Combining a dispersal model with network theory to assess habitat connectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Lookingbill, Todd R; Gardner, Robert H; Ferrari, Joseph R; Keller, Cherry E

2010-03-01

Assessing the potential for threatened species to persist and spread within fragmented landscapes requires the identification of core areas that can sustain resident populations and dispersal corridors that can link these core areas with isolated patches of remnant habitat. We developed a set of GIS tools, simulation methods, and network analysis procedures to assess potential landscape connectivity for the Delmarva fox squirrel (DFS; Sciurus niger cinereus), an endangered species inhabiting forested areas on the Delmarva Peninsula, USA. Information on the DFS's life history and dispersal characteristics, together with data on the composition and configuration of land cover on the peninsula, were used as input data for an individual-based model to simulate dispersal patterns of millions of squirrels. Simulation results were then assessed using methods from graph theory, which quantifies habitat attributes associated with local and global connectivity. Several bottlenecks to dispersal were identified that were not apparent from simple distance-based metrics, highlighting specific locations for landscape conservation, restoration, and/or squirrel translocations. Our approach links simulation models, network analysis, and available field data in an efficient and general manner, making these methods useful and appropriate for assessing the movement dynamics of threatened species within landscapes being altered by human and natural disturbances.

Silicate Dispersion and Mechanical Reinforcement in Polysiloxane/Layered Silicate Nanocomposites

KAUST Repository

Schmidt, Daniel F.

2010-01-12

We report the first in-depth comparison of the mechanical properties and equilibrium solvent uptake of a range of polysiloxane nanocomposites based on treated and untreated montmorillonite and fumed silica nanofillers. We demonstrate the ability of equilibrium solvent uptake data (and, thus, overall physical and chemical cross-link density) to serve as a proxy for modulus (combining rubber elasticity and Flory-Rehner theory), hardness (via the theory of Boussinesq), and elongation at break, despite the nonideal nature of these networks. In contrast, we find that tensile and tear strength are not well-correlated with solvent uptake. Interfacial strength seems to dominate equilibrium solvent uptake and the mechanical properties it predicts. In the montmorillonite systems in particular, this results in the surprising consequence that equilibrium solvent uptake and mechanical properties are independent of dispersion state. We conclude that edge interactions play a more significant role than degree of exfoliation, a result unique in the field of polymer nanocomposites. This demonstrates that even a combination of polymer/nanofiller compatibility and thermodynamically stable nanofiller dispersion levels may not give rise to reinforcement. These findings provide an important caveat when attempting to connect structure and properties in polymer nanocomposites, and useful guidance in the design of optimized polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites in particular. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Simple display system of mechanical properties of cells and their dispersion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuji Shimizu

Full Text Available The mechanical properties of cells are unique indicators of their states and functions. Though, it is difficult to recognize the degrees of mechanical properties, due to small size of the cell and broad distribution of the mechanical properties. Here, we developed a simple virtual reality system for presenting the mechanical properties of cells and their dispersion using a haptic device and a PC. This system simulates atomic force microscopy (AFM nanoindentation experiments for floating cells in virtual environments. An operator can virtually position the AFM spherical probe over a round cell with the haptic handle on the PC monitor and feel the force interaction. The Young's modulus of mesenchymal stem cells and HEK293 cells in the floating state was measured by AFM. The distribution of the Young's modulus of these cells was broad, and the distribution complied with a log-normal pattern. To represent the mechanical properties together with the cell variance, we used log-normal distribution-dependent random number determined by the mode and variance values of the Young's modulus of these cells. The represented Young's modulus was determined for each touching event of the probe surface and the cell object, and the haptic device-generating force was calculated using a Hertz model corresponding to the indentation depth and the fixed Young's modulus value. Using this system, we can feel the mechanical properties and their dispersion in each cell type in real time. This system will help us not only recognize the degrees of mechanical properties of diverse cells but also share them with others.

An airborne dispersion/dose assessment computer program. Phase 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, C.K.; Kennedy, E.R.; Hughs, R.

1991-05-01

The Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) staff have a need for an airborne dispersion-dose assessment computer programme for a microcomputer. The programme must be capable of analyzing the dispersion of both radioactive and non-radioactive materials. A further requirement of the programme is that it be implemented on the AECB complex of microcomputers and that it have an advanced graphical user interface. A survey of computer programs was conducted to determine which, if any, could meet the AECB's requirements in whole or in part. Ten programmes were selected for detailed review including programs for nuclear and non-radiological emergencies. None of the available programmes for radiation dose assessment meets all the requirements for reasons of user interaction, method of source term estimation or site specificity. It is concluded that the best option for meeting the AECB requirements is to adopt the CAMEO programme (specifically the ALOHA portion) which has a superior graphical user interface and add the necessary models for radiation dose assessment

Characterisation of dispersion mechanisms in an urban catchment using a deterministic spatially distributed direct hydrograph travel time model

Science.gov (United States)

Rossel, F.; Gironas, J. A.

2012-12-01

The link between stream network structure and hydrologic response for natural basins has been extensively studied. It is well known that stream network organization and flow dynamics in the reaches combine to shape the hydrologic response of natural basins. Geomorphologic dispersion and hydrodynamic dispersion along with hillslope processes control to a large extent the overall variance of the hydrograph, particularly under the assumption of constant celerity throughout the basin. In addition, a third mechanism referred as to kinematic dispersion becomes relevant when considering spatial variations of celerity. On contrary, the link between the drainage network structure and overall urban terrain, and the hydrologic response in urban catchments has been much less studied. In particular, the characterization of the different dispersion mechanisms within urban areas remains to be better understood. In such areas artificial elements are expected to contribute to the total dispersion due to the variety of geometries and the spatial distribution of imperviousness. This work quantifies the different dispersion mechanisms in an urban catchment, focusing on their relevance and the spatial scales involved. For this purpose we use the Urban Morpho-climatic Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph model, a deterministic spatially distributed direct hydrograph travel time model, which computes travel times in hillslope, pipe, street and channel cells using formulations derived from kinematic wave theory. The model was applied to the Aubeniere catchment, located in Nantes, France. Unlike stochastic models, this deterministic model allows the quantification of dispersion mechanism at the local scale (i.e. the grid-cell). We found that kinematic dispersion is more relevant for small storm events, whereas geomorphologic dispersion becomes more significant for larger storms, as the mean celerity within the catchment increases. In addition, the total dispersion relates to the drainage area in

A net normal dispersion all-fiber laser using a hybrid mode-locking mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Bo; Martinez, Amos; Yamashita, Shinji; Set, Sze Yun; Goh, Chee Seong

2014-01-01

We propose and demonstrate an all-fiber, dispersion-mapped, erbium-doped fiber laser with net normal dispersion generating dissipative solitons. The laser is mode-locked by a hybrid mode-locking mechanism consisting of a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror and a carbon nanotube saturable absorber. We achieve self-starting, mode-locked operation generating 2.75 nJ pulses at a fundamental repetition rate of 10.22 MHz with remarkable long term stability. (letter)

Mechanical dispersion and global longitudinal strain by speckle tracking echocardiography: Predictors of appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Candan, Ozkan; Gecmen, Cetin; Bayam, Emrah; Guner, Ahmet; Celik, Mehmet; Doğan, Cem

2017-06-01

In this study, we investigated whether mechanical dispersion which reflects electrical abnormality and other echocardiographic and clinic parameters predict appropriate ICD shock in patients undergone ICD implantation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Sixty-three patients who received ICD implantation for primary or secondary prevention were included in the study. Patients' clinical, electrocardiographic, 2D classic, and speckle tracking echocardiographic data were collected. Mechanical dispersion was defined as the standard deviation of time to peak negative strain in 18 left ventricular segments. Appropriate ICD therapy was defined as cardioversion or defibrillation due to ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. Patients were divided into two groups as occurrence or the absence of appropriate ICD therapy. A total of 17 (26.9%) patients were observed to have an appropriate ICD therapy during follow-up periods. In patients who performed appropriate ICD therapy, a larger left atrial volume index, higher sudden cardiac death (SCD)-Risk Score, longer mechanical dispersion, and decreased global longitudinal peak strain (GLPS) were observed. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, including (GLPS, mechanical dispersion, LAVi, and SCD-Risk Score) was used to determine independent predictors of occurrence of appropriate ICD therapy during the follow-up. Mechanical dispersion, GLPS, and SCD-Risk Score were found to be independent predictors of occurrence of appropriate ICD therapy. Mechanical dispersion, GLPS, and SCD-Risk Score were found to be predictive for appropriate ICD therapy in patients receiving ICD implantation. Readily measurable mechanical dispersion and GLPS could be helpful to distinguish patients at high risk who could optimally benefit from ICD therapy. © 2017, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

CHEMICAL OIL SPILL DISPERSANTS: UPDATE STATE-OF-THE- ART ON MECHANISM OF ACTION AND LABORATORY TESTING FOR PERFORMANCE

Science.gov (United States)

Chemical dispersants are formulations designed to facilitate dispersion of an oil slick into small droplets that disperse to non-problematic concentrations in an underlying water column. This project had two primary objectives: (1) update information on mechanisms of action of ...

Assessment of impact distances for particulate matter dispersion: A stochastic approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Godoy, S.M.; Mores, P.L.; Santa Cruz, A.S.M. [CAIMI - Centro de Aplicaciones Informaticas y Modelado en Ingenieria, Universidad Tecnologica Nacional-Facultad Regional Rosario, Zeballos 1341-S2000 BQA Rosario, Santa Fe (Argentina); Scenna, N.J. [CAIMI - Centro de Aplicaciones Informaticas y Modelado en Ingenieria, Universidad Tecnologica Nacional-Facultad Regional Rosario, Zeballos 1341-S2000 BQA Rosario, Santa Fe (Argentina); INGAR - Instituto de Desarrollo y Diseno (Fundacion ARCIEN - CONICET), Avellaneda 3657, S3002 GJC Santa Fe (Argentina)], E-mail: nscenna@santafe-conicet.gov.ar

2009-10-15

It is known that pollutants can be dispersed from the emission sources by the wind, or settled on the ground. Particle size, stack height, topography and meteorological conditions strongly affect particulate matter (PM) dispersion. In this work, an impact distance calculation methodology considering different particulate sizes is presented. A Gaussian-type dispersion model for PM that handles size particles larger than 0.1 {mu}m is used. The model considers primary particles and continuous emissions. PM concentration distribution at every affected geographical point defined by a grid is computed. Stochastic uncertainty caused by the natural variability of atmospheric parameters is taken into consideration in the dispersion model by applying a Monte Carlo methodology. The prototype package (STRRAP) that takes into account the stochastic behaviour of atmospheric variables, developed for risk assessment and safe distances calculation [Godoy SM, Santa Cruz ASM, Scenna NJ. STRRAP SYSTEM - A software for hazardous materials risk assessment and safe distances calculation. Reliability Engineering and System Safety 2007;92(7):847-57] is enlarged for the analysis of the PM air dispersion. STRRAP computes distances from the source to every affected receptor in each trial and generates the impact distance distribution for each particulate size. In addition, a representative impact distance value to delimit the affected area can be obtained. Fuel oil stack effluents dispersion in Rosario city is simulated as a case study. Mass concentration distributions and impact distances are computed for the range of interest in environmental air quality evaluations (PM{sub 2.5}-PM{sub 10})

Assessment of impact distances for particulate matter dispersion: A stochastic approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godoy, S.M.; Mores, P.L.; Santa Cruz, A.S.M.; Scenna, N.J.

2009-01-01

It is known that pollutants can be dispersed from the emission sources by the wind, or settled on the ground. Particle size, stack height, topography and meteorological conditions strongly affect particulate matter (PM) dispersion. In this work, an impact distance calculation methodology considering different particulate sizes is presented. A Gaussian-type dispersion model for PM that handles size particles larger than 0.1 μm is used. The model considers primary particles and continuous emissions. PM concentration distribution at every affected geographical point defined by a grid is computed. Stochastic uncertainty caused by the natural variability of atmospheric parameters is taken into consideration in the dispersion model by applying a Monte Carlo methodology. The prototype package (STRRAP) that takes into account the stochastic behaviour of atmospheric variables, developed for risk assessment and safe distances calculation [Godoy SM, Santa Cruz ASM, Scenna NJ. STRRAP SYSTEM - A software for hazardous materials risk assessment and safe distances calculation. Reliability Engineering and System Safety 2007;92(7):847-57] is enlarged for the analysis of the PM air dispersion. STRRAP computes distances from the source to every affected receptor in each trial and generates the impact distance distribution for each particulate size. In addition, a representative impact distance value to delimit the affected area can be obtained. Fuel oil stack effluents dispersion in Rosario city is simulated as a case study. Mass concentration distributions and impact distances are computed for the range of interest in environmental air quality evaluations (PM 2.5 -PM 10 ).

Toxicity of dispersant application: Biomarkers responses in gills of juvenile golden grey mullet (Liza aurata)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milinkovitch, Thomas; Godefroy, Joachim; Theron, Michael; Thomas-Guyon, Helene

2011-01-01

Dispersant use in nearshore areas is likely to increase the exposure of aquatic organisms to petroleum. To measure the toxicity of this controversial response technique, golden grey mullets (Liza aurata) were exposed to mechanically dispersed oil, chemically dispersed oil, dispersant alone in seawater, water-soluble fraction of oil and to seawater as a control treatment. Several biomarkers were assessed in the gills (enzymatic antioxidant activities, glutathione content, lipid peroxidation) and in the gallbladder (polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites). The significant differences between chemically dispersed oil and water soluble fraction of oil highlight the environmental risk to disperse an oil slick when containment and recovery can be conducted. The lack of significance between chemically and mechanically dispersed oil suggests that dispersant application is no more toxic than the natural dispersion of the oil slick. The results of this study are of interest in order to establish dispersant use policies in nearshore areas. - Highlights: → This study simulates and evaluates the toxicity of dispersant use in nearshore area. → Dispersant use toxicity is assessed through biomarkers measurement in a fish species. → Chemical dispersion of an oil slick increases the petroleum toxicity. → Dispersant use does not enhance the toxicity of a mechanically dispersed oil slick. → This work leads to conclusions concerning dispersant use policies in nearshore area. - When the meteorological conditions induce the dispersion of the oil slick (e.g. wave), the application of dispersant does not increase the toxicity of petroleum.

Coping with power dispersion?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

The last decades have witnessed a significant shift in policy competences away from central governments in Europe. The reallocation of competences spans over three dimensions: upwards; sideways; and downwards. This collection takes the dispersion of powers as a starting point and seeks to assess...... how the actors involved cope with the new configurations. In this introduction, we discuss the conceptualization of power dispersion and highlight the ways in which the contributions add to this research agenda. We then outline some general conclusions and end by indicating future avenues of research....... Taken together, the collection contributes some answers to the challenge of defining and measuring – in a comparative way – the control and co-ordination mechanisms which power dispersion generates. It also explores the tension between political actors' quest for autonomy and the acknowledgement...

Mechanical Calculations on U-Mo Dispersion fuel plates with MAIA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marelle, V.; Huet, F.; Lemoine, P.

2005-01-01

CEA has developed a 2D thermo-mechanical code, called MAIA, for modelling the behaviour of U-Mo dispersion fuel. MAIA uses a finite element method for the resolution of the thermal and mechanical problems. Physical models, issued of the DOE-ANL code PLATE, evaluate the fission products swelling and the volume fraction of the interaction between U-Mo and Al. They allow establishing strains in the meat imposed as loading for the mechanical calculation. MAIA has been validated on the irradiations IRIS 1 and RERTR-3 and a rather good agreement is obtained with post irradiation examinations. MAIA is used to calculate the last irradiation of the French UMo group, IRIS 2. MAIA predicts a maximum temperature of 112 deg. C and meat swelling of 16%. Mechanical calculations are finally performed to evaluate the sensitivity to some mechanical hypotheses such as constitutive laws and the way the meat swelling is applied. (author)

Dodecylamine functionalization of carbon nanotubes to improve dispersion, thermal and mechanical properties of polyethylene based nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, F. V.; Franceschi, W.; Menezes, B. R. C.; Brito, F. S.; Lozano, K.; Coutinho, A. R.; Cividanes, L. S.; Thim, G. P.

2017-07-01

This study presents the effect of dodecylamine (DDA) functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the thermo-physical and mechanical properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) based composites. Here, we showed that the functionalization with DDA improved the dispersion of the CNTs as well as the interfacial adhesion with the HDPE matrix via non-covalent interactions. The better dispersion and interaction of CNT in the HDPE matrix as a function of the surface chemistry was correlated with the improved thermo-physical and mechanical properties.

Density-Dependent Formulation of Dispersion-Repulsion Interactions in Hybrid Multiscale Quantum/Molecular Mechanics (QM/MM) Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Curutchet, Carles; Cupellini, Lorenzo; Kongsted, Jacob

2018-01-01

embedding approaches, respectively, nonelectrostatic dispersion and repulsion interactions are instead commonly described through classical potentials despite their quantum mechanical origin. Here we present an extension of the Tkatchenko-Scheffler semiempirical van der Waals (vdWTS) scheme aimed......Mixed multiscale quantum/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) models are widely used to explore the structure, reactivity, and electronic properties of complex chemical systems. Whereas such models typically include electrostatics and potentially polarization in so-called electrostatic and polarizable...... at describing dispersion and repulsion interactions between quantum and classical regions within a QM/MM polarizable embedding framework. Starting from the vdWTSexpression, we define a dispersion and a repulsion term, both of them density-dependent and consistently based on a Lennard-Jones-like potential. We...

Industrial and Commercial Property and the Dispersion of Assessed Valuation per Pupil

Science.gov (United States)

Boltz, Paul W.

1973-01-01

Examines the dispersion of assessed valuation per pupil in Illinois and evaluates some proposals that might reduce this dispersion. The major proposal considered by the author is removal of industrial and commercial property (I & C) from local rolls. The conclusion is drawn that removing I & C from the property tax base has little or no…

Mechanisms of chaos in billiards: dispersing, defocusing and nothing else

Science.gov (United States)

Bunimovich, Leonid A.

2018-02-01

We explain and justify that the only mechanisms of chaotic dynamics for billiards are dispersing and defocusing. We also introduce boomerang billiards which dynamics demonstrate that two rather broadly accepted views about some features of nonlinear dynamics are actually wrong. Namely correlations in billiards having focusing components of the boundary can decay exponentially, and continuous time correlations for a billiard flow may decay faster than discrete time correlations for a billiard map.

Mechanical analysis of UMo/Al dispersion fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Gwan Yoon; Kim, Yeon Soo; Sohn, Dong-Seong

2015-01-01

Deformation of fuel particles and mass transfer from the transverse end of fuel meat toward the meat center was observed. This caused plate thickness peaking at a location between the meat edge and the meat center. The underlying mechanism for this fuel volume transport is believed to be fission induced creep of the U–Mo/Al meat. Fuel meat swelling was measured using optical microscopy images of the cross sections of the irradiated test plates. The time-dependent meat swelling was modeled for use in numerical simulation. A distinctive discrepancy between the predicted and measured meat thickness was found at the meat ends, which was assumed to be due to creep-induced mass relocation from the meat end to the meat center region that was not considered in the meat swelling model. ABAQUS FEA simulation was performed to reproduce the observed phenomenon at the meat ends. Through the simulation, we obtained the effective creep rate constants for the interaction layers (IL) and aluminum matrix. In addition, we obtained the corresponding stress and strain analysis results that can be used to understand mechanical behavior of U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel.

Mechanical analysis of UMo/Al dispersion fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Gwan Yoon [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Nuclear Engineering, 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 689-798 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yeon Soo [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Sohn, Dong-Seong, E-mail: dssohn@unist.ac.kr [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Nuclear Engineering, 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 689-798 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-11-15

Deformation of fuel particles and mass transfer from the transverse end of fuel meat toward the meat center was observed. This caused plate thickness peaking at a location between the meat edge and the meat center. The underlying mechanism for this fuel volume transport is believed to be fission induced creep of the U–Mo/Al meat. Fuel meat swelling was measured using optical microscopy images of the cross sections of the irradiated test plates. The time-dependent meat swelling was modeled for use in numerical simulation. A distinctive discrepancy between the predicted and measured meat thickness was found at the meat ends, which was assumed to be due to creep-induced mass relocation from the meat end to the meat center region that was not considered in the meat swelling model. ABAQUS FEA simulation was performed to reproduce the observed phenomenon at the meat ends. Through the simulation, we obtained the effective creep rate constants for the interaction layers (IL) and aluminum matrix. In addition, we obtained the corresponding stress and strain analysis results that can be used to understand mechanical behavior of U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel.

Multi-walled carbon nanotube filled polypropylene nanocomposites based on masterbatch route: Improvement of dispersion and mechanical properties through PP-g-MA addition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs filled polypropylene (PP nanocomposites were prepared through diluting a PP/MWNT masterbatch in a PP matrix by melt compounding with a twin screw extruder. Polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA was used to promote the carbon nanotubes dispersion. The effect of PP-g-MA addition on the rheological, mechanical and morphological properties of the nanocomposites was assessed for different MWNTs loadings. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM has shown that nanotubes are distributed reasonably uniformly. A better dispersion and good adhesion between the nanotubes and the PP matrix is caused by wrapping of PP-g-MA on MWNTs. When PP-g-MA is added, dynamic moduli and viscosity further increases compared to PP/MWNT nanocomposites. The rheological percolation threshold drops significantly. Tensile and flexural moduli and Charpy impact resistance of the nanocomposites also increases by the addition of PP-g-MA. The present study confirms that PP-g-MA is efficient to promote the dispersion of MWNTs in PP matrix and serves as an adhesive to increase their interfacial strength, hence greatly improving the rheological percolation threshold and mechanical properties of PP/MWNT nanocomposites.

Assessment of cavity dispersal correlations for possible implementation in the CONTAIN code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, D.C.; Griffith, R.O.

1996-02-01

Candidate models and correlations describing entrainment and dispersal of core debris from reactor cavities in direct containment heating (DCH) event, are assessed against a data base of approximately 600 experiments performed previously at Brookhaven National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories reactor cavities was studied. Cavity geometries studied are those of the Surry and Zion nuclear power plants and scale factors of 1/42 and 1/10 were studied for both geometries. Other parameters varied in the experiments include gas pressure driving the dispersal, identities of the driving gas and of the simulant fluid, orifice diameter in the pressure vessel, and volume of the gas pressure vessel. Correlations were assessed in terms of their ability to reproduce the observed trends in the fractions dispersed as the experimental parameters were varied. For the fraction of the debris dispersed, the correlations recommended for inclusion in the CONTAIN code are the Tutu-Ginsberg correlations, the integral form of the correlation proposed by Levy and a modified form of the Whalley-Hewitt correlation. For entrainment rates, the recommended correlations are the time-dependent forms of the Levy correlation, a correlation suggested by Tutu, and the modified Whalley-Hewitt correlation

Influence of MWCNT/surfactant dispersions on the mechanical properties of Portland cement pastes

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez, B.; Quintero, J. H.; Arias, Y. P.; Mendoza-Reales, O. A.; Ochoa-Botero, J. C.; Toledo-Filho, R. D.

2017-12-01

This work studies the reinforcing effect of Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) on cement pastes. A 0.35% solid concentration of MWCNT in powder was dispersed in deionized water with sodium dodecyl sulfate (cationic surfactant), cetylpyridinium chloride (anionic surfactant) and triton X-100 (amphoteric surfactant) using an ultrasonic tip processor. Three concentrations of each surfactant (1mM, 10mM and 100mM) were tested, and all samples were sonicated until an adequate dispersion degree was obtained. Cement pastes with additions of carbon nanotubes of 0.15% by mass of cement were produced in two steps; first the dispersions of MWCNT were combined with the mixing water using an ultrasonic tip processor to guarantee homogeneity, and then cement was added and mixed until a homogeneous paste was obtained. Direct tensile strength, apparent density and open porosity of the pastes were measured after 7 days of curing. It was found that the MWCNT/surfactants dispersions decrease the mechanical properties of the cement based matrix due to an increased porosity caused by the presence of surfactants.

Microstructure evolution of the oxide dispersion strengthened CLAM steel during mechanical alloying process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Liangliang [Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Hefei, Anhui, 230031 (China); University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230031 (China); Liu, Shaojun, E-mail: shaojun.liu@fds.org.cn [Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Hefei, Anhui, 230031 (China); Mao, Xiaodong [Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Hefei, Anhui, 230031 (China)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • A nano-sized oxides dispersed ODS-CLAM steel was obtained by MA and HIP. • A minimum saturated grain size of down to 30 nm was achieved by varying the milling time from 0 to 100 h. • Solution of W in the MA powder could be significantly improved by increasing MA rotation speed. - Abstracts: Oxide dispersion strengthened Ferritic/Martensitic steel is considered as one of the most potential structural material for future fusion reactor, owing to its high mechanical properties and good irradiation resistance. The oxide dispersion strengthened China Low Activation Martensitic (ODS-CLAM) steel was fabricated by mechanical alloying (MA) and hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The microstructural evolutions during the process of ball milling and subsequent consolidation were investigated by SEM, XRD and TEM. The results showed that increasing the milling time during the first 36 h milling could effectively decrease the grain size to a value of around 30 nm, over which grain sized remained nearly constant. Increasing the rotation speed promoted the solution of tungsten (W) element obviously and decreased the grain size to a certain degree. Observation on the consolidated and further heat-treated ODS-CLAM steel samples indicated that a martensite microstructure with a high density of nano-particles was achieved.

An assessment of first-order stochastic dispersion theories in porous media

Science.gov (United States)

Chin, David A.

1997-12-01

Random realizations of three-dimensional exponentially correlated hydraulic conductivity fields are used in a finite-difference numerical flow model to calculate the mean and covariance of the corresponding Lagrangian-velocity fields. The dispersivity of the porous medium is then determined from the Lagrangian-velocity statistics using the Taylor definition. This estimation procedure is exact, except for numerical errors, and the results are used to assess the accuracy of various first-order dispersion theories in both isotropic and anisotropic porous media. The results show that the Dagan theory is by far the most robust in both isotropic and anisotropic media, producing accurate values of the principal dispersivity components for σy as high as 1.0, In the case of anisotropic media where the flow is at an angle to the principal axis of hydraulic conductivity, it is shown that the dispersivity tensor is rotated away from the flow direction in the non-Fickian phase, but eventually coincides with the flow direction in the Fickian phase.

Effect of carbon fiber dispersion on the mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced cement-based composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Chuang; Li Kezhi; Li Hejun; Jiao Gengsheng; Lu Jinhua; Hou Dangshe

2008-01-01

The preparation of carbon fiber-reinforced cement-based composites involved two-step dispersions of carbon fibers. Both steps affected greatly the mechanical properties of the composites. With the aid of ultrasonic wave, a new dispersant hydroxyethyl cellulose was used to help fiber dispersion in the first step. The fracture surface of the composites was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The distribution of major elements was analyzed by the energy dispersive spectroscopy and the composition was analyzed through X-ray diffraction. The flexural strength, tensile strength, modulus, and compression strength were measured. Results showed that the distribution of major elements varied with the variation of the fiber dispersion status. The compressive strength increased by 20%, the tensile strength was 2.4 times that of the material without carbon fibers, the modulus increased by 26.8%, whereas the flexure stress decreased by 12.9%

Low Frequency Dispersion Mechanism of Dielectric Response for Oil-paper Insulation Diagnosis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHOU Lijun; LI Xianlang; WU Guangning

2013-01-01

Both the real part and imaginary part of complex permittivity approximately have a log-linear frequency dependency at low frequencies,especially at ultra-low frequencies under conditions of different moisture concentrations and temperatures,which is recognized as the low frequency dispersion (LFD).In order to explain this dispersion,a new mechanism of dielectric response of LFD of oil-paper insulation is proposed.A simplified one-dimensional mathematical model of concentration polarization carrier caused by slow migration is developed and solved,which indicates that ion mobility is closely related to the size of gap and the adsorption capacity of cellulose molecular chains to ions.A stochastic statistical model of the carrier mobility induced LFD is also developed.Moreover,actual tests under 50 ℃and 2％ moisture content were put forward,as well as simulations with according current waveforms.The simulation results agreed well with the experimental data in that concentration polarization of carriers caused by slow migration is the probable cause of low frequency dispersion ofdielectric response for oil-paper insulation diagnosis.

Effect of the Duration of Meteorological Data Collection on the Atmospheric Dispersion Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Yoo-mi; Kim, Eun-hee

2017-01-01

This study regards the duration of meteorological data record for a prospective assessment of the environmental impact of gas release from Kori nuclear power plant under normal operation. We compared the atmospheric dispersion factors obtained by employing the meteorological data from 2- and 5-year durations with the corresponding values obtained by employing yearly meteorological data in the period of 2001 to 2008. Influence of the duration of meteorological data collection on short-term atmospheric dispersion factors was previously studied. In this study, long-term dispersion factors were assessed to investigate the influence of the duration of meteorological data collection on the assessment of environmental impact by gas release from Kori nuclear power plant under normal operation. We counted how many yearly meteorological conditions would be represented by 2 or 5 years of long-term data collection. The distribution of shaded cells in Tables I and II indicated that some of the yearly meteorological condition could be properly represented by the conditions averaged over 2- or 5-year durations.

Atmospheric aerosol dispersion models and their applications to environmental risk assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrzej Mazur

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Numerical models of dispersion of atmospheric pollutants are widely used to forecast the spread of contaminants in the air and to analyze the effects of this phenomenon. The aim of the study is to investigate the possibilities and the quality of diagnosis and prediction of atmospheric transport of aerosols in the air using the dispersion model of atmospheric pollutants, developed at the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMWM in Warsaw. Material and methods. A model of the dispersion of atmospheric pollutants, linked with meteorological models in a diagnostic mode, was used to simulate the transport of the cloud of aerosols released during the crash near the town of Ożydiw (Ukraine and of volcanic ash – during the volcanic eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland. Results. Possible directions of dispersion of pollutants in the air and its concentration in the atmosphere and deposition to the soil were assessed. The analysis of temporal variability of concentrations of aerosols in the atmosphere confirmed that the model developed at IMWM is an effective tool for diagnosis of air quality in the area of Poland as well as for determination of exposure duration to the aerosol clouds for different weather scenarios. Conclusions. The results are a confirmation of the thesis, that because in the environmental risk assessment, an important element is not only current information on the level of pollution concentrations, but also the time of exposure to pollution and forecast of these elements, and consequently the predicted effects on man or the environment in general; so it is necessary to use forecasting tools, similar to presented application. The dispersion model described in the paper is an operational tool for description, analysis and forecasting of emergency situations in case of emissions of hazardous substances.

Properties of Mechanically Alloyed W-Ti Materials with Dual Phase Particle Dispersion

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lukáč, František; Vilémová, Monika; Nevrlá, Barbara; Klečka, Jakub; Chráska, Tomáš; Molnárová, O.

2017-01-01

Roč. 7, č. 1 (2017), č. článku 3. ISSN 2075-4701 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-15609S Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : tungsten-titanium alloys * mechanical alloying * particle dispersion * pulsed electric current sintering * thermal conductivity * bending strength Subject RIV: JJ - Other Materials OBOR OECD: Materials engineering Impact factor: 1.984, year: 2016

Benchmarking of numerical models describing the dispersion of radionuclides in the Arctic Seas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scott, E.M.; Gurbutt, P.; Harms, I.

1997-01-01

As part of the International Arctic Seas Assessment Project (IASAP) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a working group was created to model the dispersal and transfer of radionuclides released from radioactive waste disposed of in the Kara Sea. The objectives of this group are: (1......) development of realistic and reliable assessment models for the dispersal of radioactive contaminants both within, and from, the Arctic ocean; and (2) evaluation of the contributions of different transfer mechanisms to contaminant dispersal and hence, ultimately, to the risks to human health and environment...

Mechanisms of population heterogeneity among molting common mergansers on Kodiak Island, Alaska: Implications for genetic assessments of migratory connectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Pearce, John M.; Zwiefelhofer, Denny; Maryanski, Nate

2009-01-01

Quantifying population genetic heterogeneity within nonbreeding aggregations can inform our understanding of patterns of site fidelity, migratory connectivity, and gene flow between breeding and nonbreeding areas. However, characterizing mechanisms that contribute to heterogeneity, such as migration and dispersal, is required before site fidelity and migratory connectivity can be assessed accurately. We studied nonbreeding groups of Common Mergansers (Mergus merganser) molting on Kodiak Island, Alaska, from 2005 to 2007, using banding data to assess rates of recapture, mitochondrial (mt) DNA to determine natal area, and nuclear microsatellite genotypes to assess dispersal. Using baseline information from differentiated mtDNA haplogroups across North America, we were able to assign individuals to natal regions and document population genetic heterogeneity within and among molting groups. Band-recovery and DNA data suggest that both migration from and dispersal among natal areas contribute to admixed groups of males molting on Kodiak Island. A lack of differentiation in the Common Merganser's nuclear, bi-parentally inherited DNA, observed across North America, implies that dispersal can mislead genetic assessments of migratory connectivity and assignments of nonbreeding individuals to breeding areas. Thus multiple and independent data types are required to account for such behaviors before accurate assessments of migratory connectivity can be made.

Effect of mechanical and chemical clay removals by hydrocyclone and dispersants on coal flotation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oats, W.J.; Ozdemir, O.; Nguyen, A.V. [University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld. (Australia). School of Chemical Engineering

2010-04-15

Fine minerals, mostly clays, are known to have a detrimental effect on coal flotation. This paper focuses on the effect of mechanical and chemical removals of fine minerals by hydrocyclone and dispersants on coal flotation. The experimental results showed that the flotation recovery slightly increased from medium acidic to medium alkaline ranges. The flotation experiments carried out with dispersants at different dosages showed that the dispersants did not enhance the flotation recovery significantly. However, the removal of the fine fraction from the feed using a hydrocyclone significantly increased the flotation recovery. The bubble-particle attachment tests also indicated that the attachment time between an air bubble and the coal particles increased in the presence of clay particles. These attachment time results clearly showed that the clay particles adversely affected the flotation of coal particles by covering the coal surfaces which reduced the efficiency of bubble-coal attachment. An analysis based on the colloid stability theory showed that the clay coating was governed by the van der Waals attraction and that the double-layer interaction played a secondary role. It was also concluded that the best way to increase the flotation recovery in the presence of clays was to remove these fine minerals by mechanical means such as hydrocylones.

Controlled release systems containing solid dispersions: strategies and mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Phuong Ha-Lien; Tran, Thao Truong-Dinh; Park, Jun Bom; Lee, Beom-Jin

2011-10-01

In addition to a number of highly soluble drugs, most new chemical entities under development are poorly water-soluble drugs generally characterized by an insufficient dissolution rate and a small absorption window, leading to the low bioavailability. Controlled-release (CR) formulations have several potential advantages over conventional dosage forms, such as providing a uniform and prolonged therapeutic effect to improve patient compliance, reducing the frequency of dosing, minimizing the number of side effects, and reducing the strength of the required dose while increasing the effectiveness of the drug. Solid dispersions (SD) can be used to enhance the dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs and to sustain the drug release by choosing an appropriate carrier. Thus, a CR-SD comprises both functions of SD and CR for poorly water-soluble drugs. Such CR dosage forms containing SD provide an immediately available dose for an immediate action followed by a gradual and continuous release of subsequent doses to maintain the plasma concentration of poorly water-soluble drugs over an extended period of time. This review aims to summarize all currently known aspects of controlled release systems containing solid dispersions, focusing on the preparation methods, mechanisms of action and characterization of physicochemical properties of the system.

Surfactant-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes: mechanism of stabilization and biocompatibility of the surfactant

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Raman Preet; Jain, Sanyog; Ramarao, Poduri

2013-10-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) are thermodynamically unstable system and tend to aggregate to reduce free energy. The aggregation property of NPs results in inhomogeneous exposure of cells to NPs resulting in variable cellular responses. Several types of surfactants are used to stabilize NP dispersions and obtain homogenous dispersions. However, the effects of these surfactants, per se, on cellular responses are not completely known. The present study investigated the application of Pluronic F68 (PF68) for obtaining stable dispersion of NPs using carbon nanotubes as model NPs. PF68-stabilized NP suspensions are stable for long durations and do not show signs of aggregation or settling during storage or after autoclaving. The polyethylene oxide blocks in PF68 provide steric hindrance between adjacent NPs leading to stable NP dispersions. Further, PF68 is biocompatible in nature and does not affect integrity of mitochondria, lysosomes, DNA, and nuclei. Also, PF68 neither induce free radical or cytokine production nor does it interfere with cellular uptake mechanisms. The results of the present study suggest that PF68-assisted dispersion of NPs produced suspensions, which are stable after autoclaving. Further, PF68 does not interfere with normal physiological functions suggesting its application in nanomedicine and nanotoxicity evaluation.

Surfactant-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes: mechanism of stabilization and biocompatibility of the surfactant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Raman Preet; Jain, Sanyog; Ramarao, Poduri

2013-01-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) are thermodynamically unstable system and tend to aggregate to reduce free energy. The aggregation property of NPs results in inhomogeneous exposure of cells to NPs resulting in variable cellular responses. Several types of surfactants are used to stabilize NP dispersions and obtain homogenous dispersions. However, the effects of these surfactants, per se, on cellular responses are not completely known. The present study investigated the application of Pluronic F68 (PF68) for obtaining stable dispersion of NPs using carbon nanotubes as model NPs. PF68-stabilized NP suspensions are stable for long durations and do not show signs of aggregation or settling during storage or after autoclaving. The polyethylene oxide blocks in PF68 provide steric hindrance between adjacent NPs leading to stable NP dispersions. Further, PF68 is biocompatible in nature and does not affect integrity of mitochondria, lysosomes, DNA, and nuclei. Also, PF68 neither induce free radical or cytokine production nor does it interfere with cellular uptake mechanisms. The results of the present study suggest that PF68-assisted dispersion of NPs produced suspensions, which are stable after autoclaving. Further, PF68 does not interfere with normal physiological functions suggesting its application in nanomedicine and nanotoxicity evaluation

Surfactant-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes: mechanism of stabilization and biocompatibility of the surfactant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Raman Preet, E-mail: ramanpreetsingh@hotmail.com [Evalueserve SEZ (Gurgaon) Pvt. Ltd. (India); Jain, Sanyog [National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Centre for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Department of Pharmaceutics (India); Ramarao, Poduri, E-mail: ramaraop@yahoo.com [Central University of Punjab, School of Basic and Applied Sciences (India)

2013-10-15

Nanoparticles (NPs) are thermodynamically unstable system and tend to aggregate to reduce free energy. The aggregation property of NPs results in inhomogeneous exposure of cells to NPs resulting in variable cellular responses. Several types of surfactants are used to stabilize NP dispersions and obtain homogenous dispersions. However, the effects of these surfactants, per se, on cellular responses are not completely known. The present study investigated the application of Pluronic F68 (PF68) for obtaining stable dispersion of NPs using carbon nanotubes as model NPs. PF68-stabilized NP suspensions are stable for long durations and do not show signs of aggregation or settling during storage or after autoclaving. The polyethylene oxide blocks in PF68 provide steric hindrance between adjacent NPs leading to stable NP dispersions. Further, PF68 is biocompatible in nature and does not affect integrity of mitochondria, lysosomes, DNA, and nuclei. Also, PF68 neither induce free radical or cytokine production nor does it interfere with cellular uptake mechanisms. The results of the present study suggest that PF68-assisted dispersion of NPs produced suspensions, which are stable after autoclaving. Further, PF68 does not interfere with normal physiological functions suggesting its application in nanomedicine and nanotoxicity evaluation.

Fracture mechanism of a dispersion-hardened molybdenum alloy with strong structural interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasil'ev, A.D.; Malashenko, I.S.; Moiseev, V.F.; Pechkovskij, Eh.P.; Sul'zhenko, V.K.; Trefilov, V.I.; AN Ukrainskoj SSR, Kiev. Inst. Ehlektrosvarki)

1978-01-01

Fracture mechanism in the two-phase Mo-15wt.%Nb-3.5 vol.% TiN alloy known to be of ''brittle matrix-strong interfaces'' type has been investigated depending on tensile test temperature. Several temperature intervals of fracture have been found, each of them having its own peculiarities. A scheme is suggested for fracture mechanism changes in dispersion-hardened alloys with strong interfaces. At low test temperatures brittle cleavage fracture takes place. With temperature increase fracture mechanisms change in the following way: brittle intergranular fracture; fracture of ''microvoid coalescence'' type; fracture typical for reinforced materials with ductile matrix; intergran laru fracture. Particles of strengthening phase have been shown to play different roles depending on the test temperature in the fracture of the alloys studied

Toxicity of dispersant application: Biomarkers responses in gills of juvenile golden grey mullet (Liza aurata).

Science.gov (United States)

Milinkovitch, Thomas; Godefroy, Joachim; Théron, Michaël; Thomas-Guyon, Hélène

2011-10-01

Dispersant use in nearshore areas is likely to increase the exposure of aquatic organisms to petroleum. To measure the toxicity of this controversial response technique, golden grey mullets (Liza aurata) were exposed to mechanically dispersed oil, chemically dispersed oil, dispersant alone in seawater, water-soluble fraction of oil and to seawater as a control treatment. Several biomarkers were assessed in the gills (enzymatic antioxidant activities, glutathione content, lipid peroxidation) and in the gallbladder (polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites). The significant differences between chemically dispersed oil and water soluble fraction of oil highlight the environmental risk to disperse an oil slick when containment and recovery can be conducted. The lack of significance between chemically and mechanically dispersed oil suggests that dispersant application is no more toxic than the natural dispersion of the oil slick. The results of this study are of interest in order to establish dispersant use policies in nearshore areas. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple methodologies to estimate the energy amount stored in a tree due to an explosive seed dispersal mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

do Carmo, Eduardo; Goncalves Hönnicke, Marcelo

2018-05-01

There are different forms to introduce/illustrate the energy concepts for the basic physics students. The explosive seed dispersal mechanism found in a variety of trees could be one of them. Sibipiruna trees carry out fruits (pods) who show such an explosive mechanism. During the explosion, the pods throw out seeds several meters away. In this manuscript we show simple methodologies to estimate the energy amount stored in the Sibipiruna tree due to such a process. Two different physics approaches were used to carry out this study: by monitoring indoor and in situ the explosive seed dispersal mechanism and by measuring the elastic constant of the pod shell. An energy of the order of kJ was found to be stored in a single tree due to such an explosive mechanism.

Assessment of the use of dispersants on oil spills in California marine waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trudel, K.; Ross, S.; Belore, R.; Buffington, S.; Ogawa, C.; Panzer, D.

2002-01-01

The technical issues regarding the use of dispersants to clean up oil spills from offshore production sources and transportation sources in California were assessed in this study which examined both operational and environmental issues. The operational issues included the dispersibility of produced and imported oils, along with the capabilities of California response resources to deal with typical spills and limiting environmental impacts to offshore environments. The environmental issues include the risks associated with typical spills and potential net environmental benefit of chemically dispersing oil spills. Most crude oils produced offshore California are heavy and border on the undispersable range, but the imported crudes are somewhat lighter. Modeling has shown that most produced oils and some imported oils emulsify quickly and weather more quickly to the point where they are no longer dispersible. There is a very narrow window of time for chemical dispersions to be used effectively. The net environmental benefit analysis demonstrates that the use of dispersants lessens the total environmental impact of spill scenarios. It was emphasized that it is necessary to act quickly if chemical dispersion is to be effective. Rapid response strategies are needed, including locally based vessel and helicopter spraying systems. 19 refs., 8 tabs., 1 fig

Research on simulation technology for CBRN threat assessment system. Prediction technology for atmospheric dispersion of CBRN materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, Hiroaki; Yano, Masanori; Nakata, Mitsuhiro; Takeda, Masaki

2013-01-01

The technical survey is conducted on the CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) Threat Assessment System Simulation Technology. The dispersion property of CBRN materials is summarized, and the current simulation techniques for CBRN materials dispersion are described. The effects of advection-diffusion, sedimentation by the gravity, buoyancy and wash-out by rainfall on the dispersion property of CBRN materials should be considered in the simulation modeling. The concentration distribution of CBRN materials is predicted through the meteorological analysis, the flow analysis and the dispersion analysis, and the hazard map will be produced from that. A selection of simulation method, model, domain and number of computational grid points is necessary to perform the simulation, considering the balance between calculation cost and prediction accuracy. For construction of CBRN Threat Assessment System, it is important how to integrate the developed simulation element technologies and threat assessment technologies. (author)

Density-Dependent Formulation of Dispersion-Repulsion Interactions in Hybrid Multiscale Quantum/Molecular Mechanics (QM/MM) Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Curutchet, Carles; Cupellini, Lorenzo; Kongsted, Jacob; Corni, Stefano; Frediani, Luca; Steindal, Arnfinn Hykkerud; Guido, Ciro A; Scalmani, Giovanni; Mennucci, Benedetta

2018-03-13

Mixed multiscale quantum/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) models are widely used to explore the structure, reactivity, and electronic properties of complex chemical systems. Whereas such models typically include electrostatics and potentially polarization in so-called electrostatic and polarizable embedding approaches, respectively, nonelectrostatic dispersion and repulsion interactions are instead commonly described through classical potentials despite their quantum mechanical origin. Here we present an extension of the Tkatchenko-Scheffler semiempirical van der Waals (vdW TS ) scheme aimed at describing dispersion and repulsion interactions between quantum and classical regions within a QM/MM polarizable embedding framework. Starting from the vdW TS expression, we define a dispersion and a repulsion term, both of them density-dependent and consistently based on a Lennard-Jones-like potential. We explore transferable atom type-based parametrization strategies for the MM parameters, based on either vdW TS calculations performed on isolated fragments or on a direct estimation of the parameters from atomic polarizabilities taken from a polarizable force field. We investigate the performance of the implementation by computing self-consistent interaction energies for the S22 benchmark set, designed to represent typical noncovalent interactions in biological systems, in both equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium geometries. Overall, our results suggest that the present implementation is a promising strategy to include dispersion and repulsion in multiscale QM/MM models incorporating their explicit dependence on the electronic density.

Enhanced Mechanical Properties of MgZnCa Bulk Metallic Glass Composites with Ti-Particle Dispersion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pei Chun Wong

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Rod samples of Mg60Zn35Ca5 bulk metallic glass composites (BMGCs dispersed with Ti particles have been successfully fabricated via injection casting. The glass forming ability (GFA and the mechanical properties of these Mg-based BMGCs have been systematically investigated as a function of the volume fraction (Vf of Ti particles. The results showed that the compressive ductility increased with Vf. The mechanical performance of these BMGCs, with up to 5.4% compressive failure strain and 1187 MPa fracture strength at room temperature, can be obtained for the Mg-based BMGCs with 50 vol % Ti particles, suggesting that these dispersed Ti particles can absorb the energy of the crack propagations and can induce branches of the primary shear band into multiple secondary shear bands. It follows that further propagation of the shear band is blocked, enhancing the overall plasticity.

Carbon Nanotube Dispersion in Solvents and Polymer Solutions: Mechanisms, Assembly, and Preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Pramanik, Chandrani; Gissinger, Jacob R; Kumar, Satish; Heinz, Hendrik

2017-12-26

Debundling and dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in polymer solutions play a major role in the preparation of carbon nanofibers due to early effects on interfacial ordering and mechanical properties. A roadblock toward ultrastrong fibers is the difficulty to achieve homogeneous dispersions of CNTs in polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) precursor solutions in solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). In this contribution, molecular dynamics simulations with accurate interatomic potentials for graphitic materials that include virtual π electrons are reported to analyze the interaction of pristine single wall CNTs with the solvents and polymer solutions at 25 °C. The results explain the barriers toward dispersion of SWCNTs and quantify CNT-solvent, polymer-solvent, as well as CNT-polymer interactions in atomic detail. Debundling of CNTs is overall endothermic and unfavorable with dispersion energies of +20 to +30 mJ/m 2 in the pure solvents, + 20 to +40 mJ/m 2 in PAN solutions, and +20 to +60 mJ/m 2 in PMMA solutions. Differences arise due to molecular geometry, polar, van der Waals, and CH-π interactions. Among the pure solvents, DMF restricts CNT dispersion less due to the planar geometry and stronger van der Waals interactions. PAN and PMMA interact favorably with the pure solvents with dissolution energies of -0.7 to -1.1 kcal per mole monomer and -1.5 to -2.2 kcal per mole monomer, respectively. Adsorption of PMMA onto CNTs is stronger than that of PAN in all solvents as the molecular geometry enables more van der Waals contacts between alkyl groups and the CNT surface. Polar side groups in both polymers prefer interactions with the polar solvents. Higher polymer concentrations in solution lead to polymer aggregation via alkyl groups and reduce adsorption onto CNTs. PAN and PMMA solutions in DMSO and dilute solutions in DMF support CNT dispersion more than other

Food supplementation mitigates dispersal-dependent differences in nest defence in a passerine bird.

Science.gov (United States)

Récapet, Charlotte; Daniel, Grégory; Taroni, Joëlle; Bize, Pierre; Doligez, Blandine

2016-05-01

Dispersing and non-dispersing individuals often differ in phenotypic traits (e.g. physiology, behaviour), but to what extent these differences are fixed or driven by external conditions remains elusive. We experimentally tested whether differences in nest-defence behaviour between dispersing and non-dispersing individuals changed with local habitat quality in collared flycatchers, by providing additional food during the nestling rearing period. In control (non-food-supplemented) nests, dispersers were less prone to defend their brood compared with non-dispersers, whereas in food-supplemented nests, dispersing and non-dispersing individuals showed equally strong nest defence. We discuss the importance of dispersal costs versus adaptive flexibility in reproductive investment in shaping these differences in nest-defence behaviour between dispersing and non-dispersing individuals. Irrespective of the underlying mechanisms, our study emphasizes the importance of accounting for environmental effects when comparing traits between dispersing and non-dispersing individuals, and in turn assessing the costs and benefits of dispersal. © 2016 The Author(s).

Stability of nano-metric colloidal dispersions of titanium: effect of surface complexation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peyre, Veronique

1996-01-01

This research thesis reports the study of the adsorption of small organic molecules at the surface of nano-particles of mineral oxides (zirconia), and of its effects on the stability of the colloidal dispersion. Adsorption has been quantified by adsorption isotherms and surface titrations. Processes and mechanisms are thus discussed with respect to pH. The influence of various protecting molecules (acetyl acetone, but also acetic acid, citric acid and diethanolamine) has been studied, and notably highlighted the role of the outer face of the complexing agent in the assessment of reactions between particles which govern the compression and re-dispersability properties of protected dispersions. This study is performed by osmotic pressure measurements and by X-ray diffusion at small angles, completed by statistical mechanics calculations [fr

Microstructure and mechanical properties of ZrO{sub 2} particle dispersion strengthened 16MnV steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, B.A. [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Wang, N. [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); CNOOC Research Institute of Oil and Petrochemicals (CRI), Beijing 100000 (China); Yang, Y.J.; Zhong, H. [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Ma, M.Z., E-mail: mz550509@ysu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Zhang, X.Y.; Liu, R.P. [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China)

2017-04-24

The dispersion strengthened 16MnV steels with 0.5 wt% and 1.2 wt% ZrO{sub 2} particles were prepared using medium frequency induction melting furnace. The ZrO{sub 2} particles mixed with iron powder were added into the 16MnV steel through cored-wire injection process. Optical metallographic microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to observe and analyze the microstructure, fracture morphology, dislocation configuration and strengthening mechanism of ZrO{sub 2} particle dispersion strengthened 16MnV steel under as-cast, normalizing and quenching states. Results showed that the strength of 16MnV steel under various states increased significantly after the addition of dispersed ZrO{sub 2} particles. Analysis indicates that the dislocation cell formed by high density dislocation around ZrO{sub 2} particles and attractive interaction between those particles are the main strengthening mechanism of dispersion strengthened 16MnV steel. The tensile test results showed that remarkable strengthening effect of ZrO{sub 2} particle on 16MnV steel has been observed. As the addition of 1.2 wt% ZrO{sub 2}, the improvement of strength in ZrO{sub 2}/16MnV is approximately 37.69% for as-casting, 24.2% after normalization and 29.96% after quenching, respectively. The normalized ZrO{sub 2}/16MnV with 1.2 wt% ZrO{sub 2} has the highest strength of 1453 MPa.

Assessment of Safety Parameters for Radiological Explosion Based on Gaussian Dispersion Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pandey, Alok [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Yu, Hyungjoon; Kim, Hong Suk [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

These sources if used with explosive (called RDD - radiological dispersion device), can cause dispersion of radioactive material resulting in public exposure and contamination of the environment. Radiological explosion devices are not weapons for the mass destruction like atom bombs, but can cause the death of few persons and contamination of large areas. The reduction of the threat of radiological weapon attack by terrorist groups causing dispersion of radioactive material is one of the priority tasks of the IAEA Nuclear Safety and Security Program.Emergency preparedness is an essential part for reducing and mitigating radiological weapon threat. Preliminary assessment of dispersion study followed by radiological explosion and its quantitative effect will be helpful for the emergency preparedness team for an early response. The effect of the radiological dispersion depends on various factors like radioisotope, its activity, physical form, amount of explosive used and meteorological factors at the time of an explosion. This study aim to determine the area affected by the radiological explosion as pre assessment to provide feedback to emergency management teams for handling and mitigation the situation after an explosion. Most practical scenarios of radiological explosion are considered with conservative approach for the assessment of the area under a threat for emergency handling and management purpose. Radioisotopes under weak security controls can be used for a radiological explosion to create terror and socioeconomic threat for the public. Prior assessment of radiological threats is helpful for emergency management teams to take prompt decision about evacuation of the affected area and other emergency handling actions. Comparable activities of Co-60 source used in radiotherapy and Sr-90 source of disused and orphaned RTGs with two different quantities of TNT were used for the scenario development of radiological explosion. In the Basic Safety Standard (BSS

Assessment of Safety Parameters for Radiological Explosion Based on Gaussian Dispersion Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandey, Alok; Yu, Hyungjoon; Kim, Hong Suk

2014-01-01

These sources if used with explosive (called RDD - radiological dispersion device), can cause dispersion of radioactive material resulting in public exposure and contamination of the environment. Radiological explosion devices are not weapons for the mass destruction like atom bombs, but can cause the death of few persons and contamination of large areas. The reduction of the threat of radiological weapon attack by terrorist groups causing dispersion of radioactive material is one of the priority tasks of the IAEA Nuclear Safety and Security Program.Emergency preparedness is an essential part for reducing and mitigating radiological weapon threat. Preliminary assessment of dispersion study followed by radiological explosion and its quantitative effect will be helpful for the emergency preparedness team for an early response. The effect of the radiological dispersion depends on various factors like radioisotope, its activity, physical form, amount of explosive used and meteorological factors at the time of an explosion. This study aim to determine the area affected by the radiological explosion as pre assessment to provide feedback to emergency management teams for handling and mitigation the situation after an explosion. Most practical scenarios of radiological explosion are considered with conservative approach for the assessment of the area under a threat for emergency handling and management purpose. Radioisotopes under weak security controls can be used for a radiological explosion to create terror and socioeconomic threat for the public. Prior assessment of radiological threats is helpful for emergency management teams to take prompt decision about evacuation of the affected area and other emergency handling actions. Comparable activities of Co-60 source used in radiotherapy and Sr-90 source of disused and orphaned RTGs with two different quantities of TNT were used for the scenario development of radiological explosion. In the Basic Safety Standard (BSS

In situ self-polymerization of unsaturated metal methacrylate and its dispersion mechanism in rubber-based composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen, Shipeng; Zhou, Yao; Yao, Lu [State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Zhang, Liqun [State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Chan, Tung W. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, VA 24061 (United States); Liang, Yongri [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Joint Laboratory of Polymer Science and Materials, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Liu, Li, E-mail: LiuL@mail.buct.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China)

2013-11-10

Highlights: • In situ self-polymerization of unsaturated metal methacrylate was investigated mainly by the thermal effect. • UMM with low melting point can self-polymerize to a large extent. • The fine dispersion phase is composed of poly(UMM) nanoparticles formed by in situ self-polymerization in the rubber matrix. • The UMM crystals in the presence of peroxide and rubber undergo the processes of melting, diffusion, polymerization, and phase separation in this order. - Abstract: Unsaturated metal methacrylate (UMM) as one kind of functional filler has played an important role in reinforcing rubber materials. The in situ self-polymerization of UMM in UMM/rubber composite leads to the uniform dispersion of poly(UMM) in the rubber matrix, while the crosslinking of rubber and grafting between UMM and rubber chains occur simultaneously, making it difficult to clarify the effect of the in situ polymerization on the dispersion of poly(UMM) in the rubber matrix. In this work, we investigated the dispersion mechanism of UMM without rubber matrix for the first time using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Three types of UMMs including zinc methacrylate (Zn(MA){sub 2}), sodium methacrylate (Na(MA)) and samarium methacrylate (Sm(MA){sub 3}) were chosen to investigate the in situ self-polymerization of UMM. Based on DSC results, we conclude that the crystals with low melting point tend to self-polymerize first and generate a large amount of heat in the presence of peroxide. The high heat of reaction can melt the crystals with high melting point, and more UMM molecules are dissolved in the rubber matrix, thus increasing the extent of the in situ polymerization. Hence, the UMM with low melting point can self-polymerize to a large extent. Our findings provide in-depth understanding of the dispersion mechanism of UMM in rubber.

In situ self-polymerization of unsaturated metal methacrylate and its dispersion mechanism in rubber-based composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen, Shipeng; Zhou, Yao; Yao, Lu; Zhang, Liqun; Chan, Tung W.; Liang, Yongri; Liu, Li

2013-01-01

Highlights: • In situ self-polymerization of unsaturated metal methacrylate was investigated mainly by the thermal effect. • UMM with low melting point can self-polymerize to a large extent. • The fine dispersion phase is composed of poly(UMM) nanoparticles formed by in situ self-polymerization in the rubber matrix. • The UMM crystals in the presence of peroxide and rubber undergo the processes of melting, diffusion, polymerization, and phase separation in this order. - Abstract: Unsaturated metal methacrylate (UMM) as one kind of functional filler has played an important role in reinforcing rubber materials. The in situ self-polymerization of UMM in UMM/rubber composite leads to the uniform dispersion of poly(UMM) in the rubber matrix, while the crosslinking of rubber and grafting between UMM and rubber chains occur simultaneously, making it difficult to clarify the effect of the in situ polymerization on the dispersion of poly(UMM) in the rubber matrix. In this work, we investigated the dispersion mechanism of UMM without rubber matrix for the first time using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Three types of UMMs including zinc methacrylate (Zn(MA) 2 ), sodium methacrylate (Na(MA)) and samarium methacrylate (Sm(MA) 3 ) were chosen to investigate the in situ self-polymerization of UMM. Based on DSC results, we conclude that the crystals with low melting point tend to self-polymerize first and generate a large amount of heat in the presence of peroxide. The high heat of reaction can melt the crystals with high melting point, and more UMM molecules are dissolved in the rubber matrix, thus increasing the extent of the in situ polymerization. Hence, the UMM with low melting point can self-polymerize to a large extent. Our findings provide in-depth understanding of the dispersion mechanism of UMM in rubber

Improved atmospheric dispersion modelling in the new program system UFOMOD for accident consequence assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panitz, H.J.

1988-01-01

An essential aim of the improvements of the new program system UFOMOD for Accident Consequence Assessments (ACAs) was to substitute the straightline Gaussian plume model conventionally used in ACA models by more realistic atmospheric dispersion models. To identify improved models which can be applied in ACA codes and to quantify the implications of different concepts of dispersion modelling on the results of an ACA, probabilistic comparative calculations with different atmospheric dispersion models have been carried out. The study showed that there are trajectory models available which can be applied in ACAs and that these trajectory models provide more realistic results of ACAs than straight-line Gaussian models. This led to a completly novel concept of atmospheric dispersion modelling which distinguish between two different distance ranges of validity: the near range ( 50 km). The two ranges are assigned to respective trajectory models

On the mechanism of dispersion hardening in molybdenum-carbide alloy systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shulepov, V.I.; Yudkovskij, S.I.; Batenina, O.I. et al.

1975-01-01

The effect of heat treatment of the forming alloys of the Mo-Ti-C and Mo-Ti-Zr-C systems (at the temperatures below the recrystallization temperature) on the structure, distribution of carbon and mechanical properties of the alloys is studied. It is shown that the dispersion-strengthened state of the molybdenum alloys may be obtained on the account of the deformation ageing effect, rather than through the use of the standard heat-treatment procedure (hardening plus ageing). On the basis of the experimental results a theoretical explanation of strengthening of the high-alloy molybdenum-titanum-carbon system is given

Implicit coupling of turbulent diffusion with chemical reaction mechanisms for prognostic atmospheric dispersion models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berlowitz, D.R.

1996-11-01

In the last few decades the negative impact by humans on the thin atmospheric layer enveloping the earth, the basis for life on this planet, has increased steadily. In order to halt, or at least slow down this development, the knowledge and study of these anthropogenic influence has to be increased and possible remedies have to be suggested. An important tool for these studies are computer models. With their help the atmospheric system can be approximated and the various processes, which have led to the current situation can be quantified. They also serve as an instrument to assess short or medium term strategies to reduce this human impact. However, to assure efficiency as well as accuracy, a careful analysis of the numerous processes involved in the dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere is called for. This should help to concentrate on the essentials and also prevent excessive usage of sometimes scarce computing resources. The basis of the presented work is the EUMAC Zooming Model (ETM), and particularly the component calculating the dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere, the model MARS. The model has two main parts: an explicit solver, where the advection and the horizontal diffusion of pollutants are calculated, and an implicit solution mechanism, allowing the joint computation of the change of concentration due to chemical reactions, coupled with the respective influence of the vertical diffusion of the species. The aim of this thesis is to determine particularly the influence of the horizontal components of the turbulent diffusion on the existing implicit solver of the model. Suggestions for a more comprehensive inclusion of the full three dimensional diffusion operator in the implicit solver are made. This is achieved by an appropriate operator splitting. A selection of numerical approaches to tighten the coupling of the diffusion processes with the calculation of the applied chemical reaction mechanisms are examined. (author) figs., tabs., refs.

ERUPTION TO DOSE: COUPLING A TEPHRA DISPERSAL MODEL WITHIN A PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

G. N. Keating, J. Pelletier

2005-01-01

The tephra dispersal model used by the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) to evaluate the potential consequences of a volcanic eruption through the waste repository must incorporate simplifications in order to function within a large Monte-Carlo style performance assessment framework. That is, the explicit physics of the conduit, vent, and eruption column processes are abstracted to a 2-D, steady-state advection-dispersion model (ASHPLUME) that can be run quickly over thousands of realizations of the overall system model. Given the continuous development of tephra dispersal modeling techniques in the last few years, we evaluated the adequacy of this simplified model for its intended purpose within the YMP total system performance assessment (TSPA) model. We evaluated uncertainties inherent in model simplifications including (1) instantaneous, steady-state vs. unsteady eruption, which affects column height, (2) constant wind conditions, and (3) power-law distribution of the tephra blanket; comparisons were made to other models and published ash distributions. Spatial statistics are useful for evaluating differences in these model output vs. results using more complex wind, column height, and tephra deposition patterns. However, in order to assess the adequacy of the model for its intended use in TSPA, we evaluated the propagation of these uncertainties through FAR, the YMP ash redistribution model, which utilizes ASHPLUME tephra deposition results to calculate the concentration of nuclear waste-contaminated tephra at a dose-receptor population as a result of sedimentary transport and mixing processes on the landscape. Questions we sought to answer include: (1) what conditions of unsteadiness, wind variability, or departure from simplified tephra distribution result in significant effects on waste concentration (related to dose calculated for the receptor population)? (2) What criteria can be established for the adequacy of a tephra dispersal model within the TSPA

Patterns and mechanisms of dispersal in a keystone seagrass species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jahnke, M.; Christensen, Asbjørn; Micu, D.

2016-01-01

•Z. noltei shows low genetic connectivity (from 10 s to 100 s of km) in the Black Sea.•Physical modelling of dispersal well agree with estimates of genetic connectivity.•Physical and genetic connectivity show possible but rare long distance dispersal.•Seeds get dispersed locally while shoots have...

Experimental study and modelling of the high temperature mechanical behavior of oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steckmeyer, A.

2012-01-01

The strength of metals, and therefore their maximum operating temperature, can be improved by oxide dispersion strengthening (ODS). Numerous research studies are carried out at the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) in order to develop a cladding tube material for Gen IV nuclear power reactors. Oxide dispersion strengthened steels appear to be the most promising candidates for such application, which demands a minimum operating temperature of 650 C. The present dissertation intends to improve the understanding of the mechanical properties of ODS steels, in terms of creep lifetime and mechanical anisotropy. The methodology of this work includes mechanical tests between room temperature and 900 C as well as macroscopic and polycrystalline modelling. These tests are carried out on a Fe-14Cr1W0,26Ti + 0,3 Y 2 O 3 ODS ferritic steel processed at CEA by mechanical alloying and hot extrusion. The as-received material is a bar with a circular section. The mechanical tests reveal the high mechanical strength of this steel at high temperature. A strong influence of the strain rate on the ductility and the mechanical strength is also observed. A macroscopic mechanical model has been developed on the basis of some experimental statements such as the high kinematic contribution to the flow stress. This model has a strong ability to reproduce the mechanical behaviour of the studied material. Two different polycrystalline models have also been developed in order to reproduce the mechanical anisotropy of the material. They are based on its specific grain morphology and crystallographic texture. The discrepancy between the predictions of both models and experimental results reveal the necessity to formulate alternate assumptions on the deformation mechanisms of ODS ferritic steels. (author) [fr

Taylor Dispersion Analysis as a promising tool for assessment of peptide-peptide interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Høgstedt, Ulrich B; Schwach, Grégoire; van de Weert, Marco; Østergaard, Jesper

2016-10-10

Protein-protein and peptide-peptide (self-)interactions are of key importance in understanding the physiochemical behavior of proteins and peptides in solution. However, due to the small size of peptide molecules, characterization of these interactions is more challenging than for proteins. In this work, we show that protein-protein and peptide-peptide interactions can advantageously be investigated by measurement of the diffusion coefficient using Taylor Dispersion Analysis. Through comparison to Dynamic Light Scattering it was shown that Taylor Dispersion Analysis is well suited for the characterization of protein-protein interactions of solutions of α-lactalbumin and human serum albumin. The peptide-peptide interactions of three selected peptides were then investigated in a concentration range spanning from 0.5mg/ml up to 80mg/ml using Taylor Dispersion Analysis. The peptide-peptide interactions determination indicated that multibody interactions significantly affect the PPIs at concentration levels above 25mg/ml for the two charged peptides. Relative viscosity measurements, performed using the capillary based setup applied for Taylor Dispersion Analysis, showed that the viscosity of the peptide solutions increased with concentration. Our results indicate that a viscosity difference between run buffer and sample in Taylor Dispersion Analysis may result in overestimation of the measured diffusion coefficient. Thus, Taylor Dispersion Analysis provides a practical, but as yet primarily qualitative, approach to assessment of the colloidal stability of both peptide and protein formulations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spin-coating: A new approach for improving dispersion of cellulose nanocrystals and mechanical properties of poly (lactic acid) composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Shojaeiarani, Jamileh; Bajwa, Dilpreet S; Stark, Nicole M

2018-06-15

This study systematically evaluated the influence of masterbatch preparation techniques, solvent casting and spin-coating methods, on composite properties. Composites were manufactured by combining CNCs masterbatches and PLA resin using twin screw extruder followed by injection molding. Different microscopy techniques were used to investigate the dispersion of CNCs in masterbatches and composites. Thermal, thermomechanical, and mechanical properties of composites were evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed superior dispersion of CNCs in spin-coated masterbatches compared to solvent cast masterbatches. At lower CNCs concentrations, both SEM and optical microscope images confirmed more uniform CNCs dispersion in spin-coated composites than solvent cast samples. Degree of crystallinity of PLA exhibited a major enhancement by 147% and 380% in solvent cast and spin-coated composites, respectively. Spin-coated composites with lower CNCs concentration exhibited a noticeable improvement in mechanical properties. However, lower thermal characteristics in spin-coated composites were observed, which could be attributed to the residual solvents in masterbatches. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Braer incident: Dispersion in action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, D.

1993-01-01

In January 1993, the tanker Braer foundered in the Shetland Islands and pollution from the cargo of 85,000 tonnes of Gullfaks crude oil was reported almost immediately. The tanker was battered by storm winds and finally broke up, spilling the remainder of its cargo into the bay at Garth's Ness. Dispersants were applied to the oil plumes, assisting the significant natural dispersion. Shoreline protection and cleanup activities included construction of spade dams and sorbent barriers. Oil concentrations in water, air, sediment, and fish were monitored. The sampling program undertaken during the spill period is described. Measured hydrocarbon concentrations in salmon farm areas were not observed to rise above 4 ppM. The high rates of dispersion make the Braer incident worthy of detailed study both in terms of understanding the mechanism of the dispersion process and also in assessing the environmental effects following high dispersed oil concentrations. Estimates of the spill's mass balance are provided for the bay at Garth's Ness, where the highest oil concentrations were observed, and along the 26 km of coastline which received the most significant concentrations of dispersed oil. Contrary to laboratory experiments which showed that the Gullfaks crude would emulsify at the high sea states prevailing at the time, the Braer spill did not emulsify and most of the oil released was dispersed naturally into the water column. It appears that it is most appropriate to model the Braer spill as a spillage of floating or dissolved chemical. 4 refs., 4 figs., 6 tabs

Advances in real-time technology assessment and emergency response: Close-in atmospheric dispersion modeling and exposure estimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sims, J.; Lee, R.; McCallen, R.; Lawver, B.; Clark, J.; Rueppel, D.; Sullivan, T.

1992-07-01

We have developed a stand-alone, real-time emergency response system to assess and predict the offsite dispersion of particulate releases. We have also developed advanced modeling tools that win expand the capability of the emergency response system to predict nearfield dispersion over complex terrain and around buildings

On the superposition of strengthening mechanisms in dispersion strengthened alloys and metal-matrix nanocomposites: Considerations of stress and energy

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, J. B.; Schultz, Benjamin F.; Venugopalan, Dev; Lopez, Hugo F.; Rohatgi, Pradeep K.; Cho, Kyu; Kim, Chang-Soo

2014-03-01

Yield strength improvement in dispersion strengthened alloys and nano particle-reinforced composites by well-known strengthening mechanisms such as solid solution, grain refinement, coherent and incoherent dispersed particles, and increased dislocation density resulting from work-hardening can all be described individually. However, there is no agreed upon description of how these mechanisms combine to determine the yield strength. In this work, we propose an analytical yield strength prediction model combining arithmetic and quadratic addition approaches based on the consideration of two types of yielding mechanisms; stress-activated and energy-activated. Using data available in the literature for materials of differing grain sizes, we consider the cases of solid solutions and coherent precipitates to show that they follow stress-activated behavior. Then, we applied our model with some empirical parameters to precipitationhardenable materials of various grain sizes in both coherent and incoherent precipitate conditions, which demonstrated that grain boundary and Orowan-strengthening can be treated as energy-activated mechanisms.

Ensemble atmospheric dispersion modeling for emergency response consequence assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Addis, R.P.; Buckley, R.L.

2003-01-01

Full text: Prognostic atmospheric dispersion models are used to generate consequence assessments, which assist decision-makers in the event of a release from a nuclear facility. Differences in the forecast wind fields generated by various meteorological agencies, differences in the transport and diffusion models themselves, as well as differences in the way these models treat the release source term, all may result in differences in the simulated plumes. This talk will address the U.S. participation in the European ENSEMBLE project, and present a perspective an how ensemble techniques may be used to enable atmospheric modelers to provide decision-makers with a more realistic understanding of how both the atmosphere and the models behave. Meteorological forecasts generated by numerical models from national and multinational meteorological agencies provide individual realizations of three-dimensional, time dependent atmospheric wind fields. These wind fields may be used to drive atmospheric dispersion (transport and diffusion) models, or they may be used to initiate other, finer resolution meteorological models, which in turn drive dispersion models. Many modeling agencies now utilize ensemble-modeling techniques to determine how sensitive the prognostic fields are to minor perturbations in the model parameters. However, the European Union programs RTMOD and ENSEMBLE are the first projects to utilize a WEB based ensemble approach to interpret the output from atmospheric dispersion models. The ensembles produced are different from those generated by meteorological forecasting centers in that they are ensembles of dispersion model outputs from many different atmospheric transport and diffusion models utilizing prognostic atmospheric fields from several different forecast centers. As such, they enable a decision-maker to consider the uncertainty in the plume transport and growth as a result of the differences in the forecast wind fields as well as the differences in the

Processing/microstructure/mechanical-property relationships in FeAlZrB with and without an oxide dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strothers, S.D.H.

1991-01-01

The effect of powder and processing variables on the microstructure of an extruded FeAlZrB alloy was investigated. Results shows that key parameters in microstructural development are extrusion temperature and powder particle size. In addition to powder and processing variables, the effect of a 1 vol% Y 2 O 3 dispersion was investigated. The microstructure of this material was very fine-grained. By manipulating powder and processing parameters and heat treatments, a very large range of microstructures were obtained. This enabled an evaluation of the role of microstructure and grain size on the room-temperature and elevated-temperature mechanical behavior of this alloy. At 1,100K the coarse-grained materials exhibited larger yield strengths in tension with the exception of the very-fine-grained oxide-dispersion-strengthened extrusions. These had the highest yields strengths despite their fine grain sizes. The oxide-dispersion-strengthened alloys also showed the greatest compression creep resistance at 1,100K even when heat treated to large grain sizes

Performance assessment of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) for modeling dispersion in an urban street canyon with tree planting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moonen, P.; Gromke, C.B.; Dorer, V.

2013-01-01

The potential of a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model to reliably predict near-field pollutant dispersion is assessed. To that extent, detailed time-resolved numerical simulations of coupled flow and dispersion are conducted for a street canyon with tree planting. Different crown porosities are

Spurious dispersion effects at FLASH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prat, Eduard

2009-07-01

The performance of the Free-Electron Laser (FEL) process imposes stringent demands on the transverse trajectory and size of the electron beam. Since transverse dispersion changes off-energy particle trajectories and increases the effective beam size, dispersion must be controlled. This thesis treats the concept of dispersion in linacs, and analyses the impact of dispersion on the electron beam and on the FEL process. It presents generation mechanisms for spurious dispersion, quantifying its importance for FLASH (Free-electron Laser in Hamburg) and the XFEL (European X-ray Free-Electron Laser). A method for measuring and correcting dispersion and its implementation in FLASH is described. Experiments of dispersion e ects on the transverse beam quality and on the FEL performance are presented. (orig.)

Spurious dispersion effects at FLASH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prat, Eduard

2009-07-15

The performance of the Free-Electron Laser (FEL) process imposes stringent demands on the transverse trajectory and size of the electron beam. Since transverse dispersion changes off-energy particle trajectories and increases the effective beam size, dispersion must be controlled. This thesis treats the concept of dispersion in linacs, and analyses the impact of dispersion on the electron beam and on the FEL process. It presents generation mechanisms for spurious dispersion, quantifying its importance for FLASH (Free-electron Laser in Hamburg) and the XFEL (European X-ray Free-Electron Laser). A method for measuring and correcting dispersion and its implementation in FLASH is described. Experiments of dispersion e ects on the transverse beam quality and on the FEL performance are presented. (orig.)

Dissolution-modulating mechanism of pH modifiers in solid dispersion containing weakly acidic or basic drugs with poor water solubility.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Phuong Ha-Lien; Tran, Thao Truong-Dinh; Lee, Kyoung-Ho; Kim, Dong-Jin; Lee, Beom-Jin

2010-05-01

Although the solid dispersion method has been known to increase the dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs by dispersing them in hydrophilic carriers, one obstacle of the solid dispersion method is its limited solubilization capacity, especially for pH-dependent soluble drugs. pH-modified solid dispersion, in which pH modifiers are incorporated, may be a useful method for increasing the dissolution rate of weakly acidic or basic drugs. Sufficient research, including the most recent reports, was undertaken in this review. How could the inclusion of the pH the pH modifiers in the solid dispersion system change drug structural behaviors, molecular interactions, microenvironmental pH, and/or release rate of pH modifiers, relating with the enhanced dissolution of weakly acidic or weakly basic drugs with poor water solubility? These questions have been investigated to determine the dissolution-modulating mechanism of pH modifiers in solid dispersion containing weakly acidic or basic drugs. It is believed that step-by-step mechanistic approaches could provide the ultimate solution for solubilizing several poorly water-soluble drugs with pH-dependent solubility from a solid dispersion system, as well as provide ideas for developing future dosage systems.

Dispersion, sorption and photodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in dispersant-seawater-sediment systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiao; Liu, Wen; Fu, Jie; Cai, Zhengqing; O'Reilly, S E; Zhao, Dongye

2016-08-15

This work examined effects of model oil dispersants on dispersion, sorption and photodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in simulated marine systems. Three dispersants (Corexit 9500A, Corexit 9527A and SPC 1000) were used to prepare dispersed water accommodated oil (DWAO). While higher doses of dispersants dispersed more n-alkanes and PAHs, Corexit 9500A preferentially dispersed C11-C20 n-alkanes, whereas Corexit 9527A was more favorable for smaller alkanes (C10-C16), and SPC 1000 for C12-C28 n-alkanes. Sorption of petroleum hydrocarbons on sediment was proportional to TPH types/fractions in the DWAOs. Addition of 18mg/L of Corexit 9500A increased sediment uptake of 2-3 ring PAHs, while higher dispersant doses reduced the uptake, due to micelle-enhanced solubilization effects. Both dispersed n-alkanes and PAHs were susceptible to photodegradation under simulated sunlight. For PAHs, both photodegradation and photo-facilitated alkylation were concurrently taking place. The information can facilitate sounder assessment of fate and distribution of dispersed oil hydrocarbons in marine systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phthalimide containing donor-acceptor polymers for effective dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baris Yilmaz

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Single-walled carbon nanotubes have been dispersed by novel phthalimide containing donor-acceptor type copolymers in organic media. Brominated phthalimide comonomer has been copolymerized with several electron rich structures using Suzuki and Stille coupling reactions. Carbon nanotube dispersion capability of the resultant polymers has been assessed by exploiting the non-covalent interaction of nanotube surface with the pi-system of conjugated backbone of polymers. Four polymers have been found to be good candidates for individually dispersing nanotubes in solution. In order to identify the dispersed nanotube species, 2D excitation-emission map and Raman spectroscopy have been performed. Molecular dynamics modelling has been utilized to reveal the binding energies of dispersants with the nanotube surface and the simulation results have been compared with the experimental findings. Both experimental and theoretical results imply the presence of a complex mechanism that governs the extent of dispersion capacity and selectivity of each conjugated polymeric dispersant in solubilizing carbon nanotubes.

Impact of ultrasonic assisted triangular lattice like arranged dispersion of nanoparticles on physical and mechanical properties of epoxy-TiO2 nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Goyat, M S; Ghosh, P K

2018-04-01

Emerging ex-situ technique, ultrasonic dual mixing (UDM) offers unique and hitherto unapproachable opportunities to alter the physical and mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites. In this study, triangular lattice-like arranged dispersion of TiO 2 nanoparticles (average size ∼ 48 nm) in the epoxy polymer has been attained via concurrent use of a probe ultra-sonicator and 4 blades pitched impeller which collectively named as UDM technique. The UDM processing of neat epoxy reveals the generation of triangular lattice-like arranged nanocavities with nanoscale inter-cavity spacing. The UDM processing of epoxy-TiO 2 nanocomposites reveals two unique features such as partial and complete entrapping of the nanoparticles by the nanocavities leading the arranged dispersion of particles in the epoxy matrix. Pristine TiO 2 nanoparticles were dispersed in the epoxy polymer at loading fractions of up to 20% by weight. The results display that the arranged dispersion of nanoparticles is very effective at enhancing the glass transition temperature (T g ) and tensile properties of the epoxy at loading fractions of 10 wt%. We quantify a direct relationship among three important parameters such as nanoparticle content, cluster size, and inter-particle spacing. Our results offer a novel understanding of these parameters on the T g and tensile properties of the epoxy nanocomposites. The tensile fracture surfaces revealed several toughening mechanisms such as particle pull-out, plastic void growth, crack deflection, crack bridging and plastic deformation. We show that a strong nanoparticle-matrix interface led to the enhanced mechanical properties due to leading toughening mechanisms such as crack deflection, plastic deformation and particle pull-out. We showed that the UDM has an inordinate prospective to alter the dispersion state of nanoparticles in viscous polymer matrices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improved Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Metal-Matrix Composites Dispersion-Strengthened by Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evgenii Levashov

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Co- and Fe-based alloys produced by powder technology are being widely used as a matrix for diamond-containing composites in cutting, drilling, grinding pplications, etc. The severe service conditions demand that the mechanical and tribological properties of these alloys be improved. Development of metal-matrix composites (MMCs and alloys reinforced with nanoparticles is a promising way to resolve this problem. In this work, we have investigated the effect of nano-sized WC, ZrO2, Al2O3, and Si3N4 additives on the properties of sintered dispersion-strengthened Co- and Fe-based MMCs. The results show an increase in the hardness (up to 10 HRB, bending strength (up to 50%, wear resistance (by a factor of 2–10 and a decrease in the friction coefficient (up to 4-fold of the dispersion-strengthened materials. The use of designed alloys as a binder of cutting diamond tools gave a 4-fold increment in the service life, without reduction in their cutting speed.

Effect of a surface oxide-dispersion-strengthened layer on mechanical strength of zircaloy-4 tubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang-Il Jung

2018-03-01

Full Text Available An oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS layer was formed on Zircaloy-4 tubes by a laser beam scanning process to increase mechanical strength. Laser beam was used to scan the yttrium oxide (Y2O3–coated Zircaloy-4 tube to induce the penetration of Y2O3 particles into Zircaloy-4. Laser surface treatment resulted in the formation of an ODS layer as well as microstructural phase transformation at the surface of the tube. The mechanical strength of Zircaloy-4 increased with the formation of the ODS layer. The ring-tensile strength of Zircaloy-4 increased from 790 to 870 MPa at room temperature, from 500 to 575 MPa at 380°C, and from 385 to 470 MPa at 500°C. Strengthening became more effective as the test temperature increased. It was noted that brittle fracture occurred at room temperature, which was not observed at elevated temperatures. Resistance to dynamic high-temperature bursting improved. The burst temperature increased from 760 to 830°C at a heating rate of 5°C/s and internal pressure of 8.3 MPa. The burst opening was also smaller than those in fresh Zircaloy-4 tubes. This method is expected to enhance the safety of Zr fuel cladding tubes owing to the improvement of their mechanical properties. Keywords: Laser Surface Treatment, Microstructure, Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Alloy, Tensile Strength, Zirconium Alloy

Novel support effects on the mechanism of propene-deuterium: Addition and exchange reactions over dispersed ZrO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naito, Shuichi; Tanimoto, Mitsutoshi

1995-01-01

The effect on the rate and mechanisms of propene-deuterium reactions of dispersing ZrO 2 on various supports such as silica, alumina, and titanium dioxide has been studied by microwave spectroscopic analysis of monodeuteropropene as well as by kinetic investigation. By dispersal of ZrO 2 on these supports, the rate of the C 3 H 6 -D 2 reactions is increased considerbly compared to that over unsupported ZrO 2 , with the decrease of activation energy. Hydrogen exchange in propene proceeds simultaneously with addition via the associative mechanism through n-propyl and s-propyl intermediates. Through XPS analysis of ZrO 2 /SiO 2 , it was found that a monolayer of ZrO 2 is formed over the silica support. The monolayer catalyst exhibits catalytic behavior quite different from that of unsupported ZrO 2 . On the other hand, alumina surfaces modified by ZrO 2 layers may be the main active sites in the case of ZrO 2 /Al 2 O 3 . The marked enhancement of the reaction rate in the lower loading region of ZrO 2 /TiO 2 may be explained by the strong interaction of atomically dispersed zirconium ions with active centers on TiO 2 . 28 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab

Strongly coupled dispersed two-phase flows; Ecoulements diphasiques disperses fortement couples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zun, I.; Lance, M.; Ekiel-Jezewska, M.L.; Petrosyan, A.; Lecoq, N.; Anthore, R.; Bostel, F.; Feuillebois, F.; Nott, P.; Zenit, R.; Hunt, M.L.; Brennen, C.E.; Campbell, C.S.; Tong, P.; Lei, X.; Ackerson, B.J.; Asmolov, E.S.; Abade, G.; da Cunha, F.R.; Lhuillier, D.; Cartellier, A.; Ruzicka, M.C.; Drahos, J.; Thomas, N.H.; Talini, L.; Leblond, J.; Leshansky, A.M.; Lavrenteva, O.M.; Nir, A.; Teshukov, V.; Risso, F.; Ellinsen, K.; Crispel, S.; Dahlkild, A.; Vynnycky, M.; Davila, J.; Matas, J.P.; Guazelli, L.; Morris, J.; Ooms, G.; Poelma, C.; van Wijngaarden, L.; de Vries, A.; Elghobashi, S.; Huilier, D.; Peirano, E.; Minier, J.P.; Gavrilyuk, S.; Saurel, R.; Kashinsky, O.; Randin, V.; Colin, C.; Larue de Tournemine, A.; Roig, V.; Suzanne, C.; Bounhoure, C.; Brunet, Y.; Tanaka, A.T.; Noma, K.; Tsuji, Y.; Pascal-Ribot, S.; Le Gall, F.; Aliseda, A.; Hainaux, F.; Lasheras, J.; Didwania, A.; Costa, A.; Vallerin, W.; Mudde, R.F.; Van Den Akker, H.E.A.; Jaumouillie, P.; Larrarte, F.; Burgisser, A.; Bergantz, G.; Necker, F.; Hartel, C.; Kleiser, L.; Meiburg, E.; Michallet, H.; Mory, M.; Hutter, M.; Markov, A.A.; Dumoulin, F.X.; Suard, S.; Borghi, R.; Hong, M.; Hopfinger, E.; Laforgia, A.; Lawrence, C.J.; Hewitt, G.F.; Osiptsov, A.N.; Tsirkunov, Yu. M.; Volkov, A.N.

2003-07-01

This document gathers the abstracts of the Euromech 421 colloquium about strongly coupled dispersed two-phase flows. Behaviors specifically due to the two-phase character of the flow have been categorized as: suspensions, particle-induced agitation, microstructure and screening mechanisms; hydrodynamic interactions, dispersion and phase distribution; turbulence modulation by particles, droplets or bubbles in dense systems; collective effects in dispersed two-phase flows, clustering and phase distribution; large-scale instabilities and gravity driven dispersed flows; strongly coupled two-phase flows involving reacting flows or phase change. Topic l: suspensions particle-induced agitation microstructure and screening mechanisms hydrodynamic interactions between two very close spheres; normal stresses in sheared suspensions; a critical look at the rheological experiments of R.A. Bagnold; non-equilibrium particle configuration in sedimentation; unsteady screening of the long-range hydrodynamic interactions of settling particles; computer simulations of hydrodynamic interactions among a large collection of sedimenting poly-disperse particles; velocity fluctuations in a dilute suspension of rigid spheres sedimenting between vertical plates: the role of boundaries; screening and induced-agitation in dilute uniform bubbly flows at small and moderate particle Reynolds numbers: some experimental results. Topic 2: hydrodynamic interactions, dispersion and phase distribution: hydrodynamic interactions in a bubble array; A 'NMR scattering technique' for the determination of the structure in a dispersion of non-brownian settling particles; segregation and clustering during thermo-capillary migration of bubbles; kinetic modelling of bubbly flows; velocity fluctuations in a homogeneous dilute dispersion of high-Reynolds-number rising bubbles; an attempt to simulate screening effects at moderate particle Reynolds numbers using an hybrid formulation; modelling the two

Mountain bikes as seed dispersers and their potential socio-ecological consequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Fabio; Brummer, Tyler J; Pufal, Gesine

2016-10-01

Seed dispersal critically influences plant community composition and species distributions. Increasingly, human mediated dispersal is acknowledged as important dispersal mechanism, but we are just beginning to understand the different vectors that might play a role. We assessed the role of mountain bikes as potential dispersal vectors and associated social-ecological consequences in areas of conservation concern near Freiburg, Germany. Seed attachment and detachment on a mountain bike were measured experimentally at distances from 0 to 500 m. We assessed effects of seed traits, weather conditions, riding distance and tire combinations using generalized linear mixed effect models. Most seeds detached from the mountain bike within the first 5-20 m. However, a small proportion of seeds remained on tires after 200-500 m. Attachment was higher, and the rate of detachment slower, in semi-wet conditions and lighter seeds travelled farther. Seed dispersal by mountain bikes was moderate compared to other forms of human mediated dispersal. However, we found that lighter seeds could attach to other bike parts and remain there until cleaning which, depending on riders' preferences, might only be after 70 km and in different habitats. Ecological impacts of mountain biking are growing with the popularity of the activity. We demonstrate that mountain bikes are effective seeds dispersers at landscape scales. Thus, management to mitigate their potential to spread non-native species is warranted. We suggest bike cleaning between rides, control of non-native species at trailheads and increased awareness for recreationalists in areas of conservation concern to mitigate the potential negative consequences of seed dispersal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High temperature mechanical properties of unirradiated dispersion strengthened copper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gentzbittel, J.M.; Rigollet, C.; Robert, G.

1994-01-01

Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) copper material, due to its excellent thermal conductivity associated with a high temperature strength is a candidate material for structural applications as divertor plasma facing components of thermonuclear fusion reactor. Tensile and creep results of oxide dispersion strengthened copper are presented. The most important features of ODS copper high temperature behaviour are the high strength corresponding to low creep rates, high stress creep rate dependence, a poor ductility and a brittleness which result in a premature creep fracture at high applied stress. (R.P.) 2 refs.; 6 figs

Epizoochory in dry forest iguanas: an overlooked seed dispersal mechanism?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eloisa Lasso

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The role of animals as seed dispersal vectors is widely acknowledged, including dispersal by reptiles (saurochory. Most reports of saurochory have been via endozoochory, through feces deposition. We present the first evidence of epizoochory in Iguanas from a dry forest in Colombia via seeds attached to the snout. Our results show that seeds of a cactus Melocactus curvispinus ingested by iguana suffers from their passage through the digestive tract while seeds transported while attached to the snout germinate faster and in higher numbers. Our data suggest that we may have overlooked an alternative means of seed dispersal by lizards that does not comprise a passage through their digestive tract, and that deserves further attention for the understanding of dry forest ecology.

CONCRETE BASED ON MODIFIED DISPERSE CEMENT SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. V. Rudenko

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The article considers definition of the bond types occurring in a modified cement concrete matrix, and the evaluation of the quality of these links in a non-uniform material to determine the geometrical and physical relationships between the structure and the cement matrix modifiers. Methodology. To achieve this purpose the studies covered the microstructure of dispersed modified concrete cement matrix, the structure formation mechanism of the modified cement concrete system of natural hardening; as well as identification of the methods of sound concrete strength assessment. Findings. The author proposed a model of the spatial structure of the concrete cement matrix, modified by particulate reinforcement crystal hydrates. The initial object of study is a set of volume elements (cells of the cement matrix and the system of the spatial distribution of reinforcing crystallohydrates in these volume elements. It is found that the most dangerous defects such as cracks in the concrete volume during hardening are formed as a result of internal stresses, mainly in the zone of cement matrix-filler contact or in the area bordering with the largest pores of the concrete. Originality. The result of the study is the defined mechanism of the process of formation of the initial strength and stiffness of the modified cement matrix due to the rapid growth of crystallohydrates in the space among the dispersed reinforcing modifier particles. Since the lack of space prevents from the free growth of crystals, the latter cross-penetrate, forming a dense structure, which contributes to the growth of strength. Practical value. Dispersed modifying cement matrix provides a durable concrete for special purposes with the design performance characteristics. The developed technology of dispersed cement system modification, the defined features of its structure formation mechanism and the use of congruence principle for the complex of technological impacts of physical

Wind tunnel and field assessment of pollen dispersal in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.].

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimura, Yasuyuki

2011-01-01

Although genetically modified (GM) soybean has never been cultivated commercially in Japan, it is essential to set up the isolation distance required to prevent out-crossing between GM and conventional soybean in preparation for any future possibility of pollen transfer. The airborne soybean pollen was sampled using some Durham pollen samplers located in the range of 20 m from the field edge. In addition, the dispersal distance was assessed in a wind tunnel under constant air flow and then it was compared with the anticipated distances based on the pollen diameter. In the field, the maximum pollen density per day observed was 1.235 grains cm(-2) day(-1) at three observation points within 2.5 m from the field and inside the field the mean density did not reach the rate of 1 grain cm(-2 )day(-1) during 19 flowering days. The results of the wind tunnel experiment also showed that the plants had almost no airborne release of pollen and the dispersal distance was shorter than theoretical value due to clustered dispersal. This study showed little airborne pollen in and around the soybean field and the dispersal is restricted to a small area. Therefore, wind-mediated pollination appears to be negligible.

Dose assessment of SiC nanoparticle dispersions during in vitro assays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mejia, Jorge; Piret, Jean-Pascal; Noël, Florence; Masereel, Bernard; Toussaint, Olivier; Lucas, Stéphane

2013-01-01

Here, we show that key physicochemical parameters of commercial Silicon Carbide nanoparticles, such as the primary particles of about 53 nm in size, the agglomerates size, and the surface composition, are considerably modified with respect to the pristine conditions, during in vitro assessment. The use of sample conditioning stages, such as the pre-dispersion in aqueous media and the subsequent dispersion in a culture medium specific to the in vitro assay, produce modifications as the absorption of N, C, and O, from the culture medium, in the nanoparticles surface. Our results show that the sedimented dose, fraction of sedimented NPs during incubation and consequently in contact with cells seeded at the bottom, of Silicon Carbide nanoparticles can be measured from the particle size distribution obtained using a centrifugal liquid sedimentation technique. It is underlined that the variations observed in the physicochemical properties are related to the in vitro assay conditions. Culture medium and incubation time are found to influence the most the sedimented dose and consequently the cells dose uptake

Preparation of carbon black masterbatch for PET using polymeric dispersing agents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, D.H. [Kyungpook National University, Taegu (Korea, Republic of); Lim, J.C. [Pukyong National University, Pusan (Korea, Republic of); Seo, K.H. [Yeungnam College of Science and Technology, Taegu (Korea, Republic of)

1999-03-01

Three kinds of copolyesters, dispersing agents, were synthesized from the polycondensation reaction of dimethylterephthalate (DMT), dimethylisophthalate (DMI), sebacic acid (SA), and 1,4-butanediol (BD). Carbon black masterbatches were prepared by mixing carbon black into the dispersing agents (1 : 1.3 weight ratio) in a Brabender Plasticorder Using single screw extruder, masterbatches were compounded with poly(ethylene terephthalate) in 3 wt% concentration and mechanical properties of the compounds were investigated Gel permeation chromatography data implied that thermal degradation of polymeric dispersing agents was not significant through dispersion. Capillary rheometer test showed that PBTI has the highest viscosity and shear sensitivity among the there dispersing agents. Volume resistivities of masterbatch and transmission electron micrographs showed that dispersity of carbon black was improved with increasing melt viscosity of dispersing agent. The ultimate performance and mechanical characteristics of carbon black filled PET compounds depended directly on dispersion quality of the carbon black in masterbatch. Mechanical properties of compounds were improved with increasing dispersity of carbon black and with increasing content of rigid aromatic group in the copolyester dispersing agent. 30 refs., 9 figs., 5 tabs.

Employment Effects of Spatial Dispersal of Refugees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damm, Anna Piil; Rosholm, Michael

Spatial dispersal policies may influence labour market integration of refugees through two mechanisms. First, it may affect the local job offer arrival rate, and second, it may affect place utility. We investigate the second mechanism theoretically by formulating a partial search model in which a...... due to large local reservation wage effects. We investigate both mechanisms empirically and test the predictions of the theoretical model by evaluating the employment effects of the Danish spatial dispersal policy carried out 1986-1998....

The dispersion of SWCNTs treated by coupling and dispersing agents in fiber reinforced polymer composities

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Yuexin; Yuan, Lu; Zhao, Yan; Guan, Fengxia

2007-07-01

It is an obstacle issue for Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) applied in fiber reinforced polymer composites that CNTs is dispersed in nano-level, particularly for single-wall Carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). In this paper, SWCNTs were treated by the coupling agent like volan and dispersing agent as BYK to improve the dispersion in the Glass Fiber/Epoxy composites. The result of dispersion of SWCNTs in composites was observed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Then the Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of these kinds of composites with treated and untreated SWCNTs were obtained by Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA). Moreover, the bending properties of these composites were tested.

Opto-mechanical design of a new cross dispersion unit for the CRIRES+ high resolution spectrograph for the VLT

Science.gov (United States)

Lizon, Jean Louis; Klein, Barbara; Oliva, Ernesto; Löwinger, Tom; Anglada Escude, Guillem; Baade, Dietrich; Bristow, Paul; Dorn, Reinhold J.; Follert, Roman; Grunhut, Jason; Hatzes, Artie; Heiter, Ulrike; Ives, Derek; Jung, Yves; Kerber, Florian; Lockhart, Matt; Marquart, Thomas; Origlia, Livia; Pasquini, Luca; Paufique, Jerome; Piskunov, N.; Pozna, Eszter; Reiners, Ansgar; Smette, Alain; Smoker, Jonathan; Seemann, Ulf; Stempels, Eric; Valenti, Elena

2014-07-01

CRIRES is one of the few IR (0.92-5.2 μm) high-resolution spectrographs in operation at the VLT since 2006. Despite good performance it suffers a limitation that significantly hampers its ability: a small spectral coverage per exposure. The CRIRES upgrade (CRIRES+) proposes to transform CRIRES into a cross-dispersed spectrograph while maintaining the high resolution (100000) and increasing the wavelength coverage by a factor 10 compared to the current capabilities. A major part of the upgrade is the exchange of the actual cryogenic pre-disperser module by a new cross disperser unit. In addition to a completely new optical design, a number of important changes are required on key components and functions like the slit unit and detectors units. We will outline the design of these new units fitting inside a predefined and restricted space. The mechanical design of the new functions including a description and analysis will be presented. Finally we will present the strategy for the implementation of the changes.

Dispersion assessment in the location of facial landmarks on photographs.

Science.gov (United States)

Campomanes-Álvarez, B R; Ibáñez, O; Navarro, F; Alemán, I; Cordón, O; Damas, S

2015-01-01

The morphological assessment of facial features using photographs has played an important role in forensic anthropology. The analysis of anthropometric landmarks for determining facial dimensions and angles has been considered in diverse forensic areas. Hence, the quantification of the error associated to the location of facial landmarks seems to be necessary when photographs become a key element of the forensic procedure. In this work, we statistically evaluate the inter- and intra-observer dispersions related to the facial landmark identification on photographs. In the inter-observer experiment, a set of 18 facial landmarks was provided to 39 operators. They were requested to mark only those that they could precisely place on 10 photographs with different poses (frontal, oblique, and lateral views). The frequency of landmark location was studied together with their dispersion. Regarding the intra-observer evaluation, three participants identified 13 facial points on five photographs classified in the frontal and oblique views. Each landmark location was repeated five times at intervals of at least 24 h. The frequency results reveal that glabella, nasion, subnasale, labiale superius, and pogonion obtained the highest location frequency in the three image categories. On the contrary, the lowest rate corresponds to labiale inferius and menton. Meanwhile, zygia, gonia, and gnathion were significantly more difficult to locate than other facial landmarks. They produced a significant effect on the dispersion depending on the pose of the image where they were placed, regardless of the type of observer that positioned them. In particular, zygia and gonia presented a statistically greater variation in the three image poses, while the location of gnathion is less precise in oblique view photographs. Hence, our findings suggest that the latter landmarks tend to be highly variable when determining their exact position.

Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotube/Polyurethane Nanocomposites via PPG Dispersion with MWCNTs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Dae Won; Kim, Jong Seok [Chonbuk National University, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

In order to improve the dispersity of nanofiller, polyurethane (PU) nanocomposites were manufactured via poly(propylene gylcol) (PPG) dispersion with MWCNTs prepared by using a ball mill shaker. MWCNTs could be functionalized by treating with the hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}). Tensile strengths and elongations at break of PU/H{sub 2}O{sub 2} treated MWCNTs nanocomposites were enhanced compared to those of the PU/pristine MWCNTs nanocomposites. The good dispersion of MWCNTs shown in SEM images was obtained by the functionalization of MWCNTs surface. PU/carbon black (CB) composites showed no significant change in the tensile properties. The tensile properties of PU nanocomposites containing pristine MWCNTs or H{sub 2}O{sub 2} treated MWCNTs were enhanced with increasing dispersion time. As a result, it was certified that the enhanced dispersity of nanofiller brought the improvement of the tensile properties of the MWCNTs based PU nanocomposites.

Dispersion strengthening of precipitation hardened Al-Cu-Mg alloys prepared by rapid solidification and mechanical alloying

Science.gov (United States)

Gilman, P. S.; Sankaran, K. K.

1988-01-01

Several Al-4Cu-1Mg-1.5Fe-0.75Ce alloys have been processed from either rapidly solidified or mechanically alloyed powder using various vacuum degassing parameters and consolidation techniques. Strengthening by the fine subgrains, grains, and the dispersoids individually or in combination is more effective when the alloys contain shearable precipitates; consequently, the strength of the alloys is higher in the naturally aged rather than the artificially aged condition. The strengths of the mechanically alloyed variants are greater than those produced from prealloyed powder. Properties and microstructural features of these dispersion strengthened alloys are discussed in regards to their processing histories.

Dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in biocompatible dispersants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piret, J.-P.; Detriche, S.; Vigneron, R.; Vankoningsloo, S.; Rolin, S.; Mejia Mendoza, J. H.; Masereel, B.; Lucas, S.; Delhalle, J.; Luizi, F.; Saout, C.; Toussaint, O.

2010-01-01

Owing to their phenomenal electrical and mechanical properties, carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been an area of intense research since their discovery in 1991. Different applications for these nanoparticles have been proposed, among others, in electronics and optics but also in the medical field. In parallel, emerging studies have suggested potential toxic effects of CNT while others did not, generating some conflicting outcomes. These discrepancies could be, in part, due to different suspension approaches used and to the agglomeration state of CNT in solution. In this study, we described a standardized protocol to obtain stable CNT suspensions, using two biocompatible dispersants (Pluronic F108 and hydroxypropylcellulose) and to estimate the concentration of CNT in solution. CNT appear to be greatly individualized in these two dispersants with no detection of remaining bundles or agglomerates after sonication and centrifugation. Moreover, CNT remained perfectly dispersed when added to culture medium used for in vitro cell experiments. We also showed that Pluronic F108 is a better dispersant than hydroxypropylcellulose. In conclusion, we have developed a standardized protocol using biocompatible surfactants to obtain reproducible and stable multi-walled carbon nanotubes suspensions which can be used for in vitro or in vivo toxicological studies.

Real time analysis for atmospheric dispersions for Fukushima nuclear accident: Mobile phone based cloud computing assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woo, Tae Ho

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Possible nuclear accident is simulated for the atmospheric contaminations. • The simulations results give the relative importance of the fallouts. • The cloud computing of IT is performed successfully. • One can prepare for the possible damages of such a NPP accident. • Some other variables can be considered in the modeling. - Abstract: The radioactive material dispersion is investigated by the system dynamics (SD) method. The non-linear complex algorithm could give the information about the hazardous material behavior in the case of nuclear accident. The prevailing westerlies region is modeled for the dynamical consequences of the Fukushima nuclear accident. The event sequence shows the scenario from earthquake to dispersion of the radionuclides. Then, the dispersion reaches two cities in Korea. The importance of the radioactive dispersion is related to the fast and reliable data processing, which could be accomplished by cloud computing concept. The values of multiplications for the wind, plume concentrations, and cloud computing factor are obtained. The highest value is 94.13 in the 206th day for Seoul. In Pusan, the highest value is 15.48 in the 219th day. The source is obtained as dispersion of radionuclide multiplied by 100. The real time safety assessment is accomplished by mobile phone

Retention time variability as a mechanism for animal mediated long-distance dispersal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vishwesha Guttal

Full Text Available Long-distance dispersal (LDD events, although rare for most plant species, can strongly influence population and community dynamics. Animals function as a key biotic vector of seeds and thus, a mechanistic and quantitative understanding of how individual animal behaviors scale to dispersal patterns at different spatial scales is a question of critical importance from both basic and applied perspectives. Using a diffusion-theory based analytical approach for a wide range of animal movement and seed transportation patterns, we show that the scale (a measure of local dispersal of the seed dispersal kernel increases with the organisms' rate of movement and mean seed retention time. We reveal that variations in seed retention time is a key determinant of various measures of LDD such as kurtosis (or shape of the kernel, thinkness of tails and the absolute number of seeds falling beyond a threshold distance. Using empirical data sets of frugivores, we illustrate the importance of variability in retention times for predicting the key disperser species that influence LDD. Our study makes testable predictions linking animal movement behaviors and gut retention times to dispersal patterns and, more generally, highlights the potential importance of animal behavioral variability for the LDD of seeds.

Dispersal and metapopulation stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaopeng Wang

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Metapopulation dynamics are jointly regulated by local and spatial factors. These factors may affect the dynamics of local populations and of the entire metapopulation differently. Previous studies have shown that dispersal can stabilize local populations; however, as dispersal also tends to increase spatial synchrony, its net effect on metapopulation stability has been controversial. Here we present a simple metapopulation model to study how dispersal, in interaction with other spatial and local processes, affects the temporal variability of metapopulations in a stochastic environment. Our results show that in homogeneous metapopulations, the local stabilizing and spatial synchronizing effects of dispersal cancel each other out, such that dispersal has no effect on metapopulation variability. This result is robust to moderate heterogeneities in local and spatial parameters. When local and spatial dynamics exhibit high heterogeneities, however, dispersal can either stabilize or destabilize metapopulation dynamics through various mechanisms. Our findings have important theoretical and practical implications. We show that dispersal functions as a form of spatial intraspecific mutualism in metapopulation dynamics and that its effect on metapopulation stability is opposite to that of interspecific competition on local community stability. Our results also suggest that conservation corridors should be designed with appreciation of spatial heterogeneities in population dynamics in order to maximize metapopulation stability.

Analysis of site-specific dispersion conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paesler-Sauer, J.

1989-03-01

This report presents an analysis of atmospheric dispersion conditions in the environs of nuclear power stations in the Federal Republic of Germany. The analysis is based on meteorological data measured on the power station sites (KFUe = nuclear reactor remote control records) and by neighbouring stations operated by the German Weather Service. The data are series of hourly mean values of wind and temperature gradient or stability class over the period of one or more years. The aim of the data analysis is to find types of dispersion conditions characterized by the flow field and stratification, and to assess the feasibility of calculating these quantities in the case of an emergency. Influences of terrain structures in the environs of the site are considered. The annual frequencies of types of dispersion situations are assessed, the capability to recognize the dispersion situation from meteorological data measured on the site and the applicability of dispersion models are discussed. (orig.) [de

Dispersion Differences and Consistency of Artificial Periodic Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Zhi-Bao; Lin, Wen-Kai; Shi, Zhi-Fei

2017-10-01

Dispersion differences and consistency of artificial periodic structures, including phononic crystals, elastic metamaterials, as well as periodic structures composited of phononic crystals and elastic metamaterials, are investigated in this paper. By developing a K(ω) method, complex dispersion relations and group/phase velocity curves of both the single-mechanism periodic structures and the mixing-mechanism periodic structures are calculated at first, from which dispersion differences of artificial periodic structures are discussed. Then, based on a unified formulation, dispersion consistency of artificial periodic structures is investigated. Through a comprehensive comparison study, the correctness for the unified formulation is verified. Mathematical derivations of the unified formulation for different artificial periodic structures are presented. Furthermore, physical meanings of the unified formulation are discussed in the energy-state space.

Molecular Genetics of Pigment Dispersion Syndrome and Pigmentary Glaucoma: New Insights into Mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian A. Lahola-Chomiak

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We explore the ideas and advances surrounding the genetic basis of pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS and pigmentary glaucoma (PG. As PG is the leading cause of nontraumatic blindness in young adults and current tailored interventions have proven ineffective, a better understanding of the underlying causes of PDS, PG, and their relationship is essential. Despite PDS being a subclinical disease, a large proportion of patients progress to PG with associated vision loss. Decades of research have supported a genetic component both for PDS and conversion to PG. We review the body of evidence supporting a genetic basis in humans and animal models and reevaluate classical mechanisms of PDS/PG considering this new evidence.

Molecular Genetics of Pigment Dispersion Syndrome and Pigmentary Glaucoma: New Insights into Mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lahola-Chomiak, Adrian A; Walter, Michael A

2018-01-01

We explore the ideas and advances surrounding the genetic basis of pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) and pigmentary glaucoma (PG). As PG is the leading cause of nontraumatic blindness in young adults and current tailored interventions have proven ineffective, a better understanding of the underlying causes of PDS, PG, and their relationship is essential. Despite PDS being a subclinical disease, a large proportion of patients progress to PG with associated vision loss. Decades of research have supported a genetic component both for PDS and conversion to PG. We review the body of evidence supporting a genetic basis in humans and animal models and reevaluate classical mechanisms of PDS/PG considering this new evidence.

Melt dispersion of thermoplastic polystyrene in polymer polyols

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2009-01-01

Polystyrene is dispersed into a polyol via a mechanical dispersion process. A stabilizer is present to stabilize the dispersed polymer particles. The stabilizer includes a copolymer of (1) from 10 to 70% by weight of a branched polyol which has a molecular weight of from 4000 to 20,000, from 0.2 to

Energy storage and dispersion of surface acoustic waves trapped in a periodic array of mechanical resonators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dühring, Maria Bayard; Laude, Vincent; Khelif, Abdelkrim

2009-01-01

It has been shown previously that surface acoustic waves can be efficiently trapped and slowed by steep ridges on a piezoelectric substrate, giving rise to two families of shear-horizontal and vertically polarized surface waves. The mechanisms of energy storage and dispersion are explored by using...... the finite element method to model surface acoustic waves generated by high aspect ratio electrodes. A periodic model is proposed including a perfectly matched layer to simulate radiation conditions away from the sources, from which the modal distributions are found. The ratio of the mechanical energy...... confined to the electrode as compared to the total mechanical energy is calculated and is found to be increasing for increasing aspect ratio and to tend to a definite limit for the two families of surface waves. This observation is in support of the interpretation that high aspect ratio electrodes act...

Extrinsic and Intrinsic Frequency Dispersion of High-k Materials in Capacitance-Voltage Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Taylor

2012-06-01

Full Text Available In capacitance-voltage (C-V measurements, frequency dispersion in high-k dielectrics is often observed. The frequency dependence of the dielectric constant (k-value, that is the intrinsic frequency dispersion, could not be assessed before suppressing the effects of extrinsic frequency dispersion, such as the effects of the lossy interfacial layer (between the high-k thin film and silicon substrate and the parasitic effects. The effect of the lossy interfacial layer on frequency dispersion was investigated and modeled based on a dual frequency technique. The significance of parasitic effects (including series resistance and the back metal contact of the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS capacitor on frequency dispersion was also studied. The effect of surface roughness on frequency dispersion is also discussed. After taking extrinsic frequency dispersion into account, the relaxation behavior can be modeled using the Curie-von Schweidler (CS law, the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW relationship and the Havriliak-Negami (HN relationship. Dielectric relaxation mechanisms are also discussed.

Actual problems of exposure risk assessment of finely dispersed aerosols and aerosols of nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Sevalnev

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose of the study – analysis of the scientific literature on generalization of the data on domestic and foreign experience in risk assessment due to exposure to finely dispersed aerosols and aerosols of nanoparticles (NPs. The article summarizes data of long-term studies on the effect of nanomaterials and nanoparticles on the quality of human habitat and health. The domestic and foreign experience of harm health assessment, safety of new types of nanomaterials for the environment and work-related conditions have been analyzed. There are numerous studies of foreign and domestic scientists on the biological activity of nanoparticles and their effect on experimental animals, namely, on the specificity of their effect on various organs and systems of the body. Classification of nanomaterials, depending on their chemical composition, is presented. Attention is paid to the problems of nanosafety, namely, to the evaluation of nanotoxicity of substances and to the definition of the concept of a “dose” for nanoparticles. The data on the presence of finely dispersed and ultra-fine particles in the atmospheric air, which increase risk of respiratory system diseases among residents of large megacities, is given. There is special importance on assessing work conditions and occupational risks in production and use of materials which contain nanoparticles as well as in production processes with formation of the fine dust and nanoparticles indicated in the article. Due to the lack of a clear system for assessing health risks related to the action of nanoparticles, lack of common criteria of harmfulness and maximum allowable concentrations for most nanoparticles and uniform methods of their control, it is suggested to strictly adhere to protective measures in contact with nanomaterials and active improvement of nanosecurity measures. Conclusions. High toxicity and health hazards of finely dispersed and ultra-fine particles confirm need to control their

Strengthening analyses and mechanical assessment of Ti/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nano-composites produced by friction stir processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shafiei-Zarghani, Aziz, E-mail: ashafiei@ut.ac.ir [Center of Excellence for Surface Engineering and Corrosion Protection of Industries, School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Kashani-Bozorg, Seyed Farshid, E-mail: fkashani@ut.ac.ir [Center of Excellence for Surface Engineering and Corrosion Protection of Industries, School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Gerlich, Adrian P., E-mail: adrian.gerlich@uwaterloo.ca [Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo (Canada)

2015-04-17

The present work investigates strengthening mechanisms and mechanical assessment of Ti/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nano-composites produced by friction stir processing of commercially pure titanium using nano-sized Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} with different volume fractions and particle sizes. Microstructural analyses were conducted to characterize the grain size of matrix, size and dispersion of reinforcing particles. The mean grain size of the composites ranged from ~0.7 to 1.1 μm that is much lower than 28 μm of the as-received material. Reduction of grain size was found to be in agreement with Rios approach (based on energy dissipated during the motion of an interface through particle dispersion), and showed deviation from Zener pinning model. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies revealed a near uniform dispersion of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nano-particles, with only a small fraction of widely spaced clusters. The maximum compression yield strength of the fabricated nano-composite (Ti/3.9%vol of 20 nm-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) was found to be ~494 MPa that is ~1.5 times higher than that of the as-received material. Strengthening analyses based on grain refining (Hall–Petch approach), load transfer from matrix to reinforcements, Orowan looping, and enhanced dislocation density due to thermal mismatch effects were carried out considering Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} reinforcement with different volume fractions and sizes. However, Hall–Petch approach was found to be the dominant mechanism for the enhancement of yield strength.

Key factors for UV curable pigment dispersions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magny, B.; Pezron, E.; Ciceron, P.H.; Askienazy, A.

1999-01-01

UV oligomers with good pigment dispersion are needed to allow good formulation flexibility and possibility to apply thinner films. Pigment dispersion mainly depends on three phenomena: the wetting of agglomerates, the breakage of agglomerates by mechanical stress and the stabilization of smaller agglomerates and primary particles against flocculation. It has been shown that oligomers with low viscosity and low surface tension induce a good pigment wetting. Examples of monomers and oligomers for good pigment dispersion are given

Interphase and particle dispersion correlations in polymer nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Senses, Erkan

Particle dispersion in polymer matrices is a major parameter governing the mechanical performance of polymer nanocomposites. Controlling particle dispersion and understanding aging of composites under large shear and temperature variations determine the processing conditions and lifetime of composites which are very important for diverse applications in biomedicine, highly reinforced materials and more importantly for the polymer composites with adaptive mechanical responses. This thesis investigates the role of interphase layers between particles and polymer matrices in two bulk systems where particle dispersion is altered upon deformation in repulsive composites, and good-dispersion of particles is retained after multiple oscillatory shearing and aging cycles in attractive composites. We demonstrate that chain desorption and re-adsorption processes in attractive composites under shear can effectively enhance the bulk microscopic mechanical properties, and long chains of adsorbed layers lead to a denser entangled interphase layer. We further designed experiments where particles are physically adsorbed with bimodal lengths of homopolymer chains to underpin the entanglement effect in interphases. Bimodal adsorbed chains are shown to improve the interfacial strength and used to modulate the elastic properties of composites without changing the particle loading, dispersion state or polymer conformation. Finally, the role of dynamic asymmetry (different mobilities in polymer blends) and chemical heterogeneity in the interphase layer are explored in systems of poly(methyl methacrylate) adsorbed silica nanoparticles dispersed in poly(ethylene oxide) matrix. Such nanocomposites are shown to exhibit unique thermal-stiffening behavior at temperatures above glass transitions of both polymers. These interesting findings suggest that the mobility of the surface-bound polymer is essential for reinforcement in polymer nanocomposites, contrary to existing glassy layer theories

Assessment of argon ion laser dispersive Raman spectroscopy for hot cell applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crawford, B.A.

1995-01-01

Characterization of high-level waste tank materials at Hanford is conducted to support safety assessments and waste treatment activities. Raman spectroscopy is expected to give chemical species information which may assist in defining layering in tank waste. This report describes the dispersive Raman system used in this year's investigation and the methology used to collect and evaluate data taken on tank waste samples. The current argon-ion Raman system was found not to be suitable for screening of tank cores, owing to silica interference, fluorescence interferences, and the extensive time required to collect and treat the data. Recommendations are given for further development

Polymer-Particle Nanocomposites: Size and Dispersion Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Moll, Joseph

Polymer-particle nanocomposites are used in industrial processes to enhance a broad range of material properties (e.g. mechanical, optical, electrical and gas permeability properties). This dissertation will focus on explanation and quantification of mechanical property improvements upon the addition of nanoparticles to polymeric materials. Nanoparticles, as enhancers of mechanical properties, are ubiquitous in synthetic and natural materials (e.g. automobile tires, packaging, bone), however, to date, there is no thorough understanding of the mechanism of their action. In this dissertation, silica (SiO2) nanoparticles, both bare and grafted with polystyrene (PS), are studied in polymeric matrices. Several variables of interest are considered, including particle dispersion state, particle size, length and density of grafted polymer chains, and volume fraction of SiO2. Polymer grafted nanoparticles behave akin to block copolymers, and this is critically leveraged to systematically vary nanoparticle dispersion and examine its role on the mechanical reinforcement in polymer based nanocomposites in the melt state. Rheology unequivocally shows that reinforcement is maximized by the formation of a transient, but long-lived, percolating polymer-particle network with the particles serving as the network junctions. The effects of dispersion and weight fraction of filler on nanocomposite mechanical properties are also studied in a bare particle system. Due to the interest in directional properties for many different materials, different means of inducing directional ordering of particle structures are also studied. Using a combination of electron microscopy and x-ray scattering, it is shown that shearing anisotropic NP assemblies (sheets or strings) causes them to orient, one in front of the other, into macroscopic two-dimensional structures along the flow direction. In contrast, no such flow-induced ordering occurs for well dispersed NPs or spherical NP aggregates! This work

Effects of mechanical force on grain structures of friction stir welded oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Wentuo; Kimura, Akihiko; Tsuda, Naoto; Serizawa, Hisashi; Chen, Dongsheng; Je, Hwanil; Fujii, Hidetoshi; Ha, Yoosung; Morisada, Yoshiaki; Noto, Hiroyuki

2014-01-01

The weldability of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steels is a critical obstructive in the development and use of these steels. Friction stir welding has been considered to be a promising way to solve this problem. The main purpose of this work was to reveal the effects of mechanical force on grain structures of friction stir welded ODS ferritic steel. The grain appearances and the misorientation angles of grain boundaries in different welded zones were investigated by the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Results showed that the mechanical force imposed by the stir tool can activate and promote the recrystallization characterized by the transformation of boundaries from LABs to HABs, and contribute to the grain refinement. The type of recrystallization in the stir zone can be classified as the continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX)

Effects of mechanical force on grain structures of friction stir welded oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Wentuo, E-mail: hanwentuo@hotmail.com [Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Kimura, Akihiko [Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Tsuda, Naoto [Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Serizawa, Hisashi [Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Chen, Dongsheng [Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Je, Hwanil [Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Fujii, Hidetoshi [Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Ha, Yoosung [Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Morisada, Yoshiaki [Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Noto, Hiroyuki [Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan)

2014-12-15

The weldability of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steels is a critical obstructive in the development and use of these steels. Friction stir welding has been considered to be a promising way to solve this problem. The main purpose of this work was to reveal the effects of mechanical force on grain structures of friction stir welded ODS ferritic steel. The grain appearances and the misorientation angles of grain boundaries in different welded zones were investigated by the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Results showed that the mechanical force imposed by the stir tool can activate and promote the recrystallization characterized by the transformation of boundaries from LABs to HABs, and contribute to the grain refinement. The type of recrystallization in the stir zone can be classified as the continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX)

Carbon nanotube (CNT)–epoxy nanocomposites: a systematic investigation of CNT dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakraborty, Amit K.; Plyhm, Tiia; Barbezat, Michel; Necola, Adly; Terrasi, Giovanni P.

2011-01-01

A systematic investigation of the dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), 1–6 nm in diameter and a few microns in length, in a bisphenol F-based epoxy resin has been presented. Several dispersing techniques including high-speed dissolver, ultrasonic bath/horn, 3-roll mill, etc. have been employed. Optical microscopy has been extensively used to systematically characterise the state of CNT dispersion in the epoxy resin during the entire processing cycle from mixing CNT with resin to adding and curing with hardener. Complimentary viscosity measurements were also performed at various stages of nanocomposite processing. A method to produce a good CNT dispersion in resin was established, but the state of CNT dispersion was found to be extremely sensitive to its physical and chemical environments. The cured nanocomposites were further tested for their thermo-mechanical properties by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), and for flexural and compressive mechanical properties. The measured properties of various nanocomposite plates were then discussed in view of the corresponding CNT dispersion.

Mechanics of dispersion of pollutants in coastal environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jordaan, J.M. Jr.

1973-01-01

The relationships between energy dissipation (turbulence) and mixing and analogy with classical diffusion theory are reviewed. Typical solutions of the differential equations, for various initial and boundary conditions related to practical cases are presented. The natural processes that control the dispersion in the nearshore regions were studied in a wind-wave channel and in the field and interpretive conclusions are drawn on the practice of nearshore disposal of effluents

Dispersion of nanoparticulate suspensions using self-assembled surfactant aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Pankaj Kumar

The dispersion of particles is critical for several industrial applications such as paints, inks, coatings, and cosmetics. Several emerging applications such as abrasives for precision polishing, and drug delivery systems are increasingly relying on nanoparticulates to achieve the desired performance. In the case of nanoparticles, the dispersion becomes more challenging because of the lack of fundamental understanding of dispersant adsorption and interparticle force prediction. Additionally, many of these processes use severe processing environments such as high normal forces (>100 mN/m), high shear forces (>10,000 s -1), and high ionic strengths (>0.1 M). Under such processing conditions, traditionally used dispersants based on electrostatics, and steric force repulsion mechanism may not be adequate. Hence, the development of optimally performing dispersants requires a fundamental understanding of the dispersion mechanism at the atomic/molecular scale. This study explores the use of self-assembled surfactant aggregates at the solid-liquid interface for dispersing nanoparticles in severe processing environments. Surfactant molecules can provide a feasible alternative to polymeric or inorganic dispersants for stabilizing ultrafine particles. The barrier to aggregation in the presence of surfactant molecules was measured using atomic force microscopy. The barrier heights correlated to suspension stability. To understand the mechanism for nanoparticulate suspension stability in the presence of surfactant films, the interface was characterized using zeta potential, contact angle, adsorption, and FT-IR (adsorbed surfactant film structure measurements). The effect of solution conditions such as pH and ionic strength on the suspension stability, and the self-assembled surfactant films was also investigated. It was determined that a transition from a random to an ordered orientation of the surfactant molecules at the interface was responsible for stability of

Hazard assessment of long-range tephra dispersal for a Plinian eruptive scenario at Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico). Inplications on civil aviation

Science.gov (United States)

Bonasia, R.; Scaini, C.; Capra, L.; Nathenson, M.; Siebe, C.; Arana-Salinas, L.; Folch, A.

2013-12-01

Popocatépetl is one of the most active volcanoes in Mexico threatening a densely populated area that includes Mexico City with more than 20 million inhabitants. The destructive potential of this volcano is demonstrated by its Late Pleistocene-Holocene eruptive activity, which has been characterized by recurrent Plinian eruptions of large magnitude. The current volcanic hazards map, reconstructed after the crisis occurred in 1994, considers the potential occurrence of different volcanic phenomena, including pyroclastic density currents and lahars. However, no quantitative assessment of the tephra dispersal hazard, especially related to atmospheric dispersal, has been performed. Given the high number of important airports in the surroundings of Popocatépetl volcano and considering the potential threat posed to civil aviation in Mexico and adjacent regions in case of a Plinian eruption, a hazard assessment for tephra dispersal is strongly required. In this work we present the first probabilistic tephra dispersal hazard assessment for Popocatépetl volcano. We compute probabilistic hazard maps for critical thresholds of airborne ash concentrations at different flight levels. Tephra dispersal modelling is performed using the FALL3D numerical model. Probabilistic hazard maps are built for a Plinian eruptive scenario defined on the basis of geological field data for the 'Ochre Pumice' Plinian eruption (4965 14C yrBP). FALL3D model input eruptive parameters are constrained through an inversion method carried out with the semi-analytical HAZMAP model and are varied sampling them on the base of a Probability Density Function. We analyze the influence of seasonal variations on ash dispersal and estimate the average persistence of critical ash concentrations at relevant locations and airports. This study assesses the impact that a Plinian eruption similar to the Ochre Pumice eruption would have on the main airports of Mexico and adjacent areas. The hazard maps presented here

Wheat gluten/montmorillonite biocomposites: Effect of pH on the mechanical properties and clay dispersion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Cortes-Trivino

2018-07-01

Full Text Available The addition of inorganic fillers into a bioplastic could increase its mechanical properties, which will be influenced strongly by the type of the clay dispersion. In this work, we have used montmorillonite nanoclays (MMT to prepare biocomposites by means of an extrusion process. We present herein the effect of the pH and the addition of montmorillonite nanoclays (MMT on the barrier and mechanical properties of wheat gluten based bioplastics. The pH of the samples was modified by adding aqueous solution of a strong acid or base (H2SO4 and NaOH. Tensile, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA, water absorption and X-ray tests were carried out to study the influence of the above-mentioned variables on the physicochemical properties and rheological behaviour of bioplastics and biocomposites obtained. Tensile results showed that both Young’s modulus and tensile strength are higher at unmodified pH. However, the addition of MMT to an alkaline biopolymer matrix produced remarkable improvements in the rheological and mechanical properties because of a high exfoliation of the nanoclay noticeable in X-ray results. To summarise, extrusion process and the use of nanoclays present an excellent opportunity to develop wheat gluten bioplastics able to replace conventional products.

Zoochoric and hydrochoric maritime dispersal of the Opuntia monacantha (Willd. Haw. (Cactaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelo Martins Fraga

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Evolutionary adaptations in the morphology and physiology of cactus species have been associated to their mechanisms of dispersal and colonization. The dispersal mechanisms and modes of Opuntia monacantha (Willd. Haw. (Cactaceae were characterized in two beaches in Florianopolis, SC, Brazil. A marsupial from the genus Didelphis (Mammalia: Didelphidae was the only frugivorous and, thus, disperser of fruits, presenting specific eating places. The maritime hydrochory was due to the overwash on restinga vegetation, it is characterized by the dispersal of cladodes and fruits at various times of the year. It is here firstly described the sea action as a potential disperser for a cactus species.

Effect of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) particle morphology on dispersion and rheological and mechanical properties of polypropylene/CNC nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoshkava, Vahid; Kamal, Musa R

2014-06-11

Polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites containing spray-dried cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), freeze-dried CNC, and spray-freeze-dried CNC (CNCSFD) were prepared via melt mixing in an internal batch mixer. Polarized light, scanning electron, and atomic force microscopy showed significantly better dispersion of CNCSFD in PP/CNC nanocomposites compared with the spray-dried and freeze-dried CNCs. Rheological measurements, including linear and nonlinear viscoelastic tests, were performed on PP/CNC samples. The microscopy results were supported by small-amplitude oscillatory shear tests, which showed substantial rises in the magnitudes of key rheological parameters of PP samples containing CNCSFD. Steady-shear results revealed a strong shear thinning behavior of PP samples containing CNCSFD. Moreover, PP melts containing CNCSFD exhibited a yield stress. The magnitude of the yield stress and the degree of shear thinning behavior increased with CNCSFD concentration. It was found that CNCSFD agglomerates with a weblike structure were more effective in modifying the rheological properties. This effect was attributed to better dispersion of the agglomerates with the weblike structure. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed considerable improvement in the modulus of samples containing CNCSFD agglomerates. The percolation mechanical model with modified volume percolation threshold and filler network strength values and the Halpin-Kardos model were used to fit the experimental results.

Evaluating Chemical Dispersant Efficacy In An Experimental Wave Tank: 1, Dispersant Effectiveness As A Function Of Energy Dissipation Rate

Science.gov (United States)

Numerous laboratory test systems have been developed for the comparison of efficacy between various chemical oil dispersant formulations. However, for the assessment of chemical dispersant effectiveness under realistic sea state, test protocols are required to produce hydrodynam...

Risk assessment of particle dispersion and trace element contamination from mine-waste dumps.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, Antonio; González, Isabel; Martín, José María; Vázquez, María Auxiliadora; Ortiz, Pilar

2015-04-01

In this study, a model to delimit risk zones influenced by atmospheric particle dispersion from mine-waste dumps is developed to assess their influence on the soil and the population according to the concentration of trace elements in the waste. The model is applied to the Riotinto Mine (in SW Spain), which has a long history of mining and heavy land contamination. The waste materials are separated into three clusters according to the mapping, mineralogy, and geochemical classification using cluster analysis. Two of the clusters are composed of slag, fresh pyrite, and roasted pyrite ashes, which may contain high concentrations of trace elements (e.g., >1 % As or >4 % Pb). The average pollution load index (PLI) calculated for As, Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, Tl, and Zn versus the baseline of the regional soil is 19. The other cluster is primarily composed of sterile rocks and ochreous tailings, and the average PLI is 3. The combination of particle dispersion calculated by a Gaussian model, the PLI, the surface area of each waste and the wind direction is used to develop a risk-assessment model with Geographic Information System GIS software. The zone of high risk can affect the agricultural soil and the population in the study area, particularly if mining activity is restarted in the near future. This model can be applied to spatial planning and environmental protection if the information is complemented with atmospheric particulate matter studies.

Employment Effects of Spatial Dispersal of Refugees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damm, Anna Piil; Rosholm, Michael

We argue that spatial dispersal influences labour market assimilation of refugees through two mechanisms: first, the local job offer arrival rate and, second, place utility. Our partial search model with simultaneous job and residential location search predicts that the reservation wage for local...... by evaluating the employment effects of the Danish spatial dispersal policy carried out 1986-1998....

Characterization of Dispersion Strengthened Copper Alloy Prepared by Internal Oxidation Combined with Mechanical Alloying

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Ziqian; Xiao, Zhu; Li, Zhou; Zhu, Mengnan; Yang, Ziqi

2017-11-01

Cu-3.6 vol.% Al2O3 dispersion strengthened alloy was prepared by mechanical alloying (MA) of internal oxidation Cu-Al powders. The lattice parameter of Cu matrix decreased with milling time for powders milled in argon, while the abnormal increase of lattice parameter occurred in the air resulting from mechanochemical reactions. With a quantitative analysis, the combined method makes residual aluminum oxidized completely within 10-20 h while mechanical alloying method alone needs longer than 40 h. Lamellar structure formed and the thickness of lamellar structure decreased with milling time. The size of Al2O3 particles decreased from 46 to 22 nm after 40 h milling. After reduction, core-shell structure was found in MAed powders milled in the air. The compacted alloy produced by MAed powders milled in the argon had an average hardness and electrical conductivity of 172.2 HV and 82.1% IACS while the unmilled alloy's were 119.8 HV and 74.1% IACS due to the Al2O3 particles refinement and residual aluminum in situ oxidization.

New ceramics containing dispersants for improved fracture toughness

Science.gov (United States)

Nevitt, M.V.; Aldred, A.T.; Chan, Sai-Kit

1985-07-01

The invention is a ceramic composition containing a new class of dispersant for hindering crack propagation by means of one or more energy-dissipative mechanisms. The composition is composed of a ceramic matrix with dispersed particles of a transformation-prone rare-earth niobate, tantalate or mixtures of these with each other and/or with a rare-earth vanadate. The dispersants, having a generic composition tRBO/sub 4/, where R is a rare-earth element, B if Nb or Ta and O is oxygen, are mixed in powder form with a powder of the matrix ceramic and sintered to produce a ceramic form or body. The crack-hindering mechanisms operates to provide improved performance over a wide range of temperature and operating conditions.

Long anterior zonules and pigment dispersion.

Science.gov (United States)

Moroi, Sayoko E; Lark, Kurt K; Sieving, Paul A; Nouri-Mahdavi, Kouros; Schlötzer-Schrehardt, Ursula; Katz, Gregory J; Ritch, Robert

2003-12-01

To describe pigment dispersion associated with long anterior zonules. Multicenter observational case series. Fifteen patients, seven of whom were treated for glaucoma or ocular hypertension, were identified with long anterior zonules and pigment dispersion. Transmission electron microscopy was performed on one anterior capsule specimen. All patients had anterior zonules that inserted centrally on the lens capsule. Signs of pigment dispersion included corneal endothelial pigmentation, loss of the pupillary ruff, and variable trabecular meshwork pigmentation. Ultrasound biomicroscopy verified the lack of posterior iris insertion and concavity. There was no exfoliation material. Transmission electron microscopy showed zonular lamellae with adherent pigment granules, and no exfoliation material. Long anterior zonules inserted onto the central lens capsule may cause mechanical disruption of the pigment epithelium at the pupillary ruff and central iris leading to pigment dispersion.

Nuclear risk from atmospheric dispersion in Northern Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauritzen, B.

2007-04-01

The aim of the 2005-06 NKS-B NordRisk project has been to present practical methods for probabilistic risk assessment from long-range atmospheric transport and deposition of radioactive material. In this project an atlas of long-range atmospheric dispersion and deposition patterns derived from archived numerical weather prediction (NWP) model data coupled to an atmospheric dispersion model has been produced, and a PC-based software tool has been developed, based on a simplified description of the long-term, long-range atmospheric dispersion and deposition. The atlas and the software tool may allow for a rapid, first assessment of the risks following a nuclear emergency, when detailed information on the long-range atmospheric dispersion and deposition is not available. (au)

Performance assessment of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) for modeling dispersion in an urban street canyon with tree planting

Science.gov (United States)

Moonen, P.; Gromke, C.; Dorer, V.

2013-08-01

The potential of a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model to reliably predict near-field pollutant dispersion is assessed. To that extent, detailed time-resolved numerical simulations of coupled flow and dispersion are conducted for a street canyon with tree planting. Different crown porosities are considered. The model performance is assessed in several steps, ranging from a qualitative comparison to measured concentrations, over statistical data analysis by means of scatter plots and box plots, up to the calculation of objective validation metrics. The extensive validation effort highlights and quantifies notable features and shortcomings of the model, which would otherwise remain unnoticed. The model performance is found to be spatially non-uniform. Closer agreement with measurement data is achieved near the canyon ends than for the central part of the canyon, and typical model acceptance criteria are satisfied more easily for the leeward than for the windward canyon wall. This demonstrates the need for rigorous model evaluation. Only quality-assured models can be used with confidence to support assessment, planning and implementation of pollutant mitigation strategies.

Life strategies of semi-desert plants: mechanisms of dispersal and reproduction in the thermomediterranean shrubland community Anabasio-Euzomodendretum bourgaeani

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hensen, Isabell

1999-06-01

Full Text Available The present study describes mechanisms of dispersal and reproduction in the thermomediterranean shrubland community Anabasio hispanicae-Euzomodendretum bourgaeani. The life strategy analysis based on sociological releves was carried out in Tabernas Desert (Province Almería. The biological significance of the occurring life strategies is represented by the mean group quantity fraction (GM. The dominant life strategy subdivisión of Anabasio-Euzomodendretum bourgaeani is that of Perennial stayers with short-range dispersal, with sexual reproduction. Reproduction takes place mainly by seeds; clonal reproduction does not appear to have any significance for the colonization of this semi-desert habitat. The community is characterized by a low dispersal capacity, achieved by several mechanisms for avoiding dispersal. A high percentage of the species that mature and fructify shortly before or during the hot and rainless summer, stores at least a subset of seeds in an aerial diaspore bank to assure that dispersal and germination coincide with an advantageous soil water supply. Additionally, immediate seed germination is frequently inhibited by high temperature.El presente trabajo describe los mecanismos de dispersión y reproducción en la comunidad de matorral termomediterráneo Anabasio hispanicae-Euzomodendretum bourgaeani. El análisis de las estrategias de vida se basa en inventarios fitosociológicos realizados en el desierto de Tabernas (provincia de Almería. La importancia biológica de las estrategias de vida es expresada por el cociente medio de la cantidad del grupo (GM. La estrategia de vida predominante es el subgrupo de los perennes con dispersión a corta distancia, con reproducción sexual. Las especies se reproducen principalmente por semillas y la reproducción clonal no parece tener importancia para la colonización del habitat semidesértico. La comunidad está caracterizada por una baja capacidad de dispersión que se consigue por

Influence of Nanoclay Dispersion Methods on the Mechanical Behavior of E-Glass/Epoxy Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahesh V. Hosur

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Common dispersion methods such as ultrasonic sonication, planetary centrifugal mixing and magnetic dispersion have been used extensively to achieve moderate exfoliation of nanoparticles in polymer matrix. In this study, the effect of adding three roll milling to these three dispersion methods for nanoclay dispersion into epoxy matrix was investigated. A combination of each of these mixing methods with three roll milling showed varying results relative to the unmodified polymer laminate. A significant exfoliation of the nanoparticles in the polymer structure was obtained by dispersing the nanoclay combining three roll milling to magnetic and planetary centrifugal mixing methods. This exfoliation promoted a stronger interfacial bond between the matrix and the fiber, which increased the final properties of the E-glass/epoxy nanocomposite. However, a combination of ultrasound sonication and three roll milling on the other hand, resulted in poor clay exfoliation; the sonication process degraded the polymer network, which adversely affected the nanocomposite final properties relative to the unmodified E-glass/epoxy polymer.

The role of the lens in pigment dispersion syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lance

2010-12-01

In patients with pigment dispersion syndrome, changes of the iris configuration can occur with accommodation, blinking, miotics, and following a laser iridotomy. This observational case series looks at the changes following cataract surgery in 3 eyes with signs of pigment dispersion, symptomatic cataracts, and no previous laser iridotomy that were imaged with optical coherence tomography. The iris was concave posteriorly in dark and light lighting conditions, and became flat following an uncomplicated cataract operation. This may be explained by the elimination of iridolenticular contact, which contributes to the mechanism of reverse pupil block. These iris changes suggest the lens plays an important role in the mechanism of pigment dispersion. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

Dispersion modeling in assessing air quality of industrial projects under Indian regulatory regime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bandyopadhyay, Amitava [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Calcutta, 92, A.P.C.Road, Kolkata 700 009 (India)

2010-07-01

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies conducted over the years as a part of obtaining environmental clearance in accordance with Indian regulation have been given significant attention towards carrying out Gaussian dispersion modeling for predicting the ground level concentration (GLC) of pollutants, especially for SO{sub 2}. Making any adhoc decision towards recommending flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system in Indian fossil fuel combustion operations is not realistic considering the usage of fuel with low sulfur content. Thus a predictive modeling is imperative prior to making any conclusive decision. In the light of this finding, dispersion modeling has been accorded in Indian environmental regulations. This article aims at providing approaches to ascertain pollution potential for proposed power plant operation either alone or in presence of other industrial operations under different conditions. In order to assess the performance of the computational work four different cases were analyzed based on worst scenario. Results obtained through predictions were compared with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of India. One specific case found to overshoot the ambient air quality adversely in respect of SO2 and was therefore, suggested to install a FGD system with at least 80 % SO2 removal efficiency. With this recommendation, the cumulative prediction yielded a very conservative resultant value of 24 hourly maximum GLC of SO2 as against a value that exceeded well above the stipulated value without considering the FGD system. The computational algorithm developed can therefore, be gainfully utilized for the purpose of EIA analysis in Indian condition.

Microstructure and Mechanical Property of 12Cr Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Steel

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Haijian; Lu, Zheng; Jia, Chunyan; Gao, Hao; Liu, Chunming

2016-03-01

Nanostructured oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels with nominal compositions (wt%): Fe-12Cr-2W-0.3Ti-0.3Y2O3 were produced by mechanical alloying and hot isostatic pressing. The microstructure was characterized by means of electron microscopy (EBSD, TEM and HRTEM) and the hardness and the tensile properties at different temperatures were measured. The results showed that the ultimate tensile strength of the fabricated 12Cr-ODS steel reached nearly 1,100 MPa at room temperature and maintained around 340 MPa at 700°C. Nano-oxide particles with size ranging from several nm to 30 nm and the number density was 3.6 × 1020/m3 were observed by TEM. Following heat treatment, including normalizing at 1,100°C for 1 h and tempering at 750°C for 2 h, the average grain size was a little decreased. The number of nano-oxide particles increased and the number density was 8.9 × 1020/m3. Specimens showed much higher ductility and there was a slight increase of ultimate tensile strength and Vickers hardness at the same time.

Thermally induced dispersion mechanisms for aluminum-based plate-type fuels under rapid transient energy deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgevich, V.; Taleyarkham, R.P.; Navarro-Valenti, S.; Kim, S.H.

1995-01-01

A thermally induced dispersion model was developed to analyze for dispersive potential and determine onset of fuel plate dispersion for Al-based research and test reactor fuels. Effect of rapid energy deposition in a fuel plate was simulated. Several data types for Al-based fuels tested in the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor in Japan and in the Transient Reactor Test in Idaho were reviewed. Analyses of experiments show that onset of fuel dispersion is linked to a sharp rise in predicted strain rate, which futher coincides with onset of Al vaporization. Analysis also shows that Al oxidation and exothermal chemical reaction between the fuel and Al can significantly affect the energy deposition characteristics, and therefore dispersion onset connected with Al vaporization, and affect onset of vaporization

Modelling electro-active polymers with a dispersion-type anisotropy

Science.gov (United States)

Hossain, Mokarram; Steinmann, Paul

2018-02-01

We propose a novel constitutive framework for electro-active polymers (EAPs) that can take into account anisotropy with a chain dispersion. To enhance actuation behaviour, particle-filled EAPs become promising candidates nowadays. Recent studies suggest that particle-filled EAPs, which can be cured under an electric field during the manufacturing time, do not necessarily form perfect anisotropic composites, rather they create composites with dispersed chains. Hence in this contribution, an electro-mechanically coupled constitutive model is devised that considers the chain dispersion with a probability distribution function in an integral form. To obtain relevant quantities in discrete form, numerical integration over the unit sphere is utilized. Necessary constitutive equations are derived exploiting the basic laws of thermodynamics that result in a thermodynamically consistent formulation. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed electro-mechanically coupled framework, we analytically solve a non-homogeneous boundary value problem, the extension and inflation of an axisymmetric cylindrical tube under electro-mechanically coupled load. The results capture various electro-mechanical couplings with the formulation proposed for EAP composites.

Mechanisms of reversible photodegradation in disperse orange 11 dye doped in PMMA polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Embaye, Natnael B.; Ramini, Shiva K.; Kuzyk, Mark G.

2008-01-01

We use amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and linear absorption spectroscopy to study the mechanisms of reversible photodegradation of 1-amino-2-methylanthraquinone (disperse orange 11-DO11) in solid poly(methyl methacrylate). Measurements as a function of intensity, concentration, and time suggest that ASE originates in a state (be it a tautomer or a vibronic level) that can form a dimer or some other aggregate upon relaxation, which through fluorescence quenching leads to degradation of the ASE signal. Whatever the degradation route, a high concentration of DO11 is required and the polymer plays a key role in the process of opening a new reversible degradation pathway that is not available at lower concentrations or in liquid solutions. We construct an energy level diagram that describes all measured quantities in the decay and recovery processes and propose a hypothesis of the nature of the associated states

Atmospheric dispersion models of radioactivity releases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oza, R.B.

2016-01-01

In view of the rapid industrialization in recent time, atmospheric dispersion models have become indispensible 'tools' to ensure that the effects of releases are well within the acceptable limits set by the regulatory authority. In the case of radioactive releases from the nuclear facility, though negligible in quantity and many a times not even measurable, it is required to demonstrate the compliance of these releases to the regulatory limits set by the regulatory authority by carrying out radiological impact assessment. During routine operations of nuclear facility, the releases are so low that environmental impact is usually assessed with the help of atmospheric dispersion models as it is difficult to distinguish negligible contribution of nuclear facility to relatively high natural background radiation. The accidental releases from nuclear facility, though with negligible probability of occurrence, cannot be ruled out. In such cases, the atmospheric dispersion models are of great help to emergency planners for deciding the intervention actions to minimize the consequences in public domain and also to workout strategies for the management of situation. In case of accidental conditions, the atmospheric dispersion models are also utilized for the estimation of probable quantities of radionuclides which might have got released to the atmosphere. Thus, atmospheric dispersion models are an essential tool for nuclear facility during routine operation as well as in the case of accidental conditions

Transport and Dispersion of Nanoparticles in Periodic Nanopost Arrays

KAUST Repository

He, Kai; Retterer, Scott T.; Srijanto, Bernadeta R.; Conrad, Jacinta C.; Krishnamoorti, Ramanan

2014-01-01

Nanoparticles transported through highly confined porous media exhibit faster breakthrough than small molecule tracers. Despite important technological applications in advanced materials, human health, energy, and environment, the microscale mechanisms leading to early breakthrough have not been identified. Here, we measure dispersion of nanoparticles at the single-particle scale in regular arrays of nanoposts and show that for highly confined flows of dilute suspensions of nanoparticles the longitudinal and transverse velocities exhibit distinct scaling behaviors. The distributions of transverse particle velocities become narrower and more non-Gaussian when the particles are strongly confined. As a result, the transverse dispersion of highly confined nanoparticles at low Péclet numbers is significantly less important than longitudinal dispersion, leading to early breakthrough. This finding suggests a fundamental mechanism by which to control dispersion and thereby improve efficacy of nanoparticles applied for advanced polymer nanocomposites, drug delivery, hydrocarbon production, and environmental remediation. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Transport and Dispersion of Nanoparticles in Periodic Nanopost Arrays

KAUST Repository

He, Kai

2014-05-27

Nanoparticles transported through highly confined porous media exhibit faster breakthrough than small molecule tracers. Despite important technological applications in advanced materials, human health, energy, and environment, the microscale mechanisms leading to early breakthrough have not been identified. Here, we measure dispersion of nanoparticles at the single-particle scale in regular arrays of nanoposts and show that for highly confined flows of dilute suspensions of nanoparticles the longitudinal and transverse velocities exhibit distinct scaling behaviors. The distributions of transverse particle velocities become narrower and more non-Gaussian when the particles are strongly confined. As a result, the transverse dispersion of highly confined nanoparticles at low Péclet numbers is significantly less important than longitudinal dispersion, leading to early breakthrough. This finding suggests a fundamental mechanism by which to control dispersion and thereby improve efficacy of nanoparticles applied for advanced polymer nanocomposites, drug delivery, hydrocarbon production, and environmental remediation. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Adsorption of dispersing polyelectrolytes: stabilization of drilling fluids; Adsorption de polyelectrolytes dispersants: stabilisation des fluides de forage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balastre, M.

1999-11-10

Instabilities of concentrated colloidal suspensions are a source of many industrial problems, as in drilling fluid formulations where aggregation and severe settling phenomena can occur. Low molecular weight polyelectrolyte dispersants are used to solve these problems, but their optimal use requires a better understanding of the phenomena that are involved. After materials characterization, adsorption mechanisms of two anionic polyelectrolytes (PANa, PSSNa) on a soluble substrate model, barium sulfate powder are studied. Barium sulfate is the principal additive used to adapt the density of drilling fluids. A simple model allows us to propose a distribution of the microscopic species at the interface. Presence of divalent ions induces the formation of a strong complex with the polyelectrolyte. Adsorption and electro-kinetic data are presented and exchange equilibrium are examined in relation with the surface uptake. The binding mechanism and the surface speciation of the polymer groups are deduced from the ion exchange analysis. The macroscopic behavior of suspensions on different conditions (volume fraction, ionic strength, dispersant concentration) is studied by settling and rheological measurements. The macroscopic properties are connected to structural aspects, and we show that dispersing effects are mostly related to electro-steric repulsion. The dispersion state depends on two principal factors adsorbed amounts and adsorbed layer properties, especially the excess charge, and the molecules conformation. (author)

Meteorological Uncertainty of atmospheric Dispersion model results (MUD)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Havskov Sørensen, Jens; Amstrup, Bjarne; Feddersen, Henrik

The MUD project addresses assessment of uncertainties of atmospheric dispersion model predictions, as well as optimum presentation to decision makers. Previously, it has not been possible to estimate such uncertainties quantitatively, but merely to calculate the 'most likely' dispersion scenario....

Consistent individual differences in seed disperser quality in a seed-eating fish

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pollux, Bart J.A.

2017-01-01

Animal-mediated seed dispersal (zoochory) is considered to be an important mechanism regulating biological processes at larger spatial scales. To date, intra-specific variation in seed disperser quality within seed-dispersing animals has not been studied. Here, I employed seed feeding trials to

Hot mechanical behaviour of dispersion strengthened Cu alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia G, Jose; Espinoza G, Rodrigo; Palma H, Rodrigo; Sepulveda O, Aquiles

2003-01-01

This work is part of a research project which objective is the improvement of the high-temperature mechanical properties of copper, without an important decrease of the electrical or thermal conduction properties. The general hypothesis is that this will be done by the incorporation of nanometric ceramic dispersoids for hindering the dislocation and grain boundaries movement. In this context, the object of the present work is the study of the resistance to hot deformation of dispersion-strengthened copper alloys which have prepared by reactive milling. Two different alloys, Cu-2,39wt.%Ti-0.56wt.%C and Cu-1.18wt.%Al, were prepared so as obtain a copper matrix reinforced with nanometric TiC y Al 2 O 3 particles with a nominal total amount of 5 vol.%. The particles were developed by an in-situ formation process during milling. The materials were prepared in an attritor mill, and consolidated by extrusion at 750 o C, with an area reduction rate of 10:1. The resistance to hot deformation was evaluated by hot compression tests at 500 and 850 o C, at initial strain rates of 10 -3 and 10 -4 s-1. To evaluate the material softening due temperature, annealing at 400, 650 y 900 o C during 1h were applied; after that, hardness was measured at room temperature. Both studies alloys presented a higher resistance to hot deformation than pure copper, with or without milling. Moreover, the Cu-Ti-C alloy presented a mechanical resistance higher than that of the Cu-Al one. Both alloys presented strain-stress compression curves with a typical hot-work shape: an initial maximum followed by a stationary plateau. The Cu-Ti-C alloy had a higher hardness and did not present a hardness decay even after annealings at the higher temperature imposed (900 o C), while the Cu-Al alloy did exhibit a strong decay of hardness after the annealing at 900 o C. The best behaviour exhibited by the Cu-Ti C alloy, was attributed to the formation of a major quantity of dispersoids that in the Cu-Al alloy. In

Melt dispersion of thermoplastic polystyrene in polymer polyols

OpenAIRE

2009-01-01

Polystyrene is dispersed into a polyol via a mechanical dispersion process. A stabilizer is present to stabilize the dispersed polymer particles. The stabilizer includes a copolymer of (1) from 10 to 70% by weight of a branched polyol which has a molecular weight of from 4000 to 20,000, from 0.2 to about 1.2 polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated groups per molecule and from about 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups per molecule with (2) from 30 to 90% by weight of styrene or a mixture of styrene a...

Dispersal kernel estimation: A comparison of empirical and modelled particle dispersion in a coastal marine system

Science.gov (United States)

Hrycik, Janelle M.; Chassé, Joël; Ruddick, Barry R.; Taggart, Christopher T.

2013-11-01

Early life-stage dispersal influences recruitment and is of significance in explaining the distribution and connectivity of marine species. Motivations for quantifying dispersal range from biodiversity conservation to the design of marine reserves and the mitigation of species invasions. Here we compare estimates of real particle dispersion in a coastal marine environment with similar estimates provided by hydrodynamic modelling. We do so by using a system of magnetically attractive particles (MAPs) and a magnetic-collector array that provides measures of Lagrangian dispersion based on the time-integration of MAPs dispersing through the array. MAPs released as a point source in a coastal marine location dispersed through the collector array over a 5-7 d period. A virtual release and observed (real-time) environmental conditions were used in a high-resolution three-dimensional hydrodynamic model to estimate the dispersal of virtual particles (VPs). The number of MAPs captured throughout the collector array and the number of VPs that passed through each corresponding model location were enumerated and compared. Although VP dispersal reflected several aspects of the observed MAP dispersal, the comparisons demonstrated model sensitivity to the small-scale (random-walk) particle diffusivity parameter (Kp). The one-dimensional dispersal kernel for the MAPs had an e-folding scale estimate in the range of 5.19-11.44 km, while those from the model simulations were comparable at 1.89-6.52 km, and also demonstrated sensitivity to Kp. Variations among comparisons are related to the value of Kp used in modelling and are postulated to be related to MAP losses from the water column and (or) shear dispersion acting on the MAPs; a process that is constrained in the model. Our demonstration indicates a promising new way of 1) quantitatively and empirically estimating the dispersal kernel in aquatic systems, and 2) quantitatively assessing and (or) improving regional hydrodynamic

High seed dispersal ability of Pinus canariensis in stands of contrasting density inferred from genotypic data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Unai López de Heredia

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Aim of the study: Models that combine parentage analysis from molecular data with spatial information of seeds and seedlings provide a framework to describe and identify the factors involved in seed dispersal and recruitment of forest species. In the present study we used a spatially explicit method (the gene shadow model in order to assess primary and effective dispersal in Pinus canariensis. Area of study: Pinus canariensis is endemic to the Canary Islands (Spain. Sampling sites were a high density forest in southern slopes of Tenerife and a low density stand in South Gran Canaria. Materials and methods: We fitted models based on parentage analysis from seeds and seedlings collected in two sites with contrasting stand density, and then compared the resulting dispersal distributions. Main results: The results showed that: 1 P. canariensis has a remarkable dispersal ability compared to other pine species; 2 there is no discordance between primary and effective dispersals, suggesting limited secondary dispersal by animals and lack of Janzen-Connell effect; and 3 low stand densities enhance the extent of seed dispersal, which was higher in the low density stand. Research highlights: The efficient dispersal mechanism of P. canariensis by wind inferred by the gene shadow model is congruent with indirect measures of gene flow, and has utility in reconstructing past demographic events and in predicting future distribution ranges for the species.

Polymeric dispersants for control of steam generator fouling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balakrishnan, P.V.; Klimas, S.J.; Lepine, L.; Turner, C.W.

1999-05-01

Fouling of steam generators by corrosion products from the feedtrain leads to loss of heat-transfer efficiency, disturbances in thermalhydraulics, and potential corrosion problems resulting from the development of sites for localized accumulation of aggressive chemicals. This report summarizes studies of the use of polymeric dispersants for the control of fouling, which were conducted at the Chalk River Laboratories. High-temperature settling studies on magnetite suspensions were performed to screen available generic dispersants, and the dispersants were ranked in terms of their dispersion efficiency; polyacrylic acid (PAA) and the phosphonate, HEDP, were ranked as the most efficient. Polyacrylic acid was considered more suitable than HEDP for nuclear steam generators, and more emphasis was given to the former in these studies. The dispersants had no effect on the particle deposition rates under single-phase forced-convective flow, but did reduce the deposition rates under flow-boiling conditions. The extent to which the deposition rates were reduced increased in proportion to the dispersant concentration. Preliminary corrosion tests indicated that pitting or general corrosion of steam generator tube materials in the presence of PAA was negligible. Corrosion of carbon steel, although higher in a magnetite-packed crevice under heat flux than in bulk water, was lower in the presence of PAA than in its absence. Some impurities (e.g., sulphate, sodium) were observed in commercially available PAA products at small, though significant concentrations, making these products unacceptable for use in nuclear plants. However, the PAA could be purified by ion exchange. Preliminary experiments, to assess the thermal stability of PAA at steam generator operating temperature, showed the polymer to break down in deaerated solutions and under argon cover to give hydrogen and carbon dioxide as the two major products in the gas phase and variable concentrations of acetate and formate

Effects of SiO2 nano-particles on tribological and mechanical properties of aluminum matrix composites by different dispersion methods

Science.gov (United States)

Azadi, Mahboobeh; Zolfaghari, Mehrdad; Rezanezhad, Saeid; Azadi, Mohammad

2018-05-01

This study has been presented with mechanical properties of aluminum matrix composites, reinforced by SiO2 nano-particles. The stir casting method was employed to produce various aluminum matrix composites. Different composites by varying the SiO2 nano-particle content (including 0.5 and 1 weight percents) and two dispersion methods (including ball-milling and pre-heating) were made. Then, the density, the hardness, the compression strength, the wear resistance and the microstructure of nano-composites have been studied in this research. Besides, the distribution of nano-particles in the aluminum matrix for all composites has been also evaluated by the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Obtained results showed that the density, the elongation and the ultimate compressive strength of various nano-composites decreased by the presence of SiO2 nano-particles; however, the hardness, the wear resistance, the yield strength and the elastic modulus of composites increased by auditioning of nano-particles to the aluminum alloy. FESEM images indicated better wetting of the SiO2 reinforcement in the aluminum matrix, prepared by the pre-heating dispersion method, comparing to ball-milling. When SiO2 nano-particles were added to the aluminum alloy, the morphology of the Si phase and intermetallic phases changed, which enhanced mechanical properties. In addition, the wear mechanism plus the friction coefficient value were changed for various nano-composites with respect to the aluminum alloy.

Dispersion self-energy of the electron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawton, M.

1991-01-01

Electron mass renormalization and the Lamb shift have been investigated using the dispersion self-energy formalism. If shifts of both the electromagnetic field and quantum-mechanical transitions frequencies are considered, absorption from the electromagnetic field is canceled by emission due to atomic fluctuations. The frequencies of all modes are obtained from the self-consistency condition that the field seen by the electron is the same as the field produced by the expectation value of current. The radiation present can thus be viewed as arising from emission and subsequent reabsorption by matter. As developed here, the numerical predictions of dispersion theory are identical to those of quantum electrodynamics. The physical picture implied by dispersion theory is discussed in the context of semiclassical theories and quantum electrodynamics

Theoretical study of phonon dispersion, elastic, mechanical and thermodynamic properties of barium chalcogenides

Science.gov (United States)

Musari, A. A.; Orukombo, S. A.

2018-03-01

Barium chalcogenides are known for their high-technological importance and great scientific interest. Detailed studies of their elastic, mechanical, dynamical and thermodynamic properties were carried out using density functional theory and plane-wave pseudo potential method within the generalized gradient approximation. The optimized lattice constants were in good agreement when compared with experimental data. The independent elastic constants, calculated from a linear fit of the computed stress-strain function, were used to determine the Young’s modulus (E), bulk modulus (B), shear modulus (G), Poisson’s ratio (σ) and Zener’s anisotropy factor (A). Also, the Debye temperature and sound velocities for barium chalcogenides were estimated from the three independent elastic constants. The calculations of phonon dispersion showed that there are no negative frequencies throughout the Brillouin zone. Hence barium chalcogenides have dynamically stable NaCl-type crystal structure. Finally, their thermodynamic properties were calculated in the temperature range of 0-1000 K and their constant-volume specific heat capacities at room-temperature were reported.

Plasticity of oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic alloys; Plasticite des alliages ferritiques renforces par dispersion d`oxydes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zakine, C

1994-07-05

The object of this work is to study the plasticity mechanisms of two oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic alloys, DT and DY. Microstructural characterisation has been performed on DT and DY alloys by optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. These materials, strengthened by an oxide dispersion, contain an intermetallic {chi} phase precipitated on grain boundaries. The {chi} phase, stable up to 900 deg, can be dissolved into the matrix by heat treatment beyond 1 000 deg. Between 20 and 700 deg, according to tensile tests, the DY alloy which is strengthened by a fine dispersion of yttria particles is more resistant and less ductile than DT alloy, strengthened by titanium oxides. Tensile tests performed at room temperature, in the chamber of a SEM, have shown that micro-cracking of the {chi} phase coincides with the first stage of the macroscopic yielding. The cavities initiated by the {chi} phase micro-cracking induce a ductile fracture of the matrix. A dynamic strain ageing mechanism has been observed around 400 deg, which is attributed to the Mo contribution. Between 20 and 700 deg, comparison of tensile properties of alloys with or without {chi} phase has shown that the intermetallic phase has a detrimental effect on the ductility, but has no influence on the mechanical strength. Creep tests have been performed between 500 and 700 deg. Thermally activated plasticity mechanisms are observed in this temperature range. The {chi} phase, which is always micro-cracked after tensile testing, is not damaged after creep testing below a critical stress. This behaviour is explained by the influence of strain rate through the competition between strain hardening and relaxation of the matrix. (author).

Effect of CNTs dispersion on the thermal and mechanical properties of Cu/CNTs nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muhsan, Ali Samer, E-mail: alisameer2007@gmail.com, E-mail: faizahmad@petronas.com.my; Ahmad, Faiz, E-mail: alisameer2007@gmail.com, E-mail: faizahmad@petronas.com.my; Yusoff, Puteri Sri Melor Megat Bt, E-mail: puteris@petronas.com.my [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) (Malaysia); Mohamed, Norani M., E-mail: noranimuti-mohamed@petronas.com.my [Centre of Innovative Nanostructures and Nanodevices (COINN), UTP (Malaysia); Raza, M. Rafi, E-mail: rafirazamalik@gmail.com [Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia)

2014-10-24

Modified technique of metal injection molding (MIM) was used to fabricate multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced Cu nanocomposites. The effect of adding different amount of CNTs (0-10 vol.%) on the thermal and mechanical behaviour of the fabricated nanocomposites is presented. Scanning electron microscope analysis revealed homogenous dispersion of CNTs in Cu matrices at different CNTs contents. The experimentally measured thermal conductivities of Cu/CNTs nanocomposites showed extraordinary increase (76% higher than pure sintered Cu) with addition of 10 vol.% CNTs. As compared to the pure sintered Cu, increase in modulus of elasticity (Young's modulus) of Cu/CNTs nanocomposites sintered at 1050°C for 2.5 h was measured to be 48%. However, in case of 7.5 vol.% CNTs, Young's modulus was increased significantly about 51% compared to that of pure sintered Cu.

Employment Effects of Spatial Dispersal of Refugees

OpenAIRE

Damm, Anna Piil; Rosholm, Michael

2005-01-01

We argue that spatial dispersal influences labour market assimilation of refugees through two mechanisms: first, the local job offer arrival rate and, second, place utility. Our partial search model with simultaneous job and residential location search predicts that the reservation wage for local jobs decreases with place utility. We argue that spatial dispersal decreases average place utility of refugees which decreases the transition rate into first job due to large local reservation wages....

Microstructure refinement and strengthening mechanisms of a 9Cr oxide dispersion strengthened steel by zirconium addition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Hai Jian; Lu, Zheng; Wang, Dong Mei; Liu, Chunming

2017-01-01

To study the effects of zirconium (Zr) addition on the microstructure, hardness and the tensile properties of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic-martensitic steels, two kinds of 9Cr-ODS ferritic-martensitic steels with nominal compositions (wt.%) of Fe-9Cr-2W-0.3Y_2O-3 and Fe-9Cr-2W-0.3Zr-0.3Y_2O_3 were fabricated by the mechanical alloying (MA) of premixed powders and then consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) techniques. The experimental results showed that the average grain size decreases with Zr addition. The trigonal δ-phase Y_4Zr_3O_1_2 oxides and body-centered cubic Y_2O_3 oxides are formed in the 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel and 9Cr non-Zr ODS steel, respectively, and the average size of Y_4Zr_3O_1_2 particles is much smaller than that of Y_2O_3. The dispersion morphology of the oxide particles in 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel is significantly improved and the number density is 1.1 x 10"2"3/m"3 with Zr addition. The 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel shows much higher tensile ductility, ultimate tensile strength and Vickers hardness at the same time

Modeling the dispersion effects of contractile fibers in smooth muscles

Science.gov (United States)

Murtada, Sae-Il; Kroon, Martin; Holzapfel, Gerhard A.

2010-12-01

Micro-structurally based models for smooth muscle contraction are crucial for a better understanding of pathological conditions such as atherosclerosis, incontinence and asthma. It is meaningful that models consider the underlying mechanical structure and the biochemical activation. Hence, a simple mechanochemical model is proposed that includes the dispersion of the orientation of smooth muscle myofilaments and that is capable to capture available experimental data on smooth muscle contraction. This allows a refined study of the effects of myofilament dispersion on the smooth muscle contraction. A classical biochemical model is used to describe the cross-bridge interactions with the thin filament in smooth muscles in which calcium-dependent myosin phosphorylation is the only regulatory mechanism. A novel mechanical model considers the dispersion of the contractile fiber orientations in smooth muscle cells by means of a strain-energy function in terms of one dispersion parameter. All model parameters have a biophysical meaning and may be estimated through comparisons with experimental data. The contraction of the middle layer of a carotid artery is studied numerically. Using a tube the relationships between the internal pressure and the stretches are investigated as functions of the dispersion parameter, which implies a strong influence of the orientation of smooth muscle myofilaments on the contraction response. It is straightforward to implement this model in a finite element code to better analyze more complex boundary-value problems.

Evolution of carbon nanotube dispersion in preparation of epoxy-based composites: From a masterbatch to a nanocomposite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Aravand

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The state of carbon nanotube (CNT dispersion in epoxy is likely to change in the process of composite production. In the present work CNT dispersion is characterized at different stages of nanocomposite preparation: in the original masterbatch with high CNT concentration, after masterbatch dilution, in the process of curing and in the final nanocomposite. The evaluation techniques included dynamic rheological analysis of the liquid phases, optical, environmental and charge contrast scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis. The evolution of the CNT dispersion was assessed for two CNT/epoxy systems with distinctly different dispersion states induced by different storage time. Strong interactions between CNT clusters were revealed in the masterbatch with a longer storage time. Upon curing CNT clusters in this material formed a network-like structure. This network enhanced the elastic behaviour and specific conductivity of the resulting nanocomposite, leading to a partial electrical percolation after curing.

The comparative effects of oil dispersants and oil/dispersant conjugates on germination of the marine macroalga Phyllospora comosa (Fucales: Phaeophyta)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burridge, T.R.; Shir, M.-A.

1995-01-01

Germination inhibition of the marine macrophyte Phyllospora comosa was utilized as a sub-lethal end-point to assess and compare the effects of four oil dispersants and dispersed diesel fuel and crude oil combinations. Inhibition of germination by the water-soluble fraction of diesel fuel increased following the addition of each of the dispersants; the nominal 48-h EC 50 concentration of diesel fuel declined from 6800 to approximately 400 μl 1 -1 nominal for each dispersed combination. This contrasted with crude oil, where the addition of two dispersants resulted in an enhanced germination rate and an increase in nominal EC 50 concentrations from 130 μl 1 -1 for the undispersed crude to 4000 and 2500 μl 1 -1 . The results indicate that, while germination inhibition of P. comosa may be enhanced by the chemical dispersal of oil response varies with type of both oil and oil dispersant. (author)

Phylogenetic investigation of the complex evolutionary history of dispersal mode and diversification rates across living and fossil Fagales.

Science.gov (United States)

Larson-Johnson, Kathryn

2016-01-01

As a primary determinant of spatial structure in angiosperm populations, fruit dispersal may impact large-scale ecological and evolutionary processes. Essential to understanding these mechanisms is an accurate reconstruction of dispersal mode over the entire history of an angiosperm lineage. A total-evidence phylogeny is presented for most fossil fruit and all extant genera in Fagales over its c. 95 million yr history. This phylogeny - the largest of its kind to include plant fossils - was used to reconstruct an evolutionary history directly informed by fossil morphologies and to assess relationships among dispersal mode, biogeographic range size, and diversification rate. Reconstructions indicate four transitions to wind dispersal and seven to biotic dispersal, with the phylogenetic integration of fossils crucial to understanding these patterns. Complexity further increased when more specialized behaviors were considered, with fluttering, gliding, autorotating, and scatter-hoarding evolving multiple times across the order. Preliminary biogeographic analyses suggest larger range sizes in biotically dispersed lineages, especially when pollination mode was held constant. Biotically dispersed lineages had significantly higher diversification rates than abiotically dispersed lineages, although transitions in dispersal mode alone cannot explain all detected diversification rate shifts across Fagales. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Integrating individual movement behaviour into dispersal functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Heinz, Simone K; Wissel, Christian; Conradt, Larissa; Frank, Karin

2007-04-21

Dispersal functions are an important tool for integrating dispersal into complex models of population and metapopulation dynamics. Most approaches in the literature are very simple, with the dispersal functions containing only one or two parameters which summarise all the effects of movement behaviour as for example different movement patterns or different perceptual abilities. The summarising nature of these parameters makes assessing the effect of one particular behavioural aspect difficult. We present a way of integrating movement behavioural parameters into a particular dispersal function in a simple way. Using a spatial individual-based simulation model for simulating different movement behaviours, we derive fitting functions for the functional relationship between the parameters of the dispersal function and several details of movement behaviour. This is done for three different movement patterns (loops, Archimedean spirals, random walk). Additionally, we provide measures which characterise the shape of the dispersal function and are interpretable in terms of landscape connectivity. This allows an ecological interpretation of the relationships found.

PETROLEUM-COLLECTING AND DISPERSING CHEMICALS FOR ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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Films of petroleum origin reflecting sunlight rays hinder absorption of energy by water necessary for life ... Dispersing chemicals like mechanical clean-up methods have their own place in fighting oil spills. They are ... yellow color, and filtered.

DTA and DSC study on the effect of mechanical dispersion on poly(tetrafluorethylene properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dumitraşa Mihai

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Poly(tetrafluorethylene particles were obtained by mechanical processing of the formed polymer (Teflon bar. In order to assess the effect of mechanical wear on polymer properties, their melting and crystallization behaviour was investigated by DSC and DTA, and the results were compared to the ones obtained for the native polymer. An increase of the crystallinity degree and an accentuated decrease of the average molecular weight were found for the samples submitted to mechanical wear, as a result of mechanical degradation of the polymer

Tensile and fracture characteristics of oxide dispersion strengthened Fe–12Cr produced by hot isostatic pressing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro, Vanessa de, E-mail: vanessa.decastro@uc3m.es [Departamento de Física, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avda. de la Universidad 30, 28911 Leganés, Madrid (Spain); Garces-Usan, Jose Maria; Leguey, Teresa; Pareja, Ramiro [Departamento de Física, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avda. de la Universidad 30, 28911 Leganés, Madrid (Spain)

2013-11-15

The mechanical characteristics of a model oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloy with nominal composition Fe–12 wt%Cr–0.4 wt%Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} were investigated by means of microhardness measurements, tensile tests up to fracture in the temperature range of 298–973 K, and fracture surface analyses. A non-ODS Fe–12 wt%Cr alloy was also studied to assess the real capacity of the oxide dispersion for strengthening the alloy. The materials were produced by mechanical alloying followed by hot isostatic pressing consolidation and heat treatment at 1023 K. The strengthening effect of the oxide nanodispersion was effective at all temperatures studied, although the tensile strength converges towards the one obtained for the reference alloy at higher temperatures. Moreover, the ODS alloys failed prematurely at T < 673 K due to the presence of Y-rich inclusions, as seen in the fracture surface of these alloys.

Tensile and fracture characteristics of oxide dispersion strengthened Fe–12Cr produced by hot isostatic pressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, Vanessa de; Garces-Usan, Jose Maria; Leguey, Teresa; Pareja, Ramiro

2013-01-01

The mechanical characteristics of a model oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloy with nominal composition Fe–12 wt%Cr–0.4 wt%Y 2 O 3 were investigated by means of microhardness measurements, tensile tests up to fracture in the temperature range of 298–973 K, and fracture surface analyses. A non-ODS Fe–12 wt%Cr alloy was also studied to assess the real capacity of the oxide dispersion for strengthening the alloy. The materials were produced by mechanical alloying followed by hot isostatic pressing consolidation and heat treatment at 1023 K. The strengthening effect of the oxide nanodispersion was effective at all temperatures studied, although the tensile strength converges towards the one obtained for the reference alloy at higher temperatures. Moreover, the ODS alloys failed prematurely at T < 673 K due to the presence of Y-rich inclusions, as seen in the fracture surface of these alloys

Liquid dispersion in trickle-bed reactors with gas-liquid cocurrent downflow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, C.F.; Ng, K.M.

1986-01-01

The flow pattern can deviate from ideal plug flow in both trickling and pulsing flows. The liquid dispersion in those flow regimes are investigated separately, as the mechanisms causing the deviation of flow pattern from plug flow are different. In trickling flow, the dispersion of the liquid phase occurs in the flow path which is determined with computer-generated packed column. Dispersion in pulsing flow is studied with a combination of the method of characteristics and analysis of liquid dispersion in the liquid slug and gas pulse. The axial dispersion coefficients are then determined based on Monte Carlo simulation. Finally, liquid dispersion in trickle beds containing porous packings is also discussed

Axial dispersion via shear-enhanced diffusion in colloidal suspensions

KAUST Repository

Griffiths, I. M.

2012-03-01

The familiar example of Taylor dispersion of molecular solutes is extended to describe colloidal suspensions, where the fluctuations that contribute to dispersion arise from hydrodynamic interactions. The generic scheme is illustrated for a suspension of particles in a pressure-driven pipe flow, with a concentration-dependent diffusivity that captures both the shear-induced and Brownian contributions. The effect of the cross-stream migration via shear-induced diffusion is shown to dramatically reduce the axial dispersion predicted by classical Taylor dispersion for a molecular solute. Analytic and numerical solutions are presented that illustrate the effect of the concentration dependence of this nonlinear hydrodynamic mechanism. Copyright © EPLA, 2012.

Fluvial Connectivity and Sediment Dispersal within Continental Extensional Basins; Assessment of Controlling Factors using Numerical Modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Geurts, A., Jr.; Cowie, P. A.; Gawthorpe, R.; Huismans, R. S.; Pedersen, V. K.

2017-12-01

Progressive integration of drainage networks has been documented in many regional-scale studies of extensional continental systems. While endorheic drainage and lake sedimentation are common features observed in basin stratigraphy, they often disappear from the record due to the development of a through-going river network. Because changes in the fluvial connectivity of extensional basins have profound impact on erosion and sediment dispersal, and thus the feedback between surface processes and tectonics, it is of great importance to understand what controls them. Headward erosion (also called headward capture or river piracy) is often suggested to be the main mechanism causing basins to become interconnected over time with one another and with the regional/coastal drainage network. We show that overspill mechanisms (basin over-filling or lake over-spilling) play a key role in the actively extending central Italian Apennines, even though this area is theoretically favorable for headward erosion (short distances to the coast in combination with rapid surface uplift). In other tectonic settings (e.g. contractional basins and high plateaux) the role of headward erosion in transverse drainage development and integrating endorheic basins has also been increasingly questioned. These two mechanisms predict very different spatio-temporal patterns of sediment dispersal and thus timing of sediment loading (or erosional unloading) along active normal faults, which in turn may influence the locus of subsequent extensional deformation. By means of surface process modelling we develop a process-based understanding of the controls on fluvial connectivity between extensional basins in the central Italian Apennines. We focus on which conditions (tectonic and erosional) favour headward erosion versus overspill and compare our model results with published field evidence for drainage integration and the timing of basin sedimentation/incision.

Mathematical modeling of pigment dispersion taking into account the full agglomerate particle size distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiil, Søren

2017-01-01

The purpose of this work is to develop a mathematical model that can quantify the dispersion of pigments, with a focus on the mechanical breakage of pigment agglomerates. The underlying physical mechanism was assumed to be surface erosion of spherical pigment agglomerates. The full agglomerate pa.......g., in the development of novel dispersion principles and for analysis of dispersion failures. The general applicability of the model, beyond the three pigments considered, needs to be confirmed....

Dispersive Evolution of Nonlinear Fast Magnetoacoustic Wave Trains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pascoe, D. J.; Goddard, C. R.; Nakariakov, V. M., E-mail: D.J.Pascoe@warwick.ac.uk [Centre for Fusion, Space and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)

2017-10-01

Quasi-periodic rapidly propagating wave trains are frequently observed in extreme ultraviolet observations of the solar corona, or are inferred by the quasi-periodic modulation of radio emission. The dispersive nature of fast magnetohydrodynamic waves in coronal structures provides a robust mechanism to explain the detected quasi-periodic patterns. We perform 2D numerical simulations of impulsively generated wave trains in coronal plasma slabs and investigate how the behavior of the trapped and leaky components depend on the properties of the initial perturbation. For large amplitude compressive perturbations, the geometrical dispersion associated with the waveguide suppresses the nonlinear steepening for the trapped wave train. The wave train formed by the leaky components does not experience dispersion once it leaves the waveguide and so can steepen and form shocks. The mechanism we consider can lead to the formation of multiple shock fronts by a single, large amplitude, impulsive event and so can account for quasi-periodic features observed in radio spectra.

Study of mechanical properties of calcium phosphate cement with addition of sodium alginate and dispersant; Estudo das propriedades mecanicas de cimento de fosfato de calcio com adicao de alginato de sodio e defloculante

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandes, J.M.; Coelho, W.T.; Thurmer, M.B.; Vieira, P.S.; Santos, L.A., E-mail: julianafernandes2@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRS), RS (Brazil)

2011-07-01

Several studies in literature have shown that the addition of polymer additives and deflocculant has a strong influence on the mechanical properties of cements in general.The low mechanical strength is the main impediment to wider use of bone cement of calcium phosphate (CFCs) as the implant material, since they have mechanical strength which equals the maximum of trabecular bone.In order to evaluate the strength of a CFC compound alpha-tricalcium phosphate, sodium alginate were added (1%, 2% and 3% by weight) and dispersant ammonium polyacrylate (3%) in aqueous solution.Specimens were made and evaluated for density, porosity, crystalline phases and mechanical strength.The results show the increase of the mechanical properties of cement when added sodium alginate and dispersant. (author)

Discobiol program : investigation of dispersant use in coastal and estuarine waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merlin, F.X.; Le Floch, S.; Dussauze, M. [Cedre, Brest Cedex (France); Theron, M. [Brest Univ., European University of Britanny, Rennes (France); Quentel, C. [AFSSA, French Food Safety Agency, Paris (France); Thomas, H. [LIENS, CNRS-Univ. of La Rochelle, La Rochelle Cedex (France)

2009-07-01

This paper reported on the Discobiol work program designed to acquire comparable information on the impact of mechanically and chemically dispersed oil on different habitats and resources, particularly in estuaries or close to bays. The study involved 3 phases for the analysis of lethal and sub-lethal effects in pelagic and benthic communities, notably organisms in the water column, mudflats and salt marshes. The ultimate objective was to use the information to make recommendations regarding the use of dispersants in these 3 areas. Dispersants are known to be effective for offshore oil spill response when dilution conditions are high and dispersed oil concentrations decrease rapidly below levels that could harm the environment. However, dilution can be restricted in coastal areas, thus limiting the use of dispersant. All the tests conducted in this study were conducted using brut Arabian light oil that was pre-evaporated to simulate realistic conditions. The study examined whether the presence of oil leads to different effects than the control and whether the chemically dispersed oil gave different effects than the mechanical dispersion. The comparison with chemical dispersion in clear sea water examined whether the presence of suspended materials change the effect of the chemical dispersion. Results for the different phases of the project were presented. The preliminary results tend to open the use of chemical dispersion of oil slicks in coastal areas. The mixture of dispersant plus oil seems to be less detrimental than oil alone, particularly for turbot. The final conclusion regarding chemical dispersion of oil slicks in coastal areas will have to be formulated at the end of the project because coastal ecosystems depend on biotic and abiotic factors. The final phase will take place in a realistic environment in a salt marsh ecosystem at La Rochelle, France. 6 refs., 6 tabs., 6 figs.

Discobiol program : investigation of dispersant use in coastal and estuarine waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merlin, F.X.; Le Floch, S.; Dussauze, M.; Theron, M.; Quentel, C.; Thomas, H.

2009-01-01

This paper reported on the Discobiol work program designed to acquire comparable information on the impact of mechanically and chemically dispersed oil on different habitats and resources, particularly in estuaries or close to bays. The study involved 3 phases for the analysis of lethal and sub-lethal effects in pelagic and benthic communities, notably organisms in the water column, mudflats and salt marshes. The ultimate objective was to use the information to make recommendations regarding the use of dispersants in these 3 areas. Dispersants are known to be effective for offshore oil spill response when dilution conditions are high and dispersed oil concentrations decrease rapidly below levels that could harm the environment. However, dilution can be restricted in coastal areas, thus limiting the use of dispersant. All the tests conducted in this study were conducted using brut Arabian light oil that was pre-evaporated to simulate realistic conditions. The study examined whether the presence of oil leads to different effects than the control and whether the chemically dispersed oil gave different effects than the mechanical dispersion. The comparison with chemical dispersion in clear sea water examined whether the presence of suspended materials change the effect of the chemical dispersion. Results for the different phases of the project were presented. The preliminary results tend to open the use of chemical dispersion of oil slicks in coastal areas. The mixture of dispersant plus oil seems to be less detrimental than oil alone, particularly for turbot. The final conclusion regarding chemical dispersion of oil slicks in coastal areas will have to be formulated at the end of the project because coastal ecosystems depend on biotic and abiotic factors. The final phase will take place in a realistic environment in a salt marsh ecosystem at La Rochelle, France. 6 refs., 6 tabs., 6 figs.

Local extinction and the evolution of dispersal rates: Causes and correlations

OpenAIRE

Poethke, Hans-Joachim; Hovestadt, Thomas; Mitesser, Oliver

2010-01-01

We present the results of individual-based simulation experiments on the evolution of dispersal rates of organisms living in metapopulations. We find conflicting results regarding the relationship between local extinction rate and evolutionarily stable (ES) dispersal rate depending on which principal mechanism causes extinction: if extinction is caused by environmental catastrophes eradicating local populations, we observe a positive correlation between extinction and ES dispersal rate; if ex...

Nuclear Energy Center: upper St. Lawrence region. Part I. Siting. Part II. Fort Drum surrogate site, description and impact assessment. Part III. Dispersed sites impact assessment and comparison with the NEC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merry, P.A.; Luner, C.; Hong, S.W.; Canham, H.O.; Boggs, J.F.; McCool, T.P.

1976-12-01

This report is one of many supporting documents used by the Nuclear Regulatory commission in the preparation of the Nuclear Energy Center Site Survey (NECSS) mandated by Congress. While the overall study focuses on the feasibility and practicability of nuclear energy centers (NECs), this report is directed towards choosing a suitable surrogate site in the upper St. Lawrence region of New York State, assessing the probable impacts associated with construction and operation of the NEC, and comparing these impacts with those associated with small dispersed nuclear power stations. The upper St. Lawrence region is surveyed to identify a specific site that might be suitable for a surrogate NEC. Several assumptions about the basic design of an NEC are delineated, and a general overview of the characteristics of the region is given. The Fort Drum Military Reservation is chosen as a suitable surrogate site. Fort Drum and the surrounding area are described in terms of land use and population patterns, terrestrial and aquatic ecology, water use and quality, meteorology, institutional framework, and socioeconomic structure. The impacts associated with NEC development are assessed. Then the impacts associated with smaller dispersed nuclear power stations located throughout New York State are assessed and compared with the impacts associated with the NEC. Finally, the impacts due to development of the transmission line networks associated with the NEC and with the dispersed power stations are assessed and compared.

Dispersal of Engineered Male Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Winskill, Peter; Carvalho, Danilo O; Capurro, Margareth L; Alphey, Luke; Donnelly, Christl A; McKemey, Andrew R

2015-11-01

Aedes aegypti, the principal vector of dengue fever, have been genetically engineered for use in a sterile insect control programme. To improve our understanding of the dispersal ecology of mosquitoes and to inform appropriate release strategies of 'genetically sterile' male Aedes aegypti detailed knowledge of the dispersal ability of the released insects is needed. The dispersal ability of released 'genetically sterile' male Aedes aegypti at a field site in Brazil has been estimated. Dispersal kernels embedded within a generalized linear model framework were used to analyse data collected from three large scale mark release recapture studies. The methodology has been applied to previously published dispersal data to compare the dispersal ability of 'genetically sterile' male Aedes aegypti in contrasting environments. We parameterised dispersal kernels and estimated the mean distance travelled for insects in Brazil: 52.8 m (95% CI: 49.9 m, 56.8 m) and Malaysia: 58.0 m (95% CI: 51.1 m, 71.0 m). Our results provide specific, detailed estimates of the dispersal characteristics of released 'genetically sterile' male Aedes aegypti in the field. The comparative analysis indicates that despite differing environments and recapture rates, key features of the insects' dispersal kernels are conserved across the two studies. The results can be used to inform both risk assessments and release programmes using 'genetically sterile' male Aedes aegypti.

Contractility Dispersion in Long QT Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MH Nikoo

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Previous studies, using M mode echocardiography, provided unexpected evidence of a mechanical alteration in patients with long QT syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate entire left ventricular (LV wall motion characteristics in patients with long QT syndrome using tissue Doppler imaging. Methods: We enrolled 17 patients with congenital long QT syndrome [11 female and 6 male], aged 21 to 45 years. 10 subjects without cardiac disease were also selected as a control group. Two-dimensional tissue Doppler imaging (TDI recording of the LV was obtained from the basal and mid-segments from apical four-chamber, two-chamber, and long-axis views. ‘Myocardial Contraction Duration’ [MCD] was defined as the time from start of R wave on ECG to end of S wave on TDI. MCD was measured in the six LV wall positions: septal, anteroseptal, lateral, inferior, posterior and anterior positions.Results: LV contractility dispersion was significantly greater in long QT syndrome patients compared to control group [0.051 ± 0.011 vs. 0.016 ± 0.06; P < 0.001]. Conclusion: Our study evaluated left ventricular dispersion of contractility duration in patients with long QT syndrome. This mechanical dispersion may be a reflection of the inhomogeneity of repolarisation in the long QT syndrome.

Simulations of the dispersion of reactive pollutants in a street canyon, considering different chemical mechanisms and micromixing

Science.gov (United States)

Garmory, A.; Kim, I. S.; Britter, R. E.; Mastorakos, E.

The Stochastic Fields (SF) or Field Monte Carlo method has been used to model the dispersion of reactive scalars in a street canyon, using a simple chemistry and the CBM-IV mechanism. SF is a Probability Density Function (PDF) method which allows both means and variances of the scalars to be calculated as well as considering the effect of segregation on reaction rates. It was found that the variance of reactive scalars such as NO 2 was very high in the mixing region at roof-top level with rms values of the order of the mean values. The effect of segregation on major species such as O 3 was found to be very small using either mechanism, however, some radical species in CBM-IV showed a significant difference. These were found to be the seven species with the fastest chemical timescales. The calculated photostationary state defect was also found to be in error when segregation is neglected.

Increases of QT dispersion, corrected QT dispersion and QT interval in young healthy individuals during Ramadan fasting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moradmand S

2003-06-01

Full Text Available Ramadan fasting is one of the most important religious duties of Muslims, that its effect on the heart has not been determined yet. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of Ramadan fasting on ventricular repolarization as assessed by QT interval, corrected QT interval, QT dispersion or corrected QT dispersion. Sixthy healthy subjects aged 20 to 35 years were dispersion included in this study. QT interval, corrected QT interval (QTc QT dispersion QTc dispersion, RR interval and QRS axis were measured in 12-lead surface electrocardiogram, once during fasting (10 to 11.5 hours of absolute fasting from food and liquid and another time, 15 tp 60 minutes after eating food at sunset, All of the subjects had been fasting 11 to 12 hours each day at least for 25 days during Ramadan. The study was performed at Amir Alam hospital in the year 2000. Maximal QT interval, mean QT interval and RR-interval, were longer during fasting (P<0.05, and both QT dispersion and QTc dispersion were increased (P<0.05. (QT dispersion: mean ±SD= 57.2±20.1 ms during fasting Vs 41.6±15.1 ms after meal, QTc dispersion=75.4±24.6 ms during fasting Vs 64.1±22.8 ms after meal. But mean QTc interval maximal QTc interval and QRS axis showed no significant difference. Prolongation of QT interval and RR interval during fasting, instead of no significant changes in corrected QT interval may primarily suggest that prolongation of RR-interval causes QTc interval not to have significant difference. But increases of QT dispersion and corrected QT dispersion (QTc dispersion during fasting -that are more reliable indicators of ventricular repolarization-support the idea that ventricular repolarization may be changed during Ramadan fasting. QT dispersion in cardiac patients is showed to increase from normal values of 30-40 to 64-138 ms, but in our study their increases did not reach critical value.

New Mechanisms to Explain the Effects of Added Lactose Fines on the Dispersion Performance of Adhesive Mixtures for Inhalation

Science.gov (United States)

Grasmeijer, Floris; Lexmond, Anne J.; van den Noort, Maarten; Hagedoorn, Paul; Hickey, Anthony J.; Frijlink, Henderik W.; de Boer, Anne H.

2014-01-01

Fine excipient particles or ‘fines’ have been shown to improve the dispersion performance of carrier-based formulations for dry powder inhalation. Mechanistic formulation studies have focussed mainly on explaining this positive effect. Previous studies have shown that higher drug contents may cause a decrease in dispersion performance, and there is no reason why this should not be true for fines with a similar shape, size and cohesiveness as drug particles. Therefore, the effects on drug detachment of ‘fine lactose fines’ (FLF, X50 = 1.95 µm) with a similar size and shape as micronised budesonide were studied and compared to those of ‘coarse lactose fines’ (CLF, X50 = 3.94 µm). Furthermore, interactions with the inhalation flow rate, the drug content and the mixing order were taken into account. The observed effects of FLF are comparable to drug content effects in that the detached drug fraction was decreased at low drug content and low flow rates but increased at higher flow rates. At high drug content the effects of added FLF were negligible. In contrast, CLF resulted in higher detached drug fractions at all flow rates and drug contents. The results from this study suggest that the effects of fines may be explained by two new mechanisms in addition to those previously proposed. Firstly, fines below a certain size may increase the effectiveness of press-on forces or cause the formation of strongly coherent fine particle networks on the carrier surface containing the drug particles. Secondly, when coarse enough, fines may prevent the formation of, or disrupt such fine particle networks, possibly through a lowering of their tensile strength. It is recommended that future mechanistic studies are based on the recognition that added fines may have any effect on dispersion performance, which is determined by the formulation and dispersion conditions. PMID:24489969

Primary dispersal of Cytisus multiflorus seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moreno Marcos, G.

1992-12-01

Full Text Available Current work relates to the primary dispersal of Cytisus multiflorus seeds: seed production, dispersal mechanisms, distribution of seed after dissemination and dormancy were investigated. The distribution of seed was recorded before collection; seed viabilaty and dormancy were assessed. The results indicate that the dispersion is assisted by an explosive dehiscence of the seed pod in that only 35% of the seed drop directly beneath the plant, the remainder falling further away, some reaching distances greater than 3 m. Dormancy index was found to be 98.9%.

[es] En el presente trabajo se estudia la dispersión primaria de las semillas de Cytisus multiflorus: cuantificación de la producción, mecanismos de dispersión, distribución de las semillas tras la diseminación, y su estado de latencia. Para ello se colocaron dispositivos de recogida de las semillas debajo y alrededor de las plantas, anotando la cantidad y distancia de la calda; posteriormente eran sembradas para comprobarla viabilidad y dormición de las semillas. Los resultados indican la existencia de una dispersión por dehiscencia explosiva; solamente el 35% de las semillas caen bajo la planta, haciéndolo el resto en sus alrededores; algunas alcanzaron distancias superiores a los 3 m. El índice de dormición es de 98.9%.
[fr] Dans le présent travail on étudie la dispersion primaire des graines de Cytisus multiflorus: quantification de la production, mécanismes de dispersion, distribution des graines après la dissémination et leur état de latence. Pour ce faire on a placé des dispositifs de récolte des graines au dessous et autour des plantes, enregistrant la quantité et la distance de la chute; après elles étaient semées pour tester la viabilité et dormance des graines. Les résultats indiquent l'existence d'une dispersion par déhiscence explosive; seulement 35% des graines tombent au-dessous de la plante, et le reste dans les

Microstructure refinement and strengthening mechanisms of a 9Cr oxide dispersion strengthened steel by zirconium addition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Hai Jian; Lu, Zheng; Wang, Dong Mei; Liu, Chunming [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang (China)

2017-02-15

To study the effects of zirconium (Zr) addition on the microstructure, hardness and the tensile properties of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic-martensitic steels, two kinds of 9Cr-ODS ferritic-martensitic steels with nominal compositions (wt.%) of Fe-9Cr-2W-0.3Y{sub 2}O-3 and Fe-9Cr-2W-0.3Zr-0.3Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} were fabricated by the mechanical alloying (MA) of premixed powders and then consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) techniques. The experimental results showed that the average grain size decreases with Zr addition. The trigonal δ-phase Y{sub 4}Zr{sub 3}O{sub 12} oxides and body-centered cubic Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} oxides are formed in the 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel and 9Cr non-Zr ODS steel, respectively, and the average size of Y{sub 4}Zr{sub 3}O{sub 12} particles is much smaller than that of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The dispersion morphology of the oxide particles in 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel is significantly improved and the number density is 1.1 x 10{sup 23}/m{sup 3} with Zr addition. The 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel shows much higher tensile ductility, ultimate tensile strength and Vickers hardness at the same time.

Rubber materials from elastomers and nanocellulose powders: filler dispersion and mechanical reinforcement.

Science.gov (United States)

Fumagalli, Matthieu; Berriot, Julien; de Gaudemaris, Benoit; Veyland, Anne; Putaux, Jean-Luc; Molina-Boisseau, Sonia; Heux, Laurent

2018-04-04

Rubber materials with well-dispersed fillers and large mechanical reinforcement have been obtained by melt-processing a diene elastomer matrix and tailored nanocellulose powders having both a high specific surface area and a modified interface. Such filler powders with a specific surface area of 180 m2 g-1 and 100 m2 g-1 have been obtained by freeze-drying suspensions of short needle-like cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and entangled networks of microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) in tert-butanol/water, respectively. A quantitative and toposelective filler surface esterification was performed using a gas-phase protocol either with palmitoyl chloride (PCl) to obtain a hydrophobic but non-reactive nanocellulose interface, or with 3,3'-dithiopropionic acid chloride (DTACl) to introduce reactive groups that can covalently bind the nanocellulose interface to the dienic matrix in a subsequent vulcanization process. A set of filled materials was prepared varying the filler morphology, interface and volume fraction. Transmission electron microscopy images of ultrathin cryo-sections showed that modified nanocellulose fillers presented a relatively homogeneous distribution up to a volume fraction of 20%. The materials also exhibited a significant modulus increase, while keeping an extensibility in the same range as that of the neat matrix. Strikingly, in the case of the reactive interface, a strong stress-stiffening behavior was evidenced from the upward curvature of the tensile curve, leading to a large increase of the ultimate stress (up to 7 times that of the neat matrix). Taken together, these properties, which have never been previously reported for nanocellulose-filled elastomers, match well the mechanical characteristics of industrial carbon black or silica-loaded elastomers.

Microstructures and mechanical properties of 9Cr oxide dispersion strengthened steel produced by spark plasma sintering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, Rui [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Lu, Zheng, E-mail: luz@atm.neu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Lu, Chenyang; Li, Zhengyuan [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Ding, Xueyong [School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Liu, Chunming [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • A 9Cr-ODS steel was produced by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering. • Bimodal grain size distribution was observed. • Formation mechanism of bimodal grain size distribution was discussed. • The size and number density of nanoscale particles were obtained by SAXS and HRTEM. • The contribution of nano-sized particles to yield strength is dominating. - Abstract: 9Cr oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel was fabricated by mechanical alloying (MA) and spark plasma sintering (SPS). The nano-sized particles, grain size distribution and mechanical properties of 9Cr-ODS steel sintered at 950 °C were studied by synchrotron radiation small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and tensile experiment. The results showed that bimodal grain size distribution in the matrix is observed, which is attributed to the heterogeneous recrystallization process during the SPS. High-density nano-sized Y{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} and some large oxides of Cr{sub 2}Mn(Ti)O{sub 4} are formed in 9Cr-ODS steel. The number density and average size of Y{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} obtained from SAXS are 4.72 × 10{sup 22}/m{sup 3} and 4.4 nm, respectively. The yield strengths of 9Cr-ODS steel fabricated by SPS are compared with the typical 9Cr-ODS steel produced by HIP.

Regulatory policies for using oil dispersants in the Barents Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia Belkina

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Use of dispersants requires assessment of which environmental values are at stake. In the Barents Sea this issue is of high concern as large oil spills can cause transboundary pollution, affecting the interests of two neighbouring countries. The Joint Contingency Plan in the Barents Sea does not set any specific requirements for use of dispersants and lets Norway and Russia follow their national procedures. The Plan emphasizes that in case of transboundary pollution the decision to use dispersants shall only be undertaken upon common agreement. The paper presents a comparison of the national regulatory approaches of Norway and Russia to using dispersants. The research is based on the analysis of legislative documents and interviews with oil companies, oil spill responders and relevant national authorities. The research reveals that in both countries use of dispersants requires preliminary authorization of the national agencies. In Norway the pre-approval procedure and the algorithm of dispersants involvement in response to a real accident are clearly documented and are regularly tested. This has made the process of approval for using dispersants more efficient. In Russia the lack of practical experience in using dispersants and well-established approval procedures can result in a long and unclear permitting process for each oil spill case. This could seriously hinder the use of dispersants to combat transboundary pollution in the Barents Sea, even if it is considered to be beneficial. We conclude that the development of a harmonized approach for dispersants use in the Barents Sea should be thoroughly assessed.

Evolution of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Steels Made from Water-Atomized Ferritic Powder

Science.gov (United States)

Arkhurst, Barton Mensah; Kim, Jeoung Han

2018-05-01

Nano-structured oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels produced from a 410L stainless steel powder prepared by water-atomization was studied. The influences of Ti content and milling time on the microstructure and the mechanical properties were analysed. It was found that the ODS steels made from the Si bearing 410L powder contained Y-Ti-O, Y-Ti-Si-O, Y-Si-O, and TiO2 oxides. Most nanoparticles produced after 80 h of milling were aggregated nanoparticles; however, after 160 h of milling, most aggregated nanoparticles dissociated into smaller individual nanoparticles. Perfect mixing of Y and Ti was not achieved even after the longer milling time of 160 h; instead, the longer hours of milling rather resulted in Si incorporation into the Y-Ti-O rich nanoparticles and a change in the matrix morphology from an equiaxed microstructure to a tempered martensite-like microstructure. The overall micro-hardness of the ODS steel increased with the increase of milling time. After 80 and 160 h, the microhardnesses were over 400 HV, which primarily resulted from the finer dispersed nanoparticles and in part to the formation of martensitic phases. Tensile strength of the 410L ODS steels was comparable with that of ODS steel produced from gas-atomized powder.

Assessing the relative importance of dispersal in plant communities using an ecoinformatics approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ozinga, W.A.; Hennekens, S.M.; Schaminée, J.H.J.; Bekker, R.M.; Prinzing, A.; Bonn, S.; Poschlod, P.; Tackenberg, O.; Thompson, K.; Bakker, J.P.; Groenendael, van J.M.

2005-01-01

Increased insight into the factors that determine the importance of dispersal limitation on species richness and species composition is of paramount importance for conservation and restoration ecology. One way to explore the importance of dispersal limitation is to use seed-sowing experiments, but

Determination of the shear modulus of gelatine hydrogels by magnetization measurements using dispersed nickel nanorods as mechanical probes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bender, P.; Tschöpe, A.; Birringer, R.

2013-01-01

Ni nanorods are dispersed into gelatine gels and used as nanoprobes to estimate the shear modulus of the surrounding gel matrix by magnetization measurements. The nanorods are synthesized via pulsed electrodeposition of Ni into porous alumina, released from the templates by dissolution of the oxide layer and after several processing steps dispersed into gelatine gels with an isotropic orientation-distribution. Magnetization measurements of the resulting gels show a significant influence of the gelatine concentration on their magnetic behavior. In particular, with decreasing gelatine concentration the measured coercivity is reduced indicating a mechanical rotation of the nanorods in the field direction. A theoretical model which relates the measured coercivity to the shear modulus of the surrounding gel matrix is introduced and applied to investigate the ageing process of gelatine gels with different gelatine concentrations at room temperature. - Highlights: • AAO-template synthesis of uniaxial ferromagnetic single domain Ni nanorods. • Embedding nanorods as magnetic probes in soft elastic gelatine hydrogels. • Coercivity of isotropic samples increases with gelation time and gelatine concentration. • Quantitative relationship between coercivity and matrix shear modulus is obtained from an extended Stoner–Wohlfarth-model. • Semi-quantitative method for magnetic rheometry of soft elastic materials

Determination of the shear modulus of gelatine hydrogels by magnetization measurements using dispersed nickel nanorods as mechanical probes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bender, P., E-mail: nano@p-bender.de; Tschöpe, A., E-mail: antsch@mx.uni-saarland.de; Birringer, R., E-mail: r.birringer@nano.uni-saarland.de

2013-11-15

Ni nanorods are dispersed into gelatine gels and used as nanoprobes to estimate the shear modulus of the surrounding gel matrix by magnetization measurements. The nanorods are synthesized via pulsed electrodeposition of Ni into porous alumina, released from the templates by dissolution of the oxide layer and after several processing steps dispersed into gelatine gels with an isotropic orientation-distribution. Magnetization measurements of the resulting gels show a significant influence of the gelatine concentration on their magnetic behavior. In particular, with decreasing gelatine concentration the measured coercivity is reduced indicating a mechanical rotation of the nanorods in the field direction. A theoretical model which relates the measured coercivity to the shear modulus of the surrounding gel matrix is introduced and applied to investigate the ageing process of gelatine gels with different gelatine concentrations at room temperature. - Highlights: • AAO-template synthesis of uniaxial ferromagnetic single domain Ni nanorods. • Embedding nanorods as magnetic probes in soft elastic gelatine hydrogels. • Coercivity of isotropic samples increases with gelation time and gelatine concentration. • Quantitative relationship between coercivity and matrix shear modulus is obtained from an extended Stoner–Wohlfarth-model. • Semi-quantitative method for magnetic rheometry of soft elastic materials.

Application of dispersion and dose assessment models to the solid and liquid wastes facilities of Ezeiza radioactive waste management area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amado, Valeria A.; Lopez, Fabio O.

2007-01-01

This paper provides a dose assessment of the critic group from the near surface facility for solid and liquid waste, located at Ezeiza Atomic Center in Argentina (Ezeiza Radioactive Waste Management Area-AGE). The calculations were made using several approaches about source term. The activities for each radionuclide and facility were taken from the National Atomic Energy Commission's Inventory that corresponds to the first trimester of 2005. The radioactive decay of each radionuclide was considered. The work was performed in two steps. In the first step, using the Nuclide Dispersion in Phreatic Aquifer Model (DRAF), the dispersion of the contaminants into the phreatic aquifer until the discharge point at a superficial water course was considered. In the second step, the Consequences of Releases to the Environment Assessment Methodology Program (PC CREAM) was used for the study of radionuclides dispersion in superficial water course and dose calculations. The results from this paper show that, for every studied radionuclide, the doses involved are significantly lower than the values established by current regulations. On the other hand, those results put in evidence the utility of simple models in estimating the order of magnitude of expected concentrations and doses. It is important to highlight that the obtained results can be used only in the context of the suppositions that were made. (author) [es

Mate-finding as an overlooked critical determinant of dispersal variation in sexually-reproducing animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilroy, James J; Lockwood, Julie L

2012-01-01

Dispersal is a critically important process in ecology, but robust predictive models of animal dispersal remain elusive. We identify a potentially ubiquitous component of variation in animal dispersal that has been largely overlooked until now: the influence of mate encounters on settlement probability. We use an individual-based model to simulate dispersal in sexually-reproducing organisms that follow a simple set of movement rules based on conspecific encounters, within an environment lacking spatial habitat heterogeneity. We show that dispersal distances vary dramatically with fluctuations in population density in such a model, even in the absence of variation in dispersive traits between individuals. In a simple random-walk model with promiscuous mating, dispersal distributions become increasingly 'fat-tailed' at low population densities due to the increasing scarcity of mates. Similar variation arises in models incorporating territoriality. In a model with polygynous mating, we show that patterns of sex-biased dispersal can even be reversed across a gradient of population density, despite underlying dispersal mechanisms remaining unchanged. We show that some widespread dispersal patterns found in nature (e.g. fat tailed distributions) can arise as a result of demographic variability in the absence of heterogeneity in dispersive traits across the population. This implies that models in which individual dispersal distances are considered to be fixed traits might be unrealistic, as dispersal distances vary widely under a single dispersal mechanism when settlement is influenced by mate encounters. Mechanistic models offer a promising means of advancing our understanding of dispersal in sexually-reproducing organisms.

Staphylococcus aureus biofilms: recent developments in biofilm dispersal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lister, Jessica L; Horswill, Alexander R

2014-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of nosocomial and community-acquired infections and represents a significant burden on the healthcare system. S. aureus attachment to medical implants and host tissue, and the establishment of a mature biofilm, play an important role in the persistence of chronic infections. The formation of a biofilm, and encasement of cells in a polymer-based matrix, decreases the susceptibility to antimicrobials and immune defenses, making these infections difficult to eradicate. During infection, dispersal of cells from the biofilm can result in spread to secondary sites and worsening of the infection. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the pathways behind biofilm dispersal in S. aureus, with a focus on enzymatic and newly described broad-spectrum dispersal mechanisms. Additionally, we explore potential applications of dispersal in the treatment of biofilm-mediated infections.

Assessing Dispersal Patterns of Fish Propagules from an Effective Mediterranean Marine Protected Area

Science.gov (United States)

Di Franco, Antonio; Coppini, Giovanni; Pujolar, José Martin; De Leo, Giulio A.; Gatto, Marino; Lyubartsev, Vladyslav; Melià, Paco; Zane, Lorenzo; Guidetti, Paolo

2012-01-01

Successfully enforced marine protected areas (MPAs) have been widely demonstrated to allow, within their boundaries, the recovery of exploited species and beyond their boundaries, the spillover of juvenile and adult fish. Little evidence is available about the so-called ‘recruitment subsidy’, the augmented production of propagules (i.e. eggs and larvae) due to the increased abundance of large-sized spawners hosted within effective MPAs. Once emitted, propagules can be locally retained and/or exported elsewhere. Patterns of propagule retention and/or export from MPAs have been little investigated, especially in the Mediterranean. This study investigated the potential for propagule production and retention/export from a Mediterranean MPA (Torre Guaceto, SW Adriatic Sea) using the white sea bream, Diplodus sargus sargus, as a model species. A multidisciplinary approach was used combining 1) spatial distribution patterns of individuals (post-settlers and adults) assessed through visual census within Torre Guaceto MPA and in northern and southern unprotected areas, 2) Lagrangian simulations of dispersal based on an oceanographic model of the region and data on early life-history traits of the species (spawning date, pelagic larval duration) and 3) a preliminary genetic study using microsatellite loci. Results show that the MPA hosts higher densities of larger-sized spawners than outside areas, potentially guaranteeing higher propagule production. Model simulations and field observation suggest that larval retention within and long-distance dispersal across MPA boundaries allow the replenishment of the MPA and of exploited populations up to 100 km down-current (southward) from the MPA. This pattern partially agrees with the high genetic homogeneity found in the entire study area (no differences in genetic composition and diversity indices), suggesting a high gene flow. By contributing to a better understanding of propagule dispersal patterns, these findings provide

On the temperature effect of substrate and evaporation rate on condensate dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orlov, Yu.F.; Belotserkovskaya, N.G.; Gustylev, V.K.

1978-01-01

On the basis of available and new experimental data an attempt has been made to generalize the results of studying the effect of the substrate temperature and evaporation rate on the dispersity of amorphous condensates of Sb 2 S 3 and on that of crystalline condensates of PbO and PbTe. The dispersity of the condensates is shown to decrease with a substrate temperature and evaporation rate. The specific surface decreases linearly with the 3-5-fold rise in the evaporation rate. A dispersity decrease is due to the temperature rise in the medium where condensation takes place. The pattern of dispersity dependence on the substrate temperature and evaporation rate does not depend on the mechanism of vapour condensation and is the same both for aerosol mechanism of the condensate formation and for vapour condensation directly on the substrate

The impact of oil dispersant solvent on performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiocco, R.J.; Lessard, R.R.; Canevari, G.P.; Becker, K.W.; Daling, P.S.

1995-01-01

Modern oil spill dispersant formulations are concentrated blends of surface active agents (surfactants) in a solvent carrier system. The surfactants are effective for lowering the interfacial tension of the oil slick and promoting and stabilizing oil-in-water dispersions. The solvent system has 2 key functions: (1) reduce viscosity of the surfactant blend to allow efficient dispersant application, and (2) promote mixing and diffusion of the surfactant blend into the oil film. A more detailed description than previously given in the literature is proposed to explain the mechanism of chemical dispersion and illustrate how the surfactant is delivered by the solvent to the oil-water interface. Laboratory data are presented which demonstrate the variability in dispersing effectiveness due to different solvent composition, particularly for viscous and emulsified test oils with viscosities up to 20,500 mPa·s. Other advantages of improved solvent components can include reduced evaporative losses during spraying, lower marine toxicity and reduced protective equipment requirements. Through this improved understanding of the role of the solvent, dispersants which are more effective over a wider range of oil types are being developed

Simulated effects of host fish distribution on juvenile unionid mussel dispersal in a large river

Science.gov (United States)

Daraio, J.A.; Weber, L.J.; Zigler, S.J.; Newton, T.J.; Nestler, J.M.

2012-01-01

Larval mussels (Family Unionidae) are obligate parasites on fish, and after excystment from their host, as juveniles, they are transported with flow. We know relatively little about the mechanisms that affect dispersal and subsequent settlement of juvenile mussels in large rivers. We used a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model of a reach of the Upper Mississippi River with stochastic Lagrangian particle tracking to simulate juvenile dispersal. Sensitivity analyses were used to determine the importance of excystment location in two-dimensional space (lateral and longitudinal) and to assess the effects of vertical location (depth in the water column) on dispersal distances and juvenile settling distributions. In our simulations, greater than 50% of juveniles mussels settled on the river bottom within 500 m of their point of excystment, regardless of the vertical location of the fish in the water column. Dispersal distances were most variable in environments with higher velocity and high gradients in velocity, such as along channel margins, near the channel bed, or where effects of river bed morphology caused large changes in hydraulics. Dispersal distance was greater and variance was greater when juvenile excystment occurred in areas where vertical velocity (w) was positive (indicating an upward velocity) than when w was negative. Juvenile dispersal distance is likely to be more variable for mussels species whose hosts inhabit areas with steeper velocity gradients (e.g. channel margins) than a host that generally inhabits low-flow environments (e.g. impounded areas).

Re-dispersion of alumina particles in water: influence of the surface state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desset, Sabine

1999-01-01

The aim of this work was to determine the mechanisms by which suspensions of alpha alumina particles may be dried and then re-dispersed spontaneously in water. To get reproducible results, we designed appropriate protocols: (i) for preparing the surface state, and for generating controlled interparticle contacts (presence of water or complexing agents); (ii) for measuring the amount of re-dispersed material with a proper averaging over all interparticle bonds (turbidity). These results show that there are thresholds, determined by the conditions of drying and re-dispersion, where all the powder goes from the aggregated state to the dispersed state. With hydrated powders, it was found that mild changes in the chemical conditions (pH) and application of very weak mechanical forces (sedimentation) were enough to cause significant change in re-dispersion. According to these thresholds, a re-dispersion mechanism could be identified. Re-dispersion is ruled, indeed, by a balance of forces and the displacement of the re-dispersion thresholds indicates a shift in the balance of forces. These forces are the well known forces that control colloidal stability: van der Waals attraction, electrostatic repulsion and hydration forces. We found that hydration acts as a repulsive wall corresponding to one or two monolayers of water on each surface and depends on the Relative Humidity of drying. We also found that electrostatic repulsions at short separations are much weaker than the predictions based on the Poisson Boltzmann equation, but should be modelled according to the triple layer model. Repulsions to be considered are those calculated with the screened charges of the particles. Another aim of this work was to facilitate re-dispersion by using complexing agents that bind to the surfaces and add a steric repulsion We have found that molecules with carboxylic and hydroxyl groups can be efficient in this respect, if they are bound to surfaces before aggregation, if they are not

Re-dispersion of alumina particles in water: influence of the surface state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desset, Sabine

1999-01-01

The aim of this work was to determine the mechanisms by which suspensions of alpha alumina particles may be dried and then re-dispersed spontaneously in water. To get reproducible results, we designed appropriate protocols: (i) for preparing the surface state, and for generating controlled interparticle contacts (presence of water or complexing agents); (ii) for measuring the amount of re-dispersed material with a proper averaging over all interparticle bonds (turbidity). These results show that there are thresholds, determined by the conditions of drying and re-dispersion, where all the powder goes from the aggregated state to the dispersed state. With hydrated powders, it was found that mild changes in the chemical conditions (pH) and application of very weak mechanical forces (sedimentation) were enough to cause significant change in re-dispersion. According to these thresholds, a re-dispersion mechanism could be identified. Re-dispersion is ruled, indeed, by a balance of forces and the displacement of the re-dispersion thresholds indicates a shift in the balance of forces. These forces are the well-known forces that control colloidal stability: van der Waals attraction, electrostatic repulsion and hydration forces. We found that hydration acts as a repulsive wall corresponding to one or two monolayers of water on each surface and depends on the Relative Humidity of drying. We also found that electrostatic repulsions at short separations are much weaker than the predictions based on the Poisson Boltzmann equation, but should be modelled according to the triple layer model. Repulsions to be considered are those calculated with the screened charges of the particles. Another aim of this work was to facilitate re-dispersion by using complexing agents that bind to the surfaces and add a steric repulsion We have found that molecules with carboxylic and hydroxyl groups can be efficient in this respect, if they are bound to surfaces before aggregation, if they are not

Are Dispersal Mechanisms Changing the Host-Parasite Relationship and Increasing the Virulence of Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) in Managed Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies?

Science.gov (United States)

DeGrandi-Hoffman, Gloria; Ahumada, Fabiana; Graham, Henry

2017-08-01

Varroa (Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman) are a serious pest of European honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), and difficult to control in managed colonies. In our 11-mo longitudinal study, we applied multiple miticide treatments, yet mite numbers remained high and colony losses exceeded 55%. High mortality from varroa in managed apiaries is a departure from the effects of the mite in feral colonies where bees and varroa can coexist. Differences in mite survival strategies and dispersal mechanisms may be contributing factors. In feral colonies, mites can disperse through swarming. In managed apiaries, where swarming is reduced, mites disperse on foragers robbing or drifting from infested hives. Using a honey bee-varroa population model, we show that yearly swarming curtails varroa population growth, enabling colony survival for >5 yr. Without swarming, colonies collapsed by the third year. To disperse, varroa must attach to foragers that then enter other hives. We hypothesize that stress from parasitism and virus infection combined with effects that viruses have on cognitive function may contribute to forager drift and mite and virus dispersal. We also hypothesize that drifting foragers with mites can measurably increase mite populations. Simulations initialized with field data indicate that low levels of drifting foragers with mites can create sharp increases in mite populations in the fall and heavily infested colonies in the spring. We suggest new research directions to investigate factors leading to mite dispersal on foragers, and mite management strategies with consideration of varroa as a migratory pest. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2017. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Estimate of dispersion in an unsaturated aquifer

Science.gov (United States)

Stephenson, D.; De Jesus, A. S. M.

1985-10-01

The Nuclear Development Corporation of South Africa (Pty) Ltd. (NUCOR) is constructing a low-level radioactive waste disposal site near Springbok in Namaqualand, an arid region to the west of South Africa. A groundwater model was developed which required site-specific data and this work describes procedures developed to assess the dispersivity of the soil in the vicinity of the proposed site. Preliminary laboratory tests, carried out using a sodium chloride solution, indicated the order of magnitude of the dispersivity for saturated soil at various levels. This enabled site tests to be designed. The site tests were done by injecting a pulse of scandium-46 into a hole and monitoring the displacement of the radioactive cloud as it moved down under gravity and spread laterally. A mathematical model was developed to predict the behaviour of the cloud and calibration of the model yielded vertical and horizontal dispersivities. The dispersion of radioactivity at the cloud front was assumed to occur in unsaturated medium while the continuously injected water behind the radioactivity was assumed to disperse in a saturated medium. Thus monitoring the concentration of both yielded approximate values for the effective dispersivities in unsaturated and saturated media.

Characterization of dispersion strengthened copper with 3wt%Al2O3 by mechanical alloying

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajković Višeslava

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The copper matrix has been dispersion strengthened with 3wt.%Al2O3 by mechanical alloying. Commercial alumina powder with an average particle size of 0.75mm was used for alloying. The mechanical alloying process was performed in a planetary ball mill up to 20h in air. After milling all powders were treated in H2 at 4000C for 1h, and finally hot pressing was used for compaction (800oC, 3h, Ar. Structure observations revealed a lamellar structure (Al2O3 particles largely restricted to interlamellar planes between adjacent copper lamellae accompanied also by structure refinement. These structural changes were mostly completed in the early stage of milling, and retained after compaction. Micro hardness was found to progressively increase with milling time. So, after 5h of milling the micro hardness of the Cu+3twt%Al2O3 compact was 1540MPa, i.e. 2.5 times greater than for the as-received electrolytic copper powder (638MPa compacted under identical conditions, while after 20h of milling it was 2370 MPa. However after exposing the tested compact at 800oC up to 5h, the achieved hardening effect vanished.

Recent Progress in Treating Protein-Ligand Interactions with Quantum-Mechanical Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmazer, Nusret Duygu; Korth, Martin

2016-05-16

We review the first successes and failures of a "new wave" of quantum chemistry-based approaches to the treatment of protein/ligand interactions. These approaches share the use of "enhanced", dispersion (D), and/or hydrogen-bond (H) corrected density functional theory (DFT) or semi-empirical quantum mechanical (SQM) methods, in combination with ensemble weighting techniques of some form to capture entropic effects. Benchmark and model system calculations in comparison to high-level theoretical as well as experimental references have shown that both DFT-D (dispersion-corrected density functional theory) and SQM-DH (dispersion and hydrogen bond-corrected semi-empirical quantum mechanical) perform much more accurately than older DFT and SQM approaches and also standard docking methods. In addition, DFT-D might soon become and SQM-DH already is fast enough to compute a large number of binding modes of comparably large protein/ligand complexes, thus allowing for a more accurate assessment of entropic effects.

Recent Progress in Treating Protein–Ligand Interactions with Quantum-Mechanical Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nusret Duygu Yilmazer

2016-05-01

Full Text Available We review the first successes and failures of a “new wave” of quantum chemistry-based approaches to the treatment of protein/ligand interactions. These approaches share the use of “enhanced”, dispersion (D, and/or hydrogen-bond (H corrected density functional theory (DFT or semi-empirical quantum mechanical (SQM methods, in combination with ensemble weighting techniques of some form to capture entropic effects. Benchmark and model system calculations in comparison to high-level theoretical as well as experimental references have shown that both DFT-D (dispersion-corrected density functional theory and SQM-DH (dispersion and hydrogen bond-corrected semi-empirical quantum mechanical perform much more accurately than older DFT and SQM approaches and also standard docking methods. In addition, DFT-D might soon become and SQM-DH already is fast enough to compute a large number of binding modes of comparably large protein/ligand complexes, thus allowing for a more accurate assessment of entropic effects.

Overseas seed dispersal by migratory birds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Viana, D.S.; Gangoso, L.; Bouten, W.; Figuerola, J.

2016-01-01

Long-distance dispersal (LDD) promotes the colonization of isolated and remote habitats, and thus it has been proposed as a mechanism for explaining the distributions of many species. Birds are key LDD vectors for many sessile organisms such as plants, yet LDD beyond local and regional scales has

STELLAR MASS DEPENDENT DISK DISPERSAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, Grant M.; Kenyon, Scott J.

2009-01-01

We use published optical spectral and infrared (IR) excess data from nine young clusters and associations to study the stellar mass dependent dispersal of circumstellar disks. All clusters older than ∼3 Myr show a decrease in disk fraction with increasing stellar mass for solar to higher mass stars. This result is significant at about the 1σ level in each cluster. For the complete set of clusters we reject the null hypothesis-that solar and intermediate-mass stars lose their disks at the same rate-with 95%-99.9% confidence. To interpret this behavior, we investigate the impact of grain growth, binary companions, and photoevaporation on the evolution of disk signatures. Changes in grain growth timescales at fixed disk temperature may explain why early-type stars with IR excesses appear to evolve faster than their later-type counterparts. Little evidence that binary companions affect disk evolution suggests that photoevaporation is the more likely mechanism for disk dispersal. A simple photoevaporation model provides a good fit to the observed disk fractions for solar and intermediate-mass stars. Although the current mass-dependent disk dispersal signal is not strong, larger and more complete samples of clusters with ages of 3-5 Myr can improve the significance and provide better tests of theoretical models. In addition, the orbits of extra-solar planets can constrain models of disk dispersal and migration. We suggest that the signature of stellar mass dependent disk dispersal due to photoevaporation may be present in the orbits of observed extra-solar planets. Planets orbiting hosts more massive than ∼1.6 M sun may have larger orbits because the disks in which they formed were dispersed before they could migrate.

Dispersion analysis for waves propagated in fractured media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lesniak, A; Niitsuma, H [Tohoku University, Sendai (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1996-05-01

Dispersion of velocity is defined as a variation of the phase velocity with frequency. This paper describes the dispersion analysis of compressional body waves propagated in the heterogeneous fractured media. The new method proposed and discussed here permitted the evaluation of the variation in P wave arrival with frequency. For this processing method, any information about the attenuation of the medium are not required, and only an assumption of weak heterogeneity is important. It was shown that different mechanisms of dispersion can be distinguished and its value can be quantitatively estimated. Although the frequency used in this study was lower than those in most previous experiments reported in literature, the evaluated dispersion was large. It was suggested that such a large dispersion may be caused by the velocity structure of the media studied and by frequency dependent processes in a highly fractured zone. It was demonstrated that the present method can be used in the evaluation of subsurface fracture systems or characterization of any kind of heterogeneities. 10 refs., 6 figs.

Quantum mechanics concept assessment: Development and validation study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Homeyra R. Sadaghiani

2015-03-01

Full Text Available As part of an ongoing investigation of students’ learning in first semester upper-division quantum mechanics, we needed a high-quality conceptual assessment instrument for comparing outcomes of different curricular approaches. The process of developing such a tool started with converting a preliminary version of a 14-item open-ended quantum mechanics assessment tool (QMAT to a multiple-choice (MC format. Further question refinement, development of effective distractors, adding new questions, and robust statistical analysis has led to a 31-item quantum mechanics concept assessment (QMCA test. The QMCA is used as post-test only to assess students’ knowledge about five main topics of quantum measurement: the time-independent Schrödinger equation, wave functions and boundary conditions, time evolution, and probability density. During two years of testing and refinement, the QMCA has been given in alpha (N=61 and beta versions (N=263 to students in upper division quantum mechanics courses at 11 different institutions with an average post-test score of 54%. By allowing for comparisons of student learning across different populations and institutions, the QMCA provides instructors and researchers a more standard measure of effectiveness of different curricula or teaching strategies on student conceptual understanding of quantum mechanics. In this paper, we discuss the construction of effective distractors and the use of student interviews and expert feedback to revise and validate both questions and distractors. We include the results of common statistical tests of reliability and validity, which suggest the instrument is presently in a stable, usable, and promising form.

Locomotion during digestion changes current estimates of seed dispersal kernels by fish

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leeuwen, van C.H.A.; Beukeboom, R.; Nolet, B.A.; Bakker, E.S.; Pollux, B.J.A.

2016-01-01

1.Dispersal of seeds by animals is an important mechanism regulating plant diversity, range expansions and invasions. Many birds, mammals, fish and reptiles regularly ingest, transport and excrete viable seeds (known as endozoochory). 2.The effectiveness of endozoochory is modelled in dispersal

Dispersed oil decreases the ability of a model fish (Dicentrarchus labrax) to cope with hydrostatic pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Dussauze, Matthieu; Pichavant-Rafini, Karine; Belhomme, Marc; Buzzacott, Peter; Privat, Killian; Le Floch, Stéphane; Lemaire, Philippe; Theron, Michaël

2017-01-01

Data on the biological impact of oil dispersion in deep-sea environment are scarce. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential interest of a pressure challenge as a new experimental approach for the assessment of consequences of chemically dispersed oil, followed by a high hydrostatic pressure challenge. This work was conducted on a model fish: juvenile Dicentrarchus labrax. Seabass were exposed for 48 h to dispersant alone (nominal concentration (NC) = 4 mg L -1 ), mechanically dispersed oil (NC = 80 mg L -1 ), two chemically dispersed types of oil (NC = 50 and 80 mg L -1 with a dispersant/oil ratio of 1/20), or kept in clean seawater. Fish were then exposed for 30 min at a simulated depth of 1350 m, corresponding to pressure of 136 absolute atmospheres (ATA). The probability of fish exhibiting normal activity after the pressure challenge significantly increased from 0.40 to 0.55 when they were exposed to the dispersant but decreased to 0.26 and 0.11 in the case of chemical dispersion of oil (at 50 and 80 mg L -1 , respectively). The chemical dispersion at 80 mg L -1 also induced an increase in probability of death after the pressure challenge (from 0.08 to 0.26). This study clearly demonstrates the ability of a pressure challenge test to give evidence of the effects of a contaminant on the capacity of fish to face hydrostatic pressure. It opens new perspectives on the analysis of the biological impact of chemical dispersion of oil at depth, especially on marine species performing vertical migrations.

Executive turnover: the influence of dispersion and other pay system characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Messersmith, Jake G; Guthrie, James P; Ji, Yong-Yeon; Lee, Jeong-Yeon

2011-05-01

Using tournament theory as a guiding theoretical framework, in this study, we assess the organizational implications of pay dispersion and other pay system characteristics on the likelihood of turnover among individual executives in organizational teams. Specifically, we estimate the effect of these pay system characteristics on executive turnover decisions. We use a multi-industry, multilevel data set composed of executives in publicly held firms to assess the effects of pay dispersion at the individual level. Consistent with previous findings, we find that pay dispersion is associated with an increased likelihood of executive turnover. In addition, we find that other pay characteristics also affect turnover, both directly and through a moderating effect on pay dispersion. Turnover is more likely when executives receive lower portions of overall top management team compensation and when they have more pay at risk. These conditions also moderate the relationship between pay dispersion and individual turnover decisions, as does receiving lower compensation relative to the market.

The Mechanical Design of a Collimator and Cryogenic Bypass for Installation in the Dispersion Suppressors of the LHC

CERN Document Server

Ramos, D; Bertarelli, A; Cherif, A; Chritin, N; Claret, R; Gentini, L; Lombard, D; Minginette, P; Moyret, P; Redondas, M; Renaglia, T; Timmins, M

2012-01-01

A project to install collimators in the dispersion suppressor regions of the LHC was launched early 2010, aiming to reduce the power deposition in superconducting magnets by a factor of 10. To be placed in the continuous arc cryostat, the design of such collimators had to comply with challenging integration, functional and time constraints. A pre-study for a cold collimator solution was launched in parallel with an alternative design consisting of a room temperature collimator and a cryogenic bypass. The second was eventually preferred, as it was based on proven LHC technologies for cryogenic, vacuum, electrical and collimator material solutions, despite the increased difficulty on the mechanical integration and assembly. This paper presents the mechanical design of a cryogenic bypass for the LHC continuous cryostat andrespective collimator unit, both made to comply with the functionality of existing LHC systems. The approach taken to achieve a reliable design within schedule will be explained alongside the m...

Dispersibility of lactose fines as compared to API in dry powders for inhalation.

Science.gov (United States)

Thalberg, Kyrre; Åslund, Simon; Skogevall, Marcus; Andersson, Patrik

2016-05-17

This work investigates the dispersion performance of fine lactose particles as function of processing time, and compares it to the API, using Beclomethasone Dipropionate (BDP) as model API. The total load of fine particles is kept constant in the formulations while the proportions of API and lactose fines are varied. Fine particle assessment demonstrates that the lactose fines have higher dispersibility than the API. For standard formulations, processing time has a limited effect on the Fine Particle Fraction (FPF). For formulations containing magnesium stearate (MgSt), FPF of BDP is heavily influenced by processing time, with an initial increase, followed by a decrease at longer mixing times. An equation modeling the observed behavior is presented. Surprisingly, the dispersibility of the lactose fines present in the same formulation remains unaffected by mixing time. Magnesium analysis demonstrates that MgSt is transferred to the fine particles during the mixing process, thus lubrication both BDP and lactose fines, which leads to an increased FPF. Dry particle sizing of the formulations reveals a loss of fine particles at longer mixing times. Incorporation of fine particles into the carrier surfaces is believed to be behind this, and is hence a mechanism of importance as regards the dispersion performance of dry powders for inhalation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Frugivores and seed dispersal: mechanisms and consequences for biodiversity of a key ecological interaction

OpenAIRE

Jordano, Pedro; Forget, Pierre-Michel; Lambert, Joanna E.; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Traveset, Anna; Wright, S. Joseph

2010-01-01

The 5th Symposium on Frugivores and Seed Dis- persal, held in Montpellier (France), 13 – 18 June 2010, brought together more than 220 researchers exemplifying a wide diversity of approaches to the study of frugivory and dispersal of seeds. Fol- lowing Ted Fleming and Alejandro Estrada’s initiative in 1985, this event was a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first meeting in Veracruz, Mexico. Frugivory and seed dispersal are active research areas that hav...

Dispersal from deep ocean sources: physical and related scientific processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, A.R.; Kupferman, S.L.

1985-02-01

This report presents the results of the workshop ''Dispersal from Deep Ocean Sources: Physical and Related Scientific Processes,'' together with subsequent developments and syntheses of the material discussed there. The project was undertaken to develop usable predictive descriptions of dispersal from deep oceanic sources. Relatively simple theoretical models embodying modern ocean physics were applied, and observational and experimental data bases were exploited. All known physical processes relevant to the dispersal of passive, conservative tracers were discussed, and contact points for inclusion of nonconservative processes (biological and chemical) were identified. Numerical estimates of the amplitude, space, and time scales of dispersion were made for various mechanisms that control the evolution of the dispersal as the material spreads from a bottom point source to small-, meso-, and world-ocean scales. Recommendations for additional work are given. The volume is presented as a handbook of dispersion processes. It is intended to be updated as new results become available

Transverse dispersion in heterogeneous fractures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dershowitz, Bill; Shuttle, Dawn; Klise, Kate; Outters, Nils; Hermanson, Jan

2004-12-01

This report evaluates the significance of transverse dispersion processes for solute transport in a single fracture. Transverse dispersion is a potentially significant process because it increases the fracture surface area available for sorptive and diffusive properties, and has the potential to transport solute between what would otherwise be distinctive, streamline pathways. Transverse dispersion processes are generally ignored in one-dimensional repository performance assessment approaches. This report provides an initial assessment of the magnitude of transverse dispersion effect in a single heterogeneous fracture on repository safety assessment. This study builds on a previous report which considered the network effects on transport dispersion including streamline routing and mixing at fracture intersections. The project uses FracMan software. This platform has been extensively used by SKB in other projects. FracMan software is designed to generate and analyze DFN's as well as to compute fluid flow in DFN's with the MAFIC Finite element method (FEM) code. Solute transport was modeled using the particle tracking inside MAFIC, the 2-D Laplace Transform Galerkin inside PAWorks/LTG, and the 1-D Laplace Transform approach designed to replicate FARF31 inside GoldSim.The study reported here focuses on a single, 20-meter scale discrete fracture, with simplified boundary conditions intended to represent the position of this fracture within a fracture network. The range of assumptions made regarding fracture heterogeneity were as follows: Base case, Heterogeneous fracture, geostatistical field, correlation length 0.01 m. Case 1a, Homogeneous fracture, transmissivity = 10 -7 m 2 /s. Case 1b, Heterogeneous fracture, non-channeled geostatistical field correlation length 5 m. Case 1c, Heterogeneous fracture, channeled, anisotropic geostatistical field. Case 1d, Heterogeneous fracture, fracture intersection zone (FIZ) permeability enhanced. Case 5, Simple channelized

Fracture mechanics based life assessment in petrochemical plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norasiah Ab Kasim; Abd Nassir Ibrahim; Ab Razak Hamzah; Shukri Mohd

2004-01-01

The increasing use of thick walled pressure vessels in petrochemical plants operating at high pressure under severe service conditions could lead to catastrophic failure. In the Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT), initial efforts are underway to apply fracture mechanics approach for assessment of significance of defects detected during periodic in service inspection (ISI) of industrial plants. This paper outlines the integrity management strategy based on fracture mechanics and proposes a new procedure for life assessment of petrochemical plants based on ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section XI, BSI PD 6493:1991, BSI 6539:1994, BSI Standard 7910:1999 and API 579:2000. Essential relevant data required for the assessment is listed. Several methods available for determination of fracture toughness are reviewed with limitations in their application to petrochemical plants. A new non destructive method for determination of fracture toughness based on hardness testing and normalized key roughness curve is given. Results of fracture mechanics based life assessment conducted for 100 mm thick ammonia converter of Ni r o steel and 70 mm thick plat forming reactor vessel of ASTM A 38 7 grade B steel in operational fertilizer and petroleum refining plants are presented. (Author)

A single hole tracer test to determine longitudinal dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noy, D.J.; Holmes, D.C.

1986-03-01

The paper concerns a single hole tracer test to determine longitudinal dispersion, which is an important parameter in assessing the suitability of a site for radioactive waste disposal. The theory, equipment and procedure for measuring longitudinal dispersion in a single borehole is described. Results are presented for field trials conducted in an aquifer, where the technique produced good results. The measured value of longitudinal dispersion, from a single hole test, relates only to a limited volume of rock immediately adjacent to the borehole. (U.K.)

Electron-microscopic investigations of dispersion-strengthened superalloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schroeder, J.H.; Arzt, E.

1988-01-01

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) superalloys possess a high creep strength up to temperatures above 1000 0 C. This is due to a fine dispersion of incoherent Y 2 O 3 particles in connection with a highly elongated grain structure. To investigate the production and properties of ODS alloys, the grain structure was studied and the shape and distribution of dispersoids were characterized after each of the various production steps. Because the interactions between lattice dislocations and dispersoids control the deformation behaviour at high temperatures, the dislocation-dispersoid configurations in crept specimens have been studied by a TEM stereo technique and under weak-beam conditions. It was possible to detect strain fields around the dispersoids using TEM. The results lead to an improved understanding of dispersion strengthening at high temperatures and provide guidelines for the optimum use of this strengthening mechanism. (orig.) [de

Thermo-mechanical characterization of epoxy nanocomposites with different carbon nanotube distributions obtained by solvent aided and direct mixing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Zarrelli

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Two different routes, namely solvent aided dispersion and direct mixing, were employed to disperse Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWNTs into a mono-component epoxy system used as matrix for advanced composites. In the first route, MWCNTs were diluted in three different solvents (acetone, sodium dodecyl sulfate and ethanol and then mixed with the matrix by tip sonication. In the second case, carbonaceous nanoparticles were added directly into the hosting system and dispersion was carried out by using three different techniques (mechanical stirring, magnetic agitation and tip sonication. The effects of the solvents and agitation energy were investigated by optical microscopy at micron level, in order assess the more efficient dispersion procedure for the considered epoxy system. It was demonstrated that parameters associated with direct mixing rather than solvent solubility govern MWCNT dispersion. Optical analysis of the nanocomposite morphology evidenced a very low density of MWCNTs micron sized aggregates in the case of direct mixed tip sonicated samples if compared to those obtained by solution aided dispersion. In addition, nanocomposites obtained by sonication showed the lowest density of MWCNTs micron sized aggregates, also when compared with mechanically and magnetically stirred system. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA and Thermo-Mechanical Analysis (TMA results confirm the final result that among the considered direct mixing techniques, the direct tip sonication represents the most efficient route for MWCNT dispersion. Moreover, the mixing temperature of the hosting matrix system represents a fundamental feature in enhancing the MWCNT de-bundling and dispersion. Small X-ray Scattering analysis revealed that a nanosized structure of nanotubes is formed in the case of the tip sonicated samples that is heuristically correlated with both the maximum enhancement of mechanical modulus and the maximum reduction of thermal expansion coefficients.

Assessment of wind characteristics and atmospheric dispersion modeling of 137Cs on the Barakah NPP area in the USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong Kuk; Lee, Kun Jai; Yun, Jong IL; Kim, Jae Chul; Belorid, Miloslav; Beeley, Philip A.

2014-01-01

This paper presents the results of an analysis of wind characteristics and atmosphere dispersion modeling that are based on computational simulation and part of a preliminary study evaluating environmental radiation monitoring system (ERMS) positions within the Barakah nuclear power plant (BNPP). The return period of extreme wind speed was estimated using the Weibull distribution over the life time of the BNPP. In the annual meteorological modeling, the winds from the north and west accounted for more than 90 % of the wind directions. Seasonal effects were not represented. However, a discrepancy in the tendency between daytime and nighttime was observed. Six variations of cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) dispersion test were simulated under severe accident condition. The 137 Cs dispersion was strongly influenced by the direction and speed of the main wind. A virtual receptor was set and calculated for observation of the 137 Cs movement and accumulation. The results of the surface roughness effect demonstrated that the deposition of 137 Cs was affected by surface condition. The results of these studies offer useful information for developing environmental radiation monitoring systems (ERMSs) for the BNPP and can be used to assess the environmental effects of new nuclear power plant.

Radioactive cesium isotope ratios as a tool for determining dispersal and re-dispersal mechanisms downwind from the Nevada Nuclear Security Site.

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Darin C; Delmore, James E; Tranter, Troy; Mann, Nick R; Abbott, Michael L; Olson, John E

2012-08-01

Fractionation of the two longer-lived radioactive cesium isotopes ((135)Cs and (137)Cs) produced by above ground nuclear tests have been measured and used to clarify the dispersal mechanisms of cesium deposited in the area between the Nevada Nuclear Security Site and Lake Mead in the southwestern United States. Fractionation of these isotopes is due to the 135-decay chain requiring several days to completely decay to (135)Cs, and the 137-decay chain less than one hour decay to (137)Cs. Since the Cs precursors are gases, iodine and xenon, the (135)Cs plume was deposited farther downwind than the (137)Cs plume. Sediment core samples were obtained from the Las Vegas arm of Lake Mead, sub-sampled and analyzed for (135)Cs/(137)Cs ratios by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The layers proved to have nearly identical highly fractionated isotope ratios. This information is consistent with a model where the cesium was initially deposited onto the land area draining into Lake Mead and the composite from all of the above ground shots subsequently washed onto Lake Mead by high intensity rain and wind storms producing a layering of Cs activity, where each layer is a portion of the composite. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling of corium dispersion in DCH accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Q.

1996-01-01

A model that governs the dispersion process in the direct containment heating (DCH) reactor accident scenario is developed by a stepwise approach. In this model, the whole transient is subdivided into four phases with an isothermal assumption. These are the liquid and gas discharge, the liquid film flow in the cavity before gas blowdown, the liquid and gas flow in the cavity with droplet entrainment, and the liquid transport and re-entrainment in the subcompartment. In each step, the dominant driving mechanisms are identified to construct the governing equations. By combining all the steps together, the corium dispersion information is obtained in detail. The key parameters are predicted quantitatively. These include the fraction of liquid that flows out of the cavity before gas blowdown, the dispersion fraction and the mean droplet diameter in the cavity, the cavity pressure rise due to the liquid friction force, and the dispersion fractions in the containment via different paths. Compared with the data of the 1:10 scale experiments carried out at Purdue University, fairly good agreement is obtained. A stand-alone prediction of the corium dispersion under prototypic Zion reactor conditions is carried out by assuming an isothermal process without chemical reactions. (orig.)

Study of phenomena of tracer transport and dispersion in fractured media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ippolito, Irene

1993-01-01

The objective of this research thesis is to present some transport phenomena according to two different approaches: firstly, the study of flows and tracing in a natural crack within a granitic site, and secondly, the study of flows of different geometries in model cracks, mainly by using techniques of tracer dispersion. The author first presents some properties of fractured media and elements of the theory of the phenomenon of dispersion. She notably discusses the reversibility of the Taylor dispersion which is the prevailing mechanism for simply connected geometries such as in the case of a flow between two continuous solid surfaces limiting a fracture. In the next chapters, the author reports the analysis of characteristics of local structures (mouths, roughnesses) of a single fracture by using echo dispersion. She reports experiments as well as Monte Carlo simulations performed on well defined geometries. In a parallel way, some characteristics measurements (rate-pressure, distribution of flows and tracing in transmission) and mechanical measurements of fracture deformation have been performed on a natural fracture in a granitic site [fr

Utilization of multimode Love wave dispersion curve inversion for geotechnical site investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamimu, La; Nawawi, Mohd; Safani, Jamhir

2011-01-01

Inversion codes based on a modified genetic algorithm (GA) have been developed to invert multimode Love wave dispersion curves. The multimode Love wave dispersion curves were synthesized from the profile representing shear-wave velocity reversal using a full SH (shear horizontal) waveform. In this study, we used a frequency–slowness transform to extract the dispersion curve from the full SH waveform. Dispersion curves overlain in dispersion images were picked manually. These curves were then inverted using the modified GA. To assess the accuracy of the inversion results, differences between the true and inverted shear-wave velocity profile were quantified in terms of shear-wave velocity and thickness errors, E S and E H . Our numerical modeling showed that the inversion of multimode dispersion curves can significantly provide the better assessment of a shear-wave velocity structure, especially with a velocity reversal profile at typical geotechnical site investigations. This approach has been applied on field data acquired at a site in Niigata prefecture, Japan. In these field data, our inversion results show good agreement between the calculated and experimental dispersion curves and accurately detect low velocity layer targets

Locomotion during digestion changes current estimates of seed dispersal kernels by fish

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Leeuwen, Casper H.A.; Beukeboom, Rosanne; Nolet, Bart A.; Bakker, Elisabeth S.; Pollux, Bart J.A.

2016-01-01

Dispersal of seeds by animals is an important mechanism regulating plant diversity, range expansions and invasions. Many birds, mammals, fish, and reptiles regularly ingest, transport and excrete viable seeds (known as endozoochory). The effectiveness of endozoochory is modelled in dispersal

A laboratory dispersant effectiveness test which reflects dispersant efficiency in the field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lunel, T.; Wood, P.

1996-01-01

Oil dispersion efficiencies of surfactants, from laboratory dispersion tests and field data were compared and calibrated. Data from an oil spill, where dispersants were used as a major part of the response, was analysed. The data was accumulated through the monitoring of the dispersant operation of the Sea Empress spill incident, in which Forties Blend oil was spilled at sea. This detailed data set was used to calibrate existing laboratory dispersant tests, and to devise a new International Dispersant Effectiveness Test. The objective was to create a comprehensive guide to decision making on whether and when to start a dispersant spraying operation. The dispersion efficiencies obtained from the laboratory dispersant tests were compared with field data. Flume tests produced the highest percentage of dispersed oil for all the dispersal tests. However, it was emphasised that the total percentage of oil dispersed should not be the only measure of dispersant effectiveness, since it does not distinguish between the contribution of natural and chemically enhanced dispersion. 9 refs., 1 tab., 9 figs

Proto-planetary disc evolution and dispersal

Science.gov (United States)

Rosotti, Giovanni Pietro

2015-05-01

Planets form from gas and dust discs in orbit around young stars. The timescale for planet formation is constrained by the lifetime of these discs. The properties of the formed planetary systems depend thus on the evolution and final dispersal of the discs, which is the main topic of this thesis. Observations reveal the existence of a class of discs called "transitional", which lack dust in their inner regions. They are thought to be the last stage before the complete disc dispersal, and hence they may provide the key to understanding the mechanisms behind disc evolution. X-ray photoevaporation and planet formation have been studied as possible physical mechanisms responsible for the final dispersal of discs. However up to now, these two phenomena have been studied separately, neglecting any possible feedback or interaction. In this thesis we have investigated what is the interplay between these two processes. We show that the presence of a giant planet in a photo-evaporating disc can significantly shorten its lifetime, by cutting the inner regions from the mass reservoir in the exterior of the disc. This mechanism produces transition discs that for a given mass accretion rate have larger holes than in models considering only X-ray photo-evaporation, constituting a possible route to the formation of accreting transition discs with large holes. These discs are found in observations and still constitute a puzzle for the theory. Inclusion of the phenomenon called "thermal sweeping", a violent instability that can destroy a whole disc in as little as 10 4 years, shows that the outer disc left can be very short-lived (depending on the X-ray luminosity of the star), possibly explaining why very few non accreting transition discs are observed. However the mechanism does not seem to be efficient enough to reconcile with observations. In this thesis we also show that X-ray photo-evaporation naturally explains the observed correlation between stellar masses and accretion

Mechanical and Tribological Characteristics of TIG Hardfaced Dispersive Layer by Reinforced with Particles Extruded Aluminium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Dimitrova

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of the implemented technology for generation of hardfaced dispersive layers obtained by additive material containing reinforcing phase of non-metal particles. The wear resistant coatings are deposited on pure aluminium metal matrix by shielded gas metal-arc welding applying tungsten inert gas (TIG with extruded aluminium wire reinforced by particles as additive material. Wire filler is produced by extrusion of a pack containing metalized and plated by flux micro/nano SiC particles. The metalized particles implanting in the metal matrix and its dispersive hardfacing are realized by solid-state welding under conditions of hot plastic deformation. Tribological characteristics are studied of the hardfaced layers of dispersive reinforced material on pure aluminium metal matrix with and without flux. Hardness profiles of the hardfaced layers are determined by nanoindentation. The surface layers are studied by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX analysis. Increase by 15-31 % of the wear resistance of the hardfaced layers and 30-40 % of their hardness was found, which is due to the implanted in the layer reinforcing phase of metalized micro/nano SiC particles.

Surgical Management of Iatrogenic Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Mierlo, Camille Van; Pinto, Luis Abegão; Stalmans, Ingeborg

2015-01-01

Iatrogenic pigment dispersion syndrome generally originates from a repetitive, mechanical trauma to the pigmented posterior epithelium of the iris. This trauma can arise after intraocular surgery, most commonly due to an abnormal contact between the intraocular lens (IOL) and the iris. Whether surgical removal of this primary insult can lead to a successful intraocular pressure (IOP) control remains unclear. Case-series. Patients with IOP elevation and clinical signs of pigment dispersion were screened for a diagnosis of iatrogenic IOL-related pigment dispersion. Three patients in which the IOL or the IOL-bag complex caused a pigment dispersion through a repetitive iris chafing were selected. In two cases, replacement of a sulcus-based single-piece IOL (patient 1) or a sub-luxated in-the-bag IOL (patient 2) by an anterior-chamber (AC) iris-fixed IOL led to a sustained decrease in IOP. In the third case, extensive iris atrophy and poor anatomical AC parameters for IOL implantation precluded further surgical intervention. IOL-exchange appears to be a useful tool in the management of iatrogenic pigment dispersion glaucoma due to inappropriate IOL implantation. This cause-oriented approach seems to be effective in controlling IOP, but should be offered only if safety criteria are met. How to cite this article: Van Mierlo C, Abegao Pinto L, Stalmans I. Surgical Management of Iatrogenic Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2015;9(1):28-32.

The effect of broadened linewidth induced by dispersion on the performance of resonant optical gyroscope

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hao; Li, Wenxiu; Han, Peng; Chang, Xiaoyang; Liu, Jiaming; Lin, Jian; Xue, Xia; Zhu, Fang; Yang, Yang; Liu, Xiaojing; Zhang, Xiaofu; Huang, Anping; Xiao, Zhisong; Fang, Jiancheng

2018-01-01

Anomalous dispersion enhancement physical mechanism for Sagnac effect is described by special relativity derivation, and three kinds of definitions of minimum detectable angular rate of resonance optical gyroscope (ROG) are compared and the relations among them are investigated. The effect of linewidth broadening induced by anomalous dispersion on the sensitivity of ROG is discussed in this paper. Material dispersion-broadened resonance linewidth deteriorates the performance of a passive ROG and dispersion enhancement effect, while the sensitivity of a structural dispersion ROG is enhanced by two orders of magnitude even considering the dispersion-broadened resonance linewidth.

A REVIEW ON SOLID DISPERSION: A DISSOLUTION ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUE

OpenAIRE

Ingle U.S.; Gaikwad P.D.; Bankar V.H.; Pawar S.P.

2011-01-01

The enhancement of the oral bioavailability is currently one of the greatest challenges in the development of poorly water soluble drugs. To increase the dissolution and hence the bioavaibility it is important to increase the solubility of the poorly water soluble drugs. One of the possible ways to overcome this limitation is the use of solid dispersion technology. This article contains the different methods and mechanism used in the solid dispersion technology also overlooks the various carr...

Application of air pollution dispersion modeling for source-contribution assessment and model performance evaluation at integrated industrial estate-Pantnagar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banerjee, T., E-mail: tirthankaronline@gmail.com [Department of Environmental Science, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand 263 145 (India); Barman, S.C., E-mail: scbarman@yahoo.com [Department of Environmental Monitoring, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Post Box No. 80, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow-226 001, Uttar Pradesh (India); Srivastava, R.K., E-mail: rajeevsrivastava08@gmail.com [Department of Environmental Science, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand 263 145 (India)

2011-04-15

Source-contribution assessment of ambient NO{sub 2} concentration was performed at Pantnagar, India through simulation of two urban mathematical dispersive models namely Gaussian Finite Line Source Model (GFLSM) and Industrial Source Complex Model (ISCST-3) and model performances were evaluated. Principal approaches were development of comprehensive emission inventory, monitoring of traffic density and regional air quality and conclusively simulation of urban dispersive models. Initially, 18 industries were found responsible for emission of 39.11 kg/h of NO{sub 2} through 43 elevated stacks. Further, vehicular emission potential in terms of NO{sub 2} was computed as 7.1 kg/h. Air quality monitoring delineates an annual average NO{sub 2} concentration of 32.6 {mu}g/m{sup 3}. Finally, GFLSM and ISCST-3 were simulated in conjunction with developed emission inventories and existing meteorological conditions. Models simulation indicated that contribution of NO{sub 2} from industrial and vehicular source was in a range of 45-70% and 9-39%, respectively. Further, statistical analysis revealed satisfactory model performance with an aggregate accuracy of 61.9%. - Research highlights: > Application of dispersion modeling for source-contribution assessment of ambient NO{sub 2}. > Inventorization revealed emission from industry and vehicles was 39.11 and 7.1 kg/h. > GFLSM revealed that vehicular pollution contributes a range of 9.0-38.6%. > Source-contribution of 45-70% was found for industrial emission through ISCST-3. > Aggregate performance of both models shows good agreement with an accuracy of 61.9%. - Development of industrial and vehicular inventory in terms of ambient NO{sub 2} for model simulation at Pantnagar, India and model validation revealed satisfactory outcome.

Dispersion engineering of mode-locked fibre lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Woodward, R. I.

2018-03-01

Mode-locked fibre lasers are important sources of ultrashort pulses, where stable pulse generation is achieved through a balance of periodic amplitude and phase evolutions. A range of distinct cavity pulse dynamics have been revealed, arising from the interplay between dispersion and nonlinearity in addition to dissipative processes such as filtering. This has led to the discovery of numerous novel operating regimes, offering significantly improved laser performance. In this Topical Review, we summarise the main steady-state pulse dynamics reported to date through cavity dispersion engineering, including average solitons, dispersion-managed solitons, dissipative solitons, giant-chirped pulses and similaritons. Characteristic features and the stabilisation mechanism of each regime are described, supported by numerical modelling, in addition to the typical performance and limitations. Opportunities for further pulse energy scaling are discussed, in addition to considering other recent advances including automated self-tuning cavities and fluoride-fibre-based mid-infrared mode-locked lasers.

Propagation and dispersion of shock waves in magnetoelastic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Crum, R. S.; Domann, J. P.; Carman, G. P.; Gupta, V.

2017-12-01

Previous studies examining the response of magnetoelastic materials to shock waves have predominantly focused on applications involving pulsed power generation, with limited attention given to the actual wave propagation characteristics. This study provides detailed magnetic and mechanical measurements of magnetoelastic shock wave propagation and dispersion. Laser generated rarefacted shock waves exceeding 3 GPa with rise times of 10 ns were introduced to samples of the magnetoelastic material Galfenol. The resulting mechanical measurements reveal the evolution of the shock into a compressive acoustic front with lateral release waves. Importantly, the wave continues to disperse even after it has decayed into an acoustic wave, due in large part to magnetoelastic coupling. The magnetic data reveal predominantly shear wave mediated magnetoelastic coupling, and were also used to noninvasively measure the wave speed. The external magnetic field controlled a 30% increase in wave propagation speed, attributed to a 70% increase in average stiffness. Finally, magnetic signals propagating along the sample over 20× faster than the mechanical wave were measured, indicating these materials can act as passive antennas that transmit information in response to mechanical stimuli.

Dispersion Mechanisms of a Tidal River Junction in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karla T. Gleichauf

2014-12-01

Full Text Available doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2014v12iss4art1In branching channel networks, such as in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, junction flow dynamics contribute to dispersion of ecologically important entities such as fish, pollutants, nutrients, salt, sediment, and phytoplankton. Flow transport through a junction largely arises from velocity phasing in the form of divergent flow between junction channels for a portion of the tidal cycle. Field observations in the Georgiana Slough junction, which is composed of the North and South Mokelumne rivers, Georgiana Slough, and the Mokelumne River, show that flow phasing differences between these rivers arise from operational, riverine, and tidal forcing. A combination of Acoustic Doppler Current Profile (ADCP boat transecting and moored ADCPs over a spring–neap tidal cycle (May to  June 2012 monitored the variability of spatial and temporal velocity, respectively. Two complementary drifter studies enabled assessment of local transport through the junction to identify small-scale intrajunction dynamics. We supplemented field results with numerical simulations using the SUNTANS model to demonstrate the importance of phasing offsets for junction transport and dispersion. Different phasing of inflows to the junction resulted in scalar patchiness that is characteristic of MacVean and Stacey’s (2011 advective tidal trapping. Furthermore, we observed small-scale junction flow features including a recirculation zone and shear layer, which play an important role in intra-junction mixing over time scales shorter than the tidal cycle (i.e., super-tidal time scales. The study period spanned open- and closed-gate operations at the Delta Cross Channel. Synthesis of field observations and modeling efforts suggest that management operations related to the Delta Cross Channel can strongly affect transport in the Delta by modifying the relative contributions of tidal and riverine flows, thereby

Dispersion relation of electromagnetic waves in one-dimensional plasma photonic crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hojo, Hitoshi; Mase, Atsushi

2004-01-01

The dispersion relation of electromagnetic waves in one-dimensional plasma photonic crystals is studied. The plasma photonic crystal is a periodic array composed of alternating thin plasma and dielectric material. The dispersion relation is obtained by solving a Maxwell wave equation using a method analogous to Kronig-Penny's problem in quantum mechanics, and it is found that the frequency gap and cut-off appear in the dispersion relation. The frequency gap is shown to become larger with the increase of the plasma density as well as plasma width. (author)

Nanocrystalline cellulose-dispersed AKD emulsion for enhancing the mechanical and multiple barrier properties of surface-sized paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Luming; Lu, Sheng; Li, Juanjuan; Zhang, Fengshan; Cha, Ruitao

2016-01-20

In this study, we employed nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) as an efficient dispersant to perpare alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) emulsion. The particle size and zeta potential of AKD/NCC emulsion were measured, which were approximately 5 μm and -50 mV, respectively. The surface-sized paper possessed multiple barriers properties. The air permeability of surface-sized paper was 0.29 μm/Pas and the sizing degree reached 42 s when the amount of sizing was 12.58 g/m(2) with a 96.83% decrease and a 40.00%, increase, respectively. Furthermore, the mechanical properties were optimal when the amount of sizing was about 8 g/m(2). AKD/NCC emulsion acted as a good reinforcing agent in surface-sized paper. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Employment Effects of Spatial Dispersal of Refugees

OpenAIRE

Anna Piil Damm; Michael Rosholm

2006-01-01

Spatial dispersal policies may influence labour market integration of refugees through two mechanisms. First, it may affect the local job offer arrival rate, and second, it may affect place utility. We investigate the second mechanism theoretically by formulating a partial search model in which an individual searches simultaneously for a job and for a new residential location. The model predicts that the reservation wage for local jobs is decreasing in place utility. We argue that spatial dis...

Mechanical properties of human atherosclerotic intima tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Akyildiz, Ali C; Speelman, Lambert; Gijsen, Frank J H

2014-03-03

Progression and rupture of atherosclerotic plaques in coronary and carotid arteries are the key processes underlying myocardial infarctions and strokes. Biomechanical stress analyses to compute mechanical stresses in a plaque can potentially be used to assess plaque vulnerability. The stress analyses strongly rely on accurate representation of the mechanical properties of the plaque components. In this review, the composition of intima tissue and how this changes during plaque development is discussed from a mechanical perspective. The plaque classification scheme of the American Heart Association is reviewed and plaques originating from different vascular territories are compared. Thereafter, an overview of the experimental studies on tensile and compressive plaque intima properties are presented and the results are linked to the pathology of atherosclerotic plaques. This overview revealed a considerable variation within studies, and an enormous dispersion between studies. Finally, the implications of the dispersion in experimental data on the clinical applications of biomechanical plaque modeling are presented. Suggestions are made on mechanical testing protocol for plaque tissue and on using a standardized plaque classification scheme. This review identifies the current status of knowledge on plaque mechanical properties and the future steps required for a better understanding of the plaque type specific material properties. With this understanding, biomechanical plaque modeling may eventually provide essential support for clinical plaque risk stratification. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stress response of the black coral Leiopathes glaberrima when exposed to sub-lethal amounts of crude oil and dispersant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dannise V. Ruiz-Ramos

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The 2010 Deep Water Horizon oil well failure released billions of gallons of crude oil into the deep Gulf of Mexico, and, combined with chemical dispersants, this oil caused significant coral mortality. However, the mechanisms by which oil and dispersed oil impact deep marine fauna are not well understood. Here, we investigate the effects of oil and dispersed oil on a black coral common in the deep Gulf of Mexico, 'Leiopathes glaberrima. 'This coral occurs in several color morphs that show ecological and genetic differences. We hypothesized that dispersed oil would be more detrimental to coral health than oil alone and that this difference would be detectable in the gene expression response of the colonies even at sub-lethal concentrations. In two experiments, four and six colonies of red and white color morphs were exposed to oil, dispersant, and dispersed oil for a minimum of 96 hours. Visual assessment indicated that indeed dispersant and dispersed oil treatments were more damaging than oil alone, for target concentrations of 25 mg L–1. Decline in health was observed for all treatments, independently of color morphotype, but the decline was faster in the white colonies exposed to dispersant. The responses to the treatments were also investigated by monitoring gene expression after 24 hours of sub-lethal chemical exposure. Coral gene expression differed by chemical stressor. Interestingly, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biomarker gene, cytochrome P450, was only up-regulated in dispersed oil but not oil alone, suggesting that the dispersant increased the availability of such hydrocarbons in the tissue. The gene expression response was apparent at 24 hours when visual impacts were not (yet detectable. The use of chemical dispersants in oil-spill remediation may cause health declines in deep-water corals and deserves further study.

Re-dispersible Li+ and Eu3+ co-doped CdS nanoparticles ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Also, it can be used as sensor for drug delivery in our body [12,13]. In the present work, we prepare re-dispersible CdS, Li+- and Eu3+-doped CdS nanoparticles in organic solvent by urea hydrolysis at 170◦C and their lumines- cence properties are studied. We propose the mechanism of re-dispersion of CdS nanoparticles ...

Does Environmental Knowledge Inhibit Hominin Dispersal?

Science.gov (United States)

Wren, Colin D; Costopoulos, Andre

2015-07-01

We investigated the relationship between the dispersal potential of a hominin population, its local-scale foraging strategies, and the characteristics of the resource environment using an agent-based modeling approach. In previous work we demonstrated that natural selection can favor a relatively low capacity for assessing and predicting the quality of the resource environment, especially when the distribution of resources is highly clustered. That work also suggested that the more knowledge foraging populations had about their environment, the less likely they were to abandon the landscape they know and disperse into novel territory. The present study gives agents new individual and social strategies for learning about their environment. For both individual and social learning, natural selection favors decreased levels of environmental knowledge, particularly in low-heterogeneity environments. Social acquisition of detailed environmental knowledge results in crowding of agents, which reduces available reproductive space and relative fitness. Agents with less environmental knowledge move away from resource clusters and into areas with more space available for reproduction. These results suggest that, rather than being a requirement for successful dispersal, environmental knowledge strengthens the ties to particular locations and significantly reduces the dispersal potential as a result. The evolved level of environmental knowledge in a population depends on the characteristics of the resource environment and affects the dispersal capacity of the population.

Long-range hazard assessment of volcanic ash dispersal for a Plinian eruptive scenario at Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico): implications for civil aviation safety

Science.gov (United States)

Bonasia, Rosanna; Scaini, Chiara; Capra, Lucia; Nathenson, Manuel; Siebe, Claus; Arana-Salinas, Lilia; Folch, Arnau

2014-01-01

Popocatépetl is one of Mexico's most active volcanoes threatening a densely populated area that includes Mexico City with more than 20 million inhabitants. The destructive potential of this volcano is demonstrated by its Late Pleistocene-Holocene eruptive activity, which has been characterized by recurrent Plinian eruptions of large magnitude, the last two of which destroyed human settlements in pre-Hispanic times. Popocatépetl's reawakening in 1994 produced a crisis that culminated with the evacuation of two villages on the northeastern flank of the volcano. Shortly after, a monitoring system and a civil protection contingency plan based on a hazard zone map were implemented. The current volcanic hazards map considers the potential occurrence of different volcanic phenomena, including pyroclastic density currents and lahars. However, no quantitative assessment of the tephra hazard, especially related to atmospheric dispersal, has been performed. The presence of airborne volcanic ash at low and jet-cruise atmospheric levels compromises the safety of aircraft operations and forces re-routing of aircraft to prevent encounters with volcanic ash clouds. Given the high number of important airports in the surroundings of Popocatépetl volcano and considering the potential threat posed to civil aviation in Mexico and adjacent regions in case of a Plinian eruption, a hazard assessment for tephra dispersal is required. In this work, we present the first probabilistic tephra dispersal hazard assessment for Popocatépetl volcano. We compute probabilistic hazard maps for critical thresholds of airborne ash concentrations at different flight levels, corresponding to the situation defined in Europe during 2010, and still under discussion. Tephra dispersal mode is performed using the FALL3D numerical model. Probabilistic hazard maps are built for a Plinian eruptive scenario defined on the basis of geological field data for the "Ochre Pumice" Plinian eruption (4965 14C yr BP

What Is the Mechanism Behind Increased Permeation Rate of a Poorly Soluble Drug from Aqueous Dispersions of an Amorphous Solid Dispersion?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frank, K. J.; Westedt, U.; Rosenblatt, K. M.

2014-01-01

of amorphous microparticles present in aqueous dispersions induces lasting supersaturation maintaining enhanced permeation. The hypothesis is supported by a slower drug permeation when the microparticles were removed. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci...

Interspecific competition counteracts negative effects of dispersal on adaptation of an arthropod herbivore to a new host.

Science.gov (United States)

Alzate, A; Bisschop, K; Etienne, R S; Bonte, D

2017-11-01

Dispersal and competition have both been suggested to drive variation in adaptability to a new environment, either positively or negatively. A simultaneous experimental test of both mechanisms is however lacking. Here, we experimentally investigate how population dynamics and local adaptation to a new host plant in a model species, the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), are affected by dispersal from a stock population (no-adapted) and competition with an already adapted spider mite species (Tetranychus evansi). For the population dynamics, we find that competition generally reduces population size and increases the risk of population extinction. However, these negative effects are counteracted by dispersal. For local adaptation, the roles of competition and dispersal are reversed. Without competition, dispersal exerts a negative effect on adaptation (measured as fecundity) to a novel host and females receiving the highest number of immigrants performed similarly to the stock population females. By contrast, with competition, adding more immigrants did not result in a lower fecundity. Females from populations with competition receiving the highest number of immigrants had a significantly higher fecundity than females from populations without competition (same dispersal treatment) and than the stock population females. We suggest that by exerting a stronger selection on the adapting populations, competition can counteract the migration load effect of dispersal. Interestingly, adaptation to the new host does not significantly reduce performance on the ancestral host, regardless of dispersal rate or competition. Our results highlight that assessments of how species can adapt to changing conditions need to jointly consider connectivity and the community context. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons ltd on Behalf of European Society for Evolutionary Biology.

Secondary pigmentary glaucoma in patients with underlying primary pigment dispersion syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Sivaraman, Kavitha R; Patel, Chirag G; Vajaranant, Thasarat S; Aref, Ahmad A

2013-01-01

Primary pigment dispersion syndrome (PPDS) is a bilateral condition that occurs in anatomically predisposed individuals. PPDS may evolve into pigmentary glaucoma, but it is difficult to predict which patients will progress. Secondary pigment dispersion is more often unilateral and acquired as a result of surgery, trauma, or intraocular tumor, but can likewise lead to pigmentary glaucoma. We report two cases of patients with bilateral PPDS who developed secondary pigment dispersion and pigmentary glaucoma in one eye. Patients with PPDS who acquire a secondary mechanism of pigment dispersion may be at an increased risk of progression to pigmentary glaucoma, presumably due to an increased burden of liberated pigment. In addition to regular surveillance for progression to glaucoma from PPDS, secondary causes of pigmentary dispersion in these eyes should be considered when patients present with grossly asymmetric findings. When secondary pigment dispersion is identified in eyes with PPDS, we recommend prompt intervention to alleviate the cause of secondary pigment dispersion and/or aggressive control of intraocular pressure to limit glaucomatous damage.

Experimental simulation of corium dispersion phenomena in direct containment heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Q.

1996-01-01

In a direct containment heating (DCH) accident scenario, the degree of corium dispersion is one of the most significant factors responsible for the reactor containment heating and pressurization. To study the mechanisms of the corium dispersion phenomenon, a DCH separate effect test facility of 1:10 linear scale for Zion PWR geometry is constructed. Experiments are carried out with air-water and air-woods metal simulating steam and molten core materials. The physical process of corium dispersion is studied in detail through various instruments, as well as with flow visualization at several locations. The accident transient begins with the liquid jet discharge at the bottom of the reactor pressure vessel. Once the jet impinges on the cavity bottom floor, it immediately spreads out and moves rapidly to the cavity exit as a film flow. Part of the discharged liquid flows out of the cavity before gas blowdown, and the rest is subjected to the entrainment process due to the high speed gas stream. The liquid film and droplet flows from the reactor cavity will then experience subcompartment trapping and re-entrainment. Consequently, the dispersed liquid droplets that follow the gas stream are transported into the containment atmosphere, resulting in containment heating and pressurization in the prototypic condition. Comprehensive measurements are obtained in this study, including the liquid jet velocity, liquid film thickness and velocity transients in the test cavity, gas velocity and velocity profile in the cavity, droplet size distribution and entrainment rate, and the fraction of dispersed liquid in the containment building. These data are of great importance for better understanding of the corium dispersion mechanisms. (orig.)

Antiwear performance of ionic liquid+graphene dispersions with anomalous viscosity-temperature behavior

OpenAIRE

Pamies Porras, Ramón Francisco; Arias Pardilla, Joaquín; Espinosa Rodríguez, Tulia; Carrión Vilches, Francisco José; Bermúdez Olivares, María Dolores; Sanes Molina, José; Avilés González, María Dolores

2018-01-01

New dispersions of few-layers graphene (G) in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ([EMIM]) ionic liquids (ILs) with dicyanamide ([DCA]) or bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([TFSI]) anions have been obtained by mechanical mixing and sonication. IL+0.5 wt% G dispersions show constant viscosity values from 357K (for IL = [EMIM][DCA]) or from 385K (for IL = [EMIM][TFSI]) to 393K. IL + G dispersions with G > 0.5 wt% show linear viscosity increases with increasing temperature, from 306K (for [EMIM][DCA]+1...

Use of multiple dispersal pathways facilitates amphibian persistence in stream networks

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Grant E.H.; Nichols, J.D.; Lowe, W.H.; Fagan, W.F.

2010-01-01

Although populations of amphibians are declining worldwide, there is no evidence that salamanders occupying small streams are experiencing enigmatic declines, and populations of these species seem stable. Theory predicts that dispersal through multiple pathways can stabilize populations, preventing extinction in habitat networks. However, empirical data to support this prediction are absent for most species, especially those at risk of decline. Our mark-recapture study of stream salamanders reveals both a strong upstream bias in dispersal and a surprisingly high rate of overland dispersal to adjacent headwater streams. This evidence of route-dependent variation in dispersal rates suggests a spatial mechanism for population stability in headwater-stream salamanders. Our results link the movement behavior of stream salamanders to network topology, and they underscore the importance of identifying and protecting critical dispersal pathways when addressing region-wide population declines.

Use of multiple dispersal pathways facilitates amphibian persistence in stream networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell Grant, Evan H; Nichols, James D; Lowe, Winsor H; Fagan, William F

2010-04-13

Although populations of amphibians are declining worldwide, there is no evidence that salamanders occupying small streams are experiencing enigmatic declines, and populations of these species seem stable. Theory predicts that dispersal through multiple pathways can stabilize populations, preventing extinction in habitat networks. However, empirical data to support this prediction are absent for most species, especially those at risk of decline. Our mark-recapture study of stream salamanders reveals both a strong upstream bias in dispersal and a surprisingly high rate of overland dispersal to adjacent headwater streams. This evidence of route-dependent variation in dispersal rates suggests a spatial mechanism for population stability in headwater-stream salamanders. Our results link the movement behavior of stream salamanders to network topology, and they underscore the importance of identifying and protecting critical dispersal pathways when addressing region-wide population declines.

Characterization of starvation-induced dispersion in Pseudomonas putida biofilms: genetic elements and molecular mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjermansen, M.; Nilsson, M.; Yang, Liang

2010-01-01

P>Pseudomonas putida OUS82 biofilm dispersal was previously shown to be dependent on the gene PP0164 (here designated lapG). Sequence and structural analysis has suggested that the LapG geneproduct belongs to a family of cysteine proteinases that function in the modification of bacterial surface...... proteins. We provide evidence that LapG is involved in P. putida OUS82 biofilm dispersal through modification of the outer membrane-associated protein LapA. While the P. putida lapG mutant formed more biofilm than the wild-type, P. putida lapA and P. putida lapAG mutants displayed decreased surface...

The radiological impact of radionuclides dispersed on a regional and global scale: Methods for assessment and their application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The basic features of models, developed to assess the radiological impact of radionuclides that become dispersed on a regional or global scale, have been reviewed. Particular attention has been given to identifying the important processes that need to be modelled in order to make a reliable estimate of the radiological impact, rather than attempting to judge which models are the most appropriate. Judgements on the latter will be sensitive to the particular application; in some cases a very simple approach may be sufficient, whereas in others a more rigorous analysis may be necessary. Two aspects are important in assessing the radiological impact: these are the exposure of critical groups, and the collective dose in the exposed population

Humans as long-distance dispersers of rural plant communities.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alistair G Auffret

Full Text Available Humans are known for their capacity to disperse organisms long distances. Long-distance dispersal can be important for species threatened by habitat destruction, but research into human-mediated dispersal is often focused upon few and/or invasive species. Here we use citizen science to identify the capacity for humans to disperse seeds on their clothes and footwear from a known species pool in a valuable habitat, allowing for an assessment of the fraction and types of species dispersed by humans in an alternative context. We collected material from volunteers cutting 48 species-rich meadows throughout Sweden. We counted 24,354 seeds of 197 species, representing 34% of the available species pool, including several rare and protected species. However, 71 species (36% are considered invasive elsewhere in the world. Trait analysis showed that seeds with hooks or other appendages were more likely to be dispersed by humans, as well as those with a persistent seed bank. More activity in a meadow resulted in more dispersal, both in terms of species and representation of the source communities. Average potential dispersal distances were measured at 13 km. We consider humans capable seed dispersers, transporting a significant proportion of the plant communities in which they are active, just like more traditional vectors such as livestock. When rural populations were larger, people might have been regular and effective seed dispersers, and the net rural-urban migration resulting in a reduction in humans in the landscape may have exacerbated the dispersal failure evident in declining plant populations today. With the fragmentation of habitat and changes in land use resulting from agricultural change, and the increased mobility of humans worldwide, the dispersal role of humans may have shifted from providers of regular local and landscape dispersal to providers of much rarer long-distance and regional dispersal, and international invasion.

The devil is in the dispersers: Predictions of landscape connectivity change with demography

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholas B. Elliot; Samuel A. Cushman; David W. Macdonald; Andrew J. Loveridge

2014-01-01

Concern about the effects of habitat fragmentation has led to increasing interest in dispersal and connectivity modelling. Most modern techniques for connectivity modelling have resistance surfaces as their foundation. However, resistance surfaces for animal movement are frequently estimated without considering dispersal, despite being the principal natural mechanism...

Experiments to quantify airborne release from packages with dispersible radioactive materials under accident conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martens, R.; Lange, F. [Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) mbH, Schwertnergasse 1, 50667 Koeln (Germany); Koch, W.; Nolte, O. [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Toxikologie und Experimentelle Medizin (ITEM), Nikolai-Fuchs-Str.1, 30625 Hannover (Germany)

2005-07-01

For transport or handling accidents involving packages with radioactive materials and the assessment of potential radiological consequences, for the review of current requirements of the IAEA Transport Regulations, and for their possible further development reliable release data following mechanical impact are required. Within this context a research project was carried out which extends the basis for a well-founded examination of the contemporary system of requirements of 'Low Specific Activity' (LSA)-type materials and allows for its further development where appropriate. This project comprises a prior system-analytical examination and an experimental programme aiming at improving the general physical understanding of the release process as well as the quantity and the characteristics of airborne released material for non-fixed dispersible LSA-II material upon mechanical impact. Impaction experiments applying small, medium and real sized specimens of different dispersible materials revealed that the release behaviour of dispersible powders strongly depends upon material properties, e.g. particle size distribution and cohesion forces. The highest experimentally determined release fraction of respirable mass (AED < 10 {mu}m) amounted to about 2 % and was obtained for 2 kg of un-contained easily dispersible pulverized fly ash (PFA). For larger un-contained PFA specimen the release fraction decreases. However, packaging containing powdery material substantially reduces the airborne release fraction. The measured airborne release fractions for a 200 l drum with Type A certificate containing PFA were about a factor of 50 to 100 lower than for un-contained material. For a drop height of 9 m the airborne release fraction amounted to about 4 x 10{sup -5}. This value should be applicable for most of transport and handling accidents with mechanical impact. For a metal container of Type IP-2 or better which contains powder masses of 100 kg or more this release

Assessment of the mechanical stability of underground excavations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuroki, Shigemori; Taniguchi, Wataru

1999-01-01

Each tunnel in the underground high level radioactive waste repository must be mechanically stable to maintain safety throughout the construction, emplacement operations and closure phase. The mechanical stability of underground excavations were assessed using a theoretical analysis and a finite element method taking a wide range of geological environment in Japan into consideration to establish confidence in the construction of disposal facilities. The results show that it is possible to maintain the mechanical stability with adequate tunnel spacing and disposal pit pitch and proper mechanical support. The procedure used for the analysis of the mechanical stability in the H12 report and the results are described in this report. (author)

Phase behavior and phase inversion for dispersant systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solheim, A.; Brandvik, P.J.

1991-06-01

This report describes some preliminary phase behavior studies and phase inversion temperature measurements in seawater, bunker oil and dispersant. The objectives have been to find new ways of characterizing dispersants for dispersing oil spill at sea and, perhaps, to throw new lights on the mechanism of dispersion formation (oil-in-water emulsification). The work has been focussed on the relation to phase behavior and the existence of microemulsion in equilibrium with excess oil and water phases. The dispersing process is also compared to the recommended conditions for emulsion formation. When forming an oil-in-water emulsion in an industrial process, it is recommended to choose an emulsifier which gives a phase inversion temperature (PIT) which is 20 - 60 o C higher than the actual temperature for use. The emulsification process must take place close to the PIT which is the temperature at which the emulsion change from oil-in-water emulsion to water-in-oil emulsion when the system is stirred. This condition corresponds to the temperature where the phase behavior change character. The purpose has been to find out if the composition of the dispersants corresponds to the recommendations for oil-in-water emulsification. The amount of experimental work has been limited. Two kinds of experiments have been carried out. Phase behavior studies have been done for seawater, bunker oil and four different dispersants where one had an optimal composition. The phase behavior was hard to interpret and is not recommended for standard dispersants test. The other experimental technique was PIT-measurements by conductivity measurements versus temperature. 4 figs., 1 tab., 4 refs

Characterisation of high-temperature damage mechanisms of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salmon-Legagneur, Hubert

2017-01-01

The development of the fourth generation of nuclear power plants relies on the improvement of cladding materials, in order to achieve resistance to high temperature, stress and irradiation dose levels. Strengthening of ferritic steels through nano-oxide dispersion allows obtaining good mechanical strength at high temperature and good resistance to irradiation induced swelling. Nonetheless, studies available from open literature evidenced an unusual creep behavior of these materials: high anisotropy in time to rupture and flow behavior, low ductility and quasi-inexistent tertiary creep stage. These phenomena, and their still unclear origin are addressed in this study. Three 14Cr ODS steels rods have been studied. Their mechanical behavior is similar to those of other ODS steels from open literature. During creep tests, the specimens fractured by through crack nucleation and propagation from the lateral surfaces, followed by ductile tearing once the critical stress intensity factor was reached at the crack tip. Tensile and creep properties did not depend on the chemical environment of specimens. Crack propagation tests performed at 650 C showed a low value of the stress intensity factor necessary to start crack propagation. The cracks followed an intergranular path through the smaller-grained regions, which partly explains the anisotropy of high temperature strength. Notched specimens have been used to study the impact of the main loading parameters (deformation rate, temperature, stress triaxiality) on macroscopic crack initiation and stable propagation, from the central part of the specimens. These tests allowed revealing cavities created during high temperature loading, but unexposed to the external environment. These cavities showed a high chemical reactivity of the free surfaces in this material. The performed tests also evidenced different types of grain boundaries, which presented different damage development behaviors, probably due to differences in local

Review of specific effects in atmospheric dispersion calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Underwood, B.Y.; Cooper, P.J.; Holloway, N.J.; Kaiser, G.D.; Nixon, W.

1984-01-01

This report consists of a series of 7 individual review chapters -written between 1980 and 1983- together with a summary document linking and overviewing the work. The topics covered are as follows: ''atmospheric dispersion in urban environments''; ''topographical effects in nuclear safety studies''; coastal effects and transport over water''; ''time-varying meteorology in consequence assessment''; ''building effects in nuclear safety studies''; effect of variations in mixing height on atmospheric dispersion''; ''the effect of turning of the wind with height on lateral dispersion''. Although the reviews are, on the whole, general in approach, emphasis has been given where appropriate to the impact of various phenomena on the assessment of reactor accident consequences. In general the work focuses on the 0-100 km range of distance downwind of the source. The reviews fulfil several functions: they serve as introductions to the subject areas; they outline theoretical and experimental developments; they act as reference documents providing a copious source of references for more detailed investigation of particular points; they raise unresolved technical issues and attempt to indicate principal uncertainties; they point to areas requiring further development

Combining dispersal, landscape connectivity and habitat suitability to assess climate-induced changes in the distribution of Cunningham's skink, Egernia cunninghami.

Science.gov (United States)

Ofori, Benjamin Y; Stow, Adam J; Baumgartner, John B; Beaumont, Linda J

2017-01-01

The ability of species to track their climate niche is dependent on their dispersal potential and the connectivity of the landscape matrix linking current and future suitable habitat. However, studies modeling climate-driven range shifts rarely address the movement of species across landscapes realistically, often assuming "unlimited" or "no" dispersal. Here, we incorporate dispersal rate and landscape connectivity with a species distribution model (Maxent) to assess the extent to which the Cunningham's skink (Egernia cunninghami) may be capable of tracking spatial shifts in suitable habitat as climate changes. Our model was projected onto four contrasting, but equally plausible, scenarios describing futures that are (relative to now) hot/wet, warm/dry, hot/with similar precipitation and warm/wet, at six time horizons with decadal intervals (2020-2070) and at two spatial resolutions: 1 km and 250 m. The size of suitable habitat was projected to decline 23-63% at 1 km and 26-64% at 250 m, by 2070. Combining Maxent output with the dispersal rate of the species and connectivity of the intervening landscape matrix showed that most current populations in regions projected to become unsuitable in the medium to long term, will be unable to shift the distance necessary to reach suitable habitat. In particular, numerous populations currently inhabiting the trailing edge of the species' range are highly unlikely to be able to disperse fast enough to track climate change. Unless these populations are capable of adaptation they are likely to be extirpated. We note, however, that the core of the species distribution remains suitable across the broad spectrum of climate scenarios considered. Our findings highlight challenges faced by philopatric species and the importance of adaptation for the persistence of peripheral populations under climate change.

Combining dispersal, landscape connectivity and habitat suitability to assess climate-induced changes in the distribution of Cunningham's skink, Egernia cunninghami.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Y Ofori

Full Text Available The ability of species to track their climate niche is dependent on their dispersal potential and the connectivity of the landscape matrix linking current and future suitable habitat. However, studies modeling climate-driven range shifts rarely address the movement of species across landscapes realistically, often assuming "unlimited" or "no" dispersal. Here, we incorporate dispersal rate and landscape connectivity with a species distribution model (Maxent to assess the extent to which the Cunningham's skink (Egernia cunninghami may be capable of tracking spatial shifts in suitable habitat as climate changes. Our model was projected onto four contrasting, but equally plausible, scenarios describing futures that are (relative to now hot/wet, warm/dry, hot/with similar precipitation and warm/wet, at six time horizons with decadal intervals (2020-2070 and at two spatial resolutions: 1 km and 250 m. The size of suitable habitat was projected to decline 23-63% at 1 km and 26-64% at 250 m, by 2070. Combining Maxent output with the dispersal rate of the species and connectivity of the intervening landscape matrix showed that most current populations in regions projected to become unsuitable in the medium to long term, will be unable to shift the distance necessary to reach suitable habitat. In particular, numerous populations currently inhabiting the trailing edge of the species' range are highly unlikely to be able to disperse fast enough to track climate change. Unless these populations are capable of adaptation they are likely to be extirpated. We note, however, that the core of the species distribution remains suitable across the broad spectrum of climate scenarios considered. Our findings highlight challenges faced by philopatric species and the importance of adaptation for the persistence of peripheral populations under climate change.

2.3. Global-scale atmospheric dispersion of microorganisms

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, Dale W.; Gonzalez-Martin, Cristina; Hoose, C.; Smith, D.J.; Delort, Anne-Marie; Amato, Pierre

2018-01-01

This chapter addresses long-range dispersion and the survival of microorganisms across a wide range of altitudes in Earth's atmosphere. Topics include mechanisms of dispersion, survivability of microorganisms known to be associated with long-range transport, natural and artificial sources of bioaerosols, residence time estimation through the use of proxy aerosols, transport and emission models, and monitoring assays (both culture and molecular based). We conclude with a discussion of the known limits for Earth's biosphere boundary, relating aerobiology studies to planetary exploration given the large degree of overlapping requirements for in situ studies (including low biomass life detection and contamination control).

Dispersion bias, dispersion effect, and the aerosol-cloud conundrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yangang; Daum, Peter H; Guo Huan; Peng Yiran

2008-01-01

This work examines the influences of relative dispersion (the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean radius of the cloud droplet size distribution) on cloud albedo and cloud radiative forcing, derives an analytical formulation that accounts explicitly for the contribution from droplet concentration and relative dispersion, and presents a new approach to parameterize relative dispersion in climate models. It is shown that inadequate representation of relative dispersion in climate models leads to an overestimation of cloud albedo, resulting in a negative bias of global mean shortwave cloud radiative forcing that can be comparable to the warming caused by doubling CO 2 in magnitude, and that this dispersion bias is likely near its maximum for ambient clouds. Relative dispersion is empirically expressed as a function of the quotient between cloud liquid water content and droplet concentration (i.e., water per droplet), yielding an analytical formulation for the first aerosol indirect effect. Further analysis of the new expression reveals that the dispersion effect not only offsets the cooling from the Twomey effect, but is also proportional to the Twomey effect in magnitude. These results suggest that unrealistic representation of relative dispersion in cloud parameterization in general, and evaluation of aerosol indirect effects in particular, is at least in part responsible for several outstanding puzzles of the aerosol-cloud conundrum: for example, overestimation of cloud radiative cooling by climate models compared to satellite observations; large uncertainty and discrepancy in estimates of the aerosol indirect effect; and the lack of interhemispheric difference in cloud albedo.

Volume Fraction Dependent Thermal Performance of UAlx-Al Dispersion Target

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kong, Eui Hyun; Tahk, Young Wook; Kim, Hyun Jung; Oh, Jae Yong; Yim, Jeong Sik [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Unlike U-Al alloys, properties of UAl{sub x}-Al dispersion target can be highly sensitive to volume fraction of UAlx in a target meat due to the interface resistance between target particles and matrix. The interface resistance effects on properties of the target meat including thermal conductivity, thermal expansion coefficient, specific heat, elastic modulus and so on. Thermal performances of a dispersion target meat were theoretically evaluated under normal operation condition of KJRR (Kijang Research Reactor) during short effective full power days (EFPD) of 7 days, based on reported measured thermal conductivities of UAl{sub x}-Al dispersion fuels. Effective thermal conductivity determines maximum temperature of dispersion target plate. And for that volume fraction of UAlx in target meat has to be determined considering manufacturing of target plate without degradation of physical and mechanical characteristics.

Taylor Dispersion Analysis as a promising tool for assessment of peptide-peptide interactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høgstedt, Ulrich B; Schwach, Grégoire; van de Weert, Marco

2016-01-01

solutions increased with concentration. Our results indicate that a viscosity difference between run buffer and sample in Taylor Dispersion Analysis may result in overestimation of the measured diffusion coefficient. Thus, Taylor Dispersion Analysis provides a practical, but as yet primarily qualitative......Protein-protein and peptide-peptide (self-)interactions are of key importance in understanding the physiochemical behavior of proteins and peptides in solution. However, due to the small size of peptide molecules, characterization of these interactions is more challenging than for proteins...

User assessment of smoke-dispersion models for wildland biomass burning.

Science.gov (United States)

Steve Breyfogle; Sue A. Ferguson

1996-01-01

Several smoke-dispersion models, which currently are available for modeling smoke from biomass burns, were evaluated for ease of use, availability of input data, and output data format. The input and output components of all models are listed, and differences in model physics are discussed. Each model was installed and run on a personal computer with a simple-case...

Nuclear risk from atmospheric dispersion in Northern Europe - Summary Report

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauritzen, Bent

The objective of the NordRisk II project has been to derive practical means for assessing the risks from long-range atmospheric dispersion of radioac-tive materials. An atlas over different atmospheric dispersion and deposi-tion scenarios has been developed using historical numerical weather pre......-diction (NWP) model data. The NWP model data covers three years span-ning the climate variability associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation, and the atlas considers radioactive releases from 16 release sites in and near the Nordic countries. A statistical analysis of the long-range disper......-sion and deposition patterns is undertaken to quantify the mean dispersion and deposition as well as the variability. Preliminary analyses show that the large-scale atmospheric dispersion and deposition is near-isotropic, irrespective of the release site and detailed climatology, and allows for a simple...

Surface Solid Dispersion and Solid Dispersion of Meloxicam: Comparison and Product Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaturvedi, Mayank; Kumar, Manish; Pathak, Kamla; Bhatt, Shailendra; Saini, Vipin

2017-12-01

Purpose: A comparative study was carried out between surface solid dispersion (SSD) and solid dispersion (SD) of meloxicam (MLX) to assess the solubility and dissolution enhancement approach and thereafter develop as patient friendly orodispersible tablet. Methods: Crospovidone (CPV), a hydrophilic carrier was selected for SSD preparation on the basis of 89% in- vitro MLX adsorption, 19% hydration capacity and high swelling index. SD on the other hand was made with PEG4000. Both were prepared by co-grinding and solvent evaporation method using drug: carrier ratios of 1:1, 1:4, and 1:8. Formulation SSDS3 (MLX: CPV in 1:8 ratio) made by solvent evaporation method showed t 50% of 28 min and 80.9% DE 50min which was higher in comparison to the corresponding solid dispersion, SDS3 (t 50% of 35min and 76.4% DE 50min ). Both SSDS3 and SDS3 were developed as orodispersible tablets and evaluated. Results: Tablet formulation F3 made with SSD3 with a disintegration time of 11 secs, by wetting time= 6 sec, high water absorption of 78%by wt and cumulative drug release of 97% proved to be superior than the tablet made with SD3. Conclusion: Conclusively, the SSD of meloxicam has the potential to be developed as fast acing formulation that can ensure almost complete release of drug.

Surface Solid Dispersion and Solid Dispersion of Meloxicam: Comparison and Product Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayank Chaturvedi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: A comparative study was carried out between surface solid dispersion (SSD and solid dispersion (SD of meloxicam (MLX to assess the solubility and dissolution enhancement approach and thereafter develop as patient friendly orodispersible tablet. Methods: Crospovidone (CPV, a hydrophilic carrier was selected for SSD preparation on the basis of 89% in- vitro MLX adsorption, 19% hydration capacity and high swelling index. SD on the other hand was made with PEG4000. Both were prepared by co-grinding and solvent evaporation method using drug: carrier ratios of 1:1, 1:4, and 1:8. Formulation SSDS3 (MLX: CPV in 1:8 ratio made by solvent evaporation method showed t50% of 28 min and 80.9% DE50min which was higher in comparison to the corresponding solid dispersion, SDS3 (t50% of 35min and 76.4% DE50min. Both SSDS3 and SDS3 were developed as orodispersible tablets and evaluated. Results: Tablet formulation F3 made with SSD3 with a disintegration time of 11 secs, by wetting time= 6 sec, high water absorption of 78%by wt and cumulative drug release of 97% proved to be superior than the tablet made with SD3. Conclusion: Conclusively, the SSD of meloxicam has the potential to be developed as fast acing formulation that can ensure almost complete release of drug.

Stress distribution in mechanically surface treated Ti-2.5Cu determined by combining energy-dispersive synchrotron and neutron diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maawad, E.; Brokmeier, H.-G.; Hofmann, M.; Genzel, Ch.; Wagner, L.

2010-01-01

Mechanical surface treatments such as shot peening (SP) or ball-burnishing (BB) induce plastic deformation close to the surface resulting in work-hardening and compressive residual stresses. It enhances the fatigue performance by retarding or even suppressing micro-crack growth from the surface into the interior. SP and BB were carried out on a solution heat treated (SHT) Ti-2.5Cu. The investigations of compressive and balancing tensile residual stresses need a combination of energy-dispersive synchrotron (ED) and neutron diffraction. Essential for the stress distribution is the stress state before surface treatments which was determined by neutron diffraction. Results show that the maximum compressive stress and its depth play an important role to improve the fatigue performance.

Assessment of the excitelet algorithm for in-situ mechanical characterization of orthotropic structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ostiguy, Pierre-Claude; Quaegebeur, Nicolas; Masson, Patrice

2012-04-01

Damage detection and localization on composites can be impaired by inaccurate knowledge of the mechanical properties of the structure. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of using a chirplet-based correlation technique, called Excitelet, to evaluate the mechanical properties of orthotropic carbon fibre-based composite laminates. The method relies on the identification of an optimal correlation coefficient between measured and simulated dispersed signals measured on a structure using piezoceramic (PZT) transducers. Finite Element Model (FEM) is first conducted to demonstrate the capability of the approach to evaluate the mechanical properties of a composite structure. Experimental validation is then conducted on a unidirectionnal 2.30 mm thick laminate composed of unidirectional plies and a 2.35 mm thick laminate composed of unidirectional plies oriented at [0, 90]4s. Surface bonded PZT transducers were used both for actuation and sensing of guided waves bursts measured at 0° and 90° with respect to upper ply fibre orientation. The characterization is performed at various frequencies below 100 kHz using A0 or S0 modes and comparison with the material properties measured following ASTM standard testing is presented. The results indicate that large correlation coefficients are obtained between the measurements and simulated signals for both A0 and S0 modes when accurate properties are used as inputs for the model. Strategies based on multiple modes correlation are also assessed in order to improve the accuracy of the characterization approach. The results obtained using the proposed approach for the unidirectional plate and most of the results obtained using the proposed approach for the [0, 90]4s laminate are in agreement with the uncertainty associated with ASTM tests results while the proposed method is non destructive and can be performed prior to each imaging processing.

Relationship between the complex susceptibility and the plasma dispersion function

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jimenez D, H.; Cabral P, A

1991-04-15

It is shown that when magnetization processes in a spin system and resonant excitation of spin n states occur in the presence of internal and or external random line-broadening mechanisms, the complex magnetic susceptibility of the plasma dispersion function. letter could be useful spin in system is proportional to the relationship found in this spectroscopies such as EPR and NMR, for example, as its fitting to experimental absorption and dispersion profiles produces their Lorentzian and Gaussian contents. (Author)

Relationship between the complex susceptibility and the plasma dispersion function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jimenez D, H.; Cabral P, A.

1991-04-01

It is shown that when magnetization processes in a spin system and resonant excitation of spin n states occur in the presence of internal and or external random line-broadening mechanisms, the complex magnetic susceptibility of the plasma dispersion function. letter could be useful spin in system is proportional to the relationship found in this spectroscopies such as EPR and NMR, for example, as its fitting to experimental absorption and dispersion profiles produces their Lorentzian and Gaussian contents. (Author)

Microstructural evolution and some mechanical properties of nanosized yttrium oxide dispersion strengthened 13Cr steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, Van Tich; Doan, Dinh Phuong; Tran, Tran BaoTrung; Luong, Van Duong; Nguyen, Van An; Phan, Anh Tu

2010-01-01

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels, manufactured by a mechanical alloying method, during the past few years, appear to be promising candidates for structural applications in nuclear power plants. The purpose of this work is to elaborate the manufacturing processes of ODS 13Cr steel with the addition of 1.0 wt% yttrium oxide through the powder metallurgy route using the high energy ball mill. Microstructural analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and hardness testing have been used to optimize the technological parameters of milling, hot isostatic pressing and heat-treatment processes. The steel hardness increases with decreasing particle size of 13Cr ODS steel. The best hardness was obtained from more than 70 h of milling in the two tanks planetary ball mill or 30 h of milling in the one tank planetary ball mill and hot isostatic pressing at 1150 °C . The particle size of the steel is less than 100 nm, and the density and hardness are about 7.3 g cm −3 and 490 HB, respectively

Terminology of Polymers and Polymerization Processes in Dispersed Systems (IUPAC Recommendations 2011

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Rogošić, M.

2012-07-01

Full Text Available A large group of industrially important polymerization processes is carried out in dispersed systems. These processes differ with respect to their physical nature, mechanism of particle formation, particle morphology, size, charge, types of interparticle interactions, and many other aspects. Polymer dispersions, and polymers derived from polymerization in dispersed systems,are used in diverse areas such as paints, adhesives, microelectronics, medicine, cosmetics, biotechnology, and others. Frequently, the same names are used for different processes and products or different names are used for the same processes and products. The document contains a list of recommended terms and definitions necessary for the unambiguous description of processes, products, parameters, and characteristic features relevant to polymers in dispersed systems.

Meteorological uncertainty of atmospheric dispersion model results (MUD)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Havskov Soerensen, J.; Amstrup, B.; Feddersen, H.

2013-08-01

The MUD project addresses assessment of uncertainties of atmospheric dispersion model predictions, as well as possibilities for optimum presentation to decision makers. Previously, it has not been possible to estimate such uncertainties quantitatively, but merely to calculate the 'most likely' dispersion scenario. However, recent developments in numerical weather prediction (NWP) include probabilistic forecasting techniques, which can be utilised also for long-range atmospheric dispersion models. The ensemble statistical methods developed and applied to NWP models aim at describing the inherent uncertainties of the meteorological model results. These uncertainties stem from e.g. limits in meteorological observations used to initialise meteorological forecast series. By perturbing e.g. the initial state of an NWP model run in agreement with the available observational data, an ensemble of meteorological forecasts is produced from which uncertainties in the various meteorological parameters are estimated, e.g. probabilities for rain. Corresponding ensembles of atmospheric dispersion can now be computed from which uncertainties of predicted radionuclide concentration and deposition patterns can be derived. (Author)

Secondary pigmentary glaucoma in patients with underlying primary pigment dispersion syndrome

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Sivaraman KR

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Kavitha R Sivaraman, Chirag G Patel, Thasarat S Vajaranant, Ahmad A ArefDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USAAbstract: Primary pigment dispersion syndrome (PPDS is a bilateral condition that occurs in anatomically predisposed individuals. PPDS may evolve into pigmentary glaucoma, but it is difficult to predict which patients will progress. Secondary pigment dispersion is more often unilateral and acquired as a result of surgery, trauma, or intraocular tumor, but can likewise lead to pigmentary glaucoma. We report two cases of patients with bilateral PPDS who developed secondary pigment dispersion and pigmentary glaucoma in one eye. Patients with PPDS who acquire a secondary mechanism of pigment dispersion may be at an increased risk of progression to pigmentary glaucoma, presumably due to an increased burden of liberated pigment. In addition to regular surveillance for progression to glaucoma from PPDS, secondary causes of pigmentary dispersion in these eyes should be considered when patients present with grossly asymmetric findings. When secondary pigment dispersion is identified in eyes with PPDS, we recommend prompt intervention to alleviate the cause of secondary pigment dispersion and/or aggressive control of intraocular pressure to limit glaucomatous damage.Keywords: primary pigment dispersion syndrome, pigmentary glaucoma

Well-dispersed cellulose nanocrystals in hydrophobic polymers by in situ polymerization for synthesizing highly reinforced bio-nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Shiyu; Wei, Jiayuan; Aitomäki, Yvonne; Noël, Maxime; Oksman, Kristiina

2018-04-20

In nanocomposites, dispersing hydrophilic nanomaterials in a hydrophobic matrix using simple and environmentally friendly methods remains challenging. Herein, we report a method based on in situ polymerization to synthesize nanocomposites of well-dispersed cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc). We have also shown that by blending this PVAc/CNC nanocomposite with poly(lactic acid) (PLA), a good dispersion of the CNCs can be reached in PLA. The outstanding dispersion of CNCs in both PVAc and PLA/PVAc matrices was shown by different microscopy techniques and was further supported by the mechanical and rheological properties of the composites. The in situ PVAc/CNC nanocomposites exhibit enhanced mechanical properties compared to the materials produced by mechanical mixing, and a theoretical model based on the interphase effect and dispersion that reflects this behavior was developed. Comparison of the rheological and thermal behaviors of the mixed and in situ PVAc/CNC also confirmed the great improvement in the dispersion of nanocellulose in the latter. Furthermore, a synergistic effect was observed with only 0.1 wt% CNCs when the in situ PVAc/CNC was blended with PLA, as demonstrated by significant increases in elastic modulus, yield strength, elongation to break and glass transition temperature compared to the PLA/PVAc only material.

Time dispersion in large plastic scintillation neutron detector [Paper No.:B3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De, A.; Dasgupta, S.S.; Sen, D.

1993-01-01

Time dispersion seen by photomultiplier (PM) tube in large plastic scintillation neutron detector and the light collection mechanism by the same have been computed showing that this time dispersion (TD) seen by the PM tube does not necessarily increase with increasing incident neutron energy in contrast to the usual finding that TD increases with increasing energy. (author). 8 refs., 4 figs

Site-Specific Atmospheric Dispersion Characteristics of Korean Nuclear Power Plant Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, M. H.; Kim, E. H.; Suh, K. S.; Hwang, W. T.; Choi, Y. G.

2001-01-01

Site-specific atmospheric dispersion characteristics have been analyzed. The northwest and the southwest wind prevail on nuclear sites of Korea. The annual isobaric surface averaged for twenty years around Korean peninsula shows that west wind prevails. The prevailing west wind is profitable in the viewpoint of radiation protection because three of four nuclear sites are located in the east side. Large scale field tracer experiments over nuclear sites have been conducted for the purpose of analyzing the atmospheric dispersion characteristics and validating a real-time atmospheric dispersion and dose assessment system FADAS. To analyze the site-specific atmospheric dispersion characteristics is essential for making effective countermeasures against a nuclear emergency

Relation between the behaviors of P-wave and QT dispersions in elderly patients with heart failure

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Szlejf Cláudia

2002-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess the relation between P-wave and QT dispersions in elderly patients with heart failure. METHODS: Forty-seven elderly patients (75.6±6 years with stable heart failure in NYHA functional classes II or III and with ejection fractions of 37±6% underwent body surface mapping to analyze P-wave and QT dispersions. The degree of correlation between P-wave and QT dispersions was assessed, and P-wave dispersion values in patients with QT dispersion greater than and smaller than 100 ms were compared. RESULTS: The mean values of P-wave and QT dispersions were 54±14 ms and 68±27 ms, respectively. The correlation between the 2 variables was R=0.41 (p=0.04. In patients with QT dispersion values > 100 ms, P-wave dispersion was significantly greater than in those with QT dispersion values < 100 ms (58±16 vs 53±12 ms, p=0.04 . CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that, in elderly patients with heart failure, a correlation between the values of P-wave and QT dispersions exists. These findings may have etiopathogenic, pathophysiologic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications, which should be investigated in other studies.

Population dynamics and management implications of larval dispersal

African Journals Online (AJOL)

caused by the identified mechanism provides: (1) the basis for spatially explicit management, and (2) an explanation for the observed spatial variability in the degree of overfishing. Research on larval dispersal is also providing the information necessary to design spatially explicit management strategies involving either ...

Evolution of the Macondo well blowout: simulating the effects of the circulation and synthetic dispersants on the subsea oil transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Paris, Claire B; Hénaff, Matthieu Le; Aman, Zachary M; Subramaniam, Ajit; Helgers, Judith; Wang, Dong-Ping; Kourafalou, Vassiliki H; Srinivasan, Ashwanth

2012-12-18

During the Deepwater Horizon incident, crude oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico from 1522 m underwater. In an effort to prevent the oil from rising to the surface, synthetic dispersants were applied at the wellhead. However, uncertainties in the formation of oil droplets and difficulties in measuring their size in the water column, complicated further assessment of the potential effect of the dispersant on the subsea-to-surface oil partition. We adapted a coupled hydrodynamic and stochastic buoyant particle-tracking model to the transport and fate of hydrocarbon fractions and simulated the far-field transport of the oil from the intrusion depth. The evaluated model represented a baseline for numerical experiments where we varied the distributions of particle sizes and thus oil mass. The experiments allowed to quantify the relative effects of chemical dispersion, vertical currents, and inertial buoyancy motion on oil rise velocities. We present a plausible model scenario, where some oil is trapped at depth through shear emulsification due to the particular conditions of the Macondo blowout. Assuming effective mixing of the synthetic dispersants at the wellhead, the model indicates that the submerged oil mass is shifted deeper, decreasing only marginally the amount of oil surfacing. In this scenario, the oil rises slowly to the surface or stays immersed. This suggests that other mechanisms may have contributed to the rapid surfacing of oil-gas mixture observed initially. The study also reveals local topographic and hydrodynamic processes that influence the oil transport in eddies and multiple layers. This numerical approach provides novel insights on oil transport mechanisms from deep blowouts and on gauging the subsea use of synthetic dispersant in mitigating coastal damage.

Mechanical assessment of local thinned pipings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meister, E.

2007-01-01

Local wall thinning is likely to be found in some piping systems of nuclear power plant under, for example, Flow Accelerated Corrosion in raw water systems or by loss of metal during the grinding of the weld seam. To assess the mechanical integrity in such situations, EDF/SEPTEN has developed calculation methods for the RSE-M (In Service Inspection Rules for the Mechanical components of PWR nuclear power islands) code. This paper focuses on the methodology used for internal pressure resistance evaluation based on limit load calculations. Beyond the Nuclear Safety classification and requirements given by the RSE-M code, this problem is general for Power Piping and the associated in service rules. (author) [fr

Effects of chemical dispersants on oil physical properties and dispersion. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khelifa, A.; Fingas, M.; Hollebone, B.P.; Brown, C.E.; Pjontek, D.

2007-01-01

Laboratory and field testing have shown that the dispersion of oil spilled in water is influenced by chemical dispersants via the modification of the interfacial properties of the oil, such as oil-brine interfacial tension (IFT). This study focused on new laboratory experiments that measured the effects on the physical properties and dispersion of oil, with particular reference to the effects of chemical dispersants on IFT and oil viscosity and the subsequent effects on oil droplet formation. Experiments were conducted at 15 degrees C using Arabian Medium, Alaska North Slope and South Louisiana crude and Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527 chemical dispersants. The dispersants were denser than the 3 oils. The effect of IFT reduction on oil dispersion was measured and showed substantial reduction in the size and enhancement of the concentration of oil droplets in the water column. It was shown that the brine-oil IFT associated with the 3 crudes reduced to less than 3.6 mN/m with the application of the chemical dispersants, even at a low dispersant-to-oil ratio (DOR) value of 1:200. The use of chemical dispersants increased the viscosity of the dispersant-oil mixture up to 40 per cent over the neat crude oil. It was shown that for each mixing condition, an optimum value of DOR exists that provides for maximal dispersant effectiveness. The IFT reaches maximum reduction at optimum DOR. It was suggested that oil spill modelling can be improved with further study of IFT reduction with DOR and variations of critical micelle concentration with the type and solubility of chemical dispersant, oil type and oil to water ratio. 13 refs., 3 tabs., 7 figs

Disperse reinforced concrete used in obtaining prefabricated elements for roads

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Bogdan MEZEI

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Concrete is the most used material in construction. By improving the performance of materials and of technologies, concretes with outstanding performances were also developed, in the past two decades. Concrete with dispersed reinforcement represents a new generation of reinforced concrete that combines a good behavior of concrete compressive strength with an increased tensile strength of steel fibers. Using this material, monolithic and prefabricated concrete elements with high mechanical strengths and high durability can be obtained. Technological processes for preparation of concrete with dispersed reinforcement are similar to the conventional methods and do not involve using additional equipment for dosing the dispersed reinforcement. The study aimed the development of road plates made with optimized disperse- reinforced concrete. The first tests were done on plates from the gutter roadway, having a classic reinforcement, using different percentages of fibre reinforcement in the concrete composition, leading to the development of a new optimized economical solution. The results prove the enhanced characteristics of the disperse-reinforced concrete versus conventional concrete, and hence of the developed concrete plates.

Dispersive effects on multicomponent transport through porous media

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, Sourav; Daripa, Prabir

2017-11-01

We use a hybrid numerical method to solve a global pressure based porous media flow model of chemical enhanced oil recovery. This is an extension of our recent work. The numerical method is based on the use of a discontinuous finite element method and the modified method of characteristics. The impact of molecular diffusion and mechanical dispersion on the evolution of scalar concentration distributions are studied through numerical simulations of various flooding schemes. The relative importance of the advective, capillary diffusive and dispersive fluxes are compared over different flow regimes defined in the parameter space of Capillary number, Peclet number, longitudinal and transverse dispersion coefficients. Such studies are relevant for the design of effective injection policies and determining optimal combinations of chemical components for improving recovery. This work has been possible due to financial support from the U.S. National Science Foundation Grant DMS-1522782.

Long-range hazard assessment of volcanic ash dispersal for a Plinian eruptive scenario at Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico): implications for civil aviation safety

Science.gov (United States)

Bonasia, Rosanna; Scaini, Chirara; Capra, Lucia; Nathenson, Manuel; Siebe, Claus; Arana-Salinas, Lilia; Folch, Arnau

2013-01-01

Popocatépetl is one of Mexico’s most active volcanoes threatening a densely populated area that includes Mexico City with more than 20 million inhabitants. The destructive potential of this volcano is demonstrated by its Late Pleistocene–Holocene eruptive activity, which has been characterized by recurrent Plinian eruptions of large magnitude, the last two of which destroyed human settlements in pre-Hispanic times. Popocatépetl’s reawakening in 1994 produced a crisis that culminated with the evacuation of two villages on the northeastern flank of the volcano. Shortly after, a monitoring system and a civil protection contingency plan based on a hazard zone map were implemented. The current volcanic hazards map considers the potential occurrence of different volcanic phenomena, including pyroclastic density currents and lahars. However, no quantitative assessment of the tephra hazard, especially related to atmospheric dispersal, has been performed. The presence of airborne volcanic ash at low and jet-cruise atmospheric levels compromises the safety of aircraft operations and forces re-routing of aircraft to prevent encounters with volcanic ash clouds. Given the high number of important airports in the surroundings of Popocatépetl volcano and considering the potential threat posed to civil aviation in Mexico and adjacent regions in case of a Plinian eruption, a hazard assessment for tephra dispersal is required. In this work, we present the first probabilistic tephra dispersal hazard assessment for Popocatépetl volcano. We compute probabilistic hazard maps for critical thresholds of airborne ash concentrations at different flight levels, corresponding to the situation defined in Europe during 2010, and still under discussion. Tephra dispersal mode is performed using the FALL3D numerical model. Probabilistic hazard maps are built for a Plinian eruptive scenario defined on the basis of geological field data for the “Ochre Pumice” Plinian eruption (4965 14C

Dispersive stresses in wind farms

Science.gov (United States)

Segalini, Antonio; Braunbehrens, Robert; Hyvarinen, Ann

2017-11-01

One of the most famous models of wind farms is provided by the assumption that the farm can be approximated as a horizontally-homogeneous forest canopy with vertically-varying force intensity. By means of this approximation, the flow-motion equations become drastically simpler, as many of the three-dimensional effects are gone. However, the application of the horizontal average operator to the RANS equations leads to the appearance of new transport terms (called dispersive stresses) originating from the horizontal (small-scale) variation of the mean velocity field. Since these terms are related to the individual turbine signature, they are expected to vanish outside the roughness sublayer, providing a definition for the latter. In the present work, an assessment of the dispersive stresses is performed by means of a wake-model approach and through the linearised code ORFEUS developed at KTH. Both approaches are very fast and enable the characterization of a large number of wind-farm layouts. The dispersive stress tensor and its effect on the turbulence closure models are investigated, providing guidelines for those simulations where it is impossible to resolve the farm at a turbine scale due to grid requirements (as, for instance, mesoscale simulations).

Peculiarities of formation and sintering of fine dispersed molybdenum powders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalamazov, R.U.; Pak, V.I.; Tsvetkov, Yu.V.; Lem, I.N.

1989-01-01

Pressing of fine dispersed Mo powders sintering of compacts in H 2 and vacuum is studied. It is shown that powder preannealing at 600 deg C in H 2 for 2 hours is necessary for formation of dense sintered compacts. Qualitatively choice of pressing conditions is possible when using electron-positron annihilation method. Peculiarities of compacting and sintering of fine- and coarse-dispersed powder mixtures are considered. The obtained results are discussed from the view point of sintering recrystallization mechanism

Removal of Disperse Blue 56 and Disperse Red 135 dyes from aqueous dispersions by modified montmorillonite nanoclay

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Ahmadishoar Javad

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this study modified montmorillonite was used as an adsorbent for the removal of two selected disperse dyes i.e., Disperse Blue 56 (DB and Disperse Red 135 (DR from dye dispersions. The adsorption equilibrium data of dyes adsorption were investigated by using Nernst, Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models. The adsorption kinetics was analyzed by using different models including pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich and Intraparticle diffusion model. The Freundlich isotherm was found to be the most appropriate model for describing the sorption of the dyes on modified nanoclay. The best fit to the experimental results was obtained by using the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation, which satisfactorily described the process of dye adsorption. Although different kinetic models may control the rate of the adsorption process, the results indicated that the main rate limiting step was the intraparticle diffusion. The results showed that the proposed modified montmorillonite could be used as an effective adsorbent for the removal of disperse dyes even from highly concentrated dispersions.

Formation Mechanism and Dispersion of Pseudo-Tetragonal BaTiO3-PVP Nanoparticles from Different Titanium Precursors: TiCl4 and TiO2

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Jinhui Li

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Nano-sized tetragonal BaTiO3 (BT particles that are well dispersed in solution are essential for the dielectric layer in multilayer ceramic capacitor technology. A hydrothermal process using TiCl4 and BaCl2, as source of Ti and Ba, respectively, or the precursor TiO2 as seed for the formation of BT, and poly(vinylpyrrolidone (PVP as a surfactant, was employed in this study to enhance both the dispersibility and tetragonality (c/a simultaneously in a single reaction process. The process parameters, i.e., the ratio of TiO2 substitution of TiCl4, the reaction time, and PVP content were systematically studied, and the growth mechanism and relation between the tetragonality and the particle size are discussed. Dynamic light scattering (DLS analysis was used to show that truncated pseudo-tetragonal BT-PVP particles with an average size of 100 nm, having a narrow size distribution and a coefficient of variation (CV as low as 20% and being mono-dispersed in water, were produced. The narrow particle size distribution is attributed to the ability of PVP to inhibit the growth of BT particles, and the high c/a of BT-PVP to heterogeneous particle growth using TiO2 seeds.

Heat dispersion in rivers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, T.L.

1974-01-01

One of the tasks of the Sonderforschungsbereich 80 is to study the dispersion of heat discharged into rivers and other bodies of water and to develop methods which permit prediction of detrimental effects caused by the heated discharges. In order to help the SFB 80 to specify this task, Dr. Shaw, lecturer of Civil Engineering at the Bristol University, conducted a literature survey on heat-dispersion studies during the two months which he spent as a visiting research fellow with the SFB 80 at the University of Karlsruhe in the summer of 1973. The following report is the outcome of this survey. It gives Dr. Shaw's assessment of the present state of knowledge - based almost exclusively on literature in the English language - and compares this with the knowledge required by river planners. The apparent discrepancy leads to suggestions for future research. Selected references as well as a representative bibliography can be found at the end of the report. (orig.) [de

Studies on the dispersal behavior of melon flies, Dacus cucurbitae coquilett (Diptera: Tephritidae), and the influence of gamma-irradiation on dispersal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamada, Ryoichi

1980-01-01

The distribution of released male adults of the melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae, was not the same in three directions from the release point. This bias seemed to depend on the habitat selection of melon flies because these was a linear relationship between the number of released flies caught and that of wild flies caught. The mean dispersal distance ranged from 50 m to 90 m and there were no remarkable differences in the values among groups which were allowed to disperse for different periods. Flies released at one point reached a stable distribution pattern in two or three days after their release. Another group of flies released at a different point, where the environment was less favourable to melon flies, showed a wider range of dispersal. It was concluded that in planning the arrangement of release points for the sterile male technique, a preliminary survey is needed to determine whether habitats favorable to the insect, that is, areas of high population density, exist continuously or not. A preliminary test to assess the influence of γ-irradiation on dispersal showed that the dosage of 10000 R reduced the dispersing ability of male adults of the melon fly. (author)

Construction and characteristics of questionnaire for the assessment of defense mechanisms: MOD

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Džamonja-Ignjatović Tamara

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Defense mechanisms are psychological constructs of key importance for the assessment of personality and planning therapeutic process. Their assessment is mainly based on interview, observation and projective techniques. Questionnaires, as the self-assessment techniques, apparently are not suitable method for unconscious processes such as defense mechanisms. The paper presents the results of construction of the questionnaire for the assessment of defense mechanisms, abbreviated called MOD (Mechanisms of Defense, which represents an attempt to clarify conceptualization and operationalization of these constructs through a variety of behavioral and emotional manifestations, personal attitudes and beliefs, patterns of interpersonal relationships and feedback from environment. Research objectives included testing of metric characteristics and the factor structure of the questionnaire, as well as its validity for differentiating subjects from clinical and non-clinical populations. The questionnaire has 110 items assessed at the 5-point Likert scale for evaluation of 20 defense mechanisms. The sample consisted of 194 subjects of both sexes, of which 136 students of psychology and social work and 58 nonpsychotic patients from clinical populations. The results showed that the reliability of the scale varies from high to unsatisfactory (Cronbach alpha .82- .35, although for most subscales is around .65-.70. The most of defense mechanisms has one factor structure, whereas from about a third of the subscales two principal components were isolated. Analysis of the structure of mature defense mechanisms clearly derived out four factors corresponding to the presumed mechanisms of defense, while for the groups of neurotic and immature mechanisms were not obtained pure solutions. The questionnaire successfully differentiate clinical from non-clinical sample, based on higher scores on mature and lower scores on immature mechanisms, while the groups did not differ

Development oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic steels for fusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mukhopadhyay, D.K.; Froes, F.H.; Gelles, D.S. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

1997-04-01

Uniaxial tension creep response is reported for an oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel, Fe-13.5Cr-2W-0.5Ti-0.25 Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} (in weight percent) manufactured using the mechanical alloying process. Acceptable creep response is obtained at 900{degrees}C.

Dispersability of Carbon Nanotubes in Biopolymer-Based Fluids

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Franco Tardani

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this review the dispersability of carbon nanotubes in aqueous solutions containing proteins, or nucleic acids, is discussed. Data reported previously are complemented by unpublished ones. In the mentioned nanotube-based systems several different phases are observed, depending on the type and concentration of biopolymer, as well as the amount of dispersed nanotubes. The phase behavior depends on how much biopolymers are adsorbing, and, naturally, on the molecular details of the adsorbents. Proper modulation of nanotube/biopolymer interactions helps switching between repulsive and attractive regimes. Dispersion or phase separation take place, respectively, and the formation of liquid crystalline phases or gels may prevail with respect to dispersions. We report on systems containing ss-DNA- and lysozyme-stabilized nanotubes, representative of different organization modes. In the former case, ss-DNA rolls around CNTs and ensures complete coverage. Conversely, proteins randomly and non-cooperatively adsorb onto nanotubes. The two functionalization mechanisms are significantly different. A fine-tuning of temperature, added polymer, pH, and/or ionic strength conditions induces the formation of a given supra-molecular organization mode. The biopolymer physico-chemical properties are relevant to induce the formation of different phases made of carbon nanotubes.

Combining dispersal, landscape connectivity and habitat suitability to assess climate-induced changes in the distribution of Cunningham’s skink, Egernia cunninghami

Science.gov (United States)

Stow, Adam J.; Baumgartner, John B.; Beaumont, Linda J.

2017-01-01

The ability of species to track their climate niche is dependent on their dispersal potential and the connectivity of the landscape matrix linking current and future suitable habitat. However, studies modeling climate-driven range shifts rarely address the movement of species across landscapes realistically, often assuming “unlimited” or “no” dispersal. Here, we incorporate dispersal rate and landscape connectivity with a species distribution model (Maxent) to assess the extent to which the Cunningham’s skink (Egernia cunninghami) may be capable of tracking spatial shifts in suitable habitat as climate changes. Our model was projected onto four contrasting, but equally plausible, scenarios describing futures that are (relative to now) hot/wet, warm/dry, hot/with similar precipitation and warm/wet, at six time horizons with decadal intervals (2020–2070) and at two spatial resolutions: 1 km and 250 m. The size of suitable habitat was projected to decline 23–63% at 1 km and 26–64% at 250 m, by 2070. Combining Maxent output with the dispersal rate of the species and connectivity of the intervening landscape matrix showed that most current populations in regions projected to become unsuitable in the medium to long term, will be unable to shift the distance necessary to reach suitable habitat. In particular, numerous populations currently inhabiting the trailing edge of the species’ range are highly unlikely to be able to disperse fast enough to track climate change. Unless these populations are capable of adaptation they are likely to be extirpated. We note, however, that the core of the species distribution remains suitable across the broad spectrum of climate scenarios considered. Our findings highlight challenges faced by philopatric species and the importance of adaptation for the persistence of peripheral populations under climate change. PMID:28873398

Debris Dispersion Model Using Java 3D

Science.gov (United States)

Thirumalainambi, Rajkumar; Bardina, Jorge

2004-01-01

This paper describes web based simulation of Shuttle launch operations and debris dispersion. Java 3D graphics provides geometric and visual content with suitable mathematical model and behaviors of Shuttle launch. Because the model is so heterogeneous and interrelated with various factors, 3D graphics combined with physical models provides mechanisms to understand the complexity of launch and range operations. The main focus in the modeling and simulation covers orbital dynamics and range safety. Range safety areas include destruct limit lines, telemetry and tracking and population risk near range. If there is an explosion of Shuttle during launch, debris dispersion is explained. The shuttle launch and range operations in this paper are discussed based on the operations from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA.

A dynamic approach for the impact of a toxic gas dispersion hazard considering human behaviour and dispersion modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Lovreglio, Ruggiero; Ronchi, Enrico; Maragkos, Georgios; Beji, Tarek; Merci, Bart

2016-11-15

The release of toxic gases due to natural/industrial accidents or terrorist attacks in populated areas can have tragic consequences. To prevent and evaluate the effects of these disasters different approaches and modelling tools have been introduced in the literature. These instruments are valuable tools for risk managers doing risk assessment of threatened areas. Despite the significant improvements in hazard assessment in case of toxic gas dispersion, these analyses do not generally include the impact of human behaviour and people movement during emergencies. This work aims at providing an approach which considers both modelling of gas dispersion and evacuation movement in order to improve the accuracy of risk assessment for disasters involving toxic gases. The approach is applied to a hypothetical scenario including a ship releasing Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on a crowd attending a music festival. The difference between the results obtained with existing static methods (people do not move) and a dynamic approach (people move away from the danger) which considers people movement with different degrees of sophistication (either a simple linear path or more complex behavioural modelling) is discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plume meander and dispersion in a stable boundary layer

Science.gov (United States)

Hiscox, April L.; Miller, David R.; Nappo, Carmen J.

2010-11-01

Continuous lidar measurements of elevated plume dispersion and corresponding micrometeorology data are analyzed to establish the relationship between plume behavior and nocturnal boundary layer dynamics. Contrasting nights of data from the JORNADA field campaign in the New Mexico desert are analyzed. The aerosol lidar measurements were used to separate the plume diffusion (plume spread) from plume meander (displacement). Mutiresolution decomposition was used to separate the turbulence scale (90 s). Durations of turbulent kinetic energy stationarity and the wind steadiness were used to characterize the local scale and submesoscale turbulence. Plume meander, driven by submesoscale wind motions, was responsible for most of the total horizontal plume dispersion in weak and variable winds and strong stability. This proportion was reduced in high winds (i.e., >4 m s-1), weakly stable conditions but remained the dominant dispersion mechanism. The remainder of the plume dispersion in all cases was accounted for by internal spread of the plume, which is a small eddy diffusion process driven by turbulence. Turbulence stationarity and the wind steadiness are demonstrated to be closely related to plume diffusion and plume meander, respectively.

Dispersal networks for enhancing bacterial degradation in heterogeneous environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banitz, Thomas; Wick, Lukas Y.; Fetzer, Ingo; Frank, Karin; Harms, Hauke; Johst, Karin

2011-01-01

Successful biodegradation of organic soil pollutants depends on their bioavailability to catabolically active microorganisms. In particular, environmental heterogeneities often limit bacterial access to pollutants. Experimental and modelling studies revealed that fungal networks can facilitate bacterial dispersal and may thereby improve pollutant bioavailability. Here, we investigate the influence of such bacterial dispersal networks on biodegradation performance under spatially heterogeneous abiotic conditions using a process-based simulation model. To match typical situations in polluted soils, two types of abiotic conditions are studied: heterogeneous bacterial dispersal conditions and heterogeneous initial resource distributions. The model predicts that networks facilitating bacterial dispersal can enhance biodegradation performance for a wide range of these conditions. Additionally, the time horizon over which this performance is assessed and the network's spatial configuration are key factors determining the degree of biodegradation improvement. Our results support the idea of stimulating the establishment of fungal mycelia for enhanced bioremediation of polluted soils. - Highlights: → Bacterial dispersal networks can considerably improve biodegradation performance. → They facilitate bacterial access to dispersal-limited areas and remote resources. → Abiotic conditions, time horizon and network structure govern the improvements. → Stimulating the establishment of fungal mycelia promises enhanced soil remediation. - Simulation modelling demonstrates that fungus-mediated bacterial dispersal can considerably improve the bioavailability of organic pollutants under spatially heterogeneous abiotic conditions typical for water-unsaturated soils.

Dispersal networks for enhancing bacterial degradation in heterogeneous environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banitz, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.banitz@ufz.de [Department of Ecological Modelling, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Wick, Lukas Y.; Fetzer, Ingo [Department of Environmental Microbiology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Frank, Karin [Department of Ecological Modelling, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Harms, Hauke [Department of Environmental Microbiology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Johst, Karin [Department of Ecological Modelling, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany)

2011-10-15

Successful biodegradation of organic soil pollutants depends on their bioavailability to catabolically active microorganisms. In particular, environmental heterogeneities often limit bacterial access to pollutants. Experimental and modelling studies revealed that fungal networks can facilitate bacterial dispersal and may thereby improve pollutant bioavailability. Here, we investigate the influence of such bacterial dispersal networks on biodegradation performance under spatially heterogeneous abiotic conditions using a process-based simulation model. To match typical situations in polluted soils, two types of abiotic conditions are studied: heterogeneous bacterial dispersal conditions and heterogeneous initial resource distributions. The model predicts that networks facilitating bacterial dispersal can enhance biodegradation performance for a wide range of these conditions. Additionally, the time horizon over which this performance is assessed and the network's spatial configuration are key factors determining the degree of biodegradation improvement. Our results support the idea of stimulating the establishment of fungal mycelia for enhanced bioremediation of polluted soils. - Highlights: > Bacterial dispersal networks can considerably improve biodegradation performance. > They facilitate bacterial access to dispersal-limited areas and remote resources. > Abiotic conditions, time horizon and network structure govern the improvements. > Stimulating the establishment of fungal mycelia promises enhanced soil remediation. - Simulation modelling demonstrates that fungus-mediated bacterial dispersal can considerably improve the bioavailability of organic pollutants under spatially heterogeneous abiotic conditions typical for water-unsaturated soils.

Nanocomposites from Stable Dispersions of Carbon Nanotubes in Polymeric Matrices Using Dispersion Interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Wise, Kristopher Eric (Inventor); Park, Cheol (Inventor); Kang, Jin Ho (Inventor); Siochi, Emilie J. (Inventor); Harrison, Joycelyn S. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Stable dispersions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in polymeric matrices include CNTs dispersed in a host polymer or copolymer whose monomers have delocalized electron orbitals, so that a dispersion interaction results between the host polymer or copolymer and the CNTs dispersed therein. Nanocomposite products, which are presented in bulk, or when fabricated as a film, fiber, foam, coating, adhesive, paste, or molding, are prepared by standard means from the present stable dispersions of CNTs in polymeric matrices, employing dispersion interactions, as presented hereinabove.

Mechanical and microstructural behavior of oxide dispersion strengthened 8Cr-2W and 8Cr-1W steels during creep deformation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shinozuka, K.; Tamura, M.; Esaka, H. [National Defense Academy, Dept. MS and E, Kanagawa (Japan); Shiba, K.; Nakamura, K. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura, Naga-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan)

2007-07-01

Full text of publication follows: Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel is a promising candidate for fusion reactor material because of excellent mechanical properties. However, the ODS steel exhibits some defects, such as mechanical anisotropy and little elongation . To reveal details of these defects, we investigated correlations between mechanical and microstructural behavior of ODS ferritic steels during creep deformation at high temperature. The materials used in this study are two kinds of hot rolled ODS steels: Fe-8Cr-2W-0.2V-0.1Ta-0.2Ti-0.4Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} (J1) and Fe-8Cr-1W-0.2Ti-0.4Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} (J2). Creep tests was carried out on specimens sampling along both the rolling direction and the cross direction at 670, 700 and 730 deg. C. Microstructural analyses were made on the normalized and tempered condition by using OM, SEM, TEM and XRD. Creep ruptured and interrupted specimens were also investigated. Both J1 and J2 existed two phases, namely martensite and {delta}-ferrite which was elongated in the rolling direction. Y-Ti complex oxide particles were finely dispersed in martensite and {delta}- ferrite phases. Results of creep tests indicated that the time-to-rupture of specimens of J1 were much longer than J2, and the time-to-rupture of specimens sampling along the rolling direction were longer than cross direction. Accordingly, J1 sampling along hot rolling direction was the strongest, for instance, the time-to-rupture was 11400 h at 700 deg. C and 162 MPa. All specimens indicated that elongation was less than 1.3 % and the rupture occurred at steady state creep region from creep curves. Internal cracks were propagated in martensite phase along elongated {delta}-ferrite phase in the direction of hot rolling. On the other hand, {delta}-ferrite phases seemed to prevent combining cracks. These results suggest that elongated {delta}-ferrite and internal clacks in martensite strongly affect on the anisotropy and little elongation of creep. (authors)

Coordination in International Manufacturing: The Role of Competitive Priorities and the Focus of Globally Dispersed Facilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Sayem

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In this era of globalization, network integration has received great attention, as it certainly has implications for the competitiveness in international manufacturing. A key issue in integration is to coordinate activities of dispersed facilities in a way to align the target of locating abroad and the priorities to be competitive. This study explores and clarifies the effect of competitive priority and focus of dispersed facilities on coordinating the activities in intra-firm network manufacturing. Based on a multiple case study involving four different companies manufacturing in globally dispersed facilities, the results confirm that both competitive priorities and specific focus of global manufacturing are important for selecting mechanisms to coordinate overseas facilities, with the competitive priorities ‘quality’ and ‘flexibility’ being the more important. Furthermore, the findings reveal that companies place emphasis on informal mechanisms to coordinate the low-cost focused facilities. In turn, the importance of formal mechanisms seems equal for coordinating both low-cost focused facilities and those focused on capturing a local market. Finally, the findings of this paper suggest that elements of competitive priority, as well as the focus of dispersed facilities, should be considered towards making the choice for mechanisms of coordination. The findings bear important implications for the effective coordination of activities in international manufacturing.

Assessment of the dispersion of fission products in the atmosphere following a reactor accident under meteorological conditions of low wind speed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crabol, B.

1984-11-01

The aim of the study is the assessment of the dispersion in a low speed situation and the validation of the computer code ICAIR3 by means of SF6 tracing experiments carried out on the CADARACHE site under different stability conditions. The results show clearly some characteristic features of the dispersion. In particular, high concentrations are found in the experimental field several hours after the end of the release. Large differences of the plume width are observed depending on the atmospheric stability. The flow seems well organized under stable conditions, probably in relation with a topographic effect (CADARACHE is situated in a valley), while there is a much larger spread out of the plume in neutral or unstable conditions. A reasonable agreement with the values predicted by the calculation code is found for the maximum concentration

Assessment of food insecurity and coping mechanisms among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Assessment of food insecurity and coping mechanisms among pastoral households ... The main tools of analysis for this study include descriptive and inferential statistics ... as well as extended veterinary service and disease control programs.

A model for long-distance dispersal of boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Science.gov (United States)

Westbrook, John K.; Eyster, Ritchie S.; Allen, Charles T.

2011-07-01

The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis (Boheman), has been a major insect pest of cotton production in the US, accounting for yield losses and control costs on the order of several billion US dollars since the introduction of the pest in 1892. Boll weevil eradication programs have eliminated reproducing populations in nearly 94%, and progressed toward eradication within the remaining 6%, of cotton production areas. However, the ability of weevils to disperse and reinfest eradicated zones threatens to undermine the previous investment toward eradication of this pest. In this study, the HYSPLIT atmospheric dispersion model was used to simulate daily wind-aided dispersal of weevils from the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. Simulated weevil dispersal was compared with weekly capture of weevils in pheromone traps along highway trap lines between the LRGV and the South Texas / Winter Garden zone of the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Program. A logistic regression model was fit to the probability of capturing at least one weevil in individual pheromone traps relative to specific values of simulated weevil dispersal, which resulted in 60.4% concordance, 21.3% discordance, and 18.3% ties in estimating captures and non-captures. During the first full year of active eradication with widespread insecticide applications in 2006, the dispersal model accurately estimated 71.8%, erroneously estimated 12.5%, and tied 15.7% of capture and non-capture events. Model simulations provide a temporal risk assessment over large areas of weevil reinfestation resulting from dispersal by prevailing winds. Eradication program managers can use the model risk assessment information to effectively schedule and target enhanced trapping, crop scouting, and insecticide applications.

Improvement of CNT dispersion in HDPE by acid and octadecylamine functionalizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menezes, Beatriz Rossi Canuto de; Ferreira, Filipe Vargas; Franceschi, Wesley; Brito, Felipe Sales; Nunes, Evelyn Alves; Rodrigues, Karla Faquine; Cividanes, Luciana de Simone; Thim, Gilmar Patrocínio; Rosa, Cintia

2016-01-01

Full text: Since their discovery in 1991, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted great attention due to their extraordinary structure and exceptional mechanical properties that make them a suitable candidate for polymer-based nanocomposites reinforcement [1]. However, CNTs full potential can only be achieved with a proper dispersion in the matrix, that depends of Van der Waals interactions among CNTs due to the large surface area and the small size. These interactions decrease the CNT dispersion due to the formation of agglomerates. In order to overcome this limitation, surface functionalization with acid and alkyl groups has been used to increase the CNTs dispersion and compatibility with polymer matrix [2]. Therefore, the focus of the present work is to improve the dispersion of CNTs in high density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix through their functionalization with acid (H 2 SO 4 +HNO 3 ) and octadecylamine (ODA:CH 3 (CH 2 ) 17 NH 2 ). The CNT/HDPE nanocomposites (0.8%wt of CNTs) were prepared by mechanical agitation of the melted mixture of CNTs and HDPE and subsequent compression molding. Three nanocomposites were prepared: (1) HDPE + pristine CNTs, (2) HDPE + acid functionalized CNTs, and (3) HDPE + ODA functionalized CNTs. In order to confirm the surface treatment, CNTs was characterized by FT-IR, XPS, Raman, and TEM. The improvement in CNTs dispersion and compatibility with HDPE was verified by tensile test, microhardness, SEM-FEG. The results showed an improvement in the CNTs dispersion for HDPE with acid and ODA functionalized CNTs. The Young's modulus and Vickers microhardness increased significantly for HDPE with treated CNTs when compared with pristine CNTs. References: [1] S Iijima, Nature 354, 56-58 (1991). [2] R Ansari, S Ajori, S Rouhi, Appl Surf Sci 332, 640-647 (2015). (author)

Meteorological uncertainty of atmospheric dispersion model results (MUD)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Havskov Soerensen, J.; Amstrup, B.; Feddersen, H. [Danish Meteorological Institute, Copenhagen (Denmark)] [and others

2013-08-15

The MUD project addresses assessment of uncertainties of atmospheric dispersion model predictions, as well as possibilities for optimum presentation to decision makers. Previously, it has not been possible to estimate such uncertainties quantitatively, but merely to calculate the 'most likely' dispersion scenario. However, recent developments in numerical weather prediction (NWP) include probabilistic forecasting techniques, which can be utilised also for long-range atmospheric dispersion models. The ensemble statistical methods developed and applied to NWP models aim at describing the inherent uncertainties of the meteorological model results. These uncertainties stem from e.g. limits in meteorological observations used to initialise meteorological forecast series. By perturbing e.g. the initial state of an NWP model run in agreement with the available observational data, an ensemble of meteorological forecasts is produced from which uncertainties in the various meteorological parameters are estimated, e.g. probabilities for rain. Corresponding ensembles of atmospheric dispersion can now be computed from which uncertainties of predicted radionuclide concentration and deposition patterns can be derived. (Author)

Impact assessment of radionuclide dispersion due to stuck of sources used in well logging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amado, V. A.; Alvarez, D.E.; Lee Gonzáles, H.

2015-01-01

The well logging allows to characterize and to predict the hydrocarbon potential of an area. For this, tools that may contain one or more radioactive sources are used. Eventually, they may be stuck at a certain depth, without viable technical alternatives for recovery. In this case, it is necessary to implement actions that minimize the risk of release of radioactive material into the groundwater, because of the natural degradation of shielding or by the accidental destruction by the unexpected collision with another tool, in a possible future drilling. In this paper, a simplified assessment of the doses associated with the natural degradation and the breakdown of shielding radioactive sources is presented. For this purpose two main pathways of exposure; incorporation by ingestion of contaminated water from the aquifer and external irradiation because of the drilling mud that rise to the surface and distributed over it, are considered. Each of these pathways corresponds to a different scenario. In the first scenario, the evaluation was performed by applying the Dispersion of Radionuclides in Aquifers model that take in account pollutants dispersion in the aquifer unto extraction well water. This model solves the equation of solute transport in porous media in three dimensions, considering soil retention and radioactive decay. In the second scenario the contaminated mud rises from the well to the surface, due to actions taken to retrieve stuck sources or because of new drillings are assumed. The aim of this work is to present a simple and conservative method to estimate doses involved in the natural degradation of shielding or by accidental destruction of sources used in well logging. (authors) [es

The effect of carbon nanotube dimensions and dispersion on the fatigue behavior of epoxy nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, W; Picu, R C; Koratkar, N

2008-01-01

Fatigue is one of the primary reasons for failure in structural materials. It has been demonstrated that carbon nanotubes can suppress fatigue in polymer composites via crack-bridging and a frictional pull-out mechanism. However, a detailed study of the effects of nanotube dimensions and dispersion on the fatigue behavior of nanocomposites has not been performed. In this work, we show the strong effect of carbon nanotube dimensions (i.e. length, diameter) and dispersion quality on fatigue crack growth suppression in epoxy nanocomposites. We observe that the fatigue crack growth rates can be significantly reduced by (1) reducing the nanotube diameter, (2) increasing the nanotube length and (3) improving the nanotube dispersion. We qualitatively explain these observations by using a fracture mechanics model based on crack-bridging and pull-out of the nanotubes. By optimizing the above parameters (tube length, diameter and dispersion) we demonstrate an over 20-fold reduction in the fatigue crack propagation rate for the nanocomposite epoxy compared to the baseline (unfilled) epoxy

Taming axial dispersion in hydrodynamic chromatography columns through wall patterning

Science.gov (United States)

Adrover, Alessandra; Cerbelli, Stefano; Giona, Massimiliano

2018-04-01

A well-known limitation of hydrodynamic chromatography arises from the synergistic interaction between transverse diffusion and streamwise convection, which enhances axial dispersion through the Taylor-Aris mechanism. We show that a periodic sequence of slip/no-slip conditions at the channel walls (e.g., representing wall indentations hosting stable air pockets) can significantly reduce axial dispersion, thus enhancing separation performance. The theoretical/numerical analysis is based on a generalization of Brenner's macrotransport approach to solute transport, here modified to account for the finite-size of the suspended particles. The most effective dispersion-taming outcome is observed when the alternating sequence of slip/no-slip conditions yields non-vanishing cross-sectional flow components. The combination of these components with the hindering interaction between the channel boundaries and the finite-sized particles gives rise to a non-trivial solution of Brenner's problem on the unit periodic cell, where the cross-sectional particle number density departs from the spatially homogeneous condition. In turn, this effect impacts upon the solution of the so-called b-field defining the large-scale dispersion tensor, with an overall decremental effect on the axial dispersion coefficient and on the Height Equivalent of a Theoretical Plate.

Dispersion tolerance enhancement using an improved offset-QAM OFDM scheme.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jian; Townsend, Paul D

2015-06-29

Discrete-Fourier transform (DFT) based offset quadrature amplitude modulation (offset-QAM) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) without cyclic prefix (CP) was shown to offer a dispersion tolerance the same as that of conventional OFDM with ~20% CP overhead. In this paper, we analytically study the fundamental mechanism limiting the dispersion tolerance of this conventional scheme. It is found that the signal and the crosstalk from adjacent subcarriers, which are orthogonal with π/2 phase difference at back to back, can be in-phase when the dispersion increases to a certain value. We propose a novel scheme to overcome this limitation and significantly improve the dispersion tolerance to that of one subcarrier. Simulations show that the proposed scheme can support a 224-Gb/s polarization-division-multiplexed offset-4QAM OFDM signal over 160,000 ps/nm without any CP under 128 subcarriers, and this tolerance scales with the square of the number of subcarriers. It is also shown that this scheme exhibits advantages of greatly enhanced spectral efficiency, larger dispersion tolerance, and/or reduced complexity compared to the conventional CP-OFDM and reduced-guard-interval OFDM using frequency domain equalization.

Using Photosensitive Dye To Improve Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes Dispersion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diaz Costanzo, Guadalupe; Goyanes, Silvia [Laboratorio de PolImeros y Materiales Compuestos, Dpto. de Fisica, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) (Argentina); Ledesma, Silvia, E-mail: ledesma@df.uba.ar [Laboratorio de Procesado de Imagenes, Dpto. de Fisica, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) (Argentina)

2011-01-01

As already well-known, the outstanding mechanical and electrical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNT) are partially lost when CNT aggregate. The fact that CNT tend to aggregate makes difficult to put them into a host matrix, for example. Until now, achieving stable dispersions of CNT is still a challenge. In the present work, we show that the addition of an azobenzene derivative, Disperse Orange 3 (DO3) to dispersions of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in the organic solvent tetrahydrofuran (THF) efficiently helps debundling MWCNT and makes dispersions stable for days. We report UV-Vis optical absorption experiments that suggest an interaction between MWCNT and DO3 molecules following the behavior qualitatively observed. Dispersions with MWCNT and DO3 in THF were observed qualitatively over time. Successful suspensions (for the higher DO3 concentrations studied) were stable for several days. Also, we prepared polymeric films doped with MWCNT non-covalent functionalized with DO3 in one of the proper DO3/MWCNT weight relation where stable supensions were obtained. In this study we show preliminary results where the optical response of these samples was also measured.

Mechanism for enhanced absorption of a solid dispersion formulation of LY2300559 using the artificial stomach duodenum model.

Science.gov (United States)

Polster, Christopher S; Wu, Sy-Juen; Gueorguieva, Ivelina; Sperry, David C

2015-04-06

An artificial stomach duodenum (ASD) model has been used to demonstrate the performance difference between two formulations of LY2300559, a low-solubility acidic developmental drug. The two formulations investigated were a conventional high-shear wet granulation (HSWG) formulation and a solid dispersion formulation. A pharmacokinetic study in humans demonstrated the enhanced performance of the solid dispersion formulation relative to the HSWG formulation. The Cmax and AUC of the solid dispersion was 2.6 and 1.9 times greater, respectively, compared to the HSWG formulation. In the ASD, the solid dispersion formulation performance was characterized by three main phases: (1) rapid release in the stomach, creating a supersaturated concentration of drug, (2) precipitation in the stomach, and (3) rapid redissolution of the precipitate in the duodenum to concentration levels that are supersaturated relative to crystalline drug. A series of complementary experiments were employed to describe this performance behavior mechanistically. Imaging experiments with a pH indicating dye showed that local pH gradients from meglumine in the solid dispersion formulation were responsible for creating a high initial supersaturation concentration in the stomach. Upon dissipation of meglumine, the drug precipitated in the stomach as an amorphous solid. Because the precipitated drug is in an amorphous form, it can then rapidly redissolve as it transits to the more neutral environment of the duodenum. This unexpected sequence of physical state changes gives a mechanistic explanation for the enhanced in vivo performance of the solid dispersion formulation relative to the HSWG formulation.

Mechanical dispersion of Y2O3 nanoparticles in steel EUROFER 97: process and optimisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, V. de; Leguey, T.; Monge, M.A.; Munoz, A.; Pareja, R.; Amador, D.R.; Torralba, J.M.; Victoria, M.

2003-01-01

The procedures followed to produce Y 2 O 3 -dispersed EUROFER 97 powder ready to be compacted and hot isostatic pressing processed are reported. An attrition mill has been used under controlled conditions. The compositional and microstructural characterization of the Y 2 O 3 /EUROFER powder along the different steps of the milling process has allowed optimising the processing conditions to obtain a nanosized Y 2 O 3 dispersion. TEM observations performed on Y 2 O 3 /EUROFER powder milled under these specific conditions reveal the presence of monoclinic Y 2 O 3 dispersoids having sizes around 10 nm in the ferrite/martensite matrix

Sensitivity of the deep-sea amphipod Eurythenes gryllus to chemically dispersed oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Gro Harlaug; Coquillé, Nathalie; Le Floch, Stephane; Geraudie, Perrine; Dussauze, Matthieu; Lemaire, Philippe; Camus, Lionel

2016-04-01

In the context of an oil spill accident and the following oil spill response, much attention is given to the use of dispersants. Dispersants are used to disperse an oil slick from the sea surface into the water column generating a cloud of dispersed oil droplets. The main consequence is an increasing of the sea water-oil interface which induces an increase of the oil biodegradation. Hence, the use of dispersants can be effective in preventing oiling of sensitive coastal environments. Also, in case of an oil blowout from the seabed, subsea injection of dispersants may offer some benefits compared to containment and recovery of the oil or in situ burning operation at the sea surface. However, biological effects of dispersed oil are poorly understood for deep-sea species. Most effects studies on dispersed oil and also other oil-related compounds have been focusing on more shallow water species. This is the first approach to assess the sensitivity of a macro-benthic deep-sea organism to dispersed oil. This paper describes a toxicity test which was performed on the macro-benthic deep-sea amphipod (Eurythenes gryllus) to determine the concentration causing lethality to 50% of test individuals (LC50) after an exposure to dispersed Brut Arabian Light (BAL) oil. The LC50 (24 h) was 101 and 24 mg L(-1) after 72 h and 12 mg L(-1) at 96 h. Based on EPA scale of toxicity categories to aquatic organisms, an LC50 (96 h) of 12 mg L(-1) indicates that the dispersed oil was slightly to moderately toxic to E. gryllus. As an attempt to compare our results to others, a literature study was performed. Due to limited amount of data available for dispersed oil and amphipods, information on other crustacean species and other oil-related compounds was also collected. Only one study on dispersed oil and amphipods was found, the LC50 value in this study was similar to the LC50 value of E. gryllus in our study. Since toxicity data are important input to risk assessment and net environmental

Reduction of Asymmetric Information through Corporate Governance Mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Claus; Schøler, Finn

2010-01-01

Research Question/Issue: The purpose of this study is to examine how differences in "ownership dispersion" and "exposure toward the international capital market" affect the particular use of the corporate governance mechanisms "transparency" and "board independence" in listed companies. Research...... Findings/Insights: Our findings are based on a Danish dataset which includes 100 listed companies. We find that transparency is a more important corporate governance mechanism for companies with an exposure toward the international capital market, while differences in ownership dispersion do not affect...... the use of the transparency mechanism. In contrast, we find that board independence in the context of a two-tier board member system is an important corporate governance mechanism for companies with widely dispersed ownership and not for companies with an exposure toward the international capital market...

Taurine zinc solid dispersions attenuate doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; Mei, Xueting; Yuan, Jingquan; Lu, Wenping; Li, Binglong; Xu, Donghui

2015-11-15

The clinical efficacy of anthracycline anti-neoplastic agents is limited by cardiac and hepatic toxicities. The aim of this study was to assess the hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects of taurine zinc solid dispersions, which is a newly-synthesized taurine zinc compound, against doxorubicin-induced toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats intraperitoneally injected with doxorubicin hydrochloride (3mg/kg) three times a week (seven injections) over 28 days. Hemodynamic parameters, levels of liver toxicity markers and oxidative stress were assessed. Taurine zinc significantly attenuated the reductions in blood pressure, left ventricular pressure and ± dp/dtmax, increases in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, and reductions in serum Zn(2+) and albumin levels (Ptaurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione concentration, and decreased malondialdehyde level (PTaurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver heme oxygenase-1 and UDP-glucuronyl transferase mRNA and protein expression (Ptaurine zinc inhibited c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation by upregulating dual-specificity phosphoprotein phosphatase-1. Additionally, taurine zinc inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis as there was decreased TUNEL/DAPI positivity and protein expression of caspase-3. These results indicate that taurine zinc solid dispersions prevent the side-effects of anthracycline-based anticancer therapy. The mechanisms might be associated with the enhancement of antioxidant defense system partly through activating transcription to synthesize endogenous phase II medicine enzymes and anti-apoptosis through inhibiting JNK phosphorylation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dispersions of attractive semiflexible fiberlike colloidal particles from bacterial cellulose microfibrils.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuijk, Anke; Koppert, Remco; Versluis, Peter; van Dalen, Gerard; Remijn, Caroline; Hazekamp, Johan; Nijsse, Jaap; Velikov, Krassimir P

2013-11-26

We prepared dispersions from bacterial cellulose microfibrils (CMF) of a commercial Nata de Coco source. We used an ultra-high-energy mechanical deagglomeration process that is able to disperse the CMFs from the pellicle in which they are organized in an irregular network. Because of the strong attractions between the CMFs, the dispersion remained highly heterogeneous, consisting of fiber bundles, flocs, and voids spanning tens to hundreds of micrometers depending on concentration. The size of these flocs increased with CMF concentration, the size of the bundles stayed constant, and the size of the voids decreased. The observed percolation threshold in MFC dispersions is lower than the theoretical prediction, which is accounted for by the attractive interactions in the system. Because bacterial cellulose is chemically very pure, it can be used to study the interaction of attractive and highly shape-anisotropic, semiflexible fiberlike colloidal particles.

A novel in vitro model for hematogenous spreading of S. aureus device biofilms demonstrating clumping dispersal as an advantageous dissemination mechanism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønnemose, Rasmus Birkholm; Lindhardt Sæderup (Madsen), Kirstine; Kolmos, Hans Jørn

2017-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is able to disseminate from vascular device biofilms to the blood and organs, resulting in life-threatening infections such as endocarditis. The mechanisms behind spreading are largely unknown, especially how the bacterium escapes immune effectors and antibiotics in the proc......Staphylococcus aureus is able to disseminate from vascular device biofilms to the blood and organs, resulting in life-threatening infections such as endocarditis. The mechanisms behind spreading are largely unknown, especially how the bacterium escapes immune effectors and antibiotics...... the ability to adhere to and initiate colonization of endothelial cell layers under flow. In vivo experiments showed that the released biofilm material reached the heart similarly as ordinary broth-grown bacteria, but also that clumps to some extend were trapped in the lungs. The clumping dispersal of S....... aureus from in vivo-like vascular biofilms and their specific properties demonstrated here help explain the pathophysiology associated with S. aureus bloodstream infections....

TEM in situ micropillar compression tests of ion irradiated oxide dispersion strengthened alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yano, K.H., E-mail: kaylayano@u.boisestate.edu [Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, 83725 (United States); Swenson, M.J. [Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, 83725 (United States); Wu, Y. [Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, 83725 (United States); Center for Advanced Energy Studies, 995 University Blvd, Idaho Falls, ID, 83401 (United States); Wharry, J.P. [Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, 83725 (United States); Purdue University, 400 Central Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States)

2017-01-15

The growing role of charged particle irradiation in the evaluation of nuclear reactor candidate materials requires the development of novel methods to assess mechanical properties in near-surface irradiation damage layers just a few micrometers thick. In situ transmission electron microscopic (TEM) mechanical testing is one such promising method. In this work, microcompression pillars are fabricated from a Fe{sup 2+} ion irradiated bulk specimen of a model Fe-9%Cr oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloy. Yield strengths measured directly from TEM in situ compression tests are within expected values, and are consistent with predictions based on the irradiated microstructure. Measured elastic modulus values, once adjusted for the amount of deformation and deflection in the base material, are also within the expected range. A pillar size effect is only observed in samples with minimum dimension ≤100 nm due to the low inter-obstacle spacing in the as received and irradiated material. TEM in situ micropillar compression tests hold great promise for quantitatively determining mechanical properties of shallow ion-irradiated layers.

Effect of highly dispersed yttria addition on thermal stability of hydroxyapatite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parente, P.; Savoini, B.; Ferrari, B.; Monge, M.A.; Pareja, R.; Sanchez-Herencia, A.J.

2013-01-01

The capability of the colloidal method to produce yttria (Y 2 O 3 ) dispersed hydroxyapatite (HA) has been investigated as an alternative method to the conventional method of mechanical mixing and sintering for developing HA-based materials that could exhibit controllable and enhanced functional properties. A water based colloidal route to produce HA materials with highly dispersed Y 2 O 3 has been applied, and the effect of 10 wt.% Y 2 O 3 addition to HA investigated by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. These measurements evidence a remarkable effect of this Y 2 O 3 addition on decomposition mechanisms of synthetic HA. Results show that incorporation of Y 2 O 3 as dispersed second phase is beneficial because it hinders the decomposition mechanisms of HA into calcium phosphates. This retardation will allow the control of the sintering conditions for developing HA implants with improved properties. Besides, substitution of Ca 2+ with Y 3+ ions appears to promote the formation of OH − vacancies, which could improve the conductive properties of HA favorable to osseointegration. - Highlights: ► We reveal the influence of Y 2 O 3 on thermal stability of hydroxyapatite. ► Incorporation of Y 2 O 3 delays decomposition of hydroxyapatite to calcium phosphates. ► Addition of Y 2 O 3 enables sintering conditions more favorable to the densification.

Splash-cup plants accelerate raindrops to disperse seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Amador, Guillermo J.; Yamada, Yasukuni; McCurley, Matthew; Hu, David L.

2013-01-01

The conical flowers of splash-cup plants Chrysosplenium and Mazus catch raindrops opportunistically, exploiting the subsequent splash to disperse their seeds. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we elucidate their mechanism for maximizing dispersal distance. We fabricate conical plant mimics using three-dimensional printing, and use high-speed video to visualize splash profiles and seed travel distance. Drop impacts that strike the cup off-centre achieve the largest dispersal distances of up to 1 m. Such distances are achieved because splash speeds are three to five times faster than incoming drop speeds, and so faster than the traditionally studied splashes occurring upon horizontal surfaces. This anomalous splash speed is because of the superposition of two components of momentum, one associated with a component of the drop's motion parallel to the splash-cup surface, and the other associated with film spreading induced by impact with the splash-cup. Our model incorporating these effects predicts the observed dispersal distance within 6–18% error. According to our experiments, the optimal cone angle for the splash-cup is 40°, a value consistent with the average of five species of splash-cup plants. This optimal angle arises from the competing effects of velocity amplification and projectile launching angle. PMID:23235266

Assessing learning outcomes in middle-division classical mechanics: The Colorado Classical Mechanics and Math Methods Instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Caballero, Marcos D.; Doughty, Leanne; Turnbull, Anna M.; Pepper, Rachel E.; Pollock, Steven J.

2017-06-01

Reliable and validated assessments of introductory physics have been instrumental in driving curricular and pedagogical reforms that lead to improved student learning. As part of an effort to systematically improve our sophomore-level classical mechanics and math methods course (CM 1) at CU Boulder, we have developed a tool to assess student learning of CM 1 concepts in the upper division. The Colorado Classical Mechanics and Math Methods Instrument (CCMI) builds on faculty consensus learning goals and systematic observations of student difficulties. The result is a 9-question open-ended post test that probes student learning in the first half of a two-semester classical mechanics and math methods sequence. In this paper, we describe the design and development of this instrument, its validation, and measurements made in classes at CU Boulder and elsewhere.

Assessment of particle-tracking models for dispersed particle-laden flows implemented in OpenFOAM and ANSYS FLUENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franziska Greifzu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the present study two benchmark problems for turbulent dispersed particle-laden flow are investigated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD. How the CFD programs OpenFOAM and ANSYS FLUENT model these flows is tested and compared. The numerical results obtained with Lagrangian–Eulerian (LE point-particle (PP models for Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS simulations of the fluid flow in steady state and transient modes are compared with the experimental data available in the literature. The effect of the dispersion model on the particle motion is investigated in particular, as well as the order of coupling between the continuous carrier phase and the dispersed phase. First, a backward-facing step (BFS case is validated. As a second case, the confined bluff body (CBB is used. The simulated fluid flows correspond well with the experimental data for both test cases. The results for the dispersed solid phase reveal a good accordance between the simulation results and the experiments. It seems that particle dispersion is slightly under-predicted when ANSYS FLUENT is used, whereas the applied solver in OpenFOAM overestimates the dispersion somewhat. Only minor differences between the coupling schemes are detected due to the low volume fractions and mass loadings that are investigated. In the BFS test case the importance of the spatial dimension of the numerical model is demonstrated. Even if it is reasonable to assume a two-dimensional fluid flow structure, it is crucial to simulate the turbulent particle-laden flow with a three-dimensional model since the turbulent dispersion of the particles is three-dimensional.

Dispersion of radioactively contamination turtles on the SRP: research and reconnaissance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamb, T.; Taylor, B.; Gibbons, J.W.

1986-01-01

Although SREL continued long-term studies on turtles during 1986, much research effort centered on contaminated turtle dispersion. The problem of radionuclide contamination in turtles and their dispersal through aquatic sites on and off the Savannah River Plant (SRP) was approached along three fronts. The first involved site reconnaissance, where aquatic habitats, adjacent to contaminated areas on the SRP were identified and surveyed for contaminated turtles. The second approach involved the development of a dispersal model. Third, mitochondrial DNA analysis was conducted to assess genetic differentiation between turtle populations inhabiting either side of the Savannah River near SRP. 1 figures, 2 tables

Epizoochorous dispersal by ungulates depends on fur, grooming and social interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Liehrmann, Océane; Jégoux, Flore; Guilbert, Marie-Alice; Isselin-Nondedeu, Francis; Saïd, Sonia; Locatelli, Yann; Baltzinger, Christophe

2018-02-01

The transport phase of the animal-mediated plant dispersal process is critical to dispersal effectiveness as it determines the spatial distribution of the diaspores released and their chance for further recruitment. Assessing this specific phase of the dispersal process generally requires combining diaspore retention times with the associated distances covered. Here, we specifically tested the effect of grooming behavior, interindividual contacts and ungulate fur on diaspore retention times and associated dispersal distances for the hooked diaspores of Xanthium strumarium L. experimentally attached to tamed individuals of three ungulate species. We used a comparative approach based on differing fur quality on different body zones of these three ungulates. During 6-hr sessions, we monitored for grooming and social interactions that may induce intended or inadvertent diaspore detachment. Additionally, we proposed innovative approaches to directly assessing diaspore dispersal distances by red deer in situ. Fat-tailed functions fitted diaspore retention time, highlighting the potential for long-distance dispersal events. The longer the hair, the higher the retention capacity of diaspores in the animal's fur. As predicted, donkey retained diaspores longer than red deer and dwarf goat; and we also confirmed that diaspores attached to the short hair of the head fell off more quickly than did those on the other body zones. Dwarf goat groomed more often than both red deer and donkey, but also when it carried diaspores. Up to 14% of the diaspores detached from animal fur after specific grooming behavior. We observed, in controlled conditions, for the first time and for each ungulate species, interindividual transfers of diaspores, representing 5% of the diaspores attached to animals' fur. Our results militate for incorporating animal behavior into plant dispersal modeling approaches.

Photocatalytic degradation kinetics and mechanism of antivirus drug-lamivudine in TiO{sub 2} dispersion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An, Taicheng, E-mail: antc99@gig.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); An, Jibin [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); College of Petrochemical Technology, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Yang, Hai [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Li, Guiying [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Feng, Huixia [College of Petrochemical Technology, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050 (China); Nie, Xiangping [Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China)

2011-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Photocatalytic degradation kinetics of antivirus drug lamivudine. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The degradation kinetics was optimized by the single-variable-at-a-time. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The degradation kinetics was optimized by central composite design. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The contribution of reactive species was investigated with addition of scavengers. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Six intermediates were identified and a degradation mechanism was proposed. - Abstract: Photocatalytic degradation kinetics of antivirus drug-lamivudine in aqueous TiO{sub 2} dispersions was systematically optimized by both single-variable-at-a-time and central composite design based on the response surface methodology. Three variables, TiO{sub 2} content, initial pH and lamivudine concentration, were selected to determine the dependence of degradation efficiencies of lamivudine on independent variables. Response surface methodology modeling results indicated that degradation efficiencies of lamivudine were highly affected by TiO{sub 2} content and initial lamivudine concentration. The highest degradation efficiency was achieved at suitable amount of TiO{sub 2} and with maintaining initial lamivudine concentration to a minimum. In addition, the contribution experiments of various primary reactive species produced during the photocatalysis were investigated with the addition of different scavengers and found that hydroxyl radicals was the major reactive species involved in lamivudine degradation in aqueous TiO{sub 2}. Six degradation intermediates were identified using HPLC/MS/MS, and photocatalytic degradation mechanism of lamivudine was proposed by utilizing collective information from both experimental results of HPLC/MS/MS, ion chromatography as well as total organic carbon and theoretical data of frontier electron densities and point charges.

Study on the irradiation swelling of U3Si2-Al dispersion fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xing Zhonghu; Ying Shihao

2001-01-01

The dominant modeling mechanisms on irradiation swelling of U 3 Si 2 -Al dispersion fuel are introduced. The core of dispersion fuel is looked to as micro-fuel elements of continuous matrix. The formation processes of gas bubbles in the fuel phase are described through the behavior mechanisms of fission gases. The swelling in the fuel phase causes the interaction between fuel particles and metal matrix, and the metal matrix can restrain the irradiation swelling of fuel particles. The developed code can predict irradiation-swelling values according to the parameters of fuel elements and irradiation conditions, and the predicted values are in agreement with the measured results

Dispersion Forces

CERN Document Server

Buhmann, Stefan Yoshi

2012-01-01

In this book, a modern unified theory of dispersion forces on atoms and bodies is presented which covers a broad range of advanced aspects and scenarios. Macroscopic quantum electrodynamics is shown to provide a powerful framework for dispersion forces which allows for discussing general properties like their non-additivity and the relation between microscopic and macroscopic interactions. It is demonstrated how the general results can be used to obtain dispersion forces on atoms in the presence of bodies of various shapes and materials. Starting with a brief recapitulation of volume I, this volume II deals especially with bodies of irregular shapes, universal scaling laws, dynamical forces on excited atoms, enhanced forces in cavity quantum electrodynamics, non-equilibrium forces in thermal environments and quantum friction. The book gives both the specialist and those new to the field a thorough overview over recent results in the field. It provides a toolbox for studying dispersion forces in various contex...

Preparation and evaluation of carvacrol pellets based on PVP solid-dispersion by extrusion-spheronization technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Taghizadeh*

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background and objectives: Carvacrol is one of the main pharmacologically active components of Thymus vulgaris essential oil which has shown several therapeutic effects. There are few works regarding the formulation of essential oils as oral solid dosage forms due to their liquid nature, stability and technical problems. The aim of this study was to combine the solid-dispersion approach and extrusion-spheronization technique to produce pellets with desirable physico-mechanical and release properties. Methods: Solid dispersion matrix (30% of carvacrol in polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 was prepared by solvent evaporation. The matrix was mixed with Avicel and lactose and granulated by water. The wet mass was transformed into pellets by extrusion-spheronization. In order to compare the solid dispersion method with the classic approaches, another pellet formulation was prepared by absorption of carvacrol on Aerosil. The pellets were characterized for size (sieve analysis, shape factors (image analysis, mechanical strength, carvacrol content, and release rate (dissolution test. Accelerated stability test of formulations was also carried out. Results: Using suitable composition of solid dispersion matrix and granulation fluid, the pellets with desirable size and shape and mechanical properties could be produced. PVP-based pellets had higher mechanical strength, slower release rate and improved content and stability. The PVP ratio showed considerable effect on release properties of the pellets. Conclusion: Overall, the results revealed the feasibility of preparing desirable pellets containing carvacrol with acceptable content, stability and release properties which can be administered as hard gelatin capsules.

Fuel oil and dispersant toxicity to the Antarctic sea urchin (Sterechinus neumayeri).

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Frances J; King, Catherine K; Reichelt-Brushett, Amanda J; Harrison, Peter L

2017-06-01

The risk of a major marine fuel spill in Antarctic waters is increasing, yet there are currently no standard or suitable response methods under extreme Antarctic conditions. Fuel dispersants may present a possible solution; however, little data exist on the toxicity of dispersants or fuels to Antarctic species, thereby preventing informed management decisions. Larval development toxicity tests using 3 life history stages of the Antarctic sea urchin (Sterechinus neumayeri) were completed to assess the toxicity of physically dispersed, chemically dispersed, and dispersant-only water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) of an intermediate fuel oil (IFO 180, BP) and the chemical dispersant Slickgone NS (Dasic International). Despite much lower total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations, physically dispersed fuels contained higher proportions of low-to-intermediate weight carbon compounds and were generally at least an order of magnitude more toxic than chemically dispersed fuels. Based on concentrations that caused 50% abnormality (EC50) values, the embryonic unhatched blastula life stage was the least affected by fuels and dispersants, whereas the larval 4-armed pluteus stage was the most sensitive. The present study is the first to investigate the possible implications of the use of fuel dispersants for fuel spill response in Antarctica. The results indicate that the use of a fuel dispersant did not increase the hydrocarbon toxicity of IFO 180 to the early life stages of Antarctic sea urchins, relative to physical dispersal. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1563-1571. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Meteorological Uncertainty of atmospheric Dispersion model results (MUD)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Havskov Sørensen, Jens; Amstrup, Bjarne; Feddersen, Henrik

The MUD project addresses assessment of uncertainties of atmospheric dispersion model predictions, as well as possibilities for optimum presentation to decision makers. Previously, it has not been possible to estimate such uncertainties quantitatively, but merely to calculate the ‘most likely’ di...

Delayed shear enhancement in mesoscale atmospheric dispersion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moran, M.D. [Atmospheric Environment Service, Ontario (Canada); Pielke, R.A. [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

1994-12-31

Mesoscale atmospheric dispersion (MAD) is more complicated than smaller-scale dispersion because the mean wind field can no longer be considered steady or horizontally homogeneous over mesoscale time and space scales. Wind shear also plays a much more important role on the mesoscale: horizontal dispersion can be enhanced and often dominated by vertical wind shear on these scales through the interaction of horizontal differential advection and vertical mixing. Just over 30 years ago, Pasquill suggested that this interaction need not be simultaneous and that the combination of differential horizontal advection with delayed or subsequent vertical mixing could maintain effective horizontal diffusion in spite of temporal or spatial reductions in boundary-layer turbulence intensity. This two-step mechanism has not received much attention since then, but a recent analysis of observations from and numerical simulations of two mesoscale tracer experiments suggests that delayed shear enhancement can play an important role in MAD. This paper presents an overview of this analysis, with particular emphasis on the influence of resolvable vertical shear on MAD in these two case studies and the contributions made by delayed shear enhancement.

Dispersive electron transport in tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) probed by impedance spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Berleb, Stefan; Brütting, Wolfgang

2002-12-31

Electron transport in tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) is investigated by impedance spectroscopy under conditions of space-charge limited conduction (SCLC). Existing SCLC models are extended to include the field dependence of the charge carrier mobility and energetically distributed trap states. The dispersive nature of electron transport is revealed by a frequency-dependent mobility with a dispersion parameter alpha in the range 0.4-0.5, independent of temperature. This indicates that positional rather than energetic disorder is the dominant mechanism for the dispersive transport of electrons in Alq3.

Effluent dispersion in natural water receivers (tracer examination)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szpilowski, S.; Owczarczyk, A.; Chmielewski, A.G.

1993-01-01

Tracer methods constitute very convenient means for observation and examination of effluent dispersion and dilution processes in natural water receivers. In the report there are presented methods developed and used by the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (INCT) to measure mixing parameters in natural streams to determine distances of complete transverse mixing as well as to assess and predict dispersion of sewage in large water reservoirs. There are also presented the methods of predicting initial stage of dispersion of sewage discharged into large water reservoirs through underwater out falls and the method for determining the decomposition rates of effluent entering a natural water receiver. The methods presented can be used in analysis of pollution in a given water region, in selection of optimal sewage out fall locations as well as in prediction of effluent dilution intensity at different hydro- and meteorological conditions. (author). 27 refs, 15 figs, 2 tabs

Ductility Enhancement of Molybdenum Phase by Nano-sizedd Oxide Dispersions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruce Kang

2008-07-31

The present research is focused on ductility enhancement of molybdenum (Mo) alloys by adding nano-sized oxide particles to the alloy system. The research approach includes: (1) determination of microscopic mechanisms responsible for the macroscopic ductility enhancement effects through atomistic modeling of the metal-ceramic interface; (2) subsequent computer simulation-aided optimization of composition and nanoparticle size of the dispersion for improved performance; (3) synthesis and characterization of nanoparticle dispersion following the guidance from atomistic computational modeling analyses (e.g., by processing a small sample of Mo alloy for evaluation); and (4) experimental testing of the mechanical properties to determine optimal ductility enhancement.Through atomistic modeling and electronic structure analysis using full-potential linearized muffin-tin orbital (FP-LMTO) techniques, research to date has been performed on a number of selected chromium (Cr) systems containing nitrogen (N) and/or magnesium oxide (MgO) impurities. The emphasis has been on determining the properties of the valence electrons and the characteristics of the chemical bonds they formed. It was found that the brittle/ductile behavior of this transitional metal system is controlled by the relative population of valence charges: bonds formed by s valence electrons yield metallic, ductile behavior, whereas bonds formed by d valence electrons lead to covalent, brittle behavior. The presence of valence bands from impurities also affects the metal bonding, thereby explaining the detrimental and beneficial effects induced by the inclusion of N impurities and MgO dispersions. These understandings are useful for optimizing ductility enhancement effects on the dispersion materials.

Srv mediated dispersal of streptococcal biofilms through SpeB is observed in CovRS+ strains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristie L Connolly

Full Text Available Group A Streptococcus (GAS is a human specific pathogen capable of causing both mild infections and severe invasive disease. We and others have shown that GAS is able to form biofilms during infection. That is to say, they form a three-dimensional, surface attached structure consisting of bacteria and a multi-component extracellular matrix. The mechanisms involved in regulation and dispersal of these GAS structures are still unclear. Recently we have reported that in the absence of the transcriptional regulator Srv in the MGAS5005 background, the cysteine protease SpeB is constitutively produced, leading to increased tissue damage and decreased biofilm formation during a subcutaneous infection in a mouse model. This was interesting because MGAS5005 has a naturally occurring mutation that inactivates the sensor kinase domain of the two component regulatory system CovRS. Others have previously shown that strains lacking covS are associated with decreased SpeB production due to CovR repression of speB expression. Thus, our results suggest the inactivation of srv can bypass CovR repression and lead to constitutive SpeB production. We hypothesized that Srv control of SpeB production may be a mechanism to regulate biofilm dispersal and provide a mechanism by which mild infection can transition to severe disease through biofilm dispersal. The question remained however, is this mechanism conserved among GAS strains or restricted to the unique genetic makeup of MGAS5005. Here we show that Srv mediated control of SpeB and biofilm dispersal is conserved in the invasive clinical isolates RGAS053 (serotype M1 and MGAS315 (serotype M3, both of which have covS intact. This work provides additional evidence that Srv regulated control of SpeB may mediate biofilm formation and dispersal in diverse strain backgrounds.

Studies of Tracer Dispersion and Fluid Flow in Porous Media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rage, T.

1996-12-31

This doctoral thesis explores the connection between the topology of a porous medium and its macroscopic transport properties and is based on computerized simulation. In porous media, both diffusion and convection contribute to the dispersion of a tracer and their combined effect is emphasized. The governing equations are solved numerically, using finite differences and Monte Carlo technique. The influence of finite Reynolds number on the outcome of echo-experiments is discussed. Comparing experiments and simulations it is found that nonlinear inertial forces lead to a visible deformation of a returned tracer at surprisingly small Reynolds numbers. In a study of tracer dispersion and fluid flow in periodic arrays of discs it is demonstrated that the mechanisms of mechanical dispersion in periodic media and in natural (non-periodic) porous media are essentially different. Measurements of the percolation probability distribution of a sandstone sample is presented. Local porosity theory predicts that this simple geometric function of a porous medium is of dominant importance for its macroscopic transport properties. It is demonstrated that many aspects of transport through fractures can be studied by using simple but realistic models and readily available computer resources. An example may be the transport of hydrocarbon fluids from the source rock to a reservoir. 165 refs., 44 figs., 1 table

Assessing learning outcomes in middle-division classical mechanics: The Colorado Classical Mechanics and Math Methods Instrument

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos D. Caballero

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Reliable and validated assessments of introductory physics have been instrumental in driving curricular and pedagogical reforms that lead to improved student learning. As part of an effort to systematically improve our sophomore-level classical mechanics and math methods course (CM 1 at CU Boulder, we have developed a tool to assess student learning of CM 1 concepts in the upper division. The Colorado Classical Mechanics and Math Methods Instrument (CCMI builds on faculty consensus learning goals and systematic observations of student difficulties. The result is a 9-question open-ended post test that probes student learning in the first half of a two-semester classical mechanics and math methods sequence. In this paper, we describe the design and development of this instrument, its validation, and measurements made in classes at CU Boulder and elsewhere.

Thermal behavior analysis of U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryu, Ho Jin; Park, Jong Mang; Lee, Yoon Sang; Kim, Chang Kyu [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2004-07-01

According to the non-proliferation policy under the reduced enrichment for research and test reactors (RERTR) program, low enriched uranium(LEU) fuel such as uranium silicide dispersion fuels are being used in research reactors. Because of a lower enrichment higher uranium density fuels are required for some high performance research reactors. Some uranium alloys with a high uranium density such as U-Mo alloys have been considered as one of the most promising candidates for a dispersion fuel due to the good irradiation performance. An international qualification program to replace the uranium silicide dispersion fuel with U-Mo dispersion fuel is being carried out under the RERTR program. Although U-Mo powders are conventionally supplied by the mechanical comminuting of as-cast U-Mo alloys, KAERI developed a centrifugal atomization method in order to simplify the preparation process and improve the properties. The centrifugally atomized powders have a rapidly solidified gamma uranium structure and a spherical shape. During the in-reactor operation of a dispersion fuel, interdiffusion or chemical reactions between the fuel particles and the matrix occurr. Intermetallic compounds in the form of UAlx are formed as a result of the diffusional reaction. Because the intermetallic compounds are less dense than the combined reactants, the volume of the fuel element increases after the reaction. In addition to the effect on the swelling performance, the reaction layers between the U-Mo and the Al matrix induces a degradation of the thermal properties of the U-Mo/Al dispersion fuels. It is important to investigate the thermal behavior of U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel according to reaction between the fuel particles and the matrix with the burnup and linear power. In this study, a finite element analysis was used for the calculation of the temperature distribution of the U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel with a burnup and linear power. Kinetics data of the reaction layers such as the growth

Thermal behavior analysis of U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Ho Jin; Park, Jong Mang; Lee, Yoon Sang; Kim, Chang Kyu

2004-01-01

According to the non-proliferation policy under the reduced enrichment for research and test reactors (RERTR) program, low enriched uranium(LEU) fuel such as uranium silicide dispersion fuels are being used in research reactors. Because of a lower enrichment higher uranium density fuels are required for some high performance research reactors. Some uranium alloys with a high uranium density such as U-Mo alloys have been considered as one of the most promising candidates for a dispersion fuel due to the good irradiation performance. An international qualification program to replace the uranium silicide dispersion fuel with U-Mo dispersion fuel is being carried out under the RERTR program. Although U-Mo powders are conventionally supplied by the mechanical comminuting of as-cast U-Mo alloys, KAERI developed a centrifugal atomization method in order to simplify the preparation process and improve the properties. The centrifugally atomized powders have a rapidly solidified gamma uranium structure and a spherical shape. During the in-reactor operation of a dispersion fuel, interdiffusion or chemical reactions between the fuel particles and the matrix occurr. Intermetallic compounds in the form of UAlx are formed as a result of the diffusional reaction. Because the intermetallic compounds are less dense than the combined reactants, the volume of the fuel element increases after the reaction. In addition to the effect on the swelling performance, the reaction layers between the U-Mo and the Al matrix induces a degradation of the thermal properties of the U-Mo/Al dispersion fuels. It is important to investigate the thermal behavior of U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel according to reaction between the fuel particles and the matrix with the burnup and linear power. In this study, a finite element analysis was used for the calculation of the temperature distribution of the U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel with a burnup and linear power. Kinetics data of the reaction layers such as the growth

Surfactive stabilization of multi-walled carbon nanotube dispersions with dissolved humic substances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chappell, Mark A. [Environmental Laboratory, Engineering Research and Development Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180 (United States)], E-mail: mark.a.chappell@usace.army.mil; George, Aaron J.; Dontsova, Katerina M.; Porter, Beth E. [SpecPro, Inc., 4815 Bradford Drive, Suite 201, Huntsville, AL 35805 (United States); Price, Cynthia L. [Environmental Laboratory, Engineering Research and Development Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180 (United States); Zhou Pingheng; Morikawa, Eizi [J. Bennett Johnston Sr. Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, Louisiana State University, 6980 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (United States); Kennedy, Alan J.; Steevens, Jeffery A. [Environmental Laboratory, Engineering Research and Development Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180 (United States)

2009-04-15

Soil humic substances (HS) stabilize carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersions, a mechanism we hypothesized arose from the surfactive nature of HS. Experiments dispersing multi-walled CNT in solutions of dissolved Aldrich humic acid (HA) or water-extractable Catlin soil HS demonstrated enhanced stability at 150 and 300 mg L{sup -1} added Aldrich HA and Catlin HS, respectively, corresponding with decreased CNT mean particle diameter (MPD) and polydispersivity (PD) of 250 nm and 0.3 for Aldrich HA and 450 nm and 0.35 for Catlin HS. Analogous trends in MPD and PD were observed with addition of the surfactants Brij 35, Triton X-405, and SDS, corresponding to surfactant sorption maximum. NEXAFS characterization showed that Aldrich HA contained highly surfactive domains while Catlin soil possessed a mostly carbohydrate-based structure. This work demonstrates that the chemical structure of humic materials in natural waters is directly linked to their surfactive ability to disperse CNT released into the environment. - Suspensions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes are stabilized by relatively low concentrations of dissolved humic substances in solution through surfactive mechanisms.

Surfactive stabilization of multi-walled carbon nanotube dispersions with dissolved humic substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chappell, Mark A.; George, Aaron J.; Dontsova, Katerina M.; Porter, Beth E.; Price, Cynthia L.; Zhou Pingheng; Morikawa, Eizi; Kennedy, Alan J.; Steevens, Jeffery A.

2009-01-01

Soil humic substances (HS) stabilize carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersions, a mechanism we hypothesized arose from the surfactive nature of HS. Experiments dispersing multi-walled CNT in solutions of dissolved Aldrich humic acid (HA) or water-extractable Catlin soil HS demonstrated enhanced stability at 150 and 300 mg L -1 added Aldrich HA and Catlin HS, respectively, corresponding with decreased CNT mean particle diameter (MPD) and polydispersivity (PD) of 250 nm and 0.3 for Aldrich HA and 450 nm and 0.35 for Catlin HS. Analogous trends in MPD and PD were observed with addition of the surfactants Brij 35, Triton X-405, and SDS, corresponding to surfactant sorption maximum. NEXAFS characterization showed that Aldrich HA contained highly surfactive domains while Catlin soil possessed a mostly carbohydrate-based structure. This work demonstrates that the chemical structure of humic materials in natural waters is directly linked to their surfactive ability to disperse CNT released into the environment. - Suspensions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes are stabilized by relatively low concentrations of dissolved humic substances in solution through surfactive mechanisms

Tailoring of the free spectral range and geometrical cavity dispersion of a microsphere by a coating layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ristić, Davor; Mazzola, Maurizio; Chiappini, Andrea; Rasoloniaina, Alphonse; Féron, Patrice; Ramponi, Roberta; Righini, Giancarlo C; Cibiel, Gilles; Ivanda, Mile; Ferrari, Maurizio

2014-09-01

The modal dispersion of a whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator is a very important parameter for use in all nonlinear optics applications. In order to tailor the WGM modal dispersion of a microsphere, we have coated a silica microsphere with a high-refractive-index coating in order to study its effect on the WGM modal dispersion. We used Er(3+) ions as a probe for a modal dispersion assessment. We found that, by varying the coating thickness, the geometrical cavity dispersion can be used to shift overall modal dispersion in a very wide range in both the normal and anomalous dispersion regime.

Energy-latitude dispersion patterns near the isotropy boundaries of energetic protons

Science.gov (United States)

Sergeev, V. A.; Chernyaeva, S. A.; Apatenkov, S. V.; Ganushkina, N. Y.; Dubyagin, S. V.

2015-08-01

Non-adiabatic motion of plasma sheet protons causes pitch-angle scattering and isotropic precipitation to the ionosphere, which forms the proton auroral oval. This mechanism related to current sheet scattering (CSS) provides a specific energy-latitude dispersion pattern near the equatorward boundary of proton isotropic precipitation (isotropy boundary, IB), with precipitation sharply decreasing at higher (lower) latitude for protons with lower (higher) energy. However, this boundary maps to the inner magnetosphere, where wave-induced scattering may provide different dispersion patterns as recently demonstrated by Liang et al. (2014). Motivated by the potential usage of the IBs for the magnetotail monitoring as well as by the need to better understand the mechanisms forming the proton IB, we investigate statistically the details of particle flux patterns near the proton IB using NOAA-POES polar spacecraft observations made during September 2009. By comparing precipitated-to-trapped flux ratio (J0/J90) at >30 and >80 keV proton energies, we found a relatively small number of simple CSS-type dispersion events (only 31 %). The clear reversed (wave-induced) dispersion patterns were very rare (5 %). The most frequent pattern had nearly coinciding IBs at two energies (63 %). The structured precipitation with multiple IBs was very frequent (60 %), that is, with two or more significant J0/J90 dropouts. The average latitudinal width of multiple IB structures was about 1°. Investigation of dozens of paired auroral zone crossings of POES satellites showed that the IB pattern is stable on a timescale of less than 2 min (a few proton bounce periods) but can evolve on a longer (several minutes) scale, suggesting temporal changes in some mesoscale structures in the equatorial magnetosphere. We discuss the possible role of CSS-related and wave-induced mechanisms and their possible coupling to interpret the emerging complicated patterns of proton isotropy boundaries.

A system for real-time environmental assessment using an operational meteorological data base for dispersion calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appelgren, A.; Hallberg, B.; Nordlinder, S.; Salomonsson, S.

1990-01-01

A method for assessing the meteorological conditions on a local scale, about 20 km, around a specific site was developed, and applied to the area around the Forsmark nuclear power plant, situated on the coast about 100 km north of Stockholm. Meteorological data were collected, for an one-year period, from sensors in a tower and from a Sodar system at Forsmark. In addition, two Sodar systems were placed at several locations around the power plant, out to a distance of approximately 20 km. By statistical compiling, an operational data base was established, consisting of classes of wind speed, wind direction and atmospheric stability. The data from the remote sites were related to those from Forsmark. This gave the possibility to determine the variation of the meteorological conditions in time and space, using data from a single location only. The main objective of the Forsmark project was to identify and indicate situations in which the conditions for dispersion were difficult to model accurately when using measurements taken from a conventional tower, without knowledge of the influence of local mesoscale disturbances. Such could be e.g. sea breeze, large horizontal or vertical wind shear, terrain-induced flow patterns etc. The use of an operational data base, as described above, in connection with real-time dispersion models, such as AIRPAC/EMMA, will improve the performance of such models, as well as consequence analyses, in case of accidental releases from nuclear power plants or other industrial plants

Theory of dispersive microlenses

Science.gov (United States)

Herman, B.; Gal, George

1993-01-01

A dispersive microlens is a miniature optical element which simultaneously focuses and disperses light. Arrays of dispersive mircolenses have potential applications in multicolor focal planes. They have a 100 percent optical fill factor and can focus light down to detectors of diffraction spot size, freeing up areas on the focal plane for on-chip analog signal processing. Use of dispersive microlenses allows inband color separation within a pixel and perfect scene registration. A dual-color separation has the potential for temperature discrimination. We discuss the design of dispersive microlenses and present sample results for efficient designs.

Doppler derived gradient of ST Jude Mechanical Prosthesis, early postoperative assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaikh, A.H.; Hanif, B.; Adil, A.; Hashimi, S.; Qazi, H.A.; Mujtaba, I.

2010-01-01

Objective: To determine the doppler derived mean gradients of St Jude mechanical prosthesis in early postoperative period in patients undergoing valve replacement at a tertiary care cardiac centre. Methods: Medical records of 190 consecutive patients who underwent 233 mitral, aortic or dual (mitral and aortic) valve replacement by St Jude bileaflet mechanical prosthesis at Tabba Heart Institute, between March 2006 to December 2008 were reviewed. Doppler derived mean gradients were assessed predischarge and recorded. Results: There were 98 (51.5%) males and 92 (48.5%) females in the study cohort. The mean age was 40 +- 14 years. Of the total, 101 (53%) had mitral, 46 (24.2%) had aortic and 43 (22.6%) patients had dual valve replacement. Doppler derived mean gradient was assessed across 144 mitral and 89 aortic St Jude mechanical prosthesis. Doppler derived mean gradient for St Jude mitral prosthesis was 3.5 mm Hg and for St Jude aortic prosthesis was 10.2 mm Hg. Conclusions: The study determines baseline gradients across mitral and aortic St Jude mechanical prosthesis in our population. These can be used as reference gradients to assess St Jude prosthetic valve function in patients who did not have early postoperative doppler assessment. (author)

Adsorption of polymethacrylic acid from aqueous solutions on disperse titanium dioxide

Science.gov (United States)

Yaremko, Z. M.; Tkachenko, N. G.; Fedushinskaya, L. B.

2011-10-01

The state of macromolecules of polymethacrylic acid adsorbed on the surface of disperse titanium dioxide was assessed using a combination of the differential concentration approach to the determination of adsorption and methods for determining the size of disperse adsorbents by dynamic light scattering and sedimentation analysis in the field of centrifugal forces. Three sections were found on the isotherm of adsorption: in the first, isolated islands of adsorbed macromolecules formed; in the second, layers of macromolecules with a different degree of deformation were observed; in the third, determining the adsorption of macromolecules is complicated by other accompanying processes, and assessing the state of macromolecules in the adsorption layer becomes difficult.

Dispersant Effectiveness, In-Situ Droplet Size Distribution and ...

Science.gov (United States)

This report summarizes two projects covered under an Interagency Agreement between the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (BIO DFO), New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Dalhousie University. Both projects dovetail together in addressing the ability to differentiate physical from chemical dispersion effectiveness using dispersed oil simulations within a flume tank for improving forensic response monitoring tools. This report is split into separateTasks based upon the two projects funded by BSEE: 1) Dispersant Effectiveness, In-Situ Droplet Size Distribution and Numerical Modeling to Assess Subsurface Dispersant Injection as a Deepwater Blowout Oil Spill Response Option. 2) Evaluation of Oil Fluorescence Characteristics to Improve Forensic Response Tools. This report summarizes 2 collaborative projects funded through an Interagency Agreement with DOI BSEE and a Cooperative Agreement with DFO Canada. BSEE required that the projects be combined into one report as they are both covered under the one Interagency Agreement. Task B (Fluorescence of oils) is an SHC 3.62 FY16 product.

Development of oxide dispersion strengthened 2205 duplex stainless steel composite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oladayo OLANIRAN

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Composites of duplex stainless steel were produced by oxide dispersion strengthening with comparatively improved mechanical properties by hot press sintering of partially stabilized Zirconia (PSZ, 3% yttria, mole fraction dispersion in 2205 duplex stainless steels. Ceramic oxide was added as reinforcement, while chromium (Cr and Nickel (Ni were incorporated to maintain the austenitic/ferritic phase balance of the duplex stainless steel. The powders and sintered were characterized in detail using scanning electron microscopy (SEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD. The microstructural evolution and phase formation during oxide dispersion strengthening of duplex stainless steel composites were investigated. The influence of composition variation of the reinforcements on the microstructural and corrosion behaviour in simulated mine water of the composites were investigated. In this manuscript, it was established that composition has great influence on the structure/properties relationship of the composites developed.

Seed dispersal in six species of terrestrial orchids in Biebrza National Park (NE Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilia Brzosko

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Knowledge about seed dispersal is required to explain problems in ecology, phylogeography, and conservation biology. Even though seed dispersal is a fundamental mechanism to understand problems at different levels of biological organization (individual, population, species, landscape, it remains one of the least recognized processes. Similar to other groups of plants, very little is known regarding patterns and distances of seed dispersal in orchids. Orchid seeds are generally assumed to be widely dispersed by wind because of their small size and low weight. Between 2006 and 2008, we conducted a field study of the distances at which orchid seeds are dispersed, and determined factors affecting dispersal. Investigations included 13 populations of six terrestrial orchid species – Cypripedium calceolus, Cephalanthera rubra, Epipactis helleborine, Goodyera repens, Neottia ovata, and Platanthera bifolia. To evaluate seed dispersal in orchid populations, 8.5-cm Petri dishes (traps with self-adhesive paper were placed along transects, starting from a group of fruiting plants, which were considered to be the dispersal source. Seeds of the investigated orchid species were dispersed over relatively short distances. There were statistically significant negative correlations between seed density and distance from the fruiting plants. Seeds of species with taller fruiting shoots were dispersed farther than those with shorter ones (R = 0.68, p < 0.05. We discuss the causes and consequences of the dispersal patterns of orchid seeds.

Cefuroxime axetil solid dispersions prepared using solution enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluids.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, Seoung Wook; Kim, Min-Soo; Jo, Guk Hyun; Lee, Sibeum; Woo, Jong Soo; Park, Jeong-Sook; Hwang, Sung-Joo

2005-12-01

Cefuroxime axetil (CA) solid dispersions with HPMC 2910/PVP K-30 were prepared using solution enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluids (SEDS) in an effort to increase the dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs. Their physicochemical properties in solid state were characterized by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy. No endothermic and characteristic diffraction peaks corresponding to CA were observed for the solid dispersions in DSC and PXRD. FTIR analysis demonstrated the presence of intermolecular hydrogen bonds between CA and HPMC 2910/PVP K-30 in solid dispersions, resulting in the formation of amorphous or non-crystalline CA. Dissolution studies indicated that the dissolution rates were remarkably increased in solid dispersions compared with those in the physical mixture and drug alone. In conclusion, an amorphous or non-crystalline CA solid dispersion prepared using SEDS could be very useful for the formulation of solid dosage forms.

Challenges to inferring causality from viral information dispersion in dynamic social networks

Science.gov (United States)

Ternovski, John

2014-06-01

Understanding the mechanism behind large-scale information dispersion through complex networks has important implications for a variety of industries ranging from cyber-security to public health. With the unprecedented availability of public data from online social networks (OSNs) and the low cost nature of most OSN outreach, randomized controlled experiments, the "gold standard" of causal inference methodologies, have been used with increasing regularity to study viral information dispersion. And while these studies have dramatically furthered our understanding of how information disseminates through social networks by isolating causal mechanisms, there are still major methodological concerns that need to be addressed in future research. This paper delineates why modern OSNs are markedly different from traditional sociological social networks and why these differences present unique challenges to experimentalists and data scientists. The dynamic nature of OSNs is particularly troublesome for researchers implementing experimental designs, so this paper identifies major sources of bias arising from network mutability and suggests strategies to circumvent and adjust for these biases. This paper also discusses the practical considerations of data quality and collection, which may adversely impact the efficiency of the estimator. The major experimental methodologies used in the current literature on virality are assessed at length, and their strengths and limits identified. Other, as-yetunsolved threats to the efficiency and unbiasedness of causal estimators--such as missing data--are also discussed. This paper integrates methodologies and learnings from a variety of fields under an experimental and data science framework in order to systematically consolidate and identify current methodological limitations of randomized controlled experiments conducted in OSNs.

Characterisation of Aerosols from Simulated Radiological Dispersion Events

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Di Lemma, F.G.

2015-01-01

The research described in this thesis aims at improving the evaluation of the radiaoctive aerosol release from different Radiological Dispersion Events (RDE's), such as accidents and sabotage involving radioactive and nuclear materials. These studies help in a better assessment of the source term as

Dispersal and individual quality in a long lived species

Science.gov (United States)

Cam, E.; Monnat, J.-Y.; Royle, J. Andrew

2004-01-01

The idea of differences in individual quality has been put forward in numerous long-term studies in long-lived species to explain differences in lifetime production among individuals. Despite the important role of individual heterogeneity in vital rates in demography, population dynamics and life history theory, the idea of 'individual quality' is elusive. It is sometimes assumed to be a static or dynamic individual characteristic. When considered as a dynamic trait, it is sometimes assumed to vary deterministically or stochastically, or to be confounded with the characteristics of the habitat. We addressed heterogeneity in reproductive performance among individuals established in higher-quality habitat in a long-lived seabird species. We used approaches to statistical inference based on individual random effects permitting quantification of heterogeneity in populations and assessment of individual variation from the population mean. We found evidence of heterogeneity in breeding probability, not success probability. We assessed the influence of dispersal on individual reproductive potential. Dispersal is likely to be destabilizing in species with high site and mate fidelity. We detected heterogeneity after dispersal, not before. Individuals may perform well regardless of quality before destabilization, including those that recruited in higher-quality habitat by chance, but only higher-quality individuals may be able to overcome the consequences of dispersal. Importantly, results differed when accounting for individual heterogeneity (an increase in mean breeding probability when individuals dispersed), or not (a decrease in mean breeding probability). In the latter case, the decrease in mean breeding probability may result from a substantial decrease in breeding probability in a few individuals and a slight increase in others. In other words, the pattern observed at the population mean level may not reflect what happens in the majority of individuals.

Application of dispersion and dose assessment models to the solid and liquid wastes facilities of Ezeiza radioactive waste management area; Aplicacion de modelos de dispersion y evaluacion dosimetrica a los sistemas de semicontencion de residuos radiactivos solidos y liquidos del area gestion Ezeiza

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amado, Valeria A; Lopez, Fabio O

2007-07-01

This paper provides a dose assessment of the critic group from the near surface facility for solid and liquid waste, located at Ezeiza Atomic Center in Argentina (Ezeiza Radioactive Waste Management Area-AGE). The calculations were made using several approaches about source term. The activities for each radionuclide and facility were taken from the National Atomic Energy Commission's Inventory that corresponds to the first trimester of 2005. The radioactive decay of each radionuclide was considered. The work was performed in two steps. In the first step, using the Nuclide Dispersion in Phreatic Aquifer Model (DRAF), the dispersion of the contaminants into the phreatic aquifer until the discharge point at a superficial water course was considered. In the second step, the Consequences of Releases to the Environment Assessment Methodology Program (PC CREAM) was used for the study of radionuclides dispersion in superficial water course and dose calculations. The results from this paper show that, for every studied radionuclide, the doses involved are significantly lower than the values established by current regulations. On the other hand, those results put in evidence the utility of simple models in estimating the order of magnitude of expected concentrations and doses. It is important to highlight that the obtained results can be used only in the context of the suppositions that were made. (author) [Spanish] En este trabajo se presenta una evaluacion de la dosis que recibiria el grupo critico, bajo ciertos supuestos, debido a la liberacion de radionucleidos contenidos en los Sistemas de Semicontencion de Residuos Radiactivos Solidos y Liquidos del Area de Gestion, del Centro Atomico Ezeiza. Para ello, se deben realizar algunas aproximaciones del termino fuente y se consideran los valores de actividades del Inventario de CNEA correspondiente al primer trimestre del 2005, teniendo en cuenta el periodo de semidesintegracion de cada radionucleido. La evaluacion se

Development of PRIME for irradiation performance analysis of U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Gwan Yoon; Kim, Yeon Soo; Jeong, Yong Jin; Park, Jong Man; Sohn, Dong-Seong

2018-04-01

A prediction code for the thermo-mechanical performance of research reactor fuel (PRIME) has been developed with the implementation of developed models to analyze the irradiation behavior of U-Mo dispersion fuel. The code is capable of predicting the two-dimensional thermal and mechanical performance of U-Mo dispersion fuel during irradiation. A finite element method was employed to solve the governing equations for thermal and mechanical equilibria. Temperature- and burnup-dependent material properties of the fuel meat constituents and cladding were used. The numerical solution schemes in PRIME were verified by benchmarking solutions obtained using a commercial finite element analysis program (ABAQUS). The code was validated using irradiation data from RERTR, HAMP-1, and E-FUTURE tests. The measured irradiation data used in the validation were IL thickness, volume fractions of fuel meat constituents for the thermal analysis, and profiles of the plate thickness changes and fuel meat swelling for the mechanical analysis. The prediction results were in good agreement with the measurement data for both thermal and mechanical analyses, confirming the validity of the code.

Wave-equation dispersion inversion

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Feng, Zongcai; Schuster, Gerard T.

2016-01-01

We present the theory for wave-equation inversion of dispersion curves, where the misfit function is the sum of the squared differences between the wavenumbers along the predicted and observed dispersion curves. The dispersion curves are obtained

Institutionalizing Emerging Technology Assessment Process into National Incident Response

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-01

mechanical methods, devices, and products, including oil sensors, booms, skimmers, decontamination , and waste minimization technologies...handling). • Alternative Oil Spill Response Technologies (in situ burning , dispersants, etc.). • Oil Spill Damage Assessment and Restoration. The TETs...deaths of eleven crewmembers and a subsequent uncontrolled oil spill that tested the government’s ability to respond to a spill of this magnitude as

Utilizing toxicogenomic data to understand chemical mechanism of action in risk assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, Vickie S., E-mail: wilson.vickie@epa.gov [National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 (United States); Keshava, Nagalakshmi [National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460 (United States); Hester, Susan [National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 (United States); Segal, Deborah; Chiu, Weihsueh [National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460 (United States); Thompson, Chad M. [ToxStrategies, Inc., 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Suite G265, Katy, TX 77494 (United States); Euling, Susan Y. [National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460 (United States)

2013-09-15

The predominant role of toxicogenomic data in risk assessment, thus far, has been one of augmentation of more traditional in vitro and in vivo toxicology data. This article focuses on the current available examples of instances where toxicogenomic data has been evaluated in human health risk assessment (e.g., acetochlor and arsenicals) which have been limited to the application of toxicogenomic data to inform mechanism of action. This article reviews the regulatory policy backdrop and highlights important efforts to ultimately achieve regulatory acceptance. A number of research efforts on specific chemicals that were designed for risk assessment purposes have employed mechanism or mode of action hypothesis testing and generating strategies. The strides made by large scale efforts to utilize toxicogenomic data in screening, testing, and risk assessment are also discussed. These efforts include both the refinement of methodologies for performing toxicogenomics studies and analysis of the resultant data sets. The current issues limiting the application of toxicogenomics to define mode or mechanism of action in risk assessment are discussed together with interrelated research needs. In summary, as chemical risk assessment moves away from a single mechanism of action approach toward a toxicity pathway-based paradigm, we envision that toxicogenomic data from multiple technologies (e.g., proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, supportive RT-PCR studies) can be used in conjunction with one another to understand the complexities of multiple, and possibly interacting, pathways affected by chemicals which will impact human health risk assessment.

Utilizing toxicogenomic data to understand chemical mechanism of action in risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, Vickie S.; Keshava, Nagalakshmi; Hester, Susan; Segal, Deborah; Chiu, Weihsueh; Thompson, Chad M.; Euling, Susan Y.

2013-01-01

The predominant role of toxicogenomic data in risk assessment, thus far, has been one of augmentation of more traditional in vitro and in vivo toxicology data. This article focuses on the current available examples of instances where toxicogenomic data has been evaluated in human health risk assessment (e.g., acetochlor and arsenicals) which have been limited to the application of toxicogenomic data to inform mechanism of action. This article reviews the regulatory policy backdrop and highlights important efforts to ultimately achieve regulatory acceptance. A number of research efforts on specific chemicals that were designed for risk assessment purposes have employed mechanism or mode of action hypothesis testing and generating strategies. The strides made by large scale efforts to utilize toxicogenomic data in screening, testing, and risk assessment are also discussed. These efforts include both the refinement of methodologies for performing toxicogenomics studies and analysis of the resultant data sets. The current issues limiting the application of toxicogenomics to define mode or mechanism of action in risk assessment are discussed together with interrelated research needs. In summary, as chemical risk assessment moves away from a single mechanism of action approach toward a toxicity pathway-based paradigm, we envision that toxicogenomic data from multiple technologies (e.g., proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, supportive RT-PCR studies) can be used in conjunction with one another to understand the complexities of multiple, and possibly interacting, pathways affected by chemicals which will impact human health risk assessment

Probing the mechanisms of drug release from amorphous solid dispersions in medium-soluble and medium-insoluble carriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Dajun D; Lee, Ping I

2015-08-10

The objective of the current study is to mechanistically differentiate the dissolution and supersaturation behaviors of amorphous drugs from amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) based on medium-soluble versus medium-insoluble carriers under nonsink dissolution conditions through a direct head-to-head comparison. ASDs of indomethacin (IND) were prepared in several polymers which exhibit different solubility behaviors in acidic (pH1.2) and basic (pH7.4) dissolution media. The selected polymers range from water-soluble (e.g., PVP and Soluplus) and water-insoluble (e.g., ethylcellulose and Eudragit RL PO) to those only soluble in an acidic or basic dissolution medium (e.g., Eudragit E100, Eudragit L100, and HPMCAS). At 20wt.% drug loading, DSC and powder XRD analysis confirmed that the majority of incorporated IND was present in an amorphous state. Our nonsink dissolution results confirm that whether the carrier matrix is medium soluble determines the release mechanism of amorphous drugs from ASD systems which has a direct impact on the rate of supersaturation generation, thus in turn affecting the evolution of supersaturation in amorphous systems. For example, under nonsink dissolution conditions, the release of amorphous IND from medium-soluble carriers is governed by a dissolution-controlled mechanism leading to an initial surge of supersaturation followed by a sharp decline in drug concentration due to rapid nucleation and crystallization. In contrast, the dissolution of IND ASD from medium-insoluble carriers is more gradual as drug release is regulated by a diffusion-controlled mechanism by which drug supersaturation is built up gradually and sustained over an extended period of time without any apparent decline. Since several tested carrier polymers can be switched from soluble to insoluble by simply changing the pH of the dissolution medium, the results obtained here provide unequivocal evidence of the proposed transition of kinetic solubility profiles from the

Diagnostics for liquid dispersion due to a high-speed impact with accident or vulnerability assessment application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jepsen, Richard A; O'Hern, Timothy; Demosthenous, Byron; Bystrom, Ed; Nissen, Mark; Romero, Edward; Yoon, Sam S

2009-01-01

The high-speed impact and subsequent dispersion of a large liquid slug is of interest for assessing vulnerability of structures when subjected to such an event. The Weber number associated with such liquid impacts is generally between 10 5 and 10 8 . Because of the experiment scale and destructive nature of these high-energy impacts, most traditional diagnostics are difficult to implement. Therefore, unique diagnostics were employed in several tests to gather information on impact force, spreading instability, slug break-up, ejection velocity, droplet deformation and spray characteristics. Measurement techniques discussed here include high-speed photometrics, particle image velocimetry (PIV), TrackEye particle analysis, speckle correlation, single-pass schlieren imaging, phase Doppler particle analyzer (PDPA) and load cell measurements as applied to large-scale, high-speed liquid impacts

Analysis of fine-dispersed chalk usage as mineral additive in the composition of sand aggrerate concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Светлана Николаевна Чепурная

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The research results of fine-disperse chalk addition on physical and mechanical properties of the cement stone and concrete are shown. It is determined that fine-disperse chalk addition in the binder composition increases the content of ultrafine particles. The chalk particles fill the pore space between the cement particles, increasing the packing density, which leads to a density increase, which consequently leads to improved physical and mechanical properties of the concrete: water tightness, cold resistance, corrosion resistance, crack resistance and other properties

DART-TM: A thermomechanical version of DART for LEU VHD dispersed and monolithic fuel analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saliba, Roberto; Taboada, Horacio; Moscarda, Ma.Virginia; Rest, Jeff

2003-01-01

A collaboration agreement between ANL/USDOE and CNEA Argentina, in the area of Low Enriched Uranium Advanced Fuels has been in place since October 16, 1997 under the 'Implementation Arrangement for Technical Exchange and Cooperation in the Area of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy'. An annex concerning DART code optimization has been operative since February 8, 1999. Previously, as a part of this annex a visual thermal FASTDART version was developed that includes mechanistic models for the calculation of the fission-gas-bubble and fuel particle size distribution, reaction layer thickness, and meat thermal conductivity. FASTDART was presented at the last RERTR Meeting that included validation against RERTR 3 irradiation data. The thermal FASTDART version was assessed as an adequate tool for modeling the behavior of LEU U-Mo dispersed fuels under irradiation against PIE RERTR irradiation data. During this past year the development of a 3-D thermo-mechanical version of the code for modeling the irradiation behavior of LEU U-Mo monolithic and dispersion fuel was initiated. Some preliminary results of this work will be shown during RERTR-2003 meeting. (author)

Seed dispersal in fens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Middleton, Beth; van Diggelen, Rudy; Jensen, Kai

Question: How does seed dispersal reduce fen isolation and contribute to biodiversity? Location: European and North American fens. Methods: This paper reviews the literature on seed dispersal to fens. Results: Landscape fragmentation may reduce dispersal opportunities thereby isolating fens and

Assessment of Food Insecurity and Coping Mechanisms among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

J. Agric. Sci. 23:145-156 (2013). Assessment of Food Insecurity and Coping. Mechanisms among Pastoral Households of Afar. National Regional State: The Case of Chifra .... practicing both farming and extensive livestock rearing. ..... trade, which is regulated by animal health certification system and which is becoming.

Chemical countermeasures: Dispersants overview of dispersant use (including application) and research issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butler, J.N.

1992-01-01

I will attempt in twenty minutes to summarize the state of research on oil spill dispersants as I perceive it. The expertise I bring to this task includes 20 years of experience with the fate and effects of petroleum in the marine environment, including participation in the 1973 and 1981 NRC studies and three years as chairman of the NRC committee on oil spill dispersants. I More recently I served on a committee of the International Maritime Organization which reviewed the open-quotes Impact of oil and related chemicals and wastes on the marine environment.close quotes That report will be published this year. However, my statements in this paper are not made as a representative of either NRC or IMO. They are my own interpretation of scientific literature cited in the above reviews. Dispersants are chemical formulations, which include surface active agents, designed to decrease the interfacial tension between oil and water. Because the first attempts to disperse oil on a large scale, at the Torrey Canyon spill of 1967, used highly toxic degreasing agents, dispersants have an undeserved reputation for toxicity. In fact, for twenty years dispersant formulations have been developed with an emphasis on reducing their toxicity to marine life. The dispersal of oil in water has been documented in the laboratory by dozens of papers (see references in NRC 1989, pp 70-79), and in the field by dozens of studies (NRC 1989, pp 165- 193). The toxicity of commercial dispersant formulations (NRC 1989, pp 81-123) and dispersed oil (NRC 1989, pp 123-147) has been tested on a wide variety of marine organisms ranging from algae to salmonid fishes. The NRC review has been updated by the IMO/GESAMP (1992) study, but the conclusions remain unchanged

Dispersing powders in liquids

CERN Document Server

Nelson, RD

1988-01-01

This book provides powder technologists with laboratory procedures for selecting dispersing agents and preparing stable dispersions that can then be used in particle size characterization instruments. Its broader goal is to introduce industrial chemists and engineers to the phenomena, terminology, physical principles, and chemical considerations involved in preparing and handling dispersions on a commercial scale. The book introduces novices to: - industrial problems due to improper degree of dispersion; - the nomenclature used in describing particles; - the basic physica

Non-Fickian dispersive transport of strontium in laboratory-scale columns: Modelling and evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dongxu; Jivkov, Andrey P.; Wang, Lichun; Si, Gaohua; Yu, Jing

2017-06-01

In the context of environmental remediation of contaminated sites and safety assessment of nuclear waste disposal in the near-surface zone, we investigate the leaching and non-Fickian dispersive migration with sorption of strontium (mocking strontium-90) through columns packed with sand and clay. Analysis is based on breakthrough curves (BTCs) from column experiments, which simulated rainfall infiltration and source term release scenario, rather than applying constant tracer solution at the inlet as commonly used. BTCs are re-evaluated and transport parameters are estimated by inverse modelling using two approaches: (1) equilibrium advection-dispersion equation (ADE); and (2) continuous time random walk (CTRW). Firstly, based on a method for calculating leach concentration, the inlet condition with an exponential decay input is identified. Secondly, the results show that approximately 39%-58% of Br- and 16%-49% of Sr2+ are eluted from the columns at the end of the breakthrough experiments. This suggests that trapping mechanisms, including diffusion into immobile zones and attachment of tracer on mineral surfaces, are more pronounced for Sr2+ than for Br-. Thirdly, we demonstrate robustness of CTRW-based truncated power-law (TPL) model in capturing non-Fickian reactive transport with 0 2. The non-Fickian dispersion observed experimentally is explained by variations of local flow field from preferential flow paths due to physical heterogeneities. Particularly, the additional sorption process of strontium on clay minerals contributes to the delay of the peak concentration and the tailing features, which leads to an enhanced non-Fickian transport for strontium. Finally, the ADE and CTRW approaches to environmental modelling are evaluated. It is shown that CTRW with a sorption term can describe non-Fickian dispersive transport of strontium at laboratory scale by identifying appropriate parameters, while the traditional ADE with a retardation factor fails to reproduce

Coordinate, Momentum and Dispersion operators in Phase space representation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rakotoson, H.; Raoelina Andriambololona; Ranaivoson, R.T.R.; Raboanary, R.

2017-07-01

The aim of this paper is to present a study on the representations of coordinate, momentum and dispersion operators in the framework of a phase space representation of quantum mechanics that we have introduced and studied in previous works. We begin in the introduction section with a recall about the concept of representation of operators on wave function spaces. Then, we show that in the case of the phase space representation the coordinate and momentum operators can be represented either with differential operators or with matrices. The explicit expressions of both the differential operators and matrices representations are established. Multidimensional generalization of the obtained results are performed and phase space representation of dispersion operators are given.

Taurine zinc solid dispersions attenuate doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yu; Mei, Xueting; Yuan, Jingquan; Lu, Wenping; Li, Binglong; Xu, Donghui

2015-01-01

The clinical efficacy of anthracycline anti-neoplastic agents is limited by cardiac and hepatic toxicities. The aim of this study was to assess the hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects of taurine zinc solid dispersions, which is a newly-synthesized taurine zinc compound, against doxorubicin-induced toxicity in Sprague–Dawley rats intraperitoneally injected with doxorubicin hydrochloride (3 mg/kg) three times a week (seven injections) over 28 days. Hemodynamic parameters, levels of liver toxicity markers and oxidative stress were assessed. Taurine zinc significantly attenuated the reductions in blood pressure, left ventricular pressure and ± dp/dtmax, increases in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, and reductions in serum Zn 2+ and albumin levels (P < 0.05 or 0.01) induced by doxorubicin. In rats treated with doxorubicin, taurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione concentration, and decreased malondialdehyde level (P < 0.01). qBase + was used to evaluate the stability of eight candidate reference genes for real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. Taurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver heme oxygenase-1 and UDP-glucuronyl transferase mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.01). Western blotting demonstrated that taurine zinc inhibited c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation by upregulating dual-specificity phosphoprotein phosphatase-1. Additionally, taurine zinc inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis as there was decreased TUNEL/DAPI positivity and protein expression of caspase-3. These results indicate that taurine zinc solid dispersions prevent the side-effects of anthracycline-based anticancer therapy. The mechanisms might be associated with the enhancement of antioxidant defense system partly through activating transcription to synthesize endogenous phase II medicine enzymes and anti-apoptosis through inhibiting JNK phosphorylation. - Highlights: �

Taurine zinc solid dispersions attenuate doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity in rats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yu; Mei, Xueting; Yuan, Jingquan; Lu, Wenping; Li, Binglong; Xu, Donghui, E-mail: Donghuixu007@163.com

2015-11-15

The clinical efficacy of anthracycline anti-neoplastic agents is limited by cardiac and hepatic toxicities. The aim of this study was to assess the hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects of taurine zinc solid dispersions, which is a newly-synthesized taurine zinc compound, against doxorubicin-induced toxicity in Sprague–Dawley rats intraperitoneally injected with doxorubicin hydrochloride (3 mg/kg) three times a week (seven injections) over 28 days. Hemodynamic parameters, levels of liver toxicity markers and oxidative stress were assessed. Taurine zinc significantly attenuated the reductions in blood pressure, left ventricular pressure and ± dp/dtmax, increases in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, and reductions in serum Zn{sup 2+} and albumin levels (P < 0.05 or 0.01) induced by doxorubicin. In rats treated with doxorubicin, taurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione concentration, and decreased malondialdehyde level (P < 0.01). qBase{sup +} was used to evaluate the stability of eight candidate reference genes for real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. Taurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver heme oxygenase-1 and UDP-glucuronyl transferase mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.01). Western blotting demonstrated that taurine zinc inhibited c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation by upregulating dual-specificity phosphoprotein phosphatase-1. Additionally, taurine zinc inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis as there was decreased TUNEL/DAPI positivity and protein expression of caspase-3. These results indicate that taurine zinc solid dispersions prevent the side-effects of anthracycline-based anticancer therapy. The mechanisms might be associated with the enhancement of antioxidant defense system partly through activating transcription to synthesize endogenous phase II medicine enzymes and anti-apoptosis through inhibiting JNK phosphorylation. - Highlights: �

Seed dispersal in fens

Science.gov (United States)

Middleton, B.; Van Diggelen, R.; Jensen, K.

2006-01-01

Question: How does seed dispersal reduce fen isolation and contribute to biodiversity? Location: European and North American fens. Methods: This paper reviews the literature on seed dispersal to fens. Results: Landscape fragmentation may reduce dispersal opportunities thereby isolating fens and reducing genetic exchange. Species in fragmented wetlands may have lower reproductive success, which can lead to biodiversity loss. While fens may have always been relatively isolated from each other, they have become increasingly fragmented in modern times within agricultural and urban landscapes in both Europe and North America. Dispersal by water, animals and wind has been hampered by changes related to development in landscapes surrounding fens. Because the seeds of certain species are long-lived in the seed bank, frequent episodes of dispersal are not always necessary to maintain the biodiversity of fens. However, of particular concern to restoration is that some dominant species, such as the tussock sedge Carex stricta, may not disperse readily between fens. Conclusions: Knowledge of seed dispersal can be used to maintain and restore the biodiversity of fens in fragmented landscapes. Given that development has fragmented landscapes and that this situation is not likely to change, the dispersal of seeds might be enhanced by moving hay or cattle from fens to damaged sites, or by reestablishing lost hydrological connections. ?? IAVS; Opulus Press.

Good reasons to leave home: proximate dispersal cues in a social spider.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger-Tal, Reut; Berner-Aharon, Na'ama; Aharon, Shlomi; Tuni, Cristina; Lubin, Yael

2016-07-01

Natal dispersal is a successful tactic under a range of conditions in spite of significant costs. Habitat quality is a frequent proximate cause of dispersal, and studies have shown that dispersal increases both when natal habitat quality is good or poor. In social species kin competition, favouring dispersal may be balanced by the benefits of group living, favouring philopatry. We investigated the effect of changes in the local environment on natal dispersal of adult females in a social spider species, Stegodyphus dumicola (Araneae, Eresidae), with a flexible breeding system, where females can breed either within the colony or individually following dispersal. We manipulated foraging opportunities in colonies by either removing the capture webs or by adding prey and recorded the number of dispersing females around each focal colony, and their survival and reproductive success. We predicted that increasing kin competition should increase dispersal of less-competitive individuals, while reducing competition could cause either less dispersal (less competition) or more dispersal (a cue indicating better chances to establish a new colony). Dispersal occurred earlier and at a higher rate in both food-augmented and web-removal colonies than in control colonies. Fewer dispersing females survived and reproduced in the web-removal group than in the control or food-augmented groups. The results support our prediction that worsening conditions in web-removal colonies favour dispersal, whereby increased kin competition and increased energy expenditure on web renewal cause females to leave the natal colony. By contrast, prey augmentation may serve as a habitat-quality cue; when the surrounding habitat is expected to be of high quality, females assess the potential benefit of establishing a new colony to be greater than the costs of dispersal. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2016 British Ecological Society.

Topographic separation of two sympatric palms in the central Amazon - does dispersal play a role?

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes de Freitas, Cintia; Capellotto Costa, Flávia Regina; Svenning, Jens-Christian; Balslev, Henrik

2012-02-01

Despite broadly overlapping geographic distributions in the central Amazon basin, two congeneric palm species (Attalea attaleoides and Attalea microcarpa) have topographically separated distributions on a local scale in Reserva Ducke near Manaus. Our aim here was to determine if this local scale separation can be linked to (1) seedling stage specialization to different habitat conditions of the two species, and/or (2) environmentally-controlled seed dispersal. We assessed the role of these potential drivers by mapping the local distribution of the two species over a 25-km2 grid and testing for correlation to seed removal and seed germination patterns using seed sowing experiments. 360 seeds of each species were sown in 30 uniformly distributed plots (12 seeds of each species in each plot), and seed removal and germination were subsequently monitored. Adult populations of the two species showed opposite distribution patterns linked to topography. However, there was little evidence for specialization to different habitat conditions at the seedling stage: after 11 months, 26.1% of seeds of A. microcarpa had germinated along the entire topographic gradient, albeit with a tendency toward higher germination in more inclined areas. For A. attaleoides, only 2.2% seeds had germinated, and again along the entire topographic gradient. In contrast, there was evidence for environmentally-controlled seed dispersal: for both species, seed removal was higher in flat areas. Presence of adults did not affect germination or seed removal. Our results suggest that topographically differentiated distributions of A. attaleoides and A. microcarpa may be reinforced by steep slope avoidance by their seed dispersers. A direct environmental control mechanism remains to be identified to explain the consistent topographic associations, but our results show that this mechanism does not work at the seed germination stage.

Signals can trump rewards in attracting seed-dispersing ants.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyle M Turner

Full Text Available Both rewards and signals are important in mutualisms. In myrmecochory, or seed dispersal by ants, the benefits to plants are relatively well studied, but less is known about why ants pick up and move seeds. We examined seed dispersal by the ant Aphaenogaster rudis of four co-occurring species of plants, and tested whether morphology, chemical signaling, or the nutritional quality of fatty seed appendages called elaiosomes influenced dispersal rates. In removal trials, ants quickly collected diaspores (seeds plus elaiosomes of Asarum canadense, Trillium grandiflorum, and Sanguinaria canadensis, but largely neglected those of T. erectum. This discrepancy was not explained by differences in the bulk cost-benefit ratio, as assessed by the ratio of seed to elaiosome mass. We also provisioned colonies with diaspores from one of these four plant species or no diaspores as a control. Colonies performed best when fed S. canadensis diaspores, worst when fed T. grandiflorum, and intermediately when fed A. canadense, T. erectum, or no diaspores. Thus, the nutritional rewards in elaiosomes affected colony performance, but did not completely predict seed removal. Instead, high levels of oleic acid in T. grandiflorum elaiosomes may explain why ants disperse these diaspores even though they reduce ant colony performance. We show for the first time that different elaiosome-bearing plants provide rewards of different quality to ant colonies, but also that ants appear unable to accurately assess reward quality when encountering seeds. Instead, we suggest that signals can trump rewards as attractants of ants to seeds.

Validity of a traffic air pollutant dispersion model to assess exposure to fine particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kostrzewa, Aude; Reungoat, Patrice; Raherison, Chantal

2009-08-01

Fine particles (PM(2.5)) are an important component of air pollution. Epidemiological studies have shown health effects due to ambient air particles, particularly allergies in children. Since the main difficulty is to determine exposure to such pollution, traffic air pollutant (TAP) dispersions models have been developed to improve the estimation of individual exposure levels. One such model, the ExTra index, has been validated for nitrogen oxide concentrations but not for other pollutants. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the ExTra index to assess PM(2.5) exposure. We compared PM(2.5) concentrations calculated by the ExTra index to reference measures (passive samplers situated under the covered part of the playground), in 15 schools in Bordeaux, in 2000. First, we collected the input data required by the ExTra index: background and local pollution depending on traffic, meteorology and topography. Second, the ExTra index was calculated for each school. Statistical analysis consisted of a graphic description; then, we calculated an intraclass correlation coefficient. Concentrations calculated with the ExTra index and the reference method were similar. The ExTra index underestimated exposure by 2.2 microg m(-3) on average compared to the reference method. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.85 and its 95% confidence interval was [0.62; 0.95]. The results suggest that the ExTra index provides an assessment of PM(2.5) exposure similar to that of the reference method. Although caution is required in interpreting these results owing to the small number of sites, the ExTra index could be a useful epidemiological tool for reconstructing individual exposure, an important challenge in epidemiology.

Wave-equation dispersion inversion

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2016-12-08

We present the theory for wave-equation inversion of dispersion curves, where the misfit function is the sum of the squared differences between the wavenumbers along the predicted and observed dispersion curves. The dispersion curves are obtained from Rayleigh waves recorded by vertical-component geophones. Similar to wave-equation traveltime tomography, the complicated surface wave arrivals in traces are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the picked dispersion curves in the phase-velocity and frequency domains. Solutions to the elastic wave equation and an iterative optimization method are then used to invert these curves for 2-D or 3-D S-wave velocity models. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation dispersion inversion (WD), does not require the assumption of a layered model and is significantly less prone to the cycle-skipping problems of full waveform inversion. The synthetic and field data examples demonstrate that WD can approximately reconstruct the S-wave velocity distributions in laterally heterogeneous media if the dispersion curves can be identified and picked. The WD method is easily extended to anisotropic data and the inversion of dispersion curves associated with Love waves.

QT and JT dispersion and cardiac performance in children with neonatal Bartter syndrome: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hacihamdioglu, Duygu Ovunc; Fidanci, Kursat; Kilic, Ayhan; Gok, Faysal; Topaloglu, Rezan

2013-10-01

QT dispersion and JT dispersion are simple noninvasive arrhythmogenic markers that can be used to assess the homogeneity of cardiac repolarization. The aim of this study was to assess QT and JT dispersion and their relation with left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in children with Bartter syndrome (BS). Nine neonatal patients with BS (median age 9.7 years) and 20 controls (median age 8 years) were investigated at rest. Both study and control subjects underwent electrocardiography (ECG) in which the interval between two R waves and QT intervals, corrected QT, QT dispersion, corrected QT dispersion, JT, corrected JT, JT dispersion and corrected JT dispersion were measured with 12-lead ECG. Two-dimensional, Doppler echocardiographic examinations were performed. Patients and controls did not differ for gender and for serum levels of potassium, magnesium, and calcium (p > 0.05). Both study and control subjects had normal echocardiographic examination and baseline myocardial performance indexes. The QT dispersion and JT dispersion were significantly prolonged in patients with BS compared to those of the controls {37.5 ms [interquartile range (IQR) 32.5-40] vs. 25.5 ms (IQR 20-30), respectively, p = 0.014 and 37.5 ms (IQR 27.5-40) vs. 22.5 ms (IQR 20-30), respectively, p = 0.003}. Elevated QT and JT dispersion during asymptomatic and normokalemic periods may be risk factors for the development of cardiac complications and arrhythmias in children with BS. In these patients the need for systematic cardiac screening and management protocol is extremely important for effective prevention.

Metapopulation extinction risk: dispersal's duplicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Kevin

2009-09-01

Metapopulation extinction risk is the probability that all local populations are simultaneously extinct during a fixed time frame. Dispersal may reduce a metapopulation's extinction risk by raising its average per-capita growth rate. By contrast, dispersal may raise a metapopulation's extinction risk by reducing its average population density. Which effect prevails is controlled by habitat fragmentation. Dispersal in mildly fragmented habitat reduces a metapopulation's extinction risk by raising its average per-capita growth rate without causing any appreciable drop in its average population density. By contrast, dispersal in severely fragmented habitat raises a metapopulation's extinction risk because the rise in its average per-capita growth rate is more than offset by the decline in its average population density. The metapopulation model used here shows several other interesting phenomena. Dispersal in sufficiently fragmented habitat reduces a metapopulation's extinction risk to that of a constant environment. Dispersal between habitat fragments reduces a metapopulation's extinction risk insofar as local environments are asynchronous. Grouped dispersal raises the effective habitat fragmentation level. Dispersal search barriers raise metapopulation extinction risk. Nonuniform dispersal may reduce the effective fraction of suitable habitat fragments below the extinction threshold. Nonuniform dispersal may make demographic stochasticity a more potent metapopulation extinction force than environmental stochasticity.

Effects of oil dispersant on solubilization, sorption and desorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment–seawater systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Xiao; Gong, Yanyan; O’Reilly, S.E.; Zhao, Dongye

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Oil dispersant enhances solubilization of PAHs more effectively than surfactants. • Dispersant and dispersed oil enhance sediment sorption of PAHs and induce hysteresis. • Partitioning to sediment-sorbed dispersant is the mechanism for enhanced PAH uptake. • Dual-mode models well simulate dispersant-facilitated sorption of PAHs on sediment. • Deepwater conditions reduce solubilization of PAHs and lessen dispersant effects. - Abstract: This work investigated effects of a prototype oil dispersant on solubilization, sorption and desorption of three model PAHs in sediment–seawater systems. Increasing dispersant dosage linearly enhanced solubility for all PAHs. Conversely, the dispersant enhanced the sediment uptake of the PAHs, and induced significant desorption hysteresis. Such contrasting effects (adsolubilization vs. solubilization) of dispersant were found dependent of the dispersant concentration and PAH hydrophobicity. The dual-mode models adequately simulated the sorption kinetics and isotherms, and quantified dispersant-enhanced PAH uptake. Sorption of naphthalene and 1-methylnaphthalene by sediment positively correlated with uptake of the dispersant, while sorption of pyrene dropped sharply when the dispersant exceeded its critical micelle concentration (CMC). The deepwater conditions diminished the dispersant effects on solubilization, but enhanced uptake of the PAHs, albeit sorption of the dispersant was lowered. The information may aid in understanding roles of dispersants on distribution, fate and transport of petroleum PAHs in marine systems

Phase Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Cyclic Butylene Terephthalate Oligomer-Containing Rubbers: Effect of Mixing Temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Halász, István Zoltán; Bárány, Tamás

2016-08-24

In this work, the effect of mixing temperature (T mix ) on the mechanical, rheological, and morphological properties of rubber/cyclic butylene terephthalate (CBT) oligomer compounds was studied. Apolar (styrene butadiene rubber, SBR) and polar (acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, NBR) rubbers were modified by CBT (20 phr) for reinforcement and viscosity reduction. The mechanical properties were determined in tensile, tear, and dynamical mechanical analysis (DMTA) tests. The CBT-caused viscosity changes were assessed by parallel-plate rheometry. The morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). CBT became better dispersed in the rubber matrices with elevated mixing temperatures (at which CBT was in partially molten state), which resulted in improved tensile properties. With increasing mixing temperature the size of the CBT particles in the compounds decreased significantly, from few hundred microns to 5-10 microns. Compounding at temperatures above 120 °C and 140 °C for NBR and SBR, respectively, yielded reduced tensile mechanical properties most likely due to the degradation of the base rubber. The viscosity reduction by CBT was more pronounced in mixes with coarser CBT dispersions prepared at lower mixing temperatures.

Structural habitat predicts functional dispersal habitat of a large carnivore: how leopards change spots.

Science.gov (United States)

Fattebert, Julien; Robinson, Hugh S; Balme, Guy; Slotow, Rob; Hunter, Luke

2015-10-01

Natal dispersal promotes inter-population linkage, and is key to spatial distribution of populations. Degradation of suitable landscape structures beyond the specific threshold of an individual's ability to disperse can therefore lead to disruption of functional landscape connectivity and impact metapopulation function. Because it ignores behavioral responses of individuals, structural connectivity is easier to assess than functional connectivity and is often used as a surrogate for landscape connectivity modeling. However using structural resource selection models as surrogate for modeling functional connectivity through dispersal could be erroneous. We tested how well a second-order resource selection function (RSF) models (structural connectivity), based on GPS telemetry data from resident adult leopard (Panthera pardus L.), could predict subadult habitat use during dispersal (functional connectivity). We created eight non-exclusive subsets of the subadult data based on differing definitions of dispersal to assess the predictive ability of our adult-based RSF model extrapolated over a broader landscape. Dispersing leopards used habitats in accordance with adult selection patterns, regardless of the definition of dispersal considered. We demonstrate that, for a wide-ranging apex carnivore, functional connectivity through natal dispersal corresponds to structural connectivity as modeled by a second-order RSF. Mapping of the adult-based habitat classes provides direct visualization of the potential linkages between populations, without the need to model paths between a priori starting and destination points. The use of such landscape scale RSFs may provide insight into predicting suitable dispersal habitat peninsulas in human-dominated landscapes where mitigation of human-wildlife conflict should be focused. We recommend the use of second-order RSFs for landscape conservation planning and propose a similar approach to the conservation of other wide-ranging large

Gold Nanospheres Dispersed Light Responsive Epoxy Vitrimers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenhua Wang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Vitrimers represent a new class of smart materials. They are covalently crosslinked like thermosets, yet they can be reprocessed like thermoplastics. The underlying mechanism is the rapid exchange reactions which form new bonds while breaking the old ones. So far, heating is the most widely used stimulus to activate the exchange reaction. Compared to heating, light not only is much more convenient to achieve remote and regional control, but can also offer fast healing. Gold nanospheres are excellent photothermal agents, but they are difficult to disperse into vitrimers as they easily aggregate. In this paper, we use polydopamine to prepare gold nanospheres. The resultant polydopamine-coated gold nanospheres (GNS can be well dispersed into epoxy vitrimers, endowing epoxy vitrimers with light responsivity. The composites can be reshaped permanently and temporarily with light at different intensity. Efficient surface patterning and healing are also demonstrated.

Quantum Mechanics Concept Assessment: Development and Validation Study

Science.gov (United States)

Sadaghiani, Homeyra R.; Pollock, Steven J.

2015-01-01

As part of an ongoing investigation of students' learning in first semester upper-division quantum mechanics, we needed a high-quality conceptual assessment instrument for comparing outcomes of different curricular approaches. The process of developing such a tool started with converting a preliminary version of a 14-item open-ended quantum…

Electrochromic coatings made of surface modified rutile and anatase pigments: Influence of trisilanol POSS dispersant on electrochromic effect

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mihelčič, Mohor [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Francetič, Vojmir [Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljani, Aškerčeva cesta 5, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Pori, Pavli [Chemcolor Sevnica d.o.o., Dolenje Brezovo 35, 8290 Sevnica (Slovenia); Gradišar, Helena [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Kovač, Janez [Jožef Stefan Institute., Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Orel, Boris, E-mail: boris.orel@ki.si [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); CO-NOT, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2014-09-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Transparent pigmented coatings were deposited from titania dispersions. • Trisilanol POSS was used as dispersant. • Surface modification of pigment particles was established from TEM, TG and IR. • IR spectra studies revealed covalent and H-bond dispersant/pigment interactions. • Electrochromic properties of titanina pigment coatings were shown and discussed. - Abstract: Polyhedral oligomeric silsesqioxanes (POSS) compounds consisting of [RSiO{sub 3/2}]{sub n} groups organized in the form of various polyhedra (T{sub n}, n = 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, ….) have not often been used as pigment surface modifiers. Their interactions with pigments are not known in detail and coatings deposited from pigments modified by POSS dispersants are rare. Identification of interactions between a dispersant and the surface of pigments is important from the point of view of obtaining stable pigment dispersions enabling the deposition of optical coatings with high pigment loading, low haze and mechanical integrity. Thin TiO{sub 2} (anatase) pigment coatings (70–260 nm) were deposited from pigment dispersions prepared by milling metatitanic acid (mTiA) powder agglomerates with trisilanol heptaisobutyl silsesquioxane dispersant (trisilanol POSS) in butanol and hexane. The results of TEM, EDAX and TG measurements confirmed the influence of trisilanol POSS dispersant on the formation of a dispersion with a uniform distribution of mTiA and rutile (mTiR) nanoparticles with a size of about 30 ± 5.0 nm and 90 ± 5.0 nm, respectively, as determined from dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The mTiA/trisilanol POSS dispersions with added titanium tetraisopropoxide were deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass (spin-coating) and indium tin oxide coated polymeric substrate (ITO PET) (coil-coating) and thermally treated at 150 °C. UV–vis spectra, AFM and SEM results showed that the pigment coatings exhibited low haze (up to 6

Electrochromic coatings made of surface modified rutile and anatase pigments: Influence of trisilanol POSS dispersant on electrochromic effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihelčič, Mohor; Francetič, Vojmir; Pori, Pavli; Gradišar, Helena; Kovač, Janez; Orel, Boris

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Transparent pigmented coatings were deposited from titania dispersions. • Trisilanol POSS was used as dispersant. • Surface modification of pigment particles was established from TEM, TG and IR. • IR spectra studies revealed covalent and H-bond dispersant/pigment interactions. • Electrochromic properties of titanina pigment coatings were shown and discussed. - Abstract: Polyhedral oligomeric silsesqioxanes (POSS) compounds consisting of [RSiO 3/2 ] n groups organized in the form of various polyhedra (T n , n = 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, ….) have not often been used as pigment surface modifiers. Their interactions with pigments are not known in detail and coatings deposited from pigments modified by POSS dispersants are rare. Identification of interactions between a dispersant and the surface of pigments is important from the point of view of obtaining stable pigment dispersions enabling the deposition of optical coatings with high pigment loading, low haze and mechanical integrity. Thin TiO 2 (anatase) pigment coatings (70–260 nm) were deposited from pigment dispersions prepared by milling metatitanic acid (mTiA) powder agglomerates with trisilanol heptaisobutyl silsesquioxane dispersant (trisilanol POSS) in butanol and hexane. The results of TEM, EDAX and TG measurements confirmed the influence of trisilanol POSS dispersant on the formation of a dispersion with a uniform distribution of mTiA and rutile (mTiR) nanoparticles with a size of about 30 ± 5.0 nm and 90 ± 5.0 nm, respectively, as determined from dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The mTiA/trisilanol POSS dispersions with added titanium tetraisopropoxide were deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass (spin-coating) and indium tin oxide coated polymeric substrate (ITO PET) (coil-coating) and thermally treated at 150 °C. UV–vis spectra, AFM and SEM results showed that the pigment coatings exhibited low haze (up to 6%), low surface

Dispersion stability of thermal nanofluids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Yu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Thermal nanofluids, the engineered fluids with dispersed functional nanoparticles, have exhibited extraordinary thermophysical properties and added functionalities, and thus have enabled a broad range of important applications. The poor dispersion stability of thermal nanofluids, however, has been considered as a long-existing issue that limits their further development and practical application. This review overviews the recent efforts and progresses in improving the dispersion stability of thermal nanofluids such as mechanistic understanding of dispersion behavior of nanofluids, examples of both water-based and oil-based nanofluids, strategies to stabilize nanofluids, and characterization techniques for dispersion behavior of nanofluids. Finally, on-going research needs, and possible solutions to research challenges and future research directions in exploring stably dispersed thermal nanofluids are discussed. Keywords: Thermal nanofluids, Dispersion, Aggregation, Electrostatic stabilization, Steric stabilization

Hydrodynamic disperser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bulatov, A.I.; Chernov, V.S.; Prokopov, L.I.; Proselkov, Yu.M.; Tikhonov, Yu.P.

1980-01-15

A hydrodynamic disperser is suggested which contains a housing, slit nozzles installed on a circular base arranged opposite from each other, resonators secured opposite the nozzle and outlet sleeve. In order to improve the effectiveness of dispersion by throttling the flow, each resonator is made in the form of a crimped plate with crimpings that decrease in height in a direction towards the nozzle.

High dispersal in a frog species suggests that it is vulnerable to habitat fragmentation

OpenAIRE

Funk, W. Chris; Greene, Allison E; Corn, Paul Stephen; Allendorf, Fred W

2005-01-01

Global losses of amphibian populations are a major conservation concern and their causes have generated substantial debate. Habitat fragmentation is considered one important cause of amphibian decline. However, if fragmentation is to be invoked as a mechanism of amphibian decline, it must first be established that dispersal is prevalent among contiguous amphibian populations using formal movement estimators. In contrast, if dispersal is naturally low in amphibians, fragmentation can be disreg...

Effect of injection molding parameters on nanofillers dispersion in masterbatch based PP-clay nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Soulestin

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The effect of injection molding parameters (screw rotational speed, back pressure, injec-tion flow rate and holding pressure on the nanofiller dispersion of melt-mixed PP/clay nanocomposites was investigated. The nanocomposites containing 4 wt% clay were obtained by dilution of a PP/clay masterbatch into a PP matrix. The evaluation of the dispersion degree was obtained from dynamic rheological measurements. The storage modulus and complex viscosity exhibit significant dependence on the injection molding parameters. PP/clay nanocomposite molded using more severe injection parameters (high shear and long residence time displays the highest storage modulus and complex viscosity, which illustrates the improved dispersion of clay platelets. This better dispersion leads to better mechanical properties particularly higher Young modulus, tensile strength and unnotched impact strength. A Taguchi analysis was used to identify the influence of individual process parameters. The major individual parameter is the injection flow rate, whose increase improves nanoclay dispersion. The combination of high back pressure and high screw rotational speed is also necessary to optimize the dispersion of clay nanoplatelets.

Implication of Broadband Dispersion Measurements in Constraining Upper Mantle Velocity Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Kuponiyi, A.; Kao, H.; Cassidy, J. F.; Darbyshire, F. A.; Dosso, S. E.; Gosselin, J. M.; Spence, G.

2017-12-01

Dispersion measurements from earthquake (EQ) data are traditionally inverted to obtain 1-D shear-wave velocity models, which provide information on deep earth structures. However, in many cases, EQ-derived dispersion measurements lack short-period information, which theoretically should provide details of shallow structures. We show that in at least some cases short-period information, such as can be obtained from ambient seismic noise (ASN) processing, must be combined with EQ dispersion measurements to properly constrain deeper (e.g. upper-mantle) structures. To verify this, synthetic dispersion data are generated using hypothetical velocity models under four scenarios: EQ only (with and without deep low-velocity layers) and combined EQ and ASN data (with and without deep low-velocity layers). The now "broadband" dispersion data are inverted using a trans-dimensional Bayesian framework with the aim of recovering the initial velocity models and assessing uncertainties. Our results show that the deep low-velocity layer could only be recovered from the inversion of the combined ASN-EQ dispersion measurements. Given this result, we proceed to describe a method for obtaining reliable broadband dispersion measurements from both ASN and EQ and show examples for real data. The implication of this study in the characterization of lithospheric and upper mantle structures, such as the Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary (LAB), is also discussed.

Atmospheric dispersion simulations of volcanic gas from Miyake Island by SPEEDI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagai, Haruyasu; Furuno, Akiko; Terada, Hiroaki; Umeyama, Nobuaki; Yamazawa, Hiromi; Chino, Masamichi

2001-03-01

Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute is advancing the study for prediction of material circulation in the environment to cope with environmental pollution, based on SPEEDI (System for Prediction of Environmental Emergency Dose Information) and WSPEEDI (Worldwide version of SPEEDI), which are originally developed aiming at real-time prediction of atmospheric dispersion of radioactive substances accidentally released from nuclear facility. As a part of this study, dispersion simulation of volcanic gas erupted from Miyake Island is put into practice. After the stench incident at the west Kanto District on 28 August 2000 caused by volcanic gas from Miyake Island, the following simulations dealing with atmospheric dispersion of volcanic gas from Miyake Island have been carried out. (1) Retrospective simulation to analyze examine the mechanism of the transport of high concentration volcanic gas to the west Kanto District on 28 August and to estimate the release amount of volcanic gas. (2) Retrospective simulation to analyze the mechanism of the transport of volcanic gas to Tokai and Kansai districts in a case of stench incident on 13 September. (3) Automated real-time simulation from the acquisition of meteorological data to the output of figures for operational prediction of the transport of volcanic gas to Tokai and Kanto districts. This report describes the details of these studies. (author)

Field-scale variation in colloid dispersibility and transport

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørgaard, Trine; Møldrup, Per; Ferré, T. P. A.

2014-01-01

comparison parameters including textural, chemical, and structural (e.g. air permeability) 8 soil properties. The soil dispersibility was determined (i) using a laser diffraction method on 1-2 mm aggregates equilibrated to an initial matric potential of -100 cm H2O, (ii) using an end-over-end shaking on 6......Colloids are potential carriers for strongly sorbing chemicals in macroporous soils, but predicting the amount of colloids readily available for facilitated chemical transport is an unsolved challenge. This study addresses potential key parameters and predictive indicators when assessing colloid....... Predictions of soil dispersibility and the risk of colloid-facilitated chemical transport will therefore need to be highly scale- and area-specific....

Mother knows best: dominant females determine offspring dispersal in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helen M Whiteside

Full Text Available Relatedness between group members is central to understanding the causes of animal dispersal. In many group-living mammals this can be complicated as extra-pair copulations result in offspring having varying levels of relatedness to the dominant animals, leading to a potential conflict between male and female dominants over offspring dispersal strategies. To avoid resource competition and inbreeding, dominant males might be expected to evict unrelated males and related females, whereas the reverse strategy would be expected for dominant females.We used microsatellites and long-term data from an urban fox (Vulpes vulpes population to compare dispersal strategies between offspring with intra- and extra-group fathers and mothers of differing social status in red foxes. Relatedness to the dominant male had no effect on dispersal in offspring of either sex, whereas there was a strong effect of relatedness to resident females on offspring dispersal independent of population density. Males with dominant mothers dispersed significantly more often than males with subordinate mothers, whereas dispersing females were significantly more likely to have subordinate mothers compared to philopatric females.This is the first study to demonstrate that relatedness to resident females is important in juvenile dispersal in group-living mammals. Male dispersal may be driven by inbreeding avoidance, whereas female dispersal appears to be influenced by the fitness advantages associated with residing with the same-sex dominant parent. Selection pressure for paternal influence on offspring dispersal is low due to the limited costs associated with retaining unrelated males and the need for alternative inbreeding avoidance mechanisms between the dominant male and his female offspring. These findings have important implications for the evolution of dispersal and group living in social mammals, and our understanding of a key biological process.

Mother knows best: dominant females determine offspring dispersal in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes).

Science.gov (United States)

Whiteside, Helen M; Dawson, Deborah A; Soulsbury, Carl D; Harris, Stephen

2011-01-01

Relatedness between group members is central to understanding the causes of animal dispersal. In many group-living mammals this can be complicated as extra-pair copulations result in offspring having varying levels of relatedness to the dominant animals, leading to a potential conflict between male and female dominants over offspring dispersal strategies. To avoid resource competition and inbreeding, dominant males might be expected to evict unrelated males and related females, whereas the reverse strategy would be expected for dominant females. We used microsatellites and long-term data from an urban fox (Vulpes vulpes) population to compare dispersal strategies between offspring with intra- and extra-group fathers and mothers of differing social status in red foxes. Relatedness to the dominant male had no effect on dispersal in offspring of either sex, whereas there was a strong effect of relatedness to resident females on offspring dispersal independent of population density. Males with dominant mothers dispersed significantly more often than males with subordinate mothers, whereas dispersing females were significantly more likely to have subordinate mothers compared to philopatric females. This is the first study to demonstrate that relatedness to resident females is important in juvenile dispersal in group-living mammals. Male dispersal may be driven by inbreeding avoidance, whereas female dispersal appears to be influenced by the fitness advantages associated with residing with the same-sex dominant parent. Selection pressure for paternal influence on offspring dispersal is low due to the limited costs associated with retaining unrelated males and the need for alternative inbreeding avoidance mechanisms between the dominant male and his female offspring. These findings have important implications for the evolution of dispersal and group living in social mammals, and our understanding of a key biological process.

Hydrodynamics of annular-dispersed flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, M.; Kataoka, I.

1982-01-01

The interfacial drag, droplet entrainment, and droplet size distributions are important for detailed mechanistic modeling of annular dispersed two-phase flow. In view of this, recently developed correlations for these parameters are presented and discussed in this paper. The drag correlations for multiple fluid particle systems have been developed from a similarity hypothesis based on the mixture viscosity model. The results show that the drag coefficient depends on the particle Reynolds number and droplet concentration. The onset on droplet entrainment significantly alters the mechanisms of mass, momentum, and energy transfer between the film and gas core flow as well as the transfer between the two-phase mixture and the wall. By assuming the roll wave entrainment mechanism, the correlations for the amount of entrained droplet as well as for the droplet size distribution have been obtained from a simple model in collaboration with a large number of data

Diffusion related isotopic fractionation effects with one-dimensional advective–dispersive transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Bruce S. [Civil Engineering Department, University of Toronto, 35 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 1A4 (Canada); Lollar, Barbara Sherwood [Earth Sciences Department, University of Toronto, 22 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3B1 (Canada); Passeport, Elodie [Civil Engineering Department, University of Toronto, 35 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 1A4 (Canada); Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry Department, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3E5 (Canada); Sleep, Brent E., E-mail: sleep@ecf.utoronto.ca [Civil Engineering Department, University of Toronto, 35 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 1A4 (Canada)

2016-04-15

Aqueous phase diffusion-related isotope fractionation (DRIF) for carbon isotopes was investigated for common groundwater contaminants in systems in which transport could be considered to be one-dimensional. This paper focuses not only on theoretically observable DRIF effects in these systems but introduces the important concept of constraining “observable” DRIF based on constraints imposed by the scale of measurements in the field, and on standard limits of detection and analytical uncertainty. Specifically, constraints for the detection of DRIF were determined in terms of the diffusive fractionation factor, the initial concentration of contaminants (C{sub 0}), the method detection limit (MDL) for isotopic analysis, the transport time, and the ratio of the longitudinal mechanical dispersion coefficient to effective molecular diffusion coefficient (D{sub mech}/D{sub eff}). The results allow a determination of field conditions under which DRIF may be an important factor in the use of stable carbon isotope measurements for evaluation of contaminant transport and transformation for one-dimensional advective–dispersive transport. This study demonstrates that for diffusion-dominated transport of BTEX, MTBE, and chlorinated ethenes, DRIF effects are only detectable for the smaller molar mass compounds such as vinyl chloride for C{sub 0}/MDL ratios of 50 or higher. Much larger C{sub 0}/MDL ratios, corresponding to higher source concentrations or lower detection limits, are necessary for DRIF to be detectable for the higher molar mass compounds. The distance over which DRIF is observable for VC is small (less than 1 m) for a relatively young diffusive plume (< 100 years), and DRIF will not easily be detected by using the conventional sampling approach with “typical” well spacing (at least several meters). With contaminant transport by advection, mechanical dispersion, and molecular diffusion this study suggests that in field sites where D{sub mech}/D{sub eff} is

Diffusion related isotopic fractionation effects with one-dimensional advective–dispersive transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Bruce S.; Lollar, Barbara Sherwood; Passeport, Elodie; Sleep, Brent E.

2016-01-01

Aqueous phase diffusion-related isotope fractionation (DRIF) for carbon isotopes was investigated for common groundwater contaminants in systems in which transport could be considered to be one-dimensional. This paper focuses not only on theoretically observable DRIF effects in these systems but introduces the important concept of constraining “observable” DRIF based on constraints imposed by the scale of measurements in the field, and on standard limits of detection and analytical uncertainty. Specifically, constraints for the detection of DRIF were determined in terms of the diffusive fractionation factor, the initial concentration of contaminants (C_0), the method detection limit (MDL) for isotopic analysis, the transport time, and the ratio of the longitudinal mechanical dispersion coefficient to effective molecular diffusion coefficient (D_m_e_c_h/D_e_f_f). The results allow a determination of field conditions under which DRIF may be an important factor in the use of stable carbon isotope measurements for evaluation of contaminant transport and transformation for one-dimensional advective–dispersive transport. This study demonstrates that for diffusion-dominated transport of BTEX, MTBE, and chlorinated ethenes, DRIF effects are only detectable for the smaller molar mass compounds such as vinyl chloride for C_0/MDL ratios of 50 or higher. Much larger C_0/MDL ratios, corresponding to higher source concentrations or lower detection limits, are necessary for DRIF to be detectable for the higher molar mass compounds. The distance over which DRIF is observable for VC is small (less than 1 m) for a relatively young diffusive plume (< 100 years), and DRIF will not easily be detected by using the conventional sampling approach with “typical” well spacing (at least several meters). With contaminant transport by advection, mechanical dispersion, and molecular diffusion this study suggests that in field sites where D_m_e_c_h/D_e_f_f is larger than 10, DRIF

Statistical Physics of Colloidal Dispersions.

Science.gov (United States)

Canessa, E.

Available from UMI in association with The British Library. Requires signed TDF. This thesis is concerned with the equilibrium statistical mechanics of colloidal dispersions which represent useful model systems for the study of condensed matter physics; namely, charge stabilized colloidal dispersions and polymer stabilized colloidal dispersions. A one-component macroparticle approach is adopted in order to treat the macroscopic and microscopic properties of these systems in a simple and comprehensive manner. The thesis opens with the description of the nature of the colloidal state before reviewing some basic definitions and theory in Chapter II. In Chapter III a variational theory of phase equilibria based on the Gibbs-Bogolyobov inequality is applied to sterically stabilized colloidal dispersions. Hard spheres are chosen as the reference system for the disordered phases while an Einstein model is used for the ordered phases. The new choice of pair potential, taken for mathematical convenience, is a superposition of two Yukawa functions. By matching a double Yukawa potential to the van der Waals attractive potential at different temperatures and introducing a purely temperature dependent coefficient to the repulsive part, a rich variety of observed phase separation phenomena is qualitatively described. The behaviour of the potential is found to be consistent with a small decrease of the polymer layer thickness with increasing temperature. Using the same concept of a collapse transition the non-monotonic second virial coefficient is also explained and quantified. It is shown that a reduction of the effective macroparticle diameter with increasing temperature can only be partially examined from the point of view of a (binary-) polymer solution theory. This chapter concludes with the description of the observed, reversible, depletion flocculation behaviour. This is accomplished by using the variational formalism and by invoking the double Yukawa potential to allow

Irradiation creep of dispersion strengthened copper alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pokrovsky, A.S.; Barabash, V.R.; Fabritsiev, S.A. [and others

1997-04-01

Dispersion strengthened copper alloys are under consideration as reference materials for the ITER plasma facing components. Irradiation creep is one of the parameters which must be assessed because of its importance for the lifetime prediction of these components. In this study the irradiation creep of a dispersion strengthened copper (DS) alloy has been investigated. The alloy selected for evaluation, MAGT-0.2, which contains 0.2 wt.% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, is very similar to the GlidCop{trademark} alloy referred to as Al20. Irradiation creep was investigated using HE pressurized tubes. The tubes were machined from rod stock, then stainless steel caps were brazed onto the end of each tube. The creep specimens were pressurized by use of ultra-pure He and the stainless steel caps subsequently sealed by laser welding. These specimens were irradiated in reactor water in the core position of the SM-2 reactors to a fluence level of 4.5-7.1 x 10{sup 21} n/cm{sup 2} (E>0.1 MeV), which corresponds to {approx}3-5 dpa. The irradiation temperature ranged from 60-90{degrees}C, which yielded calculated hoop stresses from 39-117 MPa. A mechanical micrometer system was used to measure the outer diameter of the specimens before and after irradiation, with an accuracy of {+-}0.001 mm. The irradiation creep was calculated based on the change in the diameter. Comparison of pre- and post-irradiation diameter measurements indicates that irradiation induced creep is indeed observed in this alloy at low temperatures, with a creep rate as high as {approx}2 x 10{sup {minus}9}s{sup {minus}1}. These results are compared with available data for irradiation creep for stainless steels, pure copper, and for thermal creep of copper alloys.

Irradiation creep of dispersion strengthened copper alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pokrovsky, A.S.; Barabash, V.R.; Fabritsiev, S.A.

1997-01-01

Dispersion strengthened copper alloys are under consideration as reference materials for the ITER plasma facing components. Irradiation creep is one of the parameters which must be assessed because of its importance for the lifetime prediction of these components. In this study the irradiation creep of a dispersion strengthened copper (DS) alloy has been investigated. The alloy selected for evaluation, MAGT-0.2, which contains 0.2 wt.% Al 2 O 3 , is very similar to the GlidCop trademark alloy referred to as Al20. Irradiation creep was investigated using HE pressurized tubes. The tubes were machined from rod stock, then stainless steel caps were brazed onto the end of each tube. The creep specimens were pressurized by use of ultra-pure He and the stainless steel caps subsequently sealed by laser welding. These specimens were irradiated in reactor water in the core position of the SM-2 reactors to a fluence level of 4.5-7.1 x 10 21 n/cm 2 (E>0.1 MeV), which corresponds to ∼3-5 dpa. The irradiation temperature ranged from 60-90 degrees C, which yielded calculated hoop stresses from 39-117 MPa. A mechanical micrometer system was used to measure the outer diameter of the specimens before and after irradiation, with an accuracy of ±0.001 mm. The irradiation creep was calculated based on the change in the diameter. Comparison of pre- and post-irradiation diameter measurements indicates that irradiation induced creep is indeed observed in this alloy at low temperatures, with a creep rate as high as ∼2 x 10 -9 s -1 . These results are compared with available data for irradiation creep for stainless steels, pure copper, and for thermal creep of copper alloys

Topography and its effects on atmospheric dispersion in a risk study for nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wittek, P.

1985-07-01

In the consequence assessment model, applied in the German Reactor Risk Study (GRRS), atmospheric dispersion of radioactive substances is beeing treated with a straight line Gaussian dispersion model. But some of the German nuclear power plants are located in complex terrain. In this report, the 19 sites which are considered in the GRRS, are described and classified by two different methods in respect to terrain complexity. The relevant effects of the terrain on the dispersion are commented. Two modifications of the GRRS consequence assessment code UFOMOD take into account in a simple way the terrain elevation and the enhanced turbulence effected eventually by the terrain structure. Sample calculations for two release categories of the GRRS demonstrate the effect of these modifications on the calculated number of early fatalities. (orig.) [de

A random walk model to simulate the atmospheric dispersion of radionuclide

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuo, Jun; Huang, Liuxing; Niu, Shengli; Xie, Honggang; Kuang, Feihong

2018-01-01

To investigate the atmospheric dispersion of radionuclide in large-medium scale, a numerical simulation method based on random walk model for radionuclide atmospheric dispersion was established in the paper. The route of radionuclide migration and concentration distribution of radionuclide can be calculated out by using the method with the real-time or historical meteorological fields. In the simulation, a plume of radionuclide is treated as a lot of particles independent of each other. The particles move randomly by the fluctuations of turbulence, and disperse, so as to enlarge the volume of the plume and dilute the concentration of radionuclide. The dispersion of the plume over time is described by the variance of the particles. Through statistical analysis, the relationships between variance of the particles and radionuclide dispersion characteristics can be derived. The main mechanisms considered in the physical model are: (1) advection of radionuclide by mean air motion, (2) mixing of radionuclide by atmospheric turbulence, (3) dry and wet deposition, (4) disintegration. A code named RADES was developed according the method. And then, the European Tracer Experiment (ETEX) in 1994 is simulated by the RADES and FLEXPART codes, the simulation results of the concentration distribution of tracer are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Dispersion and Stabilization of Photocatalytic TiO2 Nanoparticles in Aqueous Suspension for Coatings Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siti Hajar Othman

2012-01-01

Full Text Available To produce titanium dioxide (TiO2 nanoparticle coatings, it is desirable that the nanoparticles are dispersed into a liquid solution and remain stable for a certain period of time. Controlling the dispersion and aggregation of the nanoparticles is crucial to exploit the advantages of the nanometer-sized TiO2 particles. In this work, TiO2 nanoparticles were dispersed and stabilized in aqueous suspensions using two common dispersants which were polyacrylic acid (PAA and ammonium polymethacrylate (Darvan C. The effect of parameters such as ultrasonication amplitude and type and amount of dispersants on the dispersibility and stability of the TiO2 aqueous suspensions were examined. Rupture followed by erosion was determined to be the main break up mechanisms when ultrasonication was employed. The addition of dispersant was found to produce more dispersed and more stabilized aqueous suspension. 3 wt.% of PAA with average molecular weight (Mw of 2000 g/mol (PAA 2000 was determined to produce the best and most stable dispersion. The suspensions were then coated on quartz glass, whereby the photocatalytic activity of the coatings was studied via the degradation of formaldehyde gas under UV light. The coatings were demonstrated to be photocatalytically active.

Development of PRIME for irradiation performance analysis of U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Gwan Yoon; Kim, Yeon Soo; Jeong, Yong Jin; Park, Jong Man; Sohn, Dong-Seong

2018-04-01

A prediction code for the thermo-mechanical performance of research reactor fuel (PRIME) has been developed with the implementation of developed models to analyze the irradiation behavior of U-Mo dispersion fuel. The code is capable of predicting the two-dimensional thermal and mechanical performance of U-Mo dispersion fuel during irradiation. A finite element method was employed to solve the governing equations for thermal and mechanical equilibria. Temperature-and burnup-dependent material properties of the fuel meat constituents and cladding were used. The numerical solution schemes in PRIME were verified by benchmarking solutions obtained using a commercial finite element analysis program (ABAQUS).The code was validated using irradiation data from RERTR, HAMP-1, and E-FUTURE tests. The measured irradiation data used in the validation were IL thickness, volume fractions of fuel meat constituents for the thermal analysis, and profiles of the plate thickness changes and fuel meat swelling for the mechanical analysis. The prediction results were in good agreement with the measurement data for both thermal and mechanical analyses, confirming the validity of the code. (c) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental impacts of dispersed development from federal infrastructure projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Southerland, Mark T

2004-06-01

Dispersed development, also referred to as urban growth or sprawl, is a pattern of low-density development spread over previously rural landscapes. Such growth can result in adverse impacts to air quality, water quality, human health, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, agricultural land, military training areas, water supply and wastewater treatment, recreational resources, viewscapes, and cultural resources. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is charged with protecting public health and the environment, which includes consideration of impacts from dispersed development. Specifically, because federal infrastructure projects can affect the progress of dispersed development, the secondary impacts resulting from it must be assessed in documents prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has oversight for NEPA and Section 309 of the Clean Air Act requires that U.S. EPA review and comment on federal agency NEPA documents. The adverse effects of dispersed development can be induced by federal infrastructure projects including transportation, built infrastructure, modifications in natural infrastructure, public land conversion and redevelopment of properties, construction of federal facilities, and large traffic or major growth generation developments requiring federal permits. This paper presents an approach that U.S. EPA reviewers and NEPA practitioners can use to provide accurate, realistic, and consistent analysis of secondary impacts of dispersed development resulting from federal infrastructure projects. It also presents 24 measures that can be used to mitigate adverse impacts from dispersed development by modifying project location and design, participating in preservation or restoration activities, or informing and supporting local communities in planning.

Spanish juniper gain expansion opportunities by counting on a functionally diverse dispersal assemblage community.

Science.gov (United States)

Escribano-Ávila, Gema; Pías, Beatriz; Sanz-Pérez, Virginia; Virgós, Emilio; Escudero, Adrián; Valladares, Fernando

2013-10-01

Seed dispersal is typically performed by a diverse array of species assemblages with different behavioral and morphological traits which determine dispersal quality (DQ, defined as the probability of recruitment of a dispersed seed). Fate of ecosystems to ongoing environmental changes is critically dependent on dispersal and mainly on DQ in novel scenarios. We assess here the DQ, thus the multiplicative effect of germination and survival probability to the first 3 years of life, for seeds dispersed by several bird species (Turdus spp.) and carnivores (Vulpes vulpes, Martes foina) in mature woodland remnants of Spanish juniper (Juniperus thurifera) and old fields which are being colonized by this species. Results showed that DQ was similar in mature woodlands and old fields. Germination rate for seeds dispersed by carnivores (11.5%) and thrushes (9.12%) was similar, however, interacted with microhabitat suitability. Seeds dispersed by carnivores reach the maximum germination rate on shrubs (16%), whereas seeds dispersed by thrushes did on female juniper canopies (15.5) indicating that each group of dispersers performed a directed dispersal. This directional effect was diluted when survival probability was considered: thrushes selected smaller seeds which had higher mortality in the seedling stage (70%) in relation to seedlings dispersed by carnivores (40%). Overall, thrushes resulted low-quality dispersers which provided a probability or recruitment of 2.5%, while a seed dispersed by carnivores had a probability of recruitment of 6.5%. Our findings show that generalist dispersers (i.e., carnivores) can provide a higher probability of recruitment than specialized dispersers (i.e., Turdus spp.). However, generalist species are usually opportunistic dispersers as their role as seed dispersers is dependent on the availability of trophic resources and species feeding preferences. As a result, J. thurifera dispersal community is composed by two functional groups of

Multidomain multiphase fluid mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sha, W.T.; Soo, S.L.

1976-10-01

A set of multiphase field equations--conversion of mass, momentum and energy--based on multiphase mechanics is developed. Multiphase mechanics applies to mixtures of phases which are separated by interfaces and are mutually exclusive. Based on the multiphase mechanics formulation, additional terms appear in the field equations when the physical size of the dispersed phase (bubble or droplet) is many times larger than the inter-molecular spacing. These terms are the inertial coupling due to virtual mass and the additional viscous coupling due to unsteadiness of the flow field. The multiphase formulation given here takes into account the discreteness of particles of dispersed phases and, at the same time, the necessity of the distributive representation of field variables via space-time averaging when handling a large number of particles. The provision for multidomain transition further permits us to treat dispersed phases which are large compared to the characteristic dimension of the flow system via interdomain relations. The multidomain multiphase approach provides a framework for us to model the various flow regimes. Because some of the transport parameters associated with the system equations are not well known at the present time, an idealized two-domain two-phase solution approach is proposed as a first step. Finally, comparisons are made between the field equations formulated based on the multidomain-multiphase fluid mechanics and the pertinent existing models, and their relative significances are discussed. The desirability of consistent approximation and simplifications possible for dilute suspensions are discussed

Effect of highly dispersed yttria addition on thermal stability of hydroxyapatite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parente, P., E-mail: pparente@icv.csic.es [Instituto de Ceramica y Vidrio, CSIC, C/Kelsen 5, Madrid 28049 (Spain); Savoini, B. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avda. Universidad 30, Leganes 28911 (Spain); Ferrari, B. [Instituto de Ceramica y Vidrio, CSIC, C/Kelsen 5, Madrid 28049 (Spain); Monge, M.A.; Pareja, R. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avda. Universidad 30, Leganes 28911 (Spain); Sanchez-Herencia, A.J. [Instituto de Ceramica y Vidrio, CSIC, C/Kelsen 5, Madrid 28049 (Spain)

2013-03-01

The capability of the colloidal method to produce yttria (Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) dispersed hydroxyapatite (HA) has been investigated as an alternative method to the conventional method of mechanical mixing and sintering for developing HA-based materials that could exhibit controllable and enhanced functional properties. A water based colloidal route to produce HA materials with highly dispersed Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} has been applied, and the effect of 10 wt.% Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} addition to HA investigated by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. These measurements evidence a remarkable effect of this Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} addition on decomposition mechanisms of synthetic HA. Results show that incorporation of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} as dispersed second phase is beneficial because it hinders the decomposition mechanisms of HA into calcium phosphates. This retardation will allow the control of the sintering conditions for developing HA implants with improved properties. Besides, substitution of Ca{sup 2+} with Y{sup 3+} ions appears to promote the formation of OH{sup -} vacancies, which could improve the conductive properties of HA favorable to osseointegration. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We reveal the influence of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} on thermal stability of hydroxyapatite. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Incorporation of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} delays decomposition of hydroxyapatite to calcium phosphates. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Addition of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} enables sintering conditions more favorable to the densification.

Determination of equivalent mixing height and atmospheric stability assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, J.; Bulko, M.; Holy, K.

2007-01-01

Atmospheric stability is an indicator that reflects the intensity of boundary layer mixing processes. This feature of the atmosphere is especially important since it defines dispersive atmospheric conditions and provides information on how effectively the anthropogenic pollution will be transferred to the higher levels of the atmosphere. The assessment of atmospheric dispersiveness plays a crucial role in the protection of air quality and public health in big cities. The presented paper deals with determination of atmospheric stability via so called Equivalent Mixing Height (EMH) quantity using a radioactive noble gas 222 Rn. A method of deriving a link between 222 Rn activity concentration, eddy diffusion coefficient and EMH using fluid mechanics is also outlined in this work. (authors)

Predicted irradiation behavior of U3O8-Al dispersion fuels for production reactor applications