Distinct spontaneous shrinkage of a sporadic vestibular schwannoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Xiaowen; Cayé-Thomasen, Per; Stangerup, Sven-Eric

2013-01-01

on "shrinkage" or "negative growth" or "regression" or "involution" of the tumor were selected, and the contents on the rate, extent and mechanism of spontaneous tumor shrinkage were extracted and reviewed. The reported rate of spontaneous shrinkage of vestibular schwannoma is 5-10% of patients managed......We present a case with outspoken spontaneous vestibular schwannoma shrinkage and review the related literature. The patient was initially diagnosed with a left-sided, intrameatal vestibular schwannoma, which subsequently grew into the cerebello-pontine angle (CPA), followed by total shrinkage...... of the CPA component without any intervention over a 12-year observation period. The literature on spontaneous tumor shrinkage was retrieved by searching the subject terms "vestibular schwannoma, conservative management" in PubMed/MEDLINE database, without a time limit. Of the published data, the articles...

Dynamics of tissue shrinkage during ablative temperature exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossmann, Christian; Haemmerich, Dieter; Garrett-Mayer, Elizabeth; Rattay, Frank

2014-01-01

There is a lack of studies that examine the dynamics of heat-induced shrinkage of organ tissues. Clinical procedures such as radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation or high-intensity focused ultrasound, use heat to treat diseases such as cancer and cardiac arrhythmia. When heat is applied to tissues, shrinkage occurs due to protein denaturation, dehydration and contraction of collagen at temperatures greater 50 °C. This is particularly relevant for image-guided procedures such as tumor ablation, where pre- and post-treatment images are compared and any changes in dimensions must be considered to avoid misinterpretations of the treatment outcome. We present data from ex vivo, isothermal shrinkage tests in porcine liver tissue, where axial changes in tissue length were recorded during 15 min of heating to temperatures between 60 and 95 °C. A mathematical model was developed to accurately describe the time and temperature-dependent shrinkage behavior. The shrinkage dynamics had the same characteristics independent of temperature; the estimated relative shrinkage, adjusted for time since death, after 15 min heating to temperatures of 60, 65, 75, 85 and 95 °C, was 12.3, 13.8, 16.6, 19.2 and 21.7%, respectively. Our results demonstrate the shrinkage dynamics of organ tissues, and suggest the importance of considering tissue shrinkage for thermal ablative treatments. (paper)

The shrinkage of hardening cement paste and mortar

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haas, de G.D.; Kreijger, P.C.; Niël, E.M.M.G.; Slagter, J.C.; Stein, H.N.; Theissing, E.M.; Wallendael, van M.

1975-01-01

This paper is an abstract from the report of the commission B10: "The influence of the shrinkage of cement on the shrink-age of concrete", of the Netherlands Committee for Concrete Research. Measurements of pulse velocity, volume shrinkage and heat of hydration on hardening portland cement support

Thermal shrinkage for shoulder instability.

Science.gov (United States)

Toth, Alison P; Warren, Russell F; Petrigliano, Frank A; Doward, David A; Cordasco, Frank A; Altchek, David W; O'Brien, Stephen J

2011-07-01

Thermal capsular shrinkage was popular for the treatment of shoulder instability, despite a paucity of outcomes data in the literature defining the indications for this procedure or supporting its long-term efficacy. The purpose of this study was to perform a clinical evaluation of radiofrequency thermal capsular shrinkage for the treatment of shoulder instability, with a minimum 2-year follow-up. From 1999 to 2001, 101 consecutive patients with mild to moderate shoulder instability underwent shoulder stabilization surgery with thermal capsular shrinkage using a monopolar radiofrequency device. Follow-up included a subjective outcome questionnaire, discussion of pain, instability, and activity level. Mean follow-up was 3.3 years (range 2.0-4.7 years). The thermal capsular shrinkage procedure failed due to instability and/or pain in 31% of shoulders at a mean time of 39 months. In patients with unidirectional anterior instability and those with concomitant labral repair, the procedure proved effective. Patients with multidirectional instability had moderate success. In contrast, four of five patients with isolated posterior instability failed. Thermal capsular shrinkage has been advocated for the treatment of shoulder instability, particularly mild to moderate capsular laxity. The ease of the procedure makes it attractive. However, our retrospective review revealed an overall failure rate of 31% in 80 patients with 2-year minimum follow-up. This mid- to long-term cohort study adds to the literature lacking support for thermal capsulorrhaphy in general, particularly posterior instability. The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11420-010-9187-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A thermal active restrained shrinkage ring test to study the early age concrete behaviour of massive structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Briffaut, M.; Benboudjema, F.; Torrenti, J.M.; Nahas, G.

2011-01-01

In massive concrete structures, cracking may occur during hardening, especially if autogenous and thermal strains are restrained. The concrete permeability due to this cracking may rise significantly and thus increase leakage (in tank, nuclear containment...) and reduce the durability. The restrained shrinkage ring test is used to study the early age concrete behaviour (delayed strains evolution and cracking). This test shows, at 20 o C and without drying, for a concrete mix which is representative of a French nuclear power plant containment vessel (w/c ratio equal to 0.57), that the amplitude of autogenous shrinkage (about 40 μm/m for the studied concrete mix) is not high enough to cause cracking. Indeed, in this configuration, thermal shrinkage is not significant, whereas this is a major concern for massive structures. Therefore, an active test has been developed to study cracking due to restrained thermal shrinkage. This test is an evolution of the classical restrained shrinkage ring test. It allows to take into account both autogenous and thermal shrinkages. Its principle is to create the thermal strain effects by increasing the temperature of the brass ring (by a fluid circulation) in order to expand it. With this test, the early age cracking due to restrained shrinkage, the influence of reinforcement and construction joints have been experimentally studied. It shows that, as expected, reinforcement leads to an increase of the number of cracks but a decrease of crack widths. Moreover, cracking occurs preferentially at the construction joint.

Thermal Shrinkage for Shoulder Instability

OpenAIRE

Toth, Alison P.; Warren, Russell F.; Petrigliano, Frank A.; Doward, David A.; Cordasco, Frank A.; Altchek, David W.; O’Brien, Stephen J.

2010-01-01

Thermal capsular shrinkage was popular for the treatment of shoulder instability, despite a paucity of outcomes data in the literature defining the indications for this procedure or supporting its long-term efficacy. The purpose of this study was to perform a clinical evaluation of radiofrequency thermal capsular shrinkage for the treatment of shoulder instability, with a minimum 2-year follow-up. From 1999 to 2001, 101 consecutive patients with mild to moderate shoulder instability underwent...

Shrinkage Degree in $L_{2}$ -Rescale Boosting for Regression.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Lin; Lin, Shaobo; Wang, Yao; Xu, Zongben

2017-08-01

L 2 -rescale boosting ( L 2 -RBoosting) is a variant of L 2 -Boosting, which can essentially improve the generalization performance of L 2 -Boosting. The key feature of L 2 -RBoosting lies in introducing a shrinkage degree to rescale the ensemble estimate in each iteration. Thus, the shrinkage degree determines the performance of L 2 -RBoosting. The aim of this paper is to develop a concrete analysis concerning how to determine the shrinkage degree in L 2 -RBoosting. We propose two feasible ways to select the shrinkage degree. The first one is to parameterize the shrinkage degree and the other one is to develop a data-driven approach. After rigorously analyzing the importance of the shrinkage degree in L 2 -RBoosting, we compare the pros and cons of the proposed methods. We find that although these approaches can reach the same learning rates, the structure of the final estimator of the parameterized approach is better, which sometimes yields a better generalization capability when the number of sample is finite. With this, we recommend to parameterize the shrinkage degree of L 2 -RBoosting. We also present an adaptive parameter-selection strategy for shrinkage degree and verify its feasibility through both theoretical analysis and numerical verification. The obtained results enhance the understanding of L 2 -RBoosting and give guidance on how to use it for regression tasks.

The influence of shrinkage reducing admixtures on plastic shrinkage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mora, J.

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Shrinkage reducing admixtures (SRAs are viable alternatives for reducing plastic shrinkage cracking in concrete. The objective of the present paper is to study early age plastic shrinkage in restrained concrete elements, where three different SRAs have been used. The influence of the admixture is analyzed through the following measurements: capillary pressure, evaporation, temperature evolution, crack evolution and settlement. The tests for studying the cracking and deformation were made on two different configurations (i.e., restrained prisms with reduced cross-section and restrained panel, in a wind tunnel, with controlled wind temperature and velocity. The conclusions obtained indicate the viability of the use of this type of admixture and the usefulness of the test methods.

Los aditivos reductores de retracción (SRAs se plantean, hoy en día, como una alternativa viable para reducir la fisuración por retracción plástica. El objetivo del presente artículo es conocer mejor y predecir el comportamiento a primeras edades de la retracción plástica en elementos estructurales coaccionados, a los que se les ha añadido diversos aditivos reductores de retracción (tres tipos diferentes. Esta influencia se analiza a través de las siguientes propiedades: presión capilar, evaporación, evolución de temperaturas, evolución de fisuración, y deformaciones verticales de asentamiento. Los ensayos para estudiar la fisuración y las deformaciones se han realizado sobre diferentes configuraciones (prisma restringido con estrangulamiento y panel restringido, en un túnel de viento, con temperaturas y velocidades de viento controladas. Las conclusiones obtenidas señalan la viabilidad del empleo de este tipo de aditivos y la bondad de los métodos experimentales utilizados.

Assessment of concrete creep and shrinkage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trivedi, Neha; Singh, R.K.

2012-01-01

B-3 model prediction of concrete creep and shrinkage strains on cylindrical specimen and BARC Containment test model (BARCOM) are presented. Experimental shrinkage strain is shown to be in agreement with B-3 model predictions for cylindrical specimen and BARCOM. Creep strain in cylindrical specimen is found to be in agreement with B-3 model. In BARCOM for wall cast in different pores, creep strain is in agreement with B-3 model in hoop direction however in longitudinal direction, observed creep strain in higher than B-3 model. For dome structure cast in a single pour, experimental creep strain shows confirmity with B-3 model both in hoop and longitudinal directions. The study on concrete aging and average longitudinal shrinkage strain is carried out. (author)

PLASTIC SHRINKAGE CONTROLLING EFFECT BY POLYPROPYLENE SHORT FIBER WITH HYDROPHILY

Science.gov (United States)

Hosoda, Akira; Sadatsuki, Yoshitomo; Oshima, Akihiro; Ishii, Akina; Tsubaki, Tatsuya

The aim of this research is to clarify the mechanism of controlling plastic shrinkage crack by adding small amout of synthetic short fiber, and to propose optimum polypropylene short fiber to control plastic shrinkage crack. In this research, the effect of the hydrophily of polypropylene fiber was investigated in the amount of plastic shrinkage of mortar, total area of plastic shrinkage crack, and bond properties between fiber and mortar. The plastic shrinkage test of morar was conducted under high temperature, low relative humidity, and constant wind velocity. When polypropylene fiber had hydrophily, the amount of plastic shrinkage of mortar was restrained, which was because cement paste in morar was captured by hydrophilic fiber and then bleeding of mortar was restrained. With hydrophily, plastic shrinkage of mortar was restrained and bridging effect was improved due to better bond, which led to remarkable reduction of plastic shrinkage crack. Based on experimental results, the way of developing optimum polypropylene short fiber for actual construction was proposed. The fiber should have large hydrophily and small diameter, and should be used in as small amount as possible in order not to disturb workability of concrete.

Drying Shrinkage Microcracking in Cement-based Materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bisschop, J.; Van Mier, J.G.M.

2002-01-01

In this paper the nature of drying shrinkage microcracking in a variety of model cementbased materials, as well as in more practical types of concrete is described. The model mixtures were studied to elucidate the mechanisms of drying shrinkage microcracking and the factors that influence these

Mesoscopic analysis of drying shrinkage damage in a cementitious material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moonen, P.; Pedersen, R.R.; Simone, A.

2008-01-01

Concrete and cement-based materials exhibit shrinkage when exposed to drying. Structural effects and inhomogeneity of material properties adverse free shrinkage, hereby inducing stress concentrations and possibly damage. In this contribution, the magnitude of shrinkage- induced damage during...... temperatures are considered: 35 °C and 50 °C. Significantly more micro-damage and higher internal stresses are found for the latter, revealing the importance of drying shrinkage damage, even at laboratory scale....

Computation of shrinkage stresses in prestressed concrete containments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, R.F.; Ouyang, H.

1989-01-01

According to a survey, surface cracking on PCRVs and PCCs under the investigations is confined to drying shrinkage and thermal strain effects and no instances of structurally significant cracking was been found. In this paper, the authors use FEM to compute humidity distribution in drying concrete and shrinkage stresses by internal restraint. Since PCC is built segment by segment in several years, a computational model taking into account construction sequence is presented and shrinkage stresses by external restraints are calculated with the model

Heat shrinkage of electron beam modified EVA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Datta, S.K.; Chaki, T.K.; Bhowmick, A.K.

1997-01-01

Heat shrinkage of electron beam modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) has been investigated over a range of times, temperatures, stretching, irradiation doses and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) levels. The irradiated (radiation dose 50 kGy and TMPTMA level 1%) and stretched (100% elongation) sample shrinks to a maximum level when kept at 453K temperature for 60 s. The heat shrinkage of samples irradiated with radiation doses of 20, 50, 100 and 150 kGy increases sharply with increasing stretching in the initial stage. Amnesia rating decreases with increasing radiation dose and TMPTMA level as well as gel content. The high radiation dose and TMPTMA level lower the heat shrinkage due to the chain scission. The effect of temperature at which extension is carried out on heat shrinkage is marginal. The irradiated (radiation dose 50 kGy and TMPTMA level 1%) EVA tubes of different dimensions expanded in a laboratory grade tube expander show similar behaviour at 453K and 60 s. The X-ray and DSC studies reveal that the crystallinity increases on stretching due to orientation of chains and it decreases to a considerable extent on heat shrinking. The theoretical and experimental values of heat shrinkage for tubes and rectangular strips are in good accord, when the radiation dose is 50 kGy and TMPTMA level 1%. (author)

Heat shrinkage of electron beam modified EVA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Datta, S.K.; Chaki, T.K.; Bhowmick, A.K. [Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (India). Rubber Technology Center; Tikku, V.K.; Pradhan, N.K. [NICCO Corporation Ltd., (Cable Div.), Calcutta (India)

1997-10-01

Heat shrinkage of electron beam modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) has been investigated over a range of times, temperatures, stretching, irradiation doses and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) levels. The irradiated (radiation dose 50 kGy and TMPTMA level 1%) and stretched (100% elongation) sample shrinks to a maximum level when kept at 453K temperature for 60 s. The heat shrinkage of samples irradiated with radiation doses of 20, 50, 100 and 150 kGy increases sharply with increasing stretching in the initial stage. Amnesia rating decreases with increasing radiation dose and TMPTMA level as well as gel content. The high radiation dose and TMPTMA level lower the heat shrinkage due to the chain scission. The effect of temperature at which extension is carried out on heat shrinkage is marginal. The irradiated (radiation dose 50 kGy and TMPTMA level 1%) EVA tubes of different dimensions expanded in a laboratory grade tube expander show similar behaviour at 453K and 60 s. The X-ray and DSC studies reveal that the crystallinity increases on stretching due to orientation of chains and it decreases to a considerable extent on heat shrinking. The theoretical and experimental values of heat shrinkage for tubes and rectangular strips are in good accord, when the radiation dose is 50 kGy and TMPTMA level 1%. (author).

Dry shrinkage characteristics of buffer materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suzuki, H. [ITC, Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan); Fujita, A.

1999-03-01

Generation of cracks due to drying of compressed bentonite was observed by changing the initial water content to obtain shrinkage constants such as shrinkage limit and shrinking rate. As a result, generation of practically no cracks was observed when the initial water content of samples was below 13%. The volume change due to drying increased with the water content in the sample, and the shrinkage constants were found to depend on the initial water content. Further, the one-dimensional compression strength after drying was compared with that before drying in order to clarify the effect of cracks generated by drying on the mechanical strength. As a result, the dry sample with cracks proved to have large one-dimensional compression strength or E{sub 50} compared to wet samples, so that the mechanical strength was kept even after drying. (H. Baba)

Drying shrinkage problems in high PI subgrade soils.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

The main objective of this study was to investigate the longitudinal cracking in pavements due to drying : shrinkage of high PI subgrade soils. The study involved laboartory soil testing and modeling. The : shrinkage cracks usually occur within the v...

A Gravity-Responsive Time-Keeping Protein of the Plant and Animal Cell Surface

Science.gov (United States)

Morre, D. James

2003-01-01

The hypothesis under investigation was that a ubiquinol (NADH) oxidase protein of the cell surface with protein disulfide-thiol interchange activity (= NOX protein) is a plant and animal time-keeping ultradian (period of less than 24 h) driver of both cell enlargement and the biological clock that responds to gravity. Despite considerable work in a large number of laboratories spanning several decades, this is, to my knowledge, our work is the first demonstration of a time-keeping biochemical reaction that is both gravity-responsive and growth-related and that has been shown to determine circadian periodicity. As such, the NOX protein may represent both the long-sought biological gravity receptor and the core oscillator of the cellular biological clock. Completed studies have resulted in 12 publications and two issued NASA-owned patents of the clock activity. The gravity response and autoentrainment were characterized in cultured mammalian cells and in two plant systems together with entrainment by light and small molecules (melatonin). The molecular basis of the oscillatory behavior was investigated using spectroscopic methods (Fourier transform infrared and circular dichroism) and high resolution electron microscopy. We have also applied these findings to an understanding of the response to hypergravity. Statistical methods for analysis of time series phenomena were developed (Foster et al., 2003).

Variation of Shrinkage Strain within the Depth of Concrete Beams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jong-Hyun Jeong

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The variation of shrinkage strain within beam depth was examined through four series of time-dependent laboratory experiments on unreinforced concrete beam specimens. Two types of beam specimens, horizontally cast and vertically cast, were tested; shrinkage variation was observed in the horizontally cast specimens. This indicated that the shrinkage variation within the beam depth was due to water bleeding and tamping during the placement of the fresh concrete. Shrinkage strains were measured within the beam depth by two types of strain gages, surface-attached and embedded. The shrinkage strain distribution within the beam depth showed a consistent tendency for the two types of gages. The test beams were cut into four sections after completion of the test, and the cutting planes were divided into four equal sub-areas to measure the aggregate concentration for each sub-area of the cutting plane. The aggregate concentration increased towards the bottom of the beam. The shrinkage strain distribution was estimated by Hobbs’ equation, which accounts for the change of aggregate volume concentration.

Volume change of limestone and its effects on drying shrinkage of concrete

OpenAIRE

YAGI, Shogo; AQUINO, Carlos; INOUE, Masumi; OKAMOTO, Takahisa

2010-01-01

Recently, the cracks of concrete by drying shrinkage become one of the problems in the construction industry in Japan. The drying shrinkage decreases when the concrete is produced with limestone aggregate. However, it is not clear why the drying shrinkage is decreased. The purpose of this study is to clarify the relation between the drying shrinkage of concrete and the limestone aggregate. In this study, the experiments about the strength, elasticity and drying shrinkage of concrete and the p...

Creep and shrinkage of concrete according to Eurocode 2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milićević Ivan M.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the procedure for calculation of creep coefficient and shrinkage strain according to Eurocode 2 (SRPS EN 1992-1-1:2004. The calculated values of final creep coefficient and shrinkage strain, for the usual design conditions, are given in Annexes. The influence of key parameters on final creep coefficient and shrinkage strain is analyzed and the comparison between their final values calculated according to Eurocode 2 and BAB 87 is presented.

Reduction of the Early Autogenous Shrinkage of High Strength Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Drago Saje

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The results of a laboratory investigation on the early autogenous shrinkage of high strength concrete, and the possibilities of its reduction, are presented. Such concrete demonstrates significant autogenous shrinkage, which should, however, be limited in the early stages of its development in order to prevent the occurrence of cracks and/or drop in the load-carrying capacity of concrete structures. The following possibilities for reducing autogenous shrinkage were investigated: the use of low-heat cement, a shrinkage-reducing admixture, steel fibres, premoistened polypropylene fibres, and presoaked lightweight aggregate. In the case of the use of presoaked natural lightweight aggregate, with a fraction from 2 to 4 mm, the early autogenous shrinkage of one-day-old high strength concrete decreased by about 90%, with no change to the concrete's compressive strength in comparison with that of the reference concrete.

Evaluation of polymerization shrinkage, polymerization shrinkage stress, wear resistance, and compressive strength of a silorane-based composite: A finite element analysis study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suresh Mitthra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Understanding the mechanical properties is important in predicting the clinical behavior of composites. Finite element analysis (FEA evaluates properties of materials replicating clinical scenario. Aim: This study evaluated polymerization shrinkage and stress, wear resistance (WR, and compressive strength (CS of silorane in comparison with two methacrylate resins. Settings and Design: This study design was a numerical study using FEA. Materials and Methods: Three-dimensional (3D models of maxillary premolar with Class I cavities (2 mm depth, 4 mm length, and 2.5 mm width created and restored with silorane, nanohybrid, and microhybrid; Groups I, II, and III, respectively. Loads of 200–600 N were applied. Polymerization shrinkage was first determined by displacement produced in the X, Y, and Z planes. Maximum stress distribution due to shrinkage was calculated using AN SYS software. 3D cube models of composite resins were simulated with varying filler particle size. Similar loads were applied. WR and compressive stress were calculated: K W L/H and load/cross-sectional area, respectively. Statistical analysis done using one-way ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis, and Tukey's honestly significant difference test (P < 0.05. Results: Polymerization shrinkage (0.99% and shrinkage stress (233.21 Mpa of silorane were less compared to microhybrid (2.14% and 472.43 Mpa and nanohybrid (2.32% and 464.88 Mpa. Silorane (7.92×/1011 μm/mm3 and nanohybrid (7.79×/1011 showed superior WR than microhybrid (1.113×/1017. There was no significant difference in compressive stress among the groups. Conclusion: Silorane exhibited less polymerization shrinkage and shrinkage stress compared to methacrylates. Silorane and nanohybrid showed greater WR compared to microhybrid. CS of all groups was similar.

Influence of length-to-diameter ratio on shrinkage of basalt fiber concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Ruijie, MA; Yang, Jiansen; Liu, Yuan; Zheng, Xiaojun

2017-09-01

In order to study the shrinkage performance of basalt concrete, using the shrinkage rate as index, the work not only studied the influence of different length-to-diameter ratio (LDR) on plastic shrinkage and drying shrinkage of basalt fiber concrete, but also analyzed the action mechanism. The results show that when the fiber content is 0.1%, the LDR of 800 and 1200 take better effects on reducing plastic shrinkage, however the fiber content is 0.3%, that of LDR 600 is better. To improve drying shrinkage, the fiber of LDR 800 takes best effect. In the concrete structure, the adding basalt fibers form a uniform and chaotic supporting system, optimize the pore and the void structure of concrete, make the material further compacted, reduce the water loss, so as to decrease the shrinkage of concrete effectively.

Volumetric polymerization shrinkage of contemporary composite resins

OpenAIRE

Nagem Filho, Halim; Nagem, Haline Drumond; Francisconi, Paulo Afonso Silveira; Franco, Eduardo Batista; Mondelli, Rafael Francisco Lia; Coutinho, Kennedy Queiroz

2007-01-01

The polymerization shrinkage of composite resins may affect negatively the clinical outcome of the restoration. Extensive research has been carried out to develop new formulations of composite resins in order to provide good handling characteristics and some dimensional stability during polymerization. The purpose of this study was to analyze, in vitro, the magnitude of the volumetric polymerization shrinkage of 7 contemporary composite resins (Definite, Suprafill, SureFil, Filtek Z250, Fill ...

Shrinkage Module of Soil Samples with Different Cement Content

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohannad Sabry

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The differences in soil's body mass during shrinkage over time have changes in soil physical properties which provide an important reason to check the design of underground foundations in expansive soils. In this paper, a state-of-art of the soil heat stress-strain relationship prediction methods is checked using soil engineering laboratory experiments and Matlab R2013b numerical modelling. The shrinkage of soils with different cement content of (0%, 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% with the same water content of 20 percent in room temperature for 24 hours, are critically reviewed in terms of their predictive shrinkage along with their strengths and flexural behaviour. The review highlights the prediction methods present to determine the effect of heat stress on the shrinkage of soil samples with different cement content after classifying the soils into clay, silt and sand depending on their particle size using sieve and hydrometer experiments. The results of the soil engineering laboratory experiments showed that as the cement content increases, the shrinkage of soil decreases as a result of increased elasticity in soil. The numerical analysis using finite element method in Matlab R2013b shows that as the cement content increases the displacement in the soil sample decreases and that the soil sample with 8% cement content has more resistance to shrinkage and less displacement than the soil with 6% cement, which has less resistance to heat stresses and more displacement.

Measuring method for heat-shrinkage of fuel pellet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komono, Akira; Ishizaki, Jin; Inaki, Kiyohiro.

1997-01-01

The present invention concerns a method of determining an amount of heat-shrinkage of UR 2 pellets containing gadolinium oxide (Gd 2 O 2 ) based on the difference of the density thereof before and after heating. In a heat shrinkage test of UO 2 pellets containing from 1.0 to 15.0% by weight of gadolinium oxide, the amount of heat-shrinkage is measured under the condition of heat-retaining temperature: from 1700 to 1750degC, temperature elevation time and lowering time: from 90 to 120mins, heat-retaining time: 24hours, inert gas atmosphere, gas pressure: 0.35kg/cm 2 and gas dew point: from -55 to 40degC without changing O/M. This invention has a feature in the use of the inert gas and the elevation of the dew point of the gas. Then, oxygen dissociation phenomenon from crystal lattices of the fuel pellets is suppressed, and normal densification value is shown. Then, fuel pellets of good quality with less fluctuation of the heat-shrinkage can be obtained. (N.H.)

Recycling of rubble from building demolition for low-shrinkage concretes.

Science.gov (United States)

Corinaldesi, Valeria; Moriconi, Giacomo

2010-04-01

In this project concrete mixtures were prepared that were characterized by low ductility due to desiccation by using debris from building demolition, which after a suitable treatment was used as aggregate for partial replacement of natural aggregates. The recycled aggregate used came from a recycling plant, in which rubble from building demolition was selected, crushed, cleaned, sieved, and graded. Such aggregates are known to be more porous as indicated by the Saturated Surface Dry (SSD) moisture content. The recycled concrete used as aggregates were added to the concrete mixture in order to study their influence on the fresh and hardened concrete properties. They were added either after water pre-soaking or in dry condition, in order to evaluate the influence of moisture in aggregates on the performance of concrete containing recycled aggregate. In particular, the effect of internal curing, due to the use of such aggregates, was studied. Concrete behavior due to desiccation under dehydration was studied by means of both drying shrinkage test and German angle test, through which shrinkage under the restrained condition of early age concrete can be evaluated. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linear Shrinkage Behaviour of Compacted Loam Masonry Blocks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NAWAB ALI LAKHO

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Walls of wet loam, used in earthen houses, generally experience more shrinkage which results in cracks and less compressive strength. This paper presents a technique of producing loam masonry blocks that are compacted in drained state during casting process in order to minimize shrinkage. For this purpose, loam masonry blocks were cast and compacted at a pressure of 6 MPa and then dried in shade by covering them in plastic sheet. The results show that linear shrinkage of 2% occurred which is smaller when compared to un-compacted wet loam walls. This implies that the loam masonry blocks compacted in drained state is expected to perform better than un-compacted wet loam walls.

Shrinkage measurement for holographic recording materials

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández, R.; Gallego, S.; Márquez, A.; Francés, J.; Navarro Fuster, V.; Neipp, C.; Ortuño, M.; Beléndez, A.; Pascual, I.

2017-05-01

There is an increasing demand for new holographic recording materials. One of them are photopolymers, which are becoming a classic media in this field. Their versatility is well known and new possibilities are being created by including new components, such as nanoparticles or dispersed liquid crystal molecules in classical formulations, making them interesting for additional applications in which the thin film preparation and the structural modification have a fundamental importance. Prior to obtaining a wide commercialization of displays based on photopolymers, one of the key aspects is to achieve a complete characterization of them. In this sense, one of the main parameters to estimate and control is the shrinkage of these materials. The volume variations change the angular response of the hologram in two aspects, the angular selectivity and the maximum diffraction efficiency. One criteria for the recording material to be used in a holographic data storage application is the shrinkage, maximum of 0.5%. Along this work, we compare two different methods to measure the holographic recording material shrinkage. The first one is measuring the angle of propagation for both diffracted orders +/-1 when slanted gratings are recorded, so that an accurate value of the grating vector can be calculated. The second one is based on interference measurements at zero spatial frequency limit. We calculate the shrinkage for three different photopolymers: a polyvinyl alcohol acrylamide (PVA/AA) based photopolymer, one of the greenest photopolymers whose patent belongs to the Alicante University called Biophotopol and on the last place a holographic-dispersed liquid crystal photopolymer (H-PDLC).

Effect of shrinkage porosity on mechanical properties of ferritic ductile iron

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Zehua

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Casting defects could largely affect the mechanical properties of casting products. A number of test pieces made of ductile iron (EN-GJS-400-18-LT with different levels of shrinkage porosity were prepared and then tensile and fatigue tests were performed to investigate the impact of shrinkage porosity on their mechanical properties. The results showed that the tensile strength decreases linearly with increasing of the shrinkage porosity. The tensile elongation decreases sharply with the increase of the shrinkage porosity mainly due to the non-uniform plastic deformation. The fatigue life also dramatically declines with increasing of the porosity and follows a power law relationship with the area percentage of porosity. The existence of the shrinkage porosity made the fatigue fracture complex. The shrinkage pores, especially those close to the surface usually became the crack initiation sites. For test pieces with less porosity, the fatigue fracture was clearly composed of crack initiation, propagation, and overloading. While for samples with high level of porosity, multiple crack initiation sites were observed.

Effect of temperature and humidity on post-gel shrinkage, cusp deformation, bond strength and shrinkage stress - Construction of a chamber to simulate the oral environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bicalho, Aline Aredes; de Souza, Silas Júnior Boaventura; de Rosatto, Camila Maria Peres; Tantbirojn, Daranee; Versluis, Antheunis; Soares, Carlos José

2015-12-01

Evaluate the effect of environment on post-gel shrinkage (Shr), cuspal strains (CS), microtensile bond strength (μTBS), elastic modulus (E) and shrinkage stress in molars with large class II restorations. Sixty human molars received standardized Class II mesio-oclusal-distal cavity preparations. Restorations were made with two composites (CHA, Charisma Diamond, Heraus Kulzer and IPS Empress Direct, Ivoclar-Vivadent) using three environment conditions (22°C/50% humidity, 37°C/50% humidity and 37°C/90% humidity) simulated in custom developed chamber. Shr was measured using the strain gauge technique (n=10). CS was measured using strain gauges. Half of the teeth (n=5) were used to assess the elastic modulus (E) and Knoop hardness (KHN) at different depths using microhardness indentation. The other half (n=5) was used to measure the μTBS. The composites and environment conditions were simulated in a two-dimensional finite element analysis of a tooth restoration. Polymerization shrinkage was modeled using Shr data. The Shr, CS, μTBS, KHN and E data were statistically analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey test (significance level: 0.05). Both composites had similar Shr, CS, μTBS and shrinkage stress. CHA had higher elastic modulus than IPS. Increasing temperature and humidity significantly increased Shr, CS and shrinkage stress. μTBS were similar for groups with lower humidity, irrespective of temperature, and higher with higher humidity. E and KHN were constant through the depth for CHA. E and KHN values were affected by environment only for IPS, mainly deeper in the cavity. Shrinkage stress at dentin/composite interface had high inverse correlation with μTBS. Shrinkage stress in enamel had high correlation with CS. Increasing temperature and humidity caused higher post-gel shrinkage and cusp deformation with higher shrinkage stresses in the tooth structure and tooth/restoration interface for both composites tested. The chamber developed for simulating the

Creep and Shrinkage of High Strength Concretes: an Experimental Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berenice Martins Toralles carbonari

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The creep and shrinkage behaviour of high strength silica fume concretes is significantly different from that of conventional concretes. In order to represent the proper time-dependent response of the material in structural analysis and design, these aspects should be adequately quantified. This paper discusses an experimental setup that is able to determine the creep and shrinkage of concrete from the time of placing. It also compares different gages that can be used for measuring the strains. The method is applied to five different concretes in the laboratory under controlled environmental conditions. The phenomena that are quantified can be classified as basic shrinkage, drying shrinkage, basic creep and drying creep. The relative importance of these mechanisms in high strength concrete will also be presented.

Comparison of shrinkage related properties of various patch repair materials

Science.gov (United States)

Kristiawan, S. A.; Fitrianto, R. S.

2017-02-01

A patch repair material has been developed in the form of unsaturated polyester resin (UPR)-mortar. The performance and durability of this material are governed by its compatibility with the concrete being repaired. One of the compatibility issue that should be tackled is the dimensional compatibility as a result of differential shrinkage between the repair material and the concrete substrate. This research aims to evaluate such shrinkage related properties of UPR-mortar and to compare with those of other patch repair materials. The investigation includes the following aspects: free shrinkage, resistance to delamination and cracking. The results indicate that UPR-mortar poses a lower free shrinkage, lower risk of both delamination and cracking tendency in comparison to other repair materials.

Geosynthetic clay liners shrinkage under simulated daily thermal cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarabadani, Hamid; Rayhani, Mohammad T

2014-06-01

Geosynthetic clay liners are used as part of composite liner systems in municipal solid waste landfills and other applications to restrict the escape of contaminants into the surrounding environment. This is attainable provided that the geosynthetic clay liner panels continuously cover the subsoil. Previous case histories, however, have shown that some geosynthetic clay liner panels are prone to significant shrinkage and separation when an overlying geomembrane is exposed to solar radiation. Experimental models were initiated to evaluate the potential shrinkage of different geosynthetic clay liner products placed over sand and clay subsoils, subjected to simulated daily thermal cycles (60°C for 8 hours and 22°C for 16 hours) modelling field conditions in which the liner is exposed to solar radiation. The variation of geosynthetic clay liner shrinkage was evaluated at specified times by a photogrammetry technique. The manufacturing techniques, the initial moisture content, and the aspect ratio (ratio of length to width) of the geosynthetic clay liner were found to considerably affect the shrinkage of geosynthetic clay liners. The particle size distribution of the subsoil and the associated suction at the geosynthetic clay liner-subsoil interface was also found to have significant effects on the shrinkage of the geosynthetic clay liner. © The Author(s) 2014.

Restrained Shrinkage Cracking of Fiber-Reinforced High-Strength Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashkan Saradar

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Concrete shrinkage and volume reduction happens due to the loss of moisture, which eventually results in cracks and more concrete deformation. In this study, the effect of polypropylene (PP, steel, glass, basalt, and polyolefin fibers on compressive and flexural strength, drying shrinkage, and cracking potential, using the ring test at early ages of high-strength concrete mixtures, was investigated. The restrained shrinkage test was performed on concrete ring specimens according to the ASTM C1581 standard. The crack width and age of restrained shrinkage cracking were the main parameters studied in this research. The results indicated that the addition of fiber increases the compressive strength by 16%, 20%, and 3% at the age of 3, 7, and 28 days, respectively, and increases the flexural toughness index up to 7.7 times. Steel and glass fibers had a better performance in flexural strength, but relatively poor action in the velocity reduction and cracking time of the restrained shrinkage. Additionally, cracks in all concrete ring specimens except for the polypropylene-containing mixture, was developed to a full depth crack. The mixture with polypropylene fiber indicated a reduction in crack width up to 62% and an increasing age cracking up to 84%.

Shrinkage deformation of cement foam concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Kudyakov, A. I.; Steshenko, A. B.

2015-01-01

The article presents the results of research of dispersion-reinforced cement foam concrete with chrysotile asbestos fibers. The goal was to study the patterns of influence of chrysotile asbestos fibers on drying shrinkage deformation of cement foam concrete of natural hardening. The chrysotile asbestos fiber contains cylindrical fiber shaped particles with a diameter of 0.55 micron to 8 microns, which are composed of nanostructures of the same form with diameters up to 55 nm and length up to 22 microns. Taking into account the wall thickness, effective reinforcement can be achieved only by microtube foam materials, the so- called carbon nanotubes, the dimensions of which are of power less that the wall pore diameter. The presence of not reinforced foam concrete pores with perforated walls causes a decrease in its strength, decreases the mechanical properties of the investigated material and increases its shrinkage. The microstructure investigation results have shown that introduction of chrysotile asbestos fibers in an amount of 2 % by weight of cement provides the finely porous foam concrete structure with more uniform size closed pores, which are uniformly distributed over the volume. This reduces the shrinkage deformation of foam concrete by 50%.

Estimation of the profile of cross-machine shrinkage of paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

I'Anson, S J; Sampson, W W; Constantino, R P A; Hoole, S M

2008-01-01

In common with many other materials, paper tends to shrink as it dries. Although every attempt is made to restrain paper, some shrinkage occurs on all paper machines in the direction perpendicular to that of manufacture and this shrinkage is always much higher at the edges of the machine than in the centre. Measurement of the profile of this cross-machine shrinkage is possible using the fast Fourier transform to locate and measure periodic elements imprinted by the filtration fabrics used during the formation of the paper web. This paper describes a new method which allows the geometrical relationships within the fabric to be used along with dimensional changes to estimate shrinkage. The method has the advantages over previous methods of more tolerant sampling protocols, operator independent analysis and improved accuracy

Shrinkage calibration method for μPIM manufactured parts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quagliotti, Danilo; Tosello, Guido; Salaga, J.

2016-01-01

Five green and five sintered parts of a micro mechanical component, produced by micro powder injection moulding, were measured using an optical coordinate measuring machine. The aim was to establish a method for quality assurance of the final produced parts. Initially, the so called “green” parts...... were compared with the sintered parts (final products) calculating the percentage of shrinkage after sintering. Successively, the expanded uncertainty of the measured dimensions were evaluated for each single part as well as for the overall parts. Finally, the estimated uncertainty for the shrinkage...... was evaluated propagating the expanded uncertainty previously stated and considering green and sintered parts correlated. Results showed that the proposed method can be effective instating tolerances if it is assumed that the variability on the dimensions induced by the shrinkage equals the propagated expanded...

Development and Performance Assessment of the High-Performance Shrinkage Reducing Agent for Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyung Sub Han

2016-01-01

Full Text Available To develop a high-performance shrinkage reducing agent, this study investigated several shrinkage reducing materials and supplements for those materials. Fluidity and air content were satisfactory for the various shrinkage reducing materials. The decrease in viscosity was the lowest for glycol-based materials. The decrease in drying shrinkage was most prominent for mixtures containing glycol-based materials. In particular, mixtures containing G2 achieved a 40% decrease in the amount of drying shrinkage. Most shrinkage reducing materials had weaker level of compressive strength than that of the plain mixture. When 3% triethanolamine was used for early strength improvement, the strength was enhanced by 158% compared to that of the plain mixture on day 1; enhancement values were 135% on day 7 and 113% on day 28. To assess the performance of the developed high-performance shrinkage reducing agent and to determine the optimal amount, 2.0% shrinkage reducing agent was set as 40% of the value of the plain mixture. While the effect was more prominent at higher amounts, to prevent deterioration of the compressive strength and the other physical properties, the recommended amount is less than 2.0%.

Polymerization shrinkage stress of composite resins and resin cements - What do we need to know?

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Carlos José; Faria-E-Silva, André Luis; Rodrigues, Monise de Paula; Vilela, Andomar Bruno Fernandes; Pfeifer, Carmem Silvia; Tantbirojn, Daranee; Versluis, Antheunis

2017-08-28

Polymerization shrinkage stress of resin-based materials have been related to several unwanted clinical consequences, such as enamel crack propagation, cusp deflection, marginal and internal gaps, and decreased bond strength. Despite the absence of strong evidence relating polymerization shrinkage to secondary caries or fracture of posterior teeth, shrinkage stress has been associated with post-operative sensitivity and marginal stain. The latter is often erroneously used as a criterion for replacement of composite restorations. Therefore, an indirect correlation can emerge between shrinkage stress and the longevity of composite restorations or resin-bonded ceramic restorations. The relationship between shrinkage and stress can be best studied in laboratory experiments and a combination of various methodologies. The objective of this review article is to discuss the concept and consequences of polymerization shrinkage and shrinkage stress of composite resins and resin cements. Literature relating to polymerization shrinkage and shrinkage stress generation, research methodologies, and contributing factors are selected and reviewed. Clinical techniques that could reduce shrinkage stress and new developments on low-shrink dental materials are also discussed.

Characterisation of tissue shrinkage during microwave thermal ablation.

Science.gov (United States)

Farina, Laura; Weiss, Noam; Nissenbaum, Yitzhak; Cavagnaro, Marta; Lopresto, Vanni; Pinto, Rosanna; Tosoratti, Nevio; Amabile, Claudio; Cassarino, Simone; Goldberg, S Nahum

2014-11-01

The aim of this study was to characterise changes in tissue volume during image-guided microwave ablation in order to arrive at a more precise determination of the true ablation zone. The effect of power (20-80 W) and time (1-10 min) on microwave-induced tissue contraction was experimentally evaluated in various-sized cubes of ex vivo liver (10-40 mm ± 2 mm) and muscle (20 and 40 mm ± 2 mm) embedded in agar phantoms (N = 119). Post-ablation linear and volumetric dimensions of the tissue cubes were measured and compared with pre-ablation dimensions. Subsequently, the process of tissue contraction was investigated dynamically during the ablation procedure through real-time X-ray CT scanning. Overall, substantial shrinkage of 52-74% of initial tissue volume was noted. The shrinkage was non-uniform over time and space, with observed asymmetry favouring the radial (23-43 % range) over the longitudinal (21-29%) direction. Algorithmic relationships for the shrinkage as a function of time were demonstrated. Furthermore, the smallest cubes showed more substantial and faster contraction (28-40% after 1 min), with more considerable volumetric shrinkage (>10%) in muscle than in liver tissue. Additionally, CT imaging demonstrated initial expansion of the tissue volume, lasting in some cases up to 3 min during the microwave ablation procedure, prior to the contraction phenomenon. In addition to an asymmetric substantial shrinkage of the ablated tissue volume, an initial expansion phenomenon occurs during MW ablation. Thus, complex modifications of the tissue close to a radiating antenna will likely need to be taken into account for future methods of real-time ablation monitoring.

Time-Dependent Behavior of Shrinkage Strain for Early Age Concrete Affected by Temperature Variation

OpenAIRE

Qin, Yu; Yi, Zhijian; Wang, Weina; Wang, Di

2017-01-01

Shrinkage has been proven to be an important property of early age concrete. The shrinkage strain leads to inherent engineering problems, such as cracking and loss of prestress. Atmospheric temperature is an important factor in shrinkage strain. However, current research does not provide much attention to the effect of atmospheric temperature on shrinkage of early age concrete. In this paper, a laboratory study was undertaken to present the time-dependent shrinkage of early age concrete under...

Effect of the key mixture parameters on shrinkage of reactive powder concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Shamsad; Zubair, Ahmed; Maslehuddin, Mohammed

2014-01-01

Reactive powder concrete (RPC) mixtures are reported to have excellent mechanical and durability characteristics. However, such concrete mixtures having high amount of cementitious materials may have high early shrinkage causing cracking of concrete. In the present work, an attempt has been made to study the simultaneous effects of three key mixture parameters on shrinkage of the RPC mixtures. Considering three different levels of the three key mixture factors, a total of 27 mixtures of RPC were prepared according to 3(3) factorial experiment design. The specimens belonging to all 27 mixtures were monitored for shrinkage at different ages over a total period of 90 days. The test results were plotted to observe the variation of shrinkage with time and to see the effects of the key mixture factors. The experimental data pertaining to 90-day shrinkage were used to conduct analysis of variance to identify significance of each factor and to obtain an empirical equation correlating the shrinkage of RPC with the three key mixture factors. The rate of development of shrinkage at early ages was higher. The water to binder ratio was found to be the most prominent factor followed by cement content with the least effect of silica fume content.

Prevention of shrinkage cracking in tight concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvaredo, A.M.; Wittmann, F.H.

1995-01-01

It is shown that crack formation and propagation in concrete members subjected to restrained shrinkage can be realistically predicted by means of a comprehensive approach including a diffusion analysis and fracture mechanics considerations. The conditions for stable crack propagation regarding dimensions of the concrete member, degree of restraint to the imposed deformation and material properties are discussed. Guidelines on the prevention of shrinkage cracking of concrete structures are given. (author). 10 refs., 5 figs

Evaluation of shrinkage and cracking in concrete of ring test by acoustic emission method

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Takeshi; Hashimoto, Chikanori

2015-03-01

Drying shrinkage of concrete is one of the typical problems related to reduce durability and defilation of concrete structures. Lime stone, expansive additive and low-heat Portland cement are used to reduce drying shrinkage in Japan. Drying shrinkage is commonly evaluated by methods of measurement for length change of mortar and concrete. In these methods, there is detected strain due to drying shrinkage of free body, although visible cracking does not occur. In this study, the ring test was employed to detect strain and age cracking of concrete. The acoustic emission (AE) method was adopted to detect micro cracking due to shrinkage. It was recognized that in concrete using lime stone, expansive additive and low-heat Portland cement are effective to decrease drying shrinkage and visible cracking. Micro cracking due to shrinkage of this concrete was detected and evaluated by the AE method.

Shrinkage Behaviour of Fibre Reinforced Concrete with Recycled Tyre Polymer Fibres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marijana Serdar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Different types of fibres are often used in concrete to prevent microcracking due to shrinkage, and polypropylene fibres are among the most often used ones. If not prevented, microcracks can lead to the development of larger cracks as drying shrinkage occurs, enabling penetration of aggressive substances from the environment and reducing durability of concrete structures. The hypothesis of the present research is that polypropylene fibres, used in concrete for controlling formation of microcracks due to shrinkage, can be replaced with recycled polymer fibres obtained from end-of-life tyres. To test the hypothesis, concrete mixtures containing polypropylene fibres and recycled tyre polymer fibres were prepared and tested. Experimental programme focused on autogenous, free, and restrained shrinkage. It was shown that PP fibres can be substituted with higher amount of recycled tyre polymer fibres obtaining concrete with similar shrinkage behaviour. The results indicate promising possibilities of using recycled tyre polymer fibres in concrete products. At the same time, such applications would contribute to solving the problem of waste tyre disposal.

Hydration of mineral shrinkage-compensating admixture for concrete : an experimental and numerical study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chen, Wei; Brouwers, H.J.H.

2012-01-01

The use of shrinkage-compensating admixture in concrete has been proven to be an effective way to mitigate the shrinkage of concrete. The hydration of a shrinkage-compensating admixture in cement paste and concrete is investigated in this paper with numerical simulation and experimental study. An

Strength and Drying Shrinkage of Alkali-Activated Slag Paste and Mortar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mao-chieh Chi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to investigate the strengths and drying shrinkage of alkali-activated slag paste and mortar. Compressive strength, tensile strength, and drying shrinkage of alkali-activated slag paste and mortar were measured with various liquid/slag ratios, sand/slag ratios, curing ages, and curing temperatures. Experimental results show that the higher compressive strength and tensile strength have been observed in the higher curing temperature. At the age of 56 days, AAS mortars show higher compressive strength than Portland cement mortars and AAS mortars with liquid/slag ratio of 0.54 have the highest tensile strength in all AAS mortars. In addition, AAS pastes of the drying shrinkage are higher than AAS mortars. Meanwhile, higher drying shrinkage was observed in AAS mortars than that observed comparable Portland cement mortars.

Polymerization shrinkage stress of composite resins and resin cements – What do we need to know?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos José SOARES

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Polymerization shrinkage stress of resin-based materials have been related to several unwanted clinical consequences, such as enamel crack propagation, cusp deflection, marginal and internal gaps, and decreased bond strength. Despite the absence of strong evidence relating polymerization shrinkage to secondary caries or fracture of posterior teeth, shrinkage stress has been associated with post-operative sensitivity and marginal stain. The latter is often erroneously used as a criterion for replacement of composite restorations. Therefore, an indirect correlation can emerge between shrinkage stress and the longevity of composite restorations or resin-bonded ceramic restorations. The relationship between shrinkage and stress can be best studied in laboratory experiments and a combination of various methodologies. The objective of this review article is to discuss the concept and consequences of polymerization shrinkage and shrinkage stress of composite resins and resin cements. Literature relating to polymerization shrinkage and shrinkage stress generation, research methodologies, and contributing factors are selected and reviewed. Clinical techniques that could reduce shrinkage stress and new developments on low-shrink dental materials are also discussed.

Modeling for prediction of restrained shrinkage effect in concrete repair

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Yingshu; Li Guo; Cai Yue

2003-01-01

A general model of autogenous shrinkage caused by chemical reaction (chemical shrinkage) is developed by means of Arrhenius' law and a degree of chemical reaction. Models of tensile creep and relaxation modulus are built based on a viscoelastic, three-element model. Tests of free shrinkage and tensile creep were carried out to determine some coefficients in the models. Two-dimensional FEM analysis based on the models and other constitutions can predict the development of tensile strength and cracking. Three groups of patch-repaired beams were designed for analysis and testing. The prediction from the analysis shows agreement with the test results. The cracking mechanism after repair is discussed

Design changes of device to investigation of alloys linear contraction and shrinkage stresses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Mutwil

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Some design changes in device elaborated by author to examination of linear contraction and shrinkage stresses progress of metals and alloys during– and after solidification have been described. The introduced changes have been focused on design of closing of shrinkage test rod mould. The introduced changes have been allowed to simplify a mounting procedure of thermocouples measuring a temperature of the shrinkage rod casting (in 6 points. Exemplary investigation results of linear contraction and shrinkage stresses development in Al-Si13.5% alloy have been presented.

Drying Shrinkage of Mortar Incorporating High Volume Oil Palm Biomass Waste

Science.gov (United States)

Shukor Lim, Nor Hasanah Abdul; Samadi, Mostafa; Rahman Mohd. Sam, Abdul; Khalid, Nur Hafizah Abd; Nabilah Sarbini, Noor; Farhayu Ariffin, Nur; Warid Hussin, Mohd; Ismail, Mohammed A.

2018-03-01

This paper studies the drying shrinkage of mortar incorporating oil palm biomass waste including Palm Oil Fuel Ash, Oil Palm Kernel Shell and Oil Palm Fibre. Nano size of palm oil fuel ash was used up to 80 % as cement replacement by weight. The ash has been treated to improve the physical and chemical properties of mortar. The mass ratio of sand to blended ashes was 3:1. The test was carried out using 25 × 25 × 160 mm prism for drying shrinkage tests and 70 × 70 ×70 mm for compressive strength test. The results show that the shrinkage value of biomass mortar is reduced by 31% compared with OPC mortar thus, showing better performance in restraining deformation of the mortar while the compressive strength increased by 24% compared with OPC mortar at later age. The study gives a better understanding of how the biomass waste affect on mortar compressive strength and drying shrinkage behaviour. Overall, the oil palm biomass waste can be used to produce a better performance mortar at later age in terms of compressive strength and drying shrinkage.

Plastic shrinkage of mortars with shrinkage reducing admixture and lightweight aggregates studied by neutron tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wyrzykowski, Mateusz; Trtik, Pavel; Münch, Beat; Weiss, Jason; Vontobel, Peter; Lura, Pietro

2015-01-01

Water transport in fresh, highly permeable concrete and rapid water evaporation from the concrete surface during the first few hours after placement are the key parameters influencing plastic shrinkage cracking. In this work, neutron tomography was used to determine both the water loss from the concrete surface due to evaporation and the redistribution of fluid that occurs in fresh mortars exposed to external drying. In addition to the reference mortar with a water to cement ratio (w/c) of 0.30, a mortar with the addition of pre-wetted lightweight aggregates (LWA) and a mortar with a shrinkage reducing admixture (SRA) were tested. The addition of SRA reduced the evaporation rate from the mortar at the initial stages of drying and reduced the total water loss. The pre-wetted LWA released a large part of the absorbed water as a consequence of capillary pressure developing in the fresh mortar due to evaporation

Plastic shrinkage of mortars with shrinkage reducing admixture and lightweight aggregates studied by neutron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wyrzykowski, Mateusz, E-mail: mateusz.wyrzykowski@empa.ch [Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Concrete and Construction Chemistry Laboratory, Dübendorf (Switzerland); Lodz University of Technology, Department of Building Physics and Building Materials, Lodz (Poland); Trtik, Pavel [Paul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Villigen (Switzerland); Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Concrete and Construction Chemistry Laboratory, Dübendorf (Switzerland); Münch, Beat [Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Concrete and Construction Chemistry Laboratory, Dübendorf (Switzerland); Weiss, Jason [Purdue University, School of Civil Engineering, West Lafayette (United States); Vontobel, Peter [Paul Scherrer Institute, Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Villigen (Switzerland); Lura, Pietro [Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Concrete and Construction Chemistry Laboratory, Dübendorf (Switzerland); ETH Zurich, Institute for Building Materials (IfB), Zurich (Switzerland)

2015-07-15

Water transport in fresh, highly permeable concrete and rapid water evaporation from the concrete surface during the first few hours after placement are the key parameters influencing plastic shrinkage cracking. In this work, neutron tomography was used to determine both the water loss from the concrete surface due to evaporation and the redistribution of fluid that occurs in fresh mortars exposed to external drying. In addition to the reference mortar with a water to cement ratio (w/c) of 0.30, a mortar with the addition of pre-wetted lightweight aggregates (LWA) and a mortar with a shrinkage reducing admixture (SRA) were tested. The addition of SRA reduced the evaporation rate from the mortar at the initial stages of drying and reduced the total water loss. The pre-wetted LWA released a large part of the absorbed water as a consequence of capillary pressure developing in the fresh mortar due to evaporation.

Influence of shrinkage porosity on fatigue performance of iron castings and life estimation method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Liu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Shrinkage porosity exists more or less in heavy castings, and it plays an important role in the fatigue behavior of cast materials. In this study, fatigue tests were carried out on the QT400-18 cast iron specimens containing random degrees of shrinkage porosity defect. Experimental results showed that the order of magnitude of life scattered from 103 to 106 cycles when the shrinkage percentage ranged from 0.67% to 5.91%. SEM analyses were carried out on the shrinkage porosity region. The inter-granular discontinuous, micro cracks and inclusions interfered with the fatigue sliding or hindering process. The slip in shrinkage porosity region was not as orderly as the ordinary continuous medium. The shrinkage porosity area on fracture surface (SPAFS and alternating stress intensity factor (ASIF were applied to evaluate the tendency of residual life distribution; their relationship was fitted by negative exponent functions. Based on the intermediate variable of ASIF, a fatigue life prediction model of nodular cast iron containing shrinkage porosity defects was established. The modeling prediction was in agreement with the experimental results.

Influence of fly ash fineness on water requirement and shrinkage of blended cement mortars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanissorn Vimonsatit

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the influence of fly ash fineness on water requirement and shrinkage of blended cement mortar was studied. The results indicate that the water requirement and shrinkage characteristic of the blended cement mortar are dependent on fly ash fineness and replacement level. The use of coarse fly ash slightly reduces the water requirement but greatly reduced the drying and the autogenous shrinkage of the blended cement mortars and the reduction is more with an increase in the fly ash replacement level. The finer fly ashes further reduce the water requirement, but increase the drying and the autogenous shrinkages as compared with coarser fly ash. The incorporation of superplasticizer drastically reduces the water requirement, but the effect on the drying and autogenous shrinkages of the normal Portland cement mortar is small. However, for the fly ash mortar, the use of superplasticizer results in a decrease in drying shrinkage and in a substantial increase in the autogenous shrinkage particularly for the fine fly ash at a high replacement level.

Prediction of shrinkage cracking age of concrete with and without expansive additive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dung Tien Nguyen

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is to propose a model for predicting cracking age of concrete due to restrained shrinkage. Thisstudy focuses on analyzing shrinkage and expansion mechanisms in the expansive concrete to formulate a model that can beemployed to predict whether shrinkage cracking occurs or not. In case of conventional (non-expansive concrete, this modelcan be applied by neglecting the early expansion due to expansive additive. Parameters considered in this model are restrainedexpansion, free shrinkage, cracking strain that can be experimentally measured by experiment and tensile creep which isderived by back calculation. The model was verified by test results of expansive concrete mixtures as well as normal concretemixtures both with and without fly ash.

Can superabsorbent polymers mitigate shrinkage in cementitious materials blended with supplementary cementitious materials?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Snoeck, Didier; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede; De Belie, Nele

2016-01-01

A promising way to mitigate autogenous shrinkage in cementitious materials with a low water-to-binder ratio is internal curing by the use of superabsorbent polymers. Superabsorbent polymers are able to absorb multiple times their weight in water and can be applied as an internal water reservoir...... to induce internal curing and mitigation of self-desiccation. Their purposefulness has been demonstrated in Portland cement pastes with and without silica fume. Nowadays, fly ash and blast-furnace slag containing binders are also frequently used in the construction industry. The results on autogenous...... shrinkage in materials blended with fly ash or blast-furnace slag remain scarce, especially after one week of age. This paper focuses on the autogenous shrinkage by performing manual and automated shrinkage measurements up to one month of age. Without superabsorbent polymers, autogenous shrinkage...

Effects of Shrinkage Reducing Agent and Expansive Additive on Mortar Properties

OpenAIRE

Treesuwan, Sarapon; Maleesee, Komsan

2017-01-01

This research is to study the effect of mortar mixed with shrinkage reducing agent (polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether type), expansive additive (CaO type), and fly ash (hereinafter “SRA,” “EX,” and “FA,” resp.). Moreover, steam curing was studied to improve the properties of mortar. The plastic shrinkage test was conducted by using the strain gauge embedded at 0.5 cm from the surface according to the ASTM C1579-06 standard within early age followed by the total shrinkage test and compressive streng...

Modeling Restrained Shrinkage Induced Cracking in Concrete Rings Using the Thick Level Set Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca Nakhoul

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Modeling restrained shrinkage-induced damage and cracking in concrete is addressed herein. The novel Thick Level Set (TLS damage growth and crack propagation model is used and adapted by introducing shrinkage contribution into the formulation. The TLS capacity to predict damage evolution, crack initiation and growth triggered by restrained shrinkage in absence of external loads is evaluated. A study dealing with shrinkage-induced cracking in elliptical concrete rings is presented herein. Key results such as the effect of rings oblateness on stress distribution and critical shrinkage strain needed to initiate damage are highlighted. In addition, crack positions are compared to those observed in experiments and are found satisfactory.

Self-compacting fine-grained concretes with compensated shrinkage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alimov Lev

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper substantiates the efficiency of application of fine-grained concrete for erection of cast-in-place concrete and reinforced concrete structures of different purpose. On the basis of analysis of experimental research results it was established that the introduction of microfillers with expansion effect to composite binder allows not only improving the rheological properties of fine-grained concrete, but also decreasing of value of shrinkage strain and improving of concrete crack resistance and durability. The analysis of the results of industrial use of fine-grained concretes with compensated shrinkage is given.

Topology optimization of reinforced concrete structures considering control of shrinkage and strength failure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Luo, Yangjun; Wang, Michael Yu; Zhou, Mingdong

2015-01-01

To take into account the shrinkage effect in the early stage of Reinforced Concrete (RC) design, an effective continuum topology optimization method is presented in this paper. Based on the power-law interpolation, shrinkage of concrete is numerically simulated by introducing an additional design......-dependent force. Under multi-axial stress conditions, the concrete failure surface is well fitted by two Drucker-Prager yield functions. The optimization problem aims at minimizing the cost function under yield strength constraints on concrete elements and a structural shrinkage volume constraint. In conjunction...... to ensure the structural safety under the combined action of external loads and shrinkage....

Investigations of linear contraction and shrinkage stresses development in hypereutectic al-si binary alloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Mutwil

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Shrinkage phenomena during solidification and cooling of hypereutectic aluminium-silicon alloys (AlSi18, AlSi21 have been examined. A vertical shrinkage rod casting with circular cross-section (constant or fixed: tapered has been used as a test sample. Two type of experiments have been conducted: 1 on development of the test sample linear dimension changes (linear expansion/contraction, 2 on development of shrinkage stresses in the test sample. By the linear contraction experiments the linear dimension changes of the test sample and the metal test mould as well a temperature in six points of the test sample have been registered. By shrinkage stresses examination a shrinkage tension force and linear dimension changes of the test sample as well a temperature in three points of the test sample have been registered. Registered time dependences of the test bar and the test mould linear dimension changes have shown, that so-called pre-shrinkage extension has been mainly by mould thermal extension caused. The investigation results have shown that both: the linear contraction as well as the shrinkage stresses development are evident dependent on metal temperature in a warmest region the sample (thermal centre.

Effects of drying conditions, admixtures and specimen size on shrinkage strains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Saleh, Saleh A.; Al-Zaid, Rajeh Z.

2006-01-01

The paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the effects of drying conditions, specimen size and presence of plasticizing admixture on the development of shrinkage strains. The measurements are taken in a harsh (50 deg. C and 5% R.H.) and a moderate environment (28 deg. C and 50% R.H.). The results include strain development at various levels of cross sections of concrete prisms. The drying conditions are found to be the dominant parameter affecting the shrinkage strain development particularly in specimens of smaller sizes. The effect of plasticizing admixture on shrinkage strains is negligible

An Experimental Study on Shrinkage Strains of Normal-and High-Strength Concrete-Filled Frp Tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Thomas; Ozbakkaloglu, Togay

2017-09-01

It is now well established that concrete-filled fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tubes (CFFTs) are an attractive construction technique for new columns, however studies examining concrete shrinkage in CFFTs remain limited. Concrete shrinkage may pose a concern for CFFTs, as in these members the curing of concrete takes place inside the FRP tube. This paper reports the findings from an experimental study on concrete shrinkage strain measurements for CFFTs manufactured with normal- and high-strength concrete (NSC and HSC). A total of 6 aramid FRP (AFRP)-confined concrete specimens with circular cross-sections were manufactured, with 3 specimens each manufactured using NSC and HSC. The specimens were instrumented with surface and embedded strain gauges to monitor shrinkage development of exposed concrete and concrete sealed inside the CFFTs, respectively. All specimens were cylinders with a 152 mm diameter and 305 mm height, and their unconfined concrete strengths were 44.8 or 83.2 MPa. Analysis of the shrinkage measurements from concrete sealed inside the CFFTs revealed that embedment depth and concrete compressive strength only had minor influences on recorded shrinkage strains. However, an analysis of shrinkage measurements from the exposed concrete surface revealed that higher amounts of shrinkage can occur in HSC. Finally, it was observed that shrinkage strains are significantly higher for concrete exposed at the surface compared to concrete sealed inside the CFFTs.

Shrinkage stress in concrete under dry-wet cycles: an example with concrete column

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yuan; Zhang, Jun; Luosun, Yiming

2014-02-01

This paper focuses on the simulation of shrinkage stress in concrete structures under dry-wet environments. In the modeling, an integrative model for autogenous and drying shrinkage predictions of concrete under dry-wet cycles is introduced first. Second, a model taking both cement hydration and moisture diffusion into account synchronously is used to calculate the distribution of interior humidity in concrete. Using the above two models, the distributions of shrinkage strain and stress in concrete columns made by normal and high strength concrete respectively under dry-wet cycles are calculated. The model results show that shrinkage gradient along the radial direction of the column from the center to outer surface increases with age as the outer circumference suffers to dry. The maximum and minimum shrinkage occur at the outer surface and the center of the column, respectively, under drying condition. As wetting starts, the shrinkage strain decreases with increase of interior humidity. The closer to the wetting face, the higher the humidity and the lower the shrinkage strain, as well as the lower the shrinkage stress. As results of the dry-wet cycles acting on the outer circumference of the column, cyclic stress status is developed within the area close to the outer surface of the column. The depth of the influencing zone of dry-wet cyclic action is influenced by concrete strength and dry-wet regime. For low strength concrete, relatively deeper influencing zone is expected compared with that of high strength concrete. The models are verified by concrete-steel composite ring tests and a good agreement between model and test results is found.

The effect of fibers on the loss of water by evaporation and shrinkage of concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. M. P. Pillar

Full Text Available Shrinkage is one of the least desirable attributes in concrete. Large areas of exposed concrete surfaces , such as in shotcrete tunnel linings, where it is practically impossible to make a moist cure, are highly susceptible to plastic shrinkage at early ages. The autogenous and drying shrinkage can lead to states of greater than threshold strength, causing fracture, mechanical damage and lack of durability of concrete structures. The addition of fibers can greatly reduce plastic shrinkage, but has limited effect in mitigating autogenous and drying shrinkage. To evaluate the performance of polypropylene and steel fibers to understand their effect on shrinkage of concrete, a study was carried out to relate the loss of water from the paste and the shrinkage during the first 28 days of age, and compare it with a control mix without fiber. The loss of water was obtained by the weight loss of the specimens at different ages, since the only component that could contribute for the loss of weight was the water lost by the paste of the concrete. And the paste itself is the only source of shrinkage. Uniaxial compressive tests from very early ages enabled the determination of time when plastic shrinkage ended. It was observed that the control concrete mix lost three times more water and developed plastic and drying shrinkage 60 % higher than the fiber reinforced concrete mixes. It was possible to demonstrate that the reduced loss of water caused by the incorporation of fibers is related to the mitigation of plastic shrinkage. It was observed that the fibers are effective to restrain the movement of water through the cement paste in the plastic state, however such effect is limited after concrete starts the hardening state.

Digital image analysis of radial shrinkage of fresh spruce (Picea abies L.) wood.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansmann, Christian; Konnerth, Johannes; Rosner, Sabine

2011-03-21

Contact-free digital image analysis was performed of the radial shrinkage of fresh, fully saturated small spruce wood beams. An experimental test set-up was developed to ensure constant distance from the charge-coupled device camera to the sample surface as well as constant climate and light conditions during the whole experiment. Dimensional changes were observed immediately after the drying process began. An unexpected distinct effect could be observed which could not be explained by drying surface layers only. After a fast initial radial shrinkage a slowing down of the dimensional changes occurred at high mean moisture contents. A complete interruption of any dimensional changes followed. Finally, a recovery from shrinkage was even observed. It is assumed that strong negative pressure occurred in the fully saturated capillaries owing to dehydration which led to additional dimensional changes. As a consequence, the break of the water column and aeration in these capillaries finally resulted in a recovery period in the shrinkage rate due to the pressure release. After this effect, the dehydration was characterized by a phase of fast and almost linear shrinkage due to drying surface layers. Finally, the shrinkage slowed down to zero when reaching equilibrium moisture content.

Astrocytic mechanisms explaining neural-activity-induced shrinkage of extraneuronal space

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østby, Ivar; Øyehaug, Leiv; Einevoll, Gaute T

2009-01-01

Neuronal stimulation causes approximately 30% shrinkage of the extracellular space (ECS) between neurons and surrounding astrocytes in grey and white matter under experimental conditions. Despite its possible implications for a proper understanding of basic aspects of potassium clearance and astr......Neuronal stimulation causes approximately 30% shrinkage of the extracellular space (ECS) between neurons and surrounding astrocytes in grey and white matter under experimental conditions. Despite its possible implications for a proper understanding of basic aspects of potassium clearance...... concentrations observed in connection with neuronal stimulation, the actions of the Na(+)/K(+)/Cl(-) (NKCC1) and the Na(+)/HCO(3) (-) (NBC) cotransporters appear to be critical determinants for achieving observed quantitative levels of ECS shrinkage. Considering the current state of knowledge, the model...

Moisture migration and shrinkage of hardened cement paste at elevated temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Numao, Tatsuya; Mihashi, Hirozo.

1991-01-01

The drying shrinkage of concrete is caused by the loss of water in the concrete. The moisture diffusion behavior influences the mechanical properties of concrete. When concrete is exposed to high temperature, the rate of moisture migration becomes fast, and moisture gradient is formed. This gradient causes cracks on the concrete surface. Accordingly, it is important to study on the relation between the drying shrinkage and the water diffusion in concrete when its mechanical properties at elevated temperature are discussed. In this paper, the results of the experiment which was carried out by using thin-walled cylinder specimens kept at different temperature and stress are reported. The specimens, the drying shrinkage of concrete and acoustic emission (AE), the thermal expansion of hardened cement paste, the influence that temperature change exerted to the drying shrinkage, and the influence that compressive stress and temperature exerted to water migration are described. The thin-walled cylinder specimens were useful for these experimental studies. (K.I.)

Shrinkage reduction of dental composites by addition of expandable zirconia filler

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovgaard, M.; Almdal, Kristoffer; Sørensen, Bent F.

2011-01-01

. The shrinkage of the composite was calculated from density measurements using Archimedes method. The rate of the phase transformation in resin was measured by determining the volume fraction of monoclinic zirconia (vm). The composite had a vm of 0.5 after 8 h of water storage. The overall shrinkage...

Aerosol particle shrinkage event phenomenology in a South European suburban area during 2009-2015

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso-Blanco, E.; Gómez-Moreno, F. J.; Núñez, L.; Pujadas, M.; Cusack, M.; Artíñano, B.

2017-07-01

A high number of aerosol particle shrinkage cases (70) have been identified and analyzed from an extensive and representative database of aerosol size distributions obtained between 2009 and 2015 at an urban background site in Madrid (Spain). A descriptive classification based on the process from which the shrinkage began is proposed according which shrinkage events were divided into three groups: (1) NPF + shrinkage (NPF + S) events, (2) aerosol particle growth process + shrinkage (G + S) events, and (3) pure shrinkage (S) events. The largest number of shrinkages corresponded to the S-type followed by NPF + S, while the G + S events were the least frequent group recorded. Duration of shrinkages varied widely from 0.75 to 8.5 h and SR from -1.0 to -11.1 nm h-1. These processes typically occurred in the afternoon, around 18:00 UTC, caused by two situations: i) a wind speed increase usually associated with a change in the wind direction (over 60% of the observations) and ii) the reduction of photochemical activity at the end of the day. All shrinkages were detected during the warm period, mainly between May and August, when local meteorological conditions (high solar irradiance and temperature and low relative humidity), atmospheric processes (high photochemical activity) and availability of aerosol-forming precursors were favorable for their development. As a consequence of these processes, the particles concentration corresponding to the Aitken mode decreased into the nucleation mode. The accumulation mode did not undergo significant changes during these processes. In some cases, a dilution of the particulate content in the ambient air was observed. This work, goes further than others works dealing with aerosol particles shrinkages, as it incorporates as a main novelty a classification methodology for studying these processes. Moreover, compared to other studies, it is supported by a high and representative number of observations. Thus, this study contributes to

Water storage change estimation from in situ shrinkage measurements of clay soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. te Brake

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to assess the applicability of clay soil elevation change measurements to estimate soil water storage changes, using a simplified approach. We measured moisture contents in aggregates by EC-5 sensors, and in multiple aggregate and inter-aggregate spaces (bulk soil by CS616 sensors. In a long dry period, the assumption of constant isotropic shrinkage proved invalid and a soil moisture dependant geometry factor was applied. The relative overestimation made by assuming constant isotropic shrinkage in the linear (basic shrinkage phase was 26.4% (17.5 mm for the actively shrinking layer between 0 and 60 cm. Aggregate-scale water storage and volume change revealed a linear relation for layers ≥ 30 cm depth. The range of basic shrinkage in the bulk soil was limited by delayed drying of deep soil layers, and maximum water loss in the structural shrinkage phase was 40% of total water loss in the 0–60 cm layer, and over 60% in deeper layers. In the dry period, fitted slopes of the ΔV–ΔW relationship ranged from 0.41 to 0.56 (EC-5 and 0.42 to 0.55 (CS616. Under a dynamic drying and wetting regime, slopes ranged from 0.21 to 0.38 (EC-5 and 0.22 to 0.36 (CS616. Alternating shrinkage and incomplete swelling resulted in limited volume change relative to water storage change. The slope of the ΔV–ΔW relationship depended on the drying regime, measurement scale and combined effect of different soil layers. Therefore, solely relying on surface level elevation changes to infer soil water storage changes will lead to large underestimations. Recent and future developments might provide a basis for application of shrinkage relations to field situations, but in situ observations will be required to do so.

Shrinkage Characteristics of Experimental Polymer Containing Composites under Controlled Light Curing Modes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alain Pefferkorn

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The adsorption of polymethylmethacrylate polymer of different molecular weight at the aerosil/ethyleneglycol- or 1,3 butanediol-dimethacrylate interfaces was determined to provide microstructured networks. Their structural characteristics were determined to be controlled by the amount of polymer initially supplied to the system. The sediment (the settled phase characteristics, determined as a function of the polymer concentration and the rate of the polymerization shrinkage determined for composite resins, obtained by extrusion of the sediment after centrifugation, were found to be correlated. The specific role of the adsorbed polymer was found to be differently perturbed with the supplementary supply of dimethacrylate based monomer additives. Particularly, the bisphenol A dimethacrylate that generated crystals within the sediment was found to impede the shrinkage along the crystal lateral faces and strongly limit the shrinkage along its basal faces. Addition of ethyleneglycol- or polyethylene-glycoldimethacrylate monomers was determined to modify the sedimentation characteristics of the aerosil suspension and the shrinkage properties of the composites. Finally, the effects of stepwise light curing methods with prolonged lighting-off periods were investigated and found to modify the development and the final values of the composite shrinkage.

A numerical analysis method on thermal and shrinkage stress of concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takiguchi, Katsuki; Hotta, Hisato

1991-01-01

Thermal stress often causes cracks in large scale concrete such as that for dam construction. The drying shrinkage of concrete causes cracks in concrete structures. These thermal stress and drying shrinkage stress may be the main reasons cracks occur in concrete, however there is few research which dealt with both stresses together. The problems on the thermal stress and the drying shrinkage are not independent, and should be dealt with together, because both temperature and water content of concrete affect hydration reaction, and the degree of hydration determines all the characteristics of concrete at early age. In this study, the degree of hydration is formulated experimentally, and a numerical stress analysis method taking the hydration reaction in consideration is presented. The formulation of the rate of hydration reaction, the method of analyzing thermal and drying shrinkage stresses, the analytical results for a concrete column and the influence that continuous load exerted to the tensile strength of concrete are reported. The relatively high stress nearly equal to the tensile strength of concrete arises near the surface. (K.I.)

Calcium silicate structure and carbonation shrinkage of a tobermorite-based material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsushita, Fumiaki; Aono, Yoshimichi; Shibata, Sumio

2004-01-01

Carbonated autoclaved aerated concretes (AACs) show no shrinkage at a degree of carbonation approximately less than 20%. The 29 Si MAS NMR spectrum showed that at a degree of carbonation less than 25%, the typical double-chain silicate anion structure of tobermorite-11A was well maintained and interlayer Ca ions were exchanged with protons. This corresponded to the absence of carbonation shrinkage at a degree of carbonation less than 20%. When the degree of carbonation increased from 25% to 50% up to 60%, the double-chain silicate anion structure of tobermorite-11A was decomposed and Ca ions in the Ca-O layers were dissolved, showing a possible mechanism of carbonation shrinkage

Astrocytic mechanisms explaining neural-activity-induced shrinkage of extraneuronal space.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivar Østby

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Neuronal stimulation causes approximately 30% shrinkage of the extracellular space (ECS between neurons and surrounding astrocytes in grey and white matter under experimental conditions. Despite its possible implications for a proper understanding of basic aspects of potassium clearance and astrocyte function, the phenomenon remains unexplained. Here we present a dynamic model that accounts for current experimental data related to the shrinkage phenomenon in wild-type as well as in gene knockout individuals. We find that neuronal release of potassium and uptake of sodium during stimulation, astrocyte uptake of potassium, sodium, and chloride in passive channels, action of the Na/K/ATPase pump, and osmotically driven transport of water through the astrocyte membrane together seem sufficient for generating ECS shrinkage as such. However, when taking into account ECS and astrocyte ion concentrations observed in connection with neuronal stimulation, the actions of the Na(+/K(+/Cl(- (NKCC1 and the Na(+/HCO(3 (- (NBC cotransporters appear to be critical determinants for achieving observed quantitative levels of ECS shrinkage. Considering the current state of knowledge, the model framework appears sufficiently detailed and constrained to guide future key experiments and pave the way for more comprehensive astroglia-neuron interaction models for normal as well as pathophysiological situations.

Shrinkage modeling of concrete reinforced by palm fibres in hot dry environments

Science.gov (United States)

Akchiche, Hamida; Kriker, Abdelouahed

2017-02-01

The cement materials, such as concrete and conventional mortar present very little resistance to traction and cracking, these hydraulic materials which induces large withdrawals on materials and cracks in structures. The hot dry environments such as: the Saharan regions of Algeria, Indeed, concrete structures in these regions are very fragile, and present high shrinkage. Strengthening of these materials by fibers can provide technical solutions for improving the mechanical performance. The aim of this study is firstly, to reduce the shrinkage of conventional concrete with its reinforcement with date palm fibers. In fact, Algeria has an extraordinary resources in natural fibers (from Palm, Abaca, Hemp) but without valorization in practical areas, especially in building materials. Secondly, to model the shrinkage behavior of concrete was reinforced by date palm fibers. In the literature, several models for still fiber concrete were founded but few are offers for natural fiber concretes. To do so, a still fiber concretes model of YOUNG - CHERN was used. According to the results, a reduction of shrinkage with reinforcement by date palm fibers was showed. A good ability of molding of shrinkage of date palm reinforced concrete with YOUNG - CHERN Modified model was obtained. In fact, a good correlation between experimental data and the model data was recorded.

A break-even analysis of RFID technology for inventory sensitive to shrinkage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kok, de A.G.; Donselaar, van K.H.; Woensel, van T.

2008-01-01

By embedding RFID tags onto their products, both manufacturers and retailers try to control for shrinkage (e.g. due to theft). Current inventory control systems do not take into account the disappearing inventory due to this shrinkage. As a response, corrective actions are made by performing costly

Study of SEM preparation artefacts with correlative microscopy: Cell shrinkage of adherent cells by HMDS-drying.

Science.gov (United States)

Katsen-Globa, Alisa; Puetz, Norbert; Gepp, Michael M; Neubauer, Julia C; Zimmermann, Heiko

2016-11-01

One of the often reported artefacts during cell preparation to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is the shrinkage of cellular objects, that mostly occurs at a certain time-dependent stage of cell drying. Various methods of drying for SEM, such as critical point drying, freeze-drying, as well as hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS)-drying, were usually used. The latter becomes popular since it is a low cost and fast method. However, the correlation of drying duration and real shrinkage of objects was not investigated yet. In this paper, cell shrinkage at each stage of preparation for SEM was studied. We introduce a shrinkage coefficient using correlative light microscopy (LM) and SEM of the same human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The influence of HMDS-drying duration on the cell shrinkage is shown: the longer drying duration, the more shrinkage is observed. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that cell shrinkage is inversely proportional to cultivation time: the longer cultivation time, the more cell spreading area and the less cell shrinkage. Our results can be applicable for an exact SEM quantification of cell size and determination of cell spreading area in engineering of artificial cellular environments using biomaterials. SCANNING 38:625-633, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Shrinkage Analysis on Thick Plate Part using Response Surface Methodology (RSM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isafiq M.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The work reported herein is about an analysis on the quality (shrinkage on a thick plate part using Response Surface Methodology (RSM. Previous researches showed that the most influential factor affecting the shrinkage on moulded parts are mould and melt temperature. Autodesk Moldflow Insight software was used for the analysis, while specifications of Nessei NEX 1000 injection moulding machine and P20 mould material were incorporated in this study on top of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS as a moulded thermoplastic material. Mould temperature, melt temperature, packing pressure and packing time were selected as variable parameters. The results show that the shrinkage have improved 42.48% and 14.41% in parallel and normal directions respectively after the optimisation process.

PREDIKSI SHRINKAGE UNTUK MENGHINDARI CACAT PRODUK PADA PLASTIC INJECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agus Dwi Anggono

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Plastic injection merupakan proses manufactur untuk membuat produk dengan bahan dasar plastic atau dalam kesempatan ini polypropylene. Pada proses tersebut seringkali terjadi cacat produk seperti pengerutan, retak, dimensi tidak sesuai dan kerusakan saat produk keluar dari mould, sehingga banyak material yang terbuang percuma. Meskipun cacat produk tersebut dipengaruhi banyak factor, tetapi yang paling utama adalah masalah shrinkage, atau penyusutan material setelah terjadi pendinginan. Sangat penting untuk melakukan prediksi lebih awal terjadinya penyusutan setelah pendinginan untuk menghindari cacat produk. Dalam penelitian ini akan dilakukan prediksi shrinkage yang akan digunakan untuk material polypropylene dengan cara perhitungan standar. Pembuatan modeling dalam bentuk 3D (tiga dimensi injection molding baik cavity maupun corenya dengan menggunakan CATIA, kemudian dilakukan analisis dengan software MoldFlow untuk pembuatan mesh dan memberikan batasan panas pada komponen sehingga dapat diketahui mode penyusutannya. Analisis ini akan memberikan gambaran tentang distribusi panas pada mould dan memberikan tentang gambaran aliran fluida. Pada analisis tersebut dapat dilihat gejala terjadinya cacat produk, jika hal itu terjadi maka perlu dilakukan perubahan shrinkage, sampai diperoleh hasil analisis yang baik.

Effect of steel fibers on plastic shrinkage cracking of normal and high strength concretes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Özgür Eren

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Naturally concrete shrinks when it is subjected to a drying environment. If this shrinkage is restrained, tensile stresses develop and concrete may crack. Plastic shrinkage cracks are especially harmful on slabs. One of the methods to reduce the adverse effects of shrinkage cracking of concrete is by reinforcing concrete with short randomly distributed fibers. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of fiber volume and aspect ratio of hooked steel fibers on plastic shrinkage cracking behavior together with some other properties of concrete. In this research two different compressive strength levels namely 56 and 73 MPa were studied. Concretes were produced by adding steel fibers of 3 different volumes of 3 different aspect ratios. From this research study, it is observed that steel fibers can significantly reduce plastic shrinkage cracking behavior of concretes. On the other hand, it was observed that these steel fibers can adversely affect some other properties of concrete during fresh and hardened states.

Drying Shrinkage Behaviour of Fibre Reinforced Concrete Incorporating Polyvinyl Alcohol Fibres and Fly Ash

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amin Noushini

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The current study assesses the drying shrinkage behaviour of polyvinyl alcohol fibre reinforced concrete (PVA-FRC containing short-length (6 mm and long-length (12 mm uncoated monofilament PVA fibres at 0.125%, 0.25%, 0.375%, and 0.5% volumetric fractions. Fly ash is also used as a partial replacement of Portland cement in all mixes. PVA-FRC mixes have been compared to length change of control concrete (devoid of fibres at 3 storage intervals: early-age (0–7 days, short-term (0–28 days, and long-term (28–112 days intervals. The shrinkage results of FRC and control concrete up to 112 days indicated that all PVA-FRC mixes exhibited higher drying shrinkage than control. The shrinkage exhibited by PVA-FRC mixes ranged from 449 to 480 microstrain, where this value was only 427 microstrain in the case of control. In addition, the longer fibres exhibited higher mass loss, thus potentially contributing to higher shrinkage.

The Shrinkage Cracking Behavior in Reinforced Reactive Powder Concrete Walls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samir A. Al-Mashhadi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this study, the reduced scale wall models were used (they are believed to resemble as much as possible the field conditions to study the shrinkage behavior of reactive powder concrete (RPC base restrained walls. Six base restrained RPC walls were casted in different length/height ratios of two ratios of steel fiber by volume in Summer. These walls were restrained by reinforced concrete bases to provide the continuous base restraint to the walls. The mechanical properties of reactive powder concrete investigated were; compressive strength between (75.3 – 140.1 MPa, splitting tensile strength between (5.7 – 13.9 MPa, flexural tensile strength (7.7 – 24.5 MPa, and static modulus of elasticity (32.7 – 47.1GPa. Based on the observations of this work, it was found that the cracks did not develop in the reduced scale of the reactive powder concrete (RPC walls restrained from movement at their bases for different L/H ratios (2, 5, and 10 and for two ratio of steel fiber (1% & 2% during 90 days period of drying conditions. Moreover, the shrinkage values increase toward the edges. Based on the results of this work, the increase in the maximum shrinkage values of walls with 1% steel fiber were (29%, 28%, 28% of the maximum shrinkage values of walls with 2% steel fiber of length/height ratios of (2, 5, and 10 respectively. The experimental observation in beam specimens showed that the free shrinkage, tensile strain capacity and elastic tensile strain capacity (at date of cracking of beams with 1% steel fiber were higher than the beams with 2% steel fiber by about (24%, (45% and (42% respectively

The influence of superabsorbent polymers on the autogenous shrinkage properties of cement pastes with supplementary cementitious materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Snoeck, D.; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede; De Belie, N.

2015-01-01

Fly ash and blast-furnace slag containing binders are frequently used in the construction industry and it is important to know the extent of autogenous shrinkage and its (ideal) mitigation by superabsorbent polymers in these systems as a function of their age. In this paper, the autogenous...... shrinkage was determined by manual and automated shrinkage measurements. Autogenous shrinkage was reduced in cement pastes with the supplementary cementitious materials versus Portland cement pastes. At later ages, the rate of autogenous shrinkage is higher due to the pozzolanic activity. Internal curing...

Shrinkage-reducing admixtures and early-age desiccation in cement pastes and mortars

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bentz, D. P.; Geiker, Mette Rica; Hansen, Kurt Kielsgaard

2001-01-01

Fundamental studies of the early-age desiccation of cement-based materials with and without a shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA) have been performed. Studies have been conducted under both sealed and drying conditions. Physical measurements include mass loss, surface tension, X-ray absorption to ...... to low w/c ratio concretes undergoing self-desiccation, in addition to their normal usage to reduce drying shrinkage.......Fundamental studies of the early-age desiccation of cement-based materials with and without a shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA) have been performed. Studies have been conducted under both sealed and drying conditions. Physical measurements include mass loss, surface tension, X-ray absorption...

Effects of Shrinkage Reducing Agent and Expansive Admixture on the Volume Deformation of Ultrahigh Performance Concrete

OpenAIRE

Anshuang, Su; Ling, Qin; Shoujie, Zhang; Jiayang, Zhang; Zhaoyu, Li

2017-01-01

This paper investigated the influences of shrinkage reducing agent and expansive admixture on autogenous and drying shrinkage of ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC) containing antifoaming admixture. The shrinkage reducing agent was used at dosage of 0.5%, 1%, and 2% and the expansive admixture was used at dosage of 2% to 4% by mass of cementitious material. The results show that the air content of UHPC increases with the higher addition of shrinkage reducing agent and expansive admixtures. ...

The effect of mucosal cuff shrinkage around dental implants during healing abutment replacement.

Science.gov (United States)

Nissan, J; Zenziper, E; Rosner, O; Kolerman, R; Chaushu, L; Chaushu, G

2015-10-01

Soft tissue shrinkage during the course of restoring dental implants may result in biological and prosthodontic difficulties. This study was conducted to measure the continuous shrinkage of the mucosal cuff around dental implants following the removal of the healing abutment up to 60 s. Individuals treated with implant-supported fixed partial dentures were included. Implant data--location, type, length, diameter and healing abutments' dimensions--were recorded. Mucosal cuff shrinkage, following removal of the healing abutments, was measured in bucco-lingual direction at four time points--immediately after 20, 40 and 60 s. anova was used to for statistical analysis. Eighty-seven patients (49 women and 38 men) with a total of 311 implants were evaluated (120 maxilla; 191 mandible; 291 posterior segments; 20 anterior segments). Two-hundred and five (66%) implants displayed thick and 106 (34%) thin gingival biotype. Time was the sole statistically significant parameter affecting mucosal cuff shrinkage around dental implants (P < 0.001). From time 0 to 20, 40 and 60 s, the mean diameter changed from 4.1 to 4.07, 3.4 and 2.81 mm, respectively. The shrinkage was 1%, 17% and 31%, respectively. The gingival biotype had no statistically significant influence on mucosal cuff shrinkage (P = 0.672). Time required replacing a healing abutment with a prosthetic element should be minimised (up to 20/40 s), to avoid pain, discomfort and misfit. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A generalized DEMATEL theory with a shrinkage coefficient for an indirect relation matrix

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Hsiang-Chuan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a novel decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL theory with a shrinkage coefficient of indirect relation matrix is proposed, and a useful validity index, called Liu’s validity index, is also proposed for evaluating the performance of any DEMATEL model. If the shrinkage coefficient of an indirect relation matrix is equal to 1, then this new theory is identical to the traditional theory; in other words, it is a generalization of the traditional theory. Furthermore, the indirect relation is always considerably greater than the direct one in traditional DEMATEL theory, which is unreasonable and unfair because it overemphasizes the influence of the indirect relation. We prove in this paper that if the shrinkage coefficient is equal to 0.5, then the indirect relation is less than its direct relation. Because the shrinkage coefficient belongs to [0.5, 1], according to Liu’s validity index, we can find a more appropriate shrinkage coefficient to obtain a more efficient DEMATEL method. Some crucial properties of this new theory are discussed, and a simple example is provided to illustrate the advantages of the proposed theory.

DH and ESPI laser interferometry applied to the restoration shrinkage assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campos, L.M.P.; Parra, D.F.; Vasconcelos, M.R.; Vaz, M.; Monteiro, J.

2014-01-01

In dental restoration postoperative marginal leakage is commonly associated to polymerization shrinkage effects. In consequence the longevity and quality of restorative treatment depends on the shrinkage mechanisms of the composite filling during the polymerization. In this work the development of new techniques for evaluation of those effects under light-induced polymerization of dental nano composite fillings is reported. The composite resins activated by visible light, initiate the polymerization process by absorbing light in wavelengths at about 470 nm. The techniques employed in the contraction assessment were digital holography (DH) and Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) based on laser interferometry. A satisfactory resolution was achieved in the non-contact displacement field measurements on small objects concerning the experimental dental samples. According to a specific clinical protocol, natural teeth were used (human mandibular premolars). A class I cavity was drilled and restored with nano composite material, according to Black principles. The polymerization was monitored by DH and ESPI in real time during the cure reaction of the restoration. The total displacement reported for the material in relation of the tooth wall was 3.7 μm (natural tooth). The technique showed the entire tooth surface (wall) deforming during polymerization shrinkage. - Highlights: • Both of holographic techniques were able to measure the polymerization shrinkage. • The entire tooth surface was deformed during the polymerization shrinkage. • The group with greater percentage of filler showed the lowest value of deformation. • The values of displacement ranged from 0.9 to 3.4 μm

Effects of poison panel shrinkage and gaps on fuel storage rack reactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyd, W.A.; Mueller, D.E.

1988-01-01

Fixed poison panels are used in spent fuel rack designs to increase enrichment limits and reduce cell spacing; therefore, assurances that the maximum rack reactivity will meet the design limit (0.95) throughout the lifetime of the racks depend on the continued effectiveness of the poison with time. Industry data have shown that poison panels will shrink under irradiated conditions. From recent data, however, poison panels have been found to have gaps spanning their width after relatively short operating periods. This paper presents results of studies showing the fuel rack reactivity changes associated with poison panel shrinkage and formation of gaps. The discovery of gaps in the fuel rack poison panels at an operating plant raises concerns regarding the effectiveness of the poison over the lifetime of the fuel racks. Studies performed to evaluate the effect of the poison panel shrinkage on reactivity show that reactivity changes from zero to several percent are possible depending on the initial panel size. Results of recent studies show that some gaps can be accommodated in the fuel rack poison panels at the fuel midplane without causing the fuel rack K eff limit to be exceeded. With worst-case assumptions concerning gap size and the number of panels affected, other actions will likely be required to show that the rack K eff design limit will not be exceeded

Effectiveness of shrinkage-reducing admixtures on Portland pozzolan cement concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Videla, C.

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Drying shrinkage causes tensile stress in restrained concrete members. Since all structural elements are subject to some degree of restraint, drying shrinkage is regarded to be one of the main causes of concrete cracking. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of SRA in reducing drying shrinkage strain in Portland pozzolan cement concrete. The major variables examined included slump, admixture type and dose, and specimen size. The measured results indicate that any of the admixtures used in the study significantly reduced shrinkage. Concrete manufactured with shrinkage reducing admixtures shrank an average of 43% less than concrete without admixtures. As a rule, the higher the dose of admixture, the higher was its shrinkage reduction performance. The experimental results were compared to the shrinkage strain estimated with the ACI 209, CEB MC 90, B3, GL 2000, Sakata 1993 and Sakata 2001 models. Although none of these models was observed to accurately describe the behaviour of Portland pozzolan cement concrete with shrinkage reducing admixtures, the Sakata 2001 model, with a weighted coefficient of variation of under 30%, may be regarded to be roughly adequate.

La retracción por secado es un fenómeno intrínseco del hormigón que produce tensiones de tracción en elementos restringidos de hormigón. Puesto que todos los elementos presentan algún grado de retracción, se considera a la retracción por secado como una de las principales causas de agrietamiento en proyectos de construcción en hormigón. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la efectividad de los aditivos reductores de retracción (SRA en hormigones fabricados con cemento Portland puzolánico. Las variables principales estudiadas incluyen el asentamiento de cono de Abrams, marca y dosis de aditivo reductor de retracción, y tamaño de espécimen de hormigón. Los resultados obtenidos permiten concluir que el uso de

Void shrinkage in stainless steel during high energy electron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, B.N.; Foreman, A.J.E.

1976-03-01

During irradiation of thin foils of an austenitic stainless steel in a high voltage electron microscope, steadily growing voids have been observed to suddenly shrink and disappear at the irradiation temperature of 650 0 Cthe phenomenon has been observed in specimens both with and withoutimplanted helium. Possible mechanisms for void shrinkage during irradiation are considered. It is suggested that the dislocation-pipe-diffusion of vacancies from or of self-interstitial atoms to the voids can explain the shrinkage behaviour of voids observed during our experiments. (author)

Strength, shrinkage, erodibility and capillary flow characteristics of cement-treated recycled pavement materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Fedrigo

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Full-depth recycling with portland cement (FDR-PC has been widely used for pavement rehabilitation; however, doubts remain regarding factors affecting some properties of the recycled material. Aiming on quantifying the effects of those factors on the strength, drying shrinkage, erodibility, capillary rise and absorption of cement-treated mixtures (CTM of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP and graded crushed stone, tests were conducted considering different RAP contents, cement contents, compaction efforts and curing times. Cement addition increased the mixtures strength and reduced their erodibility and capillary flow characteristics, but increased shrinkage. Low cement contents resulted in acceptable strength for CTM, but in high capillary rise and absorption, not being suitable if the layer is exposed to long periods of water soaking. Higher compaction effort led to similar effects as cement addition, counterbalancing low cement contents usage and reducing costs and shrinkage cracking risk. Strength and shrinkage showed higher growth rates at early stages, and then precautions should be taken in order to avoid moisture loss. Increasing RAP content decreased strength; though, RAP effect on the other properties was statistically non-significant, indicating a similar behaviour as CTM without RAP. Considering the studied properties, the mixture with most satisfactory behaviour for field applications was identified. The results highlighted strength is not the only property to be considered when designing FDR-PC mixtures; although presenting acceptable strength, some mixtures may fail due to shrinkage cracking or erosion, when exposed to water content variations. Keywords: Full-depth recycling with cement, Strength, Drying shrinkage, Erodibility, Capillary rise, Absorption

Diversity shrinkage: Cross-validating pareto-optimal weights to enhance diversity via hiring practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Q Chelsea; Wee, Serena; Newman, Daniel A

2017-12-01

To reduce adverse impact potential and improve diversity outcomes from personnel selection, one promising technique is De Corte, Lievens, and Sackett's (2007) Pareto-optimal weighting strategy. De Corte et al.'s strategy has been demonstrated on (a) a composite of cognitive and noncognitive (e.g., personality) tests (De Corte, Lievens, & Sackett, 2008) and (b) a composite of specific cognitive ability subtests (Wee, Newman, & Joseph, 2014). Both studies illustrated how Pareto-weighting (in contrast to unit weighting) could lead to substantial improvement in diversity outcomes (i.e., diversity improvement), sometimes more than doubling the number of job offers for minority applicants. The current work addresses a key limitation of the technique-the possibility of shrinkage, especially diversity shrinkage, in the Pareto-optimal solutions. Using Monte Carlo simulations, sample size and predictor combinations were varied and cross-validated Pareto-optimal solutions were obtained. Although diversity shrinkage was sizable for a composite of cognitive and noncognitive predictors when sample size was at or below 500, diversity shrinkage was typically negligible for a composite of specific cognitive subtest predictors when sample size was at least 100. Diversity shrinkage was larger when the Pareto-optimal solution suggested substantial diversity improvement. When sample size was at least 100, cross-validated Pareto-optimal weights typically outperformed unit weights-suggesting that diversity improvement is often possible, despite diversity shrinkage. Implications for Pareto-optimal weighting, adverse impact, sample size of validation studies, and optimizing the diversity-job performance tradeoff are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Experimental Analysis on Shrinkage and Swelling in Ordinary Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Kucharczyková

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the experimental determination of shrinkage development during concrete ageing. Three concrete mixtures were made. They differed in the amount of cement in the fresh mixture, 300, 350, and 400 kg/m3. In order to determine the influence of plasticiser on the progress of volume changes, another three concrete mixtures were prepared with plasticiser in the amount of 0.25% by cement mass. Measurements were performed with the goal of observing the influence of cement and plasticiser content on the overall development of volume changes in the concrete. Changes in length and mass losses of the concrete during ageing were measured simultaneously. The continuous measurement of concrete mass losses caused by drying of the specimen’s surface proved useful during the interpretation of results obtained from the concrete shrinkage measurement. During the first 24 hours of ageing, all the concrete mixtures exhibited swelling. Its magnitude and progress were influenced by cement, water, and plasticiser content. However, a loss of mass caused by water evaporation from the surface of the specimens was also recorded in this stage. The measured progress of shrinkage corresponded well to the progress of mass loss.

Shrinkage Approach for Gene Expression Data Analysis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Haman, Jiří; Valenta, Zdeněk; Kalina, Jan

2013-01-01

Roč. 1, č. 1 (2013), s. 65-65 ISSN 1805-8698. [EFMI 2013 Special Topic Conference. 17.04.2013-19.04.2013, Prague] Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : shrinkage estimation * covariance matrix * high dimensional data * gene expression Subject RIV: IN - Informatics, Computer Science

Shrinkage and durability study of bridge deck concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-01

The Mississippi Department of Transportation is incorporating changes to material : specifications and construction procedures for bridge decks in an effort to reduce shrinkage : cracking. These changes are currently being implemented into a limited ...

Hydration of Portoguese cements, measurement and modelling of chemical shrinkage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maia, Lino; Geiker, Mette Rica; Figueiras, Joaquim A.

2008-01-01

form of the dispersion model. The development of hydration varied between the investigated cements; based on the measured data the degree of hydration after 24 h hydration at 20 C varied between 40 and 50%. This should be taken into account when comparing properties of concrete made from the different......Development of cement hydration was studied by measuring the chemical shrinkage of pastes. Five types of Portuguese Portland cement were used in cement pastes with . Chemical shrinkage was measured by gravimetry and dilatometry. In gravimeters results were recorded automatically during at least...

Sudden shrinkage of free rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap 15 years after maxilla reconstruction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasushi Mochizuki

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A 60-year-old male displayed sudden shrinkage of a left free rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap, which had been grafted to his left maxilla 15 years previously. No post-reconstructive irradiation had been performed, and no late occlusion of the vascular anastomosis, local infection, recurrence of the maxillary cancer, or body weight loss was observed. However, the shrinkage amounted to approximately 50%. This is considerably more than previously reported cases of shrinkage of various free flaps, which ranged between 10% and 25%. The resultant depression was successfully augmented with a right free deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap. The residual fat volume of the previously grafted shrunken flap was revealed to be compatible with that of the newly harvested contralateral perforator flap. Thus, the volume of the previously grafted flap may reflect the status of the intact contralateral donor site, although the mechanism of sudden flap shrinkage is unclear.

Clay Mineralogy of Brazilian Oxisols with Shrinkage Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samara Alves Testoni

2017-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Shrinkage capacity (caráter retrátil in Portuguese is a new diagnostic characteristic recently introduced in the Brazilian System of Soil Classification (SiBCS to indicate shrink and swell properties observed in subtropical soils from highland plateaus in southern Brazil, specifically in Oxisols with brown colors. In soils located in road cuts exposed to drying for some weeks, strong shrinkage of soil volume is observed in these soils, resulting in the formation of pronounced vertical cracks and large and very large prismatic structures, which crumble in blocks when handled. We hypothesize that such properties are related to their clay mineralogy, although there are no conclusive studies about this, the motive for the present study. Samples of the A and B horizons from six Oxisols with expansive capacity from the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul were analyzed. One Rhodic Hapludox, from the state of Paraná, without expansive capacity, was used for comparison. All the soils are very clayey, originated from basalt, and have similar iron oxide content. For identification of clay mineralogy, X-ray diffraction techniques were employed, together with the use of NEWMOD® software to investigate and describe the interstratified minerals. The results showed that most expansive soils have a similar mineralogical composition, with kaolinite, interstratified kaolinite-smectite (K-S, and hydroxy-Al interlayered smectites (HIS, unlike the non-expansive Rhodic Hapludox, which exhibited kaolinite with significant amounts of gibbsite and low amount of interstratified K-S. According to the mineralogical assemblage identified in the expansive soils, we can affirm that the mechanism of smectite expansion and contraction is related to the shrinkage capacity of the soil, considering that the level of hydroxy-Al intercalation is low. In addition, these mechanisms also are related to the presence of quasicrystals and domains that control the

Data collection and record keeping for the management of nuclear power plant ageing: A safety practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This Safety Practice is the first in a series of reports under the programme on the management of nuclear power plant ageing. The purpose of the programme is to facilitate the exchange of information and to promote co-operation among Member States towards understanding and managing the ageing degradation of components, with the aim of maintaining safe and reliable plant operation. The availability and evaluation of appropriate data on nuclear power plant components are essential to safety and constitute a key factor in plant life extension considerations. The present publication provides guidance on data requirements and an effective and practical system for data collection and record keeping in relation to the evaluation and management of ageing and service life. This guidance is based on current practices. It is envisaged that the application of the guidance will contribute to the safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants and will facilitate international information exchange on ageing related component failures, malfunctions and degradation, since data collected using the same ground rules would be easier to exchange and compare. The guidance is intended primarily for the management, maintenance and technical staff of nuclear power plants, on whom the ultimate success of the recommended system and its associated benefits depend. Intended secondary audiences include utility management and central technical support organizations, regulatory bodies, standards organizations, design companies, and research and development institutes. 8 refs, 1 fig., 1 tab

Characteristics of low polymerization shrinkage flowable resin composites in newly-developed cavity base materials for bulk filling technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Nitta, Keiko; Nomoto, Rie; Tsubota, Yuji; Tsuchikawa, Masuji; Hayakawa, Tohru

2017-11-29

The purpose of this study was to evaluate polymerization shrinkage and other physical properties of newly-developed cavity base materials for bulk filling technique, with the brand name BULK BASE (BBS). Polymerization shrinkage was measured according to ISO/FDIS 17304. BBS showed the significantly lowest polymerization shrinkage and significantly higher depth of cure than conventional flowable resin composites (p<0.05). The Knoop hardness, flexural strength and elastic modulus of that were significantly lower than conventional flowable resin composites (p<0.05). BBS had the significantly greatest filler content (p<0.05). SEM images of the surface showed failure of fillers. The lowest polymerization shrinkage was due to the incorporation of a new type of low shrinkage monomer, which has urethane moieties. There were no clear correlations between inorganic filler contents and polymerization shrinkage, flexural strength and elastic modulus. In conclusion, the low polymerization shrinkage of BBS will be useful for cavity treatment in dental clinics.

A case study of shrinkage-in place leaching of low grade uranium ore deposit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Dexin; Zhou Guohe

1998-09-01

A case study of shrinkage-in place leaching of low grade uranium ore deposit is dealt with. A test block was selected, and the shrinkage mining method was employed to construct the in place heap for leaching. Blast parameters and operations were carefully tried in order to make sure that the fragment size composition was adequate for leaching. A leaching system was planned and the corresponding leaching parameters were tried, too. The results show that the shrinkage method and the parameters for blasting and leaching are all adequate for the in-situ leaching of the blasted ore. This shrinkage-in place leaching system combines the mining and metallurgy processes into one and produces a lot of profits and could be applicable to many low grade uranium ore deposits which are so hard and compact that they have to be fragmented before being leached

Fabrication and characterization of self-folding thermoplastic sheets using unbalanced thermal shrinkage.

Science.gov (United States)

Danielson, Christian; Mehrnezhad, Ali; YekrangSafakar, Ashkan; Park, Kidong

2017-06-14

Self-folding or micro-origami technologies are actively investigated as a novel manufacturing process to fabricate three-dimensional macro/micro-structures. In this paper, we present a simple process to produce a self-folding structure with a biaxially oriented polystyrene sheet (BOPS) or Shrinky Dinks. A BOPS sheet is known to shrink to one-third of its original size in plane, when it is heated above 160 °C. A grid pattern is engraved on one side of the BOPS film with a laser engraver to decrease the thermal shrinkage of the engraved side. The thermal shrinkage of the non-engraved side remains the same and this unbalanced thermal shrinkage causes folding of the structure as the structure shrinks at high temperature. We investigated the self-folding mechanism and characterized how the grid geometry, the grid size, and the power of the laser engraver affect the bending curvature. The developed fabrication process to locally modulate thermomechanical properties of the material by engraving the grid pattern and the demonstrated design methodology to harness the unbalanced thermal shrinkage can be applied to develop complicated self-folding macro/micro structures.

Predicting shrinkage and warpage in injection molding: Towards automatized mold design

Science.gov (United States)

Zwicke, Florian; Behr, Marek; Elgeti, Stefanie

2017-10-01

It is an inevitable part of any plastics molding process that the material undergoes some shrinkage during solidification. Mainly due to unavoidable inhomogeneities in the cooling process, the overall shrinkage cannot be assumed as homogeneous in all volumetric directions. The direct consequence is warpage. The accurate prediction of such shrinkage and warpage effects has been the subject of a considerable amount of research, but it is important to note that this behavior depends greatly on the type of material that is used as well as the process details. Without limiting ourselves to any specific properties of certain materials or process designs, we aim to develop a method for the automatized design of a mold cavity that will produce correctly shaped moldings after solidification. Essentially, this can be stated as a shape optimization problem, where the cavity shape is optimized to fulfill some objective function that measures defects in the molding shape. In order to be able to develop and evaluate such a method, we first require simulation methods for the diffierent steps involved in the injection molding process that can represent the phenomena responsible for shrinkage and warpage ina sufficiently accurate manner. As a starting point, we consider the solidification of purely amorphous materials. In this case, the material slowly transitions from fluid-like to solid-like behavior as it cools down. This behavior is modeled using adjusted viscoelastic material models. Once the material has passed a certain temperature threshold during cooling, any viscous effects are neglected and the behavior is assumed to be fully elastic. Non-linear elastic laws are used to predict shrinkage and warpage that occur after this point. We will present the current state of these simulation methods and show some first approaches towards optimizing the mold cavity shape based on these methods.

Quantitative analyses of shrinkage characteristics of neem ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Quantitative analyses of shrinkage characteristics of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) wood were carried out. Forty five wood specimens were prepared from the three ecological zones of north eastern Nigeria, viz: sahel savanna, sudan savanna and guinea savanna for the research. The results indicated that the wood ...

Study of Drying Shrinkage Cracking by Lattice Gas Automaton and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Mier, J.G.M.; Jankovic, D.

2005-01-01

Numerical modeling of moisture flow, drying shrinkage and crack phenomena in cement microstructure, by coupling a Lattice Gas Automaton and a Lattice Fracture Model, highlighted the importance of a shrinkage coefficient (?sh) as the most significant parameter for achieving realistic numerical

Effects of Shrinkage Reducing Agent and Expansive Additive on Mortar Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarapon Treesuwan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This research is to study the effect of mortar mixed with shrinkage reducing agent (polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether type, expansive additive (CaO type, and fly ash (hereinafter “SRA,” “EX,” and “FA,” resp.. Moreover, steam curing was studied to improve the properties of mortar. The plastic shrinkage test was conducted by using the strain gauge embedded at 0.5 cm from the surface according to the ASTM C1579-06 standard within early age followed by the total shrinkage test and compressive strength test. The test results showed that mixing both the EX and SRA increases the plastic enlargement of the mortar during the early age more than using either the EX or SRA solely. The steam curing helps to reduce the plastic shrinkage when the mortar is added with the FA and SRA while adding the EX increases the enlargement compared to the normal curing. When the EX, SRA, and FA are all added to the mortar mixing, great attention should be paid due to the increase of greater enlargement. For the compressive strength view, the steam curing increases the compressive strength in all types of mixture. The steam curing significantly helps increasing the compressive strength of mortar with combination of EX, SRA, and FA. Nevertheless, the XRD and SEM tests explain such enlargement accordingly.

Sparse contrast-source inversion using linear-shrinkage-enhanced inexact Newton method

KAUST Repository

Desmal, Abdulla

2014-07-01

A contrast-source inversion scheme is proposed for microwave imaging of domains with sparse content. The scheme uses inexact Newton and linear shrinkage methods to account for the nonlinearity and ill-posedness of the electromagnetic inverse scattering problem, respectively. Thresholded shrinkage iterations are accelerated using a preconditioning technique. Additionally, during Newton iterations, the weight of the penalty term is reduced consistently with the quadratic convergence of the Newton method to increase accuracy and efficiency. Numerical results demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method.

Sparse contrast-source inversion using linear-shrinkage-enhanced inexact Newton method

KAUST Repository

Desmal, Abdulla; Bagci, Hakan

2014-01-01

A contrast-source inversion scheme is proposed for microwave imaging of domains with sparse content. The scheme uses inexact Newton and linear shrinkage methods to account for the nonlinearity and ill-posedness of the electromagnetic inverse scattering problem, respectively. Thresholded shrinkage iterations are accelerated using a preconditioning technique. Additionally, during Newton iterations, the weight of the penalty term is reduced consistently with the quadratic convergence of the Newton method to increase accuracy and efficiency. Numerical results demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method.

Autogenous and drying shrinkage of sodium carbonate activated slag altered by limestone powder incorporation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yuan, B.; Yu, Q.L.; Dainese, E.; Brouwers, H.J.H.

2017-01-01

This paper aims to study the shrinkage mechanism of sodium carbonate activated slag containing limestone powder (LP). The workability, pore structure, reaction kinetics and strength development were characterized. The results show that the autogenous shrinkage increases when the dosage of LP is low

A Novel Process to Prepare Chitosan Macrospheres without Shrinkage and its Application to Immobilize β-Galactosidase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Su-Fang Sun

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A new process for the preparation of chitosan macrospheres, which was simple and practicable, was suggested in this paper and various chitosans with different molecular weight were used as materials to immobilize β-galactosidase and the chitosan macrospheres with the lowest molecular weight (500 000 was selected as enzyme immobilization carrier based on the highest enzyme activity. In order to overcome the shrinkage of chitosan during drying, the wet macrospheres obtained was treated by 30% glycerol solution for 1 h before drying and the results showed that the dried chitosan macrospheres obtained could keep almost the same structure as its wet form, which was very important for chitosan as enzyme carrier in industry. Finally, β-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae was immobilized on above dry chitosan macrospheres and a satisfactory result of the immobilized enzyme was obtained in enzyme activity yield, pH stability, thermal stability, operational stability, Michaelis constants Km and the maximum velocity (Vm

Modified creep and shrinkage prediction model B3 for serviceability limit state analysis of composite slabs

Science.gov (United States)

Gholamhoseini, Alireza

2016-03-01

Relatively little research has been reported on the time-dependent in-service behavior of composite concrete slabs with profiled steel decking as permanent formwork and little guidance is available for calculating long-term deflections. The drying shrinkage profile through the thickness of a composite slab is greatly affected by the impermeable steel deck at the slab soffit, and this has only recently been quantified. This paper presents the results of long-term laboratory tests on composite slabs subjected to both drying shrinkage and sustained loads. Based on laboratory measurements, a design model for the shrinkage strain profile through the thickness of a slab is proposed. The design model is based on some modifications to an existing creep and shrinkage prediction model B3. In addition, an analytical model is developed to calculate the time-dependent deflection of composite slabs taking into account the time-dependent effects of creep and shrinkage. The calculated deflections are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental measurements.

Polymerization stresses in low-shrinkage dental resin composites measured by crack analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Takatsugu; Kubota, Yu; Momoi, Yasuko; Ferracane, Jack L

2012-09-01

The objective of this study was to compare several dental restoratives currently advertised as low-shrinkage composites (Clearfil Majesty Posterior, Kalore, Reflexions XLS Dentin and Venus Diamond) with a microfill composite (Heliomolar) in terms of polymerization stress, polymerization shrinkage and elastic modulus. Cracks were made at several distances from the edge of a precision cavity in a soda-lime glass disk. The composites were placed into the cavity and lengths of the cracks were measured before and after light curing. Polymerization stresses generated in the glass at 2 and 10 min after the irradiation were calculated from the crack lengths and K(c) of the glass. Polymerization shrinkage and elastic modulus of the composites also were measured at 2 and 10 min after irradiation using a video-imaging device and a nanoindenter, respectively. The data were statistically analyzed by ANOVAs and Tukey's test (pelastic moduli of Clearfil Majesty Posterior and Reflexions XLS Dentin were greatest at 2 and 10 min, respectively. Among the four low-shrinkage composites, two demonstrated significantly reduced polymerization stress compared to Heliomolar, which has previously been shown in in vitro tests to generate low curing stress. Copyright © 2012 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mathematical model for creep and thermal shrinkage of concrete at high temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazant, Z.P.

1983-01-01

Based on the existing limited test data, it is possible to set up an approximate constitutive model for creep and shrinkage at temperatures above 100 0 C, up to about 400 0 C. The model presented here describes the effect of various constant temperatures on the creep rate and the rate of aging, similar effects of the specific water content, the creep increase caused by simultaneous changes in moisture content, the thermal volume changes as well as the volume changes caused by changes in moisture content (drying shrinkage or thermal shrinkage), and the effect of pore pressure produced by heating. Generalizations to time-variable stresses and multiaxial stresses are also given. The model should allow more realistic analysis of reactor vessels and containments for accident situations, of concrete structures subjected to fire, of vessels for coal gasification or liquefaction, etc. (orig.)

Shrinkage Approach for Gene Expression Data Analysis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Haman, Jiří; Valenta, Zdeněk

2013-01-01

Roč. 9, č. 3 (2013), s. 2-8 ISSN 1801-5603 Grant - others:UK(CZ) SVV-2013-266517 Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : microarray technology * high dimensional data * mean squared error * James-Stein shrinkage estimator * mutual information Subject RIV: IN - Informatics, Computer Science http://www.ejbi.org/img/ejbi/2013/3/Haman_en.pdf

Four-Phase Dendritic Model for the Prediction of Macrosegregation, Shrinkage Cavity, and Porosity in a 55-Ton Ingot

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Honghao; Ren, Fengli; Li, Jun; Han, Xiujun; Xia, Mingxu; Li, Jianguo

2017-03-01

A four-phase dendritic model was developed to predict the macrosegregation, shrinkage cavity, and porosity during solidification. In this four-phase dendritic model, some important factors, including dendritic structure for equiaxed crystals, melt convection, crystals sedimentation, nucleation, growth, and shrinkage of solidified phases, were taken into consideration. Furthermore, in this four-phase dendritic model, a modified shrinkage criterion was established to predict shrinkage porosity (microporosity) of a 55-ton industrial Fe-3.3 wt pct C ingot. The predicted macrosegregation pattern and shrinkage cavity shape are in a good agreement with experimental results. The shrinkage cavity has a significant effect on the formation of positive segregation in hot top region, which generally forms during the last stage of ingot casting. The dendritic equiaxed grains also play an important role on the formation of A-segregation. A three-dimensional laminar structure of A-segregation in industrial ingot was, for the first time, predicted by using a 3D case simulation.

Effects of Prepolymerized Particle Size and Polymerization Kinetics on Volumetric Shrinkage of Dental Modeling Resins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tae-Yub Kwon

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Dental modeling resins have been developed for use in areas where highly precise resin structures are needed. The manufacturers claim that these polymethyl methacrylate/methyl methacrylate (PMMA/MMA resins show little or no shrinkage after polymerization. This study examined the polymerization shrinkage of five dental modeling resins as well as one temporary PMMA/MMA resin (control. The morphology and the particle size of the prepolymerized PMMA powders were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and laser diffraction particle size analysis, respectively. Linear polymerization shrinkage strains of the resins were monitored for 20 minutes using a custom-made linometer, and the final values (at 20 minutes were converted into volumetric shrinkages. The final volumetric shrinkage values for the modeling resins were statistically similar (P>0.05 or significantly larger (P<0.05 than that of the control resin and were related to the polymerization kinetics (P<0.05 rather than the PMMA bead size (P=0.335. Therefore, the optimal control of the polymerization kinetics seems to be more important for producing high-precision resin structures rather than the use of dental modeling resins.

Durability and Shrinkage Characteristics of Self-Compacting Concretes Containing Recycled Coarse and/or Fine Aggregates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Gesoglu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses durability and shrinkage performance of the self-compacting concretes (SCCs in which natural coarse aggregate (NCA and/or natural fine aggregate (NFA were replaced by recycled coarse aggregate (RCA and/or recycled fine aggregate (RFA, respectively. A total of 16 SCCs were produced and classified into four series, each of which included four mixes designed with two water to binder (w/b ratios of 0.3 and 0.43 and two silica fume replacement levels of 0 and 10%. Durability properties of SCCs were tested for rapid chloride penetration, water sorptivity, gas permeability, and water permeability at 56 days. Also, drying shrinkage accompanied by the water loss and restrained shrinkage of SCCs were monitored over 56 days of drying period. Test results revealed that incorporating recycled coarse and/or fine aggregates aggravated the durability properties of SCCs tested in this study. The drying shrinkage and restrained shrinkage cracking of recycled aggregate (RA concretes had significantly poorer performance than natural aggregate (NA concretes. The time of cracking greatly prolonged as the RAs were used along with the increase in water/binder ratio.

Combined Use of Shrinkage Reducing Admixture and CaO in Cement Based Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Tittarelli, Francesca; Giosuè, Chiara; Monosi, Saveria

2017-10-01

The combined addition of a Shrinkage-Reducing Admixture (SRA) with a CaO-based expansive agent (CaO) has been found to have a synergistic effect to improve the dimensional stability of cement based materials. In this work, aimed to further investigate the effect, mortar and self-compacting concrete specimens were prepared either without admixtures, as reference, or with SRA alone and/or CaO. Their performance was compared in terms of compressive strength and free shrinkage measurements. Results showed that the synergistic effect in reducing shrinkage is confirmed in the specimens manufactured with SRA and CaO. In order to clarify this phenomenon, the effect of SRA on the hydration of CaO as well as cement was evaluated through different techniques. The obtained results show that SRA induces a finer microstructure of the CaO hydration products and a retarding effect on the microstructure development of cement based materials. A more deformable mortar or concrete, due to the delay in microstructure development by SRA, coupled with a finer microstructure of CaO hydration products could allow higher early expansion, which might contribute in contrasting better the successive drying shrinkage.

Experimental evaluation and simulation of volumetric shrinkage and warpage on polymeric composite reinforced with short natural fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Jonnathan D.; Fajardo, Jorge I.; Cuji, Alvaro R.; García, Jaime A.; Garzón, Luis E.; López, Luis M.

2015-09-01

A polymeric natural fiber-reinforced composite is developed by extrusion and injection molding process. The shrinkage and warpage of high-density polyethylene reinforced with short natural fibers of Guadua angustifolia Kunth are analyzed by experimental measurements and computer simulations. Autodesk Moldflow® and Solid Works® are employed to simulate both volumetric shrinkage and warpage of injected parts at different configurations: 0 wt.%, 20 wt.%, 30 wt.% and 40 wt.% reinforcing on shrinkage and warpage behavior of polymer composite. Become evident the restrictive effect of reinforcing on the volumetric shrinkage and warpage of injected parts. The results indicate that volumetric shrinkage of natural composite is reduced up to 58% with fiber increasing, whereas the warpage shows a reduction form 79% to 86% with major fiber content. These results suggest that it is a highly beneficial use of natural fibers to improve the assembly properties of polymeric natural fiber-reinforced composites.

Reoxygenation of hypoxic cells by tumor shrinkage during irradiation. A computer simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kocher, M.; Treuer, H.

1995-01-01

A 3-dimensional computer simulation was developed in order to estimate the impact of tumor shrinkage on reoxygenation of chronic hypoxic tumor cells during a full course of fractionated irradiation. The growth of a small tumor situated in a vascularized stroma with 350 capillary cross-sections/mm 3 which were displaced by the growing tumor was simulated. Tumors contained 10 4 cells when irradiation started, intrinsic radiosensitivity was set to either low (α=0.3 Gy -1 , β=0.03 Gy -2 ) or high (α=0.4 Gy -1 , β=0.04 Gy -2 ) values. Oxygen enhancement ratio was 3.0, potential tumor doubling time T pot =1, 2 or 5 days. A simulated fractionated radiotherapy was carried out with daily fractions of 2.0 Gy, total dose 50 to 70 Gy. The presence or absence of factors preventing tumor cord shrinkage was also included. During the growth phase, all tumors developed a necrotic core with a hypoxic cell fraction of 25% under these conditions. During irradiation, the slower growing tumors (T pot =2 to 5 days) showed complete reoxygenation of the hypoxic cells after 30 to 40 Gy independent from radiosensitivity, undisturbed tumor shrinkage provided. If shrinkage was prevented, the hypoxic fraction rose to 100% after 30 to 50 Gy. Local tumor control, defined as the destruction of all clonogenic and hypoxic tumor cells increased by 20 to 100% due to reoxygenation and 50 Gy were enough in order to sterilize the tumors in these cases. In the fast growing tumors (T pot =1 day), reoxygenation was only observed in the case of high radiosensitivity and undisturbed tumor shrinkage. In these tumors reoxygenation increased the control rates by up to 60%. (orig./MG) [de

GENERALIZED DOUBLE PARETO SHRINKAGE.

Science.gov (United States)

Armagan, Artin; Dunson, David B; Lee, Jaeyong

2013-01-01

We propose a generalized double Pareto prior for Bayesian shrinkage estimation and inferences in linear models. The prior can be obtained via a scale mixture of Laplace or normal distributions, forming a bridge between the Laplace and Normal-Jeffreys' priors. While it has a spike at zero like the Laplace density, it also has a Student's t -like tail behavior. Bayesian computation is straightforward via a simple Gibbs sampling algorithm. We investigate the properties of the maximum a posteriori estimator, as sparse estimation plays an important role in many problems, reveal connections with some well-established regularization procedures, and show some asymptotic results. The performance of the prior is tested through simulations and an application.

Reduction of cracking and shrinkage in compressed clay beams during dying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lakho, N.A.; Zardari, M.A.; Memon, N.A.

2016-01-01

Uncontrolled evaporation of moisture from compressed clay beams can cause surface cracks, resulting in reduction of strength. This paper presents various treatments applied to clay beams during the process of casting, compacting and drying in order to curtail the possibility of cracking and to decrease percentage of drying shrinkage. Following treatments were applied to the beams during casting and drying: (i) a steel plate and double layer of plastic sheet was provided between the beam and the plank, (ii) the beam was enveloped with a propylene fabric sheet during casting and (iii) beams were covered with plastic sheet during drying. Using these treatments, the clay beams were cast and compacted at various intensities of compaction. The results show that the drying shrinkage was reduced to minimum and the cracks were curtailed. The rate of drying shrinkage was decreased depending upon the level of compaction. Thus at the higher degree of compaction, more density of clay beams was achieved, which resulted in higher degree of compressive strength in baked and unbaked state. (author)

Development of high shrinkage polyethylene terephthalate (PET) shape memory polymer tendons for concrete crack closure

Science.gov (United States)

Teall, Oliver; Pilegis, Martins; Sweeney, John; Gough, Tim; Thompson, Glen; Jefferson, Anthony; Lark, Robert; Gardner, Diane

2017-04-01

The shrinkage force exerted by restrained shape memory polymers (SMPs) can potentially be used to close cracks in structural concrete. This paper describes the physical processing and experimental work undertaken to develop high shrinkage die-drawn polyethylene terephthalate (PET) SMP tendons for use within a crack closure system. The extrusion and die-drawing procedure used to manufacture a series of PET tendon samples is described. The results from a set of restrained shrinkage tests, undertaken at differing activation temperatures, are also presented along with the mechanical properties of the most promising samples. The stress developed within the tendons is found to be related to the activation temperature, the cross-sectional area and to the draw rate used during manufacture. Comparisons with commercially-available PET strip samples used in previous research are made, demonstrating an increase in restrained shrinkage stress by a factor of two for manufactured PET filament samples.

Numerical Simulation on Open Wellbore Shrinkage and Casing Equivalent Stress in Bedded Salt Rock Stratum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianjun Liu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Most salt rock has interbed of mudstone in China. Owing to the enormous difference of mechanical properties between the mudstone interbed and salt rock, the stress-strain and creep behaviors of salt rock are significantly influenced by neighboring mudstone interbed. In order to identify the rules of wellbore shrinkage and casings equivalent stress in bedded salt rock stratum, three-dimensional finite difference models were established. The effects of thickness and elasticity modulus of mudstone interbed on the open wellbore shrinkage and equivalent stress of casing after cementing operation were studied, respectively. The results indicate that the shrinkage of open wellbore and equivalent stress of casings decreases with the increase of mudstone interbed thickness. The increasing of elasticity modulus will reduce the shrinkage of open wellbore and casing equivalent stress. Research results can provide the scientific basis for the design of mud density and casing strength.

Analysis of Shrinkage on Thick Plate Part using Genetic Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Najihah S.N.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Injection moulding is the most widely used processes in manufacturing plastic products. Since the quality of injection improves plastic parts are mostly influenced by process conditions, the method to determine the optimum process conditions becomes the key to improving the part quality. This paper presents a systematic methodology to analyse the shrinkage of the thick plate part during the injection moulding process. Genetic Algorithm (GA method was proposed to optimise the process parameters that would result in optimal solutions of optimisation goals. Using the GA, the shrinkage of the thick plate part was improved by 39.1% in parallel direction and 17.21% in the normal direction of melt flow.

Ultra low-K shrinkage behavior when under electron beam in a scanning electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lorut, F.; Imbert, G. [ST Microelectronics, 850 rue Jean Monnet, 38926 Crolles Cedex (France); Roggero, A. [Centre National d' Etudes Spatiales, 18 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse (France)

2013-08-28

In this paper, we investigate the tendency of porous low-K dielectrics (also named Ultra Low-K, ULK) behavior to shrink when exposed to the electron beam of a scanning electron microscope. Various experimental electron beam conditions have been used for irradiating ULK thin films, and the resulting shrinkage has been measured through use of an atomic force microscope tool. We report the shrinkage to be a fast, cumulative, and dose dependent effect. Correlation of the shrinkage with incident electron beam energy loss has also been evidenced. The chemical modification of the ULK films within the interaction volume has been demonstrated, with a densification of the layer and a loss of carbon and hydrogen elements being observed.

Experimental drying shrinkage of hardened cement pastes as a function of relative humidity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Kurt Kielsgaard; Baroghel, V.B.

1996-01-01

The results of an experimental study concerning drying shrinkage measured as a function of relative humidity on thin specimens of mature hardened cement pastes are presented. The results obtained at two laboratories are compared.......The results of an experimental study concerning drying shrinkage measured as a function of relative humidity on thin specimens of mature hardened cement pastes are presented. The results obtained at two laboratories are compared....

Influence of Aggregate Wettability with Different Lithology Aggregates on Concrete Drying Shrinkage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuanchen Guo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The correlation of the wettability of different lithology aggregates and the drying shrinkage of concrete materials is studied, and some influential factors such as wettability and wetting angle are analyzed. A mercury porosimeter is used to measure the porosities of different lithology aggregates accurately, and the pore size ranges that significantly affect the drying shrinkage of different lithology aggregate concretes are confirmed. The pore distribution curve of the different coarse aggregates is also measured through a statistical method, and the contact angle of different coarse aggregates and concrete is calculated according to the linear fitting relationship. Research shows that concrete strength is determined by aggregate strength. Aggregate wettability is not directly correlated with concrete strength, but wettability significantly affects concrete drying shrinkage. In all types’ pores, the greatest impacts on wettability are capillary pores and gel pores, especially for the pores of the size locating 2.5–50 nm and 50–100 nm two ranges.

Temperature dependence of autogenous shrinkage of silica fume cement pastes with a very low water–binder ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maruyama, I., E-mail: ippei@dali.nuac.nagoya-u.ac.jp [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, ES Building, No. 539, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603 (Japan); Teramoto, A. [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Faculty of Engineering, ES Building, No. 546, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603 (Japan)

2013-08-15

Ultra-high-strength concrete with a large unit cement content undergoes considerable temperature increase inside members due to hydration heat, leading to a higher risk of internal cracking. Hence, the temperature dependence of autogenous shrinkage of cement pastes made with silica fume premixed cement with a water–binder ratio of 0.15 was studied extensively. Development of autogenous shrinkage showed different behaviors before and after the inflection point, and dependence on the temperature after mixing and subsequent temperature histories. The difference in autogenous shrinkage behavior poses problems for winter construction because autogenous shrinkage may increase with decrease in temperature after mixing before the inflection point and with increase in temperature inside concrete members with large cross sections.

Temperature dependence of autogenous shrinkage of silica fume cement pastes with a very low water–binder ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maruyama, I.; Teramoto, A.

2013-01-01

Ultra-high-strength concrete with a large unit cement content undergoes considerable temperature increase inside members due to hydration heat, leading to a higher risk of internal cracking. Hence, the temperature dependence of autogenous shrinkage of cement pastes made with silica fume premixed cement with a water–binder ratio of 0.15 was studied extensively. Development of autogenous shrinkage showed different behaviors before and after the inflection point, and dependence on the temperature after mixing and subsequent temperature histories. The difference in autogenous shrinkage behavior poses problems for winter construction because autogenous shrinkage may increase with decrease in temperature after mixing before the inflection point and with increase in temperature inside concrete members with large cross sections

Photo-crosslinkable cyanoacrylate bioadhesive: shrinkage kinetics, dynamic mechanical properties, and biocompatibility of adhesives containing TMPTMA and POSS nanostructures as crosslinking agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghasaban, S; Atai, M; Imani, M; Zandi, M; Shokrgozar, M-A

2011-11-01

The study investigates the photo-polymerization shrinkage behavior, dynamic mechanical properties, and biocompatibility of cyanoacrylate bioadhesives containing POSS nanostructures and TMPTMA as crosslinking agents. Adhesives containing 2-octyl cyanoacrylate (2-OCA) and different percentages of POSS nanostructures and TMPTMA as crosslinking agents were prepared. The 1-phenyl-1, 2-propanedione (PPD) was incorporated as photo-initiator into the adhesive in 1.5, 3, and 4 wt %. The shrinkage strain of the specimens was measured using bonded-disk technique. Shrinkage strain, shrinkage strain rate, maximum and time at maximum shrinkage strain rate were measured and compared. Mechanical properties of the adhesives were also studied using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). Biocompatibility of the adhesives was examined by MTT method. The results showed that shrinkage strain increased with increasing the initiator concentration up to 3 wt % in POSS-containing and 1.5 wt % in TMPTMA-containing specimens and plateaued out at higher concentrations. By increasing the crosslinking agent, shrinkage strain, and shrinkage strain rate increased and the time at maximum shrinkage strain rate decreased. The study indicates that the incorporation of crosslinking agents into the cyanoacrylate adhesives resulted in improved mechanical properties. Preliminary MTT studies also revealed better biocompatibility profile for the adhesives containing crosslinking agents comparing to the neat specimens. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Influence of Water Sorption of Dental Light-Cured Composites on Shrinkage Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kinga Bociong

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The contraction stress generated during the photopolymerization of resin dental composites is the major disadvantage. The water sorption in the oral environment should counteract the contraction stress. The purpose was to evaluate the influence of the water sorption of composite materials on polymerization shrinkage stress generated at the restoration-tooth interface. The following materials were tested: Filtek Ultimate, Gradia Direct LoFlo, Heliomolar Flow, Tetric EvoCeram, Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill, Tetric EvoFlow, Tetric EvoFlow Bulk Fill, X-tra Base, Venus BulkFil, and Ceram.X One. The shrinkage stress was measured immediately after curing and after: 0.5 h, 24 h, 72 h, 96 h, 168 h, 240 h, 336 h, 504 h, 672 h, and 1344 h by means of photoelastic study. Moreover, water sorption and solubility were evaluated. Material samples were weighted on scale in time intervals to measure the water absorbency and the dynamic of this process. The tested materials during polymerization generated shrinkage stresses ranging from 6.3 MPa to 12.5 MPa. Upon water conditioning (56 days, the decrease in shrinkage strain (not less than 48% was observed. The decrease in value stress in time is material-dependent.

Ultrasonic assessment of shrinkage type discontinuities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hubber, John

2010-01-01

This investigation into ultrasonic internal discontinuities is intended to demonstrate typical examples of internal 'shrinkage' type discontinuities and its connection with the casting suitability, integrity and reliability in service. This type of discontinuity can be misinterpreted by ultrasonic technicians and can lead to the rejection of castings unnecessarily, due to the mis-characterization of fine shrinkage - discrete porosity. The samples for this investigation were taken from thirty ton heavy section ductile iron mill flange castings, manufactured by Graham Campbell Ferrum International. The sampled area was of discontinuities that were recorded for sizing on an area due to loss of back wall echo, but had acceptable reflectivity. A comparative sample was taken adjacent to the area of discrete porosity. The discontinuities found by this investigation are of a 'spongy' type, gaseous in appearance and are surrounded by acoustically sound material. All discontinuities discussed in this paper are centrally located in the through thickness of the casting. The porous nature of this type of discontinuity consisting of approximately 80-90% metal has its own residual strength, as indicated by the proof stress results which reveal a residual strength of up to 50-60% of that of the unaffected area of the casting. The affected areas are elliptical in shape and vary in density and through thickness throughout.

Regional Brain Shrinkage over Two Years: Individual Differences and Effects of Pro-Inflammatory Genetic Polymorphisms

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, N.; Ghisletta, P.; Dahle, C.L.; Bender, A.R.; Yang, Y.; Yuan, P.; Daugherty, A.M.; Raz, N.

2014-01-01

We examined regional changes in brain volume in healthy adults (N = 167, age 19-79 years at baseline; N = 90 at follow-up) over approximately two years. With latent change score models, we evaluated mean change and individual differences in rates of change in 10 anatomically-defined and manually-traced regions of interest (ROIs): lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC), orbital frontal cortex (OF), prefrontal white matter (PFw), hippocampus (HC), parahippocampal gyrus (PhG), caudate nucleus (Cd), putamen (Pt), insula (In), cerebellar hemispheres (CbH), and primary visual cortex (VC). Significant mean shrinkage was observed in the HC, CbH, In, OF, and the PhG, and individual differences in change were noted in all regions, except the OF. Pro-inflammatory genetic variants mediated shrinkage in PhG and CbH. Carriers of two T alleles of interleukin-1β (IL-1βC-511T, rs16944) and a T allele of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFRC677T, rs1801133) polymorphisms showed increased PhG shrinkage. No effects of a pro-inflammatory polymorphism for C-reactive protein (CRP-286C>A>T, rs3091244) or apolipoprotein (APOE) ε4 allele were noted. These results replicate the pattern of brain shrinkage observed in previous studies, with a notable exception of the LPFC thus casting doubt on the unique importance of prefrontal cortex in aging. Larger baseline volumes of CbH and In were associated with increased shrinkage, in conflict with the brain reserve hypothesis. Contrary to previous reports, we observed no significant linear effects of age and hypertension on regional brain shrinkage. Our findings warrant further investigation of the effects of neuroinflammation on structural brain change throughout the lifespan. PMID:25264227

Effects of molecular structure of the resins on the volumetric shrinkage and the mechanical strength of dental restorative composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, L U; Kim, J W; Kim, C K

2006-09-01

To prepare a dental composite that has a low amount of curing shrinkage and excellent mechanical strength, various 2,2-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxy propoxy) phenyl] propane (Bis-GMA) derivatives were synthesized via molecular structure design, and afterward, properties of their mixtures were explored. Bis-GMA derivatives, which were obtained by substituting methyl groups for hydrogen on the phenyl ring in the Bis-GMA, exhibited lower curing shrinkage than Bis-GMA, whereas their viscosities were higher than that of Bis-GMA. Other Bis-GMA derivatives, which contained a glycidyl methacrylate as a molecular end group exhibited reduced curing shrinkage and viscosity. Methoxy substitution for hydroxyl groups on the Bis-GMA derivatives was performed for the further reduction of the viscosity and curing shrinkage. Various resin mixtures, which had the same viscosity as the commercial one, were prepared, and their curing shrinkage was examined. A resin mixture containing 2,2-bis[3,5-dimethyl, 4-(2-methoxy-3-methacryloyloxy propoxy) phenyl] propane] (TMBis-M-GMA) as a base resin and 4-tert-butylphenoxy-2-methyoxypropyl methacrylate (t-BP-M-GMA) as a diluent exhibited the lowest curing shrinkage among them. The composite prepared from this resin mixture also exhibited the lowest curing shrinkage along with enhanced mechanical properties.

A Mesoscopic Simulation for the Early-Age Shrinkage Cracking Process of High Performance Concrete in Bridge Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guodong Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available On a mesoscopic level, high performance concrete (HPC was assumed to be a heterogeneous composite material consisting of aggregates, mortar, and pores. The concrete mesoscopic structure model had been established based on CT image reconstruction. By combining this model with continuum mechanics, damage mechanics, and fracture mechanics, a relatively complete system for concrete mesoscopic mechanics analysis was established to simulate the process of early-age shrinkage cracking in HPC. This process was based on the dispersion crack model. The results indicated that the interface between the aggregate and mortar was the crack point caused by shrinkage cracks in HPC. The locations of early-age shrinkage cracks in HPC were associated with the spacing and the size of the aggregate particle. However, the shrinkage deformation size of the mortar was related to the scope of concrete cracking and was independent of the crack position. Whereas lower water to cement ratios can improve the early strength of concrete, this ratio cannot control early-age shrinkage cracks in HPC.

Conjugation of diisocyanate side chains to dimethacrylate reduces polymerization shrinkage and increases the hardness of composite resins.

Science.gov (United States)

Jan, Yih-Dean; Lee, Bor-Shiunn; Lin, Chun-Pin; Tseng, Wan-Yu

2014-04-01

Polymerization shrinkage is one of the main causes of dental restoration failure. This study tried to conjugate two diisocyanate side chains to dimethacrylate resins in order to reduce polymerization shrinkage and increase the hardness of composite resins. Diisocyanate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and bisphenol A dimethacrylate were reacted in different ratios to form urethane-modified new resin matrices, and then mixed with 50 wt.% silica fillers. The viscosities of matrices, polymerization shrinkage, surface hardness, and degrees of conversion of experimental composite resins were then evaluated and compared with a non-modified control group. The viscosities of resin matrices increased with increasing diisocyanate side chain density. Polymerization shrinkage and degree of conversion, however, decreased with increasing diisocyanate side chain density. The surface hardness of all diisocyanate-modified groups was equal to or significantly higher than that of the control group. Conjugation of diisocyanate side chains to dimethacrylate represents an effective means of reducing polymerization shrinkage and increasing the surface hardness of dental composite resins. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

SHRINKAGE REDUCTION AND CRACK PREVENTION OF ALKALI-ACTIVATED PHOSPHOROUS SLAG CEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanan Wang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The effects of fly ash, calcium oxide and polypropylene fiber on the physical and mechanical properties, shrinkage and cracking behaviors of alkali-activated phosphorous slag cement (AA-PS-C were studied. The results show that replacing 10-15% phosphorous slag by fly ash and adding calcium oxide as an expansive agent reduce the shrinkage of AA-PS-C. Fly ash will increase the flexural strength, although the compressive strength will be slightly decreased, while the calcium oxide expansive agent coated with aluminum stearate will slightly shorten the setting time and reduce the strength. Adding polypropylene fiber can greatly increase the crack-resistance of AA-PS-C.

Evaluation of the polymerization shrinkage of experimental flowable composite resins through optical coherence tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Carneiro, Vanda S. M.; Mota, Cláudia C. B. O.; Souza, Alex F.; Cajazeira, Marlus R. R.; Gerbi, Marleny E. M. M.; Gomes, Anderson S. L.

2018-02-01

This study evaluated the polymerization shrinkage of two experimental flowable composite resins (CR) with different proportions of Urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA)/triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) monomers in the organic matrix (50:50 and 60:40, respectively). A commercially available flowable CR, Tetric N-Flow (Ivoclair Vivadent, Liechtenstein, Germany), was employed as the control group. The resins were inserted in a cylindrical teflon mold (7 mm diameter, 0.6 mm height) and scanned with OCT before photoactivation, immediately after and 15 minutes after light-curing (Radii-Cal, SDI, Australia, 1,200 mW/cm2 ) exposure. A Callisto SD-OCT system (Thorlabs Inc, USA), operating at 930 nm central wavelength was employed for imaging acquisition. Cross-sectional OCT images were captured with 8 mm transverse scanning (2000x512 matrix), and processed by the ImageJ software, for comparison between the scanning times and between groups. Pearson correlation showed significant shrinkage for all groups in each time analyzed. Kruskal-Wallis test showed greater polymerization shrinkage for the 50:50 UDMA/TEGDMA group (p=0.001), followed by the control group (p=0.018). TEGDMA concentration was proportionally related to the polymerization shrinkage of the flowable composite resins.

Investigation on Failures of Composite Beam and Substrate Concrete due to Drying Shrinkage Property of Repair Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Pattnaik, Rashmi Ranjan

2017-06-01

A Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and an experimental study was conducted on composite beam of repair material and substrate concrete to investigate the failures of the composite beam due to drying shrinkage property of the repair materials. In FEA, the stress distribution in the composite beam due to two concentrate load and shrinkage of repair materials were investigated in addition to the deflected shape of the composite beam. The stress distributions and load deflection shapes of the finite element model were investigated to aid in analysis of the experimental findings. In the experimental findings, the mechanical properties such as compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, and load-deflection curves were studied in addition to slant shear bond strength, drying shrinkage and failure patterns of the composite beam specimens. Flexure test was conducted to simulate tensile stress at the interface between the repair material and substrate concrete. The results of FEA were used to analyze the experimental results. It was observed that the repair materials with low drying shrinkage are showing compatible failure in the flexure test of the composite beam and deform adequately in the load deflection curves. Also, the flexural strength of the composite beam with low drying shrinkage repair materials showed higher flexural strength as compared to the composite beams with higher drying shrinkage value of the repair materials even though the strength of those materials were more.

Exploiting tumor shrinkage through temporal optimization of radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unkelbach, Jan; Craft, David; Hong, Theodore; Papp, Dávid; Wolfgang, John; Bortfeld, Thomas; Ramakrishnan, Jagdish; Salari, Ehsan

2014-01-01

In multi-stage radiotherapy, a patient is treated in several stages separated by weeks or months. This regimen has been motivated mostly by radiobiological considerations, but also provides an approach to reduce normal tissue dose by exploiting tumor shrinkage. The paper considers the optimal design of multi-stage treatments, motivated by the clinical management of large liver tumors for which normal liver dose constraints prohibit the administration of an ablative radiation dose in a single treatment. We introduce a dynamic tumor model that incorporates three factors: radiation induced cell kill, tumor shrinkage, and tumor cell repopulation. The design of multi-stage radiotherapy is formulated as a mathematical optimization problem in which the total dose to the normal tissue is minimized, subject to delivering the prescribed dose to the tumor. Based on the model, we gain insight into the optimal administration of radiation over time, i.e. the optimal treatment gaps and dose levels. We analyze treatments consisting of two stages in detail. The analysis confirms the intuition that the second stage should be delivered just before the tumor size reaches a minimum and repopulation overcompensates shrinking. Furthermore, it was found that, for a large range of model parameters, approximately one-third of the dose should be delivered in the first stage. The projected benefit of multi-stage treatments in terms of normal tissue sparing depends on model assumptions. However, the model predicts large dose reductions by more than a factor of 2 for plausible model parameters. The analysis of the tumor model suggests that substantial reduction in normal tissue dose can be achieved by exploiting tumor shrinkage via an optimal design of multi-stage treatments. This suggests taking a fresh look at multi-stage radiotherapy for selected disease sites where substantial tumor regression translates into reduced target volumes. (paper)

The evolution of shrinkage strain of pet-mortar composite eco ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... resulting from the cement hydration and are governed by various physical and ... of PET volumetric additive amounts for cement substituting and for the behavior ... Keywords: Composite Eco-materials; Cement substitution; Shrinkage strain; ...

Analysis of the shrinkage at the thick plate part using response surface methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Hatta, N. M.; Azlan, M. Z.; Shayfull, Z.; Roselina, S.; Nasir, S. M.

2017-09-01

Injection moulding is well known for its manufacturing process especially in producing plastic products. To measure the final product quality, there are lots of precautions to be taken into such as parameters setting at the initial stage of the process. Sometimes, if these parameters were set up wrongly, defects may be occurred and one of the well-known defects in the injection moulding process is a shrinkage. To overcome this problem, a maximisation at the precaution stage by making an optimal adjustment on the parameter setting need to be done and this paper focuses on analysing the shrinkage by optimising the parameter at thick plate part with the help of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and ANOVA analysis. From the previous study, the outstanding parameter gained from the optimisation method in minimising the shrinkage at the moulded part was packing pressure. Therefore, with the reference from the previous literature, packing pressure was selected as the parameter setting for this study with other three parameters which are melt temperature, cooling time and mould temperature. The analysis of the process was obtained from the simulation by Autodesk Moldflow Insight (AMI) software and the material used for moulded part was Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). The analysis and result were obtained and it found that the shrinkage can be minimised and the significant parameters were found as packing pressure, mould temperature and melt temperature.

Effect of processing conditions on shrinkage in injection moulding

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, K.M.B.; van Dijk, D.J.; Husselman, M.H.

1998-01-01

A systematic study on the effect of processing conditions on mold shrinkage was undertaken for seven common thermoplastic polymers. It turned out that the holding pressure was always the key parameter. The effect of the melt temperature is slightly less important. Injection velocity and mold

Shrinkage of Newly Formed Particles in an Urban Environment

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Škrabalová, Lenka; Zíková, Naděžda; Ždímal, Vladimír

2015-01-01

Roč. 15, č. 4 (2015), s. 1313-1324 ISSN 1680-8584 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP209/11/1342 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : aerosol dynamics * ultrafine particles * particle shrinkage Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 2.393, year: 2015

Shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s tests for high-dimensional small sample size data

KAUST Repository

Dong, Kai

2015-09-16

DNA sequencing techniques bring novel tools and also statistical challenges to genetic research. In addition to detecting differentially expressed genes, testing the significance of gene sets or pathway analysis has been recognized as an equally important problem. Owing to the “large pp small nn” paradigm, the traditional Hotelling’s T2T2 test suffers from the singularity problem and therefore is not valid in this setting. In this paper, we propose a shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s test for both one-sample and two-sample cases. We also suggest several different ways to derive the approximate null distribution under different scenarios of pp and nn for our proposed shrinkage-based test. Simulation studies show that the proposed method performs comparably to existing competitors when nn is moderate or large, but it is better when nn is small. In addition, we analyze four gene expression data sets and they demonstrate the advantage of our proposed shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s test.

Shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s tests for high-dimensional small sample size data

KAUST Repository

Dong, Kai; Pang, Herbert; Tong, Tiejun; Genton, Marc G.

2015-01-01

DNA sequencing techniques bring novel tools and also statistical challenges to genetic research. In addition to detecting differentially expressed genes, testing the significance of gene sets or pathway analysis has been recognized as an equally important problem. Owing to the “large pp small nn” paradigm, the traditional Hotelling’s T2T2 test suffers from the singularity problem and therefore is not valid in this setting. In this paper, we propose a shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s test for both one-sample and two-sample cases. We also suggest several different ways to derive the approximate null distribution under different scenarios of pp and nn for our proposed shrinkage-based test. Simulation studies show that the proposed method performs comparably to existing competitors when nn is moderate or large, but it is better when nn is small. In addition, we analyze four gene expression data sets and they demonstrate the advantage of our proposed shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s test.

Marginal adaptation of a low-shrinkage silorane-based composite: A SEM-analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Malene; Bindslev, Preben Hørsted; Poulsen, Sven

2012-01-01

shrinkage, has been marketed. Objective. To investigate whether reduced polymerization shrinkage improves the marginal adaptation of composite restorations. Material and methods. A total of 156 scanning electron microscopy (SEM) pictures (78 baseline, 78 follow-up) of the occlusal part of Class II......-casts of the restorations were used for SEM pictures at x 16 magnification. Pictures from baseline and follow-up (398 days, SD 29 days) were randomized and the examiner was blinded to the material and the age of the restoration. Stereologic measurements were used to calculate the length and the width of the marginal...

Experimental investigation on shrinkage and surface replication of injection moulded ceramic parts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Islam, Aminul; Giannekas, Nikolaos; Marhöfer, David Maximilian

2014-01-01

Ceramic moulded parts are increasingly being used in advanced components and devices due to their unprecedented material and performance attributes. The surface finish, replication quality and material shrinkage are of immense importance for moulded ceramic parts intended for precision applications....... The current paper presents a thorough investigation on the process of ceramic moulding where it systematically characterizes the surface replication and shrinkage behaviours of precision moulded ceramic components. The test parts are moulded from Catamold TZP-A which is Y2O3-stabilised ZrO2 having widespread...... distribution for the moulded ceramic parts is presented....

Accurate characterisation of post moulding shrinkage of polymer parts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Neves, L. C.; De Chiffre, L.; González-Madruga, D.

2015-01-01

The work deals with experimental determination of the shrinkage of polymer parts after injection moulding. A fixture for length measurements on 8 parts at the same time was designed and manufactured in Invar, mounted with 8 electronic gauges, and provided with 3 temperature sensors. The fixture w...

Shrinkages in heavy-sized cast components of nodular cast iron – NDT and fatigue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bleicher Christoph

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Material defects like shrinkages, dross, pores and chunky graphite are likely to occur in thick-walled castings and are a challenge for the foundries and their customers. These defects are mostly detected with handheld ultrasonic testing (UT or X-ray analysis. Within a research project done at the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF, the fatigue of Dross, shrinkages and chunky graphite in thick-walled cast material GGG-40 was estimated based on X-ray and fatigue tests on bending specimens. High fatigue reductions were received for the different material imperfections. Based on these impressions a further research project was executed at the Fraunhofer LBF to get an estimation of the informational value of UT in relation to fatigue of shrinkages in thick-walled castings of the material EN-GJS-400-18U-LT, EN-GJS-450-18 and EN-GJS-700-2. With the help of X-ray analysis and the UT technique Sampling Phased Array (SPA information about geometry and density were derived for a numerical analysis of shrinkages in thick-walled castings concerning fatigue. The following text summarizes the fatigue results achieved in the two research projects with the help of the X-ray and UT analysis.

OPTIMAL SHRINKAGE ESTIMATION OF MEAN PARAMETERS IN FAMILY OF DISTRIBUTIONS WITH QUADRATIC VARIANCE.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Xianchao; Kou, S C; Brown, Lawrence

2016-03-01

This paper discusses the simultaneous inference of mean parameters in a family of distributions with quadratic variance function. We first introduce a class of semi-parametric/parametric shrinkage estimators and establish their asymptotic optimality properties. Two specific cases, the location-scale family and the natural exponential family with quadratic variance function, are then studied in detail. We conduct a comprehensive simulation study to compare the performance of the proposed methods with existing shrinkage estimators. We also apply the method to real data and obtain encouraging results.

Effect of vacuum arc melting/casting parameters on shrinkage cavity/piping of austenitic stainless steel ingot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamran, J.; Feroz, M.; Sarwar, M.

2009-01-01

Shrinkage cavity/piping at the end of the solidified ingot of steels is one of the most common casting problem in 316L austenitic stainless steel ingot, when consumable electrode is melted and cast in a water-cooled copper mould by vacuum arc re-melting furnace. In present study an effort has been made to reduce the size of shrinkage cavity/ piping by establishing the optimum value of hot topping process parameters at the end of the melting process. It is concluded that the shrinkage cavity/piping at the top of the solidified ingot can be reduced to minimum by adjusting the process parameters particularly the melting current density. (author)

Self-Shrinkage Behaviors of Waste Paper Fiber Reinforced Cement Paste considering Its Self-Curing Effect at Early-Ages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhengwu Jiang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to study how the early-age self-shrinkage behavior of cement paste is affected by the addition of the waste paper fibers under sealed conditions. Although the primary focus was to determine whether the waste paper fibers are suitable to mitigate self-shrinkage as an internal curing agent under different adding ways, evaluating their strength, pore structure, and hydration properties provided further insight into the self-cured behavior of cement paste. Under the wet mixing condition, the waste paper fibers could mitigate the self-shrinkage of cement paste and, at additions of 0.2% by mass of cement, the waste paper fibers were found to show significant self-shrinkage cracking control while providing some internal curing. In addition, the self-curing efficiency results were analyzed based on the strength and the self-shrinkage behaviors of cement paste. Results indicated that, under a low water cement ratio, an optimal dosage and adding ways of the waste paper fibers could enhance the self-curing efficiency of cement paste.

The Shrinkage Model And Expert System Of Plastic Lens Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Rong-Seng

1988-06-01

Shrinkage causes both the appearance & dimension defects of the injected plastic lens. We have built up a model of state equations with the help of finite element analysis program to estimate the volume change (shrinkage and swelling) under the combinations of injection variables such as pressure and temperature etc., then the personal computer expert system has been build up to make that knowledge conveniently available to the user in the model design, process planning, process operation and some other work. The domain knowledge is represented by a R-graph (Relationship-graph) model which states the relationships of variables & equations. This model could be compare with other models in the expert system. If the user has better model to solve the shrinkage problem, the program will evaluate it automatically and a learning file will be trigger by the expert system to teach the user to update their knowledge base and modify the old model by this better model. The Rubin's model and Gilmore's model have been input to the expert system. The conflict has been solved both from the user and the deeper knowledge base. A cube prism and the convex lens examples have been shown in this paper. This program is written by MULISP language in IBM PC-AT. The natural language provides English Explaination of know why and know how and the automatic English translation for the equation rules and the production rules.

Influence of gelatinous fibers on the shrinkage of silver maple

Science.gov (United States)

Donals G. Arganbright; Dwight W. Bensend; Floyd G. Manwiller

1970-01-01

The degree of lean was found to have a significant influence on the logitudinal and transverse shrinkage of three soft maple trees. This may be accounted for by differences in the cell wall layer thickness and fibril angle.

Urban shrinkage in Germany and the USA: a comparison of transformation patterns and local strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiechmann, Thorsten; Pallagst, Karina M

2012-01-01

Many American and European cities have to deal with demographic and economic trajectories leading to urban shrinkage. According to official data, 13% of urban regions in the US and 54% of those in the EU have lost population in recent years. However, the extent and spatial distribution of declining populations differ significantly between Europe and the US. In Germany, the situation is driven by falling birth rates and the effects of German reunification. In the US, shrinkage is basically related to long-term industrial transformation. But the challenges of shrinking cities seldom appeared on the agendas of politicians and urban planners until recently. This article provides a critical overview of the development paths and local strategies of four shrinking cities: Schwedt and Dresden in eastern Germany; Youngstown and Pittsburgh in the US. A typology of urban growth and shrinkage, from economic and demographic perspectives, enables four types of city to be differentiated and the differences between the US and eastern Germany to be discussed. The article suggests that a new transatlantic debate on policy and planning strategies for restructuring shrinking cities is needed to overcome the dominant growth orientation that in most cases intensifies the negative consequences of shrinkage.

Evaluation of shrinkage temperature of bovine pericardium tissue for bioprosthetic heart valve application by differential scanning calorimetry and freeze-drying microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virgilio Tattini Jr

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Bovine pericardium bioprosthesis has become a commonly accepted device for heart valve replacement. Present practice relies on the measurement of shrinkage temperature, observed as a dramatic shortening of tissue length. Several reports in the last decade have utilized differential scanning calorimetry (DSC as an alternative method to determine the shrinkage temperature, which is accompanied by the absorption of heat, giving rise to an endothermic peak over the shrinkage temperature range of biological tissues. Usually, freeze-drying microscope is used to determine collapse temperature during the lyophilization of solutions. On this experiment we used this technique to study the shrinkage event. The aim of this work was to compare the results of shrinkage temperature obtained by DSC with the results obtained by freeze-drying microscopy. The results showed that both techniques provided excellent sensitivity and reproducibility, and gave information on the thermal shrinkage transition via the thermodynamical parameters inherent of each method.

Drying shrinkage problems in high-plastic clay soils in Oklahoma.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-01

Longitudinal cracking in pavements due to drying shrinkage of high-plastic subgrade soils has been a major : problem in Oklahoma. Annual maintenance to seal and repair these distress problems costs significant amount of : money to the state. The long...

Effects of moisture migration on shrinkage, pore pressure and other concrete properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, D.A.; England, G.L.

1977-01-01

This work investigates the uniaxial migration of moisture in long, upright, limestone concrete cylinders, sealed at the base and sides, and open at the top. The design represents a section through a concrete pressure vessel wall. The cylinders are subjected to a sustained temperature difference between their ends, with maximum temperatures between 105 0 C and 200 0 C. Readings of pore pressure, water content and temperature are taken at various positions along the axis of the cylinders. In one cylinder transverse and longitudinal shrinkage readings are also recorded. The results for the cylinders show that moisture migration is away from the hot face of the specimens, causing reduction in both pore pressure and water content values in this region. The moisture migration creates a drying front which moves slowly up the specimens. Evaporation drying takes place from the unsealed end of the specimen. A drying front moves into the concrete and considerable weight loss is recorded as moisture escapes to the atmosphere. The rate of movement of the drying front is slower than that of the hot front and is proportional to the temperature difference between the top of the specimen and the surrounding atmosphere. In the shrinkage specimen, values of transverse and longitudinal shrinkage reflect the water content results. The specimen indicates that shrinkage occurs in a concrete pressure vessel, in the regions where moisture is lost. The restraint of the mass of concrete surrounding these regions sets up a three dimensional state of internal tensile stress. The areas into which the moisture migrates tend to swell, creating an internal stress situation, which is this

Drying and radial shrinkage characteristics and changes in color ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Drying and radial shrinkage characteristics and changes in color and shape of carrots tissues during air drying were studied. Slices dimensions were obtained by computer vision and the color was quantified by chroma, hue, whitening index and total carotenoids contents. The drying time became shorter of 1 h when ...

Numerical simulation of early-age shrinkage effects on RC member deflections and cracking development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Bernardi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Shrinkage effects on short-term behavior of reinforced concrete elements are often neglected both in design code provisions and in numerical simulations. However, it is known that their influence on serviceability performance can be significant, especially in case of lightly-reinforced beams. As a matter of fact, the restraint provided by the reinforcement on concrete determines a reduction of the cracking load of the structural element, as well as an increase of its deflection. This paper deals with the modeling of early-age shrinkage effects in the field of smeared crack approaches. To this aim, an existing non-linear constitutive relation for cracked reinforced concrete elements is extended herein to include early-age concrete shrinkage. Careful verifications of the model are carried out by comparing numerical results with significant experimental data reported in technical literature, providing a good agreement both in terms of global and local behavior.

Polymerization Behavior and Mechanical Properties of High-Viscosity Bulk Fill and Low Shrinkage Resin Composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Shibasaki, S; Takamizawa, T; Nojiri, K; Imai, A; Tsujimoto, A; Endo, H; Suzuki, S; Suda, S; Barkmeier, W W; Latta, M A; Miyazaki, M

The present study determined the mechanical properties and volumetric polymerization shrinkage of different categories of resin composite. Three high viscosity bulk fill resin composites were tested: Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill (TB, Ivoclar Vivadent), Filtek Bulk Fill posterior restorative (FB, 3M ESPE), and Sonic Fill (SF, Kerr Corp). Two low-shrinkage resin composites, Kalore (KL, GC Corp) and Filtek LS Posterior (LS, 3M ESPE), were used. Three conventional resin composites, Herculite Ultra (HU, Kerr Corp), Estelite ∑ Quick (EQ, Tokuyama Dental), and Filtek Supreme Ultra (SU, 3M ESPE), were used as comparison materials. Following ISO Specification 4049, six specimens for each resin composite were used to determine flexural strength, elastic modulus, and resilience. Volumetric polymerization shrinkage was determined using a water-filled dilatometer. Data were evaluated using analysis of variance followed by Tukey's honestly significant difference test (α=0.05). The flexural strength of the resin composites ranged from 115.4 to 148.1 MPa, the elastic modulus ranged from 5.6 to 13.4 GPa, and the resilience ranged from 0.70 to 1.0 MJ/m 3 . There were significant differences in flexural properties between the materials but no clear outliers. Volumetric changes as a function of time over a duration of 180 seconds depended on the type of resin composite. However, for all the resin composites, apart from LS, volumetric shrinkage began soon after the start of light irradiation, and a rapid decrease in volume during light irradiation followed by a slower decrease was observed. The low shrinkage resin composites KL and LS showed significantly lower volumetric shrinkage than the other tested materials at the measuring point of 180 seconds. In contrast, the three bulk fill resin composites showed higher volumetric change than the other resin composites. The findings from this study provide clinicians with valuable information regarding the mechanical properties and

Self-healing of drying shrinkage cracks in cement-based materials incorporating reactive MgO

Science.gov (United States)

Qureshi, T. S.; Al-Tabbaa, A.

2016-08-01

Excessive drying shrinkage is one of the major issues of concern for longevity and reduced strength performance of concrete structures. It can cause the formation of cracks in the concrete. This research aims to improve the autogenous self-healing capacity of traditional Portland cement (PC) systems, adding expansive minerals such as reactive magnesium oxide (MgO) in terms of drying shrinkage crack healing. Two different reactive grades (high ‘N50’and moderately high ‘92-200’) of MgO were added with PC. Cracks were induced in the samples with restraining end prisms through natural drying shrinkage over 28 days after casting. Samples were then cured under water for 28 and 56 days, and self-healing capacity was investigated in terms of mechanical strength recovery, crack sealing efficiency and improvement in durability. Finally, microstructures of the healing materials were investigated using FT-IR, XRD, and SEM-EDX. Overall N50 mixes show higher expansion and drying shrinkage compared to 92-200 mixes. Autogenous self-healing performance of the MgO containing samples were much higher compared to control (only PC) mixes. Cracks up to 500 μm were sealed in most MgO containing samples after 28 days. In the microstructural investigations, highly expansive Mg-rich hydro-carbonate bridges were found along with traditional calcium-based, self-healing compounds (calcite, portlandite, calcium silicate hydrates and ettringite).

Direct voxel-based comparisons between grey matter shrinkage and glucose hypometabolism in chronic alcoholism.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritz, Ludivine; Segobin, Shailendra; Lannuzel, Coralie; Boudehent, Céline; Vabret, François; Eustache, Francis; Beaunieux, Hélène; Pitel, Anne L

2016-09-01

Alcoholism is associated with widespread brain structural abnormalities affecting mainly the frontocerebellar and the Papez's circuits. Brain glucose metabolism has received limited attention, and few studies used regions of interest approach and showed reduced global brain metabolism predominantly in the frontal and parietal lobes. Even though these studies have examined the relationship between grey matter shrinkage and hypometabolism, none has performed a direct voxel-by-voxel comparison between the degrees of structural and metabolic abnormalities. Seventeen alcoholic patients and 16 control subjects underwent both structural magnetic resonance imaging and (18)F-2-fluoro-deoxy-glucose-positron emission tomography examinations. Structural abnormalities and hypometabolism were examined in alcoholic patients compared with control subjects using two-sample t-tests. Then, these two patterns of brain damage were directly compared with a paired t-test. Compared to controls, alcoholic patients had grey matter shrinkage and hypometabolism in the fronto-cerebellar circuit and several nodes of Papez's circuit. The direct comparison revealed greater shrinkage than hypometabolism in the cerebellum, cingulate cortex, thalamus and hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus. Conversely, hypometabolism was more severe than shrinkage in the dorsolateral, premotor and parietal cortices. The distinct profiles of abnormalities found within the Papez's circuit, the fronto-cerebellar circuit and the parietal gyrus in chronic alcoholism suggest the involvement of different pathological mechanisms. © The Author(s) 2015.

Drying and Radial Shrinkage Characteristics and Changes in Color ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

nahimana

2011-08-12

Aug 12, 2011 ... A pre-test experiment was carried out following the. Thompson ... energy saving potential and the ability to control drying temperature and air humidity. ..... structural collapse by shrinkage, case hardening, etc. From the slopes of .... Thus, the Nahimana et al. model is proposed as a new model predicting with ...

Sparsity-based shrinkage approach for practicability improvement of H-LBP-based edge extraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Chenyi [School of Physics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024 (China); Qiao, Shuang, E-mail: qiaos810@nenu.edu.cn [School of Physics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024 (China); Sun, Jianing, E-mail: sunjn118@nenu.edu.cn [School of Mathematics and Statistics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024 (China); Zhao, Ruikun; Wu, Wei [Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun 130021 (China)

2016-07-21

The local binary pattern with H function (H-LBP) technique enables fast and efficient edge extraction in digital radiography. In this paper, we reformulate the model of H-LBP and propose a novel sparsity-based shrinkage approach, in which the threshold can be adapted to the data sparsity. Using this model, we upgrade fast H-LBP framework and apply it to real digital radiography. The experiments show that the method improved using the new shrinkage approach can avoid elaborately artificial modulation of parameters and possess greater robustness in edge extraction compared with the other current methods without increasing processing time. - Highlights: • An novel sparsity-based shrinkage approach for edge extraction on digital radiography is proposed. • The threshold of SS-LBP can be adaptive to the data sparsity. • SS-LBP is the development of AH-LBP and H-LBP. • Without boosting processing time and losing processing efficiency, SS-LBP can avoid elaborately artificial modulation of parameters provides. • SS-LBP has more robust performance in edge extraction compared with the existing methods.

Large-proportional shrunken bio-replication of shark skin based on UV-curing shrinkage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Huawei; Che, Da; Zhang, Xin; Yue, Yue; Zhang, Deyuan

2015-01-01

The shark skin effect has attracted worldwide attention because of its superior drag reduction. As the product of natural selection, the maximum drag reduction of shark skin is found in its normal living environment. Large-proportional shrinkage of shark skin morphology is greatly anticipated for its adaptation to faster fluid flow. One novel approach, large-proportional shrunken bio-replication, is proposed as a method to adjust the optimal drag reduction region of shark skin based on the shrinkage of UV-cured material. The shark skin is taken as a replica template to allow large-proportional shrinking in the drag reduction morphology by taking advantage of the shrinkage of UV-curable material. The accuracy of the large-proportional shrunken bio-replication approach is verified by a comparison between original and shrunken bio-replicated shark skin, which shows that the shrinking ratio can reach 23% and the bio-replication accuracy is higher than 95%. In addition, the translation of the optimum drag reduction peak of natural surface function to various applications and environments is proved by drag reduction experiments. (technical note)

Shrinkage Porosity Criterion and Its Application to A 5.5 Ton Steel Ingot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang C.

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In order to predict the distribution of shrinkage porosity in steel ingot efficiently and accurately, a criterion R√L and a method to obtain its threshold value were proposed. The criterion R√L was derived based on the solidification characteristics of steel ingot and pressure gradient in the mushy zone, in which the physical properties, the thermal parameters, the structure of the mushy zone and the secondary dendrite arm spacing were all taken into consideration. The threshold value of the criterion R√L was obtained with combination of numerical simulation of ingot solidification and total solidification shrinkage rate. Prediction of the shrinkage porosity in a 5.5 ton ingot of 2Cr13 steel with criterion R√L>0.21 m · °C1/2 · s−3/2 agreed well with the results of experimental sectioning. Based on this criterion, optimization of the ingot was carried out by decreasing the height-to-diameter ratio and increasing the taper, which successfully eliminated the centreline porosity and further proved the applicability of this criterion.

The correlation between aldehyde dehydrogenase-1A1 level and tumor shrinkage after preoperative chemoradiation in locally advanced rectal cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rhandyka Rafli

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study was performed to determine the correlation between aldehyde dehydrogenase-1A1 (ALDH1A1 level and tumor shrinkage after chemoradiation in locally advanced rectal cancer. This is a retrospective study of 14 locally advanced rectal cancer patients with long course neoadjuvant chemoradiation. ALDH1A1 level was measured using ELISA from paraffin embedded tissue. Tumor shrinkage was measured from computed tomography (CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor v1.1 (RECIST v1.1. The mean of ALDH1A1 level was 9.014 ± 3.3 pg/mL and the mean of tumor shrinkage was 7.89 ± 35.7%. Partial response proportion was 28.6%, stable disease proportion was 50% and progressive disease proportion was 21.4%. There was a significant strong negative correlation (r = –0.890, plt; 0.001 between ALDH1A1 and tumor shrinkage. In conclusion, tumor shrinkage in locally advanced rectal cancer after preoperative chemoradiation was influenced by ALDH1A1 level. Higher level of ALDH1A1 suggests decreased tumor shrinkage after preoperative chemoradiation.

Non-uniform shrinkage of multiple-walled carbon nanotubes under in situ electron beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Lunxiong [South China Normal University, Brain Science Institute, Guangzhou (China); Xiamen University, China-Australia Joint Laboratory for Functional Nanomaterials and Physics Department, Xiamen (China); Su, Jiangbin [Xiamen University, China-Australia Joint Laboratory for Functional Nanomaterials and Physics Department, Xiamen (China); Chang Zhou University, School of Mathematics and Physics, Changzhou (China); Zhu, Xianfang [Xiamen University, China-Australia Joint Laboratory for Functional Nanomaterials and Physics Department, Xiamen (China)

2016-10-15

Instability of multiple-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated by in situ transmission electron microscopy at room temperature. Specially, the non-uniform shrinkage of tubes was found: The pristine MWCNT shrank preferentially in its axial direction from the most curved free cap end of the tube, but the shrinkage of the tube diameter was offset by the axial shrinkage: For the complex MWCNT, the two inner MWCNTs also preferentially axially shrank from their most curved cap ends and separated from each other. However, for the effect of the radial pressure from the out walls which enveloped the two inner tubes and the tube amorphization, the two inner tubes were extruded to come close to each other and finally touched again. The new ''evaporation'' and ''diffusion'' mechanisms of carbon atoms as driven by the nano-curvature of CNT and the electron beam-induced athermal activation were suggested to explain the above phenomena. (orig.)

Plant Physiology: Out in the Midday Sun, Plants Keep Their Cool.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezer, Daphne; Wigge, Philip A

2017-01-09

Plants use context-dependent information to calibrate growth responses to temperature signals. A new study shows that plants modulate their sensitivity to temperature depending on whether or not they are in direct sunlight. This enables them to make adaptive decisions in a complex natural environment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Early age volume changes in concrete due to chemical shrinkage of cement paste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebensperger, L.

1991-12-01

Full Text Available Unrestrained early age volume changes due to chemical shrinkage in cement pastes, mortars and concretes have been determined. The measurements were performed on sealed and unsealed samples which were stored under water. The chemical shrinkage of unsealed specimens represents the amount of absorbed water due to the chemical reaction of the cement It depends only on the cement content of the sample and does not lead to changes of the external dimensions. However the chemical shrinkage of sealed specimens is connected with a real volume change due to self-desiccation and the effect of internal pressures. The shrinkage depends in this case on the restraining effect of coarse aggregates as well as the cement content. The chemical shrinkage measured on sealed concretes was much higher than the one expected to ocurr on concretes, because normally an equalization of pressure takes place to some extent in the interior of the concrete. The use of expansive additives showed that they may compensate the chemical shrinkage, but its dosage is very sensitive and should be defined exactly for each case particularly.

Se han determinado los cambios volumétricos que ocurren en pastas de cemento, morteros y hormigones a edad temprana debido al efecto de la retracción química. Las mediciones se realizaron en probetas selladas y no selladas sumergidas bajo agua. La retracción química en probetas no selladas representa la cantidad de agua absorbida debido a la reacción química del cemento. Depende solamente del contenido de cemento de la probeta y no produce ningún cambio en las dimensiones de la probeta. Por el contrario, la retracción química en probetas selladas está relacionada con un cambio volumétrico real debido al efecto de la autodesecación y presiones internas. La retracción en este caso depende tanto de la restricción que imponen los áridos, como del contenido de cemento. La retracción química medida en hormigones sellados

First time observation of local current shrinkage during the MARFE behavior on the J-TEXT tokamak

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Peng; Zhuang, G.; Gentle, K.; Hu, Qiming; Chen, Jie; Li, Qiang; Liu, Yang; Gao, Li; Zhang, Xiaolong; Liu, Hai; Chen, Zhipeng; Zhu, Lizhi; Li, Fuming; Zhou, Yinan; Zeng, Zhong; Liu, Linzi; He, Jiyang

2017-11-01

Multifaceted asymmetric radiation as well as strong poloidal asymmetry of the electron density from the edge, dubbed as ‘MARFE’, has been observed in high electron density Ohmically heated plasmas on J-TEXT tokamak. Equilibrium reconstruction based on the measured data from the 17-channel FIR polarimeter-interferometer indicates that an asymmetric plasma current density distribution forms at the edge region and the plasma current shrinkage locates at the MARFE affected region. Furthermore, associated with the localized plasma current shrinkage, a locked mode MHD activity is excited, which then terminate the discharge with a major disruption. Localized plasma current shrinkage at the MARFE region is considered to be the direct cause for the density limit disruptions, and the proposed interpretation is consistent with the experimental observations.

Shrinkage Simulation of Holographic Grating Using Diffusion Model in PQ-PMMA Photopolymer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Zepeng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available An extended model based on nonlocal polymerization-driven diffusion model is derived by introducing shrinkage process for describing photopolymerized dynamics in PQ-PMMA photopolymer. The kinetic parameters, polymerization rate and diffusion rate are experimentally determined to provide quantitative simulation. The numerical results show that the fringes at edge of grating are firstly shifted and consequently, it leads to a contrast reduction of holograms. Finally, theoretical results are experimentally checked by temporal evolution of diffraction efficiency, and the shrinkage coefficient 0.5% is approximately achieved under incident intensity 25.3mw/cm2. This work can enhance the applicability of diffusion model and contribute to the reasonable description of the grating formation in the photopolymer.

Thoracoscopic CO laser coagulation shrinkage of blebs in treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax

Science.gov (United States)

Sensaki, Koji; Arai, Tsunenori; Kikuchi, Keiichi; Takagi, Keigo; Tanaka, Susumu; Kikuchi, Makoto

1992-06-01

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a common disease in young people. Operative intervention has been done in most of the recurrent cases. Recently thoracoscopic treatment has been tested as a less invasive treatment modarity. We adopted carbon monoxide (CO) laser for thoracoscopic treatment of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax. CO laser (wavelength; 5.4 micrometers ) could be delivered by chalcogenide glass (As - S) covered with a teflon sheath and ZnSe fiber tip. The sterilized flexible bronchoscope was inserted through the thoracoscopic outer sheath under local anesthesia. Shrinkage of blebs was obtained by non-contact method of CO laser irradiation. Laser power at the tip was 2.5 - 5 W and irradiation duration was 0.5 s each. Excellent shrinkage of bleb and bulla could be obtained by CO laser without perforation complication. Advantages of CO laser as a thoracoscopic treatment were: (1) capability of fiber delivery (flexible thoracoscopy was easy to operate and clear to visualize the blebs which were frequently found at the apical portion of the lung, and (2) shallow extinction length (good shrinkage of blebs, low risk of perforation, and thin layer of carbonization). In conclusion, our new technique of thoracoscopic CO laser irradiation was found to be a safe and effective treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax.

Creep and shrinkage of Mo(Ni)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaysser, W.A.; Hofmann-Amtenbrink, M.; Petzow, G.

1984-01-01

To avoid some of the errors inherent in a quantitative interpretation of shrinkage of powder compacts as Mo-Ni, other experiments were looked for, where the influence of Ni on the material transport properties of Mo could be measured semi-quantitatively during heating up to temperature and subsequent isothermal annealing. The bending of thin Mo foils under small loads was found to be an experimental arrangement, where variations in stress, in Ni-concentration and in intrinsic material properties could be realized. The results of these creep experiments will be compared in a qualitative sense with sintering experiments in Mo-Ni done under similar conditions as the creep experiments

Consideration to keep the know-how in the technical divisions in the headquarter of a utility for safe plant operation in the long term

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, E.; Willeke, A.; Teichel, H.; Neumann, J.; Peters, J.D.

2001-01-01

Special know-how in nuclear technology is and will be a basic element in the business of a utility operating nuclear power plants today and in the future. The acquisition and maintenance of nuclear know-how is necessary to maximize the economic success of the business. The presentation will report about the results of a study carried out by PreussenElektra Kemkraft at the end of 1999. Identified possibilities keeping the nuclear know-how will be discussed, i. e. - maintenance and development of know-how in the existing organisation; - utility overlapping competence center; - commercial know-how agency; - engineering consultant office for other utilities; - cooperation with manufacturers and other utilities, building new nuclear plants; - participation in projects planning new nuclear power plants, as EPR, in a independent project organisation. (authors)

Reducing Shrinkage in Canned and Frozen Mushrooms

OpenAIRE

Gormley, T. R. (Thomas Ronan); Walshe, P.E.

1982-01-01

The process involving a preliminary soaking of the mushrooms in water for 20 min followed by a chill storage period followed by a further water soak for 2 hr, and known as the 3S process, gave a considerable reduction in total shrinkage in both brown and white strain canned mushrooms compared with the control samples. Water uptake by the mushrooms in the 3S process was greatest when the soaking water temperature was between 20 and 30°C and had a pH of 8. Citric acid in the blanch water enhanc...

Fast generation of computer-generated holograms using wavelet shrinkage.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimobaba, Tomoyoshi; Ito, Tomoyoshi

2017-01-09

Computer-generated holograms (CGHs) are generated by superimposing complex amplitudes emitted from a number of object points. However, this superposition process remains very time-consuming even when using the latest computers. We propose a fast calculation algorithm for CGHs that uses a wavelet shrinkage method, eliminating small wavelet coefficient values to express approximated complex amplitudes using only a few representative wavelet coefficients.

Modelling of shrinkage cavity defects during the wheel and belt casting process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dablement, S; Mortensen, D; Fjaer, H; Lee, M; Grandfield, J; Savage, G; Nguyen, V

2012-01-01

Properzi continuous casting is a wheel and belt casting process used for producing aluminium wire rod which is essential to the making of electrical cables and over head lines. One of the main concerns of Properzi process users is to ensure good quality of the final product and to avoid cast defects especially the presence of shrinkage cavity. Numerical models developed with the Alsim software, which allows an automatic calculation of gap dependent heat transfer coefficients at the metal-mould interface due to thermal deformation, are used in order to get a better understanding on the shrinkage cavity formation. Models show the effect of process parameters on the cavity defect development and provide initial guidance for users in order to avoid this kind of casting defect.

Use of rice husk ash for mitigating the autogenous shrinkage of cement pastes at low water cement ratio

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huang, H.; Ye, G.; Fehling, Ekkehard; Middendorf, Bernhard; Thiemicke, Jenny

2016-01-01

It is well recognized that the high risk of early age micro-crack of HPC/UHPC is attributed to the large magnitude of early age autogenous shrinkage caused by self-desiccation in binder hydration. Over the years, several methods have been proposed to mitigate autogenous shrinkage based on internal

Evaluation of linear polymerization shrinkage, flexural strength and modulus of elasticity of dental composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Queiroz de Melo Monteiro

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Linear polymerization shrinkage (LPS, flexural strength (FS and modulus of elasticity (ME of 7 dental composites (Filtek Z350™, Filtek Z250™/3M ESPE; Grandio™, Polofil Supra™/VOCO; TPH Spectrum™, TPH3™, Esthet-X™/Denstply were measured. For the measurement of LPS, composites were applied to a cylindrical metallic mold and polymerized (n = 8. The gap formed at the resin/mold interface was observed using scanning electron microscopy (1500×. For FS and ME, specimens were prepared according to the ISO 4049 specifications (n = 10. Statistical analysis of the data was performed with one-way ANOVA and the Tukey test. TPH Spectrum presented significantly higher LPS values (29.45 µm. Grandio had significantly higher mean values for FS (141.07 MPa and ME (13.91 GPa. The relationship between modulus of elasticity and polymerization shrinkage is the main challenge for maintenance of the adhesive interface, thus composites presenting high shrinkage values, associated with a high modulus of elasticity tend to disrupt the adhesive interface under polymerization.

In-Situ Observation of Sintering Shrinkage of UO2 Compacts Derived from Different Powder Routes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhee, Young Woo; Oh, Jang Soo; Kim, Dong Joo; Kim, Keon Sik; Kim, Jong Hun; Yang, Jae Ho; Koo, Yang Hyun

2015-01-01

In-situ observations on the shrinkage of green pellets with precisely controlled dimensions were carefully conducted by using TOM during H2 atmosphere sintering. The shrinkage retardation in IDR-UO 2 might be attributed to the larger primary particle size of IDRUO 2 than those of ADU- and AUC- UO 2 powders. It would be important to understand the different sintering characteristics of UO 2 powders according to the powder routes, when it comes to designing a new sintering process or choosing a sintering additive for new fuel pellet like PCI (Pellet Cladding Interaction) remedy pellet. In this paper, we have investigated the initial and intermediate sintering shrinkage of UO 2 from different powder routes by in-situ observation of green samples during H2 atmosphere sintering. Effect of powder characteristics of three different UO 2 powders on the initial and intermediate sintering were closely reviewed including crystal structure, powder size, specific surface area, primary crystal size, and O/U ratio

Effectiveness of Fiber Reinforcement on the Mechanical Properties and Shrinkage Cracking of Recycled Fine Aggregate Concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Jeongsoo; Kim, Gyuyong; Yoo, Jaechul; Choe, Gyeongcheol; Kim, Hongseop; Choi, Hyeonggil; Kim, Youngduck

2016-01-01

This paper presents an experimental study conducted to investigate the effect of fiber reinforcement on the mechanical properties and shrinkage cracking of recycled fine aggregate concrete (RFAC) with two types of fiber—polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and nylon. A small fiber volume fraction, such as 0.05% or 0.1%, in RFAC with polyvinyl alcohol or nylon fibers was used for optimum efficiency in minimum quantity. Additionally, to make a comparative evaluation of the mechanical properties and shrinkage cracking, we examined natural fine aggregate concrete as well. The test results revealed that the addition of fibers and fine aggregates plays an important role in improving the mechanical performance of the investigated concrete specimens as well as controlling their cracking behavior. The mechanical properties such as compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength of fiber-reinforced RFAC were slightly better than those of non-fiber-reinforced RFAC. The shrinkage cracking behavior was examined using plat-ring-type and slab-type tests. The fiber-reinforced RFAC showed a greater reduction in the surface cracks than non-fiber-reinforced concrete. The addition of fibers at a small volume fraction in RFAC is more effective for drying shrinkage cracks than for improving mechanical performance. PMID:28773256

Effectiveness of Fiber Reinforcement on the Mechanical Properties and Shrinkage Cracking of Recycled Fine Aggregate Concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Jeongsoo; Kim, Gyuyong; Yoo, Jaechul; Choe, Gyeongcheol; Kim, Hongseop; Choi, Hyeonggil; Kim, Youngduck

2016-02-26

This paper presents an experimental study conducted to investigate the effect of fiber reinforcement on the mechanical properties and shrinkage cracking of recycled fine aggregate concrete (RFAC) with two types of fiber-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and nylon. A small fiber volume fraction, such as 0.05% or 0.1%, in RFAC with polyvinyl alcohol or nylon fibers was used for optimum efficiency in minimum quantity. Additionally, to make a comparative evaluation of the mechanical properties and shrinkage cracking, we examined natural fine aggregate concrete as well. The test results revealed that the addition of fibers and fine aggregates plays an important role in improving the mechanical performance of the investigated concrete specimens as well as controlling their cracking behavior. The mechanical properties such as compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength of fiber-reinforced RFAC were slightly better than those of non-fiber-reinforced RFAC. The shrinkage cracking behavior was examined using plat-ring-type and slab-type tests. The fiber-reinforced RFAC showed a greater reduction in the surface cracks than non-fiber-reinforced concrete. The addition of fibers at a small volume fraction in RFAC is more effective for drying shrinkage cracks than for improving mechanical performance.

Statistical mechanics provides novel insights into microtubule stability and mechanism of shrinkage.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ishutesh Jain

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Microtubules are nano-machines that grow and shrink stochastically, making use of the coupling between chemical kinetics and mechanics of its constituent protofilaments (PFs. We investigate the stability and shrinkage of microtubules taking into account inter-protofilament interactions and bending interactions of intrinsically curved PFs. Computing the free energy as a function of PF tip position, we show that the competition between curvature energy, inter-PF interaction energy and entropy leads to a rich landscape with a series of minima that repeat over a length-scale determined by the intrinsic curvature. Computing Langevin dynamics of the tip through the landscape and accounting for depolymerization, we calculate the average unzippering and shrinkage velocities of GDP protofilaments and compare them with the experimentally known results. Our analysis predicts that the strength of the inter-PF interaction (E(s(m has to be comparable to the strength of the curvature energy (E(b(m such that E(s(m - E(b(m ≈ 1kBT, and questions the prevalent notion that unzippering results from the domination of bending energy of curved GDP PFs. Our work demonstrates how the shape of the free energy landscape is crucial in explaining the mechanism of MT shrinkage where the unzippered PFs will fluctuate in a set of partially peeled off states and subunit dissociation will reduce the length.

clınıcal EVALUATION OF FREE GINGIVAL GRAFT SHRINKAGE IN HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL DIMENSIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emine ÇİFCİBAŞI

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To assess the shrinkage of Free Gingival Graft (FGG in horizontal and vertical dimensions and calculate the changes in the surface area of the transplanted tissue in a 3 months period. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 FGG were placed aiming to increase attached gingiva around recession sites. Vertical recessions, horizontal recessions, surface area, plaque index, gingival index, periodontal probing depth and clinical attachment level were assesed at baseline, 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Results: Graft shrinkage between baseline and 1 month was more evident than 1 to 3 months in either dimensions. Both horizontal and vertical dimensions were significantly decreased (p0.05. . Conclusion: The shrinkage of vertical and horizontal dimensions of the grafts were almost equal unlike the literature. In addition, the different dimensional changes observed in individual level deserve further research.

A semi-automated 2D/3D marker-based registration algorithm modelling prostate shrinkage during radiotherapy for prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budiharto, Tom; Slagmolen, Pieter; Hermans, Jeroen; Maes, Frederik; Verstraete, Jan; Heuvel, Frank Van den; Depuydt, Tom; Oyen, Raymond; Haustermans, Karin

2009-01-01

Background and purpose: Currently, most available patient alignment tools based on implanted markers use manual marker matching and rigid registration transformations to measure the needed translational shifts. To quantify the particular effect of prostate gland shrinkage, implanted gold markers were tracked during a course of radiotherapy including an isotropic scaling factor to model prostate shrinkage. Materials and methods: Eight patients with prostate cancer had gold markers implanted transrectally and seven were treated with (neo) adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy. After patient alignment to skin tattoos, orthogonal electronic portal images (EPIs) were taken. A semi-automated 2D/3D marker-based registration was performed to calculate the necessary couch shifts. The registration consists of a rigid transformation combined with an isotropic scaling to model prostate shrinkage. Results: The inclusion of an isotropic shrinkage model in the registration algorithm cancelled the corresponding increase in registration error. The mean scaling factor was 0.89 ± 0.09. For all but two patients, a decrease of the isotropic scaling factor during treatment was observed. However, there was almost no difference in the translation offset between the manual matching of the EPIs to the digitally reconstructed radiographs and the semi-automated 2D/3D registration. A decrease in the intermarker distance was found correlating with prostate shrinkage rather than with random marker migration. Conclusions: Inclusion of shrinkage in the registration process reduces registration errors during a course of radiotherapy. Nevertheless, this did not lead to a clinically significant change in the proposed table translations when compared to translations obtained with manual marker matching without a scaling correction

Denoising of Mechanical Vibration Signals Using Quantum-Inspired Adaptive Wavelet Shrinkage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan-long Chen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The potential application of a quantum-inspired adaptive wavelet shrinkage (QAWS technique to mechanical vibration signals with a focus on noise reduction is studied in this paper. This quantum-inspired shrinkage algorithm combines three elements: an adaptive non-Gaussian statistical model of dual-tree complex wavelet transform (DTCWT coefficients proposed to improve practicability of prior information, the quantum superposition introduced to describe the interscale dependencies of DTCWT coefficients, and the quantum-inspired probability of noise defined to shrink wavelet coefficients in a Bayesian framework. By combining all these elements, this signal processing scheme incorporating the DTCWT with quantum theory can both reduce noise and preserve signal details. A practical vibration signal measured from a power-shift steering transmission is utilized to evaluate the denoising ability of QAWS. Application results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Moreover, it achieves better performance than hard and soft thresholding.

Evaluation of shrinkage polymerization and temperature of different acrylic resins used to splinting transfer copings in indirect impression technique

Science.gov (United States)

Franco, Ana Paula G. O.; Karam, Leandro Z.; Galvão, José R.; Kalinowski, Hypolito J.

2015-09-01

The aim of the present study was evaluate the shrinkage polymerization and temperature of different acrylic resins used to splinting transfer copings in indirect impression technique. Two implants were placed in an artificial bone, with the two transfer copings joined with dental floss and acrylic resins; two dental resins are used. Measurements of deformation and temperature were performed with Fiber Braggs grating sensor for 17 minutes. The results revealed that one type of resin shows greater values of polymerization shrinkage than the other. Pattern resins did not present lower values of shrinkage, as usually reported by the manufacturer.

A moment projection method for population balance dynamics with a shrinkage term

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Shaohua [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Block EA, Engineering Drive 1, 117576 (Singapore); Yapp, Edward K.Y.; Akroyd, Jethro; Mosbach, Sebastian [Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3RA (United Kingdom); Xu, Rong [School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459 (Singapore); Yang, Wenming [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Block EA, Engineering Drive 1, 117576 (Singapore); Kraft, Markus, E-mail: mk306@cam.ac.uk [Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3RA (United Kingdom); School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459 (Singapore)

2017-02-01

A new method of moments for solving the population balance equation is developed and presented. The moment projection method (MPM) is numerically simple and easy to implement and attempts to address the challenge of particle shrinkage due to processes such as oxidation, evaporation or dissolution. It directly solves the moment transport equation for the moments and tracks the number of the smallest particles using the algorithm by Blumstein and Wheeler (1973) . The performance of the new method is measured against the method of moments (MOM) and the hybrid method of moments (HMOM). The results suggest that MPM performs much better than MOM and HMOM where shrinkage is dominant. The new method predicts mean quantities which are almost as accurate as a high-precision stochastic method calculated using the established direct simulation algorithm (DSA).

Autogenous shrinkage in high-performance cement paste: An evaluation of basic mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lura, Pietro; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede; van Breugel, Klaas

2003-01-01

In this paper, various mechanisms Suggested to cause autogenous shrinkage are presented. The mechanisms are evaluated from the point of view of their soundness and applicability to quantitative modeling of autogenous shrinkage. The capillary tension approach is advantageous, because it has a sound...... mechanical and thermodynamical basis. Furthermore, this mechanism is easily applicable in a numerical model when dealing with a continuously changing microstructure. In order to test the numerical model, autogenous deformation and internal relative humidity (RH) of a Portland cement paste were measured...... on the capillary tension approach. Because a part of the RH drop in the cement paste is due to dissolved salts in the pore solution, a method is suggested to separate this effect from self-desiccation and to calculate the actual stress in the pore fluid associated with menisci formation....

A modelling study of drying shrinkage damage in concrete repair systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lukovic, M.; Savija, B.; Schlangen, E.; Ye, G.; van Breugel, K.

2014-01-01

Differential shrinkage between repair material and concrete substrate is considered to be the main cause of premature failure of repair systems (Martinola, Sadouki et al. 2001, Beushausen and Alexander 2007). Magnitude of induced stresses depends on many factors, for example the amount of restraint,

Porous stainless steel hollow fibers with shrinkage-controlled small radial dimensions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luiten-Olieman, Maria W.J.; Raaijmakers, Michiel; Raaijmakers, Michiel J.T.; Winnubst, Aloysius J.A.; Wessling, Matthias; Nijmeijer, Arian; Benes, Nieck Edwin

2011-01-01

A method is presented for the preparation of thin (∼250 μm) porous stainless steel hollow fiber membranes based on dry–wet spinning of a particle-loaded polymer solution followed by heat treatment. Extraordinarily small radial dimensions were achieved by controlled shrinkage during thermal

A comparative study of bulk-fill composites: degree of conversion, post-gel shrinkage and cytotoxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flávia Gonçalves

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Bulk-fill composites are claimed to be restorative materials used in deep preparations and effectively photoactivated in layers up to 4 mm. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the degree of conversion, post-gel volumetric shrinkage, and cytotoxicity of six bulk-fill and two conventional composites. Degree of conversion was determined by FTIR spectroscopy; post-gel volumetric shrinkage was determined using the strain gauge method; and cytotoxicity in human fibroblasts was evaluated indirectly by the MTT assay. Data were subjected to one-way ANOVA/Tukey's test (α = 0.05. All materials, including bulk-fill and conventional composites, were classified as non-toxic, with cell viability higher than 70%. Bulk-fill composites exhibited volumetric shrinkage similar to or lower (1.4 to 0.4% than that of conventional composites (1.7–2.1%. However, only four of the bulk-fill composites were able to sustain a homogeneous conversion at the 4-mm depth. Despite their non-toxicity and shrinkage similar to that of conventional materials, not all commercial bulk-fill materials were able to maintain a conversion as high as 80% of the superficial layer, at the 4-mm depth, indicating some failure in the bulk-fill design of some commercial brands. Therefore, the use of bulk-fill materials in dental practice is advantageous, but special attention should be given to the selection and correct use of the materials.

Shrinkage covariance matrix approach based on robust trimmed mean in gene sets detection

Science.gov (United States)

Karjanto, Suryaefiza; Ramli, Norazan Mohamed; Ghani, Nor Azura Md; Aripin, Rasimah; Yusop, Noorezatty Mohd

2015-02-01

Microarray involves of placing an orderly arrangement of thousands of gene sequences in a grid on a suitable surface. The technology has made a novelty discovery since its development and obtained an increasing attention among researchers. The widespread of microarray technology is largely due to its ability to perform simultaneous analysis of thousands of genes in a massively parallel manner in one experiment. Hence, it provides valuable knowledge on gene interaction and function. The microarray data set typically consists of tens of thousands of genes (variables) from just dozens of samples due to various constraints. Therefore, the sample covariance matrix in Hotelling's T2 statistic is not positive definite and become singular, thus it cannot be inverted. In this research, the Hotelling's T2 statistic is combined with a shrinkage approach as an alternative estimation to estimate the covariance matrix to detect significant gene sets. The use of shrinkage covariance matrix overcomes the singularity problem by converting an unbiased to an improved biased estimator of covariance matrix. Robust trimmed mean is integrated into the shrinkage matrix to reduce the influence of outliers and consequently increases its efficiency. The performance of the proposed method is measured using several simulation designs. The results are expected to outperform existing techniques in many tested conditions.

Porcine intestinal mast cells. Evaluation of different fixatives for histochemical staining techniques considering tissue shrinkage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Rieger

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Staining of mast cells (MCs, including porcine ones, is critically dependent upon the fixation and staining technique. In the pig, mucosal and submucosal MCs do not stain or stain only faintly after formalin fixation. Some fixation methods are particularly recommended for MC staining, for example the fixation with Carnoy or lead salts. Zinc salt fixation (ZSF has been reported to work excellently for the preservation of fixation-sensitive antigens. The aim of this study was to establish a reliable histological method for counting of MCs in the porcine intestinum. For this purpose, different tissue fixation and staining methods that also allow potential subsequent immunohistochemical investigations were evaluated in the porcine mucosa, as well as submucosa of small and large intestine. Tissues were fixed in Carnoy, lead acetate, lead nitrate, Zamboni and ZSF and stained subsequently with either polychromatic methylene blue, alcian blue or toluidine blue. For the first time our study reveals that ZSF, a heavy metal fixative, preserves metachromatic staining of porcine MCs. Zamboni fixation was not suitable for histochemical visualization of MCs in the pig intestine. All other tested fixatives were suitable. Alcian blue and toluidine blue co-stained intestinal goblet cells which made a prima facie identification of MCs difficult. The polychromatic methylene blue proved to be the optimal staining. In order to compare MC counting results of the different fixation methods, tissue shrinkage was taken into account. As even the same fixation caused shrinkage-differences between tissue from small and large intestine, different factors for each single fixation and intestinal localization had to be calculated. Tissue shrinkage varied between 19% and 57%, the highest tissue shrinkage was found after fixation with ZSF in the large intestine, the lowest one in the small intestine after lead acetate fixation. Our study emphasizes that MC counting results from

Mechanical properties and polymerization shrinkage of composite resins light-cured using two different lasers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae-Wan; Lee, Jang-Hoon; Jeong, Seung-Hwa; Ko, Ching-Chang; Kim, Hyung-Il; Kwon, Yong Hoon

2015-04-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of 457 and 473 nm lasers for the curing of composite resins during the restoration of damaged tooth cavity. Monochromaticity and coherence are attractive features of laser compared with most other light sources. Better polymerization of composite resins can be expected. Eight composite resins were light cured using these two lasers and a light-emitting diode (LED) light-curing unit (LCU). To evaluate the degrees of polymerization achieved, polymerization shrinkage and flexural and compressive properties were measured and compared. Polymerization shrinkage values by 457 and 473 nm laser, and LED ranged from 10.9 to 26.8, from 13.2 to 26.1, and from 11.5 to 26.3 μm, respectively. The values by 457 nm laser was significantly different from those by 473 and LED LCU (p0.05). For the tested LCUs, no specific LCU could consistently achieve highest strength and modulus from the specimens tested. Two lasers (457 and 473 nm) can polymerize composite resins to the level that LED LCU can achieve despite inconsistent trends of polymerization shrinkage and flexural and compressive properties of the tested specimens.

Cell shrinkage as a signal to apoptosis in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis, Martin B; Friborg, Christel R; Schneider, Linda

2005-01-01

Cell shrinkage is a hallmark of the apoptotic mode of programmed cell death, but it is as yet unclear whether a reduction in cell volume is a primary activation signal of apoptosis. Here we studied the effect of an acute elevation of osmolarity (NaCl or sucrose additions, final osmolarity 687...... accelerated in fibroblasts overexpressing Rac. Conversely, the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk1/2) was initially significantly decreased. Subsequent to activation of p38, p53 was activated through serine-15 phosphorylation, and active p53 was translocated from the cytosol......: cellular shrinkage activates Rac, with activation of p38, followed by phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of p53, resulting in permeability increases and caspase-3 activation....

Shrinkage and porosity evolution during air-drying of non-cellular food systems: Experimental data versus mathematical modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Thanh Khuong; Khalloufi, Seddik; Mondor, Martin; Ratti, Cristina

2018-01-01

In the present work, the impact of glass transition on shrinkage of non-cellular food systems (NCFS) during air-drying will be assessed from experimental data and the interpretation of a 'shrinkage' function involved in a mathematical model. Two NCFS made from a mixture of water/maltodextrin/agar (w/w/w: 1/0.15/0.015) were created out of maltodextrins with dextrose equivalent 19 (MD19) or 36 (MD36). The NCFS made with MD19 had 30°C higher Tg than those with MD36. This information indicated that, during drying, the NCFS with MD19 would pass from rubbery to glassy state sooner than NCFS MD36, for which glass transition only happens close to the end of drying. For the two NCFS, porosity and volume reduction as a function of moisture content were captured with high accuracy when represented by the mathematical models previously developed. No significant differences in porosity and in maximum shrinkage between both samples during drying were observed. As well, no change in the slope of the shrinkage curve as a function of moisture content was perceived. These results indicate that glass transition alone is not a determinant factor in changes of porosity or volume during air-drying. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-Situ Observation of Sintering Shrinkage of UO{sub 2} Compacts Derived from Different Powder Routes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rhee, Young Woo; Oh, Jang Soo; Kim, Dong Joo; Kim, Keon Sik; Kim, Jong Hun; Yang, Jae Ho; Koo, Yang Hyun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

In-situ observations on the shrinkage of green pellets with precisely controlled dimensions were carefully conducted by using TOM during H2 atmosphere sintering. The shrinkage retardation in IDR-UO{sub 2} might be attributed to the larger primary particle size of IDRUO{sub 2} than those of ADU- and AUC- UO{sub 2} powders. It would be important to understand the different sintering characteristics of UO{sub 2} powders according to the powder routes, when it comes to designing a new sintering process or choosing a sintering additive for new fuel pellet like PCI (Pellet Cladding Interaction) remedy pellet. In this paper, we have investigated the initial and intermediate sintering shrinkage of UO{sub 2} from different powder routes by in-situ observation of green samples during H2 atmosphere sintering. Effect of powder characteristics of three different UO{sub 2} powders on the initial and intermediate sintering were closely reviewed including crystal structure, powder size, specific surface area, primary crystal size, and O/U ratio.

Design and evaluation of high-volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete mixes, report D : creep, shrinkage, and abrasion resistance of HVFA concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-01

The main objective of this study was to determine the effect on shrinkage, creep, : and abrasion resistance of high-volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete. The HVFA concrete : test program consisted of comparing the shrinkage, creep, and abrasion performance...

Sparse electromagnetic imaging using nonlinear iterative shrinkage thresholding

KAUST Repository

Desmal, Abdulla; Bagci, Hakan

2015-01-01

A sparse nonlinear electromagnetic imaging scheme is proposed for reconstructing dielectric contrast of investigation domains from measured fields. The proposed approach constructs the optimization problem by introducing the sparsity constraint to the data misfit between the scattered fields expressed as a nonlinear function of the contrast and the measured fields and solves it using the nonlinear iterative shrinkage thresholding algorithm. The thresholding is applied to the result of every nonlinear Landweber iteration to enforce the sparsity constraint. Numerical results demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method in reconstructing sparse dielectric profiles.

Sparse electromagnetic imaging using nonlinear iterative shrinkage thresholding

KAUST Repository

Desmal, Abdulla

2015-04-13

A sparse nonlinear electromagnetic imaging scheme is proposed for reconstructing dielectric contrast of investigation domains from measured fields. The proposed approach constructs the optimization problem by introducing the sparsity constraint to the data misfit between the scattered fields expressed as a nonlinear function of the contrast and the measured fields and solves it using the nonlinear iterative shrinkage thresholding algorithm. The thresholding is applied to the result of every nonlinear Landweber iteration to enforce the sparsity constraint. Numerical results demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method in reconstructing sparse dielectric profiles.

C-O-H-S magmatic fluid system in shrinkage bubbles of melt inclusions

Science.gov (United States)

Robidoux, P.; Frezzotti, M. L.; Hauri, E. H.; Aiuppa, A.

2016-12-01

Magmatic volatiles include multiple phases in the C-O-H-S system of shrinkage bubbles for which a conceptual model is still unclear during melt inclusion formation [1,2,3,4]. The present study aims to qualitatively explore the evolution of the volatile migration, during and after the formation of the shrinkage bubble in melt inclusions trapped by olivines from Holocene to present at San Cristóbal volcano (Nicaragua), Central American Volcanic Arc (CAVA). Combined scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy observations allow to define the mineral-fluid phases inside typical shrinkage bubbles at ambient temperature. The existence of residual liquid water is demonstrated in the shrinkage bubbles of naturally quenched melt inclusion and this water could represents the principal agent for chemical reactions with other dissolved ionic species (SO42-, CO32-, etc.) and major elements (Mg, Fe, Cu, etc.) [4,5]. With the objective of following the cooling story of the bubble-inclusion system, the new methodological approach here estimate the interval of equilibrium temperatures for each SEM-Raman identified mineral phase (carbonates, hydrous carbonates, sulfurs, sulfates, etc.). Finally, two distinct mechanisms are proposed to describe the evolution of this heterogeneous fluid system in bubble samples at San Cristóbal which imply a close re-examination for similar volcanoes in subduction zone settings: (1) bubbles are already contracted and filled by volatiles by diffusion processes from the glass and leading to a C-O-H-S fluid-glass reaction enriched in Mg-Fe-Cu elements (2) bubbles are formed by oversaturation of the volatiles from the magma which is producing an immiscible metal-rich fluid. [1]Moore et al. (2015). Am. Mineral. 100, 806-823 [2]Wallace et al. (2015). Am. Mineral. 100, 787-794 [3]Lowenstern (2015). Am. Mineral. 100, 672-673 [4]Esposito, et al. (2016). Am. Mineral. 101, 1691-1708 [5]Kamenetsky et al. (2001). Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 184, 685-702

Investigation of Shrinkage Defect in Castings by Quantitative Ishikawa Diagram

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chokkalingam B.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Metal casting process involves processes such as pattern making, moulding and melting etc. Casting defects occur due to combination of various processes even though efforts are taken to control them. The first step in the defect analysis is to identify the major casting defect among the many casting defects. Then the analysis is to be made to find the root cause of the particular defect. Moreover, it is especially difficult to identify the root causes of the defect. Therefore, a systematic method is required to identify the root cause of the defect among possible causes, consequently specific remedial measures have to be implemented to control them. This paper presents a systematic procedure to identify the root cause of shrinkage defect in an automobile body casting (SG 500/7 and control it by the application of Pareto chart and Ishikawa diagram. with quantitative Weightage. It was found that the root causes were larger volume section in the cope, insufficient feeding of riser and insufficient poured metal in the riser. The necessary remedial measures were taken and castings were reproduced. The shrinkage defect in the castings was completely eliminated.

Specimen Shrinkage and Its Influence on Margin Assessment in Breast Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Badrul H. Yeap

2007-07-01

Conclusion: Breast specimens undergo shrinkage after histological fixation, losing more than a third of their original closest free margin, whilst the tumour itself does not shrink substantially. This phenomenon has vital implications in the accuracy of margin analysis and consequent decisions on further management, including re-operation and the institution of adjuvant radiotherapy.

TH-E-BRF-01: Exploiting Tumor Shrinkage in Split-Course Radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unkelbach, J; Craft, D; Hong, T; Papp, D; Wolfgang, J; Bortfeld, T; Ramakrishnan, J; Salari, E

2014-01-01

Purpose: In split-course radiotherapy, a patient is treated in several stages separated by weeks or months. This regimen has been motivated by radiobiological considerations. However, using modern image-guidance, it also provides an approach to reduce normal tissue dose by exploiting tumor shrinkage. In this work, we consider the optimal design of split-course treatments, motivated by the clinical management of large liver tumors for which normal liver dose constraints prohibit the administration of an ablative radiation dose in a single treatment. Methods: We introduce a dynamic tumor model that incorporates three factors: radiation induced cell kill, tumor shrinkage, and tumor cell repopulation. The design of splitcourse radiotherapy is formulated as a mathematical optimization problem in which the total dose to the liver is minimized, subject to delivering the prescribed dose to the tumor. Based on the model, we gain insight into the optimal administration of radiation over time, i.e. the optimal treatment gaps and dose levels. Results: We analyze treatments consisting of two stages in detail. The analysis confirms the intuition that the second stage should be delivered just before the tumor size reaches a minimum and repopulation overcompensates shrinking. Furthermore, it was found that, for a large range of model parameters, approximately one third of the dose should be delivered in the first stage. The projected benefit of split-course treatments in terms of liver sparing depends on model assumptions. However, the model predicts large liver dose reductions by more than a factor of two for plausible model parameters. Conclusion: The analysis of the tumor model suggests that substantial reduction in normal tissue dose can be achieved by exploiting tumor shrinkage via an optimal design of multi-stage treatments. This suggests taking a fresh look at split-course radiotherapy for selected disease sites where substantial tumor regression translates into reduced

TH-E-BRF-01: Exploiting Tumor Shrinkage in Split-Course Radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Unkelbach, J; Craft, D; Hong, T; Papp, D; Wolfgang, J; Bortfeld, T [Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (United States); Ramakrishnan, J [University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin (United States); Salari, E [Wichita State University, Wichita, KS (United States)

2014-06-15

Purpose: In split-course radiotherapy, a patient is treated in several stages separated by weeks or months. This regimen has been motivated by radiobiological considerations. However, using modern image-guidance, it also provides an approach to reduce normal tissue dose by exploiting tumor shrinkage. In this work, we consider the optimal design of split-course treatments, motivated by the clinical management of large liver tumors for which normal liver dose constraints prohibit the administration of an ablative radiation dose in a single treatment. Methods: We introduce a dynamic tumor model that incorporates three factors: radiation induced cell kill, tumor shrinkage, and tumor cell repopulation. The design of splitcourse radiotherapy is formulated as a mathematical optimization problem in which the total dose to the liver is minimized, subject to delivering the prescribed dose to the tumor. Based on the model, we gain insight into the optimal administration of radiation over time, i.e. the optimal treatment gaps and dose levels. Results: We analyze treatments consisting of two stages in detail. The analysis confirms the intuition that the second stage should be delivered just before the tumor size reaches a minimum and repopulation overcompensates shrinking. Furthermore, it was found that, for a large range of model parameters, approximately one third of the dose should be delivered in the first stage. The projected benefit of split-course treatments in terms of liver sparing depends on model assumptions. However, the model predicts large liver dose reductions by more than a factor of two for plausible model parameters. Conclusion: The analysis of the tumor model suggests that substantial reduction in normal tissue dose can be achieved by exploiting tumor shrinkage via an optimal design of multi-stage treatments. This suggests taking a fresh look at split-course radiotherapy for selected disease sites where substantial tumor regression translates into reduced

Shrinkage stress compensation in composite-restored teeth: relaxation or hygroscopic expansion?

Science.gov (United States)

Meriwether, Laurel A; Blen, Bernard J; Benson, Jarred H; Hatch, Robert H; Tantbirojn, Daranee; Versluis, Antheunis

2013-05-01

Polymerization of composite restorations causes shrinkage, which deforms and thus stresses restored teeth. This shrinkage deformation, however, has been shown to decrease over time. The objective was to investigate whether this reduction was caused by hygroscopic expansion or stress relaxation of the composite/tooth complex. Extracted molars were mounted in rigid stainless steel rings with four spherical reference areas. Twelve molars were prepared with large mesioocclusodistal slots, etched, bonded, and restored with a composite material (Filtek Supreme, 3M ESPE) in two horizontal layers. Ten intact molars were the controls. The teeth were stored either in deionized water or silicone oil. They were scanned after preparation (baseline), restoration (0-week), and after 1, 2, and 4 weeks storage. Scanned tooth surfaces were aligned with the baseline using the unchanged reference areas. Cuspal flexure was calculated from lingual and buccal surface deformation. To verify that the restorations had remained bonded, dye penetration at the interfaces was assessed using basic fuchsin dye. Statistical assessment was done by ANOVA followed by Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc test (p=0.05). Substantial cuspal contraction was found for restored teeth after the composite was cured (13-14 μm cuspal flexure). After 4 weeks cuspal contraction decreased significantly for restored teeth stored in water (7.3 ± 3.2) but not for those stored in silicone oil (11.4 ± 5.0). Dye penetration of the occlusal interface was minimal in both groups (106 ± 87 and 21 ± 28 μm in water and silicone oil, respectively). The results suggest that hygroscopic expansion was the main mechanism for shrinkage stress compensation. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of nano-material on the expansive and shrinkage soil behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taha, Mohd Raihan; Taha, Omer Muhie Eldeen

2012-01-01

This paper presents an experimental study performed on four types of soils mixed with three types of nano-material of different percentages. The expansion and shrinkage tests were conducted to investigate the effect of three type of nano-materials (nano-clay, nano-alumina, and nano-copper) additive on repressing strains in compacted residual soil mixed with different ratios of bentonite (S1 = 0 % bentonite, S2 = 5 % bentonite, S3 = 10 % bentonite, and S4 = 20 % bentonite). The soil specimens were compacted under the condition of maximum dry unit weight and optimum water content (w opt ) using standard compaction test. The physical and mechanical results of the treated samples were determined. The untreated soil values were used as control points for comparison purposes. It was found that with the addition of optimum percentage of nano-material, both the swell strain and shrinkage strain reduced. The results show that nano-material decreases the development of desiccation cracks on the surface of compacted samples without decrease in the hydraulic conductivity.

Shrinkage-thresholding enhanced born iterative method for solving 2D inverse electromagnetic scattering problem

KAUST Repository

Desmal, Abdulla; Bagci, Hakan

2014-01-01

A numerical framework that incorporates recently developed iterative shrinkage thresholding (IST) algorithms within the Born iterative method (BIM) is proposed for solving the two-dimensional inverse electromagnetic scattering problem. IST

Strategies To Keep Secret Through Sophie Kinsella’s Novel “Can You Keep A Secret”

OpenAIRE

Sihombing, Mariaty A.

2015-01-01

The paper entitled “Strategies to Keep Secret Through Sophie Kinsella’a novel : Can You Keep a Secret is about Emma Corrigan who like every girl in the world. She has a few little secrets. Can You Keep a Secret is the fifth novel that written by Sophie Kinsella and get best seller. The writer discusses about the strategies to keep secret. The strategies are Trust, Silence, and Cooperation. The writer interested in analyzing this novel, because it’s contain some informantions about keeping a s...

Low baseline and subsequent higher aortic abdominal aneurysm FDG uptake are associated with poor sac shrinkage post endovascular repair

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marie, Pierre-Yves [CHRU-Nancy, Universite de Lorraine, Nuclear Medecine and Nancyclotep Platform, Nancy (France); INSERM, University of Lorraine, UMR 1116, Nancy (France); CHRU-Nancy, Hopitaux de BRABOIS, Service de Medecine Nucleaire, Vandoeuvre (France); Plissonnier, Didier; Rouer, Martin [CHU-Rouen, Department of Vascular Surgery, Rouen (France); Bravetti, Stephanie [CHRU-Nancy, Universite de Lorraine, Department of Radiology, Nancy (France); Coscas, Raphael [Hopital Ambroise Pare, APHP, Chirurgie Vasculaire, Boulogne-Billancourt (France); Haulon, Stephan [CHU-Lille, Department of Vascular Surgery, Lille (France); Mandry, Damien [CHRU-Nancy, Universite de Lorraine, Department of Radiology, Nancy (France); INSERM, University of Lorraine, UMR 947, Nancy (France); Alsac, Jean-Marc [grid.414093.b, APHP, HEGP, Department of Vascular Surgery, Paris (France); Malikov, Serguei; Settembre, Nicla [CHRU-Nancy, Universite de Lorraine, Vascular Surgery, Nancy (France); Goueffic, Yann [CHU-Nantes, Department of Vascular Surgery, Nantes (France); Morel, Olivier [CHU-Besancon, Department of Nuclear Medecine, Besancon (France); Roch, Veronique [CHRU-Nancy, Universite de Lorraine, Nuclear Medecine and Nancyclotep Platform, Nancy (France); Micard, Emilien [INSERM, University of Lorraine, UMR 947, Nancy (France); INSERM, CHRU-Nancy, Universite de Lorraine, CIC-1433, FCRIN INI-CRCT, Nancy (France); Lamiral, Zohra [INSERM, CHRU-Nancy, Universite de Lorraine, CIC-1433, FCRIN INI-CRCT, Nancy (France); Michel, Jean-Baptiste [INSERM, Bichat, UMR 698, Paris (France); Rossignol, Patrick [INSERM, University of Lorraine, UMR 1116, Nancy (France); INSERM, CHRU-Nancy, Universite de Lorraine, CIC-1433, FCRIN INI-CRCT, Nancy (France)

2018-04-15

The growth phases of medically treated abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are frequently associated with an {sup 18}F-fluorodesoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) pattern involving low baseline and subsequent higher FDG uptake. However, the FDG-PET patterns associated with the endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of larger AAA are presently unknown. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serial AAA FDG uptake measurements, obtained before EVAR and 1 and 6 months post-intervention and subsequent sac shrinkage at 6 months, a well-recognized indicator of successful repair. Thirty-three AAA patients referred for EVAR (maximal diameter: 55.4 ± 6.0 mm, total volume: 205.7 ± 63.0 mL) underwent FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) before EVAR and at 1 and 6 months thereafter, with the monitoring of AAA volume and of a maximal standardized FDG uptake [SUVmax] averaged between the axial slices encompassing the AAA. Sac shrinkage was highly variable and could be stratified into three terciles: a first tercile in which shrinkage was absent or very limited (0-29 mL) and a third tercile with pronounced shrinkage (56-165 mL). SUVmax values were relatively low at baseline in the 1st tercile (SUVmax: 1.69 ± 0.33), but markedly increased at 6 months (2.42 ± 0.69, p = 0.02 vs. baseline). These SUV max values were by contrast much higher at baseline in the 3rd tercile (SUVmax: 2.53 ± 0.83 p = 0.009 vs. 1st tercile) and stable at 6 months (2.49 ± 0.80), while intermediate results were documented in the 2nd tercile. Lastly, the amount of sac shrinkage, expressed in absolute values or in percentages of baseline AAA volumes, was positively correlated with baseline SUVmax (p = 0.001 for both). A low pre-EVAR FDG uptake and increased AAA FDG uptake at 6 months are associated with reduced sac shrinkage. This sequential FDG-PET pattern is similar to that already shown to accompany growth phases of medically treated AAA. (orig.)

Low baseline and subsequent higher aortic abdominal aneurysm FDG uptake are associated with poor sac shrinkage post endovascular repair

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marie, Pierre-Yves; Plissonnier, Didier; Rouer, Martin; Bravetti, Stephanie; Coscas, Raphael; Haulon, Stephan; Mandry, Damien; Alsac, Jean-Marc; Malikov, Serguei; Settembre, Nicla; Goueffic, Yann; Morel, Olivier; Roch, Veronique; Micard, Emilien; Lamiral, Zohra; Michel, Jean-Baptiste; Rossignol, Patrick

2018-01-01

The growth phases of medically treated abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are frequently associated with an 18 F-fluorodesoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) pattern involving low baseline and subsequent higher FDG uptake. However, the FDG-PET patterns associated with the endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of larger AAA are presently unknown. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serial AAA FDG uptake measurements, obtained before EVAR and 1 and 6 months post-intervention and subsequent sac shrinkage at 6 months, a well-recognized indicator of successful repair. Thirty-three AAA patients referred for EVAR (maximal diameter: 55.4 ± 6.0 mm, total volume: 205.7 ± 63.0 mL) underwent FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) before EVAR and at 1 and 6 months thereafter, with the monitoring of AAA volume and of a maximal standardized FDG uptake [SUVmax] averaged between the axial slices encompassing the AAA. Sac shrinkage was highly variable and could be stratified into three terciles: a first tercile in which shrinkage was absent or very limited (0-29 mL) and a third tercile with pronounced shrinkage (56-165 mL). SUVmax values were relatively low at baseline in the 1st tercile (SUVmax: 1.69 ± 0.33), but markedly increased at 6 months (2.42 ± 0.69, p = 0.02 vs. baseline). These SUV max values were by contrast much higher at baseline in the 3rd tercile (SUVmax: 2.53 ± 0.83 p = 0.009 vs. 1st tercile) and stable at 6 months (2.49 ± 0.80), while intermediate results were documented in the 2nd tercile. Lastly, the amount of sac shrinkage, expressed in absolute values or in percentages of baseline AAA volumes, was positively correlated with baseline SUVmax (p = 0.001 for both). A low pre-EVAR FDG uptake and increased AAA FDG uptake at 6 months are associated with reduced sac shrinkage. This sequential FDG-PET pattern is similar to that already shown to accompany growth phases of medically treated AAA. (orig.)

Measurement with corrugated tubes of early-age autogenous shrinkage of cement-based material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tian, Qian; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede

2009-01-01

The use of a special corrugated mould enables transformation of volume strain into horizontal, linear strain measurement in the fluid stage. This allows continuous measurement of the autogenous shrinkage of cement-based materials since casting, and also effectively eliminates unwanted influence...

ISTA-Net: Iterative Shrinkage-Thresholding Algorithm Inspired Deep Network for Image Compressive Sensing

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Jian; Ghanem, Bernard

2017-01-01

and the performance/speed of network-based ones. We propose a novel structured deep network, dubbed ISTA-Net, which is inspired by the Iterative Shrinkage-Thresholding Algorithm (ISTA) for optimizing a general $l_1$ norm CS reconstruction model. ISTA-Net essentially

Report D : self-consolidating concrete (SCC) for infrastructure elements - creep, shrinkage and abrasion resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-01

Concrete specimens were fabricated for shrinkage, creep, and abrasion resistance : testing. Variations of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) and conventional concrete were : all tested. The results were compared to previous similar testing programs an...

The effect of mold surface topography on plastic parat in-process shrinkage in injection molding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arlø, Uffe Rolf; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard; Kjær, Erik Michael

2003-01-01

An experimental study of the effect of mold surface roughness on in-process in-flow linear part shrinkage in injection molding has been carried out. The investigation is based on an experimental two-cavity tool, where the cavities have different surface topographies, but are otherwise identical....... The study has been carried out for typical commercial polystyrene and polypropylene grades. The relationship between mold surface topography and linear shrinkage has been investigated with an experimental two-cavity mold producing simple rectangular parts with the nominal dimensions 1 x 25 x 50 mm (see...... figure 1). The cavities have different surface topographies on one side, but are otherwise identical (see discussion of other contribution factors)....

Polymerization shrinkage of different types of composite resins and microleakage with and without liner in class II cavities.

Science.gov (United States)

Karaman, E; Ozgunaltay, G

2014-01-01

To determine the volumetric polymerization shrinkage of four different types of composite resin and to evaluate microleakage of these materials in class II (MOD) cavities with and without a resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) liner, in vitro. One hundred twenty-eight extracted human upper premolar teeth were used. After the teeth were divided into eight groups (n=16), standardized MOD cavities were prepared. Then the teeth were restored with different resin composites (Filtek Supreme XT, Filtek P 60, Filtek Silorane, Filtek Z 250) with and without a RMGIC liner (Vitrebond). The restorations were finished and polished after 24 hours. Following thermocycling, the teeth were immersed in 0.5% basic fuchsin for 24 hours, then midsagitally sectioned in a mesiodistal plane and examined for microleakage using a stereomicroscope. The volumetric polymerization shrinkage of materials was measured using a video imaging device (Acuvol, Bisco, Inc). Data were statistically analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests. All teeth showed microleakage, but placement of RMGIC liner reduced microleakage. No statistically significant differences were found in microleakage between the teeth restored without RMGIC liner (p>0.05). Filtek Silorane showed significantly less volumetric polymerization shrinkage than the methacrylate-based composite resins (pcomposite resin restorations resulted in reduced microleakage. The volumetric polymerization shrinkage was least with the silorane-based composite.

Restrained shrinkage experiments on coated particle fuel compacts in the temperature range 600-1200 deg C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackstone, R.; Veringa, H.J.; Loelgen, R.

1976-05-01

Information on irradiation induced creep in reactor graphite and in fuel compact material is an essential ingredient in the design of any reactor core layout, because the creep plasticity of these materials diminishes the stresses which are built up in the fuel element during reactor operation. The restrained shrinkage method in which the shrinkage of a dumbbell shaped creep specimen is restrained by a graphite material which shows less irradiation shrinkage, offers a good possibility of performing a large series of tensile creep experiments in a limited irradiation volume. The irradiations, evaluations and the results of a series of restrained shrinkage experiments in which six different materials were tested, of which five were dummy coated particle compacts and one pure matrix material are described and discussed. These materials were irradiated in the High Flux Reactor of the Euratom Joint Research Centre in Petten/Netherlands. The irradiations were performed in three successive capsules at irradiation temperatures of 600 deg C, 900 deg C, 1050 deg C and 1200 deg C up to a neutron fluence of maximum 3x10 21 n.cm 2 (DNE). The post-irradiation examinations yielded plastic strains up to 2,3%, and values for the radiation creep coefficient were calculated, ranging from 4 to 8.10 -12 at 600 deg C and 8 to 30.10 -12 at 1200 deg C always given per dyn.cm -2 tensile stresses and per 10 20 n.cm -2 fluence units. Generally it was found that the creep behavior of these materials and the temperature dependence of the creep process could be compared with those for normal reactor graphites

Assessment and prediction of drying shrinkage cracking in bonded mortar overlays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beushausen, Hans, E-mail: hans.beushausen@uct.ac.za; Chilwesa, Masuzyo

2013-11-15

Restrained drying shrinkage cracking was investigated on composite beams consisting of substrate concrete and bonded mortar overlays, and compared to the performance of the same mortars when subjected to the ring test. Stress development and cracking in the composite specimens were analytically modeled and predicted based on the measurement of relevant time-dependent material properties such as drying shrinkage, elastic modulus, tensile relaxation and tensile strength. Overlay cracking in the composite beams could be very well predicted with the analytical model. The ring test provided a useful qualitative comparison of the cracking performance of the mortars. The duration of curing was found to only have a minor influence on crack development. This was ascribed to the fact that prolonged curing has a beneficial effect on tensile strength at the onset of stress development, but is in the same time not beneficial to the values of tensile relaxation and elastic modulus. -- Highlights: •Parameter study on material characteristics influencing overlay cracking. •Analytical model gives good quantitative indication of overlay cracking. •Ring test presents good qualitative indication of overlay cracking. •Curing duration has little effect on overlay cracking.

Assessment and prediction of drying shrinkage cracking in bonded mortar overlays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beushausen, Hans; Chilwesa, Masuzyo

2013-01-01

Restrained drying shrinkage cracking was investigated on composite beams consisting of substrate concrete and bonded mortar overlays, and compared to the performance of the same mortars when subjected to the ring test. Stress development and cracking in the composite specimens were analytically modeled and predicted based on the measurement of relevant time-dependent material properties such as drying shrinkage, elastic modulus, tensile relaxation and tensile strength. Overlay cracking in the composite beams could be very well predicted with the analytical model. The ring test provided a useful qualitative comparison of the cracking performance of the mortars. The duration of curing was found to only have a minor influence on crack development. This was ascribed to the fact that prolonged curing has a beneficial effect on tensile strength at the onset of stress development, but is in the same time not beneficial to the values of tensile relaxation and elastic modulus. -- Highlights: •Parameter study on material characteristics influencing overlay cracking. •Analytical model gives good quantitative indication of overlay cracking. •Ring test presents good qualitative indication of overlay cracking. •Curing duration has little effect on overlay cracking

Predicting the drying shrinkage behavior of high strength portland cement mortar under the combined influence of fine aggregate and steel micro fiber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Zhengqi

2017-01-01

The workability, 28-day compressive strength and free drying shrinkage of a very high strength (121-142 MPa) steel micro fiber reinforced portland cement mortar were studied under a combined influence of fine aggregate content and fiber content. The test results showed that an increase in the fine aggregate content resulted in decreases in the workability, 28-day compressive strength and drying shrinkage of mortar at a fixed fiber content. An increase in the fiber content resulted in decreases in the workability and drying shrinkage of mortar, but an increase in the 28-day compressive strength of mortar at a fixed fine aggregate content. The modified Gardner model most accurately predicted the drying shrinkage development of the high strength mortars, followed by the Ross model and the ACI 209R-92 model. The Gardner model gave the least accurate prediction for it was developed based on a database of normal strength concrete. [es

Predicting the drying shrinkage behavior of high strength portland cement mortar under the combined influence of fine aggregate and steel micro fiber

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhengqi Li

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The workability, 28-day compressive strength and free drying shrinkage of a very high strength (121-142 MPa steel micro fiber reinforced portland cement mortar were studied under a combined influence of fine aggregate content and fiber content. The test results showed that an increase in the fine aggregate content resulted in decreases in the workability, 28-day compressive strength and drying shrinkage of mortar at a fixed fiber content. An increase in the fiber content resulted in decreases in the workability and drying shrinkage of mortar, but an increase in the 28-day compressive strength of mortar at a fixed fine aggregate content. The modified Gardner model most accurately predicted the drying shrinkage development of the high strength mortars, followed by the Ross model and the ACI 209R-92 model. The Gardner model gave the least accurate prediction for it was developed based on a database of normal strength concrete.

The Process of Shrinkage as a Challenge to Urban Governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stryjakiewicz Tadeusz

2016-06-01

Full Text Available For many decades most researchers, planners and local authorities have been focusing almost exclusively on urban growth and its socio-economic and spatial consequences. However, in the current debate concerning the future of cities and regions in Europe the process of their shrinkage starts to attract more attention. In the conditions of a declining population, urban governance is an important challenge for local authorities, being usually much more difficult than during the periods of population growth.

Influence of inert fillers on shrinkage cracking of meta-kaolin geo-polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuenzel, C.; Boccaccini, A.R.

2012-01-01

Geo-polymers contain a network of tetrahedral coordinated aluminate and silicate, and are potential materials to immobilize/encapsulate nuclear wastes. They can exhibit shrinkage cracking when water is removed by drying, and in order to use geo-polymers for waste encapsulation this effect needs to be investigated and controlled. In this study, six different fillers were mixed with meta-kaolin and sodium silicate solution at high pH to form geo-polymers, and the influence of filler addition on mechanical properties has been determined. The fillers used were Fe 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , CaCO 3 , sand, glass and rubber and these do not react during geo-polymerisation reactions. Geo-polymers were prepared containing 30 weight percent of filler. The mechanical properties of the geo-polymers were influenced by the type of filler, with low density fillers increasing mortar viscosity. Geo-polymer samples containing fine filler particles exhibited shrinkage cracking on drying. This was not observed when coarser particles were added and these samples also had significantly improved mechanical properties. (authors)

Autogenous shrinkage in high-performance cement paste: An evaluation of basic mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lura, Pietro; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede; Breugel, Klaas van

2003-01-01

In this paper, various mechanisms suggested to cause autogenous shrinkage are presented. The mechanisms are evaluated from the point of view of their soundness and applicability to quantitative modeling of autogenous shrinkage. The capillary tension approach is advantageous, because it has a sound mechanical and thermodynamical basis. Furthermore, this mechanism is easily applicable in a numerical model when dealing with a continuously changing microstructure. In order to test the numerical model, autogenous deformation and internal relative humidity (RH) of a Portland cement paste were measured during the first week of hardening. The isothermal heat evolution was also recorded to monitor the progress of hydration and the elastic modulus in compression was measured. RH change, degree of hydration and elastic modulus were used as input data for the calculation of autogenous deformation based on the capillary tension approach. Because a part of the RH drop in the cement paste is due to dissolved salts in the pore solution, a method is suggested to separate this effect from self-desiccation and to calculate the actual stress in the pore fluid associated with menisci formation

Creep and drying shrinkage of high performance concrete for the skyway structures of the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and cement paste

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-01

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of admixtures on long term drying shrinkage and creep of high : strength concrete (HSC). Creep and shrinkage of the mix utilized in segments of the Skyway Structure of the San : Francisco-Oak...

Hydro-mechanical coupling in non-saturated medium with phase change. Application to desiccation shrinkage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lassabatere, Thierry

1994-01-01

The target of this research is to set up a unified and coherent working frame based upon the rigorous principles of thermodynamics and making it possible to model a large class of physical phenomena acting in unsaturated porous media, as well as the related interactions with the mechanical state of the structures. This class corresponds to reactive phenomena among which one finds the phase change (desiccation) for which the whole of its subsequent actions (creep but essentially shrinkage) is modelled and which will be treated as a specific application example. The first chapter recalls the bases of the adopted description of the porous medium as well as the global thermodynamical frame which underlays the whole modelling. Chapter II deals with the mainly new formulation and the identification of a non linear elastic constitutive law of the medium involved. Various reflexion elements related to the microscopic behaviours of the components and to experiments have orientated the model towards some more limitative hypotheses making it possible to have a complete and explicit determination of a law for the macroscopic behaviour. Chapter IV and V are examples of application: chapter IV studies the problem of shrinkage and creep in a coupled linear elastic behaviour. Chapter V is limited to the case of shrinkage treated by a numerical application of the whole non-linear elastic model. The results obtained are in good agreement with the corresponding experiments. (author) [fr

Influence of vertical holes on creep and shrinkage of railway prestressed concrete sleepers

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Dan; Ngamkhanong, Chayut; Kaewunruen, Sakdirat

2017-09-01

Railway prestressed concrete sleepers (or railroad ties) must successfully perform two critical duties: first, to carry wheel loads from the rails to the ground; and second, to secure rail gauge for dynamic safe movements of trains. The second duty is often fouled by inappropriate design of the time-dependent behaviors due to their creep, shrinkage and elastic shortening responses of the materials. In addition, the concrete sleepers are often modified on construction sites to fit in other systems such as cables, signalling gears, drainage pipes, etc. Accordingly, this study is the world first to investigate creep and shrinkage effects on the railway prestressed concrete sleepers with vertical holes. This paper will highlight constitutive models of concrete materials within the railway sleepers under different environmental conditions over time. It will present a comparative investigation using a variety of methods to evaluate shortening effects in railway prestressed concrete sleepers. The outcome of this study will improve material design, which is very critical to the durability of railway track components.

Fissure formation in coke. 2: Effect of heating rate, shrinkage and coke strength

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D.R. Jenkins; M.R. Mahoney [CSIRO, North Ryde, NSW (Australia). Mathematical and Information Sciences

2010-07-15

We investigate the effects of the heating rate, coke shrinkage and coke breakage strength upon the fissure pattern developed in a coke oven charge during carbonisation. This is done principally using a mechanistic model of the formation of fissures, which considers them to be an array of equally spaced fissures, whose depth follows a 'period doubling' pattern based upon the time history of the fissures. The model results are compared with pilot scale coke oven experiments. The results show that the effect of heating rate on the fissure pattern is different to the effect of coke shrinkage, while the effect of coke breakage strength on the pattern is less pronounced. The results can be seen in both the shape and size of resulting coke lumps after stabilisation. The approach gives the opportunity to consider means of controlling the carbonisation process in order to tune the size of the coke lumps produced. 7 refs., 18 figs., 4 tabs.

Minimal volume regulation after shrinkage of red blood cells from five species of reptiles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Karina; Berenbrink, Michael; Koldkjær, Pia

2008-01-01

Red blood cells (RBCs) from most vertebrates restore volume upon hypertonic shrinkage and the mechanisms underlying this regulatory volume increase (RVI) have been studied extensively in these cells. Despite the phylogenetically interesting position of reptiles, very little is known about their red...... cell function. The present study demonstrates that oxygenated RBCs in all major groups of reptiles exhibit no or a very reduced RVI upon ~ 25% calculated hyperosmotic shrinkage. Thus, RBCs from the snakes Crotalus durissus and Python regius, the turtle Trachemys scripta and the alligator Alligator...... was not characterized. It seems, therefore, that the RVI response based on NHE activation was lost among the early sauropsids that gave rise to modern reptiles and birds, while it was retained in mammals. An RVI response has then reappeared in birds, but based on activation of the NKCC. Alternatively, the absence...

Effect of Addition of A Marble Dust on Drying Shrinkage Cracks of Cement Mortar Reinforced with Various Fibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Basim Thabit Al-Khafaji

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This investigation is conducted to study the effect of addition of marble powder (marble dust and different fibers on drying shrinkage cracks and some properties of fibers reinforcment cement mortar. Steel molds having a trapezoidal section, and the end restrained at square shape with( 2.7 meter at length are used to study restrained drying shrinkage of cement mortar. Specimens of ( compressive .flextural. splitting strength were cast. The admixture (marble dust was used to replacie weight of cement with three levels of (4%, 8% and 16% and the fiber hemp and sisal fiber were added for all mixes with proportion by volum of cement . All specimens were cured for (14 days. Average of three results was taken for any test of compressive, tensil and flextural strength. The experimental results showed that the adding of this admixture(marble dust cause adelay in a formation of cracks predicted from a drying shrinkage ,decreases of its width , and hence increases of (compressive, splitting tensil and flextural strength at levels of (4%, and 8%. Thus there is a the positive effect when fiberes added for all mixes of cement mortar with addition of (marble dust. All The admixtures (marble dust and fibers have the obvious visible effect in the delay of the information of shrinkage cracks and the decrease of its width as Compared to the cement mortar mixes when marble dust added a alone.

Ultra high performance concrete made with rice husk ash for reduced autogenous shrinkage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Breugel, K.; Van Tuan, N.

2014-01-01

Ultra High Strength Concrete (UHPC) is generally made with low w/c mixtures and by adding silica fume. Low w/c mixtures, however, exhibit high autogenous shrinkage, while a high amount of silica fume increases the price of these mixtures. For designing ultra high strength mixtures with low

Autogenous shrinkage of Ducorit S5R ASTM C 1698-09 test method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damkilde, Lars

The report deals with experimental measurement of autogenous shrinkage of Ducorit S5R according to the test method ASTM C 1698-09. This test method measures the bulk strain of a sealed cementitious specimen, at constant temperature and not subjected to external forces, from the time of final...

Significance of Shrinkage Induced Clamping Pressure in Fiber-Matrix Bonding in Cementitious Composite Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stang, Henrik

1996-01-01

used in high performance cementitious composite materials.Assuming a Coulomb type of friction on the fiber/matrix interface andusing typical values for the frictional coefficient it is shownthat the shrinkage induced clamping pressure could be one of the mostimportant factors determining the frictional...

The origin of early age expansions induced in cementitious materials containing shrinkage reducing admixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sant, Gaurav; Lothenbach, Barbara; Juilland, Patrick; Le Saout, Gwenn; Weiss, Jason; Scrivener, Karen

2011-01-01

Studies on the early-age shrinkage behavior of cement pastes, mortars, and concretes containing shrinkage reducing admixtures (SRAs) have indicated these mixtures frequently exhibit an expansion shortly after setting. While the magnitude of the expansion has been noted to be a function of the chemistry of the cement and the admixture dosage; the cause of the expansion is not clearly understood. This investigation uses measurements of autogenous deformation, X-ray diffraction, pore solution analysis, thermogravimetry, and scanning electron microscopy to study the early-age properties and describe the mechanism of the expansion in OPC pastes made with and without SRA. The composition of the pore solution indicates that the presence of the SRA increases the portlandite oversaturation level in solution which can result in higher crystallization stresses which could lead to an expansion. This observation is supported by deformation calculations for the systems examined.

Keeping Noise Down on the Farm

Science.gov (United States)

... Do > Keeping Noise Down on the Farm Keeping Noise Down on the Farm SHARE Some people may ... risks permanent hearing damage. Take steps to reduce noise from machinery. Keep machinery running smoothly by replacing ...

Keeping a Journal: A Path to Uncovering Identity (and Keeping Your Sanity)

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Joanne E.

2013-01-01

A journal can help keep a person more organized, clarify their identity, and help them grapple with them own sense of belonging in the often bewildering world of academe. In this article, the author discusses: (1) the benefits and uses of keeping a journal; (2) Techniques for writing in a journal; and (3) Drawbacks of journal writing.

Influence of fly ash, slag cement and specimen curing on shrinkage of bridge deck concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-12-01

Cracks occur in bridge decks due to restrained shrinkage of concrete materials. Concrete materials shrink as : cementitious materials hydrate and as water that is not chemically bonded to cementitious materials : migrates from the high humid environm...

The potential of computer vision, optical backscattering parameters and artificial neural network modelling in monitoring the shrinkage of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) during drying.

Science.gov (United States)

Onwude, Daniel I; Hashim, Norhashila; Abdan, Khalina; Janius, Rimfiel; Chen, Guangnan

2018-03-01

Drying is a method used to preserve agricultural crops. During the drying of products with high moisture content, structural changes in shape, volume, area, density and porosity occur. These changes could affect the final quality of dried product and also the effective design of drying equipment. Therefore, this study investigated a novel approach in monitoring and predicting the shrinkage of sweet potato during drying. Drying experiments were conducted at temperatures of 50-70 °C and samples thicknesses of 2-6 mm. The volume and surface area obtained from camera vision, and the perimeter and illuminated area from backscattered optical images were analysed and used to evaluate the shrinkage of sweet potato during drying. The relationship between dimensionless moisture content and shrinkage of sweet potato in terms of volume, surface area, perimeter and illuminated area was found to be linearly correlated. The results also demonstrated that the shrinkage of sweet potato based on computer vision and backscattered optical parameters is affected by the product thickness, drying temperature and drying time. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) artificial neural network with input layer containing three cells, two hidden layers (18 neurons), and five cells for output layer, was used to develop a model that can monitor, control and predict the shrinkage parameters and moisture content of sweet potato slices under different drying conditions. The developed ANN model satisfactorily predicted the shrinkage and dimensionless moisture content of sweet potato with correlation coefficient greater than 0.95. Combined computer vision, laser light backscattering imaging and artificial neural network can be used as a non-destructive, rapid and easily adaptable technique for in-line monitoring, predicting and controlling the shrinkage and moisture changes of food and agricultural crops during drying. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of rare earths on shrinkage porosity in thin walled ductile cast iron

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Karl Martin; Tiedje, Niels Skat

2009-01-01

Ductile cast iron has been cast in test bars with thickness from 2 to 10 mm. The rare earth elements La and Ce have been added to some of the castings to evaluate their influence on microstructure and shrinkage tendency. Both La and Ce increased the graphite nodule count, especially for thickness...

A 3D Lattice Modelling Study of Drying Shrinkage Damage in Concrete Repair Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lukovic, M.; Savija, B.; Schlangen, H.E.J.G.; Ye, G.; van Breugel, K.

2016-01-01

Differential shrinkage between repair material and concrete substrate is considered to be the main cause of premature failure of repair systems. The magnitude of induced stresses depends on many factors, for example the degree of restraint, moisture gradients caused by curing and drying conditions,

Fabrication of Polydimethylsiloxane Microlenses Utilizing Hydrogel Shrinkage and a Single Molding Step

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bader Aldalali

2014-05-01

Full Text Available We report on polydimethlysiloxane (PDMS microlenses and microlens arrays on flat and curved substrates fabricated via a relatively simple process combining liquid-phase photopolymerization and a single molding step. The mold for the formation of the PDMS lenses is fabricated by photopolymerizing a polyacrylamide (PAAm pre-hydrogel. The shrinkage of PAAm after its polymerization forms concave lenses. The lenses are then transferred to PDMS by a single step molding to form PDMS microlens array on a flat substrate. The PAAm concave lenses are also transferred to PDMS and another flexible polymer, Solaris, to realize artificial compound eyes. The resultant microlenses and microlens arrays possess good uniformity and optical properties. The focal length of the lenses is inversely proportional to the shrinkage time. The microlens mold can also be rehydrated to change the focal length of the ultimate PDMS microlenses. The spherical aberration is 2.85 μm and the surface roughness is on the order of 204 nm. The microlenses can resolve 10.10 line pairs per mm (lp/mm and have an f-number range between f/2.9 and f/56.5. For the compound eye, the field of view is 113°.

Drying shrinkage of mortars with limestone filler and blast-furnace slag

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carrasco, M. F.

2003-12-01

Full Text Available During the 1990's the use of cements made with port land clinker and two mineral admixtures, called ternary or blended cements, has grown considerably. Nowadays, cements containing several combinations of fly ash and silica fume, blast-furnace slag and silica fume or blast-furnace slag and limestone filler are commonly used. There are numerous works on the influence of blended cements on the fresh state and mechanical properties of mortar and concrete, but the their deformations due to drying shrinkage are not so well described. Analysis of drying shrinkage is relevant because this property influences the possibility of cracking occurrence and, hence, the deterioration of mechanical and durable properties of concrete structures. This paper evaluates the influence on the drying shrinkage of mortars of variable contents of limestone filler and/or blast-furnace slag in Portland cement. Additionally, flexion strength and non evaporable water content were evaluated. Test results show that the inclusion of these mineral admixtures, Joint or separately, increments drying shrinkage of mortars at early ages. Despite this fact, mortars made with limestone filler cement are less susceptible to cracking than mortars made with cements incorporating blast-furnace slag or both admixtures.

Durante los años 90 el uso de cementos fabricados con clínker Portland y dos adiciones suplementarias (cementos ternarios o compuestos se ha incrementado en forma considerable. En la práctica, es cada vez más común el empleo de estos cementos conteniendo combinaciones de ceniza volante y humo de sílice, escoria y humo de sílice o escoria y filler calcáreo. En la actualidad existen numerosos estudios sobre la influencia de los cementos compuestos en las características en estado fresco y las propiedades mecánicas de morteros y hormigones, pero las deformaciones que estos materiales sufren debido a la retracción por secado no son tan conocidas. El análisis de

Effective integration between heavy water plant and fertilizer plant for higher production of heavy water (D2O) (Preprint No. PD-10)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Periakaruppan, M.; Gupta, S.K.; Bhowmick, S.C.

1989-04-01

For smooth and efficient running of heavy water plants linked with fertilize r plants, it is necessary that certain factors must be taken into consideration right from the design stage of a fertilizer plant. These factors are: (1)preventing loss in D 2 concentration in syn gas, (2)keeping the level of CO 2 and CO in syn gas below 1 ppm, (3)operating the ammonia plant at highest pressure and (4)keeping the feed gas ammonia supply available without any interruption. Incorporation of these factors in the design is discussed. (M.G.B. )

LNG plant combined with power plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aoki, I; Kikkawa, Y [Chiyoda Chemical Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1997-06-01

The LNG plant consumers a lot of power of natural gas cooling and liquefaction. In some LNG plant location, a rapid growth of electric power demand is expected due to the modernization of area and/or the country. The electric power demand will have a peak in day time and low consumption in night time, while the power demand of the LNG plant is almost constant due to its nature. Combining the LNG plant with power plant will contribute an improvement the thermal efficiency of the power plant by keeping higher average load of the power plant, which will lead to a reduction of electrical power generation cost. The sweet fuel gas to the power plant can be extracted from the LNG plant, which will be favorable from view point of clean air of the area. (Author). 5 figs.

LNG plant combined with power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, I.; Kikkawa, Y.

1997-01-01

The LNG plant consumers a lot of power of natural gas cooling and liquefaction. In some LNG plant location, a rapid growth of electric power demand is expected due to the modernization of area and/or the country. The electric power demand will have a peak in day time and low consumption in night time, while the power demand of the LNG plant is almost constant due to its nature. Combining the LNG plant with power plant will contribute an improvement the thermal efficiency of the power plant by keeping higher average load of the power plant, which will lead to a reduction of electrical power generation cost. The sweet fuel gas to the power plant can be extracted from the LNG plant, which will be favorable from view point of clean air of the area. (Author). 5 figs

Conjugation of diisocyanate side chains to dimethacrylate reduces polymerization shrinkage and increases the hardness of composite resins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yih-Dean Jan

2014-04-01

Conclusion: Conjugation of diisocyanate side chains to dimethacrylate represents an effective means of reducing polymerization shrinkage and increasing the surface hardness of dental composite resins.

Shrinkage Estimators for Robust and Efficient Inference in Haplotype-Based Case-Control Studies

KAUST Repository

Chen, Yi-Hau; Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Carroll, Raymond J.

2009-01-01

Case-control association studies often aim to investigate the role of genes and gene-environment interactions in terms of the underlying haplotypes (i.e., the combinations of alleles at multiple genetic loci along chromosomal regions). The goal of this article is to develop robust but efficient approaches to the estimation of disease odds-ratio parameters associated with haplotypes and haplotype-environment interactions. We consider "shrinkage" estimation techniques that can adaptively relax the model assumptions of Hardy-Weinberg-Equilibrium and gene-environment independence required by recently proposed efficient "retrospective" methods. Our proposal involves first development of a novel retrospective approach to the analysis of case-control data, one that is robust to the nature of the gene-environment distribution in the underlying population. Next, it involves shrinkage of the robust retrospective estimator toward a more precise, but model-dependent, retrospective estimator using novel empirical Bayes and penalized regression techniques. Methods for variance estimation are proposed based on asymptotic theories. Simulations and two data examples illustrate both the robustness and efficiency of the proposed methods.

Shrinkage Estimators for Robust and Efficient Inference in Haplotype-Based Case-Control Studies

KAUST Repository

Chen, Yi-Hau

2009-03-01

Case-control association studies often aim to investigate the role of genes and gene-environment interactions in terms of the underlying haplotypes (i.e., the combinations of alleles at multiple genetic loci along chromosomal regions). The goal of this article is to develop robust but efficient approaches to the estimation of disease odds-ratio parameters associated with haplotypes and haplotype-environment interactions. We consider "shrinkage" estimation techniques that can adaptively relax the model assumptions of Hardy-Weinberg-Equilibrium and gene-environment independence required by recently proposed efficient "retrospective" methods. Our proposal involves first development of a novel retrospective approach to the analysis of case-control data, one that is robust to the nature of the gene-environment distribution in the underlying population. Next, it involves shrinkage of the robust retrospective estimator toward a more precise, but model-dependent, retrospective estimator using novel empirical Bayes and penalized regression techniques. Methods for variance estimation are proposed based on asymptotic theories. Simulations and two data examples illustrate both the robustness and efficiency of the proposed methods.

Linear shrinkage test: justification for its reintroduction as a standard South African test method

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Sampson, LR

2009-06-04

Full Text Available Several problems with the linear shrinkage test specified in Method A4 of the THM 1 1979 were addressed as part of this investigation in an effort to improve the alleged poor reproducibility of the test and justify its reintroduction into THM 1. A...

Application of Artificial Neural Network to Predict Colour Change, Shrinkage and Texture of Osmotically Dehydrated Pumpkin

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, S. Y.; Lee, J. S.; Loh, S. P.; Tham, H. J.

2017-06-01

The objectives of this study were to use Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to predict colour change, shrinkage and texture of osmotically dehydrated pumpkin slices. The effects of process variables such as concentration of osmotic solution, immersion temperature and immersion time on the above mentioned physical properties were studied. The colour of the samples was measured using a colorimeter and the net colour difference changes, ΔE were determined. The texture was measured in terms of hardness by using a Texture Analyzer. As for the shrinkage, displacement of volume method was applied and percentage of shrinkage was obtained in terms of volume changes. A feed-forward backpropagation network with sigmoidal function was developed and best network configuration was chosen based on the highest correlation coefficients between the experimental values versus predicted values. As a comparison, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) statistical analysis was also employed. The performances of both RSM and ANN modelling were evaluated based on absolute average deviation (AAD), correlation of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE). The results showed that ANN has higher prediction capability as compared to RSM. The relative importance of the variables on the physical properties were also determined by using connection weight approach in ANN. It was found that solution concentration showed the highest influence on all three physical properties.

Correcting the axial shrinkage of skeletal muscle thick sections visualized by confocal microscopy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Janáček, Jiří; Kreft, M.; Čebašek, V.; Eržen, I.

2012-01-01

Roč. 246, č. 2 (2012), s. 107-112 ISSN 0022-2720 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) MEB090910; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06063 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50110509 Keywords : capillaries * confocal microscopy * sample deformation * shrinkage * skeletal muscle * 3D Subject RIV: FH - Neurology Impact factor: 1.633, year: 2012

Daily cone-beam computed tomography used to determine tumour shrinkage and localisation in lung cancer patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marquard Knap, Marianne; Nordsmark, Marianne (Aarhus Univ. Hospital, Dept. of Oncology, Aarhus (Denmark)), E-mail: mariknap@rm.dk; Hoffmann, Lone; Vestergaard, Anne (Aarhus Univ. Hospital, Dept. of Medical Physics, Aarhus (Denmark))

2010-10-15

Purpose/Objective. Daily Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in room imaging is used to determine tumour shrinkage during a full radiotherapy (RT) course. In addition, relative interfractional tumour and lymph node motion is determined for each RT fraction. Material and methods. From November 2009 to March 2010, 20 consecutive lung cancer patients (14 NSCLC, 6 SCLC) were followed with daily CBCT during RT. The gross tumour volume for lung tumour (GTV-t) was visible in all daily CBCT scans and was delineated at the beginning, at the tenth and the 20th fraction, and at the end of treatment. Whenever visible, the gross tumour volume for lymph nodes (GTV-n) was also delineated. The GTV-t and GTV-n volumes were determined. All patients were setup according to an online bony anatomy match. Retrospectively, matching based on the internal target volume (ITV), the GTV-t or the GTV-n was performed. Results. In eight patients, we observed a significant GTV-t shrinkage (15-40%) from the planning CT until the last CBCT. Only five patients presented a significant shrinkage (21-37%) in the GTV-n. Using the daily CBCT imaging, it was found that the mean value of the difference between a setup using the skin tattoo and an online matching using the ITV was 7.3+-2.9 mm (3D vector in the direction of ITV). The mean difference between the ITV and bony anatomy matching was 3.0+-1.3 mm. Finally, the mean distance between the GTV-t and the GTV-N was 2.9+-1.6 mm. Conclusion. One third of all patients with lung cancer undergoing chemo-RT achieved significant tumour shrinkage from planning CT until the end of the radiotherapy. Differences in GTV-t and GTV-n motion was observed and matching using the ITV including both GTV-t and GTV-n is therefore preferable.

Daily cone-beam computed tomography used to determine tumour shrinkage and localisation in lung cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marquard Knap, Marianne; Nordsmark, Marianne; Hoffmann, Lone; Vestergaard, Anne

2010-01-01

Purpose/Objective. Daily Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in room imaging is used to determine tumour shrinkage during a full radiotherapy (RT) course. In addition, relative interfractional tumour and lymph node motion is determined for each RT fraction. Material and methods. From November 2009 to March 2010, 20 consecutive lung cancer patients (14 NSCLC, 6 SCLC) were followed with daily CBCT during RT. The gross tumour volume for lung tumour (GTV-t) was visible in all daily CBCT scans and was delineated at the beginning, at the tenth and the 20th fraction, and at the end of treatment. Whenever visible, the gross tumour volume for lymph nodes (GTV-n) was also delineated. The GTV-t and GTV-n volumes were determined. All patients were setup according to an online bony anatomy match. Retrospectively, matching based on the internal target volume (ITV), the GTV-t or the GTV-n was performed. Results. In eight patients, we observed a significant GTV-t shrinkage (15-40%) from the planning CT until the last CBCT. Only five patients presented a significant shrinkage (21-37%) in the GTV-n. Using the daily CBCT imaging, it was found that the mean value of the difference between a setup using the skin tattoo and an online matching using the ITV was 7.3±2.9 mm (3D vector in the direction of ITV). The mean difference between the ITV and bony anatomy matching was 3.0±1.3 mm. Finally, the mean distance between the GTV-t and the GTV-N was 2.9±1.6 mm. Conclusion. One third of all patients with lung cancer undergoing chemo-RT achieved significant tumour shrinkage from planning CT until the end of the radiotherapy. Differences in GTV-t and GTV-n motion was observed and matching using the ITV including both GTV-t and GTV-n is therefore preferable.

Hypothesis: Sparse floor vegetation is on account of Inter-plant ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Graphics. Plant Interactions: Plant Interactions: Allelospoly: Interacting plants Compete for Resources. Allelopathy: Plant releases chemicals for keeping away competitors.

Minimization of variation in volumetric shrinkage and deflection on injection molding of Bi-aspheric lens using numerical simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bensingh, R. Joseph [Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology, Chennai (India); Boopathy, S. Rajendra [College of Engineering, Anna University, Chennai (India); Jebaraj, C. [Vellore Institutes of Technology, Chennai (India)

2016-11-15

The profile of a bi-aspheric lens is such a way that the thickness narrows down from center to periphery (convex). Injection molding of these profiles has high shrinkage in localized areas, which results in internal voids or sink marks when the part gets cool down to room temperature. This paper deals with the influence of injection molding process parameters such as mold surface temperature, melt temperature, injection time, V/P Switch over by percentage volume filled, packing pressure, and packing duration on the volumetric shrinkage and deflection. The optimal molding parameters for minimum variation in volumetric shrinkage and deflection of bi-aspheric lens have been determined with the application of computer numerical simulation integrated with optimization. The real experimental work carried out with optimal molding parameters and found to have a shallow and steep surface profile accuracy of 0.14 and 1.57 mm, 21.38-45.66 and 12.28-26.90 μm, 41.56-157.33 and 41.56-157.33 nm towards Radii of curvatures (RoC), surface roughness (Ra) and waviness of the surface profiles (profile error Pt), respectively.

A cell shrinkage artefact in growth plate chondrocytes with common fixative solutions: importance of fixative osmolarity for maintaining morphology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MY Loqman

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The remarkable increase in chondrocyte volume is a major determinant in the longitudinal growth of mammalian bones. To permit a detailed morphological study of hypertrophic chondrocytes using standard histological techniques, the preservation of normal chondrocyte morphology is essential. We noticed that during fixation of growth plates with conventional fixative solutions, there was a marked morphological (shrinkage artifact, and we postulated that this arose from the hyper-osmotic nature of these solutions. To test this, we fixed proximal tibia growth plates of 7-day-old rat bones in either (a paraformaldehyde (PFA; 4%, (b glutaraldehyde (GA; 2% with PFA (2% with ruthenium hexamine trichloride (RHT; 0.7%, (c GA (2% with RHT (0.7%, or (d GA (1.3% with RHT (0.5% and osmolarity adjusted to a ‘physiological’ level of ~280mOsm. Using conventional histological methods, confocal microscopy, and image analysis on fluorescently-labelled fixed and living chondrocytes, we then quantified the extent of cell shrinkage and volume change. Our data showed that the high osmolarity of conventional fixatives caused a shrinkage artefact to chondrocytes. This was particularly evident when whole bones were fixed, but could be markedly reduced if bones were sagittally bisected prior to fixation. The shrinkage artefact could be avoided by adjusting the osmolarity of the fixatives to the osmotic pressure of normal extracellular fluids (~280mOsm. These results emphasize the importance of fixative osmolarity, in order to accurately preserve the normal volume/morphology of cells within tissues.

Creep and shrinkage effects on integral abutment bridges

Science.gov (United States)

Munuswamy, Sivakumar

Integral abutment bridges provide bridge engineers an economical design alternative to traditional bridges with expansion joints owing to the benefits, arising from elimination of expensive joints installation and reduced maintenance cost. The superstructure for integral abutment bridges is cast integrally with abutments. Time-dependent effects of creep, shrinkage of concrete, relaxation of prestressing steel, temperature gradient, restraints provided by abutment foundation and backfill and statical indeterminacy of the structure introduce time-dependent variations in the redundant forces. An analytical model and numerical procedure to predict instantaneous linear behavior and non-linear time dependent long-term behavior of continuous composite superstructure are developed in which the redundant forces in the integral abutment bridges are derived considering the time-dependent effects. The redistributions of moments due to time-dependent effects have been considered in the analysis. The analysis includes nonlinearity due to cracking of the concrete, as well as the time-dependent deformations. American Concrete Institute (ACI) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) models for creep and shrinkage are considered in modeling the time dependent material behavior. The variations in the material property of the cross-section corresponding to the constituent materials are incorporated and age-adjusted effective modulus method with relaxation procedure is followed to include the creep behavior of concrete. The partial restraint provided by the abutment-pile-soil system is modeled using discrete spring stiffness as translational and rotational degrees of freedom. Numerical simulation of the behavior is carried out on continuous composite integral abutment bridges and the deformations and stresses due to time-dependent effects due to typical sustained loads are computed. The results from the analytical model are compared with the

Five-year evaluation of a low-shrinkage Silorane resin composite material: a randomized clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Malene; Dige, Irene; Kirkevang, Lise-Lotte; Vaeth, Michael; Hørsted-Bindslev, Preben

2015-03-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical performance of a low-shrinkage silorane-based composite material (Filtek™ Silorane, 3 M-Espe) by comparing it with a methacrylate-based composite material (Ceram•X™, Dentsply DeTrey). A number of 72 patients (158 restorations) participated in the study. After 5 years, a total of 107 restorations (52 Filtek™ Silorane, 55 Ceram•X™) in 48 patients were evaluated. Only class II restorations were included. All the restorations were placed by the same dentist, and the restorations were scored by one experienced dentist/evaluator. Materials were applied following the manufacturer's instructions. The primary outcome was marginal adaptation. Secondary outcomes were: marginal discoloration, approximal contact, anatomic form, fracture, secondary caries, and hypersensitivity. After 5 years, no statistically significant differences between the two materials were found in marginal adaptation either occlusally (p = 0.96) or approximally (p = 0.62). No statistically significant differences were found between the two materials in terms of approximal contact, anatomic form, fractures, or discoloration. Secondary caries was found in two teeth (Filtek™ Silorane). One tooth showed hypersensitivity (Ceram•X™). Restorations of both materials were clinically acceptable after 5 years. This study did not find any advantage of the silorane-based composite over the methacrylate-based composite, which indicates that the low-shrinkage of Filtek™ Silorane may not be a determinant factor for clinical success in class II cavities. This paper is the first to evaluate the 5-year clinical performance of a low-shrinkage composite material.

Modeling of Flexible Polyurethane Foam Shrinkage for Bra Cup Moulding Process Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Long Wu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, moulding technology has become a remarkable manufacturing process in the intimate apparel industry. Polyurethane (PU foam sheets are used to mould three-dimensional (3D seamless bra cups of various softness and shapes, which eliminate bulky seams and reduce production costs. However, it has been challenging to accurately and effectively control the moulding process and bra cup thickness. In this study, the theoretical mechanism of heat transfer and the thermal conductivity of PU foams are first examined. Experimental studies are carried out to investigate the changes in foam materials at various moulding conditions (viz., temperatures, and lengths of dwell time in terms of surface morphology and thickness by using electron and optical microscopy. Based on the theoretical and experimental investigations of the thermal conductivity of the foam materials, empirical equations of shrinkage ratio and thermal conduction of foam materials were established. A regression model to predict flexible PU foam shrinkage during the bra cup moulding process was formulated by using the Levenberg-Marquardt method of nonlinear least squares algorithm and verified for accuracy. This study therefore provides an effective approach that optimizes control of the bra cup moulding process and assures the ultimate quality and thickness of moulded foam cups.

Effect of cyclic loading on microleakage of silorane based composite compared with low shrinkage methacrylate-based composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamid Kermanshah

2016-01-01

Conclusion: Silorane did not provide better marginal seal than the low shrinkage methacrylate-based composites (except Aelite. In addition, cyclic loading did not affect the marginal microleakage of evaluated composite restorations .

Influence of irradiance on Knoop hardness, degree of conversion, and polymerization shrinkage of nanofilled and microhybrid composite resins.

Science.gov (United States)

Fugolin, Ana Paula Piovezan; Correr-Sobrinho, Lourenço; Correr, Américo Bortolazzo; Sinhoreti, Mário Alexandre Coelho; Guiraldo, Ricardo Danil; Consani, Simonides

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the irradiance emitted by a light-curing unit on microhardness, degree of conversion (DC), and gaps resulting from shrinkage of 2 dental composite resins. Cylinders of nanofilled and microhybrid composites were fabricated and light cured. After 24 hours, the tops and bottoms of the specimens were evaluated via indentation testing and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to determine Knoop hardness number (KHN) and DC, respectively. Gap width (representing polymerization shrinkage) was measured under a scanning electron microscope. The nanofilled composite specimens presented significantly greater KHNs than did the microhybrid specimens (P composite resin exhibited significantly greater DC and gap width than the nanofilled material (P composite resins.

A 3D Lattice Modelling Study of Drying Shrinkage Damage in Concrete Repair Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mladena Luković

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Differential shrinkage between repair material and concrete substrate is considered to be the main cause of premature failure of repair systems. The magnitude of induced stresses depends on many factors, for example the degree of restraint, moisture gradients caused by curing and drying conditions, type of repair material, etc. Numerical simulations combined with experimental observations can be of great use when determining the influence of these parameters on the performance of repair systems. In this work, a lattice type model was used to simulate first the moisture transport inside a repair system and then the resulting damage as a function of time. 3D simulations were performed, and damage patterns were qualitatively verified with experimental results and cracking tendencies in different brittle and ductile materials. The influence of substrate surface preparation, bond strength between the two materials, and thickness of the repair material were investigated. Benefits of using a specially tailored fibre reinforced material, namely strain hardening cementitious composite (SHCC, for controlling the damage development due to drying shrinkage in concrete repairs was also examined.

Five-year evaluation of a low-shrinkage Silorane resin composite material: A randomized clinical trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Malene; Dige, Irene; Kirkevang, Lise-Lotte

2015-01-01

Objectives The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical performance of a low-shrinkage silorane-based composite material (Filtek™ Silorane, 3 M-Espe) by comparing it with a methacrylate-based composite material (Ceram•X™, Dentsply DeTrey). Material and methods A number of 72patien...

Further Evaluation of Covariate Analysis using Empirical Bayes Estimates in Population Pharmacokinetics: the Perception of Shrinkage and Likelihood Ratio Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xu Steven; Yuan, Min; Yang, Haitao; Feng, Yan; Xu, Jinfeng; Pinheiro, Jose

2017-01-01

Covariate analysis based on population pharmacokinetics (PPK) is used to identify clinically relevant factors. The likelihood ratio test (LRT) based on nonlinear mixed effect model fits is currently recommended for covariate identification, whereas individual empirical Bayesian estimates (EBEs) are considered unreliable due to the presence of shrinkage. The objectives of this research were to investigate the type I error for LRT and EBE approaches, to confirm the similarity of power between the LRT and EBE approaches from a previous report and to explore the influence of shrinkage on LRT and EBE inferences. Using an oral one-compartment PK model with a single covariate impacting on clearance, we conducted a wide range of simulations according to a two-way factorial design. The results revealed that the EBE-based regression not only provided almost identical power for detecting a covariate effect, but also controlled the false positive rate better than the LRT approach. Shrinkage of EBEs is likely not the root cause for decrease in power or inflated false positive rate although the size of the covariate effect tends to be underestimated at high shrinkage. In summary, contrary to the current recommendations, EBEs may be a better choice for statistical tests in PPK covariate analysis compared to LRT. We proposed a three-step covariate modeling approach for population PK analysis to utilize the advantages of EBEs while overcoming their shortcomings, which allows not only markedly reducing the run time for population PK analysis, but also providing more accurate covariate tests.

Numerical and Experimental Analysis on the Cavity Formation and Shrinkage for Investment Cast Alloy 738 4 mm-Thick Rectangular Tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Myeong-Il; Choi, Yoon Suk; Yoo, Jae-Hyun; Park, Sang-Hu; Kim, Kyeong-Min; Lee, Yeong-Chul; Lee, Jung-Seok; Lee, Jae-Hyun

2017-01-01

Investment casting for the thin (4 mm thick) rectangular tube (40 mm wide, 80 mm high and 200 mm long) was carried out numerically and experimentally for Alloy 738, which is a precipitation-hardened Ni-base superalloy. Two types of rectangular tubes, one with a regular array (10 mm by 10 mm square array) of protruded rods (3 mm in diameter and 3mm in height) embedded on the outer surface and the other with just smooth surface, were investment-cast at the same time through the side feeding mold design. The investment casting simulation predicted the presence of cavities, particularly in the area away from the gate for both types of rectangular tubes. In particular, for the rectangular tube with embedded protruded rods cavities were found mainly in the areas between the protruded rods. This simulation result was qualitatively consistent with the experimental observation from the X-ray analysis. Also, both prediction and experiment showed that the dimensional shrinkage (particularly in the longitudinal direction) of the investment-cast rectangular tube is reduced by having protruded rods embedded on the outer surface. Additional numerical attempts were made to check how the amount of cavities and dimensional shrinkage change by varying the preheating temperature and the thickness of the mold. The results predicted that the amount of cavities and the dimensional shrinkage are significantly reduced by increasing the preheating temperature of the mold by 200 ℃. However, an increase in mold thickness from 10 mm to 12 mm showed almost no difference in cavity population and a slight decrease in dimensional shrinkage.

Numerical and Experimental Analysis on the Cavity Formation and Shrinkage for Investment Cast Alloy 738 4 mm-Thick Rectangular Tube

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Myeong-Il; Choi, Yoon Suk; Yoo, Jae-Hyun; Park, Sang-Hu [Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Kyeong-Min; Lee, Yeong-Chul [Sung Il Turbine Co., Ltd., Busan (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jung-Seok; Lee, Jae-Hyun [Changwon National University, Changwon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-15

Investment casting for the thin (4 mm thick) rectangular tube (40 mm wide, 80 mm high and 200 mm long) was carried out numerically and experimentally for Alloy 738, which is a precipitation-hardened Ni-base superalloy. Two types of rectangular tubes, one with a regular array (10 mm by 10 mm square array) of protruded rods (3 mm in diameter and 3mm in height) embedded on the outer surface and the other with just smooth surface, were investment-cast at the same time through the side feeding mold design. The investment casting simulation predicted the presence of cavities, particularly in the area away from the gate for both types of rectangular tubes. In particular, for the rectangular tube with embedded protruded rods cavities were found mainly in the areas between the protruded rods. This simulation result was qualitatively consistent with the experimental observation from the X-ray analysis. Also, both prediction and experiment showed that the dimensional shrinkage (particularly in the longitudinal direction) of the investment-cast rectangular tube is reduced by having protruded rods embedded on the outer surface. Additional numerical attempts were made to check how the amount of cavities and dimensional shrinkage change by varying the preheating temperature and the thickness of the mold. The results predicted that the amount of cavities and the dimensional shrinkage are significantly reduced by increasing the preheating temperature of the mold by 200 ℃. However, an increase in mold thickness from 10 mm to 12 mm showed almost no difference in cavity population and a slight decrease in dimensional shrinkage.

Satisfactory clinical outcome following delayed repositioning of a traumatic post-LASIK flap with dislocation and shrinkage managed by irrigation, stretching, and debridement.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Ye-Sheng; Xie, Wen-Jia; Yao, Yu-Feng

2017-06-01

To report surgical management and favorable outcome in a case with delayed repair of traumatic laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flap dislocation with shrinkage and folds. A 30-year-old man with a five-year history of bilateral LASIK experienced blunt trauma to his right eye followed by decreased vision for 5 weeks. The surgical management included initially softening the flap by irrigation with balanced salt solution (BSS). The shrinkage folds were carefully and gently stretched by scraping with a 26-gauge cannula accompanied by BSS irrigation. All of the epithelial ingrowth on the flap inner surface and on the bed was thoroughly debrided by scraping and irrigation. After the flap was repositioned to match its original margin, a soft bandage contact lens was placed. At his initial visit, slit-lamp microscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed shrinkage of the LASIK flap with an elevated margin approximately 3 mm above the original position. The flap covered half of the pupil and had multiple horizontal folds. Two months after surgery, the flap remained well positioned with only faint streaks in the anterior stroma. The uncorrected visual acuity of the right eye was 20/20 with a manifest refraction of Plano. For delayed repair of traumatically dislocated LASIK flaps, sufficient softening by BSS, stretching the shrinkage folds, and thorough debridement of ingrowth epithelium enable resetting the flap and provide satisfactory results.

Keeping Up: Personal Staff Development

Science.gov (United States)

Woolls, Blanche

2009-01-01

Some essential components of "keeping current" with trends and new developments in the school library field for library media specialists includes attending conferences and reading professional literature. Beginning in May 2007, one article on "keeping up" each year has been devoted to summarizing the major themes in conferences and professional…

Polypropylene/ethylene-propylene rubber (PP/EPR blends for the automotive industry: Basic correlations between EPR-design and shrinkage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. D. Potter

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The influence of the phase morphology on the shrinkage of injection molded plates from reactor based PP/EPR blends was investigated using a model series. The morphology of the dispersed phase – in terms of size and shape of the rubber particles as determined from scanning electron microscopy (SEM – was found to correlate fairly well with the shrinkage determined in the flow and transverse direction of injection molded plates. In this respect it turned out to be elementary to consider the anisotropy of the particles rather than their average size alone. Additionally, the effect of the EPR design on the coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE was evaluated and brought into a relationship with the blend morphology.

Major KEEP Findings, 1971 - 1975.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu, HI. Kamehameha Early Education Project.

This report lists the 34 major research findings from the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) for the years 1971-1975. Each finding is accompanied by a listing of KEEP technical reports and working papers which contain information relevant to that finding. Included among areas covered in the findings are: (1) student motivation, (2) teacher…

KEEP Five-Year Summary Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallimore, Ronald; Tharp, Roland G.

This brief summary outlines the activities and findings of the research and development efforts of the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) from 1971 to 1976. The paper suggests that the original goals of the program were met and that the initial operating procedures agreed upon by KEEP and the Hawaii State Department of Education were…

THE INFLUENCE OF SHRINKAGE AND MOISTURE DIFFUSION ON IDEALIZED TOOTH STRUCTURE INVOLVING DEBONDING DAMAGE

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

FanJianping; TangChak-Yin

2005-01-01

This study highlights the joint effect of early polymerization shrinkage and longtermmoisture diffusion on the behavior of the restoration-tooth structure. The interphase debonding between particle and polymer resin in dental composite is taken into account by introducing the damage variable. The idealized model is designed and constructed for representing the restorationtooth structure, which consists of enamel, dentin, composite and interphase, each considered as homogenous material. The simulation is carried out using the general-purpose finite element software package, ABAQUS incorporated with a user subroutine for definition of damaged material behavior. The influence of Young's moduli of composite and interphase on stress and displacement is discussed. The compensating effect of water sorption on the polymerization shrinkage is examined with and without involving damage evolution. A comparison is made between the influence of hyper-, equi- and hypo-water sorption. Interfacial failure in the specific regions as well as cuspal movement has been predicated. The damage evolving in dental composite reduces the rigidity of composite, thus in turn reducing consequent stress and increasing consequent displacement. The development of stresses at the restoration-tooth interface can have a detrimental effect on the longevity of a restoration.

Study on the shrinkage behavior and conductivity of silver microwires during electrostatic field assisted sintering

Science.gov (United States)

Shangguan, Lei; Ma, Liuhong; Li, Mengke; Peng, Wei; Zhong, Yinghui; Su, Yufeng; Duan, Zhiyong

2018-05-01

An electrostatic field was applied to sintering Ag microwires to achieve a more compact structure and better conductivity. The shrinkage behavior of Ag microwires shows anisotropy, since bigger particle sizes, less micropores and smoother surfaces were observed in the direction of the electrostatic field in comparsion with the direction perpendicular to the electrostatic field, and the shrinkage rate of Ag microwires in the direction of electrostatic field improves about 2.4% with the electrostatic field intensity of 800 V cm‑1. The electrostatic field assisted sintering model of Ag microwires is proposed according to thermal diffuse dynamics analysis and experimental research. Moreover, the grain size of Ag microwres sintered with electrostatic field increases with the electrostatic field intensity and reaches 113 nm when the electrostatic field intensity is 800 V cm‑1, and the resistivity decreases to 2.07  ×  10‑8 Ω m as well. This method may overcome the restriction of metal wires which fabricated by the pseudoplastic metal nanoparticle fluid and be used as interconnects in nanoimprint lithography.

Satisfactory clinical outcome following delayed repositioning of a traumatic post-LASIK flap with dislocation and shrinkage managed by irrigation, stretching, and debridement*

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Ye-sheng; Xie, Wen-jia; Yao, Yu-feng

2017-01-01

Objective: To report surgical management and favorable outcome in a case with delayed repair of traumatic laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flap dislocation with shrinkage and folds. Methods: A 30-year-old man with a five-year history of bilateral LASIK experienced blunt trauma to his right eye followed by decreased vision for 5 weeks. The surgical management included initially softening the flap by irrigation with balanced salt solution (BSS). The shrinkage folds were carefully and gently stretched by scraping with a 26-gauge cannula accompanied by BSS irrigation. All of the epithelial ingrowth on the flap inner surface and on the bed was thoroughly debrided by scraping and irrigation. After the flap was repositioned to match its original margin, a soft bandage contact lens was placed. Results: At his initial visit, slit-lamp microscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed shrinkage of the LASIK flap with an elevated margin approximately 3 mm above the original position. The flap covered half of the pupil and had multiple horizontal folds. Two months after surgery, the flap remained well positioned with only faint streaks in the anterior stroma. The uncorrected visual acuity of the right eye was 20/20 with a manifest refraction of Plano. Conclusions: For delayed repair of traumatically dislocated LASIK flaps, sufficient softening by BSS, stretching the shrinkage folds, and thorough debridement of ingrowth epithelium enable resetting the flap and provide satisfactory results. PMID:28585430

Keep online应用趋势预测

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

谢剑超

2010-01-01

@@ 随着执智能机的普及和上网资费下降,用户逐渐形成了keep online的使用习惯.保持在线是现在智能终端的最主要的特点. Keep online不是always oline,keep online 表示用户保持在线,而不指用户一直使用应用.Keep lnline 并不代表用户使用应用的时间变长,而是指用户使用应用更加频繁.

High-throughput deterministic single-cell encapsulation and droplet pairing, fusion, and shrinkage in a single microfluidic device

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoeman, R.M.; Kemna, Evelien; Wolbers, F.; van den Berg, Albert

In this article, we present a microfluidic device capable of successive high-yield single-cell encapsulation in droplets, with additional droplet pairing, fusion, and shrinkage. Deterministic single-cell encapsulation is realized using Dean-coupled inertial ordering of cells in a Yin-Yang-shaped

A Method Based on Semi-Solid Forming for Eliminating Coarse Dendrites and Shrinkage Porosity of H13 Tool Steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yifeng Guo

2018-04-01

Full Text Available A method called forging solidifying metal (FSM, which is applied for eliminating coarse dendrites and shrinkage porosity defects of ferrous alloys was proposed based on semi-solid forming technology (SSF. To verify its feasibility, the effects of liquid fraction (FL on the microstructure of the deformed H13 steel were investigated experimentally. The coarse dendrites structure still existed and cracks appeared when the 0.1/s 50% FSM method was carried out at ~20% FL. What is significantly different from that is, the elimination of the coarse dendrites structure and shrinkage porosity defects became more significant, when this method was conducted at the end of solidification (FL < 10%. The microstructure of H13 steel was significantly refined and also became dense in such condition.

Keeping disease at arm's length

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lassen, Aske Juul

2015-01-01

active ageing change everyday life with chronic disease, and how do older people combine an active life with a range of chronic diseases? The participants in the study use activities to keep their diseases at arm’s length, and this distancing of disease at the same time enables them to engage in social...... and physical activities at the activity centre. In this way, keeping disease at arm’s length is analysed as an ambiguous health strategy. The article shows the importance of looking into how active ageing is practised, as active ageing seems to work well in the everyday life of the older people by not giving...... emphasis to disease. The article is based on ethnographic fieldwork and uses vignettes of four participants to show how they each keep diseases at arm’s length....

7 CFR 3200.9 - Accountability and record keeping.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Accountability and record keeping. 3200.9 Section... TRANSFER OF EXCESS PERSONAL PROPERTY § 3200.9 Accountability and record keeping. USDA requires that Federal... accountability and record keeping systems. ...

Tumor shrinkage assessed by volumetric MRI in the long-term follow-up after stereotactic radiotherapy of meningiomas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Astner, Sabrina T.; Theodorou, Marilena; Dobrei-Ciuchendea, Mihaela; Kopp, Christine; Molls, Michael [Dept. of Radiotherapy and Radiooncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical Univ. of Munich (Germany); Auer, Florian [Dept. of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical Univ. of Munich (Germany); Grosu, Anca-Ligia [Dept. of Radiotherapy, Univ. Hospital Freiburg (Germany)

2010-08-15

Purpose: To evaluate tumor volume reduction in the follow-up of meningiomas after fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) or linac radiosurgery (RS) by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients and Methods: In 59 patients with skull base meningiomas, gross tumor volume (GTV) was outlined on contrast-en-hanced MRI before and median 50 months (range 11-92 months) after stereotactic radiotherapy. MRI was performed as an axial three-dimensional gradient-echo T1-weighted sequence at 1.6 mm slice thickness without gap (3D-MRI). Results were compared to the reports of diagnostic findings. Results: Mean tumor size of all 59 meningiomas was 13.9 ml (0.8-62.9 ml) before treatment. There was shrinkage of the treated meningiomas in all but one patient. Within a median volumetric follow-up of 50 months (11-95 months), an absolute mean volume reduction of 4 ml (0-18 ml) was seen. The mean relative size reduction compared to the volume before radiotherapy was 27% (0-73%). Shrinkage measured by 3D-MRI was greater at longer time intervals after radiotherapy. The mean size reduction was 17%, 23%, and 30% (at < 24 months, 24-48 months, and 48-72 months). Conclusion: By using 3D-MRI in almost all patients undergoing radiotherapy of a meningioma, tumor shrinkage is detected. The data presented here demonstrate that volumetric assessment from 3D-MRI provides additional information to routinely used radiologic response measurements. After FSRT or RS, a mean size reduction of 25-45% can be expected within 4 years. (orig.)

The effect of pozzolan additions on the shrinkage of cement pastes and mortars during their first hours of age

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ossa, M. Mauricio

1992-03-01

Full Text Available The traditional favour enjoyed by cement including additions and by their diverse uses in Chile calls for an extense investigation of their behaviour in order that the results may justify their utilization in specific projects. This works studies volume changes occurring in cement pastes and mortars containing pozzolan additions during their first hours of age. This investigation used cements made in the laboratory from raw materials supplied by chilean manufacturers. Two types of clinkers were used, namely; a gypsum type and a natural pozzolan type, added in proportions ranging from 0 to 30%.Tests were conducted to ascertain the shrinkage of cement pastes and mortars since the first moments following their mixing operation, employing there for moulds fitted with a special device designed and implemented at the laboratory of the IDIEM Department of Agglomerants. The results thus gathered corroborated the fact that independently of cement characteristics, in general the deformation of pastes and mortars exhibits successive periods of first shrinkage swelling, and second shrinkage. The first shrinkage is affected by the ambient conditions of humidity, temperature, and wind (evaporation, but also in a preponderant way by cement specific surface, which allows higher velocity in the chemical reactions occurring during that period. Moreover the compactation degree is also affecting shrinkage, here. On the other hand, it was confirmed that with cements of like fineness, those having higher C₃A contents exhibit an overall shrinkage larger than that of cements having low contents. At last it was possible to ascertain that an increase in pozzolan contents does not affect shrinkage directly, but that its presence may eventually modify the gypsum/clinker ratio and thus give rise to changes, specially in the two States of swelling and second shrinkage.

La tradicional aceptación en Chile de los cementos con adición y su diversidad

Development of concrete mix proportions for minimizing/eliminating shrinkage cracks in slabs and high performance grouts : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-02-01

The two focus areas of this research address longstanding problems of (1) cracking of concrete slabs due to creep and shrinkage and (2) high performance compositions for grouting and joining precast concrete structural elements. Cracking of bridge de...

Parotid gland shrinkage during IMRT predicts the time to Xerostomia resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanguineti, Giuseppe; Ricchetti, Francesco; Wu, Binbin; McNutt, Todd; Fiorino, Claudio

2015-01-17

To assess the impact of mid-treatment parotid gland shrinkage on long term xerostomia during IMRT for oropharyngeal SCC. All patients treated with IMRT at a single Institution from November 2007 to June 2010 and undergoing weekly CT scans were selected. Parotid glands were contoured retrospectively on the mid treatment CT scan. For each parotid gland, the percent change relative to the planning volume was calculated and combined as weighted average. Patients were considered to be xerostomic if developed GR2+ dry mouth according to CTCAE v3.0. Predictors of the time to xerostomia resolution or downgrade to 1 were investigated at both uni- and multivariate analysis. 85 patients were selected. With a median follow up of 35.8 months (range: 2.4-62.6 months), the actuarial rate of xerostomia is 26.2% (SD: 5.3%) and 15.9% (SD: 5.3%) at 2 and 3 yrs, respectively. At multivariate analysis, mid-treatment shrink along with weighted average mean parotid dose at planning and body mass index are independent predictors of the time to xerostomia resolution. Patients were pooled in 4 groups based on median values of both mid-treatment shrink (cut-off: 19.6%) and mean WA parotid pl-D (cut-off: 35.7 Gy). Patients with a higher than median parotid dose at planning and who showed poor shrinkage at mid treatment are the ones with the outcome significantly worse (3-yr rate of xerostomia ≈ 50%) than the other three subgroups (3-yr rate of xerostomia ≈ 10%). For a given planned dose, patients whose parotids significantly shrink during IMRT are less likely to be long-term supplemental fluids dependent.

Disjunct populations of European vascular plant species keep the same climatic niches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wasof, Safaa; Lenoir, Jonathan; Aarrestad, Per Arild

2015-01-01

separated for thousands of years. Location: European Alps and Fennoscandia. Methods: Of the studied pool of 888 terrestrial vascular plant species occurring in both the Alps and Fennoscandia, we used two complementary approaches to test and quantify climatic-niche shifts for 31 species having strictly......Aim: Previous research on how climatic niches vary across species ranges has focused on a limited number of species, mostly invasive, and has not, to date, been very conclusive. Here we assess the degree of niche conservatism between distant populations of native alpine plant species that have been...... to be largely valid for arctic-alpine plants....

Characterization of Early Age Curing and Shrinkage of Metakaolin-Based Inorganic Binders with Different Rheological Behavior by Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Palumbo, Giovanna; Iadicicco, Agostino; Messina, Francesco; Ferone, Claudio; Campopiano, Stefania; Cioffi, Raffaele; Colangelo, Francesco

2017-12-22

This paper reports results related to early age temperature and shrinkage measurements by means fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), which were embedded in geopolymer matrices. The sensors were properly packaged in order to discriminate between different shrinkage behavior and temperature development. Geopolymer systems based on metakaolin were investigated, which dealt with different commercial aluminosilicate precursors and siliceous filler contents. The proposed measuring system will allow us to control, in a very accurate way, the early age phases of the binding systems made by metakaolin geopolymer. A series of experiments were conducted on different compositions; moreover, rheological issues related to the proposed experimental method were also assessed.

Influence of calcined mud on the mechanical properties and shrinkage of self-compacting concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatima Taieb

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The use of SCC has a particular interest in terms of sustainable development. Indeed, their specific formulation leads to a greater volume of dough than for common concretes, thus, a larger quantity of cement. However, for economical, ecological and technical reasons, it is sought to limit their cement content [1]. It is therefore necessary to almost always use mineral additions as a partial replacement for cement because the technology of self-compacting concretes can consume large quantities of fines, in this case calcinated mud issued from dams dredging sediments that can give and/or ameliorate characteristics and performances of this type of concretes. Four SCCs had been formulated from the same composition where the only percentage of calcinated mud of Chorfa (west of Algeria dam changed (0%, 10%, 20% and 30%. The effect of calcinated mud on characteristics at fresh state of SCC according to AFGC was quantified. Mechanical strengths and shrinkage deformation (total, autogenous, drying were evaluated. The results show the possibility to make SCCs with different dosages of calcinated mud having strengths that can defy those of the control SCC. The analysis of free deformations indicates the beneficial impact of the mud by contributing to decrease the amplitudes of the shrinkage compared to those of the control SCC.

Regression tools for CO2 inversions: application of a shrinkage estimator to process attribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaby, Benjamin A.; Field, Christopher B.

2006-01-01

In this study we perform an atmospheric inversion based on a shrinkage estimator. This method is used to estimate surface fluxes of CO 2 , first partitioned according to constituent geographic regions, and then according to constituent processes that are responsible for the total flux. Our approach differs from previous approaches in two important ways. The first is that the technique of linear Bayesian inversion is recast as a regression problem. Seen as such, standard regression tools are employed to analyse and reduce errors in the resultant estimates. A shrinkage estimator, which combines standard ridge regression with the linear 'Bayesian inversion' model, is introduced. This method introduces additional bias into the model with the aim of reducing variance such that errors are decreased overall. Compared with standard linear Bayesian inversion, the ridge technique seems to reduce both flux estimation errors and prediction errors. The second divergence from previous studies is that instead of dividing the world into geographically distinct regions and estimating the CO 2 flux in each region, the flux space is divided conceptually into processes that contribute to the total global flux. Formulating the problem in this manner adds to the interpretability of the resultant estimates and attempts to shed light on the problem of attributing sources and sinks to their underlying mechanisms

PlantDB – a versatile database for managing plant research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gruissem Wilhelm

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research in plant science laboratories often involves usage of many different species, cultivars, ecotypes, mutants, alleles or transgenic lines. This creates a great challenge to keep track of the identity of experimental plants and stored samples or seeds. Results Here, we describe PlantDB – a Microsoft® Office Access database – with a user-friendly front-end for managing information relevant for experimental plants. PlantDB can hold information about plants of different species, cultivars or genetic composition. Introduction of a concise identifier system allows easy generation of pedigree trees. In addition, all information about any experimental plant – from growth conditions and dates over extracted samples such as RNA to files containing images of the plants – can be linked unequivocally. Conclusion We have been using PlantDB for several years in our laboratory and found that it greatly facilitates access to relevant information.

Improved estimation of subject-level functional connectivity using full and partial correlation with empirical Bayes shrinkage.

Science.gov (United States)

Mejia, Amanda F; Nebel, Mary Beth; Barber, Anita D; Choe, Ann S; Pekar, James J; Caffo, Brian S; Lindquist, Martin A

2018-05-15

Reliability of subject-level resting-state functional connectivity (FC) is determined in part by the statistical techniques employed in its estimation. Methods that pool information across subjects to inform estimation of subject-level effects (e.g., Bayesian approaches) have been shown to enhance reliability of subject-level FC. However, fully Bayesian approaches are computationally demanding, while empirical Bayesian approaches typically rely on using repeated measures to estimate the variance components in the model. Here, we avoid the need for repeated measures by proposing a novel measurement error model for FC describing the different sources of variance and error, which we use to perform empirical Bayes shrinkage of subject-level FC towards the group average. In addition, since the traditional intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) is inappropriate for biased estimates, we propose a new reliability measure denoted the mean squared error intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC MSE ) to properly assess the reliability of the resulting (biased) estimates. We apply the proposed techniques to test-retest resting-state fMRI data on 461 subjects from the Human Connectome Project to estimate connectivity between 100 regions identified through independent components analysis (ICA). We consider both correlation and partial correlation as the measure of FC and assess the benefit of shrinkage for each measure, as well as the effects of scan duration. We find that shrinkage estimates of subject-level FC exhibit substantially greater reliability than traditional estimates across various scan durations, even for the most reliable connections and regardless of connectivity measure. Additionally, we find partial correlation reliability to be highly sensitive to the choice of penalty term, and to be generally worse than that of full correlations except for certain connections and a narrow range of penalty values. This suggests that the penalty needs to be chosen carefully

Satellite based radar interferometry to estimate large-scale soil water depletion from clay shrinkage: possibilities and limitations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brake, te B.; Hanssen, R.F.; Ploeg, van der M.J.; Rooij, de G.H.

2013-01-01

Satellite-based radar interferometry is a technique capable of measuring small surface elevation changes at large scales and with a high resolution. In vadose zone hydrology, it has been recognized for a long time that surface elevation changes due to swell and shrinkage of clayey soils can serve as

Community Perspective of Alternative Methods of keeping ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

UNIBEN

methods of keeping childhood immunization records based on community's .... An alternative home-based record keeping ... coded before computer entry. Data was managed using the Statistical ..... encounter and also work to ensure accurate.

Pattern of Tumor Shrinkage during Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Is Associated with Prognosis in Low-Grade Luminal Early Breast Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukada, Ippei; Araki, Kazuhiro; Kobayashi, Kokoro; Shibayama, Tomoko; Takahashi, Shunji; Gomi, Naoya; Kokubu, Yumi; Oikado, Katsunori; Horii, Rie; Akiyama, Futoshi; Iwase, Takuji; Ohno, Shinji; Hatake, Kiyohiko; Sata, Naohiro; Ito, Yoshinori

2018-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the association between tumor shrinkage patterns shown with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and prognosis in patients with low-grade luminal breast cancer. Materials and Methods This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board and informed consent was obtained from all subjects. The low-grade luminal breast cancer was defined as hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative with nuclear grades 1 or 2. The patterns of tumor shrinkage as revealed at MR imaging were categorized into two types: concentric shrinkage (CS) and non-CS. Among 854 patients who had received NAC in a single institution from January 2000 to December 2009, 183 patients with low-grade luminal breast cancer were retrospectively evaluated for the development set. Another data set from 292 patients who had received NAC in the same institution between January 2010 and December 2012 was used for the validation set. Among these 292 patients, 121 patients with low-grade luminal breast cancer were retrospectively evaluated. Results In the development set, the median observation period was 67.9 months. Recurrence was observed in 31 patients, and 16 deaths were related to breast cancer. There were statistically significant differences in both the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates between patterns of tumor shrinkage (P breast cancer. DFS rate was significantly longer in patients with the CS pattern (72.8 months; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 69.9, 75.6 months) than in those with the non-CS pattern (56.0 months; 95% CI: 49.1, 62.9 months; P ≤ .001). The CS pattern was associated with an excellent prognosis (median OS, 80.6 months; 95% CI: 79.3, 81.8 months vs 65.0 months; 95% CI: 60.1, 69.8 months; P = .004). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the CS pattern had the only significant independent association with DFS (P = .007) and OS (P = .037) rates. Conclusion

Studies on heat shrinkage PVC tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pyun, Hyung Chick; Kim, Ki Yup; Nho, Young Chang

1991-01-01

Radiation crosslinking of PVC was investigated for the purpose of obtaining a suitable formulation for heat shrinkable tube. PVC was not only compounded with various crosslinking agents and plasticizers to evaluate their effects on the radiation sensitivity, heat shrinkable property and other mechanical properties, but also mixed with NBR, crosslinking agents and plasticizers to obtain efficient crosslinking yield and suitable mechanical properties for heat shrinkable tube. Gel yield of PVC increased with increasing unsaturation levels per molecular weight of crosslinking agents. Among crosslinking agents tested, TMPTMA with three unsaturated groups showed highest gel yield, while PVC containing NBR was more sensitive to crosslinking than PVC itself regardless the types of crosslinking agents and plasticizers. Tensile strength was increased with increasing radiation dose and gel percent, but elongation decreased. It was found that gel percent was increased with increasing radiation dose, heat transformation was decreased with increasing gel percent. When NBR was mixed with PVC, the radiation dosage required for enhancing yield of gel percent and heat transformation were found to be much smaller comparing with the case containing no NBR. Therefore, the addition of NBR to PVC was very effective to increase heat-resisting property of PVC. Heat shrinkage was not much varied with radiation dose, the types of crosslinking agents and plasticizers, but it was increased remarkably with decreasing stretching temperature and increasing annealing temperature. (Author)

Keeping Food Safe

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2009-05-27

This CDC Kidtastics podcast discusses things kids and parents can do to help prevent illness by keeping food safe.  Created: 5/27/2009 by National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases (NCZVED).   Date Released: 5/27/2009.

A Novel Compressed Sensing Method for Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Exponential Wavelet Iterative Shrinkage-Thresholding Algorithm with Random Shift

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yudong Zhang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. It can help improve the hospital throughput to accelerate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scanning. Patients will benefit from less waiting time. Task. In the last decade, various rapid MRI techniques on the basis of compressed sensing (CS were proposed. However, both computation time and reconstruction quality of traditional CS-MRI did not meet the requirement of clinical use. Method. In this study, a novel method was proposed with the name of exponential wavelet iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm with random shift (abbreviated as EWISTARS. It is composed of three successful components: (i exponential wavelet transform, (ii iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm, and (iii random shift. Results. Experimental results validated that, compared to state-of-the-art approaches, EWISTARS obtained the least mean absolute error, the least mean-squared error, and the highest peak signal-to-noise ratio. Conclusion. EWISTARS is superior to state-of-the-art approaches.

A Novel Compressed Sensing Method for Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Exponential Wavelet Iterative Shrinkage-Thresholding Algorithm with Random Shift

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yudong; Yang, Jiquan; Yang, Jianfei; Liu, Aijun; Sun, Ping

2016-01-01

Aim. It can help improve the hospital throughput to accelerate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning. Patients will benefit from less waiting time. Task. In the last decade, various rapid MRI techniques on the basis of compressed sensing (CS) were proposed. However, both computation time and reconstruction quality of traditional CS-MRI did not meet the requirement of clinical use. Method. In this study, a novel method was proposed with the name of exponential wavelet iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm with random shift (abbreviated as EWISTARS). It is composed of three successful components: (i) exponential wavelet transform, (ii) iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm, and (iii) random shift. Results. Experimental results validated that, compared to state-of-the-art approaches, EWISTARS obtained the least mean absolute error, the least mean-squared error, and the highest peak signal-to-noise ratio. Conclusion. EWISTARS is superior to state-of-the-art approaches. PMID:27066068

Compensating additional optical power in the central zone of a multifocal contact lens forminimization of the shrinkage error of the shell mold in the injection molding process.

Science.gov (United States)

Vu, Lien T; Chen, Chao-Chang A; Lee, Chia-Cheng; Yu, Chia-Wei

2018-04-20

This study aims to develop a compensating method to minimize the shrinkage error of the shell mold (SM) in the injection molding (IM) process to obtain uniform optical power in the central optical zone of soft axial symmetric multifocal contact lenses (CL). The Z-shrinkage error along the Z axis or axial axis of the anterior SM corresponding to the anterior surface of a dry contact lens in the IM process can be minimized by optimizing IM process parameters and then by compensating for additional (Add) powers in the central zone of the original lens design. First, the shrinkage error is minimized by optimizing three levels of four IM parameters, including mold temperature, injection velocity, packing pressure, and cooling time in 18 IM simulations based on an orthogonal array L 18 (2 1 ×3 4 ). Then, based on the Z-shrinkage error from IM simulation, three new contact lens designs are obtained by increasing the Add power in the central zone of the original multifocal CL design to compensate for the optical power errors. Results obtained from IM process simulations and the optical simulations show that the new CL design with 0.1 D increasing in Add power has the closest shrinkage profile to the original anterior SM profile with percentage of reduction in absolute Z-shrinkage error of 55% and more uniform power in the central zone than in the other two cases. Moreover, actual experiments of IM of SM for casting soft multifocal CLs have been performed. The final product of wet CLs has been completed for the original design and the new design. Results of the optical performance have verified the improvement of the compensated design of CLs. The feasibility of this compensating method has been proven based on the measurement results of the produced soft multifocal CLs of the new design. Results of this study can be further applied to predict or compensate for the total optical power errors of the soft multifocal CLs.

Record Keeping Guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

American Psychologist, 2007

2007-01-01

These guidelines are designed to educate psychologists and provide a framework for making decisions regarding professional record keeping. State and federal laws, as well as the American Psychological Association's "Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct," generally require maintenance of appropriate records of psychological…

Preparation of Shrinkage Compensating Concrete with HCSA Expansive Agent

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Changcheng; Jia, Fujia

2017-10-01

Shrinkage compensating concrete (SCC) has become one of the best effective methods of preventing and reducing concrete cracking. SCC is prepared by HCSA high performance expansive agent for concrete which restrained expansion rate is optimized by 0.057%. Slump, compressive strength, restrained expansion rate and cracking resistance test were carried out on SCC. The results show that the initial slump of fresh SCC was about 220mm-230mm, while slump after 2 hours was 180mm-200mm. The restrained expansion rate of SCC increased with the mixing amount of expansive agent. After cured in water for 14 days, the restrained expansion rate of C35 and C40 SCC were 0.020%-0.032%. With the dosage of expansive agent increasing, restrained expansion rate of SCC increased, maximum compressive stress and cracking stress improved, cracking temperature fell, thus cracking resistance got effectively improvement.

Young children mostly keep, and expect others to keep, their promises.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanngiesser, Patricia; Köymen, Bahar; Tomasello, Michael

2017-07-01

Promises are speech acts that create an obligation to do the promised action. In three studies, we investigated whether 3- and 5-year-olds (N=278) understand the normative implications of promising in prosocial interactions. In Study 1, children helped a partner who promised to share stickers. When the partner failed to uphold the promise, 3- and 5-year-olds protested and referred to promise norms. In Study 2, when children in this same age range were asked to promise to continue a cleaning task-and they agreed-they persisted longer on the task and mentioned their obligation more frequently than without such a promise. They also persisted longer after a promise than after a cleaning reminder (Study 3). In prosocial interactions, thus, young children feel a normative obligation to keep their promises and expect others to keep their promises as well. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genome-scale cluster analysis of replicated microarrays using shrinkage correlation coefficient.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Jianchao; Chang, Chunqi; Salmi, Mari L; Hung, Yeung Sam; Loraine, Ann; Roux, Stanley J

2008-06-18

Currently, clustering with some form of correlation coefficient as the gene similarity metric has become a popular method for profiling genomic data. The Pearson correlation coefficient and the standard deviation (SD)-weighted correlation coefficient are the two most widely-used correlations as the similarity metrics in clustering microarray data. However, these two correlations are not optimal for analyzing replicated microarray data generated by most laboratories. An effective correlation coefficient is needed to provide statistically sufficient analysis of replicated microarray data. In this study, we describe a novel correlation coefficient, shrinkage correlation coefficient (SCC), that fully exploits the similarity between the replicated microarray experimental samples. The methodology considers both the number of replicates and the variance within each experimental group in clustering expression data, and provides a robust statistical estimation of the error of replicated microarray data. The value of SCC is revealed by its comparison with two other correlation coefficients that are currently the most widely-used (Pearson correlation coefficient and SD-weighted correlation coefficient) using statistical measures on both synthetic expression data as well as real gene expression data from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two leading clustering methods, hierarchical and k-means clustering were applied for the comparison. The comparison indicated that using SCC achieves better clustering performance. Applying SCC-based hierarchical clustering to the replicated microarray data obtained from germinating spores of the fern Ceratopteris richardii, we discovered two clusters of genes with shared expression patterns during spore germination. Functional analysis suggested that some of the genetic mechanisms that control germination in such diverse plant lineages as mosses and angiosperms are also conserved among ferns. This study shows that SCC is an alternative to the Pearson

Oilpatch Infobahn: SCADANet keeps gas marketers up to speed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leschart, M.

2002-08-01

A new SCADAnet product that keeps tabs on the performance of natural gas wells in real time is described. The system consists of two subgroups. In one subgroup the system acts as a SCADA host for groups of wells, via the field connection, that communicate directly to the SCADAnet server through a dedicated remote terminal. In the second subgroup an augmented PC at the plant concentrates data from a number of SCADA hosts and plant-distributed control systems. One of the system's key selling points is the ability to provide real-time data to marketers, who up-to-now had to rely on old (up to a month) figures when estimating the amount of sales gas a producing company has available. The software not only allows incorporation of field data directly into its production accounting system, but also has an alarm feature notifying the operator or marketer of a production problem at a specific well via e-mail, pager or voice mail. Since the developers of the system had remote plant sites in mind when developing the system, SCADAnet contains few display-stalling, high resolution graphic images. It is designed for 19.2 bytes/sec modem in mind, so that even with a relatively slow Internet connection producers can access real-time production data and analyze the information with the software's trending features.

Oilpatch Infobahn: SCADANet keeps gas marketers up to speed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leschart, M.

2002-01-01

A new SCADAnet product that keeps tabs on the performance of natural gas wells in real time is described. The system consists of two subgroups. In one subgroup the system acts as a SCADA host for groups of wells, via the field connection, that communicate directly to the SCADAnet server through a dedicated remote terminal. In the second subgroup an augmented PC at the plant concentrates data from a number of SCADA hosts and plant-distributed control systems. One of the system's key selling points is the ability to provide real-time data to marketers, who up-to-now had to rely on old (up to a month) figures when estimating the amount of sales gas a producing company has available. The software not only allows incorporation of field data directly into its production accounting system, but also has an alarm feature notifying the operator or marketer of a production problem at a specific well via e-mail, pager or voice mail. Since the developers of the system had remote plant sites in mind when developing the system, SCADAnet contains few display-stalling, high resolution graphic images. It is designed for 19.2 bytes/sec modem in mind, so that even with a relatively slow Internet connection producers can access real-time production data and analyze the information with the software's trending features

Distributed fiber optic sensor-enhanced detection and prediction of shrinkage-induced delamination of ultra-high-performance concrete overlay

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Yi; Valipour, Mahdi; Meng, Weina; Khayat, Kamal H.; Chen, Genda

2017-08-01

This study develops a delamination detection system for smart ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) overlays using a fully distributed fiber optic sensor. Three 450 mm (length) × 200 mm (width) × 25 mm (thickness) UHPC overlays were cast over an existing 200 mm thick concrete substrate. The initiation and propagation of delamination due to early-age shrinkage of the UHPC overlay were detected as sudden increases and their extension in spatial distribution of shrinkage-induced strains measured from the sensor based on pulse pre-pump Brillouin optical time domain analysis. The distributed sensor is demonstrated effective in detecting delamination openings from microns to hundreds of microns. A three-dimensional finite element model with experimental material properties is proposed to understand the complete delamination process measured from the distributed sensor. The model is validated using the distributed sensor data. The finite element model with cohesive elements for the overlay-substrate interface can predict the complete delamination process.

Shrinkage of spray-freeze-dried microparticles of pure protein for ballistic injection by manipulation of freeze-drying cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Straller, Georg; Lee, Geoffrey

2017-10-30

Spray-freeze-drying was used to produce shrivelled, partially-collapsed microparticles of pure proteins that may be suitable for use in a ballistic injector. Various modifications of the freeze drying cycle were examined for their effects on collapse of the pure protein microparticles. The use of annealing at a shelf temperature of up to +10°C resulted in no visible particle shrinkage. This was because of the high T g ' of the pure protein. Inclusion of trehalose or sucrose led to particle shrinkage because of the plasticizing effects of the disaccharides on the protein. Only by extending the duration of primary drying from 240 to 2745min at shelf temperatures in the range -12 to -8°C were shrivelled, wrinkled particles of bSA and bCA of reduced porosity obtained. Manipulation of the freeze-drying cycle used for SFD can therefore be used to modify particle morphology and increase particle density. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of structural diseases in widened structure due to the shrinkage and creep difference of new bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Wenqing; Zhang, Hui

2018-03-01

In order to investigate the possible structural diseases brought to the top flange of existing prestressed concrete box girder bridge due to the shrinkage and creep difference between new and old bridge, the stress state of the existing box girder before and after widening and the mechanisms of potential structural diseases were analyzed using finite element method in this paper. Results showed that the inner flange of the old box girder were generally in the state of large tensile stress, the main reason for which was the shrinkage and creep effect difference of the new and old bridge. And the tensile stress was larger than tensile strength of C50 concrete, which would most likely cause crack in the deck plate of box girder. Hence, reinforcement measures are needed to be designed carefully. Meanwhile, the transverse deformation of widened structure had exceeded the distance between the anti-seismic block and the web of box girder at the end cross section, which would squeeze anti-seismic block severely. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the length of continuous bridge in need of widening.

Keeping a Laboratory Notebook.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenberg, Anne

1982-01-01

Since the keeping of good records is essential in the chemistry laboratory, general guidelines for maintaining a laboratory notebook are provided. Includes rationale for having entries documented or witnessed. (Author/JN)

Effect of high intensity vs. soft-start halogen irradiation on light-cured resin-based composites. Part I. Temperature rise and polymerization shrinkage.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, Norbert; Markert, Tanja; Hugo, Burkard; Klaiber, Bernd

2003-12-01

To determine polymerization shrinkage kinetics and temperature rise of light-cured resin-based composites after high intensity vs. soft-start quartz tungsten halogen irradiation. Shrinkage kinetics was evaluated using the "deflecting disk technique", modified for simultaneous measurement of temperature within the resin-based composite using a thermocouple. Additional irradiations after 60 and 65 minutes allowed the determination of temperature rises caused by radiation or by reaction heat. Four hybrids (Filtek Z250, Herculite, Solitaire 2, Tetric Ceram), an inhomogeneously filled hybrid (InTen-S) and a microfill (Filtek A110, formerly Silux Plus) were cured using the quartz tungsten halogen units Astralis 10 and Optilux 501 in the high intensity (A10 HiPo: 10 seconds at 1300 mW/cm2; OL Boost: 10 seconds at 1140 mW/cm2) or soft-start modes (A10 Pulse: increase to 700 mW/cm2 within 10 seconds, three periods of 2 seconds at 1300 mW/cm2 alternating with two periods of 2 seconds at 700 mW/cm2; OL Ramp: exponential increase within 10 seconds, followed by 10 seconds at 1140 mW/cm2). The soft-start protocols produced less contraction, and polymerization shrinkage started later and progressed slower (or: more slowly), compared to high intensity irradiation [correction]. The lowest shrinkage was observed for InTen-S, followed by Filtek Z250 and A110, whereas Solitaire 2, Herculite and Tetric Ceram scored highest for this parameter. Temperature rise was caused more or less equally by radiation and by reaction heat and reached values of up to 28.9 degrees C relative to a baseline of 37 degrees C. For some combinations of curing modes and resin-based composites, less heat was generated by the soft-start protocols and by Optilux 501.

Suggestions of keeping L2 motivation

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

徐斌

2014-01-01

How will we keep the motivation during the second language as long as we can, which confuses us, though what the L2 motivation is and how it is developed have been discussed by the psychologists, educators, etc. The aim of this passage is to clarify the basic content of motivation, including the definition, classification, importance, etc. how the current situation is in se-nior high students’English learning motivation, what should be done to keep such motivation. In the following part, it will be read that the introduction, the chapter stating the content and classification of (L 2) motivation, the chapter analyzing the necessity and state of L2 motivation at senor high, the chapter offering approach to keep that motivation, and the conclusion. All of them use the comparison, explanation and cites.

Atucha I nuclear power plant transients analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castano, J.; Schivo, M.

1987-01-01

A program for the transients simulation thermohydraulic calculation without loss of coolant (KWU-ENACE development) to evaluate Atucha I nuclear power plant behaviour is used. The program includes systems simulation and nuclear power plants control bonds with real parameters. The calculation results show a good agreement with the output 'protocol' of various transients of the nuclear power plant, keeping the error, in general, lesser than ± 10% from the variation of the nuclear power plant's state variables. (Author)

A comprehensive audit of nursing record keeping practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Paul; Debbage, Samantha; Smith, Alison

Good quality record keeping is essential to safe and effective patient care. To ensure that high standards of record keeping are maintained, regular clinical audit should be undertaken. This article describes an audit and re-audit of nursing record keeping at Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The article demonstrates improving audit data in 2005 and 2006 and describes how audit and the resulting recommendations and action plans can result in real improvements in the quality of record keeping. The keys to success in this ongoing audit programme are identified as stakeholder involvement, support from the senior nurses in the organization and the use of the data for both local and trust-wide purposes.

Coal gasification plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1977-09-29

The proposal concerns a stage in the process of cooling the synthetic gas produced in a coal gasification plant at temperatures above 900/sup 0/C. The purpose is to keep the convection heating surface of the subsequent waste heat plant free of dirt. According to the invention, the waste heat plant has a radiation area connected before it, on the heating surfaces of which the slack carried over solidifies. This radiation area has a hydraulic and thermal cleaning system, which can be raised or lowered in a water bath. The subclaims concern all the constructional characteristics of this cleaning system, which causes the solidified slack to crack.

A comparison of stresses in molar teeth restored with inlays and direct restorations, including polymerization shrinkage of composite resin and tooth loading during mastication.

Science.gov (United States)

Dejak, Beata; Młotkowski, Andrzej

2015-03-01

Polymerization shrinkage of composites is one of the main causes of leakage around dental restorations. Despite the large numbers of studies there is no consensus, what kind of teeth reconstruction--direct or indirect composite restorations are the most beneficial and the most durable. The aim was to compare equivalent stresses and contact adhesive stresses in molar teeth with class II MOD cavities, which were restored with inlays and direct restorations (taking into account polymerization shrinkage of composite resin) during simulated mastication. The study was conducted using the finite elements method with the application of contact elements. Three 3D models of first molars were created: model A was an intact tooth; model B--a tooth with a composite inlay, and model C--a tooth with a direct composite restoration. Polymerization linear shrinkage 0.7% of a direct composite restoration and resin luting cement was simulated (load 1). A computer simulation of mastication was performed (load 2). In these 2 situations, equivalent stresses according to the modified von Mises criterion (mvM) in the materials of mandibular first molar models with different restorations were calculated and compared. Contact stresses in the luting cement-tooth tissue adhesive interface around the restorations were also assessed and analyzed. Equivalent stresses in a tooth with a direct composite restoration (the entire volume of which was affected by polymerization shrinkage) were many times higher than in the tooth restored with a composite inlay (where shrinkage was present only in a thin layer of the luting cement). In dentin and enamel the stress values were 8-14 times higher, and were 13 times higher in the direct restoration than in the inlay. Likewise, contact stresses in the adhesive bond around the direct restoration were 6.5-7.7 times higher compared to an extraorally cured restoration. In the masticatory simulation, shear contact stresses in the adhesive bond around the direct

Biology, Culture, and the Origins of Pet-Keeping

OpenAIRE

Harold A. Herzog

2014-01-01

Attachments between non-human animals of different species are surprisingly common in situations involving human agency (e.g., homes, zoos, and wildlife parks). However, cross-species animal friendships analogous to pet-keeping by humans are at least rare and possibly non-existent in nature. Why has pet-keeping evolved only in Homo sapiens? I review theories that explain pet-keeping either as an adaptation or an evolutionary by-product. I suggest that these explanations cannot account for the...

Modeling of delayed strains of concrete under biaxial loadings. Application to the reactor containment of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benboudjema, F.

2002-12-01

The prediction of delayed strains is of crucial importance for durability and long-term serviceability of concrete structures (bridges, containment vessels of nuclear power plants, etc.). Indeed, creep and shrinkage cause cracking, losses of pre-stress and redistribution of stresses, and also, rarely, the ruin of the structure. The objective of this work is to develop numerical tools, able to predict the long-term behavior of concrete structures. Thus, a new hydro mechanical model is developed, including the description of drying, shrinkage, creep and cracking phenomena for concrete as a non-saturated porous medium. The modeling of drying shrinkage is based on an unified approach of creep and shrinkage. Basic and drying creep models are based on relevant chemo-physical mechanisms, which occur at different scales of the cement paste. The basic creep is explicitly related to the micro-diffusion of the adsorbed water between inter-hydrates and intra-hydrates and the capillary pores, and the sliding of the C-S-H gel at the nano-porosity level. The drying creep is induced by the micro-diffusion of the adsorbed water at different scales of the porosity, under the simultaneous effects of drying and mechanical loadings. Drying shrinkage is, therefore, assumed to result from the elastic and delayed response of the solid skeleton, submitted to both capillary and disjoining pressures. Furthermore, the cracking behavior of concrete is described by an orthotropic elastoplastic damage model. The coupling between all these phenomena is performed by using effective stresses which account for both external applied stresses and pore pressures. This model has been incorporated into a finite element code. The analysis of the long-term behavior is also performed on concrete specimens and prestressed concrete structures submitted to simultaneous drying and mechanical loadings. (author)

Biology, Culture, and the Origins of Pet-Keeping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harold A. Herzog

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Attachments between non-human animals of different species are surprisingly common in situations involving human agency (e.g., homes, zoos, and wildlife parks. However, cross-species animal friendships analogous to pet-keeping by humans are at least rare and possibly non-existent in nature. Why has pet-keeping evolved only in Homo sapiens? I review theories that explain pet-keeping either as an adaptation or an evolutionary by-product. I suggest that these explanations cannot account for the wide variation in the distribution and forms of pet-keeping across human societies and over historical time. Using fluctuations in the popularity of dog breeds in the United States, I show how shifts in choices of pets follow the rapid changes in preferences that characterize fashion cycles. I argue that while humans possess some innate traits that facilitate attachment to members of other species (e.g., parental urges, attraction to creatures with infantile features, pet-keeping is largely a product of social learning and imitation-based cultural evolution.

40 CFR 86.1925 - What records must I keep?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... it is important to keep required information readily available. (b) Keep the following paper or electronic records of your in-use testing for five years after you complete all the testing required for an... determine why a vehicle failed the vehicle-pass criteria described in § 86.1912. (3) Keep a copy of the...

Phase modification induced drying shrinkage reduction on Na2CO3 activated slag by incorporating Na2SO4

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yuan, B.; Yu, Q.; Brouwers, H.J.H.

2017-01-01

This paper aims to study the phase modification, reaction kinetics, mechanical properties and drying shrinkage of sodium carbonate activated slag by incorporating sodium sulfate in the activator. The results show that the reaction process is firstly controlled by CO32− anions, and later runs similar

Transgenic plants as green factories for vaccine production | Vinod ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Edible vaccine technology represents an alternative to fermentation based vaccine production system. Transgenic plants are used for the production of plant derived specific vaccines with native immunogenic properties stimulating both humoral and mucosal immune responses. Keeping in view the practical need of new ...

Morphological classification of plant cell deaths.

Science.gov (United States)

van Doorn, W G; Beers, E P; Dangl, J L; Franklin-Tong, V E; Gallois, P; Hara-Nishimura, I; Jones, A M; Kawai-Yamada, M; Lam, E; Mundy, J; Mur, L A J; Petersen, M; Smertenko, A; Taliansky, M; Van Breusegem, F; Wolpert, T; Woltering, E; Zhivotovsky, B; Bozhkov, P V

2011-08-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) is an integral part of plant development and of responses to abiotic stress or pathogens. Although the morphology of plant PCD is, in some cases, well characterised and molecular mechanisms controlling plant PCD are beginning to emerge, there is still confusion about the classification of PCD in plants. Here we suggest a classification based on morphological criteria. According to this classification, the use of the term 'apoptosis' is not justified in plants, but at least two classes of PCD can be distinguished: vacuolar cell death and necrosis. During vacuolar cell death, the cell contents are removed by a combination of autophagy-like process and release of hydrolases from collapsed lytic vacuoles. Necrosis is characterised by early rupture of the plasma membrane, shrinkage of the protoplast and absence of vacuolar cell death features. Vacuolar cell death is common during tissue and organ formation and elimination, whereas necrosis is typically found under abiotic stress. Some examples of plant PCD cannot be ascribed to either major class and are therefore classified as separate modalities. These are PCD associated with the hypersensitive response to biotrophic pathogens, which can express features of both necrosis and vacuolar cell death, PCD in starchy cereal endosperm and during self-incompatibility. The present classification is not static, but will be subject to further revision, especially when specific biochemical pathways are better defined.

Planning and evaluation of plant under safety aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strnad, H.

1985-01-01

Plant denotes a technical product characterized as being structured, complex, comprising the use of energy, and that of measuring, automatic control and monitoring systems to keep track of present, control and monitor processes. Particular attention is paid to methods of developing plant concepts, measures to exclude or detect risks, integration of safety engineering into the course of planning, safety concept and ergonomics in plant design. (DG) [de

Computer-assisted power plant management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boettcher, D.

1990-01-01

Operating a power plant and keeping it operational is ensured by a multiplicity of technical management subtasks which are cross referenced and based on an extensive inventory of descriptive and operational plant data. These data stocks are still registered in an isolated mode and managed and updated manually. This is a labor intensive, error prone procedure. In this situation, the introduction of a computer-assisted plant management system, whose core is a data-base of assured quality common to all activities, and which contains standardized processing aids fully planned for the subtasks occurring in the plant, is likely to achieve a considerable improvement in the quality of plant management and to relieve the staff of administrative activities. (orig.) [de

Spatio-Temporal Video Segmentation with Shape Growth or Shrinkage Constraint

Science.gov (United States)

Tarabalka, Yuliya; Charpiat, Guillaume; Brucker, Ludovic; Menze, Bjoern H.

2014-01-01

We propose a new method for joint segmentation of monotonously growing or shrinking shapes in a time sequence of noisy images. The task of segmenting the image time series is expressed as an optimization problem using the spatio-temporal graph of pixels, in which we are able to impose the constraint of shape growth or of shrinkage by introducing monodirectional infinite links connecting pixels at the same spatial locations in successive image frames. The globally optimal solution is computed with a graph cut. The performance of the proposed method is validated on three applications: segmentation of melting sea ice floes and of growing burned areas from time series of 2D satellite images, and segmentation of a growing brain tumor from sequences of 3D medical scans. In the latter application, we impose an additional intersequences inclusion constraint by adding directed infinite links between pixels of dependent image structures.

[The evolution of nursing record-keeping].

Science.gov (United States)

Didry, Pascale

2017-05-01

Nursing record-keeping forms an integral part of the provision of care. It helps to assure its traceability and monitoring. It also contributes to the circulation of information among the different players involved in the patient's treatment, thereby helping to assure the quality and safety of care. For nurses, whose professional history has its roots in a culture of oral communication, record-keeping represents the affirmation of a real nursing way of thinking. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of Curing Process-Induced Residual Stresses and Cure Shrinkage in Micro-Scale Composite Structures with Different Constitutive Laws

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Dongna; Li, Xudong; Dai, Jianfeng; Xi, Shangbin

2018-02-01

In this paper, three kinds of constitutive laws, elastic, "cure hardening instantaneously linear elastic (CHILE)" and viscoelastic law, are used to predict curing process-induced residual stress for the thermoset polymer composites. A multi-physics coupling finite element analysis (FEA) model implementing the proposed three approaches is established in COMSOL Multiphysics-Version 4.3b. The evolution of thermo-physical properties with temperature and degree of cure (DOC), which improved the accuracy of numerical simulations, and cure shrinkage are taken into account for the three models. Subsequently, these three proposed constitutive models are implemented respectively in a 3D micro-scale composite laminate structure. Compared the differences between these three numerical results, it indicates that big error in residual stress and cure shrinkage generates by elastic model, but the results calculated by the modified CHILE model are in excellent agreement with those estimated by the viscoelastic model.

Density and water content of nanoscale solid C–S–H formed in alkali-activated slag (AAS) paste and implications for chemical shrinkage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, Jeffrey J.; Allen, Andrew J.; Jennings, Hamlin M.

2012-01-01

Alkali-activated slag (AAS) paste was analyzed using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The scattering response indicates that the microstructure consists of a uniform matrix of hydration product with a high surface area studded with unhydrated cores of slag particles. In contrast with portland cement paste, no surface fractal scattering regime was detected, and elevated temperature curing (at 60 °C) had no detectable effect on the microstructure at any length scale studied. The specific surface area of the AAS pastes is about 25% higher than that of a portland cement paste cured under the same conditions. The composition and mass density of the nanoscale solid C–S–H phase formed in the AAS paste was determined using a previously developed neutron scattering method, in conjunction with a hydration model. The result ((CaO) 0.99 –SiO 2 –(Al 2 O 3 ) 0.06 –(H 2 O) 0.97 , d = (2.73 ± 0.02) g/cm 3 ) is significantly lower in calcium and in water as compared to portland cement or pure tricalcium silicate paste. These values were used to calculate the chemical shrinkage that would result from complete hydration of the AAS paste. The result, (12.2 ± 1.5) cm 3 of volumetric shrinkage per 100 g of unhydrated cement, is about twice the amount of chemical shrinkage exhibited by normal cement pastes.

Application of combined shrinkage stoping and pillarless sublevel caving mining method to a uranium deposit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Changjun

2012-01-01

Pillarless sublevel caving mining method was used to mining ores in a uranium mine. Because ore-rock interface changed greatly, this part of ores can not be recovered effectively in the mining process, resulting in the permanent loss of these ores. Aimed at the problem, a combined shrinkage stoping and pillarless sublevel caving mining method is presented. Practices show that the ore recovery is increased, dilution rate is declined, and mining safety is improved greatly by using the combined method. (authors)

Size and Sex-Dependent Shrinkage of Dutch Bees during One-and-a-Half Centuries of Land-Use Change.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Mikail O; Freitas, Breno M; Scheper, Jeroen; Kleijn, David

2016-01-01

Land-use change and global warming are important factors driving bee decline, but it is largely unknown whether these drivers have resulted in changes in the life-history traits of bees. Recent studies have shown a stronger population decline of large- than small-bodied bee species, suggesting there may have been selective pressure on large, but not on small species to become smaller. Here we test this hypothesis by analyzing trends in bee body size of 18 Dutch species over a 147-year period using specimens from entomological collections. Large-bodied female bees shrank significantly faster than small-bodied female bees (6.5% and 0.5% respectively between 1900 and 2010). Changes in temperature during the flight period of bees did not influence the size-dependent shrinkage of female bees. Male bees did not shrink significantly over the same time period. Our results could imply that under conditions of declining habitat quantity and quality it is advantageous for individuals to be smaller. The size and sex-dependent responses of bees point towards an evolutionary response but genetic studies are required to confirm this. The declining body size of the large bee species that currently dominate flower visitation of both wild plants and insect-pollinated crops may have negative consequences for pollination service delivery.

Aridification of the Sahara desert caused by Tethys Sea shrinkage during Late Miocene

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Z.; Ramstein, G.; Schuster, M.; Li, C.; Contoux, C.; Yan, Q.

2014-12-01

It is widely believed that the Sahara desert is no more than ~2-3 million years (Myr) old, with geological evidence showing a remarkable aridification of north Africa at the onset of the Quaternary ice ages. Before that time, north African aridity was mainly controlled by the African summer monsoon (ASM), which oscillated with Earth's orbital precession cycles. Afterwards, the Northern Hemisphere glaciation added an ice volume forcing on the ASM, which additionally oscillated with glacial-interglacial cycles. These findings led to the idea that the Sahara desert came into existence when the Northern Hemisphere glaciated ~2-3 Myr ago. The later discovery, however, of aeolian dune deposits ~7 Myr old suggested a much older age, although this interpretation is hotly challenged and there is no clear mechanism for aridification around this time. Here we use climate model simulations to identify the Tortonian stage (~7-11 Myr ago) of the Late Miocene epoch as the pivotal period for triggering north African aridity and creating the Sahara desert. Through a set of experiments with the Norwegian Earth System Model and the Community Atmosphere Model, we demonstrate that the African summer monsoon was drastically weakened by the Tethys Sea shrinkage during the Tortonian, allowing arid, desert conditions to expand across north Africa. Not only did the Tethys shrinkage alter the mean climate of the region, it also enhanced the sensitivity of the African monsoon to orbital forcing, which subsequently became the major driver of Sahara extent fluctuations. These important climatic changes probably caused the shifts in Asian and African flora and fauna observed during the same period, with possible links to the emergence of early hominins in north Africa.

A concept of a component based system to determine pot-plant shelf-life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Körner, Oliver; Skou, Anne-Marie Thonning; Aaslyng, Jesper Peter Mazanti

2006-01-01

to calculate the expected keeping quality, or it will be able to apply the system as decision support during plant cultivation. In the latter case, the model-based system can be implemented in a greenhouse climate computer. The concept contains information on climate control strategies, controlled stress......, the keeping quality of a plant after removal from the greenhouse could be estimated. A concept of a system that describes a model based knowledge system aiming at determination of the last selling date for pot plants is presented. The core of the conceptual system is a tool that can either be used......, diseases, nutrient management and substrates....

Shrinkage behaviour and related corrosion performance of low-pH cementitious materials based on OPC or CAC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

García-Calvo, J. L.

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Prior to using low-pH cementitious materials in underground repositories for high level waste, the characteristics determining their long-term durability must be analysed in depth. In this sense, different shrinkage tests have been made on mortar and concrete specimens using low-pH cement formulations based on ordinary portland cement (OPC or calcium aluminate cement (CAC, with high mineral admixtures contents. They showed similar autogenous shrinkage than samples without mineral admixtures but higher drying shrinkage when materials based on OPC with high silica fume contents were considered. Besides, as the use of reinforced concrete could be required in underground repositories, the susceptibility of reinforcement to corrosion when using low-pH cementitious materials based on OPC was analyzed, considering carbon steel and galvanized steel. In the formers corrosion was detected due to the low pore solution pH but any problem was detected when galvanized reinforcement were used.Previo al empleo de materiales con cementos de bajo pH en almacenamientos geológicos profundos (AGP de residuos radiactivos de alta actividad, características relacionadas con su durabilidad a largo plazo deben ser verificadas. Así, su estabilidad volumétrica se ha analizado en morteros y hormigones de bajo pH basados en OPC o CAC, con elevados contenidos de adiciones minerales. Estos presentaron retracciones autógenas similares a las medidas en materiales convencionales, pero retracciones por secado mayores en los basados en OPC y altos contenidos de humo de sílice. Dado que en zonas de los AGP podría emplearse hormigón armado, también se evaluó la susceptibilidad a la corrosión de aceros al carbono y aceros galvanizados en materiales de bajo pH basados en OPC. Se detectó un inicio temprano de corrosión en los primeros debido al bajo pH presente en el fluido de los poros de estos materiales, sin detectarse problemas al emplear aceros galvanizados.

Keeping Plateaued Performers Motivated.

Science.gov (United States)

DeLon, Barbara A.

1993-01-01

Discusses the problem of keeping library staff motivated when promotions are not available. Topics addressed include the importance of management training that emphasizes communication skills; alternative ways to help employees grow, including staff development programs, lateral transfers, job rotation, and short-term projects; and helpful…

Drought Signaling in Plants

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

depending upon the source and nature of signaling: (i) hormone signal, (ii) .... plants to regulate the rate of transpiration through minor structural .... cell has to keep spending energy (in the form of A TP) to maintain a .... enzymes and proteins in the regulation of cellular metabolism can be determined by either inactivating.

Effects of temperature and irradiance level on carbohydrate content and keeping quality of Christmas begonia (Begonia x cheimantha Everett)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fjeld, T.

1992-01-01

The carbohydrate content and keeping quality of Christmas begonia were determined in a factorial experiment in which the plants were subjected to irradiance levels of 15, 30 and 60 μmol m −2 s −1 and to temperature levels of 15, 18 and 21°C for the last part of the growing period. This period lasted from 11 to 24 days depending on irradiance level and temperature. The contents of sucrose, glucose and starch were determined at the marketing stage. The keeping quality of the plants was determined after 3 weeks in a simulated interior climate. Increase in temperature and irradiance level both enhanced the development of flowers during the later part of the growing period. The temperature did not have any effect on plant quality at the marketing stage nor on the carbohydrate content, but high temperature caused an increase in flower stem height after 3 weeks in interior climate. Increase in irradiance level caused a significant increase in the content of starch at the marketing stage. Percent increase in new flowers during the interior holding period was highly correlated with the contents of sucrose and starch in the inflorescences and with the content of starch in the leaves. A large starch pool in the inflorescences and in the leaves at the marketing stage reduced the abscission rate during the interior holding period. (author)

Record keeping for the decommissioning of nuclear facilities: Guidelines and experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

This report covers record keeping for the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Nuclear facilities include large commercial facilities such as nuclear power plants or chemical nuclear facilities (e.g. for fabrication and reprocessing), but also include smaller facilities such as research reactors and medical, industrial and other research facilities. Special attention may be needed for these small facilities owing to factors such as the low priority given to decommissioning by research teams and the possibility of poorly recorded structural and operational changes. A focus on research reactors is also important because of their widespread distribution. Two IAEA TECDOCs address record keeping for radioactive waste management and disposal facilities, and therefore these areas are not covered in this report. The objective of this report is to provide information, experience and assistance on how to identify, update as needed and maintain records to assist in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities, including for the decommissioning plan. This report is intended to be useful to policy makers, regulators, owners, operators, decommissioning contractors and other interested parties. Record keeping is an integral part of overall QA or quality management programmes, and this is emphasized in this report. This report also indicates the possible consequences of not maintaining adequate records. This report describes the needs and the sources of the records for decommissioning (Section 3) and the process of identifying and selecting these records (Section 4). Section 5 considers the records from the decommissioning process itself and their retention, while Section 6 deals with QA, organization and responsibilities. The Records Management System (RMS) is dealt with in Section 7 and the management of new records in Section 8. A summary of observations is included in Section 9. The report is complemented by an appendix and annexes that describe case histories

Neoadjuvant androgen deprivation and prostate gland shrinkage during conformal radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanguineti, Giuseppe; Marcenaro, Michela; Franzone, Paola; Foppiano, Franca; Vitale, Vito

2003-01-01

Purpose: The shrinking effect of 3-month neoadjuvant androgen deprivation (NAD) on preradiotherapy prostate gland volume is well documented. However, recently, it has been shown that the cancerous prostate gland keeps shrinking up to 12 months after NAD start. Thus, if such a reduction is not taken into account, a larger than planned portion of the surrounding normal tissues might shift in the high-dose region during conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) course. The present study was undertaken to quantify this issue. Materials and Methods: Prostate gland volume reduction between planning CT (plCT) and the last week of 3DCRT (tmtCT) was prospectively assessed in 33 consecutive patients with localized prostate carcinoma. The median time interval between plCT and tmtCT was 2.5 months (2.1-2.7 months). A single observer was asked to draw on each slice prostate gland volume as appropriate. The observer was 'blind' to the timing of CT (plCT vs. tmtCT). In order to estimate intra-observer variability, prostate gland delineation was repeated twice for each data set. Mean prostate gland change, plCT and tmtCT cumulative dose volume histogram (DVH) calculations for the rectum were analyzed for each patient. Results were correlated to AD status and its duration before plCT. Means were compared by non-parametric rank tests. Results: Based on an internal protocol, 14 patients (42%) did not receive AD, while 19 patients (58%) had undergone neoadjuvant and concomitant AD. The median duration of AD before plCT ranged from 0.2 to 6 months (median: 2.9 months). Although individual data were highly variable, compared to plCT volume, mean prostate gland volume change at the end of 3DCRT was similar for patients receiving (-7.3%) or not (-7%) androgen deprivation (P=0.77). However, within the group of patients treated with hormones, patients starting AD within 3 months from plCT had a significantly larger reduction in prostate volume (-14.2%) than patients with longer NAD duration (-1.1%, P

[How can I keep up with my literature?].

Science.gov (United States)

Vandenbroucke, J P

1998-03-28

To keep up with the literature, the author and his wife have personal home subscriptions to the 'big five' general medical journals, two top general science journals, and close to a dozen specialist journals. Two of the general medical journals are regularly read in more depth. Since computerized search systems permit almost immediate retrieval on whatever subject at whatever work location, the author keeps no filing system of the items of interest. For three (slowly growing) subjects that transgress the boundaries of the usual keywords of search systems, copies of papers are collected in piles: (a) important methodological papers (which may have been published anywhere, on any subject), (b) papers about concepts of the origin and evolution of diseases, and (c) papers of strong general interest. The disadvantage of not keeping track of the literature by a personal filing system is that the author regularly forgets about papers and books he already has; the advantage is that no time is spent keeping a personal filing system.

Fifty years of atomic time-keeping at VNIIFTRI

Science.gov (United States)

Domnin, Yu; Gaigerov, B.; Koshelyaevsky, N.; Poushkin, S.; Rusin, F.; Tatarenkov, V.; Yolkin, G.

2005-06-01

Time metrology in Russia in the second half of the twentieth century has been marked, as in other advanced countries, by the rapid development of time and frequency quantum standards and the beginning of atomic time-keeping. This brief review presents the main developments and studies in time and frequency measurement, and the improvement of accuracy and atomic time-keeping at the VNIIFTRI—the National Metrology Institute keeping primary time and frequency standards and ensuring unification of measurement. The milestones along the way have been the ammonia and hydrogen masers, primary caesium beam and fountain standards and laser frequency standards. For many years, VNIIFTRI was the only world laboratory that applied hydrogen-maser clock ensembles for time-keeping. VNIIFTRI's work on international laser standard frequency comparisons and absolute frequency measurements contributed greatly to the adoption by the CIPM of a highly accurate value for the He-Ne/CH4 laser frequency. VNIIFTRI and the VNIIM were the first to establish a united time, frequency and length standard.

Brilliant simplicity - power plant portal allows more economical operation of power plants; Kraftwerksportal ermoeglicht wirtschaftlicheren Betrieb in der Stromerzeugung. Einfachheit ist Trumpf

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orth, J. [ABB AG, Mannheim (Germany). Bereich Energietechnik

2005-10-31

Today's power generation markets are largely characterized by a small number of new thermal power plants, but a large number of highly aged plants. Plant owners are primarily interested in extending the service life of their existing facilities. In the current competitive scenario, they prefer modular and scalable I and C solutions that will allow them to keep the current equipment to a large extend. (orig.)

First photoresponsive liquid crystalline materials with small layer shrinkage at the phase transition to the ferroelectric phase

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Novotná, Vladimíra; Hamplová, Věra; Bubnov, Alexej; Kašpar, Miroslav; Glogarová, Milada; Kapernaum, N.; Bezner, S.; Giesselmann, F.

2009-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 23 (2009), s. 3992-3997 ISSN 0959-9428 R&D Projects: GA MŠk MEB050818; GA AV ČR IAA100100710; GA MŠk OC 175; GA AV ČR(CZ) GA202/09/0047 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : photosensitive * liquid crystals * De Vries behaviour * layer shrinkage Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 4.795, year: 2009

Meniscal allograft transplantation. Part 1: systematic review of graft biology, graft shrinkage, graft extrusion, graft sizing, and graft fixation.

Science.gov (United States)

Samitier, Gonzalo; Alentorn-Geli, Eduard; Taylor, Dean C; Rill, Brian; Lock, Terrence; Moutzouros, Vasilius; Kolowich, Patricia

2015-01-01

To provide a systematic review of the literature regarding five topics in meniscal allograft transplantation: graft biology, shrinkage, extrusion, sizing, and fixation. A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed (MEDLINE), ScienceDirect, and EBSCO-CINAHL databases. Articles were classified only in one topic, but information contained could be reported into other topics. Information was classified according to type of study (animal, in vitro human, and in vivo human) and level of evidence (for in vivo human studies). Sixty-two studies were finally included: 30 biology, 3 graft shrinkage, 11 graft extrusion, 17 graft size, and 6 graft fixation (some studies were categorized in more than one topic). These studies corresponded to 22 animal studies, 22 in vitro human studies, and 23 in vivo human studies (7 level II, 10 level III, and 6 level IV). The principal conclusions were as follows: (a) Donor cells decrease after MAT and grafts are repopulated with host cells form synovium; (b) graft preservation alters collagen network (deep freezing) and causes cell apoptosis with loss of viable cells (cryopreservation); (c) graft shrinkage occurs mainly in lyophilized and gamma-irradiated grafts (less with cryopreservation); (d) graft extrusion is common but has no clinical/functional implications; (e) overall, MRI is not superior to plain radiograph for graft sizing; (f) graft width size matching is more important than length size matching; (g) height appears to be the most important factor influencing meniscal size; (h) bone fixation better restores contact mechanics than suture fixation, but there are no differences for pullout strength or functional results; and (i) suture fixation has more risk of graft extrusion compared to bone fixation. Systematic review of level II-IV studies, Level IV.

Educational Possibilities of Keeping Goats in Elementary Schools in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Koda, Naoko; Kutsumi, Shiho; Hirose, Toshiya; Watanabe, Gen

2016-01-01

Many Japanese elementary schools keep small animals for educational purposes, and the effects and challenges have been investigated. Although goats are medium-sized animals that are familiar to Japanese, few practical studies have been conducted on keeping goats in schools. This study investigated the effects and challenges of keeping goats in elementary schools and discussed its educational possibilities. A semi-structured interview survey was conducted with 11 personnel that were responsible for keeping goats in 6 elementary schools in urban areas. They described benefits, problems, and tips related to keeping goats. Participant observation was also conducted on daily human–goat interactions in these schools. The results indicated that children in all six grades were able to care for goats. Goats were used for various school subjects and activities. As a result of keeping goats, children developed affection for them, attitude of respect for living things, greater sense of responsibility, and enhanced interpersonal interactional skills. Stronger ties between the schools and parents and community were developed through cooperation in goat-keeping. Some anxieties existed about the risk of injury to children when interacting with goats. Other challenges included the burden of taking care of the goats on holidays and insufficient knowledge about treatment in case of their illness or injury. The results suggested similarities to the benefits and challenges associated with keeping small animals in elementary schools, although the responsibility and the burden on the schools were greater for keeping goats than small animals because of their larger size and the need for children to consider the goats’ inner state and to cooperate with others when providing care. At the same time, goats greatly stimulated interest, cooperation, and empathy in children. Goats can expand educational opportunities and bring about many positive effects on child development. PMID:28083538

49 CFR 172.317 - KEEP AWAY FROM HEAT handling mark.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false KEEP AWAY FROM HEAT handling mark. 172.317 Section... REQUIREMENTS, AND SECURITY PLANS Marking § 172.317 KEEP AWAY FROM HEAT handling mark. (a) General. For... of Division 5.2 must be marked with the KEEP AWAY FROM HEAT handling mark specified in this section...

Management of main generator condition during long term plant shut down at Higashidori Nuclear Power Station Unit 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Seiji

2014-01-01

Higashidori Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 shut down on February 6, 2011 to start 4th refuel outage. On March 11, 2011, we keep going refuel outage on this moment a large earthquake occurred and tsunami was generated following it which called 'Great East Japan Earthquake'. Refuel outage takes 3 ∼ 5 months normally but Higashidori NPS still keeping shut down over 3 years due to some issues. In this paper, we introduce about management of Main generator condition during long term plant shut down situation in addition to normal plant shut down situation to keep well. (author)

Plant upgrading and backfitting in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moxley, Nigel; Raimondo, Emile

1992-01-01

The service life of a nuclear power plant is linked to good operating and maintenance practices and effective management which should begin when the plant starts operating. In France the construction of two series of virtually identical reactors has enabled Framatome to use feedback from early units to modify and improve later ones. The intention is to keep the plants safe and to extend life as far into the next century as is feasible. Remedial measures that can be applied include improvements to plant operation itself, plant modifications and the implementation of effective preventive and corrective maintenance operations which may cover planned provision for the replacement of obsolete or susceptible components. (author)

Galileo Station Keeping Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Perez-Cambriles, Antonio; Bejar-Romero, Juan Antonio; Aguilar-Taboada, Daniel; Perez-Lopez, Fernando; Navarro, Daniel

2007-01-01

This paper presents analyses done for the design and implementation of the Maneuver Planning software of the Galileo Flight Dynamics Facility. The station keeping requirements of the constellation have been analyzed in order to identify the key parameters to be taken into account in the design and implementation of the software.

Keeping Track of Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Dyrli, Kurt O.

2009-01-01

A lack of consistent and accurate auditing and record keeping of district IT equipment can lead to confusion between administrative departments, including redundant purchases, transferred equipment being mislabeled as stolen, computers and other equipment simply being lost, or a variety of other scenarios. This had led to an increased demand for…

ISTA-Net: Iterative Shrinkage-Thresholding Algorithm Inspired Deep Network for Image Compressive Sensing

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Jian

2017-06-24

Traditional methods for image compressive sensing (CS) reconstruction solve a well-defined inverse problem that is based on a predefined CS model, which defines the underlying structure of the problem and is generally solved by employing convergent iterative solvers. These optimization-based CS methods face the challenge of choosing optimal transforms and tuning parameters in their solvers, while also suffering from high computational complexity in most cases. Recently, some deep network based CS algorithms have been proposed to improve CS reconstruction performance, while dramatically reducing time complexity as compared to optimization-based methods. Despite their impressive results, the proposed networks (either with fully-connected or repetitive convolutional layers) lack any structural diversity and they are trained as a black box, void of any insights from the CS domain. In this paper, we combine the merits of both types of CS methods: the structure insights of optimization-based method and the performance/speed of network-based ones. We propose a novel structured deep network, dubbed ISTA-Net, which is inspired by the Iterative Shrinkage-Thresholding Algorithm (ISTA) for optimizing a general $l_1$ norm CS reconstruction model. ISTA-Net essentially implements a truncated form of ISTA, where all ISTA-Net parameters are learned end-to-end to minimize a reconstruction error in training. Borrowing more insights from the optimization realm, we propose an accelerated version of ISTA-Net, dubbed FISTA-Net, which is inspired by the fast iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm (FISTA). Interestingly, this acceleration naturally leads to skip connections in the underlying network design. Extensive CS experiments demonstrate that the proposed ISTA-Net and FISTA-Net outperform existing optimization-based and network-based CS methods by large margins, while maintaining a fast runtime.

Deep Plant Phenomics: A Deep Learning Platform for Complex Plant Phenotyping Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Ubbens, Jordan R.; Stavness, Ian

2017-01-01

Plant phenomics has received increasing interest in recent years in an attempt to bridge the genotype-to-phenotype knowledge gap. There is a need for expanded high-throughput phenotyping capabilities to keep up with an increasing amount of data from high-dimensional imaging sensors and the desire to measure more complex phenotypic traits (Knecht et al., 2016). In this paper, we introduce an open-source deep learning tool called Deep Plant Phenomics. This tool provides pre-trained neural networks for several common plant phenotyping tasks, as well as an easy platform that can be used by plant scientists to train models for their own phenotyping applications. We report performance results on three plant phenotyping benchmarks from the literature, including state of the art performance on leaf counting, as well as the first published results for the mutant classification and age regression tasks for Arabidopsis thaliana. PMID:28736569

Fifty years of atomic time-keeping at VNIIFTRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domnin, Y.; Gaigerov, B.; Koshelyaevsky, N.; Poushkin, S.; Rusin, F.; Tatarenkov, V.; Yolkin, G.

2005-01-01

Time metrology in Russia in the second half of the twentieth century has been marked, as in other advanced countries, by the rapid development of time and frequency quantum standards and the beginning of atomic time-keeping. This brief review presents the main developments and studies in time and frequency measurement, and the improvement of accuracy and atomic time-keeping at the VNIIFTRI-the National Metrology Institute keeping primary time and frequency standards and ensuring unification of measurement. The milestones along the way have been the ammonia and hydrogen masers, primary caesium beam and fountain standards and laser frequency standards. For many years, VNIIFTRI was the only world laboratory that applied hydrogen-maser clock ensembles for time-keeping. VNIIFTRI's work on international laser standard frequency comparisons and absolute frequency measurements contributed greatly to the adoption by the CIPM of a highly accurate value for the He-Ne/CH 4 laser frequency. VNIIFTRI and the VNIIM were the first to establish a united time, frequency and length standard. (authors)

Fifty years of atomic time-keeping at VNIIFTRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Domnin, Y.; Gaigerov, B.; Koshelyaevsky, N.; Poushkin, S.; Rusin, F.; Tatarenkov, V.; Yolkin, G. [VNIIFTRI (Russian Federation)

2005-06-01

Time metrology in Russia in the second half of the twentieth century has been marked, as in other advanced countries, by the rapid development of time and frequency quantum standards and the beginning of atomic time-keeping. This brief review presents the main developments and studies in time and frequency measurement, and the improvement of accuracy and atomic time-keeping at the VNIIFTRI-the National Metrology Institute keeping primary time and frequency standards and ensuring unification of measurement. The milestones along the way have been the ammonia and hydrogen masers, primary caesium beam and fountain standards and laser frequency standards. For many years, VNIIFTRI was the only world laboratory that applied hydrogen-maser clock ensembles for time-keeping. VNIIFTRI's work on international laser standard frequency comparisons and absolute frequency measurements contributed greatly to the adoption by the CIPM of a highly accurate value for the He-Ne/CH{sub 4} laser frequency. VNIIFTRI and the VNIIM were the first to establish a united time, frequency and length standard. (authors)

Hydrodynamic shrinkage of liquid CO2 Taylor drops in a straight microchannel

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Ning; Wen, John Z.; Ren, Carolyn L.

2018-03-01

Hydrodynamic shrinkage of liquid CO2 drops in water under a Taylor flow regime is studied using a straight microchannel (length/width ~100). A general form of a mathematical model of the solvent-side mass transfer coefficient (k s) is developed first. Based on formulations of the surface area (A) and the volume (V) of a general Taylor drop in a rectangular microchannel, a specific form of k s is derived. Drop length and speed are experimentally measured at three specified positions of the straight channel, namely, immediately after drop generation (position 1), the midpoint of the channel (position 2) and the end of the channel (position 3). The reductions of drop length (L x , x  =  1, 2, 3) from position 1 to 2 and down to 3 are used to quantify the drop shrinkage. Using the specific model, k s is calculated mainly based on L x and drop flowing time (t). Results show that smaller CO2 drops produced by lower flow rate ratios ({{Q}LC{{O2}}}/{{Q}{{H2}O}} ) are generally characterized by higher (nearly three times) k s and Sherwood numbers than those produced by higher {{Q}LC{{O2}}}/{{Q}{{H2}O}} , which is essentially attributed to the larger effective portion of the smaller drop contributing in the mass transfer under same levels of the flowing time and the surface-to-volume ratio (~104 m-1) of all drops. Based on calculated pressure drops of the segmented flow in microchannel, the Peng-Robinson equation of state and initial pressures of drops at the T-junction in experiments, overall pressure drop (ΔP t) in the straight channel as well as the resulted drop volume change are quantified. ΔP t from position 1-3 is by average 3.175 kPa with a ~1.6% standard error, which only leads to relative drop volume changes of 0.3‰ to 0.52‰.

Hydrodynamic shrinkage of liquid CO2 Taylor drops in a straight microchannel.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Ning; Wen, John; Ren, Carolyn L

2018-01-16

Hydrodynamic shrinkage of liquid CO2 drops in water under a Taylor flow regime is studied using a straight microchannel (length/width ~ 100). A general form of a mathematical model of the solvent-side mass transfer coefficient (ks) is developed first. Based on formulations of the surface area (A) and the volume (V) of a general Taylor drop in a rectangular microchannel, a specific form of ks is derived. Drop length and speed are experimentally measured at three specified positions of the straight channel, namely, immediately after drop generation (position 1), the midpoint of the channel (position 2) and the end of the channel (position 3). The reductions of drop length (Lx, x = 1, 2, 3) from position 1 to 2 and down to 3 are used to quantify the drop shrinkage. Using the specific model, ks is calculated mainly based on Lx and drop flowing time (t). Results show that smaller CO2 drops produced by lower flow rate ratios (QLCO2/QH2O) are generally characterized by higher (nearly three times) ks and Sherwood numbers than those produced by higher QLCO2/QH2O, which is essentially attributed to the larger effective portion of the smaller drop contributing in the mass transfer under same levels of the flowing time and the surface-to-volume ratio (~ 104 m-1) of all drops. Based on calculated pressure drops of the segmented flow in microchannel, the Peng-Robinson equation of state (EOS) and initial pressures of drops at the T-junction in experiments, overall pressure drop (ΔPt) in the straight channel as well as the resulted drop volume change are quantified. ΔPt from position 1 to 3 is by average 3.175 kPa with a ~1.6% standard error, which only leads to relative drop volume changes of 0.3‰ to 0.52‰. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Insect Counter-Adaptations to Plant Cyanogenic Glucosides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pentzold, Stefan

. This thesis presents evidence that larvae of the sequestering lepidopteran specialist Zygaena filipendulae have evolved diverse behavioural, morphological, physiological and metabolic adaptations to keep cyanogenic glucosides from its food plant Lotus corniculatus (Fabaceae) intact and thus non-toxic during...

Apoptolysis: a novel mechanism of skin blistering in pemphigus vulgaris linking the apoptotic pathways to basal cell shrinkage and suprabasal acantholysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grando, S.A.; Bystryn, J.C.; Chernyavsky, A.I.

2009-01-01

of EGF receptor, Src, mTOR, p38 MAPK and other signalling elements downstream of ligated antigens, elevation of intracellular calcium and launching of the cell death cascades. (3) Basal cell shrinkage due to: (i) collapse and retraction of the tonofilaments cleaved by executioner caspases; and (ii...

Are plant species able to keep pace with the rapidly changing climate?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Cunze

Full Text Available Future climate change is predicted to advance faster than the postglacial warming. Migration may therefore become a key driver for future development of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. For 140 European plant species we computed past range shifts since the last glacial maximum and future range shifts for a variety of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC scenarios and global circulation models (GCMs. Range shift rates were estimated by means of species distribution modelling (SDM. With process-based seed dispersal models we estimated species-specific migration rates for 27 dispersal modes addressing dispersal by wind (anemochory for different wind conditions, as well as dispersal by mammals (dispersal on animal's coat - epizoochory and dispersal by animals after feeding and digestion - endozoochory considering different animal species. Our process-based modelled migration rates generally exceeded the postglacial range shift rates indicating that the process-based models we used are capable of predicting migration rates that are in accordance with realized past migration. For most of the considered species, the modelled migration rates were considerably lower than the expected future climate change induced range shift rates. This implies that most plant species will not entirely be able to follow future climate-change-induced range shifts due to dispersal limitation. Animals with large day- and home-ranges are highly important for achieving high migration rates for many plant species, whereas anemochory is relevant for only few species.

Graft shrinkage and survival rate of implants after sinus floor elevation using a nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite embedded in silica gel matrix: a 1-year prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

El Hage, Marc; Abi Najm, Semaan; Bischof, Mvark; Nedir, Rabah; Carrel, Jean-Pierre; Bernard, Jean-Pierre

2012-06-01

The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the vertical shrinkage percentage of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite embedded in silica gel used for maxillary sinus floor elevation (SFE) and (2) to determine the survival rate of the implants 1 year after placement in the healed grafted sinuses. Eleven maxillary sinuses were augmented in eight patients with NanoBone. After a healing period averaging 14.42 months, 19 implants were placed and followed up with clinical and radiographic evaluation. Panoramic radiographs were taken immediately after SFE and at 12 months after grafting. Measurements of changes in height were made by a computerized measuring technique using an image editing software. The mean graft height shrinkage percentage at 12 months after surgery was 8.84% (±5.32). One implant was lost before loading. All the 18 remaining osseointegrated implants received the prosthetic rehabilitation and were controlled after 3 months of functional loading. The implant survival rate at the 1-year interval was 94.74%. A 100% NanoBone alloplastic graft used in lateral SFE procedures presented limited height shrinkage. Implants placed in these grafted sinuses showed survival rates similar to those found in published data. These results should be interpreted cautiously considering the study's reduced sample size.

Solving the shrinkage-induced PDMS alignment registration issue in multilayer soft lithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moraes, Christopher; Sun, Yu; Simmons, Craig A

2009-01-01

Shrinkage of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) complicates alignment registration between layers during multilayer soft lithography fabrication. This often hinders the development of large-scale microfabricated arrayed devices. Here we report a rapid method to construct large-area, multilayered devices with stringent alignment requirements. This technique, which exploits a previously unrecognized aspect of sandwich mold fabrication, improves device yield, enables highly accurate alignment over large areas of multilayered devices and does not require strict regulation of fabrication conditions or extensive calibration processes. To demonstrate this technique, a microfabricated Braille display was developed and characterized. High device yield and accurate alignment within 15 µm were achieved over three layers for an array of 108 Braille units spread over a 6.5 cm 2 area, demonstrating the fabrication of well-aligned devices with greater ease and efficiency than previously possible

Evaluation of the shrinkage and creep of medium strength self compacting concrete

Science.gov (United States)

De La Cruz, C. J.; Ramos, G.; Hurtado, W. A.

2017-02-01

The difference between self compacting concrete (SCC) and conventional concrete (CC) is in fresh state, is the high fluidity at first and the need for vibration at second, but in hardened state, both concretes must comply with the resistance specified, in addition to securing the safety and functionality for which it was designed. This article describes the tests and results for shrinkage and creep at some medium strength Self Compacting Concrete with added sand (SCC-MSs) and two types of cement. The research was conducted at the Laboratorio de Tecnología de Estructuras (LTE) of the Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC), in dosages of 200 liters; with the idea of evaluating the effectiveness of implementation of these new concretes at elements designed with conventional concrete (CCs).

Aridification of the Sahara desert caused by Tethys Sea shrinkage during the Late Miocene

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhongshi; Ramstein, Gilles; Schuster, Mathieu; Li, Camille; Contoux, Camille; Yan, Qing

2014-09-01

It is widely believed that the Sahara desert is no more than ~2-3 million years (Myr) old, with geological evidence showing a remarkable aridification of north Africa at the onset of the Quaternary ice ages. Before that time, north African aridity was mainly controlled by the African summer monsoon (ASM), which oscillated with Earth's orbital precession cycles. Afterwards, the Northern Hemisphere glaciation added an ice volume forcing on the ASM, which additionally oscillated with glacial-interglacial cycles. These findings led to the idea that the Sahara desert came into existence when the Northern Hemisphere glaciated ~2-3 Myr ago. The later discovery, however, of aeolian dune deposits ~7 Myr old suggested a much older age, although this interpretation is hotly challenged and there is no clear mechanism for aridification around this time. Here we use climate model simulations to identify the Tortonian stage (~7-11 Myr ago) of the Late Miocene epoch as the pivotal period for triggering north African aridity and creating the Sahara desert. Through a set of experiments with the Norwegian Earth System Model and the Community Atmosphere Model, we demonstrate that the African summer monsoon was drastically weakened by the Tethys Sea shrinkage during the Tortonian, allowing arid, desert conditions to expand across north Africa. Not only did the Tethys shrinkage alter the mean climate of the region, it also enhanced the sensitivity of the African monsoon to orbital forcing, which subsequently became the major driver of Sahara extent fluctuations. These important climatic changes probably caused the shifts in Asian and African flora and fauna observed during the same period, with possible links to the emergence of early hominins in north Africa.

Improving the quality of endodontic record keeping through clinical audit.

Science.gov (United States)

King, E; Shekaran, L; Muthukrishnan, A

2017-03-10

Introduction Record keeping is an essential part of day-to-day practice and plays an important role in treatment, audit and dento-legal procedures. Creating effective endodontic records is challenging due to the scope of information required for comprehensive notes. Two audits were performed to assess the standards of endodontic record keeping by dentists in a restorative dentistry department and students on an endodontic MSc course.Methods Fifty sets of departmental records and 10 sets of student records were retrospectively evaluated against the European Society of Endodontology 2006 guidelines. Results of the first cycle of both audits were presented to departmental staff and MSc students, alongside an educational session. Additionally, departmental guidelines, consent leaflets and endodontic record keeping forms were developed. Both audits were repeated using the same number of records, thus completing both audit cycles.Results The most commonly absent records included consent, anaesthetic details, rubber dam method, working length reference point, irrigation details and obturation technique. Almost all areas of record keeping improved following the second audit cycle, with some areas reaching 100% compliance when record keeping forms were used. Statistically significant improvements were seen in 24 of the 29 areas in the departmental audit and 14 of the 29 areas in the MSc audit (P = 0.05).Conclusions Significant improvements in endodontic record keeping can be achieved through the provision of education, departmental guidelines, consent leaflets and endodontic record keeping forms.

Size and Sex-Dependent Shrinkage of Dutch Bees during One-and-a-Half Centuries of Land-Use Change.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikail O Oliveira

Full Text Available Land-use change and global warming are important factors driving bee decline, but it is largely unknown whether these drivers have resulted in changes in the life-history traits of bees. Recent studies have shown a stronger population decline of large- than small-bodied bee species, suggesting there may have been selective pressure on large, but not on small species to become smaller. Here we test this hypothesis by analyzing trends in bee body size of 18 Dutch species over a 147-year period using specimens from entomological collections. Large-bodied female bees shrank significantly faster than small-bodied female bees (6.5% and 0.5% respectively between 1900 and 2010. Changes in temperature during the flight period of bees did not influence the size-dependent shrinkage of female bees. Male bees did not shrink significantly over the same time period. Our results could imply that under conditions of declining habitat quantity and quality it is advantageous for individuals to be smaller. The size and sex-dependent responses of bees point towards an evolutionary response but genetic studies are required to confirm this. The declining body size of the large bee species that currently dominate flower visitation of both wild plants and insect-pollinated crops may have negative consequences for pollination service delivery.

Effect of LED and Argon Laser on Degree of Conversion and Temperature Rise of Hybrid and Low Shrinkage Composite Resins.

Science.gov (United States)

Pahlevan, Ayob; Tabatabaei, Masumeh Hasani; Arami, Sakineh; Valizadeh, Sara

2016-01-01

Different light curing units are used for polymerization of composite resins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of conversion (DC) and temperature rise in hybrid and low shrinkage composite resins cured by LED and Argon Laser curing lights. DC was measured using FTIR spectroscopy. For measuring temperature rise, composite resin samples were placed in Teflon molds and cured from the top. The thermocouple under samples recorded the temperature rise. After initial radiation and specimens reaching the ambient temperature, reirradiation was done and temperature was recorded again. Both temperature rise and DC data submitted to one-way ANOVA and Tukey-HSD tests (5% significance). The obtained results revealed that DC was not significantly different between the understudy composite resins or curing units. Low shrinkage composite resin showed a significantly higher temperature rise than hybrid composite resin. Argon laser caused the lowest temperature rise among the curing units. Energy density of light curing units was correlated with the DC. Type of composite resin and light curing unit had a significant effect on temperature rise due to polymerization and curing unit, respectively.

Good government and good governance: record keeping in a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article addresses the challenges that arise when record keeping systems are advocated as a necessary under-pinning for good government and good governance. The relationship between record keeping and accountability is analysed and contextualised in relation to transparency and Freedom of Information ...

78 FR 23824 - Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-22

... questions, potential participant questions, logistical questions, and conclusion. The total estimated annual burden will be 40 hours. Participants will incur no costs from the data collection and participants will incur no record keeping burden and no record keeping cost from the information collection. Authority: 44...

On the controlled isotropic shrinkage induced fine-tuning of photo-luminescence in terbium ions embedded silica inverse opal films

Science.gov (United States)

Shrivastava, Vishnu Prasad; Kumar, Jitendra; Sivakumar, Sri

2017-12-01

Tb3+ embedded silica inverse opal structures with different photonic stop bands have been fabricated by annealing the SiO2-polystyrene spheres (diameter 390 nm) opal template at 320-650 oC. The PSB tuning realized in the wavelength range 498 - 600 nm is shown to depend on annealing temperature and impending isotropic shrinkage of silica matrix. The impact of wide PSB shift on four Tb3+ ion emission bands (blue, green, yellow, and red at 486, 545, 580, and 620 nm, respectively) corresponding to 5D4→7Fj (j = 6,5,4,3) transitions have been investigated. The effect amounts to significant suppression of emission bands at 586, 545 and 486 nm in inverse opals, obtained by annealing opal template at 350, 400, and 650 oC, respectively. Further, luminescence lifetime of Tb3+ ion 5D4 state increases with shrinkage induced in inverse opal progressively and get enhanced up to 2.3 times vis-à-vis reference silica. The changes in refractive index caused by thermal annealing of opal template is found to be responsible for the observed improvement in 5D4 state lifetime.

4-H Animal Science: Financial Record Keeping Book

OpenAIRE

Callan, Peter L.; Thompson, John; Woodard, Scott; Kastan, Christine

2017-01-01

This document includes six lessons that focus on financial record keeping in relation to raising and caring for livestock. These lessons include activities and objectives ranging from selection of an animal for the project to keeping records of costs of feed, and other expenses. There are lessons which also analysis of data to determine if goals were met, and if the project was profitable.

Kinetic studies of chemical shrinkage and residual stress formation in thermoset epoxy adhesives under confined curing conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Schumann, M.; Geiß, P. L.

2015-05-01

Faultless processing of thermoset polymers in demanding applications requires a profound mastering of the curing kinetics considering both the physico-chemical changes in the transition from the liquid to the solid state and the consolidation of the polymers network in the diffusion controlled curing regime past the gel point. Especially in adhesive joints shrinkage stress occurring at an early state of the curing process under confined conditions is likely to cause defects due to local debonding and thus reduce their strength and durability1. Rheometry is considered the method of choice to investigate the change of elastic and viscous properties in the progress of curing. Drawbacks however relate to experimental challenges in accessing the full range of kinetic parameters of thermoset resins with low initial viscosity from the very beginning of the curing reaction to the post-cure consolidation of the polymer due to the formation of secondary chemical bonds. Therefore the scope of this study was to interrelate rheological data with results from in-situ measurements of the shrinkage stress formation in adhesive joints and with the change of refractive index in the progress of curing. This combination of different methods has shown to be valuable in gaining advanced insight into the kinetics of the curing reaction. The experimental results are based on a multi component thermoset epoxy-amine adhesive.

International Symposium on Fundamental Research on Creep and Shrinkage of Concrete

CERN Document Server

1982-01-01

Today research on creep and shrinkage of concrete is diversified to such a degree that specialists working in different areas sometimes find it difficult to understand one-another. Materials scientists are mainly interested in processes on a microstructural level but they do not necessarily understand the relevance of time dependent deformation in structural design. On the other hand engineers who apply simplified model laws in non-elastic structural analysis are not always in the position to judge the limitations implied in their approach. It is generally realized that further development can be stimulated by a more effective exchange of results and ideas among the different groups involved. In an attempt to bridge this obvious gap in September 1980 there was a Conference organized at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. The papers presented at this meeting covered the wide range starting with microstructural aspects and mechanisms and including constitutive modelling and structural creep analy...

The KEEP Phone Discrimination Test. Technical Report No. 64.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kenneth; And Others

The urban, ethnically Hawaiian child typically experiences great difficulty in learning to read English. In order to determine whether phonological confusion is a source of dialectical interference, the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) Phone Discrimination Test (KPDT) was developed for the one hundred twelve students in the KEEP school…

78 FR 78504 - Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-26

..., logistical questions, and conclusion. The total estimated annual burden will be 15 hours. Participants will incur no costs from the data collection and participants will incur no record keeping burden and no record keeping cost from the information collection. If the Optional Task is funded, we assume a subset...

Benchmarking Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jakic, I.

2016-01-01

One of the main tasks an owner have is to keep its business competitive on the market while delivering its product. Being owner of nuclear power plant bear the same (or even more complex and stern) responsibility due to safety risks and costs. In the past, nuclear power plant managements could (partly) ignore profit or it was simply expected and to some degree assured through the various regulatory processes governing electricity rate design. It is obvious now that, with the deregulation, utility privatization and competitive electricity market, key measure of success used at nuclear power plants must include traditional metrics of successful business (return on investment, earnings and revenue generation) as well as those of plant performance, safety and reliability. In order to analyze business performance of (specific) nuclear power plant, benchmarking, as one of the well-established concept and usual method was used. Domain was conservatively designed, with well-adjusted framework, but results have still limited application due to many differences, gaps and uncertainties. (author).

Occupational Health Record-keeping System (OHRS)

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Veterans Affairs — Occupational Health Record-keeping System (OHRS) is part of the Clinical Information Support System (CISS) portal framework and the initial CISS partner system. OHRS...

KEEP Motivational Research: Strategy and Results. Technical Report #24.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallimore, Ronald; Tharp, Roland G.

This report briefly summarizes the motivation research strategy and results from the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP). The rationale behind KEEP's use of on-task behavior to measure student motivation is discussed and the two strategies of motivation enhancement researched are described. These two strategies were: (1) staff training in…

40 CFR 1068.455 - What records must I keep?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... CONTROLS GENERAL COMPLIANCE PROVISIONS FOR ENGINE PROGRAMS Selective Enforcement Auditing § 1068.455 What records must I keep? (a) We may review your records at any time so it is important to keep required...) If you shipped the engine/equipment for testing, the date you shipped it, the associated storage or...

Improvements in the nuclear power plants - a permanent task for the plant management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langetepe, G.

1991-01-01

The main motives of the operators of nuclear power plants for carrying out backfitting measures are given by the following objectives: (1) to operate the nuclear power plants, older ones too, at a high level of safety, and to keep a lowest possible difference to the respective level of science and technology, (2) to ensure preconditions for a best possible economical operation, also with changing cost structures, (3) to create preconditions for the longest possible operational time. Operational times of more than 40 years have been throught to be realistic. A constant analysis of the operational safety of the whole plant is necessary for laying down the measures for backfitting of the plant. This analysis must also include the valuation of the nuclear safety in accordance with the progressive level of sience and technology. The proccess of backfitting in the German nuclear power plants will be illustrated with the help of several examples. (orig.) [de

Racing to keep up; Aufholjagd

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernreuter, Johannes

2011-10-31

In the summer of 2010, Manz AG presented a turnkey concept for production of thin film modules of copper-indium-gallium diselenide. The producer then had to make amends in view of the dramatic price drop. Thin film modules of micromorphous silicon have problems to keep up.

Why Should Scholars Keep Coming Back to John Dewey?

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Mordechai

2016-01-01

This essay attempts to explain why philosophers, philosophers of education, and scholars of democracy should keep coming back to John Dewey for insights and inspiration on issues related to democracy and education. Mordechai Gordon argues that there are four major reasons that contribute to scholars' need to keep returning to Dewey for inspiration…

Plant stem cell niches.

Science.gov (United States)

Aichinger, Ernst; Kornet, Noortje; Friedrich, Thomas; Laux, Thomas

2012-01-01

Multicellular organisms possess pluripotent stem cells to form new organs, replenish the daily loss of cells, or regenerate organs after injury. Stem cells are maintained in specific environments, the stem cell niches, that provide signals to block differentiation. In plants, stem cell niches are situated in the shoot, root, and vascular meristems-self-perpetuating units of organ formation. Plants' lifelong activity-which, as in the case of trees, can extend over more than a thousand years-requires that a robust regulatory network keep the balance between pluripotent stem cells and differentiating descendants. In this review, we focus on current models in plant stem cell research elaborated during the past two decades, mainly in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We address the roles of mobile signals on transcriptional modules involved in balancing cell fates. In addition, we discuss shared features of and differences between the distinct stem cell niches of Arabidopsis.

Seeing without the Occipito-Parietal Cortex: Simultagnosia as a Shrinkage of the Attentional Visual Field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

François Michel

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Following bi-parietal lesions patient AT showed a severe inability to relocate her attention within a visual field which perimetry proved to be near-normal. An experimental approach with tasks testing visuo-spatial attention demonstrated a shrinkage of A.T.’s attentional visual field. With her visual attention narrowed to a kind of functional tunnel vision, the patient exhibited simultanagnosia (Wolpert, 1924, a symptom previously described in 1909 by Balint under the label of Psychic paralysis of “Gaze”. In striking contrast AT showed an efficient and effortless perception of complex natural scenes, which, according to recent work in normal subjects, necessitate few if any attentional resources.

Gate-keeping in the Age of Information Society

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Kim Normann; Medaglia, Rony; Henriksen, Helle Zinner

’ being reluctant to accept imposed standards and control from central level (top-down) but also avoiding demands from parents (and children) on transparency and accountability (bottom-up). The lack of accessibility of grades on the web can thus be seen as a classical gate-keeping mechanism evolving...... in the age of information society where expectations of end-of-gatekeeping by providing accessibility and transparency using information systems has been outnumbered by classical forces of gate-keeping....

Development of JOYO plant operation management expert tool

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michino, Masanobu; Sawada, Makoto [Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., Oarai, Ibaraki (Japan). Oarai Engineering Center

1995-03-01

Operation and maintenance support systems for JOYO are being developed in order to keep the stable and safe operation of JOYO and to improve operational reliability of future FBR plants. As one of the systems, an operation support system named JOYPET has been developing and applied. The system supports the plant management works of JOYO which are necessary for much manpower and knowledge of the plant. The plant management of JOYO was able to improve its reliability and reduce manpower by using this system. As a final step, a judgment function based on the accumulated plant management rule of JOYO will be developed and applied. The function judges the plant condition which allows to start the maintenance works or not. (author).

Dementia - keeping safe in the home

Science.gov (United States)

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000031.htm Dementia - keeping safe in the home To use the ... make sure the homes of people who have dementia are safe for them. Safety Tips for the ...

About a hypothetical terrorist attack on a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-10-01

After the terrorism attack on the World Trade Center, a record number ( two thirds) of US citizens favour the use of nuclear energy and consider nuclear plants to be safe. At the same time 59% definitely support building more nuclear plants, less than in March during the Californian crisis, but more than earlier., Most american citizens ( 84%) continue to support licence renewal for nuclear plants and 72 % agree with keeping the option open to build new nuclear plants in the future. The strongest supporters are those who have visited a nuclear plant or information centre. (N.C.)

Characterizing and quantifying the shrinkage resistance of alkali-activated (cement-free) concrete and evaluating potential methods for reducing early-age cracking in pavements and bridges.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-12-01

This report summarizes the findings of an experimental investigation into shrinkage, and the mitigation thereof, in alkali-activated : fly ash and slag binders and concrete. The early-age (chemical and autogenous) and later-age (drying and : carbonat...

SU-F-T-43: Prediction of Dose Increments by Brain Metastases Resection Cavity Shrinkage Model with I-125 and Cs-131 LDR Seed Implantations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, D; Braunstein, S; Sneed, P; McDermott, M; Ma, L [University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: This work aims to determine dose variability via a brain metastases resection cavity shrinkage model (RC-SM) with I-125 or Cs-131 LDR seed implantations. Methods: The RC-SM was developed to represent sequential volume changes of 95 consecutive brain metastases patients. All patients underwent serial surveillance MR and change in cavity volume was recorded for each patient. For the initial resection cavity, a prolate-ellipsoid cavity model was suggested and applied volume shrinkage rates to correspond to 1.7, 3.6, 5.9, 11.7, and 20.5 months after craniotomy. Extra-ring structure (6mm) was added on a surface of the resection volume and the same shrinkage rates were applied. Total 31 LDR seeds were evenly distributed on the surface of the resection cavity. The Amersham 6711 I-125 seed model (Oncura, Arlington Heights, IL) and the Model Cs-1 Rev2 Cs-131 seed model (IsoRay, Richland, WA) were used for TG-43U1 dose calculation and in-house-programed 3D-volumetric dose calculation system was used for resection cavity rigid model (RC-RM) and the RC-SM dose calculation. Results: The initial resection cavity volume shrunk to 25±6%, 35±6.8%, 42±7.7%, 47±9.5%, and 60±11.6%, with respect to sequential MR images post craniotomy, and the shrinkage rate (SR) was calculated as SR=56.41Xexp(−0.2024Xt)+33.99 and R-square value was 0.98. The normal brain dose as assessed via the dose to the ring structure with the RC-SM showed 29.34% and 27.95% higher than the RC-RM, I-125 and Cs-131, respectively. The dose differences between I-125 and Cs-131 seeds within the same models, I-125 cases were 9.17% and 10.35% higher than Cs-131 cases, the RC-RM and the RC-SM, respectively. Conclusion: A realistic RC-SM should be considered during LDR brain seed implementation and post-implement planning to prevent potential overdose. The RC-SM calculation shows that Cs-131 is more advantageous in sparing normal brain as the resection cavity volume changes with the LDR seeds implementation.

α-blockade, apoptosis, and prostate shrinkage: how are they related?

Science.gov (United States)

Chłosta, Piotr; Drewa, Tomasz; Kaplan, Steven

2013-01-01

The α1-adrenoreceptor antagonists, such as terazosin and doxazosin, induce prostate programmed cell death (apoptosis) within prostate epithelial and stromal cells in vitro. This treatment should cause prostate volume decrease, However, this has never been observed in clinical conditions. The aim of this paper is to review the disconnect between these two processes. PubMed and DOAJ were searched for papers related to prostate, apoptosis, and stem cell death. The following key words were used: prostate, benign prostate hyperplasia, programmed cell death, apoptosis, cell death, α1-adrenoreceptor antagonist, α-blockade, prostate epithelium, prostate stroma, stem cells, progenitors, and in vitro models. We have shown how discoveries related to stem cells can influence our understanding of α-blockade treatment for BPH patients. Prostate epithelial and mesenchymal compartments have stem (progenitors) and differentiating cells. These compartments are described in relation to experimental in vitro and in vivo settings. Apoptosis is observed within prostate tissue, but this effect has no clinical significance and cannot lead to prostate shrinkage. In part, this is due to stem cells that are responsible for prostate tissue regeneration and are resistant to apoptosis triggered by α1-receptor antagonists.

Slow and steady cell shrinkage reduces osmotic stress in bovine and murine oocyte and zygote vitrification.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, D; Ding, J; Smith, G W; Smith, G D; Takayama, S

2015-01-01

Does the use of a new cryoprotectant agent (CPA) exchange protocol designed to minimize osmotic stress improve oocyte or zygote vitrification by reducing sublethal cryodamage? The use of a new CPA exchange protocol made possible by automated microfluidics improved oocyte and zygote vitrification with superior morphology as indicated by a smoother cell surface, higher sphericity, higher cytoplasmic lipid retention, less cytoplasmic leakage and higher developmental competence compared with conventional methods. The use of more 'steps' of CPA exposure during the vitrification protocol increases cryosurvival and development in the bovine model. However, such an attempt to eliminate osmotic stress is limited by the practicality of performing numerous precise pipetting steps in a short amount of time. Murine meiotically competent germinal vesicle intact oocytes and zygotes were harvested from the antral follicles in ovaries and ampulla, respectively. Bovine ovaries were obtained from a local abattoir at random stages of the estrous cycle. A total of 110 murine oocytes, 802 murine zygotes and 52 bovine oocytes were used in this study. Microfluidic devices were fabricated using conventional photo- and soft-lithography. CPAs used were 7.5% ethylene glycol (EG) and 7.5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for equilibration solution and 15% EG, 15% DMSO and 0.5 M sucrose for vitrification solution. End-point analyses include mathematical modeling using Kedem-Katchalsky equations, morphometrics assessed by conventional and confocal microscopy, cytoplasmic lipid quantification by nile red staining, cytoplasmic leakage quantification by fluorescent dextran intercalation and developmental competence analysis by 96 h embryo culture and blastomere quantification. The automated microfluidics protocol decreased the shrinkage rate of the oocyte and zygote by 13.8 times over its manual pipetting alternative. Oocytes and zygotes with a lower shrinkage rate during CPA exposure experienced less

Remote sensing appraisal of Lake Chad shrinkage connotes severe impacts on green economics and socio-economics of the catchment area.

Science.gov (United States)

Onamuti, Olapeju Y; Okogbue, Emmanuel C; Orimoloye, Israel R

2017-11-01

Lake Chad commonly serves as a major hub of fertile economic activities for the border communities and contributes immensely to the national growth of all the countries that form its boundaries. However, incessant and multi-decadal drying via climate change pose greater threats to this transnational water resource, and adverse effects on ecological sustainability and socio-economic status of the catchment area. Therefore, this study assessed the extent of shrinkage of Lake Chad using remote sensing. Landsat imageries of the lake and its surroundings between 1987 and 2005 were retrieved from Global Land Cover Facility website and analysed using Integrated Land and Water Information System version 3.3 (ILWIS 3.3). Supervised classification of area around the lake was performed into various land use/land cover classes, and the shrunk part of its environs was assessed based on the land cover changes. The shrinkage trend within the study period was also analysed. The lake water size reduced from 1339.018 to 130.686 km 2 (4.08-3.39%) in 1987-2005. The supervised classification of the Landsat imageries revealed an increase in portion of the lake covered by bare ground and sandy soil within the reference years (13 490.8-17 503.10 km 2 ) with 4.98% total range of increase. The lake portion intersected with vegetated ground and soil also reduced within the period (11 046.44-10 078.82 km 2 ) with 5.40% (967.62 km 2 ) total decrease. The shrunk part of the lake covered singly with vegetation increased by 2.74% from 1987 to 2005. The shrunk part of the lake reduced to sand and turbid water showed 5.62% total decrease from 1987 to 2005 and a total decrease of 1805.942 km 2 in area. The study disclosed an appalling rate of shrinkage and damaging influences on the hydrologic potential, eco-sustainability and socio-economics of the drainage area as revealed using ILWIS 3.3.

Mental Health: Keeping Your Emotional Health

Science.gov (United States)

... Basics Sports Safety Injury Rehabilitation Emotional Well-Being Mental Health Sex and Birth Control Sex and Sexuality Birth ... PPD) Home Prevention and Wellness Emotional Well-Being Mental Health Mental Health: Keeping Your Emotional Health Mental Health: ...

A Regular k-Shrinkage Thresholding Operator for the Removal of Mixed Gaussian-Impulse Noise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Han Pan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The removal of mixed Gaussian-impulse noise plays an important role in many areas, such as remote sensing. However, traditional methods may be unaware of promoting the degree of the sparsity adaptively after decomposing into low rank component and sparse component. In this paper, a new problem formulation with regular spectral k-support norm and regular k-support l1 norm is proposed. A unified framework is developed to capture the intrinsic sparsity structure of all two components. To address the resulting problem, an efficient minimization scheme within the framework of accelerated proximal gradient is proposed. This scheme is achieved by alternating regular k-shrinkage thresholding operator. Experimental comparison with the other state-of-the-art methods demonstrates the efficacy of the proposed method.

A cell shrinkage-induced non-selective cation conductance with a novel pharmacology in Ehrlich-Lettre-ascites tumour cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lawonn, Peter; Hoffmann, Else K; Hougaard, Charlotte

2003-01-01

In whole-cell recordings on Ehrlich-Lettre-ascites tumour (ELA) cells, the shrinkage-induced activation of a cation conductance with a selectivity ratio P(Na):P(Li):P(K):P(choline):P(NMDG) of 1.00:0.97:0.88:0.03:0.01 was observed. In order of potency, this conductance was blocked by Gd(3+)=benzam......-sensitive and -insensitive channels. In addition, because of its pharmacological profile, it may possibly be related to epithelial Na+ channels (ENaCs)....

[Changes and significance of peripheral blood platelet count in tumor shrinkage induced by a low dose of CTX in T739 mice].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mo-lin; Jia, Yu-jie; Jiang, Miao-na; Shu, Xiao-hong; Li, Chuan-gang

2008-06-01

To establish a mouse model for BTT739 tumor-bearing mice cured by a low dose of cyclophosphamide (CTX). And then to observe the dynamic changes and significance of peripheral blood counts especially blood platelet count during tumor shrinkage induced by a low dose of CTX in T739 mice. Mouse bladder carcinoma tissues were inoculated subcutaneously into T739 mice. Seven days later, different doses of CTX or the same volume of NS were administered intraperitoneally to treat these tumor-bearing T739 mice. Tumor sizes were observed and recorded subsequently to find out the minimal dose of CTX that could cure most of these tumor-bearing mice. Then another 12 tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into 15 mg/kg CTX treatment group and control group. Blood samples were obtained from orbital venous sinus on different times after CTX treatment. Complete blood counts were performed and the relationship between peripheral blood platelet counts and tumor shrinkage was analyzed. Within 2 weeks after CTX treatment, the speed of tumor shrinkage had a positive relationship with the dose of CTX used; but the survival rate of the tumor-bearing mice had a negative relationship with the dose of CTX used in 2 months after CTX treatment. 15 mg/kg CTX could cure most of the tumor bearing mice, while it had no remarkably inhibitive effects on peripheral blood cells. The perpherial platelet count increased to (1483.4+/-184.4)x10(9)/L in mice 6 h after CTX treatment. There was significant difference compared with that in mice of control group (1086.6+/-81.0)x10(9)/L (P0.05). CTX 15 mg/kg could cure most of bladder tumor-bearing T739 mice. The transient increase of the peripheral platelet count in 6 h after CTX treatment may relate to the antitumor effects of CTX.

Photovoltaic pilot plant of Vulcano (Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menga, P.; Previ, A.

1988-12-31

The rated peak power of the Vulcano plant is about 80 kW. The main feature of the plant lies in its dual operating mode: either stand-alone or grid-connected. The plant, commissioned half-way through 1984, has always worked uninterruptedly and satisfactorily and, for this reason, it is expected to keep on operating in the coming years. Beginning from 1987, it has been considered worth carrying out research on a number of specific points not so far dealt with in sufficient detail in literature, as follows: experimental research on the deterioration, over a period of time, of the characteristics of the modules of the plant; theoretical and experimental research on the plant`s electrochemical storage system. The research on the second of the above subjects has a number of aims: to improve methods of checking the state of charge of batteries in newly-designed photovoltaic plants; to improve the ways in which the Vulcano battery storage system is operated; and to monitor and make a careful diagnosis of the condition of the plant`s battery.

Dose record keeping: a multi purpose tool in individual monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bermann, F.; Julius, H.W.

1993-01-01

Proper recording of radiation doses is an essential part of the process of individual monitoring and shares in the same objective. A dose record keeping system is more than just a computer based data storage system and should rather be a Dose Registration and Information System (DRIS). Objectives of dose record keeping are given. As a result of the integration of member states of the European Communities, co-operation and exchange of personnel between countries will be increasing. This will probably require national dose registration systems and adequate data communication between them. These developments emphasize the necessity for international harmonization of dose record keeping systems and categorization of the data they contain. General characteristics and specific aspects of dose record keeping systems will be dealt with. Attention will also be given to some special applications of the recorded information, such as: the use of data for epidemiological studies and for QA purposes. (authors). 5 tabs., 4 refs

Keeping You Close at a Distance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Torbenfeldt Bengtsson, Tea; Mølholt, Anne-Kirstine

2016-01-01

The integration of ethics into research with young people in vulnerable life situations is an on-going challenge that cannot be solved through predefined guidelines or fixed standards. In this article, we address the ethical predicaments of keeping in contact with young people in vulnerable life ...... the blurriness of what is appropriate could lead to suggestions for more well-defined ethical guidelines, we argue that the best and most ethical way to deal with this ambiguity is to recognize it and actively address it as both a practical and an academic challenge.......The integration of ethics into research with young people in vulnerable life situations is an on-going challenge that cannot be solved through predefined guidelines or fixed standards. In this article, we address the ethical predicaments of keeping in contact with young people in vulnerable life...

Method for keeping equipment and pipeline of nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okubo, Osamu.

1990-01-01

The present invention intends to suppress corrosion of equipments and pipelines in condensate, feedwater and feedwater heater drain systems during operation of a nuclear power plant. That is, condensate, feedwater and drain remained in equipments and pipelines just after the stopping of operation are passed through pipelines comprising only conduits, or they are introduced to a condensator passing through the pipelines and condensate pipes. Further, the remaining droplets on the inner surfaces are evaporated by the remaining heat of the equipments and the pipelines themselves. Then, the equipments and pipelines are isolated from other regions and kept. In view of the above, since condensate, feedwater and water feeder drains are introduced directly to the condensator passing through the conduits in which other equipments such as tanks and pumps are not present and are isolated and kept, corrosion of the equipments and the pipelines is suppressed and radioactive contamination is suppressed from prevailing by way of cruds. (I.S.)

Applying an intelligent model and sensitivity analysis to inspect mass transfer kinetics, shrinkage and crust color changes of deep-fat fried ostrich meat cubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Amiryousefi, Mohammad Reza; Mohebbi, Mohebbat; Khodaiyan, Faramarz

2014-01-01

The objectives of this study were to use image analysis and artificial neural network (ANN) to predict mass transfer kinetics as well as color changes and shrinkage of deep-fat fried ostrich meat cubes. Two generalized feedforward networks were separately developed by using the operation conditions as inputs. Results based on the highest numerical quantities of the correlation coefficients between the experimental versus predicted values, showed proper fitting. Sensitivity analysis results of selected ANNs showed that among the input variables, frying temperature was the most sensitive to moisture content (MC) and fat content (FC) compared to other variables. Sensitivity analysis results of selected ANNs showed that MC and FC were the most sensitive to frying temperature compared to other input variables. Similarly, for the second ANN architecture, microwave power density was the most impressive variable having the maximum influence on both shrinkage percentage and color changes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biphenyl liquid crystalline epoxy resin as a low-shrinkage resin-based dental restorative nanocomposite.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Sheng-Hao; Chen, Rung-Shu; Chang, Yuan-Ling; Chen, Min-Huey; Cheng, Kuo-Chung; Su, Wei-Fang

2012-11-01

Low-shrinkage resin-based photocurable liquid crystalline epoxy nanocomposite has been investigated with regard to its application as a dental restoration material. The nanocomposite consists of an organic matrix and an inorganic reinforcing filler. The organic matrix is made of liquid crystalline biphenyl epoxy resin (BP), an epoxy resin consisting of cyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate (ECH), the photoinitiator 4-octylphenyl phenyliodonium hexafluoroantimonate and the photosensitizer champhorquinone. The inorganic filler is silica nanoparticles (∼70-100 nm). The nanoparticles were modified by an epoxy silane of γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane to be compatible with the organic matrix and to chemically bond with the organic matrix after photo curing. By incorporating the BP liquid crystalline (LC) epoxy resin into conventional ECH epoxy resin, the nanocomposite has improved hardness, flexural modulus, water absorption and coefficient of thermal expansion. Although the incorporation of silica filler may dilute the reinforcing effect of crystalline BP, a high silica filler content (∼42 vol.%) was found to increase the physical and chemical properties of the nanocomposite due to the formation of unique microstructures. The microstructure of nanoparticle embedded layers was observed in the nanocomposite using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. This unique microstructure indicates that the crystalline BP and nanoparticles support each other and result in outstanding mechanical properties. The crystalline BP in the LC epoxy resin-based nanocomposite was partially melted during exothermic photopolymerization, and the resin expanded via an order-to-disorder transition. Thus, the post-gelation shrinkage of the LC epoxy resin-based nanocomposite is greatly reduced, ∼50.6% less than in commercialized methacrylate resin-based composites. This LC epoxy nanocomposite demonstrates good physical and chemical properties and good biocompatibility

Analysis of COMS-1 North-South Station Keeping Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hae-Yeon Kim

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The perturbations caused by the Sun and the Moon are predominantly out-of-plane effects causing a change in the inclination and in the right ascension of ascending node of a geostationary satellite. Due to the change of the inclination, subsatellite latitude of the geostationary satellite has a daily variations of the same magnitude of the inclination. Therefore we need a facility to control the orbital inclination and right ascension of ascending node for maintaining the satellite position in specified subsatellite latitude boundary using thrusters. In this paper we studied North-South station keeping strategies of the COMS-1 such as Track-Back Chord Target (TBCT method, Maximum Compensation Target (MCT method and Minimum Fuel Target (MFT method. We accomplished those North-South station keeping maneuvers for one year starting from December 2008. The required velocity increments to maintain the satellite are estimated as MCT 52.6065m/s, TBCT 52.2383m/s, MFT 51.5428m/s, respectively. We demonstrated that TBCT and MFT methods are proper to North-South station keeping for COMS-1. MFT method showed the minimum required velocity increments whereas TBCT traced narrow inclination boundary area for North-South station keeping.

Art, science, or both? Keeping the care in nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Jasmine, Tayray

2009-12-01

Nursing is widely considered as an art and a science, wherein caring forms the theoretical framework of nursing. Nursing and caring are grounded in a relational understanding, unity, and connection between the professional nurse and the patient. Task-oriented approaches challenge nurses in keeping care in nursing. This challenge is ongoing as professional nurses strive to maintain the concept, art, and act of caring as the moral center of the nursing profession. Keeping the care in nursing involves the application of art and science through theoretical concepts, scientific research, conscious commitment to the art of caring as an identity of nursing, and purposeful efforts to include caring behaviors during each nurse-patient interaction. This article discusses the profession of nursing as an art and a science, and it explores the challenges associated with keeping the care in nursing.

Relative shrinkage of adipocytes by paraffin in proportion to plastic embedding in human adipose tissue before and after weight loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Verhoef, Sanne P M; van Dijk, Paul; Westerterp, Klaas R

2013-01-01

Adipocyte size is a major modulator of endocrine functioning of adipose tissue and methods allowing accurate determination of adipocyte size are important to study energy metabolism. The aim of this study was to assess the relative shrinkage of adipocytes before and after weight loss by comparing adipose tissue from the same subjects embedded in paraffin and plastic. 18 healthy subjects (5 males and 13 females) aged 20-50 y with a BMI of 28-38 kg/m² followed a very low energy diet for 8 weeks. Adipose tissue biopsies were taken prior to and after weight loss and were processed for paraffin and plastic sections. Parameters of adipocyte size were determined with computer image analysis. Mean adipocyte size was smaller in paraffin compared to plastic embedded tissue both before (66 ± 4 vs. 103 ± 5 μm, P paraffin embedded tissue in proportion to plastic embedded tissue was not significantly different before and after weight loss (73 and 69%, respectively). Shrinkage due to the type of embedding of the adipose tissue can be ignored when comparing before and after weight loss. Plastic embedding of adipose tissue provides more accurate and sensitive results. © 2013 Asian Oceanian Association for the Study of Obesity . Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plants Biodiversity of Jobolarangan Forest Mount Lawu: 2. Spermatophyta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SUHAR IRIANTO

2001-07-01

Full Text Available The objectives of the research were to make: (1 a list of Spermatophyte plants at Jobolarangan forest in mount Lawu, and (2 the ecological and the economical benefits of the plants. All Spermatophyte plants on the forest were studied. The research procedures were including species collection in the field, make up herbaria, morphological observations in the laboratory, and interview to residents and government administrations. The results showed that in the forest were found 142 species Spermatophyte plants, in which 126 species of 54 family were identified, consisting of 78 species of herbs, 26 species of bushes, and 21 species of trees. Ecological benefits of the plants were hydrological regulation, keep out landslide and erosions etc., however economical benefits of the plants were log, firewood, charcoal, honey bee, medicinal plants, etc.

Shrinkage-thresholding enhanced born iterative method for solving 2D inverse electromagnetic scattering problem

KAUST Repository

Desmal, Abdulla

2014-07-01

A numerical framework that incorporates recently developed iterative shrinkage thresholding (IST) algorithms within the Born iterative method (BIM) is proposed for solving the two-dimensional inverse electromagnetic scattering problem. IST algorithms minimize a cost function weighted between measurement-data misfit and a zeroth/first-norm penalty term and therefore promote "sharpness" in the solution. Consequently, when applied to domains with sharp variations, discontinuities, or sparse content, the proposed framework is more efficient and accurate than the "classical" BIM that minimizes a cost function with a second-norm penalty term. Indeed, numerical results demonstrate the superiority of the IST-BIM over the classical BIM when they are applied to sparse domains: Permittivity and conductivity profiles recovered using the IST-BIM are sharper and more accurate and converge faster. © 1963-2012 IEEE.

Effect of irradiation type (LED or QTH) on photo-activated composite shrinkage strain kinetics, temperature rise, and hardness.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, Norbert; Hugo, Burkard; Klaiber, Bernd

2002-12-01

This study compares commercially available light-emitting diode (LED) lights with a quartz tungsten halogen (QTH) unit for photo-activating resin-based composites (RBC). Shrinkage strain kinetics and temperature within the RBC were measured simultaneously using the 'deflecting disc technique' and a thermocouple. Surface hardness (Knoop) at the bottom of 1.5-mm thick RBC specimens was measured 24 h after irradiation to indicate degree of cure. Irradiation was performed for 40 s using either the continuous or the ramp-curing mode of a QTH and a LED light (800 mW cm(-2) and 320 mW cm(-2), respectively) or the continuous mode of a lower intensity LED light (160 mW cm(-2)). For Herculite XRV and Filtek Z250 (both containing only camphoroquinone as a photo-initiator) the QTH and the stronger LED light produced similar hardness, while in the case of Definite (containing an additional photo-activator absorbing at lower wavelength) lower hardness was observed after LED irradiation. The temperature rise during polymerization and heating from radiation were lower with LED compared to QTH curing. The fastest increase of polymerization contraction was observed after QTH continuous irradiation, followed by the stronger and the weaker LED light in the continuous mode. Ramp curing decreased contraction speed even more. Shrinkage strain after 60 min was greater following QTH irradiation compared with both LED units (Herculite, Definite) or with the weaker LED light (Z250).

Being@: keep company with electronic evidence!

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kooistra, J.; Hopstaken, Kees

2000-01-01

The title heading this paper Being@ keep company with electronic evedence is referring to an university training on the Internet which is processing insight into how science 'works' (in the active sense of the word) under the articulation of information- and communication technology (ICT) and

Mechanisms of activation of NHE by cell shrinkage and by calyculin A in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Stine Helene Falsig; Varming, Camilla; Hoffmann, E K

2002-01-01

The Na+/H+ exchanger isoforms NHE1, NHE2, and NHE3 were all found to be expressed in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, as evaluated by Western blotting and confocal microscopy. Under unstimulated conditions, NHE1 was found predominantly in the plasma membrane, NHE3 intracellularly, and NHE2 in both co....... It is concluded that shrinkage-induced NHE activation is dependent on PKC and p38 MAPK, but not on MLCK or ERK1/2. NHE activity under both iso- and hypertonic conditions is increased by inhibition of serine/threonine phosphatases, and this effect appears to be PKC-dependent....

The iterative shrinkage method for impulsive noise reduction from images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beygi, Sajjad; Kafashan, Mohammadmehdi; Bahrami, Hamid Reza; Mugler, Dale H

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present a novel scheme to compensate impulsive noise from images using the sparse shrinkage method. In this scheme, we assume the remaining noise after using a simple median filtering in place of corrupted pixels, found by boundary discriminative noise detection method, to be Gaussian additive noise. This assumption will later be verified by the means of simulation. Knowing that the pure image in the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) domain is a sparse vector, we define an optimization problem to minimize the l 0 -norm of the estimated image vector from the noisy one in the DWT domain. l 0 -norm makes the optimization problem a combinatorial optimization problem which is NP-hard to solve. To come up with a solution for our optimization problem, we convert the l 0 -norm problem to a continuous optimization problem which is then solved to find the estimated image with reduced noise. In the simulation and discussion part, the performance of our proposed method in reducing impulsive noise is compared to that of existing methods in the literature. We show that our proposed algorithm generally performs better in terms of both subjective and objective evaluations and is less complex. (paper)

The influence of shrinkage-cracking on the drying behaviour of White Portland cement using Single-Point Imaging (SPI).

Science.gov (United States)

Beyea, S D; Balcom, B J; Bremner, T W; Prado, P J; Cross, A R; Armstrong, R L; Grattan-Bellew, P E

1998-11-01

The removal of water from pores in hardened cement paste smaller than 50 nm results in cracking of the cement matrix due to the tensile stresses induced by drying shrinkage. Cracks in the matrix fundamentally alter the permeability of the material, and therefore directly affect the drying behaviour. Using Single-Point Imaging (SPI), we obtain one-dimensional moisture profiles of hydrated White Portland cement cylinders as a function of drying time. The drying behaviour of White Portland cement, is distinctly different from the drying behaviour of related concrete materials containing aggregates.

Towards station-keeping using GPI controllers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jouffroy, Jerome

In this paper, we propose to use a Generalized Proportional-Integral controller for station-keeping of a ship. For output feedback, this has the advantage of not requiring the use of an asymptotic Luenberger or Kalman observer. After describing the methodology for the simple case of controlling...

The NRPB's new dosimeter and dose record keeping services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dennis, J.A.; Marshall, T.O.; Shaw, K.B.

1976-01-01

A new automated dosimeter and record keeping service which the National Radiological Protection Board (UK) intends to introduce in 1977 is described. The automated system, based on a thermoluminescent dosimeter, will be linked to a fully computerised record keeping system with automatic printing of dose records and Transfer Records operated at its Headquarters at Harwell. The new system will dispense with much manual labour which in the past has introduced inevitable errors and incurred increasing costs. (U.K.)

A nuclear power plant status monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, B.B.; Conradi, L.L.; Weinzimmer, F.

1986-01-01

Power plant operation requires decisions that can affect both the availability of the plant and its compliance with operating guidelines. Taking equipment out of service may affect the ability of the plant to produce power at a certain power level and may also affect the status of the plant with regard to technical specifications. Keeping the plant at a high as possible production level and remaining in compliance with the limiting conditions for operation (LCOs) can dictate a variety of plant operation and maintenance actions and responses. Required actions and responses depend on the actual operational status of a nuclear plant and its attendant systems, trains, and components which is a dynamic situation. This paper discusses an Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research Project, RP 2508, the objective of which is to combine the key features of plant information management systems with systems reliability analysis techniques in order to assist nuclear power plant personnel to perform their functions more efficiently and effectively. An overview of the EPRI Research Project is provided along with a detailed discussion of the design and operation of the PSM portion of the project

Stock keeping unit fill rate specification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teunter, R. H.; Syntetos, A. A.; Babai, M. Z.

2017-01-01

The fill rate is the most widely applied service level measure in industry and yet there is minimal advice available on how it should be differentiated on an individual Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) basis given that there is an overall system target service level. The typical approach utilized in

Age-related changes in neural control of posture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papegaaij, Selma

2016-01-01

As we get older many physiological functions decline, including muscle strength, flexibility, and memory. Also in the aging brain there are changes, such as shrinkage of its volume. Since we need our brain to keep our balance while standing, it seems likely that these changes also affect our balance

World-class outage performance of the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paavola, M.

1998-01-01

The production of the Olkiluoto power plant units covered 17% of the electricity consumption in Finland in 1997; the total share of nuclear energy was 27% of the electricity consumed in the country. Based on Finnish experience, nuclear energy is a safe, environmentally friendly and economic way to produce electricity provided that the plants and their personnel are well taken care of. TVO's policy is to keep the plant units in good condition and technically modern. This requires continuous investments in the plant. In maintenance, attention is paid to monitoring the condition of the plant and to preventive maintenance aiming at avoiding disturbances in production. TVO has chosen continuous development as the operational line develops the plant by annual investments and performs the necessary modifications during planned annual outages trying to avoid long production interruptions. The load factors of the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant have been high. The average load factor during the last decade was over 93%. The most significant single factor in the production deficits is the amount or electricity, which has not been produced because of the annual outages. Due to this, special attention has been paid to the performance of the annual outages. TVO aims at continuous development of the annual outage procedure. A centralized task management system makes it possible to perform simultaneously more tasks than before. The company has also invested in equipment and systems, which ease and speed up servicing. Normal outage length varies between 10 and 16 days. By keeping the plant units as modern as possible and in good condition we facilitate reaching TVO's target, which is also stated in TVO's slogan 'always 40 years lifetime'. (author)

Numerical Study Of The Effects Of Preloading, Axial Loading And Concrete Shrinkage On Reinforced Concrete Elements Strengthened By Concrete Layers And Jackets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lampropoulos, A. P.; Dritsos, S. E.

2008-01-01

In this study, the technique of seismic strengthening existing reinforced concrete columns and beams using additional concrete layers and jackets is examined. The finite element method and the finite element program ATENA is used in this investigation. When a reinforced jacket or layer is being constructed around a column it is already preloaded due to existing service loads. This effect has been examined for different values of the axial load normalized to the strengthened column. The techniques of strengthening with a concrete jacket or a reinforced concrete layer on the compressive side of the column are examined. Another phenomenon that is examined in this study is the shrinkage of the new concrete of an additional layer used to strengthen an existing member. For this investigation, a simply supported beam with an additional reinforced concrete layer on the tensile side is examined. The results demonstrate that the effect of preloading is important when a reinforced concrete layer is being used with shear connectors between the old and the new reinforcement. It was also found that the shrinkage of the new concrete reduces the strength of the strengthened beam and induces an initial sliding between the old and the new concrete

30 CFR 250.401 - What must I do to keep wells under control?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What must I do to keep wells under control? 250... General Requirements § 250.401 What must I do to keep wells under control? You must take necessary precautions to keep wells under control at all times. You must: (a) Use the best available and safest drilling...

Swelling/shrinkage of compacted and natural clayey soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowamooz, H.

2007-12-01

This thesis presents an experimental study performed on compacted loose and natural dense expansive soils using osmotic odometers. Several successive cycles were applied under three different low constant vertical net stresses. The loose soil presents a significant shrinkage accumulation while the dense one produces the swelling accumulation during the suction cycles. The suction cycles induced an equilibrium stage which indicates an elastic behaviour of the samples. At the end of suction cycles, a loading/unloading test was performed at the constant suctions for both materials. The mechanical parameters, i.e. the virgin compression index lambda(s), the apparent pre-consolidation stress p0(s) and the elastic compression index values lambda are completely dependent on the followed stress paths. The whole experimental results made it possible to define the yielding surfaces: suction limit between micro and macrostructure (Lm/M), loading collapse (LC) and saturation curve (SCS). The suction limit (Lm/M) depends completely to the soil fabrics and to the diameter separating the micro- and macrostructure. The pre-consolidation stress variation with suction is represented by the LC surface. The compression curves at different imposed suctions converge towards the saturated state for the high applied vertical stresses. We consider the saturation pressure (Psat) as the necessary pressure to reach the saturated state for an imposed suction. The higher the suction, the higher the saturation pressure. The yielding surface representing this pressure as a function of suction is called the saturation curve (SCS). Generally we can state that the suction cycles unified the LC and SC surfaces and increased the (Lm/M) up to a higher value. (author)

Effects of Invasive-Plant Management on Nitrogen-Removal Services in Freshwater Tidal Marshes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary Alldred

Full Text Available Establishing relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function is an ongoing endeavor in contemporary ecosystem and community ecology, with important practical implications for conservation and the maintenance of ecosystem services. Removal of invasive plant species to conserve native diversity is a common management objective in many ecosystems, including wetlands. However, substantial changes in plant community composition have the potential to alter sediment characteristics and ecosystem services, including permanent removal of nitrogen from these systems via microbial denitrification. A balanced assessment of costs associated with keeping and removing invasive plants is needed to manage simultaneously for biodiversity and pollution targets. We monitored small-scale removals of Phragmites australis over four years to determine their effects on potential denitrification rates relative to three untreated Phragmites sites and adjacent sites dominated by native Typha angustifolia. Sediment ammonium increased following the removal of vegetation from treated sites, likely as a result of decreases in both plant uptake and nitrification. Denitrification potentials were lower in removal sites relative to untreated Phragmites sites, a pattern that persisted at least two years following removal as native plant species began to re-colonize treated sites. These results suggest the potential for a trade-off between invasive-plant management and nitrogen-removal services. A balanced assessment of costs associated with keeping versus removing invasive plants is needed to adequately manage simultaneously for biodiversity and pollution targets.

Effects of Invasive-Plant Management on Nitrogen-Removal Services in Freshwater Tidal Marshes.

Science.gov (United States)

Alldred, Mary; Baines, Stephen B; Findlay, Stuart

2016-01-01

Establishing relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function is an ongoing endeavor in contemporary ecosystem and community ecology, with important practical implications for conservation and the maintenance of ecosystem services. Removal of invasive plant species to conserve native diversity is a common management objective in many ecosystems, including wetlands. However, substantial changes in plant community composition have the potential to alter sediment characteristics and ecosystem services, including permanent removal of nitrogen from these systems via microbial denitrification. A balanced assessment of costs associated with keeping and removing invasive plants is needed to manage simultaneously for biodiversity and pollution targets. We monitored small-scale removals of Phragmites australis over four years to determine their effects on potential denitrification rates relative to three untreated Phragmites sites and adjacent sites dominated by native Typha angustifolia. Sediment ammonium increased following the removal of vegetation from treated sites, likely as a result of decreases in both plant uptake and nitrification. Denitrification potentials were lower in removal sites relative to untreated Phragmites sites, a pattern that persisted at least two years following removal as native plant species began to re-colonize treated sites. These results suggest the potential for a trade-off between invasive-plant management and nitrogen-removal services. A balanced assessment of costs associated with keeping versus removing invasive plants is needed to adequately manage simultaneously for biodiversity and pollution targets.

Airplane impact on nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eibl, J.

2003-01-01

A short report on investigations of nuclear power plants under airplane attack is given. It concerns the modeling of planes with regard to mass and stiffness, the relevant plane velocity and finally the determination of load-time functions. The necessary analysis of the concrete containment structure is shortly addressed. Finally a proposal for a structure to keep planes from such building structures is discussed. (author)

INTERNATIONAL PEACE-KEEPING OPERATION: A BREACH OF ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mofasony

Observer group activity was resumed after the wars of 1956, 1967 and 1973. .... International peacekeeping examines the theory and practice of peace-keeping .... U.O. Umozurike, Introduction to International Law, Spectrum Law Publishing, ...

Dry fractionation for sustainable production of plant protein concentrates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pelgrom, P.J.M.

2015-01-01

The global demand for protein-rich foods is expected to double in the coming decades due to the increasing prosperity and world population. To keep up with the demand, the transition from an animal to a plant-based protein supply is desirable from long-term economic and environmental

Keep the best of your life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stultiens, Andrea

Keep the Best of Your Life (for the Rest of Your Life) is part Making Oneself ‘a twofold exhibition of both historical investigations and contemporary showcases of photo studio practises in South and Southeast Asia and Uganda.’ ‘Making Oneself’ was one exhibitions of the Noorderlicht Photo festival

40 CFR 63.1456 - What records must I keep and how long must I keep my records?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... following the date of each occurrence, measurement, maintenance, corrective action, report, or record. (d..., maintenance, corrective action, report, or record, according to § 63.10(b)(1). You can keep the records off... bag leak detection system. (ii) Description of the corrective actions taken following each bag leak...

Future perspectives of in vitro culture and plant breeding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kuligowska, Katarzyna; Lütken, Henrik Vlk; Hegelund, Josefine Nymark

2015-01-01

Conventional breeding and plant improvement increasingly become inadequate to keep up with progression and high quality demands. Thus biotechnological techniques are more and more adopted. Initially, biotechnological tools have supported conventional breeding by in vitro culture techniques......, comprising micropropagation, speeding up multiplication and improving uniformity. Also, crossing barriers of incompatible plants have been overcome using in vitro methods and embryo rescue techniques in wide hybridization approaches. Marker-assisted breeding is employed for targeted selection of DNA...... fragments from parental plants in respect to identification of desired characteristics in offspring or among hybrid plants. Phylogeny-assisted breeding and knowledge about genetic relationships support the ability to develop new hybrids. Finally, chemical and radiation induced mutagenesis are established...

Effect of water-to-cement ratio and curing method on the strength, shrinkage and slump of the biosand filter concrete body.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Nicole; Young-Rojanschi, Candice; Li, Simon

2018-03-01

The biosand filter is a household-level water treatment technology used globally in low-resource settings. As of December 2016, over 900,000 biosand filters had been implemented in 60 countries around the world. Local, decentralized production is one of the main advantages of this technology, but it also creates challenges, especially in regards to quality control. Using the current recommended proportions for the biosand filter concrete mix, slump was measured at water-to-cement ratios of 0.51, 0.64 and 0.76, with two replicates for each level. Twenty-eight-day strength was tested on four replicate cylinders, each at water-to-cement ratios of 0.51, 0.59, 0.67 and 0.76. Wet curing and dry curing were compared for 28-day strength and for their effect on shrinkage. Maximum strength occurred at water-to-cement ratios of 0.51-0.59, equivalent to 8-9.3 L water for a full-scale filter assuming saturated media, corresponding to a slump class of S1 (10-40 mm). Wet curing significantly improved strength of the concrete mix and reduced shrinkage. Quality control measures such as the slump test can significantly improve the quality within decentralized production of biosand filters, despite localized differences in production conditions.

Quantitative analysis of tumor shrinkage due to chemotherapy and its implication for radiation treatment planning in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia, Bing; Wang, Jia-Zhou; Liu, Qi; Cheng, Jing-Yi; Zhu, Zheng-Fei; Fu, Xiao-Long

2013-01-01

The optimal timing of chemoradiotherapy in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) hasn’t been established, although evidence from studies supported that patients can benefit from early radiation therapy. The purpose of this study was to quantify tumor shrinkage in response to induction chemotherapy (IC), evaluate the impact of tumor shrinkage on radiation dosimetric parameters and determine its implication for the timing of radiation therapy for patients with LS-SCLC. Twenty patients with LS-SCLC who were treated with IC followed by concomitant radiation therapy were investigated retrospectively. Ten patients received 1 cycle of IC, and 10 patients received 2 cycles of IC. Pre-IC CT imaging was coregistered with a simulation CT, and virtual radiation plans were created for pre- and post-IC thoracic disease in each case. The changes in the gross target volume (GTV), planning target volume (PTV) and dosimetric factors associated with the lungs, esophagus and heart were analyzed. The mean GTV and PTV for all of the patients decreased by 60.9% and 40.2%, respectively, which resulted in a significant reduction in the radiation exposure to the lungs, esophagus and heart. Changes in the PTV and radiation exposure of normal tissue were not significantly affected by the number of chemotherapy cycles delivered, although patients who received 2 cycles of IC had a greater decrease in GTV than those who received only 1 cycle of IC (69.6% vs. 52.1%, p = 0.273). Our data showed that targeting the tumor post-IC may reduce the radiation dose to normal tissue in patients with LS-SCLC. However, the benefit to the normal tissue was not increased by an additional cycle of IC. These findings suggest that the first cycle of chemotherapy is very important for tumor shrinkage and that initiating thoracic radiation therapy at the second cycle of chemotherapy may be a reasonable strategy for timing of radiation therapy in LS-SCLC treatment

Influence of Surface Abrasion on Creep and Shrinkage of Railway Prestressed Concrete Sleepers

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Dan; Ngamkhanong, Chayut; Kaewunruen, Sakdirat

2017-10-01

Ballasted railway track is very suitable for heavy-rail networks because of its many superior advantages in design, construction, short- and long-term maintenance, sustainability, and life-cycle cost. The sleeper, which supports rail and distributes loads from rail to ballast, is a very important component of rail track system. Prestressed concrete is very popular used in manufacturing sleepers. Therefore, improved knowledge about design techniques for prestressed concrete (PC) sleepers has been developed. However, the ballast angularity causes differential abrasions on the soffit or bottom surface of sleepers. Furthermore, in sharp curves and rapid gradient change, longitudinal and lateral dynamics of rails increase the likelihood of abrasions in concrete sleepers. This paper presents a comparative investigation using a variety of methods to evaluate creep and shrinkage effects in railway prestressed concrete sleepers. The outcome of this study will improve the material design, which is very critical to the durability of railway track components.

Primary water chemistry improvement for radiation exposure reduction at Japanese PWR Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishizawa, Eiichi [Omiya Technical Institute, Saitama-ken (Japan)

1995-03-01

Radiation exposure during the refueling outages at Japanese Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Plants has been gradually decreased through continuous efforts keeping the radiation dose rates at relatively low level. The improvement of primary water chemistry in respect to reduction of the radiation sources appears as one of the most important contributions to the achieved results and can be classified by the plant operation conditions as follows

Social and cognitive factors associated with children's secret-keeping for a parent.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Heidi M; Lyon, Thomas D; Lee, Kang

2014-01-01

This study examined children's secret-keeping for a parent and its relation to trust, theory of mind, secrecy endorsement, and executive functioning (EF). Children (N = 107) between 4 and 12 years of age participated in a procedure wherein parents broke a toy and asked children to promise secrecy. Responses to open-ended and direct questions were examined. Overall, secret-keeping increased with age and promising to keep the secret was related to fewer disclosures in open-ended questioning. Children who kept the secret in direct questioning exhibited greater trust and better parental ratings of EF than children who disclosed the secret. Findings highlight the importance of both social and cognitive factors in secret-keeping development. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Web Tools: Keeping Learners on Pace

Science.gov (United States)

Kosloski, Mickey

2016-01-01

One of the greatest challenges in teaching technology and engineering is pacing. Some students grasp new technological concepts quickly, while others need repetition and may struggle to keep pace. This poses an obstacle for the technology and engineering teacher, and is particularly true when teaching students to build a website. However, there…

The effect of clay amendment on substrate properties and growth of woody plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomáš Meisl

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This work deals with the effect of two clay products differing in particle size distribution on properties of growing substrate and on growth of containerized woody plants in substrates amended with these clay products. Fine and coarse clay were added to a peat substrate, each at two rates. The peat substrate without clay was used as a control. The substrates were tested in experiments with two woody ornamentals (Thuja occidentalis ’Smaragd’ and Prunus cistena. Chemical and physical properties of the substrates were measured according to European Standards before planting. Proportion of water categories differing in availability to the plants were calculated from retention curves measured on the sand box. Properties of substrates in containers with and without plants were evaluated in the same way at the end of the culture. Clay addition changed chemical and physical properties of the tested substrates in terms: available nutrients content, particle density, bulk density, total pore volume, easy available water, water buffering capacity, air capacity, and shrinkage. The effect of fine clay was much stronger. In comparison with the clear effect of clay addition on the substrate chemical and physical properties, the effect on the growth and quality of model woody plants was not so explicit.

Hydroelectric Power Plants Dobsina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majercak, V.; Srenkelova, Z.; Kristak, J.G.

1997-01-01

In this brochure the Hydroelectric Power Plants Dobsina, (VED), subsidiary of the utility Slovenske Elektrarne, a.s. (Slovak Electric, plc. Bratislava) are presented. VED is mainly aimed at generating peak-load electrical energy and maintenance of operational equipment. Reaching its goals, company is first of all focused on reliability of production, economy and effectiveness, keeping principles of work safety and industry safety standards and also ecology. VED operates eight hydroelectric power plants, from which PVE Ruzin I and PVE Dobsina I are pump storage ones and they are controlled directly by the Slovak Energy Dispatch Centre located in Zilina thought the system LS 3200. Those power plants participate in secondary regulation of electrical network of Slovakia. They are used to compensate balance in reference to foreign electrical networks and they are put into operation independently from VED. Activity of the branch is focused mainly on support of fulfilment of such an important aim as electric network regulation. Beginnings of the subsidiary Hydroelectric Power Plants Dobsina are related to the year of 1948. After commissioning of the pump storage Hydroelectric Power Plants Dobsina in 1953, the plant started to carry out its mission. Since that time the subsidiary has been enlarged by other seven power plants, through which it is fulfilling its missions nowadays. The characteristics of these hydroelectric power plants (The pump-storage power plant Dobsina, Small hydroelectric power plant Dobsina II, Small hydroelectric power plant Rakovec, Small hydroelectric power plant Svedlar, Hydroelectric power plant Domasa, The pump-storage power plant Ruzin, and Small hydroelectric power plant Krompachy) are described in detail. Employees welfare and public relations are presented

Longitudinal Associations between Keeping a Secret and Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescence

Science.gov (United States)

Frijns, Tom; Finkenauer, Catrin

2009-01-01

Increasing bodies of evidence suggest that keeping secrets may be detrimental to well-being and adjustment, whereas confiding secrets may alleviate the detriments of secrecy and benefit well-being and adjustment. However, few studies have addressed the consequences of keeping and confiding secrets simultaneously, and even fewer have done so…

A simple beam model to analyse the durability of adhesively bonded tile floorings in presence of shrinkage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. de Miranda

2014-07-01

Full Text Available A simple beam model for the evaluation of tile debonding due to substrate shrinkage is presented. The tile-adhesive-substrate package is modeled as an Euler-Bernoulli beam laying on a two-layer elastic foundation. An effective discrete model for inter-tile grouting is introduced with the aim of modelling workmanship defects due to partial filled groutings. The model is validated using the results of a 2D FE model. Different defect configurations and adhesive typologies are analysed, focusing the attention on the prediction of normal stresses in the adhesive layer under the assumption of Mode I failure of the adhesive.

Blood Pressure Matters: Keep Hypertension in Check

Science.gov (United States)

... 2016 Print this issue Blood Pressure Matters Keep Hypertension in Check En español Send us your comments ... 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure, but many don’t realize it. High blood ...

A Remote Social Robot to Motivate and Support Diabetic Children in Keeping a Diary

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Drift, E.J.G. van der; Looije, R.; Blanson Henkemans, O.A.; Neerincx, M.A.

2014-01-01

Children with diabetes can benefit from keeping a diary, but seldom keep one. Within the European ALIZ-E project a robot companion is being developed that, among other things, will be able to support and motivate diabetic children to keep a diary. This paper discusses the study of a robot supporting

A remote social robot to motivate and support diabetic children in keeping a diary

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Der Drift, Esther J G; Beun, Robbert Jan; Looije, Rosemarijn; Henkemans, Oliver A Blanson; Neerincx, Mark A.

2014-01-01

Children with diabetes can benefit from keeping a diary, but seldom keep one. Within the European ALIZ-E project a robot companion is being developed that, among other things, will be able to support and motivate diabetic children to keep a diary. This paper discusses the study of a robot supporting

N.R.P.B.'s new record-keeping service and thermoluminescent dosemeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dennis, J.A.; Marshall, T.O.; Shaw, K.B.; Kendall, G.M.

1977-01-01

With the approval of the Health and Safety Executive the National Radiological Protection Board is introducing a radiation dose record keeping service in association with a thermoluminescent dosimeter. This service will relieve employers of the responsibility for maintaining and keeping dose records. Both the record keeping and dosimeter systems are described, including the documents which will be produced for employers. The thermoluminescent dosimeter is more accurate and less sensitive to environmental factors than the film dosimeter, which it replaces. It also reduces the consumption of materials and, with automated processing, is labour saving. (author)

KEEP Language Research Strategy. Technical Report #14.

Science.gov (United States)

Tharp, Roland G.; Gallimore, Ronald

This paper outlines the strategies of Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) language research, and briefly reviews the findings through Spring 1974. A major research emphasis has been placed on the assessment of Standard English comptence of Hawaii school children. (CM)

Social and cognitive factors associated with children’s secret-keeping for a parent

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Heidi M.; Lyon, Thomas D.; Lee, Kang

2014-01-01

This study examined children’s secret-keeping for a parent and its relationship to trust, theory of mind, secrecy endorsement, and executive functioning (EF). Children (N = 107) between 4 and 12 years of age participated in a procedure wherein parents broke a toy and asked children to promise secrecy. Responses to open-ended and direct questions were examined. Overall, secret-keeping increased with age and promising to keep the secret was related to fewer disclosures in open-ended questioning. Children who kept the secret in direct questioning exhibited greater trust and better parental ratings of EF than children who disclosed the secret. Findings highlight the importance of both social and cognitive factors in secret-keeping development. PMID:25291258

NRPB TLD and dose record keeping service - further progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenslade, E.

1979-01-01

Various aspects of the National Radiological Protection Board's service are described. An increasing number of UK employers are transferring from film monitors, and record keeping is now provided for both large and small groups of workers. Data entry directly from punched cards prepared by the larger employers has reduced initial costs and therefore carries a reduced registration fee for these users. Computerized dose record keeping allows automatic retrieval of cumulative dose information from any NRPB record of previous employment, thus safeguarding itinerant workers. Warning Dose Reports are issued automatically when cumulative dose totals reach or exceed 60% of a limit, or when a dose rate greater than 0.1 rem per 4 weeks is recorded. Flexibility in wearing period results in dosemeter economy and reduces laboratory work load. High recorded doses can be checked by UV stimulation of both disks to confirm the accuracy of the previous measurement. Employers are provided with a comprehensive and accurate monitoring package, fulfilling HSE requirements and exempting employers from their former responsibility to keep their own comprehensive records. (UK)

Aspects of nuclear safety at power plants and fuel cycle plants in the USSR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozlov, N.I.; Efimov, E.; Dubovskij, B.G.; Dikarev, V.; Lyubchenko, V.; Kruglov, A.K.

1977-01-01

The paper discusses the problems of organizing inspection monitoring of power plants including the development of some regulations and norms and the interaction between the USSR State Nuclear Safety Organization, scientific and designing organizations and power plants. The principles of computer use to work out advice for operational staff and warning signals and commands for the reactor control and protection system are discussed. Some attention is turned to the importance of using high-speed computers to calculate prompt reactivity values and to determine impurity concentrations in the coolant and margins to permissible operational limits. In particular, reactimeters are considered as signal generators in monitor and protection systems. Some problems of nuclear safety inspection, the issue and inculcation of some regulations and operational documents on nuclear safety, and instrumentation of plants reprocessing or processing fuel elements are presented. Methods of determining the critical parameters of technological units are described, together with the fundamental principles of fuel cycle plant nuclear safety, providing margin coefficients, accounting for deviations from the normal operational process and other problems, as well as methods of keeping the restrictions on nuclear safety requirements at fuel cycle plants. (author)

Periodic Safety Review of Tendon Pre-stress of Concrete Containment Building for a CA U-Type clear Power Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joo, Kwang Ho; Lim, Woo Sang [Korea Hydro and clear Power Co., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2009-10-15

Generally, as the tendon pre-stress of concrete containment buildings at nuclear power plants decreases as time passes due to the concrete creep, concrete shrinkage and the relaxation of tendon strands, the tendon pre-stress must secure the structural integrity of these buildings by maintaining its value higher than that of the designed pre-stress during the overall service life of the nuclear power plants. Moreover, if necessary, the degree of tendon pre-stress must also guarantee the structural integrity of concrete containment buildings over their lifetimes. This paper evaluated the changes in the tendon pre-stress of a concrete containment building subject to time-limited aging as an item in a periodic safety review (PSR) of Wolsong unit 1, a CANDU-type nuclear power plant to ensure that the structural integrity can be maintained until the next PSR period after the designed lifetime.

Waste Immobilisation Plant (WIP), Trombay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaushik, C.P.; Agarwal, K.

2017-01-01

Waste Immobilization Plant (WIP), Trombay is designed and constructed for the management of radioactive liquid wastes generated during reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel from research reactors at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. In common with such facilities elsewhere, the objective here is to manage the wastes in such a way as to protect human health and the environment and to limit any burden on future generations. The plant has several facilities for the handling and treatment of the three classes of waste, viz., high, intermediate and low level, a classification based on their radioactivity content. In keeping with the general objective of radioactive waste management, the focus is on concentration and confinement of radioactivity. Strict adherence to the universal principles of radiation protection during operation of the plant ensures that radiation exposure is always kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) under the prescribed limits

Virtual Power Plants of Electric Vehicles in Sustainable Smart Electricity Markets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.T. Kahlen (Micha)

2017-01-01

markdownabstractThe batteries of electric vehicles can be used as Virtual Power Plants to balance out frequency deviations in the electricity grid. Carsharing fleet owners have the options to charge an electric vehicle's battery, discharge an electric vehicle's battery, or keep an electric vehicle

Model for incorporating fuel swelling and clad shrinkage effects in diffusion theory calculations (LWBR Development Program)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schick, W.C. Jr.; Milani, S.; Duncombe, E.

1980-03-01

A model has been devised for incorporating into the thermal feedback procedure of the PDQ few-group diffusion theory computer program the explicit calculation of depletion and temperature dependent fuel-rod shrinkage and swelling at each mesh point. The model determines the effect on reactivity of the change in hydrogen concentration caused by the variation in coolant channel area as the rods contract and expand. The calculation of fuel temperature, and hence of Doppler-broadened cross sections, is improved by correcting the heat transfer coefficient of the fuel-clad gap for the effects of clad creep, fuel densification and swelling, and release of fission-product gases into the gap. An approximate calculation of clad stress is also included in the model

Contração volumétrica e forma dos frutos de mamona durante a secagem = Shape and shrinkage of the castor bean fruit during the drying process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Luís Duarte Goneli

2011-01-01

Full Text Available O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da variação do teor de água na contração volumétrica, dimensões características e forma dos frutos de mamona durante a secagem. Foram utilizados frutos colhidos com teor de água de 2,50 (b.s., secos à temperatura de 40ºC até o teor final de 0,11 (b.s.. O tamanho dos frutos foi determinadopor meio da variação do volume e a forma foi analisada pela esfericidade e circularidade. A contração volumétrica dos frutos foi determinada pela relação entre o volume em cada teor de água e o volume inicial. Com base nos resultados, concluiu-se que a forma dos frutos de mamona é influenciada pela redução do teor de água, promovendo redução da esfericidade e circularidade. As dimensões características (comprimento, largura e espessura e o diâmetrogeométrico médio dos frutos sofrem redução de suas magnitudes com a redução do teor de água. A redução do teor de água influencia a contração volumétrica unitária e da massa dos frutos de mamona, provocando redução de seus valores em 46,0 e 63,0%, respectivamente.O modelo polinomial, dentre aqueles testados, foi o que melhor representou o fenômeno da contração volumétrica da massa e unitária dos frutos de mamona.The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of moisture content on castor bean fruit shrinkage, dimensional characteristics and shape during drying. Castor bean fruits were harvested with 2.50 (d.b. moisture content and dried at 40°C up to final moisturecontent of 0.11 (d.b.. The size of the fruits was determined according to the shrinkage rate and the shape analyzed through the sphericity and circularity method. Castor fruit shrinkage was determined by the ratio between its volume with respective moisture content and its initial volume. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the shape castor bean fruits is influenced by reduction in moisture content promoting the sphericity and

Replacement of glass particles by multidirectional short glass fibers in experimental composites: Effects on degree of conversion, mechanical properties and polymerization shrinkage.

Science.gov (United States)

Bocalon, Anne C E; Mita, Daniela; Narumyia, Isabela; Shouha, Paul; Xavier, Tathy A; Braga, Roberto Ruggiero

2016-09-01

To test the null hypothesis that the replacement of a small fraction of glass particles with random short glass fibers does not affect degree of conversion (DC), flexural strength (FS), fracture toughness (FT) and post-gel polymerization shrinkage (PS) of experimental composites. Four experimental photocurable composites containing 1 BisGMA:1 TEGDMA (by weight) and 60vol% of fillers were prepared. The reinforcing phase was constituted by barium glass particles (2μm) and 0%, 2.5%, 5.0% or 7.5% of silanated glass fibers (1.4mm in length, 7-13μm in diameter). DC (n=4) was obtained using near-FTIR. FS (n=10) was calculated via biaxial flexural test and FT (n=10) used the "single edge notched beam" method. PS at 5min (n=8) was determined using the strain gage method. Data were analyzed by ANOVA/Tukey test (DC, FS, PS) or Kruskal-Wallis/Dunn's test (FT, alpha: 5% for both tests). DC was similar among groups (p>0.05). Only the composite containing 5.0% of fibers presented lower FS than the control (pglass fibers significantly increased fracture toughness and reduced post-gel shrinkage of experimental composites. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

LASL computerized quality assurance record-keeping system for analytical chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahlby, J.W.; Phillips, J.R.

1976-06-01

Research programs requiring quality assurance surveillance, certification procedures, and associated record keeping have increased markedly at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. A computer-based system, accessible through time-sharing terminals, performs many routine operations, including continued records updating for equipment calibration, personnel certification, quality assurance procedure listings, and controlled-document distribution lists. The system described has operated successfully for more than a year, resulting in a significant savings in man-hours required to keep quality assurance records

Fuzzy control applied to nuclear power plant pressurizer system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, Mauro V.; Almeida, Jose C.S.

2011-01-01

In a pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plants (NPPs) the pressure control in the primary loop is very important for keeping the reactor in a safety condition and improve the generation process efficiency. The main component responsible for this task is the pressurizer. The pressurizer pressure control system (PPCS) utilizes heaters and spray valves to maintain the pressure within an operating band during steady state conditions, and limits the pressure changes, during transient conditions. Relief and safety valves provide overpressure protection for the reactor coolant system (RCS) to ensure system integrity. Various protective reactor trips are generated if the system parameters exceed safe bounds. Historically, a proportional-integral derivative (PID) controller is used in PWRs to keep the pressure in the set point, during those operation conditions. The purpose of this study has two main goals: first is to develop a pressurizer model based on artificial neural networks (ANNs); second is to develop a fuzzy controller for the PWR pressurizer pressure, and compare its performance with the P controller. Data from a simulator PWR plant was used to test the ANN and the controllers as well. The reference simulator is a Westinghouse 3-loop PWR plant with a total thermal output of 2785 MWth. The simulation results show that the pressurizer ANN model response are in reasonable agreement with the simulated power plant, and the fuzzy controller built in this study has better performance compared to the P controller. (author)

Fuzzy control applied to nuclear power plant pressurizer system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Mauro V.; Almeida, Jose C.S., E-mail: mvitor@ien.gov.b, E-mail: jcsa@ien.gov.b [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2011-07-01

In a pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plants (NPPs) the pressure control in the primary loop is very important for keeping the reactor in a safety condition and improve the generation process efficiency. The main component responsible for this task is the pressurizer. The pressurizer pressure control system (PPCS) utilizes heaters and spray valves to maintain the pressure within an operating band during steady state conditions, and limits the pressure changes, during transient conditions. Relief and safety valves provide overpressure protection for the reactor coolant system (RCS) to ensure system integrity. Various protective reactor trips are generated if the system parameters exceed safe bounds. Historically, a proportional-integral derivative (PID) controller is used in PWRs to keep the pressure in the set point, during those operation conditions. The purpose of this study has two main goals: first is to develop a pressurizer model based on artificial neural networks (ANNs); second is to develop a fuzzy controller for the PWR pressurizer pressure, and compare its performance with the P controller. Data from a simulator PWR plant was used to test the ANN and the controllers as well. The reference simulator is a Westinghouse 3-loop PWR plant with a total thermal output of 2785 MWth. The simulation results show that the pressurizer ANN model response are in reasonable agreement with the simulated power plant, and the fuzzy controller built in this study has better performance compared to the P controller. (author)

Effect of Nanosilica Particle Size on the Water Permeability, Abrasion Resistance, Drying Shrinkage, and Repair Work Properties of Cement Mortar Containing Nano-SiO2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sattawat Haruehansapong

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This work presents the effect of nanosilica particle sizes on durability properties and repair work properties of cement mortar containing nanosilica (NS. Three different NS particle sizes of 12, 20, and 40 nm were used and compared with those of cement mortar without NS and cement mortar with silica fume (SF. Interesting results were obtained in which the particle size of NS affected directly the abrasion resistance and water permeability. NS with particle size of 40 nm is the optimum size and gave the highest abrasion resistance and water permeability. For repair work properties, cement mortars containing NS (12 and 20 nm and SF experienced higher drying shrinkage than that of cement mortar without NS and then presented cracking behavior and debonding between the cement mortars and concrete substrate. Cement mortar containing 40 nm of NS gave the lowest drying shrinkage, the lowest crack number, and the highest adhesive strength. These results indicate that the particle size of NS affected not only the durability properties but also the repair work properties of cement mortar.

Fresh-keeping of mushroom by irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Chao; Xu Hongqing; Wang Hong; Cai Jian

2003-01-01

The effect of 60 Co γ irradiation on the preservation of Agaricus bisporus were studied. The results showed that after irradiation the mushroom had lower rates of membrane split, opening of pilei, browning, decomposition and lose of fresh weight. The fresh keeping period of mushroom irradiated with 1.2 kGy and stored at 4 degree C was prolonged to 30 days

Effect of milk temperature during irradiation on total bacterial count and keeping quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabbour, M.M.; Dawod, A.H.; Newigy, N.A.; Wahab, G.A.M.

1989-01-01

Cows' and buffaloes' milk samples were exposed to different doses of gamma radiation (100, 200 and 300 Kr) at 10 and 30°C. Irradiation of milk at 10°C caused more reduction in total bacterial count than that occurred at 30°C. The rate of microbial destruction due to irradiation at 10°C was higher than that occurred at 30°C. The keeping quality was determined daily for 15 days by clot-on-boiling test for samples kept at room temperature and in a refrigerator. The keeping quality recorded for cows' and buffaloes' milk samples in the refrigerator was 4 days, while it was only 1 day at room temperature. Irradiation of milk at 10°C was more effective than irradiation at 30°C, to increase the keeping quality of irradiated milk kept at refrigeration. Irradiation of milk samples at 10°C by 200 Kr increased the keeping quality for two weeks in the refrigerator, i.e. such a treatment increased the keeping quality by 4 folds

MARS, 600 MWth NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cumo, M.; Naviglio, A.; Sorabella, L.

2004-01-01

MARS (Multipurpose Advanced Reactor, inherently Safe) is a 600 MWth, single loop, pressurized light water reactor (PWR), developed at the Dept. of Nuclear Engineering and Energy Conversion of the University of Rome ''La Sapienza''. The design was focused to a multipurpose reactor to be used in high population density areas also for industrial heat production and, in particular, for water desalting. Using the well-proven technology and the operation experience of PWRs, the project introduces a lot of innovative features hugely improving the safety performance while keeping the cost of KWh competitive with traditional large power plants. Extensive use of passive safety, in depth plant simplification and decommissioning oriented design were the guidelines along the design development. The latest development in the plant design, in the decommissioning aspects and in the experimental activities supporting the project are shown in this paper

Fast-slow continuum and reproductive strategies structure plant life-history variation worldwide.

Science.gov (United States)

Salguero-Gómez, Roberto; Jones, Owen R; Jongejans, Eelke; Blomberg, Simon P; Hodgson, David J; Mbeau-Ache, Cyril; Zuidema, Pieter A; de Kroon, Hans; Buckley, Yvonne M

2016-01-05

The identification of patterns in life-history strategies across the tree of life is essential to our prediction of population persistence, extinction, and diversification. Plants exhibit a wide range of patterns of longevity, growth, and reproduction, but the general determinants of this enormous variation in life history are poorly understood. We use demographic data from 418 plant species in the wild, from annual herbs to supercentennial trees, to examine how growth form, habitat, and phylogenetic relationships structure plant life histories and to develop a framework to predict population performance. We show that 55% of the variation in plant life-history strategies is adequately characterized using two independent axes: the fast-slow continuum, including fast-growing, short-lived plant species at one end and slow-growing, long-lived species at the other, and a reproductive strategy axis, with highly reproductive, iteroparous species at one extreme and poorly reproductive, semelparous plants with frequent shrinkage at the other. Our findings remain consistent across major habitats and are minimally affected by plant growth form and phylogenetic ancestry, suggesting that the relative independence of the fast-slow and reproduction strategy axes is general in the plant kingdom. Our findings have similarities with how life-history strategies are structured in mammals, birds, and reptiles. The position of plant species populations in the 2D space produced by both axes predicts their rate of recovery from disturbances and population growth rate. This life-history framework may complement trait-based frameworks on leaf and wood economics; together these frameworks may allow prediction of responses of plants to anthropogenic disturbances and changing environments.

Fluorine emissions of industrial origin. Effect of fluorine on plants and animals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cristiani, H

1927-05-01

Shrinkage and drooping of cress plants and grass, and lesions in dandelion leaves, caused by a 1-hr exposure to fluorine vapors in a test chamber are described. In the vicinity of an aluminum plant, where the electrolyte bath is composed of cryolite, a sodium aluminum fluoride, vegetables and the leaves of fruit trees show signs of burning and great damage can be observed on forest trees. Animals are affected by fluoride through their fodder. Guinea pigs fed plant food exposed to hydrofluoric acid gases develop fluorosis, but with very small concentrations, death may occur only after a year or more. Cows afflicted with this disease due to fodder harvested in fluorine-infested areas show initial symptoms of lameness of one or more legs, stamping by the animal, resting on one leg and then the other, inability to rise, and spontaneous sprains and bone fractures occurring in the stable. After several months, the animal gradually grows thin with a dry, hard hide and eventually dies. Experiments with corpses of animals who died of fluorosis have shown that their bones are more brittle than those of normal healthy animals.

Modeling of delayed strains of concrete under biaxial loadings. Application to the reactor containment of nuclear power plants; Modelisation des deformations differees du beton sous sollicitations biaxiales. application aux enceintes de confinement de batiments reacteurs des centrales nucleaires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benboudjema, F

2002-12-15

The prediction of delayed strains is of crucial importance for durability and long-term serviceability of concrete structures (bridges, containment vessels of nuclear power plants, etc.). Indeed, creep and shrinkage cause cracking, losses of pre-stress and redistribution of stresses, and also, rarely, the ruin of the structure. The objective of this work is to develop numerical tools, able to predict the long-term behavior of concrete structures. Thus, a new hydro mechanical model is developed, including the description of drying, shrinkage, creep and cracking phenomena for concrete as a non-saturated porous medium. The modeling of drying shrinkage is based on an unified approach of creep and shrinkage. Basic and drying creep models are based on relevant chemo-physical mechanisms, which occur at different scales of the cement paste. The basic creep is explicitly related to the micro-diffusion of the adsorbed water between inter-hydrates and intra-hydrates and the capillary pores, and the sliding of the C-S-H gel at the nano-porosity level. The drying creep is induced by the micro-diffusion of the adsorbed water at different scales of the porosity, under the simultaneous effects of drying and mechanical loadings. Drying shrinkage is, therefore, assumed to result from the elastic and delayed response of the solid skeleton, submitted to both capillary and disjoining pressures. Furthermore, the cracking behavior of concrete is described by an orthotropic elastoplastic damage model. The coupling between all these phenomena is performed by using effective stresses which account for both external applied stresses and pore pressures. This model has been incorporated into a finite element code. The analysis of the long-term behavior is also performed on concrete specimens and prestressed concrete structures submitted to simultaneous drying and mechanical loadings. (author)

Integral Indicator of Ecological Footprint for Croatian Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strijov, V.; Granic, G.; Juric, Z.; Jelavic, B.; Antesevic Maricic, S.

2009-01-01

The main goal of this paper is to present the methodology of construction of the Integral Indicator for Croatian Thermal Power Plants and Combined Heat and Power Plants. The Integral Indicator is necessary to compare Power Plants selected according to a certain criterion. The criterion of the Ecological Footprint is chosen. The following features of the Power Plants are used: generated electricity and heat; consumed coal and liquid fuel; sulphur content in fuel; emitted CO 2 , SO 2 , NO x and particles. To construct the Integral Indicator the linear model is used. The model parameters are tuned by the Principal Component Analysis algorithm. The constructed Integral Indicator is compared with several others, such as Pareto-Optimal Slicing Indicator and Metric Indicator. The Integral Indicator keeps as much information about features of the Power Plants as possible; it is simple and robust.(author).

Keeping the golden mean: plant stiffness and anatomy as proximal factors driving endophytic oviposition site selection in a dragonfly.

Science.gov (United States)

Matushkina, Natalia; Lambret, Philippe; Gorb, Stanislav

2016-12-01

Oviposition site selection is a crucial component of habitat selection in dragonflies. The presence of appropriate oviposition plants at breeding waters is considered to be one of the key habitat determinants for species laying eggs endophytically. Thus, Lestes macrostigma, a species which is regarded as threatened in Europe because of its highly disjunct distribution, typically prefers to lay eggs in the sea club rush Bolboschoenus maritimus. However, little is known about how the anatomical and mechanical properties of plant tissues determine the choice of L. macrostigma females. We examined green shoots of six plant species used by L. macrostigma for oviposition, either in the field (actual oviposition plants) or under experimental conditions (potential oviposition plants), to analyse anatomical and mechanical properties of shoots in a framework of known preferences regarding plant substrates for oviposition. As expected, the anatomy of shoots differed between representatives of two plant families, Cyperaceae and Juncaceae, most essentially in the distribution of supporting bundles and the presence of large aeriferous cavities that may affect egg placing within a shoot. The force necessary to puncture the tested plant samples ranged from 360 to 3298 mN, and their local stiffness ranged from 777 to 3363N/m. We show that the shoots of B. maritimus, the plant most preferred by L. macrostigma, have intermediate characteristics regarding both the stiffness and specific anatomical characteristics. The bending stiffness of the ovipositor in L. macrostigma was estimated as 1414N/m, one of the highest values recorded for zygopteran dragonflies so far. The ecological and behavioural implications of plant choice mechanisms in L. macrostigma are discussed in the context of the disjunct distribution of this species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The development of the time-keeping clock with TS-1 single chip microcomputer.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Jiguang; Li, Yongan

The authors have developed a time-keeping clock with Intel 8751 single chip microcomputer that has been successfully used in time-keeping station. The hard-soft ware design and performance of the clock are introduced.

Promises in intelligent plant control systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otaduy, P.J.

1987-01-01

The control system is the brain of a power plant. The traditional goal of control systems has been productivity. However, in nuclear power plants the potential for disaster requires safety to be the dominant concern, and the worldwide political climate demands trustworthiness for nuclear power plants. To keep nuclear generation as a viable option for power in the future, trust is the essential critical goal which encompasses all others. In most of today's nuclear plants the control system is a hybrid of analog, digital, and human components that focuses on productivity and operates under the protective umbrella of an independent engineered safety system. Operation of the plant is complex, and frequent challenges to the safety system occur which impact on their trustworthiness. Advances in nuclear reactor design, computer sciences, and control theory, and in related technological areas such as electronics and communications as well as in data storage, retrieval, display, and analysis have opened a promise for control systems with more acceptable human brain-like capabilities to pursue the required goals. This paper elaborates on the promise of futuristic nuclear power plants with intelligent control systems and addresses design requirements and implementation approaches

Coordination of plant mitochondrial biogenesis: keeping pace with cellular requirements

Science.gov (United States)

Welchen, Elina; García, Lucila; Mansilla, Natanael; Gonzalez, Daniel H.

2014-01-01

Plant mitochondria are complex organelles that carry out numerous metabolic processes related with the generation of energy for cellular functions and the synthesis and degradation of several compounds. Mitochondria are semiautonomous and dynamic organelles changing in shape, number, and composition depending on tissue or developmental stage. The biogenesis of functional mitochondria requires the coordination of genes present both in the nucleus and the organelle. In addition, due to their central role, all processes held inside mitochondria must be finely coordinated with those in other organelles according to cellular demands. Coordination is achieved by transcriptional control of nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins by specific transcription factors that recognize conserved elements in their promoter regions. In turn, the expression of most of these transcription factors is linked to developmental and environmental cues, according to the availability of nutrients, light–dark cycles, and warning signals generated in response to stress conditions. Among the signals impacting in the expression of nuclear genes, retrograde signals that originate inside mitochondria help to adjust mitochondrial biogenesis to organelle demands. Adding more complexity, several nuclear encoded proteins are dual localized to mitochondria and either chloroplasts or the nucleus. Dual targeting might establish a crosstalk between the nucleus and cell organelles to ensure a fine coordination of cellular activities. In this article, we discuss how the different levels of coordination of mitochondrial biogenesis interconnect to optimize the function of the organelle according to both internal and external demands. PMID:24409193

Coordination of plant mitochondrial biogenesis: keeping pace with cellular requirements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elina eWelchen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Plant mitochondria are complex organelles that carry out numerous metabolic processes related with the generation of energy for cellular functions and the synthesis and degradation of several compounds. Mitochondria are semiautonomous and dynamic organelles changing in shape, number and composition depending on tissue or developmental stage. The biogenesis of functional mitochondria requires the coordination of genes present both in the nucleus and the organelle. In addition, due to their central role, all processes held inside mitochondria must be finely coordinated with those in other organelles according to cellular demands. Coordination is achieved by transcriptional control of nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins by specific transcription factors that recognize conserved elements in their promoter regions. In turn, the expression of most of these transcription factors is linked to developmental and environmental cues, according to the availability of nutrients, light-dark cycles and warning signals generated in response to stress conditions. Among the signals impacting in the expression of nuclear genes, retrograde signals that originate inside mitochondria help to adjust mitochondrial biogenesis to organelle demands. Adding more complexity, several nuclear encoded proteins are dual localized to mitochondria and either chloroplasts or the nucleus. Dual targeting might establish a crosstalk between the nucleus and cell organelles to ensure a fine coordination of cellular activities. In this article, we discuss how the different levels of coordination of mitochondrial biogenesis interconnect to optimize the function of the organelle according to both internal and external demands.

Standardized Test Results: KEEP and Control Students. 1975-1976, Technical Report #69.

Science.gov (United States)

Antill, Ellen; Speidel, Gisela E.

This report presents the results of various standardized measures administered to Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) students and control students in the school year 1975-1976. In contrast to previous comparisons, KEEP employed more rigorous procedures for the selection of the control students and for the conditions of test administration.…

Description of the KEEP Reading Curriculum, 1975-76. Technical Report No. 43.

Science.gov (United States)

Au, Kathryn H.

The Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) is a research and development program designed to develop, demonstrate, and disseminate methods for improving the education of Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian children; this report contains a description of the reading curriculum used in the KEEP demonstration school during the 1975-76 school year. The…

30 CFR 210.40 - Will MMS keep the information I provide confidential?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Will MMS keep the information I provide... MINERALS REVENUE MANAGEMENT FORMS AND REPORTS General Provisions § 210.40 Will MMS keep the information I provide confidential? The MMS will treat information obtained under this part as confidential to the...

Acoustical source reconstruction from non-synchronous sequential measurements by Fast Iterative Shrinkage Thresholding Algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Liang; Antoni, Jerome; Leclere, Quentin; Jiang, Weikang

2017-11-01

Acoustical source reconstruction is a typical inverse problem, whose minimum frequency of reconstruction hinges on the size of the array and maximum frequency depends on the spacing distance between the microphones. For the sake of enlarging the frequency of reconstruction and reducing the cost of an acquisition system, Cyclic Projection (CP), a method of sequential measurements without reference, was recently investigated (JSV,2016,372:31-49). In this paper, the Propagation based Fast Iterative Shrinkage Thresholding Algorithm (Propagation-FISTA) is introduced, which improves CP in two aspects: (1) the number of acoustic sources is no longer needed and the only making assumption is that of a "weakly sparse" eigenvalue spectrum; (2) the construction of the spatial basis is much easier and adaptive to practical scenarios of acoustical measurements benefiting from the introduction of propagation based spatial basis. The proposed Propagation-FISTA is first investigated with different simulations and experimental setups and is next illustrated with an industrial case.