WorldWideScience

Sample records for high qe hpds

  1. To QE or Not to QE? The Japanese Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radu Lupu

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper studies the effect of a series of quantitative easing initiatives belonging to the Bank of Japan on Central and Eastern European sovereign CDSs. Using daily data for the 2005 – 2013 period and considering 23 announcements of QE initiatives we build an econometric event study approach in order to compute and investigate the abnormal returns induced by these announcements. The results indicate a strong effect of the Japanese QE policies on the CEE sovereign Credit Default Swaps.

  2. High-QE fast-readout wavefront sensor with analog phase reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Jeffrey T.; Loos, Gary C.; Restaino, Sergio R.; Percheron, Isabelle; Finkner, Lyle G.

    1998-09-01

    The contradiction inherent in high temporal bandwidth adaptive optics wavefront sensing at low-light-levels (LLL) has driven many researchers to consider the use of high bandwidth high quantum efficiency (QE) CCD cameras with the lowest possible readout noise levels. Unfortunately, the performance of these relatively expensive and low production volume devices in the photon counting regime is inevitably limited by readout noise, no matter how arbitrarily close to zero that specification may be reduced. Our alternative approach is to optically couple a new and relatively inexpensive Ultra Blue Gen III image intensifier to an also relatively inexpensive high bandwidth CCD camera with only moderate QE and high rad noise. The result is a high bandwidth broad spectral response image intensifier with a gain of 55,000 at 560 nm. Use of an appropriately selected lenslet array together with coupling optics generates 16 X 16 Shack-Hartmann type subapertures on the image intensifier photocathode, which is imaged onto the fast CCD camera. An integral A/D converter in the camera sends the image data pixel by pixel to a computer data acquisition system for analysis, storage and display. Timing signals are used to decode which pixel is being rad out and the wavefront is calculated in an analog fashion using a least square fit to both x and y tilt data for all wavefront sensor subapertures. Finally, we present system level performance comparisons of these new concept wavefront sensors versus the more standard low noise CCD camera based designs in the low-light-level limit.

  3. The LHCb RICH PMTs Readout Electronics and the Monitoring of the HPDs Quantum Efficiency

    CERN Document Server

    Villa, Marco; Matteuzzi, Clara; D'Ambrosio, Carmelo; Pessina, Gianluigi

    2007-01-01

    LHCb is one of the four main experiments under construction on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Its purpose is to study CP violation in B mesons and to look for new physics effects in rare decays of b-hadrons. Particle identification will be essential to enhance the signal/background ratio in the selection of physics channels. For this reason, the Ring Imaging Cherenkov technique has been implemented: two RICH detectors (RICH1 and RICH2) have been designed to cover the wide momentum range 1-150 GeV/c. The produced Cherenkov photons will be focused on two planes of Hybrid PhotoDetectors (HPDs), which are sensitive to external magnetic fields and then need to be shielded. Despite the shielding, however, there will be some fringe field inside the HPDs volume and so it is necessary to experimentally check what is the behaviour of each photodetector when the LHCb dipole magnet is on and the HPDs are illuminated by test patterns. In RICH2, two LED projectors based on the Digital Light Processing technology are ex...

  4. QE data for Pb/Nb deposited photo cathode samples

    CERN Document Server

    Sekutowicz, J

    2010-01-01

    This report outlines progress in the development of photo-cathodes for a hybrid lead/niobium (Pb/Nb) superconducting SRF electron injector. We have coated eight Nb samples with lead to study and determine deposition conditions leading to high quality emitting area. The results show that the oxide layer significantly influences the quantum efficiency (QE) of all measured cathodes. In addition, we learned that although the laser cleaning enhanced the QE substantially, the film morphology was strongly modified. That observation convinced us to make the coatings thicker and therefore more robust.

  5. QE::GUI – A Graphical User Interface for Quality Estimation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Avramidis Eleftherios

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Despite its wide applicability, Quality Estimation (QE of Machine Translation (MT poses a difficult entry barrier since there are no open source tools with a graphical user interface (GUI. Here we present a tool in this direction by connecting the back-end of the QE decision-making mechanism with a web-based GUI. The interface allows the user to post requests to the QE engine and get a visual response with the results. Additionally we provide pre-trained QE models for easier launching of the app. The tool is written in Python so that it can leverage the rich natural language processing capabilities of the popular dynamic programming language, which is at the same time supported by top web-server environments.

  6. VUV Testing of Science Cameras at MSFC: QE Measurement of the CLASP Flight Cameras

    Science.gov (United States)

    Champey, Patrick R.; Kobayashi, Ken; Winebarger, A.; Cirtain, J.; Hyde, D.; Robertson, B.; Beabout, B.; Beabout, D.; Stewart, M.

    2015-01-01

    The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed a science camera suitable for sub-orbital missions for observations in the UV, EUV and soft X-ray. Six cameras were built and tested for the Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP), a joint National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) and MSFC sounding rocket mission. The CLASP camera design includes a frame-transfer e2v CCD57-10 512x512 detector, dual channel analog readout electronics and an internally mounted cold block. At the flight operating temperature of -20 C, the CLASP cameras achieved the low-noise performance requirements (less than or equal to 25 e- read noise and greater than or equal to 10 e-/sec/pix dark current), in addition to maintaining a stable gain of approximately equal to 2.0 e-/DN. The e2v CCD57-10 detectors were coated with Lumogen-E to improve quantum efficiency (QE) at the Lyman- wavelength. A vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) monochromator and a NIST calibrated photodiode were employed to measure the QE of each camera. Four flight-like cameras were tested in a high-vacuum chamber, which was configured to operate several tests intended to verify the QE, gain, read noise, dark current and residual non-linearity of the CCD. We present and discuss the QE measurements performed on the CLASP cameras. We also discuss the high-vacuum system outfitted for testing of UV and EUV science cameras at MSFC.

  7. A novel current mode operating beam counter based on not preamplified HPDs

    CERN Document Server

    Fujiwara, M.C.

    2002-01-01

    A novel system to monitor the intensity and the stability of a bunched beam of $\\simeq 1.2\\times 10^{7}$ antiprotons ($\\bar{p}$s) with a length of $\\simeq$ 250 ns (FWHM) and to measure its trapping efficiency in a Penning trap is described. This system operates parasitically detecting the pions from the annihilation of part of the beam in a degrader. Six plastic scintillators have been coupled from one side to six proximity focused HPDs without preamplifiers and operating in current mode. This device works in the stray field of the ATHENA magnet with no loss of efficiency; the gain can be varied from zero to a few thousands with a precision better than 0.1% and the dynamic range is larger than 8 orders of magnitude. Linearity and stability have been measured up to charge responses of 100 nC, corresponding to the beam completely dumped. The beam counter has been calibrated in two different and independent ways giving consistent results.

  8. Effective diffusion volume flow rates (Qe) for urea, creatinine, and inorganic phosphorous (Qeu, Qecr, QeiP) during hemodialysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gotch, Frank A; Panlilio, Froilan; Sergeyeva, Olga; Rosales, Laura; Folden, Tom; Kaysen, George; Levin, Nathan

    2003-01-01

    In vivo solute clearances can be estimated from dialyzer blood (Qb) and dialysate (Qd) flow rates and a solute- and dialyzer-specific overall permeability membrane area product (KoA). However, these calculations require knowledge of the flow rate of the effective solute distribution volume in the flowing bloodstream (Qe) in order to calculate in vivo clearances and KoAs. We have determined Qe for urea, creatinine, and inorganic phosphorus from changes in concentrations across the blood compartment and mass balance between the blood and dialysate streams. We made four serial measurements over one dialysis in 23 patients and found that Qeu equals the total blood water flow rate, Qecr equals the plasma water flow rate plus 61% of red cell water flow rate, and QeiP is limited to the plasma water flow rate. Equations are derived to calculate Qe for each of these solutes from Qb and hematocrit and in vivo KoAs for each solute were calculated.

  9. The assurance as a result of blood chemical analysis by ISO-GUM and QE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iwaki, Y., E-mail: yasuo.iwaki@nifty.ne.j

    2010-07-01

    The Quality Assurance (QA) of measurand has been discussed over many years by Quality Engineering (QE). It is need to more discuss about ISO standard. It is mining to find out root fault element for improvement of measured accuracy, and it remove. The accuracy assurance needs to investigate the Reference Material (RM) for calibration and an improvement accuracy of data processing. This research follows the accuracy improvement in field of data processing by how to improve of accuracy. As for the fault element relevant to measurement accuracy, in many cases, two or more element is buried exist. The QE is to assume the generating frequency of fault state, and it is solving from higher ranks for fault factor first by 'Failure Mode and Effects Analysis' (FMEA). Then QE investigate the root cause over the fault element by 'Root Cause Analysis (RCA)' and 'Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)' and calculate order to the generating element of assume specific fault. These days comes, the accuracy assurance of measurement result became duty in the Professional Test (PT). ISO standard was legislated by ISO-GUM (Guide of express Uncertainty in Measurement) as guidance of an accuracy assurance in 1993 [1] for QA. Analysis method of ISO-GUM is changed into Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) from Analysis of Valiance (ANOVA). EDA calculate one by one until an assurance performance is obtained according to 'Law of the propagation of uncertainty'. If the truth value was unknown, ISO-GUM is changed into reference value. A reference value set up by the EDA and it does check with a Key Comparison (KC) method. KC is comparing between null hypothesis and frequency hypothesis. It performs operation of assurance by ISO-GUM in order of standard uncertainty, the combined uncertainty of many fault elements and an expansion uncertain for assurance. An assurance value is authorized by multiplying the final expansion uncertainty [2] by K of coverage factor. K-value is

  10. How to Finance our Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs: Socioecological Quantitative Easing (QE as a Parallel Currency to Make the World a Better Place

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefan Brunnhuber

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper tries to find an answer to the question of how to finance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs that the world has just decided to implement. I argue that besides the existing wealth of proposals, mainly along the lines of better governance and co-financing strategies, we need a complementary approach: parallel Quantitative Easing (QE for SDGs only. Reverse pricing effects, drying out shadow economies and the impact of such a QE-SDG on the current liquidity trap and the debt trap are explained.

  11. Cloning of pCDNA3-IgG4 and pQE-2-IgG4 human hinge region ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    GREGORY

    2011-12-16

    Dec 16, 2011 ... diseases and in allergy-related immunoassays, thus, anti-hIgG4 antibody is of interest in the development of ... pQE-2-. IgG4 will be used for protein expression in M15 prokaryotic .... Solution conformation of wild-type and ...

  12. Spectroscopic, scanning laser OBIC, and I-V/QE characterizations of browned EVA solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pern, F.J. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); Eisgruber, I.L. [Materials Research Group, Inc., Wheat Ridge, CO (United States); Micheels, R.H. [Polestar Technologies, Inc., Needham Hts, MA (United States)

    1996-05-01

    The effects of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) discoloration due to accelerated field or laboratory exposure on the encapsulated silicon (Si) solar cells or EVA/glass laminates were characterized quantitatively by using non-invasive, non-destructive ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry, spectrocolorimetry, spectrofluorometry, scanning laser OBIC (optical beam induced current) spectroscopy, and current-voltage (I-V) and quantum efficiency (QE) measurements. The results show that the yellowness index (YI) measured directly over the AR-coated solar cells under the glass superstrate increased from the range of -80 to -90 to the range of -20 to 15 as the EVA changed from clear to brown. The ratio of two fluorescence emission peak areas generally increased from 1.45 to 5.69 as browning increased, but dropped to 4.21 on a darker EVA. For a solar cell with brown EVA in the central region, small-area grating QE measurements and scanning laser OBIC analysis between the brown and clear EVA regions showed that the quantum efficiency loss at 633 nm was 42%-48% of the loss at 488 nm, due to a reduced decrease of transmittance in browned EVA at the longer wavelengths. The portion of the solar cell under the browned EVA showed a decrease of {approximately}36% in efficiency, as compared to the cell efficiency under clear EVA. Transmittance loss at 633 nm was 38% of the loss at 488 nm for a light yellow-brown EVA/glass laminate that showed a small increase of 10 in the yellowness index.

  13. The impact of dynamic data assimilation on the numerical simulations of the QE II cyclone and an analysis of the jet streak influencing the precyclogenetic environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manobianco, John; Uccellini, Louis W.; Brill, Keith F.; Kuo, Ying-Hwa

    1992-01-01

    A mesoscale numerical model is combined with a dynamic data assimilation via Newtonian relaxation, or 'nudging', to provide initial conditions for subsequent simulations of the QE II cyclone. Both the nudging technique and the inclusion of supplementary data are shown to have a large positive impact on the simulation of the QE II cyclone during the initial phase of rapid cyclone development. Within the initial development period (from 1200 to 1800 UTC 9 September 1978), the dynamic assimilation of operational and bogus data yields a coherent two-layer divergence pattern that is not well defined in the model run using only the operational data and static initialization. Diagnostic analysis based on the simulations show that the initial development of the QE II storm between 0000 UTC 9 September and 0000 UTC 10 September was embedded within an indirect circulation of an intense 300-hPa jet streak, was related to baroclinic processes extending throughout a deep portion of the troposphere, and was associated with a classic two-layer mass-divergence profile expected for an extratropical cyclone.

  14. Assessing the environmental impact of colliery tailings according to the Qe index: Cinera Matallana coalfield (Eastern Sector), Leon. Evaluacion del impacto ambiental de los depositos de esteril en la mineria del carbon segun el indice Qe: cuenca de Cinera-Matallana (sector Oriental), Leon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Redondo Vega, J.M. (Univ. Leon, Leon (Spain). Dep. Geogr.)

    1988-01-01

    The general aim of this study is to assess a particular mining area, namely the eastern sector of the Cinera Matallana coalfield, according to the nature of its spoil tips and by applying the Qe index of assessment. The article attempts to find a method by which it will be possible to rearrange the land in the vicinity of coalfields.

  15. RICH High Voltages & PDF Analysis @ LHCb

    CERN Multimedia

    Fanchini, E

    2009-01-01

    In the LHCb experiment an important issue is the identification of the hadrons of the final states of the B mesons decays. Two RICH subdetectors are devoted to this task, and the Hybrid Photon Detectors (HPDs) are the photodetectors used to detect Cherenkov light. In this poster there is a description of how the very high voltage (-18 KV) supply stability used to power the HPDs is monitored. It is also presented the basics of a study which can be done with the first collision data: the analysis of the dimuons from the Drell-Yan process. This process is well known and the acceptance of the LHCb detector in terms of pseudorapidity will be very useful to improve the knowledge of the proton structure functions or, alternatively, try to estimate the luminosity from it.

  16. IMEKO TC1-TC7 Symposium in London: The assurance as a result of blood chemical analysis by ISO-GUM and QE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwaki, Y.

    2010-07-01

    The Quality Assurance (QA) of measurand has been discussed over many years by Quality Engineering (QE). It is need to more discuss about ISO standard. It is mining to find out root fault element for improvement of measured accuracy, and it remove. The accuracy assurance needs to investigate the Reference Material (RM) for calibration and an improvement accuracy of data processing. This research follows the accuracy improvement in field of data processing by how to improve of accuracy. As for the fault element relevant to measurement accuracy, in many cases, two or more element is buried exist. The QE is to assume the generating frequency of fault state, and it is solving from higher ranks for fault factor first by "Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)". Then QE investigate the root cause over the fault element by "Root Cause Analysis (RCA)" and "Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)" and calculate order to the generating element of assume specific fault. These days comes, the accuracy assurance of measurement result became duty in the Professional Test (PT). ISO standard was legislated by ISO-GUM (Guide of express Uncertainty in Measurement) as guidance of an accuracy assurance in 1993 [1] for QA. Analysis method of ISO-GUM is changed into Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) from Analysis of Valiance (ANOVA). EDA calculate one by one until an assurance performance is obtained according to "Law of the propagation of uncertainty". If the truth value was unknown, ISO-GUM is changed into reference value. A reference value set up by the EDA and it does check with a Key Comparison (KC) method. KC is comparing between null hypothesis and frequency hypothesis. It performs operation of assurance by ISO-GUM in order of standard uncertainty, the combined uncertainty of many fault elements and an expansion uncertain for assurance. An assurance value is authorized by multiplying the final expansion uncertainty [2] by K of coverage factor. K-value is calculated from the Effective Free

  17. Effects of Active and Passive Hearing Protection Devices on Sound Source Localization, Speech Recognition, and Tone Detection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew D Brown

    Full Text Available Hearing protection devices (HPDs such as earplugs offer to mitigate noise exposure and reduce the incidence of hearing loss among persons frequently exposed to intense sound. However, distortions of spatial acoustic information and reduced audibility of low-intensity sounds caused by many existing HPDs can make their use untenable in high-risk (e.g., military or law enforcement environments where auditory situational awareness is imperative. Here we assessed (1 sound source localization accuracy using a head-turning paradigm, (2 speech-in-noise recognition using a modified version of the QuickSIN test, and (3 tone detection thresholds using a two-alternative forced-choice task. Subjects were 10 young normal-hearing males. Four different HPDs were tested (two active, two passive, including two new and previously untested devices. Relative to unoccluded (control performance, all tested HPDs significantly degraded performance across tasks, although one active HPD slightly improved high-frequency tone detection thresholds and did not degrade speech recognition. Behavioral data were examined with respect to head-related transfer functions measured using a binaural manikin with and without tested HPDs in place. Data reinforce previous reports that HPDs significantly compromise a variety of auditory perceptual facilities, particularly sound localization due to distortions of high-frequency spectral cues that are important for the avoidance of front-back confusions.

  18. Hearing in young adults. Part I: The effects of attitudes and beliefs toward noise, hearing loss, and hearing protector devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hannah Keppler

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available There is great concern regarding the development of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL in youth caused by high sound levels during various leisure activities. Health-orientated behavior of young adults might be linked to the beliefs and attitudes toward noise, hearing loss, and hearing protector devices (HPDs. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of attitudes and beliefs toward noise, hearing loss, and HPDs on young adults′ hearing status. A questionnaire and an audiological test battery were completed by 163 subjects (aged 18-30 years. The questionnaire contained the Youth Attitude to Noise Scale (YANS and Beliefs about Hearing Protection and Hearing Loss (BAHPHL. A more positive attitude or belief represented an attitude where noise or hearing loss is seen as unproblematic and attitudes and beliefs regarding HPDs is worse. Hearing was evaluated using (high frequency pure tone audiometry (PTA, transient evoked and distortion product otoacoustic emissions. First, mean differences in hearing between the groups with different attitudes and beliefs were evaluated using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA. Second, a χ2 test was used to examine the usage of HPDs by the different groups with different attitudes and beliefs. Young adults with a positive attitude had significantly more deteriorated hearing and used HPDs less than the other subjects. Hearing conservation programs (HCPs for young adults should provide information and knowledge regarding noise, hearing loss, and HPDs. Barriers wearing HPDs should especially be discussed. Further, those campaigns should focus on self-experienced hearing related symptoms that might serve as triggers for attitudinal and behavioral changes.

  19. The Impact of Hearing Protection Devices (HPDs on Blood Pressure in Workers Exposed to Noise: A Cross-sectional Study in a Textile Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jafar Akbari

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Many studies have reported that exposure to workplace noise leads to increase in blood pressure. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hearing protection devices (HPDs including ear plug and ear muff on the systolic and diastolic blood pressures of workers exposed to workplace noise in a textile industry. A total of 120 male workers that exposed to 95 dB noise were investigated in this study. The systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the workers were measured for three situations of earplug, earmuff and earplug along earmuff applications. Data analyses were conducted through SPSS software (version 20 and statistical tests of ANOVA and Independent Sample Tests. The comparison of mean blood pressure in three situations showed that using ear muff had a significant effect on the systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the workers. Furthermore, the use of ear plug only had an effect on the systolic blood pressure. But, the application of ear muff caused to decrease in the systolic and diastolic blood pressures only in the third stage of the study. With regard to the results in this study, in order to control the blood pressure changes of the workers, it is recommended to use ear muff in the textile industry.

  20. 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

  1. Measurement of the $M_A^{QE}$ parameter using multiple quasi-elastic dominated sub-samples in the minos near detector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mayer, Nathan Samuel [Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States)

    2011-12-05

    The Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search (MINOS) is a two detector, long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. The MINOS near detector is an ironscintillator tracking/sampling calorimeter and has recorded the world’s largest data set of neutrino interactions in the 0-5 GeV region. This high statistics data set is used to make precision measurements of neutrino interaction cross-sections on iron. The Q2 dependence in charged current quasi-elastic (CCQE) scattering probes the axial and vector structure (form factor) of the nucleon/nuclear target, and nuclear effects in neutrino scattering. Presented here is a study of the MINOS Data that will introduce a method that improves the existing MINOS CCQE analysis. This analysis uses an additional CCQE dominated sub-sample from a different kinematic region to reduce correlations between fit parameters in the existing MINOS CCQE analysis. The measured value of the axial-vector mass is MQE A = 1.312+0.037 -0.038(fit)+0.123 -0.265(syst.) GeV.

  2. High Throughput, High Yield Fabrication of High Quantum Efficiency Back-Illuminated Photon Counting, Far UV, UV, and Visible Detector Arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikzad, Shouleh; Hoenk, M. E.; Carver, A. G.; Jones, T. J.; Greer, F.; Hamden, E.; Goodsall, T.

    2013-01-01

    In this paper we discuss the high throughput end-to-end post fabrication processing of high performance delta-doped and superlattice-doped silicon imagers for UV, visible, and NIR applications. As an example, we present our results on far ultraviolet and ultraviolet quantum efficiency (QE) in a photon counting, detector array. We have improved the QE by nearly an order of magnitude over microchannel plates (MCPs) that are the state-of-the-art UV detectors for many NASA space missions as well as defense applications. These achievements are made possible by precision interface band engineering of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD).

  3. Feasibility of a novel design of high resolution parallax-free Compton enhanced PET scanner dedicated to brain research

    CERN Document Server

    Braem, André; Chesi, Enrico Guido; Correia, J G; Garibaldi, F; Joram, C; Mathot, S; Nappi, E; Ribeiro da Silva, M; Schoenahl, F; Séguinot, Jacques; Weilhammer, P; Zaidi, H

    2004-01-01

    A novel concept for a positron emission tomography (PET) camera module is proposed, which provides full 3D reconstruction with high resolution over the total detector volume, free of parallax errors. The key components are a matrix of long scintillator crystals and hybrid photon detectors (HPDs) with matched segmentation and integrated readout electronics. The HPDs read out the two ends of the scintillator package. Both excellent spatial (x, y, z) and energy resolution are obtained. The concept allows enhancing the detection efficiency by reconstructing a significant fraction of events which underwent Compton scattering in the crystals. The proof of concept will first be demonstrated with yttrium orthoaluminate perovskite (YAP):Ce crystals, but the final design will rely on other scintillators more adequate for PET applications (e.g. LSO:Ce or LaBr /sub 3/:Ce). A promising application of the proposed camera module, which is currently under development, is a high resolution 3D brain PET camera with an axial fi...

  4. High-brightness electron beam evolution following laser-based cleaning of a photocathode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Zhou

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Laser-based techniques have been widely used for cleaning metal photocathodes to increase quantum efficiency (QE. However, the impact of laser cleaning on cathode uniformity and thereby on electron beam quality are less understood. We are evaluating whether this technique can be applied to revive photocathodes used for high-brightness electron sources in advanced x-ray free-electron laser (FEL facilities, such as the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The laser-based cleaning was applied to two separate areas of the current LCLS photocathode on July 4 and July 26, 2011, respectively. The QE was increased by 8–10 times upon the laser cleaning. Since the cleaning, routine operation has exhibited a slow evolution of the QE improvement and comparatively rapid improvement of transverse emittance, with a factor of 3 QE enhancement over five months, and a significant emittance improvement over the initial 2–3 weeks following the cleaning. Currently, the QE of the LCLS photocathode is holding constant at about 1.2×10^{-4}, with a normalized injector emittance of about 0.3  μm for a 150-pC bunch charge. With the proper procedures, the laser-cleaning technique appears to be a viable tool to revive the LCLS photocathode. We present observations and analyses for the QE and emittance evolution in time following the laser-based cleaning of the LCLS photocathode, and comparison to the previous studies, the measured thermal emittance versus the QE and comparison to the theoretical model.

  5. Photodynamic toxicity of hematoporphyrin derivatives to human keratinocytes in culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kappus, H; Reinhold, C; Artuc, M

    Human keratinocytes in culture were able to take up hematoporphyrin derivatives (HPDs) used during photodynamic chemotherapy of tumors. In the absence of light, HPDs showed no cytotoxic effects to keratinocytes. However, after irradiation with visible light, HPDs induced immediate cytotoxicity as measured by the neutral red uptake assay. On the other hand, cell attachment as measured by protein estimation was not affected. When the cells treated with HPDs and irradiated with light were cultured for a further 72 h, they partially lost their ability to attach to the collagen surface. Most of the cells remaining attached after 72 h were no longer viable following treatment with HPDs and light. All parameters measured depended on the intracellular concentration of HPDs used (7-50 ng/10(5) cells) and the time of irradiation (0-30 min). These results suggest that human keratinocytes are a good model to study cytotoxic effects of photodynamically active drugs. Further, keratinocytes were unable to recover after damage caused by HPDs and light.

  6. Hearing protection use in manufacturing workers: A qualitative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravi K Reddy

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Occupational noise is a significant contributor to disabling hearing loss worldwide. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL has resulted in huge human and economic consequences costing New Zealand approximately $53M annually and rising. A high proportion of hearing loss claims are made by workers in the manufacturing sector. Hearing protection devices (HPDs are used together with engineering and administrative controls to minimize noise exposure and to prevent hearing loss. Unfortunately, inconsistent and improper use of HPDs has hindered efforts to prevent NIHL. The purpose of this study was to understand the factors that influence the use of HPDs amongst a group of manufacturing workers in New Zealand. A purposive sample of twenty-five workers was recruited to take part in semi-structured interviews. The open-ended questions were aimed at exploring the participants′ knowledge, attitude, beliefs, and behavior towards noise and HPDs. The data were analyzed using conventional content analysis and key themes emerged in relation to HPD use. Themes that emerged from the interviews either supported good hearing protection behavior or acted as barriers against it. Five major themes, (perception of noise, hearing preservation, reluctance to use HPDs, workplace interaction, and value of hearing and sub-themes described various factors that influence hearing protection use. Both personal and environmental factors influence the use of HPDs. Based on this study, personal and environmental factors need to be targeted for further research using ecological models to develop interventions that promote HPD use amongst workers.

  7. Achieving excellent thermal stability and very high activation energy in an ultrafine-grained magnesium silver rare earth alloy prepared by friction stir processing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khan MD, F. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India); Panigrahi, S.K., E-mail: skpanigrahi@iitm.ac.in [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India)

    2016-10-15

    Ultrafine-grained microstructure of a QE22 alloy prepared by Friction Stir processing (FSP) is isochronally annealed to study the thermal stability and grain growth kinetics. The FSPed microstructure of QE22 alloy is thermally stable under ultrafine-grained regime up to 300 °C and the activation energy required for grain growth is found to be exceptionally high as compared to conventional ultrafine-grained magnesium alloys. The high thermal stability and activation energy of the FSPed QE22 alloy is due to Zener pinning effect from thermally stable eutectic Mg{sub 12}Nd and fine precipitates Mg{sub 12}Nd{sub 2}Ag and solute drag effect from segregation of Neodymium (Nd) solute atoms at grain boundaries.

  8. Technology to Establish a Factory for High QE Alkali Antimonide Photocathodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schultheiss, Thomas [Advanced Energy Systems, Inc., Medford, NY (United States)

    2015-11-16

    Intense electron beams are key to a large number of scientific endeavors, including electron cooling of hadron beams, electron-positron colliders, secondary-particle beams such as photons and positrons, sub-picosecond ultrafast electron diffraction (UED), and new high gradient accelerators that use electron-driven plasmas. The last decade has seen a considerable interest in pursuit and realization of novel light sources such as Free Electron Lasers [1] and Energy Recovery Linacs [2] that promise to deliver unprecedented quality x-ray beams. Many applications for high-intensity electron beams have arisen in recent years in high-energy physics, nuclear physics and energy sciences, such as recent designs for an electron-hadron collider at CERN (LHeC) [3], and beam coolers for hadron beams at LHC and eRHIC [4,5]. Photoinjectors are used at the majority of high-brightness electron linacs today, due to their efficiency, timing structure flexibility and ability to produce high power, high brightness beams. The performance of light source machines is strongly related to the brightness of the electron beam used for generating the x-rays. The brightness of the electron beam itself is mainly limited by the physical processes by which electrons are generated. For laser based photoemission sources this limit is ultimately related to the properties of photocathodes [6]. Most facilities are required to expend significant manpower and money to achieve a workable, albeit often non-ideal, compromise photocathode solution. If entirely fabricated in-house, the photocathode growth process itself is laborious and not always reproducible: it involves the human element while requiring close adherence to recipes and extremely strict control of deposition parameters. Lack of growth reliability and as a consequence, slow adoption of viable photoemitter types, can be partly attributed to the absence of any centralized facility or commercial entity to routinely provide high peak current

  9. Exposure to hazardous workplace noise and use of hearing protection devices among US workers--NHANES, 1999-2004.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tak, Sangwoo; Davis, Rickie R; Calvert, Geoffrey M

    2009-05-01

    To estimate the prevalence of workplace noise exposure and use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) at noisy work, NIOSH analyzed 1999-2004 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A total of 9,275 currently employed workers aged > or =16 years were included in the weighted analysis. Hazardous workplace noise exposure was defined as self-reported exposure to noise at their current job that was so loud that the respondent had to speak in a raised voice to be heard. Industry and occupation were determined based on the respondent's current place and type of work. Twenty-two million US workers (17%) reported exposure to hazardous workplace noise. The weighted prevalence of workplace noise exposure was highest for mining (76%, SE = 7.0) followed by lumber/wood product manufacturing (55%, SE = 2.5). High-risk occupations included repair and maintenance, motor vehicle operators, and construction trades. Overall, 34% of the estimated 22 million US workers reporting hazardous workplace exposure reported non-use of HPDs. The proportion of noise-exposed workers who reported non-use of HPDs was highest for healthcare and social services (73.7%, SE = 8.1), followed by educational services (55.5%). Hearing loss prevention and intervention programs should be targeted at those industries and occupations identified to have a high prevalence of workplace noise exposure and those industries with the highest proportion of noise-exposed workers who reported non-use of HPDs. Published 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  10. High Quantum Efficiency 1024x1024 Longwave Infrared SLS FPA and Camera, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — We propose a high quantum efficiency (QE) 1024x1024 longwave infrared focal plane array (LWIR FPA) and CAMERA with ~ 12 micron cutoff wavelength made from...

  11. Development of high quantum efficiency, flat panel, thick detectors for megavoltage x-ray imaging: An experimental study of a single-pixel prototype

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mei, X.; Pang, G.

    2005-01-01

    Our overall goal is to develop a new generation of electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) with a quantum efficiency (QE) more than an order of magnitude higher and a spatial resolution equivalent to that of EPIDs currently used for portal imaging. A novel design of such a high QE flat-panel based EPID was introduced recently and its feasibility was investigated theoretically [see Pang and Rowlands, Med. Phys. 31, 3004 (2004)]. In this work, we constructed a prototype single-pixel detector based on the novel design. Some fundamental imaging properties including the QE, spatial resolution, and sensitivity of the prototype detector were measured with a 6 MV beam. It has been shown that the experimental results agree well with theoretical predictions and further development based on the novel design including the construction of a prototype area detector is warranted

  12. HADRON CALORIMETER (HCAL)

    CERN Multimedia

    A. Skuja

    The highlight of HCAL operations during the last three months was the CRAFT run. In addition to understanding better the overall HCAL detector operations, we also measured the HPD (Hybrid Photo Detector) response in a magnetic field. In particular, at fields of 0.5T to 3.0T the HPDs exhibit large discharge pulses. Such behaviour is not observed above 3.5T. We determined that about 8 HPDs were not suitable for magnetic field operation in HB and HE. For HO it was found that all HPDs were OK in Ring 0 but an additional 20 (or so) HPDs were marginal for Rings 1 and Rings 2. In addition, the HV of the HPDs for Rings 1 and Rings 2 had to be lowered to 6.5KV (from 8KV) for stable operation. DPG and CRAFT During CRAFT the HCAL DPG focused on developing and testing the tools needed for fast data validation and run certification, and for full integration of all configurations needed to initialize zero suppression (ZS), LUT, etc., .using central run Keys. The display of alarms to HCAL shifters was expanded to inc...

  13. Residue-and-polymer-free graphene transfer: DNA-CTMA/graphene/GaN bio-hybrid photodiode for light-sensitive applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, M. Siva Pratap; Park, Herie; Lee, Jung-Hee

    2018-02-01

    In this work, we present a residue-and-polymer-free graphene transfer method by using the adhesive force between graphene and a target substrate, the hydrophobic property of graphene, and the surface tension of the solutions. We used an n-type GaN substrate as the target substrate to make a photodiode (PD). Recently, the inclusion of biomolecules in photodetection technology has attracted considerable attention in the electronics and photonics research, particularly due to the rapid evolution of organic-inorganic bio-hybrid PDs (Bio-HPDs). This report presents a significant photoresponse of the bioinspired graphene-based PD fabricated with deoxyribonucleic acid-cetyltrimetylammonium chloride (DNA-CTMA) biomolecules on the n-type GaN substrate. Bio-HPDs respond to the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet wavelengths. Moreover, the Bio-HPDs show photosensitivities (Iphoto/Idark) of 21, 143, and 1194 for infrared, visible, and ultraviolet wavebands, respectively, which can be attributed to the integration of high-mobility graphene and photosensitive DNA-CTMA biomolecules. In addition, the corresponding charge transfer mechanisms in the PDs are explained by energy band diagrams.

  14. HADRON CALORIMETER (HCAL)

    CERN Multimedia

    J. Spalding.

    Following the shutdown activities (see previous Bulletin), the HCAL detectors were commissioned with extensive global and cosmic running. All of the 2592, 2592, and 1728 channels of HB, HE and HF, respectively, are operational. The campaign for replacing those HPDs that showed increased noise level or other anomalies in CRAFT08 was completed during last spring. So far none of the HPDs in HB and HE have shown any sign of deterioration of noise level. Only one HO HPD in one of the outer wheels (YB-1), where problems with noise discharge in magnetic field were expected, started discharging a few months ago, and its high voltage was turned off. Two other HPDs in HO YB-1 had the HV turned off due to over-current. The total number of non-functional HO channels is 83, seven of which located in YB0. Similarly ZDC is fully functional. CASTOR was installed in June, and initial commissioning carried out with the magnetic field and with first circulating beam. On the jet trigger side, we observe perfec...

  15. HADRON CALORIMETER (HCAL)

    CERN Multimedia

    A. Skuja

    Central Calorimeter (HB/HE/HO) Photodetectors The main activity of the HCAL group during the present shutdown is the replacement of a small fraction of the Central Calorimeter (HB/HE/HO) photodetectors -- the Hybrid Photo-Detectors (HPDs). During the MTCC of 2006 it was established that all HPDs exhibit a low rate of discharge generating large random pulses. This behaviour persists at the full CMS field. However, at relatively low fields (0.5 Tesla) this discharge rate increases dramatically and becomes very large for a fraction of the HPDs. The HO HPDs which sit in the gap of the return yoke are thus adversly affected. These discharge pulses have been labelled "HPD noise" (which must be distinguished from low level electronic noise which manifests itself as pedestal noise for all HPD readout channels). Additional intermediate level noise can be generated by ion-feedback arising from thermal and field emission electrons. Ion feedback noise never exceeds the equivalent of few 10s of GeV, the...

  16. MDEP Generic Common Position No DICWG-05. Common position on the treatment of hardware description language (HDL) programmed devices for use in nuclear safety systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    Following other industries, the nuclear industry developed increasing interest in the use of programmable logic components that are implemented using hardware description language (HDL) such as such as FPGAs, CPLDs or ASICs. HDL programmed devices (HPD) has both characteristics of software and hardware. Therefore applications using HPDs has many similarities with the traditional software (in particular the design may be affected by errors) and characteristics of traditional electronic design (e.g. electronic-level timing and electrical issues). However, due to the unique nature of HPDs, there exist several differences between HPDs and traditional software. Some key differences include: - HPDs use parallel processing with dedicated hardware for each function instead of executing instructions sequentially as in the case of traditional software. - Safety critical software uses imperative languages which specify each instruction of the program whereas HPDs use declarative languages. - The target of software is a microprocessor, which guarantees properties such as memory consistency after each instruction. Such properties are not inherent in HPDs and thus the design process needs different steps to build and guarantee behavioural properties. - Translation of the HDL description to bit-streams in HPDs is much more involved than the translation of source code to binary in software compilation. In the HPD case, this process is not fully automatic, and therefore designer must guide the tools, which may result in undetectable errors. The Digital Instrumentation and Controls Working Group (DICWG) has agreed that a common position on this topic is warranted given the increase of use of Digital I and C in new reactor designs, its safety implications, and the need to develop a common understanding from the perspectives of regulatory authorities. This action follows the DICWG examination of the regulatory requirements of the participating members and of relevant industry

  17. Towards an Active Hearing Protection Device for Musicians =

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernier, Antoine

    Professional musicians are oftentimes exposed to high levels of sound. Prolonged or severe exposure to high sound levels could lead to permanent hearing loss and compromise their career. The logical solution would be to wear hearing protection devices (HPDs) when appropriate. However, perceptual discomfort associated with wearing HPD can discourage their use by musicians. The perceptual discomfort is caused by two detrimental effects: the occlusion effect and the isolation effect. The occlusion effect is often reported as an augmented, unnatural and annoying perception of one's own voice or instrument mechanically coupled to the head when wearing HPDs. The isolation effect is the unnatural sensation of being isolated from a given sound environment and can be caused by wearing HPDs that do not compensate for psychoacoustical factors and therefore alter the wearer's auditory perception. Both effects are highly unfavorable to the musicians' auditory perception and compromise their capacity to perform to the best of their abilities for their audience. They are among the reasons most often reported by musicians to decide not to wear HPDs. This master's project presents the concept and first prototype of an active HPD for musicians that aims at solving the detrimental effects while protecting the musician's hearing. A solution for the occlusion effect is presented in the form of an earplug complemented with in-ear active noise control. Practical design issues and required trade-off are analyzed through a literature review and the implementation and characterization of an active occlusion effect reduction system, allowing reduction of the occlusion effect between 8.5 and 12 dB at 250 Hz. A solution for the isolation effect is presented in the form of an earplug complemented with digital signal processing capabilities. Factors that may cause the isolation effect are identified through a literature review and corresponding algorithms that aim at re-establishing the

  18. Studies on acute toxic effects to keratinocytes induced by hematoporphyrin derivatives and laser light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Artuc, M; Ramshad, M; Kappus, H

    1989-01-01

    Human epidermal keratinocytes were grown in culture and the uptake of hematoporphyrin derivatives (HPDs) used in photodynamic therapy was estimated. Keratinocytes loaded with HPDs were irradiated with laser light of 632 nm generated by a helium-neon laser and cell toxicity was determined by the trypan blue exclusion test and the measurement of enzyme release. With increasing intracellular concentration of HPDs and with increasing intensity of the laser light, an increasing number of cells took up trypan blue and released the cytosolic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase and the lysosomal enzyme acid phosphatase after 1 h incubation of the irradiated cells at 37 degrees C. Cytotoxicity was less pronounced when the irradiated cells were incubated at 0 degree C indicating the involvement of enzyme reactions in cell death. No lipid peroxidation as measured by malondialdehyde and ethane formation was detectable. Our results suggest that during photodynamic therapy with HPDs and laser light epidermal keratinocytes may be seriously damaged. The data indicate that not lipid peroxidation but rather the activation of lysosomal enzymes is responsible for the cytotoxicity observed.

  19. Measurement of the Photoelectron Detection Efficiency of the HPD Anode

    CERN Document Server

    Carson, L; Soler, P

    2009-01-01

    This paper reports on measurements carried out on the Hybrid Photon Detectors (HPDs) of the LHCb RICH detectors. The purpose of these tests is to determine the photoelectron detection efficiency $\\eta$ of the HPD anode. Knowledge of $\\eta$ is required for an accurate simulation of the RICH detectors. It is found that this efficiency is $(93.3\\pm0.7)\\%$ for a 50 ns digital readout window, and $(87.9\\pm1.4)\\%$ for a 25 ns digital readout window. The 25 ns result exceeds the LHCb-RICH requirement of 85\\%, and is in agreement both with direct $\\eta$ measurements using preseries HPDs, and with indirect measurements from testbeams using preseries and production HPDs.

  20. Color-Tunable and High-Efficiency Dye-Encapsulated Metal-Organic Framework Composites Used for Smart White-Light-Emitting Diodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wenwei; Zhuang, Yixi; Wang, Le; Lv, Ying; Liu, Jianbin; Zhou, Tian-Liang; Xie, Rong-Jun

    2018-05-25

    Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) (typically dye-encapsulated MOFs) are considered as one kind of interesting downconversion materials for white-light-emitting diodes (LEDs), but their quantum efficiency (QE) is not sufficient and thus needs to be significantly enhanced for practical applications. In this study, we successfully synthesized a series of Rh@bio-MOF-1 (Rh = rhodamine) with an internal QE as high as ∼79% via a solvothermal reaction followed by cation exchanges. The high efficiency of the Rh@bio-MOF-1 composites was attributable to the high intrinsic luminescent efficiency of the selected Rh dyes, the confinement effect in the bio-MOF-1 host, and the uniform particle morphology. The emission maximum could be continuously tuned from 550 to 610 nm by controlling the species and concentration of encapsulated dye molecules, showing great color tunability of the dye-encapsulated MOFs. The emission lifetime of ∼7 ns was 1 or 2 magnitude orders shorter than that of Ce 3+ - or Eu 2+ -doped inorganic phosphors, allowing for visible light communication (VLC). White LEDs, fabricated by using the synthesized Rh@bio-MOF-1 composite and inorganic phosphors of green (Ba,Sr) 2 SiO 4 :Eu 2+ and red CaAlSiN 3 :Eu 2+ , exhibited a high color rendering index of 80-94, a luminous efficacy of 94-156 lm/W, and an excellent stability in color point against drive current. The Rh@bio-MOF-1 composites with tunable colors, short emission lifetime, and high QE are expected to be used for smart white LEDs with multifunctions of both lighting and VLC.

  1. Improve photocurrent quantum efficiency of carbon nanotube by chemical treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Hongguang; Wei Jinquan; Jia Yi; Li Zhen; Zhu Hongwei; Wang Kunlin; Wu Dehai

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The QE of photocurrent for the H 2 O 2 -treated CNTs reaches to 5.28% at U bias = 0.1 V. ► Moderate chemical treatment can enhance the QE of photocurrent of CNTs. ► Excessive chemical treatment decreases the photocurrent quantum efficiency of CNTs. - Abstract: High photocurrent quantum efficiency (QE) of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is important to their photovoltaic applications. The ability of photocurrent generation of CNTs depends on their band structure and surface state. For given CNTs, it is possible to improve the QE of photocurrent by chemical modification. Here, we study the effects of simple chemical treatment on the QE of CNTs by measuring the photocurrent of macroscopic CNT bundles. The QE of the H 2 O 2 -treated CNT bundle reaches 5.28% at 0.1 V bias voltage at a laser (λ = 473 nm) illumination, which is 85% higher than that of the pristine sample. But the QE of the CNTs treated in concentrated HNO 3 is lower than that of the pristine sample. It shows that moderate chemical treatment can enhance the photocurrent QE and excessive chemical treatment will decrease the QE because of introducing lots of structural defects.

  2. Hostility and hearing protection behavior: the mediating role of personal beliefs and low frustration tolerance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabinowitz, S; Melamed, S; Feiner, M; Weisberg, E; Ribak, J

    1996-10-01

    The authors examined whether hostility would negatively be associated with occupational health behavior, namely, the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs). Also examined as possible mediators were the protection motivation theory (PMT) components and low frustration tolerance (LFT). Participants were 226 male industrial workers, all exposed to potentially hearing-damaging noise. Hostility was negatively related to HPD use. It moderately correlated with the PMT components: negatively with perceived susceptibility, severity, effectiveness, and self-efficacy and positively with perceived barriers. Hostility correlated highly with LFT. Regression analyses confirmed the mediating role of perceived barriers, low self-efficacy, and LFT in the negative relationship between hostility and the use of HPDs. Thus, intrapsychic characteristics of hostile people may be significant for hearing protection behavior.

  3. CERN manufactured hybrid photon detectors

    CERN Multimedia

    Maximilien Brice

    2004-01-01

    These hybrid photon detectors (HPDs) produce an electric signal from a single photon. An electron is liberated from a photocathode and accelerated to a silicon pixel array allowing the location of the photon on the cathode to be recorded. The electronics and optics for these devices have been developed in close collaboration with industry. HPDs have potential for further use in astrophysics and medical imaging.

  4. Predictors of Hearing Protection Use in Construction Workers

    OpenAIRE

    Edelson, Jane; Neitzel, Richard; Meischke, Hendrika; Daniell, William; Sheppard, Lianne; Stover, Bert; Seixas, Noah

    2009-01-01

    Objectives: Although noise-induced hearing loss is completely preventable, it remains highly prevalent among construction workers. Hearing protection devices (HPDs) are commonly relied upon for exposure reduction in construction, but their use is complicated by intermittent and highly variable noise, inadequate industry support for hearing conservation, and lax regulatory enforcement.

  5. Study of the occlusion effect induced by an earplug: Numerical modelling and experimental validation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brummund, Martin

    Despite existing limits for occupational noise exposure, professional hearing loss remains a high priority problem both in Quebec and worldwide. Several approaches exist to protect workers from harmful noise levels. The most frequently employed short term solution includes the distribution of hearing protection devices (HPD) such as earplugs and ear muffs. While HPDs offer an inexpensive (e.g. direct cost) and efficient means of protection workers often only tend to wear HPDs for limited amounts of time and, thus, remain at risk of developing professional hearing loss. Discomfort while using HPDs contributes to HPD underutilization and non-use. Two more general categories of discomfort can be distinguished. The category physical discomfort includes, for instance, problems such as heating of the ear and irritation of the ear canal that that occur upon earplug insertion. The category auditory discomfort refers to alterations in the auditory perception of sounds and one's own voice as well as hindered workplace communications. One important auditory discomfort that promotes HPD non-use is the occlusion effect. The occlusion effect occurs upon earplug insertion and describes sound amplification phenomena in the occluded ear canal at the low frequencies. The sound amplification is both perceivable and measurable (e.g., open and occluded sound pressure levels, hearing threshold shift). Additionally, the occlusion effect causes the HPD wearer to perceive his/her own voice as being distorted (e.g. hollow sounding) and physiological noises (e.g. respiration, blood circulation) are amplified also subsequent to earplug insertion. Reducing the occlusion effect has the potential to increase the auditory comfort of HPDs and could help preventing occupational hearing loss in the future. In order to improve this and other shortcomings observed with currently existing HPDs a large research collaboration between the Robert-Sauve research institute in occupational health and safety

  6. High Momentum Particle Identification Detector The Study of Cesium Iodide Quantum Efficiency Dependency on Substrate Material, Temperature and Quartz Window

    CERN Document Server

    Wisna, Gde Bimananda M

    2014-01-01

    The Cesium Iodide (CsI) is used as a material for detecting Cherenkov radiation produced by high momentum particle in High Momentum Particle Identification Detector (HMPID) at ALICE Experiment at CERN. This work provides investigation and analysis of The Quantum Efficiency (QE) result of CsI which is deposited on five samples substrates such as copper passivated red, copper passivated yellow, aluminium, copper coated with nickel and copper coated with nickel then coated with gold. The measurement of five samples is held under temperature $60^{0}$ C and $25^{0}$ C (room temperature) and also with optical quartz window which can be adjusted to limit the wavelength range which reach the CsI. The result shows there are dependency of substrate, temperature due to enhancement effect and also quartz windows usage on QE of CsI. The results of five samples is then compared and analyzed.

  7. Design and optimization of high-performance slot-microring Si-photodetector based on internal photoemission effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseinifar, Mitra; Ahmadi, Vahid; Ebnali-Heidari, Majid

    2017-08-01

    This paper presents the design and optimization of a microring resonator enhanced-internal photoemission effect-photodetectors (MRRE-IPE-PDs) suitable for optical communication. Two PD configurations are considered: the first consists of an MRR that is partially surrounded by a nanolayer of silicide with a single Schottky barrier on p-Si MRR; and the second consists of a silicide film buried in the width midpoints of a Si-based MRR where photoemission occurs over the two Schottky barriers. Several silicides are considered for the stripe (PtSi, Pd2Si, TaSi2 and CoSi2). The important features of the device, such as quantum efficiency (QE), responsivity, CW sensitivity and dark current are discussed and the trade-off between 3 dB bandwidth and QE are analyzed for nanoscaled absorption layer. In this regard, some design curves are presented for the optimized MRRE-IPE-PDs. Additionally, this paper reveals substantial improvement via comparisons with QE and responsivity measurements reported in the literature. Bandwidth-efficiency product of 61-71 GHz, responsivities of 0.8-0.9 and QE of 64-71% and the minimum receiver sensitivity of -65 to -66 dBm are also predicted for single and double Schottky barriers, respectively.

  8. An ultrafast NbN hot-electron single-photon detector for electronic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lipatov, A; Okunev, O; Smirnov, K; Chulkova, G; Korneev, A; Kouminov, P; Gol'tsman, G; Zhang, J; Slysz, W; Verevkin, A; Sobolewski, R

    2002-01-01

    We present the latest generation of our superconducting single-photon detector (SPD), which can work from ultraviolet to mid-infrared optical radiation wavelengths. The detector combines a high speed of operation and low jitter with high quantum efficiency (QE) and very low dark count level. The technology enhancement allows us to produce ultrathin (3.5 nm thick) structures that demonstrate QE hundreds of times better, at 1.55 μm, than previous 10 nm thick SPDs. The best, 10x10 μm 2 , SPDs demonstrate QE up to 5% at 1.55 μm and up to 11% at 0.86 μm. The intrinsic detector QE, normalized to the film absorption coefficient, reaches 100% at bias currents above 0.9 I c for photons with wavelengths shorter than 1.3 μm

  9. Construction of 3-dimensional ZnO-nanoflower structures for high quantum and photocurrent efficiency in dye sensitized solar cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kilic, Bayram, E-mail: bkilic@yalova.edu.tr [Yalova University, Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, 77100 Yalova (Turkey); Günes, Taylan; Besirli, Ilknur; Sezginer, Merve [Yalova University, Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, 77100 Yalova (Turkey); Tuzemen, Sebahattin [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Atatürk University, Erzurum 25240 (Turkey)

    2014-11-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The structural and optical characterizations of ZnO nanoflowers were carried out on ITO by hydrothermal method. • Dye sensitized solar cell based ZnO nanoflowers were constructed on substrate. • The surface morphology effect on quantum efficiency and solar conversion efficiency were investigated. - Abstract: 3-dimensional ZnO nanoflower were obtained on FTO (F:SnO{sub 2}) substrate by hydrothermal method in order to produce high efficiency dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We showed that nanoflowers structures have nanoscale branches that stretch to fill gaps on the substrate and these branches of nano-leaves provide both a larger surface area and a direct pathway for electron transport along the channels. It was found that the solar conversion efficiency and quantum efficiency (QE) or incident photon to current conversion efficiencies (IPCE) is highly dependent on nanoflower surface due to high electron injection process. The highest solar conversion efficiency of 5.119 and QE of 60% was obtained using ZnO nanoflowers/N719 dye/I{sup −}/I{sup −}{sub 3} electrolyte. In this study, three dimensional (3D)-nanoflower and one dimensional (1D)-nanowires ZnO nanostructures were also compared against each other in respect to solar conversion efficiency and QE measurements. In the case of the 1D-ZnO nanowire conversion efficiency (η) of 2.222% and IPCE 47% were obtained under an illumination of 100 mW/cm{sup 2}. It was confirmed that the performance of the 3D-nanoflowers was better than about 50% that of the 1D-nanowire dye-sensitized solar cells.

  10. High-Temperature Characteristics of an InAsSb/AlAsSb n+Bn Detector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ting, David Z.; Soibel, Alexander; Höglund, Linda; Hill, Cory J.; Keo, Sam A.; Fisher, Anita; Gunapala, Sarath D.

    2016-09-01

    The high-temperature characteristics of a mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) detector based on the Maimon-Wicks InAsSb/AlAsSb nBn architecture was analyzed. The dark current characteristics are examined in reference to recent minority carrier lifetime results. The difference between the responsivity and absorption quantum efficiency (QE) at shorter wavelengths is clarified in terms of preferential absorption of higher-energy photons in the top contact layer, which cannot provide reverse-bias photo-response due to the AlAsSb electron blocking layer and strong recombination. Although the QE does not degrade when the operating temperature increases to 325 K, the turn-on bias becomes larger at higher temperatures. This behavior was originally attributed to the change in the valence band alignment between the absorber and top contact layers caused by the shift in Fermi level with temperature. In this work, we demonstrated the inadequacy of the original description, and offer a more likely explanation based on temperature-dependent band-bending effects.

  11. Long-Term Intake of a High-Protein Diet Affects Body Phenotype, Metabolism, and Plasma Hormones in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vu, John P; Luong, Leon; Parsons, William F; Oh, Suwan; Sanford, Daniel; Gabalski, Arielle; Lighton, John Rb; Pisegna, Joseph R; Germano, Patrizia M

    2017-12-01

    Background: High-protein diets (HPDs) recently have been used to obtain body weight and fat mass loss and expand muscle mass. Several studies have documented that HPDs reduce appetite and food intake. Objective: Our goal was to determine the long-term effects of an HPD on body weight, energy intake and expenditure, and metabolic hormones. Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice (8 wk old) were fed either an HPD (60% of energy as protein) or a control diet (CD; 20% of energy as protein) for 12 wk. Body composition and food intakes were determined, and plasma hormone concentrations were measured in mice after being fed and after overnight feed deprivation at several time points. Results: HPD mice had significantly lower body weight (in means ± SEMs; 25.73 ± 1.49 compared with 32.5 ± 1.31 g; P = 0.003) and fat mass (9.55% ± 1.24% compared with 15.78% ± 2.07%; P = 0.05) during the first 6 wk compared with CD mice, and higher lean mass throughout the study starting at week 2 (85.45% ± 2.25% compared with 75.29% ± 1.90%; P = 0.0001). Energy intake, total energy expenditure, and respiratory quotient were significantly lower in HPD compared with CD mice as shown by cumulative energy intake and eating rate. Water vapor was significantly higher in HPD mice during both dark and light phases. In HPD mice, concentrations of leptin [feed-deprived: 41.31 ± 11.60 compared with 3041 ± 683 pg/mL ( P = 0.0004); postprandial: 112.5 ± 102.0 compared with 8273 ± 1415 pg/mL ( P < 0.0001)] and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) [feed-deprived: 5.664 ± 1.44 compared with 21.31 ± 1.26 pg/mL ( P = <0.0001); postprandial: 6.54 ± 2.13 compared with 50.62 ± 11.93 pg/mL ( P = 0.0037)] were significantly lower, whereas postprandial glucagon concentrations were higher than in CD-fed mice. Conclusions: In male mice, the 12-wk HPD resulted in short-term body weight and fat mass loss, but throughout the study preserved body lean mass and significantly reduced energy intake and expenditure as well as

  12. Gender differences in use of hearing protection devices among farm operators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marjorie C McCullagh

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Although farm operators have frequent exposure to hazardous noise and high rates of noise-induced hearing loss, they have low use of hearing protection devices (HPDs. Women represent about one-third of farm operators, and their numbers are climbing. However, among published studies examining use of HPDs in this worker group, none have examined gender-related differences. The purpose of this study was to examine gender-related differences in use of hearing protection and related predictors among farm operators. Materials and Methods: Data previously collected at farm shows and by telephone were analyzed using t-tests and generalized linear model with zero inflated negative binomial (ZINB distribution. Findings: The difference in rate of hearing protector use between men and women farm operators was not significant. There was no difference between men and women in most hearing protector-related attitudes and beliefs. Conclusion: Although men and women farm operators had similar rates of use of hearing protectors when working in high-noise environments, attitudes about HPD use differed. Specifically, interpersonal role modeling was a predictor of HPD use among women, but not for men. This difference suggests that while farm operators of both genders may benefit from interventions designed to reduce barriers to HPD use (e.g., difficulty communicating with co-workers and hearing warning sounds, farm women have unique needs in relation to cognitive-perceptual factors that predict HPD use. Women farm operators may lack role models for use of HPDs (e.g., in peers and advertising, contributing to their less frequent use of protection.

  13. Target-mediated drug disposition with drug-drug interaction, Part I: single drug case in alternative formulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, Gilbert; Jusko, William J; Schropp, Johannes

    2017-02-01

    Target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) describes drug binding with high affinity to a target such as a receptor. In application TMDD models are often over-parameterized and quasi-equilibrium (QE) or quasi-steady state (QSS) approximations are essential to reduce the number of parameters. However, implementation of such approximations becomes difficult for TMDD models with drug-drug interaction (DDI) mechanisms. Hence, alternative but equivalent formulations are necessary for QE or QSS approximations. To introduce and develop such formulations, the single drug case is reanalyzed. This work opens the route for straightforward implementation of QE or QSS approximations of DDI TMDD models. The manuscript is the first part to introduce DDI TMDD models with QE or QSS approximations.

  14. BOTTLENECK ANALYSIS AND STRATEGIC PLANNING ON CHILDHOOD DIARRHEA MANAGEMENT IN 6 HIGH PRIORITY DISTRICTS OF GUJARAT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rupani Mihir

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction:Bottleneck Analysis and Strategic Planning exercise was carried out in 6 High Priority Districts (HPDs, under Call-to-Action for RMNCH+A strategy.Rationale: In spite of continued efforts, India is still lagging behind in its MDG goals.Objectives: To identify gaps in childhood diarrhea management and propose strategic options for the same.Materials and Methods: Bottleneck analysis exercisewas carried out based on the Tanahashi model, desk review and focused group discussions between district officials, front-line workers and UNICEF officials. These bottlenecks were pertaining to the availability, accessibility, utilization of services and quality of services being provided by the health department.Elaborating the Tanahashi model for the 6 HPDs, 94% of the front-line workers (FLWs had stock of Zinc-ORS; 88% FLWs were trained in diarrhea management; 98% villages had at least one FLW trained in diarrhea management; health care seeking for diarrhea cases was 17%; 5.1% diarrhea cases received Zinc-ORS from health worker and 2.4% care takers prepared Zinc-ORS in safe drinking water.Results: The major bottlenecks identified for Childhood Diarrhea management in the 6 High Priority Districts were poor demand generation, unsafe drinking water, poor access to improved sanitation facility and lack of equitable distribution of Zinc-ORS till the front-line worker level. The main strategic options that were suggested for relieving these bottlenecks were Zinc-ORS roll out in scale-up districts, develop IEC/BCC plan for childhood diarrhea management at state/district level, use of Drug Logistics Information Management System (DLIMS software for supply chain management of Zinc-ORS, strengthening of chlorination activity at household level, monitoring implementation of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan (NBA for constructing improved sanitation facilities at household level and to develop an IEC/BCC plan for hygiene promotion and usage of sanitary latrines

  15. BOTTLENECK ANALYSIS AND STRATEGIC PLANNING ON CHILDHOOD DIARRHEA MANAGEMENT IN 6 HIGH PRIORITY DISTRICTS OF GUJARAT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rupani Mihir

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction:Bottleneck Analysis and Strategic Planning exercise was carried out in 6 High Priority Districts (HPDs, under Call-to-Action for RMNCH+A strategy. Rationale: In spite of continued efforts, India is still lagging behind in its MDG goals. Objectives: To identify gaps in childhood diarrhea management and propose strategic options for the same. Materials and Methods: Bottleneck analysis exercisewas carried out based on the Tanahashi model, desk review and focused group discussions between district officials, front-line workers and UNICEF officials. These bottlenecks were pertaining to the availability, accessibility, utilization of services and quality of services being provided by the health department. Elaborating the Tanahashi model for the 6 HPDs, 94% of the front-line workers (FLWs had stock of Zinc-ORS; 88% FLWs were trained in diarrhea management; 98% villages had at least one FLW trained in diarrhea management; health care seeking for diarrhea cases was 17%; 5.1% diarrhea cases received Zinc-ORS from health worker and 2.4% care takers prepared Zinc-ORS in safe drinking water. Results: The major bottlenecks identified for Childhood Diarrhea management in the 6 High Priority Districts were poor demand generation, unsafe drinking water, poor access to improved sanitation facility and lack of equitable distribution of Zinc-ORS till the front-line worker level. The main strategic options that were suggested for relieving these bottlenecks were Zinc-ORS roll out in scale-up districts, develop IEC/BCC plan for childhood diarrhea management at state/district level, use of Drug Logistics Information Management System (DLIMS software for supply chain management of Zinc-ORS, strengthening of chlorination activity at household level, monitoring implementation of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan (NBA for constructing improved sanitation facilities at household level and to develop an IEC/BCC plan for hygiene promotion and usage of sanitary

  16. A review of heat pump drying: Part 1 - systems, models and studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Colak, Neslihan [Dept. of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Pamukkale Univ., 20070 Denizli (Turkey); Hepbasli, Arif [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege Univ., 35100 Bornova, Izmir (Turkey)

    2009-09-15

    The first heat pump dryer (HPD) patent applications were started in 1973, while recently, there has been a great interest in utilizing HPDs for drying fruits, vegetables and biological materials. This study deals with reviewing heat pump drying studies and consists of two parts. In the first part of this study, historical development of HPDs was briefly given first. Description of these systems was then presented. Finally, studies conducted on HPD were reviewed in terms of process efficiency modeling and progress of quality. (author)

  17. Single Photon Counting UV Solar-Blind Detectors Using Silicon and III-Nitride Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikzad, Shouleh; Hoenk, Michael; Jewell, April D.; Hennessy, John J.; Carver, Alexander G.; Jones, Todd J.; Goodsall, Timothy M.; Hamden, Erika T.; Suvarna, Puneet; Bulmer, J.; Shahedipour-Sandvik, F.; Charbon, Edoardo; Padmanabhan, Preethi; Hancock, Bruce; Bell, L. Douglas

    2016-01-01

    Ultraviolet (UV) studies in astronomy, cosmology, planetary studies, biological and medical applications often require precision detection of faint objects and in many cases require photon-counting detection. We present an overview of two approaches for achieving photon counting in the UV. The first approach involves UV enhancement of photon-counting silicon detectors, including electron multiplying charge-coupled devices and avalanche photodiodes. The approach used here employs molecular beam epitaxy for delta doping and superlattice doping for surface passivation and high UV quantum efficiency. Additional UV enhancements include antireflection (AR) and solar-blind UV bandpass coatings prepared by atomic layer deposition. Quantum efficiency (QE) measurements show QE > 50% in the 100–300 nm range for detectors with simple AR coatings, and QE ≅ 80% at ~206 nm has been shown when more complex AR coatings are used. The second approach is based on avalanche photodiodes in III-nitride materials with high QE and intrinsic solar blindness. PMID:27338399

  18. Predictors of Hearing Protection Use Among Industrial Workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tantranont, Kunlayanee; Codchanak, Nuntanat

    2017-08-01

    Promoting the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) can prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among workers who are exposed to excessive noise. In the present study, the authors examine factors that may explain HPD use among industrial workers from 15 manufacturing plants in Thailand. Participants consisted of 268 randomly selected workers exposed to harmful noise levels for which routine HPD use was required. Logistic regression analysis of study variables revealed the most powerful predictors of HPD use were perceived hearing status ( b = 0.66, p workers to use HPDs regularly.

  19. Improved bandwidth and quantum efficiency in silicon photodiodes using photon-manipulating micro/nanostructures operating in the range of 700-1060 nm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cansizoglu, Hilal; Gao, Yang; Ghandiparsi, Soroush; Kaya, Ahmet; Perez, Cesar Bartolo; Mayet, Ahmed; Ponizovskaya Devine, Ekaterina; Cansizoglu, Mehmet F.; Yamada, Toshishige; Elrefaie, Aly F.; Wang, Shih-Yuan; Islam, M. Saif

    2017-08-01

    Nanostructures allow broad spectrum and near-unity optical absorption and contributed to high performance low-cost Si photovoltaic devices. However, the efficiency is only a few percent higher than a conventional Si solar cell with thicker absorption layers. For high speed surface illuminated photodiodes, the thickness of the absorption layer is critical for short transit time and RC time. Recently a CMOS-compatible micro/nanohole silicon (Si) photodiode (PD) with more than 20 Gb/s data rate and with 52 % quantum efficiency (QE) at 850 nm was demonstrated. The achieved QE is over 400% higher than a similar Si PD with the same thickness but without absorption enhancement microstructure holes. The micro/nanoholes increases the QE by photon trapping, slow wave effects and generate a collective assemble of modes that radiate laterally, resulting in absorption enhancement and therefore increase in QE. Such Si PDs can be further designed to enhance the bandwidth (BW) of the PDs by reducing the device capacitance with etched holes in the pin junction. Here we present the BW and QE of Si PDs achievable with micro/nanoholes based on a combination of empirical evidence and device modeling. Higher than 50 Gb/s data rate with greater than 40% QE at 850 nm is conceivable in transceivers designed with such Si PDs that are integrated with photon trapping micro and nanostructures. By monolithic integration with CMOS/BiCMOS integrated circuits such as transimpedance amplifiers, equalizers, limiting amplifiers and other application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), the data rate can be increased to more than 50 Gb/s.

  20. Degradation of Alkali-Based Photocathodes from Exposure to Residual Gases: A First-Principles Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Gaoxue; Batista, Enrique R.

    2017-01-01

    Photocathodes are a key component in the production of electron beams in systems such as X-ray free-electron lasers and X-ray energy-recovery linacs. Alkali-based materials display high quantum efficiency (QE), however, their QE undergoes degradation faster than metal photocathodes even in the high vacuum conditions where they operate. The high reactivity of alkali-based surfaces points to surface reactions with residual gases as one of the most important factors for the degradation of QE. In order to advance the understanding on the degradation of the QE, we investigated the surface reactivity of common residual gas molecules (e.g., O 2 , CO 2 , CO, H 2 O, N 2 , and H 2 ) on one of the best-known alkali-based photocathode materials, cesium antimonide (Cs 3 Sb), using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. Furthermore, the reaction sites, adsorption energy, and effect in the local electronic structure upon reaction of these molecules on (001), (110), and (111) surfaces of Cs 3 Sb were computed and analyzed. The adsorption energy of these molecules on Cs3Sb follows the trend of O 2 (-4.5 eV) > CO 2 (-1.9 eV) > H 2 O (-1.0 eV) > CO (-0.8 eV) > N 2 (-0.3 eV) ≈ H 2 (-0.2 eV), which agrees with experimental data on the effect of these gases on the degradation of QE. The interaction strength is determined by the charge transfer from the surfaces to the molecules. The adsorption and dissociation of O containing molecules modify the surface chemistry such as the composition, structure, charge distribution, surface dipole, and work function of Cs 3 Sb, resulting in the degradation of QE with exposure to O 2 , CO 2 , H 2 O, and CO.

  1. Quality Assurance of Pixel Hybrid Photon Detectors for the LHCb Ring Imaging Cherenkov Counters

    CERN Document Server

    Carson, Laurence

    Pion/kaon discrimination in the LHCb experiment will be provided by two Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) counters. These use arrays of 484 Hybrid Photon Detectors (HPDs) to detect the Cherenkov photons emitted by charged particles traversing the RICH. The results from comprehensive quality assurance tests on the 550 HPDs manufactured for LHCb are described. Leakage currents, dead channel probabilities, dark count rates and ion feedback rates are reported. Furthermore, measurements carried out on a sample of tubes to determine the efficiency of the HPD pixel chip by measuring the summed analogue response from the backplane of the silicon sensor are described.

  2. UV-B photoreceptor-mediated protection of the photosynthetic machinery in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allorent, Guillaume; Lefebvre-Legendre, Linnka; Chappuis, Richard; Kuntz, Marcel; Truong, Thuy B.; Niyogi, Krishna K.; Goldschmidt-Clermont, Michel

    2016-01-01

    Life on earth is dependent on the photosynthetic conversion of light energy into chemical energy. However, absorption of excess sunlight can damage the photosynthetic machinery and limit photosynthetic activity, thereby affecting growth and productivity. Photosynthetic light harvesting can be down-regulated by nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ). A major component of NPQ is qE (energy-dependent nonphotochemical quenching), which allows dissipation of light energy as heat. Photodamage peaks in the UV-B part of the spectrum, but whether and how UV-B induces qE are unknown. Plants are responsive to UV-B via the UVR8 photoreceptor. Here, we report in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that UVR8 induces accumulation of specific members of the light-harvesting complex (LHC) superfamily that contribute to qE, in particular LHC Stress-Related 1 (LHCSR1) and Photosystem II Subunit S (PSBS). The capacity for qE is strongly induced by UV-B, although the patterns of qE-related proteins accumulating in response to UV-B or to high light are clearly different. The competence for qE induced by acclimation to UV-B markedly contributes to photoprotection upon subsequent exposure to high light. Our study reveals an anterograde link between photoreceptor-mediated signaling in the nucleocytosolic compartment and the photoprotective regulation of photosynthetic activity in the chloroplast. PMID:27930292

  3. UV-B photoreceptor-mediated protection of the photosynthetic machinery in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allorent, Guillaume; Lefebvre-Legendre, Linnka; Chappuis, Richard; Kuntz, Marcel; Truong, Thuy B; Niyogi, Krishna K; Ulm, Roman; Goldschmidt-Clermont, Michel

    2016-12-20

    Life on earth is dependent on the photosynthetic conversion of light energy into chemical energy. However, absorption of excess sunlight can damage the photosynthetic machinery and limit photosynthetic activity, thereby affecting growth and productivity. Photosynthetic light harvesting can be down-regulated by nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ). A major component of NPQ is qE (energy-dependent nonphotochemical quenching), which allows dissipation of light energy as heat. Photodamage peaks in the UV-B part of the spectrum, but whether and how UV-B induces qE are unknown. Plants are responsive to UV-B via the UVR8 photoreceptor. Here, we report in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that UVR8 induces accumulation of specific members of the light-harvesting complex (LHC) superfamily that contribute to qE, in particular LHC Stress-Related 1 (LHCSR1) and Photosystem II Subunit S (PSBS). The capacity for qE is strongly induced by UV-B, although the patterns of qE-related proteins accumulating in response to UV-B or to high light are clearly different. The competence for qE induced by acclimation to UV-B markedly contributes to photoprotection upon subsequent exposure to high light. Our study reveals an anterograde link between photoreceptor-mediated signaling in the nucleocytosolic compartment and the photoprotective regulation of photosynthetic activity in the chloroplast.

  4. Enhanced quantum efficiency for CsI grown on a graphite-based substrate coating

    CERN Document Server

    Friese, J; Homolka, J; Kastenmüller, A; Maier-Komor, P; Peter, M; Zeitelhack, K; Kienle, P; Körner, H J

    1999-01-01

    Quantum efficiencies (QE) in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) wavelength region have been measured for solid CsI layers on various substrates. The CsI films were deposited applying electron beam evaporation. The QE measurements were performed utilizing synchrotron radiation as well as light from a deuterium lamp. A GaAsP diode with a sensitivity calibration traceable to a primary radiation standard was used for normalization. For CsI layers grown on resin-stabilized graphite films a significant enhancement of QE was observed. Substrates suitable for gas detector applications and aging properties were investigated. The procedures to prepare and reproduce high quantum efficient CsI layers are described.

  5. Examining the response programming function of the Quiet Eye: Do tougher shots need a quieter eye?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walters-Symons, Rosanna; Wilson, Mark; Klostermann, Andre; Vine, Samuel

    2018-02-01

    Support for the proposition that the Quiet Eye (QE) duration reflects a period of response programming (including task parameterisation) has come from research showing that an increase in task difficulty is associated with increases in QE duration. Here, we build on previous research by manipulating three elements of task difficulty that correspond with different parameters of golf-putting performance; force production, impact quality and target line. Longer QE durations were found for more complex iterations of the task and furthermore, more sensitive analyses of the QE duration suggest that the early QE proportion (prior to movement initiation) is closely related to force production and impact quality. However, these increases in QE do not seem functional in terms of supporting improved performance. Further research is needed to explore QE's relationship with performance under conditions of increased difficulty.

  6. Quiet Eye Training Facilitates Competitive Putting Performance in Elite Golfers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vine, Samuel J.; Moore, Lee J.; Wilson, Mark R.

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a brief quiet eye (QE) training intervention aimed at optimizing visuomotor control and putting performance of elite golfers under pressure, and in real competition. Twenty-two elite golfers (mean handicap 2.7) recorded putting statistics over 10 rounds of competitive golf before attending training individually. Having been randomly assigned to either a QE training or Control group, participants were fitted with an Applied Science Laboratories Mobile Eye tracker and performed 20 baseline (pre-test) putts from 10 ft. Training consisted of video feedback of their gaze behavior while they completed 20 putts; however the QE-trained group received additional instructions related to maintaining a longer QE period. Participants then recorded their putting statistics over a further 10 competitive rounds and re-visited the laboratory for retention and pressure tests of their visuomotor control and putting performance. Overall, the results were supportive of the efficacy of the QE training intervention. QE duration predicted 43% of the variance in putting performance, underlying its critical role in the visuomotor control of putting. The QE-trained group maintained their optimal QE under pressure conditions, whereas the Control group experienced reductions in QE when anxious, with subsequent effects on performance. Although their performance was similar in the pre-test, the QE-trained group holed more putts and left the ball closer to the hole on missed putts than their Control group counterparts in the pressure test. Importantly, these advantages transferred to the golf course, where QE-trained golfers made 1.9 fewer putts per round, compared to pre-training, whereas the Control group showed no change in their putting statistics. These results reveal that QE training, incorporated into a pre-shot routine, is an effective intervention to help golfers maintain control when anxious. PMID:21713182

  7. [The role of information and training for workers on the correct use of earplugs in assessing real noise attenuation with E-A-RfitTM system].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cassano, Filippo; Aloise, Ingrid; Labianca, Graziano; Gaccione, Vincenzo; Mazzotta, Cosimo; Cardascia, Francesco; Garavaglia, Michela; Germano, Candida; Dentamaro, Antonella; Di Lorenzo, Luigi

    2015-07-08

    Laboratory levels of perceived noise attenuation as heard using earplugs are always higher than the real levels that can be achieved at the workplace. The employer is bound by law to supply individual hearing protection devices (HPDs), to assess their efficiency and efficacy, and also to inform and train workers on the correct use of HPDs. This study assessed the real "personal attenuation rating" (PAR) of HPDs  used by workers at the workplace, before (PAR A) and after (PAR B) specific and individual training. These values were also compared with the theoretical  "single number rating" (SNR) provided by the manufacturer. The study covered all the 65 male employees of an awnings factory, using the E-A-RfitTM computerized method, which can measure PARs, based on the difference between sound pressures recorded by an "outside" microphone and an "inside" microphone placed in the auditory canal, with earplugs inserted, before (PAR A) and after (PAR B), i.e., the specific and individual training described above. PARs B were always definitely higher than PARs A, both for all tested frequencies and the corresponding average values, which were automatically detected by E-A-RfitTM. Furthermore the same PARs B were  decidedly lower than the respective SNRs supplied by the manufacturer on the basis of laboratory assessments. These data prove that specific and individual training for workers improves the performance of earplugs, contributing to a more appropriate secondary prevention of the effects of noise on hearing; they also prove that the real attenuation recorded in workers are always lower than those supplied by the manufacturer of the devices. It is recommended that the E-A-RfitTM system, which allowed these results to be achieved objectively, should be normally used to assess exposure to noise in workers, when HPDs are worn.

  8. Distance matrices and quadratic embedding of graphs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nobuaki Obata

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available A connected graph is said to be of QE class if it admits  a quadratic embedding in a Hilbert space, or equivalently, if the distance matrix is conditionally negative definite. Several criteria for a graph to be of QE class are derived from the point of view of graph operations. For a quantitative criterion the QE constant is introduced and concrete examples are shown with explicit calculation. If the distance matrix admits a constant row sum, the QE constant coincides with the second largest eigenvalue of the distance matrix. The QE constants are determined for all graphs on $n$ vertices with $n\\le5$, among which two are not of QE class.

  9. High-level expression, purification, polyclonal antibody preparation ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    OprD is a specific porin which can binds imipenem and carbapenems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. OprD loss plays a central role in mediating carbapenem resistance. Therefore, purification of oprD protein lays a pavement for the study in vivo and in vitro. In our study, the oprD gene was cloned into pQE30 expression ...

  10. Quiet eye training improves surgical knot tying more than traditional technical training: a randomized controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Causer, Joe; Harvey, Adrian; Snelgrove, Ryan; Arsenault, Gina; Vickers, Joan N

    2014-08-01

    We examined the effectiveness of technical training (TT) and quiet eye training (QE) on the performance of one-handed square knot tying in surgical residents. Twenty surgical residents were randomly assigned to the 2 groups and completed pretest, training, retention, and transfer tests. Participants wore a mobile eye tracker that simultaneously recorded their gaze and hand movements. Dependent variables were knot tying performance (%), QE duration (%), number of fixations, total movement time (s), and hand movement phase time (s). The QE training group had significantly higher performance scores, a longer QE duration, fewer fixations, faster total knot tying times, and faster movement phase times compared with the TT group. The QE group maintained performance in the transfer test, whereas the TT group significantly decreased performance from retention to transfer. QE training significantly improved learning, retention, and transfer of surgical knot tying compared with a traditional technical approach. Both performance effectiveness (performance outcome) and movement efficiency (hand movement times) were improved using QE modeling, instruction, and feedback. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. BP-ANN for fitting the temperature-germination model and its application in predicting sowing time and region for Bermudagrass.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erxu Pi

    Full Text Available Temperature is one of the most significant environmental factors that affects germination of grass seeds. Reliable prediction of the optimal temperature for seed germination is crucial for determining the suitable regions and favorable sowing timing for turf grass cultivation. In this study, a back-propagation-artificial-neural-network-aided dual quintic equation (BP-ANN-QE model was developed to improve the prediction of the optimal temperature for seed germination. This BP-ANN-QE model was used to determine optimal sowing times and suitable regions for three Cynodon dactylon cultivars (C. dactylon, 'Savannah' and 'Princess VII'. Prediction of the optimal temperature for these seeds was based on comprehensive germination tests using 36 day/night (high/low temperature regimes (both ranging from 5/5 to 40/40°C with 5°C increments. Seed germination data from these temperature regimes were used to construct temperature-germination correlation models for estimating germination percentage with confidence intervals. Our tests revealed that the optimal high/low temperature regimes required for all the three bermudagrass cultivars are 30/5, 30/10, 35/5, 35/10, 35/15, 35/20, 40/15 and 40/20°C; constant temperatures ranging from 5 to 40°C inhibited the germination of all three cultivars. While comparing different simulating methods, including DQEM, Bisquare ANN-QE, and BP-ANN-QE in establishing temperature based germination percentage rules, we found that the R(2 values of germination prediction function could be significantly improved from about 0.6940-0.8177 (DQEM approach to 0.9439-0.9813 (BP-ANN-QE. These results indicated that our BP-ANN-QE model has better performance than the rests of the compared models. Furthermore, data of the national temperature grids generated from monthly-average temperature for 25 years were fit into these functions and we were able to map the germination percentage of these C. dactylon cultivars in the national scale

  12. Highly efficient red phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes based on solution processed emissive layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Baiquan; Xu, Miao; Tao, Hong; Ying, Lei; Zou, Jianhua; Wu, Hongbin; Peng, Junbiao

    2013-01-01

    Highly efficient red phosphorescent organic polymer light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs) were fabricated based on a solution-processed small-molecule host 4,4′-bis(N-carbazolyl)-1,1′-biphenyl (CBP) by doping an iridium complex, tris(1-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)-4-(4-chlorophenyl)phthalazine)iridium (III) (Ir(MPCPPZ) 3 ). A hole blocking layer 1,3,5-tri(1-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)phenyl (TPBI) with a function of electron transport was thermally deposited onto the top of CBP layer. The diode with the structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS (50 nm)/CBP:Ir(MPCPPZ) 3 (55 nm)/TPBI (30 nm)/Ba (4 nm)/Al (120 nm) showed an external quantum efficiency (QE ext ) of 19.3% and luminous efficiency (LE) of 18.3 cd/A at a current density of 0.16 mA/cm 2 , and Commission International de I'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.607, 0.375). It was suggested that the diodes using TPBI layer exhibited nearly 100% internal quantum efficiency and one order magnitude enhanced LE or QE ext efficiencies. -- Highlights: • Efficient red PhOLEDs based on a solution-processed small-molecule host were fabricated. • By altering volume ratio of chloroform/chlorobenzene solvent, we got best film quality of CBP. • EQE of the diode was 19.3%, indicating nearly 100% internal quantum yield was achieved

  13. Superconducting single-photon detectors designed for operation at 1.55-μm telecommunication wavelength

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milostnaya, I; Korneev, A; Rubtsova, I; Seleznev, V; Minaeva, O; Chulkova, G; Okunev, O; Voronov, B; Smirnov, K; Gol'tsman, G; Slysz, W; Wegrzecki, M; Guziewicz, M; Bar, J; Gorska, M; Pearlman, A; Kitaygorsky, J; Cross, A; Sobolewski, Roman

    2006-01-01

    We report on our progress in development of superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs), specifically designed for secure high-speed quantum communications. The SSPDs consist of NbN-based meander nanostructures and operate at liquid helium temperatures. In general, our devices are capable of GHz-rate photon counting in a spectral range from visible light to mid-infrared. The device jitter is 18 ps and dark counts can reach negligibly small levels. The quantum efficiency (QE) of our best SSPDs for visible-light photons approaches a saturation level of ∼30-40%, which is limited by the NbN film absorption. For the infrared range (1.55μm), QE is ∼6% at 4.2 K, but it can be significantly improved by reduction of the operation temperature to the 2-K level, when QE reaches ∼20% for 1.55-μm photons. In order to further enhance the SSPD efficiency at the wavelength of 1.55 μm, we have integrated our detectors with optical cavities, aiming to increase the effective interaction of the photon with the superconducting meander and, therefore, increase the QE. A successful effort was made to fabricate an advanced SSPD structure with an optical microcavity optimized for absorption of 1.55 μm photons. The design consisted of a quarter-wave dielectric layer, combined with a metallic mirror. Early tests performed on relatively low-QE devices integrated with microcavities, showed that the QE value at the resonator maximum (1.55-μm wavelength) was of the factor 3-to-4 higher than that for a nonresonant SSPD. Independently, we have successfully coupled our SSPDs to single-mode optical fibers. The completed receivers, inserted into a liquid-helium transport dewar, reached ∼1% system QE for 1.55 μm photons. The SSPD receivers that are fiber-coupled and, simultaneously, integrated with resonators are expected to be the ultimate photon counters for optical quantum communications

  14. The high voltage system of the RICH and the multiplicity study with LHCb data

    CERN Document Server

    Fanchini, E; Pessina, G; Gys, T

    2011-01-01

    This thesis is about the work done during my PhD at the Univerità degli studi di Milano–Bicocca. During these three years I was involved in the RICH group of the LHCb experiment. LHCb is one of the four main experiments at CERN. It uses proton–proton collisions to study CP violation and to search for new physics beyond the Standard Model in the $b$ decays. One of the main feature of the experiment is the particle identification, performed with the Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) technology. The RICH detects Cherenkov rings via photons emitted by charged particles traversing radiator materials. The photon detection system used consists of pixel Hybrid Photon Detectors (HPDs). They convert photons into photoelectrons which are then accelerated by means of a field generated by three electrodes, biased with high voltages (-18 kV, -17.7 kV and -14.8 kV), onto the silicon pixel anode. The energy released in the pixel is converted into a binary output. My work can be divided in two main parts: the hardware and th...

  15. The Measurement of the Quasi-Elastic Neutrino-Nucleon Scattering Cross Section at the Tevatron

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suwonjandee, Narumon [Cincinnati U.

    2004-01-01

    The quasi-elastic neutrino nucleon cross section measurement has been measured in the low energy region less than 100 Ge V. The data agree well with the model proposed by C. H. Llewellyn Smith. This model predicts that the quasi-elastic cross section should be constant in the high enery region. The NuTeV experiment at Fermilab provides data which allows us to measure the quasi-elastic cross section for both neutrinos and anti-neutrinos at high energy. We find that $\\sigma^{Neucleon}_{qe}(v) = 0.94 \\pm 0.03(stat.) \\pm 0.07(syst.)$, and $\\sigma^{Neucleon}_{qe}(\\bar\

  16. Establishing reliable good initial quantum efficiency and in-situ laser cleaning for the copper cathodes in the RF gun

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, F., E-mail: zhoufeng@slac.stanford.edu; Sheppard, J.C.; Vecchione, T.; Jongewaard, E.; Brachmann, A.; Corbett, J.; Gilevich, S.; Weathersby, S.

    2015-05-21

    Establishing good initial quantum efficiency (QE) and reliable in-situ cleaning for copper cathode in the RF gun is of critical importance for the RF gun operations. Recent studies on the SLAC RF gun test bed indicated that the pre-cleaning (plasma cleaning) in the test chamber followed by copper cathode exposure to air for cathode change leads to a very low initial QE in the RF gun, and also demonstrated that without the pre-cleaning good initial QE >4×10{sup −5} can be routinely achieved in the RF gun with the cathodes of QE <1×10{sup −7} measured in the test chamber. QE can decay over the time in the RF gun. The in-situ laser cleaning technique for copper cathodes in the RF gun is established and refined in comparison to previous cleaning at the linac coherent light source, resulting in an improved QE and emittance evolutions. The physics of the laser cleaning process is discussed. It is believed that the reflectivity change is one of the major factors for the QE boost with the laser cleaning.

  17. ISPA (imaging silicon pixel array) experiment

    CERN Multimedia

    Patrice Loïez

    2002-01-01

    The ISPA tube is a position-sensitive photon detector. It belongs to the family of hybrid photon detectors (HPD), recently developed by CERN and INFN with leading photodetector firms. HPDs confront in a vacuum envelope a photocathode and a silicon detector. This can be a single diode or a pixelized detector. The electrons generated by the photocathode are efficiently detected by the silicon anode by applying a high-voltage difference between them. ISPA tube can be used in high-energy applications as well as bio-medical and imaging applications.

  18. Soft tissue conduction as a possible contributor to the limited attenuation provided by hearing protection devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shai Chordekar

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Context: Damage to the auditory system by loud sounds can be avoided by hearing protection devices (HPDs such as earmuffs, earplugs, or both for maximum attenuation. However, the attenuation can be limited by air conduction (AC leakage around the earplugs and earmuffs by the occlusion effect (OE and by skull vibrations initiating bone conduction (BC. Aims: To assess maximum attenuation by HPDs and possible flanking pathways to the inner ear. Subjects and Methods: AC attenuation and resulting thresholds were assessed using the real ear attenuation at threshold (REAT procedure on 15 normal-hearing participants in four free-field conditions: (a unprotected ears, (b ears covered with earmuffs, (c ears blocked with deeply inserted customized earplugs, and (d ears blocked with both earplugs and earmuffs. BC thresholds were assessed with and without earplugs to assess the OE. Results: Addition of earmuffs to earplugs did not cause significantly greater attenuation than earplugs alone, confirming minimal AC leakage through the external meatus and the absence of the OE. Maximum REATs ranged between 40 and 46 dB, leading to thresholds of 46–54 dB HL. Furthermore, calculation of the acoustic impedance mismatch between air and bone predicted at least 60 dB attenuation of BC. Conclusion: Results do not support the notion that skull vibrations (BC contributed to the limited attenuation provided by traditional HPDs. An alternative explanation, supported by experimental evidence, suggests transmission of sound to inner ear via non-osseous pathways such as skin, soft tissues, and fluid. Because the acoustic impedance mismatch between air and soft tissues is smaller than that between air and bone, air-borne sounds would be transmitted to soft tissues more effectively than to bone, and therefore less attenuation is expected through soft tissue sound conduction. This can contribute to the limited attenuation provided by traditional HPDs. The present study

  19. A Study of the Decay $D^0 \\to K^- \\pi^+ \\pi^0$ in High-Energy Photoproduction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Summers, Donald Joseph [UC, Santa Barbara

    1984-03-01

    A study of the charmed decay $D^0 \\to K^- \\pi^+ \\pi^0$ is presented. $D^{*+}$ mesons were produced in a liquid hydrogen target by the Fermilab Tagged Photon Beam, which consisted of photons between 60 and 160 QeV. ...

  20. High quality zinc-blende CdSe nanocrystals synthesized in a hexadecylamine-oleic acid-paraffin liquid mixture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Lan, E-mail: lwang322@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Department of Physics, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081 (China); Sun Xiudong, E-mail: xdsun@hit.edu.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Liu Wenjing [Department of Astronautic Science and Mechanics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Liu Bingyi [Laboratory Center for the School of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081 (China)

    2010-03-15

    Safe, common, and low-cost compounds were used as solvents for the non-tri-n-octylphosphine (TOP) synthesis of high quality CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) in open air. In oleic acid-paraffin liquid system, CdSe nanocrystals in the less common zinc-blende (ZB, cubic) crystal structure have been obtained. The effects of adding n-hexadecylamine (HDA) to different solutions were discussed. Stable, highly homogeneous and luminescent CdSe nanocrystals were formed by adding n-hexadecylamine to Cd solution rather than to Se solution. Without any size sorting, the size distribution of the nanocrystals can be readily controlled and the highest photoluminescence (PL) quantum efficiency (QE) of the nanocrystals was up to 20-30%.

  1. High quality zinc-blende CdSe nanocrystals synthesized in a hexadecylamine-oleic acid-paraffin liquid mixture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Lan; Sun Xiudong; Liu Wenjing; Liu Bingyi

    2010-01-01

    Safe, common, and low-cost compounds were used as solvents for the non-tri-n-octylphosphine (TOP) synthesis of high quality CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) in open air. In oleic acid-paraffin liquid system, CdSe nanocrystals in the less common zinc-blende (ZB, cubic) crystal structure have been obtained. The effects of adding n-hexadecylamine (HDA) to different solutions were discussed. Stable, highly homogeneous and luminescent CdSe nanocrystals were formed by adding n-hexadecylamine to Cd solution rather than to Se solution. Without any size sorting, the size distribution of the nanocrystals can be readily controlled and the highest photoluminescence (PL) quantum efficiency (QE) of the nanocrystals was up to 20-30%.

  2. The radiation gas detectors with novel nanoporous converter for medical imaging applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarei, H.; Saramad, S.

    2018-02-01

    For many reason it is tried to improve the quantum efficiency (QE) of position sensitive gas detectors. For energetic X-rays, the imaging systems usually consist of a bulk converter and gas amplification region. But the bulk converters have their own limitation. For X-rays, the converter thickness should be increased to achieve a greater detection efficiency, however in this case, the chance of escaping the photoelectrons is reduced. To overcome this limitation, a new type of converter, called a nanoporous converter such as Anodizing Aluminum Oxide (AAO) membrane with higher surface to volume ratio is proposed. According to simulation results with GATE code, for this nanoporous converter with the 1 mm thickness and inter pore distance of 627 nm, for 20-100 keV X-ray energies with a reasonable gas pressure and different pore diameters, the QE can be one order of magnitude greater than the bulk ones, which is a new approach for proposing high QE position sensitive gas detectors for medical imaging application and also high energy physics.

  3. The effect of high protein diet and exercise on irisin, eNOS, and iNOS expressions in kidney.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tastekin, Ebru; Palabiyik, Orkide; Ulucam, Enis; Uzgur, Selda; Karaca, Aziz; Vardar, Selma Arzu; Yilmaz, Ali; Aydogdu, Nurettin

    2016-08-01

    Long-term effects of high protein diets (HPDs) on kidneys are still not sufficiently studied. Irisin which increases oxygen consumption and thermogenesis in white fat cells was shown in skeletal muscles and many tissues. Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) are a family of enzymes catalyzing the production of nitric oxide (NO) from L-arginine. We aimed to investigate the effects of HPD, irisin and NO expression in kidney and relation of them with exercise and among themselves. Animals were grouped as control, exercise, HPD and exercise combined with HPD (exercise-HPD). Rats were kept on a HPD for 5 weeks and an exercise program was given them as 5 exercise and 2 rest days per week exercising on a treadmill with increasing speed and angle. In our study, while HPD group had similar total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels with control group, exercise and exercise-HPD groups had lower levels (p highly selective and quite clear in this study. Effects of exercise and HPD on kidney should be evaluated with different exercise protocols and contents of the diet. İrisin, eNOS, and iNOS staining localizations should be supported with various research studies.

  4. Imaging Hybrid Photon Detectors with a Reflective Photocathode

    CERN Document Server

    Ferenc, D

    2000-01-01

    Modern epitaxially grown photocathodes, like GaAsP, bring a very high inherent quantum efficiency, but are rather expensive due to the complicated manufacturing and mounting process. We argue that such photocathodes could be used in reflective mode, in order to avoid the risky and expensive removal of the epitaxial growth substrate. Besides that the quantum efficiency should increase considerably. In this paper we present results of the development of large imaging Hybrid Photon Detectors (HPDs), particularly designed for such reflective photocathodes.

  5. Validated HPTLC technique for simultaneous evaluation of biomarkers gallic acid and quercetin in Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.: A systematic approach for quality control of herbals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md. Sarfaraj Hussain

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the simultaneous quantification of two biologically active elements, flavonoids gallic acid (GA and quercetin (QE, in methanolic extract of Trichosanthes dioica that was customarily used to lower blood sugar and cholesterol. Methods: Silica gel 60F254 having receded with aluminum plate was applied for the separation. We used toluene-ethyl acetate-formic acid (5:4:1, v/v/v as a solvent system for the separation. Results: At 270 nm in reflectance mode densitometric analysis was performed. Squeezed bands for GA and QE were achieved at Rf (0.31 ± 0.03 and (0.50 ± 0.02. The scheme was validated for sensitivity, specificity, limit of detection and quantification. Linear relationship was found between the concentration range of 100–1 000 ng spot–1 for GA and 150–900 ng spot–1 for GA and QE, respectively. The instrumental precision was noted to be 1.03–1.96 (% RSD and 1.09–1.98 (% RSD for GA and QE, separately. Methodology specificity was determined at three different study point with varying concentration for recovery studies. Mean % recovery was noted to be 99.4%–99.9% and 98.7%–99.3% and the content estimated as (31.00 ± 1.18% and (39.00 ± 1.24% for GA and QE, respectively. Conclusions: The developed high performance thin layer chromatography scheme can be used for routine quality control analysis of Trichosanthes dioica and several other formulations containing these markers.

  6. Plasmonics for solid-state lighting : enhanced excitation and directional emission of highly efficient light sources

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lozano, G.; Louwers, Davy J.; Rodriguez, S.R.K.; Murai, S.; Jansen, O.T.A.; Verschuuren, M.A.; Gomez Rivas, J.

    2013-01-01

    Light sources based on reliable and energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are instrumental in the development of solid-state lighting (SSL). Most research efforts in SSL have focused on improving both the intrinsic quantum efficiency (QE) and the stability of light emitters. For this reason,

  7. Understanding and arresting degradation in highly efficient blue emitting BaMgAl{sub 10}O{sub 17}:Eu{sup 2+} phosphor—A longstanding technological problem

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shanker, Ravi; Khan, A.F.; Kumar, Raj; Chander, H.; Shanker, V.; Chawla, Santa, E-mail: santa@mail.nplindia.ernet.in

    2013-11-15

    Blue emitting BaMgAl{sub 10}O{sub 17}:Eu{sup 2+} (BAM) phosphor is indispensable for Plasma Display panel and lighting because of high luminescence efficiency. However, thermal degradation (annealing in air at 500–600 °C) of BAM (upto ∼30%) remains an intriguing problem for display industry worldwide. In the present study, a systematic approach is pursued to develop highly efficient BAM phosphor that exhibits least degradation, understand the role of Eu{sup 2+} site occupancy in such BAM phosphor and encapsulate individual phosphor grains with a shell of silica nanoparticles. The approaches lead to highly efficient BAM:Eu{sup 2+} phosphor that showed no degradation against thermal baking (annealing at 500 °C in air) for both UV and VUV radiation under UV and VUV excitation. An optimum solid state chemical route including precursor phases, dopant concentration, and thermal regimes has been evolved to develop BAM. Emission from Eu{sup 2+} occupying three different sites is identified with energetically stable anti Beevers Ross as the dominant contributor. Coating by nano sized amorphous silica sol with subsequent sintering lead to uniform silica shell. This nano silica layer also helps to enhance the luminescence from phosphor grains. -- Highlights: • Synthesis process optimization done to obtain BAM:Eu{sup 2+} phosphor of high QE (95%). • Site occupancy of Eu{sup 2+} ions in BAM lattice and its relation to stability analyzed. • Individual phosphor grains coated by layer of silica nanoparticles. • Preferred Eu{sup 2+} site occupancy and inert silica layer arrested thermal degradation in BAM. • Developed BAM:Eu{sup 2+} phosphor with high QE is completely thermal degradation resistant.

  8. No Conditions for Chinese-Style QE

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2015-01-01

    China's central bank on October 10 announced plans to expand a pilot prosram on credit assets to nine municipalities and provinces. The pro- 8ram allows banks to pledse assets to borrow from the central bank In Ausust, China's top lesislature adopted an amendment to the law on commercial banks, removin8 the 75-percent loan-to-deposit ratio stipulation.

  9. New methods of data calibration for high power-aperture lidar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Sai; Yang, Guotao; Chang, Qihai; Cheng, Xuewu; Yang, Yong; Gong, Shaohua; Wang, Jihong

    2013-03-25

    For high power-aperture lidar sounding of wide atmospheric dynamic ranges, as in middle-upper atmospheric probing, photomultiplier tubes' (PMT) pulse pile-up effects and signal-induced noise (SIN) complicates the extraction of information from lidar return signal, especially from metal layers' fluorescence signal. Pursuit for sophisticated description of metal layers' characteristics at far range (80~130km) with one PMT of high quantum efficiency (QE) and good SNR, contradicts the requirements for signals of wide linear dynamic range (i.e. from approximate 10(2) to 10(8) counts/s). In this article, Substantial improvements on experimental simulation of Lidar signals affected by PMT are reported to evaluate the PMTs' distortions in our High Power-Aperture Sodium LIDAR system. A new method for pile-up calibration is proposed by taking into account PMT and High Speed Data Acquisition Card as an Integrated Black-Box, as well as a new experimental method for identifying and removing SIN from the raw Lidar signals. Contradiction between the limited linear dynamic range of raw signal (55~80km) and requirements for wider acceptable linearity has been effectively solved, without complicating the current lidar system. Validity of these methods was demonstrated by applying calibrated data to retrieve atmospheric parameters (i.e. atmospheric density, temperature and sodium absolutely number density), in comparison with measurements of TIMED satellite and atmosphere model. Good agreements are obtained between results derived from calibrated signal and reference measurements where differences of atmosphere density, temperature are less than 5% in the stratosphere and less than 10K from 30km to mesosphere, respectively. Additionally, approximate 30% changes are shown in sodium concentration at its peak value. By means of the proposed methods to revert the true signal independent of detectors, authors approach a new balance between maintaining the linearity of adequate signal (20

  10. The Efficacy of Aromatherapy in the Treatment of Postdischarge Nausea in Patients Undergoing Outpatient Abdominal Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mcilvoy, Laura; Richmer, Linda; Kramer, Deborah; Jackson, Rita; Shaffer, Leslee; Lawrence, Jeffrey; Inman, Kevin

    2015-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the aromatherapy product QueaseEASE (QE) for decreasing postdischarge nausea (PDN) in patients undergoing outpatient abdominal surgery. Prospective exploratory study. Informed Consent was obtained preoperatively from a convenience sample of adult patients scheduled for outpatient abdominal surgery procedures. Prior to discharge, subjects were instructed in the use of QE and given instructions on how to rate their nausea on a 0-10 scale. They recorded nausea scales > 0 any time they occurred for the next 24 hours, used the QE, and recorded their nausea scales 3 minutes later. A study nurse called subjects the next day to collect the information. The sample included 70 outpatients who underwent abdominal surgery. Twenty-five participants (36%) reported experiencing PDN and their concomitant use of QE. There was a significant difference in mean age of those reporting PDN (37 years) versus those without nausea (48 years, P = .004) as well as a significant difference in mean intravenous fluid intake during hospitalization of those reporting PDN (1,310 mL) versus those without nausea (1,511 mL, P = .04). The PDN group had more female participants (72% vs 42%, P = .02), more participants that were less than 50 years of age (84% vs 53%, P = .02), and received more opioids (100% vs 76%, P = .006) than the no nausea group. The 25 PDN participants reported 47 episodes of PDN in which they used QE. For all of the 47 PDN episodes experienced, participants reported a decrease in nausea scale (0 to 10) after the use of QE; for 22 (47%) of the PDN episodes experienced, a nausea scale of 0 after using QE was reported. The mean decrease in nausea scale for all 25 participants was 4.78 (±2.12) after using QE. This study found that the aromatherapy QE was an effective treatment of PDN in select same-day abdominal surgery patients. Copyright © 2015 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc

  11. Experimental measurements and theoretical model of the cryogenic performance of bialkali photocathode and characterization with Monte Carlo simulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huamu Xie

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available High-average-current, high-brightness electron sources have important applications, such as in high-repetition-rate free-electron lasers, or in the electron cooling of hadrons. Bialkali photocathodes are promising high-quantum-efficiency (QE cathode materials, while superconducting rf (SRF electron guns offer continuous-mode operation at high acceleration, as is needed for high-brightness electron sources. Thus, we must have a comprehensive understanding of the performance of bialkali photocathode at cryogenic temperatures when they are to be used in SRF guns. To remove the heat produced by the radio-frequency field in these guns, the cathode should be cooled to cryogenic temperatures. We recorded an 80% reduction of the QE upon cooling the K_{2}CsSb cathode from room temperature down to the temperature of liquid nitrogen in Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL’s 704 MHz SRF gun. We conducted several experiments to identify the underlying mechanism in this reduction. The change in the spectral response of the bialkali photocathode, when cooled from room temperature (300 K to 166 K, suggests that a change in the ionization energy (defined as the energy gap from the top of the valence band to vacuum level is the main reason for this reduction. We developed an analytical model of the process, based on Spicer’s three-step model. The change in ionization energy, with falling temperature, gives a simplified description of the QE’s temperature dependence. We also developed a 2D Monte Carlo code to simulate photoemission that accounts for the wavelength-dependent photon absorption in the first step, the scattering and diffusion in the second step, and the momentum conservation in the emission step. From this simulation, we established a correlation between ionization energy and reduction in the QE. The simulation yielded results comparable to those from the analytical model. The simulation offers us additional capabilities such as calculation

  12. Long-Term Volumetric Eruption Rates and Magma Budgets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scott M. White Dept. Geological Sciences University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208; Joy A. Crisp Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA 91109; Frank J. Spera Dept. Earth Science University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 93106

    2005-01-01

    A global compilation of 170 time-averaged volumetric volcanic output rates (Qe) is evaluated in terms of composition and petrotectonic setting to advance the understanding of long-term rates of magma generation and eruption on Earth. Repose periods between successive eruptions at a given site and intrusive:extrusive ratios were compiled for selected volcanic centers where long-term (>104 years) data were available. More silicic compositions, rhyolites and andesites, have a more limited range of eruption rates than basalts. Even when high Qe values contributed by flood basalts (9 ± 2 Å~ 10-1 km3/yr) are removed, there is a trend in decreasing average Qe with lava composition from basaltic eruptions (2.6 ± 1.0 Å~ 10-2 km3/yr) to andesites (2.3 ± 0.8 Å~ 10-3 km3/yr) and rhyolites (4.0 ± 1.4 Å~ 10-3 km3/yr). This trend is also seen in the difference between oceanic and continental settings, as eruptions on oceanic crust tend to be predominately basaltic. All of the volcanoes occurring in oceanic settings fail to have statistically different mean Qe and have an overall average of 2.8 ± 0.4 Å~ 10-2 km3/yr, excluding flood basalts. Likewise, all of the volcanoes on continental crust also fail to have statistically different mean Qe and have an overall average of 4.4 ± 0.8 Å~ 10-3 km3/yr. Flood basalts also form a distinctive class with an average Qe nearly two orders of magnitude higher than any other class. However, we have found no systematic evidence linking increased intrusive:extrusive ratios with lower volcanic rates. A simple heat balance analysis suggests that the preponderance of volcanic systems must be open magmatic systems with respect to heat and matter transport in order to maintain eruptible magma at shallow depth throughout the observed lifetime of the volcano. The empirical upper limit of Å`10-2 km3/yr for magma eruption rate in systems with relatively high intrusive:extrusive ratios may be a consequence of the fundamental parameters

  13. An optical test bench for the precision characterization of absolute quantum efficiency for the TESS CCD detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krishnamurthy, A.; Villasenor, J.; Kissel, S.; Ricker, G.; Vanderspek, R.

    2017-01-01

    The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will search for planets transiting bright stars with Ic ∼< 13. TESS has been selected by NASA for launch in 2018 as an Astrophysics Explorer mission, and is expected to discover a thousand or more planets that are smaller in size than Neptune. TESS will employ four wide-field optical charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras with a band-pass of 650 nm–1050 nm to detect temporary drops in brightness of stars due to planetary transits. The 1050 nm limit is set by the quantum efficiency (QE) of the CCDs. The detector assembly consists of four back-illuminated MIT Lincoln Laboratory CCID-80 devices. Each CCID-80 device consists of 2048×2048 imaging array and 2048×2048 frame store regions. Very precise on-ground calibration and characterization of CCD detectors will significantly assist in the analysis of the science data obtained in space. The characterization of the absolute QE of the CCD detectors is a crucial part of the characterization process because QE affects the performance of the CCD significantly over the redder wavelengths at which TESS will be operating. An optical test bench with significantly high photometric stability has been developed to perform precise QE measurements. The design of the test setup along with key hardware, methodology, and results from the test campaign are presented.

  14. High energy gain electron beam acceleration by 100TW laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kotaki, Hideyuki; Kando, Masaki; Kondo, Shuji; Hosokai, Tomonao; Kanazawa, Shuhei; Yokoyama, Takashi; Matoba, Toru; Nakajima, Kazuhisa

    2001-01-01

    A laser wakefield acceleration experiment using a 100TW laser is planed at JAERI-Kansai. High quality and short pulse electron beams are necessary to accelerate the electron beam by the laser. Electron beam - laser synchronization is also necessary. A microtron with a photocathode rf-gun was prepared as a high quality electron injector. The quantum efficiency (QE) of the photocathode of 2x10 -5 was obtained. A charge of 100pC from the microtron was measured. The emittance and pulse width of the electron beam was 6π mm-mrad and 10ps, respectively. In order to produce a short pulse electron beam, and to synchronize between the electron beam and the laser pulse, an inverse free electron laser (IFEL) is planned. One of problems of LWFA is the short acceleration length. In order to overcome the problem, a Z-pinch plasma waveguide will be prepared as a laser wakefield acceleration tube for 1 GeV acceleration. (author)

  15. U.S. Department Of Energy's nuclear engineering education research: highlights of recent and current research-II. 2. Advanced Finite Element Discretizations for High-Energy Ion Transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gleicher, Frederick; Prinja, Anil K.

    2001-01-01

    An efficient multigroup model that accurately describes electronic energy loss straggling was recently presented for use in multigroup Monte Carlo and deterministic high-energy ion transport codes. The model preserves the mean energy loss per path length, using the continuous slowing down (CSD) approximation, and mean-squared energy loss per path length, using strictly down-scatter multigroup cross sections, and accurately captures the energy spectrum of an initially monoenergetic ion beam. However, the dominant CSD energy loss process coupled with the small (but non-negligible) straggling poses a significant challenge for deterministic numerical solution when incident beams are monoenergetic or have discontinuous energy spectra. Such spectra broaden very slowly with depth into the target material, and thus, the interior distributions display sharpness and discontinuities. Advanced space-energy discretization methods are consequently necessary to achieve numerical robustness. In this paper, we investigate finite element solutions to this problem using two general families of discontinuous trial functions, one linear and the other nonlinear. The two families have been numerically tested, and we show results for 1.7-GeV protons incident on a tungsten target. For benchmarking purposes, we have also performed Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Figure 1 displays the spatially converged energy spectrum with 200 groups after the beam has penetrated two-thirds of the ion range (85 cm). We contrast results from linear (LD), bilinear (BLD), and quadratic (QD) discontinuous trail functions against those from exponential-linear (LE), exponential-bilinear (BLE), and exponential-quadratic (QE) discontinuous trail functions. It is clear that the linear and bilinear results from both families are grossly inaccurate, both showing unacceptably high numerical straggling when compared against the MC results. The nonlinear results are everywhere positive while the linear schemes display

  16. Some Convex Functions Based Measures of Independence and Their Application to Strange Attractor Reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazuyuki Aihara

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The classical information-theoretic measures such as the entropy and the mutual information (MI are widely applicable to many areas in science and engineering. Csiszar generalized the entropy and the MI by using the convex functions. Recently, we proposed the grid occupancy (GO and the quasientropy (QE as measures of independence. The QE explicitly includes a convex function in its definition, while the expectation of GO is a subclass of QE. In this paper, we study the effect of different convex functions on GO, QE, and Csiszar’s generalized mutual information (GMI. A quality factor (QF is proposed to quantify the sharpness of their minima. Using the QF, it is shown that these measures can have sharper minima than the classical MI. Besides, a recursive algorithm for computing GMI, which is a generalization of Fraser and Swinney’s algorithm for computing MI, is proposed. Moreover, we apply GO, QE, and GMI to chaotic time series analysis. It is shown that these measures are good criteria for determining the optimum delay in strange attractor reconstruction.

  17. A new accurate quadratic equation model for isothermal gas chromatography and its comparison with the linear model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Liejun; Chen, Maoxue; Chen, Yongli; Li, Qing X.

    2013-01-01

    The gas holdup time (tM) is a dominant parameter in gas chromatographic retention models. The difference equation (DE) model proposed by Wu et al. (J. Chromatogr. A 2012, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2012.07.077) excluded tM. In the present paper, we propose that the relationship between the adjusted retention time tRZ′ and carbon number z of n-alkanes follows a quadratic equation (QE) when an accurate tM is obtained. This QE model is the same as or better than the DE model for an accurate expression of the retention behavior of n-alkanes and model applications. The QE model covers a larger range of n-alkanes with better curve fittings than the linear model. The accuracy of the QE model was approximately 2–6 times better than the DE model and 18–540 times better than the LE model. Standard deviations of the QE model were approximately 2–3 times smaller than those of the DE model. PMID:22989489

  18. Observation of Significant Quantum Efficiency Enhancement from a Polarized Photocathode with Distributed Bragg Reflector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Shukui [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA (United States); Poelker, Matthew [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA (United States); Stutzman, Marcy L. [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA (United States); Chen, Yiqiao [SVT Associates, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN (United States); Moy, Aaron [SVT Associates, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN (United States)

    2015-09-01

    Polarized photocathodes with higher Quantum efficiency (QE) would help to reduce the technological challenge associated with producing polarized beams at milliampere levels, because less laser light would be required, which simplifies photocathode cooling requirements. And for a given amount of available laser power, higher QE would extend the photogun operating lifetime. The distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) concept was proposed to enhance the QE of strained-superlattice photocathodes by increasing the absorption of the incident photons using a Fabry-Perot cavity formed between the front surface of the photocathode and the substrate that includes a DBR, without compromising electron polarization. Here we present recent results showing QE enhancement of a GaAs/GaAsP strained-superlattice photocathode made with a DBR structure. Typically, a GaAs/GaAsP strained-superlattice photocathode without DBR provides a QE of 1%, at a laser wavelength corresponding to peak polarization. In comparison, the GaAs/GaAsP strained-superlattice photocathodes with DBR exhibited an enhancement of over 2 when the incident laser wavelength was tuned to meet the resonant condition for the Fabry-Perot resonator.

  19. Speech Intelligibility and Hearing Protector Selection

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-08-29

    not only affect the listener of speech communication in a noisy environment, HPDs can also affect the speaker . Tufts and Frank (2003) found that...of hearing protection on speech intelligibility in noise. Sound and Vibration . 20(10): 12-14. Berger, E. H. 1980. EARLog #4 – The

  20. Hydrogen quasienergies from spectral analysis of wavepackets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dondera, M.; Muller, H.G.; Gavrila, M.

    2002-01-01

    Quasienergies (qe) are calculated traditionally by solving the time-independent Floquet system of differential equations. A number of such calculations have been carried out successfully in the past for atomic hydrogen, albeit not at the frequencies of operation of current super intense lasers. We now present a method for calculating qe based on the evolution of a wave packet of the Schroedinger equation with a time-periodic Hamiltonian, that is an extension of the well known 'spectral method' for obtaining (real) eigenenergies of a time-independent Hamiltonian. The present method is based on propagating a wave packet Ψ(t) with an appropriately chosen initial condition Ψ(0) in a periodic field of constant amplitude, and then Fourier analyzing the autocorrelation function A(t) = . The Fourier transform of the autocorrelation function displays a set of lines, whose location and widths are related to the complex qe of the Floquet states present in the expansion of the wave packet. When these lines are non-overlapping, standard fitting techniques allow the extraction of the real and imaginary parts of the qe. For the case of overlapping lines, we apply the more elaborate technique of 'filter diagonalization'. Our method was tested by comparison with qe obtained from other sources, e.g., the solution of the system of differential equations. We apply the method to 3D hydrogen in a laser field of linear polarization, at the frequently used photon energy ω = 1.55 eV (wavelength 800 nm). We consider Floquet states belonging to several symmetry manifolds m. The field amplitude is varied from zero to several a.u. We thus obtain a 'Floquet map' for the real part of the qe of the lower states, and separately, the imaginary parts (widths) of the qe. The Floquet map displays interesting pseudo-crossings. We interpret the results in terms of avoided crossings of trajectories of the qe in the complex energy plane, and discuss their physical significance. (authors)

  1. Development of Low Parasitic Light Sensitivity and Low Dark Current 2.8 μm Global Shutter Pixel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshifumi Yokoyama

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: We developed a low parasitic light sensitivity (PLS and low dark current 2.8 μm global shutter pixel. We propose a new inner lens design concept to realize both low PLS and high quantum efficiency (QE. 1/PLS is 7700 and QE is 62% at a wavelength of 530 nm. We also propose a new storage-gate based memory node for low dark current. P-type implants and negative gate biasing are introduced to suppress dark current at the surface of the memory node. This memory node structure shows the world smallest dark current of 9.5 e−/s at 60 °C.

  2. Development of Low Parasitic Light Sensitivity and Low Dark Current 2.8 μm Global Shutter Pixel †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokoyama, Toshifumi; Tsutsui, Masafumi; Suzuki, Masakatsu; Nishi, Yoshiaki; Mizuno, Ikuo; Lahav, Assaf

    2018-01-01

    We developed a low parasitic light sensitivity (PLS) and low dark current 2.8 μm global shutter pixel. We propose a new inner lens design concept to realize both low PLS and high quantum efficiency (QE). 1/PLS is 7700 and QE is 62% at a wavelength of 530 nm. We also propose a new storage-gate based memory node for low dark current. P-type implants and negative gate biasing are introduced to suppress dark current at the surface of the memory node. This memory node structure shows the world smallest dark current of 9.5 e−/s at 60 °C. PMID:29370146

  3. Determination and evaluation of gas holdup time with the quadratic equation model and comparison with nonlinear equation models for isothermal gas chromatography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Liejun; Chen, Maoxue; Chen, Yongli; Li, Qing X.

    2013-01-01

    Gas holdup time (tM) is a basic parameter in isothermal gas chromatography (GC). Determination and evaluation of tM and retention behaviors of n-alkanes under isothermal GC conditions have been extensively studied since the 1950s, but still remains unresolved. The difference equation (DE) model [J. Chromatogr. A 1260:215–223] reveals retention behaviors of n-alkanes excluding tM, while the quadratic equation (QE) model [J. Chromatogr. A 1260:224–231] including tM is suitable for applications. In the present study, tM values were calculated with the QE model, which is referred to as tMT, evaluated and compared with other three typical nonlinear models. The QE model gives an accurate estimation of tM in isothermal GC. The tMT values are highly accurate, stable, and easy to calculate and use. There is only one tMT value at each GC condition. The proper classification of tM values can clarify their disagreement and facilitate GC retention data standardization for which tMT values are promising reference tM values. PMID:23726077

  4. Effective spectral function for quasielastic scattering on nuclei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bodek, A.; Coopersmith, B. [University of Rochester, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rochester, NY (United States); Christy, M.E. [Hampton University, Hampton, VA (United States)

    2014-10-15

    Spectral functions that are used in neutrino event, generators to model quasielastic (QE) scattering from nuclear targets include Fermi gas, Local Thomas Fermi gas (LTF), Bodek-Ritchie Fermi gas with high momentum tail, and the Benhar-Fantoni two dimensional spectral function. We find that the ν dependence of predictions of these spectral functions for the QE differential cross sections (d{sup 2}σ/dQ{sup 2}dν) are in disagreement with the prediction of the ψ' superscaling function which is extracted from fits to quasielastic electron scattering data on nuclear targets. It is known that spectral functions do not fully describe quasielastic scattering because they only model the initial state. Final state interactions distort the shape of the differential cross section at the peak and increase the cross section at the tails of the distribution. We show that the kinematic distributions predicted by the ψ' superscaling formalism can be well described with a modified effective spectral function (ESF). By construction, models using ESF in combination with the transverse enhancement contribution correctly predict electron QE scattering data. (orig.)

  5. Effective spectral function for quasielastic scattering on nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bodek, A.; Coopersmith, B.; Christy, M.E.

    2014-01-01

    Spectral functions that are used in neutrino event, generators to model quasielastic (QE) scattering from nuclear targets include Fermi gas, Local Thomas Fermi gas (LTF), Bodek-Ritchie Fermi gas with high momentum tail, and the Benhar-Fantoni two dimensional spectral function. We find that the ν dependence of predictions of these spectral functions for the QE differential cross sections (d 2 σ/dQ 2 dν) are in disagreement with the prediction of the ψ' superscaling function which is extracted from fits to quasielastic electron scattering data on nuclear targets. It is known that spectral functions do not fully describe quasielastic scattering because they only model the initial state. Final state interactions distort the shape of the differential cross section at the peak and increase the cross section at the tails of the distribution. We show that the kinematic distributions predicted by the ψ' superscaling formalism can be well described with a modified effective spectral function (ESF). By construction, models using ESF in combination with the transverse enhancement contribution correctly predict electron QE scattering data. (orig.)

  6. Influence of relative humidity and temperature on quantity of electric charge of static protective clothing used in petrochemical industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yunpeng; Liu, Quanzhen; Liu, Baoquan; Li, Yipeng; Zhang, Tingting

    2013-03-01

    In this paper, the working principle of static protective clothing and its testing method of quantity of electric charge are introduced, and the influence of temperature and relative humidity on the quantity of electric charge (qe) of static protective clothing is studied by measuring qe of different clothing samples. The result shows that temperature and relative humidity can influence qe of static protective clothing to some extent and the influence of relative humidity is bigger than that of temperature. According to experimental results, the relationship of qe and relative humidity and temperature was analysed, and the safety boundary of quantity of electric charge is discussed. In order to reduce the occurrence of electrostatic accidents and ensure safe production and operation of petrochemical industry, some suggestions on choosing and using of static protective clothing are given for guaranteeing its static protective performance.

  7. Evaluation of the ionization quenching correction for several liquid scintillators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Los Arcos, J. M.; Borras, C.

    1990-01-01

    The most appropriate computational model for the ionization quenching function Q(E) is analyzed for electrons in liquid scintillators. A numerical evaluation of Q(E) from 0.1 keV to 3 MeV which the kB parameter varying between 0.005 and 0.010 cm/MeV is presented for seven scintillators; Toluene, Toluene-Alcohol, PCS, Toluene-CCl4, INSTAGEL, Dioxane-Naphtalene and HISAFE II. The numerical result are summarized as tables of Ieast squares fitting coefficient which make easy the computation of Q(E). (Author)

  8. Evaluation of the ionization quenching correction for several liquid scintillators; Evaluacion de la extincion por ionizacion para diversos liquidos centelleadores

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Los Arcos, J M; Borras, C

    1990-07-01

    The most appropriate computational model for the ionization quenching function Q(E) is analyzed for electrons in liquid scintillators. A numerical evaluation of Q(E) from 0.1 keV to 3 MeV which the kB parameter varying between 0.005 and 0.010 cm/MeV is presented for seven scintillators; Toluene, Toluene-Alcohol, PCS, Toluene-CCl4, INSTAGEL, Dioxane-Naphtalene and HISAFE II. The numerical result are summarized as tables of Ieast squares fitting coefficient which make easy the computation of Q(E). (Author)

  9. Proceedings of the school for young high energy physicists, September 1990 [held at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton (GB)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barlow, R.J.

    1991-01-01

    The 1990 School of Young High Energy Physicists took place in September and was attended by virtually all first year graduate students in experimental HEP at British Universities. The School consisted of two weeks of intensive lectures, written versions of which are published in this book. The four lecture courses; symmetries and gauge theories in Quantum Field Theory, Relativisitc quantum mechanics, QED and QeD; The Standard Model and Beyond and Selected Topics in Phenomenology of the Standard Model are all indexed separately. These were supplemented by problems and tutorials to give a thorough grounding in the Standard Model of elementary particle physics, putting understanding of the theory on a firm foundation for experimental investigations. (author)

  10. The Colonic Microbiome and Epithelial Transcriptome Are Altered in Rats Fed a High-Protein Diet Compared with a Normal-Protein Diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Chunlong; Yang, Yuxiang; Luo, Zhen; Guan, Leluo; Zhu, Weiyun

    2016-03-01

    A high-protein diet (HPD) can produce hazardous compounds and reduce butyrate-producing bacteria in feces, which may be detrimental to gut health. However, information on whether HPD affects intestinal function is limited. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of an HPD on the microbiota, microbial metabolites, and epithelial transcriptome in the colons of rats. Adult male Wistar rats were fed either a normal-protein diet (20% protein, 56% carbohydrate) or an HPD (45% protein, 30% carbohydrate) for 6 wk (n = 10 rats per group, individually fed). After 6 wk, the colonic microbiome, microbial metabolites, and epithelial transcriptome were determined. Compared with the normal-protein diet, the HPD adversely altered the colonic microbiota by increasing (P 0.7, P < 0.05) with genes and metabolites generally regarded as being involved in disease pathogenesis, suggesting these bacteria may mediate the detrimental effects of HPDs on colonic health. Our findings suggest that the HPD altered the colonic microbial community, shifted the metabolic profile, and affected the host response in the colons of rats toward an increased risk of colonic disease. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

  11. Energy resolution measurements of LaBr3:Ce scintillating crystals with an ultra-high quantum efficiency photomultiplier tube

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pani, R.; Cinti, M.N.; Scafe, R.; Pellegrini, R.; Vittorini, F.; Bennati, P.; Ridolfi, S.; Lo Meo, S.; Mattioli, M.; Baldazzi, G.; Pisacane, F.; Navarria, F.; Moschini, G.; Boccaccio, P.; Orsolini Cencelli, V.; Sacco, D.

    2009-01-01

    The performance of the new prototype of high quantum efficiency PMT (43% at 380 nm), Hamamatsu R7600U-200, was studied coupled to a LaBr 3 :Ce crystal with the size of o12.5 mmx12.5 mm. The energy resolution results were compared with ones from two PMTs, Hamamatsu R7600U and R6231MOD, with 22% and 30% quantum efficiency (QE), respectively. Moreover, the photodetectors were equipped with tapered and un-tapered voltage dividers to study the non-linearity effects on pulse height distribution, due to very high peak currents induced in the PMT by the fast and intense light pulse of LaBr 3 :Ce. The results show an energy resolution improvement with UBA PMT of about 20%, in the energy range of 80-662 keV, with respect to the BA one.

  12. Modeling Speech Level as a Function of Background Noise Level and Talker-to-Listener Distance for Talkers Wearing Hearing Protection Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouserhal, Rachel E.; Bockstael, Annelies; MacDonald, Ewen; Falk, Tiago H.; Voix, Jérémie

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Studying the variations in speech levels with changing background noise level and talker-to-listener distance for talkers wearing hearing protection devices (HPDs) can aid in understanding communication in background noise. Method: Speech was recorded using an intra-aural HPD from 12 different talkers at 5 different distances in 3…

  13. Visible spectroscopy calibration transfer model in determining pH of Sala mangoes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yahaya, O.K.M.; MatJafri, M.Z.; Aziz, A.A.; Omar, A.F.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to compare the efficiency of calibration transfer procedures between three spectrometers involving two Ocean Optics Inc. spectrometers, namely, QE65000 and Jaz, and also, ASD FieldSpec 3 in measuring the pH of Sala mango by visible reflectance spectroscopy. This study evaluates the ability of these spectrometers in measuring the pH of Sala mango by applying similar calibration algorithms through direct calibration transfer. This visible reflectance spectroscopy technique defines a spectrometer as a master instrument and another spectrometer as a slave. The multiple linear regression (MLR) of calibration model generated using the QE65000 spectrometer is transferred to the Jaz spectrometer and vice versa for Set 1. The same technique is applied for Set 2 with QE65000 spectrometer is transferred to the FieldSpec3 spectrometer and vice versa. For Set 1, the result showed that the QE65000 spectrometer established a calibration model with higher accuracy than that of the Jaz spectrometer. In addition, the calibration model developed on Jaz spectrometer successfully predicted the pH of Sala mango, which was measured using QE65000 spectrometer, with a root means square error of prediction RMSEP = 0.092 pH and coefficients of determination R 2  = 0.892. Moreover, the best prediction result is obtained for Set 2 when the calibration model developed on QE65000 spectrometer is successfully transferred to FieldSpec 3 with R 2  = 0.839 and RMSEP = 0.16 pH

  14. AcEST: BP917009 [AcEST

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available GS23_9BURK Methyltransferase type 11 OS=Limnobacter ... 33 7.1 tr|Q23QE1|Q23QE1_TETTH Protein kinase domain ...hyltransferase type 11 OS=Limnobacter sp. MED105 GN=LMED105_11900 PE=4 SV=1 Lengt

  15. External quantum efficiency enhancement by photon recycling with backscatter evasion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagano, Koji; Perreca, Antonio; Arai, Koji; Adhikari, Rana X

    2018-05-01

    The nonunity quantum efficiency (QE) in photodiodes (PD) causes deterioration of signal quality in quantum optical experiments due to photocurrent loss as well as the introduction of vacuum fluctuations into the measurement. In this paper, we report that the external QE enhancement of a PD was demonstrated by recycling the reflected photons. The external QE for an InGaAs PD was increased by 0.01-0.06 from 0.86-0.92 over a wide range of incident angles. Moreover, we confirmed that this technique does not increase backscattered light when the recycled beam is properly misaligned.

  16. Glucosinolate profiles by HPLC-DAD, phenolic compositions and antioxidant activity of Eruca vesicaria longirostris: Impact of plant part and origin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saoussen Bouacida

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The glucosinolate profiles, phenol and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant activity of Eruca vesicaria longirostris were studied for different organs and origins. Eleven desulpho-glucosinolates (DS-GLSs were isolated and quantified by lipid chromatography- DAD. Similarity between profiles was obtained. Total DS-GLS content, expressed as sinigrin equivalents (SE revealed a certain variabilily ranging between (76.07-45.61, (27.01-13.53, (4.52 -18.01, (9.39-3.37 and (1.16-13.99 µmol /g DW for seeds, flowers, leaves, roots and stems, respectively. Results showed that seeds are rich in phenolics as they contain highest amounts of phenolics ranging from 27.6±0.5 to 33.47±0.5 mg GAE/g extract as compared to all other parts. Leaves and flowers had a significantly higher total phenolic content than stems and roots in all samples (p < 0.05. According to statistical analysis, the investigated seed extracts with values between (16.20±0.10-18.50±0.10 mg QE/g exhibited the highest total flavonoids content, followed by leaves (13.00±0.40-15.80±0.30mg QE/g, flowers (10.40±0.40-12.90±0.90 mg QE/g and stems (7.80±0.20- 9.80±0.70 mg QE/g. Antioxidant activity tested by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays, was higher for seeds, leaves and flowers than the other studied organs. These organs were characterized by a significantly high content in glucoerucin, nasturtin and epiprogroitrin, respectively.

  17. Comparison of two recombinant systems for expression of cholera toxin B subunit from Vibrio cholerae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Boustanshenas

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the production of recombinant cholera toxin B subunit (rCTB protein in two different expression systems (pAE_ctxB and pQE_ctxB constructs in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3. Materials and Methods: The ctxB fragment was amplified from Vibrio cholerae O 1 ATCC14035 and cloned in pGETM-T easy vector after which it was transformed to E. coli Top 10F′ and grown on LB-ampicillin agar medium. Sequence analysis confirmed the complete ctxB gene sequence in the construct which was further subcloned to pQE-30 vector. The construct was subsequently transformed to E. coli M15 (pREP4. The recombinant pAE_ctxB and pQE_ctxB were transformed to competent E. coli BL21 (DE3 cells to express CTB protein. Result: Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE analysis showed the maximum expression of rCTB in both systems at 5 h after induction and western blot analysis confirmed the presence of recombinant CTB in blotting membranes. Conclusion: Expression of rCTB in pAE_ctxB construct was more efficient (15-fold than pQE_ctxB, and it seems that Lac UV5 in E. coli BL21 (DE3 is more compatible with the former construct. This expression system can be used to produce recombinant CTB in high yield which may enable us to study the oral tolerance or mucosal adjuvant properties of rCTB using animal models.

  18. Quasi-experimental study designs series-paper 8: identifying quasi-experimental studies to inform systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glanville, Julie; Eyers, John; Jones, Andrew M; Shemilt, Ian; Wang, Grace; Johansen, Marit; Fiander, Michelle; Rothstein, Hannah

    2017-09-01

    This article reviews the available evidence and guidance on methods to identify reports of quasi-experimental (QE) studies to inform systematic reviews of health care, public health, international development, education, crime and justice, and social welfare. Research, guidance, and examples of search strategies were identified by searching a range of databases, key guidance documents, selected reviews, conference proceedings, and personal communication. Current practice and research evidence were summarized. Four thousand nine hundred twenty-four records were retrieved by database searches, and additional documents were obtained by other searches. QE studies are challenging to identify efficiently because they have no standardized nomenclature and may be indexed in various ways. Reliable search filters are not available. There is a lack of specific resources devoted to collecting QE studies and little evidence on where best to search. Searches to identify QE studies should search a range of resources and, until indexing improves, use strategies that focus on the topic rather than the study design. Better definitions, better indexing in databases, prospective registers, and reporting guidance are required to improve the retrieval of QE studies and promote systematic reviews of what works based on the evidence from such studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Optimizing the physical-chemical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) on Cu(II) adsorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenzweig, Shirley; Sorial, George A; Sahle-Demessie, Endalkachew; McAvoy, Drew C

    2014-08-30

    Systematic experiments of copper adsorption on 10 different commercially available nanomaterials were studied for the influence of physical-chemical properties and their interactions. Design of experiment and response surface methodology was used to develop a polynomial model to predict maximum copper adsorption (initial concentration, Co=10mg/L) per mass of nanomaterial, qe, using multivariable regression and maximum R-square criterion. The best subsets of properties to predict qe in order of significant contribution to the model were: bulk density, ID, mesopore volume, tube length, pore size, zeta-charge, specific surface area and OD. The highest experimental qe observed was for an alcohol-functionalized MWCNT (16.7mg/g) with relative high bulk density (0.48g/cm(3)), ID (2-5nm), 10-30μm long and ODGraphene nanoplatelets (GNP) showed poor adsorptive capacity associated to stacked-nanoplatelets, but good colloidal stability due to high functionalized surface. Good adsorption results for pristine SWCNT indicated that tubes with small diameter were more associated with good adsorption than functionalized surface. XPS and ICP analysis explored surface chemistry and purity, but pHpzc and zeta-charge were ultimately applied to indicate the degree of functionalization. Optimum CNT were identified in the scatter plot, but actual manufacturing processes introduced size and shape variations which interfered with final property results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Advantages of GPU technology in DFT calculations of intercalated graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pešić, J.; Gajić, R.

    2014-09-01

    Over the past few years, the expansion of general-purpose graphic-processing unit (GPGPU) technology has had a great impact on computational science. GPGPU is the utilization of a graphics-processing unit (GPU) to perform calculations in applications usually handled by the central processing unit (CPU). Use of GPGPUs as a way to increase computational power in the material sciences has significantly decreased computational costs in already highly demanding calculations. A level of the acceleration and parallelization depends on the problem itself. Some problems can benefit from GPU acceleration and parallelization, such as the finite-difference time-domain algorithm (FTDT) and density-functional theory (DFT), while others cannot take advantage of these modern technologies. A number of GPU-supported applications had emerged in the past several years (www.nvidia.com/object/gpu-applications.html). Quantum Espresso (QE) is reported as an integrated suite of open source computer codes for electronic-structure calculations and materials modeling at the nano-scale. It is based on DFT, the use of a plane-waves basis and a pseudopotential approach. Since the QE 5.0 version, it has been implemented as a plug-in component for standard QE packages that allows exploiting the capabilities of Nvidia GPU graphic cards (www.qe-forge.org/gf/proj). In this study, we have examined the impact of the usage of GPU acceleration and parallelization on the numerical performance of DFT calculations. Graphene has been attracting attention worldwide and has already shown some remarkable properties. We have studied an intercalated graphene, using the QE package PHonon, which employs GPU. The term ‘intercalation’ refers to a process whereby foreign adatoms are inserted onto a graphene lattice. In addition, by intercalating different atoms between graphene layers, it is possible to tune their physical properties. Our experiments have shown there are benefits from using GPUs, and we reached an

  1. Advantages of GPU technology in DFT calculations of intercalated graphene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pešić, J; Gajić, R

    2014-01-01

    Over the past few years, the expansion of general-purpose graphic-processing unit (GPGPU) technology has had a great impact on computational science. GPGPU is the utilization of a graphics-processing unit (GPU) to perform calculations in applications usually handled by the central processing unit (CPU). Use of GPGPUs as a way to increase computational power in the material sciences has significantly decreased computational costs in already highly demanding calculations. A level of the acceleration and parallelization depends on the problem itself. Some problems can benefit from GPU acceleration and parallelization, such as the finite-difference time-domain algorithm (FTDT) and density-functional theory (DFT), while others cannot take advantage of these modern technologies. A number of GPU-supported applications had emerged in the past several years (www.nvidia.com/object/gpu-applications.html). Quantum Espresso (QE) is reported as an integrated suite of open source computer codes for electronic-structure calculations and materials modeling at the nano-scale. It is based on DFT, the use of a plane-waves basis and a pseudopotential approach. Since the QE 5.0 version, it has been implemented as a plug-in component for standard QE packages that allows exploiting the capabilities of Nvidia GPU graphic cards (www.qe-forge.org/gf/proj). In this study, we have examined the impact of the usage of GPU acceleration and parallelization on the numerical performance of DFT calculations. Graphene has been attracting attention worldwide and has already shown some remarkable properties. We have studied an intercalated graphene, using the QE package PHonon, which employs GPU. The term ‘intercalation’ refers to a process whereby foreign adatoms are inserted onto a graphene lattice. In addition, by intercalating different atoms between graphene layers, it is possible to tune their physical properties. Our experiments have shown there are benefits from using GPUs, and we reached an

  2. Kalanchoe pinnata inhibits mast cell activation and prevents allergic airway disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, E A; Reuter, S; Martin, H; Dehzad, N; Muzitano, M F; Costa, S S; Rossi-Bergmann, B; Buhl, R; Stassen, M; Taube, C

    2012-01-15

    Aqueous extract of Kalanchoe pinnata (Kp) have been found effective in models to reduce acute anaphylactic reactions. In the present study, we investigate the effect of Kp and the flavonoid quercetin (QE) and quercitrin (QI) on mast cell activation in vitro and in a model of allergic airway disease in vivo. Treatment with Kp and QE in vitro inhibited degranulation and cytokine production of bone marrow-derived mast cells following IgE/FcɛRI crosslinking, whereas treatment with QI had no effect. Similarly, in vivo treatment with Kp and QE decreased development of airway hyperresponsiveness, airway inflammation, goblet cell metaplasia and production of IL-5, IL-13 and TNF. In contrast, treatment with QI had no effect on these parameters. These findings demonstrate that treatment with Kp or QE is effective in treatment of allergic airway disease, providing new insights to the immunomodulatory functions of this plant. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  3. The Properties of Normal Conducting Cathodes in FZD Superconducting Gun

    CERN Document Server

    Xiang, R; Buettig, H; Janssen, D; Justus, M; Lehnert, U; Michel, P; Murcek, P; Schamlott, A; Schneider, Ch; Schurig, R; Staufenbiel, F; Teichert, J

    2009-01-01

    The superconducting radio frequency photoinjector (SRF photoinjector) is one of the latest applications of SC technology in the accelerator field. Since superconducting cathodes with high QE are not available up to now, normal conducting cathode material is the main choice for the SRF photoinjectors. However, the compatibility between the cathode and the cavity is one of the challenges for this concept. The SRF gun with Cs2Te cathode has been successfully operated under the collaboration of BESSY, DESY, FZD, and MBI. In this paper, some experience gained in the gun commissioning will be concluded. The results of the properties of Cs2Te photocathode in the cavity will be presented, such as the Q.E., the life time, the dark current and the thermal emittance.

  4. Evidence of vectorial photoelectric effect on Copper

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pedersoli, E.; Banfi, F.; Ressel, B.; Pagliara, S.; Giannetti, C.; Galimberti, G.; Lidia, S.; Corlett, J.; Ferrini, G.; Parmigiani, F.

    2005-01-01

    Quantum efficiency (QE) measurements of single photon photoemission from a Cu(111) single crystal and a Cu polycrystal photocathodes, irradiated by 150 fs-6.28 eV laser pulses, are reported over a broad range of incidence angle, both in s and p polarizations. The maximum QE (≅4x10 -4 ) for polycrystalline Cu is obtained in p polarization at an angle of incidence θ=65 deg. . We observe a QE enhancement in p polarization which cannot be explained in terms of optical absorption, a phenomenon known as vectorial photoelectric effect. Issues concerning surface roughness and symmetry considerations are addressed. An explanation in terms of nonlocal conductivity tensor is proposed

  5. Refinement, Validation and Benchmarking of a Model for E-Government Service Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magoutas, Babis; Mentzas, Gregoris

    This paper presents the refinement and validation of a model for Quality of e-Government Services (QeGS). We built upon our previous work where a conceptualized model was identified and put focus on the confirmatory phase of the model development process, in order to come up with a valid and reliable QeGS model. The validated model, which was benchmarked with very positive results with similar models found in the literature, can be used for measuring the QeGS in a reliable and valid manner. This will form the basis for a continuous quality improvement process, unleashing the full potential of e-government services for both citizens and public administrations.

  6. The ionization quench factor in liquid-scintillation counting standardizations

    CERN Document Server

    Grau-Malonda, A

    1999-01-01

    We present a new detailed analysis of the ionization quench function Q(E) used in calculating the counting efficiency in liquid-scintillation counting (LSC), which shows that Q(0)=1, and permits one to derive Q(E) as a function of the electron energy and the parameter kB. The coefficients are tabulated by applying a new empirical formula of Q(E) for kB values in the range between 0.001 and 0.20 gMeV sup - sup 1 cm sup - sup 2. We demonstrate the convenience of applying sup 3 H and sup 5 sup 4 Mn for beta-ray and electron capture standardizations, respectively.

  7. Work function and quantum efficiency study of metal oxide thin films on Ag(100)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, V.; Noakes, T. C. Q.; Harrison, N. M.

    2018-04-01

    Increasing the quantum efficiency (QE) of metal photocathodes is in the design and development of photocathodes for free-electron laser applications. The growth of metal oxide thin films on certain metal surfaces has previously been shown to reduce the work function (WF). Using a photoemission model B. Camino et al. [Comput. Mater. Sci. 122, 331 (2016), 10.1016/j.commatsci.2016.05.025] based on the three-step model combined with density functional theory calculations we predict that the growth of a finite number of MgO(100) or BaO(100) layers on the Ag(100) surface increases significantly the QE compared with the clean Ag(100) surface for a photon energy of 4.7 eV. Different mechanisms for affecting the QE are identified for the different metal oxide thin films. The addition of MgO(100) increases the QE due to the reduction of the WF and the direct excitation of electrons from the Ag surface to the MgO conduction band. For BaO(100) thin films, an additional mechanism is in operation as the oxide film also photoemits at this energy. We also note that a significant increase in the QE for photons with an energy of a few eV above the WF is achieved due to an increase in the inelastic mean-free path of the electrons.

  8. The Concepts of Quality, Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elassy, Noha

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to critically review and discuss different definitions of the concepts of quality, quality assurance (QA) and quality enhancement (QE) in higher education (HE) with presenting critical perspectives of the literature. Design/methodology/approach: The paper looks at literature concerns with the meaning of quality, QA and QE,…

  9. Preparing for Success: One Institution's Aspirational and Student Focused Response to the National Student Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flint, Abbi; Oxley, Anne; Helm, Paul; Bradley, Sally

    2009-01-01

    This paper describes quality enhancement (QE) focused response to the 2006 National Student Survey (NSS) by a post-1992 Higher Education Institution. Recognising the increasing importance of the NSS to a wide range of stakeholders, the University established a task team to explore, from a QE perspective, why the institution received particular…

  10. Effective Spectral Function for Quasielastic Scattering on Nuclei

    OpenAIRE

    Bodek, A.; Christy, M. E.; Coopersmith, B.

    2014-01-01

    Spectral functions that are used in neutrino event generators to model quasielastic (QE) scattering from nuclear targets include Fermi gas, Local Thomas Fermi gas (LTF), Bodek-Ritchie Fermi gas with high momentum tail, and the Benhar-Fantoni two dimensional spectral function. We find that the $\

  11. 3D reconstruction modeling of bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells: Effect of the complexity of the boundary on the morphology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sung-Jin; Jeong, Daun; Kim, SeongMin; Choi, Yeong Suk; Ihn, Soo-Ghang; Yun, Sungyoung; Lim, Younhee; Lee, Eunha; Park, Gyeong-Su

    2016-02-01

    Although the morphology of the active layer in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic (BHJ-OPV) cells is critical for determining the quantum efficiency (QE), predicting the real QE for a 3-dimensional (3D) morphology has long been difficult because structural information on the composition complexity of donor (D): acceptor (A) blends with small domain size is limited to 2D observations via various image-processing techniques. To overcome this, we reconstruct the 3D morphology by using an isotropic statistical approach based on 2D energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EF-TEM) images. This new reconstruction method is validated to obtain the internal QE by using a dynamic Monte Carlo simulation in the BHJ-OPV system with different additives such as 4 vol% 1-chloronaphthalene (CN) and 4 vol% 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) (compared to the case of no additive); the resulting trend is compared with the experimental QE. Therefore, our developed method can be used to predict the real charge transport performance in the OPV system accurately.

  12. PsbS-specific zeaxanthin-independent changes in fluorescence emission spectrum as a signature of energy-dependent non-photochemical quenching in higher plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zulfugarov, Ismayil S; Tovuu, Altanzaya; Dogsom, Bolormaa; Lee, Chung Yeol; Lee, Choon-Hwan

    2010-05-01

    The PsbS protein of photosystem II is necessary for the development of energy-dependent quenching of chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence (qE), and PsbS-deficient Arabidopsis plant leaves failed to show qE-specific changes in the steady-state 77 K fluorescence emission spectra observed in wild-type leaves. The difference spectrum between the quenched and un-quenched states showed a negative peak at 682 nm. Although the level of qE development in the zeaxanthin-less npq1-2 mutant plants, which lacked violaxanthin de-epoxidase enzyme, was only half that of wild type, there were no noticeable changes in this qE-dependent difference spectrum. This zeaxanthin-independent DeltaF682 signal was not dependent on state transition, and the signal was not due to photobleaching of pigments either. These results suggest that DeltaF682 signal is formed due to PsbS-specific conformational changes in the quenching site of qE and is a new signature of qE generation in higher plants.

  13. Jefferson Lab IR demo FEL photocathode quantum efficiency scanner

    CERN Document Server

    Gubeli, J; Grippo, A; Jordan, K; Shinn, M; Siggins, T

    2001-01-01

    Jefferson Laboratory's Free Electron Laser (FEL) incorporates a cesiated gallium arsenide (GaAs) DC photocathode gun as its electron source. By using a set of scanning mirrors, the surface of the GaAs wafer is illuminated with a 543.5nm helium-neon laser. Measuring the current flow across the biased photocathode generates a quantum efficiency (QE) map of the 1-in. diameter wafer surface. The resulting QE map provides a very detailed picture of the efficiency of the wafer surface. By generating a QE map in a matter of minutes, the photocathode scanner has proven to be an exceptional tool in quickly determining sensitivity and availability of the photocathode for operation.

  14. Craving for Quality Education in Tanzania: Dispelling the Myths

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalolo, John Fungulupembe

    2016-01-01

    There has been widespread concern about the provision of quality education (QE) for all learners in all contexts, but research evidence to inform this debate is quite divergent and in most of cases the question about achieving this desire seems to be full of myths. This paper examines a selection of embedded myths about QE in Tanzanian education…

  15. The Corporate Sector Purchase Programme (CSPP)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hallett, Andrew Hughes

    Large-scale asset purchase programmes are a form of monetary policy in which market interest rates are reduced by different amounts at different maturities – and lower them at the long rates that affect investment and consumption decisions. They are designed to stimulate spending by increasing...... liquidity, raising asset prices, creating wealth effects, lowering borrowing costs and increasing investment. Corporate bond purchases (CSPP) are complementary to, not an alternative to standard QE policies. They increase the impact of QE policies; widen the pool of (potentially) high quality assets...... that can be used (itself a risk reducing measure that reduces the pressure on reserves); and make it easier to steer economic performance by reducing risk premia, that is sectoral or regional interest spreads. That not only reduces average borrowing costs; it delivers better economic performance where...

  16. AcEST: DK960773 [AcEST

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 0.026 tr|Q8K1K8|Q8K1K8_MOUSE Budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1 h... 37 0.046 tr|A2APR8|A2APR8_MOUSE Budding uninhibited by benz...VLYAD 116 >tr|Q53QE4|Q53QE4_HUMAN Putative uncharacterized protein BUB1 (BUB1 budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles...QGELQHASAVLQRGIQNQA 130 >tr|A8K5A6|A8K5A6_HUMAN cDNA FLJ76827, highly similar to Homo sapiens BUB1 budding uninhibited by benzimidazo...imidazoles 1 h... 37 0.046 tr|A6RAA5|A6RAA5_AJECN Putati...les 1 homolog (yeast) (BUB1), mRNA OS=Homo sapiens PE=2 SV=1 Length = 1085 Score =

  17. Sorptive removal of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride from simulated ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    particles were highly porous with average pore diameter of nearly 10 μm. The optimum pH and ..... Moisture content. 8.6%. 8. Porosity. 94.6%. 9 .... The slope and intercept of ln(qe−qt) versus t plots can be used to determine k1 and qe.

  18. Mechanisms of energy transfer and conversion in plant Light-Harvesting Complex II

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barros, Tiago Ferreira de

    2009-09-24

    The light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHC-II) is the major antenna complex in plant photosynthesis. It accounts for roughly 30% of the total protein in plant chloroplasts, which makes it arguably the most abundant membrane protein on Earth, and binds about half of plant chlorophyll (Chl). The complex assembles as a trimer in the thylakoid membrane and binds a total of 54 pigment molecules, including 24 Chl a, 18 Chl b, 6 lutein (Lut), 3 neoxanthin (Neo) and 3 violaxanthin (Vio). LHC-II has five key roles in plant photosynthesis. It: (1) harvests sunlight and transmits excitation energy to the reaction centres of photosystems II and I, (2) regulates the amount of excitation energy reaching each of the two photosystems, (3) has a structural role in the architecture of the photosynthetic supercomplexes, (4) contributes to the tight appression of thylakoid membranes in chloroplast grana, and (5) protects the photosynthetic apparatus from photo damage by non photochemical quenching (NPQ). A major fraction of NPQ is accounted for its energy-dependent component qE. Despite being critical for plant survival and having been studied for decades, the exact details of how excess absorbed light energy is dissipated under qE conditions remain enigmatic. Today it is accepted that qE is regulated by the magnitude of the pH gradient ({delta}pH) across the thylakoid membrane. It is also well documented that the drop in pH in the thylakoid lumen during high-light conditions activates the enzyme violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE), which converts the carotenoid Vio into zeaxanthin (Zea) as part of the xanthophyll cycle. Additionally, studies with Arabidopsis mutants revealed that the photosystem II subunit PsbS is necessary for qE. How these physiological responses switch LHC-II from the active, energy transmitting to the quenched, energy-dissipating state, in which the solar energy is not transmitted to the photosystems but instead dissipated as heat, remains unclear and is the

  19. Effect of quercetin on cadmium chloride-induced impairments in sexual behaviour and steroidogenesis in male Wistar rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ujah, G A; Nna, V U; Agah, M I; Omue, L O; Leku, C B; Osim, E E

    2018-03-01

    Cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ) has been reported to cause reproductive toxicity in male rats, mainly through oxidative stress. This study examined its effect on sexual behaviour, as one of the mechanisms of reproductive dysfunction, as well as the possible ameliorative effect of quercetin (QE) on same. Thirty male Wistar rats (10 weeks old), weighing 270-300 g, were used for this study. They were either orally administered 2% DMSO, CdCl 2 (5 mg/kg b.w.), QE (20 mg/kg b.w.) or CdCl 2 +QE, once daily for 4 weeks, before sexual behavioural studies. The 5th group received CdCl 2 for 4 weeks and allowed 4-week recovery period, before sexual behavioural test. Rats were sacrificed after sexual behavioural studies. The blood, testis and penis were collected for biochemical assays. Cadmium increased mount, intromission and ejaculatory latencies, but reduced their frequencies, compared to control. Serum nitric oxide increased, while penile cyclic guanosine monophosphate reduced in the CdCl 2 -exposed rats, compared to control. CdCl 2 increased testicular cholesterol, but reduced 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 17β-HSD activities, and testosterone concentration. QE better attenuated these negative changes compared to withdrawal of CdCl 2 treatment. In conclusion, CdCl 2 suppressed steroidogenesis, penile erection and sexual behaviour, with poor reversal following withdrawal, while QE attenuated these effects. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  20. Performance of the SLC polarized electron source with high polarization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clendenin, J.E.; Alley, R.K.; Aoyagi, H.

    1993-04-01

    For the 1992 operating cycle of the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC), the polarized electron source (PES) during its maiden run successfully met the pulse intensity and overall efficiency requirements of the SLC. However, the polarization of the bulk GaAs cathode was low (∼27%) and the pulse-to-pulse stability was marginal. We have shown that adequate charge for the SLC can be extracted from a strained layer cathode having P e ∼80% even though the quantum efficiency (QE) is - beam stability. The performance of the PES during the 1993 SLC operating cycle with these and other improvements is discussed

  1. Uptake of Cd(II Using Natural Zeolite: Batch and Continuous Fixed-Bed Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luna M. LMarashdeh

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Uptake of Cd(II ions by natural phillipsite tuff was investigated both in shake-flask and fixed-bed columns. Equilibrium uptake, qe, was found to best fit Langmuir adsorption isotherm with a maximum value of 25.78 mg/g. Percent removal of Cd ions was close to 100% from initial metal ion concentrations in the range 50 - 75 mg/L at 5.0 g zeolite/L. Also, qe was found to vary exponentially with zeolite dose. Break points as high as 350 minutes were obtained from bed treatment at favorable conditions of a low solution flow rate and high bed depth. In batch experiments, equilibrium pH increased to < 8.0 excluding chemical precipitation as part of the removal while in fixed-beds the final pH exceeded 9.0. It is suggested that a sieve action of zeolite porous structure plays a role as an uptake mechanism in addition to the ion exchange.

  2. Contribution to the theoretical study of the thermal diffusion of point defects in metals; Contribution a l'etude theorique et experimentale de la thermodiffusion de defauts ponctuels dans les metaux

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gerl, M [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1968-01-01

    An experimental study of diffusion under a thermal gradient shows that the heat of transport Q-bar* for self-diffusion in the noble metals is very low (a few hundredths of I eV) and relatively large in Fe{alpha} (+ 1,7 {+-} 0,8 eV). The apparent heat of transport of Sb in Cu, measured by the 'thin layer technique' is -0.21 {+-}0,05 eV.The influence of the density of sources and sinks of vacancies on the observed vacancy flux is determined by a calculation involving the thermodynamics of irreversible processes; when the mean distance between sources and sinks is larger than a certain limiting value, the vacancy flux vanishes.The contribution to the heat of transport of electron-defect (q*e) and phonon-defect (q*p) collisions is calculated using a semi-classical approach and by a quantum mechanical method; q*e is related to the resistivity {delta} -{rho}{sub d} and to the thermoelectric power of the defect at its stable position and at its saddle-point. A relation between q*e and the effective valency Z* of the defect allows a determination of {delta}{sub {rho}}{sub d} at the saddle-point. Numerical values of q*e are given for some impurities in noble metals. (author) [French] L'etude experimentale de la diffusion sous gradient de temperature montre que la chaleur de transport d'autodiffusion des metaux nobles est tres faible (quelques centiemes d'eV), alors que celle de Fe{alpha} est relativement elevee (+1,7 {+-} 0,8 eV). La chaleur de transport apparente de Sb dans Cu, mesuree par la technique de la couche mince, est (-0.21 {+-} 0.05 eV). L'influence de la densite de sources et puits de lacunes sur le flux de lacunes observe est determinee en appliquant le formalisme de la thermodynamique des processus irreversibles; si la distance moyenne entre sources et puits excede une certaine valeur limite, le flux de lacunes devient pratiquement nul. La contribution des chocs electrons-defaut (q*e) et phonons-defaut (q*p) a la chaleur de transport,est calcul theoriquement a

  3. Contribution to the theoretical study of the thermal diffusion of point defects in metals; Contribution a l'etude theorique et experimentale de la thermodiffusion de defauts ponctuels dans les metaux

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gerl, M. [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1968-01-01

    An experimental study of diffusion under a thermal gradient shows that the heat of transport Q-bar* for self-diffusion in the noble metals is very low (a few hundredths of I eV) and relatively large in Fe{alpha} (+ 1,7 {+-} 0,8 eV). The apparent heat of transport of Sb in Cu, measured by the 'thin layer technique' is -0.21 {+-}0,05 eV.The influence of the density of sources and sinks of vacancies on the observed vacancy flux is determined by a calculation involving the thermodynamics of irreversible processes; when the mean distance between sources and sinks is larger than a certain limiting value, the vacancy flux vanishes.The contribution to the heat of transport of electron-defect (q*e) and phonon-defect (q*p) collisions is calculated using a semi-classical approach and by a quantum mechanical method; q*e is related to the resistivity {delta} -{rho}{sub d} and to the thermoelectric power of the defect at its stable position and at its saddle-point. A relation between q*e and the effective valency Z* of the defect allows a determination of {delta}{sub {rho}}{sub d} at the saddle-point. Numerical values of q*e are given for some impurities in noble metals. (author) [French] L'etude experimentale de la diffusion sous gradient de temperature montre que la chaleur de transport d'autodiffusion des metaux nobles est tres faible (quelques centiemes d'eV), alors que celle de Fe{alpha} est relativement elevee (+1,7 {+-} 0,8 eV). La chaleur de transport apparente de Sb dans Cu, mesuree par la technique de la couche mince, est (-0.21 {+-} 0.05 eV). L'influence de la densite de sources et puits de lacunes sur le flux de lacunes observe est determinee en appliquant le formalisme de la thermodynamique des processus irreversibles; si la distance moyenne entre sources et puits excede une certaine valeur limite, le flux de lacunes devient pratiquement nul. La contribution des chocs electrons-defaut (q*e) et phonons-defaut (q*p) a la chaleur de

  4. Variations in voice level and fundamental frequency with changing background noise level and talker-to-listener distance while wearing hearing protectors: A pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouserhal, Rachel E; Macdonald, Ewen N; Falk, Tiago H; Voix, Jérémie

    2016-01-01

    Speech production in noise with varying talker-to-listener distance has been well studied for the open ear condition. However, occluding the ear canal can affect the auditory feedback and cause deviations from the models presented for the open-ear condition. Communication is a main concern for people wearing hearing protection devices (HPD). Although practical, radio communication is cumbersome, as it does not distinguish designated receivers. A smarter radio communication protocol must be developed to alleviate this problem. Thus, it is necessary to model speech production in noise while wearing HPDs. Such a model opens the door to radio communication systems that distinguish receivers and offer more efficient communication between persons wearing HPDs. This paper presents the results of a pilot study aimed to investigate the effects of occluding the ear on changes in voice level and fundamental frequency in noise and with varying talker-to-listener distance. Twelve participants with a mean age of 28 participated in this study. Compared to existing data, results show a trend similar to the open ear condition with the exception of the occluded quiet condition. This implies that a model can be developed to better understand speech production for the occluded ear.

  5. Design of Experiments for Food Engineering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Søren Juhl; Geoffrey Vining, G.

    This work looks at the application of Design of Experiments (DoE) to Food Engineering (FE) problems in relation to quality. The field of Quality Engineering (QE) is a natural partnering field for FE due to the extensive developments that QE has had in using DoE for quality improvement especially...... in manufacturing industries. In the thesis the concepts concerning food quality is addressed and in addition how QE proposes to define quality. There is seen a merger in how QE’s definition of quality has been translated for food. At the same time within FE a divergence has been proposed in the literature...... that the fundamental principles of DoE have as much importance and relevance as ever for both the food industry and FE research....

  6. Target mediated drug disposition with drug-drug interaction, Part II: competitive and uncompetitive cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, Gilbert; Jusko, William J; Schropp, Johannes

    2017-02-01

    We present competitive and uncompetitive drug-drug interaction (DDI) with target mediated drug disposition (TMDD) equations and investigate their pharmacokinetic DDI properties. For application of TMDD models, quasi-equilibrium (QE) or quasi-steady state (QSS) approximations are necessary to reduce the number of parameters. To realize those approximations of DDI TMDD models, we derive an ordinary differential equation (ODE) representation formulated in free concentration and free receptor variables. This ODE formulation can be straightforward implemented in typical PKPD software without solving any non-linear equation system arising from the QE or QSS approximation of the rapid binding assumptions. This manuscript is the second in a series to introduce and investigate DDI TMDD models and to apply the QE or QSS approximation.

  7. Quantum efficiency of InAs/InP nanowire heterostructures grown on silicon substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anufriev, Roman; Chauvin, Nicolas; Bru-Chevallier, Catherine; Khmissi, Hammadi; Naji, Khalid; Gendry, Michel; Patriarche, Gilles

    2013-01-01

    Photoluminescence (PL) quantum efficiency (QE) is experimentally investigated, using an integrating sphere, as a function of excitation power on both InAs/InP quantum rod nanowires (QRod-NWs) and radial quantum well nanowires (QWell-NWs) grown on silicon substrates. The measured values of the QE are compared with those of the planar analogues such as quantum dash and quantum well samples, and found to be comparable for the quantum well structures at relatively low power density. Further studies reveal that the values of QE of the QRod-NWs and QWell-NWs are limited by the low quality of the InP NW structure and the quality of radial quantum well, respectively. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  8. Measurement of hearing protection devices performance in the workplace during full-shift working operations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nélisse, Hugues; Gaudreau, Marc-André; Boutin, Jérôme; Voix, Jérémie; Laville, Frédéric

    2012-03-01

    The effectiveness of hearing protection devices (HPDs), when used in workplace conditions, has been shown over the years to be usually lower than the labeled values obtained under well-controlled laboratory conditions. Causes for such discrepancies have been listed and discussed by many authors. This study is an attempt to understand the issues in greater details and quantify some of these factors by looking at the performance of hearing protectors as a function of time during full work shift conditions. A non-invasive field microphone in the real ear (F-MIRE)-based method has been developed for measuring the effectiveness of different HPDs as a function of time in the workplace. Details of the test procedures, the equipment used, and the post-processing operations are presented and discussed. The methodology was developed in such a way that a complete time and frequency representation are possible. The system was used on a total of 24 workers in eight different companies. Work shifts of up to 9-h long were recorded. Various types of earmuffs and one type of molded earplugs were tested. Attenuation data reported as a function of time showed, for most workers tested, considerable fluctuations over entire work shift periods. Parts of these fluctuations are attributed to variations in the low-frequency content in the noise (in particular for earmuffs) as well as poor insertion and/or fitting of earplugs. Lower performances than laboratory-based ones were once again observed for most cases tested but also, important left and right ear differences were obtained for many individuals. When reported as a function of frequency, the attenuation results suggested that the few approximations used to relate the measurements to subjective real-ear-attenuation-at-threshold (REAT) data were realistic. The use of individualized attenuation data and performance ratings for HPDs as well as a good knowledge of the ambient noise in the workplace are key ingredients when evaluating the

  9. Comparison of Quality Engineering Practices in Malaysian and Indonesian Automotive Related Companies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Putri, Nilda Tri; Sha'ri Mohd, Yusof; Irianto, Dradjad

    2016-02-01

    The main motivating factor driving this research is to find differences between the automotive related companies in Malaysia and Indonesia with regard to quality engineering (QE) implementation. A comparative study between Malaysia and Indonesia provides the opportunity to gain perspective and thorough understanding of the similarities and differences on the critical factors for successful QE practices in the context of both these countries. Face to face interviews are used to compare the QE practices in two automotive companies in Malaysia and Indonesia, respectively. The findings of study showed that both countries have clear quality objectives to achieving zero defects in processes and products and total customer satisfaction. Top and middle management in both countries were found to be directly involved in quality improvement on the shop floor to provide On-The-Job training and actively encourage team members to perform quality problem solving through the formation of quality control circles (QCC) particularly in Indonesia automotive industry. In Malaysia automotive industry, the implementation was not fully effective, but they have started to cultivate those values in the daily execution. Based on the case study results and analysis, the researcher has provided suggestions for both countries as an improvement plan for successful QE implementation. These recommendations will allow management to implement appropriate strategies for better QE implementation which hopefully can improve company's performance and ultimately the making the automotive industry in both countries to reach world class quality. It is strongly believed that the findings of this study can help Malaysia and Indonesia automotive industries in their efforts to become more effective and competitive.

  10. Specific light uptake rates can enhance astaxanthin productivity in Haematococcus lacustris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ho-Sang; Kim, Z-Hun; Park, Hanwool; Lee, Choul-Gyun

    2016-05-01

    Lumostatic operation was applied for efficient astaxanthin production in autotrophic Haematococcus lacustris cultures using 0.4-L bubble column photobioreactors. The lumostatic operation in this study was performed with three different specific light uptake rates (q(e)) based on cell concentration, cell projection area, and fresh weight as one-, two- and three-dimensional characteristics values, respectively. The q(e) value from the cell concentration (q(e1D)) obtained was 13.5 × 10⁻⁸ μE cell⁻¹ s⁻¹, and the maximum astaxanthin concentration was increased to 150 % compared to that of a control with constant light intensity. The other optimum q e values by cell projection area (q(e2D)) and fresh weight (q( e3D)) were determined to be 195 μE m⁻² s⁻¹ and 10.5 μE g⁻¹ s⁻¹ for astaxanthin production, respectively. The maximum astaxanthin production from the lumostatic cultures using the parameters controlled by cell projection area (2D) and fresh weight (3D) also increased by 36 and 22% over that of the controls, respectively. When comparing the optimal q e values among the three different types, the lumostatic cultures using q(e) based on fresh weight showed the highest astaxanthin productivity (22.8 mg L⁻¹ day⁻¹), which was a higher level than previously reported. The lumostatic operations reported here demonstrated that more efficient and effective astaxanthin production was obtained by H. lacustris than providing a constant light intensity, regardless of which parameter is used to calculate the specific light uptake rate.

  11. Superscaling analyses, lepton scattering and nucleon momentum distribution in nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Antonov, A.; Ivanov, M.; Gaidarov, M.; Caballero, J.A.; Barbaro, M.; Moya de Guerra, E.

    2009-01-01

    In this paper the following items have been presented: 1) Nucleon momentum distribution from the superscaling analyses of the QE scattering of electrons; 2) CDFM scaling functions in the QE- and _-regions; 3) Charge-changing neutrino scattering from nuclei in the QE- and –region and 4) Neutral current neutrino scattering from nuclei in the QE-region. At the end the following conclusions have been made: 1) 1 It is pointed out that f (ψ') for ψ' < -1 depends on the particular form of the power-law asymptotics of n(k) at large k and thus, is informative for the in-medium NN forces around the core. 2) The total f(ψ), the longitudinal f_L(ψ) and the transverse f_T(ψ) scaling functions are calculated within a new, more general approach within the Coherent Density Fluctuation Model (CDFM_I_I) by taking as starting point the hadronic tensor and the L- and T- response functions in the RFG model. 3) The approach leads to a slight violation of the zero-kind scaling [f_L(ψ)≠f_T(ψ)] in contrast with the situation in the RFG and CDFM_I models. It is found that the ratio f_L(ψ)/f_T(ψ) in the CDFM_I_I has similarities with that from the RPWIA approach (with Lorentz gauge) for positive ψ. 4) At q≳0:7 GeV/c the CDFM_I_I scaling function exhibits scaling of first kind and has a saturation of its asymptotic behavior. 5) The CDFM scaling functions are applied to calculate cross sections of inclusive electron scattering in the quasielastic and Δ-regions for nuclei with 12≤A≤208 at different energies and angles. The results are in agreement with available experimental data, especially in the QE region. 6) The CDFM scaling functions are applied to calculate charge-changing neutrino (antineutrino) scattering and also QE scattering via the weak neutral current on "1"2C at 1÷2 GeV incident energy.

  12. Evaluation of Cassia tora Linn. against oxidative stress-induced DNA and cell membrane damage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R Sunil Kumar

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The present study aims to evaluate antioxidants and protective role of Cassia tora Linn. against oxidative stress-induced DNA and cell membrane damage. Materials and Methods: The total and profiles of flavonoids were identified and quantified through reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. In vitro antioxidant activity was determined using standard antioxidant assays. The protective role of C. tora extracts against oxidative stress-induced DNA and cell membrane damage was examined by electrophoretic and scanning electron microscopic studies, respectively. Results: The total flavonoid content of CtEA was 106.8 ± 2.8 mg/g d.w.QE, CtME was 72.4 ± 1.12 mg/g d.w.QE, and CtWE was 30.4 ± 0.8 mg/g d.w.QE. The concentration of flavonoids present in CtEA in decreasing order: quercetin >kaempferol >epicatechin; in CtME: quercetin >rutin >kaempferol; whereas, in CtWE: quercetin >rutin >kaempferol. The CtEA inhibited free radical-induced red blood cell hemolysis and cell membrane morphology better than CtME as confirmed by a scanning electron micrograph. CtEA also showed better protection than CtME and CtWE against free radical-induced DNA damage as confirmed by electrophoresis. Conclusion: C. tora contains flavonoids and inhibits oxidative stress and can be used for many health benefits and pharmacotherapy.

  13. Pairwise correlations via quantum discord and its geometric measure in a four-qubit spin chain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdel-Baset A. Mohamed

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The dynamic of pairwise correlations, including quantum entanglement (QE and discord (QD with geometric measure of quantum discord (GMQD, are shown in the four-qubit Heisenberg XX spin chain. The results show that the effect of the entanglement degree of the initial state on the pairwise correlations is stronger for alternate qubits than it is for nearest-neighbor qubits. This parameter results in sudden death for QE, but it cannot do so for QD and GMQD. With different values for this entanglement parameter of the initial state, QD and GMQD differ and are sensitive for any change in this parameter. It is found that GMQD is more robust than both QD and QE to describe correlations with nonzero values, which offers a valuable resource for quantum computation.

  14. Adsorption removal of Sr by Barium impregnated 4A Zeolite(BaA) from high radioactive seawater waste

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Eil Hee; Lee, Keun Young; Kim, Kwang Wook; Kim, Ik Soo; Chung, Dong Yong; Moon, Jei Kwon; Choi, Jong Won [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-06-15

    This study investigated the removal of Sr, which was one of the high radioactive nuclides, by adsorption with Barium (Ba) impregnated 4A zeolite (BaA) from high-radioactive seawater waste (HSW). Adsorption of Sr by BaA (BaA-Sr), in the impregnated Ba concentration of above 20.2wt%, was decreased by increasing the impregnated Ba concentration, and the impregnated Ba concentration was suitable at 20.2wt%. The BaA-Sr adsorption was added to the co-precipitation of Sr with BaSO4 precipitation in the adsorption of Sr by 4A (4A-Sr) within BaA. Thus, it was possible to remove Sr more than 99% at m/V (adsorbent weight/solution volume)=5 g/L for BaA and m/V >20 g/L for 4A, respectively, in the Sr concentration of less than 0.2 mg/L (actual concentration level of Sr in HSW). It shows that BaA-Sr adsorption is better than 4A-Sr adsorption in for the removal capacity of Sr per unit gram of adsorbent, and the reduction of the secondary solid waste generation (spent adsorbent etc.). Also, BaA-Sr adsorption was more excellent removal capacity of Sr in the seawater waste than distilled water. Therefore, it seems to be effective for the direct removal of Sr from HSW. On the other hand, the adsorption of Cs by BaA (BaA-Cs) was mainly performed by 4A within BaA. Accordingly, it seems to be little effect of impregnated Ba into BaA. Meanwhile, BaA-Sr adsorption kinetics could be expressed the pseudosecond order rate equation. By increasing the initial Sr concentrations and the ratios of V/m, the adsorption rate constants (k2) were decreased, but the equilibrium adsorption capacities (qe) were increasing. However, with increasing the temperature of solution, k2 was conversely increased, and qe was decreased. The activation energy of BaA-Sr adsorption was 38 kJ/mol. Thus, the chemical adsorption seems to be dominant rather than physical adsorption, although it is not a chemisorption with strong bonding form.

  15. Near-Infrared Photon-Counting Camera for High-Sensitivity Observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jurkovic, Michael

    2012-01-01

    The dark current of a transferred-electron photocathode with an InGaAs absorber, responsive over the 0.9-to-1.7- micron range, must be reduced to an ultralow level suitable for low signal spectral astrophysical measurements by lowering the temperature of the sensor incorporating the cathode. However, photocathode quantum efficiency (QE) is known to reduce to zero at such low temperatures. Moreover, it has not been demonstrated that the target dark current can be reached at any temperature using existing photocathodes. Changes in the transferred-electron photocathode epistructure (with an In- GaAs absorber lattice-matched to InP and exhibiting responsivity over the 0.9- to-1.7- m range) and fabrication processes were developed and implemented that resulted in a demonstrated >13x reduction in dark current at -40 C while retaining >95% of the approximately equal to 25% saturated room-temperature QE. Further testing at lower temperature is needed to confirm a >25 C predicted reduction in cooling required to achieve an ultralow dark-current target suitable for faint spectral astronomical observations that are not otherwise possible. This reduction in dark current makes it possible to increase the integration time of the imaging sensor, thus enabling a much higher near-infrared (NIR) sensitivity than is possible with current technology. As a result, extremely faint phenomena and NIR signals emitted from distant celestial objects can be now observed and imaged (such as the dynamics of redshifting galaxies, and spectral measurements on extra-solar planets in search of water and bio-markers) that were not previously possible. In addition, the enhanced NIR sensitivity also directly benefits other NIR imaging applications, including drug and bomb detection, stand-off detection of improvised explosive devices (IED's), Raman spectroscopy and microscopy for life/physical science applications, and semiconductor product defect detection.

  16. Intervals in Generalized Effect Algebras and their Sub-generalized Effect Algebras

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zdenka Riečanová

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We consider subsets G of a generalized effect algebra E with 0∈G and such that every interval [0, q]G = [0, q]E ∩ G of G (q ∈ G , q ≠ 0 is a sub-effect algebra of the effect algebra [0, q]E. We give a condition on E and G under which every such G is a sub-generalized effect algebra of E.

  17. Avaliação do conforto do protetor auditivo individual numa intervenção para prevenção de perdas auditivas The evaluation of comfort of the personal hearing protection devices as an intervention for hearing loss prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia Schiniski Sviech

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: analisar o conforto do protetor auditivo individual como parte de uma intervenção para prevenção de perdas auditivas em trabalhadores expostos a elevados níveis de ruído, por meio da utilização de um questionário de avaliação de conforto. MÉTODO: realizou-se análise dos documentos da empresa, investigação do ruído e uso de protetor auditivo individual anterior, seleção do protetor auditivo individual, atividades educativas, aplicação de questionário e realização audiometrias. A população foi composta de 20 trabalhadores expostos a ruído acima de 80 dB(A. Os trabalhadores utilizaram protetores tipo inserção e concha, cada um durante 15 dias e responderam ao questionário de avaliação do conforto em duas ocasiões. RESULTADOS: dentre os participantes 85% eram homens e 15% mulheres, idade média 35 anos. O Índice de Conforto do protetor tipo inserção foi 4,6 e concha 6,1, com tempo médio de utilização de 6 horas 40 minutos. Dentre as razões negativas ao uso do equipamento destacaram-se: interferência com a comunicação (20%, diminuição da audição (10% e não sentir necessidadede usar (10%. CONCLUSÃO: os protetores auriculares estudados tiveram seus escores cotados em níveis aceitáveis, sendo considerados ambos confortáveis. Contudo, existiu uma diferença significante no Índice de Conforto entre protetores de diferentes tipos (inserção e concha. Com isso, pôde-se concluir que, o protetor auditivo individual tipo concha foi considerado o mais confortável e melhor aceito pela população estudada.PURPOSE: to analyze the comfort of the individual hearing protectors as part of an intervention for prevention of hearing loss in workers exposed to high noise levels, using a questionnaire of comfort assessment. METHOD: company safety and health records were reviewed, noise measurements were performed, new HPDs were selected, the comfort of the devices was evaluated and audiometric tests were

  18. Supercritical CO2 Assisted Synthesis of EDTA-Fe3O4 Nanocomposite with High Adsorption Capacity for Hexavalent Chromium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gunjan Bisht

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Efficiency of EDTA functionalized nanoparticles in adsorption of chromium (VI from water was investigated in this study. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs were synthesized by a simple chemical coprecipitation route and EDTA coating onto IONPs was attained via supercritical carbon dioxide (Sc CO2, a technology with green sustainable properties. The obtained nanoparticles were then characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and vibrating magnetometric analysis (VSM. The synthesized nanoparticle and its modified variant were evaluated as adsorbent for chromium (VI removal from water through batch adsorption technique and the effect of analytic concentration; contact time and adsorbent concentration were studied at pH 2. The results showed higher removal efficiency for modified magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONPs (i.e., 99.9% than their nonmodified variant IONPs, that is, 34.06% for the same concentration after 18 hours of incubation. Also maximum adsorption capacity (qe = 452.26 mg/g of MIONPs attained can be related to their preparation in Sc CO2 as qe calculated from IONPs, that is, 170.33 mg/g, is lower than that of MIONPs. The adsorption data fit well with Freundlich isotherm equation while kinetic adsorption studies of chromium (VI were modeled by pseudo-second-order model.

  19. Influence of air exposure on CsI photocathodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xie, Yuguang, E-mail: ygxie@mail.ihep.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS and University of Science and Technology of China, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhang, Aiwu; Liu, Yingbiao [State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS and University of Science and Technology of China, Beijing 100049 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Liu, Hongbang [Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Guangxi University, Naning 530004 (China); Hu, Tao; Zhou, Li; Cai, Xiao; Fang, Jian; Yu, Boxiang [State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS and University of Science and Technology of China, Beijing 100049 (China); Ge, Yongshuai [State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS and University of Science and Technology of China, Beijing 100049 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Lue, Qiwen [Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006 (China); Sun, Xilei; Sun, Lijun; Xue, Zheng [State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS and University of Science and Technology of China, Beijing 100049 (China); Xie, Yigang; Zheng, Yangheng [Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Lue, Junguang [State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS and University of Science and Technology of China, Beijing 100049 (China)

    2012-10-11

    We investigate the influence of air exposure on the quantum efficiency (QE) and surface morphology of CsI photocathodes (PCs), at relative humidities (RH) higher than 80% down to nearly 3% (both at room temperature) and a 60 Degree-Sign C baking condition. By atomic force microscopy (AFM) surface analysis, it is clearly seen that RH >60% speeds up water film formation and CsI dissolution on the surface of the photocathode at the minute scale, while both grain size and QE change slowly at RH <30% at the hour scale. In the baking environment, the peak QE decreases less than 1.5% (absolute) within one week, and a stainless steel substrate and electron beam evaporation technique tend to effectively weaken the influence of air. With an Au-coated FR-4 substrate, the QE degradation is found to strongly depend on wavelength in the range of 120-210 nm. According to spectra of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), an excess of cesium was observed and the chemical reaction between water and CsI when exposed to humid air is proved. It is found that carbon, and not H{sub 2}O or O{sub 2}, is the main pollutant in the baking condition.

  20. Impact of Quantitative Easing on Purchased Asset Yields, its Persistency and Overlap

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jakl Jakub

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The main focus of this paper rests on the event study and SVAR analysis of quantitative easing that was initiated as a reaction to the financial crisis at the turn of 2008/2009 that finally ended in 2014. The Fed was virtually unable to continue with its conventional monetary policy regime in environment of zero-bound threshold, where there is no easy way to decrease main monetary policy rate any further. As a reaction to this limitation, the Fed started to practice quantitative easing and other unconventional measures. Event study examines changes in yields of purchased assets, namely US Treasuries, MBS and agency debt, and on two-day event window of the OIS and yield spreads quantifies imminent impact of QE announcements and relevant chairman speeches. Following VAR model and impulse-response functions, I examine the impact of QE and its persistency on purchased asset and on alternative asset classes in the framework of various transmission channels such as signalling, portfolio-balancing and liquidity channels. In this study I found non-negligible impact of QE on purchased assets in both models through all waves of QE and time persistency patterns in IRFs part. Furthermore, some evidence for portfolio-balancing channel and other related channels was found.

  1. Kelvin probe studies of cesium telluride photocathode for AWA photoinjector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wisniewski, Eric E., E-mail: ewisniew@anl.gov [High Energy Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass, Lemont, IL 60439 (United States); Physics Department, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3300 South Federal Street, Chicago, IL 60616 (United States); Velazquez, Daniel [High Energy Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass, Lemont, IL 60439 (United States); Physics Department, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3300 South Federal Street, Chicago, IL 60616 (United States); Yusof, Zikri, E-mail: zyusof@hawk.iit.edu [High Energy Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass, Lemont, IL 60439 (United States); Physics Department, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3300 South Federal Street, Chicago, IL 60616 (United States); Spentzouris, Linda; Terry, Jeff [Physics Department, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3300 South Federal Street, Chicago, IL 60616 (United States); Sarkar, Tapash J. [Rice University, 6100 Main, Houston, TX 77005 (United States); Harkay, Katherine [Accelerator Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass, Lemont, IL 60439 (United States)

    2013-05-21

    Cesium telluride is an important photocathode as an electron source for particle accelerators. It has a relatively high quantum efficiency (>1%), is sufficiently robust in a photoinjector, and has a long lifetime. This photocathode is grown in-house for a new Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) beamline to produce high charge per bunch (≈50nC) in a long bunch train. Here, we present a study of the work function of cesium telluride photocathode using the Kelvin probe technique. The study includes an investigation of the correlation between the quantum efficiency and the work function, the effect of photocathode aging, the effect of UV exposure on the work function, and the evolution of the work function during and after photocathode rejuvenation via heating. -- Highlights: ► The correlation between Quantum Efficiency (QE) and work function. ► How QE and work function evolve together. ► Rejuvenation of the photocathode via heating and the effect on work function. ► The effects on the work function due to exposure to UV light.

  2. InP/ZnS nanocrystals for colour conversion in white light emitting diodes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shirazi, Roza

    In this work a comprehensive study of a colloidal InP/ZnS nanocrystals (NC) as the colour conversion material for white light emitting diodes (WLED) is shown. Studied nanocrystals were synthesised by wet chemistry using one pot, hot injection method. A quantum efficiency (QE) of photoluminescence......, radiative and non-radiative recombination rates were determined and QE of 63% for the population of NCs that emit light was derived. A search for source of exciton losses in bright nanocrystals temperature resolved TRPL was studied and it revealed carrier trapping most likely at core-shell interface as well...... as at the surface and which competes with bright and dark exciton states. A presence of long-lived dark excitons and trapped charges lead to strong Auger recombination at high (relative to the trapping times) excitation. A colour conversion efficiency of the nanocrystals upon light absorption and in a process...

  3. Hearing loss prevention for carpenters: Part 2 - Demonstration projects using individualized and group training

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark R Stephenson

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Two demonstration projects were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive training program for carpenters. This training was paired with audiometry and counseling and a survey of attitudes and beliefs in hearing loss prevention. All participants received hearing tests, multimedia instruction on occupational noise exposure/hearing loss, and instruction and practice in using a diverse selection of hearing protection devices (HPDs. A total of 103 apprentice carpenters participated in the Year 1 training, were given a large supply of these HPDs, and instructions on how to get additional free supplies if they ran out during the 1-year interval between initial and follow-up training. Forty-two participants responded to the survey a second time a year later and completed the Year 2 training. Significant test-retest differences were found between the pre-training and the post-training survey scores. Both forms of instruction (individual versus group produced equivalent outcomes. The results indicated that training was able to bring all apprentice participants up to the same desired level with regard to attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral intentions to use hearing protection properly. It was concluded that the health communication models used to develop the educational and training materials for this effort were extremely effective.

  4. MISTURAS DE HERBICIDAS: EFEITOS DE ADJUVANTES NO CONTROLE DE PLANTAS INFESTANTES NA CULTURA DA SOJA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    VALDEMIR ANTONIO PERESSIN

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available Estudaram-se efeitos de misturas de graminicidas com latifolicidas, aplicados em pós-emergência, acrescidos ou não de seus respectivos adjuvantes, no controle de plantas infestantes na cultura da soja (Glycine max (L. Merrill cv. IAC-8, em condições de campo. Os tratamentos consistiram em quatro graminicidas (haloxifop-metil, HM; sethoxydim, S; quizalofop-etil, QE e fluazifop-p-butil, FpB e quatro latifolicidas (chlorimuron-etil, CE; fomesafen, Fom; fluoroglycofen, Flu e lactofen, Lac, aplicados isoladamente e em misturas, além das testemunhas com e sem convivência da cultura com a comunidade infestante. Os resultados mostraram que os adjuvantes, de maneira geral, intensificaram a injúria dos herbicidas. Os graminicidas mais eficazes, aplicados isoladamente ou em misturas, no controle de Eleusine indica e de monocotiledôneas, foram HM, QE e FpB. Não houve diferenças significativas no controle de Digitaria horizontalis entre os quatro graminicidas isolados; porém, as melhores misturas foram as que utilizaram os graminicidas QE ou HM. Para controle de Mollugo verticillata, os melhores tratamentos foram obtidos com Lac aplicado isoladamente e com as misturas de QE, S ou HM com Fom e seus respectivos adjuvantes. As misturas de tanque apresentaram efeitos predominantemente antagonísticos no controle de E. indica, D. horizontalis e monocotiledôneas. Efeitos estatis-ticamente antagonísticos e sinergísticos no controle de M. verticillata foram obtidos, respec-tivamente, nas misturas de tanque com Lac e com Fom. Uma possível interação entre os adjuvantes e as misturas de herbicidas ocorreu nas avaliações de controle para E. indica, quando as misturas de S ou de HM foram usadas com ou sem adjuvantes. Os tratamentos com herbicidas não influíram na produção do cultivar de soja IAC-8.Mixtures of narrowleaf and broadleaf herbicides, with or without their respective surfactants, were evaluated as to postemergence selectivity for weed

  5. The front-end (Level-0) electronics interface module for the LHCb RICH detectors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adinolfi, M. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Bibby, J.H. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Brisbane, S. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Gibson, V. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom); Harnew, N. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Jones, M. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Libby, J. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: j.libby1@physics.ox.ac.uk; Powell, A. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Newby, C. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Rotolo, N. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Smale, N. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Somerville, L.; Sullivan, P.; Topp-Jorgensen, S. [Sub-department of Particle Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Wotton, S. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom); Wyllie, K. [CERN, CH-1211, Geneva 23 (Switzerland)

    2007-03-11

    The front-end (Level-0) electronics interface module for the LHCb Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detectors is described. This module integrates the novel hybrid photon detectors (HPDs), which instrument the RICH detectors, to the LHCb trigger, data acquisition (DAQ) and control systems. The system operates at 40 MHz with a first-level trigger rate of 1 MHz. The module design is presented and results are given for both laboratory and beam tests.

  6. Upgrade of the CMS hardron calorimeter for an upgraded LHC

    OpenAIRE

    Anderson, Jake

    2012-01-01

    The CMS barrel and endcap hadron calorimeters (Hcal) upgrading the current photo-sensors are hybrid photodiodes (HPDs) to meet the demands of the upgraded luminosity of the LHC. A key aspect of the Hcal upgrade is to add longitudinal segmentation to improve background rejection, energy resolution, and electron isolation at L1 trigger. The increased segmentation can be achieved by replacing the HPD's with multi-pixel Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes. The upgraded electron...

  7. The front-end (Level-0) electronics interface module for the LHCb RICH detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adinolfi, M.; Bibby, J.H.; Brisbane, S.; Gibson, V.; Harnew, N.; Jones, M.; Libby, J.; Powell, A.; Newby, C.; Rotolo, N.; Smale, N.; Somerville, L.; Sullivan, P.; Topp-Jorgensen, S.; Wotton, S.; Wyllie, K.

    2007-01-01

    The front-end (Level-0) electronics interface module for the LHCb Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detectors is described. This module integrates the novel hybrid photon detectors (HPDs), which instrument the RICH detectors, to the LHCb trigger, data acquisition (DAQ) and control systems. The system operates at 40 MHz with a first-level trigger rate of 1 MHz. The module design is presented and results are given for both laboratory and beam tests

  8. Box-counting dimension revisited: presenting an efficient method of minimising quantisation error and an assessment of the self-similarity of structural root systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin eBouda

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Fractal dimension (FD, estimated by box-counting, is a metric used to characterise plant anatomical complexity or space-filling characteristic for a variety of purposes. The vast majority of published studies fail to evaluate the assumption of statistical self-similarity, which underpins the validity of the procedure. The box-counting procedure is also subject to error arising from arbitrary grid placement, known as quantisation error (QE, which is strictly positive and varies as a function of scale, making it problematic for the procedure's slope estimation step. Previous studies either ignore QE or employ inefficient brute-force grid translations to reduce it. The goals of this study were to characterise the effect of QE due to translation and rotation on FD estimates, to provide an efficient method of reducing QE, and to evaluate the assumption of statistical self-similarity of coarse root datasets typical of those used in recent trait studies. Coarse root systems of 36 shrubs were digitised in 3D and subjected to box-counts. A pattern search algorithm was used to minimise QE by optimising grid placement and its efficiency was compared to the brute force method. The degree of statistical self-similarity was evaluated using linear regression residuals and local slope estimates.QE due to both grid position and orientation was a significant source of error in FD estimates, but pattern search provided an efficient means of minimising it. Pattern search had higher initial computational cost but converged on lower error values more efficiently than the commonly employed brute force method. Our representations of coarse root system digitisations did not exhibit details over a sufficient range of scales to be considered statistically self-similar and informatively approximated as fractals, suggesting a lack of sufficient ramification of the coarse root systems for reiteration to be thought of as a dominant force in their development. FD estimates did

  9. Biofunctional activity of tortillas and bars enhanced with nopal. Preliminary assessment of functional effect after intake on the oxidative status in healthy volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guevara-Arauza, Juan Carlos; Ornelas Paz, José de Jesús; Mendoza, Sergio Rosales; Guerra, Ruth Elena Soria; Paz Maldonado, Luz María Teresita; González, Diana Jaqueline Pimentel

    2011-03-03

    Prickly pear cactus stem (nopal) has been used in folk medicine and a raw material since ancient times. Stems have been proved to possess components with valuable biological activities: anti inflamatory, antioxidant, antiulcerogenic, hypoglycemic, and so forth. Nowadays, people consume foods not only to cover the nutritional requirements, they also demand for healty, natural and convenient foods that show biological activity. This study evaluated the bio-functional effects of consuming tortillas or bars (filled with prickly pear fruit jam) supplemented or not with nopal dietary fiber. The addition of nopal increased the fiber and polyphenols content in both tortillas (16.67%, 2.33 mg QE/L) and bars (13.79%, 1.99 mg QE/L). Furthermore the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC, 1.47 mmol/L), polyphenols (7.67 mg QE/L) and vitamin C (77.91 μmol/L) showed increased levels in volunteer's plasma after intake. Also lower levels of glucose (4.43 mmol/L), total cholesterol (4.27 mmol/L), LDL (1.96 mmol/L) and triglycerides (1.54 mmol/L) were observed in plasma after the supplementation scheme with nopal-based tortilla, while GSH:GSSG ratio in erythrocytes was higher. The results suggested that the intake of nopal-based tortillas with high content in fiber and antioxidant compounds can help to improve the overall oxidative status in healthy humans, which can reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. In addition, these products showed suitable physicochemical characteristics to be marketed.

  10. Ethylene Regulates Energy-Dependent Non-Photochemical Quenching in Arabidopsis through Repression of the Xanthophyll Cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhong; Gallie, Daniel R.

    2015-01-01

    Energy-dependent (qE) non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) thermally dissipates excess absorbed light energy as a protective mechanism to prevent the over reduction of photosystem II and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The xanthophyll cycle, induced when the level of absorbed light energy exceeds the capacity of photochemistry, contributes to qE. In this work, we show that ethylene regulates the xanthophyll cycle in Arabidopsis. Analysis of eto1-1, exhibiting increased ethylene production, and ctr1-3, exhibiting constitutive ethylene response, revealed defects in NPQ resulting from impaired de-epoxidation of violaxanthin by violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE) encoded by NPQ1. Elevated ethylene signaling reduced the level of active VDE through decreased NPQ1 promoter activity and impaired VDE activation resulting from a lower transthylakoid membrane pH gradient. Increasing the concentration of CO2 partially corrected the ethylene-mediated defects in NPQ and photosynthesis, indicating that changes in ethylene signaling affect stromal CO2 solubility. Increasing VDE expression in eto1-1 and ctr1-3 restored light-activated de-epoxidation and qE, reduced superoxide production and reduced photoinhibition. Restoring VDE activity significantly reversed the small growth phenotype of eto1-1 and ctr1-3 without altering ethylene production or ethylene responses. Our results demonstrate that ethylene increases ROS production and photosensitivity in response to high light and the associated reduced plant stature is partially reversed by increasing VDE activity. PMID:26630486

  11. Ethylene Regulates Energy-Dependent Non-Photochemical Quenching in Arabidopsis through Repression of the Xanthophyll Cycle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhong Chen

    Full Text Available Energy-dependent (qE non-photochemical quenching (NPQ thermally dissipates excess absorbed light energy as a protective mechanism to prevent the over reduction of photosystem II and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS. The xanthophyll cycle, induced when the level of absorbed light energy exceeds the capacity of photochemistry, contributes to qE. In this work, we show that ethylene regulates the xanthophyll cycle in Arabidopsis. Analysis of eto1-1, exhibiting increased ethylene production, and ctr1-3, exhibiting constitutive ethylene response, revealed defects in NPQ resulting from impaired de-epoxidation of violaxanthin by violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE encoded by NPQ1. Elevated ethylene signaling reduced the level of active VDE through decreased NPQ1 promoter activity and impaired VDE activation resulting from a lower transthylakoid membrane pH gradient. Increasing the concentration of CO2 partially corrected the ethylene-mediated defects in NPQ and photosynthesis, indicating that changes in ethylene signaling affect stromal CO2 solubility. Increasing VDE expression in eto1-1 and ctr1-3 restored light-activated de-epoxidation and qE, reduced superoxide production and reduced photoinhibition. Restoring VDE activity significantly reversed the small growth phenotype of eto1-1 and ctr1-3 without altering ethylene production or ethylene responses. Our results demonstrate that ethylene increases ROS production and photosensitivity in response to high light and the associated reduced plant stature is partially reversed by increasing VDE activity.

  12. Ethylene Regulates Energy-Dependent Non-Photochemical Quenching in Arabidopsis through Repression of the Xanthophyll Cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhong; Gallie, Daniel R

    2015-01-01

    Energy-dependent (qE) non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) thermally dissipates excess absorbed light energy as a protective mechanism to prevent the over reduction of photosystem II and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The xanthophyll cycle, induced when the level of absorbed light energy exceeds the capacity of photochemistry, contributes to qE. In this work, we show that ethylene regulates the xanthophyll cycle in Arabidopsis. Analysis of eto1-1, exhibiting increased ethylene production, and ctr1-3, exhibiting constitutive ethylene response, revealed defects in NPQ resulting from impaired de-epoxidation of violaxanthin by violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE) encoded by NPQ1. Elevated ethylene signaling reduced the level of active VDE through decreased NPQ1 promoter activity and impaired VDE activation resulting from a lower transthylakoid membrane pH gradient. Increasing the concentration of CO2 partially corrected the ethylene-mediated defects in NPQ and photosynthesis, indicating that changes in ethylene signaling affect stromal CO2 solubility. Increasing VDE expression in eto1-1 and ctr1-3 restored light-activated de-epoxidation and qE, reduced superoxide production and reduced photoinhibition. Restoring VDE activity significantly reversed the small growth phenotype of eto1-1 and ctr1-3 without altering ethylene production or ethylene responses. Our results demonstrate that ethylene increases ROS production and photosensitivity in response to high light and the associated reduced plant stature is partially reversed by increasing VDE activity.

  13. On the two-point correlation functions for the Uq[SU(2)]invariant spin one-half Heisenberg chain at roots of unity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hinrichsen, H.; Scheunert, M.

    1993-10-01

    Using U q [SU(2)] tensor calculus we compute the two-point scalar operators (TPSO), their averages on the ground-state give the two-point correlation functions. The TPSOs are identified as elements of the Temperley-Lieb algebra and a recurrence relation is given for them. We have not tempted to derive the analytic expressions for the correlation functions in the general case but got some partial results. For q=e iπ/3 , all correlation functions are (trivially) zero, for q=e iπ/4 , they are related in the continuum to the correlation functions of left-handed and right-handed Majorana fields in the half plane coupled by the boundary condition. In the case q=e iπ/6 , one gets the correlation functions of Mittag's and Stephen's parafermions for the three-state Potts model. A diagrammatic approach to compute correlation functions is also presented. (orig.)

  14. ARCHITECTURE OF A CHARGE-TRANSFER STATE REGULATING LIGHT HARVESTING IN A PLANT ANTENNA PROTEIN

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fleming, Graham; Ahn, Tae Kyu; Avenson, Thomas J.; Ballottari, Matteo; Cheng, Yuan-Chung; Niyogi, Krishna K.; Bassi, Roberto; Fleming, Graham R.

    2008-04-02

    Energy-dependent quenching of excess absorbed light energy (qE) is a vital mechanism for regulating photosynthetic light harvesting in higher plants. All of the physiological characteristics of qE have been positively correlated with charge-transfer between coupled chlorophyll and zeaxanthin molecules in the light-harvesting antenna of photosystem II (PSII). In this work, we present evidence for charge-transfer quenching in all three of the individual minor antenna complexes of PSII (CP29, CP26, and CP24), and we conclude that charge-transfer quenching in CP29 involves a de-localized state of an excitonically coupled chlorophyll dimer. We propose that reversible conformational changes in CP29 can `tune? the electronic coupling between the chlorophylls in this dimer, thereby modulating the energy of the chlorophylls-zeaxanthin charge-transfer state and switching on and off the charge-transfer quenching during qE.

  15. Photon counting arrays for AO wavefront sensors

    CERN Document Server

    Vallerga, J; McPhate, J; Mikulec, Bettina; Clark, Allan G; Siegmund, O; CERN. Geneva

    2005-01-01

    Future wavefront sensors for AO on large telescopes will require a large number of pixels and must operate at high frame rates. Unfortunately for CCDs, there is a readout noise penalty for operating faster, and this noise can add up rather quickly when considering the number of pixels required for the extended shape of a sodium laser guide star observed with a large telescope. Imaging photon counting detectors have zero readout noise and many pixels, but have suffered in the past with low QE at the longer wavelengths (>500 nm). Recent developments in GaAs photocathode technology, CMOS ASIC readouts and FPGA processing electronics have resulted in noiseless WFS detector designs that are competitive with silicon array detectors, though at ~40% the QE of CCDs. We review noiseless array detectors and compare their centroiding performance with CCDs using the best available characteristics of each. We show that for sub-aperture binning of 6x6 and greater that noiseless detectors have a smaller centroid error at flu...

  16. CsI and some new photocathodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, D.F.; Kwan, S.; Peskov, V.

    1993-06-01

    A discussion of the possible sources of discrepancies in the measurements of the quantum efficiency of CsI photocathodes is presented. We propose that the major causes for disagreements in QE are due to the QE dependence on the current density extracted from the photocathode, on the electric field, and on the temperature of the photocathode. Preliminary results on TMAE enhanced GaAs and Si, plus TMAE protected CsTe and SbCs photocathodes, operated in gas, are also presented

  17. On quantum efficiency of photoluminescence in ZnO layers and nanostructures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reshchikov, M.A., E-mail: mreshchi@vcu.ed [Physics Department, Virginia Commonwealth University, 701 W. Grace St., Richmond, VA 23284 (United States); El-Shaer, A.; Behrends, A.; Bakin, A.; Waag, A. [Institute of Semiconductor Technology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig D-38106 (Germany)

    2009-12-15

    In this work we studied PL in ZnO layers and nanostructures, including ZnO homoepitaxial layers on ZnO substrate and ZnO-Zn{sub 1-x}Mg{sub x}O single quantum well (SQW) structures grown on sapphire substrates by MBE, and ZnO nanowires grown on sapphire by MOCVD. The external quantum efficiency (QE) of PL in O-face ZnO layers exceeded that in Zn-face ZnO layers by two orders of magnitude at low temperatures. In a sample with SQW the combined external QE from the 4.6-nm-wide SQW and 50-nm-thick Zn{sub 1-x}Mg{sub x}O barriers achieved 28% at 15 K. The highest external QE was observed in one of the samples with ZnO nanowires-52% at 15 K and 2% at 300 K. Contribution of defect-related PL bands in ZnO nanowires samples was extremely low.

  18. Fruit waste adsorbent for ammonia nitrogen removal from synthetic solution: Isotherms and kinetics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahrim, AY; Lija, Y.; Ricky, L. N. S.; Azreen, I.

    2016-06-01

    In this study, four types of watermelon rind (WR) adsorbents; fresh WR, modified WR with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sulphuric acid (H2SO4) were used as a potential low-cost adsorbent to remove NH3-N from solution. The adsorption data were fitted with the adsorption isotherm and kinetic models to predict the mechanisms and kinetic characteristics of the adsorption process. The equilibrium data agreed well with Langmuir isotherm model with highest correlation (R2=1.00). As for kinetic modelling, the adsorption process follows pseudo-second order for all four types of adsorbents which has R2 value of 1.0 and calculated adsorption capacity, Qe of 1.2148mg/g. The calculated Qe for pseudo-second order has the smallest difference with the experimental Qe and thus suggest that this adsorption process is mainly governed by chemical process involving cations sharing or exchange between WR adsorbent and NH3-N in the solution.

  19. Composition Screening in Blue-Emitting Li4Sr1+xCa0.97-x(SiO4)2:Ce3+ Phosphors for High Quantum Efficiency and Thermally Stable Photoluminescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jingchen; Zhang, Jilin; Zhou, Wenli; Ji, Xiaoyu; Ma, Wentao; Qiu, Zhongxian; Yu, Liping; Li, Chengzhi; Xia, Zhiguo; Wang, Zhengliang; Lian, Shixun

    2017-09-13

    Photoluminescence quantum efficiency (QE) and thermal stability are important for phosphors used in phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs). Li 4 Sr 1+x Ca 0.97-x (SiO 4 ) 2 :0.03Ce 3+ (-0.7 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) phosphors were designed from the initial model of Li 4 SrCa(SiO 4 ) 2 :Ce 3+ , and their single-phased crystal structures were found to be located in the composition range of -0.4 ≤ x ≤ 0.7. Depending on the substitution of Sr 2+ for Ca 2+ ions, the absolute QE value of blue-emitting composition-optimized Li 4 Sr 1.4 Ca 0.57 (SiO 4 ) 2 :0.03Ce 3+ reaches ∼94%, and the emission intensity at 200 °C remains 95% of that at room temperature. Rietveld refinements and Raman spectral analyses suggest the increase of crystal rigidity, increase of force constant in CeO 6 , and decrease of vibrational frequency by increasing Sr 2+ content, which are responsible for the enhanced quantum efficiency and thermal stability. The present study points to a new strategy for future development of the pc-LEDs phosphors based on local structures correlation via composition screening.

  20. A Stable, Non-Cesiated III-Nitride Photocathode for Ultraviolet Astronomy Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Lloyd

    In this effort, we propose to develop a new type of cesium-free photocathode using III-nitride (III-N) materials (GaN, AlN, and their alloys) and to achieve highly efficient, solar blind, and stable UV response. Currently, detectors used in UV instruments utilize a photocathode to convert UV photons into electrons that are subsequently detected by microchannel plate or CCD. The performance of these detectors critically depends on the efficiency and stability of their photocathodes. In particular, photocathode instability is responsible for many of the fabrication difficulties commonly experienced with this class of detectors. In recent years, III-N (in particular GaN) photocathodes have been demonstrated with very high QE (>50%) in parts of UV spectral range. Moreover, due to the wide bandgaps of III-nitride materials, photocathode response can be tailored to be intrinsically solar-blind. However, these photocathodes still rely on cesiation for activation, necessitating all-vacuum fabrication and sealed-tube operation. The proposed photocathode structure will achieve activation through methods for band structure engineering such as delta-doping and polarization field engineering. Compared to the current state-of-the-art in flight-ready microchannel plate sealed tubes, photocathodes based on III-N materials will yield high QE and significantly enhance both fabrication yield and reliability, since they do not require cesium or other highly reactive materials for activation. This performance will enable a ~4 meter medium class UV spectroscopic and imaging mission that is of high scientific priority for NASA. This work will build on the success of our previous APRA-funded effort. In that work, we demonstrated III-nitride photocathode operation without the use of cesium and stable response with respect to time. These accomplishments represent major improvements to the state-of-the-art for photocathode technologies. In the proposed effort, we will implement III

  1. Biofunctional activity of tortillas and bars enhanced with nopal. Preliminary assessment of functional effect after intake on the oxidative status in healthy volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paz Maldonado Luz

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Prickly pear cactus stem (nopal has been used in folk medicine and a raw material since ancient times. Stems have been proved to possess components with valuable biological activities: anti inflamatory, antioxidant, antiulcerogenic, hypoglycemic, and so forth. Nowadays, people consume foods not only to cover the nutritional requirements, they also demand for healty, natural and convenient foods that show biological activity. This study evaluated the bio-functional effects of consuming tortillas or bars (filled with prickly pear fruit jam supplemented or not with nopal dietary fiber. Results The addition of nopal increased the fiber and polyphenols content in both tortillas (16.67%, 2.33 mg QE/L and bars (13.79%, 1.99 mg QE/L. Furthermore the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC, 1.47 mmol/L, polyphenols (7.67 mg QE/L and vitamin C (77.91 μmol/L showed increased levels in volunteer's plasma after intake. Also lower levels of glucose (4.43 mmol/L, total cholesterol (4.27 mmol/L, LDL (1.96 mmol/L and triglycerides (1.54 mmol/L were observed in plasma after the supplementation scheme with nopal-based tortilla, while GSH:GSSG ratio in erythrocytes was higher. Conclusions The results suggested that the intake of nopal-based tortillas with high content in fiber and antioxidant compounds can help to improve the overall oxidative status in healthy humans, which can reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. In addition, these products showed suitable physicochemical characteristics to be marketed.

  2. Evaluation of the ionization quenching correction for several liquid scintillators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Los Arcos, J.M.; Borras, C.

    1990-01-01

    The most appropiate computational model for the ionization quench-ing function Q(E) is analyzed for electrons in liquid scintillators. A numerical evaluation of Q(E) from 0.1 keV to 3 MeV which the kB parameter varying between 0.005 and 0.010 cm/MeV is presented for seven scintillators; Toluene, Toluene-Alcohol, PCS, Toluene-CC14, INSTAGEL, Dioxane-Naphtalene and HISAFE II. The numerical result are summarized as tables of least squares fitting coefficient which make easy the computation of Q(E).(Author)

  3. A MEMÕRIA DE JESUS E A MANVFESTAÇAO DO PAI NO QUARTO EVANGELHO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johan Konings

    1988-01-01

    Full Text Available Não somos os primeiros a constatar que as cristologias narrativas pouco se inspiram no Quarto Evangelho (QE, tanto na atual teologia latino-americana como na europeia, de E. Schillebeeckx, por exemplo. Entretanto, as cristologias especulativas usam amplamente pelo menos o prólogo de João como ponto de partida para suas especulações. Será que este tratamento faz jus ao QE, ou repousa num preconceito espiritualista com relação ao evangelho que Clemente de Alexandria chamou de "espiritual"?

  4. A Study of the Irradiance- and Temperature-Dependence of Mid-Wave-Infrared (MWIR) Absorption in Indium Antimonide (InSb)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-08-01

    Direct valence to conduction band transitions (constant k vector ), (B) Indirect valence to conduction band transitions aided by photon/phonon coupling...feilddt g g dk dk dE dxdk qE dt dt v d v dt→ = = = − h h 1 (2.7) and g dx v dt = , which means that feild dk qE dt = −h . In order to find the...x B k xΨ = + where A and B are variables that are solved, kx is the wave vector and x is the distance. For a realistic solution, the wave function

  5. European Conference on Advanced Materials and Processes Held in Aachen, Federal Republic of Germany on November 22-24 1989. Abstracts

    Science.gov (United States)

    1989-11-24

    magnesium alloys were converted to powder by inert gas atomisation and mechnical methods. The alloy used ( AZ91 , MSR, QE21 and ZE63) are a medium...modelling producing loosening of the femoral stem or acetabular cup. It is demonstrated that the interaction between the implant materials and...rather than bone resorption around an implant and offer the prospect of an enhanced prosthesis lifetime. See programme, page 13. HIGH TEMPERATURE MATERIALS

  6. Performance study of hybrid photon detectors for the LHCb RICH

    CERN Document Server

    Kanaya, N; Gys, Thierry; Piedigrossi, D; Wyllie, K

    2005-01-01

    The LHCb experiment is designed to study CP violation and rare phenomena of B mesons with very high accuracy. The LHCb RICH detectors are essential for positive kaon identification, and several strict demands are required of its photon detectors to achieve excellent particle identification performance. In particular, they should have good single photon sensitivity for visible and UV wavelengths and large coverage with fine granularity. HPDs have been developed to meet these requirements in collaboration with industry. They have now been chosen as the photon detector for LHCb, and pre-series tubes are under test prior to mass production. At the same time, more detailed studies are on-going to understand more deeply their characteristics. The result of various performance tests of these tubes as well as the fraction of light reflection in the HPD are described in this paper.

  7. Modeling Speech Level as a Function of Background Noise Level and Talker-to-Listener Distance for Talkers Wearing Hearing Protection Devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bouserhal, Rachel E.; Bockstael, Annelies; MacDonald, Ewen

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Studying the variations in speech levels with changing background noise level and talker-to-listener distance for talkers wearing hearing protection devices (HPDs) can aid in understanding communication in background noise. Method: Speech was recorded using an intra-aural HPD from 12...... complements the existing model presented by Pelegrín-García, Smits, Brunskog, and Jeong (2011) and expands on it by taking into account the effects of occlusion and background noise level on changes in speech sound level. Conclusions: Three models of the relationship between vocal effort, background noise...

  8. VUV and ultrasoft X-ray diode detectors for tokamak plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, P.; Snider, R.T.; Gernhardt, J.; Armontrout, C.J.

    1987-11-01

    Ultrasoft X-ray diode (USXRD) arrays have been used on D-IIID and ASDEX to study plasma edge radiation, in the photon energy range from 10 eV to 10 keV. The detectors are extremely useful and versatile due to their simplicity and compactness. Furthermore, absolute quantum efficiencies (QE) of many photocathodes such as vitreous C, Al, Cu CuI, CsI and Au have been measured in recent years. With filter technique, broadband resolution, E/ΔE ≅ 1, is possible. QE comparison of USXRD with semiconductor XRD is also presented to better understand the regions of applicability for each detector. (orig.)

  9. Recursive construction of (J,L (J,L QC LDPC codes with girth 6

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Gholami

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available ‎In this paper‎, ‎a recursive algorithm is presented to generate some exponent matrices which correspond to Tanner graphs with girth at least 6‎. ‎For a J×L J×L exponent matrix E E‎, ‎the lower bound Q(E Q(E is obtained explicitly such that (J,L (J,L QC LDPC codes with girth at least 6 exist for any circulant permutation matrix (CPM size m≥Q(E m≥Q(E‎. ‎The results show that the exponent matrices constructed with our recursive algorithm have smaller lower-bound than the ones proposed recently with girth 6‎

  10. Quantum efficiency measurement system for large area CsI photodetectors

    CERN Document Server

    Cusanno, F; Colilli, S; Crateri, R; Fratoni, R; Frullani, S; Garibaldi, F; Giuliani, F; Gricia, M; Lucentini, M; Mostarda, A; Santavenere, F; Veneroni, P; Breuer, H; Iodice, M; Urciuoli, G M; De Cataldo, G; De Leo, R; Lagamba, L; Braem, André

    2003-01-01

    A proximity focusing freon/CsI RICH detector has been built for kaon physics at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF or Jefferson Lab), Hall A. The Cherenkov photons are detected by a UV photosensitive CsI film which has been obtained by vacuum evaporation. A dedicated evaporation facility for large area photocathodes has been built for this task. A measuring system has been built to allow the evaluation of the absolute quantum efficiency (QE) just after the evaporation. The evaporation facility is described here, as well as the quantum efficiency measurement device. Results of the QE on-line measurements, for the first time on large area photocathodes, are reported.

  11. Graphene shield enhanced photocathodes and methods for making the same

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moody, Nathan Andrew

    2014-09-02

    Disclosed are graphene shield enhanced photocathodes, such as high QE photocathodes. In certain embodiments, a monolayer graphene shield membrane ruggedizes a high quantum efficiency photoemission electron source by protecting a photosensitive film of the photocathode, extending operational lifetime and simplifying its integration in practical electron sources. In certain embodiments of the disclosed graphene shield enhanced photocathodes, the graphene serves as a transparent shield that does not inhibit photon or electron transmission but isolates the photosensitive film of the photocathode from reactive gas species, preventing contamination and yielding longer lifetime.

  12. Enhanced photoprotection by protein-bound vs free xanthophyll pools: a comparative analysis of chlorophyll b and xanthophyll biosynthesis mutants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dall'Osto, Luca; Cazzaniga, Stefano; Havaux, Michel; Bassi, Roberto

    2010-05-01

    When light absorbed by plants exceeds the capacity of photosynthesis, the xanthophyll violaxanthin is reversibly de-epoxidized to zeaxanthin in the so-called xanthophyll cycle. Zeaxanthin plays a key role in the protection of photosynthetic organisms against excess light, by promoting rapidly reversible (qE) and long-term (qI) quenching of excited chlorophylls, and preventing lipid oxidation. The photoprotective role of zeaxanthin, either free or bound to light-harvesting complexes (Lhcs), has been investigated by using mutants lacking Chl b (ch1) and/or specific xanthophyll species (npq, lut2). The ch1 mutation causes (1) the absence of Lhcb proteins; (2) strong reduction of the feedback de-excitation (qE); and (3) accumulation of xanthophylls as free pigments into thylakoids. Ch1 mutants showed extreme sensitivity to photo-oxidative stress in high light, due to higher singlet oxygen (¹O₂) release. The double mutant ch1npq1 was more sensitive to photo-oxidation than ch1, showing that zeaxanthin does protect lipids even when free in the membrane. Nevertheless, lack of zeaxanthin had a much stronger impact on the level of lipid peroxidation in Lhcs-containing plants (WT vs npq1) with respect to Lhc-less plants (ch1 vs ch1npq1), implying that its protective effect is enhanced by interaction with antenna proteins. It is proposed that the antioxidant capacity of zeaxanthin is empowered in the presence of PSII-LHCs-Zea complexes, while its effect on enhancement of qE only provides a minor contribution. Comparison of the sensitivity of WT vs npq1 plants to exogenous ¹O₂ suggests that besides the scavenging of ¹O₂, at least one additional mechanism is involved in chloroplast photoprotection.

  13. NV-CMOS HD camera for day/night imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogelsong, T.; Tower, J.; Sudol, Thomas; Senko, T.; Chodelka, D.

    2014-06-01

    SRI International (SRI) has developed a new multi-purpose day/night video camera with low-light imaging performance comparable to an image intensifier, while offering the size, weight, ruggedness, and cost advantages enabled by the use of SRI's NV-CMOS HD digital image sensor chip. The digital video output is ideal for image enhancement, sharing with others through networking, video capture for data analysis, or fusion with thermal cameras. The camera provides Camera Link output with HD/WUXGA resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels operating at 60 Hz. Windowing to smaller sizes enables operation at higher frame rates. High sensitivity is achieved through use of backside illumination, providing high Quantum Efficiency (QE) across the visible and near infrared (NIR) bands (peak QE camera, which operates from a single 5V supply. The NVCMOS HD camera provides a substantial reduction in size, weight, and power (SWaP) , ideal for SWaP-constrained day/night imaging platforms such as UAVs, ground vehicles, fixed mount surveillance, and may be reconfigured for mobile soldier operations such as night vision goggles and weapon sights. In addition the camera with the NV-CMOS HD imager is suitable for high performance digital cinematography/broadcast systems, biofluorescence/microscopy imaging, day/night security and surveillance, and other high-end applications which require HD video imaging with high sensitivity and wide dynamic range. The camera comes with an array of lens mounts including C-mount and F-mount. The latest test data from the NV-CMOS HD camera will be presented.

  14. Financial Plumbing and Monetary Policy

    OpenAIRE

    Manmohan Singh

    2014-01-01

    This paper focuses on how changes in financial plumbing of the markets may impact the monetary policy options as central banks contemplate lift off from zero lower bound (ZLB). Under the proposed regulations, banks will face leverage ratio constraints. As a result of quantitative easing (QE), banks want balance sheet “space” for financial intermediation/ non-depository activities. At the same time, regulatory changes are boosting demand for high quality liquid assets. The paper also discusses...

  15. Femtosecond pulse with THz repetition frequency based on the coupling between quantum emitters and a plasmonic resonator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shilei; Ding, Yinxing; Jiao, Rongzhen; Duan, Gaoyan; Yu, Li

    2018-03-01

    Nanoscale pulsed light is highly desirable in nano-integrated optics. In this paper, we obtained femtosecond pulses with THz repetition frequency via the coupling between quantum emitters (QEs) and plasmonic resonators. Our structure consists of a V -groove (VG) plasmonic resonator and a nanowire embedded with two-level QEs. The influences of the incident light intensity and QE number density on the transmission response for this hybrid system are investigated through semiclassical theory and simulation. The results show that the transmission response can be modulated to the pulse form. And the repetition frequency and extinction ratio of the pulses can be controlled by the incident light intensity and QE number density. The reason is that the coupling causes the output power of nanowire to behave as an oscillating form, the oscillating output power in turn causes the field amplitude in the resonator to oscillate over time. A feedback system is formed between the plasmonic resonator and the QEs in the nanowire. This provides a method for generating narrow pulsed lasers with ultrahigh repetition frequencies in plasmonic systems using a continuous wave input, which has potential applications in generating optical clock signals at the nanoscale.

  16. Recent developments with microchannel-plate PMTs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann, A.; Böhm, M.; Britting, A.; Eyrich, W.; Pfaffinger, M.; Uhlig, F.; Belias, A.; Dzhygadlo, R.; Gerhardt, A.; Götzen, K.; Kalicy, G.; Krebs, M.; Lehmann, D.; Nerling, F.; Patsyuk, M.; Peters, K.; Schepers, G.; Schmitt, L.; Schwarz, C.; Schwiening, J.; Traxler, M.; Zühlsdorf, M.; Düren, M.; Etzelmüller, E.; Föhl, K.; Hayrapetyan, A.; Kröck, B.; Merle, O.; Rieke, J.; Schmidt, M.; Wasem, T.; Cowie, E.; Keri, T.; Achenbach, P.; Cardinali, M.; Hoek, M.; Lauth, W.; Schlimme, S.; Sfienti, C.; Thiel, M.

    2017-12-01

    Microchannel-plate (MCP) PMTs are the favored photon sensors for the DIRC detectors of the PANDA experiment at FAIR. Until recently the main drawback of MCP-PMTs were serious aging effects which led to a limited lifetime due to a rapidly decreasing quantum efficiency (QE) of the photo cathode (PC) as the integrated anode charge (IAC) increased. In the latest models of PHOTONIS and Hamamatsu an innovative atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique is applied to overcome these limitations. During the last five years comprehensive aging tests with ALD coated MCP-PMTs were performed and the results were compared to tubes treated with other techniques. The QE in dependence of the IAC was measured as a function of the wavelength and the position across the PC. For the best performing tubes the lifetime improvement in comparison to the older MCP-PMTs is a factor of > 50 based on an IAC of meanwhile > 10 C /cm2 . In addition, the performance results of a new 2-in. ALD coated MCP-PMT prototype from Hamamatsu with a very high position resolution (128×6 anode pixels) is presented and the first conclusions from investigations concerning the PC aging mechanism will be discussed.

  17. Quantum efficiency investigations of type-II InAs/GaSb midwave infrared superlattice photodetectors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giard, E., E-mail: edouard.giard@onera.fr; Ribet-Mohamed, I.; Jaeck, J.; Viale, T.; Haïdar, R. [ONERA, DOTA, Chemin de la Hunière, 91761 Palaiseau Cedex (France); Taalat, R.; Delmas, M.; Rodriguez, J.-B.; Christol, P. [Institut d' Electronique du Sud, UMR-CNRS 5214, Université Montpellier 2, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5 (France); Steveler, E.; Bardou, N. [Laboratoire de Photonique et de Nanostructures (LPN-CNRS), Route de Nozay, 91460 Marcoussis (France); Boulard, F. [CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 Avenue des martyrs, 38054 Grenoble (France)

    2014-07-28

    We present in this paper a comparison between different type-II InAs/GaSb superlattice (T2SL) photodiodes and focal plane array (FPA) in the mid-wavelength infrared domain to understand which phenomenon drives the performances of the T2SL structure in terms of quantum efficiency (QE). Our measurements on test photodiodes suggest low minority carrier diffusion length in the “InAs-rich” design, which penalizes carriers' collection in this structure for low bias voltage and front side illumination. This analysis is completed by a comparison of the experimental data with a fully analytic model, which allows to infer a hole diffusion length shorter than 100 nm. In addition, measurements on a FPA with backside illumination are finally presented. Results show an average QE in the 3–4.7 μm window equal to 42% for U{sub bias} = −0.1 V, 77 K operating temperature and no anti-reflection coating. These measurements, completed by modulation transfer function and noise measurements, reveal that the InAs-rich design, despite a low hole diffusion length, is promising for high performance infrared imaging applications.

  18. Interactions between the photosystem II subunit PsbS and xanthophylls studied in vivo and in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonente, Giulia; Howes, Barry D; Caffarri, Stefano; Smulevich, Giulietta; Bassi, Roberto

    2008-03-28

    The photosystem II subunit PsbS is essential for excess energy dissipation (qE); however, both lutein and zeaxanthin are needed for its full activation. Based on previous work, two models can be proposed in which PsbS is either 1) the gene product where the quenching activity is located or 2) a proton-sensing trigger that activates the quencher molecules. The first hypothesis requires xanthophyll binding to two PsbS-binding sites, each activated by the protonation of a dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-binding lumen-exposed glutamic acid residue. To assess the existence and properties of these xanthophyll-binding sites, PsbS point mutants on each of the two Glu residues PsbS E122Q and PsbS E226Q were crossed with the npq1/npq4 and lut2/npq4 mutants lacking zeaxanthin and lutein, respectively. Double mutants E122Q/npq1 and E226Q/npq1 had no qE, whereas E122Q/lut2 and E226Q/lut2 showed a strong qE reduction with respect to both lut2 and single glutamate mutants. These findings exclude a specific interaction between lutein or zeaxanthin and a dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-binding site and suggest that the dependence of nonphotochemical quenching on xanthophyll composition is not due to pigment binding to PsbS. To verify, in vitro, the capacity of xanthophylls to bind PsbS, we have produced recombinant PsbS refolded with purified pigments and shown that Raman signals, previously attributed to PsbS-zeaxanthin interactions, are in fact due to xanthophyll aggregation. We conclude that the xanthophyll dependence of qE is not due to PsbS but to other pigment-binding proteins, probably of the Lhcb type.

  19. Interactions between the Photosystem II Subunit PsbS and Xanthophylls Studied in Vivo and in Vitro*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonente, Giulia; Howes, Barry D.; Caffarri, Stefano; Smulevich, Giulietta; Bassi, Roberto

    2008-01-01

    The photosystem II subunit PsbS is essential for excess energy dissipation (qE); however, both lutein and zeaxanthin are needed for its full activation. Based on previous work, two models can be proposed in which PsbS is either 1) the gene product where the quenching activity is located or 2) a proton-sensing trigger that activates the quencher molecules. The first hypothesis requires xanthophyll binding to two PsbS-binding sites, each activated by the protonation of a dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-binding lumen-exposed glutamic acid residue. To assess the existence and properties of these xanthophyll-binding sites, PsbS point mutants on each of the two Glu residues PsbS E122Q and PsbS E226Q were crossed with the npq1/npq4 and lut2/npq4 mutants lacking zeaxanthin and lutein, respectively. Double mutants E122Q/npq1 and E226Q/npq1 had no qE, whereas E122Q/lut2 and E226Q/lut2 showed a strong qE reduction with respect to both lut2 and single glutamate mutants. These findings exclude a specific interaction between lutein or zeaxanthin and a dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-binding site and suggest that the dependence of nonphotochemical quenching on xanthophyll composition is not due to pigment binding to PsbS. To verify, in vitro, the capacity of xanthophylls to bind PsbS, we have produced recombinant PsbS refolded with purified pigments and shown that Raman signals, previously attributed to PsbS-zeaxanthin interactions, are in fact due to xanthophyll aggregation. We conclude that the xanthophyll dependence of qE is not due to PsbS but to other pigment-binding proteins, probably of the Lhcb type. PMID:18070876

  20. Low Dose X-Ray Sources and High Quantum Efficiency Sensors: The Next Challenge in Dental Digital Imaging?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arnav R. Mistry

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s. The major challenge encountered to decrease the milliamperes (mA level in X-ray imaging systems is the quantum noise phenomena. This investigation evaluated dose exposure and image resolution of a low dose X-ray imaging (LDXI prototype comprising a low mA X-ray source and a novel microlens-based sensor relative to current imaging technologies. Study Design. A LDXI in static (group 1 and dynamic (group 2 modes was compared to medical fluoroscopy (group 3, digital intraoral radiography (group 4, and CBCT scan (group 5 using a dental phantom. Results. The Mann-Whitney test showed no statistical significance (α=0.01 in dose exposure between groups 1 and 3 and 1 and 4 and timing exposure (seconds between groups 1 and 5 and 2 and 3. Image resolution test showed group 1 > group 4 > group 2 > group 3 > group 5. Conclusions. The LDXI proved the concept for obtaining a high definition image resolution for static and dynamic radiography at lower or similar dose exposure and smaller pixel size, respectively, when compared to current imaging technologies. Lower mA at the X-ray source and high QE at the detector level principles with microlens could be applied to current imaging technologies to considerably reduce dose exposure without compromising image resolution in the near future.

  1. Effects of LiF/Al back electrode on the amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sunbo; Lee, Jaehyeong; Dao, Vinh Ai; Lee, Seungho; Balaji, Nagarajan; Ahn, Shihyun; Hussain, Shahzada Qamar; Han, Sangmyeong; Jung, Junhee; Jang, Juyeon; Lee, Yunjung; Yi, Junsin

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► We have employed a LiF dielectric layer as a new back-contact electrode. ► Increasing LiF thickness will decrease barrier for electrons transport, thus yield J sc . ► Increasing LiF thickness will reduced shunt leakage and enhanced internal field, thus yield V oc . ► Employing LiF layer, improvement of performance of HIT solar cells up to 17.13%. -- Abstract: To improve the quantum efficiency (QE) and hence the efficiency of the amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cell, we have employed a LiF dielectric layer on the rear side. The high dipole moment of the LiF reduces the aluminum electrode's work–function and then lowers the energy barrier at back contact. This lower energy barrier height helps to enhance both the operating voltage and the QE at longer wavelength region, in turn improves the open-circuit voltage (V oc ), short-circuit current density (J sc ), and then overall cell efficiency. With optimized LiF layer thickness of 20 nm, 1 cm 2 heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT) solar cells were produced with industry-compatible process, yielding V oc of 690 mV, J sc of 33.62 mA/cm 2 , and cell efficiencies of 17.13%. Therefore LiF/Al electrode on rear side is proposed as an alternate back electrode for high efficiency HIT solar cells

  2. Characterization of the PILATUS photon-counting pixel detector for X-ray energies from 1.75 keV to 60 keV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donath, T; Brandstetter, S; Commichau, S; Hofer, P; Lüthi, B; Schneebeli, M; Schulze-Briese, C; Cibik, L; Krumrey, M; Marggraf, S; Müller, P; Wernecke, J

    2013-01-01

    The PILATUS detector module was characterized in the PTB laboratory at BESSY II comparing modules with 320 μm thick and newly developed 450 μm and 1000 μm thick silicon sensors. Measurements were carried out over a wide energy range, in-vacuum from 1.75 keV to 8.8 keV and in air from 8 keV to 60 keV. The quantum efficiency (QE) was measured as a function of energy and the spatial resolution was measured at several photon energies both in terms of the modulation transfer function (MTF) from edge profile measurements and by directly measuring the point spread function (PSF) of a single pixel in a raster scan with a pinhole beam. Independent of the sensor thickness, the measured MTF and PSF come close to those for an ideal pixel detector with the pixel size of the PILATUS detector (172 × 172 μm 2 ). The measured QE follows the values predicted by calculation. Thicker sensors significantly enhance the QE of the PILATUS detectors for energies above 10 keV without impairing the spatial resolution and noise-free detection. In-vacuum operation of the PILATUS detector is possible at energies as low as 1.75 keV.

  3. Characterization of the PILATUS photon-counting pixel detector for X-ray energies from 1.75 keV to 60 keV

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donath, T.; Brandstetter, S.; Cibik, L.; Commichau, S.; Hofer, P.; Krumrey, M.; Lüthi, B.; Marggraf, S.; Müller, P.; Schneebeli, M.; Schulze-Briese, C.; Wernecke, J.

    2013-03-01

    The PILATUS detector module was characterized in the PTB laboratory at BESSY II comparing modules with 320 μm thick and newly developed 450 μm and 1000 μm thick silicon sensors. Measurements were carried out over a wide energy range, in-vacuum from 1.75 keV to 8.8 keV and in air from 8 keV to 60 keV. The quantum efficiency (QE) was measured as a function of energy and the spatial resolution was measured at several photon energies both in terms of the modulation transfer function (MTF) from edge profile measurements and by directly measuring the point spread function (PSF) of a single pixel in a raster scan with a pinhole beam. Independent of the sensor thickness, the measured MTF and PSF come close to those for an ideal pixel detector with the pixel size of the PILATUS detector (172 × 172 μm2). The measured QE follows the values predicted by calculation. Thicker sensors significantly enhance the QE of the PILATUS detectors for energies above 10 keV without impairing the spatial resolution and noise-free detection. In-vacuum operation of the PILATUS detector is possible at energies as low as 1.75 keV.

  4. QoE-Driven Energy-Aware Multipath Content Delivery Approach for MPTCP-Based Mobile Phones

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Yuanlong Cao; Shengyang Chen; Qinghua Liu; Yi Zuo; Hao Wang; Minghe Huang

    2017-01-01

    Mobile phones equipped with multiple wireless interfaces can increase their goodput performance by making use of concurrent transmissions over multiple paths,enabled by the Multipath TCP (MPTCP).However,utilizing MPTCP for data delivery may generally result in higher energy consumption,while the battery power of a mobile phone is limited.Thus,how to optimize the energy usage becomes very crucial and urgent.In this paper,we propose MPTCP-QE,a novel quality of experience (QoE)-driven energy-aware multipath content delivery approach for MPTCP-based mobile phones.The main idea of MPTCP-QE is described as follows:it first provides an application rate-aware energy-efficient subflow management strategy to tradeoff throughput performance and energy consumption for mobile phones;then uses an available bandwidth-aware congestion window fast recovery strategy to make a sender avoid unnecessary slow-start and utilize wireless resource quickly;and further introduces a novel receiver-driven energy-efficient SACK strategy to help a receiver possible to detect SACK loss timely and trigger loss recovery in a more energy-efficient way.The simulation results show that with the MPTCP-QE,the energy usage is enhanced while the performance level is maintained compared to existing MPTCP solutions.

  5. BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF APPLE JUICE ENRICHED BY HERBAL EXTRACTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva Ivanišová

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Herbal phytochemicals have recently become an attractive subject for scientists in many different research areas. The aim of this study was to determine antioxidant activity, total polyphenol and flavonoid content of apple juice enriched by water herbal extracts. Secondary was to evaluate sensory characteristic of enriched apple juice. It was found that applications of water herbal extracts to apple juice increase antioxidant activities, and also total polyphenol and flavonoid content with compare to pure apple juice. The highest biological activities were detected in apple juice with addition of lemon balm (14.42 mg TEAC/L; 84.38 mg TEAC/L; 50.88 mg GAE/L; 36.26 μg QE/L, oregano (14.92 mg TEAC/L; 79.97 mg TEAC/L; 50.51 mg GAE/L; 31.02 μg QE/L and salvia (8.40 mg TEAC/L; 30.40 mg TEAC/L; 23.33 mg GAE/L; 27.67 μg QE/L water extract. Sensorial analysis of samples showed, that enriched juices had better properties for evaluators with compared to pure juice. The aim of this study was also to mention the potential use of medicinal herbs in food industry, because plant bioactive compounds can play an important role in preventing cardiovascular diseases, cancers and reduction inflammatory action.

  6. Testing a high-power LED based light source for hyperspectral imaging microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klomkaew, Phiwat; Mayes, Sam A.; Rich, Thomas C.; Leavesley, Silas J.

    2017-02-01

    Our lab has worked to develop high-speed hyperspectral imaging systems that scan the fluorescence excitation spectrum for biomedical imaging applications. Hyperspectral imaging can be used in remote sensing, medical imaging, reaction analysis, and other applications. Here, we describe the development of a hyperspectral imaging system that comprised an inverted Nikon Eclipse microscope, sCMOS camera, and a custom light source that utilized a series of high-power LEDs. LED selection was performed to achieve wavelengths of 350-590 nm. To reduce scattering, LEDs with low viewing angles were selected. LEDs were surface-mount soldered and powered by an RCD. We utilized 3D printed mounting brackets to assemble all circuit components. Spectraradiometric calibration was performed using a spectrometer (QE65000, Ocean Optics) and integrating sphere (FOIS-1, Ocean Optics). Optical output and LED driving current were measured over a range of illumination intensities. A normalization algorithm was used to calibrate and optimize the intensity of the light source. The highest illumination power was at 375 nm (3300 mW/cm2), while the lowest illumination power was at 515, 525, and 590 nm (5200 mW/cm2). Comparing the intensities supplied by each LED to the intensities measured at the microscope stage, we found there was a great loss in power output. Future work will focus on using two of the same LEDs to double the power and finding more LED and/or laser diodes and chips around the range. This custom hyperspectral imaging system could be used for the detection of cancer and the identification of biomolecules.

  7. Visual assessment of soil structure quality in an agroextractivist system in Southeastern Amazonia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernanda Simões da Silva, Laura; Stuchi Boschi, Raquel; Ortega Gomes, Matheus; Cooper, Miguel

    2016-04-01

    Soil structure is considered a key factor in the functioning of soil, affecting its ability to support plant and animal life, and moderate environmental quality. Numerous methods are available to evaluate soil structure based on physical, chemical and biological indicators. Among the physical indicators, the attributes most commonly used are soil bulk density, porosity, soil resistance to penetration, tensile strength of aggregates, soil water infiltration, and available water. However, these methods are expensive and generally time costly for sampling and laboratorial procedures. Recently, evaluations using qualitative and semi-quantitative indicators of soil structure quality have gained importance. Among these methods, the method known as Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) (Ball et al., 2007; Guimarães et al., 2011) can supply this necessity in temperate and tropical regions. The study area is located in the Piranheira Praialta Agroextrativist Settlement Project in the county of Nova Ipixuna, Pará, Brazil. Two toposequences were chosen, one under native forest and the other under pasture. Pits were opened in different landscape positions (upslope, midslope and downslope) for soil morphological, micromorphological and physical characterization. The use of the soil visual evaluation method (SVE) consisted in collecting an undisturbed soil sample of approximately 25 cm in length, 20 cm in width and 10 cm in depth. 12 soil samples were taken for each land use. The samples were manually fragmented, respecting the fracture planes between the aggregates. The SVE was done comparing the fragmented sample with a visual chart and scores were given to the soil structure. The categories that define the soil structure quality (Qe) vary from 1 to 5. Lower scores mean better soil structure. The final score calculation was done using the classification key of Ball et al. (2007) adapted by Guimarães (2011). A change in soil structure was observed between forest and

  8. Nondestructive Testing of Additive Manufactured Metal Parts Used in Aerospace Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waller, Jess M.

    2018-01-01

    NDE inspectors, QA/QE professionals, and program managers responsible for the out-sourcing, procurement, fabrication, finishing, inspection, and qualification and certification of additively manufactured (AM) parts should attend this course.

  9. Study of hypocholesterolemic activity of Algerian Pistacia lentiscus leaves extracts in vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Cheurfa

    Full Text Available Abstract Plants are a large source of new bioactive molecules with therapeutic potentials. However, only a small amount of worldwide plants have been phytochemically investigated. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Pistacia lentiscus L., Anacardiaceae, leaves were evaluated for hypocholesterolemic activity in vivo. In this study, hypercholesterolemia was induced in animals by feeding them high cholesterol (1% food. The extracts of P. lentiscus were orally administered at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight along with a high cholesterol diet for thirty successive days. Lipid parameters such as total cholesterol, triacylglyceride, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein were measured in the plasma. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were also evaluated. Flavonoid content was found to be more present in the ethanolic extract (8.218 ± 0.009 mg of QE/g compared to the aqueous extract (3.107 ± 0.014 mg of QE/g. The administration of P. lentiscus extracts produced a significant decrease in total cholesterol, triacylglyceride and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (154.6 ± 18.10, 71.2 ± 4.38 and 99.36 ± 18.77 mg/dl respectively in the ethanolic extract, while the aqueous extract showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol and triacylglyceride (203.6 ± 9.18 and 97.6 ± 3.57 mg/dl respectively. The results of the investigation demonstrated that P. lentiscus leaf extract has hypocholesterolemic properties and might be used for the prevention of hypercholesterolemia associated disorders.

  10. Experimental investigation of distinguishable and non-distinguishable grayscales applicable in active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes for quality engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Henglong; Chang, Wen-Cheng; Lin, Yu-Hsuan; Chen, Ming-Hong

    2017-08-01

    The distinguishable and non-distinguishable 6-bit (64) grayscales of green and red organic light-emitting diode (OLED) were experimentally investigated by using high-sensitive photometric instrument. The feasibility of combining external detection system for quality engineering to compensate the grayscale loss based on preset grayscale tables was also investigated by SPICE simulation. The degradation loss of OLED deeply affects image quality as grayscales become inaccurate. The distinguishable grayscales are indicated as those brightness differences and corresponding current increments are differentiable by instrument. The grayscales of OLED in 8-bit (256) or higher may become nondistinguishable as current or voltage increments are in the same order of noise level in circuitry. The distinguishable grayscale tables for individual red, green, blue, and white colors can be experimentally established as preset reference for quality engineering (QE) in which the degradation loss is compensated by corresponding grayscale numbers shown in preset table. The degradation loss of each OLED colors is quantifiable by comparing voltage increments to those in preset grayscale table if precise voltage increments are detectable during operation. The QE of AMOLED can be accomplished by applying updated grayscale tables. Our preliminary simulation result revealed that it is feasible to quantify degradation loss in terms of grayscale numbers by using external detector circuitry.

  11. Experimental study of interactions of highly charged ions with atoms at keV energies. Progress report, April 16, 1994--August 1, 1994

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kostroun, V.O.

    1994-01-01

    The objective of this program is the experimental study of interactions of low energy, highly charged ions with other atomic species. The Cornell superconducting solenoid, cryogenic electron beam ion source CEBIS designed and built in our laboratory is the major piece of apparatus used in these investigations. This progress report describes the work accomplished during the period April 16, 1994 and August 1, 1994. This includes both finished experiments and preparatory work for planned future experiments using the source. During this time, we have completed measurements of the angular distributions and energy gains in Ar q+ (11≤q≤14) on Ar collisions at 72 qeV laboratory energy. In particular, energy gain spectra at different laboratory scattering angles were obtained for Ar( q-1 ) + projectiles, i.e. projectiles whose final charge state had decreased by one unit. The experimental technique used, and the method of analysis are described elsewhere. The raw spectra are similar to those observed for Ar 8+ and Ar l0+ on Ar at comparable energies, as well as those described in the last progress report for Ar l2+ on Ar

  12. M-type thioredoxins are involved in the xanthophyll cycle and proton motive force to alter NPQ under low-light conditions in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Da, Qingen; Sun, Ting; Wang, Menglong; Jin, Honglei; Li, Mengshu; Feng, Dongru; Wang, Jinfa; Wang, Hong-Bin; Liu, Bing

    2018-02-01

    M-type thioredoxins are required to regulate zeaxanthin epoxidase activity and to maintain the steady-state level of the proton motive force, thereby influencing NPQ properties under low-light conditions in Arabidopsis. Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) helps protect photosynthetic organisms from photooxidative damage via the non-radiative dissipation of energy as heat. Energy-dependent quenching (qE) is a major constituent of NPQ. However, the mechanism underlying the regulation of qE is not well understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the m-type thioredoxins TRX-m1, TRX-m2, and TRX-m4 (TRX-ms) interact with the xanthophyll cycle enzyme zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZE) and are required for maintaining the redox-dependent stabilization of ZE by regulating its intermolecular disulfide bridges. Reduced ZE activity and accumulated zeaxanthin levels were observed under TRX-ms deficiency. Furthermore, concurrent deficiency of TRX-ms resulted in a significant increase in proton motive force (pmf) and acidification of the thylakoid lumen under low irradiance, perhaps due to the significantly reduced ATP synthase activity under TRX-ms deficiency. The increased pmf, combined with acidification of the thylakoid lumen and the accumulation of zeaxanthin, ultimately contribute to the elevated stable qE in VIGS-TRX-m2m4/m1 plants under low-light conditions. Taken together, these results indicate that TRX-ms are involved in regulating NPQ-dependent photoprotection in Arabidopsis.

  13. Molecular Cytogenetic Characterization Identified the Murine B-Cell Lymphoma Cell Line A-20 as a Model for Sporadic Burkitt's Lymphoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guja, Karolina; Liehr, Thomas; Rincic, Martina; Kosyakova, Nadezda; Hussein Azawi, Shaymaa S

    2017-11-01

    Here, we report the first molecular cytogenetic characterization of the BALB/cAnN mouse derived B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-cell NHL) cell lines A-20. Even though previously used as a model for testing of, for example, dexametason, up to present, no data in the genetic properties of A-20 were available. The present study closed this gap and provides evidence that A-20 is a model for B-cell NHL subgroup sporadic Burkitt's lymphoma. C-myc oncogene is involved in a translocation and copy number alterations as gain of murine 14q material could be observed. Interestingly, the cell line showed the karyotype 39,X,-X or -Y,t(2;15)(qE5;qD2),del(6)(qB3qC3),del(9)(qA3qA4),dup(14)(qE1qE4) in ~95% of the cells, being exceptionally stable for cell lines being established 38 years ago. Still, ~5% of the cells showed polyploidization followed by chromothripsis. It remains to be determined if this can be observed also in other cell lines, just has not been reported yet, and/or if it is a unique feature of A-20. Overall, finally here, the necessary genetic data to identify A-20 as a model for human sporadic Burkitt's lymphoma are provided.

  14. Trends in the nursing doctoral comprehensive examination process: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mawn, Barbara E; Goldberg, Shari

    2012-01-01

    The doctoral comprehensive or qualifying examination (CE/QE) is a traditional rite of passage into the community of scholars for the nursing profession. This exploratory, descriptive cross-sectional study examined trends in the process, timing, and methodology of comprehensive and qualifying examinations in nursing doctoral programs in the United States. Administrators from 45 schools responded to an online survey from 27 states across the country (37% response rate). Participants reported wide variations in the process. The most common method of implementation was the written take-home test (47%), two thirds of which had a subsequent oral examination. Eleven survey respondents (24%) reported using a form of the traditional written, timed, on-site examination; however, only 4 of these also followed up with an oral defense. Nine schools (20%) moved to a requirement for a written publishable paper; three schools consider the written proposal and its defense as the CE/QE. Approximately half had changed their policy in the past 5 years. With the increase in nursing doctor of philosophy programs over the past decade, information is needed to facilitate the development of methods to achieve program outcomes. An understanding of national CE/QE trends can provide a starting point for discussion and allow innovative ideas to meet the need of individual programs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Effects of LiF/Al back electrode on the amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sunbo; Lee, Jaehyeong; Dao, Vinh Ai; Lee, Seungho [School of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Balaji, Nagarajan [Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Shihyun [School of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Hussain, Shahzada Qamar [Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Han, Sangmyeong [School of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Junhee [Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Jang, Juyeon; Lee, Yunjung [School of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Yi, Junsin, E-mail: yi@yurim.skku.ac.kr [School of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-05-15

    Highlights: ► We have employed a LiF dielectric layer as a new back-contact electrode. ► Increasing LiF thickness will decrease barrier for electrons transport, thus yield J{sub sc}. ► Increasing LiF thickness will reduced shunt leakage and enhanced internal field, thus yield V{sub oc}. ► Employing LiF layer, improvement of performance of HIT solar cells up to 17.13%. -- Abstract: To improve the quantum efficiency (QE) and hence the efficiency of the amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cell, we have employed a LiF dielectric layer on the rear side. The high dipole moment of the LiF reduces the aluminum electrode's work–function and then lowers the energy barrier at back contact. This lower energy barrier height helps to enhance both the operating voltage and the QE at longer wavelength region, in turn improves the open-circuit voltage (V{sub oc}), short-circuit current density (J{sub sc}), and then overall cell efficiency. With optimized LiF layer thickness of 20 nm, 1 cm{sup 2} heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT) solar cells were produced with industry-compatible process, yielding V{sub oc} of 690 mV, J{sub sc} of 33.62 mA/cm{sup 2}, and cell efficiencies of 17.13%. Therefore LiF/Al electrode on rear side is proposed as an alternate back electrode for high efficiency HIT solar cells.

  16. Design, Performance, and Calibration of CMS Hadron Endcap Calorimeters

    CERN Document Server

    Baiatian, G; Emeliantchik, Igor; Massolov, V; Shumeiko, Nikolai; Stefanovich, R; Damgov, Jordan; Dimitrov, Lubomir; Genchev, Vladimir; Piperov, Stefan; Vankov, Ivan; Litov, Leander; Bencze, Gyorgy; Laszlo, Andras; Pal, Andras; Vesztergombi, Gyorgy; Zálán, Peter; Fenyvesi, Andras; Bawa, Harinder Singh; Beri, Suman Bala; Bhatnagar, Vipin; Kaur, Manjit; Kohli, Jatinder Mohan; Kumar, Arun; Singh, Jas Bir; Acharya, Bannaje Sripathi; Banerjee, Sunanda; Banerjee, Sudeshna; Chendvankar, Sanjay; Dugad, Shashikant; Kalmani, Suresh Devendrappa; Katta, S; Mazumdar, Kajari; Mondal, Naba Kumar; Nagaraj, P; Patil, Mandakini Ravindra; Reddy, L; Satyanarayana, B; Sharma, Seema; Sudhakar, Katta; Verma, Piyush; Hashemi, Majid; Mohammadi-Najafabadi, M; Paktinat, S; Babich, Kanstantsin; Golutvin, Igor; Kalagin, Vladimir; Kamenev, Alexey; Konoplianikov, V; Kosarev, Ivan; Moissenz, K; Moissenz, P; Oleynik, Danila; Petrosian, A; Rogalev, Evgueni; Semenov, Roman; Sergeyev, S; Shmatov, Sergey; Smirnov, Vitaly; Vishnevskiy, Alexander; Volodko, Anton; Zarubin, Anatoli; Druzhkin, Dmitry; Ivanov, Alexander; Kudinov, Vladimir; Orlov, Alexandre; Smetannikov, Vladimir; Gavrilov, Vladimir; Gershtein, Yuri; Ilyina, N; Kaftanov, Vitali; Kisselevich, I; Kolossov, V; Krokhotin, Andrey; Kuleshov, Sergey; Litvintsev, Dmitri; Ulyanov, A; Safronov, Grigory; Semenov, Sergey; Stolin, Viatcheslav; Demianov, A; Gribushin, Andrey; Kodolova, Olga; Petrushanko, Sergey; Sarycheva, Ludmila; Teplov, V; Vardanyan, Irina; Yershov, A; Abramov, Victor; Goncharov, Petr; Kalinin, Alexey; Khmelnikov, Alexander; Korablev, Andrey; Korneev, Yury; Krinitsyn, Alexander; Kryshkin, V; Lukanin, Vladimir; Pikalov, Vladimir; Ryazanov, Anton; Talov, Vladimir; Turchanovich, L; Volkov, Alexey; Camporesi, Tiziano; de Visser, Theo; Vlassov, E; Aydin, Sezgin; Bakirci, Mustafa Numan; Cerci, Salim; Dumanoglu, Isa; Eskut, Eda; Kayis-Topaksu, A; Koylu, S; Kurt, Pelin; Onengüt, G; Ozkurt, Halil; Polatoz, A; Sogut, Kenan; Topakli, Huseyin; Vergili, Mehmet; Yetkin, Taylan; Cankoc, K; Esendemir, Akif; Gamsizkan, Halil; Güler, M; Ozkan, Cigdem; Sekmen, Sezen; Serin-Zeyrek, M; Sever, Ramazan; Yazgan, Efe; Zeyrek, Mehmet; Deliomeroglu, Mehmet; Gülmez, Erhan; Isiksal, Engin; Kaya, Mithat; Ozkorucuklu, Suat; Levchuk, Leonid; Sorokin, Pavel; Grynev, B; Lyubynskiy, Vadym; Senchyshyn, Vitaliy; Hauptman, John M; Abdullin, Salavat; Elias, John E; Elvira, D; Freeman, Jim; Green, Dan; Los, Serguei; ODell, V; Ronzhin, Anatoly; Suzuki, Ichiro; Vidal, Richard; Whitmore, Juliana; Arcidy, M; Hazen, Eric; Heering, Arjan Hendrix; Lawlor, C; Lazic, Dragoslav; Machado, Emanuel; Rohlf, James; Varela, F; Wu, Shouxiang; Baden, Drew; Bard, Robert; Eno, Sarah Catherine; Grassi, Tullio; Jarvis, Chad; Kellogg, Richard G; Kunori, Shuichi; Mans, Jeremy; Skuja, Andris; Podrasky, V; Sanzeni, Christopher; Winn, Dave; Akgun, Ugur; Ayan, S; Duru, Firdevs; Merlo, Jean-Pierre; Mestvirishvili, Alexi; Miller, Michael; Norbeck, Edwin; Olson, Jonathan; Onel, Yasar; Schmidt, Ianos; Akchurin, Nural; Carrell, Kenneth Wayne; Gusum, K; Kim, Heejong; Spezziga, Mario; Thomas, Ray; Wigmans, Richard; Baarmand, Marc M; Mermerkaya, Hamit; Ralich, Robert; Vodopiyanov, Igor; Kramer, Laird; Linn, Stephan; Markowitz, Pete; Cushman, Priscilla; Ma, Yousi; Sherwood, Brian; Cremaldi, Lucien Marcus; Reidy, Jim; Sanders, David A; Karmgard, Daniel John; Ruchti, Randy; Fisher, Wade Cameron; Tully, Christopher; Bodek, Arie; De Barbaro, Pawel; Budd, Howard; Chung, Yeon Sei; Haelen, T; Hagopian, Sharon; Hagopian, Vasken; Johnson, Kurtis F; Barnes, Virgil E; Laasanen, Alvin T

    2008-01-01

    Detailed measurements have been made with the CMS hadron calorimeter endcaps (HE) in response to beams of muons, electrons, and pions. Readout of HE with custom electronics and hybrid photodiodes (HPDs) shows no change of performance compared to readout with commercial electronics and photomultipliers. When combined with lead-tungstenate crystals, an energy resolution of 8\\% is achieved with 300 GeV/c pions. A laser calibration system is used to set the timing and monitor operation of the complete electronics chain. Data taken with radioactive sources in comparison with test beam pions provides an absolute initial calibration of HE to approximately 4\\% to 5\\%.

  17. A simplified theoretical guideline for overall water splitting using photocatalyst particles

    KAUST Repository

    Garcia Esparza, Angel T.; Takanabe, Kazuhiro

    2015-01-01

    semiconductor device equations. This work presents the sensitivity of quantum efficiency (QE) to the various semiconductor properties, such as absorption properties and carrier mobilities, and to the dispersion of catalyst particles, which create heterojunctions

  18. Phytochemical and antioxidant potential of crude methanolic extract and fractions of Celtis eriocarpa Decne. leaves from lesser Himalaya Region of Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, E.; Arshad, M.; Bibi, Y.; Ahmed, M.S.

    2018-01-01

    Celtis eriocarpa Decne. belongs to family cannabaceae. It is commonly found in Indo-Pak subcontinent and is used in healthcare practices. Decoction of leaves is used against amenorrhoea, fruits are used against colic. Powdered bark is used to treat pimples, sprain, contusions and joint pain. Leaves of Celtis eriocarpa were collected from lesser Himalayan region of Pakistan (Murree and Galliyat) in April 2014, and subjected to proximate analysis, qualitative and quantitative phytochemicals and DPPH antioxidant determination after fractionation. Quantitative determination of total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC) and DPPH antioxidant activity was carried out through spectrophotometric methods. Proximate analysis revealed low moisture content, higher protein, carbohydrate and nutritive values. Qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed presence of phenolics, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids and saponins while absence of alkaloids. Higher TPC was found in Crude methanolic extract (79.96+-0.32 mg GAE /g) followed by ethyl acetate fraction (59.62+-1.00 mg GAE /g) and lowest TPC was found in n-Hexane fraction (24.97+-0.67 mg GAE/g) at p<0.05. Higher TFC was found in Crude methanolic extract (63.88+-0.40 mg QE/g) followed by ethyl acetate fraction (55.49+-1.22 mg QE /g) and lowest TFC was found in n-Hexane fraction (6.01+-0.66mg QE /g) at p<0.05. Ethyl acetate fraction showed higher DPPH EC50 value (324.81 mu g/ml) while n-hexane fraction showed lowest EC50 value (2981 mug/ml) at p<0.05. The mean EC50 value of ascorbic acid at p<0.05 was 10.86mu g/ml. As DPPH EC50 value, total phenolic content and total flavonoid content in the leaves of C. eriocarpa is considerably high therefore this plant could be a source of bioactive compounds. This study will be a benchmark for detailed evaluation of therapeutic potential of Celtis eriocarpa. (author)

  19. Improved lifetime of microchannel-plate PMTs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lehmann, A., E-mail: lehmann@physik.uni-erlangen.de [Physikalisches Institut IV, Friedrich Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen (Germany); Britting, A.; Eyrich, W.; Uhlig, F. [Physikalisches Institut IV, Friedrich Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen (Germany); Dzhygadlo, R.; Gerhardt, A.; Götzen, K.; Höhler, R.; Kalicy, G.; Kumawat, H.; Lehmann, D.; Lewandowski, B.; Patsyuk, M.; Peters, K.; Schepers, G.; Schmitt, L.; Schwarz, C.; Schwiening, J.; Traxler, M.; Zühlsdorf, M. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); and others

    2014-12-01

    The charged particle identification at the PANDA experiment will be mainly performed with DIRC detectors. Because of their advantageous properties the preferred photon sensors are MCP-PMTs. However, until recently these devices showed serious aging problems which resulted in a diminishing quantum efficiency (QE) of the photo cathode. By applying innovative countermeasures against the aging causes, the manufacturers recently succeeded in drastically improving the lifetime of MCP-PMTs. Especially the application of an ALD coating technique to seal the material of the micro-channels proves very powerful and results in a lifetime of ≈6C/cm{sup 2} integrated anode charge without a substantial QE degradation for the latest PHOTONIS XP85112. This paper will present a comparative measurement of the lifetime of several older and recent MCP-PMTs demonstrating this progress.

  20. High Extraction Phosphors for Solid State Lighting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Summers, Chris [Phosphortech Corporation, Kennesaw, GA (United States); Menkara, Hisham [Phosphortech Corporation, Kennesaw, GA (United States); Wagner, Brent [Phosphortech Corporation, Kennesaw, GA (United States)

    2011-09-01

    We have developed high-index, high efficiency bulk luminescent materials and novel nano-sized phosphors for improved solid-state white LED lamps. These advances can potentially contribute to reducing the loss in luminous efficiencies due to scattering, re-absorption, and thermal quenching. The bulk and nanostructured luminescent materials investigated are index matched to GaN and have broad and size-tunable absorption bands, size and impurity tuned emission bands, size-driven elimination of scattering effects, and a separation between absorption and emission bands. These innovations were accomplished through the use of novel synthesis techniques suitable for high volume production for LED lamp applications. The program produced a full-color set of high quantum yield phosphors with high chemical stability. In the bulk phosphor study, the ZnSeS:Cu,Ag phosphor was optimized to achieve >91% efficiency using erbium (Er) and other activators as sensitizers. Detailed analysis of temperature quenching effects on a large number of ZnSeS:Cu,Ag,X and strontium- and calcium-thiogallate phosphors lead to a breakthrough in the understanding of the anti-quenching behavior and a physical bandgap model was developed of this phenomena. In a follow up to this study, optimized phosphor blends for high efficiency and color performance were developed and demonstrated a 2-component phosphor system with good white chromaticity, color temperature, and high color rendering. By extending the protocols of quantum dot synthesis, large nanocrystals, greater than 20 nm in diameter were synthesized and exhibited bulk-like behavior and blue light absorption. The optimization of ZnSe:Mn nanophosphors achieved ~85% QE The limitations of core-shell nanocrystal systems were addressed by investigating alternative deltadoped structures. To address the manufacturability of these systems, a one-pot manufacturing protocol was developed for ZnSe:Mn nanophosphors. To enhance the stability of these material

  1. Expression optimization and biochemical characterization of a recombinant gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase from Escherichia coli novablue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Ya-Feng; Weng, Yih-Ming; Hu, Hui-Yu; Ku, Kuo-Lung; Lin, Long-Liu

    2006-09-01

    A truncated Escherichia coli Novablue gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (EcGGT) gene lacking the first 48-bp coding sequence for part of the signal sequence was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into expression vector pQE-30 to generate pQE-EcGGT. The maximum production of His(6)-tagged enzyme by E. coli M15 (pQE-EcGGT) was achieved with 0.1 mM IPTG induction for 12 h at 20 degrees C. The overexpressed enzyme was purified to homogeneity by nickel-chelate chromatography to a specific transpeptidase activity of 4.25 U/mg protein and a final yield of 83%. The molecular masses of the subunits of the purified enzyme were estimated to be 41 and 21 kDa respectively by SDS-PAGE, indicating EcGGT still undergoes the post-translational cleavage even in the truncation of signal sequence. The optimum temperature and pH for the recombinant enzyme were 40 degrees C and 9, respectively. The apparent K (m) and V (max) values for gamma-glutamyl-p-nitroanilide as gamma-glutamyl donor in the transpeptidation reaction were 37.9 microM and 53.7 x 10(-3) mM min(-1), respectively. The synthesis of L -theanine was performed in a reaction mixture containing 10 mM L -Gln, 40 mM ethylamine, and 1.04 U His(6)-tagged EcGGT/ml, pH 10, and a conversion rate of 45% was obtained.

  2. Validation of the method for the simultaneous estimation of bioactive marker gallic acid and quercetin in Abutilon indicum by HPTLC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md. Sarfaraj Hussain

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To establish and validate an simultaneous estimation of the two biomarker compounds gallic acid (GA and quercetin (QE from methanolic extract of Abutilon indicum (AI. Methods: Chromatography was performed on aluminium foil-backed silica gel 60 F254 HPTLC plates with the binary mobile phase toluene-ethyl acetate-formic acid (5:4:1, v/v/v. Ultraviolet detection was performed densitometrically at the maximum absorbance wavelength, 270nm. The method was validated for precision, recovery, robustness, specificity, and detection and quantification limits, in accordance with ICH guidelines. Results: The system was found to give compact spots for GA and QE (Rf value of 0.31 and 0.50, respectively. The limit of detection (23 and 41 ng band-1 limit of quantification (69 and 123 ng band-1, recovery (99.4-99.9 and 98.7-99.4%, and precision (≤ 1.98 and 1.97 were satisfactory for gallic acid and quercetin respectively. Linearity range for GA and QE were 100-1000 (r2= 0.9991 and 150-900 ng band-1 (r2= 0.9956 and the contents estimated as 0.69% ± 0.01% and 0.57% ± 0.01% w/w respectively. Conclusions: This simple, precise and accurate method gave good resolution from other constituents present in the extract. The method has been successfully applied in the analysis and routine quality control of herbal material and formulations containing AI.

  3. Modeling and simulation of RF photoinjectors for coherent light sources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Y.; Krasilnikov, M.; Stephan, F.; Gjonaj, E.; Weiland, T.; Dohlus, M.

    2018-05-01

    We propose a three-dimensional fully electromagnetic numerical approach for the simulation of RF photoinjectors for coherent light sources. The basic idea consists in incorporating a self-consistent photoemission model within a particle tracking code. The generation of electron beams in the injector is determined by the quantum efficiency (QE) of the cathode, the intensity profile of the driving laser as well as by the accelerating field and magnetic focusing conditions in the gun. The total charge emitted during an emission cycle can be limited by the space charge field at the cathode. Furthermore, the time and space dependent electromagnetic field at the cathode may induce a transient modulation of the QE due to surface barrier reduction of the emitting layer. In our modeling approach, all these effects are taken into account. The beam particles are generated dynamically according to the local QE of the cathode and the time dependent laser intensity profile. For the beam dynamics, a tracking code based on the Lienard-Wiechert retarded field formalism is employed. This code provides the single particle trajectories as well as the transient space charge field distribution at the cathode. As an application, the PITZ injector is considered. Extensive electron bunch emission simulations are carried out for different operation conditions of the injector, in the source limited as well as in the space charge limited emission regime. In both cases, fairly good agreement between measurements and simulations is obtained.

  4. Assessment of phenolic profile and antioxidant power of five pistachio (Pistacia vera cultivars collected from four geographical regions of Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyedeh Faezeh Taghizadeh

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: In this study, the levels and antioxidant activities of some secondary metabolites isolated from five pistachio (Pistacia veracultivars collected from four different geographical regions of Iran, were studied. Materials and Methods: Total phenolic compounds levels were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Total flavonoid content was determined as AlCl3 complex and expressed as mg of quercetin equivalents (QE/g dry extract and total proantocyanidins content was expressed as mg of catechin equivalents (CA/g dry extract. In order to evaluated the antioxidant activity of the compounds, DPPH and FRAP assays were used. Results: The highest level of total phenols (156.42 mg GA/g DE, total flavonoids (130.94 mg QE/g DE and total proantocyanidins (152.816 mg CA/g DE were obtained in Akbari cultivar from Rafsanjan, followed by Badami-e-sefid and Ahmad aghaei. The lowest amount of total phenolic content (TPC, total flavonoid content (TFC and total proanthocyanidin content (TPrAC were found in Badami-e-sefid from Feizabad (128.140 mg GA/g DE, 93.176 mg QE/g DE and 118.870 mg CA/g DE, respectively. Also, a positive correlation (r2=0.9834 was found between antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds. Conclusion: Pistachio increased their phytochemical compounds to contrast with abiotic stress. Our data could be useful for introducing special characteristics to the plants, and can be considered when planning a new breeding program or choosing a specific cultivar for a particular use.

  5. Assessment of phenolic profile and antioxidant power of five pistachio (Pistacia vera) cultivars collected from four geographical regions of Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taghizadeh, Seyedeh Faezeh; Davarynejad, Gholamhossein; Asili, Javad; Nemati, Seyed Hossein; Karimi, Gholamreza

    2018-01-01

    In this study, the levels and antioxidant activities of some secondary metabolites isolated from five pistachio ( Pistacia vera ) cultivars collected from four different geographical regions of Iran, were studied. Total phenolic compounds levels were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Total flavonoid content was determined as AlCl 3 complex and expressed as mg of quercetin equivalents (QE)/g dry extract and total proantocyanidins content was expressed as mg of catechin equivalents (CA)/g dry extract. In order to evaluated the antioxidant activity of the compounds, DPPH and FRAP assays were used. The highest level of total phenols (156.42 mg GA/g DE), total flavonoids (130.94 mg QE/g DE) and total proantocyanidins (152.816 mg CA/g DE) were obtained in Akbari cultivar from Rafsanjan, followed by Badami-e-sefid and Ahmad aghaei. The lowest amount of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and total proanthocyanidin content (TPrAC) were found in Badami-e-sefid from Feizabad (128.140 mg GA/g DE, 93.176 mg QE/g DE and 118.870 mg CA/g DE, respectively). Also, a positive correlation (r 2 =0.9834) was found between antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds. Pistachio increased their phytochemical compounds to contrast with abiotic stress. Our data could be useful for introducing special characteristics to the plants, and can be considered when planning a new breeding program or choosing a specific cultivar for a particular use.

  6. Effect of narrowing the base of support on the gait, gaze and quiet eye of elite ballet dancers and controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panchuk, Derek; Vickers, Joan N

    2011-08-01

    We determined the gaze and stepping behaviours of elite ballet dancers and controls as they walked normally and along progressively narrower 3-m lines (l0.0, 2.5 cm). The ballet dancers delayed the first step and then stepped more quickly through the approach area and onto the lines, which they exited more slowly than the controls, which stepped immediately but then slowed their gait to navigate the line, which they exited faster. Contrary to predictions, the ballet group did not step more precisely, perhaps due to the unique anatomical requirements of ballet dance and/or due to releasing the degrees of freedom under their feet as they fixated ahead more than the controls. The ballet group used significantly fewer fixations of longer duration, and their final quiet eye (QE) duration prior to stepping on the line was significantly longer (2,353.39 ms) than the controls (1,327.64 ms). The control group favoured a proximal gaze strategy allocating 73.33% of their QE fixations to the line/off the line and 26.66% to the exit/visual straight ahead (VSA), while the ballet group favoured a 'look-ahead' strategy allocating 55.49% of their QE fixations to the exit/VSA and 44.51% on the line/off the line. The results are discussed in the light of the development of expertise and the enhanced role of fixations and visual attention when more tasks become more constrained.

  7. Spatial and temporal variability of the heat budget parameters and currents in the coastal waters of Visakhapatnam, east coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sadhuram, Y.; Rao, B.P.; Rao, D.P.; Rao, V.S.

    Analysis of the thermal structure in coastal waters off Visakhapatnam revealed sub-surface inversions during October. In postmonsoon, a good association existed between wind stress (tau) and total heat loss (Qe+Qs) and between SST and heat content...

  8. Quantum ergodicity in a quantum measure algebra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stechel, E.B.

    1986-01-01

    This paper is divided into two parts. Part I assembles three pieces of background necessary to develop the logic behind this result. Section IA is devoted to classical algebraic ergodic theory (AET). Section IB briefly discusses random matrix theory (RMT) which should require very little development since a large fraction of this volume is devoted to this subject. Section IC reviews the concepts in quantum ''phase'' space flow (P(a,b)'s and p/sub n//sup a/'s). Part II develops what the authors will call quantum AET (the quantum analog of classical AET). Section IIA presents the formal development with the new definitions. Section IIB discusses intensity fluctuations in quantum ergodic (QE) spectra, leading to the somewhat surprising result that in a QE system a pure, real, smooth state samples only about 1/3 of its available space

  9. Resonant quantum efficiency enhancement of midwave infrared nBn photodetectors using one-dimensional plasmonic gratings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nolde, Jill A.; Kim, Chul Soo; Jackson, Eric M.; Ellis, Chase T.; Abell, Joshua; Glembocki, Orest J.; Canedy, Chadwick L.; Tischler, Joseph G.; Vurgaftman, Igor; Meyer, Jerry R.; Aifer, Edward H.; Kim, Mijin

    2015-01-01

    We demonstrate up to 39% resonant enhancement of the quantum efficiency (QE) of a low dark current nBn midwave infrared photodetector with a 0.5 μm InAsSb absorber layer. The enhancement was achieved by using a 1D plasmonic grating to couple incident light into plasmon modes propagating in the plane of the device. The plasmonic grating is composed of stripes of deposited amorphous germanium overlaid with gold. Devices with and without gratings were processed side-by-side for comparison of their QEs and dark currents. The peak external QE for a grating device was 29% compared to 22% for a mirror device when the illumination was polarized perpendicularly to the grating lines. Additional experiments determined the grating coupling efficiency by measuring the reflectance of analogous gratings deposited on bare GaSb substrates

  10. Polarized Photocathode R&D for Future Linear Collliders

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, F; Brachmann, A.; Maruyama, T.; Sheppard, J.C.; /SLAC

    2009-01-23

    It is a challenge to generate full charge electrons from the electron sources without compromising polarization for the proposed ILC and CLIC. It is essential to advance polarized photocathodes to meet the requirements. SLAC has worldwide unique dedicated test facilities, Cathode Test System and dc-Gun Test Laboratory, to fully characterize polarized photocathodes. Recent systematic measurements on a strained-well InAlGaAs/AlGaAs cathode at the facilities show that 87% polarization and 0.3% QE are achieved. The QE can be increased to {approx}1.0% with atomic hydrogen cleaning. The surface charge limit at a very low current intensity and the clear dependence of the polarization on the surface charge limit are observed for the first time. On-going programs to develop photocathodes for the ILC and CLIC are briefly introduced.

  11. OM85. Basic Properties of Optical Materials Summaries of Papers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1985-05-01

    1984. [2] D. Marcuse : IEEE J. QE-14, 736 (1978). 163 ... . . . .. . . .. . . CALORIMETRIC MEASUREMENT OF OPTICAL ABSORPTION IN SAPPHIRE AT VISIBLE...ARSENIDE Herbert S. Bennett Semiconductor Devices and Circuits Division National Bureau of Standards Gaithersburg, MD 20899 Introduction Lasers, opto

  12. Phytochemical Compositions of Immature Wheat Bran, and Its Antioxidant Capacity, Cell Growth Inhibition, and Apoptosis Induction through Tumor Suppressor Gene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mi Jeong Kim

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the phytochemical compositions and antioxidant capacity, cell growth inhibition, and apoptosis induction in extracts of immature wheat bran. Immature wheat bran (IWB was obtained from immature wheat harvested 10 days earlier than mature wheat. The phytochemical compositions of bran extract samples were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography. The total ferulic acid (3.09 mg/g and p-coumaric acid (75 µg/g in IWB were significantly higher than in mature wheat bran (MWB, ferulic acid: 1.79 mg/g; p-coumaric acid: 55 µg/g. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC: 327 µM Trolox equivalents (TE/g and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA: 4.59 µM Quercetin equivalents (QE/g of the IWB were higher than those of the MWB (ORAC: 281 µM TE/g; CAA: 0.63 µM QE/g. When assessing cell proliferation, the IWB extracts resulted in the lowest EC50 values against HT-29 (18.9 mg/mL, Caco-2 (7.74 mg/mL, and HeLa cells (8.17 mg/mL among bran extract samples. Additionally, the IWB extracts increased the gene expression of p53 and PTEN (tumor suppressor genes in HT-29 cells, indicating inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis through tumor suppressor genes.

  13. Research Article Special Issue

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    pc

    2018-02-24

    Feb 24, 2018 ... Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) is a logic controller .... After training process, the checking data was used to validate the models. .... al. 2011). ANFIS Qe. Qc. TCWR. COP. No. of nodes. 67. 67. 67. 67. No. of.

  14. A second-order autocorrelator for single-shot measurement of ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

    from a passively mode-locked, diode pumped Nd:glass laser. It can also be used for measurement of ... different mode-locking techniques (Liu et al 1992; Bilinsky et al 1998). Amplification of ..... IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-28: 2097–2122.

  15. KINETIC AND EQUILIBRIUM STUDIES OF Pb(II) AND Cd(II ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    manual blender to smaller particles followed by grinding and then sieved with 300 µm sieve size. ... values of Qmax and b were calculated from the slope and intercept of the Langmuir plot of Ce versus Ce/Qe. .... Moisture content. 16.2.

  16. The transition between quasi elastic and completely damped collisions studied in the 40Ar(280 MeV)+58Ni reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galin, J.; Gatty, B.; Guerreau, D.; Lefort, M.; Tarrago, X.; Babinet, R.; Cauvin, B.; Girard, J.; Nifenecker, H.

    1976-01-01

    A carefull exploration of the angular distribution for the products emitted mainly below the grazing angle shows the continuous evolution from Q.E. to completely damped collisions. The relative relaxation time of the collective degrees of freedom is considered. (orig.) [de

  17. Channel control ASIC for the CMS hadron calorimeter front end readout module

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ray Yarema et al.

    2002-01-01

    The Channel Control ASIC (CCA) is used along with a custom Charge Integrator and Encoder (QIE) ASIC to digitize signals from the hybrid photo diodes (HPDs) and photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) in the CMS hadron calorimeter. The CCA sits between the QIE and the data acquisition system. All digital signals to and from the QIE pass through the CCA chip. One CCA chip interfaces with two QIE channels. The CCA provides individually delayed clocks to each of the QIE chips in addition to various control signals. The QIE sends digitized PMT or HPD signals and time slice information to the CCA, which sends the data to the data acquisition system through an optical link

  18. [Quality assessment of microscopic examination in tuberculosis diagnostic laboratories: a preliminary study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simşek, Hülya; Ceyhan, Ismail; Tarhan, Gülnur; Güner, Uğur

    2010-10-01

    Recently, the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) has based on smear microscopy in the Direct Observed Treatment Strategy (DOTS) programme which provides the basis of treatment worldwide. Microscopic detection of AFB (Acid-Fast Bacilli) is one of the main components in the National TB Control Programmes (NTCP). Precision level in microscopy procedures and evaluations are the most important steps for accurate diagnosis of the disease and to initiate proper treatment. Therefore, the external quality assessment (EQA) is the most important implement to provide the reliability and validity of tests. In countries where NTCP are performed, this task is fulfilled by the National Reference Laboratories (NRL) according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). For this purpose a pilot study was initiated by the central NRL of Turkey for EQA of AFB smear microscopy as part of the NTCP on January 1, 2005. A total of 5 laboratories of which 2 were district TB laboratories (A, B), 2 were tuberculosis control dispensaries (C, D), 1 was a national reference laboratory (E), participated in this study. Blind re-checking method (re-examination of randomly selected slides) was used for the evaluation, and the slides were sent to the central NRL with 3 months interval, four times a year, selected according to LQAS (Lot Quality Assurance Sampling) guides. In the re-evaluation of the slides, false positivity (FP), false negativity (FN) and quantification errors (QE) were noted. Laboratory A, sent totally 525 slides between January 1, 2005 and April 1, 2008. In the result of re-checking, 514 (97.9%) slides were found concordant, and 11 (2.1%) were discordant (10 FP, 1 FN). Laboratory B, participated in the study between October 1, 2005 and July 1, 2006 and of the 67 re-examined slides, 60 (89.5%) were concordant and 7 (10.5%) were discordant (2 FP, 0 FN, 5 QE). Laboratory C, sent 235 slides between January 1, 2005 and April 1, 2006; of them 218 (92.8%) were detected

  19. HADRON CALORIMETER (HCAL)

    CERN Multimedia

    J. Spalding

    2010-01-01

    The HCAL system operated very reliably in the 2010 running period for both pp and heavy ion collisions, with 99% of channels live (excluding HO ring 2). Since early June, the high voltage for HO ring 2 was turned off in order to preserve the HPDs as long-term spares (see last bulletin). This results in little impact to physics performance in early LHC operation. In HB and HE, one channel was masked as bad in mid-July due to an unstable pedestal. In addition, the bias voltage was reduced for one HPD due to excessive current draw. This HPD continues to operate reliably with only a minor reduction in timing resolution. Overall this represents very stable operation for a long period. There is one operational problem that is proving difficult to trouble-shoot. Occasionally, about once every few days, one readout box (only) will lose synchronization and deliver garbled data. Recovery requires a complete reset of the system. This behavior cannot be reproduced in test setups, but in-situ diagnostics have been develo...

  20. The AQUA-RICH atmospheric neutrino experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Antonioli, P; Bellagamba, L; Chesi, Enrico Guido; Cindolo, F; De Pasquale, S; Ekelöf, T J C; Garbini, M; Giusti, P; Grossheim, A; Pesci, A; Learned, J G; Margotti, A; Pinfold, James L; Sartorelli, G; Séguinot, Jacques; Tarantino, A; Weilhammer, Peter; Ypsilantis, Thomas; Zichichi, A; Zuber, K

    1999-01-01

    We describe a 125 m diameter spherical detector containing 1 Mt of water, capable of high rate observation of atmospheric neutrino events (30000/y). The ring imaging Cherenkov (RICH) technique is used to measure velocity, momentum and direction of particles produced by neutrinos interacting in water. The detector will be sited outdoors (under a 50 m water shield) in a natural (further excavated) pit, probably in Sicily. Spherical reflecting mirrors focus Cherenkov light produced by secondaries from interacting neutrinos. Photons are detected by 5310 hybrid photodiodes (HPDs) of 1 m diameter each with 396 pads of 45*45 mm/sup 2/ on the photocathode surface, demagnified to 9*9 mm/sup 2/ on the silicon sensor. For most tracks the ring width will be dominated by multiple scattering which should allow momentum to be determined. Hadrons of momentum p

  1. Quantum efficiency and oscillator strength of site-controlled InAs quantum dots

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Albert, F.; Stobbe, Søren; Schneider, C.

    2010-01-01

    We report on time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy to determine the oscillator strength (OS) and the quantum efficiency (QE) of site-controlled InAs quantum dots nucleating on patterned nanoholes. These two quantities are determined by measurements on site-controlled quantum dot (SCQD...

  2. Quantum efficiency and oscillator strength of site-controlled InGaAs quantum dots

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Albert, F.; Schneider, C.; Stobbe, Søren

    2010-01-01

    We report on time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy to determine the oscillator strength (OS) and the quantum efficiency (QE) of site-controlled In(Ga)As quantum dots nucleating on patterned nanoholes. These two quantities are determined by measurements on site-controlled quantum dot (SCQD...

  3. Studies on Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solutions by nanotitania ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    applied for waste water treatment like zinc oxide and iron oxide to name a few.12 .... Here, qe is the metal concentration present on solid nano- titania, Ce the metal ..... We thank the management of VIT University for their support in research.

  4. Verified Representations of Landau's "Grundlagen" in the lambda-delta Family and in the Calculus of Constructions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferruccio Guidi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Landau's "Grundlagen der Analysis" formalized in the language Aut-QE, represents an early milestone in computer-checked mathematics and is the only non-trivial development finalized in the languages of the Automath family. Here we discuss an implemented procedure producing a faithful representation of the Grundlagen in the Calculus of Constructions, verified by the proof assistant Coq 8.4.3. The point at issue is distinguishing lambda-abstractions from pi-abstractions where the original text uses Automath unified binders, taking care of the cases in which a binder corresponds to both abstractions at one time. It is a fact that some binders can be disambiguated only by verifying the Grundlagen in a calculus accepting Aut-QE and the Calculus of Constructions. To this end, we rely on lambda-delta version 3, a system that the author is proposing here for the first time.

  5. Eloquence is The Key – the Impact of Monetary Policy Speeches on Exchange Rate Volatility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrian Cantemir Călin

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available During the last years the monetary policy initiatives of the main central banks have been profoundly influenced by quantitative easing (QE. Blessing, curse, effective instruments or a simple fad, these unconventional measures have occupied the center stage of academic and public attention. In this context, this paper focuses on a wide set of public speeches delivered by officials belonging to the most relevant central banks. These statements cover a large pallet of topics including areas such as QE, tapering, financial stability, unemployment or interest rates. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact that these speeches have on the volatility of exchange rates. For this purpose, the methodology relies on an econometric event study that incorporates three volatility models and intraday five-minute frequencies. The results indicate the fact that public statements have a clear, evident, significant and robust impact on the observed assets.

  6. Multiple exciton generation in chiral carbon nanotubes: Density functional theory based computation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kryjevski, Andrei; Mihaylov, Deyan; Kilina, Svetlana; Kilin, Dmitri

    2017-10-01

    We use a Boltzmann transport equation (BE) to study time evolution of a photo-excited state in a nanoparticle including phonon-mediated exciton relaxation and the multiple exciton generation (MEG) processes, such as exciton-to-biexciton multiplication and biexciton-to-exciton recombination. BE collision integrals are computed using Kadanoff-Baym-Keldysh many-body perturbation theory based on density functional theory simulations, including exciton effects. We compute internal quantum efficiency (QE), which is the number of excitons generated from an absorbed photon in the course of the relaxation. We apply this approach to chiral single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), such as (6,2) and (6,5). We predict efficient MEG in the (6,2) and (6,5) SWCNTs within the solar spectrum range starting at the 2Eg energy threshold and with QE reaching ˜1.6 at about 3Eg, where Eg is the electronic gap.

  7. Effect of Sb thickness on the performance of bialkali-antimonide photocathodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mamun, Md Abdullah A., E-mail: mmamu001@odu.edu; Elmustafa, Abdelmageed A. [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529 and The Applied Research Center, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606 (United States); Hernandez-Garcia, Carlos; Mammei, Russell; Poelker, Matthew [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, Virginia 23606 (United States)

    2016-03-15

    The alkali species Cs and K were codeposited using an effusion source, onto relatively thick layers of Sb (50 nm to ∼7 μm) grown on GaAs and Ta substrates inside a vacuum chamber that was baked and not-vented, and also baked and vented with clean dry nitrogen but not rebaked. The characteristics of the Sb films, including sticking probability, surface roughness, grain size, and crystal properties were very different for these conditions, yet comparable values of photocathode yield [or quantum efficiency (QE)] at 284 V were obtained following codeposition of the alkali materials. Photocathodes manufactured with comparatively thick Sb layers exhibited the highest QE and the best 1/e lifetime. The authors speculate that the alkali codeposition enabled optimized stoichiometry for photocathodes manufactured using thick Sb layers, which could serve as a reservoir for the alkali materials.

  8. The Next Generation Photoinjector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Palmer, Dennis Thomas; /Stanford U., Appl. Phys. Dept.

    2005-09-12

    This dissertation will elucidate the design, construction, theory, and operation of the Next Generation Photoinjector (NGP). This photoinjector is comprised of the BNL/SLAC/UCLA 1.6 cell symmetrized S-band photocathode radio frequency (rf) electron gun and a single emittance-compensation solenoidal magnet. This photoinjector is a prototype for the Linear Coherent Light Source X-ray Free Electron Laser operating in the 1.5 {angstrom} range. Simulations indicate that this photoinjector is capable of producing a 1nC electron bunch with transverse normalized emittance less than 1 {pi} mm mrad were the cathode is illuminated with a 10 psec longitudinal flat top pulse. Using a Gaussian longitudinal laser profile with a full width half maximum (FWHM) of 10 psec, simulation indicates that the NGP is capable of producing a normalized rms emittance of 2.50 {pi} mm mrad at 1 nC. Using the removable cathode plate we have studied the quantum efficiency (QE) of both copper and magnesium photo-cathodes. The Cu QE was found to be 4.5 x 10{sup -5} with a 25% variation in the QE across the emitting surface of the cathode, while supporting a field gradient of 125 MV/m. At low charge, the transverse normalized rms emittance, {epsilon}{sub n,rms}, produced by the NGP is {epsilon}{sub n,rms} = 1.2 {pi} mm mrad for Q{sub T} = 0.3 nC. The 95% electron beam bunch length was measured to 10.9 psec. The emittance due to the finite magnetic field at the cathode has been studied. The scaling of this magnetic emittance term as a function of cathode magnetic field was found to be 0.01 {pi} mm mrad per Gauss. The 1.6 cell rf gun has been designed to reduce the dipole field asymmetry of the longitudinal accelerating field. Low level rf measurements show that this has in fact been accomplished, with an order of magnitude decrease in the dipole field. High power beam studies also show that the dipole field has been decreased. An upper limit of the intrinsic non-reducible thermal emittance of a

  9. Better Solar Cells and Manufacturing Processes Using NREL's Ultrafast Quantum Efficiency Method (Fact Sheet)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2011-08-01

    Fact sheet on the FlashQE system, a 2011 R&D 100 Award winner. A solid-state optical system by NREL and Tau Science measures solar cell quantum efficiency in less than a second, enabling a suite of new capabilities for solar cell manufacturers.

  10. Query Expansion: Is It Necessary In Textual Case-Based Reasoning ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Query expansion (QE) is the process of transforming a seed query to improve retrieval performance in information retrieval operations. It is often intended to overcome a vocabulary mismatch between the query and the document collection. Query expansion is known to improve retrieval effectiveness of some information ...

  11. The ground calibration of X-ray CCD cameras (XIS) with front-illuminated chips onboard Astro-E2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakajima, H. [Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho Kitashirakawa Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan)]. E-mail: Nakajima@cr.scphys.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Yamaguchi, H. [Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho Kitashirakawa Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Matsumoto, H. [Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho Kitashirakawa Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Tsuru, T.G. [Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho Kitashirakawa Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Koyama, K. [Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho Kitashirakawa Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Kissel, S. [Center for Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 (United States); LaMarr, B. [Center for Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 (United States); Bautz, M. [Center for Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 (United States)

    2005-04-01

    We report on the results of the ground calibration of Astro-E2 XIS with front-illuminated (FI) chips. The sensors have basically the same performance as that of Astro-E XIS. However, there are some improved points: (1) A {sup 55}Fe radio isotope is equipped on the door and (2) the capability for charge injection (CI) has been added. We measured the gain, energy resolution, and quantum efficiency (QE) of the FI sensors as a function of energy by using characteristic X-rays for each sensor. An energy resolution of 130 eV at 5.9 keV in FWHM and a QE of 52% at 8.6 keV are achieved. After XIS is launched, the charge transfer inefficiency (CTI) will increase due to radiation damage by cosmic rays. Then XIS is equipped with the CI capability to calibrate and compensate for the increase in CTI. We estimate the time variability in the amount of the injected charge.

  12. Enhancing the far-ultraviolet sensitivity of silicon complementary metal oxide semiconductor imaging arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Retherford, Kurt D.; Bai, Yibin; Ryu, Kevin K.; Gregory, James A.; Welander, Paul B.; Davis, Michael W.; Greathouse, Thomas K.; Winters, Gregory S.; Suntharalingam, Vyshnavi; Beletic, James W.

    2015-10-01

    We report our progress toward optimizing backside-illuminated silicon P-type intrinsic N-type complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices developed by Teledyne Imaging Sensors (TIS) for far-ultraviolet (UV) planetary science applications. This project was motivated by initial measurements at Southwest Research Institute of the far-UV responsivity of backside-illuminated silicon PIN photodiode test structures, which revealed a promising QE in the 100 to 200 nm range. Our effort to advance the capabilities of thinned silicon wafers capitalizes on recent innovations in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) doping processes. Key achievements to date include the following: (1) representative silicon test wafers were fabricated by TIS, and set up for MBE processing at MIT Lincoln Laboratory; (2) preliminary far-UV detector QE simulation runs were completed to aid MBE layer design; (3) detector fabrication was completed through the pre-MBE step; and (4) initial testing of the MBE doping process was performed on monitoring wafers, with detailed quality assessments.

  13. Development status of a test stand for semiconductor photocathodes with 60 keV spin-polarized beamline

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kurichijanil, Neeraj; Enders, Joachim; Espig, Martin; Fritzsche, Yuliya; Heichelt, Dominic; Kaiser, Andreas; Roesch, Heidi; Wagner, Markus [Institut fuer Kernphysik, TU Darmstadt (Germany)

    2016-07-01

    A test facility for Photo-Cathode Activation, Test and Cleaning using atomic-Hydrogen (Photo-CATCH) is being constructed at TU Darmstadt's Institute for Nuclear Physics (IKP) which houses the Superconducting Darmstadt Linear Accelerator (S-DALINAC). In order to improve the performance of the SDALINAC's photoelectron source based on GaAs, systematic studies in terms of quantum efficiency (QE), cathode rejuvenation, lifetimes and polarization (P) have to be conducted on different photocathode types. These factors strongly depend on handling of the cathode, the vacuum condition in the chambers, cathode surface cleaning as well as preservation of stoichiometry, negative electron affinity (NEA) activation of the cathode and the type and structure of the semiconductor material. With Photo-CATCH, experiments such as atomic-hydrogen cleaning, multi-alkali and oxidant NEA activation of the cathode and tests of QE, P and lifetimes can be performed in an improved vacuum. Additionally, experiments with polarized-electron beams of up to 60 keV are foreseen.

  14. Pulsed laser deposition of yttrium photocathode suitable for use in radio-frequency guns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorusso, A.; Trovò, M.; Demidovich, A.; Cinquegrana, P.; Gontad, F.; Broitman, E.; Chiadroni, E.; Perrone, A.

    2017-12-01

    Yttrium (Y) thin film was grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on a copper (Cu) polycrystalline substrate. Ex situ morphological and structural characterisations of the circular Y film of 1.2 µm thickness and 3 mm diameter have shown a very low droplet density on the film surface and a crystalline feature with a preferred orientation along the Y (100) plane. Moreover, Y thin film resulted in being very adherent to the Cu substrate and more scratch resistant than Cu bulk. A twin thin film was deposited also on a Cu backflange of a radio-frequency (RF) gun to test the suitability of the metallic thin film as photocathode. It was observed that the Y-coated photocathode was characterised by a quantum efficiency ( QE) higher than that of the Cu bulk photocathode even if the presence of space charge effects didn't allow deriving the absolute maximum value of QE of Y photocathode.

  15. Final Report - Composite Fermion Approach to Strongly Interacting Quasi Two Dimensional Electron Gas Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Quinn, John

    2009-11-30

    Work related to this project introduced the idea of an effective monopole strength Q* that acted as the effective angular momentum of the lowest shell of composite Fermions (CF). This allowed us to predict the angular momentum of the lowest band of energy states for any value of the applied magnetic field simply by determining N{sub QP} the number of quasielectrons (QE) or quasiholes (QH) in a partially filled CF shell and adding angular momenta of the N{sub QP} Fermions excitations. The approach reported treated the filled CF level as a vacuum state which could support QE and QH excitations. Numerical diagonalization of small systems allowed us to determine the angular momenta, the energy, and the pair interaction energies of these elementary excitations. The spectra of low energy states could then be evaluated in a Fermi liquid-like picture, treating the much smaller number of quasiparticles and their interactions instead of the larger system of N electrons with Coulomb interactions.

  16. Low Energy Neutrino Cross Sections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeller, G.P.

    2004-01-01

    Present atmospheric and accelerator based neutrino oscillation experiments operate at low neutrino energies (Ev ∼ 1 GeV) to access the relevant regions of oscillation parameter space. As such, they require precise knowledge of the cross sections for neutrino-nucleon interactions in the sub-to-few GeV range. At these energies, neutrinos predominantly interact via quasi-elastic (QE) or single pion production processes, which historically have not been as well studied as the deep inelastic scattering reactions that dominate at higher energies.Data on low energy neutrino cross sections come mainly from bubble chamber, spark chamber, and emulsion experiments that collected their data decades ago. Despite relatively poor statistics and large neutrino flux uncertainties, these measurements provide an important and necessary constraint on Monte Carlo models in present use. The following sections discuss the current status of QE, resonant single pion, coherent pion, and single kaon production cross section measurements at low energy

  17. Removal of heavy metals using bentonite supported nano-zero valent iron particles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarime, Nur Aishah; Yaacob, Wan Zuhari Wan; Jamil, Habibah

    2018-04-01

    This study reports the composite nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) which was successfully synthesized using low cost natural clay (bentonite). Bentonite composite nZVI (B-nZVI) was introduced to reduce the agglomeration of nZVI particles, thus will used for heavy metals treatment. The synthesized material was analyzed using physical, mineralogy and morphology analysis such as Brunnaer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The batch adsorption test of Bentonite and B-nZVI with heavy metals solutions (Pb, Cu, Cd, Co, Ni and Zn) was also conducted to determine their effectiveness in removing heavy metals. Through Batch test, B-nZVI shows the highest adsorption capacity (qe= 50.25 mg/g) compared to bentonite (qe= 27.75 mg/g). This occurred because B-nZVI can reduce aggregation of nZVI, dispersed well in bentonite layers thus it can provide more sites for adsorbing heavy metals.

  18. Different roles of alpha- and beta-branch xanthophylls in photosystem assembly and photoprotection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dall'Osto, Luca; Fiore, Alessia; Cazzaniga, Stefano; Giuliano, Giovanni; Bassi, Roberto

    2007-11-30

    Xanthophylls (oxygenated carotenoids) are essential components of the plant photosynthetic apparatus, where they act in photosystem assembly, light harvesting, and photoprotection. Nevertheless, the specific function of individual xanthophyll species awaits complete elucidation. In this work, we analyze the photosynthetic phenotypes of two newly isolated Arabidopsis mutants in carotenoid biosynthesis containing exclusively alpha-branch (chy1chy2lut5) or beta-branch (chy1chy2lut2) xanthophylls. Both mutants show complete lack of qE, the rapidly reversible component of nonphotochemical quenching, and high levels of photoinhibition and lipid peroxidation under photooxidative stress. Both mutants are much more photosensitive than npq1lut2, which contains high levels of viola- and neoxanthin and a higher stoichiometry of light-harvesting proteins with respect to photosystem II core complexes, suggesting that the content in light-harvesting complexes plays an important role in photoprotection. In addition, chy1chy2lut5, which has lutein as the only xanthophyll, shows unprecedented photosensitivity even in low light conditions, reduced electron transport rate, enhanced photobleaching of isolated LHCII complexes, and a selective loss of CP26 with respect to chy1chy2lut2, highlighting a specific role of beta-branch xanthophylls in photoprotection and in qE mechanism. The stronger photosystem II photoinhibition of both mutants correlates with the higher rate of singlet oxygen production from thylakoids and isolated light-harvesting complexes, whereas carotenoid composition of photosystem II core complex was not influential. In depth analysis of the mutant phenotypes suggests that alpha-branch (lutein) and beta-branch (zeaxanthin, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin) xanthophylls have distinct and complementary roles in antenna protein assembly and in the mechanisms of photoprotection.

  19. thermodynamic and kinetic evaluations of some heavy metal ions

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    CHIDEXCOM

    The adsorption isotherm fitted well with Langmuir equation model for the acid – modified than the .... aqueous phase in mg l-1, qm is the qe for a complete monolayer in mg g-1, kL is a constant related to the affinity of the binding sites and ...

  20. 76 FR 38444 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-30

    ... competition for the order flow of such members. If a particular exchange charges excessive fees for co...=Twinax+cable&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15023972358025904938&sa=X&ei=8tDfTaOwIcHagQeVu6DUCg&ved=0CDcQ8wIw...

  1. 76 FR 38715 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-01

    ... competition for the order flow of such members. If a particular exchange charges excessive fees for co...=Twinax+cable&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15023972358025904938&sa=X&ei=8tDfTaOwIcHagQeVu6DUCg&ved=0CDcQ8wIw...

  2. 76 FR 38710 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-01

    ... for co-location services are constrained by the active competition for the order flow of such members...&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15023972358025904938&sa=X&ei=8tDfTaOwIcHagQeVu6DUCg&ved=0CDcQ8wIwAw# . \\5...

  3. Simulated precipitation diurnal cycles over East Asia using different CAPE-based convective closure schemes in WRF model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ben; Zhou, Yang; Zhang, Yaocun; Huang, Anning; Qian, Yun; Zhang, Lujun

    2018-03-01

    Closure assumption in convection parameterization is critical for reasonably modeling the precipitation diurnal variation in climate models. This study evaluates the precipitation diurnal cycles over East Asia during the summer of 2008 simulated with three convective available potential energy (CAPE) based closure assumptions, i.e. CAPE-relaxing (CR), quasi-equilibrium (QE), and free-troposphere QE (FTQE) and investigates the impacts of planetary boundary layer (PBL) mixing, advection, and radiation on the simulation by using the weather research and forecasting model. The sensitivity of precipitation diurnal cycle to PBL vertical resolution is also examined. Results show that the precipitation diurnal cycles simulated with different closures all exhibit large biases over land and the simulation with FTQE closure agrees best with observation. In the simulation with QE closure, the intensified PBL mixing after sunrise is responsible for the late-morning peak of convective precipitation, while in the simulation with FTQE closure, convective precipitation is mainly controlled by advection cooling. The relative contributions of different processes to precipitation formation are functions of rainfall intensity. In the simulation with CR closure, the dynamical equilibrium in the free troposphere still can be reached, implying the complex cause-effect relationship between atmospheric motion and convection. For simulations in which total CAPE is consumed for the closures, daytime precipitation decreases with increased PBL resolution because thinner model layer produces lower convection starting layer, leading to stronger downdraft cooling and CAPE consumption. The sensitivity of the diurnal peak time of precipitation to closure assumption can also be modulated by changes in PBL vertical resolution. The results of this study help us better understand the impacts of various processes on the precipitation diurnal cycle simulation.

  4. A simplified theoretical guideline for overall water splitting using photocatalyst particles

    KAUST Repository

    Garcia Esparza, Angel T.

    2015-10-02

    Particulate photocatalytic water splitting is the most disruptive and competitive solution for the direct production of solar fuels. Despite more than four decades of work in the field of photocatalysis using powdered semiconductors decorated with catalyst particles, there is no clear consensus on the factors limiting the solar-to-hydrogen efficiency (STH). To understand the intrinsic limitations of the system, we numerically simulated simplified two-dimensional photocatalytic models using classical semiconductor device equations. This work presents the sensitivity of quantum efficiency (QE) to the various semiconductor properties, such as absorption properties and carrier mobilities, and to the dispersion of catalyst particles, which create heterojunctions, the driving force for charge separation. As a result, a pinch-off effect was prevalent underneath the hydrogen evolution site, suggesting an undesired energetic barrier for electron diffusion to the catalyst. The simulation using the values reported in the literature revealed that the QE was exclusively governed by recombination in the bulk of the photocatalyst particles, hindering the charge separation efficiency before reaching the catalysts on the surface. Using some of the reported parameters, our simulation shows that a typical defective n-type semiconductor particle (∼100 nm) ideally exhibits a QE of <5% in the visible light range per particle, which reaches only approximately 10% in a slurry after 4 consecutive absorbing units (1.4% STH, from simulated solar irradiation). Although the present model contains rigid limitations, we use these trends as an initial guideline to pursue photocatalysis by a design strategy, which may result in possible alternatives to achieve higher efficiencies. © 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  5. Living alongside railway tracks: Long-term effects of nocturnal noise on sleep and cardiovascular reactivity as a function of age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tassi, Patricia; Rohmer, Odile; Schimchowitsch, Sarah; Eschenlauer, Arnaud; Bonnefond, Anne; Margiocchi, Florence; Poisson, Franck; Muzet, Alain

    2010-10-01

    Very few studies were devoted to permanent effects of nocturnal railway noise on sleep and cardiovascular reactivity. We investigated the effects of nocturnal railway noise on sleep and cardiovascular response in young and middle-aged adults living for many years either near a railway track or in a quiet area. Forty subjects (50% males) divided into two age groups (juniors: 26.2+/-3.6 and seniors: 56.2+/-4.2) participated in this experiment. Half of them lived near a railway track (RW group: 2.6 to 19 years) and the other half in a quiet environment (QE group: 8.1 to 14.2 years). After an adaptation night, all subjects underwent two nights in the laboratory: one control night and one noisy night (30 by-passes of a freight train). Sleep and cardiovascular modifications were assessed in response to noise. Sleep fragmentation indices were lower in RW subjects compared to QE whatever their age. In response to noise, there was a higher cardiovascular response rate to noise in RW juniors and a lower cardiovascular response rate in RW seniors compared to their age-paired QE counterparts. In conclusion, permanent exposure to nocturnal railway noise leads to decreased sleep fragmentation and to cardiovascular habituation. It is suggested that during the initial period experienced by residents living near railway tracks, nocturnal railway noise could induce a sensitization process on the autonomic response to noise reflecting a startle/defense reflex due to its functional significance, which progressively turns to habituation in the long-term if no adverse effect is experienced. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. High-Reflectivity Multi-Layer Coatings for the CLASP Sounding Rocket Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narukage, Noriyuki; Kano, Ryohei; Bando, Takamasa; Ishikawa, Ryoko; Kubo, Masahito; Katsukawa, Yukio; Ishikawa, Shin-nosuke; Kobiki, Toshihiko; Giono, Gabriel; Auchere, Frederic; hide

    2015-01-01

    . (2011) is proposed "that is coated with a thin film of the substrate MgF2 and SiO2 fused silica." As a result of the measurement, Rs = 54.5%, to achieve a Rp = 0.3%, high efficiency, of course, capable of taking out only about spolarized light. Other reflective optical elements (the secondary mirror, the diffraction grating-collector mirror), subjected to high-reflection coating of Al + MgF2 (reflectance of about 80%), less than 5% in the entire optical system by these (CCD Science was achieved a high throughput as a device for a vacuum ultraviolet ray of the entire system less than 5% (CCD of QE is not included).

  7. Ortho-vanadates K3RE(VO4)2 (RE = La, Pr, Eu, Gd, Dy, Y) for near UV-converted phosphors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qin, Lin; Wei, Dong-Lei; Huang, Yanlin; Qin, Chuanxiang; Cai, Peiqing; Kim, Sun-Il; Seo, Hyo-Jin

    2014-01-01

    The orthovanadate poly-crystals K 3 RE(VO 4 ) 2 (RE = La, Pr, Eu, Gd, Dy, Y) were synthesized via the solid-state reaction route. The crystal phase formation was verified through X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies and was performed by structural refinements. The optical properties were also investigated in detail. K 3 RE(VO 4 ) 2 (RE = Eu, Dy, Gd, Pr, La, Y) phosphors present different luminescence behaviors: the profiles of excitation and emission spectra, the spectra shift, the luminescence decay lifetimes, the absolute quantum efficiency (QE), and the CIE color coordinates are very different. The luminescence of K 3 RE(VO 4 ) 2 (RE = La, Gd, Y, Pr) presents yellow or yellowish green color, while, K 3 Dy(VO 4 ) 2 and K 3 Eu(VO 4 ) 2 show white and red luminescence, respectively. This was discussed on the base of the different micro-structure, activator centers, and the charge transfer transitions from [VO 4 ] 3− groups in the lattices. K 3 Y(VO 4 ) 2 and K 3 Eu(VO 4 ) 2 show higher QE values of 47.0% and 45.0% at room temperature, respectively. All the phosphors have efficient absorption in the region of near-UV wavelengths or blue wavelength region. This can well match with the light from UV-LED (360–400 nm) or blue LED chips (450–480 nm) based on GaN semiconductor. K 3 RE(VO 4 ) 2 could be suggested to be a potential candidate to give further investigations for the application on near-UV excited white LEDs. - Graphical abstract: A series of orthovanadates K 3 RE(VO 4 ) 2 (RE = Eu, Dy, Gd, Pr, La, Y) have been developed to be new phosphors with rich luminescence colors; there are efficiency excitation in the near UV wavelength region. Compared with the reported vanadate phosphors K 3 R(VO 4 ) 2 has rich luminescence color, rich color, no concentration quenching, and comparable luminescence QE. - Highlights: • A new phosphor of non-doped of K 3 R(VO 4 ) 2 (R = Eu, Dy, Gd, Pr, La, Y) were developed by solid-state reaction route. • The phosphor

  8. Improving efficiency (optimization) of CIGS thin film solar cell using ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Jsc ,Voc , FF and Quantum efficiency (QE) decrease due to absorption of electrons of electrons to the surface of back connection and their participation in recomposition. Efficiency increases from 20.3399% to 21.3721% by increasing impurity density of absorbent layer and efficiency increases to 28.9266% and the quantum ...

  9. Fundamental limitations in spontaneous emission rate of single-photon sources

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I.; Khurgin, Jacob B.

    2016-01-01

    The rate of single-photon generation by quantum emitters (QEs) can be enhanced by placing a QE inside a resonant structure. This structure can represent an all-dielectric micro-resonator or waveguide and thus be characterized by ultra-low loss and dimensions on the order of wavelength. Or it can ...

  10. Destratification induced by bubble plumes as a means to reduce ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Qw = energy advected by evaporated water. ΔQ = change in reservoir energy. From the analysis performed by Hughes et al. (1975) 2 of the 9 parameters emerged as being dominant; these are Qe (evapora- tion latent heat) and Qv (the outflow component). Artificial destratification. To destratify a reservoir a bubble plume ...

  11. Normal protein intake is required for body weight loss and weight maintenance, and elevated protein intake for additional preservation of resting energy expenditure and fat free mass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soenen, Stijn; Martens, Eveline A P; Hochstenbach-Waelen, Ananda; Lemmens, Sofie G T; Westerterp-Plantenga, Margriet S

    2013-05-01

    Energy-restricted high-protein diets (HPDs) have shown favorable results for body weight (BW) management, yet studies differ in their outcomes depending on the dietary protein content. Our objective was to determine the effects of dietary protein content on BW loss-related variables during a 6-mo energy restriction with the use of diets containing protein at the level of requirement [normal-protein diet (NPD), 0.8 g · kg BW(-1) (.) d(-1)] and above (HPD, 1.2 g · kg BW(-1) (.) d(-1)). In overweight and obese participants (24 men and 48 women), BW, body composition, and metabolic responses were assessed before and after subsequent energy intakes of 100, 33, and 67% of the original individual daily energy requirements. Protein intake was consistent in the NPD (0.8 ± 0.3 g · kg BW(-1) (.) d(-1)) and HPD (1.2 ± 0.3 g · kg BW(-1) (.) d(-1)) groups throughout the study (P body fat mass similarly decreased in the NPD and HPD groups (P initial sparing effect of FFM and lowering of DBP.

  12. LHCb RICH Upgrade: an overview on the photon detector and the electronics system

    CERN Multimedia

    Cassina, Lorenzo

    2015-01-01

    The LHCb experiment is one of the four detectors operating at the LHC at CERN and it is mainly devoted to CP violation measurements and the search for new physics in beauty and charm hadrons rare decays. The data from the two Ring Image Cherenkov (RICH-1 and RICH-2) detectors are essential to identify particles in a wide momentum range. Up to now the luminosity has reached up to 4 . $10^{32}$ cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ with 50 ns bunch spacing and 3 fb$^{-1}$ have been collected since 2010. From 2019 onwards 14 TeV collisions with luminosities reaching up to 2 . $10^{33}$ cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ with 25 ns bunch spacing are planned, with the goal of collecting 5 fb$^{-1}$ of data per year. In order to avoid degradation of the RICH detectors particle identification performance at such high rate (40 MHz), a detector upgrade is necessary. The present photodetectors (HPDs equipped with encapsulated 1 MHz readout chips) will be replaced with flat panel MaPMTs read out by external chips, designed for this purpose. The 25.4x25.4 m...

  13. VUV testing of science cameras at MSFC: QE measurement of the CLASP flight cameras

    Science.gov (United States)

    Champey, P.; Kobayashi, K.; Winebarger, A.; Cirtain, J.; Hyde, D.; Robertson, B.; Beabout, B.; Beabout, D.; Stewart, M.

    2015-08-01

    The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed a science camera suitable for sub-orbital missions for observations in the UV, EUV and soft X-ray. Six cameras were built and tested for the Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP), a joint MSFC, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC) and Institut D'Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS) sounding rocket mission. The CLASP camera design includes a frame-transfer e2v CCD57-10 512 × 512 detector, dual channel analog readout and an internally mounted cold block. At the flight CCD temperature of -20C, the CLASP cameras exceeded the low-noise performance requirements (UV, EUV and X-ray science cameras at MSFC.

  14. Using the extended parallel process model to prevent noise-induced hearing loss among coal miners in Appalachia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murray-Johnson, L.; Witte, K.; Patel, D.; Orrego, V.; Zuckerman, C.; Maxfield, A.M.; Thimons, E.D. [Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (US)

    2004-12-15

    Occupational noise-induced hearing loss is the second most self-reported occupational illness or injury in the United States. Among coal miners, more than 90% of the population reports a hearing deficit by age 55. In this formative evaluation, focus groups were conducted with coal miners in Appalachia to ascertain whether miners perceive hearing loss as a major health risk and if so, what would motivate the consistent wearing of hearing protection devices (HPDs). The theoretical framework of the Extended Parallel Process Model was used to identify the miners' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and current behaviors regarding hearing protection. Focus group participants had strong perceived severity and varying levels of perceived susceptibility to hearing loss. Various barriers significantly reduced the self-efficacy and the response efficacy of using hearing protection.

  15. Effects of counterion valency on the damping of phonons propagating along the axial direction of liquid-crystalline DNA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yun; Chen, Sow-Hsin; Berti, Debora; Baglioni, Piero; Alatas, Ahmet; Sinn, Harald; Alp, Ercan; Said, Ayman

    2005-12-01

    The phonon propagation and damping along the axial direction of films of aligned 40wt% calf-thymus DNA rods are studied by inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS). The IXS spectra are analyzed with the generalized three effective eigenmode theory, from which we extract the dynamic structure factor S (Q,E) as a function of transferred energy E =ℏω, and the magnitude of the transferred wave vector Q. S (Q,E) of a DNA sample typically consists of three peaks, one central Rayleigh scattering peak, and two symmetric Stokes and anti-Stokes Brillouin side peaks. By analyzing the Brillouin peaks, the phonon excitation energy and damping can be extracted at different Q values from about 4 to 30nm-1. A high-frequency sound speed is obtained from the initial slope of the linear portion of the dispersion relation below Q =4nm-1. The high-frequency sound speed obtained in this Q range is 3100m /s, which is about twice faster than the ultrasound speed of 1800m/s, measured by Brillouin light scattering at Q ˜0.01nm-1 at the similar hydration level. Our observations provide further evidence of the strong coupling between the internal dynamics of a DNA molecule and the dynamics of the solvent. The effect on damping and propagation of phonons along the axial direction of DNA rods due to divalent and trivalent counterions has been studied. It is found that the added multivalent counterions introduce stronger phonon damping. The phonons at the range between ˜12.5 and ˜22.5nm-1 are overdamped by the added counterions according to our model analyses. The intermediate scattering function is extracted and it shows a clear two-step relaxation with the fast relaxation time ranging from 0.1 to 4ps.

  16. An efficient protocol for in vitro organogenesis and antioxidant ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Total flavonoids and phenolic content in leaves of in vitro Melia dubia was 0.56 ± 0.8 mg quercitin equivalent (QE) and 2.97 ± 0.17 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) respectively. The antioxidant property was further assed through measurement of DPPH radical scavenging activity. The in-vitro regeneration protocol can be ...

  17. Subcritical water extraction of bioactive compounds from dry loquat ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ERASTO

    total flavonoids (54.1 ± 4.1 mgQE/g LW) and total triterpenoids (37.5 ± 3.2 mgUAE/g LW) ... those obtained using traditional extraction methods, and their main structural pattern of the cured .... Quantification was based on the standard curve generated ..... HPLC chromatograms of the triterpene acids from loquat leaf extract.

  18. Preparation and characterization of the polyclonal antibody against ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    To prepare the polyclonal antibody against GAR domain, cDNA encoding 466 amino acids protein of GAR domain was amplified from MG-63 cell by RT-PCR. The amplified cDNA, that exhibited 99% identity to the published sequence, was cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pQE-80L for the expression of GAR ...

  19. Singular values of the Rogers-Ramanujan continued fraction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gee, A.C.P.; Honsbeek, M

    1999-01-01

    Let $z\\in\\C$ be imaginary quadratic in the upper half plane.Then the Rogers-Ramanujan continued fraction evaluated at $q=e^{2\\pi i z}$ is contained in a class field of $\\Q(z)$. Ramanujan showed that for certain values of $z$, one can write these continued fractions as nested radicals. We use the

  20. Microwave Assisted Extraction of Defatted Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Seed at Subcritical Conditions with Statistical Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. I. Yusoff

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Roselle seeds are the waste product of roselle processing, but they are now labeled as a polyphenol source with great herbal quality. In this work, polyphenols were extracted using ethanol-water (70% (v/v in a closed vessel under microwave irradiation. The main objective was to determine the optimal parameters statistically. The influence of extraction time (4–10 min, microwave power (100–300 W, and solvent/solid ratio (25–100 mL/g was studied. The total phenolic and flavonoids content were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. Without temperature control, the subcritical conditions could occur and the highest flavonoid content (14.4251 mg QE/g was achieved at 158°C and 16.4 bar. Although the optimum MAE conditions (10 min, 300 W, and 97.7178 mL/g resulted in the highest yield (65.0367% and phenolic content (18.2244 mg GAE/g, low flavonoids content (6.4524 mg QE/g was unexpectedly obtained due to degradation at 163°C.

  1. KAPASITAS ANTIOKSIDAN DAN INHIBITOR ALFA GLUKOSIDASE EKSTRAK UMBI BAWANG DAYAK [Antioxidant and Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Properties of Bawang Dayak Bulb Extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andi Early Febrinda*

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Bawang dayak (Eleutherine palmifolia is an indigenous plant in Borneo traditionally used by Dayak tribes to treat any kind of degenerative deseases including diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this research was to measure antioxidant and antidiabetic capacities of water and ethanolic extracts of bawang dayak bulb. Parameters evaluated in this research were phytochemical screening, total phenolics, flavonoid content, DPPH free-radical scavenging activity, and alpha glucosidase inhibiting (AGI activity. The result showed that the total phenolics and flavonoid content in bawang dayak ethanolic extract (217.71 mg GAE/g and 65.35 mg QE/g were higher than that of the water extract (139.93 mg GAE/g and 16.95 mg QE/g. The ethanolic extract also had higher antioxidant and AGI activities (IC50 112 and 241 ppm than that of the water extract (IC50 526 and 505 ppm. In addition, the IC50 values for AGI in bawang dayak ethanolic extract was lower than acarbose which is known as a commercial antidiabetic agent.

  2. An Improved Measurement of the Muon Neutrino Charged Current Quasi-Elastic Cross-Section on Hydrocarbon at MINERnuA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Dun

    Neutrino interactions in the detectors of long baseline oscillation experiments are analyzed to determine the neutrino flavor and energy spectrum, allowing the neutrino mass ordering and mixing parameters to be determined. For neutrino interactions below the pion production threshold, the dominant reaction is charged current quasi-elastic (CCQE) scattering. Oscillation experiments are made of heavy nuclei so the QE process occurs on nucleons that are embedded in the nuclear environment. Predictions of the QE cross-section suffer from significant uncertainties due to our understanding of that nuclear environment and the way it is probed by the weak interaction. I have developed a new technique to reduce the inelastic background to CCQE process by identifying the "Michel electrons" produced by pions. Additionally an updated neutrino flux was used to extract the cross-section and estimates for some sources of systematic uncertainties have been improved. The measured cross-section is compared to several theoretical models and the effect that the signal definition ("CCQE" vs "CCQE-like") has on the measurement is also explored.

  3. Mid-wavelength infrared unipolar nBp superlattice photodetector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazemi, Alireza; Myers, Stephen; Taghipour, Zahra; Mathews, Sen; Schuler-Sandy, Ted; Lee, Seunghyun; Cowan, Vincent M.; Garduno, Eli; Steenbergen, Elizabeth; Morath, Christian; Ariyawansa, Gamini; Scheihing, John; Krishna, Sanjay

    2018-01-01

    We report a Mid-Wavelength Infrared (MWIR) barrier photodetector based on the InAs/GaSb/AlSb type-II superlattice (T2SL) material system. The nBp design consists of a single unipolar barrier (InAs/AlSb SL) placed between a 4 μm thick p-doped absorber (InAs/GaSb SL) and an n-type contact layer (InAs/GaSb SL). At 80 K, the device exhibited a 50% cut-off wavelength of 5 μm, was fully turned-ON at zero bias and the measured QE was 50% (front side illumination with no AR coating) at 4.5 μm with a dark current density of 4.7 × 10-6 A/cm2 at Vb = 50 mV. At 150 K and Vb = 50 mV, the 50% cut-off wavelength increased to 5.3 μm, and the QE was 54% at 4.5 μm with a dark current of 5.0 × 10-4 A/cm2.

  4. Picosecond and subpicosecond pulsed laser deposition of Pb thin films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Gontad

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Pb thin films were deposited on Nb substrates by means of pulsed laser deposition (PLD with UV radiation (248 nm, in two different ablation regimes: picosecond (5 ps and subpicosecond (0.5 ps. Granular films with grain size on the micron scale have been obtained, with no evidence of large droplet formation. All films presented a polycrystalline character with preferential orientation along the (111 crystalline planes. A maximum quantum efficiency (QE of 7.3×10^{-5} (at 266 nm and 7 ns pulse duration was measured, after laser cleaning, demonstrating good photoemission performance for Pb thin films deposited by ultrashort PLD. Moreover, Pb thin film photocathodes have maintained their QE for days, providing excellent chemical stability and durability. These results suggest that Pb thin films deposited on Nb by ultrashort PLD are a noteworthy alternative for the fabrication of photocathodes for superconductive radio-frequency electron guns. Finally, a comparison with the characteristics of Pb films prepared by ns PLD is illustrated and discussed.

  5. Emerging Economic Entity Crises in Post Financial Crisis Era – The impact and countermeasures against the escape of America from quantitative easing policy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Hua

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Five years from the eruption of financial crisis in 2008, the global economy is also on its way to the restoration, among which the emerging economic entities, typically China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia, etc., have rapidly run away from the crisis and led the recovery of global economy, which may be considered as the engine of global economy growth in the post financial crisis. While, with the America declaring that it would gradually reduce the quantitative easing (QE scale and escaped from the quantitative easing policy in the mid 2014, the fluctuation of global financial market was rapidly intensified, and the risk assets were largely sold off, with the emerging economic entities suffering serious impact. Furthermore, the anxiety about the “third round of financial crisis will burst out due to the emerging economic entities” is increasingly intensified. This article will first analyze the current economic situation of main global economic entities, discuss about the impact of America’s escape from QE on the emerging economic entity and its mechanism, and finally propose the countermeasures for China.

  6. Phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activity of 27 cultivars of tea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Liang; Luo, Liyong; Li, Hongjun; Liu, Ruihai

    2017-08-01

    Tea, rich in phytochemicals, has been suggested to have human health benefits. The phenolic profiles, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of 27 tea cultivars were determined. Wide ranges of variation were found in analyzed cultivars for the contents of water-soluble phenolics (121.6-223.7 mg/g dry weight (DW)), total catechins (TC) (90.5-177.2 mg/g DW), antioxidant activities (PSC values 627.3-2332.3 μmol of vitamin C equiv/g DW, ORAC values (1865.1-3489.3 μmol of vitamin C equiv/g DW), CAA values (37.7-134.3 μmol of QE/g DW without PBS wash and 25.3-75.4 μmol of QE/g DW with PBS wash) and antiproliferative activity (53.0-90.8% at the concentration of 400 μg/mL extracts). The PSC, ORAC and CAA values were significantly correlated with phenolics, epicatechin gallate (ECG), CC and TC. Knowledge of specific differences among tea cultivars is important for breeding tea cultivars and gives sights to its potential application to promote health.

  7. Separation of α-tocotrienol oxidation products and eight tocochromanols by HPLC with DAD and fluorescence detection and identification of unknown peaks by DAD, PBI-EIMS, FTIR, and NMR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Büsing, Anne; Ternes, Waldemar

    2011-11-01

    Tocotrienols, like tocopherols, are members of the vitamin E family. While tocopherols (T) have been studied intensively, only recently have tocotrienols (T3) received increased attention due to their special health benefits. However, these positive attributes of T3 are probably lost as a result of degradation during food storage and processing, and there is little information about their oxidation products. Of particular interest are the oxidation products of α-tocotrienol (α-T3) as this is the least thermostable T3 isomer with the highest rate of degradation. The objective of this study was therefore to develop a reliable method for the determination of the most important oxidation products of α-T3 along with other tocochromanol isomers. We developed a high-performance liquid chromatography method with diode array detection, fluorescence detection, and a particle beam interface electron impact mass spectroscopy in order to separate the most important oxidation products of α-T3 (α-T3 spirodimers/spirotrimers, α-tocotrienoldihydroxy dimer, 7-formyl-β-tocotrienol (7-FβT3), 5-formyl-γ-tocotrienol (5-FγT3), α-tocotrienolquinone (α-T3Q), and α-T3Q dimers and α-tocotrienolquinone epoxides (α-T3QE)) from eight tocochromanol isomers. Furthermore, we sought to identify the as yet unknown oxidation products 5-FγT3, 7-FβT3, α-T3Q-dimer, and α-T3QE. Of these, 5-FγT3 was fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

  8. Early tracking would improve the operative experience of general surgery residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stain, Steven C; Biester, Thomas W; Hanks, John B; Ashley, Stanley W; Valentine, R James; Bass, Barbara L; Buyske, Jo

    2010-09-01

    High surgical complexity and individual career goals has led most general surgery (GS) residents to pursue fellowship training, resulting in a shortage of surgeons who practice broad-based general surgery. We hypothesize that early tracking of residents would improve operative experience of residents planning to be general surgeons, and could foster greater interest and confidence in this career path. Surgical Operative Log data from GS and fellowship bound residents (FB) applying for the 2008 American Board of Surgery Qualifying Examination (QE) were used to construct a hypothetical training model with 6 months of early specialization (ESP) for FB residents in 4 specialties (cardiac, vascular, colorectal, pediatric); and presumed these cases would be available to GS residents within the same program. A total of 142 training programs had both FB residents (n = 237) and GS residents (n = 402), and represented 70% of all 2008 QE applicants. The mean numbers of operations by FB and GS residents were 1131 and 1091, respectively. There were a mean of 252 cases by FB residents in the chief year, theoretically making 126 cases available for each GS resident. In 9 defined categories, the hypothetical model would result in an increase in the 5-year operative experience of GS residents (mastectomy 6.5%; colectomy 22.8%; gastrectomy 23.4%; antireflux procedures 23.4%; pancreatic resection 37.4%; liver resection 29.3%; endocrine procedures 19.6%; trauma operations 13.3%; GI endoscopy 6.5%). The ESP model improves operative experience of GS residents, particularly for complex gastrointestinal procedures. The expansion of subspecialty ESP should be considered.

  9. OP09O-OP404-9 Wide Field Camera 3 CCD Quantum Efficiency Hysteresis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, Nick

    2009-01-01

    The HST/Wide Field Camera (WFC) 3 UV/visible channel CCD detectors have exhibited an unanticipated quantum efficiency hysteresis (QEH) behavior. At the nominal operating temperature of -83C, the QEH feature contrast was typically 0.1-0.2% or less. The behavior was replicated using flight spare detectors. A visible light flat-field (540nm) with a several times full-well signal level can pin the detectors at both optical (600nm) and near-UV (230nm) wavelengths, suppressing the QEH behavior. We are characterizing the timescale for the detectors to become unpinned and developing a protocol for flashing the WFC3 CCDs with the instrument's internal calibration system in flight. The HST/Wide Field Camera 3 UV/visible channel CCD detectors have exhibited an unanticipated quantum efficiency hysteresis (QEH) behavior. The first observed manifestation of QEH was the presence in a small percentage of flat-field images of a bowtie-shaped contrast that spanned the width of each chip. At the nominal operating temperature of -83C, the contrast observed for this feature was typically 0.1-0.2% or less, though at warmer temperatures contrasts up to 5% (at -50C) have been observed. The bowtie morphology was replicated using flight spare detectors in tests at the GSFC Detector Characterization Laboratory by power cycling the detector while cold. Continued investigation revealed that a clearly-related global QE suppression at the approximately 5% level can be produced by cooling the detector in the dark; subsequent flat-field exposures at a constant illumination show asymptotically increasing response. This QE "pinning" can be achieved with a single high signal flat-field or a series of lower signal flats; a visible light (500-580nm) flat-field with a signal level of several hundred thousand electrons per pixel is sufficient for QE pinning at both optical (600nm) and near-UV (230nm) wavelengths. We are characterizing the timescale for the detectors to become unpinned and developing a

  10. Discussion about photodiode architectures for space applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gravrand, O.; Destefanis, G.; Cervera, C.; Zanatta, J.-P.; Baier, N.; Ferron, A.; Boulade, O.

    2017-11-01

    Detection for space application is very demanding on the IR detector: all wavelengths, from visible-NIR (2- 3um cutoff) to LWIR (10-12.5um cutoff), even sometimes VLWIR (15um cutoff) may be of interest. Moreover, various scenarii are usually considered. Some are imaging applications where the focal plane array (FPA) is used as an optical element to sense an image. However, the FPA may also be used in spectrometric applications where light is triggered on the different pixels depending on its wavelength. In some cases, star pointing is another use of FPAs where the retina is used to sense the position of the satellite. In all those configurations, we might distinguish several categories of applications: • low flux applications where the FPA is staring at space and the detection occurs with only a few number of photons. • high flux applications where the FPA is usually staring at the earth. In this case, the black body emission of the earth and its atmosphere ensures usually a large number of photons to perform the detection. Those two different categories are highly dimensioning for the detector as it usually determines the level of dark current and quantum efficiency (QE) requirements. Indeed, high detection performance usually requires a large number of integrated photons such that high QE is needed for low flux applications, in order to limit the integration time as much as possible. Moreover, dark current requirement is also directly linked to the expected incoming flux, in order to limit as much as possible the SNR degradation due to dark charges vs photocharges. Note that in most cases, this dark current is highly depending on operating temperature which dominates detector consumption. A classical way to mitigate dark current is to cool down the detector to very low temperatures. This paper won't discuss the need for wavefront sensing where the number of detected photons is low because of a very narrow integration window. Rigorously, this kind of

  11. An ESD Pathway to Quality Education in the Cyprus Primary Education Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadji-Beltran, Chrysanthi; Christodoulou, Nicoletta; Zachariou, Aravella; Lindemann-Matthies, Petra; Barker, Susan; Kadis, Costas

    2017-01-01

    This research is based on the rationale that the well-defined framework of education for sustainable development (ESD), its connection with real life and its specific integration in the educational policies and curricula can help to enhance quality education (QE) in a meaningful and identifiable way. In a first step, the common ground of ESD and…

  12. Parametric Trajectory Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    1976-10-01

    TULA 444 URITEI6.95) 179 180 49 NWC TP 5864 179 176 ISO + REAO(5.3IO> . NTAB.VKT.QE. \\TEMP.ZT.ZO ^ /CALL EXIT\\ READɝ.311> IX.RIY.UTO.VO...11472. 984. 11514. 966. 11555. 949. 11596. 931. D1ST DRAG 11187. .176 11228. .175 11270. .174 11311. .173 11352 . .172 11393. .171

  13. Parameters of the preproduction series SiPMs for the CMS HCAL phase I upgrade

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heering, A., E-mail: Adriaan.Heering@cern.ch [University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Musienko, Yu., E-mail: Iouri.Musienko@cern.ch [University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Institute for Nuclear Research RAS, pr. 60-letiya Oktyabrya 7a, 117312 Moscow (Russian Federation); Ruchti, R.; Wayne, M. [University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Karneyeu, A.; Postoev, V. [Institute for Nuclear Research RAS, pr. 60-letiya Oktyabrya 7a, 117312 Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2016-07-11

    In 2012 the HCAL SiPM photo sensor upgrade was approved for the increased luminosity (5*10{sup 34}) of SLHC. The upgrade will replace the current hybrid photodiodes (HPDs) with multi-pixel Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes, also known as silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). A key aspect of the upgrade to SiPMs is to add longitudinal segmentation and improve signal to noise to compensate for scintillator radiation damage. After 5 years of R&D with multiple companies we developed custom large dynamic range SiPMs with large PDE and small ENC. To ensure good mechanical alignment and easy handling of the large number of production channels (>20,000) we have developed a custom ceramic package with a very thin 0.3 mm quartz window with Kyocera. Each package holds 8 channels of SiPMs. Here we report on the final SiPM parameters of the 2014 preproduction run from Hamamatsu (HPK) who has produced a series of 175 arrays with a total of 1400 SiPMs. An overview of our QA results and measurements of the photon detection efficiency, spectral response, crosstalk and cell recovery time will be discussed. - Highlights: • Uniformity of large scale SiPM production. • Small cell size SiPMs with high photo detection efficiency. • Fast recovery time SiPMs. • Custom packaging of SiPMs in High Energy Physics experiments.

  14. A Preliminary Study on the Effects of Training Using Behavior Support Plan Quality Evaluation Guide (BSP-QE) to Improve Positive Behavioral Support Plans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Diana Browning; Mayer, G. Roy; Cook, Clayton R.; Crews, S. Dean; Kraemer, Bonnie Rawlings; Gale, Bruce

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of two trainings designed to increase the competencies of professionals to develop high quality positive behavior support plans for students that engage in problem behaviors that interfere with theirs and/or others' ability to learn. Training one consisted of training attendees on six key…

  15. Solid-State Threshold Accelerometer Chip.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1987-03-28

    adhered to another gold surface and *welded.’ Literature on surface wear and friction effects with various surface treatments often show that gold-on...LASTING 0.1 SECONDS.i i. -- S *.I CIC ~14. MATERIAL - ALUMINUM CROSSECTION - F/;%f 蕻 n, . t -. to1 77/ - CA6 /je /24 h,6qe 3/,/.o Z#0 1/c 0, &o

  16. Study of the nuclear fragmentation produced by the protons at 19 GeV/c; Estudio de la fragmentacion nuclear producida por protones de 19 GeV/c

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Melia Miralles, J

    1972-07-01

    The most important technical aspects of a new experimental method projected for the study of the p-nucleus interactions are exposed. The energy distributions of the protons, deuterons, tritium, helium-3 and alpha particles produced in the p-Al interactions at 19'8 QeV/c are shown. Ours results are compared with the predictions of the evaporation model. (Author) 14 refs.

  17. Acquisition of a Nanosecond Laser Flash Photolysis Spectrometer to Enhance Understanding of Photochemistry and Reaction Kinetics in Undergraduate Research/Curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-03-31

    photocathode, 16% peak QE typ., P43 phosphor , 7ns gate width, 500 kHz photocathode repetition rate, Intelligate, integrated 3x output ultra-low jitter digital...Application Note, Publication Number AN.014.S20. (4) Comerford, J. Monitoring fast reactions using Stopped Flow Kinetics on the Cary 50/60 UV - Vis, Agilent Application Note 2011, Publication Number SI-A-1177.

  18. Study of the nuclear fragmentation produced by the protons at 19 GeV/c; Estudio de la fragmentacion nuclear producida por protones de 19 GeV/c

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Melia Miralles, J.

    1972-07-01

    The most important technical aspects of a new experimental method projected for the study of the p-nucleus interactions are exposed. The energy distributions of the protons, deuterons, tritium, helium-3 and alpha particles produced in the p-Al interactions at 19'8 QeV/c are shown. Ours results are compared with the predictions of the evaporation model. (Author) 14 refs.

  19. Influence of bias voltage on the stability of CsI photocathodes exposed to air

    CERN Document Server

    Nitti, M A; Nappi, E; Singh, B K; Valentini, A

    2002-01-01

    We describe a possible correlation between the bias voltage applied to the substrate during the growth of CsI photocathodes and the variation of quantum efficiency (QE) after one day exposure to humid air. It was found that fresh samples are much less sensitive to humid air when a high negative bias voltage was applied during film growth. A model based on surface film interaction with water molecules is presented for the observed effect. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements have been performed to examine, respectively, the bulk structure and the surface of fresh and exposed CsI samples. Also reported are transmittance measurements for fresh and aged CsI samples in the wavelength range 190-850 nm.

  20. Direct conversion Si and CdZnTe detectors for digital mammography

    CERN Document Server

    Yin Shi Shi; Maeding, D; Mainprize, J; Mawdsley, G; Yaffe, M J; Gordon, E E; Hamilton, W J

    2000-01-01

    Hybrid pixel detector arrays that convert X-rays directly into charge signals are under development at NOVA for application to digital mammography. This technology also has wide application possibilities in other fields of radiology or in industrial imaging, nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and nondestructive inspection (NDI). These detectors have potentially superior properties compared to either emulsion-based film-screen systems which has nonlinear response to X-rays, or phosphor-based detectors in which there is an intermediate step of X-ray to light photon conversion (Feig and Yaffe, Radiol. Clinics North America 33 (1995) 1205-1230). Potential advantages of direct conversion detectors are high quantum efficiencies (QE) of 98% or higher (for 0.3 mm thick CdZnTe detector with 20 keV X-rays), improved contrast, high sensitivity and low intrinsic noise. These factors are expected to contribute to high detective quantum efficiency (DQE). The prototype hybrid pixel detector developed has 50x50 mu m pixel size,...

  1. [Thermal energy utilization analysis and energy conservation measures of fluidized bed dryer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xing, Liming; Zhao, Zhengsheng

    2012-07-01

    To propose measures for enhancing thermal energy utilization by analyzing drying process and operation principle of fluidized bed dryers,in order to guide optimization and upgrade of fluidized bed drying equipment. Through a systematic analysis on drying process and operation principle of fluidized beds,the energy conservation law was adopted to calculate thermal energy of dryers. The thermal energy of fluidized bed dryers is mainly used to make up for thermal consumption of water evaporation (Qw), hot air from outlet equipment (Qe), thermal consumption for heating and drying wet materials (Qm) and heat dissipation to surroundings through hot air pipelines and cyclone separators. Effective measures and major approaches to enhance thermal energy utilization of fluidized bed dryers were to reduce exhaust gas out by the loss of heat Qe, recycle dryer export air quantity of heat, preserve heat for dry towers, hot air pipes and cyclone separators, dehumidify clean air in inlets and reasonably control drying time and air temperature. Such technical parameters such air supply rate, air inlet temperature and humidity, material temperature and outlet temperature and humidity are set and controlled to effectively save energy during the drying process and reduce the production cost.

  2. TROUBLESHOOTING IN EXPRESSION AND PURIFICATION OF RECOMBINANT SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME-ASSOCIATED CORONAVIRUS NUCLEOCAPSID PROTEIN IN Escherichia coli BL21

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Budiman Bela

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Considering importance of N protein for study of viral pathogenesis or development of immunodiagnostic assay, wereported effects of several conditions on purity and homogeneity of recombinant SARS-CoV N protein expressed in E.coli BL21. The SARS-CoV N gene was reverse transcribed and amplified by the reverse transcription-polymerase chainreaction (RT-PCR technique. The amplicons were cloned into pGEX-6P1 and followed by subcloning of the targetgene into pQE-80L. After inserting the recombinant plasmid (pQE80-N into E. coli, the recombinant protein (6 x Histag-N protein fusion was expressed by inducing the bacterial cells with 0.1-0.5 mM isopropyl-1-thio-Dgalactopyranoside(IPTG for 1-5 h. The protein recombinant were extracted from the bacterial cells by NTT buffercontaining 0-20 mM imidazol, and followed by Ni-NTA affinity resin purification. The results showed that induction ofE. coli BL21 with 0.2 mM IPTG for 4 h and followed with lysis of bacterial cells in NTT buffer containing 10 mMimidazol were optimal conditions to obtain the pure recombinant SARS-CoV N protein.

  3. Financial Stabilisation of Global Economy Countries under Conditions of the Debt Crisis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vovchenko Natalia G.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available European crisis hinders global restoration of economy, the growth of restoration slows down. All these require supranational solutions: creatio9n of regulation structures and new financial instruments in order to preserve stable world financial order. Methods of quantitative easing (QE, carried out by the American Federal Reserve System and Bank of England, aim at stimulation of private sector activity through reduction of loan cost, generation of positive effects of well-being and increase of investment income. Purchase of assets efficiently move dangerous financial assets from private sector to the balance of the central bank or special QE fund in exchange to risk free reserves of the central bank. Thus, both types of measures are performed by means of risks, accumulating on balances of central banks and indirectly on the balance of state administration. Exchange of information between relevant agencies, including debt administration office, state enterprises that administer assets and central bank, is important for efficient administration of all state assets and liabilities. Proper assessment of financial positions requires all-sided and transparent reporting of all state liabilities and assets. Besides, financial transparency facilitates consolidation.

  4. Phytochemical screening, antioxidant activity, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of seven local varieties of Rosa indica L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahid, Kiran; Ahmed, Maqsood; Khan, Farah

    2018-05-01

    Rosa indica symbol of godness and beauty known for various healing power, has astringent, sedative, anti-inflammatory and antidepressant qualities. Standard methods were used for qualitative detection of phyto-compounds, and quantitative detection of antioxidants was done using DPPH radical scavenging assay, total phenolics and total flavonoids content were expressed in mg GAE/g dry weight and mg QE/g dry weight. Results revealed phyto-compounds presence in all varieties under study however maximum % inhibition was observed by R. indica var pink perfume (94 ± 0.6) with IC50 value 0.3376 ± 0.01 mg/mL. Highest phenolic and flavonoid content was observed in the leaves extract of R. indica var cardinal red, i.e. 3.3553 ± 0.11 (ethanol) mg of Gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight and 3.736 ± 0.001(ethanol) mg of quercetin equivalents (QE)/g dry weight, respectively, at conc. 0.125 mg/mL. Our finding provides evidence that all varieties of rose contain medicinally important bioactive compounds and justifies their use for treatment of different diseases.

  5. The role of effective discharge in the ocean delivery of particulate organic carbon by small, mountainous river systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheatcroft, R.A.; Goni, M.A.; Hatten, J.A.; Pasternack, G.B.; Warrick, J.A.

    2010-01-01

    Recent research has shown that small, mountainous river systems (SMRS) account for a significant fraction of the global flux of sediment and particulate organic carbon (POC) to the ocean. The enormous number of SMRS precludes intensive studies of the sort conducted on large systems, necessitating development of a conceptual framework that permits cross-system comparison and scaling up. Herein, we introduce the geomorphic concept of effective discharge to the problem of source-to-sink POC transport. This idea recognizes that transport effectiveness is the product of discharge frequency and magnitude, wherein the latter is quantified as a power-law relationship between discharge and load (the 'rating curve'). An analytical solution for effective discharge (Qe) identifies two key variables: the standard deviation of the natural logarithm of discharge (??q), and the rating exponent of constituent i (bi Data from selected SMRS are used to show that for a given river Qe-POC transport in SMRS should exploit the conceptual framework provided herein and seek to identify how constituent-specific effective discharges vary between rivers and respond to perturbations. ?? 2010, by the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, Inc.

  6. Application of a TiO2 nanocomposite in earplugs, a case study of noise reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahimi Ghavamabadi, Leila; Fouladi Dehaghi, Behzad; Hesampour, Morteza; Ahmadi Angali, Kambiz

    2018-03-13

    Use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) has become necessary when other control measures cannot reduce noise to a safe and standard level. In most countries, more effective hearing protection devices are in demand. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles on noise reduction efficiency in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) earplug. An S-60 type PVC polymer as main matrix and TiO 2 with 30 nm size were used. PVC/TiO 2 nanocomposite was mixed at a temperature of 160 °C and 40 rounds per minute (rpm) and the samples were prepared with 0, 0.2 and 0.5 wt% of TiO 2 nanoparticle concentrations. Earplug samples with PVC/TiO 2 (0.2, 0.5 wt%) nanoparticles, when compared with raw earplugs, showed almost equal noise attenuation at low frequencies (500- 125 Hz). However, at high frequencies (2-8 kHz), the power of noise reduction of earplugs containing TiO 2 nanoparticles was significantly increased. The results of the present study showed that samples containing nanoparticles of TiO 2 had more noticeable noise reduction abilities at higher frequencies in comparison with samples without the nanoparticles.

  7. Towards an Airframe Noise Prediction Methodology: Survey of Current Approaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farassat, Fereidoun; Casper, Jay H.

    2006-01-01

    In this paper, we present a critical survey of the current airframe noise (AFN) prediction methodologies. Four methodologies are recognized. These are the fully analytic method, CFD combined with the acoustic analogy, the semi-empirical method and fully numerical method. It is argued that for the immediate need of the aircraft industry, the semi-empirical method based on recent high quality acoustic database is the best available method. The method based on CFD and the Ffowcs William- Hawkings (FW-H) equation with penetrable data surface (FW-Hpds ) has advanced considerably and much experience has been gained in its use. However, more research is needed in the near future particularly in the area of turbulence simulation. The fully numerical method will take longer to reach maturity. Based on the current trends, it is predicted that this method will eventually develop into the method of choice. Both the turbulence simulation and propagation methods need to develop more for this method to become useful. Nonetheless, the authors propose that the method based on a combination of numerical and analytical techniques, e.g., CFD combined with FW-H equation, should also be worked on. In this effort, the current symbolic algebra software will allow more analytical approaches to be incorporated into AFN prediction methods.

  8. Photoinjector beam quality improvement by shaping the wavefront of a drive laser with oblique incidence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Zhigang; Wang Xiaohui; Jia Qika

    2012-01-01

    To increase the quantum efficiency (QE) of a copper photocathode and reduce the thermal emittance of an electron beam, a drive laser with oblique incidence was adopted in a BNL type photocathode rf gun. The disadvantageous effects on the beam quality caused by oblique incidence were analyzed qualitatively. A simple way to solve the problems through wavefront shaping was introduced and the beam quality was improved. (authors)

  9. Expression and purification of coat protein of citrus tristeza virus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    CTV coat protein gene (CTV-cp) cloned in pQE30 vector and transformed to DH5α containing 666bp long from Thailand MK-50 isolate was amplified with a forward primer CTV-CP1 (5' CAC CGA CGA AAC AAA GAA ATT GAA GAA CA 3') and a reverse primer CTVCP2 (5' TCA ACG TGT GTT AAA TTT CCC AAG C 3') and ...

  10. Erratum An Apparent Phenomenal Descriptive Method for Judging ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Li Lin-sen. (J. Astrophys. Astr., (2004) Vol. 25, Nos. 3 & 4, pp. 203–211). Table 1. The calculated results for synchronous parameters of twenty components in ten eclipsing binary systems by using the apparent descriptive method of formula (4). Sp. (V1,2 sin i)M. Name type. P(d) i(deg) R1,2(R⊙). (km/s). Qe,e. PR ≷ P Synch.

  11. Plasmon Enhanced Photoemission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Polyakov, Aleksandr [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2012-05-08

    Next generation ultrabright light sources will operate at megahertz repetition rates with temporal resolution in the attosecond regime. For an X-Ray Free Electron Laser (FEL) to operate at such repetition rate requires a high quantum efficiency (QE) cathode to produce electron bunches of 300 pC per 1.5 μJ incident laser pulse. Semiconductor photocathodes have sufficient QE in the ultraviolet (UV) and the visible spectrum, however, they produce picosecond electron pulses due to the electron-phonon scattering. On the other hand, metals have two orders of magnitude less QE, but can produce femtosecond pulses, that are required to form the optimum electron distribution for high efficiency FEL operation. In this work, a novel metallic photocathode design is presented, where a set of nano-cavities is introduced on the metal surface to increase its QE to meet the FEL requirements, while maintaining the fast time response. Photoemission can be broken up into three steps: (1) photon absorption, (2) electron transport to the surface, and (3) crossing the metal-vacuum barrier. The first two steps can be improved by making the metal completely absorbing and by localizing the fields closer to the metal surface, thereby reducing the electron travel distance. Both of these effects can be achieved by coupling the incident light to an electron density wave on the metal surface, represented by a quasi-particle, the Surface Plasmon Polariton (SPP). The photoemission then becomes a process where the photon energy is transferred to an SPP and then to an electron. The dispersion relation for the SPP defines the region of energies where such process can occur. For example, for gold, the maximum SPP energy is 2.4 eV, however, the work function is 5.6 eV, therefore, only a fourth order photoemission process is possible. In such process, four photons excite four plasmons that together excite only one electron. The yield of such non-linear process depends strongly on the light intensity. In

  12. Usefulness of the protection motivation theory in explaining hearing protection device use among male industrial workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melamed, S; Rabinowitz, S; Feiner, M; Weisberg, E; Ribak, J

    1996-05-01

    The present study examined the usefulness of personal variables: noise annoyance, and components of the protection motivation theory (R. W. Rogers, 1983) along with social-organizational factors in explaining hearing protection device (HPD) use among Israeli manufacturing workers. Participants were 281 men exposed to harmful noise levels for which routine HPD use is required by regulation. In practice, 3 HPD user groups were identified: nonusers (n = 38), occasional users (n = 125), and regular users (n = 118). HPD use was objectively verified. HPD use was primarily related to the personal variables but not to management pressure, coworker pressure, or family support. The most powerful predictors of HPD use were perceived self-efficacy (for long-term HPD use), perceived susceptibility (to hearing loss), and noise annoyance, together explaining 48% of the outcome variance. These findings have implications for interventions aimed at motivating workers to use HPDs regularly.

  13. The LHCb RICH system; detector description and operation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Papanestis, A., E-mail: antonis.papanestis@stfc.ac.uk

    2014-12-01

    Two RICH detectors provide positive charged hadron identification in the LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. RICH 1 covers the full acceptance of the spectrometer and contains two radiators: aerogel and C{sub 4}F{sub 10}. RICH 2 covers half the acceptance and uses CF{sub 4} as a Cherenkov radiator. Photon detection is performed by the Hybrid Photon Detectors (HPDs), with silicon pixel sensors and bump-bonded readout encapsulated in a vacuum tube for efficient, low-noise single photon detection. The LHCb RICH detectors form a complex system of three radiators, 120 mirrors and 484 photon detectors operating in the very challenging environment of the LHC. The high performance of the system in pion and kaon identification in the momentum range of 2–100 GeV/c is reached only after careful calibration of many parameters. Operational efficiency above 99% was achieved by a high level of automatization in the operation of the detectors, from switching-on to error recovery. The challenges of calibrating and operating such a system will be presented. - Highlights: • This paper describes the operation and calibration of the LHCb RICH detectors. • The scintillation of CF{sub 4} was successfully suppressed with CO{sub 2}. • The refractive index of the gas radiators was calibrated with data to an accuracy better than 0.1%. • The Hybrid Photons Detectors were calibrated for operation in a magnetic field without loss of resolution.

  14. Search for Electron Antineutrino Appearance at the Δm2∼1 eV2 Scale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aguilar-Arevalo, A. A.; Anderson, C. E.; Fleming, B. T.; Linden, S. K.; Spitz, J.; Brice, S. J.; Brown, B. C.; Ford, R.; Garcia, F. G.; Kobilarcik, T.; Marsh, W.; Moore, C. D.; Russell, A. D.; Stefanski, R. J.; Bugel, L.; Djurcic, Z.; Mahn, K. B. M.; Shaevitz, M. H.; Sorel, M.; Conrad, J. M.

    2009-01-01

    The MiniBooNE Collaboration reports initial results from a search for ν μ →ν e oscillations. A signal-blind analysis was performed using a data sample corresponding to 3.39x10 20 protons on target. The data are consistent with background prediction across the full range of neutrino energy reconstructed assuming quasielastic scattering, 200 ν QE <3000 MeV: 144 electronlike events have been observed in this energy range, compared to an expectation of 139.2±17.6 events. No significant excess of events has been observed, both at low energy, 200-475 MeV, and at high energy, 475-1250 MeV. The data are inconclusive with respect to antineutrino oscillations suggested by data from the Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detector at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

  15. The impacts of phosphorus deficiency on the photosynthetic electron transport chain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carstensen, Andreas; Herdean, Andrei; Schmidt, Sidsel Birkelund

    2018-01-01

    light conditions. Under P deficiency, the enhanced electron flow through PSI increases the levels of NADPH, whereas ATP production remains restricted and hence reduces CO2 fixation. In parallel, lumen acidification activates the qE component of the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) mechanism......Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient, and P deficiency limits plant productivity. Recent work showed that P deficiency affects electron transport to photosystem I (PSI), but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, we present a comprehensive biological model describing how P deficiency...... accumulate in the thylakoids and cause lumen acidification, which inhibits linear electron flow. Limited plastoquinol (PQH2) oxidation retards electron transport to the cytochrome (Cyt) b6f complex, yet the electron transfer rate of PSI is increased under steady-state growth light and is limited under high...

  16. Selectivity of β-Sitosterol Imprinted Polymers as Adsorbent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fauziah, St.; Hariani Soekamto, Nunuk; Taba, Paulina; Bachri Amran, Muh

    2018-03-01

    Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) are smart materials that have been used as adsorbents in separation processes of compounds because they have a memorial effect to a certain compound. In this research, MIP synthesized was used as adsorbent for β-sitosterol. The objective of the research was to know the selectivity of MIP in adsorbing β-sitosterol. The concentrations of β-sitosterol after adsorption and desorption were analyzed by a UV-Vis spectrophotometer and the selectivity test was analyzed by HPLC. Result showed that the MIP had high adsorption ability ( qe ). The recovery of β-sitosterol from MIP for the adsorption-desorption process was 68.48%. The MIP was very selective to β-sitosterol compared to cholesterol because it can adsorb β-sitosterol as many as 100%, whereas the adsorption of cholesterol was only 30.27 %.

  17. Spatial and temporal variability of turbulent vertical fluxes in Helsinki, Finland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Järvi, L.; Nordbo, A.; Haapanala, S.; Moilanen, J.; Vesala, T.

    2012-04-01

    The eddy-covariance technique has been widely used above vegetated surfaces to measure the turbulent exchange of momentum, heat and gases between the surface and the atmosphere. Above an urban surface, however, observations are scarce and complex measurement surroundings bring challenges to the measurements and the representativeness of the fluxes in a city scale. The fluxes of sensible (QH) and latent heat (QE), and CO2 (Fc) have been measured at three sites in Helsinki, Finland. At the SMEAR III station the measurements have been ongoing since December 2005 and the site is located next to a busy road about 4 km from downtown Helsinki. Two of the sites, Erottaja Fire Station (EFS) and Hotel Torni (HT), are located in downtown within a distance of 400 meters from each other. In EFS, the measurements have been carried out in June 2010 - January 2011, while in HT, the measurements have been ongoing since September 2010. The present dataset allows the studying of the inter-site variability of the exchange processes. Simultaneous measurements from all three sites cover four months in autumn/winter time. The high-latitude location allows a detailed examination of the effect of seasonal variation to the exchange processes. QH tends to be higher in city centre than in SMEAR III and a difference of 50 W m-2 is observed in winter. During the simultaneous measurements, stable atmospheric stratification is observed half of the time at SMEAR III whereas the occurrence in the city centre is less than 5%. This is a result of the urban heat island effect which is stronger in downtown than in the outside region. On the other hand, higher QE is measured in SMEAR III than in downtown particularly during spring and summer months when a difference of 100 W m-2 is observed. In downtown the low fraction of green areas limits the evaporation. Despite the short distance there are also differences between the two downtown sites. Both the median QH and QE are 7 W m-2 smaller in EFS than in

  18. Late Quaternary Soil Development Enhances Aeolian Landform Stability, Moenkopi Plateau, Southern Colorado Plateau, USA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amy L. Ellwein

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The Moenkopi dune field in northeastern Arizona covers roughly 1250 km2, but most of the field is inactive. Dune deposits on the Moenkopi Plateau (MP have remained inactive throughout the Holocene despite periods of elevated aridity or historical reductions of vegetation cover by livestock grazing. We argue that this inactivity is not because of any diminishment of driving forces in the aeolian system (e.g., insufficient winds, but rather because of increased cohesion due to soil development that enhances resistance to wind erosion. Abundant aeolian sediments were supplied to the Black Mesa region by the Little Colorado River and its tributaries during the late Pleistocene (MIS 2 and 3, which enabled the development of climbing dunes and transport of sand over the Adeii Eechii Cliffs and onto the MP. These deposits (Qe1 stabilized during the Pleistocene/Holocene climatic transition (~12–7.5 ka because of reduced sediment supply and high dust flux which resulted in rapid soil formation. Erosion of climbing dunes/sand ramps from the Adeii Eechii Cliffs eliminated delivery of large quantities of new sand to the MP during the mid to late Holocene. Soil development within the Qe1 mantle increased sediment cohesion and prevented widespread aeolian reactivation during the Holocene, despite the occurrence of conditions (wind speed, climate, etc. under which dune reactivation would be expected. Drylands comprise roughly 40% of the land cover of earth and climate models predict their expansion. Pedogenic stability is not commonly considered in climate-based models used to predict aeolian activity. To improve predictions of future dune activity in drylands, the degree of soil development in aeolian deposits should be considered when evaluating sediment availability in aeolian systems.

  19. Quantum Sensing and Communications Being Developed for Nanotechnology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Quang-Viet; Seibert, Marc A.

    2003-01-01

    An interdisciplinary quantum communications and sensing research effort has been underway at the NASA Glenn Research Center since the summer of 2000. Researchers in the Communications Technology, Instrumentation and Controls, and Propulsion and Turbomachinery Divisions have been working together to study and develop techniques that use the principle of quantum entanglement (QE). This work is supported principally by the Nanotechnology Base R&T program at Glenn. As applied to communications and sensing, QE is an emerging technology that holds promise as a new and innovative way to communicate faster and farther, and to sense, measure, and image environmental properties in ways that are not possible with existing technology. Quantum entangled photons are "inseparable" as described by a wave function formalism. For two entangled photons, the term "inseparable" means that one cannot describe one photon without completely describing the other. This inseparability gives rise to what appears as "spooky," or nonintuitive, behavior because of the quantum nature of the process. For example, two entangled photons of lower energy can be created simultaneously from a single photon of higher energy in a process called spontaneous parametric down-conversion. Our research is focused on the use of polarization-entangled photons generated by passing a high-energy (blue) photon through a nonlinear beta barium borate crystal to generate two red photons that have orthogonal, but entangled, polarization states. Although the actual polarization state of any one photon is not known until it is measured, the act of measuring the polarization of one photon completely determines the polarization state of its twin because of entanglement. This unique relationship between the photons provides extra information about the system. For example, entanglement makes it easy to distinguish entangled photons from other photons impinging on a detector. For many other applications, ranging from quantum

  20. Testing a GaAs cathode in SRF gun

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, E.; Kewisch, J.; Ben-Zvi, I.; Burrill, A.; Rao, T.; Wu, Q.; Holmes, D.

    2011-01-01

    RF electron guns with a strained superlattice GaAs cathode are expected to generate polarized electron beams of higher brightness and lower emittance than do DC guns, due to their higher field gradient at the cathode's surface and lower cathode temperature. We plan to install a bulk GaAs:Cs in a SRF gun to evaluate the performance of both the gun and the cathode in this environment. The status of this project is: In our 1.3 GHz 1/2 cell SRF gun, the vacuum can be maintained at nearly 10 -12 Torr because of cryo-pumping at 2K. With conventional activation of bulk GaAs, we obtained a QE of 10% at 532 nm, with lifetime of more than 3 days in the preparation chamber and have shown that it can survive in transport from the preparation chamber to the gun. The beam line has been assembled and we are exploring the best conditions for baking the cathode under vacuum. We report here the progress of our test of the GaAs cathode in the SRF gun. Future particle accelerators, such as eRHIC and the ILC require high-brightness, high-current polarized electrons. Strained superlattice GaAs:Cs has been shown to be an efficient cathode for producing polarized electrons. Activation of GaAs with Cs,O(F) lowers the electron affinity and makes it energetically possible for all the electrons, excited into the conduction band that drift or diffuse to the emission surface, to escape into the vacuum. Presently, all operating polarized electron sources, such as the CEBAF, are DC guns. In these devices, the excellent ultra-high vacuum extends the lifetime of the cathode. However, the low field gradient on the photocathode's emission surface of the DC guns limits the beam quality. The higher accelerating gradients, possible in the RF guns, generate a far better beam. Until recently, most RF guns operated at room temperature, limiting the vacuum to ∼10 -9 Torr. This destroys the GaAs's NEA surface. The SRF guns combine the excellent vacuum conditions of DC guns and the high accelerating

  1. Oxygen redistribution in (UCe)Osub(2-x)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guedeney, Philippe.

    1983-01-01

    Redistribution of oxygen has been investigated in (Usub(0,7)Cesub(0,3))Osub(2-x) mixed oxide subjected to a temperature gradient in laboratory experiments, in order to apply the results to the nuclear fuel (UPu)Osub(2-x). Cylindrical sintered oxide specimens were exposed to temperature up to 1300 0 C with a longitudinal thermal gradient of about 400 0 C/cm. The most interesting feature of the experimental set-up is a solid-state electrochemical gauge (ThO 2 - Y 2 O 3 ), placed in the cold part of the sample which allows a continuous measurement of the oxygen activity. The experiments showed a fast oxygen migration down the thermal gradient. The calculations performed with a model based on solid-state thermodiffusion are in good agreement with experimental results. The heat of transport Q measured for bare samples reaches (7.2+-0.5)-kcal/mole. When the sample is coated with a tight fitting metallic cladding, an extra term Qe has to be added to the heat of transport Qe. This was interpreted as an electrotransport phenomena. On the same basis, calculations applied to radial oxygen redistribution in (UPu)Osub(2-x) seem to be adequate at least during the first stage of irradiation, taking Q=(20+-5)kcal/mole [fr

  2. Cloning and Expression of the Gene of Staphylococcus aureus GapC%金黄色葡萄球菌GapC基因的克隆和表达

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    张晶; 朱洪伟; 崔玉东

    2008-01-01

    为研究金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus aureus,S.aureus)GapC蛋白,应用PCR方法扩增出S. aureus菌株BMSM855/23-1的gapC基因,随后将其克隆到pMD18-T载体上.重组克隆pMD-T/gapC经测序后,与GenBank上已发表的序列进行对比分析.然后,将gapC基因插入到pQE-30质粒,构建重组质粒pQE30/gapC.重组质粒转化大肠杆菌E.coli M15(pREP4),IPTG诱导后,SDS-PAGE鉴定GapC融合蛋白的表达.结果表明成功扩增并克隆了S.aureus gapC,该菌株的gapC基因与GenBank上S. aureus BM10株的核苷酸序列一致性为99.3%,推导氨基酸序列一致性为99.4%.SDS-PAGE结果表明,GapC蛋白在E. coli M15(pREP4)中获得表达.

  3. Suppression of inflammatory immune responses in celiac disease by experimental hookworm infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henry J McSorley

    Full Text Available We present immunological data from two clinical trials where the effect of experimental human hookworm (Necator americanus infection on the pathology of celiac disease was evaluated. We found that basal production of Interferon- (IFN-γ and Interleukin- (IL-17A from duodenal biopsy culture was suppressed in hookworm-infected participants compared to uninfected controls. Increased levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells in the circulation and mucosa are associated with active celiac disease. We show that this accumulation also occurs during a short-term (1 week oral gluten challenge, and that hookworm infection suppressed the increase of circulating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells during this challenge period. When duodenal biopsies from hookworm-infected participants were restimulated with the immunodominant gliadin peptide QE65, robust production of IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-17A was detected, even prior to gluten challenge while participants were strictly adhering to a gluten-free diet. Intriguingly, IL-5 was produced only after hookworm infection in response to QE65. Thus we hypothesise that hookworm-induced TH2 and IL-10 cross-regulation of the TH1/TH17 inflammatory response may be responsible for the suppression of these responses during experimental hookworm infection.

  4. Enhancing the far-UV sensitivity of silicon CMOS imaging arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Retherford, K. D.; Bai, Yibin; Ryu, Kevin K.; Gregory, J. A.; Welander, Paul B.; Davis, Michael W.; Greathouse, Thomas K.; Winter, Gregory S.; Suntharalingam, Vyshnavi; Beletic, James W.

    2014-07-01

    We report our progress toward optimizing backside-illuminated silicon PIN CMOS devices developed by Teledyne Imaging Sensors (TIS) for far-UV planetary science applications. This project was motivated by initial measurements at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) of the far-UV responsivity of backside-illuminated silicon PIN photodiode test structures described in Bai et al., SPIE, 2008, which revealed a promising QE in the 100-200 nm range as reported in Davis et al., SPIE, 2012. Our effort to advance the capabilities of thinned silicon wafers capitalizes on recent innovations in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) doping processes. Key achievements to date include: 1) Representative silicon test wafers were fabricated by TIS, and set up for MBE processing at MIT Lincoln Laboratory (LL); 2) Preliminary far-UV detector QE simulation runs were completed to aid MBE layer design; 3) Detector fabrication was completed through the pre-MBE step; and 4) Initial testing of the MBE doping process was performed on monitoring wafers, with detailed quality assessments. Early results suggest that potential challenges in optimizing the UV-sensitivity of silicon PIN type CMOS devices, compared with similar UV enhancement methods established for CCDs, have been mitigated through our newly developed methods. We will discuss the potential advantages of our approach and briefly describe future development steps.

  5. Simplified optical fiber RGB system in evaluating intrinsic quality of Sala mango

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yahaya, Ommi Kalsom Mardziah; Jafri, Mohd. Zubir Mat; Aziz, Azlan Abdul; Omar, Ahmad Fairuz

    2015-06-01

    This study presents an alternative approach for the nondestructive assessment of fruit quality parameters with the use of a simplified optical fiber red-green-blue system (OF-RGB). The optical sensor system presented in this work is designed to rapidly measure the firmness, acidity, and soluble solid content of an intact Sala mango on the basis of color properties. The system consists of three light-emitting diodes with peak emission at 635 (red), 525 (green), and 470 nm (blue), as well as a single photodetector capable of sensing visible light. The measurements were conducted using the reflectance technique. The analyses were conducted by comparing the results obtained through the proposed system with those measured using two commercial spectrometers, namely, QE65000 and FieldSpec 3. The developed RGB system showed satisfactory accuracy in the measurement of acidity (R2=0.795) and firmness (R2=0.761), but a relatively lower accuracy in the measurement of soluble solid content (R2=0.593) of intact mangoes. The results obtained through OF-RGB are comparable with those measured by QE65000 and FieldSpec 3. This system is a promising new technology with rapid response, easy operation, and low cost with potential applications in the nondestructive assessment of quality attributes.

  6. Biosorption and retention of several actinide and fission-product elements by biomass from Mycobacterium phlei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bouby, M.; MacCordick, H.J.; Billard, I.

    1996-01-01

    The properties of mobile, 5% w/w cell suspensions of Mycobacterium phlei have been examined for their capacity to adsorb and retain uranyl(VI) and neptunyl(V) cations from nitrate-buffered solutions at pH 1. Equilibrium conditions of sorption were attained after 3 hours for concentrations (C) in the range 0.015-18 mM cation and indicated a maximum specific adsorption capacity (Qe max ) of 182 μmol/g dry biomass for C ≥ 10 mM. NpO 2 + generally showed higher Qe values than UO 2 2+ at corresponding concentrations. Lixiviation tests with cation-loaded biomass in neutral and acidic media indicated that the extent of desorption did not vary extensively between pH 7 and pH 1 and did not exceed 3% for U and 1% for Np ions at pH 7 during 7-day periods of treatment. Analogous experiments with U-loaded biomass subjected to neutron activation prior to lixiviation enabled retention measurements for various fission-product isotopes produced in situ and showed that retention of 239 Np formed within the cellular matrix was >99% at pH 7 and ≥94% at pH 1. (author). 13 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs

  7. Quasi-experimental study designs series-paper 10: synthesizing evidence for effects collected from quasi-experimental studies presents surmountable challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, Betsy Jane; Aloe, Ariel M; Duvendack, Maren; Stanley, T D; Valentine, Jeffrey C; Fretheim, Atle; Tugwell, Peter

    2017-09-01

    To outline issues of importance to analytic approaches to the synthesis of quasi-experiments (QEs) and to provide a statistical model for use in analysis. We drew on studies of statistics, epidemiology, and social-science methodology to outline methods for synthesis of QE studies. The design and conduct of QEs, effect sizes from QEs, and moderator variables for the analysis of those effect sizes were discussed. Biases, confounding, design complexities, and comparisons across designs offer serious challenges to syntheses of QEs. Key components of meta-analyses of QEs were identified, including the aspects of QE study design to be coded and analyzed. Of utmost importance are the design and statistical controls implemented in the QEs. Such controls and any potential sources of bias and confounding must be modeled in analyses, along with aspects of the interventions and populations studied. Because of such controls, effect sizes from QEs are more complex than those from randomized experiments. A statistical meta-regression model that incorporates important features of the QEs under review was presented. Meta-analyses of QEs provide particular challenges, but thorough coding of intervention characteristics and study methods, along with careful analysis, should allow for sound inferences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Experimental investigation of thermal emittance components of copper photocathode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. J. Qian

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available With progress of photoinjector technology, thermal emittance has become the primary limitation of electron beam brightness. Extensive efforts have been devoted to study thermal emittance, but experiment results differ between research groups and few can be well interpreted. Besides the ambiguity of photoemission mechanism, variations of cathode surface conditions during cathode preparation, such as work function, field enhancement factor, and surface roughness, will cause thermal emittance differences. In this paper, we report an experimental study of electric field dependence of copper cathode quantum efficiency (QE and thermal emittance in a radio frequency (rf gun, through which in situ cathode surface parameters and thermal emittance contributions from photon energy, Schottky effect, and surface roughness are extracted. It is found the QE of a copper cathode illuminated by a 266 nm UV laser increased substantially to 1.5×10^{-4} after cathode cleaning during rf conditioning, and a copper work function of 4.16 eV, which is much lower than nominal value (4.65 eV, was measured. Experimental results also show a thermal emittance growth as much as 0.92  mm mrad/mm at 50  MV/m due to the cathode surface roughness effect, which is consistent with cathode surface morphology measurements.

  9. A PMT mass testing facility for the JUNO experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tietzsch, Alexander; Alsheimer, Isabell; Blum, David; Lachenmaier, Tobias; Sterr, Tobias [Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Tuebingen (Germany); Bein, Bosse; Bick, Daniel; Ebert, Joachim; Hagner, Caren; Rebber, Henning; Steppat, Lisa; Wonsak, Bjoern [Institut fuer Experimentalphysik, Universitaet Hamburg (Germany)

    2016-07-01

    The JUNO (Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory) experiment will be one of the big neutrino oscillation experiments starting in the next years. The main goal of JUNO is the determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy. To detect the sub-dominant effects in the oscillation pattern which depend on the mass hierarchy, the JUNO detector is planned with almost 20 kt fiducial volume, high light yield and energy resolution of better than 3%. In order to reach this, roughly 17000 newly developed high QE PMTs for the central detector, and additionally 2000 for the veto will be used. Each PMT has to be tested and characterized before it will be mounted in the experiment. This talk gives an overview on our plans and strategy for the mass test of all PMTs, and on the current status of the experimental test setup and next steps. The testing facility is developed in a cooperation between the Physical Institutes in Tuebingen and Hamburg within the JUNO collaboration.

  10. A system for the characterization of the HAWC PMTs sensitivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langarica, R.; Lara, G.; Martinez, L. A.; Tinoco, S.; Alfaro, R.; Iriarte, A.; Sandoval, A.; Vanegas, P.

    2012-07-01

    The HAWC Project is a very high-energy gamma-ray observatory under construction at the Sierra Negra volcano (4100 meters above sea level) in the Pico de Orizaba National Park located in central Mexico. HAWC will reuse the 900 Hamamatsu R5912 photomultipliers (PMTs) from Milagro Observatory for the 300 Water Cherenkov Detectors. In order to characterize their present performance it is necessary to scan the active area of the photocathode by measuring its efficiency and gain. A characterization system was designed and manufactured to achieve an automated measurement of over 100 points distributed on the PMT active spherical surface. Preliminary results show the variation of QE of PMTs with respect of the position of incoming photons, as well as the changes in the PMTs response due to the Earth's magnetic field and gain vs. high voltage. The system allows automated PMT characterization improving its performance, reliability, precision and repeatability. In this work we present the characterization system and preliminary results on the PMT efficiency.

  11. A Comparison of Modeled and Observed Ocean Mixed Layer Behavior in a Sea Breeze Influenced Coastal Region

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-12-21

    Latent(Lower Solid), Net Infrared (Dashed), and Net viii Heat Loss (Upper Solid - the Other 3 Surmmed) are Plotted, with Positive Values :ndicating...gained from solar insolation, Qs, and the heat lost from the surface due to latent, Qe, sensible, Qh, and net infrared radiation, Qb is positive...five empirically derived dimensionless constants in the model. With the introduction of two new unknowns, <E> and < ww2 >, the prediction of the upper

  12. Quantum deformed magnon kinematics

    OpenAIRE

    Gómez, César; Hernández Redondo, Rafael

    2007-01-01

    The dispersion relation for planar N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills is identified with the Casimir of a quantum deformed two-dimensional kinematical symmetry, E_q(1,1). The quantum deformed symmetry algebra is generated by the momentum, energy and boost, with deformation parameter q=e^{2\\pi i/\\lambda}. Representing the boost as the infinitesimal generator for translations on the rapidity space leads to an elliptic uniformization with crossing transformations implemented through translations by t...

  13. Miniaturization of Spherical Magnetodielectric Antennas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Troels Vejle

    ; Arbitrary order of the spherical wave, arbitrary radius of the spherical antenna, as well as arbitrarily large core permeability and/or permittivity, given an inversely proportional frequency variation of the imaginary part(s) and an arbitrary dispersion of the real part(s) - thus describing both lossless...... with a magnetic loss tangent of 1 and relative permeability of 300 yield Q/e equal 65% of the Chu lower bound, with a simultaneous e of 71%....

  14. Phase 1 Environmental Baseline Survey for the Leasing of Nevada Test and Training Range, EC-South Range, Well Site ER-EC-11, for the Underground Test Area Pahute Mesa Phase 2 Drilling and Testing Program Nye County, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-05-01

    many areas by a variety of late Tertiary and Quaternary surficial deposits, including alluvium, colluvium, and basalt (Slate et al., 1999). Most...buried) ´ Claim Canyon Caldera marginPliocene & Quaternary basaltic rocks (1996) Source: NSTec, 2009 24 features in the PM-OV area are buried by...return it to the Fibers and Organics Branch. • Transformer Registration Form -I structions (E.QE)_ (1 pg, lOK) • Form 7720-12 (PDF) (1 pg, 13K

  15. Radiation Damage of the CERN CMS HCAL Scintillator/WLS fiber readout during Run1 and Run2 of the LHC

    CERN Document Server

    de Barbaro, Pawel Jan

    2017-01-01

    We present the results of a study of radiation damage of the CERN CMS HCAL Scintillator/WLS Fiber readout. Data were obtained using the Laser calibration system of the CMS hadron endcap detector during the operation of the LHC in 2010-2017. Scintillators used in the CMS hadron endcap calorimeter (HE) were irradiated at dose rates in the range of 0.1 rad/h to 0.1 krad/h. Results indicate that the radiation damage has a strong dose rate dependence. Using data collected in 2017, we have measured the response loss in a single HE section instrumented with Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). The results show a much smaller signal loss for the channels read out by SiPMs compared to signal loss for the channels read out by hybrid photodetectors (HPDs). The results imply that a large fraction of the response loss in the CMS HE detector observed in 2010-2017 comes from deterioration of the HPD photodetectors and not from radiation damage of scintillators.

  16. Front end readout electronics for the CMS hadron calorimeter

    CERN Document Server

    Shaw, Terri M

    2002-01-01

    The front-end electronics for the CMS Hadron Calorimeter provides digitized data at the beam interaction rate of 40 MHz. Analog signals provided by hybrid photodiodes (HPDs) or photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are digitized and the data is sent off board through serialized fiber optic links running at 1600 Mbps. In order to maximize the input signal, the front-end electronics are housed on the detector in close proximity to the scintillating fibers or phototubes. To fit the electronics into available space, custom crates, backplanes and cooling methods have had to be developed. During the expected ten-year lifetime, the front-end readout electronics will exist in an environment where radiation levels approach 330 rads and the neutron fluence will be 1.3E11 n/cm sup 2. For this reason, the design approach relies heavily upon custom radiation tolerant ASICs. This paper will present the system architecture of the front-end readout crates and describe their results with early prototypes.

  17. Front end readout electronics for the CMS hadron calorimeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terri M. Shaw et al.

    2002-01-01

    The front-end electronics for the CMS Hadron Calorimeter provides digitized data at the beam interaction rate of 40 MHz. Analog signals provided by hybrid photodiodes (HPDs) or photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are digitized and the data is sent off board through serialized fiber optic links running at 1600 Mbps. In order to maximize the input signal, the front-end electronics are housed on the detector in close proximity to the scintillating fibers or phototubes. To fit the electronics into available space, custom crates, backplanes and cooling methods have had to be developed. During the expected ten-year lifetime, the front-end readout electronics will exist in an environment where radiation levels approach 330 rads and the neutron fluence will be 1.3E11 n/cm 2 . For this reason, the design approach relies heavily upon custom radiation tolerant ASICs. This paper will present the system architecture of the front-end readout crates and describe their results with early prototypes

  18. Reduction of front-metallization grid shading in concentrator cells through laser micro-grooved cover glass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    García-Linares, Pablo; Voarino, Philippe; Besson, Pierre; Baudrit, Mathieu; Dominguez, César; Dellea, Olivier; Fugier, Pascal

    2015-01-01

    Concentrator solar cell front-grid metallizations are designed so that the trade-off between series resistance and shading factor (SF) is optimized for a particular irradiance. High concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) typically requires a metallic electrode pattern that covers up to 10% of the cell surface. The shading effect produced by this front electrode results in a significant reduction in short-circuit current (I SC ) and hence, in a significant efficiency loss. In this work we present a cover glass (originally meant to protect the cell surface) that is laser-grooved with a micrometric pattern that redirects the incident solar light towards interfinger regions and away from the metallic electrodes, where they would be wasted in terms of photovoltaic generation. Quantum efficiency (QE) and current (I)-voltage (V) characterization under concentration validate the proof-of-concept, showing great potential for CPV applications

  19. First observation of density profile in directly laser-driven polystyrene targets for ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujioka, Shinsuke; Shiraga, Hiroyuki; Nishikino, Masaharu; Shigemori, Keisuke; Sunahara, Atsushi; Nakai, Mitsuo; Azechi, Hiroshi; Nishihara, Katsunobu; Yamanaka, Tatsuhiko

    2003-01-01

    The temporal evolution of the density profile of a directly laser-driven polystyrene target was observed for the first time using an x-ray penumbral imaging technique coupled with side-on x-ray backlighting at the GEKKO XII [C. Yamanaka et al., IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-17, 1639 (1981)]-High Intensity Plasma Experimental Research laser facility (I L =0.7x10 14 W/cm 2 , λ L =0.35 μm). This density measurement makes it possible to experimentally confirm all physical parameters [γ(k),k,g,m,ρ a ,L m ] appearing in the modified Takabe formula for the growth rate of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The measured density profiles were well reproduced by a one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation code. The density measurement contributes toward fully understanding the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

  20. Reduction of front-metallization grid shading in concentrator cells through laser micro-grooved cover glass

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    García-Linares, Pablo, E-mail: pablo.garcia-linares@cea.fr; Voarino, Philippe; Besson, Pierre; Baudrit, Mathieu [CEA-LITEN, Laboratoire de Photovoltaïque à Concentration, INES, Le Bourget du Lac (France); Dominguez, César [CEA-LITEN, Laboratoire de Photovoltaïque à Concentration, INES, Le Bourget du Lac (France); Instituto de Energía Solar - Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid (Spain); Dellea, Olivier; Fugier, Pascal [CEA-LITEN, Laboratoire de Surfaces Nanostructurées, Grenoble (France)

    2015-09-28

    Concentrator solar cell front-grid metallizations are designed so that the trade-off between series resistance and shading factor (SF) is optimized for a particular irradiance. High concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) typically requires a metallic electrode pattern that covers up to 10% of the cell surface. The shading effect produced by this front electrode results in a significant reduction in short-circuit current (I{sub SC}) and hence, in a significant efficiency loss. In this work we present a cover glass (originally meant to protect the cell surface) that is laser-grooved with a micrometric pattern that redirects the incident solar light towards interfinger regions and away from the metallic electrodes, where they would be wasted in terms of photovoltaic generation. Quantum efficiency (QE) and current (I)-voltage (V) characterization under concentration validate the proof-of-concept, showing great potential for CPV applications.

  1. Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Effect of Barringtonia racemosa and Hibiscus sabdariffa Fruit Extracts in MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cell Line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amran, Norliyana; Rani, Anis Najwa Abdul; Mahmud, Roziahanim; Yin, Khoo Boon

    2016-01-01

    The fruits of Barringtonia racemosa and Hibiscus sabdariffa have been used in the treatment of abscess, ulcer, cough, asthma, and diarrhea as traditional remedy. This study aims to evaluate cytotoxic effect of B. racemosa and H. sabdariffa methanol fruit extracts toward human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) and its antioxidant activities. Total antioxidant activities of extracts were assayed using 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and β-carotene bleaching assay. Content of phytochemicals, total flavonoid content (TFC), and total phenolic content (TPC) were determined using aluminum chloride colorimetric method and Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent, respectively. Cytotoxic activity in vitro was investigated through 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. B. racemosa extract exhibited high antioxidant activities compared to H. sabdariffa methanol fruit extracts in DPPH radical scavenging assay (inhibitory concentration [IC50] 15.26 ± 1.25 μg/mL) and ί-carotene bleaching assay (I% 98.13 ± 1.83%). B. racemosa also showed higher TPC (14.70 ± 1.05 mg gallic acid equivalents [GAE]/g) and TFC (130 ± 1.18 mg quercetin equivalents [QE]/g) compared to H. sabdariffa (3.80 ± 2.13 mg GAE/g and 40.75 ± 1.15 mg QE/g, respectively). In MTT assay, B. racemosa extract also showed a higher cytotoxic activity (IC50 57.61 ± 2.24 μg/mL) compared to H. sabdariffa. The present study indicated that phenolic and flavonoid compounds known for oxidizing activities indicated an important role among the contents of these plants extract. B. racemosa methanol extract have shown potent cytotoxic activity toward MCF-7. Following these promising results, further fractionation of the plant extract is underway to identify important phytochemical bioactives for the development of potential nutraceutical and pharmaceutical use. The phenolic and flavonoid compounds were present in B. racemosa and H. sabdariffa methanol extractsB. racemosa methanol

  2. Mutual Fund Performances of Polish Domestic Equity Fund Managers

    OpenAIRE

    Tan, Ömer Faruk; Ünal, Gözde

    2015-01-01

    Purpose of the article: The main purpose of the paper is empirically evaluating selectivity skills and market timing ability of Polish fund managers during the period from January 2009 to November 2014. After the global financial crisis of 2008, in this period of quantitative easing (QE), thanks to an increase in the money supply, a capital flow from developed countries to developing countries was observed. In this study, we try to analyse that although the financial market in Pol...

  3. Quantum Dot Detector Enhancement for Narrow Band Multispectral Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-01

    22 Figure 22: (a) 4 Silver Nanospheres in Ring Formation; (b) Quality Factor for a 4 and 6 Nanosphere Ring Centered on...centered on. Here, the radius of the ring is varied from 60 to 400 nm. Figure 22:(a) 4 Silver Nanospheres in Ring Formation; (b) Quality Factor...QE )Iα at the resonant wavelength. From Figure 22 highest Q≈ 0.8 for the nanorings , but for there to be an increase in the I , Q must be greater

  4. Training in Using Earplugs or Using Earplugs with a Higher than Necessary Noise Reduction Rating? A Randomized Clinical Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Salmani Nodoushan

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL is one of the most common occupational diseases and the second most common cause of workers' claims for occupational injuries. Objective: Due to high prevalence of NIHL and several reports of improper use of hearing protective devices (HPDs, we conducted this study to compare the effect of face-to-face training in effective use of earplugs with appropriate NRR to overprotection of workers by using earplugs with higher than necessary noise reduction rating (NRR. Methods: In a randomized clinical trial, 150 workers referred to occupational medicine clinic were randomly allocated to three arms—a group wearing earplugs with an NRR of 25 with no training in appropriate use of the device; a group wearing earplugs with an NRR of 25 with training; another group wearing earplugs with an NRR of 30, with no training. Hearing threshold was measured in the study groups by real ear attenuation at threshold (REAT method. This trial is registered with Australian New Zealand clinical trials Registry, number ACTRN00363175. Results: The mean±SD age of the participants was 28±5 (range: 19–39 years. 42% of participants were female. The mean noise attenuation in the group with training was 13.88 dB, significantly higher than those observed in other groups. The highest attenuation was observed in high frequencies (4, 6, and 8 kHz in the group with training. Conclusion: Training in appropriate use of earplugs significantly affects the efficacy of earplugs—even more than using an earplug with higher NRR.

  5. Synthesis of Nano- alumina Powder from Impure Kaolin and its Application for Arsenite Removal from Aqueous Solutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmad Khodadadi Darban

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Adsorption is considered a cost-effective procedure, safer to handle with high removal efficiency. Activated alumina is the most commonly used adsorbent for the removal of arsenic from aqueous solutions. However, activated alumina has a low adsorption capacity and acts kinetically in a slow manner. An ideal adsorbent should have a high surface area, physical and/or chemical stability and be inexpensive. To meet this requirement, nanomeso porous γ-alumina with a high surface area (201.53 m2/g and small particle size (22–36 nm was prepared from inexpensive kaolin as the raw material, by precipitation method. The research results showed that adsorbent has the high adsorption capacity (for initial arsenite concentration up to 10 mg/L, in which 97.65% recovery was achieved. Optimal experimental conditions including pH, initial arsenite concentration and contact time were determined. Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin– Radushkevich isotherm models were applied to analyze the experimental data. The best interpretation for the experimental data was given by Langmuir adsorption isotherm equation and the maximum arsenite adsorbed by synthesized nano γ–alumina (qe was found to be 40 (mg/g.

  6. A compact soft x-ray (0.1–1.2 keV) calibration bench for radiometric measurements using an original versatile Rowland circle grazing incidence monochromator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hubert, S., E-mail: sebastien.hubert@cea.fr

    2017-05-21

    This paper describes an original Rowland circle grazing incidence spectrometer used as a monochromator for a soft x-ray Manson source in order to calibrate both the source and detectors over the 0.1–1.2 keV spectral range. The originality of the instrument lies on a patented vacuum manipulator which allows the simultaneous boarding of two detectors, one (reference) for measuring the monochromatic radiation and the second to be calibrated. In order to achieve this, the vacuum manipulator is able to interchange, in vacuum, one detector with the other in front of the exit slit of the monochromatizing stage. One purpose of this apparatus was to completely eliminate the intrinsic bremsstrahlung emission of the x-ray diode source and isolate each characteristic line for quantitative detector calibrations. Obtained spectral resolution (Δλ/λ<10{sup −2}) and spectral purity (>98%) fully meet this objective. Initially dimensioned to perform calibration of bulky x-ray cameras unfolded on the Laser MégaJoule Facility, other kinds of detector can be obviously calibrated using this instrument. A brief presentation of the first calibration of an x-ray CCD through its quantum efficiency (QE) measurement is included in this paper as example. Comparison with theoretical model for QE and previous measurements at higher energy are finally presented and discussed.

  7. Comparison of the electroluminescence of a red fluorescent dye doped into the Alq{sub 3} and Alq{sub 3}:rubrene mixed host

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Hee-Young; Kang, Gi-Wook; Park, Kyung-Min; Yoo, In-Sun; Lee, Changhee

    2004-01-05

    We studied the effect of a mixed host of Alq{sub 3} and rubrene on the energy transfer and charge trapping processes in organic light-emitting devices with a red fluorescent dopant of 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-tert-butyl-6 (1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl)-4H-pyran (DCJTB). The temperature dependence of electroluminescence (EL) properties is compared for the device with DCJTB doped into the Alq{sub 3} only host and that with the Alq{sub 3}:rubrene mixed host. The device with the Alq{sub 3}:rubrene mixed host shows an efficient red emission from DCJTB, negligible EL emission from Alq{sub 3}, and a lower EL drive voltage compared to the device with the Alq{sub 3} only host. Upon cooling the device temperature, the EL emission from rubrene increases but the emission from Alq{sub 3} is still weak, and the quantum efficiency (QE) is almost temperature-independent for the device with the Alq{sub 3}:rubrene mixed host. On the contrary, the EL emission from Alq{sub 3} increases and the QE decreases for devices with the Alq{sub 3} only host at low temperature. The results indicate that recombination of injected electrons and holes occurs on rubrene and subsequent energy transfer to DCJTB dominates in the device with the Alq{sub 3}:rubrene mixed host.

  8. Comparative Evaluation of Polyphenol Contents and Antioxidant Activities between Ethanol Extracts of Vitex negundo and Vitex trifolia L. Leaves by Different Methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saklani, Sarla; Mishra, Abhay Prakash; Chandra, Harish; Atanassova, Maria Stefanova; Stankovic, Milan; Sati, Bhawana; Shariati, Mohammad Ali; Nigam, Manisha; Khan, Mohammad Usman; Plygun, Sergey; Elmsellem, Hicham; Suleria, Hafiz Ansar Rasul

    2017-09-27

    The in vitro antioxidant potential assay between ethanolic extracts of two species from the genus Vitex ( Vitex negundo L. and Vitex trifolia L.) belonging to the Lamiaceae family were evaluated. The antioxidant properties of different extracts prepared from both plant species were evaluated by different methods. DPPH scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging, and β-carotene-linoleic acid and ferrous ion chelation methods were applied. The antioxidant activities of these two species were compared to standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ascorbic acid, and Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA). Both species of Vitex showed significant antioxidant activity in all of the tested methods. As compared to V. trifolia L. (60.87-89.99%; 40.0-226.7 μg/mL), V. negundo has been found to hold higher antioxidant activity (62.6-94.22%; IC 50 = 23.5-208.3 μg/mL) in all assays. In accordance with antioxidant activity, total polyphenol contents in V. negundo possessed greater phenolic (89.71 mg GAE/g dry weight of extract) and flavonoid content (63.11 mg QE/g dry weight of extract) as compared to that of V. trifolia (77.20 mg GAE/g and 57.41 mg QE/g dry weight of extract respectively). Our study revealed the significant correlation between the antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid contents of both plant species.

  9. Protective Effect of Mangifera indica Linn., Cocos nucifera Linn., and Averrhoa carambola Linn. Extracts against Ultraviolet B-Induced Damage in Human Keratinocytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ronpirin, Chalinee; Pattarachotanant, Nattaporn

    2016-01-01

    This study was aimed at investigating the antioxidant activity of Mangifera indica Linn., Cocos nucifera Linn., and Averrhoa carambola Linn. and their biological effect on human keratinocytes affected by the ultraviolet B (UVB), a major cause of cell damage and skin cancer through induction of DNA damage, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and apoptosis. The richest antioxidant activity was found in ethanol fraction of M. indica (21.32 ± 0.66 mg QE/g dry weight), while the lowest one was found in aqueous fractions of M. indica and C. nucifera (1.76 ± 2.10 and 1.65 ± 0.38 mg QE/g dry weight, respectively). Ethanol and aqueous fractions of A. carambola (250 µg/mL) significantly reduced the number of apoptotic cells. The expression of cleaved caspase 3 in UVB-treated group was significantly greater than that in untreated group. Both fractions of A. carambola (50, 100, and 250 µg/mL) significantly decreased the expression of cleaved caspase 3. Regarding the induction of DNA repair, ethanol (100 and 250 µg/mL) and aqueous (50, 100 and 250 µg/mL) fractions of A. carambola significantly decreased the percentage of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD). Taken together, our results suggest that both fractions of A. carambola may be potentially developed for dermal applications. PMID:27057195

  10. In vitro callus culture of Heliotropium indicum Linn. for assessment of total phenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidant activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Muthusamy Senthil; Chaudhury, Shibani; Balachandran, Srinivasan

    2014-12-01

    The total phenolic and flavonoid content and percentage of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of callus and in vivo plant parts of Heliotropium indicum Linn. were estimated. Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) 2.0 mg/l with benzyladenine (BA) 0.5 mg/l showed the highest amount of callus biomass (1.87 g/tube). The morphology of callus was significantly different according to the plant growth regulators and their concentrations used in the medium. The highest amount of total phenolic (21.70 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram (GAE/g)) and flavonoid (4.90 mg quercetin equivalent per gram (QE/g)) content and the maximum percentage (77.78 %) of radical scavenging activity were estimated in the extract of inflorescence. The synergistic effect of NAA (2.0 mg/l) and BA (0.5 mg/l) enhances the synthesis of total phenolic (9.20 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (1.25 mg QE/g) content in the callus tissue. The callus produced by the same concentration shows 45.24 % of free radical scavenging activity. While comparing the various concentrations of NAA with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) for the production of callus biomass, total phenolic and flavonoid content and free radical scavenging activity, all the concentrations of NAA were found to be superior than those of 2,4-D.

  11. Protective Effect of Mangifera indica Linn., Cocos nucifera Linn., and Averrhoa carambola Linn. Extracts against Ultraviolet B-Induced Damage in Human Keratinocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ronpirin, Chalinee; Pattarachotanant, Nattaporn; Tencomnao, Tewin

    2016-01-01

    This study was aimed at investigating the antioxidant activity of Mangifera indica Linn., Cocos nucifera Linn., and Averrhoa carambola Linn. and their biological effect on human keratinocytes affected by the ultraviolet B (UVB), a major cause of cell damage and skin cancer through induction of DNA damage, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and apoptosis. The richest antioxidant activity was found in ethanol fraction of M. indica (21.32 ± 0.66 mg QE/g dry weight), while the lowest one was found in aqueous fractions of M. indica and C. nucifera (1.76 ± 2.10 and 1.65 ± 0.38 mg QE/g dry weight, respectively). Ethanol and aqueous fractions of A. carambola (250 µg/mL) significantly reduced the number of apoptotic cells. The expression of cleaved caspase 3 in UVB-treated group was significantly greater than that in untreated group. Both fractions of A. carambola (50, 100, and 250 µg/mL) significantly decreased the expression of cleaved caspase 3. Regarding the induction of DNA repair, ethanol (100 and 250 µg/mL) and aqueous (50, 100 and 250 µg/mL) fractions of A. carambola significantly decreased the percentage of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD). Taken together, our results suggest that both fractions of A. carambola may be potentially developed for dermal applications.

  12. Protective Effect of Mangifera indica Linn., Cocos nucifera Linn., and Averrhoa carambola Linn. Extracts against Ultraviolet B-Induced Damage in Human Keratinocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chalinee Ronpirin

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This study was aimed at investigating the antioxidant activity of Mangifera indica Linn., Cocos nucifera Linn., and Averrhoa carambola Linn. and their biological effect on human keratinocytes affected by the ultraviolet B (UVB, a major cause of cell damage and skin cancer through induction of DNA damage, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS, and apoptosis. The richest antioxidant activity was found in ethanol fraction of M. indica (21.32 ± 0.66 mg QE/g dry weight, while the lowest one was found in aqueous fractions of M. indica and C. nucifera (1.76 ± 2.10 and 1.65 ± 0.38 mg QE/g dry weight, respectively. Ethanol and aqueous fractions of A. carambola (250 µg/mL significantly reduced the number of apoptotic cells. The expression of cleaved caspase 3 in UVB-treated group was significantly greater than that in untreated group. Both fractions of A. carambola (50, 100, and 250 µg/mL significantly decreased the expression of cleaved caspase 3. Regarding the induction of DNA repair, ethanol (100 and 250 µg/mL and aqueous (50, 100 and 250 µg/mL fractions of A. carambola significantly decreased the percentage of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD. Taken together, our results suggest that both fractions of A. carambola may be potentially developed for dermal applications.

  13. Efeito hipotensor do extrato aquoso de alpiste (Phalaris canariensis L.) em ratos

    OpenAIRE

    Balbi, A. P C; Campos, K. E. [UNESP; Alves, M. J Q F [UNESP

    2008-01-01

    The plant species Phalaris canariensis, known as canary grass, is widely used in folk medicine as diuretic, as well as in culinary and animal feed. In this study, the effect of P. canariensis aqueous extract (AE) on water flow (V) and sodium renal excretion (Qe (Na+)) was evaluated in anesthetized Wistar rats. Arterial pressure alterations (AP) were also assessed. Two groups were studied: Control group (CON) - oral administration of 1.0 mL distilled water, and Experimental group (EA) - oral a...

  14. Dynamical Analysis of Stock Market Instability by Cross-correlation Matrix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takaishi, Tetsuya

    2016-08-01

    We study stock market instability by using cross-correlations constructed from the return time series of 366 stocks traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange from January 5, 1998 to December 30, 2013. To investigate the dynamical evolution of the cross-correlations, crosscorrelation matrices are calculated with a rolling window of 400 days. To quantify the volatile market stages where the potential risk is high, we apply the principal components analysis and measure the cumulative risk fraction (CRF), which is the system variance associated with the first few principal components. From the CRF, we detected three volatile market stages corresponding to the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the 2011 Tohoku Region Pacific Coast Earthquake, and the FRB QE3 reduction observation in the study period. We further apply the random matrix theory for the risk analysis and find that the first eigenvector is more equally de-localized when the market is volatile.

  15. Dynamical Analysis of Stock Market Instability by Cross-correlation Matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takaishi, Tetsuya

    2016-01-01

    We study stock market instability by using cross-correlations constructed from the return time series of 366 stocks traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange from January 5, 1998 to December 30, 2013. To investigate the dynamical evolution of the cross-correlations, crosscorrelation matrices are calculated with a rolling window of 400 days. To quantify the volatile market stages where the potential risk is high, we apply the principal components analysis and measure the cumulative risk fraction (CRF), which is the system variance associated with the first few principal components. From the CRF, we detected three volatile market stages corresponding to the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the 2011 Tohoku Region Pacific Coast Earthquake, and the FRB QE3 reduction observation in the study period. We further apply the random matrix theory for the risk analysis and find that the first eigenvector is more equally de-localized when the market is volatile. (paper)

  16. Characterization of Prototype LSST CCDs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    OCONNOR,P.; FRANK, J.; GEARY, J.C.; GILMORE, D.K.; KOTOV, I.; RADEKA, V.; TAKACS, P.; TYSON, J.A.

    2008-06-23

    The ambitious science goals of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will be achieved in part by a wide-field imager that will achieve a new level of performance in terms of area, speed, and sensitivity. The instrument performance is dominated by the focal plane sensors, which are now in development. These new-generation sensors will make use of advanced semiconductor technology and will be complemented by a highly integrated electronics package located inside the cryostat. A test laboratory has been set up at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) to characterize prototype sensors and to develop test and assembly techniques for eventual integration of production sensors and electronics into modules that will form the final focal plane. As described in [1], the key requirements for LSST sensors are wideband quantum efficiency (QE) extending beyond lpm in the red, control of point spread function (PSF), and fast readout using multiple amplifiers per chip operated in parallel. In addition, LSST's fast optical system (f71.25) places severe constraints on focal plane flatness. At the chip level this involves packaging techniques to minimize warpage of the silicon die, and at the mosaic level careful assembly and metrology to achieve a high coplanarity of the sensor tiles. In view of the long lead time to develop the needed sensor technology, LSST undertook a study program with several vendors to fabricate and test devices which address the most critical performance features [2]. The remainder of this paper presents key results of this study program. Section 2 summarizes the sensor requirements and the results of design optimization studies, and Section 3 presents the sensor development plan. In Section 4 we describe the test bench at BNL. Section 5 reports measurement results obtained to date oh devices fabricated by several vendors. Section 6 presents a summary of the paper and an outlook for the future work. We present characterization methods and results on

  17. Advanced thermodynamics engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Annamalai, Kalyan; Jog, Milind A

    2011-01-01

    Thermolab Excel-Based Software for Thermodynamic Properties and Flame Temperatures of Fuels IntroductionImportance, Significance and LimitationsReview of ThermodynamicsMathematical BackgroundOverview of Microscopic/NanothermodynamicsSummaryAppendix: Stokes and Gauss Theorems First Law of ThermodynamicsZeroth LawFirst Law for a Closed SystemQuasi Equilibrium (QE) and Nonquasi-equilibrium (NQE) ProcessesEnthalpy and First LawAdiabatic Reversible Process for Ideal Gas with Constant Specific HeatsFirst Law for an Open SystemApplications of First Law for an Open SystemIntegral and Differential Form

  18. Separation of coherent and incoherent scattering in liquid para-H{sub 2} by polarisation analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia-Hernandez, M; Mompean, F J [Madrid Univ. (Spain); Schaerpf, O; Andersen, K H [Institut Max von Laue - Paul Langevin (ILL), 38 - Grenoble (France); Fak, B [CEA Centre d` Etudes de Grenoble, 38 (France)

    1997-04-01

    In the 1960 IAEA Symposium on Neutron Scattering, Sarma presented his theoretical study on the scattering of cold neutrons by liquid hydrogen and demonstrated how the intimate coupling between nuclear and rotational degrees of freedom finally results in the possibility of observing collective modes from this material, which to many neutron scatterers is synonymous with `incoherent`. This problem is investigated with polarised neutrons to gain access to a limited region of the (Q,E) space where the collective response from this liquid is found. (author).

  19. Pengepolitik i krise

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hougaard Nielsen, Rasmus

    Despite expansive monetary policy with negative interest rates and Quantitative Easing (QE), the European economy is stuck in a situation with deflationary pressure and low growth. A neglected explanation for the ineffectiveness of monetary policy is the fact that technological development and de......’ capacity to create the most liquid and convenient form of money in the economy – and regain public control over monetary policy – Central Banks should consider introducing Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) with universal access for the whole economy....

  20. Breve declaracion de las sentencias y vocablos obscuros que en el libro del Transito de la muerte se hallan

    OpenAIRE

    Venegas, Alejo

    2015-01-01

    416 f. ; 8º (15 cm.) A obra inclúe, con título propio: Breve declaración de las sentencias y vocablos obscuros que en el libro del Transito de la muerte se hallan A segunda data obtida do colofón Sign.: A-Z8, a-z8, 2A-2F8. Grav. xil. na port. Iniciais Reclamos Colofón Erros na numeración das f. En esta vltima impression enmendada de muchos errores q[e] en las impressiones passadas tenia

  1. Automated Tracking of Tornado-Producing Mesoscale Convective Systems in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuo, K.; Hong, Y.; Clune, T. L.

    2011-12-01

    The great majority of Earth Science events are studied using "snap-shot" observations in time, mainly due to the scarcity of observations with dense temporal coverage and the lack of robust methods amenable to connecting the "snap shots". To enable the studies of these events in the four-dimensional (4D) spatiotemporal space and to demonstrate the utility of this capability, we have applied the neighbor enclosed area tracking (NEAT) method of Inatsu (2009) to three years of high-resolution (in both time and space) NEXRAD-derived and rain-gauge-corrected QE2 precipitation observations and GOES satellite Rapid Scan Operation imagery to track tornado-producing mesoscale convective systems (MCS's). We combine information from the databases of the Tornado History Project (which provides tornado occurrence and trajectory) and the NWS Watch/Warning Archive (which provides severe weather watch/warning locations) to obtain initial estimate of the time and location of a tornado-producing MCS. The NEAT algorithm is then applied to QE2 and GOES data, both forward and backward in time, to identify the entire system as one integral entity from its inception to its eventual dissipation in the 4D spatiotemporal space. For each system so identified, we extract its morphological/structural parameters, such as perimeter length, area, and orientation, from each of the snap shots in time. We also record physical parameters such as minimum and maximum precipitation rates. In addition, we perform areal integral on the precipitation rate field, which in turn enables time integral for the entire MCS throughout its lifecycle to obtain an estimate of the system's precipitation production. We can extend this proof-of-concept prototype to other precipitation producing severe weather events, such as blizzards. Furthermore, the spatiotemporal data collected may be used to discover other data, such as satellite remote sensing observations and model analyses/simulations, which can then be combined

  2. Total Content of Polyphenols and Antioxidant Activity of Different Melliferous Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Pasca

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study polyphenols content and antioxidant activity of melliferous plants for the following: mint (Mentha pulegium, burdock (Arctium lappa, comfrey (Symphytum officinale, plantain (Pantago lanceolata, thyme (Thymus vulgaris, sage (Salvia officinalis, marigold (Calendula officinalis, small marshmallow (Althaea officinalis, echinacea (Echinaceea angustifolia and black popular (Populus nigra were investigated, using two different extraction methods. High content of polyphenols and flavones were extracted from Populus nigra, with an average of both extractions 23.14 mg GAE/g and 78.07 mg QE/g flavones. Among the studied plants, Arctium lappa registered the highest antioxidant activity (0.129 mmol Trolox/mL in alcoholic extract and Echinaceea angustifolia with a value of 0.122 mmol Trolox/mL in aqueous extract. The lowest values were recorded for the antioxidant activity of Althaea officinalis (alcoholic extract and Arctium lappa (aqueous extract. The results show that Arctium lappa, Echinaceea angustifolia and Populus nigra can be considered melliferous plants for their high biologically active compounds potential and bee products (honey and pollen that having the composition of these plants will have high antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

  3. Design and qualification of HPD based designs for safety systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, Mukesh Kr.; Chavan, Madhavi A.; Sawhney, Pratibha A.; Mohanty, Ashutos; John, Ajith K.; Ganesh, G.

    2014-01-01

    Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) and Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLD) are increasingly being used in C and I system of NPPs. The function of such an integrated circuit is not defined by the supplier of the physical component or micro-electronic technology but by the C and I designer. The hardware subsystems implemented in these devices typically use Hardware Description Language (HDL) like VHDL or Verilog to describe the functionality at the design entry level. These circuits are commonly known as 'HDL-Programmed Devices', (HPD). RCnD has developed a set of hardware boards to be used in next generation C and I systems. The boards have been designed based on present day technology and components. The intelligence of these boards has been implemented in HPDs (FPGA/CPLD) using VHDL. Since these boards are used in the safety and safety related systems, they have undergone a rigorous V and V process and qualification tests. This paper discusses the design attributes and qualification of these HPD based designs for nuclear class safety systems. (author)

  4. UPGRADES

    CERN Multimedia

    D. Contardo and J. Spalding

    2012-01-01

      Good progress is being made on the projects that will be installed during LS1. CSC chamber production for ME4/2 is progressing at a rate of four chambers per month, with 25 built so far, and the new electronics for ME1/1 is undergoing a pre-production integration testing. For the RPC chambers, gap production is underway with first deliveries to the chamber assembly sites at CERN and Ghent. The third site at Mumbai will begin production next month. For the PMT replacement in the forward hadron calorimeters (HF), the 1728 PMTs are all characterised and ready to be installed. Testing of the electronics boards is going well. Preparations to replace the HPDs in the outer calorimeter (HO) with SiPMs are also on-track. All components are at CERN and burn-in of the new front-end electronics is proceeding. There are three major upgrade projects targeting the period from LS1 through LS2: a new pixel detector, upgraded photo-detectors and electronics for HCAL, and development of a new L1 Trigger. The new ...

  5. HADRON CALORIMETER (HCAL)

    CERN Multimedia

    Andris Skuja

    HCAL finished commissioning the central and forward detectors during the summer of 2008. HCAL was able to participate in all global runs. In particular, we were anxious to determine the performance of all of the HCAL HPDs at 3.8T. At this point in time this study still has not been completed because of various difficulties CMS has encountered to reach 3.8T. HF Commissioning The HF produces the raw data for the CMS Luminosity determination. It is also an important part of the min-bias trigger and forward jet triggers and physics. In June 2008 the HFs were out of their garages and being worked upon for Castor/Collar platform installation. The HFs were back in the garage position in July and were subject to a series of checks (mainly LED and laser) before starting the CRUZET3 global runs. As part of this sequence, calibration constants were checked via single photo-electrons, the HV choice was finalized and the relative timing was fixed. During CRUZET3 tests of LUMI were performed, and muon signals were measure...

  6. Numerical simulation of current-free double layers created in a helicon plasma device

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Sathyanarayan; Singh, Nagendra

    2012-09-01

    Two-dimensional simulations reveal that when radially confined source plasma with magnetized electrons and unmagnetized ions expands into diverging magnetic field B, a current-free double layer (CFDL) embedded in a conical density structure forms, as experimentally measured in the Australian helicon plasma device (HPD). The magnetized electrons follow the diverging B while the unmagnetized ions tend to flow directly downstream of the source, resulting in a radial electric field (E⊥) structure, which couples the ion and electron flows. Ions are transversely (radially) accelerated by E⊥ on the high potential side of the double layer in the CFDL. The accelerated ions are trapped near the conical surface, where E⊥ reverses direction. The potential structure of the CFDL is U-shaped and the plasma density is enhanced on the conical surface. The plasma density is severely depleted downstream of the parallel potential drop (φ||o) in the CFDL; the density depletion and the potential drop are related by quasi-neutrality condition, including the divergence in the magnetic field and in the plasma flow in the conical structure. The potential and density structures, the CFDL spatial size, its electric field strengths and the electron and ion velocities and energy distributions in the CFDL are found to be in good agreements with those measured in the Australian experiment. The applicability of our results to measured axial potential profiles in magnetic nozzle experiments in HPDs is discussed.

  7. X-Ray Spectro-Polarimetry with Photoelectric Polarimeters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strohmayer, T. E.

    2017-01-01

    We derive a generalization of forward fitting for X-ray spectroscopy to include linear polarization of X-ray sources, appropriate for the anticipated next generation of space-based photoelectric polarimeters. We show that the inclusion of polarization sensitivity requires joint fitting to three observed spectra, one for each of the Stokes parameters, I(E), U(E), and Q(E). The equations for StokesI (E) (the total intensity spectrum) are identical to the familiar case with no polarization sensitivity, and for which the model-predicted spectrum is obtained by a convolution of the source spectrum, F (E), with the familiar energy response function,(E) R(E,E), where (E) and R(E,E) are the effective area and energy redistribution matrix, respectively. In addition to the energy spectrum, the two new relations for U(E) and Q(E) include the source polarization fraction and position angle versus energy, a(E), and 0(E), respectively, and the model-predicted spectra for these relations are obtained by a convolution with the modulated energy response function, (E)(E) R(E,E), where(E) is the energy-dependent modulation fraction that quantifies a polarimeters angular response to 100 polarized radiation. We present results of simulations with response parameters appropriate for the proposed PRAXyS Small Explorer observatory to illustrate the procedures and methods, and we discuss some aspects of photoelectric polarimeters with relevance to understanding their calibration and operation.

  8. Analysis of Quasi-Elastic e-n and e-p Scattering from Deuterium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balsamo, Alexander; Gilfoyle, Gerard; CLAS12 Collaboration

    2017-09-01

    One of Jefferson Lab's goals is to unravel the quark-gluon structure of nuclei. We will use the ratio, R, of electron-neutron to electron-proton scattering on deuterium to probe the magnetic form factor of the neutron. We have developed an end-to-end analysis from simulation to extraction of R in quasi-elastic kinematics for an approved experiment with the CLAS12 detector. We focus on neutrons detected in the CLAS12 calorimeters and protons measured with the CLAS12 forward detector. Events were generated with the Quasi-Elastic Event Generator (QUEEG) and passed through the Monte Carlo code gemc to simulate the CLAS12 response. These simulated events were reconstructed using the latest CLAS12 Common Tools. We first match the solid angle for e-n and e-p events. The electron information is used to predict the path of both a neutron and proton through CLAS12. If both particles interact in CLAS12 the e-n and e-p events have the same solid angle. We select QE events by searching for nuclei near the predicted position. An angular cut between the predicted 3-momentum of the nucleon and the measured value, θpq, separates QE and inelastic events. We will show the simulated R as a function of the four-momentum transfer Q2. Work supported by the University of Richmond and the US Department of Energy.

  9. Intercomparison of lepton-nucleus scattering models in the quasielastic region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobczyk, Joanna E.

    2017-10-01

    I present a discussion of the models of nuclear effects used to describe the inclusive electron-nucleus scattering in the quasielastic (QE) peak region, aiming to compare them and to draw conclusions about their reliability when applied in neutrino-nucleus interactions. A basic motivation is to reduce the systematic errors in the neutrino oscillation experiments. I concentrate on the neutrino energy profile of the T2K experiment, which provides me with a region of the greatest importance in terms of the highest contribution to the charge-current quasielastic (CCQE) cross section. Only electron-nucleus data that overlap with this region is chosen. In order to clarify the analysis, I split the data sets into three groups and draw conclusions separately from each one of them. Six models are selected for this comparison: Benhar's spectral function with and without the final-state interactions (Benhar's SF + FSI); the Valencia spectral function (Valencia SF), for higher energy transfers only with the hole spectral function; the Giessen Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (GiBUU) model; and the local and global Fermi gas models. The latter two are included as a benchmark to quantify the roles of various nuclear effects. All six models are often used in neutrino scattering studies. A short theoretical description of each model is given. Although in the selected data sets the QE mechanism dominates, I also discuss the possible impact of the 2p2h and the Δ contributions.

  10. In Vitro Ion Chelating, Antioxidative Mechanism of Extracts from Fruits and Barks of Tetrapleura tetraptera and Their Protective Effects against Fenton Mediated Toxicity of Metal Ions on Liver Homogenates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Moukette Moukette

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant activity and protective potential of T. tetraptera extracts against ion toxicity. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was investigated spectrophotometrically against several radicals (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•, hydroxyl radical (HO•, and nitric oxide (NO•, followed by the ferric reducing power, total phenols, flavonoid, and flavonol contents. The effects of the extracts on catalase (CAT, superoxide dismutase (SOD, and peroxidase activities were also determined using the standard methods as well as the polyphenol profile using HPLC. The results showed that the hydroethanolic extract of T. tetraptera (CFH has the lowest IC50 value with the DPPH, ABTS, OH, and NO radicals. The same extract also exhibited the significantly higher level of total phenols (37.24 ± 2.00 CAE/g dried extract; flavonoids (11.36 ± 1.88 QE/g dried extract; and flavonols contents (3.95 ± 0.39 QE/g dried extract. The HPLC profile of T. tetraptera revealed that eugenol (958.81 ± 00 mg/g DW, quercetin (353.78 ± 00 mg/g DW, and rutin (210.54 ± 00 mg/g DW were higher in the fruit than the bark extracts. In conclusion, extracts from T. tetraptera may act as a protector against oxidative mediated ion toxicity.

  11. The Michaelis-Menten-Stueckelberg Theorem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander N. Gorban

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available We study chemical reactions with complex mechanisms under two assumptions: (i intermediates are present in small amounts (this is the quasi-steady-state hypothesis or QSS and (ii they are in equilibrium relations with substrates (this is the quasiequilibrium hypothesis or QE. Under these assumptions, we prove the generalized mass action law together with the basic relations between kinetic factors, which are sufficient for the positivity of the entropy production but hold even without microreversibility, when the detailed balance is not applicable. Even though QE and QSS produce useful approximations by themselves, only the combination of these assumptions can render the possibility beyond the “rarefied gas” limit or the “molecular chaos” hypotheses. We do not use any a priori form of the kinetic law for the chemical reactions and describe their equilibria by thermodynamic relations. The transformations of the intermediate compounds can be described by the Markov kinetics because of their low density (low density of elementary events. This combination of assumptions was introduced by Michaelis and Menten in 1913. In 1952, Stueckelberg used the same assumptions for the gas kinetics and produced the remarkable semi-detailed balance relations between collision rates in the Boltzmann equation that are weaker than the detailed balance conditions but are still sufficient for the Boltzmann H-theorem to be valid. Our results are obtained within the Michaelis-Menten-Stueckelbeg conceptual framework.

  12. [Application of classical isothermal adsorption models in heavy metal ions/ diatomite system and related problems].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jian; Wu, Qing-Ding; Wang, Ping; Li, Ke-Lin; Lei, Ming-Jing; Zhang, Wei-Li

    2013-11-01

    In order to fully understand adsorption nature of Cu2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ onto natural diatomite, and to find problems of classical isothermal adsorption models' application in liquid/solid system, a series of isothermal adsorption tests were conducted. As results indicate, the most suitable isotherm models for describing adsorption of Pb2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ onto natural diatomite are Tenkin, Tenkin, Langmuir, Tenkin, Freundlich and Freundlich, respectively, the adsorption of each ion onto natural diatomite is mainly a physical process, and the adsorption reaction is favorable. It also can be found that, when using classical isothermal adsorption models to fit the experimental data in liquid/solid system, the equilibrium adsorption amount q(e) is not a single function of ion equilibrium concentration c(e), while is a function of two variables, namely c(e) and the adsorbent concentration W0, q(e) only depends on c(e)/W(0). Results also show that the classical isothermal adsorption models have a significant adsorbent effect, and their parameter values are unstable, the simulation values of parameter differ greatly from the measured values, which is unhelpful for practical use. The tests prove that four-adsorption-components model can be used for describing adsorption behavior of single ion in nature diatomite-liquid system, its parameters k and q(m) have constant values, which is favorable for practical quantitative calculation in a given system.

  13. Proceedings of the International Laser Science Conference (4th) Held in Atlanta, Georgia on 2-7 October 1988 (Advances in Laser Science-4)

    Science.gov (United States)

    1988-10-07

    under near single collision conditions and therefore not at equilibria. Relative vibrational populations input for Ma2 B-X, v’ z 0-6 werL the ratio I...Facility. REFERENCES V U. J. Tomlinson, J. P. Gordon, P. W. Smith and A. E. Kaplan , Appl. Opt. 21, 2041 (1982). 2 P. W. Smith and U. J. Tomlinson...IEEE QE-20, 30 (1984). $ A. E. Kaplan , JETP Lett. 2A, 114 (1976). A. S. Kaplan , Sov. Phys. JETP 4, 896 (1977). 4 P. W. Smith, W. J. Tomlinson, P

  14. Preliminary results from a novel CVD diamond detector system for molecular imaging applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahon, A.R.

    1996-01-01

    A novel biomolecular imaging system incorporating a Chemical Vapour Deposition diamond detector is in development. The synthetic diamond is used as a UV detector to image nucleic acids in electrophoresis gels. The microstrip diamond detector currently has a spatial resolution of 30 μm. Preliminary results are presented which include: QE measurements of diamond detectors, detector time response, detector UV response and current detection limits of biomolecules in gel. The potential applications of the technology, and its significant advantages in speed and sensitivity over the current systems are discussed

  15. Characterization of DECam focal plane detectors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diehl, H.Thomas; Angstadt, Robert; Campa, Julia; Cease, Herman; Derylo, Greg; Emes, John H.; Estrada, Juan; Kibik, Donna; Flaugher, Brenna L.; Holland, Steve E.; Jonas, Michelle; /Fermilab /Madrid, CIEMAT /LBL, Berkeley /Argonne /Pennsylvania U.

    2008-06-01

    DECam is a 520 Mpix, 3 square-deg FOV imager being built for the Blanco 4m Telescope at CTIO. This facility instrument will be used for the 'Dark Energy Survey' of the southern galactic cap. DECam has chosen 250 ?m thick CCDs, developed at LBNL, with good QE in the near IR for the focal plane. In this work we present the characterization of these detectors done by the DES team, and compare it to the DECam technical requirements. The results demonstrate that the detectors satisfy the needs for instrument.

  16. White polymer light-emitting diode based on polymer blending

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Yong Kyun; Kwon, Soon Kab; Kim, Jun Young; Park, Tae Jin; Song, Dae Ho; Kwon, Jang Hyuk; Choo, Dong Jun; Jang, Jin; Jin, Jae Kyu; You, Hong

    2006-01-01

    A series of white polymer light emitting devices have been fabricated by using a polymer blending system of polyfluorene-based blue and MEH-PPV red polymers. A device structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/polymer/LiF/Al was employed. The white polymer device exhibited a current efficiency of 4.33 cd/A (4,816 cd/m 2 , Q.E. = 1.9 %) and a maximum luminance of 21,430 cd/m 2 at 9.2 V. The CIE coordinates were (0.35, 0.37) at 5 V and (0.29, 0.30) at 9 V.

  17. GC-MS analysis, evaluation of phytochemicals, anti-oxidant, thrombolytic and anti-inflammatory activities of Exacum bicolor

    OpenAIRE

    Appaji Mahesh Ashwini; Latha Puttarudrappa; Belagumba Vijaykumar Ravi; Mala Majumdar

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the GC-MS analysis, phytochemical screening, anti-oxidant, thrombolytic and anti-inflammatory activities of methanol extract of leaves of Exacum bicolor. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of alcohol, phenols, alkanes, aromatic compounds, aldehyde and ethers. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of eight phyto-constituents. The total phenol, flavonoid and alkaloid contents were 18.0 ± 0.2 mg/GAE/g, 13.1 ± 0.4 mg QE/g and 108.0 ± 1.2 mg AE/g re...

  18. Cadmium Removal from Aqueous Systems Using Opuntia albicarpa L. Scheinvar as Biosorbent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosa Icela Beltrán-Hernández

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was to investigate the use of a natural adsorbent like nopal (Opuntia albicarpa L. Scheinvar for removing cadmium from aqueous solutions with low concentrations of this metal. Two treatments were applied to the cladodes: a dehydration to get dehydrated nopal (DHN and heating up to 90°C to obtain a thermally treated nopal (TN. After examining the effect of various pH values (2–7, the capacity of each biosorbent was examined in batch sorption tests at different dosages (0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 3000 mg L−1. The results indicated that adsorption of cadmium to biomass of DHN and TN was highly dependent on pH and biosorbent dosage. The best removal of cadmium (53.3%, corresponding to qe of 0.155 mg g−1 was obtained at pH 4.0 by using the TN sorbent. Infrared and Raman spectra confirmed that cadmium removal occurred via adsorption to –OH functional groups.

  19. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange of multiply-protonated cytochrome c ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wood, T.D.; Guan, Ziqiang; O'Connor, P.B.

    1995-01-01

    Low resolution measurements show gaseous multiply-protonated cytochrome c ions undergo hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange with pseudo first-order kinetics at three distinct exchange levels, suggesting the co-existence of gaseous protein conformations. Although exchange levels first increase with increasing charge values, they decrease at the highest charge values, consistent with solution-phase behavior of cytochrome c, where the native structure unfolds with decreasing pH until folding into a compact A-state at lowest pH. High resolution measurements indicate the presence of at least six H/D exchange levels. Infrared (IR) laser heating and fast collisions via quadrupolar excitation (QE) increase H/D exchange levels (unfolding) while charge-stripping ions to lower charge values can increase or decrease H/D exchange levels (unfolding or folding). Wolynes has suggested studying proteins in vacuo could play an important role in delineating the contributions various forces play in the protein folding process, provided appropriate comparisons can be made between gas-phase and solution-phase structures

  20. Seasat microwave wind and rain observations in severe tropical and midlatitude marine storms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Black, P. G.; Hawkins, J. D.; Gentry, R. C.; Cardone, V. J.

    1985-01-01

    Initial results of studies concerning Seasat measurements in and around tropical and severe midlatitude cyclones over the open ocean are presented, together with an assessment of their accuracy and usefulness. Complementary measurements of surface wind speed and direction, rainfall rate, and the sea surface temperature obtained with the Seasat-A Satellite Scatterometer (SASS), the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR), and the Seasat SAR are analyzed. The Seasat data for the Hurrricanes Fico, Ella, and Greta and the QE II storm are compared with data obtained from aircraft, buoys, and ships. It is shown that the SASS-derived wind speeds are accurate to within 10 percent, and the directions are accurate to within 20 percent. In general, the SASS estimates tend to measure light winds too high and intense winds too low. The errors of the SMMR-derived measurements of the winds in hurricanes tend to be higher than those of the SASS-derived measurements.

  1. Distinct roles of the photosystem II protein PsbS and zeaxanthin in the regulation of light harvesting in plants revealed by fluorescence lifetime snapshots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sylak-Glassman, Emily J; Malnoë, Alizée; De Re, Eleonora; Brooks, Matthew D; Fischer, Alexandra Lee; Niyogi, Krishna K; Fleming, Graham R

    2014-12-09

    The photosystem II (PSII) protein PsbS and the enzyme violaxanthin deepoxidase (VDE) are known to influence the dynamics of energy-dependent quenching (qE), the component of nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) that allows plants to respond to fast fluctuations in light intensity. Although the absence of PsbS and VDE has been shown to change the amount of quenching, there have not been any measurements that can detect whether the presence of these proteins alters the type of quenching that occurs. The chlorophyll fluorescence lifetime probes the excited-state chlorophyll relaxation dynamics and can be used to determine the amount of quenching as well as whether two different genotypes with the same amount of NPQ have similar dynamics of excited-state chlorophyll relaxation. We measured the fluorescence lifetimes on whole leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana throughout the induction and relaxation of NPQ for wild type and the qE mutants, npq4, which lacks PsbS; npq1, which lacks VDE and cannot convert violaxanthin to zeaxanthin; and npq1 npq4, which lacks both VDE and PsbS. These measurements show that although PsbS changes the amount of quenching and the rate at which quenching turns on, it does not affect the relaxation dynamics of excited chlorophyll during quenching. In addition, the data suggest that PsbS responds not only to ΔpH but also to the Δψ across the thylakoid membrane. In contrast, the presence of VDE, which is necessary for the accumulation of zeaxanthin, affects the excited-state chlorophyll relaxation dynamics.

  2. Cloning and Expression of A Rab1a Gene from Trichomonas vaginalis%阴道毛滴虫Rab1a基因的cDNA克隆及重组表达

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    徐晓园; 傅玉才; 许铭炎; 史咏梅; 刘红

    2006-01-01

    目的克隆和分析阴道毛滴虫(Trichomonas vaginalis,Tv)Rab1a基因,构建Rab1a基因表达重组载体并表达其融合蛋白,以进一步探讨其功能.方法提取阴道毛滴虫基因组DNA为模板,扩增TvRab1a基因,用pQE80L载体与TvRab1a cDNA克隆构建原核表达重组体并表达融合蛋白,纯化表达产物并由SDS-PAGE鉴定.结果在阴道毛滴虫cDNA文库克隆中发现了Rab1a基因,序列分析显示Rab1a基因的基因组DNA序列含有一个25 bp大小的内含子.成功构建了pQE/Rab1a原核表达重组体,并表达出预期大小的重组蛋白质.结论分析表明TvRab1a基因是阴道毛滴虫Rab1鸟苷三磷酸酶同源基因,它含有一个25 bp的内含子.获得了该基因的重组蛋白,将对TvRab1a基因的功能进行进一步研究.

  3. Cloning and Expression of Leptospira LipL32 Antigen as a Candidate for Rapid Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nooshin Sohrabi

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective: Leptospirosis as an important emerging infectious zoonotic disease caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. Given the low sensitivity and long duration of its culture, the diagnosis of leptospirosis is mainly based on serological methods. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT is considered as the reference method. Because of the complexity of the MAT, there is an urgent need for the development of new reliable and rapid screening tests for leptospirosis. Major leptospiral outer membrane proteins (OMPs, present only in pathologic strains, could be regarded as a good candidate for diagnostic studies. Here we report the cloning and expression of LipL32, as a prominent immunogenic protein, in a prokaryotic system. Materials and Methods: After the amplification of LipL32 gene, it was cloned into the pQE30 vector. The insertion of LipL32 gene into the vector was screened and confirmed with restriction analysis and sequencing. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli M15 strain, and the expressed protein was identified by SDS-PAGE and western blotting. This recombinant protein with 6× His-tagged sequence was purified using Ni-NTA affinity column chromatography. Results: The results revealed that the selected gene was successfully cloned in pQE30 vector and recombinant protein (rLipL32 of approximately ~32 kDa was produced, purified and confirmed by western blotting. Conclusion: This recombinant protein could be potentially used for the development of serodiagnosis tests for the diagnosis of leptospirosis in humans and animals.

  4. Model Uncertainties for Valencia RPA Effect for MINERvA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gran, Richard [Univ. of Minnesota, Duluth, MN (United States)

    2017-05-08

    This technical note describes the application of the Valencia RPA multi-nucleon effect and its uncertainty to QE reactions from the GENIE neutrino event generator. The analysis of MINERvA neutrino data in Rodrigues et al. PRL 116 071802 (2016) paper makes clear the need for an RPA suppression, especially at very low momentum and energy transfer. That published analysis does not constrain the magnitude of the effect; it only tests models with and without the effect against the data. Other MINERvA analyses need an expression of the model uncertainty in the RPA effect. A well-described uncertainty can be used for systematics for unfolding, for model errors in the analysis of non-QE samples, and as input for fitting exercises for model testing or constraining backgrounds. This prescription takes uncertainties on the parameters in the Valencia RPA model and adds a (not-as-tight) constraint from muon capture data. For MINERvA we apply it as a 2D ($q_0$,$q_3$) weight to GENIE events, in lieu of generating a full beyond-Fermi-gas quasielastic events. Because it is a weight, it can be applied to the generated and fully Geant4 simulated events used in analysis without a special GENIE sample. For some limited uses, it could be cast as a 1D $Q^2$ weight without much trouble. This procedure is a suitable starting point for NOvA and DUNE where the energy dependence is modest, but probably not adequate for T2K or MicroBooNE.

  5. Use of Moringa oleifera Flower Pod Extract as Natural Preservative and Development of SCAR Marker for Its DNA Based Identification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gull, Iram; Javed, Attia; Aslam, Muhammad Shahbaz; Mushtaq, Roohi; Athar, Muhammad Amin

    2016-01-01

    The use of Moringa oleifera as natural food preservative has been evaluated in the present study. In addition, for quality assurance, the study has also been focused on the shelf life of product to authenticate the identification of plant by development of DNA based marker. Among the different extracts prepared from flower pods of Moringa oleifera, methanol and aqueous extract exhibited high antibacterial and antioxidant activity, respectively. The high phenolic contents (53.5 ± 0.169 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid contents (10.9 ± 0.094 mg QE/g) were also recorded in methanol and aqueous extract, respectively. Due to instability of bioactive compounds in aqueous extract, methanol extract is considered as potent natural preservative. The shelf life of methanol extract was observed for two months at 4°C under dark conditions. The developed SCAR primers (MOF217/317/MOR317) specifically amplified a fragment of 317 bp from DNA of Moringa oleifera samples collected from different regions of Punjab province of Pakistan. The methanol extract of Moringa oleifera flower pods has great potential to be used as natural preservative and nutraceutical in food industry.

  6. SASS wind ambiguity removal by direct minimization. II - Use of smoothness and dynamical constraints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, R. N.

    1984-01-01

    A variational analysis method (VAM) is used to remove the ambiguity of the Seasat-A Satellite Scatterometer (SASS) winds. The VAM yields the best fit to the data by minimizing an objective function S which is a measure of the lack of fit. The SASS data are described and the function S and the analysis procedure are defined. Analyses of a single ship report which are analogous to Green's functions are presented. The analysis procedure is tuned and its sensitivity is described using the QE II storm. The procedure is then applied to a case study of September 6, 1978, south of Japan.

  7. Competências emocionais e comportamentos fisicamente abusivos

    OpenAIRE

    Martins, Cláudia Rafaela; Alves, Paulo Jorge; Lucas, Susana; Veiga-Branco, Augusta

    2012-01-01

    A Inteligência Emocional (QE) alcançou, nas últimas três décadas, uma incontornável notoriedade no contexto da investigação psicológica (Joseph & Newman, 2010). Destaca-se, neste contexto, o trabalho de Daniel Goleman que promoveu esta linha de investigação, afirmando o reconhecimento das emoções, a sua catalogação e evocação como o primado da Inteligência Emocional (Goleman, 2003). Neste sentido, o espaço de intervenção da Inteligência Emocional afirma-se no contexto da violência conjugal en...

  8. Scoping Study Investigating PWR Instrumentation during a Severe Accident Scenario

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rempe, J. L. [Rempe and Associates, LLC, Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Knudson, D. L. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Lutz, R. J. [Lutz Nuclear Safety Consultant, LLC, Asheville, NC (United States)

    2015-09-01

    The accidents at the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) and Fukushima Daiichi Units 1, 2, and 3 nuclear power plants demonstrate the critical importance of accurate, relevant, and timely information on the status of reactor systems during a severe accident. These events also highlight the critical importance of understanding and focusing on the key elements of system status information in an environment where operators may be overwhelmed with superfluous and sometimes conflicting data. While progress in these areas has been made since TMI-2, the events at Fukushima suggests that there may still be a potential need to ensure that critical plant information is available to plant operators. Recognizing the significant technical and economic challenges associated with plant modifications, it is important to focus on instrumentation that can address these information critical needs. As part of a program initiated by the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), a scoping effort was initiated to assess critical information needs identified for severe accident management and mitigation in commercial Light Water Reactors (LWRs), to quantify the environment instruments monitoring this data would have to survive, and to identify gaps where predicted environments exceed instrumentation qualification envelop (QE) limits. Results from the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) scoping evaluations are documented in this report. The PWR evaluations were limited in this scoping evaluation to quantifying the environmental conditions for an unmitigated Short-Term Station BlackOut (STSBO) sequence in one unit at the Surry nuclear power station. Results were obtained using the MELCOR models developed for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-sponsored State of the Art Consequence Assessment (SOARCA) program project. Results from this scoping evaluation indicate that some instrumentation identified to provide critical information would be exposed to conditions that

  9. Objective Metric Based Assessments for Efficient Evaluation of Auditory Situation Awareness Characteristics of Tactical Communications and Protective Systems (TCAPS) and Augmented Hearing Protective Devices (HPDs)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-11-30

    rocker -style, single-ended) earplug...X50_unity_ ComTac_III_max_ Combat_Arms_open EB15LE_max_ dB 125 Hz, Speaker at 9 open ear A AB ABC BCD BCD CDE DE DE E -1 1 3 5 7 9...Speaker at 9 open ear A B BC BCD BCD BCD CDE DE E -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 Combat_Arms_open QuietPro_unity_ X50_unity_

  10. Comparison of properties of new sources of partially purified inulin to those of commercially pure chicory inulin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mudannayake, Deshani C; Wimalasiri, Kuruppu M S; Silva, Kahandage F S T; Ajlouni, Said

    2015-05-01

    Newly developed inulin powders were prepared from roots of Asparagus falcatus (AF) and Taraxacum javanicum (TJ) plants grown in Sri Lanka. Inulin content, analyzed by enzymatic spectrophotometric as well as high-performance liquid chromatographic methods, showed that AF and TJ inulin powders contain 65.5% and 45.4% (dry wt) inulin, respectively, compared with 72% dry wt in the commercially available chicory inulin. Treating the AF and TJ inulin powders using ion exchange techniques significantly (P inulin into fructose and glucose by fructanase, and FT-IR analyses proved that the developed AF and TJ inulins have characteristic molecular composition similar to commercial inulin. TJ inulin contained significantly (P inulin, which contained 1.33 mg GAE/g of total phenolics, 0.43 mg QE/g of total flavonoids, and 406.26 mM TE/g antioxidant capacity. The current study suggests that the newly developed inulin from AF and TJ roots could be used as an alternative commercial source of inulin for the food industry. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

  11. Noble metal-free RGO/TiO2 composite nanofiber with enhanced photocatalytic H2-production performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Difa; Li, Lingling; He, Rongan; Qi, Lifang; Zhang, Liuyang; Cheng, Bei

    2018-03-01

    1D reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/TiO2 nanocomposite fibers were fabricated by a facile two-step method. These samples demonstrated high photocatalytic H2-production activity from methanol aqueous solution, even without the aid of noble metal. When the ratio of RGO is 0.25 wt%, the highest H2-production rate was achieved. It increased by 10 fold than bare TiO2, reaching 149 μmol h-1 g-1 with quantum efficiency (QE) of 0.75%. The reasons were as follows. Firstly, the RGO nanosheets acted as electron acceptors. Secondly, some shallow trap states at the surface or interface of TiO2 were created by the reduction of GO during calcination. Thirdly, the redox potential position of graphene/graphene- was suitable. Fourthly, RGO could efficiently promote the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and significantly enhance the photocatalytic H2-production activity. This interpretation was corroborated by transient photocurrent response. The aforementioned marvelous results provided a probable solution to replace noble metals (such as Pt) by graphene as an effective cocatalyst.

  12. First-principles analysis of ferroelectric transition in MnSnO3 and MnTiO3 perovskites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Sung Gu

    2018-06-01

    The ferroelectric instabilities of an artificially adopted Pnma structure in low tolerance perovskites have been explored (Kang et al., 2017) [4], where an unstable A-site environment was reported to be the major driving source for the low tolerance perovskites to exhibit ferroelectric instability. This study examined the ferroelectric transition of two magnetic perovskite materials, MnSnO3 and MnTiO3, in Pnma phase. Phase transitions to the Pnma phase at elevated pressures were observed. MnSnO3, which has a lower (larger) tolerance factor (B-site cation radius), showed a higher ferroelectric mode amplitude than MnTiO3. The distribution of the bond length of Mn-O and the mean quadratic elongation (QE) of octahedra (SnO6 or TiO6) were investigated for structural analysis. However, MnTiO3 showed a larger spontaneous polarization than MnSnO3 due to high Born effective charges of titanium. This study is useful because it provides a valuable pathway to the design of promising multiferroic materials.

  13. Development of a Large Area Advanced Fast RICH Detector for Particle Identification at the Large Hadron Collider Operated with Heavy Ions

    CERN Multimedia

    Piuz, F; Braem, A; Van beelen, J B; Lion, G; Gandi, A

    2002-01-01

    %RD26 %title\\\\ \\\\During the past two years, RD26 groups have focused their activities on the production of CsI-RICH prototypes of large area, up to a square meter, to demonstrate their application in High Energy experiments. Many large CsI-photocathodes (up to 40) were produced following the processing techniques furthermore developped in the collaboration. Taking the Quantum Efficiency (QE) measured at 180 nm as a comparative figure of merit of a CsI-PC. Figure 1 shows the increase of the performance while improvements were successively implemented in the PC processing sequence. Most efficient were the use of substrates made of nickel, the heat treatment and handling of the PCs under inert gas. Actually, three large systems based on CsI-RICH have got approval in the following HEP experiments: HADES at GSI, COMPASS/NA58 at CERN and HMPID/ALICE at LHC implying up to 14 square metres of CsI-PC. In addition, several CsI-RICH detectors have been successfully operated in the Threshold Imaging Detector at NA44 and ...

  14. Optimization of an organic yogurt based on sensorial, nutritional, and functional perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karnopp, Ariadne Roberto; Oliveira, Katherine Guimarães; de Andrade, Eriel Forville; Postingher, Bruna Mara; Granato, Daniel

    2017-10-15

    The effects of purple grape juice (PGJ), grape skin flour (GSF), and oligofructose (OLI) on proximate composition, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AA), sensory, physicochemical, and textural properties of yogurts were analyzed using response surface methodology. Multiple regression models were proposed and results showed that PGJ increased the viscosity, AA, and TPC, while GSF increased the ash and total fiber contents of yogurts. GSF and OLI increased the hardness and consistency. A simultaneous optimization was performed to maximize TPC, ash and fibers contents, and sensory acceptance: a yogurt containing 1.7% GSF and 8.0% PGJ had a high fiber (5.60±0.13%) and ash (0.76±0.02%) contents, TPC (28.32±2.10mg GAE/100g), AA toward DPPH (57.85±1.36mg AAE/100g), and total reducing capacity (28.86±5.19mg QE/100g). The optimized yogurt had 79% acceptability index, indicating the use of PGJ and GSF is a feasible alternative to increase the functional properties of yogurts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Molecular analysis of mxbD and mxbM, a putative sensor-regulator pair required for oxidation of methanol in Methylobacterium extorquens AM1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Springer, A L; Morris, C J; Lidstrom, M E

    1997-05-01

    Five genes are thought to be required for transcription of methanol oxidation genes in Methylobacterium strains. These putative regulatory genes include mxcQE, which encode a putative sensor-regulator pair, and mxbDM and mxaB, whose functions are less well-understood. In this study, mxbDM in Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 were shown to be required for expression of a xylE transcriptional fusion to the structural gene for the large subunit of methanol dehydrogenase (mxaF), confirming the role of these genes in transcriptional regulation of mxaF. The nucleotide sequence suggests that mxbD encodes a histidine protein kinase with two transmembrane domains and that mxbM encodes a DNA-binding response regulator. A xylE transcriptional fusion to the putative mxbD promoter showed low-level expression in wild-type cells grown on one-carbon (C1) compounds and no detectable expression in cells grown on succinate. Deletion analysis of this promoter construct showed that the region 229-129 bp upstream of the start of mxbD is required for expression. The expression of the mxbD-xylE fusion was examined in each of the five known regulatory mutant classes. xylE expression was reduced to non-detectable levels in MxcQ and MxcE mutants, but was not affected in the other regulatory mutants or in non-regulatory mutants defective in methanol oxidation. These results suggest a regulatory hierarchy in which the sensor-regulator pair MxcQE control expression of the sensor-regulator pair MxbDM, and MxbDM in turn control expression of a number of genes involved in methanol oxidation.

  16. Optimized Spectrometers Characterization Procedure for Near Ground Support of ESA FLEX Observations: Part 1 Spectral Calibration and Characterisation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Mihai

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents two procedures for the wavelength calibration, in the oxygen telluric absorption spectral bands (O2-A, λc = 687 nm and O2-B, λc = 760.6 nm, of field fixed-point spectrometers used for reflectance and Sun-induced fluorescence measurements. In the first case, Ne and Ar pen-type spectral lamps were employed, while the second approach is based on a double monochromator setup. The double monochromator system was characterized for the estimation of errors associated with different operating configurations. The proposed methods were applied to three Piccolo Doppio-type systems built around two QE Pros and one USB2 + H16355 Ocean Optics spectrometers. The wavelength calibration errors for all the calibrations performed on the three spectrometers are reported and potential methodological improvements discussed. The suggested calibration methods were validated, as the wavelength corrections obtained by both techniques for the QE Pro designed for fluorescence investigations were similar. However, it is recommended that a neon emission line source, as well as an argon or mercury-argon source be used to have a reference wavelength closer to the O2-B feature. The wavelength calibration can then be optimised as close to the O2-B and O2-A features as possible. The monochromator approach could also be used, but that instrument would need to be fully characterized prior to use, and although it may offer a more accurate calibration, as it could be tuned to emit light at the same wavelengths as the absorption features, it would be more time consuming as it is a scanning approach.

  17. Green Barley as an Ingredient in Pasta: Antioxidant Activity and Sensory Characteristics Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivanišová Eva

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The aims of the present study was to determine antioxidant activity, sensory properties as well as total polyphenol, flavonoid and chlorophyll content of raw and cooked pasta enriched by 1%, 3% and 5% addition of green barley powder. Results of antioxidant activity showed that increase of green barley addition increase antioxidant activity of pasta. The values in raw pasta obtained by DPPH ranged from 1.17 (control to 1.81 (5% addition mg TEAC/g DM, after cooking values ranged from 0.82 (control to 1.59 (5% addition mg TEAC/g DM. Similar tendency was signed by molybdenum reducing antioxidant power method. In enriched pasta was also found higher content of total polyphenol (0.19 in control raw sample and 1.81 mg GAE/g DM in pasta with 5 % of green barley addition; values of cooked pasta ranged from 0.10 in control sample to 0.73 mg GAE/g DM in pasta with 5 % of green barley addition as well as total flavonoid content (results of raw pasta were from 0.00 in control sample to 0.41 mg QE/g DM in pasta with 5% of green barley addition; values of cooked pasta were from 0.00 in control sample to 0.29 mg QE/g DM in variant with 5% green barley. Green barley also enriched pasta for chlorophyll with the best results in 5% addition. From prepared variants of enriched pasta the best overall acceptability was sign in 3% of green barley addition. Pastas enriched with plant-derived bioactive compounds such as green barley may confer health benefits to consumers.

  18. Antioxidant Activity of Some Extracts from GAMMA Irradiated Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Peel and Seed

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soliman, I.A; Afify, S.A; Hasanin, F.R; El Sahy, K.M

    2014-01-01

    The present study aims to evaluate the antioxidant activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel and seed (obtained as waste from juice extraction) using different solvents as diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, ethanol 50 ⁒, ethanol 80⁒: methanol 50⁒, methanol 80⁒ and distilled water. The measurements of the antioxidant activity of all extracts were carried out using a radical scavenging activity against 2,2 ' ,-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), β-Carotene⁒linoleic acid bleaching and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Moreover, the effect of gamma irradiation at dose levels of 3, 6 and 9 kGy on, antioxidant activity of the best pomegranate peel and seed samples that possessed highest antioxidant activity was investigated. Results showed that ethanolic 50⁒ peel extract had a higher total phenolic contents (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) in both peel and seed, (9323.17 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) 100 g -1 , 2998.05 mg quercetin equivalent (QE) 100 g -1 and 352.09 mg GAE 100 g -1 ,106.78 mg QE 100 g -1 dry weight (DW), respectively than other extracts. Ethanolic 50⁒ extracts showed higher antioxidant activity than other peel and seed extracts. In addition, ethanolic 50⁒ extract of irradiated pomegranate peel and seed at dose level of 6 kGy extract had higher TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity compared to other doses. Thus, ethanolic 50⁒ extract of irradiated pomegranate peel and seed at 6 kGy may be considered as a good source of natural compounds with-antioxidant activity which could be suitable as potential ingredient for food products.

  19. Dynamical evolution of entanglement of a three-qubit system driven by a classical environmental colored noise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenfack, Lionel Tenemeza; Tchoffo, Martin; Fouokeng, Georges Collince; Fai, Lukong Cornelius

    2018-04-01

    The effects of 1/f^{α } (α =1,2) noise stemming from one or a collection of random bistable fluctuators (RBFs), on the evolution of entanglement, of three non-interacting qubits are investigated. Three different initial configurations of the qubits are analyzed in detail: the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ)-type states, W-type states and mixed states composed of a GHZ state and a W state (GHZ-W). For each initial configuration, the evolution of entanglement is investigated for three different qubit-environment (Q-E) coupling setups, namely independent environments, mixed environments and common environment coupling. With the help of tripartite negativity and suitable entanglement witnesses, we show that the evolution of entanglement is extremely influenced not only by the initial configuration of the qubits, the spectrum of the environment and the Q-E coupling setup considered, but also by the number of RBF modeling the environment. Indeed, we find that the decay of entanglement is accelerated when the number of fluctuators modeling the environment is increased. Furthermore, we find that entanglement can survive indefinitely to the detrimental effects of noise even for increasingly larger numbers of RBFs. On the other hand, we find that the proficiency of the tripartite entanglement witnesses to detect entanglement is weaker than that of the tripartite negativity and that the symmetry of the initial states is broken when the qubits are coupled to the noise in mixed environments. Finally, we find that the 1 / f noise is more harmful to the survival of entanglement than the 1/f2 noise and that the mixed GHZ-W states followed by the GHZ-type states preserve better entanglement than the W-type ones.

  20. How do closed-compact multi-lamellar droplets form under shear flow? A possible mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Courbin, L.; Pons, R.; Rouch, J.; Panizza, P.

    2003-01-01

    The formation of closed-compact multi-lamellar droplets obtained upon shearing both a lamellar phase (Lα) and a two-phase separated lamellar-sponge (Lα-L3) mixture is investigated as a function of the shear rate dot gamma, using small-angle light scattering (SALS) and cross-polarized optical microscopy. In both systems the formation of droplets occurs homogeneously in the cell at a well-defined wave vector qe propto dot gamma1/3 via a strain-controlled process. These results suggest that the formation of droplets may be monitored in both systems by a buckling instability of the lamellae as predicted from a recent theory.

  1. Radiation initiated copolymerization of allyl alcohol with acrylonitrile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solpan, Dilek; Guven, Olgun

    1996-01-01

    Copolymerization of allyl alcohol (AA) with acrylonitrile (AN) initiated by γ-rays has been investigated to determine the respective reactivity ratios. Three different experimental techniques, namely Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Ultraviolet (UV/vis) and elemental analysis (EA) have been used for the determination of copolymer compositions. Fineman-Ross (FR), Kelen-Tudos (KT), Non-Linear Least Square (NLLS) Analysis and Q-e methods have been applied to the three sets of experimental data. It has been concluded that data obtained from elemental analysis as applied to the Non-Linear Least Square approach gave the most reliable reactivity ratios as 2.09 and 0.40 for acrylonitrile and allyl alcohol, respectively. (Author)

  2. Expression and Purification of Fusion Protein of S.typhimurium FIiC%鼠伤寒沙门氏茵鞭毛蛋白FIiC的原核表达及纯化

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    王鹤; 梁宏儒; 胡旭; 赵达; 姜东君; 尹辉; 高佳滨; 陈为宏; 崔玉东; 朱战波

    2012-01-01

    对鼠伤寒沙门氏菌的鞭毛蛋白FliC的基因进行克隆、鉴定和原核表达,为鞭毛蛋白佐剂作用的研究奠定基础。以鼠伤寒沙门氏菌8014菌株基因组DNA为模板,PCR扩增Flic基因,产物与T载体连接,经测序鉴定正确后与表达载体pQE30(+)连接构建重组表达质粒Flic—pQE30,将此重组质粒转化人表达宿主E.coliXLI—Blue菌株内抽提质粒,酶切鉴定正确后对转化菌株以1PTG进行诱导后,表达产物经镍离子亲和层析柱纯化后,进行SDS—PAGE和Westernblot分析。测序结果显示,FliC为完整的编码区基因1485bp,编码495个氨基酸残基,蛋白相对分子质量约为56kDa。经SDS—PAGE分析表明,以37℃、1mM的IPTG诱导5h,表达效果最好,诱导产物是与理论值相符的56kDa的融合蛋白。经western—blotting检测,表达的重组蛋白FliC可与小鼠抗鼠伤寒沙门氏菌全菌体多抗血清反应得到清晰的目的条带,表明表达的重组蛋白具有良好的反应原性。成功进行了鼠伤寒沙门氏菌鞭毛蛋白nic基因的克隆表达,为进一步研究其免疫佐剂作用奠定了基础。%The purpose of this study was to clone, express and identify FliC protein of Salmonella typhimurium in order to provide the foundation for the study of adjuvant effects of FliC. The gene encoding protein FliC was amplified from the genomic DNA of S.typhimurium 8014 by using PCR technique. The amplified product was cloned into pMD18-T. Plasmids containing the right insert were sequenced to confirm its identity,and then cloned into expression vector pQE30 (+). The constructed recombinant plasmid Flic-pQE30 was transformed to E.cali XL1-Blue and induced with IPTG, and the expressed product was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Sequence analysis showed that the full coding length of Flic was 1 485 bp,which could encode 495 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 56 kD.The SDS-PAGE electrophoresis

  3. Antioxidant activity of Rafflesia kerrii flower extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puttipan, Rinrampai; Okonogi, Siriporn

    2014-02-01

    Rafflesia kerrii has been used in Thai traditional remedies for treatment of several diseases. However, scientific data particularly on biological activities of this plant is very rare. The present study explores an antioxidant activity of R. kerrii flower (RKF). Extracting solvent and extraction procedure were found to play an important role on the activity of RKF extract. The extract obtained from water-ethanol system showed higher antioxidant activity than that from water-propylene glycol system. Fractionated extraction using different solvents revealed that methanol fractionated extract (RM) possessed the highest antioxidant activity with Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and inhibitory concentration of 50% inhibition (IC50) values of approximately 39 mM/mg and 3 μg/mL, respectively. Phytochemical assays demonstrated that RM contained extremely high quantity of phenolic content with gallic antioxidant equivalent (GAE) and quercetin equivalent (QE) values of approximately 312 mg/g and 16 mg/g, respectively. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV- VIS) and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicated that gallic acid was a major component. RM which was stored at 40°C, 75% RH for 4 months showed slightly significant change (p antioxidant activity with zero order degradation. The results of this study could be concluded that R. kerrii flower was a promising natural source of strong antioxidant compounds.

  4. Heat exchange between a microparticle and plasma. Contribution of charge transfer processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uglov, A.A.; Gnedovets, A.G.

    1983-01-01

    Heat- and mass-transfer in interaction of a microparticle with a dense plasma have been considered analytically. At that, calculation methods developed as applied to probe diagnostics of slightly ionized plasma are also used in the case of relatively high degrees of ionization, at which heat flows of plasma charged particles Qe and Qi become comparable with molecular ones. High efficiency of energy transfer during electron and ion collisions with a microparticle is due to the following: 1) effective cross section of ion collision with a microparticle, which acquires in a quasineutral plasma the potential phisub(f) < 0, surpasses the geometric one; the maximum contribution of electron and ion constituent is achieved when the cross section ion collisions with a microparticle is linearly connected with its potential, 2) with a charged microparticle electrons from distribution function ''tail'' collide, their energy exceeds potential barrier near the surface and, consequently, the mean heat energy; 3) besides the energy of a microparticle thermal movement during electron recombination and ion neutralization on its surface the heat Qsub(e) and Qsub(i), which considerably exceed the heat of molecular adsorption and mean heat energy of plasma particles at kT approximately 1 eV, are transmitted to the microparticle

  5. Testing CuO nanowires as a novel X-ray to electron converter for gas-filled radiation detectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarei, H.; Saramad, S.; Razaghi, S.

    2017-10-01

    Nanowires, due to their special physical properties and also high surface to volume ratio, can have considerable applications in designing and development of novel nanodevices. For the radiation shielding, higher absorption coefficient of nanostructures in comparison to bulk ones is an advantage. In gas detectors, designing a proper converter that absorbs higher energy of gamma and X-rays and convert it to more free electrons is one of the major problems. Since the nanowires have higher surface to volume ratio in comparison to the bulk one, so it is expected that by optimizing the thickness, the generated electrons can have higher chance to escape from the surface. In this work, the random CuO nanowires with diameter of 40 nm are deposited on thin glass slide. This nanostructure with different thicknesses are tested by plastic and CsI scintillators by X-ray tube with HVs in the range of 16 to 25 kV. The results show that for the same thickness, the CuO nanowires can release electrons six times more than the bulk ones and for the same energy the optimum QE of nanoconverter can be three times greater than the bulk converter. This novel nanoconverter with higher detection efficiency can have applications in high energy physics, medical imaging and also astronomy.

  6. Comparison of Antioxidant Properties of Wild Blueberries (Vaccinium arctostaphylos L. and Vaccinium myrtillus L. with Cultivated Blueberry Varieties (Vaccinium corymbosum L. in Artvin Region of Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Özlem Saral

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Vaccinium arctostaphylos L. and Vaccinium myrtillus L. which are found naturally in most part of Blacksea Region, and Artvin are generally called bear grape, Trabzon tea, and likapa. In addition, different varieties of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. have been cultivated in Artvin region for 5 or 6 years. Blueberries contain appreciable levels of phenolic compounds, including anthocyanins and flavonols that have high biological activity. V. arctostaphylos and V. myrtillus show that natural distrubition with received V. corymbosum of different cultured species in Artvin region will be determined antioxidant activity in this study. In this study showed that wild species had a higher antioxidant effect than cultivated species. V. myrtillus had high total polyphenols (11.539-20.742 mg GAE/g dry sample, flavonoids (1.182-2.676 mg QE/g dry sample and anthocyanins (3.305-11.473 mg Cyn/g dry sample than V. corymbosum species. In addition, wild species had high CUPRAC, FRAP and DPPH values. The antioxidant activities found with CUPRAC, expressed as trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity ranged from 0.143 to 0.297 mmol TEAC/g dry sample. Those determined with DPPH expressed as IC50 ranged from 0.229 to 1.178 mg/ml. Those determined with FRAP expressed as FeSO4.7H2O equivalent were in 130.719–346.115 µmol Fe/g dry sample range.

  7. Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Activities of Dianthus Thunbergii Hooper and Hypoxis Argentea Harv Ex Baker: Plants Used for the Management of Diabetes Mellitus in Eastern Cape, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akinrinde, Akinleye Stephen; Afolayan, Anthony Jide; Bradley, Graeme

    2018-01-01

    Inhabitants of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa use the roots of Dianthus thunbergii and corms of Hypoxis argentea to treat diabetes mellitus and other ailments. The objective of this study was to analyze the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activities of the aqueous and ethanol extracts of the roots and corms of two plants. Total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols, proanthocyanidins, tannins, and alkaloids were determined by standard methods. The scavenging activities of the extracts against 1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), and their ferric-reducing antioxidant potentials (FRAPs) were measured. The ethanol extract of H. argentea had the highest content of phenolics (66.71 ± 2.71 mg gallic acid equivalent/g) and tannins (1.18 ± 0.07 mg TAE/g), while the ethanol extract of D. thunbergii gave higher contents of flavonoids and proanthocyanidins (62.21 ± 1.75 mg Qe/g and 432.62 ± 2.43 mg Ca/g, respectively). Flavonols were the most predominant in the aqueous extract of H. argentea (25.51 ± 1.92 mg Qe/g). We observed a concentration-dependent response in the ABTS- and H 2 O 2 -scavenging activities and FRAP values of the extracts and standards (Vitamin C, butylated hydroxytoluene, and rutin). The ethanol extracts of both plants generally demonstrated better antioxidant activities against H 2 O 2 , NO, and ABTS while also possessing better reducing power than the aqueous extracts. The aqueous extract of D. thunbergii , however, showed the best DPPH scavenging activity. The higher content of phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity obtained for the ethanol extracts of D. thunbergii and H. argentea may prove to be valuable information in selecting suitable extraction solvents for the medicinal applications of both plants. Ethanol extracts of Hypoxis argentea had the highest levels of phenolics and tanninsEthanol extracts of Dianthus

  8. Electron Source based on Superconducting RF

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xin, Tianmu

    High-bunch-charge photoemission electron-sources operating in a Continuous Wave (CW) mode can provide high peak current as well as the high average current which are required for many advanced applications of accelerators facilities, for example, electron coolers for hadron beams, electron-ion colliders, and Free-Electron Lasers (FELs). Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) has many advantages over other electron-injector technologies, especially when it is working in CW mode as it offers higher repetition rate. An 112 MHz SRF electron photo-injector (gun) was developed at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) to produce high-brightness and high-bunch-charge bunches for electron cooling experiments. The gun utilizes a Quarter-Wave Resonator (QWR) geometry for a compact structure and improved electron beam dynamics. The detailed RF design of the cavity, fundamental coupler and cathode stalk are presented in this work. A GPU accelerated code was written to improve the speed of simulation of multipacting, an important hurdle the SRF structure has to overcome in various locations. The injector utilizes high Quantum Efficiency (QE) multi-alkali photocathodes (K2CsSb) for generating electrons. The cathode fabrication system and procedure are also included in the thesis. Beam dynamic simulation of the injector was done with the code ASTRA. To find the optimized parameters of the cavities and beam optics, the author wrote a genetic algorithm Python script to search for the best solution in this high-dimensional parameter space. The gun was successfully commissioned and produced world record bunch charge and average current in an SRF photo-injector.

  9. Induction of cyclic electron flow around photosystem I during heat stress in grape leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Yongjiang; Geng, Qingwei; Du, Yuanpeng; Yang, Xinghong; Zhai, Heng

    2017-03-01

    Photosystem II (PSII) in plants is susceptible to high temperatures. The cyclic electron flow (CEF) around PSI is thought to protect both PSII and PSI from photodamage. However, the underlying physiological mechanisms of the photosynthetic electron transport process and the role of CEF in grape at high temperatures remain unclear. To investigate this issue, we examined the responses of PSII energy distribution, the P700 redox state and CEF to high temperatures in grape leaves. After exposing 'Cabernet Sauvignon' leaves to various temperatures (25, 30, 35, 40 and 45°C) in the light (600μmol photons m -2 s -1 ) for 4h, the maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) significantly decreased at high temperatures (40 and 45°C), while the maximum photo-oxidizable P700 (Pm) was not affected. As the temperature increased, higher initial rates of increase in post-illumination Chl fluorescence were detected, which were accompanied by an increase in high energy state quenching (qE). The chloroplast NAD(P)H dehydrogenase-dependent CEF (NDH-dependent CEF) activities were different among grape cultivators. 'Gold Finger' with greater susceptibility to photoinhibition, exhibited lower NDH-dependent CEF activities under acute heat stress than a more heat tolerant 'Cabernet Sauvignon'. These results suggest that overclosure of PSII reaction centers at high temperature resulted in the photoinhibition of PSII, while the stimulation of CEF in grape played an important role in the photoprotection of PSII and PSI at high temperatures through contributing to the generation of a proton gradient. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Bottleneck analysis and strategic planning using Tanahashi model for childhood diarrhea management in Gujarat, Western India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rupani, Mihir Prafulbhai; Gaonkar, Narayan T; Bhatt, Gneyaa S

    2016-10-01

    In spite of continued efforts, India is still lagging behind in achieving its MDG goals. The objectives of this study were to identify stake-holders who have a role to play in childhood diarrhea management, to identify gaps in childhood diarrhea management and to propose strategic options for relieving these gaps. Bottleneck analysis exercise was carried out based on the Tanahashi model in six High Priority Districts (HPDs) of Gujarat in period between July-November 2013. The major bottlenecks identified for Childhood Diarrhea management were poor demand generation, unsafe drinking water, poor access to improved sanitation facility and lack of equitable distribution and replenishment mechanisms for Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) packets and Zinc tablets till the front-line worker level. The main strategic options that were suggested for relieving these bottlenecks were Zinc-ORS roll out in scale-up districts, develop Information Education Communication/Behaviour Change Communication (IEC/BCC) plan for childhood diarrhea management at state/district level, use of Drug Logistics Information Management System (DLIMS) software for supply chain management of Zinc-ORS, strengthening of chlorination activity at household level, monitoring implementation of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan (NBA) for constructing improved sanitation facilities at household level and to develop an IEC/BCC plan for hygiene promotion and usage of sanitary latrines. Use of Zinc tablets need to be intensified through an effective scale-up. Adequate demand generation activity is needed. There is need to address safe drinking water and improved sanitation measures at household levels. Multi-sectoral engagements and ownership of Zinc-ORS program is the need of the hour. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Monte Carlo analysis of megavoltage x-ray interaction-induced signal and noise in detectors for container inspection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Jinwoo; Park, Jiwoong; Kim, Junwoo; Kim, Dong Woon; Kim, Ho Kyung [Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Chang Hwy [Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    In a scanner system, a scintillation crystal is the first stage in the cascaded imaging chain transferring x-ray interaction information in cargo to be investigated to the final user who investigates x-ray images. On the other hand, the signal and noise is irreversibly transferred through the cascaded imaging chain. Therefore, the imaging performance of the first stage scintillator mainly governs the ultimate imaging performance of the system. In MV imaging, it is generally accepted that high-density scintillators, because of their sufficient optical yield, and low optical self-absorption and scattering coefficients. We chose the CdWO{sub 4} as the scintillation material. CdWO{sub 4} has a high density (7.9 g/cm{sup 3}), high atomic number (64), resistance to radiation, high optical yield, and low optical self-absorption. For the given MV spectrum, the improvement of QE from a detector with a thickness of 10 mm to 30 mm is 27% whereas the improvement from 30 mm to 50 mm is only 7%. On the other hand, the Swank noise is almost independent of the detector thickness. Consequently, the improvement of DQE from a detector with a thickness of 10 mm to 30 mm is 46% whereas the improvement from 30 mm to 50 mm is only 11%. In conclusion, the detector thickness of 30 mm would be the best for x-ray interaction-induced signal and noise performance as well as cost.

  12. Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant and Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Activities of Amaranthus cruentus L. and Amaranthus hybridus L. Extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeanne F. Millogo

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes a preliminary assessment of the nutraceutical value of Amaranthus cruentus (A. cruentus and Amaranthus hybridus (A. hybridus, two food plant species found in Burkina Faso. Hydroacetonic (HAE, methanolic (ME, and aqueous extracts (AE from the aerial parts were screened for in vitro antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, saponins and betalains. Hydroacetonic extracts have shown the most diversity for secondary metabolites. The TLC analyses of flavonoids from HAE extracts showed the presence of rutin and other unidentified compounds. The phenolic compound contents of the HAE, ME and AE extracts were determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu method and ranged from 7.55 to 10.18 mg Gallic acid equivalent GAE/100 mg. Tannins, flavonoids, and flavonols ranged from 2.83 to 10.17 mg tannic acid equivalent (TAE/100 mg, 0.37 to 7.06 mg quercetin equivalent (QE /100 mg, and 0.09 to 1.31 mg QE/100 mg, respectively. The betacyanin contents were 40.42 and 6.35 mg Amaranthin Equivalent/100 g aerial parts (dry weight in A. cruentus and A. hybridus, respectively. Free-radical scavenging activity expressed as IC50 (DPPH method and iron reducing power (FRAP method ranged from 56 to 423 µg/mL and from 2.26 to 2.56 mmol AAE/g, respectively. Xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of extracts of A. cruentus and A. hybridus were 3.18% and 38.22%, respectively. The A. hybridus extract showed the best antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibition activities. The results indicated that the phytochemical contents of the two species justify their traditional uses as nutraceutical food plants.

  13. QCD Structure of Nuclear Interactions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Granados, Carlos [Florida Intl Univ., Miami, FL (United States)

    2011-05-25

    This dissertation investigated selected processes involving baryons and nuclei in hard scattering reactions. Through these processes, this work explored the constituent structure of baryons and the mechanisms through which the interactions between these constituents ultimately control the selected reactions. First, hard nucleon-nucleon elastic scattering was studied considering the quark exchange (QE) between the nucleons to be the dominant mechanism of interaction in the constituent picture. It was found that an angular asymmetry exhibited by proton-neutron (pn) elastic scattering data is explained within this framework if a quark-diquark picture dominates the nucleon's structure instead of a more traditional SU(6) model. The latter yields an asymmetry around 90 deg center of mass scattering with a sign opposite to what is experimentally observed. The second process is the hard breakup by a photon of a nucleon-nucleon system in light nuclei. Proton-proton (pp) and pn breakup in 3He, and double Δ-isobars production in deuteron breakup were analyzed in the hard rescattering model (HRM), which in conjunction with the QE mechanism provides a QCD description of the reaction. Cross sections for both channels in 3He photodisintegration were computed without the need of a fitting parameter. The results presented here for pp breakup show excellent agreement with recent experimental data. In double Δ-isobars production in deuteron breakup, HRM angular distributions for the two double Δ channels were compared to the pn channel and to each other. An important prediction from this study is that the Δ++ Δ- channel consistently dominates Δ+Δ0, which is in contrast with models that unlike the HRM consider a double Δ system in the initial state of the interaction. For such models both channels should have the same strength.

  14. Viral quasispecies profiles as the result of the interplay of competition and cooperation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arbiza, Juan; Mirazo, Santiago; Fort, Hugo

    2010-05-10

    Viral quasispecies can be regarded as a swarm of genetically related mutants. A common approach employed to describe viral quasispecies is by means of the quasispecies equation (QE). However, a main criticism of QE is its lack of frequency-dependent selection. This can be overcome by an alternative formulation for the evolutionary dynamics: the replicator-mutator equation (RME). In turn, a problem with the RME is how to quantify the interaction coefficients between viral variants. Here, this is addressed by adopting an ecological perspective and resorting to the niche theory of competing communities, which assumes that the utilization of resources primarily determines ecological segregation between competing individuals (the different viral variants that constitute the quasispecies). This provides a theoretical framework to estimate quantitatively the fitness landscape. Using this novel combination of RME plus the ecological concept of niche overlapping for describing a quasispecies we explore the population distributions of viral variants that emerge, as well as the corresponding dynamics. We observe that the population distribution requires very long transients both to A) reach equilibrium and B) to show a clear dominating master sequence. Based on different independent and recent experimental evidence, we find that when some cooperation or facilitation between variants is included in appropriate doses we can solve both A) and B). We show that a useful quantity to calibrate the degree of cooperation is the Shannon entropy. In order to get a typical quasispecies profile, at least within the considered mathematical approach, it seems that pure competition is not enough. Some dose of cooperation among viral variants is needed. This has several biological implications that might contribute to shed light on the mechanisms operating in quasispecies dynamics and to understand the quasispecies as a whole entity.

  15. Adsorção em carvão ativado em pó para remoção de microcistina de água de abastecimento público Powdered activated carbon adsorption for microcystin removal from public water supply

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Cristine Müller

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available A ocorrência de florações de cianobactérias em mananciais de abastecimento público prejudica a qualidade da água, podendo, inclusive, ocasionar a presença de cianotoxinas. A dificuldade de remover as cianotoxinas da água motivou o presente trabalho, cujo objetivo foi o de avaliar a remoção da cianotoxina microcistina empregando diferentes carvões ativados em pó (CAPs. Os CAPs foram caracterizados quanto ao número de iodo, granulometria, distribuição e volume de poros, além das isotermas de Freundlich. Os resultados mostraram que os CAPs de madeira apresentaram os maiores valores do número de iodo, capacidade máxima adsortiva (qe, máx e volume de microporos secundários e mesoporos. A adequada caracterização do CAP é uma etapa importante na sua aquisição pelas estações de tratamento de água, pois índices isolados podem não avaliar corretamente o CAP.The cyanobacterial bloom's occurrence in sources of public supplying harms water quality, even causing cianotoxins presence. The difficulty of the cianotoxins removal from the water has motivated the present work, which objective was to evaluate the removal of the cianotoxin microcystin through the use of different powdered activated carbons (PACs. The PACs were characterized according to its iodine number, granulometry, distribution and volume of pores, besides the Freundlich isotherms. The results showed that the wood PACs presented the highest values of iodine number, maximum adsorptive capacity (qe, max and volume of secondary micropores and mesoporos. The adequate characterization of the PACs is an important stage in its acquisition by the water treatment plants, because isolated indices can not evaluate the PACs correctly.

  16. Molecular Cloning of a Trichomonas vaginalis β-Galactosidase Gene and the Recombinant Protein Expression%阴道毛滴虫衰老生物学标志分子β-半乳糖苷酶基因克隆和蛋白表达

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    史咏梅; 傅玉才; 许铭炎; 许锦阶; 徐晓园; 刘居理

    2007-01-01

    目的:克隆并分析阴道毛滴虫(Trichomonas vaginalis, Tv)衰老生物学标志分子β-半乳糖苷酶(β-gal)同源基因,表达β-GAL重组蛋白.方法:从Tv cDNA表达文库中分离获得Tv β-gal同源基因的cDNA克隆,测序和序列分析.将cDNA部分片段亚克隆到原核表达载体(pQE-80L),转化宿主菌E.coli SG13009,异丙基-β-D-硫代半乳糖苷诱导表达,聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳分析鉴定.结果:在Tv cDNA文库中获得1株2 445 bp的cDNA克隆.序列分析表明,该序列开放读码框有2 415 bp,推测肽链具有804个氨基酸,等电点为5.4;该肽链与多种来源的β-GAL同源蛋白均具有较高同源性.用PCR扩增了该cDNA序列中的2 277 bp片段,构建了pQE-80L/Tv β-gal,所表达重组蛋白产物的相对分子质量为82 ku.结论:推测该克隆是Tv β-gal的同源基因,Tv β-gal基因可以在E.coli中得到表达,为进一步研究其细胞内定位和蛋白功能奠定了基础.

  17. Antioxidant activity characterization, phytochemical screening, and proximate analysis of Cermela Hutan (Phyllanthus gomphocarpus Hook. F) roots and leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahari, Ebby-Anuar; Zaaba, Nur Eleza; Haron, Norhisham; Dasiman, Razif; Amom, Zulkhairi

    2014-11-07

    Roots and leaves of the Cermela Hutan (Phyllanthus gomphocarpus Hook. F) plant were studied to determine antioxidant activity, phytochemical compounds, proportion of carbohydrate, crude protein, moisture, ash, fat, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC). Ten percent (10%) aqueous extract from both Phyllanthus gomphocarpus roots (PGR) and leaves (PGL) were used in this study. Antioxidant activity characterization by TPC, TFC, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, and phytochemical screening, as well as proximate analysis from both extracts were analyzed in this study. Phyllanthus gomphocarpus roots (PGR) and leaves (PGL) tested positive for flavonoid, saponin, tannins, and terpenoids, but PGR showed negative result for anthraquinones. In average weight of 100.0 g dry sample, the carbohydrates, protein, moisture, ash, fat, and energy content in PGR and PGL were 80.9%, 5.5%, 7.8%, 3.4%, 2.4%, and 367 Kcal/100g, and 66.5%, 14.8%, 10.7%, 6.5%, 1.5%, and 399 Kcal/100 g, respectively. Antioxidant assessments using FRAP and DPPH assay showed that PGL extracts possessed higher antioxidant capacity by reducing the ferric ion-TPTZ complex by 0.14 mg/ml ±0.0018 and higher scavenging activity, 83.83% ±0.54 as compared to PGR, 0.07 mg/ml ±0.0035 for FRAP and 62.87% ±1.33 for DPPH, respectively. The total phenolics content was significantly higher in PGL (208.77 mg GAE/g ±3.79) as compared to PGR (27.53 mg GAE/g ±0.42). However, there was no significant different in the total flavonoid contents for PGR (34.8 mg QE/g ±3.12) and PGL (32.43 mg QE/g ±3.92). Further investigations are suggested to isolate and characterize the other active constituents from this plant in combatting diseases.

  18. Fast Removal of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers from Aqueous Solutions by Using Low-Cost Adsorbents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renin Chang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available 4-Dibromodiphenyl ether (BDE-3 and 4,4′-dibromodiphenyl ether (BDE-15 are two of the major polybrominated diphenyl ethers used as flame-retardant additives in computer main boards and in fireproof building materials. In this study, we evaluated the potential of three low-cost adsorbents, black tea, green tea, and coconut palm leaf powders, to adsorb BDE-3 and BDE-15 from aqueous solutions. The results showed that pressure steam washing of the adsorbents increased their capacities to adsorb BDE-3 and BDE-15. The maximum adsorption capacities of pressure steam–washed black tea, green tea, and coconut palm leaf powders were 21.85 mg·L−1, 14.56 mg·L−1 and 22.47 mg·L−1, respectively. The results also showed that the adsorption equilibrium (qe was achieved at 4 min. Moreover, 97.8% of BDE-3 and 98.5% of BDE-15 could be removed by adsorbents pretreated with pressure steam washing. The kinetic data fitted well with a pseudo-second-order equation. The adsorption rate constants (k2 of all pressure steam–washed adsorbents ranged from 8.16 × 10−3 to 6.61 × 10−2 g·(mg·L−1−1·s−1, and the amount adsorbed at qe by all pressure steam–washed adsorbents ranged from 4.21 to 4.78 mg·L−1. Green alga Chlorella vulgaris was used as the test organism and the median effective concentration values of BDE-3 and BDE-15 were 7.24 and 3.88 mg·L−1, respectively. After BDE-3 and BDE-15 were removed from the solution, their biotoxicities markedly decreased. These findings indicate that these low-cost adsorbents can be used to remove BDE-3 and BDE-15 from aqueous solutions and wastewater.

  19. Energy transfer between Pr3+ and Mn2+ in K2YZr(PO4)3: Pr, Mn phosphor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liang Wei; Wang Yuhua

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Pr 3+ , Mn 2+ co-doped K 2 YZr(PO 4 ) 3 phosphor is a novel type of practical visible quantum cutting phosphor in promising application. → The optimal quantum efficiency (QE) of this co-doped system K 2 YZr(PO 4 ) 3 : Pr 3+ , Mn 2+ reached to 126.3%. → The Mn 2+6 A 1g → 4 E g - 4 A 1g transition was found to coincide well with the 1 S 0 → 1 I 6 transition of Pr 3+ . → The energy transfer from Pr 3+ to Mn 2+ was also observed, converting the first photon from the PCE of Pr 3+ into the red emission of Mn 2+ , and the QC process occurred in this Pr 3+ , Mn 2+ co-doped K 2 YZr(PO 4 ) 3 phosphor. - Abstract: Pr 3+ , Mn 2+ co-doped K 2 YZr(PO 4 ) 3 samples were prepared by solid-state reaction method and their photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated in ultra-violet (UV) and vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) region. The results indicated that in Pr 3+ singly doped K 2 YZr(PO 4 ) 3 sample, the first-step transition ( 1 S 0 → 1 I 6 , 3 P J around 405 nm) of Pr 3+ is near the ultraviolet (UV) range, not useful for practical application. When Mn 2+ was doped as a co-activator ion, the energy of 1 S 0 → 1 I 6 , 3 P J transition can be transferred synchronously from Pr 3+ to Mn 2+ and then emit a visible photon. The optimal quantum efficiency (QE) of this co-doped system K 2 YZr(PO 4 ) 3 : Pr 3+ , Mn 2+ reached to 126.3%, suggesting a novel type of practical visible quantum cutting phosphor in promising application.

  20. Capture cross sections for very heavy systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rowley, N.; Grar, N.; Ntshangase, S.S.

    2006-01-01

    In intermediate-mass systems, collective excitations of the target and projectile can greatly enhance the sub-barrier capture cross section σ cap by giving rise to a distribution of Coulomb barriers. For such systems, capture essentially leads directly to fusion (formation of a compound nucleus (CN)), which then decays through the emission of light particles (neutrons, protons, and alpha particles). Thus the evaporation-residue (ER) cross section is essentially equal to σ cap . For heavier systems the experimental situation is significantly more complicated due to the presence of quasifission (QF) (rapid separation into two fragments before the CN is formed) and by fusion-fission (FF) of the CN itself. Thus three cross sections need to be measured in order to evaluate σ cap . Although the ER essentially recoil along the beam direction. QF and FF fragments are scattered to all angles and require the measurement of angular distribution in order to obtain the excitation function and barrier distribution for capture. Two other approaches to this problem exist. If QF is not important, one can still measure just the ER cross section and try to reconstruct the corresponding σ cap through use of an evaporation-model code that takes account of the FF degree of freedom. Some earlier results on σ cap obtained in this way will be re-analyzed with detail coupled-channels calculations, and the extra-push phenomenon discussed. One may also try to obtain σ cap by exploiting unitarity, that is, by measuring instead the flux of particles corresponding to quasielastic (QE) scattering from the Coulomb barrier. Some new QE results obtained for the 86 Kr + 208 Pb system at iThemba LABS in South Africa will be presented [ru

  1. Structure dependent luminescence characterization of green-yellow emitting Sr{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}:Eu{sup 2+} phosphors for near UV LEDs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, J.K. [University of California, San Diego, Materials Science and Engineering Program, La Jolla, CA 92093 (United States); Hannah, M.E.; Piquette, A. [Central Research, OSRAM SYLVANIA, 71 Cherry Hill Drive Beverly, MA 01915 (United States); Hirata, G.A. [Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnolgia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Km. 107 Carretera Tijuana-Ensenada Apdo, Ensenada, MX CP 22860 (Mexico); Talbot, J.B. [University of California, San Diego, Materials Science and Engineering Program, La Jolla, CA 92093 (United States); Mishra, K.C. [Central Research, OSRAM SYLVANIA, 71 Cherry Hill Drive Beverly, MA 01915 (United States); McKittrick, J., E-mail: jmckittrick@ucsd.edu [University of California, San Diego, Materials Science and Engineering Program, La Jolla, CA 92093 (United States)

    2012-01-15

    This paper reports on the luminescence properties of mixtures of {alpha}- and {beta}-(Sr{sub 0.97}Eu{sub 0.03}){sub 2}SiO{sub 4} phosphors. These phosphors were prepared by 3 different synthesis techniques: a modified sol-gel/Pechini method, a co-precipitation method and a combustion method. The structural and optical properties of these phosphors were compared to those of solid state synthesized powders. The emission spectra consist of a weak broad blue band centered near 460 nm and a strong broad green-yellow band centered between 543 and 573 nm depending on the crystal structure. The green-yellow emission peak blue-shifts as the amount of {beta} phase increases and the photoluminescence emission intensity and quantum efficiency of the mixed phase powders is greater than those of predominant {alpha}-phase powders when excited between 370 and 410 nm. Thus, (Sr{sub 1-x}Eu{sub x}){sub 2}SiO{sub 4} with larger proportion of the {beta} phase are more promising candidates than single {alpha}-phase powders for use as a green-yellow emitting phosphor for near UV LED applications. Finally the phosphors prepared by the sol-gel/Pechini method, which have larger amount of {beta} phase, have a higher emission intensity and quantum efficiency than those prepared by co-precipitation or combustion synthesis. - Highlights: > Mixtures of {alpha}- and {beta}-Sr{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}:Eu{sup 2+} phosphors were prepared by 3 different synthesis methods. > Emission peak blue-shifts as the amount of {beta} phase increases. > Emission intensity and QE of the {alpha}+{beta} powders are greater than those of single {alpha} phase. > Phosphors prepared by sol-gel/Pechini have the highest emission intensity and QE.

  2. Comparison of U(VI) adsorption onto nanoscale zero-valent iron and red soil in the presence of U(VI)–CO_3/Ca–U(VI)–CO_3 complexes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Zhibin; Liu, Jun; Cao, Xiaohong; Luo, Xuanping; Hua, Rong; Liu, Yan; Yu, Xiaofeng; He, Likai

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • NZVI can be used for adsorbing U(VI)–CO_3 complexes. • Use of NZVI is feasible for remediation of uranium-contaminated soils. • The mechanism of U(VI)–CO_3 complexes adsorbing onto NZVI has been explained. - Abstract: The influence of U(VI)–CO_3 and Ca–U(VI)–CO_3 complexes on U(VI) adsorption onto red soil and nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) was investigated using batch adsorption and fixed-bed column experiments to simulate the feasibility of NZVI as the reactive medium in permeable- reactive barriers (PRB) for in situ remediation of uranium-contaminated red soils. The adsorption capacity (q_e) and distribution constant (K_d) of NZVI and red soil decreased with increasing pH, dissolved carbonate and calcium concentrations, but the q_e and K_d values of NZVI were 5–10 times higher than those of red soil. The breakthrough pore volume (PV) values increased with the decrease of pH, dissolved carbonate and calcium concentration; however, the breakthrough PV values of the PRB column filled with 5% NZVI were 2.0–3.5 times higher than the 100% red soil column. The U(VI)–CO_3 complexes adsorbed onto the surface of red soil/NZVI (≡SOH) to form SO–UO_2CO_3"− or SO–UO_2 (CO_3)_2"3"−. XPS and XRD analysis further confirmed the reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) and the formation of FeOOH on NZVI surfaces. The findings of this study are significant to the remediation of uranium-contaminated red soils and the consideration of practical U(VI) species in the natural environment.

  3. Complexation modelling of uranium and other actinides by organic compounds of natural or synthetic origin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bouby, M.

    1998-01-01

    The future of nuclear wastes raises a lot of questions. Their resolution require an accurate knowledge of the physical, chemical and biological processes which affect the properties of radioelements constituting the wastes. 3 research themes have been approached. The experimental methods used are: neutronic activation analysis, UV-visible spectrophotometry and time-resolved induced laser spectro-fluorimetry. A part of the phenomena has been modelled by ionic strength correction models (as Davies or MSA). The main results have revealed: 1)the bio-sorption capacities of the microorganism (Mycobacterium phlei) for UO 2 2+ and NpO 2+ (in conditions where the specific adsorption capacities Qe(UO 2 2+ )=60 and Qe(NpO 2+ )=444 moles cations/g dry biomass 2)the retention capacities, in various leaching conditions, by this bacteria of the ions initially adsorbed 3)the complexation properties of 2 siderophores for the cations UO 2 2+ , U 4+ and Th 4+ . The thermodynamical equilibrium constants were determined for one of the siderophore: the pyoverdine A; they were such that KUO 2 2+ ≤KU 4+ ≤KTh 4+ 4)in very acidic media (HCl and HClO 4 until 12 M), the behaviour of the acylisoxazolone HPBI (1-phenyl-4-benzoyl-5-isoxazolone) and the value of its acidity thermodynamical constant is such that 0.13≤KATh≤0.32 at 25 degrees Celsius 5)the variations of the fluorescence properties of the uranyl cation in terms of the acidity of the concentrated media (HClO 4 and CF 3 SO 3 H) in which they are in solution; it seems that a complexation between the uranyl ion and the counter-ions present in solution occur. (O.M.)

  4. A conjunct near-surface spectroscopy system for fix-angle and multi-angle continuous measurements of canopy reflectance and sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qian; Fan, Yifeng; Zhang, Yongguang; Chou, Shuren; Ju, Weimin; Chen, Jing M.

    2016-09-01

    An automated spectroscopy system, which is divided into fix-angle and multi-angle subsystems, for collecting simultaneous, continuous and long-term measurements of canopy hyper-spectra in a crop ecosystem is developed. The fix-angle subsystem equips two spectrometers: one is HR2000+ (OceanOptics) covering the spectral range 200-1100 nm with 1.0 nm spectral resolution, and another one is QE65PRO (OceanOptics) providing 0.1 nm spectral resolution within the 730-780 nm spectral range. Both spectrometers connect a cosine-corrected fiber-optic fixed up-looking to collect the down-welling irradiance and a bare fiber-optic to measure the up-welling radiance from the vegetation. An inline fiber-optic shutter FOS-2x2-TTL (OceanOptics) is used to switch between input fibers to collect the signal from either the canopy or sky at one time. QE65PRO is used to permit estimation of vegetation Sun-Induced Fluorescence (SIF) in the O2-A band. The data collection scheme includes optimization of spectrometer integration time to maximize the signal to noise ratio and measurement of instrument dark currency. The multi-angle subsystem, which can help understanding bidirectional reflectance effects, alternatively use HR4000 (OceanOptics) providing 0.1 nm spectral resolution within the 680-800 nm spectral range to measure multi-angle SIF. This subsystem additionally includes a spectrometer Unispec-DC (PPSystems) featuring both up-welling and down-welling channels with 3 nm spectral resolution covering the 300-1100 nm spectral range. Two down-looking fiber-optics are mounted on a rotating device PTU-D46 (FLIR Systems), which can rotate horizontally and vertically at 10° angular step widths. Observations can be used to calculate canopy reflectance, vegetation indices and SIF for monitoring plant physiological processes.

  5. Using Auditory Steady-State Responses for Measuring Hearing Protector Attenuation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olivier Valentin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Present methods of measuring the attenuation of hearing protection devices (HPDs have limitations. Objective measurements such as field microphone in real-ear do not assess bone-conducted sound. Psychophysical measurements such as real-ear attenuation at threshold (REAT are biased due to the low frequency masking effects from test subjects’ physiological noise and the variability of measurements based on subjective responses. An auditory steady-state responses (ASSRs procedure is explored as a technique which might overcome these limitations. Subjects and Methods: Pure tone stimuli (500 and 1000 Hz, amplitude modulated at 40 Hz, are presented to 10 normal-hearing adults through headphones at three levels in 10 dB steps. Two conditions were assessed: unoccluded ear canal and occluded ear canal. ASSR amplitude data as a function of the stimulation level are linearized using least-square regressions. The “physiological attenuation” is then calculated as the average difference between the two measurements. The technical feasibility of measuring earplug attenuation is demonstrated for the group average attenuation across subjects. Results: No significant statistical difference is found between the average REAT attenuation and the average ASSR-based attenuation. Conclusion: Feasibility is not yet demonstrated for individual subjects since differences between the estimates occurred for some subjects.

  6. Vietnam: vers une éducation capable de répondre aux nouvelles exigences du développement national ?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    TRƯƠNG Thị An Na

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Alfred Binet, co-auteur du très fameux test Binet et Simon, disait sous forme de boutade, en 1905: “ l’intelligence, c’est ce que mesurent mes tests”. Beaucoup ont pensé qu’il fallait prendre cette phrase dans son sens littéral. Truong Thi An Na, montre et démontre même que les choses ne sont pas aussi simples et qu’il y a, à côté du QI (Quotient d’Intelligence un QE ou Quotient Émotif, bien plus important mais dont on a longtemps négligé l’importance un peu partout dans le monde, mais en Chine et au Vietnam en particulier.

  7. Simple replacement of violaxanthin by zeaxanthin in LHC-II does not cause chlorophyll fluorescence quenching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dreuw, Andreas; Wormit, Michael

    2008-03-01

    Recently, a mechanism for the energy-dependent component (qE) of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), the fundamental photo-protection mechanism in green plants, has been suggested. Replacement of violaxanthin by zeaxanthin in the binding pocket of the major light harvesting complex LHC-II may be sufficient to invoke efficient chlorophyll fluorescence quenching. Our quantum chemical calculations, however, show that the excited state energies of violaxanthin and zeaxanthin are practically identical when their geometry is constrained to the naturally observed structure of violaxanthin in LHC-II. Therefore, since violaxanthin does not quench LHC-II, zeaxanthin should not either. This theoretical finding is nicely in agreement with experimental results obtained by femtosecond spectroscopy on LHC-II complexes containing violaxanthin or zeaxanthin.

  8. Indoor Soiling Method and Outdoor Statistical Risk Analysis of Photovoltaic Power Plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajasekar, Vidyashree

    This is a two-part thesis. Part 1 presents an approach for working towards the development of a standardized artificial soiling method for laminated photovoltaic (PV) cells or mini-modules. Construction of an artificial chamber to maintain controlled environmental conditions and components/chemicals used in artificial soil formulation is briefly explained. Both poly-Si mini-modules and a single cell mono-Si coupons were soiled and characterization tests such as I-V, reflectance and quantum efficiency (QE) were carried out on both soiled, and cleaned coupons. From the results obtained, poly-Si mini-modules proved to be a good measure of soil uniformity, as any non-uniformity present would not result in a smooth curve during I-V measurements. The challenges faced while executing reflectance and QE characterization tests on poly-Si due to smaller size cells was eliminated on the mono-Si coupons with large cells to obtain highly repeatable measurements. This study indicates that the reflectance measurements between 600-700 nm wavelengths can be used as a direct measure of soil density on the modules. Part 2 determines the most dominant failure modes of field aged PV modules using experimental data obtained in the field and statistical analysis, FMECA (Failure Mode, Effect, and Criticality Analysis). The failure and degradation modes of about 744 poly-Si glass/polymer frameless modules fielded for 18 years under the cold-dry climate of New York was evaluated. Defect chart, degradation rates (both string and module levels) and safety map were generated using the field measured data. A statistical reliability tool, FMECA that uses Risk Priority Number (RPN) is used to determine the dominant failure or degradation modes in the strings and modules by means of ranking and prioritizing the modes. This study on PV power plants considers all the failure and degradation modes from both safety and performance perspectives. The indoor and outdoor soiling studies were jointly

  9. Process optimization for the application of carbon from plantain peels in dye abstraction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Inam

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Activated carbon obtained from plantain peels was applied to the optimization of the adsorption process parameters for abstraction of colour from simulated dye effluent. The activated carbon was prepared and characterized using nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffractometry (XRD and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR. Equilibrium isotherms were modelled using the Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin–Radushkevich and Temkin models; the Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich models provided the best fit for the sorption process, with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.95. The D–R model suggested a chemical process. The pseudo second-order kinetic model agreed well for fitting experimental data with the calculated adsorption capacity, qe, (46.5 mg/g, which was reasonably close to the experimental value (47.3 mg/g. Optimization of the process parameters was achieved using response surface methodology (RSM – Box–Behnken design, where factors considered are represented on three levels: (−1, (0 and (+1 for high, mean and low levels, respectively. ANOVA fits a quadratic model with prob > F less than 0.05 (<0.0001 at 95% confidence level. From this modelling, significant factors for dye removal have been identified.

  10. Results from VENUS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, K.

    1990-01-01

    Recent results from VENUS experiments on e + e - reactions at energies between 52 and 60.8 GeV are presented. The R-values, the ratio of the total hadronic cross section to that of μ pair production, look slightly high within the present energy region. To understand this observation, a detailed study was carried out on the production of a heavy quark with |Q|=e/3. By using a next-to-leading log. approximation, the QCD cut-off parameter, Λ MS , was obtained as being Λ MS =208 MeV(+80MeV, -62MeV). The differential cross sections for e + e - → e + e - , γγ, μ + μ - , and τ + τ - were found to be consistent with predictions of the standard model. The average charge asymmetry for e + e - → qq-bar was also measured and found to be consistent with the prediction of the standard model. No evidence was observed indicating new particle production. No single photon production was observed and the upper limit of the number of light neutrino types was set to be N ν < 17.8 (90 % CL). (author)

  11. Synthesis, characterization and application of metal organic frameworks in the adsorption of dimethylamine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun-Kou, Maria del Rosario; Bravo Hualpa, Fabiola; Beltran Suito, Rodrigo; Samanamu, Christian; Picasso Escobar, Gino

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated the removal of dimethylamine (DMA) by an adsorption mechanism using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The synthesis of the MOFs was performed by solvothermal methods. The characterization of the MOF obtained was made by attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (ATR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ("1H-NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD diffractograms allowed to identify the structure of MOF as Dashkovaite, which has the molecular formula Mg(HCOO)_2.2H_2O; while the ATR studies revealed the presence of carbonyl group as most important functional group in the MOF structure. The morphological analysis showed that the MOF crystalline particles had a hexagonal shape, formed from filaments of around 7,5-8 microns in length. Adsorption experiments showed that the MOF had a high adsorption capacity of DMA (q_e= 307,96 mg.g"-"1). The kinetic data were fitted to the pseudo second order equation and the Elovich equation, while the adsorption isotherm was fitted to the Temkin equation and the Dubinin - Radushkevich equation, processes related to chemisorptions preferably on a heterogeneous surface. (author)

  12. Contents of constituents and antioxidant activity of seed and pulp extracts of Annona coriacea and Annona sylvatica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    RSR. Benites

    Full Text Available AbstractThe antioxidant potential of fruit pulp and seeds of extracts of the Annona coriacea, and A. sylvatica(Annonaceae were investigated, as well contents total phenolics, flavonoids, condensed tannins and ascorbic acid. Was used to determine the antioxidant activity the 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH, β-carotene bleaching and ABTS radical cation method. The total phenol, total flavonoid, condensed tannin, and ascorbic acid contents were measured spectrophotometrically. In this study, the pulp and seeds of the fruits were extracted using methanol/water (8:2 for maceration. The seed extracts of A. coriacea demonstrated a moderate antioxidant effect with free radical scavenging activity of 31.53%, by the DPPH test, 51.59% by the β-carotene bleaching test and 159.50 µM trolx/g of extract in the ABTS assay. We found that the hydromethanolic seed extract of A. coriacea had high total phenol (147.08 ± 4.20 mg of GAE/g of extract and flavonoid (131.18 ± 2.31 mg of QE/g of extract content. This indicated that the antioxidant activity of the extracts was related to the contents of these constituents.

  13. Multi-capability color night vision HD camera for defense, surveillance, and security

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, Francis; Powell, Gareth; Fereyre, Pierre

    2015-05-01

    e2v has developed a family of high performance cameras based on our next generation CMOS imagers that provide multiple features and capabilities to meet the range of challenging imaging applications in defense, surveillance, and security markets. Two resolution sizes are available: 1920x1080 with 5.3 μm pixels, and an ultra-low light level version at 1280x1024 with 10μm pixels. Each type is available in either monochrome or e2v's unique bayer pattern color version. The camera is well suited to accommodate many of the high demands for defense, surveillance, and security applications: compact form factor (SWAP+C), color night vision performance (down to 10-2 lux), ruggedized housing, Global Shutter, low read noise (<6e- in Global shutter mode and <2.5e- in Rolling shutter mode), 60 Hz frame rate, high QE especially in the enhanced NIR range (up to 1100nm). Other capabilities include active illumination and range gating. This paper will describe all the features of the sensor and the camera. It will be followed with a presentation of the latest test data with the current developments. Then, it will conclude with a description of how these features can be easily configured to meet many different applications. With this development, we can tune rather than create a full customization, making it more beneficial for many of our customers and their custom applications.

  14. The potential of a Cerenkov Array for Supersymmetry and Cosmology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasileiadis, G.; Falvard, A.; Giraud, E.; Lavalle, J.; Sajjad, S.

    2005-01-01

    If R-parity is sufficiently well conserved, most of the supersymmetric models predict the existence of a stable, neutral particle, the neutralino, which would be a natural candidate for dark matter. Such particles can annihilate through various channels producing in particular, a faint flux of high energy photons in galactic and extragalactic high density regions. We have considered the potential of a Cerenkov array for exploring a significant fraction of the supersymmetric parameter space. The main constraints are the flux limit, which requires a very large effective area, and the energy threshold which needs reaching lower limit of the order of 15-20 GeV due to the lowest neutralino mass given by accelerators. Combining such constraints leads to an array of at least 16-19 Cerenkov reflectors with diameters of the order of 18m, located at high altitude (5000 m). This instrument would combine wide angle camera and large detection areas. It would also serve as a major tool in Observational Cosmology and Astrophysics above 15-20 GeV up to 1 TeV. Coming after GLAST, it would allow studying in details, at higher energy, the sources detected by this satellite. This instrument would not be able to explore the 10 GeV to sub-10 GeV domain unless higher QE detectors are discovered or larger diameters are considered. A very interesting site would be the Chajnantor-Toco area for this project which requires clear UBV photometric nights

  15. The potential of a Čerenkov Array for Supersymmetry and Cosmology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasileiadis, G.; Falvard, A.; Giraud, E.; Lavalle, J.; Sajjad, S.

    2005-02-01

    If R-parity is sufficiently well conserved, most of the supersymmetric models predict the existence of a stable, neutral particle, the neutralino, which would be a natural candidate for dark matter. Such particles can annihilate through various channels producing in particular, a faint flux of high energy photons in galactic and extragalactic high density regions. We have considered the potential of a Čerenkov array for exploring a significant fraction of the supersymmetric parameter space. The main constraints are the flux limit, which requires a very large effective area, and the energy threshold which needs reaching lower limit of the order of 15-20 GeV due to the lowest neutralino mass given by accelerators. Combining such constaints leads to an array of at least 16-19 Čerenkov reflectors with diameters of the order of 18m, located at high altitude (5000 m). This instrument would combine wide angle camera and large detection areas. It would also serve as a major tool in Observational Cosmology and Astrophysics above 15-20 GeV up to 1 TeV. Coming after GLAST, it would allow studying in details, at higher energy, the sources detected by this satellite. This instrument would not be able to explore the 10 GeV to sub-10 GeV domain unless higher QE detectors are discovered or larger diameters are considered. A very interesting site would be the Chajnantor-Toco area for this project which requires clear UBV photometric nights.

  16. Characteristics of Tacca leontopetaloides L. Kuntze collected from An Giang in Vietnam

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vu, Quan Thi Hong; Le, Phung Thi Kim; Vo, Huy Pham Hoang; Nguyen, Triet Thanh; Nguyen, Tam Kim Minh

    2017-09-01

    Tacca leontopetaloides L. Kuntze has been known as a remedy in folk medicine and also a staple food source in many tropical countries. Nonetheless, there are currently few literature and research on the potential pharmaceutical benefits of this herbal plant. In this study, the constituents of leaves, peels and peeled tubers as well as its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Tacca cultivated from mountainous regions in Tinh Bien, An Giang Province, Vietnam were investigated. The results indicated that the highest of total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were presented in leaves of Tacca which were 16.69 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalent)/g dried weight, 57.24 mg QE (quercetin equivalent)/g dried weight, respectively. Besides, the yield of flour recovery process from Tacca tuber estimated from 18%-20%. The chemical compositions of Tacca flour were 0.66 % total of nitrogen, 0.91% lipid, 0.05% ash and 85.7% starch content on dried weight. Furthermore, the extract of peels possessed potential antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis whilst the extract of others did not show any significant inhibition at the same concentration. As a results, with high starch content (nearly 20% in tuber) is a highly promising new starch for food and pharmaceutical excipient industry, while the usefullness of peel in treatment need further investigation.

  17. Quality Improvement Practices and Trends

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahlgaard, Jens J.; Hartz, Ove; Edgeman, Rick L.

    1998-01-01

    professor, as well as key individuals from various industries. In addition to the above activities, Rick will be working with the European Foundation for Quality Management on their "European Master's Programme in Total Quality Management." That program involves a consortium of European universities. Rick......The following article, "Quality Improvement Practices and Trends in Denmark," is the first in a series of papers arranged for and co-authored by Dr. Rick L. Edgeman. Rick is a member of QE's Editorial Board and is on sabbatical from Colorado State University. During the year, Rick and his family...... has begun the process of developing a comparable consortium of American universities for the same purpose-- an activity which is cosponsored by the Education Division of the American Society for Quality (ASQ)....

  18. Preparation of a Hybrid Zirconium Phytate and Its Application for the Removal of Fluorine in Metal-Precoating Effluent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng Wenkai

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A hybrid zirconium phytate (ZrxIP6 with porous surface was synthesized via the direct precipitation method. The as-prepared ZrxIP6 was characterized by SEM, EDS, FT-IR. The sample obtained from P/Zr = 3:1(mol/mol indicated that a hybrid material might be formed through coordination of the zirconium ions with the –COPO3 groups in phytic acid molecules. An attempt to employ the hybrid ZrxIP6 as a sorbent in the removal of fluoride ions in metal-precoating wastewater was performed. The adsorption capacity qe and the residual F- ions concentration Ce using the ZrxIP6 (P/Zr = 3:1 as an adsorbent, were 1.21 mg.g-1 and 1.47 mg.L-1, respectively.

  19. Polarization and charge limit studies of strained GaAs photocathodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saez, P.J.

    1997-03-01

    This thesis presents studies on the polarization and charge limit behavior of electron beams produced by strained GaAs photocathodes. These photocathodes are the source of high-intensity, high-polarization electron beams used for a variety of high-energy physics experiments at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. Recent developments on P-type, biaxially-strained GaAs photocathodes have produced longitudinal polarization in excess of 80% while yielding beam intensities of ∼ 2.5 A/cm 2 at an operating voltage of 120 kV. The SLAC Gun Test Laboratory, which has a replica of the SLAC injector, was upgraded with a Mott polarimeter to study the polarization properties of photocathodes operating in a high-voltage DC gun. Both the maximum beam polarization and the maximum charge obtainable from these photocathodes have shown a strong dependence on the wavelength of illumination, on the doping concentration, and on the negative electron affinity levels. The experiments performed for this thesis included studying the effects of temperature, cesiation, quantum efficiency, and laser intensity on the polarization of high-intensity beams. It was found that, although low temperatures have been shown to reduce the spin relaxation rate in bulk semiconductors, they don't have a large impact on the polarization of thin photocathodes. It seems that the short active region in thin photocathodes does not allow spin relaxation mechanisms enough time to cause depolarization. Previous observations that lower QE areas on the photocathode yield higher polarization beams were confirmed. In addition, high-intensity, small-area laser pulses were shown to produce lower polarization beams. Based on these results, together with some findings in the existing literature, a new proposal for a high-intensity, high-polarization photocathode is given. It is hoped that the results of this thesis will promote further investigation on the properties of GaAs photocathodes

  20. Solar Lyman-Alpha Polarization Observation of the Chromosphere and Transition Region by the Sounding Rocket Experiment CLASP

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narukage, Noriyuki; Kano, Ryohei; Bando, Takamasa; Ishikawa, Ryoko; Kubo, Masahito; Katsukawa, Yukio; Ishikawa, Shinnosuke; Hara, Hiroshi; Suematsu, Yoshinori; Giono, Gabriel; hide

    2015-01-01

    We are planning an international rocket experiment Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP) is (2015 planned) that Lyman a line (Ly(alpha) line) polarization spectroscopic observations from the sun. The purpose of this experiment, detected with high accuracy of the linear polarization of the Ly(alpha) lines to 0.1% by using a Hanle effect is to measure the magnetic field of the chromosphere-transition layer directly. For polarization photometric accuracy achieved that approx. 0.1% required for CLASP, it is necessary to realize the monitoring device with a high throughput. On the other hand, Ly(alpha) line (vacuum ultraviolet rays) have a sensitive characteristics that is absorbed by the material. We therefore set the optical system of the reflection system (transmission only the wavelength plate), each of the mirrors, subjected to high efficiency of the multilayer coating in accordance with the role. Primary mirror diameter of CLASP is about 30 cm, the amount of heat about 30,000 J is about 5 minutes of observation time is coming mainly in the visible light to the telescope. In addition, total flux of the sun visible light overwhelmingly large and about 200 000 times the Ly(alpha) line wavelength region. Therefore, in terms of thermal management and 0.1% of the photometric measurement accuracy achieved telescope, elimination of the visible light is essential. We therefore, has a high reflectivity (> 50%) in Lya line, visible light is a multilayer coating be kept to a low reflectance (Science was achieved a high throughput as a device for a vacuum ultraviolet ray of the entire system less than 5% (CCD of QE is not included).

  1. Practical considerations for solar energy thermally enhanced photo-luminescence (TEPL) (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kruger, Nimrod; Manor, Assaf; Kurtulik, Matej; Sabapathy, Tamilarasan; Rotschild, Carmel

    2017-04-01

    While single-junction photovoltaics (PV's) are considered limited in conversion efficiency according to the Shockley-Queisser limit, concepts such as solar thermo-photovoltaics aim to harness lost heat and overcome this barrier. We claim the novel concept of Thermally Enhanced Photoluminescence (TEPL) as an easier route to achieve this goal. Here we present a practical TEPL device where a thermally insulated photo-luminescent (PL) absorber, acts as a mediator between a photovoltaic cell and the sun. This high temperature absorber emits blue-shifted PL at constant flux, then coupled to a high band gap PV cell. This scheme promotes PV conversion efficiencies, under ideal conditions, higher than 62% at temperatures lower than 1300K. Moreover, for a PV and absorber band-gaps of 1.45eV (GaAs PV's) and 1.1eV respectively, under practical conditions, solar concentration of 1000 suns, and moderate thermal insulation; the conversion efficiencies potentially exceed 46%. Some of these practical conditions belong to the realm of optical design; including high photon recycling (PR) and absorber external quantum efficiency (EQE). High EQE values, a product of the internal QE of the active PL materials and the extraction efficiency of each photon (determined by the absorber geometry and interfaces), have successfully been reached by experts in laser cooling technology. PR is the part of emitted low energy photons (in relation to the PV band-gap) that are reabsorbed and consequently reemitted with above band-gap energies. PV back-reflector reflectivity, also successfully achieved by those who design the cutting edge high efficiency PV cells, plays a major role here.

  2. Diffusion of .sup.65./sup.Zn in AZ91 and QE22 alloys with Saffil reinforcement – Influence of interfaces matrix/Saffil

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Stloukal, Ivo; Čermák, Jiří

    289-292, - (2009), s. 145-152 ISSN 1012-0386. [DIMAT 2008, International Conference on Diffusion in Materials /7./. Lanzarote, Canary Islands , 28.10.2008-31.10.2008] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA106/05/2115 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : magnesium * metal-matrix composites * zinc diffusion Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics http://www.scientific.net/DDF.289-292.145/

  3. Antioxidant properties of cumin (Bunium persicum Boiss. extract and its protective role against abiotic stress tested by microRNA markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katarína Ražná

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Bunium persicum Boiss. seeds have been used for medicinal and nutritional properties such as antioxidant, antihelmetic and antimicrobial activity. The aim of this study was to to tested protective role of cumin extract against abiotic stress by microRNA markers. Secondary also was to evaluate antioxidant activity as well as total polyphenol, flavonoid and phenolic acid content of cumin extract. We observed that cumin DNA itself has not been damaged by sonication teratment. This protective impact indicates that cumin antioxidant properties can efficiently quench free radicals induced by sonication. On the other side, ultrasound-mediated formation of reactive oxygen species did induce the DNA polymorphism of lettuce samples which was detected by miRNAs-based markers. The range of sonication impact was time-dependent. Markers based of miRNA-DNA sequences has proven to be an effective tool. We have confirmed statistically significant differences (p ≤0.01 in miRNAs markers ability to detect the polymorphism due to sonication treatment.  The antioxidant activity was determined by a method using DPPH radical and phosphomolybdenum method, total polyphenol content with Folin - Ciocalteu reagent, total flavonoid with aluminium-chloride mehod and total phenolic acid with Arnova reagent. Results showed that cumin is rich for biologically active substances and can be used more in different kind of industry as a cheap source of these substances. Antioxidant activity with DPPH method was 1.18 mg TEAC.g-1 (TEAC - Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity per g of sample and by phosphomolybdenum method 45.23 mg TEAC.g-1. Total polyphenol content achieved value 4.22 mg GAE.g-1 (GAE - gallic acid equivalent per g of sample, total flavonoid content value 10.91 mg QE.g-1 (QE - quercetin equivalent per g of sample and total phenolic acid content value 5.07 mg CAE.g-1 (CAE - caffeic acid equivalent per g of sample.

  4. Clonagem e purificação de fragmento da proteína capsidial de Banana streak OL virus Cloning and purification of Banana streak OL virus coat protein fragment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Lombardi

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi clonar e induzir a expressão de fragmento da proteína capsidial de Banana streak OL virus (BSOLV-CP em Escherichia coli, bem como purificar a proteína recombinante obtida. Empregou-se um par de iniciadores específicos para amplificar, em PCR, um fragmento de aproximadamente 390 pb, da região codificadora da porção central da BSOLV-CP. O fragmento obtido foi clonado em vetor pGEM-T Easy, subclonado em vetor pQE-30 e transformado em células de E. coli M15 (pREP4 por choque térmico. A expressão da proteína foi induzida por tiogalactopiranosídeo de isopropila (IPTG, e a proteína recombinante BSOLV-rcCP de 14 kDa foi detectada em Western blot e Dot blot. A expressão da proteína BSOLV-rcCP abre novas possibilidades para a obtenção de antígenos para a produção de antissoros contra o BSOLV.The objective of this work was to clone and to induce the expression of a fragment of Banana streak OL virus coat protein (BSOLV-CP in Escherichia coli, as well as to purify the obtained recombinant protein. Two specific primers were used for the PCR-amplification of approximately 390-bp fragment of the codifying region of the BSOLV-CP central portion. The obtained fragment was cloned in pGEM-T Easy vector, subcloned in pQE-30 expression vector and transformed into competent E. coli M15 (pREP4 cells by heat shock. The protein expression was induced by isopropyl thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG and the 14-kDa BSOLV-rcCP recombinant protein was detected in Western and Dot blotting. The expression of the BSOLV-rcCP protein enables new approaches to the obtention of antigens for the antisera production against BSOLV.

  5. A critical look at the kinetic models of thermoluminescence-II. Non-first order kinetics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sunta, C M; Ayta, W E F; Chubaci, J F D; Watanabe, S

    2005-01-01

    Non-first order (FO) kinetics models are of three types; second order (SO), general order (GO) and mixed order (MO). It is shown that all three of these have constraints in their energy level schemes and their applicable parameter values. In nature such restrictions are not expected to exist. The thermoluminescence (TL) glow peaks produced by these models shift their position and change their shape as the trap occupancies change. Such characteristics are very unlike those found in samples of real materials. In these models, in general, retrapping predominates over recombination. It is shown that the quasi-equilibrium (QE) assumption implied in the derivation of the TL equation of these models is quite valid, thus disproving earlier workers' conclusion that QE cannot be held under retrapping dominant conditions. However notwithstanding their validity, they suffer from the shortcomings as stated above and have certain lacunae. For example, the kinetic order (KO) parameter and the pre-exponential factor which are assumed to be the constant parameters of the GO kinetics expression turn out to be variables when this expression is applied to plausible physical models. Further, in glow peak characterization using the GO expression, the quality of fit is found to deteriorate when the best fitted value of KO parameter is different from 1 and 2. This means that the found value of the basic parameter, namely the activation energy, becomes subject to error. In the MO kinetics model, the value of the KO parameter α would change with dose, and thus in this model also, as in the GO model, no single value of KO can be assigned to a given glow peak. The paper discusses TL of real materials having characteristics typically like those of FO kinetics. Theoretically too, a plausible physical model of TL emission produces glow peaks which have characteristics of FO kinetics under a wide variety of parametric combinations. In the background of the above findings, it is suggested that

  6. Increased Complexities in Visual Search Behavior in Skilled Players for a Self-Paced Aiming Task

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingyi S. Chia

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The badminton serve is an important shot for winning a rally in a match. It combines good technique with the ability to accurately integrate visual information from the shuttle, racket, opponent, and intended landing point. Despite its importance and repercussive nature, to date no study has looked at the visual search behaviors during badminton service in the singles discipline. Unlike anticipatory tasks (e.g., shot returns, the serve presents an opportunity to explore the role of visual search behaviors in movement control for self-paced tasks. Accordingly, this study examined skill-related differences in visual behavior during the badminton singles serve. Skilled (n = 12 and less skilled (n = 12 participants performed 30 serves to a live opponent, while real-time eye movements were captured using a mobile gaze registration system. Frame-by-frame analyses of 662 serves were made and the skilled players took a longer preparatory time before serving. Visual behavior of the skilled players was characterized by significantly greater number of fixations on more areas of interest per trial than the less skilled. In addition, the skilled players spent a significantly longer time fixating on the court and net, whereas the less skilled players found the shuttle to be more informative. Quiet eye (QE duration (indicative of superior sports performance however, did not differ significantly between groups which has implications on the perceived importance of QE in the badminton serve. Moreover, while visual behavior differed by skill level, considerable individual differences were also observed especially within the skilled players. This augments the need for not just group-level analyses, but individualized analysis for a more accurate representation of visual behavior. Findings from this study thus provide an insight to the possible visual search strategies as players serve in net-barrier games. Moreover, this study highlighted an important aspect of

  7. Event Excess in the MiniBooNE Search for νμ→νe Oscillations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aguilar-Arevalo, A. A.; Anderson, C. E.; Fleming, B. T.; Linden, S. K.; Spitz, J.; Brice, S. J.; Brown, B. C.; Ford, R.; Garcia, F. G.; Kobilarcik, T.; Marsh, W.; Moore, C. D.; Polly, C. C.; Russell, A. D.; Stefanski, R. J.; Zeller, G. P.; Bugel, L.; Conrad, J. M.; Karagiorgi, G.; Nguyen, V.

    2010-01-01

    The MiniBooNE experiment at Fermilab reports results from a search for ν μ →ν e oscillations, using a data sample corresponding to 5.66x10 20 protons on target. An excess of 20.9±14.0 events is observed in the energy range 475 ν QE μ events, has a probability for consistency with the background-only hypothesis of 0.5%. On the other hand, fitting for ν μ →ν e oscillations, the best-fit point has a χ 2 probability of 8.7%. The data are consistent with ν μ →ν e oscillations in the 0.1 to 1.0 eV 2 Δm 2 range and with the evidence for antineutrino oscillations from the Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detector at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

  8. Thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Funghnan, B. W.; Blanc, J.; Phillips, W.; Redfield, D.

    1980-08-01

    Thirty-four new solar cells were fabricated on Wacker Sislo substrates and the AM-1 parameters were measured. A detailed comparison was made between the measurement of minority carrier diffusion length by the OE method and the penetrating light laser scan grain boundary photoresponse linewidth method. The laser scan method has more experimental uncertainty and agrees within 10 to 50% with the QE method. It allows determination of L over a large area. Atomic hydrogen passivation studies continued on Wacker material by three techniques. A method of determining surface recombination velocity, s, from laser scan data was developed. No change in s in completed solar cells after H-plasma treatment was observed within experimental error. H-passivation of bare silicon cars as measured by the new laser scan photoconductivity technique showed very large effects.

  9. In vitro anthelmintic activity of Barleria buxifolia on Indian adult earthworms and estimation of total flavonoid content

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Purna A. Chander

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the anthelmintic activity of Barleria buxifolia leaf and to estimate the total flavonoid content. Methods: The aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts were prepared and these were analyzed for total flavonoid content by aluminium chloride colorimetric method and Pheretima posthuma was used for anthelmintic activity by using the different concentrations (10, 20, 40, 80 and 100 mg/mL. Results: All the investigational extracts showed an anthelmintic activity at concentration of 10 mg/mL. The ethanolic extract of 100 mg/mL has produced an significant effect (P<0.001 when compared to aqueous extract. The total flavonoid content was found to be 5.67 mg QE/100 g. Conclusions: From the above study, the leaf extract has shown a good anthelmintic activity.

  10. Beyond Solar-B: MTRAP, the Magnetic TRAnsition Region Probe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, J. M.; Moore, R. L.; Hathaway, D. H.; Science Definition CommitteeHigh-Resolution Solar Magnetography Beyond Solar-B Team

    2003-05-01

    The next generation of solar missions will reveal and measure fine-scale solar magnetic fields and their effects in the solar atmosphere at heights, small scales, sensitivities, and fields of view well beyond the reach of Solar-B. The necessity for, and potential of, such observations for understanding solar magnetic fields, their generation in and below the photosphere, and their control of the solar atmosphere and heliosphere, were the focus of a science definition workshop, "High-Resolution Solar Magnetography from Space: Beyond Solar-B," held in Huntsville Alabama in April 2001. Forty internationally prominent scientists active in solar research involving fine-scale solar magnetism participated in this Workshop and reached consensus that the key science objective to be pursued beyond Solar-B is a physical understanding of the fine-scale magnetic structure and activity in the magnetic transition region, defined as the region between the photosphere and corona where neither the plasma nor the magnetic field strongly dominates the other. The observational objective requires high cadence (x 16K pixels) with high QE at 150 nm, and extendable spacecraft structures. The Science Organizing Committee of the Beyond Solar-B Workshop recommends that: 1. Science and Technology Definition Teams should be established in FY04 to finalize the science requirements and to define technology development efforts needed to ensure the practicality of MTRAP's observational goals. 2. The necessary technology development funding should be included in Code S budgets for FY06 and beyond to prepare MTRAP for a new start no later than the nominal end of the Solar-B mission, around 2010.

  11. Optical Extinction Measurements of Dust Density in the GMRO Regolith Test Bin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, J.; Mantovani, J.; Mueller, R.; Nugent, M.; Nick, A.; Schuler, J.; Townsend, I.

    2016-01-01

    methods must assume a mean particle size in order to extract a number density. The optical extinction measurement yields the product of the 2nd moment of the particle size distribution and the extinction efficiency Qe. For particle sizes in the range of interest (greater than 1 micrometer), Qe approximately equal to 2. Scaling up of the PES single laser and camera system is underway in the PRTB, where an array of lasers penetrate a con-trolled dust cloud, illuminating multiple targets. Using high speed HD GoPro video cameras, the evolution of the dust cloud and particle size density can be studied in detail.

  12. Rare earths (Ce, Eu, Tb) doped Y2Si2O7 phosphors for white LED

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sokolnicki, Jerzy

    2013-01-01

    Nanocrystalline yttrium pyrosilicate Y 2 Si 2 O 7 (YPS) singly, doubly or triply doped with Ce 3+ , Eu 3+ , Tb 3+ was obtained by the reaction of nanostructured Y 2 O 3 :Ln 3+ and colloidal SiO 2 at high temperatures. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of a single phase of α-YPS at 1200 °C. Two series of YPS samples doped with Eu 3+ or Eu 3+ /Tb 3+ were obtained by applying the reducing atmosphere (75%N 2 +25%H 2 ) at different temperatures. The luminescence and excitation spectra are reported. The singly Eu 3+ doped YPS emit from both Eu 3+ and Eu 2+ ions, with the spectral position and width of the Eu 2+ emission different in both series. The presence of Eu 2+ in the samples was confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra. A broadband emission of Eu 2+ (380–650 nm), combined with the red emission of Eu 3+ is perceived by the naked eye as white light. Co-doping of YPS:Eu 3+ with Tb 3+ results in enhancement of the green component of the emission, and well-balanced white luminescence. The colour of this emission is tunable, and it is possible to get Commission International de I'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates of (0.327, 0.327), colour-rendering index (CRI) of 85, and quantum efficiency (QE) of 71%. These phosphors are efficiently excited in the wavelength range of 300–420 nm, which perfectly matches a near UV-emitting InGaN chip. It was shown that for triply (Ce 3+ , Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ ) doped samples the three emissions from the particular activators can be generated using one excitation wavelength. The white light resulting from the superposition of the blue (Ce 3+ ), green (Tb 3+ ) and red (Eu 3+ ) emissions can be obtained by varying the concentration of the active ions and the treating atmosphere, i.e. reducing or oxidising. Eu 2+ was not detected in the triply doped samples, and hence line emissions mostly exhibit CRI values equal to or below 30. - Highlights: ► Nanocrystalline Y 2 Si 2 O 7 was obtained by the

  13. Status of backthinned AlGaN based focal plane arrays for deep-UV imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reverchon, J.-L.; Lehoucq, G.; Truffer, J.-P.; Costard, E.; Frayssinet, E.; Semond, F.; Duboz, J.-Y.; Giuliani, A.; Réfrégiers, M.; Idir, M.

    2017-11-01

    The achievement of deep ultraviolet (UV) focal plane arrays (FPA) is required for both solar physics [1] and micro electronics industry. The success of solar mission (SOHO, STEREO [2], SDO [3]…), has shown the accuracy of imaging at wavelengths from 10 nm to 140 nm to reveal effects occurring in the sun corona. Deep UV steppers at 13 nm are another demanding imaging technology for the microelectronic industry in terms of uniformity and stability. A third application concerns beam shaping of Synchrotron lines [4]. Consequently, such wavelengths are of prime importance whereas the vacuum UV wavelengths are very difficult to detect due to the dramatic interaction of light with materials. The fast development of nitrides has given the opportunity to investigate AlGaN as a material for UV detection. Camera based on AlGaN present an intrinsic spectral selectivity and an extremely low dark current at room temperature. We have previously presented several FPA dedicated to deep UV based on 320 x 256 pixels of Schottky photodiodes with a pitch of 30 μm [4, 5]. AlGaN is grown on a silicon substrate instead of sapphire substrate only transparent down to 200 nm. After a flip-chip hybridization, silicon substrate and AlGaN basal layer was removed by dry etching. Then, the spectral responsivity of the FPA presented a quantum efficiency (QE) from 5% to 20% from 50 nm to 290 nm when removing the highly doped contact layer via a selective wet etching. This FPA suffered from a low uniformity incompatible with imaging, and a long time response due to variations of conductivity in the honeycomb. We also observed a low rejection of visible. It is probably due to the same honeycomb conductivity enhancement for wavelength shorter than 360 nm, i.e., the band gap of GaN. We will show hereafter an improved uniformity due to the use of a precisely ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) controlled process. The final membrane thickness is limited to the desertion layer. Neither access resistance

  14. Photoelectric properties of variably RTP processed CIGS{sub 2} solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Riediger, Julia; Ohland, Joerg; Knipper, Martin; Parisi, Juergen; Riedel, Ingo [Energy and Semiconductor Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oldenburg (Germany); Mainz, Roland; Merdes, Saoussen; Klaer, Joachim [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie GmbH, Berlin (Germany)

    2011-07-01

    The open circuit voltage V{sub oc} of CuInS{sub 2} solar cells was found to improve via incorporation of gallium. The Cu(In,Ga)S{sub 2} absorber of the samples studied in this work was prepared by sputtering (Cu,Ga) and In precursors subsequently sulfurized via rapid thermal processing (RTP) in sulfur vapor. Distinctive top/bottom CuInS{sub 2}/CuGaS{sub 2} segregation has been observed which extent depends on the substrate temperature and holding time of the temperature during RTP-process. The insufficient gallium accumulation at the surface impedes high values of V{sub oc}.We studied the consequences of RTP-process parameter variation in regard of the interdiffusion of CuInS{sub 2} and CuGaS{sub 2}. Quantum efficiency (QE) and temperature-/illumination-dependent current-voltage (IV) profiling have been carried out for differently processed samples. These measurements provide the minimum band gap E{sub g} of the graded absorber layer, the temperature dependent V{sub oc} and the activation energy E{sub a} for carrier recombination. Drive level capacitance (DLCP) profiling reveals the spatially resolved in-depth variation of the doping/defect concentration close to the space charge region.

  15. Rosemary as natural antioxidant to prevent oxidation in chicken burgers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daiane PEREIRA

    Full Text Available Abstract Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis is known for their sensory characteristics and antioxidant properties, mainly due to the presence of several phenolic compounds. The aim of this work, was determine the antioxidant activity and apply the Rosemary lyophilized extract (RLE in chicken burger, for assess their ability to reduce the lipid oxidation. Total antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds profile were analyzed by colorimetric tests and liquid chromatography analysis, respectively. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay was used to evaluate the ability of the RLE to prevent lipid peroxidation in chicken burger stored at 4 °C. Three treatments of chicken burgers were prepared (T1 – control, without addition of synthetic antioxidant BHT: butylated hydroxytoluene or RLE, T2 – with addition of BHT, and T3 – experimental, containing RLE. The high contents of total phenolic compounds (40.91 mg GAE g-1: Gallic Acid Equivalent and total flavonoids (24.26 mg QE g-1: Quercetin Equivalents were found in RLE. Rutin was the major phenolic compound identified in the RLE. The RLE showed strong antioxidant capacity and inhibited 48.29% of lipid oxidation (21 days of storage in comparison to the control (T1, with low production of malonaldehyde, which has potential to be used in chicken burgers.

  16. Direct and indirect signal detection of 122 keV photons with a novel detector combining a pnCCD and a CsI(Tl) scintillator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schlosser, D.M., E-mail: dieter.schlosser@pnsensor.de [PNSensor GmbH, Sckellstraße 3, 81667 München (Germany); Huth, M.; Hartmann, R. [PNSensor GmbH, Sckellstraße 3, 81667 München (Germany); Abboud, A.; Send, S. [Universität Siegen, Walter-Flex-Straße 3, 57072 Siegen (Germany); Conka-Nurdan, T. [Türkisch-Deutsche Universität, Sakinkaya Cad. 86, Beykoz, 34820 Istanbul (Turkey); Shokr, M.; Pietsch, U. [Universität Siegen, Walter-Flex-Straße 3, 57072 Siegen (Germany); Strüder, L. [PNSensor GmbH, Sckellstraße 3, 81667 München (Germany); Universität Siegen, Walter-Flex-Straße 3, 57072 Siegen (Germany)

    2016-01-01

    By combining a low noise fully depleted pnCCD detector with a CsI(Tl) scintillator, an energy-dispersive area detector can be realized with a high quantum efficiency (QE) in the range from below 1 keV to above 100 keV. In direct detection mode the pnCCD exhibits a relative energy resolution of 1% at 122 keV and spatial resolution of less than 75 µm, the pixel size of the pnCCD. In the indirect detection mode, i.e. conversion of the incoming X-rays in the scintillator, the measured energy resolution was about 9–13% at 122 keV, depending on the depth of interaction in the scintillator, while the position resolution, extracted with the help of simulations, was 30 µm only. We show simulated data for incident photons of 122 keV and compare the various interaction processes and relevant physical parameters to experimental results obtained with a radioactive {sup 57}Co source. - Highlights: • Position and energy resolving pnCCD+CsI(Tl) detector for energies from 1-150 keV • Detection in the pnCCD (122keV): 1% energy and <75µm spatial resolution • Detection in the scintillator (122keV): 9-12% energy and ~30µm spatial resolution.

  17. Synthesis and investigation of photo/cathodoluminescence properties of a novel green emission phosphor Sr{sub 8}ZnLu(PO{sub 4}){sub 7}:Eu{sup 2+}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Long, Qiang; Wang, Chuang; Li, Yanyan; Ding, Jianyan [Department of Materials Science, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University (China); Key Laborary of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Tianshui South Road No. 222, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000 (China); Wang, Yuhua, E-mail: wyh@lzu.edu.cn [Department of Materials Science, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University (China); Key Laborary of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Tianshui South Road No. 222, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000 (China)

    2016-06-25

    An Eu{sup 2+}-activated Sr{sub 8}ZnLu(PO{sub 4}){sub 7} (SZLP:Eu{sup 2+}) green emitting phosphor was synthesized and its crystal structure has been refined and determined from the XRD profiles by Rietveld refinement method. The excitation spectra of the SZLP:Eu{sup 2+} phosphors covered the range from 250 to 450 nm, which matches well with n-UV chips. SZLP:Eu{sup 2+} exhibited broad-band green emission centered at about 520 nm under 400 nm irradiation with a high quantum efficiency (QE) value of 67.4% and good thermal stability, its emission intensity remains 77% at 150 °C of that measured at room temperature. In addition, to investigate its application in field emission displays, the cathodoluminescence spectra of SZLP:Eu{sup 2+} as a function of the accelerating voltage, probe current and the electron radiation time were also measured and discussed in detail. Excellent degradation resistance properties with good color stability were obtained by continuous low-voltage electron-beam excitation of the phosphor. - Highlights: • An novel green emitting phosphor was firstly synthesized by solid state reaction. • The excitation spectra match well with n-UV chips and the quantum efficiency is 67.4%. • The thermal stability of the phosphor is superior to commercial phosphors.

  18. Quality control of Photosystem II: reversible and irreversible protein aggregation decides the fate of Photosystem II under excessive illumination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasusi eYamamoto

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available In response to excessive light, the thylakoid membranes of higher plant chloroplasts show dynamic changes including the degradation and reassembly of proteins, a change in the distribution of proteins, and large-scale structural changes such as unstacking of the grana. Here, we examined the aggregation of light-harvesting chlorophyll-protein complexes and Photosystem II core subunits of spinach thylakoid membranes under light stress with 77K chlorophyll fluorescence; aggregation of these proteins was found to proceed with increasing light intensity. Measurement of changes in the fluidity of thylakoid membranes with fluorescence polarization of diphenylhexatriene showed that membrane fluidity increased at a light intensity of 500–1,000 µmol photons m-2 s-1, and decreased at very high light intensity (1,500 µmol photons m-2 s-1. The aggregation of light-harvesting complexes at moderately high light intensity is known to be reversible, while that of Photosystem II core subunits at extremely high light intensity is irreversible. It is likely that the reversibility of protein aggregation is closely related to membrane fluidity: increases in fluidity should stimulate reversible protein aggregation, whereas irreversible protein aggregation might decrease membrane fluidity. When spinach leaves were pre-illuminated with moderately high light intensity, the qE component of non-photochemical quenching and the optimum quantum yield of Photosystem II increased, indicating that Photosystem II/ light-harvesting complexes rearranged in the thylakoid membranes to optimize Photosystem II activity. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the thylakoids underwent partial unstacking under these light stress conditions. Thus, protein aggregation is involved in thylakoid dynamics and regulates photochemical reactions, thereby deciding the fate of Photosystem II.

  19. Nanoscale photoelectron ionisation detector based on lanthanum hexaboride

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zimmer, C.M.; Kunze, U.; Schubert, J.; Hamann, S.; Doll, T.

    2011-01-01

    A nanoscale ioniser is presented exceeding the limitation of conventional photoionisation detectors. It employs accelerated photoelectrons that allow obtaining molecule specificity by the tuning of ionisation energies. The material lanthanum hexaboride (LaB 6 ) is used as air stable photo cathode. Thin films of that material deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) show quantum efficiency (QE) in the range of 10 -5 which is comparable to laser photo stimulation results. A careful treatment of the material yields reasonable low work functions even after surface reoxidation which opens up the possibility of using ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LEDs) in replacement of discharge lamps. Schematic diagram of a photoelectron ionisation detector (PeID) operating by an electron emitter based on the photoelectric effect of lanthanum hexaboride. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  20. IS QUANTITATIVE EASING A N APPROPRIATE WAY F OR T HE SUCCESS O F MONETARY POLICY I N A POST - CRISIS PERIOD?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PETRE PRISECARU

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Quantitative easing is an unorthodox monetary policy focused on buying large quantities of bonds, mainly government bonds, by central bank in order to increase the reserves of commercial banks and thus to support private bank lending. It first started in Japan 14 year ago and this country experienced 3 rounds of QE with limited success. ,A fter that it spread in USA and UK with a certain degree of success and finally it was adopted by ECB in March 2015. Although huge amounts of money were injected in the banks it is difficult to assess to what extent liquidity trap was overcome and economic recovery after the recent crisis was helped. The opinions of different financial analysts and technocrats are divided and their arguments are not based on serious analyses using reliable st atistical data and clear scientific evidence.

  1. Entanglement of Grassmannian Coherent States for Multi-Partite n-Level Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ghader Najarbashi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we investigate the entanglement of multi-partite Grassmannian coherent states (GCSs described by Grassmann numbers for n>2 degree of nilpotency. Choosing an appropriate weight function, we show that it is possible to construct some well-known entangled pure states, consisting of GHZ, W, Bell, cluster type and bi-separable states, which are obtained by integrating over tensor product of GCSs. It is shown that for three level systems, the Grassmann creation and annihilation operators b and b^† together with bz form a closed deformed algebra, i.e., SU_q(2 with q=e^{2πi/3}, which is useful to construct entangled qutrit-states. The same argument holds for three level squeezed states. Moreover combining the Grassmann and bosonic coherent states we construct maximal entangled super coherent states.

  2. The nucleon axial mass and the MiniBooNE CCQE neutrino-nucleus data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nieves, J; Ruiz Simo, I; Vacas, M J Vicente

    2013-01-01

    We analyze the MiniBooNE CCQE dσ/dT μ d cos θ μ data using a theoretical model that has proved to be quite successful in the analysis of nuclear reactions with electron, photon and pion probes. We find that RPA and multinucleon knockout turn out to be essential for the description of the MiniBooNE data. We show these measurements are fully compatible with former determinations of nucleon axial mass M A , in contrast with several previous analyses, which have suggested an anomalously large value. We find, M A = 1.08 ± 0.03 GeV. We also argue that the procedure, commonly used to reconstruct the neutrino energy for QE events from the muon angle and energy, could be unreliable for a wide region of the phase space, due to the large importance of multinucleon events.

  3. The research of data acquisition system for Raman spectrometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Xiao; Guo, Pan; Zhang, Yinchao; Chen, Siying; Chen, He; Chen, Wenbo

    2011-11-01

    Raman spectrometer has been widely used as an identification tool for analyzing material structure and composition in many fields. However, Raman scattering echo signal is very weak, about dozens of photons at most in one laser plus signal. Therefore, it is a great challenge to design a Raman spectrum data acquisition system which could accurately receive the weak echo signal. The system designed in this paper receives optical signals with the principle of photon counter and could detect single photon. The whole system consists of a photoelectric conversion module H7421-40 and a photo counting card including a field programmable gate array (FPGA) chip and a PCI9054 chip. The module H7421-40 including a PMT, an amplifier and a discriminator has high sensitivity on wavelength from 300nm to 720nm. The Center Wavelength is 580nm which is close to the excitation wavelength (532nm), QE 40% at peak wavelength, Count Sensitivity is 7.8*105(S-1PW-1) and Count Linearity is 1.5MHZ. In FPGA chip, the functions are divided into three parts: parameter setting module, controlling module, data collection and storage module. All the commands, parameters and data are transmitted between FPGA and computer by PCI9054 chip through the PCI interface. The result of experiment shows that the Raman spectrum data acquisition system is reasonable and efficient. There are three primary advantages of the data acquisition system: the first one is the high sensitivity with single photon detection capability; the second one is the high integrated level which means all the operation could be done by the photo counting card; and the last one is the high expansion ability because of the smart reconfigurability of FPGA chip.

  4. In vitro evaluation of the antioxidant potential, phenolic and flavonoid contents of the stem bark ethanol extract of Anogeissus leiocarpus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olugbami, J O; Gbadegesin, M A; Odunola, O A

    2014-09-01

    Plant-derived antioxidants with free radical scavenging activities can be relevant as chemopreventive agents against the numerous diseases associated with free radicals and reactive oxygen species. Some phytoconstituents possess antioxidant activities in biological systems. On this basis, we evaluated the antioxidant potential, and determined the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the e thanol e xtract of the s tem bark of A nogeissus l eiocarpus [ EESAL ]. Antioxidant assays carried out include: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, phosphomolybdate, β-carotene bleaching, ferric reducing, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities. Results of DPPH assay showed no significant difference ( p antioxidant capacity of 190.00 ± 70.53 µg butylated hydroxytoluene equivalents [BHTE]/mg dry extract, while β-carotene bleaching assay gave percent antioxidant activities of both EESAL and BHT as 81.46±1.62 and 80.90±1.39 respectively. Ferric reducing abilities of both EESAL and ascorbic acid increased in a concentration-dependent manner with EESAL displaying a significantly ( p concentration with no significant difference at the highest concentration. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of EESAL were obtained as 608.10 ± 2.12 µg GAE/mg and 78.96 ± 3.37 µg QE/mg respectively. Taken together, the free radical scavenging and antioxidant activity of EESAL is likely due to its high phenolic content with complementary effects of the flavonoid components.

  5. Polyphenol Content, Physicochemical Properties, Enzymatic Activity, Anthocyanin Profiles, and Antioxidant Capacity of Cerasus humilis (Bge. Sok. Genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suwen Liu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Seven varieties of Chinese dwarf cherries were evaluated and compared with respect to their weight, diameter, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, color, polyphenol contents, ascorbic acid levels, anthocyanin profiles, enzymatic activity, and antioxidant capacity. The fruits are rich in phenolic content (339.07–770.30 mg/100 g fresh weight. Nine anthocyanins were obtained from fruits after chromatographic separation and their structures analyzed using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Cyanidin-3-glucoside was the major anthocyanin with 50.36–78.39% concentration. Three anthocyanins were reported for the first time in these cherries. They exhibit low polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities, but their superoxide dismutase activity is high (572.75–800.17 U/g FW. The highest amounts of soluble solid content (15.67 Brix %, total titratable acid (1.90%, ascorbic acid (18.47 mg/100 g FW, and total anthocyanin (152.66 mg/100 g FW were observed. Three methods (DPPH-scavenging ability, oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay, and cellular antioxidant activity assay were employed to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of the phenolic extracts of these cherries. Number 5 has the highest values of ORAC and CAA of 205.68 μmol TE/g DM and 99.67 μmol QE/100 g FW, respectively.

  6. Heterogeneous photocatalysis for air and water treatment: Fundamental needs for quantum efficiency enhancement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ollis, D.F. [North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States)

    1996-09-01

    In the remediation industries, a useful treatment technology must be {open_quotes}general, robust, and cheap{close_quotes}. Among oxidation processes, heterogeneous photocatalysis is now broadly demonstrated to destroy common water and air contaminants. The potential process uses of highly stable titania, long lived lamps (one year), and room temperature operation, indicating a simple and robust process. We are left to address the third criterion: Can photocatalysis be {open_quotes}cheap{close_quotes}? In both liquid phase and gas phase treatment and purification by photocatalysis, it is established that the primary barrier to commercialization is often cost. Cost in return is dominated by the efficiency with which solar or lamp photons are harvested for productive light, and subsequent dark, reactions. This paper therefore defines fundamental needs in photocatalysis for pollution control in terms of activities which could lead to quantum efficiency enhancement. We first recall three related definitions. The quantum yield (QY) is the ratio of molecules of reactant converted per photon absorbed, a fundamental quantity. A less fundamental, but more easily measured variable is the quantum efficiency (QE), the ratio of molecules converted per photon entering the reactor. A third variable is the energy required per order of magnitude pollutant reduction, or EEO, a definition which provides for easy energy cost comparisons among different technologies. Each measure cited here reflects the photon, and thus the electrical, cost of this photochemistry.

  7. HPLC Evaluation of Phenolic Profile, Nutritive Content, and Antioxidant Capacity of Extracts Obtained from Punica granatum Fruit Peel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Middha, Sushil Kumar; Usha, Talambedu; Pande, Veena

    2013-01-01

    This study revealed polyphenolic content, nutritive content, antioxidant activity, and phenolic profile of methanol and aqueous extracts of Punica granatum peel extract. For this, extracts were screened for possible antioxidant activities by free radical scavenging activity (DPPH), hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The total phenolics and flavonoid recovered by methanolic (MPE) and the water extract (AQPE) were ranged from 185 ± 12.45 to 298.00 ± 24.86 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalents)/gm and 23.05 ± 1.54 to 49.8 ± 2.14 quercetin (QE) mg/g, respectively. The EC50 of herbal extracts ranged from 100 µg/ml (0.38 quercetin equivalents), for AQPE, 168 µg/ml (0.80 quercetin equivalents), for MPE. The phenolic profile in the methanolic extracts was investigated by chromatographic (HPLC) method. About 5 different flavonoids, phenolic acids, and their derivatives including quercetin (1), rutin (2), gallic acid (3), ellagic acid (4), and punicalagin as a major ellagitannin (5) have been identified. Among both extracts, methanolic extract was the most effective. This report may be the first to show nutritive content and correlation analysis to suggest that phenols and flavonoids might contribute the high antioxidant activity of this fruit peel and establish it as a valuable natural antioxidant source applicable in the health food industry. PMID:23983682

  8. Characterization of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of nettle leaves (Urtica dioica L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kukrić Zoran Z.

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Samples of stinging nettle or common nettle (Urtica dioica L. were collected from the area of Banja Luka. To measure and evaluate the content of chlorophyll (a and b, carotenoids, and soluble proteins, as well as peroxidase activity (POD, EC 1.11.1.7., fresh nettle leaves of different developmental stages were used. Dried nettle leaves were used to obtain ethanol extract. The dry residue of ethanol extract was dissolved in methanol and the obtained solution was used to determine the content of total phenols, flavonoids, flavonols, as well as non-enzymatic antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity. The non-enzymatic antioxidant activity was determined by different methods: FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS. The results were compared to those of standard substances like vitamin C, BHT, and BHA. Antimicrobial activity was screened by using macrodilution method. The obtained results showed insignificantly higher content of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and proteins in young nettle leaves as well as an increase in the soluble peroxidase activities. Native electrophoresis of the soluble fraction showed the presence of two peroxidase isophorms in the soluble protein fraction of nettle leaves. The total phenolic content in nettle extracts amounted to 208.37 mg GAE/gdw, the content of total flavonoids was 20.29 mg QE/gdw, and the content of total flavonols was 22.83 mg QE/gdw. The antioxidant activity determined by FRAP method was 7.50 mM Fe(II/gdw, whereas the antioxidant activity measured by using DPPH and ABTS methods, with IC50 values, were 31.38 and 23.55 μg mL-1, respectively. These results showed the weak and moderate antioxidant capacity of stinging nettle. Extract of Urtica dioica L. was tested for antibacterial acivity against various Grampositive and Gram-negative bacteria: Bacillus subtilis IP 5832, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli isolated from food and Escherichia coli isolated from urine samples

  9. A quantitative determination of air-water heat fluxes in Hermit Lake, New Hampshire under varying meteorological conditions, time of day, and time of year

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyper, Nicholas D.

    An extensive heat flux study is performed at Hermit Lake, New Hampshire from May 26, 2010 till November 7, 2010 to determine the effects of the five individual heat fluxes on Hermit Lake and the surrounding amphibian community. Hermit Lake was chosen due to the relatively long meteorological observations record within the White Mountains of New Hampshire, a new lakeside meteorological station, and ongoing phenology studies of the surrounding eco-system. Utilizing meteorological data from the lakeside weather station and moored water temperature sensors, the incident (Qi), blackbody ( Qbnet ), latent (Qe), sensible (Q s), and net (Qn) heat fluxes are calculated. The incident heat flux is the dominate term in the net flux, accounting for 93% of the variance found in Qn and producing a heat gain of ˜ 19x108 J m-2 throughout the period of study. This large gain produces a net gain of heat in the lake until October 1, 2010, where gains by Qi are offset by the large combined losses of Qbnet , Qs, and Qe thereby producing a gradual decline of heat within the lake. The latent and blackbody heat fluxes produce the largest losses of heat in the net heat flux with a total losses of ˜ -8x108 J m-2 and ˜ -7x108 J m-2, respectively. The sensible heat flux is negligible, producing a total minimal loss of ˜ -1x108 J m-2. Overall the net heat produces a net gain of heat of 2x108 J m-2 throughout the study period. Frog calls indicative of breeding are recorded from May 26, 2010 until August 16, 2010. The spring peeper, American toad, and green frog each produced enough actively calling days to be compared to air temperature, surface water temperature, and wind speed data, as well as data from the five heat fluxes. Linear regression analysis reveals that certain water temperature thresholds affect the calling activities of the spring peeper and green frog, while higher wind speeds have a dramatic effect on the calling activities of both the green frog and American toad. All three

  10. SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND CHEMOSENSING APPLICATION OF POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE-CO-HYDROXYETHYL METHACRYLATE WITH DANSYL SIDE GROUP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erdinç DOĞANCI

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available A novel dansyl side-functional polymer (P2 was prepared and employed as the metal cation sensing chemical probe. The synthesis of P2 was performed via free radical polymerization and esterification reactions in a two-step reaction sequence. P2 showed characteristic UV-vis and fluorescence emission bands for the dansyl unit. The fluorescence emission intensity of P2 gradually decreased as the concentrations of the added metal ions were increased. The highest quenching efficiencies (QE were observed for Pb2+ (84.56% and Co2+ (83.69%. Besides, the responses of P2 to the addition of Pb2+ cation were quite linear up to 50 equivalent. The presence of Cd2+, Hg2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+ cations did not pose significant interferences. Thus, P2 is a potential candidate for the fluorescence chemical sensor for Pb2+ cation.

  11. Study on the Surface Displayed Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Viral(PEDV) S1 on Lactic Acid Bacteria%乳酸菌表面表达PEDV S1蛋白的研究

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    余丽芸; 赵志刚; 侯喜林; 曹宏伟; 王桂华

    2008-01-01

    猪流行性腹泻病毒(Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus,PEDV)可引起猪的急性腹泻和脱水,具有较高的致死率.为了研究基因工程疫苗来预防此病,从pQE-S质粒为模板,PCR扩增了PEDV抗原决定簇基因片段sl基因,并将其克隆到大肠杆菌中.克隆质粒鉴定后,将其连接到pLA载体上,并转化到干酪乳杆菌中,用SDS-PAGE和Western blot方法进行了鉴定.实验结果显示,S1蛋白可在干酪乳杆菌中正确表达,并为PEDV抗血清所识别.

  12. Enhanced quantum efficiency in blue-emitting polymer/dielectric nanolayer nanocomposite light-emitting devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jong Hyeok; Lim, Yong Taik; Park, O Ok; Yu, Jae-Woong; Kim, Jai Kyeong; Kim, Young Chul

    2004-01-01

    Light-emitting devices based on environmentally stable, blue-emitting polymer/dielectric nanolayer nanocomposites were fabricated by blending poly(di-octylfluorene) (PDOF) with organo-clay. By reducing the excimer formation that leads to long wavelength tails, the photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) color purity of the device was enhanced. When a conjugated polymer/dielectric nanolayer nanocomposite is applied to an EL device, we expect an electronic structure similar to the well-known quantum well in small nanodomains. The ratio of PDOF/organo-clay was regulated from 2:1 to 0.5:1 (w/w). The light-emitting device of 0.5:1 (w/w) blend demonstrated the highest quantum efficiency (QE), 0.72% (ph/el), which is ∼500 times higher value compared with that of the pure PDOF layer device. However, the driving voltage of the nanocomposite devices tended to increase with increasing organo-clay content

  13. Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of chitinase A from Vibrio carchariae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Songsiriritthigul, Chomphunuch; Yuvaniyama, Jirundon; Robinson, Robert C.; Vongsuwan, Archara; Suginta, Wipa

    2005-10-01

    Chitinase A of Vibrio carchariae was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli M15 host cells as a C-terminally proteolytic processed fragment using the pQE60 expression vector. The yield of the 63-kDa protein was purified, yielding ∼70 mg per liter of bacterial culture. Crystals of recombinant chitinase A were obtained by the hanging-drop vapor diffusion method in a precipitant containing 10% (v/v) PEG 400, 0.1 M sodium acetate p H 4.6 and 0.125 M CaCl 2 . The crystals belonged to the tetragonal space group P422 with two molecules per asymmetric unit and unit-cell parameters a = b 127.64 Angstrom, and c = 171.42 Angstrom. A complete diffraction data set was collected to 2.14 Angstrom resolution, using a Rigaku/MSC R-AXIS IV ++ detector system mounted on an RU-H3R rotating-anode X-ray generator

  14. Foundations of probability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fraassen, B.C. van

    1979-01-01

    The interpretation of probabilities in physical theories are considered, whether quantum or classical. The following points are discussed 1) the functions P(μ, Q) in terms of which states and propositions can be represented, are classical (Kolmogoroff) probabilities, formally speaking, 2) these probabilities are generally interpreted as themselves conditional, and the conditions are mutually incompatible where the observables are maximal and 3) testing of the theory typically takes the form of confronting the expectation values of observable Q calculated with probability measures P(μ, Q) for states μ; hence, of comparing the probabilities P(μ, Q)(E) with the frequencies of occurrence of the corresponding events. It seems that even the interpretation of quantum mechanics, in so far as it concerns what the theory says about the empirical (i.e. actual, observable) phenomena, deals with the confrontation of classical probability measures with observable frequencies. This confrontation is studied. (Auth./C.F.)

  15. Impurity photovoltaic effect in silicon solar cell doped with sulphur: A numerical simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azzouzi, Ghania; Chegaar, Mohamed

    2011-01-01

    The impurity photovoltaic effect (IPV) has mostly been studied in various semiconductors such as silicon, silicon carbide and GaAs in order to increase infrared absorption and hence cell efficiency. In this work, sulphur is used as the IPV effect impurity incorporated in silicon solar cells. For our simulation we use the numerical device simulator (SCAPS). We calculate the solar cell performances (short circuit current density J sc , open circuit voltage V oc , conversion efficiency η and quantum efficiency QE). We study the influence of light trapping and certain impurity parameters like impurity concentration and position in the gap on the solar cell performances. Simulation results for IPV effect on silicon doped with sulphur show an improvement of the short circuit current and the efficiency for sulphur energy levels located far from the middle of the band gap especially at E c -E t =0.18 eV.

  16. Transformation of Money Circulation and Change of the Paradigm of Stimulation of Economic Growth: Historical Aspect and Modern Requirements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vozhzhov Anatoliy P.

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The article conducts an objective scientific analysis and system comprehension of the law of circulation of money – the basis of the quantitative expression of the processes that are connected with functioning of money, which allows revelation of the established regularities in circulation of money, development of relevant solutions and influencing economic development. It considers changing of the regularities of money circulation and the transmission mechanism in modern economy, its influence upon balancing of the economic system. It reveals the essential aspects, contradictions and consequences of the evolution of methods of stimulation of economic development. It studies influence of the policy of quantitative easing (QE as a new method of regulating the economic growth and its impact on transformation of money circulation under modern conditions. It presents mathematic dependencies that describe main evolution stages of changing the laws of circulation of money.

  17. Technical Note: The Effect of The Fed’s Quantitative Easing Policy on the Performance of Listed Companies and the Banking Sector in Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanuar Rizky

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract While the efficient market hypothesis suggests that stock price reflects the fundamental condition of companies, which could affect investors’ decisions, this technical note reports empirical evidence that stock price is also influenced by the public’s perception of the market situation. This note shows that the source of funds circulating in the Indonesia Stock Exchange is related to excess liquidity resulting from the policy of quantitative easing (QE by developed countries’ central banks. Banks funding assets with debt results in leverage relationships with the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR negatively affected. Thus it is evident that the Indonesian banking strategy is "reactive" and is influenced by external factors. External factors can be influenced by global issues as well as internal (enterprise performance issues. Therefore foreign and global issues may be important (perhaps dominant in determining the perceptions of the Indonesian stock market.

  18. Characterisation of twenty-nine (29) accessions of okra (Abelmoschus spp (L.) Moench) in Ghana

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahiakpa, J. K.

    2012-01-01

    polymorphism detected among all accessions using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. The accessions, Atomic and Akrave were detected to have originated from a common ancestry. While there was high variability among Okra accessions for the amounts of flavonoids, phenolics and total antioxidant activity in the fresh fruits and the quantities were generally high making okra a good source of natural antioxidants. Ethanol extraction yielded better antioxidant activity than aqueous (water) solvent. The accession, Agric short fruit recorded the highest total flavonoid content (TFC) of 5159.21±12.90μg/g/QE while Cs-Legon had the lowest TFC of 2003.69±2.55μg/g/QE in the ethanol extract. On the other hand, Kortebortor-ASR registered the highest total phenolic content of 63.22 ±3.95μ/g/GAE) while Volta had the lowest TPC of 6.82±0.09μ/g/GAE in the aquous extract. Debo and Kortebortor-ASR recorded the highest (25.83±5.30μ/g/GAE) and lowest (8.0±0.37μ/g/GAE) Total Phenolics Content in the ethanol extract respectively. Nine essential mineral elements (sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, bromine, chlorine, copper, aluminium and manganese) were detected among all accessions using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). There was significant variation in concentrations of these elements found in fresh fruits of the accessions. There were strong positive associations between five pairs of elements contained in the fruits of the accessions of okra.(au)

  19. Hearing Health in College Instrumental Musicians and Prevention of Hearing Loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, Anna D; Gooding, Lori F; Shikoh, Fara; Graf, Julie

    2016-03-01

    College musicians exhibit greater declines in hearing than the general population and are at particular risk because they rehearse and perform daily in loud environments. Also, they engage in use of personal listening devices which increases the amount of "exposure" time. Despite increased risk, many do not use hearing protection devices (HPD). The purpose of this study was to (1) to identify the present level of education about hearing health, (2) identify the perceived advantages and disadvantages of using HPD, and (3) evaluate results among different musical instrument groups. A mixed-methods group design was used including both quantitative and qualitative instruments. SPSS was used to generate descriptive statistics, and non-parametric statistical analysis was performed on quantitative data. NVivo software was used to evaluate qualitative responses. Of the 90 college instrumental music students who participated, 12% reported a history of hearing loss, and over one-third reported tinnitus. Seventy-seven percent of participants had never received any training about hearing health and only a small percentage of students used HPD. The most cited reason for lack of protection use was its negative impact on sound quality. However, group differences were noted between brass, woodwind, and percussion musicians in terms of HPD uptake. Improving the type of information disseminated to college musicians may reduce the risk of ear-related deficits. Noise dosage information, HPD information, and prevention education grounded in theories like the Health Belief Model may increase awareness and promote greater use of HPDs in this population.

  20. A first principles study of the electronic structure, elastic and thermal properties of UB2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jossou, Ericmoore; Malakkal, Linu; Szpunar, Barbara; Oladimeji, Dotun; Szpunar, Jerzy A.

    2017-07-01

    Uranium diboride (UB2) has been widely deployed for refractory use and is a proposed material for Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) due to its high thermal conductivity. However, the applicability of UB2 towards high temperature usage in a nuclear reactor requires the need to investigate the thermomechanical properties, and recent studies have failed in highlighting applicable properties. In this work, we present an in-depth theoretical outlook of the structural and thermophysical properties of UB2, including but not limited to elastic, electronic and thermal transport properties. These calculations were performed within the framework of Density Functional Theory (DFT) + U approach, using Quantum ESPRESSO (QE) code considering the addition of Coulomb correlations on the uranium atom. The phonon spectra and elastic constant analysis show the dynamic and mechanical stability of UB2 structure respectively. The electronic structure of UB2 was investigated using full potential linear augmented plane waves plus local orbitals method (FP-LAPW+lo) as implemented in WIEN2k code. The absence of a band gap in the total and partial density of states confirms the metallic nature while the valence electron density plot reveals the presence of covalent bond between adjacent B-B atoms. We predicted the lattice thermal conductivity (kL) by solving Boltzmann Transport Equation (BTE) using ShengBTE. The second order harmonic and third-order anharmonic interatomic force constants required as input to ShengBTE was calculated using the Density-functional perturbation theory (DFPT). However, we predicted the electronic thermal conductivity (kel) using Wiedemann-Franz law as implemented in Boltztrap code. We also show that the sound velocity along 'a' and 'c' axes exhibit high anisotropy, which accounts for the anisotropic thermal conductivity of UB2.

  1. Measurement of the strong coupling constant αs with hadronic jets in deep inelastic scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gouzevitch, Maxime

    2008-12-01

    In this analysis we have used the production of hard jets in neutral-current DIS for the extraction of the strong coupling constant α s . The jets have been selected in the NC DIS events at large momentum transvers 150 2 2 within the limits of the detector acceptance -0.8 Lab T B >5. Three jet observables normalized to the total NC DIS cross section have been used: Inclusive jet multiplicity as well as the production rates of 2-jet and 3-jet events. The prediction of the renormalization-group equation for the evolution of the strong coupling constant has been successfully tested for two orders of magnitude between Q=2 QeV to Q=122 GeV. The better precision on α s (m Z ) has been obtained with the combination ob the three observables at Q 2 >150 GeV 2 : α s (m Z )=0.1180±0.0007(exp.) -0.0034 +0.0050 (th.)±0.0017 (pdf.).

  2. Ligand-receptor assay for evaluation of functional activity of human recombinant VEGF and VEGFR-1 extracellular fragment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leopol'd, A V; Baklaushev, V P; Korchagina, A A; Shein, S A; Grinenko, N F; Pavlov, K A; Ryabukhin, I A; Chekhonin, V P

    2012-04-01

    cDNA encoding VEGF and Ig-like extracellular domains 2-4 of VEGFR-1 (sFlt-1(2-4)) were cloned into prokaryotic expression vectors pET32a and pQE60. Recombinant proteins were purified (metal affinity chromatography) and renatured. Chemiluminescent study for the interaction of recombinant VEGF and sFlt-1(2-4) showed that biotinylated VEGF specifically binds to the polystyrene-immobilized receptor extracellular fragment. Biotinylated recombinant sFlt-1 interacts with immobilized VEGF. Analysis of the interaction of immobilized recombinant VEGFR-1 and VEGF with C6 glioma cells labeled with CFDA-SE (vital fluorescent dye) showed that recombinant VEGFR-1 also binds to native membrane-associated VEGF. Recombinant VEGF was shown to bind to specific receptors expressed on the surface of C6 glioma cells. Functional activity of these proteins was confirmed by ligand-receptor assay for VEGF and VEGFR-1 (sFlt-1) and quantitative chemiluminescent detection.

  3. Integrated and global pseudotargeted metabolomics strategy applied to screening for quality control markers of Citrus TCMs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Yisong; Liu, Zhenli; Zhao, Siyu; Song, Zhiqian; He, Dan; Wang, Menglei; Zeng, Honglian; Lu, Cheng; Lu, Aiping; Liu, Yuanyan

    2017-08-01

    Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) exerts its therapeutic effect in a holistic fashion with the synergistic function of multiple characteristic constituents. The holism philosophy of TCM is coincident with global and systematic theories of metabolomics. The proposed pseudotargeted metabolomics methodologies were employed for the establishment of reliable quality control markers for use in the screening strategy of TCMs. Pseudotargeted metabolomics integrates the advantages of both targeted and untargeted methods. In the present study, targeted metabolomics equipped with the gold standard RRLC-QqQ-MS method was employed for in vivo quantitative plasma pharmacochemistry study of characteristic prototypic constituents. Meanwhile, untargeted metabolomics using UHPLC-QE Orbitrap HRMS with better specificity and selectivity was employed for identification of untargeted metabolites in the complex plasma matrix. In all, 32 prototypic metabolites were quantitatively determined, and 66 biotransformed metabolites were convincingly identified after being orally administered with standard extracts of four labeled Citrus TCMs. The global absorption and metabolism process of complex TCMs was depicted in a systematic manner.

  4. Potential of wild plants as a source of bioactive compounds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva Ivanišová

    2017-05-01

    Results showed that wild plants are rich for biologically active substances and can be used more in different kind of industry as a cheap source of these substances. The highest antioxidant activity by ABTS and reducing power method was determined in the sample of Menyanthes trifoliata L. (64.99 mg TEAC – Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity per g of sample and 69.05 mg TEAG per g and by phosphomolybdenum method in the sample of Menyanthes trifoliata L. (237.97 mg TEAC per g of sample. In the sample of Menyanthes trifoliata L. was measured the highest content of total polyphenols (27.91 mg GAE – gallic acid equivalent per g of sample, flavonoids (35.69 mg QE – quercetin equivalent per g of sample and total phenolic acids (22.56 mg CAE – caffeic acid equivalent per g of sample. All samples also showed antimicrobial activity to inhibit selected kind bacteria with the best results in Menyanthes trifoliata L.

  5. Electrical characterization of Au/quercetin/n-Si heterojunction diode and optical analysis of quercetin thin film

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tombak, Ahmet; Özaydin, C.; Boğa, M.; Kiliçoğlu, T.

    2016-01-01

    Quercetin (3,5,7,3’,4’-pentahydroxyflavone, QE), one of the most widely distributed flavonoids in fruits and vegetables, has been reported to possess a wide variety of biological effects, including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis, hepatoprotective, renoprotective and neuroprotective effects. In this study organic-inorganic junctions were fabricated by forming quercetin complex thin film using spin coating technique on n-Si and evaporating Au metal on the film. Optical properties of quercetin thin film were studied with the help of spectrophotometer. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristic of Au/quercetin/n-Si heterojunction diode was investigated at room temperature in dark. Some basic parameters of the diode such as ideality factor, rectification ratio, barrier height, series resistance and shunt resistance were calculated using dark current-voltage measurement. It was also seen that the device had good sensitivity to the light under 40-100 mW/cm"2 illumination conditions.

  6. Fabrication of thin film CZTS solar cells with Pulsed Laser Deposition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cazzaniga, Andrea Carlo

    behind the Quantum Efficiency (QE) curve. What do I learn by reading this thesis? You will learn how to deposit a thin film CZTS absorber layer with Pulsed Laser Deposition with the desired composition. In addition, you will see how material transfer in PLD, which is generally believed...... to be stoichiometric, can be very much non-stoichiometric. How to do it? I suggest to do PLD on a single sintered target (2CuS:ZnS:SnS) .The films are deposited at room temperature and then annealed in a furnace with some sulfur powder aside. The annealing step is as important as the PLD step to the final device...... the non-equilibrium properties of PLD for the production of CZTS films. This may enable one to deposit crystalline CZTS at lower substrate temperature, with no requirement for an annealing step afterwards. Preliminary results do not seem too encouraging. The main obstacle to this approach may...

  7. Characterization of total ionizing dose damage in COTS pinned photodiode CMOS image sensors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Zujun, E-mail: wangzujun@nint.ac.cn; Ma, Wuying; Huang, Shaoyan; Yao, Zhibin; Liu, Minbo; He, Baoping; Sheng, Jiangkun; Xue, Yuan [State Key Laboratory of Intense Pulsed Radiation Simulation and Effect, Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, P.O.Box 69-10, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710024 (China); Liu, Jing [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University, Hunan (China)

    2016-03-15

    The characterization of total ionizing dose (TID) damage in COTS pinned photodiode (PPD) CMOS image sensors (CISs) is investigated. The radiation experiments are carried out at a {sup 60}Co γ-ray source. The CISs are produced by 0.18-μm CMOS technology and the pixel architecture is 8T global shutter pixel with correlated double sampling (CDS) based on a 4T PPD front end. The parameters of CISs such as temporal domain, spatial domain, and spectral domain are measured at the CIS test system as the EMVA 1288 standard before and after irradiation. The dark current, random noise, dark signal non-uniformity (DSNU), photo response non-uniformity (PRNU), overall system gain, saturation output, dynamic range (DR), signal to noise ratio (SNR), quantum efficiency (QE), and responsivity versus the TID are reported. The behaviors of the tested CISs show remarkable degradations after radiation. The degradation mechanisms of CISs induced by TID damage are also analyzed.

  8. Resolving the ambiguity in the relation between Stokes shift and Huang-Rhys parameter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jong, Mathijs; Seijo, Luis; Meijerink, Andries; Rabouw, Freddy T

    2015-07-14

    Electronic transitions in luminescent molecules or centers in crystals couple to vibrations. This results in broadening of absorption and emission bands, as well as in the occurence of a Stokes shift EStokes. In principle, one can derive from EStokes the Huang-Rhys parameter S, which describes the microscopic details of the vibrational coupling and can be related to the equilibrium position offset ΔQe between the ground state and excited state. The commonly used textbook relations EStokes = (2S - 1)ℏω and EStokes = 2Sℏω are only approximately valid. In this paper we investigate how EStokes is related to S, taking into account the effects of a finite temperature. We show that in different ranges of temperature, different approximate relations between EStokes and S are appropriate. Moreover, we demonstrate that the difference between the barycenters of absorption and emission bands can be used to determine S in an unambiguous way. The position of the barycenter is, contrary to the Stokes shift, unaffected by temperature.

  9. Total phenolic content, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Blepharis edulis extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohaddese Mahboubi

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Blepharis edulis is traditionally used as an antiseptic, purgative, aphrodisiac and anti-inflammatory agent. The extractsof plant aerial parts were screened for total phenolic content (TPC gallic acid equivalents (GAE, total flavonoid compound(TFC quercetin equivalents (QE, antioxidant capacity and its antimicrobial activity by micro broth dilution assay. The 50%-inhibition values of BHT and 70% (v/v aqueous ethanol, 70% (v/v aqueous methanol, methanol, and water extracts of B.edulis according to the DPPH method were found to be 19.6, 71.2, 73.7, 81.4, and 218.4 g/ml, respectively. TPC ranged from38.9 to 102.7 mg GAE/g dry extracts. The antimicrobial activity showed that yeast and fungi were sensitive and resistantmicroorganisms to the extracts. The 70%-methanol extract showed more drastic antimicrobial activity than the others. Theantimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract is the same as of the methanolic extract; water extract had the weakest antimicrobialactivity.

  10. Transmission photocathodes based on stainless steel mesh and quartz glass coated with N-doped DLC thin films prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balalykin, N. I.; Huran, J.; Nozdrin, M. A.; Feshchenko, A. A.; Kobzev, A. P.; Arbet, J.

    2016-03-01

    The influence was investigated of N-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) films properties on the quantum efficiency of a prepared transmission photocathode. N-doped DLC thin films were deposited on a silicon substrate, a stainless steel mesh and quartz glass (coated with 5 nm thick Cr adhesion film) by reactive magnetron sputtering using a carbon target and gas mixture Ar, 90%N2+10%H2. The elements' concentration in the films was determined by RBS and ERD. The quantum efficiency was calculated from the measured laser energy and the measured cathode charge. For the study of the vectorial photoelectric effect, the quartz type photocathode was irradiated by intensive laser pulses to form pin-holes in the DLC film. The quantum efficiency (QE), calculated at a laser energy of 0.4 mJ, rose as the nitrogen concentration in the DLC films was increased and rose dramatically after the micron-size perforation in the quartz type photocathodes.

  11. An improved limit on the charge of antihydrogen from stochastic acceleration

    CERN Document Server

    Ahmadi, M; Bertsche, W; Butler, E; Capra, A; Carruth, C; Cesar, C L; Charlton, M; Charman, A E; Eriksson, S; Evans, L T; Evetts, N; Fajans, J; Friesen, T; Fujiwara, M C; Gill, D R; Gutierrez, A; Hangst, J S; Hardy, W N; Hayden, M E; Isaac, C A; Ishida, A; Jones, S A; Jonsell, S; Kurchaninov, L; Madsen, N; Maxwell, D; McKenna, J T K; Menary, S; Michan, J M; Momose, T; Munich, J J; Nolan, P; Olchanski, K; Olin, A; Povilus, A; Pusa, P; Rasmussen, C Ø; Robicheaux, F; Sacramento, R L; Sameed, M; Sarid, E; Silveira, D M; So, C; Tharp, T D; Thompson, R I; van der Werf, D P; Wurtele, J S; Zhmoginov, A I

    2016-01-01

    Antimatter continues to intrigue physicists because of its apparent absence in the observable Universe. Current theory requires that matter and antimatter appeared in equal quantities after the Big Bang, but the Standard Model of particle physics offers no quantitative explanation for the apparent disappearance of half the Universe. It has recently become possible to study trapped atoms of antihydrogen to search for possible, as yet unobserved, differences in the physical behaviour of matter and antimatter. Here we consider the charge neutrality of the antihydrogen atom. By applying stochastic acceleration to trapped antihydrogen atoms, we determine an experimental bound on the antihydrogen charge, Qe, of |Q| < 0.71 parts per billion (one standard deviation), in which e is the elementary charge. This bound is a factor of 20 less than that determined from the best previous measurement of the antihydrogen charge. The electrical charge of atoms and molecules of normal matter is known to be no greater than...

  12. Cross-section measurement for quasielastic production of charmed baryons in nu N interactions

    CERN Document Server

    Kayis-Topaksu, A; Van Dantzig, R; De Jong, M; Melzer, O; Oldeman, R G C; Pesen, E; Spada, F R; Visschers, J L; Güler, M; Köse, U; Serin-Zeyrek, M; Sever, R; Tolun, P; Zeyrek, M T; Catanesi, M G; De Serio, M; Ieva, M; Muciaccia, M T; Radicioni, E; Simone, S; Bülte, A; Winter, Klaus; Van de Vyver, B; Vilain, P; Wilquet, G; Pittoni, G L; Saitta, B; Di Capua, E; Ogawa, S; Shibuya, H; Artamonov, A V; Chizhov, M; Doucet, M; Hristova, I R; Kawamura, T; Kolev, D; Meinhard, H; Panman, J; Papadopoulos, I M; Ricciardi, S; Rozanov, A; Tsenov, R V; Uiterwijk, J W E; Zucchelli, P; Goldberg, J; Chikawa, M; Arik, E; Song, J S; Yoon, C S; Kodama, K; Ushida, N; Aoki, S; Hara, T; Delbar, T; Favart, D; Grégoire, G; Kalinin, S; Makhlyoueva, I V; Gorbunov, P; Khovanskii, V D; Shamanov, V V; Tsukerman, I; Bruski, N; Frekers, D; Hoshino, K; Kawada, J; Komatsu, M; Miyanishi, M; Nakamura, M; Nakano, T; Narita, K; Niu, K; Niwa, K; Nonaka, N; Sato, O; Toshito, T; Buontempo, S; Cocco, A G; D'Ambrosio, N; De Lellis, G; De Rosa, G; Di Capua, F; Ereditato, A; Fiorillo, G; Marotta, A; Messina, M; Migliozzi, P; Pistillo, C; Lavina, L S; Strolin, P; Tioukov, V; Nakamura, K; Okusawa, T; Dore, U; Loverre, P F; Ludovici, L; Righini, P; Rosa, G; Santacesaria, R; Satta, A; Barbuto, E; Bozza, C; Grella, G; Romano, G; Sirignano, C; Sorrentino, S; Sato, Y; Tezuka, I

    2003-01-01

    A study of quasielastic production of charmed baryons in charged- current interactions of neutrinos with the nuclear emulsion target of CHORUS is presented. In a sample of about 46 000 interactions located in the emulsion, candidates for decays of short-lived particles were identified by using new automatic scanning systems and later confirmed through visual inspection. Criteria based both on the topological and kinematical characteristics of quasielastic charm production allowed a clear separation between events of this type and those in which charm is produced in deep inelastic processes. A final sample containing 13 candidates consistent with quasielastic production of a charmed baryon with an estimated background of 1.7 events was obtained. At the average neutrino energy of 27 GeV the cross-section for the total quasielastic production of charmed baryons relative to the nu N charged-current cross-section was measured to be sigma (QE)/ sigma (CC)=(0.23/sub -0.06//sup +0.12 /(stat)/sub -0.03//sup + /0/sup ....

  13. Electrical characterization of Au/quercetin/n-Si heterojunction diode and optical analysis of quercetin thin film

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tombak, Ahmet, E-mail: tahmet@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Faculty of Art& Science, Batman University, Batman 72000 (Turkey); Özaydin, C. [Department of Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Batman University, Batman 72000 (Turkey); Boğa, M. [Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology Department, Dicle University, Diyarbakir 21280 (Turkey); Kiliçoğlu, T. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Dicle University, Diyarbakir 21280 (Turkey)

    2016-03-25

    Quercetin (3,5,7,3’,4’-pentahydroxyflavone, QE), one of the most widely distributed flavonoids in fruits and vegetables, has been reported to possess a wide variety of biological effects, including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis, hepatoprotective, renoprotective and neuroprotective effects. In this study organic-inorganic junctions were fabricated by forming quercetin complex thin film using spin coating technique on n-Si and evaporating Au metal on the film. Optical properties of quercetin thin film were studied with the help of spectrophotometer. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristic of Au/quercetin/n-Si heterojunction diode was investigated at room temperature in dark. Some basic parameters of the diode such as ideality factor, rectification ratio, barrier height, series resistance and shunt resistance were calculated using dark current-voltage measurement. It was also seen that the device had good sensitivity to the light under 40-100 mW/cm{sup 2} illumination conditions.

  14. Advanced Code for Photocathode Design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ives, Robert Lawrence [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States); Jensen, Kevin [Naval Research Lab. (NRL), Washington, DC (United States); Montgomery, Eric [Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Bui, Thuc [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States)

    2015-12-15

    The Phase I activity demonstrated that PhotoQE could be upgraded and modified to allow input using a graphical user interface. Specific calls to platform-dependent (e.g. IMSL) function calls were removed, and Fortran77 components were rewritten for Fortran95 compliance. The subroutines, specifically the common block structures and shared data parameters, were reworked to allow the GUI to update material parameter data, and the system was targeted for desktop personal computer operation. The new structures overcomes the previous rigid and unmodifiable library structures by implementing new, materials library data sets and repositioning the library values to external files. Material data may originate from published literature or experimental measurements. Further optimization and restructuring would allow custom and specific emission models for beam codes that rely on parameterized photoemission algorithms. These would be based on simplified and parametric representations updated and extended from previous versions (e.g., Modified Fowler-Dubridge, Modified Three-Step, etc.).

  15. Characterisation of a monolithic active pixel sensor for electron detection in the energy range 10-20 keV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matheson, J.; Moldovan, G.; Clark, A.; Prydderch, M.; Turchetta, R.; Derbyshire, G.; Kirkland, A.; Allinson, N.

    2009-01-01

    As part of a feasibility study into the use of novel electron detectors for X-ray photoelectron emission microscopes (XPEEM), we have characterised the imaging performance of a back-illuminated monolithic active pixel sensor (MAPS) operating under both integrating and counting modes for electrons in the energy range 10-20 keV. For integrating mode, we present the detective quantum efficiency (DQE), which shows marked improvements over conventional indirect detectors based on microchannel plates. We also present the modulation transfer function (MTF) and noise power spectrum (NPS), again demonstrating significantly improved performance. For counting mode, we present the quantum efficiency (QE) as a function of incident electron energy. We have evaluated the charge collection efficiency (CCE) and we thereby demonstrate the presence of a ∼200 nm thick dead layer that is linked with reduced CCE at low electron energies. Based on our findings, we believe that the MAPS technology is well matched to future XPEEM instruments using aberration correction.

  16. Magnetite nanoparticles coated with methoxy polyethylene glycol as an efficient adsorbent of diazinon pesticide from water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahboubeh Saeidi

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Methoxy polyethylene glycol modified magnetite nanoparticles (PEGMNs were synthesized and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM, and X-ray diffraction (XRD. The adsorption of diazinon onto PEGMNs was investigated by UV-Vis spectrophotometry at 236 nm, through batch experiments. The effects of adsorbent dosage, solution pH, contact time, solution temperature and water impurities on the adsorption of diazinon onto PEGMNs were investigated. The process of adsorption was increased rapidly in the first contact period of 10 min. The adsorption at equilibrium (qe was found to increase with increasing pH. The results of diazinon removal at various PEGMNs dosages demonstrated that the optimum dose of PEGMNs was 1mg. The amount of adsorption of diazinon at equilibrium increased with an increasing temperature from 15°C to 45°C that indicateds an endothermic process. Therefore, PEGMNs were used as an efficient absorbent for the removal of diazinon.

  17. On the Brauer group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tankeev, Sergei G

    2000-01-01

    For an arithmetic model X of a Fermat surface or a hyperkahler variety with Betti number b 2 (V otimes k-bar)>3 over a purely imaginary number field k, we prove the finiteness of the l-components of Br'(X) for all primes l>>0. This yields a variant of a conjecture of M. Artin. If V is a smooth projective irregular surface over a number field k and V(k)≠ nothing, then the l-primary component of Br(V)/Br(k) is an infinite group for every prime l. Let A 1 →M 1 be the universal family of elliptic curves with a Jacobian structure of level N>=3 over a number field k supset of Q(e 2πi/N ). Assume that M 1 (k) ≠ nothing. If V is a smooth projective compactification of the surface A 1 , then the l-primary component of Br(V)/Br(M-bar 1 ) is a finite group for each sufficiently large prime l

  18. Bee bread - perspective source of bioactive compounds for future

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva Ivanišová

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Bee bread is product with long history used mainly in folk medicine. Nowadays, bee bread is growing in commercial interest due to its high nutritional properties. The objective of this study was to determine biological activity of ethanolic extract of bee bread obtained from selected region of Ukraine - Poltava oblast, Kirovohrad oblast, Vinnica oblast, Kyiv oblast, Dnepropetrovsk oblast. The antioxidant activity was measured with the radical scavenging assays using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH radical as well as phosphomolybdenum assay. Total polyphenol content was determined with Folin-Ciocalteau reagent and total flavonoid content by aluminium-chloride method. Secondary was also evaluated antimicrobial activity in bee bread samples with disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentrations. Antioxidant activity expressed as mg TEAC per g of dry weight (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity was the highest in bee bread from Poltava oblast in DPPH and also phosphomolybdenum method. Samples of bee bread contained high levels of total polyphenols (12.36 - 18.24 mg GAE - gallic acid equivalent per g of dry weight and flavonoids (13.56 - 18.24 μg QE - quercetin equivalent per g of dry weight with the best values of bee bread from Poltava oblast. An elevated level of antioxidant potential in the bee bread determines its biological properties, which conditioned of the biological active substances. The best antibacterial activity of bee bred with disc diffusion method was found against Bacillus thuringiensis CCM 19. The antibacterial activity inhibited by the bee bread extract in the present study indicate that best minimal inhibition concentration was against bacteria Escherichia coli CCM 3988 and Salmonella enterica subs. enterica CCM 3807.

  19. Enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of PbS sensitized Sb–SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays electrode under visible light illumination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Jia; Tang, Chengli [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Xu, Hao, E-mail: xuhao@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Yan, Wei, E-mail: yanwei@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China)

    2015-06-05

    Highlights: • Sb–SnO{sub 2} is used to modify TiO{sub 2} NTAs by microwave method. • PbS is employed to sensitive Sb–SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} NTAs by S-SILAR method. • Sb–SnO{sub 2} improves electrons transfer and PbS enhances visible light absorption. • The composite electrode shows enhanced photoelectrochemical properties. • The composite electrode exhibits high hydrogen evolution and high QE. - Abstract: The novel PbS sensitized Sb–SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays (NTAs) composite electrode (PbS/Sb–SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} NTAs) was fabricated by microwave combined with sonication-assisted successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction technique (S-SILAR). The obtained electrodes were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance absorption spectra techniques. Enhanced photocurrent (15.52 mA/cm{sup 2}) of the PbS/Sb–SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} NTAs electrode was observed and can be attributed to the facile photo-generated electrons transfer and enhanced charge separation efficiency. Furthermore, the PbS/Sb–SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} NTAs composite electrode shows a higher H{sub 2} production rate than the Sb–SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} NTAs electrode and PbS/TiO{sub 2} NTAs electrode. The results indicate that the PbS/Sb–SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} NTAs electrode is a promising photoanode in visible photocatalytic water splitting.

  20. Autonomous Acqisition of Science Grade Spectra From UAS's

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandl, D.; Campbell, P. K. E.; Sohlberg, R. A.; Ong, L.; Cappelaere, P. G.

    2017-12-01

    We assembled a payload box which contains a QE Pro and a Flame hyperspectral instruments. The payload was mounted on a DJI Matrice 600 drone. The total weight of the drone and the payload was 38 lbs. It was flown over a United States Department of Agricultural (USDA) research field where corn and soybeans were grown. The fields were subdivided into areas that had a variety of treatments such as low nitrogen and high nitrogen. The research is centered on correlating the treatments with the year-end crop yields. Our effort was to monitor spectral data to recognize photosynthetic activity via proxies such as solar induced fluorescence (SIF). To detect SIF requires optimized spectra which is normalized into reflectance. We perform the optimization routine onboard. The intent is to demonstrate a viable measurement campaign that would enable a researcher to measure the fields diurnally over a growing season. What we found out is that there was more complexity to trying to make this happen then we originally thought. For one thing, we had limited battery life, limited payload capacity and sometimes the cloud cover did not cooperate. So the question was how to intelligently apply the resources using some onboard processing and software. Our long term vision is to have multiple drones act as an intelligent cluster and self-manage their own deployment at multiple locations and multiple altitudes, auto-adjustments and intelligent management of errors. This presentation will go over lessons learned, achievements and future directions.