5.2-19.4%) indicated a low contribution of biogenic sources. The fossil fuel biomarkers, hopanes and steranes were observed in the PM10 samples, which indicate a petroleum origin. The distribution pattern of PAHs was characteristic of anthropogenic emissions. Coupling carbon number maximum (Cmax), CPI, U/R values, molecular marker and molecular diagnostic ratios for alkanes and PAHs revealed a classification of natural biogenic and anthropogenic components of atmospheric aerosols. These analyses support the conclusion that vehicular emission was the major source of organic compounds during the study period, while the contribution of epicuticular waxes emitted by terrestrial plants was minor.

  18. Preserved organic matter in the Serpentinized Ocean-Continent Transition of Alpine Tethys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mateeva, T.; Wolff, G. A.; Kusznir, N.; Manatschal, G.; Wheeler, J.

    2017-12-01

    Serpentinization occurs at slow-spreading ocean ridges and magma-poor rifted continental margins. At modern hydrothermal vents, serpentinization has been observed to support hydrogen-driven microbial environments including methanotrophic biosystems. An important question is: "Are such bio-systems locally restricted to hydrothermal vents or are they more pervasive, being linked with the exhumation of serpentinized mantle at the seafloor?" Fieldwork sampling of km scale exposures of orogenically exhumed serpentinized mantle in the Alps allows 3D mantle sampling that is not possible at ocean ridges and provides an opportunity to investigate the organic matter in an ophiolite sequence relative to the seafloor. Samples from the fossil Tethyan OCT, exhumed during Alpine collisional orogeny, have been examined for the presence or absence of biomarkers typical of methanotrophy within serpentinized exhumed mantle. Samples from the Totalp unit, Tasna nappe and Platta unit of the Eastern Swiss Alps and Chenaillet in the Western Alps from the Tethyan magma-poor OCT were selected for analysis because they have little Alpine deformation and underwent only low-grade Alpine metamorphism. Hand specimens and cores taken from these locations have been analysed to search for the presence or absence of biomarkers in the serpentinite and its overlying lithologies. Thin sections of samples from these OCT locations reveal multiple serpentinization events and calcification phases. All the lithologies sampled show the presence of hydrocarbons such as n-alkanes, low molecular weight polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, of mixed petrogenic and pyrogenic source), hopanes, steranes (of marine origin), and branched alkanes (pristane and phytane, non-specific marine origin). The identifiable biomarkers and the isotopic data are consistent with organic matter of a marine origin and do not provide any evidence for a methanotrophic bio-system. It is noteworthy that basement mantle rocks still

  19. Simultaneous determination of aliphatic hydrocarbons, PCBs and PCTs in pork liver by gas chromatography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gonzalez-Barros, C [Dept. de Quimica Analitica, Nutricion y Bromatologia, Area Nutricion y Bromatologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Alvarez Pineiro, M E [Inst. de Investigacion y Analisis Alimentarios, Lab. de Bromatologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Simal Lozano, J [Dept. de Quimica Analitica, Nutricion y Bromatologia, Area Nutricion y Bromatologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Lage Yusty, M A [Inst. de Investigacion y Analisis Alimentarios, Lab. de Bromatologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Santiago de Compostela (Spain)

    1996-10-01

    A multicomponent extraction/concentration procedure has been developed for the enrichment of PCBs, PCTs and aliphatic hydrocarbons (pristane, C{sub 18}, C{sub 19}, C{sub 20}, C{sub 22}, C{sub 24}, C{sub 28}, C{sub 32} and C{sub 36}) in pork liver. These components of the enriched extract were then simultaneously determined by gas chromatography. Mean recoveries ranged from 81.5% for pristane to 93% for PCBs; CV % (0.9-6.7) indicated the method to be both precise and reproducible. (orig.)

  20. Influence of Large Lakes on Methane Greenhouse Forcing in the Early Eocene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whiteside, J. H.; Granberg, D. L.; Kasprak, A. H.; Taylor, K. W.; Pancost, R. D.

    2011-12-01

    shifts in the pristane/phytane ratio and isorenieratane abundances, suggesting that increased runoff intensified the stratification of the lake with a transition to more anoxic conditions. Following this transition, it is likely that methane production in the GRF lake increased, which released more into the atmosphere. Our new results suggest that the global carbon cycle of the early Eocene greenhouse world was strongly mediated by both astronomical forcing (including obliquity) and increased methane production in large stratified lakes.

  1. Aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons characterisation of Coimbra and Oporto PM2.5 urban aerosol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha, A. C.; Mirante, F.; Gonçalves, C.; Nunes, T.; Alves, C.; Evtyugina, M.; Kowacz, M.; Pio, C.; Rocha, C.; Vasconcelos, T.

    2009-04-01

    The concentration of organic pollutants in urban areas is mostly due to incomplete combustion from vehicles, industries and domestic heating. Some of these compounds, principally the aliphatic (ALIPH) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) promote harmful effects in human health. The determination of the ALIPH and PAHs concentration levels and their possible emission sources are useful for air quality management and source apportionment studies. In order to estimate and compare the ambient concentrations and establish the main sources of these compounds, the fine fraction of the atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) was collected simultaneously in Oporto and Coimbra during summer and winter seasons using a high volume sampler. The organic compounds were extracted from the particulate matter, under reflux with dichloromethane and the total organic extract (TOE) was fractionated by flash chromatography using five different eluents with increasing polarity. The hydrocarbon fractions were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Here we present and discuss the qualitative and quantitative composition of the aliphatic and aromatic fractions present in PM2.5 samples from both cities. The homologous series of C14 to C34 n-alkanes, isoprenoid hydrocarbons (pristane and phytane), PAHs and some petroleum markers have been identified and quantified. With the purpose of identifying the possible sources, various molecular diagnostic ratios were calculated. The global carbon preference index (CPI) closer to the unity, the large concentration of the unresolved complex mixture (UCM) and the presence of PAHs indicate that motor vehicle exhaust was the main emission source of the aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic fractions of Oporto and Coimbra aerosol, especially in the first city. Also, the remarkable presence of petroleum biomarkers such, as hopanes, confirms the previous results. Concentration ratios between PAHs were calculated and used to assign emission

  2. Modificaciones histológicas del cartílago hialino a nivel de la articulación maleolar en ratas artríticas tratadas con Zea mays L (variedad morada)

    OpenAIRE

    Villalobos Pacheco, Eduardo Jesús

    2017-01-01

    Demuestra que el extracto de Zea mays L reduce las modificaciones histológicas en el cartílago hialino a nivel de la articulación maleolar en términos de la estructura, células y estado de integridad del cartílago, en ratas artríticas inducidas por pristane. Realiza un modelo de artritis en ratas Sprague Dawley inducido por pristane vía subdérmica (0.2 ml). Se distribuyeron en control positivo (n=10) vehículo (1ml/100g), Metotrexato (n=10) 0,1mg/Kg, Indometacina (n=10) 0.6 mg/kg, Zea mays 1% ...

  3. Isotopic characterization and genetic origin of crude oils from Gulf of Suez and western desert fields in Egypt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abd El Samie, S.G.

    2006-01-01

    Stable carbon isotopes were used to asses the general characteristics of the western desert and Gulf of Suez crude oils in accordance with hydrocarbon generation, source rocks, thermal gradient and maturation level. The carbon isotopic results of all the analyzed oil samples in both areas lie in the range from -29.62 to -24.11 %. The av. σ 13 C values in the Gulf of Suez reaches about -28.6% and -26.4% in western desert. It was accounted a marginal difference between the two areas by about 2.5 : 3% in carbon-13 isotope of the whole oil indicated two distinct oil types of different organic input and varies in the depositional environment. It was found that Gulf of Suez oils are dominated by marine organic matter (plankton algae) deposited in saline environment. The derived oils from the northern and central provinces of the Gulf are isotopically light, higher in sulfur content, lower in API gravity degree and have Pristane/Phytane (Pr/Ph) ratio less than or equal one (Pr/Ph = 1). In the southern province, about 0.5% isotopic enrichment was recorded in the produced oils from shallower depths, associated with gradual increment in API and maturity level as thermal gradient increase. However, low API gravity degree and less maturity of the Gulf of Suez oils could be related to the rifting temperature that forced and accelerated the expulsion rate and hydrocarbon generation prior reaching higher maturation levels. On the other hand, the produced oils from the western desert fields belong mostly to terrestrial organic debris (with minor marine fragment in some basins) deposited at deeper geological formations. It is characterized by isotopic enrichment, paraffinic waxy oils, low in sulphur content, have Pr/Ph = 1, high in API gravity and maturity level. Hydrocarbon generated from the western desert fields has been controlled by time-temperature effect in the source rocks and reservoirs where the humic organic matter are affected by high temperature over longer period of

  4. Infantile Refsum disease: an inherited peroxisomal disorder. Comparison with Zellweger syndrome and neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poll-The, B. T.; Saudubray, J. M.; Ogier, H. A.; Odièvre, M.; Scotto, J. M.; Monnens, L.; Govaerts, L. C.; Roels, F.; Cornelis, A.; Schutgens, R. B.

    1987-01-01

    Three patients affected by infantile Refsum disease are described with mental retardation, minor facial dysmorphia, chorioretinopathy, sensorineural hearing deficit, hepatomegaly, failure to thrive and hypocholesterolaemia. Initially, only an accumulation of phytanic acid was thought to be present.

  5. Geochemical evaluation of the middle Magdalena basing Colombia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramon, J.C; Dzou, L; Giraldo, B

    1997-01-01

    The chemical composition of 25 crude oils from Tertiary reservoirs and 12 rock extracts from five organic-rich Cretaceous formations in the middle Magdalena Basin, Colombia were studied in detail by geochemical methods in order to understand their genetic relationships. The oils have been geochemically classified into four main groups based on the sulfur content, pristane/phytane, dibenzothiophene /phenanthrene, concentrations of oleanane and terpane distributions. Each group occurs in different geographic locations. Oils were mainly derived from calcareous, siliciclastic and mixture of these two facies of the Upper Cretaceous La Luna Formation. Source-oil correlation is supported by sterane and terpane distributions of and carbon isotope ratios. Some oils in the eastern margin contain relatively higher concentrations of higher plant indicators than the remaining oil samples. The molecular compositions of the oils observed in this study appear to be consistent with the inferred depositional sequence of anoxic marine/pelagic carbonate facies in the north/western sector of the Middle Magdalena, while the eastern sector received a higher proportion of clastic input. This documentation supports the interpretation that the Middle Magdalena oils have been generated 'locally', as opposed to have migrated from the region of the Eastern Cordillera. Biomarker maturity parameters indicate that the majority of oils were generated in the early thermal maturity oil window except the Colorado-38 oil, which was generated in the middle thermal maturity oil window. Oil maturity data also supports the short migration distances of oils from the early-mature source rocks to the reservoir rocks. The composition of some oils (e.g., La Cira, Infantas, Conde and Bonanza) is unusual in that gas chromatographic data contains an n-alkane and isoprenoid distribution normally associated with moderately degraded oils, but they also contain a relatively high abundance of gasoline hydrocarbons

  6. Gas chromatograph study of bitumen from oil shale of Amman Formation (upper cretaceous), NW Jordan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darwish, H.; Mustafa, H.

    1997-01-01

    The extractable organic matter of seven outcrop samples of Amman Formation Oil Shale have been analysed by Gas Chromatography (GC). The bitumen is rich in heterocompounds contents (> 60 wt%). Gas chromatograms show a predominance of iosprenoids, specially phytane over n-alkanes, and low carbon preference index (CPI). This indicates that the organic matter is immature, and its origin is mainly of marine organisms. These rocks could be possible source rocks due to the high content of hydrocarbon. (authors). 22 refs., 4 figs. 3 tabs

  7. Geochemical analysis of Lower Toarcian black shale from Mecsek Mountain, Hungary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Podobni, András; Rübsam, Wolfgang; Schwark, Lorenz; Kovács, János; Fekete, József

    2016-04-01

    section investigated. Variable, but mainly high HI values (100-700 mgHC/gTOC) allow attributing the OM to a type II kerogen. Results are in agreement with previous studies showing that the OM is mainly composed of liptinites, which point to algal and land plant-derived OM [2]. Moreover, variable contributions from marine and terrigenous sources are also attested by the ratio of isoprenoids (pristane and phytane) and the corresponding n-alkanes. Accumulation of OM occurred under mildly reducing, most likely anoxic, conditions as indicated by Pr/Phy ratios of about 1.5 and mainly low HHI values Guide: Volume 2, Biomarkers and Isotopes in Petroleum Systems and Earth History. Cambridge University Press, 1132 pp.

  8. Peroxisomes, lipid metabolism, and human disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wanders, R. J.

    2000-01-01

    In the past few years, much has been learned about the metabolic functions of peroxisomes. These studies have shown that peroxisomes play a major role in lipid metabolism, including fatty acid beta-oxidation, etherphospholipid biosynthesis, and phytanic acid alpha-oxidation. This article describes

  9. Algal and archaeal polyisoprenoids in a recent marine sediment: Molecular isotopic evidence for anaerobic oxidation of methane RID C-7675-2009

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bian, LQ; Hinrichs, KU; Xie, TM

    2001-01-01

    the sediment section is indicated by significant concentrations of 2,6,10,15,19-pentamethylicosane (PMI) and of ether-bound phytane and biphytane. The PMI reaches a minimum delta value of -47 parts per thousand well below the transition zone. Its isotopic depletion could reflect either methanogenic...

  10. Microbiology and geochemistry of hydrocarbon-rich sediments erupted from the deep geothermal Lusi site, Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krüger, Martin; Straten, Nontje; Mazzini, Adriano; Scheeder, Georg; Blumenberg, Martin

    2016-04-01

    The Lusi eruption represents one of the largest ongoing sedimentary hosted geothermal systems, which started in 2006 following an earthquake on Java Island. Since then it has been producing hot and hydrocarbon rich mud from a central crater with peaks reaching 180.000 m3 per day. Numerous investigations focused on the study of offshore microbial colonies that commonly thrive at offshore methane and oil seeps and mud volcanoes, however very little has been done for onshore seeping structures. Lusi represents a unique opportunity to complete a comprehensive study of onshore microbial communities fed by the seepage of CH4 as well as of heavier liquid hydrocarbons originating from one or more km below the surface. While the source of the methane at Lusi is clear (Mazzini et al., 2012), the origin of the seeping oil, either form the deep mature Eocene Ngimbang (type II kerogen) or from the less mature Pleistocene Upper Kalibeng Fm. (type III kerogen), is still discussed. In the framework of the Lusi Lab project (ERC grant n° 308126) we analysed an oil film and found that carbon preference indices among n-alkanes, sterane and hopane isomers (C29-steranes: 20S/(20S+20R) and α,β-C32 Hopanes (S/(S+R), respectively) are indicative of a low thermal maturity of the oil source rock (~0.5 to 0.6 % vitrinite reflectance equivalents = early oil window maturity). Furthermore, sterane distributions, the pristane to phytane ratio and a relatively high oleanane index, which is an indication of an angiosperm input, demonstrate a strong terrestrial component in the organic matter. Together, hydrocarbons suggest that the source of the oil film is predominantly terrestrial organic matter. Both, source and maturity estimates from biomarkers, are in favor of a type III organic matter source and are therefore suggestive of a mostly Pleistocene Upper Kalibeng Fm. origin. We also conducted a sampling campaign at the Lusi site collecting samples of fresh mud close to the erupting crater

  11. Improving oil biodegradability of aliphatic crude oil fraction by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The percentage of biodegrading ability of B. subtilis and the mixture of these bacteria to n-alkanes and isoprenoids (pristine, phytane) were measured and compared with control. Crude oil is used as a sole source of energy and the incubation period was 24 days, the hydrocarbons loss are detected each 6 day interval using ...

  12. Brain energy metabolism spurns fatty acids as fuel due to their inherent mitotoxicity and potential capacity to unleash neurodegeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schönfeld, Peter; Reiser, Georg

    2017-10-01

    The brain uses long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) to a negligible extent as fuel for the mitochondrial energy generation, in contrast to other tissues that also demand high energy. Besides this generally accepted view, some studies using cultured neural cells or whole brain indicate a moderately active mitochondrial β-oxidation. Here, we corroborate the conclusion that brain mitochondria are unable to oxidize fatty acids. In contrast, the combustion of liver-derived ketone bodies by neural cells is long-known. Furthermore, new insights indicate the use of odd-numbered medium-chain fatty acids as valuable source for maintaining the level of intermediates of the citric acid cycle in brain mitochondria. Non-esterified LCFAs or their activated forms exert a large variety of harmful side-effects on mitochondria, such as enhancing the mitochondrial ROS generation in distinct steps of the β-oxidation and therefore potentially increasing oxidative stress. Hence, the question arises: Why do in brain energy metabolism mitochondria selectively spurn LCFAs as energy source? The most likely answer are the relatively higher content of peroxidation-sensitive polyunsaturated fatty acids and the low antioxidative defense in brain tissue. There are two remarkable peroxisomal defects, one relating to α-oxidation of phytanic acid and the other to uptake of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) which lead to pathologically high tissue levels of such fatty acids. Both, the accumulation of phytanic acid and that of VLCFAs give an enlightening insight into harmful activities of fatty acids on neural cells, which possibly explain why evolution has prevented brain mitochondria from the equipment with significant β-oxidation enzymatic capacity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Distribution of hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms and hydrocarbon biodegradation potentials in Alaskan continental shelf areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roubal, G.; Atlas, R.M.

    1978-01-01

    Hydrocarbon-utilizing microogranisms were enumerated from Alaskan continental shelf areas by using plate counts and a new most-probable-number procedure based on mineralization of 14 C-labeled hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbon utilizers were ubiquitously distributed, with no significant overall concentration differences between sampling regions or between surface water and sediment samples. There were, however, significant seasonal differences in numbers of hydrocarbon utilizers. Distribution of hydrocarbon utilizers within Cook Inlet was positively correlated with occurrence of hydrocarbons in the environment. Hydrocarbon biodegradation potentials were measured by using 14 C-radiolabeled hydrocarbon-spiked crude oil. There was no significant correlation between numbers of hydrocarbon utilizers and hydrocarbon biodegradation potentials. The biodegradation potentials showed large seasonal variations in the Beaufort Sea, probably due to seasonal depletion of available nutrients. Non-nutrient-limited biodegradation potentials followed the order hexadecane > naphthalene >> pristane > benzanthracene. In Cook Inlet, biodegradation potentials for hexadecane and naphthalene were dependent on availability of inorganic nutrients. Biodegradation potentials for pristane and benzanthracene were restricted, probably by resistance to attack by available enzymes in the indigenous population

  14. Estudos de biodegradação de óleo diesel por consórcio microbiano coletado em Porto Velho - RO, amazônia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cleber C. Luz

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this research was to evaluate the biodegradation of diesel by a microbial consortium collected in a region close to distributors of fuel. The experiments were monitored by SPME-GC-FID and SPME-GC-MS. The consortium showed a high potential for production of biosurfactants, presenting an emulsification index of 53%. The consortium degraded completely n-alkanes, while dimethylnaphtalene, hepthyl-cyclohexane and 2,6,10-trimethyl-undecane were partially degraded and pristane was not degraded. From this consortium five strains were isolated and identified as Acinetobacter baumannii. Based on this initial investigation this consortium appears to be effective for bioremediation in Porto Velho - RO region.

  15. Lipid Biomarker Records Across the Permian-Triassic Boundary from Kap Stosch, Greenland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hays, L. E.; Love, G. D.; Foster, C. B.; Grice, K.; Summons, R. E.

    2006-12-01

    The end-Permian extinction was the most severe in the past 500 million years of the Earth's history and evidence that an oceanic anoxic event (OAE) occurred contemporaneously has been presented previously [1,2]. OAEs have, therefore, been proposed as responsible for the mass mortality, and if the anoxic ocean was also euxinic, the release of hydrogen sulfide during upwelling and/or transgression provides an extinction agent in the ocean as well as on land. Chlorobiaceae, as indicators of photic zone euxinia (PZE), utilize hydrogen sulfide as an electron donor for anoxygenic photosynthesis. The detection of isorenieratane and a series of short-chain monoaromatic aryl isoprenoids, biomarkers for Chlorobiaceae, in sediments indicates the presence of hydrogen sulfide in the photic zone of the water column during sediment deposition. The Kap Stosch area in Eastern Greenland was identified as a Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) outcrop of homogeneous shale, silty shale, and siltstone facies [3]. Another late Permian section in Eastern Greenland, the Ravnefjeld Formation, has framboidal pyrites indicative of sulfidic deep water [4]. A sample suite from the Kap Stosch region was studied using standard organic geochemistry methods including stable isotopic analyses of organic carbon, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, and biomarker hydrocarbon analysis. Aryl isoprenoids, including isorenieratane, were present in all samples studied and the concentrations were observed to fluctuate in tandem with TOC, similar to other Mesozoic OAEs. The molecular ratios of pristane/phytane and hopanes/steranes as well as the 2-methyl-hopane index (2-MHI) fluctuated dramatically through this section as they do at the type section at Meishan and in the Perth Basin [5]. The 2-MHI shows an inverse pattern to the total aryl isoprenoids, perhaps indicative of instability in the form of primary productivity in the water column during euxinic episodes. This can result in nitrogen limitation and a competitive

  16. Generation of a novel high-affinity monoclonal antibody with conformational recognition epitope on human IgM.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarikhani, Sina; Mirshahi, Manouchehr; Gharaati, Mohammad Reza; Mirshahi, Tooran

    2010-11-01

    As IgM is the first isotype of antibody which appears in blood after initial exposure to a foreign antigen in the pattern of primary response, detection, and quantification of this molecule in blood seems invaluable. To approach these goals, generation, and characterization of a highly specific mAb (monoclonal antibody) against human IgM were investigated. Human IgM immunoglobulins were used to immunize Balb/c mice. Spleen cells taken from the immunized animals were fused with SP2/O myeloma cells using PEG (polyethylene glycol, MW 1450) as fusogen. The hybridomas were cultured in HAT containing medium and supernatants from the growing hybrids were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using plates coated with pure human IgM and the positive wells were then cloned at limiting dilutions. The best clone designated as MAN-1, was injected intraperitoneally to some Pristane-injected mice. Anti-IgM mAb was purified from the animals' ascitic fluid by protein-G sepharose followed by DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography. MAN-1 interacted with human IgM with a very high specificity and affinity. The purity of the sample was tested by SDS-PAGE and the affinity constant was measured (K(a) = 3.5 x 10(9)M(-1). Immunoblotting and competitive ELISA were done and the results showed that the harvested antibody recognizes a conformational epitope on the mu chain of human IgM and there was no cross-reactivity with other subclasses of immunoglobulins. Furthermore, isotyping test was done and the results showed the subclass of the obtained mAb which was IgG(1)kappa.

  17. Organic geochemistry and petrology of subsurface Paleocene-Eocene Wilcox and Claiborne Group coal beds, Zavala County, Maverick Basin, Texas, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hackley, Paul C.; Warwick, Peter D.; Hook, Robert W.; Alimi, Hossein; Mastalerz, Maria; Swanson, Sharon M.

    2012-01-01

    degradation at the beginning and end of Indio mire development. Fluorescence spectra of sporinite and resinite are consistent and distinctly different from each other, attributed to the presence of a greater proportion of complex asphaltene and polar molecules in resinite. Gas chromatography of resinite-rich coal shows sesquiterpenoid and diterpenoid peaks in the C14–17 range, which are not present in resinite-poor coal. Quantities of extracts suggest bitumen concentration below the threshold for effective source rocks [30–50 mg hydrocarbon/g total organic carbon (HC/g TOC)]. Saturate/aromatic and pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios are different from values for nearby Tertiary-reservoired crude oil, suggesting that the Indio coals are too immature to source liquid hydrocarbons in the area. However, moderately high HI values (200–400 mg HC/g rock) may suggest some potential for naphthenic–paraffinic oil generation where buried more deeply down stratigraphic/structural dip. Extractable phenols and C20+ alkanes are suggested as possible intermediates for acetate fermentation in microbial methanogenesis which may, however, be limited by poor nutrient supply related to low rainfall and meteoric recharge rate or high local sulfate concentration.

  18. Organic geochemical study of domanik deposits, Tatarstan Republic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nosova, F. F.; Pronin, N. V.

    2010-05-01

    High-bituminous argillo-siliceous carbonate deposits of domanik formation (DF) occurring within pale depressions and down warps in the east of the Russian platform are treated by many investigators as a main source of oil and gas in the Volga-Ural province. In this study a special attention was turned to organic-rich rocks DF witch outcrop in the central part (Uratminskaya area 792, 806 boreholes) and in the west part (Sviyagskaya, 423) of the Tatarstan Republic. The aim of the present paper is to characterize the organic matter: origin, depositional environments, thermal maturity and biodegradation-weathering effects. Nowadays the most informative geochemical parameters are some biomarkers which qualitatively and are quantitatively defined from distributions of n-alkanes and branched alkanes. Biomarkers - it's original fingerprints of biomass of organic matter, that reflect molecular hydrocarbonic structure. The bulk, molecular composition of oil is initially a function of the type and maturity of the source rock from which it has been expelled, while the source rock type reflects both the nature of precursor organisms and the conditions of its deposition. Methodology used in this study included sampling, bitumen extraction, liquid-column chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses. The bitumen was fractionated by column chromatography on silica gel. Non-aromatic or alifatics, aromatics and polar compounds were obtained. Alifatic were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry Percin Elmer. The hydrocarbons present in the sediments of DF and have a carbon numbers ranging from 12 through 38. The samples contain variably inputs from both terrigenous and non-terrigenous (probably marine algal) organic matter as evident in bimodal GC fingerprints of some samples. Pristane and phytane, also, occur in very high concentration in sample extracts. The relatively low Pr/Ph ratios, CPI and OEP<1 imply that the domanik organic matter was deposited

  19. Stereochemical studies of acyclic isoprenoids-XII. Lipids of methanogenic bacteria and possible contributions to sediments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Risatti, J.B.; Rowland, S.J.; Yon, D.A.; Maxwell, J.R.

    1984-01-01

    Abundant volatile lipids of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum and Methanosarcina barkeri include isoprenoid hydrocarbons (??? C30), and C15, C20 and C25 isoprenoid alcohols. M. barkeri contains 2,6,10,15,19-pentamethyleicosane, whose relative stereochemistry is the same as found in marine sediments, indicating that it is a marker of methanogenic activity. The C20, C30 and C25 alkenes in M. thermoautotrophicum also have a preferred sterochemistry; the latter have the 2,6,10,14,18-pentamethyleicosanyl skeleton, suggesting that the alkane in marine sediments may derive from methanogens. The stereochemistry of squalane in a marine sediment is also compatible with an origin in methanogens; in contrast, the stereochemistry of pristane in M. thermoautotrophicum indicates a fossil fuel contaminant origin, suggesting that this and certain other alkanes reported in archaebacteria might also be of contaminant origin. There is, therefore, little evidence at present that the pristane in immature marine sediments originates in methanogens. The C15 and C20 saturated alcohols in M. thermoautotrophicum have mainly the all-R configuration. If this is generally true for methanogens, the C20 alcohol in the Messel shale may originate mainly from methanogens, whereas that in the Green River shale may originate mainly from photosynthetic organisms. ?? 1984.

  20. Effect of aeration on biodegradation of petroleum waste Efeito da aeração sobre a biodegradação de resíduo de petróleo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana F. P. Ururahy

    1998-10-01

    Full Text Available Large amounts of oily sludge are generated as residues by the oil industry, representing a real problem for refineries. This work studied the technical viability of treating oily sludge biologically, through stimulation of native microorganisms, at bench scale. Such microorganisms were able to grow in a medium containing oily sludge as the only carbon and energy sources. Two oily sludge concentrations were studied, 5% (v/v and 10% (v/v, with a C:N ratio of 100:1. Higher microbial populations were observed in the first case. Substrate inhibition and/or toxic effect took place in the second case. The importance of aeration on the microbial activity and on the biodegradation of the residue was ascertained. In terms of n-paraffins, pristane and phytane consumption, maximum global efficiency of 76.9% (w/w was achieved, in a medium containing 5% (v/v of oily sludge. Bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas predominated. Two yeast species were also identified and two filamentous fungi were isolated.Grandes quantidades de borra oleosa são geradas como resíduos pela indústria do petróleo, representando um problema real para as refinarias. Neste trabalho foi estudada a viabilidade técnica do tratamento biológico de borra oleosa, conduzido a partir do estímulo de microrganismos nativos, em escala de bancada. Tais microrganismos foram capazes de crescer em meio contendo borra oleosa como única fonte de carbono e de energia. Duas concentrações deste resíduo foram estudadas, 5% (v/v e 10% (v/v, para uma relação C:N de 100:1. Maiores densidades microbianas foram observadas na primeira condição. Por outro lado, inibição pelo substrato e/ou efeito tóxico ocorreram na segunda condição. Foi comprovada a importância da aeração sobre a atividade microbiana, assim como sobre a biodegradação do resíduo. Em termos de consumo de n-parafinas, pristano e fitano, a eficiência global máxima atingida foi de 76,9% (p/p, em meio contendo 5% (v/v de borra

  1. Bioremediation of oil on shorelines with organic and inorganic nutrients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sveum, P.; Ramstad, S.

    1995-01-01

    Two experiments to study the mechanisms associated with nutrient-enhanced biodegradation of oil (Statfjord crude oil)-contaminated shorelines were done in continuous-flow seawater exchange basins with simulated tides. The fertilizers included fish and meal pellets, stick water pellets, and two concentrations of Max Bac: standard and five times higher. Both one-time and repeated additions of fish meal were studied. The number of oil-degrading bacteria in the sediment increased by three to four orders of magnitude after adding oil and fertilizer, and repeated fertilization had little effect. Oil degradation was found to be extensive with all treatments in both experiments, which lasted 35 or 98 days. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation seems to be most extensive in the sediments with repeated application of fish meal. The relation between accumulated total soluble nitrogen in interstitial water and nC 17 /pristane differs between the sediments treated with Max Bac and the organic additives, and indicates that this concentration cannot be used as a sole indication of the oil degradation rate if organic nutrients are used. The relation between accumulated CO 2 production and nC 17 /pristane ratio indicates a diauxic use of the two different sources of carbon present, without being absolute. Repeated fertilization with organic additives is neither beneficial nor detrimental to the oil degradation activity

  2. Pro-inflammatory activity in rats of thiocyanate, a metabolite of the hydrocyanic acid inhaled from tobacco smoke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitehouse, Michael Wellesley; Jones, Mark

    2009-10-01

    To seek a mechanism linking tobacco smoking with the increased incidence and severity of rheumatoid arthritis, deduced from many retrospective surveys, by studying arthritis/fibrosis development in rats. Rats (>300) received low levels of sodium/potassium thiocyanate (10 or 25 mmol/l) in their drinking water to raise their blood thiocyanate levels, mimicking the elevated levels of blood, salivary and urinary thiocyanate found in smokers. Thiocyanate supplements increased the severity of experimental arthritis induced by tailbase injection of (1) Freund's complete adjuvants (mycobacteria plus various adjuvant-active oils), (2) collagen type-II with Freund's incomplete adjuvant (no mycobacteria), (3) the synthetic lipid amine, avridine in an oil and (4) the natural hydrocarbons squalene (C(30)H(50)) and pristane (C(19)H(40)). This pro-arthritic effect was independent of sex, rat strain or changing diet and housing facilities. Thiocyanate supplements also amplified the acute/persisting inflammatory responses to paw injections of pristane, zymosan and microcrystalline hydroxyapatite. Iodide salts also mimicked some of these effects of thiocyanate. Thiocyanate, a detoxication product of HCN present in tobacco smoke, increased (or even induced) inflammatory responses to several agents causing arthritis or fibrotic inflammation in rats. It, therefore, can act as a co-arthritigen, or 'virulence factor' and could be a therapeutic target to reduce arthritis expression and morbidity.

  3. Novel aspects of health promoting compounds in meat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, J F; Therkildsen, M; Ekstrand, B; Che, B N; Larsen, M K; Oksbjerg, N; Stagsted, J

    2013-12-01

    Meat is an integral part of the human diet. Besides essential amino acids and nutritive factors of high quality and availability, meat provides often overlooked components of importance for human health. These are amino acids and bioactive compounds that may be very important in i) preventing muscle wasting diseases, such as in sarcopenia, ii) reducing food and caloric intake to prevent metabolic syndrome, iii) blood pressure homeostasis via ACE-inhibitory components from connective tissue, and iv) maintaining functional gut environment through meat-derived nucleotides and nucleosides. In addition, meat could be an important source of phytanic acid, conjugated linoleic acids and antioxidants. Further, it becomes increasingly apparent that design of in vitro meat will be possible, and that this development may lead to improved health benefits from commercially viable and sustainable meat products. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Recikliranje plastenk na kreativen način

    OpenAIRE

    Pavlin, Suzana

    2017-01-01

    Plastenke, poleg ostalih plastičnih izdelkov, v zadnjih letih predstavljajo pravo katastrofo za okolje. Domnevamo, da se le redko kdo vpraša, kaj se zgodi z njo po tem, ko je iz nje zaužil še zadnjo kapljico vode. Plastenka je lahko kot večina ostalih komunalnih odpadkov ponovno uporabljena, reciklirana, sežgana ali odložena na deponijo. V primeru nespoštovanja Zakona o varstvu okolja pa pristane v naravi, pogosto v morju, kjer prav počasi razpada in negativno vpliva na celoten ekosistem. V d...

  5. Effects of butter from mountain-pasture grazing cows on risk markers of the metabolic syndrome compared with conventional Danish butter: a randomized controlled study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Werner, Louise Bruun; Hellgren, Lars; Raff, Marianne

    2013-01-01

    There is considerable interest in dairy products from low-input systems, such as mountain-pasture grazing cows, because these products are believed to be healthier than products from high-input conventional systems. This may be due to a higher content of bioactive components, such as phytanic acid......, a PPAR-agonist derived from chlorophyll. However, the effects of such products on human health have been poorly investigated. Objective: To compare the effect of milk-fat from mountain-pasture grazing cows (G) and conventionally fed cows (C) on risk markers of the metabolic syndrome. Design: In a double......-blind, randomized, 12-week, parallel intervention study, 38 healthy subjects replaced part of their habitual dietary fat intake with 39 g fat from test butter made from milk from mountain-pasture grazing cows or from cows fed conventional winter fodder. Glucose-tolerance and circulating risk markers were analysed...

  6. Application of petroleum markers to geochemical and environmental investigations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abu-Elgheit, M.A.; El-Gayar, M.S.; Hegazi, A.H.

    1998-01-01

    Application of trace-metal and biological markers to geochemical studies has shown that crude oils could be correlated or differentiated according to their geologic age. The V/Ni, V/Σ Ni, Mg, Fe, and pristine to phytane (Pr/Ph) markers were almost uniform in Gulf of Suez crude oils, revealing their same origin, yet showing marked differences in Western Desert crude oils, reflecting varying degrees of their maturity and migrational history. The significance of petroleum markers was extended to monitoring of oil spill sources. Weathering of spills usually renders their source identification questionable by infrared or gas chromatography profiles. Since evaporative loss light petroleum fractions does not appreciably affect the high-Molecular Weight components with which trace metals, isoprenoids, hopanes, and steranes are associated, V/Ni, Pr/Ph, m/z 191, and m/z 217 mass chromatogram fragments were found reliable in fingerprinting oil spill sources in Mediterranean waters

  7. Evidence of organic matter in the Ocean-Continent Transition of Alpine Tethys from Totalp, Eastern Swiss Alps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mateeva, Tsvetomila; Kusznir, Nick; Wolff, George; Wheeler, John; Manatschal, Gianreto

    2015-04-01

    for the samples. Samples collected from the Totalp area show evidence of organic hydrocarbon in the form of alkanes. The majority of the samples contain n-alkanes in the range C20 - C32. Some samples contain isoprenoids in different concentrations dependent on their lithology, for example pristane and phytane are found in Totalp's sediments. The organic molecular distribution is consistent with the temperature history of the basin. Totalp samples are characterized by TC contents of 0.03% to 12.90% and TOC contents of 0.10% to 1.90%. This large range of values correlates with the large lithological diversity of this area. These first results from Totalp showing evidence for preserved organic matter and biosystems in the serpentinized mantle of the ancient Tethyan OCT are encouraging. Much more work is required to understand whether the organic matter is generated from methane-driven biosystems, and if so whether the methane originated from an organic or inorganic source?

  8. Does Green Feed Result in Healthier Dairy Products?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Werner, Louise Bruun

    Lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus are a growing problem in the Western world. Consequently, attempts are made to prevent and reduce the complications of these diseases and one strategy is the use of bioactive agents in foods. Phytanic acid (PA), produced...... nutritional value. The objective of the second part of this PhD thesis was to elucidate the role of dairy products in overall nutrition and furthermore to clarify the effects of dietary choices on GHGE, and, furthermore to estimate nutrient density in relation to climate impact for difference solid food items....

  9. CD147/basigin limits lupus nephritis and Th17 cell differentiation in mice by inhibiting the interleukin-6/STAT-3 pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maeda, Kayaho; Kosugi, Tomoki; Sato, Waichi; Kojima, Hiroshi; Sato, Yuka; Kamimura, Daisuke; Kato, Noritoshi; Tsuboi, Naotake; Yuzawa, Yukio; Matsuo, Seiichi; Murakami, Masaaki; Maruyama, Shoichi; Kadomatsu, Kenji

    2015-05-01

    Interleukin-17 (IL-17)-producing T cells (Th17 cells) play critical roles in the pathogenesis of immune-related diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus. However, the fundamental mechanism regulating Th17 cell differentiation is not fully understood. Recently, we demonstrated that plasma levels of CD147/basigin (Bsg) in patients with lupus nephritis (LN) were closely associated with disease activity. but the molecular mechanism involving Bsg has been elusive. Here, we addressed the role of Bsg in the pathogenesis of LN. Injections of pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane [TMPD]) were administered to Bsg(-/-) or Bsg(+/+) mice to induce LN. The mice were killed 6 months after being injected, for histologic and biochemical analyses of the kidneys and spleens. Pristane induced LN more strikingly in Bsg(-/-) mice than in Bsg(+/+) mice, even though humoral autoimmunity was similarly increased in both genotypes. The increased number of Th17, but not Th1, Treg cells, was augmented in Bsg(-/-) mice. The expression of IL-17 was also increased in the kidneys of Bsg(-/-) mice, in proportion to LN disease activity. Furthermore, treatment with anti-IL-17 antibody reduced LN disease activity in Bsg(-/-) mice. Complementary to these phenotypes of Bsg(-/-) mice, Bsg expression was enhanced in activated CD4+ T cells in vivo and in vitro. Bsg deficiency selectively augmented in vitro differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells to Th17 cells and STAT-3 phosphorylation during this differentiation. Moreover, STAT-3 phosphorylation was suppressed by crosslinking of Bsg with its antibody. Bsg plays an indispensable role in Th17 cell differentiation as a negative regulator by suppressing the IL-6/STAT-3 pathway. © 2015, American College of Rheumatology.

  10. Oil pollution identification and dating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muet, B.; L'Ecluse, J.; Jaegher de, P.

    2005-01-01

    different samples with the relative abundance of these compounds. The next figure shows the decision chart of this method. Relative age determination is an important element to determine the pollution flow through the soil. The age of an organic pollution is determined through its biodegradation. In order to make a relative age determination of the pollution, Gallia Sana calculates the rates of Pristane/C17 and Phytane/C18 in different samples. If rates are similar, the age is the same. Gallia Sana's conclusions are summarized in 3 observations: - Chromatographic analysis showed that the pollution was due to heating fuel. - The identification using the NTCHEM001 method proved that the heating fuel was the same everywhere in the soil. So it comes from 1 source. - The relative age determination indicates that the pollution originated at 1 specific moment in time (1 incident). So, the soil pollution is due to an accidental flow from the fuel tank next to the zone

  11. Oil pollution identification and dating

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Muet, B.; L' Ecluse, J.; Jaegher de, P. [Gallia Sana, 59 - Lille (France)

    2005-07-01

    different samples with the relative abundance of these compounds. The next figure shows the decision chart of this method. Relative age determination is an important element to determine the pollution flow through the soil. The age of an organic pollution is determined through its biodegradation. In order to make a relative age determination of the pollution, Gallia Sana calculates the rates of Pristane/C17 and Phytane/C18 in different samples. If rates are similar, the age is the same. Gallia Sana's conclusions are summarized in 3 observations: - Chromatographic analysis showed that the pollution was due to heating fuel. - The identification using the NTCHEM001 method proved that the heating fuel was the same everywhere in the soil. So it comes from 1 source. - The relative age determination indicates that the pollution originated at 1 specific moment in time (1 incident). So, the soil pollution is due to an accidental flow from the fuel tank next to the zone.

  12. Phytanic acid stimulates glucose uptake in a model of skeletal muscles, the primary porcine myotubes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Che, Brita Ngum; Oksbjerg, Niels; Hellgren, Lars

    2013-01-01

    and tritiated 2-deoxyglucose (2-DOG) was used to measure glucose uptake, in relation to PA and 2-DOG exposure times and also in relation to PA and insulin concentrations. The MIXED procedure model of SAS was used for statistical analysis of data. RESULTS: PA increased glucose uptake by approximately 35...

  13. ANÁLISIS POR CG/EM Y ACTIVIDAD ANTIMICROBIANA DE ALGUNAS FRACCIONES DEL EXTRACTO EN ACETATO DE ETILO DE Pseudopterogorgia acerosa I ANALYSIS BY GC/MS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SOME ChROMATOGRAPhIC FRACTIONS OF ThE Pseudopterogorgia acerosa EThYL ACETATE EXTRACT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel Ordaz

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Psudopterogorgia acerosa, showed antimicrobial activity against Salmonella enteritidis, Bacillus subtlis, Staphylococcus aureus and Citrobacter freundii bacteria and the fungus Candida albicans, indicating the presence of bioactive constituents in these fractions. Moreover, the GC/MS analysis of some subfractions obtained through continuous chromatographic separation., allowed the identification of the constituents: pristane, bis(3,5,5-trimethylhexyl ether, 4-octadecanolide, tricloroeicosylsilane, (2-endo,7-exo-7-ethyl-2,4-dimethyl-6,8-dioxabycicle[3,2,1]oct-3-ene,1-methoxy-12-octoherbertene, butylphtalylbutylglycolate, N-methyl-N-(4-(4-methoxy-1-hexahydropyridil-2-butynylacetamide, diisobutylphtalate, 3-(4-(diphenylmethylphenyl-1-phenyl-4,4-dimethyl-1-pentanone, by comparison with WILEY databases and the study of the patterns of fragmentation of their mass spectra

  14. Organic chemical composition of mud from the LUSI mud volcano, Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenbauer, R. J.; Campbell, P.; Lam, A.

    2009-12-01

    Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia is the site of LUSI, a terrestrial mud volcano that has been erupting since May 29, 2006. In response to a U.S. Department of State request, the U.S. Geological Survey has been assisting the Indonesian Government to describe the geological and geochemical aspects and potential health risk of the mud eruption. We report here on the organic chemical composition of the mud. Organic chemical analyses were carried out by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy following organic extraction by microwave-assisted solvent extraction and compound fractionation by adsorption chromatography. There is a petroliferous component in the mud that is fresh, immature, and nonbiodegraded. There is a complete suite of n-alkanes with a bell-shaped pattern typical of fresh petroleum with a Cmax around C20. The alkane content ranges from 0.12 to 1.01 mg/kg dry mud. The presence of certain hopanes (i.e. 17 α,21β(H)-30-norhopane and 17α,21β(H)-hopane) is also indicative of the presence of oil. The proportions of other biomarker compounds (pristane/phytane = 2.4) and the dominance of the C27 sterane (5α(H),14α(H),17α(H)-chlolestane) suggest that oil formed under oxic conditions and has a likely coastal marine or terrigenous source. The presence of oleanane indicates a Cretaceous or younger age for the petrogenic material. These geochemical parameters are consistent with Indonesian oil derived from Tertiary marlstone source rocks that contained kerogen deposited under oxic conditions, probably the upper Miocene Klasafet Formation. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present and range in content from 0.1 to 2.2 mg/kg dry mud. The low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs, in particular, naphthalene and methyl-naphthalene are dominant except for perylene which is ubiquitous in the environment. The presence of both parent and higher homologue PAHs indicate a petrogenic rather than combustion source. PAHs are known carcinogens but toxicity data in sediments are

  15. Metabolic Profiles of Obesity in American Indians: The Strong Heart Family Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qi Zhao

    Full Text Available Obesity is a typical metabolic disorder resulting from the imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. American Indians suffer disproportionately high rates of obesity and diabetes. The goal of this study is to identify metabolic profiles of obesity in 431 normoglycemic American Indians participating in the Strong Heart Family Study. Using an untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we detected 1,364 distinct m/z features matched to known compounds in the current metabolomics databases. We conducted multivariate analysis to identify metabolic profiles for obesity, adjusting for standard obesity indicators. After adjusting for covariates and multiple testing, five metabolites were associated with body mass index and seven were associated with waist circumference. Of them, three were associated with both. Majority of the obesity-related metabolites belongs to lipids, e.g., fatty amides, sphingolipids, prenol lipids, and steroid derivatives. Other identified metabolites are amino acids or peptides. Of the nine identified metabolites, five metabolites (oleoylethanolamide, mannosyl-diinositol-phosphorylceramide, pristanic acid, glutamate, and kynurenine have been previously implicated in obesity or its related pathways. Future studies are warranted to replicate these findings in larger populations or other ethnic groups.

  16. Metabolic Profiles of Obesity in American Indians: The Strong Heart Family Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Qi; Zhu, Yun; Best, Lyle G; Umans, Jason G; Uppal, Karan; Tran, ViLinh T; Jones, Dean P; Lee, Elisa T; Howard, Barbara V; Zhao, Jinying

    2016-01-01

    Obesity is a typical metabolic disorder resulting from the imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. American Indians suffer disproportionately high rates of obesity and diabetes. The goal of this study is to identify metabolic profiles of obesity in 431 normoglycemic American Indians participating in the Strong Heart Family Study. Using an untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we detected 1,364 distinct m/z features matched to known compounds in the current metabolomics databases. We conducted multivariate analysis to identify metabolic profiles for obesity, adjusting for standard obesity indicators. After adjusting for covariates and multiple testing, five metabolites were associated with body mass index and seven were associated with waist circumference. Of them, three were associated with both. Majority of the obesity-related metabolites belongs to lipids, e.g., fatty amides, sphingolipids, prenol lipids, and steroid derivatives. Other identified metabolites are amino acids or peptides. Of the nine identified metabolites, five metabolites (oleoylethanolamide, mannosyl-diinositol-phosphorylceramide, pristanic acid, glutamate, and kynurenine) have been previously implicated in obesity or its related pathways. Future studies are warranted to replicate these findings in larger populations or other ethnic groups.

  17. Changes in the chemical composition of the light crude by short-term weathering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, X.; Ma, Q.M.

    2006-01-01

    In the event of an oil spill, it is important to unambiguously identify the oil and link it to the known source in order to determine environmental impact and legal liability. The fate and behaviour of spilled oil depends on several physical, chemical and biological factors such as evaporation, dissolution, microbial degradation and photooxidation. The chemical composition of the spilled oil changes with weathering. The changes can have a significant effect on the oil's toxicity and can add to the difficulty of identifying spilled oil. This paper presents the results of changes in chemical composition of light crude oil by weathering under natural environmental conditions. Oil samples were analyzed on a gas chromatograph equipped with a mass selective detector. Light crude oil was obtained from the oil cabin of a tanker which spilled oil near the Dalian Sea near China in April 2005. It was shown that the saturated hydrocarbons of light crude oil distribute between n-C 8 and n-C 23 . The most abundant n-alkanes are found in the n-C 10 to n-C 16 . The main chemical compositions of the light crude oil are the n-alkanes and the isoprenoids. The aromatic compounds are subordinate chemical compositions of the light crude oil. A simulated weathering experiment showed that less than n-C 12 of the n-alkanes, toluene, 1,3-dimethyl benzene is lost after 1 day of weathering. The n-C 13 , n-C 14 , naphthalene and 2-methyl-naphthalene are lost on the fifth day of weathering. N-C 15 alkane composition indicates some weatherproof capability. The ratios of n-C 17 /pristine and n-C 18 /phytane were unchanged and useful in identifying the source of the light crude oil during the first 8-day weathering period. By the twenty-first day of weathering, the chemical composition underwent extreme alteration, and the source of the pollution could not be determined by the ratios of pristine/phytane. 12 refs., 3 tabs., 7 figs

  18. Pilte ja kõnelusi : Eesti näitekirjandus 2008 / Heidi Aadma

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Aadma, Heidi, 1976-

    2009-01-01

    Ülevaade 2008. aasta eesti näitekirjandusest. Pikemalt käsitletakse järgmisi autoreid ja nende näidendeid/näidendikogumikke: Mart Kivastik "Meie isa, kes sa oled...", Jaan Tätte "Näidendid II", Urmas Vadi "Kohtumine tundmatuga", Andrus Kivirähk "Voldemar", Juhan Saar "Valge tee kutse ja teisi lavatekste 1980-2005", Maimu Berg "Vene rulett ; Euroopasse! Euroopasse! : kaks näidendit", Peeter Sauter "Keldris", Madis Kõiv "Lõputu kohvijoomine", Merle Karusoo "Kui ruumid on täis", Enn Vetemaa, Erki Aule ja Merle Karusoo "Sigma Tau-C705", Martin Algus "Janu", Jaan Undusk "Boulgakoff", Ott Aardam "Poks", Aapo Ilves ja Olavi Ruitlane "Pristan", Ivar Põllu "Endspiel", Loone Ots "Koidula veri", Toomas Suuman "Linnapea", Urmas Lennuk "Päeva lõpus", Kris Moor "Homefucking is killing prostitution"

  19. Health promoting factors from milk of cows fed green plant material-The role of phytanic acid

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Che, Brita Ngum

    2012-01-01

    regulate these processes, in which case, it could be considered as a bioactive compound with health-improving properties that can be used to fight against the metabolic syndrome (MS). The objectives of this PhD study were to determine the impact of total PA on glucose uptake and FA β-oxidation in skeletal....... The distribution of the diastereomers was affected by feeding, as the content of the RRR PA was positively related to the intake of grazed legumes. This finding indicates that it is possible to manipulate the PA isomer distribution through strategic feeding. In conclusion, a concentration of 10 µM PA achievable...

  20. Algal and archaeal polyisoprenoids in a recent marine sediment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bian, Liangqiao; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe; Xie, Tianmin

    2001-01-01

    Analyses of C-13 contents of individual organic molecules in a marine sediment show that crocetane, 2,6,11,15-tetramethylhexadecane, an isomer of phytane, is produced by microorganisms that use methane as their main source of carbon. The sediments lie at a water depth of 68 m in the Kattegat......, the strait between Denmark and Sweden. Crocetane appears first 185 cm below the sediment-water interface, in the zone marking the transition from sulfate reduction to methanogenesis. Its delta C-13 value is -90 +/- 10 parts per thousand versus Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (VPDB). Its structure, which includes......-consuming member of the microbial consortium responsible for the anaerobic oxidation of methane [Hoehler et al., 1994], in which, as first demonstrated quantitatively in these sediments [Iversen and Jorgensen, 1985], electrons are transferred from methane to sulfate. The presence of archaeal biomass throughout...

  1. Nucleation, growth and habit modification of n-alkanes and homologous mixtures in the absence and presence of flow improving additives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taggart, Audrey M.

    1996-01-01

    A detailed study has been performed on the nucleation, growth and habit modification of n-alkanes and homologous mixtures in the absence and presence of flow improving additives in an attempt to gain a clearer appreciation of the interaction mechanisms behind wax / additive crystallisation. Kinetic and structural assessment of melt phase n-alkanes illustrate the different crystallographic forms present within the homologous series. Studies demonstrate the alternating behaviour of the even and odd numbered homologues which converges as a function of increasing molecular weight. Greater crystal lattice stabilities were found for those n-alkanes which have an even carbon number and which crystallise into the triclinic crystal structure. Solid state phase behaviour of the n-alkanes was found to vary depending on the number and parity of n. Nucleation kinetic studies of n-alkanes and homologous mixtures from model diesel fuel solvents (dodecane, m-xylene, decalin, pristane and a dewaxed fuel) are assessed using turbidity as the method of crystallite detection. Saturation temperatures are found to be related to both alkane structure and molecular chain length for all solvent systems. N-alkane solubilities are lower for n-alkane like solvents. The width of the meta stable zone varies as a function of solvent in order of dodecane ≅ pristane 19 H 40 and solvent m-xylene. Wax precipitation from distillate fuels in the presence of flow improving additives (di-alkyl di-amino xylene, phthalic acid and sulphobenzene acid derivatives and high molecular weight polymers) reveal responsive wax crystal nucleator and growth inhibitor additives. The crystal morphology of heptacosane, C 27 H 56 to simulate a model wax crystal is assessed in addition to its response to blocker 'tailor made' additives: methyl substituted C 27 H 56 and di-alkyl substituted phenyl additives [additive (A) and (B)]. Pure C 27 H 56 reveals a thin lozenge shaped platelet. All additives studied induce growth

  2. Biodegradation waste of the stations service by Rhodococcus erythropolis ohp-al-gp

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pucci, Oscar Hector; Acuna, Adrian Javier; Pucci, Graciela Natalia

    2013-01-01

    The strain Rhodococcus erythropolis ohp-al-gp was isolated from turbine oil contaminated soil from northern Santa Cruz province, Argentina. Because of its potential in bioremediation, the aim was to know the abilities for degradation of pure compounds and mixtures of hydrocarbons, as well as degradation in the presence and absence of diesel nitrogen measured by gas chromatography. The strain possesses the ability to use diesel, kerosene, lubricating oil, pristane, hexane, heptane, octane, pentadecane and hexadecane. R. erythropolis ohp-al-gp has excellent potential for bioremediation of hydrocarbons, which are conflictive as lubricating oils, their potential use in removing mud from washing engines or gas stations would be its most important application. The degradation rate in optimal culture conditions, gives it an additional advantage. It also has a low degradation in the absence of nitrogen, a frequent limiting factor in Patagonian soils.

  3. Modeling shoreline bioremediation: Continuous flow and seawater exchange columns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramstad, S.; Sveum, P.; Bech, C.; Faksness, L.G.

    1995-01-01

    This paper describes the design and use of the columns in the study of bioremediation processes, and gives some results from an experiment designed to study the effects of different additives (fish meal, stick water, and Max Bac) on biodegradation of crude oil. There is significant difference in oil degradation(nC 17 /pristane ratio) between the column with additives and those without. Open system models in this type of open column give valuable data o how the chemical and biological parameters, including oil degradation, are affected by the additives, and simultaneously by the dilutive effect of seawater washing through the sediment, and for optimizing formulations. The system is designed with a large number of units and provides a good first approximation for mesocosm studies and field experiments, thus reducing the need for large numbers of such resource-demanding experiments

  4. Large Scale Generation and Characterization of Anti-Human CD34 Monoclonal Antibody in Ascetic Fluid of Balb/c Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koushan Sineh sepehr

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Monoclonal antibodies or specific antibodies are now an essential tool of biomedical research and are of great commercial and medical value. The purpose of this study was to produce large scale of monoclonal antibody against CD34 in order to diagnostic application in leukemia and purification of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Methods: For large scale production of monoclonal antibody, hybridoma cells that produce monoclonal antibody against human CD34 were injected into the peritoneum of the Balb/c mice which have previously been primed with 0.5 ml Pristane. 5 ml ascitic fluid was harvested from each mouse in two times. Evaluation of mAb titration was assessed by ELISA method. The ascitic fluid was examined for class and subclasses by ELISA mouse mAb isotyping Kit. mAb was purified from ascitic fluid by affinity chromatography on Protein A-Sepharose. Purity of monoclonal antibody was monitored by SDS -PAGE and the purified monoclonal antibody was conjugated with FITC. Results: Monoclonal antibodies with high specificity and sensitivity against human CD34 by hybridoma technology were prepared. The subclass of antibody was IgG1 and its light chain was kappa. Conclusion: The conjugated monoclonal antibody could be a useful tool for isolation, purification and characterization of human hematopoietic stem cells.

  5. B lymphocytes confer immune tolerance via cell surface GARP-TGF-β complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, Caroline H; Wu, Bill X; Salem, Mohammad; Ansa-Addo, Ephraim A; Metelli, Alessandra; Sun, Shaoli; Gilkeson, Gary; Shlomchik, Mark J; Liu, Bei; Li, Zihai

    2018-04-05

    GARP, a cell surface docking receptor for binding and activating latent TGF-β, is highly expressed by platelets and activated Tregs. While GARP is implicated in immune invasion in cancer, the roles of the GARP-TGF-β axis in systemic autoimmune diseases are unknown. Although B cells do not express GARP at baseline, we found that the GARP-TGF-β complex is induced on activated human and mouse B cells by ligands for multiple TLRs, including TLR4, TLR7, and TLR9. GARP overexpression on B cells inhibited their proliferation, induced IgA class-switching, and dampened T cell-independent antibody production. In contrast, B cell-specific deletion of GARP-encoding gene Lrrc32 in mice led to development of systemic autoimmune diseases spontaneously as well as worsening of pristane-induced lupus-like disease. Canonical TGF-β signaling more readily upregulates GARP in Peyer patch B cells than in splenic B cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that B cells are required for the induction of oral tolerance of T cell-dependent antigens via GARP. Our studies reveal for the first time to our knowledge that cell surface GARP-TGF-β is an important checkpoint for regulating B cell peripheral tolerance, highlighting a mechanism of autoimmune disease pathogenesis.

  6. Large Scale Generation and Characterization of Anti-Human CD34 Monoclonal Antibody in Ascetic Fluid of Balb/c Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghebati Maleki, Leili; Majidi, Jafar; Baradaran, Behzad; Abdolalizadeh, Jalal; Kazemi, Tohid; Aghebati Maleki, Ali; Sineh sepehr, Koushan

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Monoclonal antibodies or specific antibodies are now an essential tool of biomedical research and are of great commercial and medical value. The purpose of this study was to produce large scale of monoclonal antibody against CD34 in order to diagnostic application in leukemia and purification of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Methods: For large scale production of monoclonal antibody, hybridoma cells that produce monoclonal antibody against human CD34 were injected into the peritoneum of the Balb/c mice which have previously been primed with 0.5 ml Pristane. 5 ml ascitic fluid was harvested from each mouse in two times. Evaluation of mAb titration was assessed by ELISA method. The ascitic fluid was examined for class and subclasses by ELISA mouse mAb isotyping Kit. mAb was purified from ascitic fluid by affinity chromatography on Protein A-Sepharose. Purity of monoclonal antibody was monitored by SDS -PAGE and the purified monoclonal antibody was conjugated with FITC. Results: Monoclonal antibodies with high specificity and sensitivity against human CD34 by hybridoma technology were prepared. The subclass of antibody was IgG1 and its light chain was kappa. Conclusion: The conjugated monoclonal antibody could be a useful tool for isolation, purification and characterization of human hematopoietic stem cells. PMID:24312838

  7. Effect of bioremediation agents on oil biodegradation in medium-fine sand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Croft, B.C.; Swannell, R.P.J.; Grant, A.L.; Lee, K.

    1995-01-01

    A spill of weathered Arabian light crude oil on an intertidal sand zone was simulated in the laboratory. Respirometry, chemical, and microbiological methods were employed to assess the effectiveness of two bioremediation agents: a slow-release inorganic (Max Bac) and an oleophilic organic fertilizer (Inipol EAP22). Inipol EAP22 stimulated additional CO 2 evolution, and significantly increased both the total chemoheterotrophic population and the number of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms. At the end of the experiment, the residual oil extracted from the Inipol-treated sand was significantly more biodegraded, based on the application of the conserved biomarkers (phytane and 17α, 21β hopane), than that removed from the other sand columns, albeit by a relatively small amount. The results suggested that Inipol EAP22 stimulated the chemoheterotrophic and hydrocarbon-degrading microbial population and, after a lag phase, encouraged oil biodegradation in fine sandy sediments subjected to a vertical tidal cycle

  8. Hydrocarbon pollution from marinas in estuarine sediments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voudrias, Evangelos A.; Smith, Craig L.

    1986-03-01

    A measure of the impact of marinas on three Eastern Virginia estuarine creeks was obtained by a study of hydrocarbons in their sediments. Two of the creeks support considerable marine activity, including pleasure boat marinas, boat repair facilities, and commercial fishing operations. The third creek, which served as a control, is seldom used by boats, and is surrounded by marsh and woodland. Sediments from the creeks with marinas contained significantly higher levels of both aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons than did the control. Differences in the concentrations of certain oil-pollution indicators, such as the 17α,21β-hopane homologs and phytane, and low molecular weight aromatic hydrocarbons, are indicative of light petroleum fractions. Most of the aromatic hydrocarbons from all creeks, however, appear to have a pyrogenic origin. Although hydrocarbons from three probable origins (petroleum, pyrogenesis, and recent biosynthesis) were detected in all locations, the petroleum-derived and pyrogenic hydrocarbons were of only minor importance relative to the biogenic hydrocarbons in the control creek.

  9. Heredopatia atática polineuritiforme Heredopathia atactica polyieuritiformis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Spina-França

    1968-06-01

    Full Text Available Registro de caso de paciente com quadro mórbido relacionável ao da heredopatia atática polineuritiforme (doença de Refsum. O diagnóstico é discutido frente aos aspectos clínicos, laboratoriais e histopatológicos encontrados e sua relação com os achados referidos na literatura como próprios a essa moléstia.The case of a patient with many of the clinical characteristics commonly referred to in Refsum's disease is reported. Ichthyosis was noted in the patient and in other members of the family. Cerebrospinal fluid proteins were normal. Serum copper and caeruloplasmin concentrations were hight, as well as transaminases. Histological findings common to neuritis interstitialis hypaertrophica were found on examination of a peripheric nerve segment obtained by biopsy. Studies on the occurrence of phytanic acid could not be carried out. The relationship between the case reported and Refsum's syndrome is discussed.

  10. Ecodynamics of oil-degrading bacteria and significance of marine mixed populations in the degradation of petroleum compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Tanaka, Hiroki; Komukai, Shyoko

    1993-01-01

    Ecological studies, screening of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, and studies of the potentials of various single and mixed bacterial populations in the utilization of petroleum compounds were carried out to understand the microbial hydrocarbon degradation process in marine ecosystems. Populations of hydrocarbon utilizers were larger in coastal regions than in pelagic environments. Ecological observations indicated that oil-degrading bacteria were ubiquitously distributed in both temperate and tropical environments, irrespective of oil-polluted and unpolluted ecosystem. Bacteria were grown with n-tet-radecane, pristane, propylbenzene, phenanthrene, and crude oil as the sole carbon source; and substrate specificities of the purified strains were characterized. Based on the assimilation characteristics of the isolated strains, an artificial mixed-culture system was constructed. Biodegradation of crude oil by the natural mixed population was found to be higher than by the artificial mixed population. However, when some of the substrate-specific degraders were artificially mixed with natural microflora, the degradation of hard-to-degrade aromatic hydrocarbon fractions of crude oil was enhanced

  11. Origin and fate of 4-methyl steroid hydrocarbons. I. Diagenesis of 4-methyl sterenes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wolff, G.A.; Lamb, N.A.; Maxwell, J.R.

    1986-03-01

    Treatment of 4-methylcholest-4-ene under mild acid conditions at low temperatures gives chemical evidence for certain features seen in the distributions of sedimentary 4-methyl steroid hydrocarbons, and further indicates that many low temperature diagenetic reactions of steroids are explicable in terms of acid catalyzed rearrangements. Specifically, the results provide: (i) Indirect evidence that the 4-ene skeleton is a key intermediate in the dehydration of 4-methyl stanols in sediments. (ii) An explanation for the distribution of 4-methyl sterenes and A-nor sterenes in the lacustrine Messel shale (Eocene). (iii) An explanation for the presence of 4..beta..-methyl steranes in relatively immature sedimentary rocks, despite the precursor stanols having the 4..cap alpha..-methyl configuration. With increasing maturity in the Paris Basin shales (Lower Toarcian), the less stable 4..beta..-methyl steranes decrease gradually in abundance relative to their 4..cap alpha..-methyl counterparts, at a rate fairly similar to the change in pristane stereochemistry.

  12. The origin and fate of 4-methyl steroid hydrocarbons. I. Diagenesis of 4-methyl sterenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolff, George A.; Lamb, Neil A.; Maxwell, James R.

    1986-03-01

    Treatment of 4-methylcholest-4-ene under mild acid conditions at low temperatures gives chemical evidence for certain features seen in the distributions of sedimentary 4-methyl steroid hydrocarbons, and further indicates that many low temperature diagenetic reactions of steroids are explicable in terms of acid catalysed rearrangements. Specifically, the results provide: (i) Indirect evidence that the 4-ene skeleton is a key intermediate in the dehydration of 4-methyl stanols in sediments. (ii) An explanation for the distribution of 4-methyl sterenes and A-nor sterenes in the lacustrine Messel shale (Eocene). (iii) An explanation for the presence of 4β-methyl steranes in relatively immature sedimentary rocks, despite the precursor stanols having the 4α-methyl configuration. With increasing maturity in the Paris Basin shales (Lower Toarcian), the less stable 4β-methyl steranes decrease gradually in abundance relative to their 4α-methyl counterparts, at a rate fairly similar to the change in pristane stereochemistry.

  13. Mass-Production and Characterization of Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibody in Peritoneum of Balb/c Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leili Aghebati

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Monoclonal antibodies are important tools are used in basic research as well as, in diagnosis, imaging and treatment of immunodeficiency diseases, infections and cancers. The purpose of this study was to produce large scale of monoclonal antibody against CD20 in order to diagnostic application in leukemia and lymphomas disorders. Methods: Hybridoma cells that produce monoclonal antibody against human CD20 were administered into the peritoneum of the Balb/c mice which have previously been primed with 0.5 ml Pristane. After twelve days, approximately 7 ml ascetic fluid was harvested from the peritoneum of each mouse. Evaluation of mAb titration was assessed by ELISA method. In the present study, we describe a protocol for large scale production of MAbs. Results: We prepared monoclonal antibodies (mAbs with high specificity and sensitivity against human CD20 by hybridoma method and characterized them by ELISA. The subclass of antibody was IgG2a and its light chain was kappa. Ascetic fluid was purified by Protein-A Sepharose affinity chromatography and the purified monoclonal antibody was conjugated with FITC and Immunofluorescence was done for confirming the specific binding. Conclusion: The conjugated monoclonal antibody could have application in diagnosis B-cell lymphomas, hairy cell leukemia, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and melanoma cancer stem cells.

  14. Large Scale Generation and Characterization of Anti-Human IgA Monoclonal Antibody in Ascitic Fluid of Balb/c Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ezzatifar, Fatemeh; Majidi, Jafar; Baradaran, Behzad; Aghebati Maleki, Leili; Abdolalizadeh, Jalal; Yousefi, Mehdi

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Monoclonal antibodies are potentially powerful tools used in biomedical research, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases and cancers. The monoclonal antibody against Human IgA can be used as a diagnostic application to detect infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to improve an appropriate protocol for large-scale production of mAbs against IgA. Methods: For large-scale production of the monoclonal antibody, hybridoma cells that produce monoclonal antibodies against Human IgA were injected intraperitoneally into Balb/c mice that were previously primed with 0.5 ml Pristane. After ten days, ascitic fluid was harvested from the peritoneum of each mouse. The ELISA method was carried out for evaluation of the titration of produced mAbs. The ascitic fluid was investigated in terms of class and subclass by a mouse mAb isotyping kit. MAb was purified from the ascitic fluid by ion exchange chromatography. The purity of the monoclonal antibody was confirmed by SDS-PAGE, and the purified monoclonal antibody was conjugated with HRP. Results: Monoclonal antibodies with high specificity and sensitivity against Human IgA were prepared by hybridoma technology. The subclass of antibody was IgG1 and its light chain was the kappa type. Conclusion: This conjugated monoclonal antibody could have applications in designing ELISA kits in order to diagnose different infectious diseases such as toxoplasmosis and H. Pylori. PMID:25789225

  15. Mass-Production and Characterization of Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibody in Peritoneum of Balb/c Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sineh sepehr, Koushan; Baradaran, Behzad; Majidi, Jafar; Abdolalizadeh, Jalal; Aghebati, leili; Zare Shahneh, Fatemeh

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Monoclonal antibodies are important tools are used in basic research as well as, in diagnosis, imaging and treatment of immunodeficiency diseases, infections and cancers. The purpose of this study was to produce large scale of monoclonal antibody against CD20 in order to diagnostic application in leukemia and lymphomas disorders. Methods: Hybridoma cells that produce monoclonal antibody against human CD20 were administered into the peritoneum of the Balb/c mice which have previously been primed with 0.5 ml Pristane. After twelve days, approximately 7 ml ascetic fluid was harvested from the peritoneum of each mouse. Evaluation of mAb titration was assessed by ELISA method. In the present study, we describe a protocol for large scale production of MAbs. Results: We prepared monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with high specificity and sensitivity against human CD20 by hybridoma method and characterized them by ELISA. The subclass of antibody was IgG2a and its light chain was kappa. Ascetic fluid was purified by Protein-A Sepharose affinity chromatography and the purified monoclonal antibody was conjugated with FITC and Immunofluorescence was done for confirming the specific binding. Conclusion: The conjugated monoclonal antibody could have application in diagnosis B-cell lymphomas, hairy cell leukemia, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and melanoma cancer stem cells. PMID:24312821

  16. Large Scale Generation and Characterization of Anti-Human IgA Monoclonal Antibody in Ascitic Fluid of Balb/c Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Ezzatifar

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Monoclonal antibodies are potentially powerful tools used in biomedical research, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases and cancers. The monoclonal antibody against Human IgA can be used as a diagnostic application to detect infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to improve an appropriate protocol for large-scale production of mAbs against IgA. Methods: For large-scale production of the monoclonal antibody, hybridoma cells that produce monoclonal antibodies against Human IgA were injected intraperitoneally into Balb/c mice that were previously primed with 0.5 ml Pristane. After ten days, ascitic fluid was harvested from the peritoneum of each mouse. The ELISA method was carried out for evaluation of the titration of produced mAbs. The ascitic fluid was investigated in terms of class and subclass by a mouse mAb isotyping kit. MAb was purified from the ascitic fluid by ion exchange chromatography. The purity of the monoclonal antibody was confirmed by SDS-PAGE, and the purified monoclonal antibody was conjugated with HRP. Results: Monoclonal antibodies with high specificity and sensitivity against Human IgA were prepared by hybridoma technology. The subclass of antibody was IgG1 and its light chain was the kappa type. Conclusion: This conjugated monoclonal antibody could have applications in designing ELISA kits in order to diagnose different infectious diseases such as toxoplasmosis and H. Pylori.

  17. Autosomal recessive posterior column ataxia with retinitis pigmentosa caused by novel mutations in the FLVCR1 gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaibani, Aziz; Wong, Lee-Jun; Wei Zhang, Victor; Lewis, Richard Alan; Shinawi, Marwan

    2015-01-01

    Posterior column ataxia with retinitis pigmentosa (PCARP) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by severe sensory ataxia, muscle weakness and atrophy, and progressive pigmentary retinopathy. Recently, mutations in the FLVCR1 gene were described in four families with this condition. We investigated the molecular basis and studied the phenotype of PCARP in a new family. The proband is a 33-year-old woman presented with sensory polyneuropathy and retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The constellation of clinical findings with normal metabolic and genetic evaluation, including mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis and normal levels of phytanic acid and vitamin E, prompted us to seek other causes of our patient's condition. Sequencing of FLVCR1 in the proband and targeted mutation testing in her two affected siblings revealed two novel variants, c.1547G > A (p.R516Q) and c.1593+5_+8delGTAA predicted, respectively, to be highly conserved throughout evolution and affecting the normal splicing, therefore, deleterious. This study supports the pathogenic role of FLVCR1 in PCARP and expands the molecular and clinical spectra of PCARP. We show for the first time that nontransmembrane domain (TMD) mutations in the FLVCR1 can cause PCARP, suggesting different mechanisms for pathogenicity. Our clinical data reveal that impaired sensation can be part of the phenotypic spectrum of PCARP. This study along with previously reported cases suggests that targeted sequencing of the FLVCR1 gene should be considered in patients with severe sensory ataxia, RP, and peripheral sensory neuropathy.

  18. Microbial Diversity of a Heavily Polluted Microbial Mat and Its Community Changes following Degradation of Petroleum Compounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abed, Raeid M. M.; Safi, Nimer M. D.; Köster, Jürgen; de Beer, Dirk; El-Nahhal, Yasser; Rullkötter, Jürgen; Garcia-Pichel, Ferran

    2002-01-01

    We studied the microbial diversity of benthic cyanobacterial mats inhabiting a heavily polluted site in a coastal stream (Wadi Gaza) and monitored the microbial community response induced by exposure to and degradation of four model petroleum compounds in the laboratory. Phormidium- and Oscillatoria-like cyanobacterial morphotypes were dominant in the field. Bacteria belonging to different groups, mainly the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteriodes group, the γ and β subclasses of the class Proteobacteria, and the green nonsulfur bacteria, were also detected. In slurry experiments, these communities efficiently degraded phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene completely in 7 days both in the light and in the dark. n-Octadecane and pristane were degraded to 25 and 34% of their original levels, respectively, within 7 days, but there was no further degradation until 40 days. Both cyanobacterial and bacterial communities exhibited noticeable changes concomitant with degradation of the compounds. The populations enriched by exposure to petroleum compounds included a cyanobacterium affiliated phylogenetically with Halomicronema. Bacteria enriched both in the light and in the dark, but not bacteria enriched in any of the controls, belonged to the newly described Holophaga-Geothrix-Acidobacterium phylum. In addition, another bacterial population, found to be a member of green nonsulfur bacteria, was detected only in the bacteria treated in the light. All or some of the populations may play a significant role in metabolizing the petroleum compounds. We concluded that the microbial mats from Wadi Gaza are rich in microorganisms with high biodegradative potential. PMID:11916684

  19. Anaerobic Coculture of Microalgae with Thermosipho globiformans and Methanocaldococcus jannaschii at 68°C Enhances Generation of n-Alkane-Rich Biofuels after Pyrolysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuyama, Shigeru; Igarashi, Kensuke; Utsumi, Motoo; Shiraiwa, Yoshihiro; Kuwabara, Tomohiko

    2013-01-01

    We tested different alga-bacterium-archaeon consortia to investigate the production of oil-like mixtures, expecting that n-alkane-rich biofuels might be synthesized after pyrolysis. Thermosipho globiformans and Methanocaldococcus jannaschii were cocultured at 68°C with microalgae for 9 days under two anaerobic conditions, followed by pyrolysis at 300°C for 4 days. Arthrospira platensis (Cyanobacteria), Dunaliella tertiolecta (Chlorophyta), Emiliania huxleyi (Haptophyta), and Euglena gracilis (Euglenophyta) served as microalgal raw materials. D. tertiolecta, E. huxleyi, and E. gracilis cocultured with the bacterium and archaeon inhibited their growth and CH4 production. E. huxleyi had the strongest inhibitory effect. Biofuel generation was enhanced by reducing impurities containing alkanenitriles during pyrolysis. The composition and amounts of n-alkanes produced by pyrolysis were closely related to the lipid contents and composition of the microalgae. Pyrolysis of A. platensis and D. tertiolecta containing mainly phospholipids and glycolipids generated short-carbon-chain n-alkanes (n-tridecane to n-nonadecane) and considerable amounts of isoprenoids. E. gracilis also produced mainly short n-alkanes. In contrast, E. huxleyi containing long-chain (31 and 33 carbon atoms) alkenes and very long-chain (37 to 39 carbon atoms) alkenones, in addition to phospholipids and glycolipids, generated a high yield of n-alkanes of various lengths (n-tridecane to n-pentatriacontane). The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiles of these n-alkanes were similar to those of native petroleum crude oils despite containing a considerable amount of n-hentriacontane. The ratio of phytane to n-octadecane was also similar to that of native crude oils. PMID:23183975

  20. Calculating in situ degradation rates of hydrocarbon compounds in deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thessen, Anne E; North, Elizabeth W

    2017-09-15

    Biodegradation is an important process for hydrocarbon weathering that influences its fate and transport, yet little is known about in situ biodegradation rates of specific hydrocarbon compounds in the deep ocean. Using data collected in the Gulf of Mexico below 700m during and after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, we calculated first-order degradation rate constants for 49 hydrocarbons and inferred degradation rate constants for an additional 5 data-deficient hydrocarbons. Resulting calculated (not inferred) half-lives of the hydrocarbons ranged from 0.4 to 36.5days. The fastest degrading hydrocarbons were toluene (k=-1.716), methylcyclohexane (k=-1.538), benzene (k=-1.333), and C1-naphthalene (k=-1.305). The slowest degrading hydrocarbons were the large straight-chain alkanes, C-26 through C-33 (k=-0.0494 through k=-0.007). Ratios of C-18 to phytane supported the hypothesis that the primary means of degradation in the subsurface was microbial biodegradation. These degradation rate constants can be used to improve models describing the fate and transport of hydrocarbons in the event of an accidental deep ocean oil spill. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Phytanic acid alpha-oxidation: accumulation of 2-hydroxyphytanic acid and absence of 2-oxophytanic acid in plasma from patients with peroxisomal disorders

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ten Brink, H. J.; Schor, D. S.; Kok, R. M.; Poll-The, B. T.; Wanders, R. J.; Jakobs, C.

    1992-01-01

    A stable isotope dilution method was developed for the measurement of 2-hydroxyphytanic acid and 2-oxophytanic acid in plasma. In plasma from healthy individuals and from patients with Refsum's disease, 2-hydroxyphytanic acid was found at levels less than 0.2 mumol/l, whereas the acid accumulated in

  2. Phytol in a pharma-medico-stance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Md Torequl; de Alencar, Marcus Vinícius Oliveira Barros; da Conceição Machado, Katia; da Conceição Machado, Keylla; de Carvalho Melo-Cavalcante, Ana Amélia; de Sousa, Damiao Pergentino; de Freitas, Rivelilson Mendes

    2015-10-05

    This study aims to review phytol (PYT), through published articles, periodicals, magazines and patents, which were retrieved from the PM, SD, WS, SP; DII, WIPO, CIPO, USPTO and INPI databases. Among the 149 articles and 62 patents, 27.52% articles and 87.09% patients were found on the searched topic, PYT and its sources and synthesis and metabolism; then followed by 15.44% and 14.77% articles on PYT in cytotoxicity/cancer/mutagenicity/teratogenicity and PYT in neurological diseases, respectively. In the pharma-medico viewpoint, PYT and its derivatives have been evident to have antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antitumorous, antimutagenic, anti-teratogenic, antibiotic-chemotherapeutic, antidiabetic, lipid lowering, antispasmodic, anticonvulsant, antinociceptive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, antidepressant, immunoadjuvancy, hair growth facilitator, hair fall defense and antidandruff activities. Otherwise, the important biometebolite of PYT is phytanic acid (PA). Evidence shows PA to have cytotoxic, anticancer, antidiabetic, lipid lowering and aniteratogenic activities. In addition, it may be considered as an important biomarker for some diseases such as Refsum's Disease (RD), Sjögren Larsson syndrome (SLS), rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata (RZCP), chronic polyneuropathy (CP), Zellweger's disease hyperpipecolic academia (ZDHA) and related diseases. Thus, phytol may be considered as a new drug candidate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. [Compositions and residual properties of petroleum hydrocarbon in contaminated soil of the oilfields].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Di; Li, Chuan; Dong, Qian-Qian; Li, Li-Ming; Li, Guang-He

    2014-01-01

    The aims of this study were to determine the compositions and residual properties of petroleum hydrocarbon in soil, as well as to identify the source and weathering degree of the pollution. A total of 5 producing wells in Gudao and Hekou oil producing region of Shengli oilfields were analyzed. More than 50 individual target compounds including straight-and branched-chain alkanes( n-alkanes, pristine and phytane) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil samples and crude oil were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The percentages of chain alkanes and PAHs in total solvent extractable matters(TSEM) of soil samples were both much lower than those in the crude oil samples. The compositions of petroleum hydrocarbon in soil samples differed from those in crude oil, which indicated the n-alkanes with carbon numbers contaminated soils, the relationship between the index and petroleum hydrocarbon compounds was analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the n-alkanes with carbon numbers > 33 and the PAHs with rings between 3 and 5 were much harder to degrade. PCA of 4 indexes for source identification revealed more than 50% of the soil samples were polluted by crude oil, which needs more attention during remediation.

  4. Enhancement of the spectral selectivity of complex samples by measuring them in a frozen state at low temperatures in order to improve accuracy for quantitative analysis. Part II. Determination of viscosity for lube base oils using Raman spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Mooeung; Chung, Hoeil

    2013-03-07

    The use of selectivity-enhanced Raman spectra of lube base oil (LBO) samples achieved by the spectral collection under frozen conditions at low temperatures was effective for improving accuracy for the determination of the kinematic viscosity at 40 °C (KV@40). A collection of Raman spectra from samples cooled around -160 °C provided the most accurate measurement of KV@40. Components of the LBO samples were mainly long-chain hydrocarbons with molecular structures that were deformable when these were frozen, and the different structural deformabilities of the components enhanced spectral selectivity among the samples. To study the structural variation of components according to the change of sample temperature from cryogenic to ambient condition, n-heptadecane and pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane) were selected as representative components of LBO samples, and their temperature-induced spectral features as well as the corresponding spectral loadings were investigated. A two-dimensional (2D) correlation analysis was also employed to explain the origin for the improved accuracy. The asynchronous 2D correlation pattern was simplest at the optimal temperature, indicating the occurrence of distinct and selective spectral variations, which enabled the variation of KV@40 of LBO samples to be more accurately assessed.

  5. A Unique Report: Development of Super Anti-Human IgG Monoclone with Optical Density Over Than 3

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leili Aghebati Maleki

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Monoclonal antibodies and related conjugates are key reagents used in biomedical researches as well as, in treatment, purification and diagnosis of infectious and non- infectious diseases. Methods: Balb/c mice were immunized with purified human IgG. Spleen cells of the most immune mouse were fused with SP2/0 in the presence of Poly Ethylene Glycol (PEG. Supernatant of hybridoma cells was screened for detection of antibody by ELISA. Then, the sample was assessed for cross-reactivity with IgM & IgA by ELISA and confirmed by immunoblotting. The subclasses of the selected mAbs were determined. The best clone was injected intraperitoneally to some pristane-injected mice. Anti-IgG mAb was purified from the animals' ascitic fluid by Ion exchange chromatography and then, mAb was conjugated with HRP. Results: In the present study, over than 50 clones were obtained that 1 clone had optical density over than 3. We named this clone as supermonoclone which was selected for limiting dilution. The result of the immunoblotting, showed sharp band in IgG position and did not show any band in IgM&IgA position. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the conjugated monoclonal antibody could have application in diagnosis of infectious diseases like Toxoplasmosis, Rubella and IgG class of other infectious and non- infectious diseases.

  6. A Unique Report: Development of Super Anti-Human IgG Monoclone with Optical Density Over Than 3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghebati Maleki, Leili; Baradaran, Behzad; Abdolalizadeh, Jalal; Ezzatifar, Fatemeh; Majidi, Jafar

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Monoclonal antibodies and related conjugates are key reagents used in biomedical researches as well as, in treatment, purification and diagnosis of infectious and non- infectious diseases. Methods: Balb/c mice were immunized with purified human IgG. Spleen cells of the most immune mouse were fused with SP2/0 in the presence of Poly Ethylene Glycol (PEG). Supernatant of hybridoma cells was screened for detection of antibody by ELISA. Then, the sample was assessed for cross-reactivity with IgM & IgA by ELISA and confirmed by immunoblotting. The subclasses of the selected mAbs were determined. The best clone was injected intraperitoneally to some pristane-injected mice. Anti-IgG mAb was purified from the animals' ascitic fluid by Ion exchange chromatography and then, mAb was conjugated with HRP. Results: In the present study, over than 50 clones were obtained that 1 clone had optical density over than 3. We named this clone as supermonoclone which was selected for limiting dilution. The result of the immunoblotting, showed sharp band in IgG position and did not show any band in IgM&IgA position. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the conjugated monoclonal antibody could have application in diagnosis of infectious diseases like Toxoplasmosis, Rubella and IgG class of other infectious and non- infectious diseases. PMID:24312857

  7. Origin and Evolution of The Early- Silurian Land Vascular Plants: Evidence From Biomarkers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, R.

    2016-12-01

    Origin and early evolution of land vascular plants, is one of the most intriguing hotspots in the life science research. During the 1970s and 1980s,Pinnatiramosus qianensis was found in early-Silurian strata in guizhou of south China.43 years have passed. But so far, the biological characteristics and belonging of the age of this unique plant have been debated again and again, up in the air.Biomarkers have a good stability in the process of organic evolution, no more or less changed, so they have a special `function of mark'. While biomarkers can provide information about organic matter of hydrocarbon source rock (the source), the period of deposition and burial (diagenesis) environmental conditions, and many other aspects of information.This paper obtained the sedimentary environment, source of organic matter input and other relevant information, through extracting and analyzing biomarkers of the 26 samples in the late Ordovician to early Silurian strata in NorthGuizhou areas. According to the results, Pr/Ph of late Ordovician Meitan Fm-early Silurian Hanjiadian Fm is high.It manifests more pristane, characterized by reductive environment. At the bottom of the Hanjiadian Fm, Pr/Ph has a volatility.Some huge environmental changes may have taken place in the corresponding period. N-alkanes do not have parity advantage or has even carbon advantage slightly.The peak carbon is mainly in low carbon number.(C21 + C22)/(C28 + C29) is high.Aquatic organisms is a major source of organic matter during this period,C21-/C22+ is low.This may be caused by the relatively serious loss of light hydrocarbon during the separation of components. In the Hanjiadian Fm,information of C29/C27 sterane ratios and oleanane index showed a trend of rising at the same time, indicating that during this period, there was a gradual increase input in the number of higher plants.The stable carbon isotope of saturated hydrocarbon and aromatic hydrocarbon in the Hanjiadian Fm also gradually become

  8. Oils from different depth in the Alagoas sub-basin distribution and concentration; Oleos em diferentes profundidades na sub-bacia Alagoas: distribuicao e econcentracao

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reboucas, Lucia M.C.; Sant' Ana, Antonio E.G.; Sabino, Adilson R.; Nogueira, Fred A.R.; Moraes, Reinaldo J.R.; Crispim, Alessandre [Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UFAL), Maceio, AL (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica e Biotecnologia . Lab. de Analises de Biomarcadores e Semioquimicos]. E-mail: lmcr@qui.ufal.br

    2008-07-01

    This paper reports the distribution and the concentration of n-alkane homologue series and the HPA compounds in 22 oils from Alagoas sub-basin, Pilar Field, Brazil. The n-alkane profile of whole oil gas chromatograms (CG-FID) to light, medium and heave oils represented no-biodegraded oils. The light and medium oils have n-alkane distribution with a maximum in nC{sub 10} and nC{sub 17}. The ration pristine/phytane (P/F) between 1,5 and 2,7 suggest Lacustrine origin. The nalkane distribution from the heavy oils show two maximum between nC{sub 15} and nC{sub 23}. The concentrations of n-alkane are different to all the 22 oils. The F2 fraction classified as light (API>39), medium (36

  9. Interactions among buffelgrass, phenanthrene and phenanthrene-degrading bacteria in gnotobiotic microcosms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robert, Francoise M; Sun, Wenhao H; Toma, Marisa; Jones, Ryan K; Tang, Chung-Shih

    2008-07-15

    An experiment was undertaken in gnotobiotic microcosms to determine the role of buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and a phenanthrene-degrading bacterium (strain PM600) in the degradation of phenanthrene. The Gram-negative bacterium was identified as a Sphingomonas sp. by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and as S. paucimobilis by biochemical tests (API 20 NE strips). Its yellow pigment corresponded to nostoxanthin and its cellular fatty acids were typical of the genus Sphingomonas. Moreover, it was devoid of lipopolysaccharides. Strain PM600 was tested for growth on mineral medium supplemented with No. 2 diesel, hexadecane, mineral oil, pristane, phenanthrene, and pyrene as single carbon sources. It was capable of utilizing phenanthrene only. In the gnotobiotic microcosms silica sand was either or not supplemented with 150 mg of phenanthrene kg(-1) sand, inoculated with strain PM600, and planted to sterile young seedlings of buffelgrass. After 28 days, 67% of the reduction of the phenanthrene concentration was assigned to degradation by the bacterium and ca. 20% to abiotic factors. No statistically significant effect of the young buffelgrass was found. In the absence of phenanthrene, the bacterial population significantly increased in the rhizosphere of buffelgrass. However, in the presence of buffelgrass and phenanthrene, the bacterial population preferentially responded to phenanthrene. The growth of buffelgrass was severely curtailed by phenanthrene in the absence of the bacterium. However, strain PM600 effectively protected buffelgrass against the phytotoxicity of phenanthrene.

  10. Clues to early diagenetic sulfurization processes from mild chemical cleavage of labile sulfur-rich geomacromolecules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam, P.; Schneckenburger, P.; Schaeffer, P.; Albrecht, P.

    2000-10-01

    Macromolecular fractions, isolated from the solvent extract of sulfur-rich Recent (Siders Pond, USA; Lake Cadagno, Switzerland; Walvis Bay, Namibia) and immature sediments (Gibellina, Messinian of Sicily; Vena del Gesso, Messinian of Italy), were investigated by chemical degradation using sodium ethanethiolate/methyliodide. This mild reagent which cleaves polysulfide bonds to yield methylsulfides has the advantage over other methods of leaving intact other functionalities (like double bonds) and preserving sulfur atoms at their incorporation site. The method is, therefore, well-suited to the molecular level investigation of sulfur-rich macromolecules from Recent sediments containing highly functionalized polysulfide-bound subunits. In Recent anoxic sulfur-rich sediments, the release of various methylthioethers clearly demonstrates that intermolecular sulfurization of organic matter does occur at the earliest stages of diagenesis. Steroids and phytane derivatives are the major sulfurized lipids, a feature also observed in more mature sulfur-rich sediments. Several phytene derivatives, such as cis and trans 1-methylthiophyt-2-enes, as well as methylthiosteroids, including 5α- and 5β-3-(methylthio)-cholest-2-enes, were identified by comparison with synthesized standards. Steroid methylthioenolethers are released from polysulfide-bound steroid enethiols present in the macromolecular fractions. The latter, which correspond to thioketones, can be considered as intermediates in the reductive sulfurization pathway leading from steroid ketones to polysulfide-bound saturated steroid skeletons and are characterized for the first time in the present study. Thus, it could be shown that the major part of the polysulfide-bound lipids occurring in Recent sediments is apparently the result of sulfurization processes affecting carbonyls (aldehydes and ketones). The unsaturated methylthioethers obtained from Recent sediments were not present in more mature evaporitic samples, which

  11. High PRF high current switch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moran, Stuart L.; Hutcherson, R. Kenneth

    1990-03-27

    A triggerable, high voltage, high current, spark gap switch for use in pu power systems. The device comprises a pair of electrodes in a high pressure hydrogen environment that is triggered by introducing an arc between one electrode and a trigger pin. Unusually high repetition rates may be obtained by undervolting the switch, i.e., operating the trigger at voltages much below the self-breakdown voltage of the device.

  12. High Caloric Diet for ALS Patients: High Fat, High Carbohydrate or High Protein

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarvin Sanaie

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available ALS is a fatal motor neurodegenerative disease characterized by muscle atrophy and weakness, dysarthria, and dysphagia. The mean survival of ALS patients is three to five years, with 50% of those diagnosed dying within three years of onset (1. A multidisciplinary approach is crucial to set an appropriate plan for metabolic and nutritional support in ALS. Nutritional management incorporates a continuous assessment and implementation of dietary modifications throughout the duration of the disease. The nutritional and metabolic approaches to ALS should start when the diagnosis of ALS is made and should become an integral part of the continuous care to the patient, including nutritional surveillance, dietary counseling, management of dysphagia, and enteral nutrition when needed. Malnutrition and lean body mass loss are frequent findings in ALS patients necessitating comprehensive energy requirement assessment for these patients. Malnutrition is an independent prognostic factor for survival in ALS with a 7.7 fold increase in risk of death. Malnutrition is estimated to develop in one quarter to half of people with ALS (2. Adequate calorie and protein provision would diminish muscle loss in this vulnerable group of patients. Although appropriate amount of energy to be administered is yet to be established, high calorie diet is expected to be effective for potential improvement of survival; ALS patients do not normally receive adequate  intake of energy. A growing number of clinicians suspect that a high calorie diet implemented early in their disease may help people with ALS meet their increased energy needs and extend their survival. Certain high calorie supplements appear to be safe and well tolerated by people with ALS according to studies led by Universitäts klinikum Ulm's and, appear to stabilize body weight within 3 months. In a recent study by Wills et al., intake of high-carbohydrate low-fat supplements has been recommended in ALS patients (3

  13. MANAGING HIGH-END, HIGH-VOLUME INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gembong Baskoro

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper discuses the concept of managing high-end, high-volume innovative products. High-end, high-volume consumer products are products that have considerable influence to the way of life. Characteristic of High-end, high-volume consumer products are (1 short cycle time, (2 quick obsolete time, and (3 rapid price erosion. Beside the disadvantages that they are high risk for manufacturers, if manufacturers are able to understand precisely the consumer needs then they have the potential benefit or success to be the market leader. High innovation implies to high utilization of the user, therefore these products can influence indirectly to the way of people life. The objective of managing them is to achieve sustainability of the products development and innovation. This paper observes the behavior of these products in companies operated in high-end, high-volume consumer product.

  14. Reservoir petrophysics and hydrocarbon occurrences of the Bahariya Formation, Alamein-Yidma fields, Western Desert of Egypt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdel-Aziz Younes, Mohamed [Alexandria Univ. (Egypt). Geology Dept.

    2012-12-15

    The Bahariya Formation of Cenomanian age is considered to be one of the main oil and gas accumulations in most of the fields of the Western Desert basins. The lithostratigraphic succession of the Bahariya Formation is classified into two main sand units (Unit I and Unit III) separated by shalesiltstone (Unit II). The sandstone of unit-I and III is characterized by being highly enriched in shale content especially glauconite in all wells of the Alamein Field, that has an obvious negative effect on the porosity and oil saturation, where the glauconite increases the grain density of sandstone reservoirs from 2.65 g/cm{sup 3} up to 2.71 g/cm{sup 3}. The well logging data and petrophysical characteristics conducted on Alamein well-28 involving analysis of 30 core samples, were used to evaluate the reservoir characterization and hydrocarbon potentialities. The petrophysical parameters indicate that the primary porosity values are between 8.7 and 29.1%. Decreasing porosity is related to the increase of shale content from 9 to 13%, which occurs as a dispersed habitat. The water saturation changes from 43 to 80%, while the hydrocarbon saturation ranges from 12.1 to 37%. Promising hydrocarbon accumulations are displayed by the sandstone of unit-III due to increased hydrocarbon saturation and effective porosity, thus reflecting the high quality reservoir of this unit. The irreducible and movable hydrocarbon distribution shows a general increase at the eastern and western flanks of the faulted anticline in the Alamein-Yidma fields. The biomarker characteristics and stable carbonisotopic composition of the Bahariya crude oils recovered from the Alamein Field show no obvious variations among them. These oils are paraffinic, containing little branched or cyclic materials waxy n-alkanes(C{sub 25}-C{sub 31}) and characterized by high API gravity, low sulfur content, oleanane index < 2% and moderately high pristane/phytaneratio > 1 and CPI > 1 and the canonical variable parameter is

  15. High pressure effect for high-Tc superconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, Hiroki; Tomita, Takahiro

    2011-01-01

    A number of experimental and theoretical studies have been performed to understand the mechanism of high-T c superconductivity and to enhance T c . High-pressure techniques have played a very important role for these studies. In this paper, the high-pressure techniques and physical properties of high-T c superconductor under high pressure are presented. (author)

  16. Bile salt-stimulated lipase plays an unexpected role in arthritis development in rodents.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susanne Lindquist

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to explore the hypothesis that bile salt-stimulated lipase (BSSL, in addition to being a key enzyme in dietary fat digestion during early infancy, plays an important role in inflammation, notably arthritis. METHODS: Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA and pristane-induced arthritis (PIA in rodents are commonly used experimental models that reproduce many of the pathogenic mechanisms of human rheumatoid arthritis, i.e. increased cellular infiltration, synovial hyperplasia, pannus formation, and erosion of cartilage and bone in the distal joints. We used the CIA model to compare the response in BSSL wild type (BSSL-WT mice with BSSL-deficient 'knock-out' (BSSL-KO and BSSL-heterozygous (BSSL-HET littermates. We also investigated if intraperitoneal injection of BSSL-neutralizing antibodies affected the development or severity of CIA and PIA in mice and rats, respectively. RESULTS: In two consecutive studies, we found that BSSL-KO male mice, in contrast to BSSL-WT littermates, were significantly protected from developing arthritis. We also found that BSSL-HET mice were less prone to develop disease compared to BSSL-WT mice, but not as resistant as BSSL-KO mice, suggesting a gene-dose effect. Moreover, we found that BSSL-neutralizing antibody injection reduced both the incidence and severity of CIA and PIA in rodents. CONCLUSION: Our data strongly support BSSL as a key player in the inflammatory process, at least in rodents. It also suggests the possibility that BSSL-neutralizing agents could serve as a therapeutic model to reduce the inflammatory response in humans.

  17. Evaluation of hollow fiber and mini perm bioreactors as an alternative to murine ascites for small scale monoclonal antibody production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdalla, O. M.

    2006-12-01

    The objective of this study was to compare monoclonal antibody production in hollow fiber, mini perm bioreactor systems and murine ascites to determine the feasibility of the bioreactor system as a potential alternative to the use of mice. One hybridoma cell line was grown in hollow fiber, mini perm bioreactor systems and in groups of 5 mice. Mice were primed with 0.5 ml pristane intraperitoneally 14 days prior to inoculation of 1x10 7 hybridoma cells. Each mouse was tapped a maximum of three times for collection of ascites. Bioreactors were harvested three times weekly for 30 days and were monitored by cell counts, cell viability and media consumption. Time and materials logs were maintained. The total quantity of monoclonal antibody produced in 5 mice versus the total production for the two different bioreactors (hollow fiber and mini perm) in 30 days was as follows: cell line 2AC10E6C7 produce 158 mg vs.97.5 mg, vs 21.54 mg respectively. Mean monoclonal antibody concentration ranged from 4.07 to 8.37 mg/ml in murine ascites, from 0.71 to 3.8 mg/ml in hollow fiber bioreactor system, and from 0.035 to 1.06 in mini perm. Although time and material costs were generally greater for the bioreactors, these results suggest that hollow fiber and mini perm bioreactor systems merit further investigations as potentially viable in vitro alternatives to the use of mice for small scale (<1mg) monoclonal antibody production.(Author)

  18. Evaluation of Hollow Fiber And Miniperm Bioreactors as An Alternative to Murine Ascites for Small Scale Monoclonal Antibody Production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abedalla, O. M.

    2007-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare monoclonal antibody production in hollow fiber, miniPERM bioreactor systems and murine ascites to determine the feasibility of the bioreactor system as a potential alternative to the use of mice. One hybridoma cell line was grown in hollow fiber, miniPERM bioreactor systems and in groups of 5 mice. Mice were primed with 0.5 ml pristane intraperitoneally 14 days prior to inoculation of 1X10 7 hybridoma cells. Each mouse was tapped a maximum of three times for collection of ascites. Bioreactors were harvested three times weekly for 30 days and were monitored by cell counts, cell viability and media consumption. Time and materials logs were maintained. The total quantity of monoclonal antibody produced in 5 mice versus the total production for the two different bioreactors (hollow fiber and miniPERM) in 30 days was as follows: cell line 2AC10E6C7 produce 158 mg vs.97.5 mg; vs 21.54 mg respectively. Mean monoclonal antibody concentration ranged from 4.07 to 8.37 mg/ml in murine ascites, from 0.71 to 3.8 mg/ml in hollow fiber bioreactor system, and from 0.035 to 1.06 in miniPERM. Although time and material costs were generally greater for the bioreactors, these results suggest that hollow fiber and miniPERM bioreactor systems merit further investigations as potentially viable in vitro alternatives to the use of mice for small scale (< 1 g) monoclonal antibody production.

  19. Highly Accreting Quasars at High Redshift

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Aldama, Mary L.; Del Olmo, Ascensión; Marziani, Paola; Sulentic, Jack W.; Negrete, C. Alenka; Dultzin, Deborah; Perea, Jaime; D'Onofrio, Mauro

    2017-12-01

    We present preliminary results of a spectroscopic analysis for a sample of type 1 highly accreting quasars (LLedd>0.2) at high redshift, z 2-3. The quasars were observed with the OSIRIS spectrograph on the GTC 10.4 m telescope located at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos in La Palma. The highly accreting quasars were identified using the 4D Eigenvector 1 formalism, which is able to organize type 1 quasars over a broad range of redshift and luminosity. The kinematic and physical properties of the broad line region have been derived by fitting the profiles of strong UV emission lines such as AlIII, SiIII and CIII. The majority of our sources show strong blueshifts in the high-ionization lines and high Eddington ratios which are related with the productions of outflows. The importance of highly accreting quasars goes beyond a detailed understanding of their physics: their extreme Eddington ratio makes them candidates standard candles for cosmological studies.

  20. Highly efficient high temperature electrolysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hauch, Anne; Ebbesen, Sune; Jensen, Søren Højgaard

    2008-01-01

    High temperature electrolysis of water and steam may provide an efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly production of H-2 Using electricity produced from sustainable, non-fossil energy sources. To achieve cost competitive electrolysis cells that are both high performing i.e. minimum...... internal resistance of the cell, and long-term stable, it is critical to develop electrode materials that are optimal for steam electrolysis. In this article electrolysis cells for electrolysis of water or steam at temperatures above 200 degrees C for production of H-2 are reviewed. High temperature...... electrolysis is favourable from a thermodynamic point of view, because a part of the required energy can be supplied as thermal heat, and the activation barrier is lowered increasing the H-2 production rate. Only two types of cells operating at high temperature (above 200 degrees C) have been described...

  1. Highly Accreting Quasars at High Redshift

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary L. Martínez-Aldama

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available We present preliminary results of a spectroscopic analysis for a sample of type 1 highly accreting quasars (L/LEdd ~ 1.0 at high redshift, z ~2–3. The quasars were observed with the OSIRIS spectrograph on the GTC 10.4 m telescope located at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos in La Palma. The highly accreting quasars were identified using the 4D Eigenvector 1 formalism, which is able to organize type 1 quasars over a broad range of redshift and luminosity. The kinematic and physical properties of the broad line region have been derived by fitting the profiles of strong UV emission lines such as Aliiiλ1860, Siiii]λ1892 and Ciii]λ1909. The majority of our sources show strong blueshifts in the high-ionization lines and high Eddington ratios which are related with the productions of outflows. The importance of highly accreting quasars goes beyond a detailed understanding of their physics: their extreme Eddington ratio makes them candidates standard candles for cosmological studies.

  2. High-voltage, high-current, solid-state closing switch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Focia, Ronald Jeffrey

    2017-08-22

    A high-voltage, high-current, solid-state closing switch uses a field-effect transistor (e.g., a MOSFET) to trigger a high-voltage stack of thyristors. The switch can have a high hold-off voltage, high current carrying capacity, and high time-rate-of-change of current, di/dt. The fast closing switch can be used in pulsed power applications.

  3. High-frequency, high-intensity photoionization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reiss, H. R.

    1996-02-01

    Two analytical methods for computing ionization by high-frequency fields are compared. Predicted ionization rates compare well, but energy predictions for the onset of ionization differ radically. The difference is shown to arise from the use of a transformation in one of the methods that alters the zero from which energy is measured. This alteration leads to an apparent energy threshold for ionization that can, especially in the stabilization regime, differ strongly from the laboratory measurement. It is concluded that channel closings in intense-field ionization can occur at high as well as low frequencies. It is also found that the stabilization phenomenon at high frequencies, very prominent for hydrogen, is absent in a short-range potential.

  4. Quenching ilmenite with a high-temperature and high-pressure phase using super-high-energy ball milling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashishin, Takeshi; Tan, Zhenquan; Yamamoto, Kazuhiro; Qiu, Nan; Kim, Jungeum; Numako, Chiya; Naka, Takashi; Valmalette, Jean Christophe; Ohara, Satoshi

    2014-04-25

    The mass production of highly dense oxides with high-temperature and high-pressure phases allows us to discover functional properties that have never been developed. To date, the quenching of highly dense materials at the gramme-level at ambient atmosphere has never been achieved. Here, we provide evidence of the formation of orthorhombic Fe2TiO4 from trigonal FeTiO3 as a result of the high-temperature (>1250 K) and high-pressure (>23 GPa) condition induced by the high collision energy of 150 gravity generated between steel balls. Ilmenite was steeply quenched by the surrounding atmosphere, when iron-rich ilmenite (Fe2TiO4) with a high-temperature and high-pressure phase was formed by planetary collisions and was released from the collision points between the balls. Our finding allows us to infer that such intense planetary collisions induced by high-energy ball milling contribute to the mass production of a high-temperature and high-pressure phase.

  5. CMOS pixel sensors on high resistive substrate for high-rate, high-radiation environments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hirono, Toko, E-mail: thirono@uni-bonn.de [Physikalisches Institute der Universität Bonn, Bonn (Germany); Barbero, Marlon; Breugnon, Patrick; Godiot, Stephanie [CPPM, Aix-Marseille Universite, CNRS/IN2P3, Marseille (France); Gonella, Laura; Hemperek, Tomasz; Hügging, Fabian; Krüger, Hans [Physikalisches Institute der Universität Bonn, Bonn (Germany); Liu, Jian; Pangaud, Patrick [CPPM, Aix-Marseille Universite, CNRS/IN2P3, Marseille (France); Peric, Ivan [IPE, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Karlsruhe (Germany); Pohl, David-Leon [Physikalisches Institute der Universität Bonn, Bonn (Germany); Rozanov, Alexandre [CPPM, Aix-Marseille Universite, CNRS/IN2P3, Marseille (France); Rymaszewski, Piotr [Physikalisches Institute der Universität Bonn, Bonn (Germany); Wang, Anqing [CPPM, Aix-Marseille Universite, CNRS/IN2P3, Marseille (France); Wermes, Norbert [Physikalisches Institute der Universität Bonn, Bonn (Germany)

    2016-09-21

    A depleted CMOS active pixel sensor (DMAPS) has been developed on a substrate with high resistivity in a high voltage process. High radiation tolerance and high time resolution can be expected because of the charge collection by drift. A prototype of DMAPS was fabricated in a 150 nm process by LFoundry. Two variants of the pixel layout were tested, and the measured depletion depths of the variants are 166 μm and 80 μm. We report the results obtained with the prototype fabricated in this technology.

  6. High School Principals and the High School Journalism Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Jane W.

    A study asked selected high school principals to respond to statements about the value of high school journalism to the high school student and about the rights and responsibilities of the high school journalist. These responses were then checked against such information as whether or not the high school principal had worked on a high school…

  7. High Temperature, High Power Piezoelectric Composite Transducers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyeong Jae; Zhang, Shujun; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Sherrit, StewarT.

    2014-01-01

    Piezoelectric composites are a class of functional materials consisting of piezoelectric active materials and non-piezoelectric passive polymers, mechanically attached together to form different connectivities. These composites have several advantages compared to conventional piezoelectric ceramics and polymers, including improved electromechanical properties, mechanical flexibility and the ability to tailor properties by using several different connectivity patterns. These advantages have led to the improvement of overall transducer performance, such as transducer sensitivity and bandwidth, resulting in rapid implementation of piezoelectric composites in medical imaging ultrasounds and other acoustic transducers. Recently, new piezoelectric composite transducers have been developed with optimized composite components that have improved thermal stability and mechanical quality factors, making them promising candidates for high temperature, high power transducer applications, such as therapeutic ultrasound, high power ultrasonic wirebonding, high temperature non-destructive testing, and downhole energy harvesting. This paper will present recent developments of piezoelectric composite technology for high temperature and high power applications. The concerns and limitations of using piezoelectric composites will also be discussed, and the expected future research directions will be outlined. PMID:25111242

  8. High speed micromachining with high power UV laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Rajesh S.; Bovatsek, James M.

    2013-03-01

    Increasing demand for creating fine features with high accuracy in manufacturing of electronic mobile devices has fueled growth for lasers in manufacturing. High power, high repetition rate ultraviolet (UV) lasers provide an opportunity to implement a cost effective high quality, high throughput micromachining process in a 24/7 manufacturing environment. The energy available per pulse and the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of diode pumped solid state (DPSS) nanosecond UV lasers have increased steadily over the years. Efficient use of the available energy from a laser is important to generate accurate fine features at a high speed with high quality. To achieve maximum material removal and minimal thermal damage for any laser micromachining application, use of the optimal process parameters including energy density or fluence (J/cm2), pulse width, and repetition rate is important. In this study we present a new high power, high PRF QuasarR 355-40 laser from Spectra-Physics with TimeShiftTM technology for unique software adjustable pulse width, pulse splitting, and pulse shaping capabilities. The benefits of these features for micromachining include improved throughput and quality. Specific example and results of silicon scribing are described to demonstrate the processing benefits of the Quasar's available power, PRF, and TimeShift technology.

  9. High-power, high-efficiency FELs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sessler, A.M.

    1989-04-01

    High power, high efficiency FELs require tapering, as the particles loose energy, so as to maintain resonance between the electromagnetic wave and the particles. They also require focusing of the particles (usually done with curved pole faces) and focusing of the electromagnetic wave (i.e. optical guiding). In addition, one must avoid transverse beam instabilities (primarily resistive wall) and longitudinal instabilities (i.e sidebands). 18 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs

  10. Highly dominating, highly authoritarian personalities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altemeyer, Bob

    2004-08-01

    The author considered the small part of the population whose members score highly on both the Social Dominance Orientation scale and the Right-Wing Authoritarianism scale. Studies of these High SDO-High RWAs, culled from samples of nearly 4000 Canadian university students and over 2600 of their parents and reported in the present article, reveal that these dominating authoritarians are among the most prejudiced persons in society. Furthermore, they seem to combine the worst elements of each kind of personality, being power-hungry, unsupportive of equality, manipulative, and amoral, as social dominators are in general, while also being religiously ethnocentric and dogmatic, as right-wing authoritarians tend to be. The author suggested that, although they are small in number, such persons can have considerable impact on society because they are well-positioned to become the leaders of prejudiced right-wing political movements.

  11. High-field, high-density tokamak power reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cohn, D.R.; Cook, D.L.; Hay, R.D.; Kaplan, D.; Kreischer, K.; Lidskii, L.M.; Stephany, W.; Williams, J.E.C.; Jassby, D.L.; Okabayashi, M.

    1977-11-01

    A conceptual design of a compact (R 0 = 6.0 m) high power density (average P/sub f/ = 7.7 MW/m 3 ) tokamak demonstration power reactor has been developed. High magnetic field (B/sub t/ = 7.4 T) and moderate elongation (b/a = 1.6) permit operation at the high density (n(0) approximately 5 x 10 14 cm -3 ) needed for ignition in a relatively small plasma, with a spatially-averaged toroidal beta of only 4%. A unique design for the Nb 3 Sn toroidal-field magnet system reduces the stress in the high-field trunk region, and allows modularization for simpler disassembly. The modest value of toroidal beta permits a simple, modularized plasma-shaping coil system, located inside the TF coil trunk. Heating of the dense central plasma is attained by the use of ripple-assisted injection of 120-keV D 0 beams. The ripple-coil system also affords dynamic control of the plasma temperature during the burn period. A FLIBE-lithium blanket is designed especially for high-power-density operation in a high-field environment, and gives an overall tritium breeding ratio of 1.05 in the slowly pumped lithium

  12. High dietary protein decreases fat deposition induced by high-fat and high-sucrose diet in rats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chaumontet, C.; Even, P.C.; Schwarz, Jessica; Simonin-Foucault, A.; Piedcoq, J.; Fromentin, G.; Tomé, D.; Azzout-Marniche, D.

    2015-01-01

    High-protein diets are known to reduce adiposity in the context of high carbohydrate and Western diets. However, few studies have investigated the specific high-protein effect on lipogenesis induced by a high-sucrose (HS) diet or fat deposition induced by high-fat feeding. We aimed to determine the

  13. High pressure, high current, low inductance, high reliability sealed terminals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, John S [Oak Ridge, TN; McKeever, John W [Oak Ridge, TN

    2010-03-23

    The invention is a terminal assembly having a casing with at least one delivery tapered-cone conductor and at least one return tapered-cone conductor routed there-through. The delivery and return tapered-cone conductors are electrically isolated from each other and positioned in the annuluses of ordered concentric cones at an off-normal angle. The tapered cone conductor service can be AC phase conductors and DC link conductors. The center core has at least one service conduit of gate signal leads, diagnostic signal wires, and refrigerant tubing routed there-through. A seal material is in direct contact with the casing inner surface, the tapered-cone conductors, and the service conduits thereby hermetically filling the interstitial space in the casing interior core and center core. The assembly provides simultaneous high-current, high-pressure, low-inductance, and high-reliability service.

  14. Identification of electrode respiring, hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial strain Stenotrophomonas maltophilia MK2 highlights the untapped potential for environmental bioremediation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krishnaveni Venkidusamy

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Electrode respiring bacteria (ERB possess a great potential for many biotechnological applications such as microbial electrochemical remediation systems (MERS because of their exoelectrogenic capabilities to degrade xenobiotic pollutants. Very few ERB have been isolated from MERS, those exhibited a bioremediation potential towards organic contaminants. Here we report once such bacterial strain, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia MK2, a facultative anaerobic bacterium isolated from a hydrocarbon fed MERS, showed a potent hydrocarbonoclastic behavior under aerobic and anaerobic environments. Distinct properties of the strain MK2 were anaerobic fermentation of the amino acids, electrode respiration, anaerobic nitrate reduction and the ability to metabolize n-alkane components (C8-C36 of petroleum hydrocarbons including the biomarkers, pristine and phytane. The characteristic of diazoic dye decolorization was used as a criterion for pre-screening the possible electrochemically active microbial candidates. Bioelectricity generation with concomitant dye decolorization in MERS showed that the strain is electrochemically active. In acetate fed microbial fuel cells, maximum current density of 273±8 mA/m2 (1000Ω was produced (power density 113±7 mW/m2 by strain MK2 with a coulombic efficiency of 34.8 %. Further, the presence of possible alkane hydroxylase genes (alkB and rubA in the strain MK2 indicated that the genes involved in hydrocarbon degradation are of diverse origin. Such observations demonstrated the potential of facultative hydrocarbon degradation in contaminated environments. Identification of such a novel petrochemical hydrocarbon degrading ERB is likely to offer a new route to the sustainable bioremedial process of source zone contamination with simultaneous energy generation through MERS.

  15. Organic compositions of lacustrine source rocks in Jiyang super-depression and its implication to petroleum geology

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2006-01-01

    The compositions of organic matter in four immature source rocks from Tertiary strata of Jiyang super-depression, the most typical continental rift subsidence basin in East China, have been studied by different extracting methods with CHCl3, MAC and CS2/NMP, respectively. The results suggest that there are great differences among the chemical compositions of organic matter in the source rocks derived from different depositional environments. About 79% of all the organic matter exists by non- covalent bond in the Es4 source rocks which were deposited under the saline lacustrine, indicating that its organic matter is not the real kerogen, but mainly composed of soluble organic matter which is easy to generate hydrocarbon at lower temperature. This is why the immature oils were derived from Es4 source rocks in Dongying depression. In contrast, around 60% of organic matter exists by covalent bond in Es3 source rocks which were deposited under the deep brackish-fresh lacustrine, showing that Es3 source rocks are mainly composed of kerogen producing mature hydrocarbon at higher temperature. The thermal simulation experiments, upon the remaining solid source rocks which were sequentially extracted by the three solvents, have been carried out. The chloroform extracts from the simulation product have been compared with the other three solvent extracts gained at room temperature. It is obvious that remarkable odd/even predominance (OEP) is mainly the characteristic of soluble organic matter; phytane mostly exists in the soluble organic matter by means of non-covalent bonds and characteristics of soluble organic matter are similar to these in immature oils produced in Jiyang super-depression.

  16. Isotopic exchange of carbon-bound hydrogen over geologic timescales

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sessions, Alex L.; Sylva, Sean P.; Summons, Roger E.; Hayes, John M.

    2004-04-01

    The increasing popularity of compound-specific hydrogen isotope (D/H) analyses for investigating sedimentary organic matter raises numerous questions about the exchange of carbon-bound hydrogen over geologic timescales. Important questions include the rates of isotopic exchange, methods for diagnosing exchange in ancient samples, and the isotopic consequences of that exchange. This article provides a review of relevant literature data along with new data from several pilot studies to investigate such issues. Published experimental estimates of exchange rates between organic hydrogen and water indicate that at warm temperatures (50-100°C) exchange likely occurs on timescales of 104 to 108 yr. Incubation experiments using organic compounds and D-enriched water, combined with compound-specific D/H analyses, provide a new and highly sensitive method for measuring exchange at low temperatures. Comparison of δD values for isoprenoid and n-alkyl carbon skeletons in sedimentary organic matter provides no evidence for exchange in young (exchange in ancient (>350 Ma) rocks. Specific rates of exchange are probably influenced by the nature and abundance of organic matter, pore-water chemistry, the presence of catalytic mineral surfaces, and perhaps even enzymatic activity. Estimates of equilibrium fractionation factors between organic H and water indicate that typical lipids will be depleted in D relative to water by ∼75 to 140‰ at equilibrium (30°C). Thus large differences in δD between organic molecules and water cannot be unambiguously interpreted as evidence against hydrogen exchange. A better approach may be to use changes in stereochemistry as a proxy for hydrogen exchange. For example, estimated rates of H exchange in pristane are similar to predicted rates for stereochemical inversion in steranes and hopanes. The isotopic consequences of this exchange remain in question. Incubations of cholestene with D2O indicate that the number of D atoms incorporated during

  17. High concentration agglomerate dynamics at high temperatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heine, M C; Pratsinis, S E

    2006-11-21

    The dynamics of agglomerate aerosols are investigated at high solids concentrations that are typical in industrial scale manufacture of fine particles (precursor mole fraction larger than 10 mol %). In particular, formation and growth of fumed silica at such concentrations by chemical reaction, coagulation, and sintering is simulated at nonisothermal conditions and compared to limited experimental data and commercial product specifications. Using recent chemical kinetics for silica formation by SiCl4 hydrolysis and neglecting aerosol polydispersity, the evolution of the diameter of primary particles (specific surface area, SSA), hard- and soft-agglomerates, along with agglomerate effective volume fraction (volume occupied by agglomerate) is investigated. Classic Smoluchowski theory is fundamentally limited for description of soft-agglomerate Brownian coagulation at high solids concentrations. In fact, these high concentrations affect little the primary particle diameter (or SSA) but dominate the soft-agglomerate diameter, structure, and volume fraction, leading to gelation consistent with experimental data. This indicates that restructuring and fragmentation should affect product particle characteristics during high-temperature synthesis of nanostructured particles at high concentrations in aerosol flow reactors.

  18. Compact high voltage, high peak power, high frequency transformer for converter type modulator applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reghu, T; Mandloi, V; Shrivastava, Purushottam

    2016-04-01

    The design and development of a compact high voltage, high peak power, high frequency transformer for a converter type modulator of klystron amplifiers is presented. The transformer has been designed to operate at a frequency of 20 kHz and at a flux swing of ±0.6 T. Iron (Fe) based nanocrystalline material has been selected as a core for the construction of the transformer. The transformer employs a specially designed solid Teflon bobbin having 120 kV insulation for winding the high voltage secondary windings. The flux swing of the core has been experimentally found by plotting the hysteresis loop at actual operating conditions. Based on the design, a prototype transformer has been built which is per se a unique combination of high voltage, high frequency, and peak power specifications. The transformer was able to provide 58 kV (pk-pk) at the secondary with a peak power handling capability of 700 kVA. The transformation ratio was 1:17. The performance of the transformer is also presented and discussed.

  19. Space Based Infrared System High (SBIRS High)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    elements (five SMGTs) for the S2E2 Mobile Ground System. ​ SBIRS Block Buy (GEO 5-6) The GEO 5-6 Tech Refresh (TR) Engineering Change Proposal was...Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) RCS: DD-A&T(Q&A)823-210 Space Based Infrared System High ( SBIRS High) As of FY 2017 President’s Budget Defense...Acquisition Management Information Retrieval (DAMIR) March 23, 2016 11:24:26 UNCLASSIFIED SBIRS High December 2015 SAR March 23, 2016 11:24:26

  20. High temperature high vacuum creep testing facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matta, M.K.

    1985-01-01

    Creep is the term used to describe time-dependent plastic flow of metals under conditions of constant load or stress at constant high temperature. Creep has an important considerations for materials operating under stresses at high temperatures for long time such as cladding materials, pressure vessels, steam turbines, boilers,...etc. These two creep machines measures the creep of materials and alloys at high temperature under high vacuum at constant stress. By the two chart recorders attached to the system one could register time and temperature versus strain during the test . This report consists of three chapters, chapter I is the introduction, chapter II is the technical description of the creep machines while chapter III discuss some experimental data on the creep behaviour. Of helium implanted stainless steel. 13 fig., 3 tab

  1. High-Tc superconductors under very high pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wijngaarden, R.J.; Scholtz, J.J.; Eenige, E.N. van; Griessen, R.

    1991-01-01

    High pressure has played a crucial role in the short history of high T c superconductors. Soon after the discovery of superconductivity by Bednorz and Muller in La-Ba-Cu-O, Chu et al. showed that the critical temperature T c could be significantly increased by pressure. This observation led to the discovery of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 by Wu et al. with a T c above 90 K. Incidentally, this high T c is probably also due to the fact that YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 has two CuO 2 layers per unit cell instead of a single one in La-Ba-Cu-O. The authors discuss the high pressure dependence of the oxide superconductors, particularly at pressures above 10 GPa, and the nonmonotonic dependence of transition temperature on pressure

  2. Pulsed-High Field/High-Frequency EPR Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuhs, Michael; Moebius, Klaus

    Pulsed high-field/high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is used to disentangle many kinds of different effects often obscured in continuous wave (cw) EPR spectra at lower magnetic fields/microwave frequencies. While the high magnetic field increases the resolution of G tensors and of nuclear Larmor frequencies, the high frequencies allow for higher time resolution for molecular dynamics as well as for transient paramagnetic intermediates studied with time-resolved EPR. Pulsed EPR methods are used for example for relaxation-time studies, and pulsed Electron Nuclear DOuble Resonance (ENDOR) is used to resolve unresolved hyperfine structure hidden in inhomogeneous linewidths. In the present article we introduce the basic concepts and selected applications to structure and mobility studies on electron transfer systems, reaction centers of photosynthesis as well as biomimetic models. The article concludes with an introduction to stochastic EPR which makes use of an other concept for investigating resonance systems in order to increase the excitation bandwidth of pulsed EPR. The limited excitation bandwidth of pulses at high frequency is one of the main limitations which, so far, made Fourier transform methods hardly feasible.

  3. High-Average, High-Peak Current Injector Design

    CERN Document Server

    Biedron, S G; Virgo, M

    2005-01-01

    There is increasing interest in high-average-power (>100 kW), um-range FELs. These machines require high peak current (~1 kA), modest transverse emittance, and beam energies of ~100 MeV. High average currents (~1 A) place additional constraints on the design of the injector. We present a design for an injector intended to produce the required peak currents at the injector, eliminating the need for magnetic compression within the linac. This reduces the potential for beam quality degradation due to CSR and space charge effects within magnetic chicanes.

  4. High pressure study of high-temperature superconductors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Souliou, Sofia-Michaela

    2014-09-29

    The current thesis studies experimentally the effect of high external pressure on high-T{sub c} superconductors. The structure and lattice dynamics of several members of the high-T{sub c} cuprate and Fe-based superconductors families were investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction under well-controlled, hydrostatic high pressure and low temperature conditions. The lattice dynamics of the high-T{sub c} superconductor YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6+x} have been investigated systematically by Raman spectroscopy as a function of doping (x = 0.95, 0.75, 0.60, 0.55, and 0.45) and external pressure. Under ambient pressure conditions, in addition to the Raman modes expected from group theory, we observe new Raman active phonons upon cooling the underdoped samples, at temperatures well above the superconducting transition temperature. The doping dependence and the onset temperatures of the new Raman features suggest that they are associated with the incommensurate charge density wave (CDW) state recently discovered in underdoped cuprates using synchrotron X-ray scattering techniques. Under high pressure conditions (from 2 to 12 GPa), our Raman measurements on highly ordered underdoped YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6.55} samples do not show any of the new Raman phonons seen at ambient pressure. High pressure and low temperature Raman measurements have been performed on the underdoped superconductor YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 4}O{sub 8}. A clear renormalization of some of the Raman phonons is seen below T{sub c} as a result of the changes in the phonon self-energy upon the opening of the superconducting gap, with the most prominent one being that of the B{sub 1g}-like buckling phonon mode. The amplitude of this renormalization strongly increases with pressure, resembling the effect of hole doping in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6+x}. At ∝ 10 GPa, the system undergoes a reversible pressure-induced structural phase transition to a non-centrosymmmetric structure (space group

  5. High pressure study of high-temperature superconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souliou, Sofia-Michaela

    2014-01-01

    The current thesis studies experimentally the effect of high external pressure on high-T c superconductors. The structure and lattice dynamics of several members of the high-T c cuprate and Fe-based superconductors families were investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction under well-controlled, hydrostatic high pressure and low temperature conditions. The lattice dynamics of the high-T c superconductor YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x have been investigated systematically by Raman spectroscopy as a function of doping (x = 0.95, 0.75, 0.60, 0.55, and 0.45) and external pressure. Under ambient pressure conditions, in addition to the Raman modes expected from group theory, we observe new Raman active phonons upon cooling the underdoped samples, at temperatures well above the superconducting transition temperature. The doping dependence and the onset temperatures of the new Raman features suggest that they are associated with the incommensurate charge density wave (CDW) state recently discovered in underdoped cuprates using synchrotron X-ray scattering techniques. Under high pressure conditions (from 2 to 12 GPa), our Raman measurements on highly ordered underdoped YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6.55 samples do not show any of the new Raman phonons seen at ambient pressure. High pressure and low temperature Raman measurements have been performed on the underdoped superconductor YBa 2 Cu 4 O 8 . A clear renormalization of some of the Raman phonons is seen below T c as a result of the changes in the phonon self-energy upon the opening of the superconducting gap, with the most prominent one being that of the B 1g -like buckling phonon mode. The amplitude of this renormalization strongly increases with pressure, resembling the effect of hole doping in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x . At ∝ 10 GPa, the system undergoes a reversible pressure-induced structural phase transition to a non-centrosymmmetric structure (space group Imm2). The structural transition is clearly reflected in the high pressure

  6. High-entropy alloys as high-temperature thermoelectric materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shafeie, Samrand [Surface and Microstructure Engineering Group, Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296 Gothenburg (Sweden); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296 Gothenburg (Sweden); Guo, Sheng, E-mail: sheng.guo@chalmers.se [Surface and Microstructure Engineering Group, Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296 Gothenburg (Sweden); Hu, Qiang [Institute of Applied Physics, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330029 (China); Fahlquist, Henrik [Bruker AXS Nordic AB, 17067 Solna (Sweden); Erhart, Paul [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296 Gothenburg (Sweden); Palmqvist, Anders, E-mail: anders.palmqvist@chalmers.se [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296 Gothenburg (Sweden)

    2015-11-14

    Thermoelectric (TE) generators that efficiently recycle a large portion of waste heat will be an important complementary energy technology in the future. While many efficient TE materials exist in the lower temperature region, few are efficient at high temperatures. Here, we present the high temperature properties of high-entropy alloys (HEAs), as a potential new class of high temperature TE materials. We show that their TE properties can be controlled significantly by changing the valence electron concentration (VEC) of the system with appropriate substitutional elements. Both the electrical and thermal transport properties in this system were found to decrease with a lower VEC number. Overall, the large microstructural complexity and lower average VEC in these types of alloys can potentially be used to lower both the total and the lattice thermal conductivity. These findings highlight the possibility to exploit HEAs as a new class of future high temperature TE materials.

  7. Gate Drive For High Speed, High Power IGBTs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nguyen, M.N.; Cassel, R.L.; de Lamare, J.E.; Pappas, G.C.; /SLAC

    2007-06-18

    A new gate drive for high-voltage, high-power IGBTs has been developed for the SLAC NLC (Next Linear Collider) Solid State Induction Modulator. This paper describes the design and implementation of a driver that allows an IGBT module rated at 800A/3300V to switch up to 3000A at 2200V in 3{micro}S with a rate of current rise of more than 10000A/{micro}S, while still being short circuit protected. Issues regarding fast turn on, high de-saturation voltage detection, and low short circuit peak current will be presented. A novel approach is also used to counter the effect of unequal current sharing between parallel chips inside most high-power IGBT modules. It effectively reduces the collector-emitter peak current, and thus protects the IGBT from being destroyed during soft short circuit conditions at high di/dt.

  8. Gate Drive For High Speed, High Power IGBTs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen, M.N.; Cassel, R.L.; de Lamare, J.E.; Pappas, G.C.; SLAC

    2007-01-01

    A new gate drive for high-voltage, high-power IGBTs has been developed for the SLAC NLC (Next Linear Collider) Solid State Induction Modulator. This paper describes the design and implementation of a driver that allows an IGBT module rated at 800A/3300V to switch up to 3000A at 2200V in 3(micro)S with a rate of current rise of more than 10000A/(micro)S, while still being short circuit protected. Issues regarding fast turn on, high de-saturation voltage detection, and low short circuit peak current will be presented. A novel approach is also used to counter the effect of unequal current sharing between parallel chips inside most high-power IGBT modules. It effectively reduces the collector-emitter peak current, and thus protects the IGBT from being destroyed during soft short circuit conditions at high di/dt

  9. High-frequency high-voltage high-power DC-to-DC converters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, T. G.; Owen, H. A.; Wilson, P. M.

    1982-09-01

    A simple analysis of the current and voltage waveshapes associated with the power transistor and the power diode in an example current-or-voltage step-up (buck-boost) converter is presented. The purpose of the analysis is to provide an overview of the problems and design trade-offs which must be addressed as high-power high-voltage converters are operated at switching frequencies in the range of 100 kHz and beyond. Although the analysis focuses on the current-or-voltage step-up converter as the vehicle for discussion, the basic principles presented are applicable to other converter topologies as well.

  10. High Temperature- and High Pressure-Processed Garlic Improves Lipid Profiles in Rats Fed High Cholesterol Diets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sohn, Chan Wok; Kim, Hyunae; You, Bo Ram; Kim, Min Jee; Kim, Hyo Jin; Lee, Ji Yeon; Sok, Dai-Eun; Kim, Jin Hee; Lee, Kun Jong

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Garlic protects against degenerative diseases such as hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases. However, raw garlic has a strong pungency, which is unpleasant. In this study, we examined the effect of high temperature/high pressure-processed garlic on plasma lipid profiles in rats. Sprague–Dawley rats were fed a normal control diet, a high cholesterol (0.5% cholesterol) diet (HCD) only, or a high cholesterol diet supplemented with 0.5% high temperature/high pressure-processed garlic (HCP) or raw garlic (HCR) for 10 weeks. The body weights of the rats fed the garlic-supplemented diets decreased, mostly because of reduced fat pad weights. Plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride (TG) in the HCP and HCR groups decreased significantly compared with those in the HCD group. Additionally, fecal TC and TG increased significantly in the HCP and HCR groups. It is notable that no significant differences in plasma or fecal lipid profiles were observed between the HCP and HCR groups. High temperature/high pressure-processed garlic contained a higher amount of S-allyl cysteine than raw garlic (Pgarlic may be useful as a functional food to improve lipid profiles. PMID:22404600

  11. High Average Power, High Energy Short Pulse Fiber Laser System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Messerly, M J

    2007-11-13

    Recently continuous wave fiber laser systems with output powers in excess of 500W with good beam quality have been demonstrated [1]. High energy, ultrafast, chirped pulsed fiber laser systems have achieved record output energies of 1mJ [2]. However, these high-energy systems have not been scaled beyond a few watts of average output power. Fiber laser systems are attractive for many applications because they offer the promise of high efficiency, compact, robust systems that are turn key. Applications such as cutting, drilling and materials processing, front end systems for high energy pulsed lasers (such as petawatts) and laser based sources of high spatial coherence, high flux x-rays all require high energy short pulses and two of the three of these applications also require high average power. The challenge in creating a high energy chirped pulse fiber laser system is to find a way to scale the output energy while avoiding nonlinear effects and maintaining good beam quality in the amplifier fiber. To this end, our 3-year LDRD program sought to demonstrate a high energy, high average power fiber laser system. This work included exploring designs of large mode area optical fiber amplifiers for high energy systems as well as understanding the issues associated chirped pulse amplification in optical fiber amplifier systems.

  12. Western Canada: high prices, high activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Savidant, S

    2000-01-01

    The forces responsible for the high drilling and exploration activity in Western Canada (recent high prices, excess pipeline capacity, and the promise of as yet undiscovered natural gas resources) are discussed. Supply and demand signposts, among them weather impacts, political response by governments, the high demand for rigs and services, the intense competition for land, the scarcity of qualified human resources, are reviewed/. The geological potential of Western Canada, the implications of falling average pool sizes, the industry's ability to catch up to increasing declines, are explored. The disappearance of easy large discoveries, rising development costs involved in smaller, more complex hence more expensive pools are assessed and the Canadian equity and capital markets are reviewed. The predicted likely outcome of all the above factors is fewer players, increasing expectation of higher returns, and more discipline among the remaining players

  13. Production of High-Intensity, Highly Charged Ions

    CERN Document Server

    Gammino, S.

    2013-12-16

    In the past three decades, the development of nuclear physics facilities for fundamental and applied science purposes has required an increasing current of multicharged ion beams. Multiple ionization implies the formation of dense and energetic plasmas, which, in turn, requires specific plasma trapping configurations. Two types of ion source have been able to produce very high charge states in a reliable and reproducible way: electron beam ion sources (EBIS) and electron cyclotron resonance ion sources (ECRIS). Multiple ionization is also obtained in laser-generated plasmas (laser ion sources (LIS)), where the high-energy electrons and the extremely high electron density allow step-by-step ionization, but the reproducibility is poor. This chapter discusses the atomic physics background at the basis of the production of highly charged ions and describes the scientific and technological features of the most advanced ion sources. Particular attention is paid to ECRIS and the latest developments, since they now r...

  14. High Intensity High Charge State ECR Ion Sources

    CERN Document Server

    Leitner, Daniela

    2005-01-01

    The next-generation heavy ion beam accelerators such as the proposed Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA), the Radioactive Ion Beam Factory at RIKEN, the GSI upgrade project, the LHC-upgrade, and IMP in Lanzhou require a great variety of high charge state ion beams with a magnitude higher beam intensity than currently achievable. High performance Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) ion sources can provide the flexibility since they can routinely produce beams from hydrogen to uranium. Over the last three decades, ECR ion sources have continued improving the available ion beam intensities by increasing the magnetic fields and ECR heating frequencies to enhance the confinement and the plasma density. With advances in superconducting magnet technology, a new generation of high field superconducting sources is now emerging, designed to meet the requirements of these next generation accelerator projects. The talk will briefly review the field of high performance ECR ion sources and the latest developments for high intens...

  15. High n ballooning modes in highly elongated tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    An, C.H.; Bateman, G.

    1980-02-01

    An analytic study of stability against high n ballooning modes in highly elongated axisymmetric plasmas is presented and compared with computational results. From the equation for the marginal pressure gradient, it is found that the local shear plays an important role on the stability of elongated and shifted plasma, and that high elongation deteriorates the stability by decreasing the stabilizing effects of field line bending and local shear. The net contribution of the local shear to stability decreases with elongation and shift for strongly ballooning modes (eigenfunctions strongly localized near the outer edge of the toroidal flux surfaces) but increases for interchange modes (eigenfunctions more uniform along the flux surfaces). The computational study of high n ballooning modes in a highly elongated plasma reveals that lowering the aspect ratio and broadening the pressure profile enhance the marginal beta for β/sub p/ less than unity but severely reduce the marginal beta for β/sub p/ larger than unity

  16. High gain requirements and high field Tokamak experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cohn, D.R.

    1994-01-01

    Operation at sufficiently high gain (ratio of fusion power to external heating power) is a fundamental requirement for tokamak power reactors. For typical reactor concepts, the gain is greater than 25. Self-heating from alpha particles in deuterium-tritium plasmas can greatly reduce ητ/temperature requirements for high gain. A range of high gain operating conditions is possible with different values of alpha-particle efficiency (fraction of alpha-particle power that actually heats the plasma) and with different ratios of self heating to external heating. At one extreme, there is ignited operation, where all of the required plasma heating is provided by alpha particles and the alpha-particle efficiency is 100%. At the other extreme, there is the case of no heating contribution from alpha particles. ητ/temperature requirements for high gain are determined as a function of alpha-particle heating efficiency. Possibilities for high gain experiments in deuterium-tritium, deuterium, and hydrogen plasmas are discussed

  17. High resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy at high count rates with a prototype High Purity Germanium detector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, R. J.; Amman, M.; Vetter, K.

    2018-04-01

    High-resolution gamma-ray spectrometers are required for applications in nuclear safeguards, emergency response, and fundamental nuclear physics. To overcome one of the shortcomings of conventional High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors, we have developed a prototype device capable of achieving high event throughput and high energy resolution at very high count rates. This device, the design of which we have previously reported on, features a planar HPGe crystal with a reduced-capacitance strip electrode geometry. This design is intended to provide good energy resolution at the short shaping or digital filter times that are required for high rate operation and which are enabled by the fast charge collection afforded by the planar geometry crystal. In this work, we report on the initial performance of the system at count rates up to and including two million counts per second.

  18. High Ra, high Pr convection with viscosity gradients

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. High Ra, high Pr convection with viscosity gradients. Weak upward flow through mesh. Top fluid more viscous. Unstable layer Instability Convection.

  19. Progress of OLED devices with high efficiency at high luminance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Carmen; Ingram, Grayson; Lu, Zhenghong

    2014-03-01

    Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) have progressed significantly over the last two decades. For years, OLEDs have been promoted as the next generation technology for flat panel displays and solid-state lighting due to their potential for high energy efficiency and dynamic range of colors. Although high efficiency can readily be obtained at low brightness levels, a significant decline at high brightness is commonly observed. In this report, we will review various strategies for achieving highly efficient phosphorescent OLED devices at high luminance. Specifically, we will provide details regarding the performance and general working principles behind each strategy. We will conclude by looking at how some of these strategies can be combined to produce high efficiency white OLEDs at high brightness.

  20. High speed, High resolution terahertz spectrometers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Youngchan; Yee, Dae Su; Yi, Miwoo; Ahn, Jaewook

    2008-01-01

    A variety of sources and methods have been developed for terahertz spectroscopy during almost two decades. Terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz TDS)has attracted particular attention as a basic measurement method in the fields of THz science and technology. Recently, asynchronous optical sampling (AOS)THz TDS has been demonstrated, featuring rapid data acquisition and a high spectral resolution. Also, terahertz frequency comb spectroscopy (TFCS)possesses attractive features for high precision terahertz spectroscopy. In this presentation, we report on these two types of terahertz spectrometer. Our high speed, high resolution terahertz spectrometer is demonstrated using two mode locked femtosecond lasers with slightly different repetition frequencies without a mechanical delay stage. The repetition frequencies of the two femtosecond lasers are stabilized by use of two phase locked loops sharing the same reference oscillator. The time resolution of our terahertz spectrometer is measured using the cross correlation method to be 270 fs. AOS THz TDS is presented in Fig. 1, which shows a time domain waveform rapidly acquired on a 10ns time window. The inset shows a zoom into the signal with 100ps time window. The spectrum obtained by the fast Fourier Transformation (FFT)of the time domain waveform has a frequency resolution of 100MHz. The dependence of the signal to noise ratio (SNR)on the measurement time is also investigated

  1. Reducing AC-Winding Losses in High-Current High-Power Inductors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nymand, Morten; Madawala, Udaya K.; Andersen, Michael Andreas E.

    2009-01-01

    Foil windings are preferable in high-current high-power inductors to realize compact designs and to reduce dc-current losses. At high frequency, however, proximity effect will cause very significant increase in ac resistance in multi-layer windings, and lead to high ac winding losses. This paper ...

  2. High Performance Networks for High Impact Science

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scott, Mary A.; Bair, Raymond A.

    2003-02-13

    This workshop was the first major activity in developing a strategic plan for high-performance networking in the Office of Science. Held August 13 through 15, 2002, it brought together a selection of end users, especially representing the emerging, high-visibility initiatives, and network visionaries to identify opportunities and begin defining the path forward.

  3. High-voltage high-current triggering vacuum switch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alferov, D.F.; Bunin, R.A.; Evsin, D.V.; Sidorov, V.A.

    2012-01-01

    Experimental investigations of switching and breaking capacities of the new high current triggered vacuum switch (TVS) are carried out at various parameters of discharge current. It has been shown that the high current triggered vacuum switch TVS can switch repeatedly a current from units up to ten kiloampers with duration up to ten millisecond [ru

  4. High to ultra-high power electrical energy storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherrill, Stefanie A; Banerjee, Parag; Rubloff, Gary W; Lee, Sang Bok

    2011-12-14

    High power electrical energy storage systems are becoming critical devices for advanced energy storage technology. This is true in part due to their high rate capabilities and moderate energy densities which allow them to capture power efficiently from evanescent, renewable energy sources. High power systems include both electrochemical capacitors and electrostatic capacitors. These devices have fast charging and discharging rates, supplying energy within seconds or less. Recent research has focused on increasing power and energy density of the devices using advanced materials and novel architectural design. An increase in understanding of structure-property relationships in nanomaterials and interfaces and the ability to control nanostructures precisely has led to an immense improvement in the performance characteristics of these devices. In this review, we discuss the recent advances for both electrochemical and electrostatic capacitors as high power electrical energy storage systems, and propose directions and challenges for the future. We asses the opportunities in nanostructure-based high power electrical energy storage devices and include electrochemical and electrostatic capacitors for their potential to open the door to a new regime of power energy.

  5. High assurance SPIRAL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franchetti, Franz; Sandryhaila, Aliaksei; Johnson, Jeremy R.

    2014-06-01

    In this paper we introduce High Assurance SPIRAL to solve the last mile problem for the synthesis of high assurance implementations of controllers for vehicular systems that are executed in today's and future embedded and high performance embedded system processors. High Assurance SPIRAL is a scalable methodology to translate a high level specification of a high assurance controller into a highly resource-efficient, platform-adapted, verified control software implementation for a given platform in a language like C or C++. High Assurance SPIRAL proves that the implementation is equivalent to the specification written in the control engineer's domain language. Our approach scales to problems involving floating-point calculations and provides highly optimized synthesized code. It is possible to estimate the available headroom to enable assurance/performance trade-offs under real-time constraints, and enables the synthesis of multiple implementation variants to make attacks harder. At the core of High Assurance SPIRAL is the Hybrid Control Operator Language (HCOL) that leverages advanced mathematical constructs expressing the controller specification to provide high quality translation capabilities. Combined with a verified/certified compiler, High Assurance SPIRAL provides a comprehensive complete solution to the efficient synthesis of verifiable high assurance controllers. We demonstrate High Assurance SPIRALs capability by co-synthesizing proofs and implementations for attack detection and sensor spoofing algorithms and deploy the code as ROS nodes on the Landshark unmanned ground vehicle and on a Synthetic Car in a real-time simulator.

  6. High resolution, high speed ultrahigh vacuum microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poppa, Helmut

    2004-01-01

    The history and future of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is discussed as it refers to the eventual development of instruments and techniques applicable to the real time in situ investigation of surface processes with high resolution. To reach this objective, it was necessary to transform conventional high resolution instruments so that an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) environment at the sample site was created, that access to the sample by various in situ sample modification procedures was provided, and that in situ sample exchanges with other integrated surface analytical systems became possible. Furthermore, high resolution image acquisition systems had to be developed to take advantage of the high speed imaging capabilities of projection imaging microscopes. These changes to conventional electron microscopy and its uses were slowly realized in a few international laboratories over a period of almost 40 years by a relatively small number of researchers crucially interested in advancing the state of the art of electron microscopy and its applications to diverse areas of interest; often concentrating on the nucleation, growth, and properties of thin films on well defined material surfaces. A part of this review is dedicated to the recognition of the major contributions to surface and thin film science by these pioneers. Finally, some of the important current developments in aberration corrected electron optics and eventual adaptations to in situ UHV microscopy are discussed. As a result of all the path breaking developments that have led to today's highly sophisticated UHV-TEM systems, integrated fundamental studies are now possible that combine many traditional surface science approaches. Combined investigations to date have involved in situ and ex situ surface microscopies such as scanning tunneling microscopy/atomic force microscopy, scanning Auger microscopy, and photoemission electron microscopy, and area-integrating techniques such as x-ray photoelectron

  7. Measurements of the Properties of Highly-charged high-Z ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Augustine J. Smith, Ph.D.

    2007-01-01

    We had proposed carrying out a systematic experimental investigation of the atomic physics of highly charged, high-Z ions, produced in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory LLNL electron beam ion trap (EBIT-I) in its high energy mode, superEBIT. In particular we were going to accurately measure line positions for Δn=0 transitions in few electron high-Z ions; this was meant to enable us to investigate relativistic and quantum electrodynamics QED contributions to the energy levels as well as the nuclear properties of heavy ions. We were also going to measure cross sections for various electron-ion interactions, the degree of polarization of emitted x-rays, and radiation cooling rates of various ionization stages of highly charged, high-Z ions. This would enable us to study fundamental atomic physics of high-Z ions at relativistic electron impact energies and in the intense nuclear fields of highly ionized, high-Z ions. This would extend previous measurements we have carried out to a regime where there is a paucity of good data. These measurements were expected to generate increased theoretical interest and activity in this area. The project will extend a very successful collaboration between Morehouse College (MC) and a national laboratory LLNL, Minority student training and development are major components of the proposal

  8. 'J-KAREN' - high intensity, high contrast laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kiriyama, Hiromitsu; Mori, Michiaki; Nakai, Yoshiki; Okada, Hajime; Sasao, Hajime; Sagisaka, Akito; Ochi, Yoshihiro; Tanaka, Momoko; Kondo, Kiminori; Tateno, Ryo; Sugiyama, Akira; Daido, Hiroyuki; Koike, Masato; Kawanishi, Syunichi; Shimomura, Takuya; Tanoue, Manabu; Wakai, Daisuke; Kondo, Shuji; Kanazawa, Shuhei

    2010-01-01

    We report on the high intensity, high contrast double chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) Ti:sapphire laser system (named J-KAREN). By use of an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) preamplifier that is seeded by a cleaned high-energy pulse, a background amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) level of 10 -10 relative to the peak main femtosecond pulse on the picosecond timescales demonstrated with an output energy of 1.7 J and a pulse duration of 30 fs, corresponding to a peak power of 60TW at a 10 Hz repetition rate. This system which uses a cryogenically-cooled Ti:sapphire final amplifier generates focused peak intensity in excess of 10 20 W/cm 2 at a 10 Hz repetition rate. (author)

  9. A high-energy electron beam ion trap for production of high-charge high-Z ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Knapp, D.A.; Marrs, R.E.; Elliott, S.R.; Magee, E.W.; Zasadzinski, R.

    1993-01-01

    We have developed a new high-energy electron beam ion trap, the first laboratory source of low-energy, few-electron, high-Z ions. We describe the device and report measurements of its performance, including the electron beam diameter, current density and energy, and measurements of the ionization balance for several high-Z elements in the trap. This device opens up a wide range of possible experiments in atomic physics, plasma physics, and nuclear physics. (orig.)

  10. Bumball: Highly Engaging, Highly Inclusive, and Highly Entertaining

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Amber; Barney, David; Wilkinson, Carol

    2014-01-01

    Physical educators are always looking for new and exciting games and activities in which students can participate. This article describes Bumball, a high-intensity game that provides the opportunity for students to use many common game skills, such as hand-eye coordination, passing to a target, running, playing defense, and getting to an open…

  11. High Efficiency Power Converter for Low Voltage High Power Applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nymand, Morten

    The topic of this thesis is the design of high efficiency power electronic dc-to-dc converters for high-power, low-input-voltage to high-output-voltage applications. These converters are increasingly required for emerging sustainable energy systems such as fuel cell, battery or photo voltaic based......, and remote power generation for light towers, camper vans, boats, beacons, and buoys etc. A review of current state-of-the-art is presented. The best performing converters achieve moderately high peak efficiencies at high input voltage and medium power level. However, system dimensioning and cost are often...

  12. Review on fatigue behavior of high-strength concrete after high temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Dongfu; Jia, Penghe; Gao, Haijing

    2017-06-01

    The fatigue of high-strength concrete after high temperature has begun to attract attention. But so far the researches work about the fatigue of high-strength concrete after high temperature have not been reported. This article based on a large number of literature. The research work about the fatigue of high-strength concrete after high temperature are reviewed, analysed and expected, which can provide some reference for the experimental study of fatigue damage analysis.

  13. A high-gradient high-duty-factor Rf photo-cathode electron gun

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rimmer, Robert A.; Hartman, Neal; Lidia, Steven M.; Wang, Shaoheng

    2002-01-01

    We describe the analysis and preliminary design of a high-gradient, high-duty factor RF photocathode gun. The gun is designed to operate at high repetition rate or CW, with high gradient on the cathode surface to minimize emittance growth due to space charge forces at high bunch charge. The gun may also be operated in a solenoidal magnetic field for emittance compensation. The design is intended for use in short-pulse, high-charge, and high-repetition rate applications such as linac based X-ray sources. We present and compare the results of gun simulations using different codes, as well as RF and thermal analysis of the structure

  14. A high-gradient high-duty-factor RF photo-cathode electron gun

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rimmer, Robert; Hartman, N.; Lidia, S.; Wang, S.H.

    2002-01-01

    We describe the analysis and preliminary design of a high-gradient, high-duty factor RF photocathode gun. The gun is designed to operate at high repetition rate or CW, with high gradient on the cathode surface to minimize emittance growth due to space charge forces at high bunch charge. The gun may also be operated in a solenoidal magnetic field for emittance compensation. The design is intended for use in short-pulse, high-charge, and high-repetition rate applications such as linac based X-ray sources. We present and compare the results of gun simulations using different codes, as well as RF and thermal analysis of the structure

  15. Laser-engraved carbon nanotube paper for instilling high sensitivity, high stretchability, and high linearity in strain sensors

    KAUST Repository

    Xin, Yangyang

    2017-06-29

    There is an increasing demand for strain sensors with high sensitivity and high stretchability for new applications such as robotics or wearable electronics. However, for the available technologies, the sensitivity of the sensors varies widely. These sensors are also highly nonlinear, making reliable measurement challenging. Here we introduce a new family of sensors composed of a laser-engraved carbon nanotube paper embedded in an elastomer. A roll-to-roll pressing of these sensors activates a pre-defined fragmentation process, which results in a well-controlled, fragmented microstructure. Such sensors are reproducible and durable and can attain ultrahigh sensitivity and high stretchability (with a gauge factor of over 4.2 × 10(4) at 150% strain). Moreover, they can attain high linearity from 0% to 15% and from 22% to 150% strain. They are good candidates for stretchable electronic applications that require high sensitivity and linearity at large strains.

  16. Achieving high fusion reactivity in high poloidal beta discharges in TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manuel, M.E.; Navratil, G.A.; Sabbagh, S.A.; Batha, S.; Bell, M.G.; Bell, R.; Budny, R.V.; Bush, C.E.; Cavallo, A.; Chance, M.S.; Cheng, C.Z.; Efthimion, P.C.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Fu, G.Y.; Hawryluk, R.J.; Janos, A.C.; Jassby, D.L.; Levinton, F.; Mikkelsen, D.R.; Manickam, J.; McCune, D.C.; McGuire, K.M.; Medley, S.S.; Mueller, D.; Nagayama, Y.; Owens, D.K.; Park, H.K.; Ramsey, A.T.; Stratton, B.C.; Synakowski, E.J.; Taylor, G.; Wieland, R.M.; Yamada, M.; Zarnstorff, M.C.: Zweben, S.; Kesner, J.; Marmar, E.; Snipes, J.; Terry, J.

    1993-04-01

    High poloidal beta discharges have been produced in TFTR that achieved high fusion reactivities at low plasma currents. By rapidly decreasing the plasma current just prior to high-power neutral beam injection, relatively peaked current profiles were created having high l i > 2, high Troyon-normalized beta, βN > 3, and high poloidal beta. β p ≥ 0.7 R/a. The global energy confinement time after the current ramp was comparable to supershots, and the combination of improved MHD stability and good confinement produced a new high εβ p high Q DD operating mode for TFTR. Without steady-state current profile control, as the pulse lengths of high βp discharges were extended, l i decreased, and the improved stability produced immediately after by the current ramp deteriorated. In four second, high εβ p discharges, the current profile broadened under the influence of bootstrap and beam-drive currents. When the calculated voltage throughout the plasma nearly vanished, MHD instabilities were observed with β N as low as 1.4. Ideal MHD stability calculations showed this lower beta limit to be consistent with theoretical expectations

  17. Application of polarization in high speed, high contrast inspection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novak, Matthew J.

    2017-08-01

    Industrial optical inspection often requires high speed and high throughput of materials. Engineers use a variety of techniques to handle these inspection needs. Some examples include line scan cameras, high speed multi-spectral and laser-based systems. High-volume manufacturing presents different challenges for inspection engineers. For example, manufacturers produce some components in quantities of millions per month, per week or even per day. Quality control of so many parts requires creativity to achieve the measurement needs. At times, traditional vision systems lack the contrast to provide the data required. In this paper, we show how dynamic polarization imaging captures high contrast images. These images are useful for engineers to perform inspection tasks in some cases where optical contrast is low. We will cover basic theory of polarization. We show how to exploit polarization as a contrast enhancement technique. We also show results of modeling for a polarization inspection application. Specifically, we explore polarization techniques for inspection of adhesives on glass.

  18. High Cr ODS steels R and D for high burnup fuel cladding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimura, A.; Kasada, R.; Kishimoto, H.; Iwata, N.; Cho, H.-S.; Toda, N.; Yutani, K.; Ukai, S.; Fujiwara, M.

    2007-01-01

    High-performance cladding materials is essential to realize highly efficient and high-burnup operation over 150 GWd/t of so called Generation IV nuclear energy systems, such as supercritical-water-cooled reactor (SCWR) and lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR). Oxide dispersion strengthening (ODS) ferritic/ martensitic steels, which contain 9-12%Cr, show rather high resistance to neutron irradiation embrittlement and high strength at elevated temperatures. However, their corrosion resistance is not good enough in SCW and in lead at high temperatures. High-Cr ODS steels have been developed to improve corrosion resistance. An increase in Cr content an addition resulted in a drastic improvement of corrosion resistance in SCW and in lead. On the contrary, high-Cr steels often show an enhancement of aging embrittlement as well as irradiation embrittlement. Anisotropy in tensile properties is another issue. In order to overwhelm these issues, surveillance tests of the material performance have been performed for high Cr-ODS steels produced by new processing technologies. It is demonstrated that the dispersion of nono-sized oxide particles in high density is effective to attain high-performance and high-Cr ODS steels have a high potential as fuel cladding materials for SCWR and LFR with high efficiency and high burnup. (authors)

  19. Tysnd1 deficiency in mice interferes with the peroxisomal localization of PTS2 enzymes, causing lipid metabolic abnormalities and male infertility.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yumi Mizuno

    Full Text Available Peroxisomes are subcellular organelles involved in lipid metabolic processes, including those of very-long-chain fatty acids and branched-chain fatty acids, among others. Peroxisome matrix proteins are synthesized in the cytoplasm. Targeting signals (PTS or peroxisomal targeting signal at the C-terminus (PTS1 or N-terminus (PTS2 of peroxisomal matrix proteins mediate their import into the organelle. In the case of PTS2-containing proteins, the PTS2 signal is cleaved from the protein when transported into peroxisomes. The functional mechanism of PTS2 processing, however, is poorly understood. Previously we identified Tysnd1 (Trypsin domain containing 1 and biochemically characterized it as a peroxisomal cysteine endopeptidase that directly processes PTS2-containing prethiolase Acaa1 and PTS1-containing Acox1, Hsd17b4, and ScpX. The latter three enzymes are crucial components of the very-long-chain fatty acids β-oxidation pathway. To clarify the in vivo functions and physiological role of Tysnd1, we analyzed the phenotype of Tysnd1(-/- mice. Male Tysnd1(-/- mice are infertile, and the epididymal sperms lack the acrosomal cap. These phenotypic features are most likely the result of changes in the molecular species composition of choline and ethanolamine plasmalogens. Tysnd1(-/- mice also developed liver dysfunctions when the phytanic acid precursor phytol was orally administered. Phyh and Agps are known PTS2-containing proteins, but were identified as novel Tysnd1 substrates. Loss of Tysnd1 interferes with the peroxisomal localization of Acaa1, Phyh, and Agps, which might cause the mild Zellweger syndrome spectrum-resembling phenotypes. Our data established that peroxisomal processing protease Tysnd1 is necessary to mediate the physiological functions of PTS2-containing substrates.

  20. High-pressure high-temperature experiments: Windows to the Universe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santaria-Perez, D.

    2011-01-01

    From Earth compositional arguments suggested by indirect methods, such as the propagation of seismic waves, is possible to generate in the laboratory pressure and temperature conditions similar to those of the Earth or other planet interiors and to study how these conditions affect to a certain metal or mineral. These experiments are, therefore, windows to the Universe. The aim of this chapter is to illustrate the huge power of the experimental high-pressure high-temperature techniques and give a global overview of their application to different geophysical fields. Finally, we will introduce the MALTA Consolider Team, which gather most of the Spanish high-pressure community, and present their available high-pressure facilities. (Author) 28 refs.

  1. High field MRI in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: high field-high yield?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wattjes, Mike P.; Barkhof, Frederik

    2009-01-01

    Following the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been increasingly incorporated into the clinical setting. Especially in the field of neuroimaging, the number of high field MRI applications has been increased dramatically. Taking advantage on increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and chemical shift, higher magnetic field strengths offer new perspectives particularly in brain imaging and also challenges in terms of several technical and physical consequences. Over the past few years, many applications of high field MRI in patients with suspected and definite multiple sclerosis (MS) have been reported including conventional and quantitative MRI methods. Conventional pulse sequences at 3 T offers higher lesion detection rates when compared to 1.5 T, particularly in anatomic regions which are important for the diagnosis of patients with MS. MR spectroscopy at 3 T is characterized by an improved spectral resolution due to increased chemical shift allowing a better quantification of metabolites. It detects significant axonal damage already in patients presenting with clinically isolated syndromes and can quantify metabolites of special interest such as glutamate which is technically difficult to quantify at lower field strengths. Furthermore, the higher susceptibility and SNR offer advantages in the field of functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging. The recently introduced new generation of ultra-high field systems beyond 3 T allows scanning in submillimeter resolution and gives new insights into in vivo MS pathology on MRI. The objectives of this article are to review the current knowledge and level of evidence concerning the application of high field MRI in MS and to give some ideas of research perspectives in the future. (orig.)

  2. Zerodur polishing process for high surface quality and high efficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tesar, A.; Fuchs, B.

    1992-08-01

    Zerodur is a glass-ceramic composite importance in applications where temperature instabilities influence optical and mechanical performance, such as in earthbound and spaceborne telescope mirror substrates. Polished Zerodur surfaces of high quality have been required for laser gyro mirrors. Polished surface quality of substrates affects performance of high reflection coatings. Thus, the interest in improving Zerodur polished surface quality has become more general. Beyond eliminating subsurface damage, high quality surfaces are produced by reducing the amount of hydrated material redeposited on the surface during polishing. With the proper control of polishing parameters, such surfaces exhibit roughnesses of < l Angstrom rms. Zerodur polishing was studied to recommend a high surface quality polishing process which could be easily adapted to standard planetary continuous polishing machines and spindles. This summary contains information on a polishing process developed at LLNL which reproducibly provides high quality polished Zerodur surfaces at very high polishing efficiencies

  3. Decay modes of high-lying excitations in nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gales, S.

    1993-01-01

    Inelastic, charge-exchange and transfer reactions induced by hadronic probes at intermediate energies have revealed a rich spectrum of new high-lying modes embedded in the nuclear continuum. The investigation of their decay properties is believed to be a severe test of their microscopic structure as predicted by nuclear models. In addition the degree of damping of these simple modes in the nuclear continuum can be obtained by means of the measured branching ratios to the various decay channels as compared to statistical model calculations. As illustrative examples the decay modes of high-spin single-particle states and isovector resonances are discussed. (author) 23 refs.; 14 figs

  4. Concept for a new high resolution high intensity diffractometer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stuhr, U [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

    1997-09-01

    A concept of a new time-of-flight powder-diffractometer for a thermal neutral beam tube at SINQ is presented. The design of the instrument optimises the contradictory conditions of high intensity and high resolution. The high intensity is achieved by using many neutron pulses simultaneously. By analysing the time-angle-pattern of the detected neutrons an assignment of the neutrons to a single pulse is possible. (author) 3 figs., tab., refs.

  5. Development of High Temperature/High Sensitivity Novel Chemical Resistive Sensor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ma, Chunrui [Univ. of Texas, San Antonio, TX (United States); Enriquez, Erik [Univ. of Texas, San Antonio, TX (United States); Wang, Haibing [Univ. of Texas, San Antonio, TX (United States); Xu, Xing [Univ. of Texas, San Antonio, TX (United States); Bao, Shangyong [Univ. of Texas, San Antonio, TX (United States); Collins, Gregory [Univ. of Texas, San Antonio, TX (United States)

    2013-08-13

    The research has been focused to design, fabricate, and develop high temperature/high sensitivity novel multifunctional chemical sensors for the selective detection of fossil energy gases used in power and fuel systems. By systematically studying the physical properties of the LnBaCo2O5+d (LBCO) [Ln=Pr or La] thin-films, a new concept chemical sensor based high temperature chemical resistant change has been developed for the application for the next generation highly efficient and near zero emission power generation technologies. We also discovered that the superfast chemical dynamic behavior and an ultrafast surface exchange kinetics in the highly epitaxial LBCO thin films. Furthermore, our research indicates that hydrogen can superfast diffuse in the ordered oxygen vacancy structures in the highly epitaxial LBCO thin films, which suggest that the LBCO thin film not only can be an excellent candidate for the fabrication of high temperature ultra sensitive chemical sensors and control systems for power and fuel monitoring systems, but also can be an excellent candidate for the low temperature solid oxide fuel cell anode and cathode materials.

  6. A high throughput DNA extraction method with high yield and quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin Zhanguo

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Preparation of large quantity and high quality genomic DNA from a large number of plant samples is a major bottleneck for most genetic and genomic analyses, such as, genetic mapping, TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesion IN Genome, and next-generation sequencing directly from sheared genomic DNA. A variety of DNA preparation methods and commercial kits are available. However, they are either low throughput, low yield, or costly. Here, we describe a method for high throughput genomic DNA isolation from sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L. Moench] leaves and dry seeds with high yield, high quality, and affordable cost. Results We developed a high throughput DNA isolation method by combining a high yield CTAB extraction method with an improved cleanup procedure based on MagAttract kit. The method yielded large quantity and high quality DNA from both lyophilized sorghum leaves and dry seeds. The DNA yield was improved by nearly 30 fold with 4 times less consumption of MagAttract beads. The method can also be used in other plant species, including cotton leaves and pine needles. Conclusion A high throughput system for DNA extraction from sorghum leaves and seeds was developed and validated. The main advantages of the method are low cost, high yield, high quality, and high throughput. One person can process two 96-well plates in a working day at a cost of $0.10 per sample of magnetic beads plus other consumables that other methods will also need.

  7. High Efficiency Power Converter for Low Voltage High Power Applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nymand, Morten

    The topic of this thesis is the design of high efficiency power electronic dc-to-dc converters for high-power, low-input-voltage to high-output-voltage applications. These converters are increasingly required for emerging sustainable energy systems such as fuel cell, battery or photo voltaic based...

  8. Ultra-high polarity ceramics induced extrinsic high permittivity of polymers contributing to high permittivity of 2-2 series composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Yefeng; Zhang, Jianxiong; Hu, Jianbing; Peng, Cheng; He, Renqi

    2018-01-01

    Induced polarization at interface has been confirmed to have significant impact on the dielectric properties of 2-2 series composites bearing Si-based semi-conductor sheet and polymer layer. By compositing, the significantly elevated high permittivity in Si-based semi-conductor sheet should be responsible for the obtained high permittivity in composites. In that case, interface interaction could include two aspects namely a strong electrostatic force from high polarity polymeric layer and a newborn high polarity induced in Si-based ceramic sheet. In this work, this class of interface induced polarization was successfully extended into another 2-2 series composite system made up of ultra-high polarity ceramic sheet and high polarity polymer layer. By compositing, the greatly improved high permittivity in high polarity polymer layer was confirmed to strongly contribute to the high permittivity achieved in composites. In this case, interface interaction should consist of a rather large electrostatic force from ultra-high polarity ceramic sheet with ionic crystal structure and an enhanced high polarity induced in polymer layer based on a large polarizability of high polarity covalent dipoles in polymer. The dielectric and conductive properties of four designed 2-2 series composites and their components have been detailedly investigated. Increasing of polymer inborn polarity would lead to a significant elevating of polymer overall polarity in composite. Decline of inherent polarities in two components would result in a mild improving of polymer total polarity in composite. Introducing of non-polarity polymeric layer would give rise to a hardly unaltered polymer overall polarity in composite. The best 2-2 composite could possess a permittivity of ˜463 at 100 Hz 25.7 times of the original permittivity of polymer in it. This work might offer a facile route for achieving the promising composite dielectrics by constructing the 2-2 series samples from two high polarity

  9. Decay properties of high-lying single-particles modes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beaumel, D; Fortier, S; Gales, S; Guillot, J; LangevinJoliot, H; Laurent, H; Maison, JM; Vernotte, J; Bordewijck, J; Brandenburg, S; Krasznahorkay, A; Crawley, GM; Massolo, CP; Renteria, M; Khendriche, A

    1996-01-01

    The neutron decay of high-lying single-particle states in Ni-64, Zr-90, Sn-120 and (208)pb excited by means of the (alpha,He-3) reaction has been investigated at 120 MeV incident energy using the multidetector EDEN. The characteristics of this reaction are studied using inclusive spectra and angular

  10. Citrate and malonate increase microbial activity and alter microbial community composition in uncontaminated and diesel-contaminated soil microcosms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Belinda C.; George, Suman J.; Price, Charles A.; Shahsavari, Esmaeil; Ball, Andrew S.; Tibbett, Mark; Ryan, Megan H.

    2016-09-01

    Petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) are among the most prevalent sources of environmental contamination. It has been hypothesized that plant root exudation of low molecular weight organic acid anions (carboxylates) may aid degradation of PHCs by stimulating heterotrophic microbial activity. To test their potential implication for bioremediation, we applied two commonly exuded carboxylates (citrate and malonate) to uncontaminated and diesel-contaminated microcosms (10 000 mg kg-1; aged 40 days) and determined their impact on the microbial community and PHC degradation. Every 48 h for 18 days, soil received 5 µmol g-1 of (i) citrate, (ii) malonate, (iii) citrate + malonate or (iv) water. Microbial activity was measured daily as the flux of CO2. After 18 days, changes in the microbial community were assessed by a community-level physiological profile (CLPP) and 16S rRNA bacterial community profiles determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Saturated PHCs remaining in the soil were assessed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Cumulative soil respiration increased 4- to 6-fold with the addition of carboxylates, while diesel contamination resulted in a small, but similar, increase across all carboxylate treatments. The addition of carboxylates resulted in distinct changes to the microbial community in both contaminated and uncontaminated soils but only a small increase in the biodegradation of saturated PHCs as measured by the n-C17 : pristane biomarker. We conclude that while the addition of citrate and malonate had little direct effect on the biodegradation of saturated hydrocarbons present in diesel, their effect on the microbial community leads us to suggest further studies using a variety of soils and organic acids, and linked to in situ studies of plants, to investigate the role of carboxylates in microbial community dynamics.

  11. BACTERIA OF NOCАRDIA GENUS AS OBJECT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. P. Pirog

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The literature and own experimental data, concerning biotechnological potential of bacteria of Nocаrdia genus are given. The use of these microorganisms as destructors of aliphatic (octane, pentadecanol, eicosane, octacosane, hexatriacontane, pristane, aromatic (phenol, octylbenzene, phenanthrene, anthracene, nitroaromatic (4-nitrophenol, heterocyclic (pyridine, ?-picoline hydrocarbons is described. The prospects of use of Nocаrdia in processes of substances bio-transformation (production of daidzein, ibuprofen, nicotinic acid and synthesis of some valuable metabolites, in particular antimicrobial and cytotoxic substances (ayamycin, transvalencin А, nocathiacin, brasilibactin A, nocaracins etc. as well as substances with surface-active and emulsifying properties are discussed. The own experimental data concerning optimization of cultivation conditions and intensification of surfactant synthesis on glycerol (byproduct of biodiesel production by oil oxidizing bacteria strain Nocardia vaccinii K-8, that was isolated from oil polluted samples of soil are presented. The ability of strain K-8 to assimilate some aromatic compounds (phenol, benzene, toluene, naphthalene, hexachlorbenzene, sulfanilic acid and N-phenylanthranilic acid, 0.3–0.5% was determined. It was shown that the highest oil destruction degree (94–98% in polluted water (2.6 g/L was achieved in the case of treatment with suspension of N. vaccinii K-8 cells (9.8 x 107 CFU/mL after 30 days, while surfactant preparation of post fermentative cultural liquid (100–300 mL/kg was more effective for remediation (destruction of 74–83% of oil of oil polluted soil (20 g/kg. It was determined that surfactants (0.085–0.85 mg/mL and other exocellular metabolites of strain К-8 possess antimicrobial activity against some phytopathogen bacteria of Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas strains. In this connection the quantity of living cells decreased by 80–100% after the treatment with the

  12. The local effect of octreotide on mechanical pain sensitivity is more sensitive in DA rats than DA.1U rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Fan-Rong; Wang, Hui-Sheng; Guo, Yuan; Zhao, Yan

    2016-02-01

    A recent study by the authors indicated that major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are associated with the differences in basal pain sensitivity and in formalin model between Dark-Agouti (DA) and novel congenic DA.1U rats, which have the same genetic background as DA rats except for the u alleles of MHC. The objective of the present study is to investigate whether there is a difference in the pristane-induced arthritis (PIA) model and local analgesic effect of octreotide (OCT) between DA and DA.1U rats. The hindpaw mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and heat withdrawal latency (HWL) were observed. The C unit firings of the tibial nerve evoked by non-noxious and noxious toe movements were recorded by electrophysiological methods in normal and PIA models in DA and DA.1U rats before and after local OCT administration. The expression of somatostatin receptor 2A (SSTR2A) was observed by immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrate that DA rats have a higher mechanical sensitivity than DA.1U rats after PIA. Local OCT administration significantly elevated MWT in DA rats under normal and PIA sate, but not in DA.1U rats. The electrophysiological experiments showed OCT significantly attenuated the firings of C units evoked by non-noxious and noxious stimulation in DA rats more than those in DA.1U rats both in normal and PIA states. In addition, the expression of SSTR2A in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord was significantly higher in DA than in DA.1U rats. All of the findings suggest a higher local analgesic effect of OCT in DA rats than DA.1U rats, which might be associated with the MHC genes. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  13. Bioaccumulation of petroleum hydrocarbons in arctic amphipods in the oil development area of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neff, Jerry M; Durell, Gregory S

    2012-04-01

    An objective of a multiyear monitoring program, sponsored by the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management was to examine temporal and spatial changes in chemical and biological characteristics of the Arctic marine environment resulting from offshore oil exploration and development activities in the development area of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea. To determine if petroleum hydrocarbons from offshore oil operations are entering the Beaufort Sea food web, we measured concentrations of hydrocarbons in tissues of amphipods, Anonyx nugax, sediments, Northstar crude oil, and coastal peat, collected between 1999 and 2006 throughout the development area. Mean concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), saturated hydrocarbons (SHC), and sterane and triterpane petroleum biomarkers (StTr) were not significantly different in amphipods near the Northstar oil production facility, before and after it came on line in 2001, and in amphipods from elsewhere in the study area. Forensic analysis of the profiles (relative composition and concentrations) of the 3 hydrocarbon classes revealed that hydrocarbon compositions were different in amphipods, surface sediments where the amphipods were collected, Northstar crude oil, and peat from the deltas of 4 North Slope rivers. Amphipods and sediments contained a mixture of petrogenic, pyrogenic, and biogenic PAH. The SHC in amphipods were dominated by pristane derived from zooplankton, indicating that the SHC were primarily from the amphipod diet of zooplankton detritus. The petroleum biomarker StTr profiles did not resemble those in Northstar crude oil. The forensic analysis revealed that hydrocarbons in amphipod tissues were not from oil production at Northstar. Hydrocarbons in amphipod tissues were primarily from their diet and from river runoff and coastal erosion of natural diagenic and fossil terrestrial materials, including seep oils, kerogens, and peat. Offshore oil and gas exploration and development

  14. High-frequency applications of high-temperature superconductor thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klein, N.

    2002-10-01

    High-temperature superconducting thin films offer unique properties which can be utilized for a variety of high-frequency device applications in many areas related to the strongly progressing market of information technology. One important property is an exceptionally low level of microwave absorption at temperatures attainable with low power cryocoolers. This unique property has initiated the development of various novel type of microwave devices and commercialized subsystems with special emphasis on application in advanced microwave communication systems. The second important achievement related to efforts in oxide thin and multilayer technology was the reproducible fabrication of low-noise Josephson junctions in high-temperature superconducting thin films. As a consequence of this achievement, several novel nonlinear high-frequency devices, most of them exploiting the unique features of the ac Josephson effect, have been developed and found to exhibit challenging properties to be utilized in basic metrology and Terahertz technology. On the longer timescale, the achievements in integrated high-temperature superconductor circuit technology may offer a strong potential for the development of digital devices with possible clock frequencies in the range of 100 GHz.

  15. High Power High Efficiency Diode Laser Stack for Processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Yuanyuan; Lu, Hui; Fu, Yueming; Cui, Yan

    2018-03-01

    High-power diode lasers based on GaAs semiconductor bars are well established as reliable and highly efficient laser sources. As diode laser is simple in structure, small size, longer life expectancy with the advantages of low prices, it is widely used in the industry processing, such as heat treating, welding, hardening, cladding and so on. Respectively, diode laser could make it possible to establish the practical application because of rectangular beam patterns which are suitable to make fine bead with less power. At this power level, it can have many important applications, such as surgery, welding of polymers, soldering, coatings and surface treatment of metals. But there are some applications, which require much higher power and brightness, e.g. hardening, key hole welding, cutting and metal welding. In addition, High power diode lasers in the military field also have important applications. So all developed countries have attached great importance to high-power diode laser system and its applications. This is mainly due their low performance. In this paper we will introduce the structure and the principle of the high power diode stack.

  16. High-frequency applications of high-temperature superconductor thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klein, N.

    2002-01-01

    High-temperature superconducting thin films offer unique properties which can be utilized for a variety of high-frequency device applications in many areas related to the strongly progressing market of information technology. One important property is an exceptionally low level of microwave absorption at temperatures attainable with low power cryocoolers. This unique property has initiated the development of various novel type of microwave devices and commercialized subsystems with special emphasis on application in advanced microwave communication systems. The second important achievement related to efforts in oxide thin and multilayer technology was the reproducible fabrication of low-noise Josephson junctions in high-temperature superconducting thin films. As a consequence of this achievement, several novel nonlinear high-frequency devices, most of them exploiting the unique features of the ac Josephson effect, have been developed and found to exhibit challenging properties to be utilized in basic metrology and Terahertz technology. On the longer timescale, the achievements in integrated high-temperature superconductor circuit technology may offer a strong potential for the development of digital devices with possible clock frequencies in the range of 100 GHz. (author)

  17. High regression rate, high density hybrid fuels, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This SBIR program will investigate high energy density novel nanofuels combined with high density binders for use with an N2O oxidizer. Terves has developed...

  18. High-power laser diodes with high polarization purity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenkrantz, Etai; Yanson, Dan; Peleg, Ophir; Blonder, Moshe; Rappaport, Noam; Klumel, Genady

    2017-02-01

    Fiber-coupled laser diode modules employ power scaling of single emitters for fiber laser pumping. To this end, techniques such as geometrical, spectral and polarization beam combining (PBC) are used. For PBC, linear polarization with high degree of purity is important, as any non-perfectly polarized light leads to losses and heating. Furthermore, PBC is typically performed in a collimated portion of the beams, which also cancels the angular dependence of the PBC element, e.g., beam-splitter. However, we discovered that single emitters have variable degrees of polarization, which depends both on the operating current and far-field divergence. We present data to show angle-resolved polarization measurements that correlate with the ignition of high-order modes in the slow-axis emission of the emitter. We demonstrate that the ultimate laser brightness includes not only the standard parameters such as power, emitting area and beam divergence, but also the degree of polarization (DoP), which is a strong function of the latter. Improved slow-axis divergence, therefore, contributes not only to high brightness but also high beam combining efficiency through polarization.

  19. High-resolution wavefront control of high-power laser systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brase, J.; Brown, C.; Carrano, C.; Kartz, M.; Olivier, S.; Pennington, D.; Silva, D.

    1999-01-01

    Nearly every new large-scale laser system application at LLNL has requirements for beam control which exceed the current level of available technology. For applications such as inertial confinement fusion, laser isotope separation, laser machining, and laser the ability to transport significant power to a target while maintaining good beam quality is critical. There are many ways that laser wavefront quality can be degraded. Thermal effects due to the interaction of high-power laser or pump light with the internal optical components or with the ambient gas are common causes of wavefront degradation. For many years, adaptive optics based on thing deformable glass mirrors with piezoelectric or electrostrictive actuators have be used to remove the low-order wavefront errors from high-power laser systems. These adaptive optics systems have successfully improved laser beam quality, but have also generally revealed additional high-spatial-frequency errors, both because the low-order errors have been reduced and because deformable mirrors have often introduced some high-spatial-frequency components due to manufacturing errors. Many current and emerging laser applications fall into the high-resolution category where there is an increased need for the correction of high spatial frequency aberrations which requires correctors with thousands of degrees of freedom. The largest Deformable Mirrors currently available have less than one thousand degrees of freedom at a cost of approximately $1M. A deformable mirror capable of meeting these high spatial resolution requirements would be cost prohibitive. Therefore a new approach using a different wavefront control technology is needed. One new wavefront control approach is the use of liquid-crystal (LC) spatial light modulator (SLM) technology for the controlling the phase of linearly polarized light. Current LC SLM technology provides high-spatial-resolution wavefront control, with hundreds of thousands of degrees of freedom, more

  20. OTDM Networking for Short Range High-Capacity Highly Dynamic Networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Medhin, Ashenafi Kiros

    This PhD thesis aims at investigating the possibility of designing energy-efficient high-capacity (up to Tbit/s) optical network scenarios, leveraging on the effect of collective switching of many bits simultaneously, as is inherent in high bit rate serial optical data signals. The focus...... is on short range highly dynamic networks, catering to data center needs. The investigation concerns optical network scenarios, and experimental implementations of high bit rate serial data packet generation and reception, scalable optical packet labeling, simple optical label extraction and stable ultra...

  1. THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HIGH-TECH SECTOR AND HIGH-TECH COMPANIES OPERATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svetlana V. Gavrilova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The article develops the concept of the«high-tech sector» and the «high-techcompany» as well as their differences and relation. Further the author accounts for the particularities of the high-tech company functioning compared to the common one. Finally the key factors and coreelements of high technology are identified.

  2. Final report: High current capacity high temperature superconducting film based tape for high field magnets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ying Xin

    2000-01-01

    The primary goal of the program was to establish the process parameters for the continuous deposition of high quality, superconducting YBCO films on one meter lengths of buffered RABiTS tape using MOCVD and to characterize the potential utility of the resulting tapes in high field magnet applications

  3. High-spin research with HERA [High Energy-Resolution Array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diamond, R.M.

    1987-06-01

    The topic of this report is high spin research with the High Energy Resolution Array (HERA) at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. This is a 21 Ge detector system, the first with bismuth germanate (BGO) Compton suppression. The array is described briefly and some of the results obtained during the past year using this detector facility are discussed. Two types of studies are described: observation of superdeformation in the light Nd isotopes, and rotational damping at high spin and excitation energy in the continuum gamma ray spectrum

  4. Statistical and direct decay of high-lying single-particle excitations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gales, S.

    1993-01-01

    Transfer reactions induced by hadronic probes at intermediate energies have revealed a rich spectrum of high-lying excitations embedded in the nuclear continuum. The investigation of their decay properties is believed to be a severe test of their microscopic structure as predicted by microscopic nuclear models. In addition the degree of damping of these simple modes in the nuclear continuum can be obtained by means of the measured particle (n,p) decay branching ratios. The neutron and proton decay studies of high-lying single-particle states in heavy nuclei are presented. (author). 13 refs., 9 figs

  5. High Blood Pressure

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... normal blood pressure 140/90 or higher is high blood pressure Between 120 and 139 for the top number, ... prehypertension. Prehypertension means you may end up with high blood pressure, unless you take steps to prevent it. High ...

  6. Design and development of high voltage high power operational ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    address this challenge, a) Designing a discrete power opamp with high .... the use of high-impedance feedback networks, thus minimizing their output loading ... Spice simulation is done for the circuit and results are given in figures 4a–c.

  7. High Energy Density Sciences with High Power Lasers at SACLA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kodama, Ryosuke

    2013-10-01

    One of the interesting topics on high energy density sciences with high power lasers is creation of extremely high pressures in material. The pressures of more than 0.1 TPa are the energy density corresponding to the chemical bonding energy, resulting in expectation of dramatic changes in the chemical reactions. At pressures of more than TPa, most of material would be melted on the shock Hugoniot curve. However, if the temperature is less than 1eV or lower than a melting point at pressures of more than TPa, novel solid states of matter must be created through a pressured phase transition. One of the interesting materials must be carbon. At pressures of more than TPa, the diamond structure changes to BC and cubic at more than 3TPa. To create such novel states of matter, several kinds of isentropic-like compression techniques are being developed with high power lasers. To explore the ``Tera-Pascal Science,'' now we have a new tool which is an x-ray free electron laser as well as high power lasers. The XFEL will clear the details of the HED states and also efficiently create hot dense matter. We have started a new project on high energy density sciences using an XFEL (SACLA) in Japan, which is a HERMES (High Energy density Revolution of Matter in Extreme States) project.

  8. Survey of Processing Methods for High Strength High Conductivity Wires for High Field Magnet Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, K.; Embury, J.D.

    1998-10-01

    This paper will deal with the basic concepts of attaining combination of high strength and high conductivity in pure materials, in-situ composites and macrocomposites. It will survey current attainments, and outline where some future developments may lie in developing wire products that are close to the theoretical strength of future magnet applications.

  9. Survey of Processing Methods for High Strength High Conductivity Wires for High Field Magnet Applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, K.; Embury, J.D.

    1998-01-01

    This paper will deal with the basic concepts of attaining combination of high strength and high conductivity in pure materials, in-situ composites and macrocomposites. It will survey current attainments, and outline where some future developments may lie in developing wire products that are close to the theoretical strength of future magnet applications

  10. High-throughput machining using a high-average power ultrashort pulse laser and high-speed polygon scanner

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schille, Joerg; Schneider, Lutz; Streek, André; Kloetzer, Sascha; Loeschner, Udo

    2016-09-01

    High-throughput ultrashort pulse laser machining is investigated on various industrial grade metals (aluminum, copper, and stainless steel) and Al2O3 ceramic at unprecedented processing speeds. This is achieved by using a high-average power picosecond laser in conjunction with a unique, in-house developed polygon mirror-based biaxial scanning system. Therefore, different concepts of polygon scanners are engineered and tested to find the best architecture for high-speed and precision laser beam scanning. In order to identify the optimum conditions for efficient processing when using high-average laser powers, the depths of cavities made in the samples by varying the processing parameter settings are analyzed and, from the results obtained, the characteristic removal values are specified. For overlapping pulses of optimum fluence, the removal rate is as high as 27.8 mm3/min for aluminum, 21.4 mm3/min for copper, 15.3 mm3/min for stainless steel, and 129.1 mm3/min for Al2O3, when a laser beam of 187 W average laser powers irradiates. On stainless steel, it is demonstrated that the removal rate increases to 23.3 mm3/min when the laser beam is very fast moving. This is thanks to the low pulse overlap as achieved with 800 m/s beam deflection speed; thus, laser beam shielding can be avoided even when irradiating high-repetitive 20-MHz pulses.

  11. Analysis of transistor and snubber turn-off dynamics in high-frequency high-voltage high-power converters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, P. M.; Wilson, T. G.; Owen, H. A., Jr.

    Dc to dc converters which operate reliably and efficiently at switching frequencies high enough to effect substantial reductions in the size and weight of converter energy storage elements are studied. A two winding current or voltage stepup (buck boost) dc-to-dc converter power stage submodule designed to operate in the 2.5-kW range, with an input voltage range of 110 to 180 V dc, and an output voltage of 250 V dc is emphasized. In order to assess the limitations of present day component and circuit technologies, a design goal switching frequency of 10 kHz was maintained. The converter design requirements represent a unique combination of high frequency, high voltage, and high power operation. The turn off dynamics of the primary circuit power switching transistor and its associated turn off snubber circuitry are investigated.

  12. HIGH FREQUENCY INDUCTION WELDING OF HIGH SILICON STEEL TUBES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Miranda Alé

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available High-Si steel is a low cost alternative for the fabrication of tubular structures resistant to atmospheric corrosion. However, the literature has often pointed out that steels presenting a higher Si content and/or a lower Mn/Si ratio have higher susceptibility to defects at the weld bond line during HFIW (High Frequency Induction Welding process, which has been widely used for manufacturing small diameter tubes. In this study the effect of the HFIW conditions on the quality of steel tubes with high-Si content and low Mn/Si ratio is investigated. The quality of welded tubes was determined by flare test and the defects in the bond line were identified by SEM. It has been found that higher welding speeds, V-convergence angles and power input should be applied in welding of high-Si steel, when compared to similar strength C-Mn steel.

  13. High performance systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vigil, M.B. [comp.

    1995-03-01

    This document provides a written compilation of the presentations and viewgraphs from the 1994 Conference on High Speed Computing given at the High Speed Computing Conference, {open_quotes}High Performance Systems,{close_quotes} held at Gleneden Beach, Oregon, on April 18 through 21, 1994.

  14. Highlighting High Performance: Whitman Hanson Regional High School; Whitman, Massachusetts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2006-06-01

    This brochure describes the key high-performance building features of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School. The brochure was paid for by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative as part of their Green Schools Initiative. High-performance features described are daylighting and energy-efficient lighting, indoor air quality, solar and wind energy, building envelope, heating and cooling systems, water conservation, and acoustics. Energy cost savings are also discussed.

  15. Characteristics of a High Current Helicon Ion Source With High Monatomic Fraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Hwa-Dong; Chung, Kyoung-Jae; Hwang, Yong-Seok

    2006-01-01

    Applications of neutron need compact and high yield neutron sources as well as very intense neutron sources from giant devices such as accelerators. Ion source based neutron sources using nuclear fusion reactions such as D(d, 3He)n, D(t, 4He)n can meet the requirements. This type of neutron generators can be simply composed of an ion source and a target. High-performance neutron generators with high yield require ion sources with high beam current, high monatomic fraction and long lifetime. Helicon ion source can meet these requirements. To make high current ion source, characteristics of helicon plasma such as high plasma density can be utilized. Moreover, efficient plasma heating with RF power lead high fraction of monatomic ion beam. Here, Characteristics of helicon plasma sources are described. Design and its performances of a helicon ion source are presented

  16. Development of high-performance concrete having high resistance to chloride penetration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Byung Hwan; Cha, Soo Won; Jang, Bong Seok; Jang, Seung Yup

    2002-01-01

    The resistance to chloride penetration is one of the simplest measures to determine the durability of concrete, e.g. resistance to freezing and thawing, corrosion of steel in concrete and other chemical attacks. Thus, high-performance concrete may be defined as the concrete having high resistance to chloride penetration as well as high strength. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the resistance to chloride penetration of different types of concrete and to develop high-performance concrete that has very high resistance to chloride penetration, and thus, can guarantee high durability. A large number of concrete specimens have been tested by the rapid chloride permeability test method as designated in AASHTO T 277 and ASTM C 1202. The major test variables include water-to-binder ratios, type of cement, type and amount of mineral admixtures (silica fume, fly ash and blast-furnace slag), maximum size of aggregates and air-entrainment. Test results show that concrete containing optimal amount of silica fume shows very high resistance to chloride penetration, and high-performance concrete developed in this study can be efficiently employed to enhance the durability of concrete structures in severe environments such as nuclear power plants, water-retaining structures and other offshore structures

  17. High-Capacity Cathode Material with High Voltage for Li-Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Ji-Lei; Xiao, Dong-Dong; Ge, Mingyuan; Yu, Xiqian; Chu, Yong; Huang, Xiaojing; Zhang, Xu-Dong; Yin, Ya-Xia; Yang, Xiao-Qing; Guo, Yu-Guo; Gu, Lin; Wan, Li-Jun

    2018-03-01

    Electrochemical energy storage devices with a high energy density are an important technology in modern society, especially for electric vehicles. The most effective approach to improve the energy density of batteries is to search for high-capacity electrode materials. According to the concept of energy quality, a high-voltage battery delivers a highly useful energy, thus providing a new insight to improve energy density. Based on this concept, a novel and successful strategy to increase the energy density and energy quality by increasing the discharge voltage of cathode materials and preserving high capacity is proposed. The proposal is realized in high-capacity Li-rich cathode materials. The average discharge voltage is increased from 3.5 to 3.8 V by increasing the nickel content and applying a simple after-treatment, and the specific energy is improved from 912 to 1033 Wh kg -1 . The current work provides an insightful universal principle for developing, designing, and screening electrode materials for high energy density and energy quality. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Equipment and Protocols for Quasi-Static and Dynamic Tests of Very-High-Strength Concrete (VHSC) and High-Strength High-Ductility Concrete (HSHDC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-08-01

    Concrete (VHSC) and High-Strength High-Ductility Concrete (HSHDC) En gi ne er R es ea rc h an d D ev el op m en t Ce nt er Brett A...Very-High-Strength Concrete (VHSC) and High-Strength High-Ductility Concrete (HSHDC) Brett A. Williams, Robert D. Moser, William F. Heard, Carol F...equipment and protocols for tests of both very-high-strength concrete (VHSC) and high- strength high-ductility concrete (HSHDC) to predict blast

  19. High-efficiency water-loaded microwave antenna in ultra-high-frequency band

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Zilun; Bartone, Chris; Yang, Fuyi; Yao, Jie

    2018-03-01

    High-index dielectrics are widely used in microwave antennas to control the radiation characteristics. Liquid water, with a high dielectric index at microwave frequency, is an interesting material to achieving tunable functionalities. Here, we demonstrate a water-loaded microwave antenna system that has high loss-tolerance and wideband tunability enabled by fluidity. Our simulation and experimental results show that the resonance frequency can be effectively tuned by the size of loading water. Furthermore, the antenna systems with water loading can achieve high radiation efficiency (>90%) in the ultra-high-frequency (0.3-3 GHz) band. This work brings about opportunities in realistic tunable microwave antenna designs enabled by liquid.

  20. High Molecular Weight Polybenzimidazole Membranes for High Temperature PEMFC

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yang, Jingshuai; Cleemann, Lars Nilausen; Steenberg, T.

    2014-01-01

    High temperature operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells under ambient pressure has been achieved by using phosphoric acid doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes. To optimize the membrane and fuel cells, high performance polymers were synthesized of molecular weights from 30 to 94 kDa w...

  1. High-frequency EPR on high-spin transition-metal sites

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mathies, Guinevere

    2012-01-01

    The electronic structure of transition-metal sites can be probed by electron-paramagnetic-resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The study of high-spin transition-metal sites benefits from EPR spectroscopy at frequencies higher than the standard 9.5 GHz. However, high-frequency EPR is a developing field. In

  2. High altitude illness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartman-Ksycińska, Anna; Kluz-Zawadzka, Jolanta; Lewandowski, Bogumił

    High-altitude illness is a result of prolonged high-altitude exposure of unacclimatized individuals. The illness is seen in the form of acute mountain sickness (AMS) which if not treated leads to potentially life-threatening high altitude pulmonary oedema and high-altitude cerebral oedema. Medical problems are caused by hypobaric hypoxia stimulating hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) release. As a result, the central nervous system, circulation and respiratory system function impairment occurs. The most important factor in AMS treatment is acclimatization, withdrawing further ascent and rest or beginning to descent; oxygen supplementation, and pharmacological intervention, and, if available, a portable hyperbaric chamber. Because of the popularity of high-mountain sports and tourism better education of the population at risk is essential.

  3. High point for CERN and high-temperature superconductors

    CERN Multimedia

    2007-01-01

    Amalia Ballarino is named the Superconductor Industry Person of the year 2006. Amalia Ballarino showing a tape of high-superconducting material used for the LHC current leads.The CERN project leader for the high-temperature superconducting current leads for the LHC, Amalia Ballarino, has received the award for "Superconductor Industry Person of the Year". This award, the most prestigious international award in the development and commercialization of superconductors, is presented by the leading industry newsletter "Superconductor Week". Amalia Ballarino was selected from dozens of nominations from around the world by a panel of recognized leading experts in superconductivity. "It is a great honour for me," says Amalia Ballarino. "It has been many years of hard work, and it’s a great satisfaction to see that the work has been completed successfully." Amalia Ballarino has been working on high-temperature superconducting materials sin...

  4. Design of highly oriented (HOR) media for extremely high density recording

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hee, C.H.; Wang, J.P.; Chong, T.C.; Low, T.S.

    2001-01-01

    The magnetic properties and recording performance of highly oriented (HOR) longitudinal media are systematically studied via micromagnetic simulation. It was found that highly oriented longitudinal media could be achieved by controlling the anisotropy axes distribution. The effect of anisotropy constant, saturated magnetization and exchange coupling constants on the hysteresis loops are presented. It was further found that highly oriented media show an ultra-low transition noise. Another interesting observation made was that increasing M s for the HOR media decreases the coercivity, which suggests practical usage of this media with current head field. A 500 Gbit/in 2 recording media is simulated to support the application of the highly oriented longitudinal media for ultra high density recording

  5. HIGH-ALTITUDE ILLNESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dwitya Elvira

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available AbstrakHigh-altitude illness (HAI merupakan sekumpulan gejala paru dan otak yang terjadi pada orang yang baru pertama kali mendaki ke ketinggian. HAI terdiri dari acute mountain sickness (AMS, high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE dan high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE. Tujuan tinjauan pustaka ini adalah agar dokter dan wisatawan memahami risiko, tanda, gejala, dan pengobatan high-altitude illness. Perhatian banyak diberikan terhadap penyakit ini seiring dengan meningkatnya popularitas olahraga ekstrim (mendaki gunung tinggi, ski dan snowboarding dan adanya kemudahan serta ketersediaan perjalanan sehingga jutaan orang dapat terpapar bahaya HAI. Di Pherice, Nepal (ketinggian 4343 m, 43% pendaki mengalami gejala AMS. Pada studi yang dilakukan pada tempat wisata di resort ski Colorado, Honigman menggambarkan kejadian AMS 22% pada ketinggian 1850 m sampai 2750 m, sementara Dean menunjukkan 42% memiliki gejala pada ketinggian 3000 m. Aklimatisasi merupakan salah satu tindakan pencegahan yang dapat dilakukan sebelum pendakian, selain beberapa pengobatan seperti asetazolamid, dexamethasone, phosopodiestrase inhibitor, dan ginko biloba.Kata kunci: high-altitude illness, acute mountain sickness, edema cerebral, pulmonary edema AbstractHigh-altitude illness (HAI is symptoms of lung and brain that occurs in people who first climb to altitude. HAI includes acute mountain sickness (AMS, high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE and high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE. The objective of this review was to understand the risks, signs, symptoms, and treatment of high-altitude illness. The attention was given to this disease due to the rising popularity of extreme sports (high mountain climbing, skiing and snowboarding and the ease and availability of the current travelling, almost each year, millions of people could be exposed to the danger of HAI. In Pherice, Nepal (altitude 4343 m, 43% of climbers have symptoms of AMS. Furthermore, in a study conducted at sites in

  6. High voltage engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Rizk, Farouk AM

    2014-01-01

    Inspired by a new revival of worldwide interest in extra-high-voltage (EHV) and ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transmission, High Voltage Engineering merges the latest research with the extensive experience of the best in the field to deliver a comprehensive treatment of electrical insulation systems for the next generation of utility engineers and electric power professionals. The book offers extensive coverage of the physical basis of high-voltage engineering, from insulation stress and strength to lightning attachment and protection and beyond. Presenting information critical to the design, selec

  7. The High Temperature Tensile and Creep Behaviors of High Entropy Superalloy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsao, Te-Kang; Yeh, An-Chou; Kuo, Chen-Ming; Kakehi, Koji; Murakami, Hideyuki; Yeh, Jien-Wei; Jian, Sheng-Rui

    2017-10-04

    This article presents the high temperature tensile and creep behaviors of a novel high entropy alloy (HEA). The microstructure of this HEA resembles that of advanced superalloys with a high entropy FCC matrix and L1 2 ordered precipitates, so it is also named as "high entropy superalloy (HESA)". The tensile yield strengths of HESA surpass those of the reported HEAs from room temperature to elevated temperatures; furthermore, its creep resistance at 982 °C can be compared to those of some Ni-based superalloys. Analysis on experimental results indicate that HESA could be strengthened by the low stacking-fault energy of the matrix, high anti-phase boundary energy of the strengthening precipitate, and thermally stable microstructure. Positive misfit between FCC matrix and precipitate has yielded parallel raft microstructure during creep at 982 °C, and the creep curves of HESA were dominated by tertiary creep behavior. To the best of authors' knowledge, this article is the first to present the elevated temperature tensile creep study on full scale specimens of a high entropy alloy, and the potential of HESA for high temperature structural application is discussed.

  8. High-pressure-assisted synthesis of high-volume ZnGeP2 polycrystalline

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Changbao; Wu, Haixin; Xiao, Ruichun; Chen, Shijing; Ma, Jiaren

    2018-06-01

    The pnictide and chalcogenide semiconductors are promising materials for the applications in the field of photoelectric. High-purity and high-volume polycrystalline required in the real-world applications is hard to be synthesized due to the high vapor pressure of phosphorus and sulfur components at high temperature. A new high-pressure-resisted method was used to investigate the synthesis of the nonlinear-optical semiconductor ZnGeP2. The high-purity ZnGeP2 polycrystalline material of approximately 500 g was synthesized in one run, which enables the preparation of nominally stoichiometric material. Since increasing internal pressure resistance of quartz crucible and reducing the reaction space, the high-pressure-resisted method can be used to rapidly synthesize other pnictide and chalcogenide semiconductors and control the components ratio.

  9. Record high-average current from a high-brightness photoinjector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dunham, Bruce; Barley, John; Bartnik, Adam; Bazarov, Ivan; Cultrera, Luca; Dobbins, John; Hoffstaetter, Georg; Johnson, Brent; Kaplan, Roger; Karkare, Siddharth; Kostroun, Vaclav; Li Yulin; Liepe, Matthias; Liu Xianghong; Loehl, Florian; Maxson, Jared; Quigley, Peter; Reilly, John; Rice, David; Sabol, Daniel [Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (United States); and others

    2013-01-21

    High-power, high-brightness electron beams are of interest for many applications, especially as drivers for free electron lasers and energy recovery linac light sources. For these particular applications, photoemission injectors are used in most cases, and the initial beam brightness from the injector sets a limit on the quality of the light generated at the end of the accelerator. At Cornell University, we have built such a high-power injector using a DC photoemission gun followed by a superconducting accelerating module. Recent results will be presented demonstrating record setting performance up to 65 mA average current with beam energies of 4-5 MeV.

  10. High-Temperature-High-Volume Lifting for Enhanced Geothermal Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Turnquist, Norman [GE Global Research, Munchen (Germany); Qi, Xuele [GE Global Research, Munchen (Germany); Raminosoa, Tsarafidy [GE Global Research, Munchen (Germany); Salas, Ken [GE Global Research, Munchen (Germany); Samudrala, Omprakash [GE Global Research, Munchen (Germany); Shah, Manoj [GE Global Research, Munchen (Germany); Van Dam, Jeremy [GE Global Research, Munchen (Germany); Yin, Weijun [GE Global Research, Munchen (Germany); Zia, Jalal [GE Global Research, Munchen (Germany)

    2013-12-20

    This report summarizes the progress made during the April 01, 2010 – December 30, 2013 period under Cooperative Agreement DE-EE0002752 for the U.S. Department of Energy entitled “High-Temperature-High-Volume Lifting for Enhanced Geothermal Systems.” The overall objective of this program is to advance the technology for well fluids lifting systems to meet the foreseeable pressure, temperature, and longevity needs of the Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) industry for the coming ten years. In this program, lifting system requirements for EGS wells were established via consultation with industry experts and site visits. A number of artificial lift technologies were evaluated with regard to their applicability to EGS applications; it was determined that a system based on electric submersible pump (ESP) technology was best suited to EGS. Technical barriers were identified and a component-level technology development program was undertaken to address each barrier, with the most challenging being the development of a power-dense, small diameter motor that can operate reliably in a 300°C environment for up to three years. Some of the targeted individual component technologies include permanent magnet motor construction, high-temperature insulation, dielectrics, bearings, seals, thrust washers, and pump impellers/diffusers. Advances were also made in thermal management of electric motors. In addition to the overall system design for a full-scale EGS application, a subscale prototype was designed and fabricated. Like the full-scale design, the subscale prototype features a novel “flow-through-the-bore” permanent magnet electric motor that combines the use of high temperature materials with an internal cooling scheme that limits peak internal temperatures to <330°C. While the full-scale high-volume multi-stage pump is designed to lift up to 80 kg/s of process water, the subscale prototype is based on a production design that can pump 20 kg/s and has been modified

  11. Development of high pressure-high vacuum-high conductance piston valve for gas-filled radiation detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prasad, D N; Ayyappan, R; Kamble, L P; Singh, J P; Muralikrishna, L V; Alex, M; Balagi, V; Mukhopadhyay, P K

    2008-01-01

    Gas-filled radiation detectors need gas filling at pressures that range from few cms of mercury to as high as 25kg/cm 2 at room temperature. Before gas-filling these detectors require evacuation to a vacuum of the order of ∼1 x 10 -5 mbar. For these operations of evacuation and gas filling a system consisting of a vacuum pump with a high vacuum gauge, gas cylinder with a pressure gauge and a valve is used. The valve has to meet the three requirements of compatibility with high-pressure and high vacuum and high conductance. A piston valve suitable for the evacuation and gas filling of radiation detectors has been designed and fabricated to meet the above requirements. The stainless steel body (80mmx160mm overall dimensions) valve with a piston arrangement has a 1/2 inch inlet/outlet opening, neoprene/viton O-ring at piston face and diameter for sealing and a knob for opening and closing the valve. The piston movement mechanism is designed to have minimum wear of sealing O-rings. The valve has been hydrostatic pressure tested up to 75bars and has Helium leak rate of less than 9.6x10 -9 m bar ltr/sec in vacuum mode and 2x10 -7 mbar ltr/sec in pressure mode. As compared to a commercial diaphragm valve, which needed 3 hours to evacuate a 7 litre chamber to 2.5x10 -5 mbar, the new valve achieved vacuum 7.4x10 -6 mbar in the same time under the same conditions

  12. Progress with High-Field Superconducting Magnets for High-Energy Colliders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apollinari, Giorgio; Prestemon, Soren; Zlobin, Alexander V.

    2015-10-01

    One of the possible next steps for high-energy physics research relies on a high-energy hadron or muon collider. The energy of a circular collider is limited by the strength of bending dipoles, and its maximum luminosity is determined by the strength of final focus quadrupoles. For this reason, the high-energy physics and accelerator communities have shown much interest in higher-field and higher-gradient superconducting accelerator magnets. The maximum field of NbTi magnets used in all present high-energy machines, including the LHC, is limited to ˜10 T at 1.9 K. Fields above 10 T became possible with the use of Nb3Sn superconductors. Nb3Sn accelerator magnets can provide operating fields up to ˜15 T and can significantly increase the coil temperature margin. Accelerator magnets with operating fields above 15 T require high-temperature superconductors. This review discusses the status and main results of Nb3Sn accelerator magnet research and development and work toward 20-T magnets.

  13. Discovering highly informative feature set over high dimensions

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Chongsheng; Masseglia, Florent; Zhang, Xiangliang

    2012-01-01

    For many textual collections, the number of features is often overly large. These features can be very redundant, it is therefore desirable to have a small, succinct, yet highly informative collection of features that describes the key characteristics of a dataset. Information theory is one such tool for us to obtain this feature collection. With this paper, we mainly contribute to the improvement of efficiency for the process of selecting the most informative feature set over high-dimensional unlabeled data. We propose a heuristic theory for informative feature set selection from high dimensional data. Moreover, we design data structures that enable us to compute the entropies of the candidate feature sets efficiently. We also develop a simple pruning strategy that eliminates the hopeless candidates at each forward selection step. We test our method through experiments on real-world data sets, showing that our proposal is very efficient. © 2012 IEEE.

  14. Discovering highly informative feature set over high dimensions

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Chongsheng

    2012-11-01

    For many textual collections, the number of features is often overly large. These features can be very redundant, it is therefore desirable to have a small, succinct, yet highly informative collection of features that describes the key characteristics of a dataset. Information theory is one such tool for us to obtain this feature collection. With this paper, we mainly contribute to the improvement of efficiency for the process of selecting the most informative feature set over high-dimensional unlabeled data. We propose a heuristic theory for informative feature set selection from high dimensional data. Moreover, we design data structures that enable us to compute the entropies of the candidate feature sets efficiently. We also develop a simple pruning strategy that eliminates the hopeless candidates at each forward selection step. We test our method through experiments on real-world data sets, showing that our proposal is very efficient. © 2012 IEEE.

  15. DECAY MODES OF HIGH-LYING SINGLE-PARTICLE STATES IN PB-209

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    BEAUMEL, D; FORTIER, S; GALES, S; GUILLOT, J; LANGEVINJOLIOT, H; LAURENT, H; MAISON, JM; VERNOTTE, J; BORDEWIJK, JA; BRANDENBURG, S; KRASZNAHORKAY, A; CRAWLEY, GM; MASSOLO, CP; RENTERIA, M

    The neutron decay of high-lying single-particle states in Pb-209 excited by means of the (alpha, He-3) reaction has been investigated at 122 MeV incident energy using a multidetector array. The high-spin values of these states, inferred from previous inclusive experiments, are confirmed by the

  16. To the probe theory in a highly-ionized high-pressure plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baksht, F.G.; Rybakov, A.B.

    1997-01-01

    The probe theory in highly-ionized high-pressure plasma is presented. The situation typical for high-pressure plasma, when the plasma in the main part of the near-probe layer is in the state of local ionization equilibrium with general temperature for electrons and heavy particles. Possibility is discussed for determining the parameters of non-perturbed plasma through analysis of the probe characteristic at place of ion saturation, transition area and by the probe floating potential. The experiments were carried out by example of highly-ionized xenon plasma under atmospheric pressure

  17. Self-Esteem of Junior High and High School Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kimberly E.

    The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the self-esteem of junior high and high school students. The independent variables investigated were quality of family life, birth order, family size, maternal employment, grade level and family structure. The dependent variables were the self-esteem scores from the following sub-scales of the Texas…

  18. Shielding for high energy, high intensity electron accelerator installation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Warawas, C.; Chongkum, S.

    1997-03-01

    The utilization of electron accelerators (eBA) is gradually increased in Thailand. For instance, a 30-40 MeV eBA are used for tumor and cancer therapy in the hospitals, and a high current eBA in for gemstone colonization. In the near future, an application of eBA in industries will be grown up in a few directions, e.g., flue gases treatment from the coal fire-power plants, plastic processing, rubber vulcanization and food preservation. It is the major roles of Office of Atomic Energy for Peace (OAEP) to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to regulate the public safety and protection of the environment. By taking into account of radiation safety aspect, high energy electrons are not only harmful to human bodies, but the radioactive nuclides can be occurred. This report presents a literature review by following the National Committee on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) report No.31. This reviews for parametric calculation and shielding design of the high energy (up to 100 MeV), high intensity electron accelerator installation

  19. Resistance Exercise Attenuates High-Fructose, High-Fat-Induced Postprandial Lipemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessie R. Wilburn

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Meals rich in both fructose and fat are commonly consumed by many Americans, especially young men, which can produce a significant postprandial lipemic response. Increasing evidence suggests that aerobic exercise can attenuate the postprandial increase in plasma triacylglycerols (TAGs in response to a high-fat or a high-fructose meal. However, it is unknown if resistance exercise can dampen the postprandial lipemic response to a meal rich in both fructose and fat. Methods Eight apparently healthy men (Mean ± SEM; age = 27 ± 2 years participated in a crossover study to examine the effects of acute resistance exercise on next-day postprandial lipemia resulting from a high-fructose, high-fat meal. Participants completed three separate two-day conditions in a random order: (1 EX-COMP: a full-body weightlifting workout with the provision of additional kilocalories to compensate for the estimated net energy cost of exercise on day 1, followed by the consumption of a high-fructose, high-fat liquid test meal the next morning (day 2 (~600 kcal and the determination of the plasma glucose, lactate, insulin, and TAG responses during a six-hour postprandial period; (2 EX-DEF: same condition as EX-COMP but without exercise energy compensation on day 1; and (3 CON: no exercise control. Results The six-hour postprandial plasma insulin and lactate responses did not differ between conditions. However, the postprandial plasma TAG concentrations were 16.5% and 24.4% lower for EX-COMP (551.0 ± 80.5 mg/dL x 360 minutes and EX-DEF (499.4 ± 73.5 mg/dL x 360 minutes, respectively, compared to CON (660.2 ± 95.0 mg/dL x 360 minutes ( P < 0.05. Conclusions A single resistance exercise bout, performed ~15 hours prior to a high-fructose, high-fat meal, attenuated the postprandial TAG response, as compared to a no-exercise control condition, in healthy, resistance-trained men.

  20. Resistance Exercise Attenuates High-Fructose, High-Fat-Induced Postprandial Lipemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilburn, Jessie R; Bourquin, Jeffrey; Wysong, Andrea; Melby, Christopher L

    2015-01-01

    Meals rich in both fructose and fat are commonly consumed by many Americans, especially young men, which can produce a significant postprandial lipemic response. Increasing evidence suggests that aerobic exercise can attenuate the postprandial increase in plasma triacylglycerols (TAGs) in response to a high-fat or a high-fructose meal. However, it is unknown if resistance exercise can dampen the postprandial lipemic response to a meal rich in both fructose and fat. Eight apparently healthy men (Mean ± SEM; age = 27 ± 2 years) participated in a crossover study to examine the effects of acute resistance exercise on next-day postprandial lipemia resulting from a high-fructose, high-fat meal. Participants completed three separate two-day conditions in a random order: (1) EX-COMP: a full-body weightlifting workout with the provision of additional kilocalories to compensate for the estimated net energy cost of exercise on day 1, followed by the consumption of a high-fructose, high-fat liquid test meal the next morning (day 2) (~600 kcal) and the determination of the plasma glucose, lactate, insulin, and TAG responses during a six-hour postprandial period; (2) EX-DEF: same condition as EX-COMP but without exercise energy compensation on day 1; and (3) CON: no exercise control. The six-hour postprandial plasma insulin and lactate responses did not differ between conditions. However, the postprandial plasma TAG concentrations were 16.5% and 24.4% lower for EX-COMP (551.0 ± 80.5 mg/dL × 360 minutes) and EX-DEF (499.4 ± 73.5 mg/dL × 360 minutes), respectively, compared to CON (660.2 ± 95.0 mg/dL × 360 minutes) (P < 0.05). A single resistance exercise bout, performed ~15 hours prior to a high-fructose, high-fat meal, attenuated the postprandial TAG response, as compared to a no-exercise control condition, in healthy, resistance-trained men.

  1. Simple Motor Control Concept Results High Efficiency at High Velocities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Starin, Scott; Engel, Chris

    2013-09-01

    The need for high velocity motors in space applications for reaction wheels and detectors has stressed the limits of Brushless Permanent Magnet Motors (BPMM). Due to inherent hysteresis core losses, conventional BPMMs try to balance the need for torque verses hysteresis losses. Cong-less motors have significantly less hysteresis losses but suffer from lower efficiencies. Additionally, the inherent low inductance in cog-less motors result in high ripple currents or high switching frequencies, which lowers overall efficiency and increases performance demands on the control electronics.However, using a somewhat forgotten but fully qualified technology of Isotropic Magnet Motors (IMM), extremely high velocities may be achieved at low power input using conventional drive electronics. This paper will discuss the trade study efforts and empirical test data on a 34,000 RPM IMM.

  2. High voltage systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, M.

    1991-01-01

    Industrial processes usually require electrical power. This power is used to drive motors, to heat materials, or in electrochemical processes. Often the power requirements of a plant require the electric power to be delivered at high voltage. In this paper high voltage is considered any voltage over 600 V. This voltage could be as high as 138,000 V for some very large facilities. The characteristics of this voltage and the enormous amounts of power being transmitted necessitate special safety considerations. Safety must be considered during the four activities associated with a high voltage electrical system. These activities are: Design; Installation; Operation; and Maintenance

  3. High-speed readout of high-Z pixel detectors with the LAMBDA detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pennicard, D.; Smoljanin, S.; Sheviakov, I.; Xia, Q.; Rothkirch, A.; Yu, Y.; Struth, B.; Hirsemann, H.; Graafsma, H.

    2014-01-01

    High-frame-rate X-ray pixel detectors make it possible to perform time-resolved experiments at synchrotron beamlines, and to make better use of these sources by shortening experiment times. LAMBDA is a photon-counting hybrid pixel detector based on the Medipix3 chip, designed to combine a small pixel size of 55 μm, a large tileable module design, high speed, and compatibility with ''high-Z'' sensors for hard X-ray detection. This technical paper focuses on LAMBDA's high-speed-readout functionality, which allows a frame rate of 2000 frames per second with no deadtime between successive images. This takes advantage of the Medipix3 chip's ''continuous read-write'' function and highly parallelised readout. The readout electronics serialise this data and send it back to a server PC over two 10 Gigabit Ethernet links. The server PC controls the detector and receives, processes and stores the data using software designed for the Tango control system. As a demonstration of high-speed readout of a high-Z sensor, a GaAs LAMBDA detector was used to make a high-speed X-ray video of a computer fan

  4. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) KidsHealth / For Teens / Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) What's ... rest temperature diet emotions posture medicines Why Is High Blood Pressure Bad? High blood pressure means a person's heart ...

  5. Comparing the characteristics of highly cited titles and highly alted titles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Didegah, F.; Bowman, T.D.; Bowman, S.; Hartley, J.

    2016-07-01

    This study examines differences in the types of titles for articles that show high altmetric activity (highly alted articles) versus highly cited articles. This work expands on previous research on document titles in combination with a grounded theory approach to develop a codebook in which articles were manually coded based on 11 characteristics. The results show that there are differences and similarities in titles across many of the examined characteristics; highly cited titles and highly mentioned titles on Wikipedia have some similar characteristics such as they have the the highest percentage of substantive words; in addition, there are no or very few titles referencing outside or with humor/lightness on both platforms. Twitter and Facebook also showed some similarities having the highest percentage of humorous/light titles and lowest percentage of substantive words in their titles. (Author)

  6. A high current, high speed pulser using avalanche transistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hosono, Yoneichi; Hasegawa, Ken-ichi

    1985-01-01

    A high current, high speed pulser for the beam pulsing of a linear accelerator is described. It uses seven avalanche transistors in cascade. Design of a trigger circuit to obtain fast rise time is discussed. The characteristics of the pulser are : (a) Rise time = 0.9 ns (FWHM) and (d) Life time asymptotically equals 2000 -- 3000 hr (at 50 Hz). (author)

  7. A high frequency, high power CARM proposal for the DEMO ECRH system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirizzi, Francesco; Spassovsky, Ivan; Ceccuzzi, Silvio; Dattoli, Giuseppe; Di Palma, Emanuele; Doria, Andrea; Gallerano, Gianpiero; Lampasi, Alessandro; Maffia, Giuseppe; Ravera, GianLuca; Sabia, Elio; Tuccillo, Angelo Antonio; Zito, Pietro

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • ECRH system for DEMO. • Cyclotron Auto-Resonance Maser (CARM) devices. • Relativistic electron beams. • Bragg reflectors. • High voltage pulse modulators. - Abstract: ECRH&CD systems are extensively used on tokamak plasmas due to their capability of highly tailored power deposition, allowing very localised heating and non-inductive current drive, useful for MHD and profiles control. The high electron temperatures expected in DEMO will require ECRH systems with operating frequency in the 200–300 GHz range, equipped with a reasonable number of high power (P ≥ 1 MW) CW RF sources, for allowing central RF power deposition. In this frame the ENEA Fusion Department (Frascati) is coordinating a task force aimed at the study and realisation of a suitable high power, high frequency reliable source.

  8. A high frequency, high power CARM proposal for the DEMO ECRH system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mirizzi, Francesco, E-mail: francesco.mirizzi@enea.it [Consorzio CREATE, Via Claudio 21, I-80125 Napoli (Italy); Spassovsky, Ivan [Unità Tecnica Applicazioni delle Radiazioni – ENEA, C.R. Frascati, via E. Fermi 45, I-00044 Frascati (Italy); Ceccuzzi, Silvio [Unità Tecnica Fusione – ENEA C. R. Frascati, via E. Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati, Roma (Italy); Dattoli, Giuseppe; Di Palma, Emanuele; Doria, Andrea; Gallerano, Gianpiero [Unità Tecnica Applicazioni delle Radiazioni – ENEA, C.R. Frascati, via E. Fermi 45, I-00044 Frascati (Italy); Lampasi, Alessandro; Maffia, Giuseppe; Ravera, GianLuca [Unità Tecnica Fusione – ENEA C. R. Frascati, via E. Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati, Roma (Italy); Sabia, Elio [Unità Tecnica Applicazioni delle Radiazioni – ENEA, C.R. Frascati, via E. Fermi 45, I-00044 Frascati (Italy); Tuccillo, Angelo Antonio; Zito, Pietro [Unità Tecnica Fusione – ENEA C. R. Frascati, via E. Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati, Roma (Italy)

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • ECRH system for DEMO. • Cyclotron Auto-Resonance Maser (CARM) devices. • Relativistic electron beams. • Bragg reflectors. • High voltage pulse modulators. - Abstract: ECRH&CD systems are extensively used on tokamak plasmas due to their capability of highly tailored power deposition, allowing very localised heating and non-inductive current drive, useful for MHD and profiles control. The high electron temperatures expected in DEMO will require ECRH systems with operating frequency in the 200–300 GHz range, equipped with a reasonable number of high power (P ≥ 1 MW) CW RF sources, for allowing central RF power deposition. In this frame the ENEA Fusion Department (Frascati) is coordinating a task force aimed at the study and realisation of a suitable high power, high frequency reliable source.

  9. Highly parallel algorithm for high pT physics at FAIR-CBM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fueloep, A; Vesztergombi, G

    2010-01-01

    The limitations of presently available data on p T range are discussed and planned future upgrades are outlined. Special attention is given to the FAIR-CBM experiment as a unique high luminosity facility for future continuation of the measurements at very high p T with emphasis on the so-called mosaic trigger system to use the highly parallel online algorithm.

  10. High Throughput Facility

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — Argonne?s high throughput facility provides highly automated and parallel approaches to material and materials chemistry development. The facility allows scientists...

  11. Mining High-Dimensional Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Yang, Jiong

    With the rapid growth of computational biology and e-commerce applications, high-dimensional data becomes very common. Thus, mining high-dimensional data is an urgent problem of great practical importance. However, there are some unique challenges for mining data of high dimensions, including (1) the curse of dimensionality and more crucial (2) the meaningfulness of the similarity measure in the high dimension space. In this chapter, we present several state-of-art techniques for analyzing high-dimensional data, e.g., frequent pattern mining, clustering, and classification. We will discuss how these methods deal with the challenges of high dimensionality.

  12. High-Risk List

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    economy. The World Bank has said that “corruption creates an unfavorable business environment by undermining the operation efficiency of firms and... Bank Began as ‘Ponzi Scheme,’” 11/27/2012. 64 Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, Unfinished Business : The Follow...HIGH RISK AREA 7: Oversight 51 HIGH-RISK AREA 8: Strategy and Planning 55 CONCLUSION HIGH RISK LIST I JANUARY 11, 2017 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  13. Local endemicity and high diversity characterise high-latitude coral- Symbiodinium partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wicks, L. C.; Sampayo, E.; Gardner, J. P. A.; Davy, S. K.

    2010-12-01

    Obligate symbiotic dinoflagellates ( Symbiodinium) residing within the tissues of most reef invertebrates are important in determining the tolerance range of their host. Coral communities living at high latitudes experience wide fluctuations in environmental conditions and thus provide an ideal system to gain insights into the range within which the symbiotic relationship can be sustained. Further, understanding whether and how symbiont communities associated with high-latitude coral reefs are different from their tropical counterparts will provide clues to the potential of corals to cope with marginal or changing conditions. However, little is known of the host and symbiont partnerships at high latitudes. Symbiodinium diversity and specificity of high-latitude coral communities were explored using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) of the ribosomal DNA at Lord Howe Island (31°S; Australia), and the Kermadec Islands (29°S; New Zealand). All but one host associated with clade C Symbiodinium, the exception being a soft coral ( Capnella sp.) that contained Symbiodinium B1. Besides ‘host-generalist’ Symbiodinium types C1 and C3, approximately 72% of the Symbiodinium identified were novel C types, and zonation of symbionts in relation to environmental parameters such as depth and turbidity was evident in certain host species. The high-latitude Symbiodinium communities showed little overlap and relatively high diversity compared with communities sampled on the tropical Great Barrier Reef. Although host specificity was maintained in certain species, others shared symbionts and this potential reduction of fidelity at high-latitude locations may be the result of locally challenging and highly variable environmental conditions.

  14. High-tech entrepreneurship

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bernasconi, Michel; Harris, Simon; Mønsted, Mette

    High-tech businesses form a crucial part of entrepreneurial activity - in some ways representing very typical examples of entrepreneurship, yet in some ways representing quite different challenges. The uncertainty in innovation and advanced technology makes it difficult to use conventional economic...... focuses on the blend of theory and practice needed to inform advanced entrepreneurship students of the specifics of high-tech start-ups. Key topics covered include: uncertainty and innovation; entrepreneurial finance; marketing technological innovations; and high-tech incubation management.......Edited by a multi-national team, it draws together leading writers and researchers from across Europe, and is therefore a must-read for all those involved in advanced entrepreneurship with specific interests in high-tech start-ups....

  15. High-power klystrons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siambis, John G.; True, Richard B.; Symons, R. S.

    1994-05-01

    Novel emerging applications in advanced linear collider accelerators, ionospheric and atmospheric sensing and modification and a wide spectrum of industrial processing applications, have resulted in microwave tube requirements that call for further development of high power klystrons in the range from S-band to X-band. In the present paper we review recent progress in high power klystron development and discuss some of the issues and scaling laws for successful design. We also discuss recent progress in electron guns with potential grading electrodes for high voltage with short and long pulse operation via computer simulations obtained from the code DEMEOS, as well as preliminary experimental results. We present designs for high power beam collectors.

  16. [Condition optimization for bio-oxidation of high-S and high-As gold concentrate].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Caiyun; Dong, Bowen; Wang, Meijun; Ye, Zhiyong; Zheng, Tianling; Huang, Huaiguo

    2015-12-04

    To study the effects of temperature and lixivium return on the concentrate bio-oxidation and rate of gold cyanide leaching. The bioleaching of a high-sulphur (S) and high-arsenic (As) refractory gold concentrate was conducted, and we studied the effects of different temperature (40 ° and 45 °C) and lixivium return (0 and 600 mL) on the bio-oxidation efficiency. The bacterial community structure also was investigated by 16S rRNA gene clone library. The results showed that both the temperature and lixivium return significantly influenced the oxidation system. The temperature rising elevated the oxidation level, while the addition of lixivium depressed the oxidation. Dissimilarity and DCA (detrended correspondence analysis) indicated the effect of temperature on oxidation system was much greater than lixivium. The bacterial community was comprised by Acidithiocacillus caldu (71%) Leptospirillum ferriphilum (23%) and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans (6%) indicated by the clone library, and the OTU coverage based on 97% sequence similarity was as high as 93.67%. Temperature rising to 45 T would improve the oxidation efficiency while lixivium return would decrease it. This study is helpful to provide an important guiding value for the industry cost optimization of mesophile bacterial oxidation and reduction process.

  17. The high density and high βpol disruption mechanism on TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fredrickson, E.D.; Manickam, J.; McGuire, K.M.; Monticello, D.; Nagayama, Y.; Park, W.; Taylor, G.

    1992-01-01

    Studies of disruptions on TFTR have been extended to include high density disruptions as well as the high β pol disruptions. The data strongly suggests that the (m,n)=(1,1) mode plays an important role in both types of disruptions. Further, for the first time, it is unambiguously shown, using a fast electron cyclotron emission (ECE) instrument for the electron temperature profile measurements, that the (m,n)=(1,1) precursor to the high density disruptions has a 'cold bubble' structure. The precursor to the major disruption at high density resembles the 'vacuum bubble' model of disruptions first proposed by Kadomtsev and Pogutse. (author) 2 refs., 2 figs

  18. High-purity aluminium creep under high hydrostatic pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zajtsev, V.I.; Lyafer, E.I.; Tokij, V.V.

    1977-01-01

    The effect of the hydrostatic pressure on the rate of steady-state creep of high-purity aluminium was investigated. It is shown that the hydrostatic pressure inhibits the creep. The activation volume of the creep is independent of the direction in the range of (4.7-6.2) kg/mm 2 and of the pressure in the range of (1-7.8000) atm. It is concluded that self-diffusion does not control the creep of high-purity aluminium at room temperature in the investigated stress and pressure range

  19. Highly Efficient Estimators of Multivariate Location with High Breakdown Point

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lopuhaa, H.P.

    1991-01-01

    We propose an affine equivariant estimator of multivariate location that combines a high breakdown point and a bounded influence function with high asymptotic efficiency. This proposal is basically a location $M$-estimator based on the observations obtained after scaling with an affine equivariant

  20. High voltage and high specific capacity dual intercalating electrode Li-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, William C. (Inventor); Blanco, Mario (Inventor)

    2010-01-01

    The present invention provides high capacity and high voltage Li-ion batteries that have a carbonaceous cathode and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution comprising LiF salt and an anion receptor that binds the fluoride ion. The batteries can comprise dual intercalating electrode Li ion batteries. Methods of the present invention use a cathode and electrode pair, wherein each of the electrodes reversibly intercalate ions provided by a LiF salt to make a high voltage and high specific capacity dual intercalating electrode Li-ion battery. The present methods and systems provide high-capacity batteries particularly useful in powering devices where minimizing battery mass is important.

  1. High temperature and high resolution uv photoelectron spectroscopy using supersonic molecular beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Lai-Sheng; Reutt-Robey, J.E.; Niu, B.; Lee, Y.T.; Shirley, D.A.

    1989-07-01

    A high temperature molecular beam source with electron bombardment heating has been built for high resolution photoelectron spectroscopic studies of high temperature species and clusters. This source has the advantages of: producing an intense, continuous, seeded molecular beam, eliminating the interference of the heating mechanism from the photoelectron measurement. Coupling the source with our hemispherical electron energy analyzer, we can obtain very high resolution HeIα (584 angstrom) photoelectron spectra of high temperature species. Vibrationally-resolved photoelectron spectra of PbSe, As 2 , As 4 , and ZnCl 2 are shown to demonstrate the performance of the new source. 25 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

  2. High Voltage in Noble Liquids for High Energy Physics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rebel, B. [Fermilab; Bernard, E. [Yale U.; Faham, C. H. [LBL, Berkeley; Ito, T. M. [Los Alamos; Lundberg, B. [Maryland U.; Messina, M. [Columbia U.; Monrabal, F. [Valencia U., IFIC; Pereverzev, S. P. [LLNL, Livermore; Resnati, F. [Zurich, ETH; Rowson, P. C. [SLAC; Soderberg, M. [Fermilab; Strauss, T. [Bern U.; Tomas, A. [Imperial Coll., London; Va' vra, J. [SLAC; Wang, H. [UCLA

    2014-08-22

    A workshop was held at Fermilab November 8-9, 2013 to discuss the challenges of using high voltage in noble liquids. The participants spanned the fields of neutrino, dark matter, and electric dipole moment physics. All presentations at the workshop were made in plenary sessions. This document summarizes the experiences and lessons learned from experiments in these fields at developing high voltage systems in noble liquids.

  3. Machine Learning Control For Highly Reconfigurable High-Order Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-02

    calibration and applications,” Mechatronics and Embedded Systems and Applications (MESA), 2010 IEEE/ASME International Conference on, IEEE, 2010, pp. 38–43...AFRL-OSR-VA-TR-2015-0012 MACHINE LEARNING CONTROL FOR HIGHLY RECONFIGURABLE HIGH-ORDER SYSTEMS John Valasek TEXAS ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION...DIMENSIONAL RECONFIGURABLE SYSTEMS FA9550-11-1-0302 Period of Performance 1 July 2011 – 29 September 2014 John Valasek Aerospace Engineering

  4. The CMS High Granularity Calorimeter for the High Luminosity LHC

    CERN Document Server

    Sauvan, Jean-baptiste

    2017-01-01

    The High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) will integrate 10 times more luminosity than the LHC, posing significant challenges for radiation tolerance and event pileup on detectors, especially for forward calorimetry, and hallmarks the issue for future colliders. As part of its HL-LHC upgrade program, the CMS collaboration is designing a High Granularity Calorimeter to replace the existing endcap calorimeters. It features unprecedented transverse and longitudinal segmentation for both electromagnetic (ECAL) and hadronic (HCAL) compartments. This will facilitate particle-flow calorimetry, where the fine structure of showers can be measured and used to enhance pileup rejection and particle identification, whilst still achieving good energy resolution. The ECAL and a large fraction of HCAL will be based on hexagonal silicon sensors of 0.5 - 1 cm$^2$ cell size, with the remainder of the HCAL based on highly-segmented scintillators with silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) readout. The intrinsic high-precision timing capabilities...

  5. High temperature and high pressure equation of state of gold

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsui, Masanori

    2010-01-01

    High-temperature and high-pressure equation of state (EOS) of Au has been developed using measured data from shock compression up to 240 GPa, volume thermal expansion between 100 and 1300 K and 0 GPa, and temperature dependence of bulk modulus at 0 GPa from ultrasonic measurements. The lattice thermal pressures at high temperatures have been estimated based on the Mie-Grueneisen-Debye type treatment with the Vinet isothermal EOS. The contribution of electronic thermal pressure at high temperatures, which is relatively insignificant for Au, has also been included here. The optimized EOS parameters are K' 0T = 6.0 and q = 1.6 with fixed K 0T = 167 GPa, γ 0 = 2.97, and Θ 0 = 170 K from previous investigations. We propose the present EOS to be used as a reliable pressure standard for static experiments up to 3000K and 300 GPa.

  6. Dynamic High-Temperature Characterization of an Iridium Alloy in Compression at High Strain Rates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Bo [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Experimental Environment Simulation Dept.; Nelson, Kevin [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States). Mechanics of Materials Dept.; Lipinski, Ronald J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle Technology Dept.; Bignell, John L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Structural and Thermal Analysis Dept.; Ulrich, G. B. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Radioisotope Power Systems Program; George, E. P. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Radioisotope Power Systems Program

    2014-06-01

    Iridium alloys have superior strength and ductility at elevated temperatures, making them useful as structural materials for certain high-temperature applications. However, experimental data on their high-temperature high-strain-rate performance are needed for understanding high-speed impacts in severe elevated-temperature environments. Kolsky bars (also called split Hopkinson bars) have been extensively employed for high-strain-rate characterization of materials at room temperature, but it has been challenging to adapt them for the measurement of dynamic properties at high temperatures. Current high-temperature Kolsky compression bar techniques are not capable of obtaining satisfactory high-temperature high-strain-rate stress-strain response of thin iridium specimens investigated in this study. We analyzed the difficulties encountered in high-temperature Kolsky compression bar testing of thin iridium alloy specimens. Appropriate modifications were made to the current high-temperature Kolsky compression bar technique to obtain reliable compressive stress-strain response of an iridium alloy at high strain rates (300 – 10000 s-1) and temperatures (750°C and 1030°C). Uncertainties in such high-temperature high-strain-rate experiments on thin iridium specimens were also analyzed. The compressive stress-strain response of the iridium alloy showed significant sensitivity to strain rate and temperature.

  7. Development of ultra high speed photographic system using high repetition rate visible laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jong Min; Cha, Byung Hun; Kim, Sung Ho; Kim, Jung Bog; Lim, Chang Hwan; Cha, Hyung Ki; Song, Kyu Seok; Lee, Byung Deok; Rhi, Jong Hoon; Baik, Dae Hyun; Han, Jae Min; Rho, Si Pyo; Lee, Byung Cheol; Jeong, Do Yung; Choi, An Seong; Jeong, Chan Ik; Park, Dae Ung; Jeong, Sung Min; Lee, Sang Kil; Kim, Heon Jun; Jang, Rae gak; Jo, Do Hun; Park, Min Young

    1992-12-01

    The goal of this project is to develop and commercialize a high speed photographic system equipped with a high repetition rate visible laser. The developed system provides the characteristics of high time resolution and large number of frames. The system consists of 10 W air cooled CVL or a 30 W water cooled CVL, a rotating drum-type high speed camera with the framing rate of 35,000 fps, and a automatic control device. The system has the performance of 10 nsec time resolution, 35,000 fps framing rate, and 250 picture frames. The high speed photographic systems are widely applied to the fields such as high-efficient engine development, high-speed vibration analysis, shock wave propagation study, flow visualization analysis, weapon development, etc. (Author)

  8. High efficiency targets for high gain inertial confinement fusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gardner, J.H.; Bodner, S.E.

    1986-01-01

    Rocket efficiencies as high as 15% are possible using short wavelength lasers and moderately high aspect ratio pellet designs. These designs are made possible by two recent breakthroughs in physics constraints. First is the development of the Induced Spatial Incoherence (ISI) technique which allows uniform illumination of the pellet and relaxes the constraint of thermal smoothing, permitting the use of short wavelength laser light. Second is the discovery that the Rayleigh-Taylor growth rate is considerably reduced at the short laser wavelengths. By taking advantage of the reduced constraints imposed by nonuniform laser illumination and Rayleigh-Taylor instability, pellets using 1/4 micron laser light and initial aspect ratios of about 10 (with in flight aspect ratios of about 150 to 200) may produce energy gains as high as 200 to 250

  9. High-efficiency targets for high-gain inertial confinement fusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gardner, J.H.; Bodner, S.E.

    1986-01-01

    Rocket efficiencies as high as 15% are possible using short wavelength lasers and moderately high aspect ratio pellet designs. These designs are made possible by two recent breakthroughs in physics constraints. First is the development of the induced spatial incoherence (ISI) technique, which allows uniform illumination of the pellet and relaxes the constraint of thermal smoothing, permitting the use of short wavelength laser light. Second is the discovery that the Rayleigh--Taylor growth rate is considerably reduced at short laser wavelengths. By taking advantage of the reduced constraints imposed by nonuniform laser illumination and Rayleigh--Taylor instability, pellets using (1)/(4) μm laser light and initial aspect ratios of about 10 (with in flight aspect ratios of about 150--200) may produce energy gains as high as 200--250

  10. High power klystrons for efficient reliable high power amplifiers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, M.

    1980-11-01

    This report covers the design of reliable high efficiency, high power klystrons which may be used in both existing and proposed troposcatter radio systems. High Power (10 kW) klystron designs were generated in C-band (4.4 GHz to 5.0 GHz), S-band (2.5 GHz to 2.7 GHz), and L-band or UHF frequencies (755 MHz to 985 MHz). The tubes were designed for power supply compatibility and use with a vapor/liquid phase heat exchanger. Four (4) S-band tubes were developed in the course of this program along with two (2) matching focusing solenoids and two (2) heat exchangers. These tubes use five (5) tuners with counters which are attached to the focusing solenoids. A reliability mathematical model of the tube and heat exchanger system was also generated.

  11. Gamma-ray spectrometer system with high efficiency and high resolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moss, C.E.; Bernard, W.; Dowdy, E.J.; Garcia, C.; Lucas, M.C.; Pratt, J.C.

    1983-01-01

    Our gamma-ray spectrometer system, designed for field use, offers high efficiency and high resolution for safeguards applications. The system consists of three 40% high-purity germanium detectors and a LeCroy 3500 data acquisition system that calculates a composite spectrum for the three detectors. The LeCroy 3500 mainframe can be operated remotely from the detector array with control exercised through modems and the telephone system. System performance with a mixed source of 125 Sb, 154 Eu, and 155 Eu confirms the expected efficiency of 120% with the overall resolution showing little degradation over that of the worst detector

  12. High-Fat, High-Sugar Diet-Induced Subendothelial Matrix Stiffening is Mitigated by Exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohn, Julie C; Azar, Julian; Seta, Francesca; Reinhart-King, Cynthia A

    2018-03-01

    Consumption of a high-fat, high-sugar diet and sedentary lifestyle are correlated with bulk arterial stiffening. While measurements of bulk arterial stiffening are used to assess cardiovascular health clinically, they cannot account for changes to the tissue occurring on the cellular scale. The compliance of the subendothelial matrix in the intima mediates vascular permeability, an initiating step in atherosclerosis. High-fat, high-sugar diet consumption and a sedentary lifestyle both cause micro-scale subendothelial matrix stiffening, but the impact of these factors in concert remains unknown. In this study, mice on a high-fat, high-sugar diet were treated with aerobic exercise or returned to a normal diet. We measured bulk arterial stiffness through pulse wave velocity and subendothelial matrix stiffness ex vivo through atomic force microscopy. Our data indicate that while diet reversal mitigates high-fat, high-sugar diet-induced macro- and micro-scale stiffening, exercise only significantly decreases micro-scale stiffness and not macro-scale stiffness, during the time-scale studied. These data underscore the need for both healthy diet and exercise to maintain vascular health. These data also indicate that exercise may serve as a key lifestyle modification to partially reverse the deleterious impacts of high-fat, high-sugar diet consumption, even while macro-scale stiffness indicators do not change.

  13. High resolution NMR imaging using a high field yokeless permanent magnet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kose, Katsumi; Haishi, Tomoyuki

    2011-01-01

    We measured the homogeneity and stability of the magnetic field of a high field (about 1.04 tesla) yokeless permanent magnet with 40-mm gap for high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging. Homogeneity was evaluated using a 3-dimensional (3D) lattice phantom and 3D spin-echo imaging sequences. In the central sphere (20-mm diameter), peak-to-peak magnetic field inhomogeneity was about 60 ppm, and the root-mean-square was 8 ppm. We measured room temperature, magnet temperature, and NMR frequency of the magnet simultaneously every minute for about 68 hours with and without the thermal insulator of the magnet. A simple mathematical model described the magnet's thermal property. Based on magnet performance, we performed high resolution (up to [20 µm](2)) imaging with internal NMR lock sequences of several biological samples. Our results demonstrated the usefulness of the high field small yokeless permanent magnet for high resolution NMR imaging.

  14. High resolution NMR imaging using a high field yokeless permanent magnet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kose, Katsumi; Haishi, Tomoyuki

    2011-01-01

    We measured the homogeneity and stability of the magnetic field of a high field (about 1.04 tesla) yokeless permanent magnet with 40-mm gap for high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging. Homogeneity was evaluated using a 3-dimensional (3D) lattice phantom and 3D spin-echo imaging sequences. In the central sphere (20-mm diameter), peak-to-peak magnetic field inhomogeneity was about 60 ppm, and the root-mean-square was 8 ppm. We measured room temperature, magnet temperature, and NMR frequency of the magnet simultaneously every minute for about 68 hours with and without the thermal insulator of the magnet. A simple mathematical model described the magnet's thermal property. Based on magnet performance, we performed high resolution (up to [20 μm] 2 ) imaging with internal NMR lock sequences of several biological samples. Our results demonstrated the usefulness of the high field small yokeless permanent magnet for high resolution NMR imaging. (author)

  15. A reactor for high-throughput high-pressure nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beach, N. J.; Knapp, S. M. M.; Landis, C. R., E-mail: landis@chem.wisc.edu [Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53719 (United States)

    2015-10-15

    The design of a reactor for operando nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) monitoring of high-pressure gas-liquid reactions is described. The Wisconsin High Pressure NMR Reactor (WiHP-NMRR) design comprises four modules: a sapphire NMR tube with titanium tube holder rated for pressures as high as 1000 psig (68 atm) and temperatures ranging from −90 to 90 °C, a gas circulation system that maintains equilibrium concentrations of dissolved gases during gas-consuming or gas-releasing reactions, a liquid injection apparatus that is capable of adding measured amounts of solutions to the reactor under high pressure conditions, and a rapid wash system that enables the reactor to be cleaned without removal from the NMR instrument. The WiHP-NMRR is compatible with commercial 10 mm NMR probes. Reactions performed in the WiHP-NMRR yield high quality, information-rich, and multinuclear NMR data over the entire reaction time course with rapid experimental turnaround.

  16. Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Relevance Strategic Designs: 8. High Tech High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

    2008-01-01

    This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

  17. High Combustion Research Facility

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — At NETL's High-Pressure Combustion Research Facility in Morgantown, WV, researchers can investigate new high-pressure, high-temperature hydrogen turbine combustion...

  18. Laser-Machined Microcavities for Simultaneous Measurement of High-Temperature and High-Pressure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zengling Ran

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Laser-machined microcavities for simultaneous measurement of high-temperature and high-pressure are demonstrated. These two cascaded microcavities are an air cavity and a composite cavity including a section of fiber and an air cavity. They are both placed into a pressure chamber inside a furnace to perform simultaneous pressure and high-temperature tests. The thermal and pressure coefficients of the short air cavity are ~0.0779 nm/°C and ~1.14 nm/MPa, respectively. The thermal and pressure coefficients of the composite cavity are ~32.3 nm/°C and ~24.4 nm/MPa, respectively. The sensor could be used to separate temperature and pressure due to their different thermal and pressure coefficients. The excellent feature of such a sensor head is that it can withstand high temperatures of up to 400 °C and achieve precise measurement of high-pressure under high temperature conditions.

  19. Laser-machined microcavities for simultaneous measurement of high-temperature and high-pressure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ran, Zengling; Liu, Shan; Liu, Qin; Huang, Ya; Bao, Haihong; Wang, Yanjun; Luo, Shucheng; Yang, Huiqin; Rao, Yunjiang

    2014-08-07

    Laser-machined microcavities for simultaneous measurement of high-temperature and high-pressure are demonstrated. These two cascaded microcavities are an air cavity and a composite cavity including a section of fiber and an air cavity. They are both placed into a pressure chamber inside a furnace to perform simultaneous pressure and high-temperature tests. The thermal and pressure coefficients of the short air cavity are ~0.0779 nm/°C and ~1.14 nm/MPa, respectively. The thermal and pressure coefficients of the composite cavity are ~32.3 nm/°C and ~24.4 nm/MPa, respectively. The sensor could be used to separate temperature and pressure due to their different thermal and pressure coefficients. The excellent feature of such a sensor head is that it can withstand high temperatures of up to 400 °C and achieve precise measurement of high-pressure under high temperature conditions.

  20. High temperature refrigerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steyert, W.A. Jr.

    1978-01-01

    A high temperature magnetic refrigerator is described which uses a Stirling-like cycle in which rotating magnetic working material is heated in zero field and adiabatically magnetized, cooled in high field, then adiabatically demagnetized. During this cycle the working material is in heat exchange with a pumped fluid which absorbs heat from a low temperature heat source and deposits heat in a high temperature reservoir. The magnetic refrigeration cycle operates at an efficiency 70% of Carnot

  1. High-emulation mask recognition with high-resolution hyperspectral video capture system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Jiao; Fang, Xiaojing; Li, Shoufeng; Wang, Yongjin

    2014-11-01

    We present a method for distinguishing human face from high-emulation mask, which is increasingly used by criminals for activities such as stealing card numbers and passwords on ATM. Traditional facial recognition technique is difficult to detect such camouflaged criminals. In this paper, we use the high-resolution hyperspectral video capture system to detect high-emulation mask. A RGB camera is used for traditional facial recognition. A prism and a gray scale camera are used to capture spectral information of the observed face. Experiments show that mask made of silica gel has different spectral reflectance compared with the human skin. As multispectral image offers additional spectral information about physical characteristics, high-emulation mask can be easily recognized.

  2. Design of a high-power, high-brightness Nd:YAG solar laser.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Dawei; Almeida, Joana; Garcia, Dário

    2014-03-20

    A simple high-power, high-brightness Nd:YAG solar laser pumping approach is presented in this paper. The incoming solar radiation is both collected and concentrated by four Fresnel lenses and redirected toward a Nd:YAG laser head by four plane-folding mirrors. A fused-silica secondary concentrator is used to compress the highly concentrated solar radiation to a laser rod. Optimum pumping conditions and laser resonator parameters are found through ZEMAX and LASCAD numerical analysis. Solar laser power of 96 W is numerically calculated, corresponding to the collection efficiency of 24  W/m². A record-high solar laser beam brightness figure of merit of 9.6 W is numerically achieved.

  3. Plasma PCSK9 concentrations during an oral fat load and after short term high-fat, high-fat high-protein and high-fructose diets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cariou Bertrand

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background PCSK9 (Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin Kexin type 9 is a circulating protein that promotes hypercholesterolemia by decreasing hepatic LDL receptor protein. Under non interventional conditions, its expression is driven by sterol response element binding protein 2 (SREBP2 and follows a diurnal rhythm synchronous with cholesterol synthesis. Plasma PCSK9 is associated to LDL-C and to a lesser extent plasma triglycerides and insulin resistance. We aimed to verify the effect on plasma PCSK9 concentrations of dietary interventions that affect these parameters. Methods We performed nutritional interventions in young healthy male volunteers and offspring of type 2 diabetic (OffT2D patients that are more prone to develop insulin resistance, including: i acute post-prandial hyperlipidemic challenge (n=10, ii 4 days of high-fat (HF or high-fat/high-protein (HFHP (n=10, iii 7 (HFruc1, n=16 or 6 (HFruc2, n=9 days of hypercaloric high-fructose diets. An acute oral fat load was also performed in two patients bearing the R104C-V114A loss-of-function (LOF PCSK9 mutation. Plasma PCSK9 concentrations were measured by ELISA. For the HFruc1 study, intrahepatocellular (IHCL and intramyocellular lipids were measured by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Hepatic and whole-body insulin sensitivity was assessed with a two-step hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (0.3 and 1.0 mU.kg-1.min-1. Findings HF and HFHP short-term diets, as well as an acute hyperlipidemic oral load, did not significantly change PCSK9 concentrations. In addition, post-prandial plasma triglyceride excursion was not altered in two carriers of PCSK9 LOF mutation compared with non carriers. In contrast, hypercaloric 7-day HFruc1 diet increased plasma PCSK9 concentrations by 28% (p=0.05 in healthy volunteers and by 34% (p=0.001 in OffT2D patients. In another independent study, 6-day HFruc2 diet increased plasma PCSK9 levels by 93% (p Conclusions Plasma PCSK9 concentrations vary

  4. High-Temperature Piezoelectric Sensing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoning Jiang

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectric sensing is of increasing interest for high-temperature applications in aerospace, automotive, power plants and material processing due to its low cost, compact sensor size and simple signal conditioning, in comparison with other high-temperature sensing techniques. This paper presented an overview of high-temperature piezoelectric sensing techniques. Firstly, different types of high-temperature piezoelectric single crystals, electrode materials, and their pros and cons are discussed. Secondly, recent work on high-temperature piezoelectric sensors including accelerometer, surface acoustic wave sensor, ultrasound transducer, acoustic emission sensor, gas sensor, and pressure sensor for temperatures up to 1,250 °C were reviewed. Finally, discussions of existing challenges and future work for high-temperature piezoelectric sensing are presented.

  5. High Current Planar Transformer for Very High Efficiency Isolated Boost DC-DC Converters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pittini, Riccardo; Zhang, Zhe; Andersen, Michael A. E.

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents a design and optimization of a high current planar transformer for very high efficiency dc-dc isolated boost converters. The analysis considers different winding arrangements, including very high copper thickness windings. The analysis is focused on the winding ac-resistance a......This paper presents a design and optimization of a high current planar transformer for very high efficiency dc-dc isolated boost converters. The analysis considers different winding arrangements, including very high copper thickness windings. The analysis is focused on the winding ac......-resistance and transformer leakage inductance. Design and optimization procedures are validated based on an experimental prototype of a 6 kW dcdc isolated full bridge boost converter developed on fully planar magnetics. The prototype is rated at 30-80 V 0-80 A on the low voltage side and 700-800 V on the high voltage side...... with a peak efficiency of 97.8% at 80 V 3.5 kW. Results highlights that thick copper windings can provide good performance at low switching frequencies due to the high transformer filling factor. PCB windings can also provide very high efficiency if stacked in parallel utilizing the transformer winding window...

  6. High impact  =  high statistical standards? Not necessarily so.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tressoldi, Patrizio E; Giofré, David; Sella, Francesco; Cumming, Geoff

    2013-01-01

    What are the statistical practices of articles published in journals with a high impact factor? Are there differences compared with articles published in journals with a somewhat lower impact factor that have adopted editorial policies to reduce the impact of limitations of Null Hypothesis Significance Testing? To investigate these questions, the current study analyzed all articles related to psychological, neuropsychological and medical issues, published in 2011 in four journals with high impact factors: Science, Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet, and three journals with relatively lower impact factors: Neuropsychology, Journal of Experimental Psychology-Applied and the American Journal of Public Health. Results show that Null Hypothesis Significance Testing without any use of confidence intervals, effect size, prospective power and model estimation, is the prevalent statistical practice used in articles published in Nature, 89%, followed by articles published in Science, 42%. By contrast, in all other journals, both with high and lower impact factors, most articles report confidence intervals and/or effect size measures. We interpreted these differences as consequences of the editorial policies adopted by the journal editors, which are probably the most effective means to improve the statistical practices in journals with high or low impact factors.

  7. High Impact = High Statistical Standards? Not Necessarily So

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tressoldi, Patrizio E.; Giofré, David; Sella, Francesco; Cumming, Geoff

    2013-01-01

    What are the statistical practices of articles published in journals with a high impact factor? Are there differences compared with articles published in journals with a somewhat lower impact factor that have adopted editorial policies to reduce the impact of limitations of Null Hypothesis Significance Testing? To investigate these questions, the current study analyzed all articles related to psychological, neuropsychological and medical issues, published in 2011 in four journals with high impact factors: Science, Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet, and three journals with relatively lower impact factors: Neuropsychology, Journal of Experimental Psychology-Applied and the American Journal of Public Health. Results show that Null Hypothesis Significance Testing without any use of confidence intervals, effect size, prospective power and model estimation, is the prevalent statistical practice used in articles published in Nature, 89%, followed by articles published in Science, 42%. By contrast, in all other journals, both with high and lower impact factors, most articles report confidence intervals and/or effect size measures. We interpreted these differences as consequences of the editorial policies adopted by the journal editors, which are probably the most effective means to improve the statistical practices in journals with high or low impact factors. PMID:23418533

  8. Large-area high-power VCSEL pump arrays optimized for high-energy lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chad; Geske, Jonathan; Garrett, Henry; Cardellino, Terri; Talantov, Fedor; Berdin, Glen; Millenheft, David; Renner, Daniel; Klemer, Daniel

    2012-06-01

    Practical, large-area, high-power diode pumps for one micron (Nd, Yb) as well as eye-safer wavelengths (Er, Tm, Ho) are critical to the success of any high energy diode pumped solid state laser. Diode efficiency, brightness, availability and cost will determine how realizable a fielded high energy diode pumped solid state laser will be. 2-D Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) arrays are uniquely positioned to meet these requirements because of their unique properties, such as low divergence circular output beams, reduced wavelength drift with temperature, scalability to large 2-D arrays through low-cost and high-volume semiconductor photolithographic processes, high reliability, no catastrophic optical damage failure, and radiation and vacuum operation tolerance. Data will be presented on the status of FLIR-EOC's VCSEL pump arrays. Analysis of the key aspects of electrical, thermal and mechanical design that are critical to the design of a VCSEL pump array to achieve high power efficient array performance will be presented.

  9. Decay properties of high-lying single-particles modes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaumel, D.; Fortier, S.; Galès, S.; Guillot, J.; Langevin-Joliot, H.; Laurent, H.; Maison, J. M.; Vernotte, J.; Bordewijck, J.; Brandenburg, S.; Krasznahorkay, A.; Crawley, G. M.; Massolo, C. P.; Renteria, M.; Khendriche, A.

    1996-02-01

    The neutron decay of high-lying single-particle states in 64Ni, 90Zr, 120Sn and 208Pb excited by means of the (α, 3He) reaction has been investigated at 120 MeV incident energy using the multidetector EDEN. The characteristics of this reaction are studied using inclusive spectra and angular correlation analysis. The structure located between 11 and 15 MeV in 91Zr, and between 8 and 12 MeV excitation energy in 209Pb display large departures from a pure statistical decay. The corresponding non-statistical branching ratios are compared with the results of two theoretical calculations.

  10. High-pressure-high-temperature treatment of natural diamonds

    CERN Document Server

    Royen, J V

    2002-01-01

    The results are reported of high-pressure-high-temperature (HPHT) treatment experiments on natural diamonds of different origins and with different impurity contents. The diamonds are annealed in a temperature range up to 2000 sup o C at stabilizing pressures up to 7 GPa. The evolution is studied of different defects in the diamond crystal lattice. The influence of substitutional nitrogen atoms, plastic deformation and the combination of these is discussed. Diamonds are characterized at room and liquid nitrogen temperature using UV-visible spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry and photoluminescence spectrometry. The economic implications of diamond HPHT treatments are discussed.

  11. High performance homes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beim, Anne; Vibæk, Kasper Sánchez

    2014-01-01

    Can prefabrication contribute to the development of high performance homes? To answer this question, this chapter defines high performance in more broadly inclusive terms, acknowledging the technical, architectural, social and economic conditions under which energy consumption and production occur....... Consideration of all these factors is a precondition for a truly integrated practice and as this chapter demonstrates, innovative project delivery methods founded on the manufacturing of prefabricated buildings contribute to the production of high performance homes that are cost effective to construct, energy...

  12. High-Definition Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torkamani, Ali; Andersen, Kristian G; Steinhubl, Steven R; Topol, Eric J

    2017-08-24

    The foundation for a new era of data-driven medicine has been set by recent technological advances that enable the assessment and management of human health at an unprecedented level of resolution-what we refer to as high-definition medicine. Our ability to assess human health in high definition is enabled, in part, by advances in DNA sequencing, physiological and environmental monitoring, advanced imaging, and behavioral tracking. Our ability to understand and act upon these observations at equally high precision is driven by advances in genome editing, cellular reprogramming, tissue engineering, and information technologies, especially artificial intelligence. In this review, we will examine the core disciplines that enable high-definition medicine and project how these technologies will alter the future of medicine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Why high energy physics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diddens, A.N.; Van de Walle, R.T.

    1981-01-01

    An argument is presented for high energy physics from the point of view of the practitioners. Three different angles are presented: The cultural consequence and scientific significance of practising high energy physics, the potential application of the results and the discovery of high energy physics, and the technical spin-offs from the techniques and methods used in high energy physics. (C.F.)

  14. High voltage generator circuit with low power and high efficiency applied in EEPROM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Yan; Zhang Shilin; Zhao Yiqiang

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents a low power and high efficiency high voltage generator circuit embedded in electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). The low power is minimized by a capacitance divider circuit and a regulator circuit using the controlling clock switch technique. The high efficiency is dependent on the zero threshold voltage (V th ) MOSFET and the charge transfer switch (CTS) charge pump. The proposed high voltage generator circuit has been implemented in a 0.35 μm EEPROM CMOS process. Measured results show that the proposed high voltage generator circuit has a low power consumption of about 150.48 μW and a higher pumping efficiency (83.3%) than previously reported circuits. This high voltage generator circuit can also be widely used in low-power flash devices due to its high efficiency and low power dissipation. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

  15. Microstructural origins of high strength and high ductility in an AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao, Xuzhou; Lu, Yiping; Zhang, Bo; Liang, Ningning; Wu, Guanzhong; Sha, Gang; Liu, Jizi; Zhao, Yonghao

    2017-01-01

    Recent studies indicate that eutectic high-entropy alloys can simultaneously possess high strength and high ductility, which have potential applications in industrial fields. Nevertheless, microstructural origins of the excellent strength–ductility combination remain unclear. In this study, an AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy was prepared with face-centered cubic (FCC)(L1 2 )/body-centered-cubic (BCC)(B2) modulated lamellar structures and a remarkable combination of ultimate tensile strength (1351 MPa) and ductility (15.4%) using the classical casting technique. Post-deformation transmission electron microscopy revealed that the FCC(L1 2 ) phase was deformed in a matter of planar dislocation slip, with a slip system of {111} <110>, and stacking faults due to low stacking fault energy. Due to extreme solute drag, high densities of dislocations are distributed homogeneously at {111} slip plane. In the BCC(B2) phase, some dislocations exist on two {110} slip bands. The atom probe tomography analysis revealed a high density of Cr-enriched nano-precipitates, which strengthened the BCC(B2) phase by Orowan mechanisms. Fracture surface observation revealed a ductile fracture in the FCC(L1 2 ) phase and a brittle-like fracture in the BCC(B2) lamella. The underlying mechanism for the high strength and high ductility of AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy was finally analyzed based on the coupling between the ductile FCC(L1 2 ) and brittle BCC(B2) phases.

  16. High resolution and high sensitivity methods for oligosaccharide mapping and characterization by normal phase high performance liquid chromatography following derivatization with highly fluorescent anthranilic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anumula, K R; Dhume, S T

    1998-07-01

    Facile labeling of oligosaccharides (acidic and neutral) in a nonselective manner was achieved with highly fluorescent anthranilic acid (AA, 2-aminobenzoic acid) (more than twice the intensity of 2-aminobenzamide, AB) for specific detection at very high sensitivity. Quantitative labeling in acetate-borate buffered methanol (approximately pH 5.0) at 80 degreesC for 60 min resulted in negligible or no desialylation of the oligosaccharides. A high resolution high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for quantitative oligosaccharide mapping on a polymeric-NH2bonded (Astec) column operating under normal phase and anion exchange (NP-HPAEC) conditions. For isolation of oligosaccharides from the map by simple evaporation, the chromatographic conditions developed use volatile acetic acid-triethylamine buffer (approximately pH 4.0) systems. The mapping and characterization technology was developed using well characterized standard glycoproteins. The fluorescent oligosaccharide maps were similar to the maps obtained by the high pH anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD), except that the fluorescent maps contained more defined peaks. In the map, the oligosaccharides separated into groups based on charge, size, linkage, and overall structure in a manner similar to HPAEC-PAD with contribution of -COOH function from the label, anthranilic acid. However, selectivity of the column for sialic acid linkages was different. A second dimension normal phase HPLC (NP-HPLC) method was developed on an amide column (TSK Gel amide-80) for separation of the AA labeled neutral complex type and isomeric structures of high mannose type oligosaccharides. The oligosaccharides labeled with AA are compatible with biochemical and biophysical techniques, and use of matrix assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry for rapid determination of oligosaccharide mass map of glycoproteins is demonstrated. High resolution of NP-HPAEC and NP-HPLC methods

  17. High-performance liquid chromatography of oligoguanylates at high pH

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stribling, R.; Deamer, D. (Principal Investigator)

    1991-01-01

    Because of the stable self-structures formed by oligomers of guanosine, standard high-performance liquid chromatography techniques for oligonucleotide fractionation are not applicable. Previously, oligoguanylate separations have been carried out at pH 12 using RPC-5 as the packing material. While RPC-5 provides excellent separations, there are several limitations, including the lack of a commercially available source. This report describes a new anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography method using HEMA-IEC BIO Q, which successfully separates different forms of the guanosine monomer as well as longer oligoguanylates. The reproducibility and stability at high pH suggests a versatile role for this material.

  18. Generalized Nonlinear Chirp Scaling Algorithm for High-Resolution Highly Squint SAR Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Tianzhu; He, Zhihua; He, Feng; Dong, Zhen; Wu, Manqing

    2017-11-07

    This paper presents a modified approach for high-resolution, highly squint synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data processing. Several nonlinear chirp scaling (NLCS) algorithms have been proposed to solve the azimuth variance of the frequency modulation rates that are caused by the linear range walk correction (LRWC). However, the azimuth depth of focusing (ADOF) is not handled well by these algorithms. The generalized nonlinear chirp scaling (GNLCS) algorithm that is proposed in this paper uses the method of series reverse (MSR) to improve the ADOF and focusing precision. It also introduces a high order processing kernel to avoid the range block processing. Simulation results show that the GNLCS algorithm can enlarge the ADOF and focusing precision for high-resolution highly squint SAR data.

  19. Generalized Nonlinear Chirp Scaling Algorithm for High-Resolution Highly Squint SAR Imaging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tianzhu Yi

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a modified approach for high-resolution, highly squint synthetic aperture radar (SAR data processing. Several nonlinear chirp scaling (NLCS algorithms have been proposed to solve the azimuth variance of the frequency modulation rates that are caused by the linear range walk correction (LRWC. However, the azimuth depth of focusing (ADOF is not handled well by these algorithms. The generalized nonlinear chirp scaling (GNLCS algorithm that is proposed in this paper uses the method of series reverse (MSR to improve the ADOF and focusing precision. It also introduces a high order processing kernel to avoid the range block processing. Simulation results show that the GNLCS algorithm can enlarge the ADOF and focusing precision for high-resolution highly squint SAR data.

  20. Fabrication of highly ordered nanoporous alumina films by stable high-field anodization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Yanbo; Zheng Maojun; Ma Li; Shen Wenzhong

    2006-01-01

    Stable high-field anodization (1500-4000 A m -2 ) for the fabrication of highly ordered porous anodic alumina films has been realized in a H 3 PO 4 -H 2 O-C 2 H 5 OH system. By maintaining the self-ordering voltage and adjusting the anodizing current density, high-quality self-ordered alumina films with a controllable inter-pore distance over a large range are achieved. The high anodizing current densities lead to high-speed film growth (4-10 μm min -1 ). The inter-pore distance is not solely dependent on the anodizing voltage, but is also influenced by the anodizing current density. This approach is simple and cost-effective, and is of great value for applications in diverse areas of nanotechnology

  1. Measurement of total angular momentum values of high-lying even ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Spectrally resolved laser-induced fluorescence technique was used to uniquely assign total angular momentum () values to high-lying even-parity energy levels of atomic samarium. Unique value assignment was done for seven energy levels in the energy region 34,800–36,200 cm-1 , recently observed and reported in ...

  2. "Live High-Train High" increases hemoglobin mass in Olympic swimmers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bonne, Thomas Christian; Lundby, Carsten; Jørgensen, Susanne

    2014-01-01

    PURPOSE: This study tested whether 3-4 weeks of classical "Live High-Train High" (LHTH) altitude training increases swim-specific VO2max through increased hemoglobin mass (Hbmass). METHODS: Ten swimmers lived and trained for more than 3 weeks between 2,130 and 3,094 m of altitude, and a control...

  3. Photoproduction at high energy and high intensity

    CERN Multimedia

    2002-01-01

    The photon beam used for this programme is tagged and provides a large flux up to very high energies (150-200 GeV). It is also hadron-free, since it is obtained by a two-step conversion method. A spectrometer is designed to exploit this beam and to perform a programme of photoproduction with a high level of sensitivity (5-50 events/picobarn).\\\\ \\\\ Priority will be given to the study of processes exhibiting the point-like behaviour of the photon, especially deep inelastic Compton scattering. The spectrometer has two magnets. Charged tracks are measured by MWPC's located only in field-free regions. Three calorimeters provide a large coverage for identifying and measuring electrons and photons. An iron filter downstream identifies muons. Most of the equipment is existing and recuperated from previous experiments.

  4. High blood sugar

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Alternative Names Hyperglycemia - self care; High blood glucose - self care; Diabetes - high blood sugar References American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes - 2017: 4. Lifestyle management and 6. Glycemic targets. Diabetes Care . 2017;40( ...

  5. High speed analysis of high pressure combustion in a constant volume cell

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Frijters, P.J.M.; Klein-Douwel, R.J.H.; Manski, S.S.; Somers, L.M.T.; Baert, R.S.G.; Dias, V.

    2005-01-01

    A combustion process with N2, O2 and C2H4 as fuel used in an opticallyaccessible, high pressure, high temperature, constant volume cell forresearch on diesel fuel spray formation, is studied. The flame frontspeed Vf,HS is determined using high speed imaging. The pressure traceof the combustion

  6. HIGH-GRADIENT, HIGH-TRANSFORMER-RATIO, DIELECTRIC WAKE FIELD ACCELERATOR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hirshfield, Jay L

    2012-04-12

    The Phase I work reported here responds to DoE'ss stated need "...to develop improved accelerator designs that can provide very high gradient (>200 MV/m for electrons...) acceleration of intense bunches of particles." Omega-P's approach to this goal is through use of a ramped train of annular electron bunches to drive a coaxial dielectric wakefield accelerator (CDWA) structure. This approach is a direct extension of the CDWA concept from acceleration in wake fields caused by a single drive bunch, to the more efficient acceleration that we predict can be realized from a tailored (or ramped) train of several drive bunches. This is possible because of a much higher transformer ratio for the latter. The CDWA structure itself has a number of unique features, including: a high accelerating gradient G, potentially with G > 1 GeV/m; continuous energy coupling from drive to test bunches without transfer structures; inherent transverse focusing forces for particles in the accelerated bunch; highly stable motion of high charge annular drive bunches; acceptable alignment tolerances for a multi-section system. What is new in the present approach is that the coaxial dielectric structure is now to be energized by-not one-but by a short train of ramped annular-shaped drive bunches moving in the outer coaxial channel of the structure. We have shown that this allows acceleration of an electron bunch traveling along the axis in the inner channel with a markedly higher transformer ratio T than for a single drive bunch. As described in this report, the structure will be a GHz-scale prototype with cm-scale transverse dimensions that is expected to confirm principles that can be applied to the design of a future THz-scale high gradient (> 500 MV/m) accelerator with mm-scale transverse dimensions. We show here a new means to significantly increase the transformer ratio T of the device, and thereby to significantly improve its suitability as a flexible and effective component in

  7. Athletes at High Altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khodaee, Morteza; Grothe, Heather L; Seyfert, Jonathan H; VanBaak, Karin

    2016-01-01

    Athletes at different skill levels perform strenuous physical activity at high altitude for a variety of reasons. Multiple team and endurance events are held at high altitude and may place athletes at increased risk for developing acute high altitude illness (AHAI). Training at high altitude has been a routine part of preparation for some of the high level athletes for a long time. There is a general belief that altitude training improves athletic performance for competitive and recreational athletes. A review of relevant publications between 1980 and 2015 was completed using PubMed and Google Scholar. Clinical review. Level 3. AHAI is a relatively uncommon and potentially serious condition among travelers to altitudes above 2500 m. The broad term AHAI includes several syndromes such as acute mountain sickness (AMS), high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), and high altitude cerebral edema (HACE). Athletes may be at higher risk for developing AHAI due to faster ascent and more vigorous exertion compared with nonathletes. Evidence regarding the effects of altitude training on athletic performance is weak. The natural live high, train low altitude training strategy may provide the best protocol for enhancing endurance performance in elite and subelite athletes. High altitude sports are generally safe for recreational athletes, but they should be aware of their individual risks. Individualized and appropriate acclimatization is an essential component of injury and illness prevention.

  8. High-Order Hamilton's Principle and the Hamilton's Principle of High-Order Lagrangian Function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Hongxia; Ma Shanjun

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, based on the theorem of the high-order velocity energy, integration and variation principle, the high-order Hamilton's principle of general holonomic systems is given. Then, three-order Lagrangian equations and four-order Lagrangian equations are obtained from the high-order Hamilton's principle. Finally, the Hamilton's principle of high-order Lagrangian function is given.

  9. Comparison of Diesel Spray Combustion in Different High-temperature, High-pressure Facilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pickett, Lyle M.; Genzale, Caroline L.; Bruneaux, Gilles

    2010-01-01

    Diesel spray experimentation at controlled high-temperature and high-pressure conditions is intended to provide a more fundamental understanding of diesel combustion than can be achieved in engine experiments. This level of understanding is needed to develop the high-fidelity multi-scale CFD models...... participants in the ECN. Thus, in addition to the presentation of a comparative study, this paper demonstrates steps that are needed for other interested groups to participate in ECN spray research. We expect that this collaborative effort will generate a high-quality dataset to be used for advanced...

  10. High-Tensile Strength Tape Versus High-Tensile Strength Suture: A Biomechanical Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gnandt, Ryan J; Smith, Jennifer L; Nguyen-Ta, Kim; McDonald, Lucas; LeClere, Lance E

    2016-02-01

    To determine which suture design, high-tensile strength tape or high-tensile strength suture, performed better at securing human tissue across 4 selected suture techniques commonly used in tendinous repair, by comparing the total load at failure measured during a fixed-rate longitudinal single load to failure using a biomechanical testing machine. Matched sets of tendon specimens with bony attachments were dissected from 15 human cadaveric lower extremities in a manner allowing for direct comparison testing. With the use of selected techniques (simple Mason-Allen in the patellar tendon specimens, whip stitch in the quadriceps tendon specimens, and Krackow stitch in the Achilles tendon specimens), 1 sample of each set was sutured with a 2-mm braided, nonabsorbable, high-tensile strength tape and the other with a No. 2 braided, nonabsorbable, high-tensile strength suture. A total of 120 specimens were tested. Each model was loaded to failure at a fixed longitudinal traction rate of 100 mm/min. The maximum load and failure method were recorded. In the whip stitch and the Krackow-stitch models, the high-tensile strength tape had a significantly greater mean load at failure with a difference of 181 N (P = .001) and 94 N (P = .015) respectively. No significant difference was found in the Mason-Allen and simple stitch models. Pull-through remained the most common method of failure at an overall rate of 56.7% (suture = 55%; tape = 58.3%). In biomechanical testing during a single load to failure, high-tensile strength tape performs more favorably than high-tensile strength suture, with a greater mean load to failure, in both the whip- and Krackow-stitch models. Although suture pull-through remains the most common method of failure, high-tensile strength tape requires a significantly greater load to pull-through in a whip-stitch and Krakow-stitch model. The biomechanical data obtained in the current study indicates that high-tensile strength tape may provide better repair

  11. Technological Aspects: High Voltage

    CERN Document Server

    Faircloth, D.C.

    2013-12-16

    This paper covers the theory and technological aspects of high-voltage design for ion sources. Electric field strengths are critical to understanding high-voltage breakdown. The equations governing electric fields and the techniques to solve them are discussed. The fundamental physics of high-voltage breakdown and electrical discharges are outlined. Different types of electrical discharges are catalogued and their behaviour in environments ranging from air to vacuum are detailed. The importance of surfaces is discussed. The principles of designing electrodes and insulators are introduced. The use of high-voltage platforms and their relation to system design are discussed. The use of commercially available high-voltage technology such as connectors, feedthroughs and cables are considered. Different power supply technologies and their procurement are briefly outlined. High-voltage safety, electric shocks and system design rules are covered.

  12. Transistor reset preamplifier for high-rate high-resolution spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Landis, D.A.; Cork, C.P.; Madden, N.W.; Goulding, F.S.

    1981-10-01

    Pulsed transistor reset of high resolution charge sensitive preamplifiers used in cooled semiconductor spectrometers can sometimes have an advantage over pulsed light reset systems. Several versions of transistor reset spectrometers using both silicon and germanium detectors have been built. This paper discusses the advantages of the transistor reset system and illustrates several configurations of the packages used for the FET and reset transistor. It also describes the preamplifer circuit and shows the performance of the spectrometer at high rates

  13. High pressure and high temperature EXAFS and diffraction study of AgI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshiasa, Akira; Arima, Hiroshi; Fukui, Hiroshi; Okube, Maki; Katayama, Yoshinori; Ohtaka, Osamu

    2009-01-01

    We have determined the precise P-T phase diagram of AgI by in-situ high-pressure high-temperature synchrotron experiments. X-ray diffraction and XAFS measurements were performed up to 6.0 GPa and 1100 K using a multi-anvil high-pressure device and synchrotron radiation from SPring-8. In the disordered rock-salt phase, Ag ions occupy both octahedral and tetrahedral sites and twenty percent of Ag ions occupy the tetrahedral site as a maximum value at 2 GPa. From the viewpoint of the local structure analyses, some sudden changes are recognized near broad phase transition point. Analysis of EXAFS Debye-Waller factor is useful because the force constant can be decided directly even at high pressure and high temperature. Pressure influences greatly the effective potential and anharmonicity decreases with increasing pressure. (author)

  14. High Field Workshop

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anon.

    1984-12-15

    A Workshop was held in Frascati at the end of September under the title 'Generation of High Fields for Particle Acceleration to Very High Energies'. It was organized by the CERN Accelerator School, the European Committee for Future Accelerators (ECFA) and the Italian INFN and was a further stage in the exploratory moves towards new techniques of acceleration. Such techniques might become necessary to respond to the needs of high energy physics some decades from now when the application of conventional techniques will probably have reached their limits.

  15. High energy neutron radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gavron, A.; Morley, K.; Morris, C.; Seestrom, S.; Ullmann, J.; Yates, G.; Zumbro, J.

    1996-01-01

    High-energy spallation neutron sources are now being considered in the US and elsewhere as a replacement for neutron beams produced by reactors. High-energy and high intensity neutron beams, produced by unmoderated spallation sources, open potential new vistas of neutron radiography. The authors discuss the basic advantages and disadvantages of high-energy neutron radiography, and consider some experimental results obtained at the Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) facility at Los Alamos

  16. Deep-hole and high-lying particle states in heavy nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gales, S.

    1985-01-01

    Our present knowledge on single-particle strength functions from one nucleon transfer reactions is reviewed. Results on deeply-bound neutron hole states in the Sn and Pb region are discussed with emphasis on the investigation of a very large excitation energy range. The first measurements on the γ-decay of deeply-bound hole states in the Sn isotopes are reported. High energy neutron and proton stripping reactions are used to study the particle response function. These reactions are particularly well suited to the study of high-spin outer subshells. For the proton states, the behaviour of the 1h 11/2 and 1i 13/2 strength distributions, as a function of deformation in the Sm region, is discussed. Strong transitions to high-lying neutron states are observed in the 112, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124 Sn and 208 Pb nuclei. The empirical systematics for both proton and neutron particle strength distributions are compared to the predictions from the quasi particle-phonon and the single-particle vibration coupling nuclear models. (orig.)

  17. The CMS High Granularity Calorimeter for the High Luminosity LHC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sauvan, J.-B.

    2018-02-01

    The High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) will integrate 10 times more luminosity than the LHC, posing significant challenges for radiation tolerance and event pileup on detectors, especially for forward calorimetry, and hallmarks the issue for future colliders. As part of its HL-LHC upgrade program, the CMS collaboration is designing a High Granularity Calorimeter to replace the existing endcap calorimeters. It features unprecedented transverse and longitudinal segmentation for both electromagnetic (ECAL) and hadronic (HCAL) compartments. This will facilitate particle-flow calorimetry, where the fine structure of showers can be measured and used to enhance pileup rejection and particle identification, whilst still achieving good energy resolution. The ECAL and a large fraction of HCAL will be based on hexagonal silicon sensors of 0.5-1 cm2 cell size, with the remainder of the HCAL based on highly-segmented scintillators with silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) readout. The intrinsic high-precision timing capabilities of the silicon sensors will add an extra dimension to event reconstruction, especially in terms of pileup rejection.

  18. Operation of the LHC with Protons at High Luminosity and High Energy

    CERN Document Server

    Papotti, Giulia; Alemany-Fernandez, Reyes; Crockford, Guy; Fuchsberger, Kajetan; Giachino, Rossano; Giovannozzi, Massimo; Hemelsoet, Georges-Henry; Höfle, Wolfgang; Jacquet, Delphine; Lamont, Mike; Nisbet, David; Normann, Lasse; Pojer, Mirko; Ponce, Laurette; Redaelli, Stefano; Salvachua, Belen; Solfaroli Camillocci, Matteo; Suykerbuyk, Ronaldus; Uythoven, Jan; Wenninger, Jorg

    2016-01-01

    In 2015 the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) entered the first year in its second long Run, after a 2-year shutdown that prepared it for high energy. The first two months of beam operation were dedicated to setting up the nominal cycle for proton-proton operation at 6.5 TeV/beam, and culminated with the first physics with 3 nominal bunches/ring at 13 TeV CoM on 3 June. The year continued with a stepwise intensity ramp up that allowed reaching 2244 bunches/ring for a peak luminosity of ~5·10³³ cm⁻²s^{−1} and a total of just above 4 fb-1 delivered to the high luminosity experiments. Beam operation was shaped by the high intensity effects, e.g. electron cloud and macroparticle-induced fast losses (UFOs), which on a few occasions caused the first beam induced quenches at high energy. This paper describes the operational experience with high intensity and high energy at the LHC, together with the issues that had to be tackled along the way.

  19. Decay properties of high-lying single-particles modes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beaumel, D. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire, 91 - Orsay (France); Fortier, S. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire, 91 - Orsay (France); Gales, S. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire, 91 - Orsay (France); Guillot, J. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire, 91 - Orsay (France); Langevin-Joliot, H. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire, 91 - Orsay (France); Laurent, H. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire, 91 -Orsay (France); Maison, J.M. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire, 91 - Orsay (France); Vernotte, J. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire, 91 - Orsay (France); Bordewijck, J. [Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut, 9747 Groningen (Netherlands); Brandenburg, S. [Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut, 9747 Groningen (Netherlands); Krasznahorkay, A. [Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut, 9747 Groningen (Netherlands); Crawley, G.M. [NSCL, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Massolo, C.P. [Universitad Nacional de La Plata, 1900 La Plata (Argentina); Renteria, M. [Universitad Nacional de La Plata, 1900 La Plata (Argentina); Khendriche, A. [University of Tizi-Ouzou, Tizi-Ouzou (Algeria)

    1996-03-18

    The neutron decay of high-lying single-particle states in {sup 64}Ni, {sup 90}Zr, {sup 120}Sn and {sup 208}Pb excited by means of the ({alpha},{sup 3}He) reaction has been investigated at 120 MeV incident energy using the multidetector EDEN. The characteristics of this reaction are studied using inclusive spectra and angular correlation analysis. The structure located between 11 and 15 MeV in {sup 91}Zr, and between 8 and 12 MeV excitation energy in {sup 209}Pb display large departures from a pure statistical decay. The corresponding non-statistical branching ratios are compared with the results of two theoretical calculations. (orig.).

  20. High rate response of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concretes under direct tension

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tran, Ngoc Thanh [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Sejong University, 98 Gunja-Dong, Gwangjin-Gu, Seoul 143-747 (Korea, Republic of); Tran, Tuan Kiet [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Sejong University, 98 Gunja-Dong, Gwangjin-Gu, Seoul 143-747 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, 01 Vo Van Ngan, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Kim, Dong Joo, E-mail: djkim75@sejong.ac.kr [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Sejong University, 98 Gunja-Dong, Gwangjin-Gu, Seoul 143-747 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-03-15

    The tensile response of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concretes (UHPFRCs) at high strain rates (5–24 s{sup −} {sup 1}) was investigated. Three types of steel fibers, including twisted, long and short smooth steel fibers, were added by 1.5% volume content in an ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) with a compressive strength of 180 MPa. Two different cross sections, 25 × 25 and 25 × 50 mm{sup 2}, of tensile specimens were used to investigate the effect of the cross section area on the measured tensile response of UHPFRCs. Although all the three fibers generated strain hardening behavior even at high strain rates, long smooth fibers produced the highest tensile resistance at high rates whereas twisted fiber did at static rate. The breakages of twisted fibers were observed from the specimens tested at high strain rates unlike smooth steel fibers. The tensile behavior of UHPFRCs at high strain rates was clearly influenced by the specimen size, especially in post-cracking strength.

  1. High frequency relay protection channels on super high voltage lines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mikutskii, G V

    1964-08-01

    General aspects of high voltage transmission line design are discussed. The relationships between line voltage and length and line dimensions and power losses are explained. Electrical interference in the line is classified under three headings: interference under normal operating conditions, interference due to insulation faults, and interference due to variations in operating conditions of the high-voltage network.

  2. Technological Aspects: High Voltage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faircloth, D C

    2013-01-01

    This paper covers the theory and technological aspects of high-voltage design for ion sources. Electric field strengths are critical to understanding high-voltage breakdown. The equations governing electric fields and the techniques to solve them are discussed. The fundamental physics of high-voltage breakdown and electrical discharges are outlined. Different types of electrical discharges are catalogued and their behaviour in environments ranging from air to vacuum are detailed. The importance of surfaces is discussed. The principles of designing electrodes and insulators are introduced. The use of high-voltage platforms and their relation to system design are discussed. The use of commercially available high-voltage technology such as connectors, feedthroughs and cables are considered. Different power supply technologies and their procurement are briefly outlined. High-voltage safety, electric shocks and system design rules are covered. (author)

  3. Hyperglycemia (High Blood Glucose)

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Español Hyperglycemia (High Blood Glucose) Hyperglycemia is the technical term for high blood glucose (blood sugar). High ... We Are Research Leaders We Support Your Doctor Student Resources Patient Access to Research Research Resources Practice ...

  4. High Blood Pressure Facts

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Stroke Heart Disease Cholesterol Salt Million Hearts® WISEWOMAN High Blood Pressure Facts Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir On ... Top of Page CDC Fact Sheets Related to High Blood Pressure High Blood Pressure Pulmonary Hypertension Heart Disease Signs ...

  5. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Print Page Text Size: A A A Listen High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Nearly 1 in 3 American adults has ... weight. How Will I Know if I Have High Blood Pressure? High blood pressure is a silent problem — you ...

  6. High-Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composite with High Corrosion Resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-02

    description of high temperature oxidation processes of composite ceramic materials of ZrB2 - SiC and ZrB2-SiC-Zr(Mo)Si2 systems up to high (~1300 °C...analysis was applied using MІN-7 mineralogical microscope and a set of standard immersion liquids with the known values of refraction coefficients...2.0 V) corresponds to the simultaneous formation of ZrO2 zirconium dioxide of monoclinic modification and Zr(OH)4 zirconium hydroxide which is

  7. When high-volume PCI operators in high-volume hospitals move to lower volume hospitals-Do they still maintain high volume and quality of outcomes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Tsung-Hsueh; Li, Sheng-Tun; Liang, Fu-Wen; Lee, Jo-Chi; Yin, Wei-Hsian

    2017-10-31

    The aim of this quasi-experimental study was to examine whether high-volume percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) operators still maintain high volume and quality of outcomes when they moved to lower volume hospitals. Systematic reviews have indicated that high-volume PCI operators and hospitals have higher quality outcomes. However, little is known on whether high PCI volume and high quality outcomes are mainly due to operator characteristics (i.e., skill and experience) and is portable across organizations or whether it is due to hospital characteristics (i.e., equipment, team, and management system) and is less portable. We used Taiwan National Health Insurance claims data 2000-2012 to identify 98 high-volume PCI operators, 10 of whom moved from one hospital to another during the study period. We compared the PCI volume, risk-adjusted mortality ratio, and major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) ratio before and after moving. Of the 10 high-volume operators who moved, 6 moved from high- to moderate- or low-volume hospitals, with median annual PCI volumes (interquartile range) of 130 (117-165) in prior hospitals and 54 (46-84) in subsequent hospitals (the hospital the operator moved to), and the remaining 4 moved from high to high-volume hospitals, with median annual PCI volumes (interquartile range) of 151 (133-162) in prior hospitals and 193 (178-239) in subsequent hospitals. No significant differences were observed in the risk-adjusted mortality ratios and MACE ratios between high-volume operators and matched controls before and after moving. High-volume operators cannot maintain high volume when they moved from high to moderate or low-volume hospitals; however, the quality of care is maintained. High PCI volume and high-quality outcomes are less portable and more hospital bound. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Engineering High-Energy Interfacial Structures for High-Performance Oxygen-Involving Electrocatalysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Chunxian; Zheng, Yao; Ran, Jingrun; Xie, Fangxi; Jaroniec, Mietek; Qiao, Shi-Zhang

    2017-07-10

    Engineering high-energy interfacial structures for high-performance electrocatalysis is achieved by chemical coupling of active CoO nanoclusters and high-index facet Mn 3 O 4 nano-octahedrons (hi-Mn 3 O 4 ). A thorough characterization, including synchrotron-based near edge X-ray absorption fine structure, reveals that strong interactions between both components promote the formation of high-energy interfacial Mn-O-Co species and high oxidation state CoO, from which electrons are drawn by Mn III -O present in hi-Mn 3 O 4 . The CoO/hi-Mn 3 O 4 demonstrates an excellent catalytic performance over the conventional metal oxide-based electrocatalysts, which is reflected by 1.2 times higher oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity than that of Ru/C and a comparable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity to that of Pt/C as well as a better stability than that of Ru/C (95 % vs. 81 % retained OER activity) and Pt/C (92 % vs. 78 % retained ORR activity after 10 h running) in alkaline electrolyte. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Highlighting High Performance: Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School; Upton, Massachusetts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2006-10-01

    This brochure describes the key high-performance building features of the Blackstone Valley High School. The brochure was paid for by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative as part of their Green Schools Initiative. High-performance features described are daylighting and energy-efficient lighting, indoor air quality, solar energy, building envelope, heating and cooling systems, and water conservation. Energy cost savings are also discussed.

  10. High temperature materials and mechanisms

    CERN Document Server

    2014-01-01

    The use of high-temperature materials in current and future applications, including silicone materials for handling hot foods and metal alloys for developing high-speed aircraft and spacecraft systems, has generated a growing interest in high-temperature technologies. High Temperature Materials and Mechanisms explores a broad range of issues related to high-temperature materials and mechanisms that operate in harsh conditions. While some applications involve the use of materials at high temperatures, others require materials processed at high temperatures for use at room temperature. High-temperature materials must also be resistant to related causes of damage, such as oxidation and corrosion, which are accelerated with increased temperatures. This book examines high-temperature materials and mechanisms from many angles. It covers the topics of processes, materials characterization methods, and the nondestructive evaluation and health monitoring of high-temperature materials and structures. It describes the ...

  11. High current ion sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, I.G.

    1989-06-01

    The concept of high current ion source is both relative and evolutionary. Within the domain of one particular kind of ion source technology a current of microamperers might be 'high', while in another area a current of 10 Amperes could 'low'. Even within the domain of a single ion source type, what is considered high current performance today is routinely eclipsed by better performance and higher current output within a short period of time. Within their fields of application, there is a large number of kinds of ion sources that can justifiably be called high current. Thus, as a very limited example only, PIGs, Freemen sources, ECR sources, duoplasmatrons, field emission sources, and a great many more all have their high current variants. High current ion beams of gaseous and metallic species can be generated in a number of different ways. Ion sources of the kind developed at various laboratories around the world for the production of intense neutral beams for controlled fusion experiments are used to form large area proton deuteron beams of may tens of Amperes, and this technology can be used for other applications also. There has been significant progress in recent years in the use of microwave ion sources for high current ion beam generation, and this method is likely to find wide application in various different field application. Finally, high current beams of metal ions can be produced using metal vapor vacuum arc ion source technology. After a brief consideration of high current ion source design concepts, these three particular methods are reviewed in this paper

  12. High resolution and high speed positron emission tomography data acquisition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burgiss, S.G.; Byars, L.G.; Jones, W.F.; Casey, M.E.

    1986-01-01

    High resolution positron emission tomography (PET) requires many detectors. Thus, data collection systems for PET must have high data rates, wide data paths, and large memories to histogram the events. This design uses the VMEbus to cost effectively provide these features. It provides for several modes of operation including real time sorting, list mode data storage, and replay of stored list mode data

  13. High-speed and high-ratio referential genome compression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yuansheng; Peng, Hui; Wong, Limsoon; Li, Jinyan

    2017-11-01

    The rapidly increasing number of genomes generated by high-throughput sequencing platforms and assembly algorithms is accompanied by problems in data storage, compression and communication. Traditional compression algorithms are unable to meet the demand of high compression ratio due to the intrinsic challenging features of DNA sequences such as small alphabet size, frequent repeats and palindromes. Reference-based lossless compression, by which only the differences between two similar genomes are stored, is a promising approach with high compression ratio. We present a high-performance referential genome compression algorithm named HiRGC. It is based on a 2-bit encoding scheme and an advanced greedy-matching search on a hash table. We compare the performance of HiRGC with four state-of-the-art compression methods on a benchmark dataset of eight human genomes. HiRGC takes compress about 21 gigabytes of each set of the seven target genomes into 96-260 megabytes, achieving compression ratios of 217 to 82 times. This performance is at least 1.9 times better than the best competing algorithm on its best case. Our compression speed is also at least 2.9 times faster. HiRGC is stable and robust to deal with different reference genomes. In contrast, the competing methods' performance varies widely on different reference genomes. More experiments on 100 human genomes from the 1000 Genome Project and on genomes of several other species again demonstrate that HiRGC's performance is consistently excellent. The C ++ and Java source codes of our algorithm are freely available for academic and non-commercial use. They can be downloaded from https://github.com/yuansliu/HiRGC. jinyan.li@uts.edu.au. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  14. High rate flame synthesis of highly crystalline iron oxide nanorods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merchan-Merchan, W; Taylor, A M; Saveliev, A V

    2008-01-01

    Single-step flame synthesis of iron oxide nanorods is performed using iron probes inserted into an opposed-flow methane oxy-flame. The high temperature reacting environment of the flame tends to convert elemental iron into a high density layer of iron oxide nanorods. The diameters of the iron oxide nanorods vary from 10 to 100 nm with a typical length of a few microns. The structural characterization performed shows that nanorods possess a highly ordered crystalline structure with parameters corresponding to cubic magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) with the [100] direction oriented along the nanorod axis. Structural variations of straight nanorods such as bends, and T-branched and Y-branched shapes are frequently observed within the nanomaterials formed, opening pathways for synthesis of multidimensional, interconnected networks

  15. Diagnostic accuracy of high-definition CT coronary angiography in high-risk patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iyengar, S.S.; Morgan-Hughes, G.; Ukoumunne, O.; Clayton, B.; Davies, E.J.; Nikolaou, V.; Hyde, C.J.; Shore, A.C.; Roobottom, C.A.

    2016-01-01

    Aim: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) using a combination of high-definition CT (HD-CTCA) and high level of reader experience, with invasive coronary angiography (ICA) as the reference standard, in high-risk patients for the investigation of coronary artery disease (CAD). Materials and methods: Three hundred high-risk patients underwent HD-CTCA and ICA. Independent experts evaluated the images for the presence of significant CAD, defined primarily as the presence of moderate (≥50%) stenosis and secondarily as the presence of severe (≥70%) stenosis in at least one coronary segment, in a blinded fashion. HD-CTCA was compared to ICA as the reference standard. Results: No patients were excluded. Two hundred and six patients (69%) had moderate and 178 (59%) had severe stenosis in at least one vessel at ICA. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 97.1%, 97.9%, 99% and 93.9% for moderate stenosis, and 98.9%, 93.4%, 95.7% and 98.3%, for severe stenosis, on a per-patient basis. Conclusion: The combination of HD-CTCA and experienced readers applied to a high-risk population, results in high diagnostic accuracy comparable to ICA. Modern generation CT systems in experienced hands might be considered for an expanded role. - Highlights: • Diagnostic accuracy of High-Definition CT Angiography (HD-CTCA) has been assessed. • Invasive Coronary angiography (ICA) is the reference standard. • Diagnostic accuracy of HD-CTCA is comparable to ICA. • Diagnostic accuracy is not affected by coronary calcium or stents. • HD-CTCA provides a non-invasive alternative in high-risk patients.

  16. High-speed and high-fidelity system and method for collecting network traffic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weigle, Eric H [Los Alamos, NM

    2010-08-24

    A system is provided for the high-speed and high-fidelity collection of network traffic. The system can collect traffic at gigabit-per-second (Gbps) speeds, scale to terabit-per-second (Tbps) speeds, and support additional functions such as real-time network intrusion detection. The present system uses a dedicated operating system for traffic collection to maximize efficiency, scalability, and performance. A scalable infrastructure and apparatus for the present system is provided by splitting the work performed on one host onto multiple hosts. The present system simultaneously addresses the issues of scalability, performance, cost, and adaptability with respect to network monitoring, collection, and other network tasks. In addition to high-speed and high-fidelity network collection, the present system provides a flexible infrastructure to perform virtually any function at high speeds such as real-time network intrusion detection and wide-area network emulation for research purposes.

  17. Chaos in high-power high-frequency gyrotrons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Airila, M.

    2004-01-01

    Gyrotron interaction is a complex nonlinear dynamical process, which may turn chaotic in certain circumstances. The emergence of chaos renders dynamical systems unpredictable and causes bandwidth broadening of signals. Such effects would jeopardize the prospect of advanced gyrotrons in fusion. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the possibility of chaos in gyrotrons. There are three different chaos scenarios closely related to the development of high-power gyrotrons: First, the onset of chaos in electron trajectories would lead to difficulties in the design and efficient operation of depressed potential collectors, which are used for efficiency enhancement. Second, the radio-frequency signal could turn chaotic, decreasing the output power and the spectral purity of the output signal. As a result, mode conversion, transmission, and absorption efficiencies would be reduced. Third, spatio-temporal chaos in the resonator field structure can set a limit for the use of large-diameter interaction cavities and high-order TE modes (large azimuthal index) allowing higher generated power. In this thesis, the issues above are addressed with numerical modeling. It is found that chaos in electron residual energies is practically absent in the parameter region corresponding to high efficiency. Accordingly, depressed collectors are a feasible solution also in advanced high-power gyrotrons. A new method is presented for straightforward numerical solution of the one-dimensional self-consistent time-dependent gyrotron equations, and the method is generalized to two dimensions. In 1D, a chart of gyrotron oscillations is calculated. It is shown that the regions of stationary oscillations, automodulation, and chaos have a complicated topology in the plane of generalized gyrotron variables. The threshold current for chaotic oscillations exceeds typical operating currents by a factor of ten. However, reflection of the output signal may significantly lower the threshold. 2D

  18. High density high performance plasma with internal diffusion barrier in Large Helical Device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakamoto, R.; Kobayashi, M.; Miyazawa, J.

    2008-10-01

    A attractive high density plasma operational regime, namely an internal diffusion barrier (IDB), has been discovered in the intrinsic helical divertor configuration on the Large Helical Device (LHD). The IDB which enables core plasma to access a high density/high pressure regime has been developed. It is revealed that the IDB is reproducibly formed by pellet fueling in the magnetic configurations shifted outward in major radius. Attainable central plasma density exceeds 1x10 21 m -3 . Central pressure reaches 1.5 times atmospheric pressure and the central β value becomes fairly high even at high magnetic field, i.e. β(0)=5.5% at B t =2.57 T. (author)

  19. Introduction of high oxygen concentrations into silicon wafers by high-temperature diffusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casse, G.; Glaser, M.; Lemeilleur, F.; Ruzin, A.; Wegrzecki, M.

    1999-01-01

    The tolerance of silicon detectors to hadron irradiation can be improved by the introduction of a high concentration of oxygen into the starting material. High-resistivity Floating-Zone (FZ) silicon is required for detectors used in particle physics applications. A significantly high oxygen concentration (>10 17 atoms cm -3 ) cannot readily be achieved during the FZ silicon refinement. The diffusion of oxygen at elevated temperatures from a SiO 2 layer grown on both sides of a silicon wafer is a simple and effective technique to achieve high and uniform concentrations of oxygen throughout the bulk of a 300 μm thick silicon wafer

  20. High-Conflict Divorce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Janet R.

    1994-01-01

    Reviews available research studies of high-conflict divorce and its effects on children. Factors believed to contribute to high-conflict divorce are explored, and a model of their interrelationships is proposed. Dispute resolution, intervention, and prevention programs are discussed, and implications for social policy are outlined. (SLD)

  1. High current and high power superconducting rectifiers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kate, H.H.J. ten; Bunk, P.B.; Klundert, L.J.M. van de; Britton, R.B.

    1981-01-01

    Results on three experimental superconducting rectifiers are reported. Two of them are 1 kA low frequency flux pumps, one thermally and magnetically switched. The third is a low-current high-frequency magnetically switched rectifier which can use the mains directly. (author)

  2. CDSD-4000: High-resolution, high-temperature carbon dioxide spectroscopic databank

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tashkun, S.A.; Perevalov, V.I.

    2011-01-01

    We present a high-resolution, high-temperature version of the Carbon Dioxide Spectroscopic Databank called CDSD-4000. The databank contains the line parameters (positions, intensities, air- and self-broadened half-widths, coefficients of temperature dependence of air- and self-broadened half-widths, and air-broadened pressure shifts) of the four most abundant isotopologues of CO 2 . A reference temperature is 296 K and an intensity cutoff is 10 -27 cm -1 /molecule cm -2 at 4000 K. The databank has 628,324,454 entries, covers the 226-8310 cm -1 spectral range and designed for the temperature range 2500-5000 K. Format of CDSD-4000 is similar to that of HITRAN-2008. The databank has been generated within the framework of the method of effective operators and based on the global fittings of spectroscopic parameters (parameters of the effective Hamiltonians and effective dipole moment operators) to observed data collected from the literature. The databank is useful for studying high-temperature radiative properties of CO 2 , including exoplanets atmospheres, aerothemal modeling for Mars entry missions, high-temperature laboratory spectra, and industrial applications. CDSD-4000 is freely accessible via the Internet site (ftp://ftp.iao.ru/pub/CDSD-4000).

  3. Gasification of high ash, high ash fusion temperature bituminous coals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Guohai; Vimalchand, Pannalal; Peng, WanWang

    2015-11-13

    This invention relates to gasification of high ash bituminous coals that have high ash fusion temperatures. The ash content can be in 15 to 45 weight percent range and ash fusion temperatures can be in 1150.degree. C. to 1500.degree. C. range as well as in excess of 1500.degree. C. In a preferred embodiment, such coals are dealt with a two stage gasification process--a relatively low temperature primary gasification step in a circulating fluidized bed transport gasifier followed by a high temperature partial oxidation step of residual char carbon and small quantities of tar. The system to process such coals further includes an internally circulating fluidized bed to effectively cool the high temperature syngas with the aid of an inert media and without the syngas contacting the heat transfer surfaces. A cyclone downstream of the syngas cooler, operating at relatively low temperatures, effectively reduces loading to a dust filtration unit. Nearly dust- and tar-free syngas for chemicals production or power generation and with over 90%, and preferably over about 98%, overall carbon conversion can be achieved with the preferred process, apparatus and methods outlined in this invention.

  4. High voltage high brightness electron accelerators with MITL voltage adder coupled to foilless diodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mazarakis, M.G.; Poukey, J.W.; Frost, C.A.; Shope, S.L.; Halbleib, J.A.; Turman, B.N.

    1993-01-01

    During the last ten years the authors have extensively studied the physics and operation of magnetically-immersed electron foilless diodes. Most of these sources were utilized as injectors to high current, high energy linear induction accelerators such as those of the RADLAC family. Recently they have experimentally and theoretically demonstrated that foilless diodes can be successfully coupled to self-magnetically insulated transmission line voltage adders to produce very small high brightness, high definition (no halo) electron beams. The RADLAC/SMILE experience opened the path to a new approach in high brightness, high energy induction accelerators. There is no beam drifting through the device. The voltage addition occurs in a center conductor, and the beam is created at the high voltage end in an applied magnetic field diode. This work was motivated by the remarkable success of the HERMES-III accelerator and the need to produce small radius, high energy, high current electron beams for air propagation studies and flash x-ray radiography. In this paper they present experimental results compared with analytical and numerical simulations in addition to design examples of devices that can produce multikiloamp electron beams of as high as 100 MV energies and radii as small as 1 mm

  5. High-Capacity, High-Voltage Composite Oxide Cathode Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagh, Nader M.

    2015-01-01

    This SBIR project integrates theoretical and experimental work to enable a new generation of high-capacity, high-voltage cathode materials that will lead to high-performance, robust energy storage systems. At low operating temperatures, commercially available electrode materials for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries do not meet energy and power requirements for NASA's planned exploration activities. NEI Corporation, in partnership with the University of California, San Diego, has developed layered composite cathode materials that increase power and energy densities at temperatures as low as 0 degC and considerably reduce the overall volume and weight of battery packs. In Phase I of the project, through innovations in the structure and morphology of composite electrode particles, the partners successfully demonstrated an energy density exceeding 1,000 Wh/kg at 4 V at room temperature. In Phase II, the team enhanced the kinetics of Li-ion transport and electronic conductivity at 0 degC. An important feature of the composite cathode is that it has at least two components that are structurally integrated. The layered material is electrochemically inactive; however, upon structural integration with a spinel material, the layered material can be electrochemically activated and deliver a large amount of energy with stable cycling.

  6. Theoretical description of high-lying two-electrons states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greene, C.H.; Cavagnero, M.; Sadeghpour, H.R.

    1993-01-01

    Within the past two years, experiments on high-lying doubly-excited states in He and H- have shown spectra at energies near excited hydrogenic thresholds having principal quantum numbers in the range N=5--9. While they display some nontrivial complexities, the spectra are tremendously simpler than might be anticipated on the basis of independent electron models, in that only a small fraction of the total number of anticipated resonances are observed experimentally. Moreover, for principal quantum number N that are not too high, specifically N - , the resonance positions are described accurately by adiabatic calculations using hyperspherical coordinates and can be parametrized by a remarkably simple two-electron Rydberg formula. The observed propensity for excitation of only a small subset of the possible resonance states has been codified by several groups into approximate selection rules based on alternative (but apparently equivalent) classification schemes. Comparatively few attempts have been made at quantitative tests of the validity of these rules. The present review describes recent efforts to quantify their accuracy and limitations using R-matrix and quantum defect techniques, and Smith's delay-time matrix. Prospensity rules for exciting different degrees of freedom are found to differ greatly in their degree of validity

  7. Flexible asymmetric supercapacitors with high energy and high power density in aqueous electrolytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yingwen; Zhang, Hongbo; Lu, Songtao; Varanasi, Chakrapani V.; Liu, Jie

    2013-01-01

    Supercapacitors with both high energy and high power densities are critical for many practical applications. In this paper, we discuss the design and demonstrate the fabrication of flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based on nanocomposite electrodes of MnO2, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes and graphene. The combined unique properties of each of these components enable highly flexible and mechanically strong films that can serve as electrodes directly without using any current collectors or binders. Using these flexible electrodes and a roll-up approach, asymmetric supercapacitors with 2 V working voltage were successfully fabricated. The fabricated device showed excellent rate capability, with 78% of the original capacitance retained when the scan rate was increased from 2 mV s-1 to 500 mV s-1. Owing to the unique composite structure, these supercapacitors were able to deliver high energy density (24 W h kg-1) under high power density (7.8 kW kg-1) conditions. These features could enable supercapacitor based energy storage systems to be very attractive for a variety of critical applications, such as the power sources in hybrid electric vehicles and the back-up powers for wind and solar energy, where both high energy density and high power density are required.Supercapacitors with both high energy and high power densities are critical for many practical applications. In this paper, we discuss the design and demonstrate the fabrication of flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based on nanocomposite electrodes of MnO2, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes and graphene. The combined unique properties of each of these components enable highly flexible and mechanically strong films that can serve as electrodes directly without using any current collectors or binders. Using these flexible electrodes and a roll-up approach, asymmetric supercapacitors with 2 V working voltage were successfully fabricated. The fabricated device showed excellent rate capability, with 78% of

  8. Workshop on High Power ICH Antenna Designs for High Density Tokamaks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aamodt, R. E.

    1990-02-01

    A workshop in high power ICH antenna designs for high density tokamaks was held to: (1) review the data base relevant to the high power heating of high density tokamaks; (2) identify the important issues which need to be addressed in order to ensure the success of the ICRF programs on CIT and Alcator C-MOD; and (3) recommend approaches for resolving the issues in a timely realistic manner. Some specific performance goals for the antenna system define a successful design effort. Simply stated these goals are: couple the specified power per antenna into the desired ion species; produce no more than an acceptable level of RF auxiliary power induced impurities; and have a mechanical structure which safely survives the thermal, mechanical and radiation stresses in the relevant environment. These goals are intimately coupled and difficult tradeoffs between scientific and engineering constraints have to be made.

  9. Spectroscopic studies of sulfite-based polyoxometalates at high temperature and high pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quesada Cabrera, Raul; Firth, Steven; Blackman, Christopher S.; Long, De-Liang; Cronin, Leroy; McMillan, Paul F.

    2012-01-01

    Structural changes occurring within non-conventional Dawson-type [α/β-Mo 18 O 54 (SO 3 ) 2 ] 4− polyanions in the form of tetrapentylammonium salts were studied by a combination of IR, Raman and visible spectroscopy at high temperature and high pressure. Evidence of the formation of bronze-type materials above 400 K and also upon pressurization to 8 GPa is presented. This conclusion is suggested to be a general result for polyoxometalate compounds subjected to extreme conditions and it opens opportunities for the design of new materials with interesting optical and electronic properties. - Graphical abstract: Structural changes occurring within non-conventional Dawson-type [α/β-Mo 18 O 54 (SO 3 ) 2 ] 4− polyanions in the form of tetrapentylammonium salts were studied by a combination of IR, Raman and visible spectroscopy at high temperature and high pressure. Evidence of the formation of bronze-type materials above 400 K and also upon pressurization to 8 GPa is presented. This conclusion is suggested to be a general result for polyoxometalate compounds subjected to extreme conditions and it opens opportunities for the design of new materials with interesting optical and electronic properties. Highlights: ► Spectroscopy studies of non-conventional Wells–Dawson polyoxometalates (POMs) at high temperature and high pressure. ► Discussion on the stability of two POM isomers. ► Local formation of bronze-like materials: possibilities for a new synthetic method at high pressure from POM precursors.

  10. Effects of high mean stress on the high-cycle fatigue behavior of PWA 1480

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Majumdar, S.; Antolovich, S.; Milligan, W.

    1985-03-01

    PWA 1480 is a potential candidate material for use in the high-pressure fuel turbine blade of the Space Shuttle Main Engine. As an engine material it will be subjected to high-cycle fatigue loading superimposed on a high mean stress due to combined centrifugal and thermal loadings. This paper describes results obtained in an ongoing program to determine the effects of a high mean stress on the high-cycle fatigue behavior of this material

  11. High Thermoelectric Power Factor of High-Mobility 2D Electron Gas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohta, Hiromichi; Kim, Sung Wng; Kaneki, Shota; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Hashizume, Tamotsu

    2018-01-01

    Thermoelectric conversion is an energy harvesting technology that directly converts waste heat from various sources into electricity by the Seebeck effect of thermoelectric materials with a large thermopower ( S ), high electrical conductivity (σ), and low thermal conductivity (κ). State-of-the-art nanostructuring techniques that significantly reduce κ have realized high-performance thermoelectric materials with a figure of merit ( ZT = S 2 ∙σ∙ T ∙κ -1 ) between 1.5 and 2. Although the power factor (PF = S 2 ∙σ) must also be enhanced to further improve ZT , the maximum PF remains near 1.5-4 mW m -1 K -2 due to the well-known trade-off relationship between S and σ. At a maximized PF, σ is much lower than the ideal value since impurity doping suppresses the carrier mobility. A metal-oxide-semiconductor high electron mobility transistor (MOS-HEMT) structure on an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure is prepared. Applying a gate electric field to the MOS-HEMT simultaneously modulates S and σ of the high-mobility electron gas from -490 µV K -1 and ≈10 -1 S cm -1 to -90 µV K -1 and ≈10 4 S cm -1 , while maintaining a high carrier mobility (≈1500 cm 2 V -1 s -1 ). The maximized PF of the high-mobility electron gas is ≈9 mW m -1 K -2 , which is a two- to sixfold increase compared to state-of-the-art practical thermoelectric materials.

  12. High-brightness electron injectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sheffield, R.L.

    1987-01-01

    Free-electron laser (FEL) oscillators and synchrotron light sources require pulse trains of high peak brightness and, in some applications, high-average power. Recent developments in the technology of photoemissive and thermionic electron sources in rf cavities for electron-linac injector applications offer promising advances over conventional electron injectors. Reduced emittance growth in high peak-current electron injectors may be achieved by using high field strengths and by linearizing the radial component of the cavity electric field at the expense of lower shunt impedance

  13. High bandgap III-V alloys for high efficiency optoelectronics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alberi, Kirstin; Mascarenhas, Angelo; Wanlass, Mark

    2017-01-10

    High bandgap alloys for high efficiency optoelectronics are disclosed. An exemplary optoelectronic device may include a substrate, at least one Al.sub.1-xIn.sub.xP layer, and a step-grade buffer between the substrate and at least one Al.sub.1-xIn.sub.xP layer. The buffer may begin with a layer that is substantially lattice matched to GaAs, and may then incrementally increase the lattice constant in each sequential layer until a predetermined lattice constant of Al.sub.1-xIn.sub.xP is reached.

  14. High throughput screening of ligand binding to macromolecules using high resolution powder diffraction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Von Dreele, Robert B.; D'Amico, Kevin

    2006-10-31

    A process is provided for the high throughput screening of binding of ligands to macromolecules using high resolution powder diffraction data including producing a first sample slurry of a selected polycrystalline macromolecule material and a solvent, producing a second sample slurry of a selected polycrystalline macromolecule material, one or more ligands and the solvent, obtaining a high resolution powder diffraction pattern on each of said first sample slurry and the second sample slurry, and, comparing the high resolution powder diffraction pattern of the first sample slurry and the high resolution powder diffraction pattern of the second sample slurry whereby a difference in the high resolution powder diffraction patterns of the first sample slurry and the second sample slurry provides a positive indication for the formation of a complex between the selected polycrystalline macromolecule material and at least one of the one or more ligands.

  15. Development of high sensitivity and high speed large size blank inspection system LBIS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohara, Shinobu; Yoshida, Akinori; Hirai, Mitsuo; Kato, Takenori; Moriizumi, Koichi; Kusunose, Haruhiko

    2017-07-01

    The production of high-resolution flat panel displays (FPDs) for mobile phones today requires the use of high-quality large-size photomasks (LSPMs). Organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays use several transistors on each pixel for precise current control and, as such, the mask patterns for OLED displays are denser and finer than the patterns for the previous generation displays throughout the entire mask surface. It is therefore strongly demanded that mask patterns be produced with high fidelity and free of defect. To enable the production of a high quality LSPM in a short lead time, the manufacturers need a high-sensitivity high-speed mask blank inspection system that meets the requirement of advanced LSPMs. Lasertec has developed a large-size blank inspection system called LBIS, which achieves high sensitivity based on a laser-scattering technique. LBIS employs a high power laser as its inspection light source. LBIS's delivery optics, including a scanner and F-Theta scan lens, focus the light from the source linearly on the surface of the blank. Its specially-designed optics collect the light scattered by particles and defects generated during the manufacturing process, such as scratches, on the surface and guide it to photo multiplier tubes (PMTs) with high efficiency. Multiple PMTs are used on LBIS for the stable detection of scattered light, which may be distributed at various angles due to irregular shapes of defects. LBIS captures 0.3mμ PSL at a detection rate of over 99.5% with uniform sensitivity. Its inspection time is 20 minutes for a G8 blank and 35 minutes for G10. The differential interference contrast (DIC) microscope on the inspection head of LBIS captures high-contrast review images after inspection. The images are classified automatically.

  16. A digital approach for real time high-rate high-resolution radiation measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gerardi, G.; Abbene, L.

    2014-01-01

    Modern spectrometers are currently developed by using digital pulse processing (DPP) systems, showing several advantages over traditional analog electronics. The aim of this work is to present digital strategies, in a time domain, for the development of real time high-rate high-resolution spectrometers. We propose a digital method, based on the single delay line (SDL) shaping technique, able to perform multi-parameter analysis with high performance even at high photon counting rates. A robust pulse shape and height analysis (PSHA), applied on single isolated time windows of the detector output waveforms, is presented. The potentialities of the proposed strategy are highlighted through both theoretical and experimental approaches. To strengthen our approach, the implementation of the method on a real-time system together with some experimental results are presented. X-ray spectra measurements with a semiconductor detector are performed both at low and high photon counting rates (up to 1.1 Mcps)

  17. A digital approach for real time high-rate high-resolution radiation measurements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gerardi, G.; Abbene, L., E-mail: leonardo.abbene@unipa.it

    2014-12-21

    Modern spectrometers are currently developed by using digital pulse processing (DPP) systems, showing several advantages over traditional analog electronics. The aim of this work is to present digital strategies, in a time domain, for the development of real time high-rate high-resolution spectrometers. We propose a digital method, based on the single delay line (SDL) shaping technique, able to perform multi-parameter analysis with high performance even at high photon counting rates. A robust pulse shape and height analysis (PSHA), applied on single isolated time windows of the detector output waveforms, is presented. The potentialities of the proposed strategy are highlighted through both theoretical and experimental approaches. To strengthen our approach, the implementation of the method on a real-time system together with some experimental results are presented. X-ray spectra measurements with a semiconductor detector are performed both at low and high photon counting rates (up to 1.1 Mcps)

  18. A high pulsed power supply system designed for pulsed high magnetic field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Kefu; Wang Shaorong; Zhong Heqing; Xu Yan; Pan Yuan

    2008-01-01

    This paper introduces the design of high pulsed power supply system for producing pulsed high magnetic field up to 70 T. This system consists of 58 sets of 55 μF of capacitor bank which provides 1.0 MJ energy storage. A set of vacuum closing switch is chosen as main switch for energy discharge into magnetic coil. A crowbar circuit with high power diodes in series with resistor is used to absorb the redundant energy and adjust pulse width. The resistance of magnetic coil changing with current is deduced by energy balance equations. A capacitor-charging power supply using a series-resonant, constant on-time variable frequency control, and zero-current switching charges the capacitor bank in one minute time with high efficiency. The pulsed power supply provides adjustable current and pulse width with 30 kA peak and 30 ms maximum. The primary experiments demonstrate the system reliability. This work provides an engineering guidance for future development of pulsed high magnetic field. (authors)

  19. A Lithium-Air Battery Stably Working at High Temperature with High Rate Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Jian; Li, Houpu; Sun, Hao; Zhang, Ye; Wang, Lie; Liao, Meng; Sun, Xuemei; Peng, Huisheng

    2018-02-01

    Driven by the increasing requirements for energy supply in both modern life and the automobile industry, the lithium-air battery serves as a promising candidate due to its high energy density. However, organic solvents in electrolytes are likely to rapidly vaporize and form flammable gases under increasing temperatures. In this case, serious safety problems may occur and cause great harm to people. Therefore, a kind of lithium-air that can work stably under high temperature is desirable. Herein, through the use of an ionic liquid and aligned carbon nanotubes, and a fiber shaped design, a new type of lithium-air battery that can effectively work at high temperatures up to 140 °C is developed. Ionic liquids can offer wide electrochemical windows and low vapor pressures, as well as provide high thermal stability for lithium-air batteries. The aligned carbon nanotubes have good electric and heat conductivity. Meanwhile, the fiber format can offer both flexibility and weavability, and realize rapid heat conduction and uniform heat distribution of the battery. In addition, the high temperature has also largely improved the specific powers by increasing the ionic conductivity and catalytic activity of the cathode. Consequently, the lithium-air battery can work stably at 140 °C with a high specific current of 10 A g -1 for 380 cycles, indicating high stability and good rate performance at high temperatures. This work may provide an effective paradigm for the development of high-performance energy storage devices. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Applications of high-throughput clonogenic survival assays in high-LET particle microbeams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonios eGeorgantzoglou

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Charged particle therapy is increasingly becoming a valuable tool in cancer treatment, mainly due to the favorable interaction of particle radiation with matter. Its application is still limited due, in part, to lack of data regarding the radiosensitivity of certain cell lines to this radiation type, especially to high-LET particles. From the earliest days of radiation biology, the clonogenic survival assay has been used to provide radiation response data. This method produces reliable data but it is not optimized for high-throughput microbeam studies with high-LET radiation where high levels of cell killing lead to a very low probability of maintaining cells’ clonogenic potential. A new method, therefore, is proposed in this paper, which could potentially allow these experiments to be conducted in a high-throughput fashion. Cells are seeded in special polypropylene dishes and bright-field illumination provides cell visualization. Digital images are obtained and cell detection is applied based on corner detection, generating individual cell targets as x-y points. These points in the dish are then irradiated individually by a micron field size high-LET microbeam. Post-irradiation, time-lapse imaging follows cells’ response. All irradiated cells are tracked by linking trajectories in all time-frames, based on finding their nearest position. Cell divisions are detected based on cell appearance and individual cell temporary corner density. The number of divisions anticipated is low due to the high probability of cell killing from high-LET irradiation. Survival curves are produced based on cell’s capacity to divide at least 4-5 times. The process is repeated for a range of doses of radiation. Validation shows the efficiency of the proposed cell detection and tracking method in finding cell divisions.

  1. Applications of High-Throughput Clonogenic Survival Assays in High-LET Particle Microbeams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Georgantzoglou, Antonios; Merchant, Michael J; Jeynes, Jonathan C G; Mayhead, Natalie; Punia, Natasha; Butler, Rachel E; Jena, Rajesh

    2015-01-01

    Charged particle therapy is increasingly becoming a valuable tool in cancer treatment, mainly due to the favorable interaction of particle radiation with matter. Its application is still limited due, in part, to lack of data regarding the radiosensitivity of certain cell lines to this radiation type, especially to high-linear energy transfer (LET) particles. From the earliest days of radiation biology, the clonogenic survival assay has been used to provide radiation response data. This method produces reliable data but it is not optimized for high-throughput microbeam studies with high-LET radiation where high levels of cell killing lead to a very low probability of maintaining cells' clonogenic potential. A new method, therefore, is proposed in this paper, which could potentially allow these experiments to be conducted in a high-throughput fashion. Cells are seeded in special polypropylene dishes and bright-field illumination provides cell visualization. Digital images are obtained and cell detection is applied based on corner detection, generating individual cell targets as x-y points. These points in the dish are then irradiated individually by a micron field size high-LET microbeam. Post-irradiation, time-lapse imaging follows cells' response. All irradiated cells are tracked by linking trajectories in all time-frames, based on finding their nearest position. Cell divisions are detected based on cell appearance and individual cell temporary corner density. The number of divisions anticipated is low due to the high probability of cell killing from high-LET irradiation. Survival curves are produced based on cell's capacity to divide at least four to five times. The process is repeated for a range of doses of radiation. Validation shows the efficiency of the proposed cell detection and tracking method in finding cell divisions.

  2. High temperature and high pressure gas cell for quantitative spectroscopic measurements

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Caspar; Stolberg-Rohr, Thomine; Fateev, Alexander

    2016-01-01

    A high temperature and high pressure gas cell (HTPGC) has been manufactured for quantitative spectroscopic measurements in the pressure range 1-200 bar and temperature range 300-1300 K. In the present work the cell was employed at up to 100 bar and 1000 K, and measured absorption coefficients...... of a CO2-N2 mixture at 100 bar and 1000 K are revealed for the first time, exceeding the high temperature and pressure combinations previously reported. This paper discusses the design considerations involved in the construction of the cell and presents validation measurements compared against simulated...

  3. High flying physics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1981-01-01

    Cosmic ray physicists have always had to aim high. In the constant search for interactions produced as close as possible to the immensely high primary particles entering the earth's atmosphere from outer space, they have installed experiments on high mountain peaks and flown detectors aloft in balloons. In these studies, there have been periodic sightings of remarkable configurations of secondary particles. These events, many of which bear exotic names like Centauro, Andromeda, Texas Lone Star, etc., frequently defy explanation in terms of conventional physics ideas and give a glimpse of what may lie beyond the behaviour seen so far under laboratory conditions

  4. 3D printed high performance strain sensors for high temperature applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Md Taibur; Moser, Russell; Zbib, Hussein M.; Ramana, C. V.; Panat, Rahul

    2018-01-01

    Realization of high temperature physical measurement sensors, which are needed in many of the current and emerging technologies, is challenging due to the degradation of their electrical stability by drift currents, material oxidation, thermal strain, and creep. In this paper, for the first time, we demonstrate that 3D printed sensors show a metamaterial-like behavior, resulting in superior performance such as high sensitivity, low thermal strain, and enhanced thermal stability. The sensors were fabricated using silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs), using an advanced Aerosol Jet based additive printing method followed by thermal sintering. The sensors were tested under cyclic strain up to a temperature of 500 °C and showed a gauge factor of 3.15 ± 0.086, which is about 57% higher than that of those available commercially. The sensor thermal strain was also an order of magnitude lower than that of commercial gages for operation up to a temperature of 500 °C. An analytical model was developed to account for the enhanced performance of such printed sensors based on enhanced lateral contraction of the NP films due to the porosity, a behavior akin to cellular metamaterials. The results demonstrate the potential of 3D printing technology as a pathway to realize highly stable and high-performance sensors for high temperature applications.

  5. High Line

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiib, Hans

    2015-01-01

    At just over 10 meters above street level, the High Line extends three kilometers through three districts of Southwestern Manhattan in New York. It consists of simple steel construction, and previously served as an elevated rail line connection between Penn Station on 34th Street and the many....... The High Line project has been carried out as part of an open conversion strategy. The result is a remarkable urban architectural project, which works as a catalyst for the urban development of Western Manhattan. The greater project includes the restoration and reuse of many old industrial buildings...

  6. High-order shock-fitted detonation propagation in high explosives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romick, Christopher M.; Aslam, Tariq D.

    2017-03-01

    A highly accurate numerical shock and material interface fitting scheme composed of fifth-order spatial and third- or fifth-order temporal discretizations is applied to the two-dimensional reactive Euler equations in both slab and axisymmetric geometries. High rates of convergence are not typically possible with shock-capturing methods as the Taylor series analysis breaks down in the vicinity of discontinuities. Furthermore, for typical high explosive (HE) simulations, the effects of material interfaces at the charge boundary can also cause significant computational errors. Fitting a computational boundary to both the shock front and material interface (i.e. streamline) alleviates the computational errors associated with captured shocks and thus opens up the possibility of high rates of convergence for multi-dimensional shock and detonation flows. Several verification tests, including a Sedov blast wave, a Zel'dovich-von Neumann-Döring (ZND) detonation wave, and Taylor-Maccoll supersonic flow over a cone, are utilized to demonstrate high rates of convergence to nontrivial shock and reaction flows. Comparisons to previously published shock-capturing multi-dimensional detonations in a polytropic fluid with a constant adiabatic exponent (PF-CAE) are made, demonstrating significantly lower computational error for the present shock and material interface fitting method. For an error on the order of 10 m /s, which is similar to that observed in experiments, shock-fitting offers a computational savings on the order of 1000. In addition, the behavior of the detonation phase speed is examined for several slab widths to evaluate the detonation performance of PBX 9501 while utilizing the Wescott-Stewart-Davis (WSD) model, which is commonly used in HE modeling. It is found that the thickness effect curve resulting from this equation of state and reaction model using published values is dramatically more steep than observed in recent experiments. Utilizing the present fitting

  7. Journalism Beyond High School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Sally

    2001-01-01

    Discusses the shift from high school journalism to college journalism for students. Describes the role of the high school journalism advisor in that process. Offers checklists for getting to know a college publication. Outlines ways high school journalism teachers can take advantage of journalism resources available at local colleges and…

  8. High-pressure high-temperature phase diagram of organic crystal paracetamol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Spencer J.; Montgomery, Jeffrey M.; Vohra, Yogesh K.

    2016-01-01

    High-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) Raman spectroscopy studies have been performed on the organic crystal paracetamol in a diamond anvil cell utilizing boron-doped heating diamond anvil. Isobaric measurements were conducted at pressures up to 8.5 GPa and temperature up to 520 K in five different experiments. Solid state phase transitions from monoclinic Form I  →  orthorhombic Form II were observed at various pressures and temperatures as well as transitions from Form II  →  unknown Form IV. The melting temperature for paracetamol was observed to increase with increasing pressures to 8.5 GPa. This new data is combined with previous ambient temperature high-pressure Raman and x-ray diffraction data to create the first HPHT phase diagram of paracetamol.

  9. High-pressure high-temperature phase diagram of organic crystal paracetamol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, Spencer J; Montgomery, Jeffrey M; Vohra, Yogesh K

    2016-01-01

    High-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) Raman spectroscopy studies have been performed on the organic crystal paracetamol in a diamond anvil cell utilizing boron-doped heating diamond anvil. Isobaric measurements were conducted at pressures up to 8.5 GPa and temperature up to 520 K in five different experiments. Solid state phase transitions from monoclinic Form I  →  orthorhombic Form II were observed at various pressures and temperatures as well as transitions from Form II  →  unknown Form IV. The melting temperature for paracetamol was observed to increase with increasing pressures to 8.5 GPa. This new data is combined with previous ambient temperature high-pressure Raman and x-ray diffraction data to create the first HPHT phase diagram of paracetamol. (paper)

  10. High enthalpy gas dynamics

    CERN Document Server

    Rathakrishnan, Ethirajan

    2014-01-01

    This is an introductory level textbook which explains the elements of high temperature and high-speed gas dynamics. written in a clear and easy to follow style, the author covers all the latest developments in the field including basic thermodynamic principles, compressible flow regimes and waves propagation in one volume covers theoretical modeling of High Enthalpy Flows, with particular focus on problems in internal and external gas-dynamic flows, of interest in the fields of rockets propulsion and hypersonic aerodynamics High enthalpy gas dynamics is a compulsory course for aerospace engine

  11. Reconciliation of high-tech and high-touch for SME innovation performance in Indonesia

    OpenAIRE

    RIDUAN R.

    2017-01-01

    The euphoria of technology in the Internet of Things (IOT) era is not only more advantageous but also provides double-edged sword effect for high-tech SMEs. In general, high-tech SMEs have a dependence on technology and neglect high touch aspect capacity to build relationships with human resources. Ironically, it is otherwise allegedly in an action as it is assumed to cause innovation imbalance where the product of SME innovation is high-tech but low-touch. Given its importance, this study ai...

  12. High resolution study of high mass pairs and high transverse momentum particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, S.R.

    1983-01-01

    Preliminary experiments involving the high resolution spectrometer (experiment 605) at Fermilab are described. The spectrometer is designed for the study of pairs of particles at large invariant masses and single particles at large transverse momenta. A number of applications of the apparatus in the study of Drell-Yan processes, e.g. transverse momentum measurement, are discussed

  13. High-temperature mechanical properties of high-purity 70 mass% Cr-Fe alloy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Asahina, M.; Harima, N.; Takaki, S.; Abiko, K. [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). Inst. for Materials Research

    2002-01-16

    An ingot of high-purity 70 mass% Cr-Fe alloy was prepared by high-frequency induction melting in a high-purity argon atmosphere using a cold copper crucible. Its tensile properties such as hot-ductility and tensile strength were measured, and compared with the results for a high-purity 50 mass% Cr-Fe alloy, a high-purity 60 mass% Cr-Fe alloy and a Ni-based super-alloy. The formation of {sigma}-phase was also examined. The purity of a 70Cr-Fe alloy (70 mass% Cr-Fe alloy) ingot is more than 99.98 mass% and the total amount of gaseous impurities (C, N, O, S, H) in the 70Cr-Fe alloy is 69.9 mass ppm. The strength of the 70Cr-Fe alloy is higher than those of the 60Cr-Fe alloy and the 50Cr-Fe alloy at the temperatures between 293 and 1573 K, without decrease in ductility with increasing Cr content. The 70Cr-Fe alloy also possesses excellent high-temperature ductility. The {sigma}-phase was not observed after aging of 3.6 Ms at 873 K. Consequently, the 70Cr-Fe alloy is an excellent alloy as the base of super heat-resistant alloys. (orig.)

  14. High speed atom source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoshino, Hitoshi.

    1990-01-01

    In a high speed atom source, since the speed is not identical between ions and electrons, no sufficient neutralizing effect for ionic rays due to the mixing of the ionic rays and the electron rays can be obtained failing to obtain high speed atomic rays at high density. In view of the above, a speed control means is disposed for equalizing the speed of ions forming ionic rays and the speed of electrons forming electron rays. Further, incident angle of the electron rays and/or ionic rays to a magnet or an electrode is made variable. As a result, the relative speed between the ions and the electrons to the processing direction is reduced to zero, in which the probability of association between the ions and the electrons due to the coulomb force is increased to improve the neutralizing efficiency to easily obtain fine and high density high speed electron rays. Further, by varying the incident angle, a track capable of obtaining an ideal mixing depending on the energy of the neutralized ionic rays is formed. Since the high speed electron rays has such high density, they can be irradiated easily to the minute region of the specimen. (N.H.)

  15. Workshop on high power ICH antenna designs for high density tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aamodt, R.E.

    1990-01-01

    A workshop in high power ICH antenna designs for high density tokamaks was held in Boulder, Colorado on January 31 through February 2, 1990. The purposes of the workshop were to: (1) review the data base relevant to the high power heating of high density tokamaks; (2) identify the important issues which need to be addressed in order to ensure the success of the ICRF programs on CIT and Alcator C-MOD; and (3) recommend approaches for resolving the issues in a timely realistic manner. Some specific performance goals for the antenna system define a successful design effort. Simply stated these goals are: couple the specified power per antenna into the desired ion species; produce no more than an acceptable level of rf auxiliary power induced impurities; and have a mechanical structure which safely survives the thermal, mechanical and radiation stresses in the relevant environment. These goals are intimately coupled and difficult tradeoffs between scientific and engineering constraints have to be made

  16. High-pressure apparatus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schepdael, van L.J.M.; Bartels, P.V.; Berg, van den R.W.

    1999-01-01

    The invention relates to a high-pressure device (1) having a cylindrical high-pressure vessel (3) and prestressing means in order to exert an axial pressure on the vessel. The vessel (3) can have been formed from a number of layers of composite material, such as glass, carbon or aramide fibers which

  17. Ultra Fast, High Rep Rate, High Voltage Spark Gap Pulser

    Science.gov (United States)

    1995-07-01

    current rise time. The spark gap was designed to have a coaxial geometry reducing its inductance. Provisions were made to pass flowing gas between the...ULTRA FAST, HIGH REP RATE, HIGH VOLTAGE SPARK GAP PULSER Robert A. Pastore Jr., Lawrence E. Kingsley, Kevin Fonda, Erik Lenzing Electrophysics and...Modeling Branch AMSRL-PS-EA Tel.: (908)-532-0271 FAX: (908)-542-3348 U.S. Army Research Laboratory Physical Sciences Directorate Ft. Monmouth

  18. High performance germanium MOSFETs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saraswat, Krishna; Chui, Chi On; Krishnamohan, Tejas; Kim, Donghyun; Nayfeh, Ammar; Pethe, Abhijit

    2006-01-01

    Ge is a very promising material as future channel materials for nanoscale MOSFETs due to its high mobility and thus a higher source injection velocity, which translates into higher drive current and smaller gate delay. However, for Ge to become main-stream, surface passivation and heterogeneous integration of crystalline Ge layers on Si must be achieved. We have demonstrated growth of fully relaxed smooth single crystal Ge layers on Si using a novel multi-step growth and hydrogen anneal process without any graded buffer SiGe layer. Surface passivation of Ge has been achieved with its native oxynitride (GeO x N y ) and high-permittivity (high-k) metal oxides of Al, Zr and Hf. High mobility MOSFETs have been demonstrated in bulk Ge with high-k gate dielectrics and metal gates. However, due to their smaller bandgap and higher dielectric constant, most high mobility materials suffer from large band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) leakage currents and worse short channel effects. We present novel, Si and Ge based heterostructure MOSFETs, which can significantly reduce the BTBT leakage currents while retaining high channel mobility, making them suitable for scaling into the sub-15 nm regime. Through full band Monte-Carlo, Poisson-Schrodinger and detailed BTBT simulations we show a dramatic reduction in BTBT and excellent electrostatic control of the channel, while maintaining very high drive currents in these highly scaled heterostructure DGFETs. Heterostructure MOSFETs with varying strained-Ge or SiGe thickness, Si cap thickness and Ge percentage were fabricated on bulk Si and SOI substrates. The ultra-thin (∼2 nm) strained-Ge channel heterostructure MOSFETs exhibited >4x mobility enhancements over bulk Si devices and >10x BTBT reduction over surface channel strained SiGe devices

  19. High performance germanium MOSFETs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saraswat, Krishna [Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States)]. E-mail: saraswat@stanford.edu; Chui, Chi On [Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Krishnamohan, Tejas [Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Kim, Donghyun [Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Nayfeh, Ammar [Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Pethe, Abhijit [Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States)

    2006-12-15

    Ge is a very promising material as future channel materials for nanoscale MOSFETs due to its high mobility and thus a higher source injection velocity, which translates into higher drive current and smaller gate delay. However, for Ge to become main-stream, surface passivation and heterogeneous integration of crystalline Ge layers on Si must be achieved. We have demonstrated growth of fully relaxed smooth single crystal Ge layers on Si using a novel multi-step growth and hydrogen anneal process without any graded buffer SiGe layer. Surface passivation of Ge has been achieved with its native oxynitride (GeO {sub x}N {sub y} ) and high-permittivity (high-k) metal oxides of Al, Zr and Hf. High mobility MOSFETs have been demonstrated in bulk Ge with high-k gate dielectrics and metal gates. However, due to their smaller bandgap and higher dielectric constant, most high mobility materials suffer from large band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) leakage currents and worse short channel effects. We present novel, Si and Ge based heterostructure MOSFETs, which can significantly reduce the BTBT leakage currents while retaining high channel mobility, making them suitable for scaling into the sub-15 nm regime. Through full band Monte-Carlo, Poisson-Schrodinger and detailed BTBT simulations we show a dramatic reduction in BTBT and excellent electrostatic control of the channel, while maintaining very high drive currents in these highly scaled heterostructure DGFETs. Heterostructure MOSFETs with varying strained-Ge or SiGe thickness, Si cap thickness and Ge percentage were fabricated on bulk Si and SOI substrates. The ultra-thin ({approx}2 nm) strained-Ge channel heterostructure MOSFETs exhibited >4x mobility enhancements over bulk Si devices and >10x BTBT reduction over surface channel strained SiGe devices.

  20. ARRONAX, a high-energy and high-intensity cyclotron for nuclear medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haddad, Ferid; Guertin, Arnaud; Michel, Nathalie; Ferrer, Ludovic; Carlier, Thomas; Barbet, Jacques; Chatal, Jean-Francois

    2008-01-01

    This study was aimed at establishing a list of radionuclides of interest for nuclear medicine that can be produced in a high-intensity and high-energy cyclotron. We have considered both therapeutic and positron emission tomography radionuclides that can be produced using a high-energy and a high-intensity cyclotron such as ARRONAX, which will be operating in Nantes (France) by the end of 2008. Novel radionuclides or radionuclides of current limited availability have been selected according to the following criteria: emission of positrons, low-energy beta or alpha particles, stable or short half-life daughters, half-life between 3 h and 10 days or generator-produced, favourable dosimetry, production from stable isotopes with reasonable cross sections. Three radionuclides appear well suited to targeted radionuclide therapy using beta ( 67 Cu, 47 Sc) or alpha ( 211 At) particles. Positron emitters allowing dosimetry studies prior to radionuclide therapy ( 64 Cu, 124 I, 44 Sc), or that can be generator-produced ( 82 Rb, 68 Ga) or providing the opportunity of a new imaging modality ( 44 Sc) are considered to have a great interest at short term whereas 86 Y, 52 Fe, 55 Co, 76 Br or 89 Zr are considered to have a potential interest at middle term. Several radionuclides not currently used in routine nuclear medicine or not available in sufficient amount for clinical research have been selected for future production. High-energy, high-intensity cyclotrons are necessary to produce some of the selected radionuclides and make possible future clinical developments in nuclear medicine. Associated with appropriate carriers, these radionuclides will respond to a maximum of unmet clinical needs. (orig.) 5

  1. High-pressure crystallography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katrusiak, A.

    2008-01-01

    The history and development of high-pressure crystallography are briefly described and examples of structural transformations in compressed compounds are given. The review is focused on the diamond-anvil cell, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the principles of its operation and the impact it has had on high-pressure X-ray diffraction.

  2. High-silica glass matrix process for high-level waste solidification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simmons, J.H.; Macedo, P.B.

    1981-01-01

    In the search for an optimum glass matrix composition, we have determined that chemical durability and thermal stability are maximized, and that stress development is minimized for glass compositions containing large concentrations of glass-forming oxides, of which silica is the major component (80 mol%). These properties and characteristics were recently demonstrated to belong to very old geological glasses known as tektites (ages of 750,000 to 34 million years.) The barrier to simulating tektite compositions for the waste glasses was the high melting temperature (1600 to 1800 0 C) needed for these glasses. Such temperatures greatly complicate furnace design and maintenance and lead to an intolerable vaporization of many of the radioisotopes into the off-gas system. Research conducted at our laboratory led to the development of a porous high-silica waste glass material with approximately 80% SiO 2 by mole and 30% waste loading by weight. The process can handle a wide variety of compositions, and yields long, elliptical, monolithic samples, which consist of a loaded high-silica core completely enveloped in a high-silica glass tube, which has collapsed upon the core and sealed it from the outside. The outer glass layer is totally free of waste isotopes and provides an integral multibarrier protection system

  3. Evaluating High School IT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Brett A.

    2004-01-01

    Since its inception in 1997, Cisco's curriculum has entered thousands of high schools across the U.S. and around the world for two reasons: (1) Cisco has a large portion of the computer networking market, and thus has the resources for and interest in developing high school academies; and (2) high school curriculum development teams recognize the…

  4. Principals' Perceptions of Professional Development in High- and Low-Performing High-Poverty Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Sheila; Kochan, Frances

    2013-01-01

    This is the second part of a two-part study examining issues related to professional development in high-poverty schools. The findings from the initial study indicated that principals in high-poverty, high-performing schools perceived higher levels of implementation of quality professional development standards in their schools than did principals…

  5. Hardness of high-pressure high-temperature treated single-walled carbon nanotubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawasaki, S.; Nojima, Y.; Yokomae, T.; Okino, F.; Touhara, H.

    2007-01-01

    We have performed high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) treatments of high quality single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) over a wide pressure-temperature range up to 13 GPa-873 K and have investigated the hardness of the HPHT-treated SWCNTs using a nanoindentation technique. It was found that the hardness of the SWCNTs treated at pressures greater than 11 GPa and at temperatures higher than 773 K is about 10 times greater than that of the SWCNTs treated at low temperature. It was also found that the hardness change of the SWCNTs is related to the structural change by the HPHT treatments which was based on synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements

  6. Review - X-ray diffraction measurements in high magnetic fields and at high temperatures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshifuru Mitsui, Keiichi Koyama and Kazuo Watanabe

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available A system was developed measuring x-ray powder diffraction in high magnetic fields up to 5 T and at temperatures from 283 to 473 K. The stability of the temperature is within 1 K over 6 h. In order to examine the ability of the system, the high-field x-ray diffraction measurements were carried out for Si and a Ni-based ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy. The results show that the x-ray powder diffraction measurements in high magnetic fields and at high temperatures are useful for materials research.

  7. Resistance Exercise Attenuates High-Fructose, High-Fat-Induced Postprandial Lipemia

    OpenAIRE

    Jessie R. Wilburn; Jeffrey Bourquin; Andrea Wysong; Christopher L. Melby

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Meals rich in both fructose and fat are commonly consumed by many Americans, especially young men, which can produce a significant postprandial lipemic response. Increasing evidence suggests that aerobic exercise can attenuate the postprandial increase in plasma triacylglycerols (TAGs) in response to a high-fat or a high-fructose meal. However, it is unknown if resistance exercise can dampen the postprandial lipemic response to a meal rich in both fructose and fat. Methods Eight ...

  8. Fixing High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perkins-Gough, Deborah

    2005-01-01

    Reports from national education organizations in the US indicate the sorry state of high schools in the country that are accused of failing to adequately prepare their graduates for college or for the workforce, highlighting what is a serious problem in light of the troubled state of the US economy. The need to improve high schools is urgent and…

  9. Proxmox high availability

    CERN Document Server

    Cheng, Simon MC

    2014-01-01

    If you want to know the secrets of virtualization and how to implement high availability on your services, this is the book for you. For those of you who are already using Proxmox, this book offers you the chance to build a high availability cluster with a distributed filesystem to further protect your system from failure.

  10. Integrated and comparative proteomics of high-oil and high-protein soybean seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xiu Ping; Liu, Hui; Tian, Lihong; Dong, Xiang Bai; Shen, Shi Hua; Qu, Le Qing

    2015-04-01

    We analysed the global protein expression in seeds of a high-oil soybean cultivar (Jiyu 73, JY73) by proteomics. More than 700 protein spots were detected and 363 protein spots were successfully identified. Comparison of the protein profile of JY73 with that of a high-protein cultivar (Zhonghuang 13, ZH13) revealed 40 differentially expressed proteins, including oil synthesis, redox/stress, hydrolysis and storage-related proteins. All redox/stress proteins were less or not expressed in JY73, whereas the expression of the major storage proteins, nitrogen and carbon metabolism-related proteins was higher in ZH13. Biochemical analysis of JY73 revealed that it was in a low oxidation state, with a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E. Vitamin E was more active than antioxidant enzymes and protected the soybean seed in a lower oxidation state. The characteristics of high oil and high protein in soybean, we revealed, might provide a reference for soybean nutrition and soybean breeding. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. High mortality in diabetic recipients of high KDPI deceased donor kidneys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelletier, Ronald P; Pesavento, Todd E; Rajab, Amer; Henry, Mitchell L

    2016-08-01

    Deceased donor (DD) kidney quality is determined by calculating the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI). Optimizing high KDPI (≥85%) DD transplant outcome is challenging. This retrospective study was performed to review our high KDPI DD transplant results to identify clinical practices that can improve future outcomes. We retrospectively calculated the KDPI for 895 DD kidney recipients transplanted between 1/2002 and 11/2013. Age, race, body mass index (BMI), retransplantation, gender, diabetes (DM), dialysis time, and preexisting coronary artery disease (CAD) (previous myocardial infarction (MI), coronary artery bypass (CABG), or stenting) were determined for all recipients. About 29.7% (266/895) of transplants were from donors with a KDPI ≥85%. By Cox regression older age, diabetes, female gender, and dialysis time >4 years correlated with shorter patient survival time. Diabetics with CAD who received a high KDPI donor kidney had a significantly increased risk of death (HR 4.33 (CI 1.82-10.30), P=.001) compared to low KDPI kidney recipients. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve for diabetic recipients of high KDPI kidneys was significantly worse if they had preexisting CAD (P<.001 by log-rank test). Patient survival using high KDPI donor kidneys may be improved by avoiding diabetic candidates with preexisting CAD. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Pedagogical Stances of High School ESL Teachers: "Huelgas" in High School ESL Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    del Carmen Salazar, Maria

    2010-01-01

    This article presents a qualitative case study of the pedagogical stances of high school English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, and the subsequent responses of resistance or conformity by their English Language Learners (ELLs). The participants include three high school ESL teachers and 60 high school ESL students of Mexican origin. Findings…

  13. Manga High: Literacy, Identity, and Coming of Age in an Urban High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bitz, Michael

    2009-01-01

    Based on a four-year study, "Manga High" explores the convergence of literacy, creativity, social development, and personal identity in one of New York City's largest high schools. Since 2004, students at Martin Luther King, Jr., High School in Manhattan have been creating manga--Japanese comic books. They write the stories, design the…

  14. In Situ Observation of Gypsum-Anhydrite Transition at High Pressure and High Temperature

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LIU Chuan-Jiang; ZHENG Hai-Fei

    2012-01-01

    An in-situ Raman spectroscopic study of gypsum-anhydrite transition under a saturated water condition at high pressure and high temperature is performed using a hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (HDAC).The experimental results show that gypsum dissolvs in water at ambient temperature and above 496 MPa.With increasing temperature,the anhydrite (CaSO4) phase precipitates at 250 320℃ in the pressure range of 1.0 1.5 GPa,indicating that under a saturated water condition,both stable conditions of pressure and temperature and high levels of Ca and SO4 ion concentrations in aqueous solution are essential for the formation of anhydrite.A linear relationship between the pressure and temperature for the precipitation of anhydrite is established as P(GPa) =0.0068T - 0.7126 (250℃≤T≤320℃).Anhydrite remained stable during rapid cooling of the sample chamber,showing that the gypsum-anhydrite transition involving both dissolution and precipitation processes is irreversible at high pressure and high temperature.%An in-situ Raman spectroscopic study of gypsum-anhydrite transition under a saturated water condition at high pressure and high temperature is performed using a hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (HDAC). The experimental results show that gypsum dissolvs in water at ambient temperature and above 496 Mpa. With increasing temperature, the anhydrite (CaSO4) phase precipitates at 250-320℃ in the pressure range of 1.0-1.5 Gpa, indicating that under a saturated water condition, both stable conditions of pressure and temperature and high levels of Ca and SO4 ion concentrations in aqueous solution are essential for the formation of anhydrite. A linear relationship between the pressure and temperature for the precipitation of anhydrite is established as P(Gpa) = 0.0068T - 0.7126 (250℃≤T≤320℃). Anhydrite remained stable during rapid cooling of the sample chamber, showing that the gypsum-anhydrite transition involving both dissolution and precipitation processes is

  15. Nb effect on Zr-alloy oxidation under high pressure steam at high temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Kwangheon; Yang, Sungwoo; Kim, Kyutae

    2005-01-01

    The high-pressure steam effects on the oxidation of Zircaloy-4 (Zry-4) and Zirlo (Zry-1%Nb) claddings at high temperature have been analyzed. Test temperature range was 700-900degC, and pressures were 1-150 bars. High pressure-steam enhances oxidation of Zry-4, and the dependency of enhancement looks exponential to steam pressure. The origin of the oxidation enhancement turned out to be the formation of cracks in oxide. The loss of tetragonal phase by high-pressure steam seems related to the crack formation. Addition of Nb as an alloying element to Zr alloy reduces significantly the steam pressure effects on oxidation. The higher compressive stresses and the smaller fraction of tetragonal oxides in Zry-1%Nb seem to be the diminished effect of high-pressure steam on oxidation. (author)

  16. The measurement for level of marine high-temperature and high-pressure vessels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Jie.

    1986-01-01

    The various error factors in measurement for level of marine high-temperature and high-pressure vessels are anslysed. The measuring method of error self compensation and its simplification for land use are shown

  17. Design practice and operational experience of highly irradiated, high-performance normal magnets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schultz, J.H.

    1982-09-01

    The limitations of high performance magnets are discussed in terms of mechanical, temperature, and electrical limits. The limitations of magnets that are highly irradiated by neutrons, gamma radiation, or x radiation are discussed

  18. Early College High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dessoff, Alan

    2011-01-01

    For at-risk students who stand little chance of going to college, or even finishing high school, a growing number of districts have found a solution: Give them an early start in college while they still are in high school. The early college high school (ECHS) movement that began with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 10 years ago…

  19. Design of high current bunching system and high power fast Faraday cup for high current LEBT at VECC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anuraag Misra, A.; Pandit, B.V.S.; Gautam Pal, C.

    2011-01-01

    A high current microwave ion source as described is currently operational at VECC. We are able to optimize 6.4 mA of proton current in the LEBT line of ion source. The cyclotron type of accelerators accept only a fraction of DC ion beam coming from ion source so a ion beam buncher is needed to increase the accepted current into the cyclotron. The buncher described in this paper is unique in its kind as it has to handle high beam loading power upto 400 W as it is designed to bunch few mA of proton beam currents at 80 keV beam energy. A sinusoidal quarter wave RF structure has been chosen to bunch the high current beam due to high Q achievable in comparison with other configurations. This buncher has been designed using CST Microwave studio 3D advanced code since the design frequency of our buncher is 42 MHz, we have provided the RF and vacuum window near the drift tube of buncher to avoid vacuum and multipacting problems and to keep maximum volume in air region. There is a provision of multipacting interlocks to shut off amplifier during multipacting. We have carried out a detailed electromagnetic and thermal design of the buncher in CST Microwave studio and simulated values of unloaded Q was calculated be 4000. We have estimated a power of 400 W to achieve gap (designed) voltage of 10 kV. This buncher is in advanced stage of fabrication. A high power fast Faraday cup is also designed to characterize the above mentioned high current bunching system. The fast Faraday cup is designed in 50 Ω coaxial geometry to transmit fast pulse of bunched ion beam. The design of Faraday cup was completed using ANSYS HFSS and a bandwidth of 1.75 GHz was achieved this faraday cup design was different from conventional Faraday cup design as we have designed the support and cooling lines at such a place on Faraday cup which do not disturb the electrical impedance of the cup. (author)

  20. Effects of High Mean Stress on High-cycle Fatigue Behavior of PWA 1480

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majumdar, S.; Antolovich, S. D.; Milligan, W. W.

    1985-01-01

    PWA 1480 is a potential candidate material for use in the high-pressure fuel turbine blade of the space shuttle main engine. As an engine material it will be subjected to high-cycle fatigue loading superimposed on a high mean stress due to combined centrifugal and thermal loadings. The present paper describes the results obtained in an ongoing program at the Argonne National Laboratory, sponsored by NASA Lewis, to determine the effects of a high mean stress on the high-cycle fatigue behavior of this material. Straight-gauge high-cycle fatigue specimens, 0.2 inch in diameter and with the specimen axis in the 001 direction, were supplied by NASA Lewis. The nominal room temperature yield and ultimate strength of the material were 146 and 154 ksi, respectively. Each specimen was polished with 1-micron diamond paste prior to testing. However, the surface of each specimen contained many pores, some of which were as large as 50 micron. In the initial tests, specimens were subjected to axial-strain-controlled cycles. However, very little cyclic plasticity was observed.

  1. Modelling of high-enthalpy, high-Mach number flows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Degrez, G; Lani, A; Panesi, M; Chazot, O; Deconinck, H

    2009-01-01

    A review is made of the computational models of high-enthalpy flows developed over the past few years at the von Karman Institute and Universite Libre de Bruxelles, for the modelling of high-enthalpy hypersonic (re-)entry flows. Both flows in local thermo-chemical equilibrium (LTE) and flows in thermo-chemical non-equilibrium (TCNEQ) are considered. First, the physico-chemical models are described, i.e. the set of conservation laws, the thermodynamics, transport phenomena and chemical kinetics models. Particular attention is given to the correct modelling of elemental (LTE flows) and species (chemical non-equilibrium-CNEQ-flows) transport. The numerical algorithm, based on a state-of-the-art finite volume discretization, is then briefly described. Finally, selected examples are included to illustrate the capabilities of the developed solver. (review article)

  2. Evaluation of the high-voltage high-frequency transformer insulating materials for satellites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurita, Hiroshi; Hasegawa, Taketoshi; Hirasawa, Eiichi; Gonai, Toshio; Ohsuga, Hiroyuki.

    1987-01-01

    Environment resistance evaluation was made of the insulating materials of impregnated injection type for high-voltage high-frequency transformers mounted in satellites. (1) The stress occurring in the impregnated injection type resin is small in silicon resin and urethane resin and large in epoxy resin. (2) The dielectric characteristic at high frequency is good in silicone resin. In epoxy resin, when the transformer is operated at high temperature, its thermal runaway may take place. (3) The radiation deterioration at 1 Mrad - 10 Mrad is slight in urethane resin. (4) The degassing is not good in silicone resin. (5) The adhesive power is good in urethane resin. (6) From the above results, in silicone resin there is problem in degassing and adhesive power. In epoxy resin there is problem in stress and dielectric characteristic. (Mori, K.)

  3. Re-Conceptualizing Extra Help for High School Students in a High Standards Era.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balfanz, Robert; McPartland, James; Shaw, Alta

    The push for higher academic standards has resulted in an increase in the numbers of high school students needing extra help. The need for extra help is most pervasive in high-poverty areas and most high school students need extra help not in traditional basic elementary skills but in reading, mathematics, and advanced reasoning skills. Most…

  4. GaN-based High Power High Frequency Wide Range LLC Resonant Converter, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — SET Group will design, build and demonstrate a Gallium Nitride (GaN) based High Power High Frequency Wide Range LLC Resonant Converter capable of handling high power...

  5. A high-temperature, high-pressure, silver-silver chloride reference electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    King, F.; Bailey, M.G.; Clarke, C.F.; Ikeda, B.M.; Litke, C.D.; Ryan, S.R.

    1989-05-01

    A high-temperature, high-pressure, silver-silver chloride reference electrode is described. This report is meant to serve as a user's guide to the experimentalist. Consequently, the design and construction of the electrode are dealt with in some detail. The problems that may be encountered, along with their possible causes and remedies, are also discussed. Conversion factors are given for both internal and external reference electrodes, so that measured potentials can be related to the standard hydrogen electrode scale

  6. Multidimensional high harmonic spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruner, Barry D; Soifer, Hadas; Shafir, Dror; Dudovich, Nirit; Serbinenko, Valeria; Smirnova, Olga

    2015-01-01

    High harmonic generation (HHG) has opened up a new frontier in ultrafast science where attosecond time resolution and Angstrom spatial resolution are accessible in a single measurement. However, reconstructing the dynamics under study is limited by the multiple degrees of freedom involved in strong field interactions. In this paper we describe a new class of measurement schemes for resolving attosecond dynamics, integrating perturbative nonlinear optics with strong-field physics. These approaches serve as a basis for multidimensional high harmonic spectroscopy. Specifically, we show that multidimensional high harmonic spectroscopy can measure tunnel ionization dynamics with high precision, and resolves the interference between multiple ionization channels. In addition, we show how multidimensional HHG can function as a type of lock-in amplifier measurement. Similar to multi-dimensional approaches in nonlinear optical spectroscopy that have resolved correlated femtosecond dynamics, multi-dimensional high harmonic spectroscopy reveals the underlying complex dynamics behind attosecond scale phenomena. (paper)

  7. Production of high-specific activity radionuclides using SM high-flux reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karelin, Ye.A.; Toporov, Yu.G.; Filimonov, V.T.; Vakhetov, F.Z.; Tarasov, V.A.; Kuznetsov, R.A.; Lebedev, V.M.; Andreev, O.I.; Melnik, M.I.; Gavrilov, V.D.

    1997-01-01

    The development of High Specific Activity (HSA) radionuclides production technologies is one of the directions of RIAR activity, and the high flux research reactor SM, having neutron flux density up to 2.10 15 cm -2 s 1 in a wide range of neutron spectra hardness, plays the principal role in this development. The use of a high-flux reactor for radionuclide production provides the following advantages: production of radionuclides with extremely high specific activity, decreasing of impurities content in irradiated targets (both radioactive and non-radioactive), cost-effective use of expensive isotopically enriched target materials. The production technologies of P-33, Gd-153, W-188, Ni-63, Fe-55,59, Sn-113,117m,119m, Sr- 89, applied in industry, nuclear medicine, research, etc, were developed by RIAR during the last 5-10 years. The research work included the development of calculation procedures for radionuclide reactor accumulation forecast, experimental determination of neutron cross-sections, the development of irradiated materials reprocessing procedures, isolation and purification of radionuclides. The principal results are reviewed in the paper. (authors)

  8. High Frequency High Spectral Resolution Focal Plane Arrays for AtLAST

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baryshev, Andrey

    2018-01-01

    Large collecting area single dish telescope such as ATLAST will be especially effective for medium (R 1000) and high (R 50000) spectral resolution observations. Large focal plane array is a natural solution to increase mapping speed. For medium resolution direct detectors with filter banks (KIDs) and or heterodyne technology can be employed. We will analyze performance limits of comparable KID and SIS focal plane array taking into account quantum limit and high background condition of terrestrial observing site. For large heterodyne focal plane arrays, a high current density AlN junctions open possibility of large instantaneous bandwidth >40%. This and possible multi frequency band FPSs presents a practical challenge for spatial sampling and scanning strategies. We will discuss phase array feeds as a possible solution, including a modular back-end system, which can be shared between KID and SIS based FPA. Finally we will discuss achievable sensitivities and pixel co unts for a high frequency (>500 GHz) FPAs and address main technical challenges: LO distribution, wire counts, bias line multiplexing, and monolithic vs. discrete mixer component integration.

  9. High Touch in a High-Tech World

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, Cindy L.

    2009-01-01

    In a world of high tech and low touch, it is easy for public relations programs to stray from tried-and-true interpersonal strategies long associated with solid communication planning. New technologies allow communications professionals to quickly send e-mails and telephone calls to selected groups. Social media sites provide users immediate…

  10. Highly Skilled Migrants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hvidt, Martin

    2016-01-01

    . It is pointed out that while the system facilitated speedy entry to the job market, the lack of inclusion in the Gulf economies of the migrants, the lack of long-term prospects of residing in the countries and the highly asymmetric power balance between sponsor and migrant, provides few incentives...... for the highly skilled migrants to fully contribute to the Gulf economies....

  11. Image Quality in High-resolution and High-cadence Solar Imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denker, C.; Dineva, E.; Balthasar, H.; Verma, M.; Kuckein, C.; Diercke, A.; González Manrique, S. J.

    2018-03-01

    Broad-band imaging and even imaging with a moderate bandpass (about 1 nm) provides a photon-rich environment, where frame selection (lucky imaging) becomes a helpful tool in image restoration, allowing us to perform a cost-benefit analysis on how to design observing sequences for imaging with high spatial resolution in combination with real-time correction provided by an adaptive optics (AO) system. This study presents high-cadence (160 Hz) G-band and blue continuum image sequences obtained with the High-resolution Fast Imager (HiFI) at the 1.5-meter GREGOR solar telescope, where the speckle-masking technique is used to restore images with nearly diffraction-limited resolution. The HiFI employs two synchronized large-format and high-cadence sCMOS detectors. The median filter gradient similarity (MFGS) image-quality metric is applied, among others, to AO-corrected image sequences of a pore and a small sunspot observed on 2017 June 4 and 5. A small region of interest, which was selected for fast-imaging performance, covered these contrast-rich features and their neighborhood, which were part of Active Region NOAA 12661. Modifications of the MFGS algorithm uncover the field- and structure-dependency of this image-quality metric. However, MFGS still remains a good choice for determining image quality without a priori knowledge, which is an important characteristic when classifying the huge number of high-resolution images contained in data archives. In addition, this investigation demonstrates that a fast cadence and millisecond exposure times are still insufficient to reach the coherence time of daytime seeing. Nonetheless, the analysis shows that data acquisition rates exceeding 50 Hz are required to capture a substantial fraction of the best seeing moments, significantly boosting the performance of post-facto image restoration.

  12. High-tech entrepreneurship

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bernasconi, Michel; Harris, Simon; Mønsted, Mette

    ; entrepreneurial finance; marketing technological innovations; and high-tech incubation management. Including case studies to give practical insights into genuine business examples, this comprehensive book has a distinctly 'real-world' focus throughout.Edited by a multi-national team, this comprehensive book......High-tech businesses form a crucial part of entrepreneurial activity - in some ways representing very typical examples of entrepreneurship, yet in some ways representing quite different challenges. The uncertainty in innovation and advanced technology makes it difficult to use conventional economic...... planning models, and also means that the management skills used in this area must be more responsive to issues of risk, uncertainty and evaluation than in conventional business opportunities. Whilst entrepreneurial courses do reflect the importance of high-tech businesses, they often lack the resources...

  13. High-Order Dielectric Metasurfaces for High-Efficiency Polarization Beam Splitters and Optical Vortex Generators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Zhongyi; Zhu, Lie; Guo, Kai; Shen, Fei; Yin, Zhiping

    2017-08-01

    In this paper, a high-order dielectric metasurface based on silicon nanobrick array is proposed and investigated. By controlling the length and width of the nanobricks, the metasurfaces could supply two different incremental transmission phases for the X-linear-polarized (XLP) and Y-linear-polarized (YLP) light with extremely high efficiency over 88%. Based on the designed metasurface, two polarization beam splitters working in high-order diffraction modes have been designed successfully, which demonstrated a high transmitted efficiency. In addition, we have also designed two vortex-beam generators working in high-order diffraction modes to create vortex beams with the topological charges of 2 and 3. The employment of dielectric metasurfaces operating in high-order diffraction modes could pave the way for a variety of new ultra-efficient optical devices.

  14. hdm: High-dimensional metrics

    OpenAIRE

    Chernozhukov, Victor; Hansen, Christian; Spindler, Martin

    2016-01-01

    In this article the package High-dimensional Metrics (\\texttt{hdm}) is introduced. It is a collection of statistical methods for estimation and quantification of uncertainty in high-dimensional approximately sparse models. It focuses on providing confidence intervals and significance testing for (possibly many) low-dimensional subcomponents of the high-dimensional parameter vector. Efficient estimators and uniformly valid confidence intervals for regression coefficients on target variables (e...

  15. High-Throughput Proteomics Using High Efficiency Multiple-Capillary Liquid Chromatography With On-Line High-Performance ESI FTICR Mass Spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shen, Yufeng (BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Tolic, Nikola (BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Zhao, Rui (ASSOC WESTERN UNIVERSITY); Pasa Tolic, Ljiljana (BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Li, Lingjun (Illinois Univ Of-Urbana/Champa); Berger, Scott J.(ASSOC WESTERN UNIVERSITY); Harkewicz, Richard (BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Anderson, Gordon A.(BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Belov, Mikhail E.(BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Smith, Richard D.(BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB))

    2000-12-01

    We report on the design and application of a high-efficiency multiple-capillary liquid chromatography (LC) system for high-throughput proteome analysis. The multiple-capillary LC system was operated at the pressure of 10,000 psi using commercial LC pumps to deliver the mobile phase and newly developed passive feedback valves to switch the mobile phase flow and introduce samples. The multiple-capillary LC system was composed of several serially connected dual-capillary column devices. The dual-capillary column approach was designed to eliminate the time delay for regeneration (or equilibrium) of the capillary column after its use under the mobile phase gradient condition (i.e. one capillary column was used in separation and the other was washed using mobile phase A). The serially connected dual-capillary columns and ESI sources were operated independently, and could be used for either''backup'' operation or with other mass spectrometer(s). This high-efficiency multiple-capillary LC system uses switching valves for all operations and is highly amenable to automation. The separations efficiency of dual-capillary column device, optimal capillary dimensions (column length and packed particle size), suitable mobile phases for electrospray, and the capillary re-generation were investigated. A high magnetic field (11.5 tesla) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer was coupled on-line with this high-efficiency multiple-capillary LC system through an electrospray ionization source. The capillary LC provided a peak capacity of {approx}600, and the 2-D capillary LC-FTICR provided a combined resolving power of > 6 x 10 7 polypeptide isotopic distributions. For yeast cellular tryptic digests, > 100,000 polypeptides were typically detected, and {approx}1,000 proteins can be characterized in a single run.

  16. Effects of high-order deformation on high-K isomers in superheavy nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, H. L.; Bertulani, C. A.; Xu, F. R.; Walker, P. M.

    2011-01-01

    Using, for the first time, configuration-constrained potential-energy-surface calculations with the inclusion of β 6 deformation, we find remarkable effects of the high-order deformation on the high-K isomers in 254 No, the focus of recent spectroscopy experiments on superheavy nuclei. For shapes with multipolarity six, the isomers are more tightly bound and, microscopically, have enhanced deformed shell gaps at N=152 and Z=100. The inclusion of β 6 deformation significantly improves the description of the very heavy high-K isomers.

  17. Rheological assessment of nanofluids at high pressure high temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanjirakat, Anoop; Sadr, Reza

    2013-11-01

    High pressure high temperature (HPHT) fluids are commonly encountered in industry, for example in cooling and/or lubrications applications. Nanofluids, engineered suspensions of nano-sized particles dispersed in a base fluid, have shown prospective as industrial cooling fluids due to their enhanced rheological and heat transfer properties. Nanofluids can be potentially utilized in oil industry for drilling fluids and for high pressure water jet cooling/lubrication in machining. In present work rheological characteristics of oil based nanofluids are investigated at HPHT condition. Nanofluids used in this study are prepared by dispersing commercially available SiO2 nanoparticles (~20 nm) in a mineral oil. The basefluid and nanofluids with two concentrations, namely 1%, and 2%, by volume, are considered in this investigation. The rheological characteristics of base fluid and the nanofluids are measured using an industrial HPHT viscometer. Viscosity values of the nanofluids are measured at pressures of 100 kPa to 42 MPa and temperatures ranging from 25°C to 140°C. The viscosity values of both nanofluids as well as basefluid are observed to have increased with the increase in pressure. Funded by Qatar National Research Fund (NPRP 08-574-2-239).

  18. New highly efficient piezoceramic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dantsiger, A.Ya.; Razumovskaya, O.N.; Reznichenko, L.A.; Grineva, L.D.; Devlikanova, R.U.; Dudkina, S.I.; Gavrilyachenko, S.V.; Dergunova, N.V.

    1993-01-01

    New high efficient piezoceramic materials with various combination of parameters inclusing high Curie point for high-temperature transducers using in atomic power engineering are worked. They can be used in systems for heated matters nondestructive testing, controllers for varied industrial power plants and other high-temperature equipment

  19. Performance Limiting Flow Processes in High-State Loading High-Mach Number Compressors

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Tan, Choon S

    2008-01-01

    In high-stage loading high-Mach number (HLM) compressors, counter-rotating pairs of discrete vortices are shed at the trailing edge of the upstream blade row at a frequency corresponding to the downstream rotor blade passing frequency...

  20. Treatment Protocol for High Velocity/High Energy Gunshot Injuries to the Face

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peled, Micha; Leiser, Yoav; Emodi, Omri; Krausz, Amir

    2011-01-01

    Major causes of facial combat injuries include blasts, high-velocity/high-energy missiles, and low-velocity missiles. High-velocity bullets fired from assault rifles encompass special ballistic properties, creating a transient cavitation space with a small entrance wound and a much larger exit wound. There is no dispute regarding the fact that primary emergency treatment of ballistic injuries to the face commences in accordance with the current advanced trauma life support (ATLS) recommendations; the main areas in which disputes do exist concern the question of the timing, sequence, and modes of surgical treatment. The aim of the present study is to present the treatment outcome of high-velocity/high-energy gunshot injuries to the face, using a protocol based on the experience of a single level I trauma center. A group of 23 injured combat soldiers who sustained bullet and shrapnel injuries to the maxillofacial region during a 3-week regional military conflict were evaluated in this study. Nine patients met the inclusion criteria (high-velocity/high-energy injuries) and were included in the study. According to our protocol, upon arrival patients underwent endotracheal intubation and were hemodynamically stabilized in the shock-trauma unit and underwent total-body computed tomography with 3-D reconstruction of the head and neck and computed tomography angiography. All patients underwent maxillofacial surgery upon the day of arrival according to the protocol we present. In view of our treatment outcomes, results, and low complication rates, we conclude that strict adherence to a well-founded and structured treatment protocol based on clinical experience is mandatory in providing efficient, appropriate, and successful treatment to a relatively large group of patients who sustain various degrees of maxillofacial injuries during a short period of time. PMID:23449809

  1. Applications of high and ultra high pressure homogenization for food safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca Patrignani

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Traditionally, the shelf-life and safety of foods have been achieved by thermal processing. Low temperature long time (LTLT and high temperature short time (HTST treatments are the most commonly used hurdles for the pasteurization of fluid foods and raw materials. However, the thermal treatments can reduce the product quality and freshness. Consequently, some non-thermal pasteurization process have been proposed during the last decades, including high hydrostatic pressure (HHP, pulsed electric field (PEF, ultrasound (US and high pressure homogenization (HPH. This last technique has been demonstrated to have a great potential to provide fresh-like products with prolonged shelf-life. Moreover, the recent developments in high-pressure-homogenization technology and the design of new homogenization valves able to withstand pressures up to 350-400 MPa have opened new opportunities to homogenization processing in the food industries and, consequently, permitted the development of new products differentiated from traditional ones by sensory and structural characteristics or functional properties. For this, this review deals with the principal mechanisms of action of high pressure homogenization against microorganisms of food concern in relation to the adopted homogenizer and process parameters. In addition, the effects of homogenization on foodborne pathogenic species inactivation in relation to the food matrix and food chemico-physical and process variables will be reviewed. Also the combined use of this alternative technology with other non-thermal technologies will be considered

  2. Research & Implementation of AC - DC Converter with High Power Factor & High Efficiency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsiou-Hsian Nien

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we design and develop a high power factor, high efficiency two-stage AC - DC power converter. This paper proposes a two-stage AC - DC power converter. The first stage is boost active power factor correction circuit. The latter stage is near constant frequency LLC resonant converter. In addition to traditional LLC high efficiency advantages, light-load conversion efficiency of this power converter can be improved. And it possesses high power factor and near constant frequency operating characteristics, can significantly reduce the electromagnetic interference. This paper first discusses the main structure and control manner of power factor correction circuit. And then by the LLC resonant converter equivalent model proceed to circuit analysis to determine the important parameters of the converter circuit elements. Then design a variable frequency resonant tank. The resonant frequency can change automatically on the basis of the load to reach near constant frequency operation and a purpose of high efficiency. Finally, actually design and produce an AC – DC power converter with output of 190W to verify the characteristics and feasibility of this converter. The experimental results show that in a very light load (9.5 W the efficiency is as high as 81%, the highest efficiency of 88% (90 W. Full load efficiency is 87%. At 19 W ~ 190 W power changes, the operating frequency change is only 0.4 kHz (AC 110 V and 0.3 kHz (AC 220 V.

  3. A novel power source for high-precision, highly efficient micro w-EDM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Shun-Tong; Chen, Chi-Hung

    2015-01-01

    The study presents the development of a novel power source for high-precision, highly efficient machining of micropart microstructures using micro wire electrical discharge machining (w-EDM). A novel power source based on a pluri resistance–capacitance (pRC) circuit that can generate a high-frequency, high-peak current with a short pulse train is proposed and designed to enhance the performance of micro w-EDM processes. Switching between transistors is precisely controlled in the designed power source to create a high-frequency short-pulse train current. Various microslot cutting tests in both aluminum and copper alloys are conducted. Experimental results demonstrate that the pRC power source creates instant spark erosion resulting in markedly less material for removal, diminishing discharge crater size, and consequently an improved surface finish. A new evaluation approach for spark erosion ability (SEA) to assess the merits of micro EDM power sources is also proposed. In addition to increasing the speed of micro w-EDM by increasing wire feed rates by 1.6 times the original feed rate, the power source is more appropriate for machining micropart microstructures since there is less thermal breaking. Satisfactory cutting of an elaborate miniature hook-shaped structure and a high-aspect ratio microstructure with a squared-pillar array also reveal that the developed pRC power source is effective, and should be very useful in the manufacture of intricate microparts. (paper)

  4. High-Power-Density, High-Energy-Density Fluorinated Graphene for Primary Lithium Batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guiming Zhong

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Li/CFx is one of the highest-energy-density primary batteries; however, poor rate capability hinders its practical applications in high-power devices. Here we report a preparation of fluorinated graphene (GFx with superior performance through a direct gas fluorination method. We find that the so-called “semi-ionic” C-F bond content in all C-F bonds presents a more critical impact on rate performance of the GFx in comparison with sp2 C content in the GFx, morphology, structure, and specific surface area of the materials. The rate capability remains excellent before the semi-ionic C-F bond proportion in the GFx decreases. Thus, by optimizing semi-ionic C-F content in our GFx, we obtain the optimal x of 0.8, with which the GF0.8 exhibits a very high energy density of 1,073 Wh kg−1 and an excellent power density of 21,460 W kg−1 at a high current density of 10 A g−1. More importantly, our approach opens a new avenue to obtain fluorinated carbon with high energy densities without compromising high power densities.

  5. High Performance Marine Vessels

    CERN Document Server

    Yun, Liang

    2012-01-01

    High Performance Marine Vessels (HPMVs) range from the Fast Ferries to the latest high speed Navy Craft, including competition power boats and hydroplanes, hydrofoils, hovercraft, catamarans and other multi-hull craft. High Performance Marine Vessels covers the main concepts of HPMVs and discusses historical background, design features, services that have been successful and not so successful, and some sample data of the range of HPMVs to date. Included is a comparison of all HPMVs craft and the differences between them and descriptions of performance (hydrodynamics and aerodynamics). Readers will find a comprehensive overview of the design, development and building of HPMVs. In summary, this book: Focuses on technology at the aero-marine interface Covers the full range of high performance marine vessel concepts Explains the historical development of various HPMVs Discusses ferries, racing and pleasure craft, as well as utility and military missions High Performance Marine Vessels is an ideal book for student...

  6. Stakeholder engagement in patient-centered outcomes research: high-touch or high-tech?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavallee, Danielle C; Wicks, Paul; Alfonso Cristancho, Rafael; Mullins, C Daniel

    2014-06-01

    Patient and stakeholder engagement enhances the meaningfulness of patient-centered outcomes research. Continuous engagement of diverse patients helps to achieve representativeness and to avoid tokenism, but is perceived as challenging due to resource and time constraints. The widespread availability of the internet, mobile phones, and electronic devices makes 'high-tech' solutions appealing, but such approaches may trade-off larger sample sizes for shallower engagement and/or skewed perspectives if most participants reflect users of technology. More traditional 'high-touch' solutions such as in-person interviews, focus groups, and town hall meetings can provide qualitative and sociological context and potentially more in-depth insights from small numbers of patients, but such approaches are also prone to selection bias as well. We compare and contrast high-tech and high-touch approaches to engaging stakeholders and suggest hybrid processes.

  7. Progress in high duty cycle, highly efficient fiber coupled 940-nm pump modules for high-energy class solid-state lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Platz, R.; Frevert, C.; Eppich, B.; Rieprich, J.; Ginolas, A.; Kreutzmann, S.; Knigge, S.; Erbert, G.; Crump, P.

    2018-03-01

    Diode lasers pump sources for future high-energy-class laser systems based on Yb-doped solid state amplifiers must deliver high optical intensities, high conversion efficiency (ηE = > 50%) at high repetition rates (f = 100 Hz) and long pulse widths (τ = 0.5…2 ms). Over the last decade, a series of pump modules has been developed at the Ferdinand-BraunInstitut to address these needs. The latest modules use novel wide-aperture single emitter diode lasers in passively side cooled stacks, operate at τ = 1 ms, f = 100…200 Hz and deliver 5…6 kW optical output power from a fiber with 1.9 mm core diameter and NA of 0.22, for spatial brightness BΩ > 1 MW/cm2 sr. The performance to date and latest developments in these high brightness modules are summarized here with recent work focusing on extending operation to other pumping conditions, as needed for alternative solid state laser designs. Specifically, the electro-optic, spectral and beam propagation characteristics of the module and its components are studied as a function of τ for a fixed duty cycle DC = 10% for τ = 1...100 ms, and first data is shown for continuous wave operation. Clear potential is seen to fulfill more demanding specifications without design changes. For example, high power long-pulse operation is demonstrated, with a power of > 5 kW at τ = 100 ms. Higher brightness operation is also confirmed at DC = 10% and τ = 1 ms, with > 5 kW delivered in a beam with BΩ > 4 MW/cm2 sr.

  8. High estradiol levels improve false memory rates and meta-memory in highly schizotypal women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodgetts, Sophie; Hausmann, Markus; Weis, Susanne

    2015-10-30

    Overconfidence in false memories is often found in patients with schizophrenia and healthy participants with high levels of schizotypy, indicating an impairment of meta-cognition within the memory domain. In general, cognitive control is suggested to be modulated by natural fluctuations in oestrogen. However, whether oestrogen exerts beneficial effects on meta-memory has not yet been investigated. The present study sought to provide evidence that high levels of schizotypy are associated with increased false memory rates and overconfidence in false memories, and that these processes may be modulated by natural differences in estradiol levels. Using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm, it was found that highly schizotypal participants with high estradiol produced significantly fewer false memories than those with low estradiol. No such difference was found within the low schizotypy participants. Highly schizotypal participants with high estradiol were also less confident in their false memories than those with low estradiol; low schizotypy participants with high estradiol were more confident. However, these differences only approached significance. These findings suggest that the beneficial effect of estradiol on memory and meta-memory observed in healthy participants is specific to highly schizotypal individuals and might be related to individual differences in baseline dopaminergic activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Ellagic acid attenuates high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panchal, Sunil K; Ward, Leigh; Brown, Lindsay

    2013-03-01

    Fruits and nuts may prevent or reverse common human health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension; together, these conditions are referred to as metabolic syndrome, an increasing problem. This study has investigated the responses to ellagic acid, present in many fruits and nuts, in a diet-induced rat model of metabolic syndrome. Eight- to nine-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into four groups for 16-week feeding with cornstarch diet (C), cornstarch diet supplemented with ellagic acid (CE), high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet (H) and high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet supplemented with ellagic acid (HE). CE and HE rats were given 0.8 g/kg ellagic acid in food from week 8 to 16 only. At the end of 16 weeks, cardiovascular, hepatic and metabolic parameters along with protein levels of Nrf2, NF-κB and CPT1 in the heart and the liver were characterised. High-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rats developed cardiovascular remodelling, impaired ventricular function, impaired glucose tolerance, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with increased protein levels of NF-κB and decreased protein levels of Nrf2 and CPT1 in the heart and the liver. Ellagic acid attenuated these diet-induced symptoms of metabolic syndrome with normalisation of protein levels of Nrf2, NF-κB and CPT1. Ellagic acid derived from nuts and fruits such as raspberries and pomegranates may provide a useful dietary supplement to decrease the characteristic changes in metabolism and in cardiac and hepatic structure and function induced by a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation.

  10. NEDO project reports. High performance industrial furnace development project - High temperature air combustion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-03-21

    For the purpose of reducing energy consumption, a NEDO project 'Developmental research on high efficiency industrial furnaces' was carried out from FY 1993 to FY 1999 by The Japan Industrial Furnaces Manufacturers Association, and the paper outlined the details of the project. Industrial furnaces handled in this R and D can bring 30% reduction of the energy consumption and approximately 50% NOx reduction, and were given the 9th Nikkei global environmental technology prize. In the study of combustion phenomena of high temperature air combustion, the paper arranged characteristics of flame, the base of gaseous fuel flame, the base of liquid fuel flame, the base of solid fuel flame, etc. Concerning high temperature air combustion models for simulation, fluid dynamics and heat transfer models, and reaction and NOx models, etc. As to impacts of high temperature air combustion on performance of industrial furnaces, energy conservation, lowering of pollution, etc. In relation to a guide for the design of high efficiency industrial furnaces, flow charts, conceptual design, evaluation method for heat balance and efficiency using charts, combustion control system, applicability of high efficiency industrial furnaces, etc. (NEDO)

  11. NEDO project reports. High performance industrial furnace development project - High temperature air combustion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-03-21

    For the purpose of reducing energy consumption, a NEDO project 'Developmental research on high efficiency industrial furnaces' was carried out from FY 1993 to FY 1999 by The Japan Industrial Furnaces Manufacturers Association, and the paper outlined the details of the project. Industrial furnaces handled in this R and D can bring 30% reduction of the energy consumption and approximately 50% NOx reduction, and were given the 9th Nikkei global environmental technology prize. In the study of combustion phenomena of high temperature air combustion, the paper arranged characteristics of flame, the base of gaseous fuel flame, the base of liquid fuel flame, the base of solid fuel flame, etc. Concerning high temperature air combustion models for simulation, fluid dynamics and heat transfer models, and reaction and NOx models, etc. As to impacts of high temperature air combustion on performance of industrial furnaces, energy conservation, lowering of pollution, etc. In relation to a guide for the design of high efficiency industrial furnaces, flow charts, conceptual design, evaluation method for heat balance and efficiency using charts, combustion control system, applicability of high efficiency industrial furnaces, etc. (NEDO)

  12. High-order harmonics from bow wave caustics driven by a high-intensity laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pirozhkov, A.S.; Kando, M.; Esirkepov, T.Zh.

    2012-01-01

    We propose a new mechanism of high-order harmonic generation during an interaction of a high-intensity laser pulse with underdense plasma. A tightly focused laser pulse creates a cavity in plasma pushing electrons aside and exciting the wake wave and the bow wave. At the joint of the cavity wall and the bow wave boundary, an annular spike of electron density is formed. This spike surrounds the cavity and moves together with the laser pulse. Collective motion of electrons in the spike driven by the laser field generates high-order harmonics. A strong localization of the electron spike, its robustness to oscillations imposed by the laser field and, consequently, its ability to produce high-order harmonics is explained by catastrophe theory. The proposed mechanism explains the experimental observations of high-order harmonics with the 9 TW J-KAREN laser (JAEA, Japan) and the 120 TW Astra Gemini laser (CLF RAL, UK) [A. S. Pirozhkov, et al., arXiv:1004.4514 (2010); A. S. Pirozhkov et al, AIP Proceedings, this volume]. The theory is corroborated by high-resolution two-and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations.

  13. Cadence® High High-Speed PCB Design Flow Workshop

    CERN Document Server

    2006-01-01

    Last release of Cadence High-Speed PCB Design methodology (PE142) based on Concept-HDL schematic editor, Constraint Manager, SPECCTRAQuest signal integrity analysis tool and ALLEGRO layout associated with SPECCTRA auto router tools, is now enough developed and stable to be taken into account for high-speed board designs at CERN. The implementation of this methodology, build around the new Constraint Manager program, is essential when you have to develop a board having a lot of high-speed design rules such as terminated lines, large bus structures, maximum length, timing, crosstalk etc.. that could not be under control by traditional method. On more conventional designs, formal aspect of the methodology could avoid misunderstanding between hardware and ALLEGRO layout designers, minimizing prototype iteration, development time and price. The capability to keep trace of the original digital designer intents in schematic or board layout, loading formal constraints in EDMS, could also be considered for LHC electro...

  14. The High Luminosity Challenge: potential and limitations of High Intensity High Brightness in the LHC and its injectors

    CERN Document Server

    De Maria, R; Banfi, D; Barranco, J; Bartosik, H; Benedetto, E; Bruce, R; Brüning, O; Calaga, R; Cerutti, F; Damerau, H; Esposito, L; Fartoukh, S; Fitterer, M; Garoby, R; Gilardoni, S; Giovannozzi, M; Goddard, B; Gorini, B; Hanke, K; Iadarola, G; Lamont, M; Meddahi, M; Métral, E; Mikulec, B; Mounet, N; Papaphilippou, Y; Pieloni, T; Redaelli, S; Rossi, L; Rumolo, G; Shaposhnikova, E; Sterbini, G; Todesco, E; Tomás, R; Zimmermann, F; Valishev, A

    2014-01-01

    High-intensity and high-brightness beams are key ingredients to maximize the LHC integrated luminosity and to exploit its full potential. This contribution describes the optimization of beam and machine parameters to maximize the integrated luminosity as seen by the LHC experiments, by taking into account the expected intensity and brightness reach of LHC itself and its injector chain as well as the capabilities of the detectors for next run and foreseen upgrade scenarios.

  15. Enhancing Plasma Surface Modification using high Intensity and high Power Ultrasonic Acoustic Waves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2010-01-01

    high intensity and high power acoustic waves (102) by at least one ultrasonic high intensity and high power acoustic wave generator (101 ), wherein the ultrasonic acoustic waves are directed to propagate towards said surface (314) of the object (100) so that a laminar boundary layer (313) of a gas...... or a mixture of gases (500) flow in contact with said solid object (100) is thinned or destructed for at least a part of said surface (314). In this way, the plasma can more efficiently access and influence the surface of the solid object to be treated by the plasma, which speeds the process time up...

  16. An explanation of the irreversibility behavior in the highly- anisotropic high-temperature superconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gray, K.E.; Kim, D.H.

    1991-01-01

    The wide temperature range of the reversible, lossy state of the new high-temperature superconductors in a magnetic field was recognized soon after their discovery. This behavior, which had gone virtually undetected in conventional superconductors, has generated considerable interest, both for a fundamental understanding of the HTS and because it degrades the performance of HTS for finite-field applications. We show that recently proposed explanation of this behavior for the highly-anisotropic high-temperature superconductors, as a dimensional crossover of the magnetic vortices, is strongly supported by recent experiments on a Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x single crystal using the high-Q mechanical oscillator techniques

  17. Unsupervised Learning Through Randomized Algorithms for High-Volume High-Velocity Data (ULTRA-HV).

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pinar, Ali [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Kolda, Tamara G. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Carlberg, Kevin Thomas [Wake Forest Univ., Winston-Salem, MA (United States); Ballard, Grey [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Mahoney, Michael [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Through long-term investments in computing, algorithms, facilities, and instrumentation, DOE is an established leader in massive-scale, high-fidelity simulations, as well as science-leading experimentation. In both cases, DOE is generating more data than it can analyze and the problem is intensifying quickly. The need for advanced algorithms that can automatically convert the abundance of data into a wealth of useful information by discovering hidden structures is well recognized. Such efforts however, are hindered by the massive volume of the data and its high velocity. Here, the challenge is developing unsupervised learning methods to discover hidden structure in high-volume, high-velocity data.

  18. Cosmological Evolution of the Central Engine in High-Luminosity, High-Accretion Rate AGN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matteo Guainazzi

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper I discuss the status of observational studies aiming at probing the cosmological evolution of the central engine in high-luminosity, high-accretion rate Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN. X-ray spectroscopic surveys, supported by extensive multi-wavelength coverage, indicate a remarkable invariance of the accretion disk plus corona system, and of their coupling up to redshifts z≈6. Furthermore, hard X-ray (E >10 keV surveys show that nearby Seyfert Galaxies share the same central engine notwithstanding their optical classication. These results suggest that the high-luminosity, high accretion rate quasar phase of AGN evolution is homogeneous over cosmological times.

  19. Liquid lithium target as a high intensity, high energy neutron source

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkin, Don M.; Dudey, Norman D.

    1976-01-01

    This invention provides a target jet for charged particles. In one embodiment the charged particles are high energy deuterons that bombard the target jet to produce high intensity, high energy neutrons. To this end, deuterons in a vacuum container bombard an endlessly circulating, free-falling, sheet-shaped, copiously flowing, liquid lithium jet that gushes by gravity from a rectangular cross-section vent on the inside of the container means to form a moving web in contact with the inside wall of the vacuum container. The neutrons are produced via break-up of the beam in the target by stripping, spallation and compound nuclear reactions in which the projectiles (deuterons) interact with the target (Li) to produce excited nuclei, which then "boil off" or evaporate a neutron.

  20. Liquid lithium target as a high intensity, high energy neutron source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parkin, D.M.; Dudey, N.D.

    1976-01-01

    The invention described provides a target jet for charged particles. In one embodiment the charged particles are high energy deuterons that bombard the target jet to produce high intensity, high energy neutrons. To this end, deuterons in a vacuum container bombard an endlessly circulating, free-falling, sheet-shaped, copiously flowing, liquid lithium jet that gushes by gravity from a rectangular cross-section vent on the inside of the container means to form a moving web in contact with the inside wall of the vacuum container. The neutrons are produced via break-up of the beam in the target by stripping, spallation and compound nuclear reactions in which the projectiles (deuterons) interact with the target (Li) to produce excited nuclei, which then ''boil off'' or evaporate a neutron

  1. ADX: a high field, high power density, advanced divertor and RF tokamak

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaBombard, B.; Marmar, E.; Irby, J.; Terry, J. L.; Vieira, R.; Wallace, G.; Whyte, D. G.; Wolfe, S.; Wukitch, S.; Baek, S.; Beck, W.; Bonoli, P.; Brunner, D.; Doody, J.; Ellis, R.; Ernst, D.; Fiore, C.; Freidberg, J. P.; Golfinopoulos, T.; Granetz, R.; Greenwald, M.; Hartwig, Z. S.; Hubbard, A.; Hughes, J. W.; Hutchinson, I. H.; Kessel, C.; Kotschenreuther, M.; Leccacorvi, R.; Lin, Y.; Lipschultz, B.; Mahajan, S.; Minervini, J.; Mumgaard, R.; Nygren, R.; Parker, R.; Poli, F.; Porkolab, M.; Reinke, M. L.; Rice, J.; Rognlien, T.; Rowan, W.; Shiraiwa, S.; Terry, D.; Theiler, C.; Titus, P.; Umansky, M.; Valanju, P.; Walk, J.; White, A.; Wilson, J. R.; Wright, G.; Zweben, S. J.

    2015-05-01

    The MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center and collaborators are proposing a high-performance Advanced Divertor and RF tokamak eXperiment (ADX)—a tokamak specifically designed to address critical gaps in the world fusion research programme on the pathway to next-step devices: fusion nuclear science facility (FNSF), fusion pilot plant (FPP) and/or demonstration power plant (DEMO). This high-field (⩾6.5 T, 1.5 MA), high power density facility (P/S ˜ 1.5 MW m-2) will test innovative divertor ideas, including an ‘X-point target divertor’ concept, at the required performance parameters—reactor-level boundary plasma pressures, magnetic field strengths and parallel heat flux densities entering into the divertor region—while simultaneously producing high-performance core plasma conditions that are prototypical of a reactor: equilibrated and strongly coupled electrons and ions, regimes with low or no torque, and no fuelling from external heating and current drive systems. Equally important, the experimental platform will test innovative concepts for lower hybrid current drive and ion cyclotron range of frequency actuators with the unprecedented ability to deploy launch structures both on the low-magnetic-field side and the high-magnetic-field side—the latter being a location where energetic plasma-material interactions can be controlled and favourable RF wave physics leads to efficient current drive, current profile control, heating and flow drive. This triple combination—advanced divertors, advanced RF actuators, reactor-prototypical core plasma conditions—will enable ADX to explore enhanced core confinement physics, such as made possible by reversed central shear, using only the types of external drive systems that are considered viable for a fusion power plant. Such an integrated demonstration of high-performance core-divertor operation with steady-state sustainment would pave the way towards an attractive pilot plant, as envisioned in the ARC concept

  2. A feasibility study of high-strength Bi-2223 conductor for high-field solenoids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godeke, A.; Abraimov, D. V.; Arroyo, E.; Barret, N.; Bird, M. D.; Francis, A.; Jaroszynski, J.; Kurteva, D. V.; Markiewicz, W. D.; Marks, E. L.; Marshall, W. S.; McRae, D. M.; Noyes, P. D.; Pereira, R. C. P.; Viouchkov, Y. L.; Walsh, R. P.; White, J. M.

    2017-03-01

    We performed a feasibility study on a high-strength Bi{}2-xPb x Sr2Ca2Cu3O{}10-x(Bi-2223) tape conductor for high-field solenoid applications. The investigated conductor, DI-BSCCO Type HT-XX, is a pre-production version of Type HT-NX, which has recently become available from Sumitomo Electric Industries. It is based on their DI-BSCCO Type H tape, but laminated with a high-strength Ni-alloy. We used stress-strain characterizations, single- and double-bend tests, easy- and hard-way bent coil-turns at various radii, straight and helical samples in up to 31.2 T background field, and small 20-turn coils in up to 17 T background field to systematically determine the electro-mechanical limits in magnet-relevant conditions. In longitudinal tensile tests at 77 K, we found critical stress- and strain-levels of 516 MPa and 0.57%, respectively. In three decidedly different experiments we detected an amplification of the allowable strain with a combination of pure bending and Lorentz loading to ≥slant 0.92 % (calculated elastically at the outer tape edge). This significant strain level, and the fact that it is multi-filamentary conductor and available in the reacted and insulated state, makes DI-BSCCO HT-NX highly suitable for very high-field solenoids, for which high current densities and therefore high loads are required to retain manageable magnet dimensions.

  3. Advances in high temperature chemistry

    CERN Document Server

    Eyring, Leroy

    1969-01-01

    Advances in High Temperature Chemistry, Volume 2 covers the advances in the knowledge of the high temperature behavior of materials and the complex and unfamiliar characteristics of matter at high temperature. The book discusses the dissociation energies and free energy functions of gaseous monoxides; the matrix-isolation technique applied to high temperature molecules; and the main features, the techniques for the production, detection, and diagnosis, and the applications of molecular beams in high temperatures. The text also describes the chemical research in streaming thermal plasmas, as w

  4. Hyperglycemia (High Blood Glucose)

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... and Learning About Prediabetes Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test Lower Your Risk Healthy Eating Overweight Smoking High Blood Pressure Physical Activity High Blood Glucose My Health ...

  5. High Performance Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Traian Oneţ

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the last studies and researches accomplished in Cluj-Napoca related to high performance concrete, high strength concrete and self compacting concrete. The purpose of this paper is to raid upon the advantages and inconveniences when a particular concrete type is used. Two concrete recipes are presented, namely for the concrete used in rigid pavement for roads and another one for self-compacting concrete.

  6. High-pressure tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coffin, D.O.

    1976-01-01

    Some solutions to problems of compressing and containing tritium gas to 200 MPa at 700 0 K are discussed. The principal emphasis is on commercial compressors and high-pressure equipment that can be easily modified by the researcher for safe use with tritium. Experience with metal bellows and diaphragm compressors has been favorable. Selection of materials, fittings, and gauges for high-pressure tritium work is also reviewed briefly

  7. Brain Food at High Altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Vishal

    2016-01-01

    Scenic view at high altitude is a pleasure to the eyes, but it has some shortcoming effects as well. High altitude can be divided into different categories, i.e., high altitude (3000-5000 ft), very high altitude (5000-8000 ft), and extreme altitude (above 8000 ft). Much of the population resides at high altitude, and others go there for tourism. Military personnel are also posted there to defend boundaries. As we ascent to high altitude, partial pressure of oxygen reduces, whereas concentration remains the same; this reduces the availability of oxygen to different body parts. This pathophysiological condition is known as hypobaric hypoxia (HH) which leads to oxidative stress and further causes cognitive dysfunction in some cases. Hypoxia causes neurodegeneration in different brain regions; however, the hippocampus is found to be more prone in comparison to other brain regions. As the hippocampus is affected most, therefore, spatial memory is impaired most during such condition. This chapter will give a brief review of the damaging effect of high altitude on cognition and also throw light on possible herbal interventions at high altitude, which can improve cognitive performance as well as provide protection against the deteriorating effect of hypobaric hypoxia at high altitude.

  8. Biopolymer-nanocarbon composite electrodes for use as high-energy high-power density electrodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karakaya, Mehmet; Roberts, Mark; Arcilla-Velez, Margarita; Zhu, Jingyi; Podila, Ramakrishna; Rao, Apparao

    2014-03-01

    Supercapacitors (SCs) address our current energy storage and delivery needs by combining the high power, rapid switching, and exceptional cycle life of a capacitor with the high energy density of a battery. Although activated carbon is extensively used as a supercapacitor electrode due to its inexpensive nature, its low specific capacitance (100-120 F/g) fundamentally limits the energy density of SCs. We demonstrate that a nano-carbon based mechanically robust, electrically conducting, free-standing buckypaper electrode modified with an inexpensive biorenewable polymer, viz., lignin increases the electrode's specific capacitance (~ 600-700 F/g) while maintaining rapid discharge rates. In these systems, the carbon nanomaterials provide the high surface area, electrical conductivity and porosity, while the redox polymers provide a mechanism for charge storage through Faradaic charge transfer. The design of redox polymers and their incorporation into nanomaterial electrodes will be discussed with a focus on enabling high power and high energy density electrodes. Research supported by US NSF CMMI Grant 1246800.

  9. High Resolution, High-Speed Photography, an Increasingly Prominent Diagnostic in Ballistic Research Experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaw, L.; Muelder, S.

    1999-01-01

    High resolution, high-speed photography is becoming a prominent diagnostic in ballistic experimentation. The development of high speed cameras utilizing electro-optics and the use of lasers for illumination now provide the capability to routinely obtain high quality photographic records of ballistic style experiments. The purpose of this presentation is to review in a visual manner the progress of this technology and how it has impacted ballistic experimentation. Within the framework of development at LLNL, we look at the recent history of large format high-speed photography, and present a number of photographic records that represent the state of the art at the time they were made. These records are primarily from experiments involving shaped charges. We also present some examples of current photographic technology, developed within the ballistic community, that has application to hydro diagnostic experimentation at large. This paper is designed primarily as an oral-visual presentation. This written portion is to provide general background, a few examples, and a bibliography

  10. High-Speed 3D Printing of High-Performance Thermosetting Polymers via Two-Stage Curing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuang, Xiao; Zhao, Zeang; Chen, Kaijuan; Fang, Daining; Kang, Guozheng; Qi, Hang Jerry

    2018-04-01

    Design and direct fabrication of high-performance thermosets and composites via 3D printing are highly desirable in engineering applications. Most 3D printed thermosetting polymers to date suffer from poor mechanical properties and low printing speed. Here, a novel ink for high-speed 3D printing of high-performance epoxy thermosets via a two-stage curing approach is presented. The ink containing photocurable resin and thermally curable epoxy resin is used for the digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing. After printing, the part is thermally cured at elevated temperature to yield an interpenetrating polymer network epoxy composite, whose mechanical properties are comparable to engineering epoxy. The printing speed is accelerated by the continuous liquid interface production assisted DLP 3D printing method, achieving a printing speed as high as 216 mm h -1 . It is also demonstrated that 3D printing structural electronics can be achieved by combining the 3D printed epoxy composites with infilled silver ink in the hollow channels. The new 3D printing method via two-stage curing combines the attributes of outstanding printing speed, high resolution, low volume shrinkage, and excellent mechanical properties, and provides a new avenue to fabricate 3D thermosetting composites with excellent mechanical properties and high efficiency toward high-performance and functional applications. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Highly efficient red electrophosphorescent devices at high current densities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Youzhi; Zhu Wenqing; Zheng Xinyou; Sun, Runguang; Jiang Xueyin; Zhang Zhilin; Xu Shaohong

    2007-01-01

    Efficiency decrease at high current densities in red electrophosphorescent devices is drastically restrained compared with that from conventional electrophosphorescent devices by using bis(2-methyl-8-quinolinato)4-phenylphenolate aluminum (BAlq) as a hole and exciton blocker. Ir complex, bis(2-(2'-benzo[4,5-α]thienyl) pyridinato-N,C 3' ) iridium (acetyl-acetonate) is used as an emitter, maximum external quantum efficiency (QE) of 7.0% and luminance of 10000cd/m 2 are obtained. The QE is still as high as 4.1% at higher current density J=100mA/cm 2 . CIE-1931 co-ordinates are 0.672, 0.321. A carrier trapping mechanism is revealed to dominate in the process of electroluminescence

  12. High and medium high energy lines in France. The SATURNE case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milleret, G.

    1994-01-01

    Located in the Paris area, the SATURNE accelerator produces high energy charged particles: protons, deuterons, helium 3, helium 4, neutrons. The beams, with very flexible characteristics (linear energy transfer, flexible environment, dimension and intensity) for simulation of cosmic particles or high energy accelerator environments, allow for testing various individual or complete components. The various commercial offers and prices are presented. 5 fig., 2 ref

  13. Inelastic X-ray scattering experiments at extreme conditions: high temperatures and high pressures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.Hosokawa

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available In this article, we review the present status of experimental techniques under extreme conditions of high temperature and high pressure used for inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS experiments of liquid metals, semiconductors, molten salts, molecular liquids, and supercritical water and methanol. For high temperature experiments, some types of single-crystal sapphire cells were designed depending on the temperature of interest and the sample thickness for the X-ray transmission. Single-crystal diamond X-ray windows attached to the externally heated high-pressure vessel were used for the IXS experiment of supercritical water and methanol. Some typical experimental results are also given, and the perspective of IXS technique under extreme conditions is discussed.

  14. High Speed and High Spatial Density Parameter Measurement Using Fiber Optic Sensing Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Allen R. Jr. (Inventor); Chan, Hon Man (Inventor); Richards, William Lance (Inventor); Piazza, Anthony (Inventor); Hamory, Philip J (Inventor)

    2017-01-01

    The present invention is an improved fiber optic sensing system (FOSS) having the ability to provide both high spatial resolution and high frequency strain measurements. The inventive hybrid FOSS fiber combines sensors from high acquisition speed and low spatial resolution Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (WDM) systems and from low acquisition speed and high spatial resolution Optical Frequency Domain Reflection (OFDR) systems. Two unique light sources utilizing different wavelengths are coupled with the hybrid FOSS fiber to generate reflected data from both the WDM sensors and OFDR sensors operating on a single fiber optic cable without incurring interference from one another. The two data sets are then de-multiplexed for analysis, optionally with conventionally-available WDM and OFDR system analyzers.

  15. High-beta linac structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schriber, S.O.

    1979-01-01

    Accelerating structures for high-beta linacs that have been and are in use are reviewed in terms of their performance. Particular emphasis is given to room-temperature structures and the disk-and-washer structure. The disk-and-washer structure has many attractive features that are discussed for pulsed high-gradient linacs, for 100% duty-cycle medium-gradient linacs and for high-current linacs requiring maximal amounts of stored energy in the electric fields available to the beam

  16. Hyperglycemia (High Blood Glucose)

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... and Learning About Prediabetes Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test Lower Your Risk Healthy Eating Overweight Smoking High Blood Pressure Physical Activity High Blood Glucose My Health Advisor Tools ...

  17. High Efficiency Heat Exchanger for High Temperature and High Pressure Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sienicki, James J. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Nuclear Engineering Division; Lv, Qiuping [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Nuclear Engineering Division; Moisseytsev, Anton [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Nuclear Engineering Division

    2017-09-29

    CompRex, LLC (CompRex) specializes in the design and manufacture of compact heat exchangers and heat exchange reactors for high temperature and high pressure applications. CompRex’s proprietary compact technology not only increases heat exchange efficiency by at least 25 % but also reduces footprint by at least a factor of ten compared to traditional shell-and-tube solutions of the same capacity and by 15 to 20 % compared to other currently available Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) solutions. As a result, CompRex’s solution is especially suitable for Brayton cycle supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) systems given its high efficiency and significantly lower capital and operating expenses. CompRex has already successfully demonstrated its technology and ability to deliver with a pilot-scale compact heat exchanger that was under contract by the Naval Nuclear Laboratory for sCO2 power cycle development. The performance tested unit met or exceeded the thermal and hydraulic specifications with measured heat transfer between 95 to 98 % of maximum heat transfer and temperature and pressure drop values all consistent with the modeled values. CompRex’s vision is to commercialize its compact technology and become the leading provider for compact heat exchangers and heat exchange reactors for various applications including Brayton cycle sCO2 systems. One of the limitations of the sCO2 Brayton power cycle is the design and manufacturing of efficient heat exchangers at extreme operating conditions. Current diffusion-bonded heat exchangers have limitations on the channel size through which the fluid travels, resulting in excessive solid material per heat exchanger volume. CompRex’s design allows for more open area and shorter fluid proximity for increased heat transfer efficiency while sustaining the structural integrity needed for the application. CompRex is developing a novel improvement to its current heat exchanger design where fluids are directed to alternating

  18. ASD-1000: High-resolution, high-temperature acetylene spectroscopic databank

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyulin, O. M.; Perevalov, V. I.

    2017-11-01

    We present a high-resolution, high-temperature version of the Acetylene Spectroscopic Databank called ASD-1000. The databank contains the line parameters (position, intensity, Einstein coefficient for spontaneous emission, term value of the lower states, self- and air-broadening coefficients, temperature dependence exponents of the self- and air-broadening coefficients) of the principal isotopologue of C2H2. The reference temperature for line intensity is 296 K and the intensity cutoff is 10-27 cm-1/(molecule cm-2) at 1000 K. The databank has 33,890,981 entries and covers the 3-10,000 cm-1 spectral range. The databank is based on the global modeling of the line positions and intensities performed within the framework of the method of effective operators. The parameters of the effective Hamiltonian and the effective dipole moment operator have been fitted to the observed values of the line positions and intensities collected from the literature. The broadening coefficients as well as their temperature dependence exponents were calculated using the empirical equations. The databank is useful for studying high-temperature radiative properties of C2H2. ASD-1000 is freely accessible via the Internet site of V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics SB RAS ftp://ftp.iao.ru/pub/ASD1000/.

  19. High Channel Count, High Density Microphone Arrays for Wind Tunnel Environments, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Interdisciplinary Consulting Corporation (IC2) proposes the development of high channel count, high density, reduced cost per channel, directional microphone...

  20. Assessing the High Temperature, High Pressure Subsurface for Anaerobic Methane Oxidation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, R. L.; Bartlett, D.; Byrnes, A. W.; Walsh, K. M.; Lau, C. Y. M.; Onstott, T. C.

    2017-12-01

    The anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is an important sink in the global methane (CH4) budget. ANMEs are known to oxidize CH4 either independently or in consortia with bacteria, coupling the reduction of electron acceptors such as, SO42-, NO2-, NO3-, Mn4+, or Fe3+. To further constrain the contribution of AOM to the global CH4 budget, it is important to assess unexplored environments where AOM is thermodynamically possible such as the high pressure, high temperature deep biosphere. Provided plausible electron acceptor availability, increased temperature and pCH4 yield favorable Gibbs free energies for AOM reactions and the production of ATP (Fig. 1). To date, only sulfate-dependent AOM metabolism has been documented under high temperature conditions (50-72˚C), and AOM has not been assessed above 10.1 MPa. Given that ANMEs share close phylogenetic and metabolic heritage with methanogens and that the most heat-tolerant microorganism known is a barophilic methanogen, there possibly exist thermophilic ANMEs. Here we describe preliminary results from high pressure, high temperature stable isotope tracer incubation experiments on deep biosphere samples. Deep sub-seafloor sediments collected by IODP 370 from the Nankai Trough (257 - 865 m below seafloor) and deep fracture fluid from South Africa (1339 m below land surface) were incubated anaerobically in hydrostatic pressure vessels at 40 MPa in simulated in situ temperatures (40˚ - 80˚C). Sediments and fracture fluid were incubated in sulfate-free artificial seawater, a 2:98 13CH4:N2 headspace, and treated with one of the potential electron acceptors listed above in addition to kill and endogenous activity (i.e. no added electron acceptor) controls. Stable isotope analysis of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) suggests that AOM occurred within 60 days of incubation for all investigated electron acceptors and temperatures except 50˚C. Sulfate-dependent AOM rates are consistent with those previously reported in the