Development of Radioanalytical and Microanalytical Procedures for the Determination of Actinides in Environmental Samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macsik, Zsuzsanna [Institute of Nuclear Techniques, Moegyetem rakpart 9, H-1111 Budapest (Hungary); Vajda, Nora [RadAnal Ltd., Bimbo ut 119/a, H-1026 Budapest (Hungary); Bene, Balazs [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899 (United States); Varga, Zsolt [Institute of Isotopes, Konkoly-Thege M. ut 29-33, H-1121 Budapest (Hungary)

2008-07-01

A radio-analytical procedure has been developed for the simultaneous determination of actinides in swipe samples by alpha-spectrometry after the separation of the actinides by extraction chromatography. The procedure is based on the complete decomposition of the sample by destruction with microwave digestion or ashing in furnace. Actinides are separated on an extraction chromatographic column filled with TRU resin (product of Eichrom Industries Inc.). Alpha sources prepared from the separated fractions of americium, plutonium, thorium and uranium are counted by alpha spectrometry. Micro-analytical procedure is being developed for the location and identification of individual particles containing fissile material using solid state nuclear track detectors. The parameters of alpha and fission track detection have been optimized and a procedure has been elaborated to locate the particles on the sample by defining the coordinates of the tracks created by the particles on the track detector. Development of a procedure is planned to separate the located particles using micromanipulator and these particles will be examined individually by different micro- and radio-analytical techniques. (authors)

Transmission Electron Microscopy Facility

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — FUNCTION: Performs basic and applied research in areas of marine geosciences, geophysics, physics, and microbiology using microanalytical techniques.DESCRIPTION: The...

Development of a non-destructive micro-analytical method for stable carbon isotope analysis of transmission electron microscope (TEM) samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hode, Tomas [Department of Geology, Portland State University, Portland, P.O. Box 751, OR 97201 (United States)], E-mail: hode@pdx.edu; Kristiansson, Per; Elfman, Mikael [Division of Nuclear Physics, Department of Physics, Lund Institute of Technology, Lund University, P.O. Box 118, SE-221 00 Lund (Sweden); Hugo, Richard C.; Cady, Sherry L. [Department of Geology, Portland State University, Portland, P.O. Box 751, OR 97201 (United States)

2009-10-01

The biogenicity of ancient morphological microfossil-like objects can be established by linking morphological (e.g. cell remnants and extracellular polymeric matrix) and chemical (e.g. isotopes, biomarkers and biominerals) evidence indicative of microorganisms or microbial activity. We have developed a non-destructive micro-analytical ion beam system capable of measuring with high spatial resolution the stable carbon isotope ratios of thin samples used for transmission electron microscopy. The technique is based on elastic scattering of alpha particles with an energy of 2.751 MeV. At this energy the {sup 13}C cross section is enhanced relative to the pure Rutherford cross section for {sup 13}C, whereas the {sup 12}C cross section is reduced relative to its pure Rutherford cross section. Here we report the initial results of this experimental approach used to characterize ultramicrotomed sections of sulfur-embedded graphite and microbial cells.

Applied ALARA techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waggoner, L.O.

1998-01-01

The presentation focuses on some of the time-proven and new technologies being used to accomplish radiological work. These techniques can be applied at nuclear facilities to reduce radiation doses and protect the environment. The last reactor plants and processing facilities were shutdown and Hanford was given a new mission to put the facilities in a safe condition, decontaminate, and prepare them for decommissioning. The skills that were necessary to operate these facilities were different than the skills needed today to clean up Hanford. Workers were not familiar with many of the tools, equipment, and materials needed to accomplish:the new mission, which includes clean up of contaminated areas in and around all the facilities, recovery of reactor fuel from spent fuel pools, and the removal of millions of gallons of highly radioactive waste from 177 underground tanks. In addition, this work has to be done with a reduced number of workers and a smaller budget. At Hanford, facilities contain a myriad of radioactive isotopes that are 2048 located inside plant systems, underground tanks, and the soil. As cleanup work at Hanford began, it became obvious early that in order to get workers to apply ALARA and use hew tools and equipment to accomplish the radiological work it was necessary to plan the work in advance and get radiological control and/or ALARA committee personnel involved early in the planning process. Emphasis was placed on applying,ALARA techniques to reduce dose, limit contamination spread and minimize the amount of radioactive waste generated. Progress on the cleanup has,b6en steady and Hanford workers have learned to use different types of engineered controls and ALARA techniques to perform radiological work. The purpose of this presentation is to share the lessons learned on how Hanford is accomplishing radiological work

Applied ALARA techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Waggoner, L.O.

1998-02-05

The presentation focuses on some of the time-proven and new technologies being used to accomplish radiological work. These techniques can be applied at nuclear facilities to reduce radiation doses and protect the environment. The last reactor plants and processing facilities were shutdown and Hanford was given a new mission to put the facilities in a safe condition, decontaminate, and prepare them for decommissioning. The skills that were necessary to operate these facilities were different than the skills needed today to clean up Hanford. Workers were not familiar with many of the tools, equipment, and materials needed to accomplish:the new mission, which includes clean up of contaminated areas in and around all the facilities, recovery of reactor fuel from spent fuel pools, and the removal of millions of gallons of highly radioactive waste from 177 underground tanks. In addition, this work has to be done with a reduced number of workers and a smaller budget. At Hanford, facilities contain a myriad of radioactive isotopes that are 2048 located inside plant systems, underground tanks, and the soil. As cleanup work at Hanford began, it became obvious early that in order to get workers to apply ALARA and use hew tools and equipment to accomplish the radiological work it was necessary to plan the work in advance and get radiological control and/or ALARA committee personnel involved early in the planning process. Emphasis was placed on applying,ALARA techniques to reduce dose, limit contamination spread and minimize the amount of radioactive waste generated. Progress on the cleanup has,b6en steady and Hanford workers have learned to use different types of engineered controls and ALARA techniques to perform radiological work. The purpose of this presentation is to share the lessons learned on how Hanford is accomplishing radiological work.

Scanning and transmission electron microscopy of a craniopharyngioma: x-ray microanalytical study of the intratumoral mineralized deposits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vilches, J.; Lopez, A.; Martinez, M.C.; Gomez, J.; Barbera, J.

This paper discusses the value of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray microanalysis in the classification of craniopharyngiomas. This neoplasm shows epithelial nest, cords of cuboid cells, foci of squamous metaplasia, and microcystic degeneration. SEM reveals that the epithelial cysts are lined with elongated cells that possess numerous microvilli and blebs and that some cysts are lined with polyhedral cells. The microvilli are interpreted as characteristic of the fast growing craniopharyngiomas. A microanalytical study of the calcified areas reveals the presence of magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium.

In situ characterization of organic matter in two primitive chondrites through correlated microanalytical techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Wende, A. M.; Nittler, L.; Steele, A.; Herd, C. D.

2009-12-01

Primitive meteorites contain up to 2 wt % C, much of it in the form of insoluble organic matter (IOM). Bulk analyses have revealed the IOM to be marked by large D and 15N enrichments relative to terrestrial values. Isotopic imaging studies have revealed the presence of `hotspots’, sub-μm to μm-sized regions of IOM exhibiting extreme isotope enrichments. An interesting subpopulation of organic grains, ’nanoglobules’, which have hollow, spherical morphologies, is known to account for a portion of these hot spots. Previous work has suggested that nanoglobules can be identified in situ by native UV fluorescence. The isotopic enrichments are believed to point to low-T chemical fractionations either in the interstellar medium (ISM) or the outer regions of the early Solar System. As part of a larger study investigating the origin and evolution of IOM in the Solar System, a correlated, in situ, microanalytical approach was employed to characterize local isotopic and morphological heterogeneities in IOM in the highly primitive chondrites QUE 99177 (CR3) and Tagish Lake (C-ung). Previous NanoSIMS ion imaging of a QUE 99177 section revealed the spatial and isotopic distribution of C in the matrix with a spatial resolution of 200 nm. Manual definition of >3300 C-rich regions in the NanoSIMS images indicates that grains smaller than 1 μm across, which account for 80% of the IOM area, have a size distribution that is similar to estimates of the size distribution of carbonaceous dust in the diffuse ISM, supporting an interstellar origin for the IOM. Micro-Raman spectroscopy, which is highly sensitive to the degree of disorder in carbonaceous materials, was attempted on the same regions analyzed by NanoSIMS in QUE 99177. Unfortunately, surface damage due to both the prior SIMS analyses and removal of a prior C coat precluded acquisition of useful Raman spectra. Consequently, future correlated work will entail performing Raman analyses on uncoated samples prior to SIMS

Microstructural and Microanalytical Study on Concrete Exposed to the Sulfate Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Qing, Fang; Beixing, Li; Jiangang, Yin; Xiaolu, Yuan

2017-11-01

Microstructural properties have been examined to investigate the effect of mineral admixtures on the sulfate resistance of concrete. Concrete and cement paste specimens made with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) or ordinary Portland cement incorporating 20% fly ash (FA) or 30% ground blast furnace slag (GBFS), were made and exposed to 250 cycles of the cyclic sulfate environment. Microstructural and Microanalytical study was conducted by means of x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). Results indicate that the pore structure of concrete after sulfate exposure possesses the fractal feature. The OPC concrete presents more complex pore internal surface, higher porosity and less micro-pores than the concrete incorporating fly ash and GBFS. Portlandite in OPC concrete and OPC-FA concrete is mainly converted to gypsum; while for OPC-GBFS concrete, both gypsum and ettringite are formed. In the cyclic sulfate environment, repeated hydration and dehydration of sulfates produce the expansive stress in pores, aggravating the demolishment of concrete structure.

Advanced analytical techniques: platform for nano materials science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, F.; Van Vaeck, L.; Barrett, R.

2005-01-01

This paper reviews a range of instrumental microanalytical techniques for their potential in following the development of nanotechnology. Needs for development in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Auger emission spectrometry (AES) laser mass spectrometry, X-ray photon spectroscopy are discussed as well as synchrotron-based methods for analysis. Objectives for development in all these areas for the coming 5 years are defined. Developments of instrumentation in three European synchrotron installations are given as examples of ongoing development in this field

The effects of strontium on bone mineral: A review on current knowledge and microanalytical approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Querido, William; Rossi, Andre L; Farina, Marcos

2016-01-01

The interest in effects of strontium (Sr) on bone has greatly increased in the last decade due to the development of the promising drug strontium ranelate. This drug is used for treating osteoporosis, a major bone disease affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide, especially postmenopausal women. The novelty of strontium ranelate compared to other treatments for osteoporosis is its unique effect on bone: it simultaneously promotes bone formation by osteoblasts and inhibits bone resorption by osteoclasts. Besides affecting bone cells, treatment with strontium ranelate also has a direct effect on the mineralized bone matrix. Due to the chemical similarities between Sr and Ca, a topic that has long been of particular interest is the incorporation of Sr into bones replacing Ca from the mineral phase, which is composed by carbonated hydroxyapatite nanocrystals. Several groups have analyzed the mineral produced during treatment; however, most analysis were done with relatively large samples containing numerous nanocrystals, resulting thus on data that represents an average of many crystalline domains. The nanoscale analysis of the bone apatite crystals containing Sr has only been described in a few studies. In this study, we review the current knowledge on the effects of Sr on bone mineral and discuss the methodological approaches that have been used in the field. In particular, we focus on the great potential that advanced microscopy and microanalytical techniques may have on the detailed analysis of the nanostructure and composition of bone apatite nanocrystals produced during treatment with strontium ranelate. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Industrial and environmental applications of nuclear analytical techniques. Report of a workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-11-01

The IAEA has programme the utilisation of nuclear analytical techniques (NATs), in particular for industrial and environmental applications. A major purpose is to help the developing Member States apply their analytical capabilities optimally for socio-economic progress and development. A large number of institutions in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia have established X ray fluorescence (XRF) and gamma ray measurement techniques and facilities for neutron activation analysis (NAA) have been initiated in institutions in these regions. Moreover, there is a growing interest among many institutes in applying more advanced analytical techniques, such as particle induced X ray emission (PIXE) and microanalytical techniques based on X ray emission induced by conventional sources or synchrotron radiation to the analysis of environmental and biological materials and industrial products. In order to define new areas of application of NATs and to extend the range of these techniques, a number of initiatives have recently been taken. It includes a workshop on industrial and environmental applications of nuclear analytical techniques, organized by the IAEA in Vienna, 7-11 September 1998. The main objectives of the workshop were as follows: (1) to review recent applications of NATs in industrial and environmental studies; (2) to identify emerging trends in methodologies and applications of NATs; (3) to demonstrate analytical capabilities of selected NATs. The following topics were reviewed during the workshop: (1) XRF and accelerator based analytical techniques; (2) portable XRF systems and their applications in industry, mineral prospecting and processing, (3) portable gamma ray spectrometers; and (4) NAA and its applications in industry and environmental studies. Micro-XRF and micro-PIXE methods and their applications in the above fields were also discussed, including aspects of synchrotron radiation induced X ray emission.

Industrial and environmental applications of nuclear analytical techniques. Report of a workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-11-01

The IAEA has programme the utilisation of nuclear analytical techniques (NATs), in particular for industrial and environmental applications. A major purpose is to help the developing Member States apply their analytical capabilities optimally for socio-economic progress and development. A large number of institutions in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia have established X ray fluorescence (XRF) and gamma ray measurement techniques and facilities for neutron activation analysis (NAA) have been initiated in institutions in these regions. Moreover, there is a growing interest among many institutes in applying more advanced analytical techniques, such as particle induced X ray emission (PIXE) and microanalytical techniques based on X ray emission induced by conventional sources or synchrotron radiation to the analysis of environmental and biological materials and industrial products. In order to define new areas of application of NATs and to extend the range of these techniques, a number of initiatives have recently been taken. It includes a workshop on industrial and environmental applications of nuclear analytical techniques, organized by the IAEA in Vienna, 7-11 September 1998. The main objectives of the workshop were as follows: (1) to review recent applications of NATs in industrial and environmental studies; (2) to identify emerging trends in methodologies and applications of NATs; (3) to demonstrate analytical capabilities of selected NATs. The following topics were reviewed during the workshop: (1) XRF and accelerator based analytical techniques; (2) portable XRF systems and their applications in industry, mineral prospecting and processing, (3) portable gamma ray spectrometers; and (4) NAA and its applications in industry and environmental studies. Micro-XRF and micro-PIXE methods and their applications in the above fields were also discussed, including aspects of synchrotron radiation induced X ray emission

Characterisation of a natural quartz crystal as a reference material for microanalytical determination of Ti, Al, Li, Fe, Mn, Ga and Ge

Science.gov (United States)

Audetat, Andreas; Garbe-Schonberg, Dieter; Kronz, Andreas; Pettke, Thomas; Rusk, Brian G.; Donovan, John J.; Lowers, Heather

2015-01-01

A natural smoky quartz crystal from Shandong province, China, was characterised by laser ablation ICP-MS, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and solution ICP-MS to determine the concentration of twenty-four trace and ultra trace elements. Our main focus was on Ti quantification because of the increased use of this element for titanium-in-quartz (TitaniQ) thermobarometry. Pieces of a uniform growth zone of 9 mm thickness within the quartz crystal were analysed in four different LA-ICP-MS laboratories, three EPMA laboratories and one solution-ICP-MS laboratory. The results reveal reproducible concentrations of Ti (57 ± 4 μg g-1), Al (154 ± 15 μg g-1), Li (30 ± 2 μg g-1), Fe (2.2 ± 0.3 μg g-1), Mn (0.34 ± 0.04 μg g-1), Ge (1.7 ± 0.2 μg g-1) and Ga (0.020 ± 0.002 μg g-1) and detectable, but less reproducible, concentrations of Be, B, Na, Cu, Zr, Sn and Pb. Concentrations of K, Ca, Sr, Mo, Ag, Sb, Ba and Au were below the limits of detection of all three techniques. The uncertainties on the average concentration determinations by multiple techniques and laboratories for Ti, Al, Li, Fe, Mn, Ga and Ge are low; hence, this quartz can serve as a reference material or a secondary reference material for microanalytical applications involving the quantification of trace elements in quartz.

Reference materials for microanalytical nuclear techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Injuk, Jasna; Grieken, Rene van [Department of Chemistry, Micro and Trace Analysis Centre, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk-Antwerp (Belgium)

1994-07-01

This paper discusses some issues concerning reference materials required for microanalysis including physical and chemical properties of the sample matrix and homogeneity of the chemical composition. It gives some examples of the mst common standards used. Further the paper gives background information about the Micro- and Trace Analysis Center of the University of Antwerp, Belgium and discusses recent results of the Center in microanalysis of reference materials.

Chemical vapor deposition: A technique for applying protective coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallace, T.C. Sr.; Bowman, M.G.

1979-01-01

Chemical vapor deposition is discussed as a technique for applying coatings for materials protection in energy systems. The fundamentals of the process are emphasized in order to establish a basis for understanding the relative advantages and limitations of the technique. Several examples of the successful application of CVD coating are described. 31 refs., and 18 figs.

A microanalytic study of self-regulated learning processes of expert, non-expert, and at-risk science students

Science.gov (United States)

Dibenedetto, Maria K.

2009-12-01

The present investigation sought to examine differences in the self-regulated learning processes and beliefs of students who vary in their level of expertise in science and to investigate if there are gender differences. Participants were 51 ethnically diverse 11th grade students from three parochial high schools consisting of 34 females and 17 males. Students were grouped as either expert, non-expert, or at-risk based on the school's classification. Students were provided with a short passage on tornados to read and study. The two achievement measures obtained were the Tornado Knowledge Test : ten short-answer questions and the Conceptual Model Test : a question which required the students to draw and describe the three sequential images of tornado development from the textual description of the three phases. A microanalytic methodology was used which consists of asking a series of questions aimed at assessing students' psychological behaviors, feelings, and thoughts in each of Zimmerman's three phases of self-regulation: forethought, performance, and reflection. These questions were asked of the students while they were engaged in learning. Two additional measures were obtained: the Rating Student Self-Regulated Learning Outcomes: A Teacher Scale (RSSRL) and the Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning (SELF). Analysis of variance, chi square analysis, and post hoc test results showed significant expertise differences, large effect sizes, and positive linear trends on most measures. Regarding gender, there were significant differences on only two measures. Correlational analyses also revealed significant relations among the self-regulatory subprocesses across the three phases. The microanalytic measures were combined across the three phases and entered into a regression formula to predict the students' scores on the Tornado Knowledge Test. These self-regulatory processes explained 77% of the variance in the Tornado Knowledge Test, which was a significant and

EPXMA survey of shelf sediments (Southern Bight, North Sea): A glance beyond the XRD-invisible

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Maeyer-Worobiec, A.; Dekov, V.M.; Laane, R.W.P.M.; van Grieken, R.

2009-01-01

Shelf sediments of the southern North Sea, were studied with a microanalytical [electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPXMA)] and two bulk [X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF)] techniques. The investigation proved that the promptness of the microanalytical method is combined with a

Early counterpulse technique applied to vacuum interrupters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, R.W.

1979-11-01

Interruption of dc currents using counterpulse techniques is investigated with vacuum interrupters and a novel approach in which the counterpulse is applied before contact separation. Important increases have been achieved in this way in the maximum interruptible current as well as large reductions in contact erosion. The factors establishing these new limits are presented and ways are discussed to make further improvements

Early counterpulse technique applied to vacuum interrupters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, R.W.

1979-01-01

Interruption of dc currents using counterpulse techniques is investigated with vacuum interrupters and a novel approach in which the counterpulse is applied before contact separation. Important increases have been achieved in this way in the maximum interruptible current and large reductions in contact erosion. The factors establishing these new limits are presented and ways are discussed to make further improvements to the maximum interruptible current

Computational optimization techniques applied to microgrids planning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gamarra, Carlos; Guerrero, Josep M.

2015-01-01

Microgrids are expected to become part of the next electric power system evolution, not only in rural and remote areas but also in urban communities. Since microgrids are expected to coexist with traditional power grids (such as district heating does with traditional heating systems......), their planning process must be addressed to economic feasibility, as a long-term stability guarantee. Planning a microgrid is a complex process due to existing alternatives, goals, constraints and uncertainties. Usually planning goals conflict each other and, as a consequence, different optimization problems...... appear along the planning process. In this context, technical literature about optimization techniques applied to microgrid planning have been reviewed and the guidelines for innovative planning methodologies focused on economic feasibility can be defined. Finally, some trending techniques and new...

In vitro radionuclide techniques in medical diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-02-01

The use of radionuclide based microanalytical techniques for medical diagnosis has been increasing in recent years. Several such methods are in routine use in advanced laboratories in the industrialized world, but are often beyond the capability of developing countries. The IAEA has organized several training activities and seminars to bring the benefits of such advances to laboratories in developing Member States. The most recent was an interregional training course in Tokyo, March 1996, in collaboration with the Japanese Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). The course was conducted by international experts, local staff, and IAEA staff. With the intention of giving the main techniques used at the course to a wider distribution they have been compiled into the present technical document. It is hoped that laboratories in developing Member States that did not have participants at the training course will find the information provided useful and sufficiently detailed to enable their application in their home institutions

Investigation of the gilding technique in two post-Byzantine wall paintings using micro-analytical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katsibiri, Olga; Boon, Jaap J.

2004-01-01

The main churches of two important monasteries in Thessalia, Central Greece, are decorated with wall paintings that hail from the post-Byzantine period. The mural decoration of the main church of the St. Byssarionas Monastery at Doussiko has been attributed to the iconographer Tzortzis. The same painter is believed to have also operated in the main church of the Transfiguration Monastery at the monastic community of Meteora. The light microscopic (LM) examination of the cross-sections of samples taken from the gilded areas of the wall paintings, together with the direct temperature resolved mass spectrometric (DTMS) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic (SEM-EDX) analysis, revealed a further resemblance of the materials and the methodology employed. The gold leaf was applied to the paintings by means of a mordant, which contains linseed oil mixed with a lead-containing dryer and an earth pigment or clay. The present study can constitute additional evidence to reinforce the idea that the two churches may have been painted by the same painter or workshop

Applying of USB interface technique in nuclear spectrum acquisition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Jianbin; Huang Jinhua

2004-01-01

This paper introduces applying of USB technique and constructing nuclear spectrum acquisition system via PC's USB interface. The authors choose the USB component USB100 module and the W77E58μc to do the key work. It's easy to apply USB interface technique, when USB100 module is used. USB100 module can be treated as a common I/O component for the μc controller, and can be treated as a communication interface (COM) when connected to PC' USB interface. It's easy to modify the PC's program for the new system with USB100 module. The authors can smoothly change from ISA, RS232 bus to USB bus. (authors)

Synchrotron radiation induced x-ray micro analysis: A realistic alternative for electron- and ion beam microscopy?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janssens, K.; Adams, F. [Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen, Antwerp (Belgium). Dept. of Chemistry; Rivers, M.L.; Jones, K.W. [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)

1992-10-01

Synchrotron Radiation induced X-ray micro Fluorescence analysis ({mu}-SRXRF) is compared with more conventional microanalytical techniques such as Secondary Ion Microscopy (SIMS) and Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis (EPXMA) for two typical microanalytical applications. SRXRF and EPXMA are employed for the analysis of individual particles, showing the complementary character of both techniques. By means of element mapping of trace constituents in a heterogeneous feldspar, the strong and weak points of SRXRF in comparison to EPXMA and SIMS are illustrated. The most striking difference between SRXRF and the other two microanalytical methods is the ability of SRXRF to probe deep into the investigated Material, whereas SIMS and EPXMA only investigate the upper surface of the material. The possibilities of SRXRF at third generation synchrotron rings is also briefly discussed.

Synchrotron radiation induced x-ray micro analysis: A realistic alternative for electron- and ion beam microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janssens, K.; Adams, F. (Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen, Antwerp (Belgium). Dept. of Chemistry); Rivers, M.L.; Jones, K.W. (Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States))

1992-01-01

Synchrotron Radiation induced X-ray micro Fluorescence analysis ([mu]-SRXRF) is compared with more conventional microanalytical techniques such as Secondary Ion Microscopy (SIMS) and Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis (EPXMA) for two typical microanalytical applications. SRXRF and EPXMA are employed for the analysis of individual particles, showing the complementary character of both techniques. By means of element mapping of trace constituents in a heterogeneous feldspar, the strong and weak points of SRXRF in comparison to EPXMA and SIMS are illustrated. The most striking difference between SRXRF and the other two microanalytical methods is the ability of SRXRF to probe deep into the investigated Material, whereas SIMS and EPXMA only investigate the upper surface of the material. The possibilities of SRXRF at third generation synchrotron rings is also briefly discussed.

Synchrotron radiation induced x-ray micro analysis: A realistic alternative for electron- and ion beam microscopy?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janssens, K.; Adams, F.

1992-01-01

Synchrotron Radiation induced X-ray micro Fluorescence analysis (μ-SRXRF) is compared with more conventional microanalytical techniques such as Secondary Ion Microscopy (SIMS) and Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis (EPXMA) for two typical microanalytical applications. SRXRF and EPXMA are employed for the analysis of individual particles, showing the complementary character of both techniques. By means of element mapping of trace constituents in a heterogeneous feldspar, the strong and weak points of SRXRF in comparison to EPXMA and SIMS are illustrated. The most striking difference between SRXRF and the other two microanalytical methods is the ability of SRXRF to probe deep into the investigated Material, whereas SIMS and EPXMA only investigate the upper surface of the material. The possibilities of SRXRF at third generation synchrotron rings is also briefly discussed

Correlated Raman micro-spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses of flame retardants in environmental samples: a micro-analytical tool for probing chemical composition, origin and spatial distribution.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosal, Sutapa; Wagner, Jeff

2013-07-07

We present correlated application of two micro-analytical techniques: scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and Raman micro-spectroscopy (RMS) for the non-invasive characterization and molecular identification of flame retardants (FRs) in environmental dusts and consumer products. The SEM/EDS-RMS technique offers correlated, morphological, molecular, spatial distribution and semi-quantitative elemental concentration information at the individual particle level with micrometer spatial resolution and minimal sample preparation. The presented methodology uses SEM/EDS analyses for rapid detection of particles containing FR specific elements as potential indicators of FR presence in a sample followed by correlated RMS analyses of the same particles for characterization of the FR sub-regions and surrounding matrices. The spatially resolved characterization enabled by this approach provides insights into the distributional heterogeneity as well as potential transfer and exposure mechanisms for FRs in the environment that is typically not available through traditional FR analysis. We have used this methodology to reveal a heterogeneous distribution of highly concentrated deca-BDE particles in environmental dust, sometimes in association with identifiable consumer materials. The observed coexistence of deca-BDE with consumer material in dust is strongly indicative of its release into the environment via weathering/abrasion of consumer products. Ingestion of such enriched FR particles in dust represents a potential for instantaneous exposure to high FR concentrations. Therefore, correlated SEM/RMS analysis offers a novel investigative tool for addressing an area of important environmental concern.

Diagonal ordering operation technique applied to Morse oscillator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Popov, Dušan, E-mail: dusan_popov@yahoo.co.uk [Politehnica University Timisoara, Department of Physical Foundations of Engineering, Bd. V. Parvan No. 2, 300223 Timisoara (Romania); Dong, Shi-Hai [CIDETEC, Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Adolfo Lopez Mateos, Mexico D.F. 07700 (Mexico); Popov, Miodrag [Politehnica University Timisoara, Department of Steel Structures and Building Mechanics, Traian Lalescu Street, No. 2/A, 300223 Timisoara (Romania)

2015-11-15

We generalize the technique called as the integration within a normally ordered product (IWOP) of operators referring to the creation and annihilation operators of the harmonic oscillator coherent states to a new operatorial approach, i.e. the diagonal ordering operation technique (DOOT) about the calculations connected with the normally ordered product of generalized creation and annihilation operators that generate the generalized hypergeometric coherent states. We apply this technique to the coherent states of the Morse oscillator including the mixed (thermal) state case and get the well-known results achieved by other methods in the corresponding coherent state representation. Also, in the last section we construct the coherent states for the continuous dynamics of the Morse oscillator by using two new methods: the discrete–continuous limit, respectively by solving a finite difference equation. Finally, we construct the coherent states corresponding to the whole Morse spectrum (discrete plus continuous) and demonstrate their properties according the Klauder’s prescriptions.

Applied potential tomography. A new noninvasive technique for measuring gastric emptying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avill, R.; Mangnall, Y.F.; Bird, N.C.; Brown, B.H.; Barber, D.C.; Seagar, A.D.; Johnson, A.G.; Read, N.W.

1987-01-01

Applied potential tomography is a new, noninvasive technique that yields sequential images of the resistivity of gastric contents after subjects have ingested a liquid or semisolid meal. This study validates the technique as a means of measuring gastric emptying. Experiments in vitro showed an excellent correlation between measurements of resistivity and either the square of the radius of a glass rod or the volume of water in a spherical balloon when both were placed in an oval tank containing saline. Altering the lateral position of the rod in the tank did not alter the values obtained. Images of abdominal resistivity were also directly correlated with the volume of air in a gastric balloon. Profiles of gastric emptying of liquid meals obtained using applied potential tomography were very similar to those obtained using scintigraphy or dye dilution techniques, provided that acid secretion was inhibited by cimetidine. Profiles of emptying of a mashed potato meal using applied potential tomography were also very similar to those obtained by scintigraphy. Measurements of the emptying of a liquid meal from the stomach were reproducible if acid secretion was inhibited by cimetidine. Thus, applied potential tomography is an accurate and reproducible method of measuring gastric emptying of liquids and particulate food. It is inexpensive, well tolerated, easy to use, and ideally suited for multiple studies in patients, even those who are pregnant

Applied potential tomography. A new noninvasive technique for measuring gastric emptying

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Avill, R.; Mangnall, Y.F.; Bird, N.C.; Brown, B.H.; Barber, D.C.; Seagar, A.D.; Johnson, A.G.; Read, N.W.

1987-04-01

Applied potential tomography is a new, noninvasive technique that yields sequential images of the resistivity of gastric contents after subjects have ingested a liquid or semisolid meal. This study validates the technique as a means of measuring gastric emptying. Experiments in vitro showed an excellent correlation between measurements of resistivity and either the square of the radius of a glass rod or the volume of water in a spherical balloon when both were placed in an oval tank containing saline. Altering the lateral position of the rod in the tank did not alter the values obtained. Images of abdominal resistivity were also directly correlated with the volume of air in a gastric balloon. Profiles of gastric emptying of liquid meals obtained using applied potential tomography were very similar to those obtained using scintigraphy or dye dilution techniques, provided that acid secretion was inhibited by cimetidine. Profiles of emptying of a mashed potato meal using applied potential tomography were also very similar to those obtained by scintigraphy. Measurements of the emptying of a liquid meal from the stomach were reproducible if acid secretion was inhibited by cimetidine. Thus, applied potential tomography is an accurate and reproducible method of measuring gastric emptying of liquids and particulate food. It is inexpensive, well tolerated, easy to use, and ideally suited for multiple studies in patients, even those who are pregnant.

Microscale and nanoscale strain mapping techniques applied to creep of rocks

Science.gov (United States)

Quintanilla-Terminel, Alejandra; Zimmerman, Mark E.; Evans, Brian; Kohlstedt, David L.

2017-07-01

Usually several deformation mechanisms interact to accommodate plastic deformation. Quantifying the contribution of each to the total strain is necessary to bridge the gaps from observations of microstructures, to geomechanical descriptions, to extrapolating from laboratory data to field observations. Here, we describe the experimental and computational techniques involved in microscale strain mapping (MSSM), which allows strain produced during high-pressure, high-temperature deformation experiments to be tracked with high resolution. MSSM relies on the analysis of the relative displacement of initially regularly spaced markers after deformation. We present two lithography techniques used to pattern rock substrates at different scales: photolithography and electron-beam lithography. Further, we discuss the challenges of applying the MSSM technique to samples used in high-temperature and high-pressure experiments. We applied the MSSM technique to a study of strain partitioning during creep of Carrara marble and grain boundary sliding in San Carlos olivine, synthetic forsterite, and Solnhofen limestone at a confining pressure, Pc, of 300 MPa and homologous temperatures, T/Tm, of 0.3 to 0.6. The MSSM technique works very well up to temperatures of 700 °C. The experimental developments described here show promising results for higher-temperature applications.

Dielectric spectroscopy technique applied to study the behaviour of irradiated polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saoud, R.; Soualmia, A.; Guerbi, C.A.; Benrekaa, N.

2006-01-01

Relaxation spectroscopy provides an excellent method for the study of motional processes in materials and has been widely applied to macromolecules and polymers. The technique is potentially of most interest when applied to irradiated systems. Application to the study of the structure beam-irradiated Teflon is thus an outstanding opportunity for the dielectric relaxation technique, particularly as this material exhibits clamping problems when subjected to dynamic mechanical relaxation studies. A very wide frequency range is necessary to resolve dipolar effects. In this paper, we discuss some significant results about the behavior and the modification of the structure of Teflon submitted to weak energy radiations

Novel imaging techniques for the nuclear microprobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saint, A.

1998-01-01

Many of the developments of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) have been paralleled during the development of the scanning nuclear microprobe. Secondary electrons were used in the early development of both devices to provide specimen imaging due to the large numbers of secondaries produced per incident charged particle. Other imaging contrast techniques have also been developed on both machines. These include X-ray analysis, scattering contrast, transmission microscopy, channelling induced charge and others. The 'cross-section dependent' imaging techniques such as PIXE, RBS, NRA, etc., rely on the beam current on target for a given resolution. This has prompted research and development of brighter ion sources to maintain probe resolution at high beam current. Higher beam current bring problems with beam damage to the specimen. Low beam current techniques however rely on high countrate data collection systems, but this is only for spectroscopy. To produce an image we can increase beam currents to produce live-time images for specimen manipulation and observation. The work presented here will focus on some developments in live-time imaging with a nuclear micro probe that have taken place recently at the School of Physics, Microanalytical Research Centre (MARC), University of Melbourne

Statistical Techniques Used in Three Applied Linguistics Journals: "Language Learning,""Applied Linguistics" and "TESOL Quarterly," 1980-1986: Implications for Readers and Researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Teleni, Vicki; Baldauf, Richard B., Jr.

A study investigated the statistical techniques used by applied linguists and reported in three journals, "Language Learning,""Applied Linguistics," and "TESOL Quarterly," between 1980 and 1986. It was found that 47% of the published articles used statistical procedures. In these articles, 63% of the techniques used could be called basic, 28%…

The impact of applying product-modelling techniques in configurator projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvam, Lars; Kristjansdottir, Katrin; Shafiee, Sara

2018-01-01

This paper aims to increase understanding of the impact of using product-modelling techniques to structure and formalise knowledge in configurator projects. Companies that provide customised products increasingly apply configurators in support of sales and design activities, reaping benefits...... that include shorter lead times, improved quality of specifications and products, and lower overall product costs. The design and implementation of configurators are a challenging task that calls for scientifically based modelling techniques to support the formal representation of configurator knowledge. Even...... the phenomenon model and information model are considered visually, (2) non-UML-based modelling techniques, in which only the phenomenon model is considered and (3) non-formal modelling techniques. This study analyses the impact to companies from increased availability of product knowledge and improved control...

Determination of palladium in biological samples applying nuclear analytical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavalcante, Cassio Q.; Sato, Ivone M.; Salvador, Vera L. R.; Saiki, Mitiko

2008-01-01

This study presents Pd determinations in bovine tissue samples containing palladium prepared in the laboratory, and CCQM-P63 automotive catalyst materials of the Proficiency Test, using instrumental thermal and epithermal neutron activation analysis and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence techniques. Solvent extraction and solid phase extraction procedures were also applied to separate Pd from interfering elements before the irradiation in the nuclear reactor. The results obtained by different techniques were compared against each other to examine sensitivity, precision and accuracy. (author)

Applying BI Techniques To Improve Decision Making And Provide Knowledge Based Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra Maria Ioana FLOREA

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The paper focuses on BI techniques and especially data mining algorithms that can support and improve the decision making process, with applications within the financial sector. We consider the data mining techniques to be more efficient and thus we applied several techniques, supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms The case study in which these algorithms have been implemented regards the activity of a banking institution, with focus on the management of lending activities.

New techniques for imaging and analyzing lung tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roggli, V.L.; Ingram, P.; Linton, R.W.; Gutknecht, W.F.; Mastin, P.; Shelburne, J.D.

1984-01-01

The recent technological revolution in the field of imaging techniques has provided pathologists and toxicologists with an expanding repertoire of analytical techniques for studying the interaction between the lung and the various exogenous materials to which it is exposed. Analytical problems requiring elemental sensitivity or specificity beyond the range of that offered by conventional scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis are particularly appropriate for the application of these newer techniques. Electron energy loss spectrometry, Auger electron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and laser microprobe mass analysis each offer unique advantages in this regard, but also possess their own limitations and disadvantages. Diffraction techniques provide crystalline structural information available through no other means. Bulk chemical techniques provide useful cross-checks on the data obtained by microanalytical approaches. It is the purpose of this review to summarize the methodology of these techniques, acknowledge situations in which they have been used in addressing problems in pulmonary toxicology, and comment on the relative advantages and disadvantages of each approach. It is necessary for an investigator to weigh6 each of these factors when deciding which technique is best suited for any given analytical problem; often it is useful to employ a combination of two or more of the techniques discussed. It is anticipated that there will be increasing utilization of these technologies for problems in pulmonary toxicology in the decades to come. 92 references, 10 figures, 2 tables

Freeze-drying and related preparation techniques for biological microprobe analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wroblewski, R.; Wroblewski, J.; Anniko, M.; Edstroem, L.P.

1985-01-01

An X-ray microanalytical and morphological investigation has been carried out on rapidly frozen, freeze-dried or freeze-substituted tissues. A comparison was made between different embedding and polymerization procedures following freeze-substitution and freeze-drying. The investigation also included an analysis of specimens infiltrated, embedded and polymerized by ultraviolet irradiation at low temperatures with Lowicryl HM20. The morphological preservation of Lowicryl embedded tissue was adequate for the identification of different cell structures like nuclei, mitochondria, lysosomes and different types of endoplasmic reticulum. X-ray microanalytical investigation of low temperature embedded material displayed an elemental composition of cells and organelles similar to that found in freeze-dried cyosections. Compared with freeze-dried cryosections, low temperature embedded material could be sectioned for light microscopy and area of interest chosen for further thin sectioning. This is of great importance in work with tissues with complicated morphology and heterogenous cell populations

Applying DEA Technique to Library Evaluation in Academic Research Libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Shim, Wonsik

2003-01-01

This study applied an analytical technique called Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to calculate the relative technical efficiency of 95 academic research libraries, all members of the Association of Research Libraries. DEA, with the proper model of library inputs and outputs, can reveal best practices in the peer groups, as well as the technical…

Super Resolution and Interference Suppression Technique applied to SHARAD Radar Data

Science.gov (United States)

Raguso, M. C.; Mastrogiuseppe, M.; Seu, R.; Piazzo, L.

2017-12-01

We will present a super resolution and interference suppression technique applied to the data acquired by the SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) on board the NASA's 2005 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) mission, currently operating around Mars [1]. The algorithms allow to improve the range resolution roughly by a factor of 3 and the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) by a several decibels. Range compression algorithms usually adopt conventional Fourier transform techniques, which are limited in the resolution by the transmitted signal bandwidth, analogous to the Rayleigh's criterion in optics. In this work, we investigate a super resolution method based on autoregressive models and linear prediction techniques [2]. Starting from the estimation of the linear prediction coefficients from the spectral data, the algorithm performs the radar bandwidth extrapolation (BWE), thereby improving the range resolution of the pulse-compressed coherent radar data. Moreover, the EMIs (ElectroMagnetic Interferences) are detected and the spectra is interpolated in order to reconstruct an interference free spectrum, thereby improving the SNR. The algorithm can be applied to the single complex look image after synthetic aperture processing (SAR). We apply the proposed algorithm to simulated as well as to real radar data. We will demonstrate the effective enhancement on vertical resolution with respect to the classical spectral estimator. We will show that the imaging of the subsurface layered structures observed in radargrams is improved, allowing additional insights for the scientific community in the interpretation of the SHARAD radar data, which will help to further our understanding of the formation and evolution of known geological features on Mars. References: [1] Seu et al. 2007, Science, 2007, 317, 1715-1718 [2] K.M. Cuomo, "A Bandwidth Extrapolation Technique for Improved Range Resolution of Coherent Radar Data", Project Report CJP-60, Revision 1, MIT Lincoln Laboratory (4 Dec. 1992).

Surface analytical techniques applied to minerals processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smart, R.St.C.

1991-01-01

An understanding of the chemical and physical forms of the chemically altered layers on the surfaces of base metal sulphides, particularly in the form of hydroxides, oxyhydroxides and oxides, and the changes that occur in them during minerals processing lies at the core of a complete description of flotation chemistry. This paper reviews the application of a variety of surface-sensitive techniques and methodologies applied to the study of surface layers on single minerals, mixed minerals, synthetic ores and real ores. Evidence from combined XPS/SAM/SEM studies have provided images and analyses of three forms of oxide, oxyhydroxide and hydroxide products on the surfaces of single sulphide minerals, mineral mixtures and complex sulphide ores. 4 refs., 2 tabs., 4 figs

The correlated k-distribution technique as applied to the AVHRR channels

Science.gov (United States)

Kratz, David P.

1995-01-01

Correlated k-distributions have been created to account for the molecular absorption found in the spectral ranges of the five Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) satellite channels. The production of the k-distributions was based upon an exponential-sum fitting of transmissions (ESFT) technique which was applied to reference line-by-line absorptance calculations. To account for the overlap of spectral features from different molecular species, the present routines made use of the multiplication transmissivity property which allows for considerable flexibility, especially when altering relative mixing ratios of the various molecular species. To determine the accuracy of the correlated k-distribution technique as compared to the line-by-line procedure, atmospheric flux and heating rate calculations were run for a wide variety of atmospheric conditions. For the atmospheric conditions taken into consideration, the correlated k-distribution technique has yielded results within about 0.5% for both the cases where the satellite spectral response functions were applied and where they were not. The correlated k-distribution's principal advantages is that it can be incorporated directly into multiple scattering routines that consider scattering as well as absorption by clouds and aerosol particles.

Technique applied in electrical power distribution for Satellite Launch Vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Maurício Rosário

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The Satellite Launch Vehicle electrical network, which is currently being developed in Brazil, is sub-divided for analysis in the following parts: Service Electrical Network, Controlling Electrical Network, Safety Electrical Network and Telemetry Electrical Network. During the pre-launching and launching phases, these electrical networks are associated electrically and mechanically to the structure of the vehicle. In order to succeed in the integration of these electrical networks it is necessary to employ techniques of electrical power distribution, which are proper to Launch Vehicle systems. This work presents the most important techniques to be considered in the characterization of the electrical power supply applied to Launch Vehicle systems. Such techniques are primarily designed to allow the electrical networks, when submitted to the single-phase fault to ground, to be able of keeping the power supply to the loads.

[Technique and value of direct MR arthrography applying articular distraction].

Science.gov (United States)

Becce, Fabio; Wettstein, Michael; Guntern, Daniel; Mouhsine, Elyazid; Palhais, Nuno; Theumann, Nicolas

2010-02-24

Direct MR arthrography has a better diagnostic accuracy than MR imaging alone. However, contrast material is not always homogeneously distributed in the articular space. Lesions of cartilage surfaces or intra-articular soft tissues can thus be misdiagnosed. Concomitant application of axial traction during MR arthrography leads to articular distraction. This enables better distribution of contrast material in the joint and better delineation of intra-articular structures. Therefore, this technique improves detection of cartilage lesions. Moreover, the axial stress applied on articular structures may reveal lesions invisible on MR images without traction. Based on our clinical experience, we believe that this relatively unknown technique is promising and should be further developed.

Optimization technique applied to interpretation of experimental data and research of constitutive laws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grossette, J.C.

1982-01-01

The feasibility of identification technique applied to one dimensional numerical analysis of the split-Hopkinson pressure bar experiment is proven. A general 1-D elastic-plastic-viscoplastic computer program was written down so as to give an adequate solution for elastic-plastic-viscoplastic response of a pressure bar subjected to a general Heaviside step loading function in time which is applied over one end of the bar. Special emphasis is placed on the response of the specimen during the first microseconds where no equilibrium conditions can be stated. During this transient phase discontinuity conditions related to wave propagation are encountered and must be carefully taken into account. Having derived an adequate numerical model, then Pontryagin identification technique has been applied in such a way that the unknowns are physical parameters. The solutions depend mainly on the selection of a class of proper eigen objective functionals (cost functions) which may be combined so as to obtain a convenient numerical objective function. A number of significant questions arising in the choice of parameter adjustment algorithms are discussed. In particular, this technique leads to a two point boundary value problem which has been solved using an iterative gradient like technique usually referred to as a double operator gradient method. This method combines the classical Fletcher-Powell technique and a partial quadratic technique with an automatic parameter step size selection. This method is much more efficient than usual ones. Numerical experimentation with simulated data was performed to test the accuracy and stability of the identification algorithm and to determine the most adequate type and quantity of data for estimation purposes

Evaluation of irradiation damage effect by applying electric properties based techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acosta, B.; Sevini, F.

2004-01-01

The most important effect of the degradation by radiation is the decrease in the ductility of the pressure vessel of the reactor (RPV) ferritic steels. The main way to determine the mechanical behaviour of the RPV steels is tensile and impact tests, from which the ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT) and its increase due to neutron irradiation can be calculated. These tests are destructive and regularly applied to surveillance specimens to assess the integrity of RPV. The possibility of applying validated non-destructive ageing monitoring techniques would however facilitate the surveillance of the materials that form the reactor vessel. The JRC-IE has developed two devices, focused on the measurement of the electrical properties to assess non-destructively the embrittlement state of materials. The first technique, called Seebeck and Thomson Effects on Aged Material (STEAM), is based on the measurement of the Seebeck coefficient, characteristic of the material and related to the microstructural changes induced by irradiation embrittlement. With the same aim the second technique, named Resistivity Effects on Aged Material (REAM), measures instead the resistivity of the material. The purpose of this research is to correlate the results of the impact tests, STEAM and REAM measurements with the change in the mechanical properties due to neutron irradiation. These results will make possible the improvement of such techniques based on the measurement of material electrical properties for their application to the irradiation embrittlement assessment

Applying field mapping refractive beam shapers to improve holographic techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Laskin, Alexander; Williams, Gavin; McWilliam, Richard; Laskin, Vadim

2012-03-01

Performance of various holographic techniques can be essentially improved by homogenizing the intensity profile of the laser beam with using beam shaping optics, for example, the achromatic field mapping refractive beam shapers like πShaper. The operational principle of these devices presumes transformation of laser beam intensity from Gaussian to flattop one with high flatness of output wavefront, saving of beam consistency, providing collimated output beam of low divergence, high transmittance, extended depth of field, negligible residual wave aberration, and achromatic design provides capability to work with several laser sources with different wavelengths simultaneously. Applying of these beam shapers brings serious benefits to the Spatial Light Modulator based techniques like Computer Generated Holography or Dot-Matrix mastering of security holograms since uniform illumination of an SLM allows simplifying mathematical calculations and increasing predictability and reliability of the imaging results. Another example is multicolour Denisyuk holography when the achromatic πShaper provides uniform illumination of a field at various wavelengths simultaneously. This paper will describe some design basics of the field mapping refractive beam shapers and optical layouts of their applying in holographic systems. Examples of real implementations and experimental results will be presented as well.

Just-in-Time techniques as applied to hazardous materials management

OpenAIRE

Spicer, John S.

1996-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited This study investigates the feasibility of integrating JIT techniques in the context of hazardous materials management. This study provides a description of JIT, a description of environmental compliance issues and the outgrowth of related HAZMAT policies, and a broad perspective on strategies for applying JIT to HAZMAT management. http://archive.org/details/justintimetechn00spic Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy

Solving mercury (Hg) speciation in soil samples by synchrotron X-ray microspectroscopic techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Terzano, Roberto; Santoro, Anna; Spagnuolo, Matteo; Vekemans, Bart; Medici, Luca; Janssens, Koen; Göttlicher, Jörg; Denecke, Melissa A; Mangold, Stefan; Ruggiero, Pacifico

2010-08-01

Direct mercury (Hg) speciation was assessed for soil samples with a Hg concentration ranging from 7 up to 240 mg kg(-1). Hg chemical forms were identified and quantified by sequential extractions and bulk- and micro-analytical techniques exploiting synchrotron generated X-rays. In particular, microspectroscopic techniques such as mu-XRF, mu-XRD and mu-XANES were necessary to solve bulk Hg speciation, in both soil fractions soil samples were metacinnabar (beta-HgS), cinnabar (alpha-HgS), corderoite (Hg(3)S(2)Cl(2)), and an amorphous phase containing Hg bound to chlorine and sulfur. The amount of metacinnabar and amorphous phases increased in the fraction soil components was observed. All the observed Hg-species originated from the slow weathering of an inert Hg-containing waste material (K106, U.S. EPA) dumped in the area several years ago, which is changing into a relatively more dangerous source of pollution. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional integrated CAE system applying computer graphic technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Toshisada; Tanaka, Kazuo; Akitomo, Norio; Obata, Tokayasu.

1991-01-01

A three-dimensional CAE system for nuclear power plant design is presented. This system utilizes high-speed computer graphic techniques for the plant design review, and an integrated engineering database for handling the large amount of nuclear power plant engineering data in a unified data format. Applying this system makes it possible to construct a nuclear power plant using only computer data from the basic design phase to the manufacturing phase, and it increases the productivity and reliability of the nuclear power plants. (author)

Applying recursive numerical integration techniques for solving high dimensional integrals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ammon, Andreas; Genz, Alan; Hartung, Tobias; Jansen, Karl; Volmer, Julia; Leoevey, Hernan

2016-11-01

The error scaling for Markov-Chain Monte Carlo techniques (MCMC) with N samples behaves like 1/√(N). This scaling makes it often very time intensive to reduce the error of computed observables, in particular for applications in lattice QCD. It is therefore highly desirable to have alternative methods at hand which show an improved error scaling. One candidate for such an alternative integration technique is the method of recursive numerical integration (RNI). The basic idea of this method is to use an efficient low-dimensional quadrature rule (usually of Gaussian type) and apply it iteratively to integrate over high-dimensional observables and Boltzmann weights. We present the application of such an algorithm to the topological rotor and the anharmonic oscillator and compare the error scaling to MCMC results. In particular, we demonstrate that the RNI technique shows an error scaling in the number of integration points m that is at least exponential.

Applying recursive numerical integration techniques for solving high dimensional integrals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ammon, Andreas [IVU Traffic Technologies AG, Berlin (Germany); Genz, Alan [Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States). Dept. of Mathematics; Hartung, Tobias [King' s College, London (United Kingdom). Dept. of Mathematics; Jansen, Karl; Volmer, Julia [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Zeuthen (Germany). John von Neumann-Inst. fuer Computing NIC; Leoevey, Hernan [Humboldt Univ. Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Mathematik

2016-11-15

The error scaling for Markov-Chain Monte Carlo techniques (MCMC) with N samples behaves like 1/√(N). This scaling makes it often very time intensive to reduce the error of computed observables, in particular for applications in lattice QCD. It is therefore highly desirable to have alternative methods at hand which show an improved error scaling. One candidate for such an alternative integration technique is the method of recursive numerical integration (RNI). The basic idea of this method is to use an efficient low-dimensional quadrature rule (usually of Gaussian type) and apply it iteratively to integrate over high-dimensional observables and Boltzmann weights. We present the application of such an algorithm to the topological rotor and the anharmonic oscillator and compare the error scaling to MCMC results. In particular, we demonstrate that the RNI technique shows an error scaling in the number of integration points m that is at least exponential.

Development of technique to apply induction heating stress improvement to recirculation inlet nozzle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiba, Kunihiko; Nihei, Kenichi; Ootaka, Minoru

2009-01-01

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) have been found in the primary loop recirculation (PLR) systems of boiling water reactors (BWR). Residual stress in welding heat-affected zone is one of the factors of SCC, and the residual stress improvement is one of the most effective methods to prevent SCC. Induction heating stress improvement (IHSI) is one of the techniques to improve reduce residual stress. However, it is difficult to apply IHSI to the place such as the recirculation inlet nozzle where the flow stagnates. In this present study, the technique to apply IHSI to the recirculation inlet nozzle was developed using water jet which blowed into the crevice between the nozzle safe end and the thermal sleeve. (author)

Histochemical applications of x-ray microanalysis: the simultaneous assessment of mitosis and cell death

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowen, I.D.; Lewis, G.H.

1980-01-01

The principles of x-ray microanalytical histochemistry are reviewed. The use of labelling and precipitation techniques are examined, and particular attention is paid to the localization of enzymatic activity. A new method is described for the simultaneous assessment of mitosis as represented by the incorporation of ( 3 H) thymidine, and cell death as represented by the localization of free acid phosphatase, in the same tissue section. The thymidine incorporation is demonstrated by the appearance of topographically and microanalytically detectable silver grains in an overlying emulsion and the cell lysis associated acid phosphatase activity is detected optically and microanalytically by means of a bromine-rich azo dye deposited as a result of coupling naphthol AS BI, enzymatically released from naphthyl AS BI phosphoric acid, with diazotized 2,5-dibromoaniline

Airflow measurement techniques applied to radon mitigation problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrje, D.T.; Gadsby, K.J.

1989-01-01

During the past decade a multitude of diagnostic procedures associated with the evaluation of air infiltration and air leakage sites have been developed. The spirit of international cooperation and exchange of ideas within the AIC-AIVC conferences has greatly facilitated the adoption and use of these measurement techniques in the countries participating in Annex V. But wide application of such diagnostic methods are not limited to air infiltration alone. The subject of this paper concerns the ways to evaluate and improve radon reduction in buildings using diagnostic methods directly related to developments familiar to the AIVC. Radon problems are certainly not unique to the United States, and the methods described here have to a degree been applied by researchers of other countries faced with similar problems. The radon problem involves more than a harmful pollutant of the living spaces of our buildings -- it also involves energy to operate radon removal equipment and the loss of interior conditioned air as a direct result. The techniques used for air infiltration evaluation will be shown to be very useful in dealing with the radon mitigation challenge. 10 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab

Database 'catalogue of techniques applied to materials and products of nuclear engineering'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lebedeva, E.E.; Golovanov, V.N.; Podkopayeva, I.A.; Temnoyeva, T.A.

2002-01-01

The database 'Catalogue of techniques applied to materials and products of nuclear engineering' (IS MERI) was developed to provide informational support for SSC RF RIAR and other enterprises in scientific investigations. This database contains information on the techniques used at RF Minatom enterprises for reactor material properties investigation. The main purpose of this system consists in the assessment of the current status of the reactor material science experimental base for the further planning of experimental activities and methodical support improvement. (author)

Applying Brainstorming Techniques to EFL Classroom

OpenAIRE

Toshiya, Oishi; 湘北短期大学; aPart-time Lecturer at Shohoku College

2015-01-01

This paper focuses on brainstorming techniques for English language learners. From the author's teaching experiences at Shohoku College during the academic year 2014-2015, the importance of brainstorming techniques was made evident. The author explored three elements of brainstorming techniques for writing using literaturereviews: lack of awareness, connecting to prior knowledge, and creativity. The literature reviews showed the advantage of using brainstorming techniques in an English compos...

Strategies and techniques of communication and public relations applied to non-profit sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ioana – Julieta Josan

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to summarize the strategies and techniques of communication and public relations applied to non-profit sector.The approach of the paper is to identify the most appropriate strategies and techniques that non-profit sector can use to accomplish its objectives, to highlight specific differences between the strategies and techniques of the profit and non-profit sectors and to identify potential communication and public relations actions in order to increase visibility among target audience, create brand awareness and to change into positive brand sentiment the target perception about the non-profit sector.

Micro-homogeneity of candidate reference materials: Results from an intercomparison study for the Analytical Quality Control Services (AQCS) of the IAEA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossbach, M.; Kniewald, G.

2002-01-01

The IAEA Analytical Quality Control Services (AQCS) has made available two single cell algae materials IAEA-392 and IAEA-393 as well as an urban dust IAEA-396 to study their use for analytical sample sizes in the milligram range and below. Micro-analytical techniques such as PIXE and μ-PIXE, solid sampling AAS, scanning electron microprobe X-ray analysis and INAA were applied to the determination of trace elements on the basis of μg to mg amounts of the selected materials. The comparability of the mean values as well as the reproducibility of successive measurements is being evaluated in order to compare relative homogeneity factors for many elements in the investigated materials. From the reported results it seems that the algae materials IAEA-392 and IAEA-393 are extremely homogeneous biological materials for a number of elements with an extraordinary sharp particle size distribution below 10 μm. A similar situation seems to hold for the urban dust material IAEA-396 which had been air-jet milled to a particle size distribution around 4 μm. The introduction of these materials as CRMs with very small amounts needed to determine the certified concentrations will help to meet the needs of micro-analytical techniques for natural matrix reference materials. (author)

XRF Newsletter, No. 26, April 2014

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-04-01

In this issue: • Handheld XRF analysis of a 16th century Mexican Feather Headdress; • Technical Meeeting on Nuclear Spectrometry Instrumentation for 2D and 3D imaging applied to characterization of materials of potential for nuclear power sector; • Technical Meeting on the application of micro-analytical techniques based on nuclear spectrometry to the characterization of materials of importance for the nuclear power; • Invitation to join the European Radiation Detection and Imaging Technology (ERDIT) activities; • X ray fluorescence in Member States: Indonesia, Italy, Spain

Improvement technique of sensitized HAZ by GTAW cladding applied to a BWR power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tujimura, Hiroshi; Tamai, Yasumasa; Furukawa, Hideyasu; Kurosawa, Kouichi; Chiba, Isao; Nomura, Keiichi.

1995-01-01

A SCC(Stress Corrosion Cracking)-resistant technique, in which the sleeve installed by expansion is melted by GTAW process without filler metal with outside water cooling, was developed. The technique was applied to ICM (In-Core Monitor) housings of a BWR power plant in 1993. The ICM housings of which materials are type 304 Stainless Steels are sensitized with high tensile residual stresses by welding to the RPV (Reactor Pressure Vessel). As the result, ICM housings have potential of SCC initiation. Therefore, the improvement technique resistant to SCC was needed. The technique can improve chemical composition of the housing inside and residual stresses of the housing outside at the same time. Sensitization of the housing inner surface area is eliminated by replacing low-carbon with proper-ferrite microstructure clad. High tensile residual stresses of housing outside surface area is improved into compressive side. Compressive stresses of outside surface are induced by thermal stresses which are caused by inside cladding with outside water cooling. The clad is required to be low-carbon metal with proper ferrite and not to have the new sensitized HAZ (Heat Affected Zone) on the surface by cladding. The effect of the technique was qualified by SCC test, chemical composition check, ferrite content measurement and residual stresses measurement etc. All equipment for remote application were developed and qualified, too. The technique was successfully applied to a BWR plant after sufficient training

Applying AI techniques to improve alarm display effectiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gross, J.M.; Birrer, S.A.; Crosberg, D.R.

1987-01-01

The Alarm Filtering System (AFS) addresses the problem of information overload in a control room during abnormal operations. Since operators can miss vital information during these periods, systems which emphasize important messages are beneficial. AFS uses the artificial intelligence (AI) technique of object-oriented programming to filter and dynamically prioritize alarm messages. When an alarm's status changes, AFS determines the relative importance of that change according to the current process state. AFS bases that relative importance on relationships the newly changed alarm has with other activated alarms. Evaluations of a alarm importance take place without regard to the activation sequence of alarm signals. The United States Department of Energy has applied for a patent on the approach used in this software. The approach was originally developed by EG and G Idaho for a nuclear reactor control room

Characterisation of Inorganic Pigments Used by Selected Painters by Using Ion Microprobe and Other Complementary Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fazinic, S.; Pastuovic, Z.; Jaksic, M.; Kusijanovic, K.; Mudronja, D.; Braun, M.; Desnica, V.

2011-01-01

The aim of the presentation is to show results of the collaboration between the Croatian Conservation Institute (CCI) and the Laboratory for Ion Beam Interactions of the Rudjer Boskovic Institute (RBI) established within the present CRP. CCI is the central Croatian institution for conservation and restoration of cultural heritage objects. Prior to restoration/conservation CCI performs scientific analysis of an object, primarily to enable selection of the best strategy for its restoration/conservation. In many occasions such analysis is also helpful to resolve issues such as clarification of authenticity and/or authorship of an object. CCI has its analytical laboratory which is fully dedicated to the analysis of cultural heritage and art objects. CCI analytical laboratory is equipped with various microscopy techniques, photography methods, portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF) and X-ray radiography instrumentation. Access to complementary microanalytical techniques like Raman Spectroscopy or Ion Beam Analytical (IBA) techniques is provided through already long and successful collaboration with RBI. The RBI Laboratory for Ion Beam Interactions provides complementary analysis of layered microsamples by using IBA techniques, such as Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Rutherford Back-scattering (RBS), and for the miniature samples by using ion microprobe. (author)

Solving mercury (Hg) speciation in soil samples by synchrotron X-ray microspectroscopic techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terzano, Roberto; Santoro, Anna; Spagnuolo, Matteo; Vekemans, Bart; Medici, Luca; Janssens, Koen; Goettlicher, Joerg; Denecke, Melissa A.; Mangold, Stefan; Ruggiero, Pacifico

2010-01-01

Direct mercury (Hg) speciation was assessed for soil samples with a Hg concentration ranging from 7 up to 240 mg kg -1 . Hg chemical forms were identified and quantified by sequential extractions and bulk- and micro-analytical techniques exploiting synchrotron generated X-rays. In particular, microspectroscopic techniques such as μ-XRF, μ-XRD and μ-XANES were necessary to solve bulk Hg speciation, in both soil fractions 3 S 2 Cl 2 ), and an amorphous phase containing Hg bound to chlorine and sulfur. The amount of metacinnabar and amorphous phases increased in the fraction <2 μm. No interaction among Hg-species and soil components was observed. All the observed Hg-species originated from the slow weathering of an inert Hg-containing waste material (K106, U.S. EPA) dumped in the area several years ago, which is changing into a relatively more dangerous source of pollution. - Direct mercury (Hg) speciation in chlor-alkali plant contaminated soils enabled the identification of potentially dangerous Hg-S/Cl amorphous species.

Micro-PIXE in plant sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mesjasz-Przybylowicz, J.; Przybylowicz, W.J.

2013-01-01

Full text: Studies of the role played by elements in fundamental processes in physiology, nutrition, elemental deficiency and toxicity as well as environmental pollution require accurate, quantitative methods with good spatial resolution. the problem of proper measurements of elemental balances and elemental transfers between various levels of biological organisation (from abiotic to biotic systems; along the food chains; within organs and cells) becomes essential for understanding the mechanisms influencing the selection, interaction, distribution and transport of elements. Highly sensitive techniques for bulk elemental analysis are mostly used in these investigations. These techniques usually offer adequate sensitivity, but without spatial resolution. On the other hand, advanced studies of elemental distribution at a cellular level are mostly conducted using techniques with high spatial resolution, but low sensitivity. Ideally, these studies should be conducted on organs and tissues of sizes as far down as the cellular and sub-cellular level. This applies to e.g. future directions in ionomics and metallomics and opens up new, exciting possibilities of studies of trace metal role. The micro-PIXE has been applied in plant sciences for more than thirty years and has reached a high level of maturity. This is one of the few microanalytical, multielemental techniques capable of quantitative studies of elemental distribution at ppm level with with ability to perform quantitative elemental mapping and easy quantification of data extracted from selected micro-areas. Preparation of biological specimens is undoubtedly the crucial and most difficult part of analysis, and only cryotechniques are recommended presently for ali types of microanalytical studies. Established sample preparation protocols will be presented. Most of results are obtained for cryofixed and freeze-dried material but analysis of samples in frozen-hydrated state brings important advantage. Recent

Validation and qualification of surface-applied fibre optic strain sensors using application-independent optical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schukar, Vivien G; Kadoke, Daniel; Kusche, Nadine; Münzenberger, Sven; Gründer, Klaus-Peter; Habel, Wolfgang R

2012-01-01

Surface-applied fibre optic strain sensors were investigated using a unique validation facility equipped with application-independent optical reference systems. First, different adhesives for the sensor's application were analysed regarding their material properties. Measurements resulting from conventional measurement techniques, such as thermo-mechanical analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis, were compared with measurements resulting from digital image correlation, which has the advantage of being a non-contact technique. Second, fibre optic strain sensors were applied to test specimens with the selected adhesives. Their strain-transfer mechanism was analysed in comparison with conventional strain gauges. Relative movements between the applied sensor and the test specimen were visualized easily using optical reference methods, digital image correlation and electronic speckle pattern interferometry. Conventional strain gauges showed limited opportunities for an objective strain-transfer analysis because they are also affected by application conditions. (paper)

Analytical techniques applied to study cultural heritage objects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rizzutto, M.A.; Curado, J.F.; Bernardes, S.; Campos, P.H.O.V.; Kajiya, E.A.M.; Silva, T.F.; Rodrigues, C.L.; Moro, M.; Tabacniks, M.; Added, N., E-mail: rizzutto@if.usp.br [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Instituto de Fisica

2015-07-01

The scientific study of artistic and cultural heritage objects have been routinely performed in Europe and the United States for decades. In Brazil this research area is growing, mainly through the use of physical and chemical characterization methods. Since 2003 the Group of Applied Physics with Particle Accelerators of the Physics Institute of the University of Sao Paulo (GFAA-IF) has been working with various methodologies for material characterization and analysis of cultural objects. Initially using ion beam analysis performed with Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE), Rutherford Backscattering (RBS) and recently Ion Beam Induced Luminescence (IBIL), for the determination of the elements and chemical compounds in the surface layers. These techniques are widely used in the Laboratory of Materials Analysis with Ion Beams (LAMFI-USP). Recently, the GFAA expanded the studies to other possibilities of analysis enabled by imaging techniques that coupled with elemental and compositional characterization provide a better understanding on the materials and techniques used in the creative process in the manufacture of objects. The imaging analysis, mainly used to examine and document artistic and cultural heritage objects, are performed through images with visible light, infrared reflectography (IR), fluorescence with ultraviolet radiation (UV), tangential light and digital radiography. Expanding more the possibilities of analysis, new capabilities were added using portable equipment such as Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) and Raman Spectroscopy that can be used for analysis 'in situ' at the museums. The results of these analyzes are providing valuable information on the manufacturing process and have provided new information on objects of different University of Sao Paulo museums. Improving the arsenal of cultural heritage analysis it was recently constructed an 3D robotic stage for the precise positioning of samples in the external beam setup

Analytical techniques applied to study cultural heritage objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rizzutto, M.A.; Curado, J.F.; Bernardes, S.; Campos, P.H.O.V.; Kajiya, E.A.M.; Silva, T.F.; Rodrigues, C.L.; Moro, M.; Tabacniks, M.; Added, N.

2015-01-01

The scientific study of artistic and cultural heritage objects have been routinely performed in Europe and the United States for decades. In Brazil this research area is growing, mainly through the use of physical and chemical characterization methods. Since 2003 the Group of Applied Physics with Particle Accelerators of the Physics Institute of the University of Sao Paulo (GFAA-IF) has been working with various methodologies for material characterization and analysis of cultural objects. Initially using ion beam analysis performed with Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE), Rutherford Backscattering (RBS) and recently Ion Beam Induced Luminescence (IBIL), for the determination of the elements and chemical compounds in the surface layers. These techniques are widely used in the Laboratory of Materials Analysis with Ion Beams (LAMFI-USP). Recently, the GFAA expanded the studies to other possibilities of analysis enabled by imaging techniques that coupled with elemental and compositional characterization provide a better understanding on the materials and techniques used in the creative process in the manufacture of objects. The imaging analysis, mainly used to examine and document artistic and cultural heritage objects, are performed through images with visible light, infrared reflectography (IR), fluorescence with ultraviolet radiation (UV), tangential light and digital radiography. Expanding more the possibilities of analysis, new capabilities were added using portable equipment such as Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) and Raman Spectroscopy that can be used for analysis 'in situ' at the museums. The results of these analyzes are providing valuable information on the manufacturing process and have provided new information on objects of different University of Sao Paulo museums. Improving the arsenal of cultural heritage analysis it was recently constructed an 3D robotic stage for the precise positioning of samples in the external beam setup

Applying Metrological Techniques to Satellite Fundamental Climate Data Records

Science.gov (United States)

Woolliams, Emma R.; Mittaz, Jonathan PD; Merchant, Christopher J.; Hunt, Samuel E.; Harris, Peter M.

2018-02-01

Quantifying long-term environmental variability, including climatic trends, requires decadal-scale time series of observations. The reliability of such trend analysis depends on the long-term stability of the data record, and understanding the sources of uncertainty in historic, current and future sensors. We give a brief overview on how metrological techniques can be applied to historical satellite data sets. In particular we discuss the implications of error correlation at different spatial and temporal scales and the forms of such correlation and consider how uncertainty is propagated with partial correlation. We give a form of the Law of Propagation of Uncertainties that considers the propagation of uncertainties associated with common errors to give the covariance associated with Earth observations in different spectral channels.

Modelling the effects of the sterile insect technique applied to Eldana saccharina Walker in sugarcane

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L Potgieter

2012-12-01

Full Text Available A mathematical model is formulated for the population dynamics of an Eldana saccharina Walker infestation of sugarcane under the influence of partially sterile released insects. The model describes the population growth of and interaction between normal and sterile E.saccharina moths in a temporally variable, but spatially homogeneous environment. The model consists of a deterministic system of difference equations subject to strictly positive initial data. The primary objective of this model is to determine suitable parameters in terms of which the above population growth and interaction may be quantified and according to which E.saccharina infestation levels and the associated sugarcane damage may be measured. Although many models have been formulated in the past describing the sterile insect technique, few of these models describe the technique for Lepidopteran species with more than one life stage and where F1-sterility is relevant. In addition, none of these models consider the technique when fully sterile females and partially sterile males are being released. The model formulated is also the first to describe the technique applied specifically to E.saccharina, and to consider the economic viability of applying the technique to this species. Pertinent decision support is provided to farm managers in terms of the best timing for releases, release ratios and release frequencies.

Satellite SAR interferometric techniques applied to emergency mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanova Vassileva, Magdalena; Riccardi, Paolo; Lecci, Daniele; Giulio Tonolo, Fabio; Boccardo Boccardo, Piero; Chiesa, Giuliana; Angeluccetti, Irene

2017-04-01

This paper aim to investigate the capabilities of the currently available SAR interferometric algorithms in the field of emergency mapping. Several tests have been performed exploiting the Copernicus Sentinel-1 data using the COTS software ENVI/SARscape 5.3. Emergency Mapping can be defined as "creation of maps, geo-information products and spatial analyses dedicated to providing situational awareness emergency management and immediate crisis information for response by means of extraction of reference (pre-event) and crisis (post-event) geographic information/data from satellite or aerial imagery". The conventional differential SAR interferometric technique (DInSAR) and the two currently available multi-temporal SAR interferometric approaches, i.e. Permanent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) and Small BAseline Subset (SBAS), have been applied to provide crisis information useful for the emergency management activities. Depending on the considered Emergency Management phase, it may be distinguished between rapid mapping, i.e. fast provision of geospatial data regarding the area affected for the immediate emergency response, and monitoring mapping, i.e. detection of phenomena for risk prevention and mitigation activities. In order to evaluate the potential and limitations of the aforementioned SAR interferometric approaches for the specific rapid and monitoring mapping application, five main factors have been taken into account: crisis information extracted, input data required, processing time and expected accuracy. The results highlight that DInSAR has the capacity to delineate areas affected by large and sudden deformations and fulfills most of the immediate response requirements. The main limiting factor of interferometry is the availability of suitable SAR acquisition immediately after the event (e.g. Sentinel-1 mission characterized by 6-day revisiting time may not always satisfy the immediate emergency request). PSI and SBAS techniques are suitable to produce

Archaeometry: nuclear and conventional techniques applied to the archaeological research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esparza L, R.; Cardenas G, E.

2005-01-01

The book that now is presented is formed by twelve articles that approach from different perspective topics as the archaeological prospecting, the analysis of the pre hispanic and colonial ceramic, the obsidian and the mural painting, besides dating and questions about the data ordaining. Following the chronological order in which the exploration techniques and laboratory studies are required, there are presented in the first place the texts about the systematic and detailed study of the archaeological sites, later we pass to relative topics to the application of diverse nuclear techniques as PIXE, RBS, XRD, NAA, SEM, Moessbauer spectroscopy and other conventional techniques. The multidisciplinary is an aspect that highlights in this work, that which owes to the great specialization of the work that is presented even in the archaeological studies including in the open ground of the topography, mapping, excavation and, of course, in the laboratory tests. Most of the articles are the result of several years of investigation and it has been consigned in the responsibility of each article. The texts here gathered emphasize the technical aspects of each investigation, the modern compute systems applied to the prospecting and the archaeological mapping, the chemical and physical analysis of organic materials, of metal artifacts, of diverse rocks used in the pre hispanic epoch, of mural and ceramic paintings, characteristics that justly underline the potential of the collective works. (Author)

English Language Teachers' Perceptions on Knowing and Applying Contemporary Language Teaching Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Sucuoglu, Esen

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of English language teachers teaching at a preparatory school in relation to their knowing and applying contemporary language teaching techniques in their lessons. An investigation was conducted of 21 English language teachers at a preparatory school in North Cyprus. The SPSS statistical…

Improving skill development: an exploratory study comparing a philosophical and an applied ethical analysis technique

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Saggaf, Yeslam; Burmeister, Oliver K.

2012-09-01

This exploratory study compares and contrasts two types of critical thinking techniques; one is a philosophical and the other an applied ethical analysis technique. The two techniques analyse an ethically challenging situation involving ICT that a recent media article raised to demonstrate their ability to develop the ethical analysis skills of ICT students and professionals. In particular the skill development focused on includes: being able to recognise ethical challenges and formulate coherent responses; distancing oneself from subjective judgements; developing ethical literacy; identifying stakeholders; and communicating ethical decisions made, to name a few.

Evaluation of Economic Merger Control Techniques Applied to the European Electricity Sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandezande, Leen; Meeus, Leonardo; Delvaux, Bram; Van Calster, Geert; Belmans, Ronnie

2006-01-01

With European electricity markets not yet functioning on a competitive basis and consolidation increasing, the European Commission has said it intends to more intensively apply competition law in the electricity sector. Yet economic techniques and theories used in EC merger control fail to take sufficiently into account some specific features of electricity markets. The authors offer suggestions to enhance their reliability and applicability in the electricity sector. (author)

Applying traditional signal processing techniques to social media exploitation for situational understanding

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelzaher, Tarek; Roy, Heather; Wang, Shiguang; Giridhar, Prasanna; Al Amin, Md. Tanvir; Bowman, Elizabeth K.; Kolodny, Michael A.

2016-05-01

Signal processing techniques such as filtering, detection, estimation and frequency domain analysis have long been applied to extract information from noisy sensor data. This paper describes the exploitation of these signal processing techniques to extract information from social networks, such as Twitter and Instagram. Specifically, we view social networks as noisy sensors that report events in the physical world. We then present a data processing stack for detection, localization, tracking, and veracity analysis of reported events using social network data. We show using a controlled experiment that the behavior of social sources as information relays varies dramatically depending on context. In benign contexts, there is general agreement on events, whereas in conflict scenarios, a significant amount of collective filtering is introduced by conflicted groups, creating a large data distortion. We describe signal processing techniques that mitigate such distortion, resulting in meaningful approximations of actual ground truth, given noisy reported observations. Finally, we briefly present an implementation of the aforementioned social network data processing stack in a sensor network analysis toolkit, called Apollo. Experiences with Apollo show that our techniques are successful at identifying and tracking credible events in the physical world.

15_88 - 92_Lawal et al.,_BUK REVIEWED 2017

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user pc

synthesized and characterised using microanalytical technique, elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy and magnetic ... buffering properties of citrates are used to control pH ... Oxygen, and Sulphur were carried out on Perkin-. Elmer 204C ...

Applied methods and techniques for mechatronic systems modelling, identification and control

CERN Document Server

Zhu, Quanmin; Cheng, Lei; Wang, Yongji; Zhao, Dongya

2014-01-01

Applied Methods and Techniques for Mechatronic Systems brings together the relevant studies in mechatronic systems with the latest research from interdisciplinary theoretical studies, computational algorithm development and exemplary applications. Readers can easily tailor the techniques in this book to accommodate their ad hoc applications. The clear structure of each paper, background - motivation - quantitative development (equations) - case studies/illustration/tutorial (curve, table, etc.) is also helpful. It is mainly aimed at graduate students, professors and academic researchers in related fields, but it will also be helpful to engineers and scientists from industry. Lei Liu is a lecturer at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), China; Quanmin Zhu is a professor at University of the West of England, UK; Lei Cheng is an associate professor at Wuhan University of Science and Technology, China; Yongji Wang is a professor at HUST; Dongya Zhao is an associate professor at China University o...

Applied research on air pollution using nuclear-related analytical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

A co-ordinated research programme (CRP) on applied research on air pollution using nuclear-related techniques is a global CRP which will run from 1992-1996, and will build upon the experience gained by the Agency from the laboratory support that it has been providing for several years to BAPMoN - the Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network programme organized under the auspices of the World Meterological Organization. The purpose of this CRP is to promote the use of nuclear analytical techniques in air pollution studies, e.g. NAA, XFR, and PIXE for the analysis of toxic and other trace elements in suspended particulate matter (including air filter samples), rainwater and fog-water samples, and in biological indicators of air pollution (e.g. lichens and mosses). The main purposes of the core programme are i) to support the use of nuclear and nuclear-related analytical techniques for practically-oriented research and monitoring studies on air pollution ii) to identify major sources of air pollution affecting each of the participating countries with particular reference to toxic heavy metals, and iii) to obtain comparative data on pollution levels in areas of high pollution (e.g. a city centre or a populated area downwind of a large pollution source) and low pollution (e.g. rural areas). This document reports the discussions held during the first Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) for the CRP which took place at the IAEA Headquarters in Vienna. Refs, figs and tabs

Renormalization techniques applied to the study of density of states in disordered systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez Ibanez, J.

1985-01-01

A general scheme for real space renormalization of formal scattering theory is presented and applied to the calculation of density of states (DOS) in some finite width systems. This technique is extended in a self-consistent way, to the treatment of disordered and partially ordered chains. Numerical results of moments and DOS are presented in comparison with previous calculations. In addition, a self-consistent theory for the magnetic order problem in a Hubbard chain is derived and a parametric transition is observed. Properties of localization of the electronic states in disordered chains are studied through various decimation averaging techniques and using numerical simulations. (author) [pt

MULTIVARIATE TECHNIQUES APPLIED TO EVALUATION OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC RESIDUES FOR BIOENERGY PRODUCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thiago de Paula Protásio

2013-12-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509812361The evaluation of lignocellulosic wastes for bioenergy production demands to consider several characteristicsand properties that may be correlated. This fact demands the use of various multivariate analysis techniquesthat allow the evaluation of relevant energetic factors. This work aimed to apply cluster analysis and principalcomponents analyses for the selection and evaluation of lignocellulosic wastes for bioenergy production.8 types of residual biomass were used, whose the elemental components (C, H, O, N, S content, lignin, totalextractives and ashes contents, basic density and higher and lower heating values were determined. Bothmultivariate techniques applied for evaluation and selection of lignocellulosic wastes were efficient andsimilarities were observed between the biomass groups formed by them. Through the interpretation of thefirst principal component obtained, it was possible to create a global development index for the evaluationof the viability of energetic uses of biomass. The interpretation of the second principal component alloweda contrast between nitrogen and sulfur contents with oxygen content.

Investigation of the shear bond strength to dentin of universal adhesives applied with two different techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elif Yaşa

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the shear bond strength of universal adhesives applied with self-etch and etch&rinse techniques to dentin. Materials and Method: Fourty-eight sound extracted human third molars were used in this study. Occlusal enamel was removed in order to expose the dentinal surface, and the surface was flattened. Specimens were randomly divided into four groups and were sectioned vestibulo-lingually using a diamond disc. The universal adhesives: All Bond Universal (Group 1a and 1b, Gluma Bond Universal (Group 2a and 2b and Single Bond Universal (Group 3a and 3b were applied onto the tooth specimens either with self-etch technique (a or with etch&rinse technique (b according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Clearfil SE Bond (Group 4a; self-etch and Optibond FL (Group 4b; etch&rinse were used as control groups. Then the specimens were restored with a nanohybrid composite resin (Filtek Z550. After thermocycling, shear bond strength test was performed with a universal test machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Fracture analysis was done under a stereomicroscope (×40 magnification. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests. Results: Statistical analysis showed significant differences in shear bond strength values between the universal adhesives (p<0.05. Significantly higher bond strength values were observed in self-etch groups (a in comparison to etch&rinse groups (b (p<0.05. Among all groups, Single Bond Universal showed the greatest shear bond strength values, whereas All Bond Universal showed the lowest shear bond strength values with both application techniques. Conclusion: Dentin bonding strengths of universal adhesives applied with different techniques may vary depending on the adhesive material. For the universal bonding agents tested in this study, the etch&rinse technique negatively affected the bond strength to dentin.

The digital geometric phase technique applied to the deformation evaluation of MEMS devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Z W; Xie, H M; Gu, C Z; Meng, Y G

2009-01-01

Quantitative evaluation of the structure deformation of microfabricated electromechanical systems is of importance for the design and functional control of microsystems. In this investigation, a novel digital geometric phase technique was developed to meet the deformation evaluation requirement of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The technique is performed on the basis of regular artificial lattices, instead of a natural atom lattice. The regular artificial lattices with a pitch ranging from micrometer to nanometer will be directly fabricated on the measured surface of MEMS devices by using a focused ion beam (FIB). Phase information can be obtained from the Bragg filtered images after fast Fourier transform (FFT) and inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) of the scanning electronic microscope (SEM) images. Then the in-plane displacement field and the local strain field related to the phase information will be evaluated. The obtained results show that the technique can be well applied to deformation measurement with nanometer sensitivity and stiction force estimation of a MEMS device

[Molecular techniques applied in species identification of Toxocara].

Science.gov (United States)

Fogt, Renata

2006-01-01

Toxocarosis is still an important and actual problem in human medicine. It can manifest as visceral (VLM), ocular (OLM) or covert (CT) larva migrans syndroms. Complicated life cycle of Toxocara, lack of easy and practical methods of species differentiation of the adult nematode and embarrassing in recognition of the infection in definitive hosts create difficulties in fighting with the infection. Although studies on human toxocarosis have been continued for over 50 years there is no conclusive answer, which of species--T. canis or T. cati constitutes a greater risk of transmission of the nematode to man. Neither blood serological examinations nor microscopic observations of the morphological features of the nematode give the satisfied answer on the question. Since the 90-ths molecular methods were developed for species identification and became useful tools being widely applied in parasitological diagnosis. This paper cover the survey of methods of DNA analyses used for identification of Toxocara species. The review may be helpful for researchers focused on Toxocara and toxocarosis as well as on detection of new species. The following techniques are described: PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism), RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) and SSCP (Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism).

Vibration monitoring/diagnostic techniques, as applied to reactor coolant pumps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sculthorpe, B.R.; Johnson, K.M.

1986-01-01

With the increased awareness of reactor coolant pump (RCP) cracked shafts, brought about by the catastrophic shaft failure at Crystal River number3, Florida Power and Light Company, in conjunction with Bently Nevada Corporation, undertook a test program at St. Lucie Nuclear Unit number2, to confirm the integrity of all four RCP pump shafts. Reactor coolant pumps play a major roll in the operation of nuclear-powered generation facilities. The time required to disassemble and physically inspect a single RCP shaft would be lengthy, monetarily costly to the utility and its customers, and cause possible unnecessary man-rem exposure to plant personnel. When properly applied, vibration instrumentation can increase unit availability/reliability, as well as provide enhanced diagnostic capability. This paper reviews monitoring benefits and diagnostic techniques applicable to RCPs/motor drives

Volcanic Monitoring Techniques Applied to Controlled Fragmentation Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Kueppers, U.; Alatorre-Ibarguengoitia, M. A.; Hort, M. K.; Kremers, S.; Meier, K.; Scharff, L.; Scheu, B.; Taddeucci, J.; Dingwell, D. B.

2010-12-01

Volcanic eruptions are an inevitable natural threat. The range of eruptive styles is large and short term fluctuations of explosivity or vent position pose a large risk that is not necessarily confined to the immediate vicinity of a volcano. Explosive eruptions rather may also affect aviation, infrastructure and climate, regionally as well as globally. Multiparameter monitoring networks are deployed on many active volcanoes to record signs of magmatic processes and help elucidate the secrets of volcanic phenomena. However, our mechanistic understanding of many processes hiding in recorded signals is still poor. As a direct consequence, a solid interpretation of the state of a volcano is still a challenge. In an attempt to bridge this gap, we combined volcanic monitoring and experimental volcanology. We performed 15 well-monitored, field-based, experiments and fragmented natural rock samples from Colima volcano (Mexico) by rapid decompression. We used cylindrical samples of 60 mm height and 25 mm and 60 mm diameter, respectively, and 25 and 35 vol.% open porosity. The applied pressure range was from 4 to 18 MPa. Using different experimental set-ups, the pressurised volume above the samples ranged from 60 - 170 cm3. The experiments were performed at ambient conditions and at controlled sample porosity and size, confinement geometry, and applied pressure. The experiments have been thoroughly monitored with 1) Doppler Radar (DR), 2) high-speed and high-definition cameras, 3) acoustic and infrasound sensors, 4) pressure transducers, and 5) electrically conducting wires. Our aim was to check for common results achieved by the different approaches and, if so, calibrate state-of-the-art monitoring tools. We present how the velocity of the ejected pyroclasts was measured by and evaluated for the different approaches and how it was affected by the experimental conditions and sample characteristics. We show that all deployed instruments successfully measured the pyroclast

Removal of benzaldehyde from a water/ethanol mixture by applying scavenging techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mitic, Aleksandar; Skov, Thomas; Gernaey, Krist V.

2017-01-01

A presence of carbonyl compounds is very common in the food industry. The nature of such compounds is to be reactive and thus many products involve aldehydes/ketones in their synthetic routes. By contrast, the high reactivity of carbonyl compounds could also lead to formation of undesired compounds......, such as genotoxic impurities. It can therefore be important to remove carbonyl compounds by implementing suitable removal techniques, with the aim of protecting final product quality. This work is focused on benzaldehyde as a model component, studying its removal from a water/ethanol mixture by applying different...

Wire-mesh and ultrasound techniques applied for the characterization of gas-liquid slug flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ofuchi, Cesar Y.; Sieczkowski, Wytila Chagas; Neves Junior, Flavio; Arruda, Lucia V.R.; Morales, Rigoberto E.M.; Amaral, Carlos E.F.; Silva, Marco J. da [Federal University of Technology of Parana, Curitiba, PR (Brazil)], e-mails: ofuchi@utfpr.edu.br, wytila@utfpr.edu.br, neves@utfpr.edu.br, lvrarruda@utfpr.edu.br, rmorales@utfpr.edu.br, camaral@utfpr.edu.br, mdasilva@utfpr.edu.br

2010-07-01

Gas-liquid two-phase flows are found in a broad range of industrial applications, such as chemical, petrochemical and nuclear industries and quite often determine the efficiency and safety of process and plants. Several experimental techniques have been proposed and applied to measure and quantify two-phase flows so far. In this experimental study the wire-mesh sensor and an ultrasound technique are used and comparatively evaluated to study two-phase slug flows in horizontal pipes. The wire-mesh is an imaging technique and thus appropriated for scientific studies while ultrasound-based technique is robust and non-intrusive and hence well suited for industrial applications. Based on the measured raw data it is possible to extract some specific slug flow parameters of interest such as mean void fraction and characteristic frequency. The experiments were performed in the Thermal Sciences Laboratory (LACIT) at UTFPR, Brazil, in which an experimental two-phase flow loop is available. The experimental flow loop comprises a horizontal acrylic pipe of 26 mm diameter and 9 m length. Water and air were used to produce the two phase flow under controlled conditions. The results show good agreement between the techniques. (author)

Applications of Qualitative Microanalysis to the Determination of Secondary Species Associated with Uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agrinier, H.

1959-02-01

Microanalytical techniques are described which allow rapid determinations of secondary species associated with uranium. They consist in exposing the constituent elements of the ores by means of characteristic microchemical reactions. Because of their rapidity and the small amount of apparatus needed, these techniques can be used either in the field or in the laboratory. (author) [fr

Case study: how to apply data mining techniques in a healthcare data warehouse.

Science.gov (United States)

Silver, M; Sakata, T; Su, H C; Herman, C; Dolins, S B; O'Shea, M J

2001-01-01

Healthcare provider organizations are faced with a rising number of financial pressures. Both administrators and physicians need help analyzing large numbers of clinical and financial data when making decisions. To assist them, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center and Hitachi America, Ltd. (HAL), Inc., have partnered to build an enterprise data warehouse and perform a series of case study analyses. This article focuses on one analysis, which was performed by a team of physicians and computer science researchers, using a commercially available on-line analytical processing (OLAP) tool in conjunction with proprietary data mining techniques developed by HAL researchers. The initial objective of the analysis was to discover how to use data mining techniques to make business decisions that can influence cost, revenue, and operational efficiency while maintaining a high level of care. Another objective was to understand how to apply these techniques appropriately and to find a repeatable method for analyzing data and finding business insights. The process used to identify opportunities and effect changes is described.

Discrete classification technique applied to TV advertisements liking recognition system based on low-cost EEG headsets.

Science.gov (United States)

Soria Morillo, Luis M; Alvarez-Garcia, Juan A; Gonzalez-Abril, Luis; Ortega Ramírez, Juan A

2016-07-15

In this paper a new approach is applied to the area of marketing research. The aim of this paper is to recognize how brain activity responds during the visualization of short video advertisements using discrete classification techniques. By means of low cost electroencephalography devices (EEG), the activation level of some brain regions have been studied while the ads are shown to users. We may wonder about how useful is the use of neuroscience knowledge in marketing, or what could provide neuroscience to marketing sector, or why this approach can improve the accuracy and the final user acceptance compared to other works. By using discrete techniques over EEG frequency bands of a generated dataset, C4.5, ANN and the new recognition system based on Ameva, a discretization algorithm, is applied to obtain the score given by subjects to each TV ad. The proposed technique allows to reach more than 75 % of accuracy, which is an excellent result taking into account the typology of EEG sensors used in this work. Furthermore, the time consumption of the algorithm proposed is reduced up to 30 % compared to other techniques presented in this paper. This bring about a battery lifetime improvement on the devices where the algorithm is running, extending the experience in the ubiquitous context where the new approach has been tested.

Analytical ionic microscopic of biological samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galle, P.; Rodrigues, L.E.A.

1984-01-01

Secondary Ion Microscopy, a microanalytical method proposed in 1960 by Castaing and Slodzian has been applied to the study of biological tissues. The main advantage of secondary ion analysis as compared to other microanalytical methods is its very high sensitivity which make it possible to detect elements even when there are at a very low concentration (0.1 ppm or less) in a microvolume, and to easily obtain images of distribution of these elements. Most stable or radioactive nuclides of every elements may be studied and the spatial resolution is of the order of 0.5μm. The present state of the art of the method and its possibility offered in biomedical research are presented. (author) [pt

Mathematical Model and Artificial Intelligent Techniques Applied to a Milk Industry through DSM

Science.gov (United States)

Babu, P. Ravi; Divya, V. P. Sree

2011-08-01

The resources for electrical energy are depleting and hence the gap between the supply and the demand is continuously increasing. Under such circumstances, the option left is optimal utilization of available energy resources. The main objective of this chapter is to discuss about the Peak load management and overcome the problems associated with it in processing industries such as Milk industry with the help of DSM techniques. The chapter presents a generalized mathematical model for minimizing the total operating cost of the industry subject to the constraints. The work presented in this chapter also deals with the results of application of Neural Network, Fuzzy Logic and Demand Side Management (DSM) techniques applied to a medium scale milk industrial consumer in India to achieve the improvement in load factor, reduction in Maximum Demand (MD) and also the consumer gets saving in the energy bill.

Applying Data Mining Techniques to Improve Information Security in the Cloud: A Single Cache System Approach

OpenAIRE

Amany AlShawi

2016-01-01

Presently, the popularity of cloud computing is gradually increasing day by day. The purpose of this research was to enhance the security of the cloud using techniques such as data mining with specific reference to the single cache system. From the findings of the research, it was observed that the security in the cloud could be enhanced with the single cache system. For future purposes, an Apriori algorithm can be applied to the single cache system. This can be applied by all cloud providers...

Non destructive assay techniques applied to nuclear materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavron, A.

2001-01-01

Nondestructive assay is a suite of techniques that has matured and become precise, easily implementable, and remotely usable. These techniques provide elaborate safeguards of nuclear material by providing the necessary information for materials accounting. NDA techniques are ubiquitous, reliable, essentially tamper proof, and simple to use. They make the world a safer place to live in, and they make nuclear energy viable. (author)

Effect of the reinforcement bar arrangement on the efficiency of electrochemical chloride removal technique applied to reinforced concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garces, P.; Sanchez de Rojas, M.J.; Climent, M.A.

2006-01-01

This paper reports on the research done to find out the effect that different bar arrangements may have on the efficiency of the electrochemical chloride removal (ECR) technique when applied to a reinforced concrete structural member. Five different types of bar arrangements were considered, corresponding to typical structural members such as columns (with single and double bar reinforcing), slabs, beams and footings. ECR was applied in several steps. We observe that the extraction efficiency depends on the reinforcing bar arrangement. A uniform layer set-up favours chloride extraction. Electrochemical techniques were also used to estimate the reinforcing bar corrosion states, as well as measure the corrosion potential, and instant corrosion rate based on the polarization resistance technique. After ECR treatment, a reduction in the corrosion levels is observed falling short of the depassivation threshold

Motion Capture Technique Applied Research in Sports Technique Diagnosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiwu LIU

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The motion capture technology system definition is described in the paper, and its components are researched, the key parameters are obtained from motion technique, the quantitative analysis are made on technical movements, the method of motion capture technology is proposed in sport technical diagnosis. That motion capture step includes calibration system, to attached landmarks to the tester; to capture trajectory, and to analyze the collected data.

Nuclear radioactive techniques applied to materials research

CERN Document Server

Correia, João Guilherme; Wahl, Ulrich

2011-01-01

In this paper we review materials characterization techniques using radioactive isotopes at the ISOLDE/CERN facility. At ISOLDE intense beams of chemically clean radioactive isotopes are provided by selective ion-sources and high-resolution isotope separators, which are coupled on-line with particle accelerators. There, new experiments are performed by an increasing number of materials researchers, which use nuclear spectroscopic techniques such as Mössbauer, Perturbed Angular Correlations (PAC), beta-NMR and Emission Channeling with short-lived isotopes not available elsewhere. Additionally, diffusion studies and traditionally non-radioactive techniques as Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy, Hall effect and Photoluminescence measurements are performed on radioactive doped samples, providing in this way the element signature upon correlation of the time dependence of the signal with the isotope transmutation half-life. Current developments, applications and perspectives of using radioactive ion beams and tech...

Applying decision-making techniques to Civil Engineering Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fam F. Abdel-malak

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM techniques are found to be useful tools in project managers’ hands to overcome decision-making (DM problems in Civil Engineering Projects (CEPs. The main contribution of this paper includes selecting and studying the popular MCDM techniques that uses different and wide ranges of data types in CEPs. A detailed study including advantages and pitfalls of using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP and Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (Fuzzy TOPSIS is introduced. Those two techniques are selected for the purpose of forming a package that covers most available data types in CEPs. The results indicated that AHP has a structure which simplifies complicated problems, while Fuzzy TOPSIS uses the advantages of linguistic variables to solve the issue of undocumented data and ill-defined problems. Furthermore, AHP is a simple technique that depends on pairwise comparisons of factors and natural attributes, beside it is preferable for widely spread hierarchies. On the other hand, Fuzzy TOPSIS needs more information but works well for the one-tier decision tree as well as it shows more flexibility to work in fuzzy environments. The two techniques have the facility to be integrated and combined in a new module to support most of the decisions required in CEPs. Keywords: Decision-making, AHP, Fuzzy TOPSIS, CBA, Civil Engineering Projects

Applying Nonverbal Techniques to Organizational Diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tubbs, Stewart L.; Koske, W. Cary

Ongoing research programs conducted at General Motors Institute are motivated by the practical objective of improving the company's organizational effectiveness. Computer technology is being used whenever possible; for example, a technique developed by Herman Chernoff was used to process data from a survey of employee attitudes into 18 different…

Software engineering techniques applied to agricultural systems an object-oriented and UML approach

CERN Document Server

Papajorgji, Petraq J

2014-01-01

Software Engineering Techniques Applied to Agricultural Systems presents cutting-edge software engineering techniques for designing and implementing better agricultural software systems based on the object-oriented paradigm and the Unified Modeling Language (UML). The focus is on the presentation of  rigorous step-by-step approaches for modeling flexible agricultural and environmental systems, starting with a conceptual diagram representing elements of the system and their relationships. Furthermore, diagrams such as sequential and collaboration diagrams are used to explain the dynamic and static aspects of the software system.    This second edition includes: a new chapter on Object Constraint Language (OCL), a new section dedicated to the Model-VIEW-Controller (MVC) design pattern, new chapters presenting details of two MDA-based tools – the Virtual Enterprise and Olivia Nova, and a new chapter with exercises on conceptual modeling.  It may be highly useful to undergraduate and graduate students as t...

APPLYING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES TO HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERFACES

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonnenwald, Diane H.

1988-01-01

A description is given of UIMS (User Interface Management System), a system using a variety of artificial intelligence techniques to build knowledge-based user interfaces combining functionality and information from a variety of computer systems that maintain, test, and configure customer telephone...... and data networks. Three artificial intelligence (AI) techniques used in UIMS are discussed, namely, frame representation, object-oriented programming languages, and rule-based systems. The UIMS architecture is presented, and the structure of the UIMS is explained in terms of the AI techniques....

Development of analytical techniques for studies on dispersion of actinides in the environment and characterization of environmental radioactive particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jernstroem, J.

2006-01-01

Radioactive particles from three locations were investigated for elemental composition, oxidation states of matrix elements, and origin. Instrumental techniques applied to the task were scanning electron microscopy, X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometry, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and synchrotron radiation based microanalytical techniques comprising X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence tomography, and X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. Uranium-containing low activity particles collected from Irish Sea sediments were characterized in terms of composition and distribution of matrix elements and the oxidation states of uranium. Indications of the origin were obtained from the intensity ratios and the presence of thorium, uranium, and plutonium. Uranium in the particles was found to exist mostly as U(IV). Studies on plutonium particles from Runit Island (Marshall Islands) soil indicated that the samples were weapon fuel fragments originating from two separate detonations: a safety test and a low-yield test. The plutonium in the particles was found to be of similar age. The distribution and oxidation states of uranium and plutonium in the matrix of weapon fuel particles from Thule (Greenland) sediments were investigated. The variations in intensity ratios observed with different techniques indicated more than one origin. Uranium in particle matrixes was mostly U(IV), but plutonium existed in some particles mainly as Pu(IV), and in others mainly as oxidized Pu(VI). The results demonstrated that the various techniques were effectively applied in the characterization of environmental radioactive particles. An on-line method was developed for separating americium from environmental samples. The procedure utilizes extraction chromatography to separate americium from light lanthanides, and cation exchange to concentrate americium before the final separation in an ion chromatography column. The separated radiochemically pure americium fraction

Development of analytical techniques for studies on dispersion of actinides in the environment and characterization of environmental radioactive particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jernstroem, J.

2006-07-01

Radioactive particles from three locations were investigated for elemental composition, oxidation states of matrix elements, and origin. Instrumental techniques applied to the task were scanning electron microscopy, X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometry, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and synchrotron radiation based microanalytical techniques comprising X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence tomography, and X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. Uranium-containing low activity particles collected from Irish Sea sediments were characterized in terms of composition and distribution of matrix elements and the oxidation states of uranium. Indications of the origin were obtained from the intensity ratios and the presence of thorium, uranium, and plutonium. Uranium in the particles was found to exist mostly as U(IV). Studies on plutonium particles from Runit Island (Marshall Islands) soil indicated that the samples were weapon fuel fragments originating from two separate detonations: a safety test and a low-yield test. The plutonium in the particles was found to be of similar age. The distribution and oxidation states of uranium and plutonium in the matrix of weapon fuel particles from Thule (Greenland) sediments were investigated. The variations in intensity ratios observed with different techniques indicated more than one origin. Uranium in particle matrixes was mostly U(IV), but plutonium existed in some particles mainly as Pu(IV), and in others mainly as oxidized Pu(VI). The results demonstrated that the various techniques were effectively applied in the characterization of environmental radioactive particles. An on-line method was developed for separating americium from environmental samples. The procedure utilizes extraction chromatography to separate americium from light lanthanides, and cation exchange to concentrate americium before the final separation in an ion chromatography column. The separated radiochemically pure americium fraction

Recent developments and evaluation of selected geochemical techniques applied to uranium exploration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wenrich-Verbeek, K.J.; Cadigan, R.A.; Felmlee, J.K.; Reimer, G.M.; Spirakis, C.S.

1976-01-01

Various geochemical techniques for uranium exploration are currently under study by the geochemical techniques team of the Branch of Uranium and Thorium Resources, US Geological Survey. Radium-226 and its parent uranium-238 occur in mineral spring water largely independently of the geochemistry of the solutions and thus are potential indicators of uranium in source rocks. Many radioactive springs, hot or cold, are believed to be related to hydrothermal systems which contain uranium at depth. Radium, when present in the water, is co-precipitated in iron and/or manganese oxides and hydroxides or in barium sulphate associated with calcium carbonate spring deposits. Studies of surface water samples have resulted in improved standardized sample treatment and collection procedures. Stream discharge has been shown to have a significant effect on uranium concentration, while conductivity shows promise as a ''pathfinder'' for uranium. Turbid samples behave differently and consequently must be treated with more caution than samples from clear streams. Both water and stream sediments should be sampled concurrently, as anomalous uranium concentrations may occur in only one of these media and would be overlooked if only one, the wrong one, were analysed. The fission-track technique has been applied to uranium determinations in the above water studies. The advantages of the designed sample collecting system are that only a small quantity, typically one drop, of water is required and sample manipulation is minimized, thereby reducing contamination risks. The fission-track analytical technique is effective at the uranium concentration levels commonly found in natural waters (5.0-0.01 μg/litre). Landsat data were used to detect alteration associated with uranium deposits. Altered areas were detected but were not uniquely defined. Nevertheless, computer processing of Landsat data did suggest a smaller size target for further evaluation and thus is useful as an exploration tool

NEW TECHNIQUES APPLIED IN ECONOMICS. ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constantin Ilie

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The present paper has the objective to inform the public regarding the use of new techniques for the modeling, simulate and forecast of system from different field of activity. One of those techniques is Artificial Neural Network, one of the artificial in

Rare event techniques applied in the Rasmussen study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vesely, W.E.

1977-01-01

The Rasmussen Study estimated public risks from commercial nuclear power plant accidents, and therefore the statistics of rare events had to be treated. Two types of rare events were specifically handled, those rare events which were probabilistically rare events and those which were statistically rare events. Four techniques were used to estimate probabilities of rare events. These techniques were aggregating data samples, discretizing ''continuous'' events, extrapolating from minor to catastrophic severities, and decomposing events using event trees and fault trees. In aggregating or combining data the goal was to enlarge the data sample so that the rare event was no longer rare, i.e., so that the enlarged data sample contained one or more occurrences of the event of interest. This aggregation gave rise to random variable treatments of failure rates, occurrence frequencies, and other characteristics estimated from data. This random variable treatment can be interpreted as being comparable to an empirical Bayes technique or a Bayesian technique. In the discretizing event technique, events of a detailed nature were grouped together into a grosser event for purposes of analysis as well as for data collection. The treatment of data characteristics as random variables helped to account for the uncertainties arising from this discretizing. In the severity extrapolation technique a severity variable was associated with each event occurrence for the purpose of predicting probabilities of catastrophic occurrences. Tail behaviors of distributions therefore needed to be considered. Finally, event trees and fault trees were used to express accident occurrences and system failures in terms of more basic events for which data existed. Common mode failures and general dependencies therefore needed to be treated. 2 figures

Time-series-analysis techniques applied to nuclear-material accounting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pike, D.H.; Morrison, G.W.; Downing, D.J.

1982-05-01

This document is designed to introduce the reader to the applications of Time Series Analysis techniques to Nuclear Material Accountability data. Time series analysis techniques are designed to extract information from a collection of random variables ordered by time by seeking to identify any trends, patterns, or other structure in the series. Since nuclear material accountability data is a time series, one can extract more information using time series analysis techniques than by using other statistical techniques. Specifically, the objective of this document is to examine the applicability of time series analysis techniques to enhance loss detection of special nuclear materials. An introductory section examines the current industry approach which utilizes inventory differences. The error structure of inventory differences is presented. Time series analysis techniques discussed include the Shewhart Control Chart, the Cumulative Summation of Inventory Differences Statistics (CUSUM) and the Kalman Filter and Linear Smoother

Applying the GNSS Volcanic Ash Plume Detection Technique to Consumer Navigation Receivers

Science.gov (United States)

Rainville, N.; Palo, S.; Larson, K. M.

2017-12-01

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) rely on predictably structured and constant power RF signals to fulfill their primary use for navigation and timing. When the received strength of GNSS signals deviates from the expected baseline, it is typically due to a change in the local environment. This can occur when signal reflections from the ground are modified by changes in snow or soil moisture content, as well as by attenuation of the signal from volcanic ash. This effect allows GNSS signals to be used as a source for passive remote sensing. Larson et al. (2017) have developed a detection technique for volcanic ash plumes based on the attenuation seen at existing geodetic GNSS sites. Since these existing networks are relatively sparse, this technique has been extended to use lower cost consumer GNSS receiver chips to enable higher density measurements of volcanic ash. These low-cost receiver chips have been integrated into a fully stand-alone sensor, with independent power, communications, and logging capabilities as part of a Volcanic Ash Plume Receiver (VAPR) network. A mesh network of these sensors transmits data to a local base-station which then streams the data real-time to a web accessible server. Initial testing of this sensor network has uncovered that a different detection approach is necessary when using consumer GNSS receivers and antennas. The techniques to filter and process the lower quality data from consumer receivers will be discussed and will be applied to initial results from a functioning VAPR network installation.

How Can Synchrotron Radiation Techniques Be Applied for Detecting Microstructures in Amorphous Alloys?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gu-Qing Guo

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In this work, how synchrotron radiation techniques can be applied for detecting the microstructure in metallic glass (MG is studied. The unit cells are the basic structural units in crystals, though it has been suggested that the co-existence of various clusters may be the universal structural feature in MG. Therefore, it is a challenge to detect microstructures of MG even at the short-range scale by directly using synchrotron radiation techniques, such as X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption methods. Here, a feasible scheme is developed where some state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation-based experiments can be combined with simulations to investigate the microstructure in MG. By studying a typical MG composition (Zr70Pd30, it is found that various clusters do co-exist in its microstructure, and icosahedral-like clusters are the popular structural units. This is the structural origin where there is precipitation of an icosahedral quasicrystalline phase prior to phase transformation from glass to crystal when heating Zr70Pd30 MG.

The Influence of Maternal Language Responsiveness on the Expressive Speech Production of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Microanalysis of Mother-Child Play Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Walton, Katherine M.; Ingersoll, Brooke R.

2015-01-01

Adult responsiveness is related to language development both in young typically developing children and in children with autism spectrum disorders, such that parents who use more responsive language with their children have children who develop better language skills over time. This study used a micro-analytic technique to examine how two facets…

Applying advanced digital signal processing techniques in industrial radioisotopes applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmoud, H.K.A.E.

2012-01-01

Radioisotopes can be used to obtain signals or images in order to recognize the information inside the industrial systems. The main problems of using these techniques are the difficulty of identification of the obtained signals or images and the requirement of skilled experts for the interpretation process of the output data of these applications. Now, the interpretation of the output data from these applications is performed mainly manually, depending heavily on the skills and the experience of trained operators. This process is time consuming and the results typically suffer from inconsistency and errors. The objective of the thesis is to apply the advanced digital signal processing techniques for improving the treatment and the interpretation of the output data from the different Industrial Radioisotopes Applications (IRA). This thesis focuses on two IRA; the Residence Time Distribution (RTD) measurement and the defect inspection of welded pipes using a gamma source (gamma radiography). In RTD measurement application, this thesis presents methods for signal pre-processing and modeling of the RTD signals. Simulation results have been presented for two case studies. The first case study is a laboratory experiment for measuring the RTD in a water flow rig. The second case study is an experiment for measuring the RTD in a phosphate production unit. The thesis proposes an approach for RTD signal identification in the presence of noise. In this approach, after signal processing, the Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) and polynomial coefficients are extracted from the processed signal or from one of its transforms. The Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT), Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), and Discrete Sine Transform (DST) have been tested and compared for efficient feature extraction. Neural networks have been used for matching of the extracted features. Furthermore, the Power Density Spectrum (PDS) of the RTD signal has been also used instead of the discrete

Insights into metals in individual fine particles from municipal solid waste using synchrotron radiation-based micro-analytical techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yumin; Zhang, Hua; Shao, Liming; He, Pinjing

2015-01-01

Excessive inter-contamination with heavy metals hampers the application of biological treatment products derived from mixed or mechanically-sorted municipal solid waste (MSW). In this study, we investigated fine particles of heavy metal content, using bulk detection techniques. A total of 17 individual fine particles were evaluated using synchrotron radiation-based micro-X-ray fluorescence and micro-X-ray diffraction. We also discussed the association, speciation and source apportionment of heavy metals. Metals were found to exist in a diffuse distribution with heterogeneous intensities and intense hot-spots of metals revealed the potential sources of fine particles from size-reduced waste fractions (such as scraps of organic wastes or ceramics) or from the importation of other particles. The diverse sources of heavy metal pollutants within the fine particles suggested that separate collection and treatment of the biodegradable waste fraction (such as food waste) is a preferable means of facilitating the beneficial utilization of the stabilized products. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Applying Data Mining Techniques to Improve Information Security in the Cloud: A Single Cache System Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amany AlShawi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Presently, the popularity of cloud computing is gradually increasing day by day. The purpose of this research was to enhance the security of the cloud using techniques such as data mining with specific reference to the single cache system. From the findings of the research, it was observed that the security in the cloud could be enhanced with the single cache system. For future purposes, an Apriori algorithm can be applied to the single cache system. This can be applied by all cloud providers, vendors, data distributors, and others. Further, data objects entered into the single cache system can be extended into 12 components. Database and SPSS modelers can be used to implement the same.

Ion backscattering techniques applied in materials science research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sood, D.K.

1978-01-01

The applications of Ion Backscattering Technique (IBT) to material analysis have expanded rapidly during the last decade. It is now regarded as an analysis tool indispensable for a versatile materials research program. The technique consists of simply shooting a beam of monoenergetic ions (usually 4 He + ions at about 2 MeV) onto a target, and measuring their energy distribution after backscattering at a fixed angle. Simple Rutherford scattering analysis of the backscattered ion spectrum yields information on the mass, the absolute amount and the depth profile of elements present upto a few microns of the target surface. The technique is nondestructive, quick, quantitative and the only known method of analysis which gives quantitative results without recourse to calibration standards. Its major limitations are the inability to separate elements of similar mass and a complete absence of chemical-binding information. A typical experimental set up and spectrum analysis have been described. Examples, some of them based on the work at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay, have been given to illustrate the applications of this technique to semiconductor technology, thin film materials science and nuclear energy materials. Limitations of IBT have been illustrated and a few remedies to partly overcome these limitations are presented. (auth.)

Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques applied to parton distribution functions determination: Proof of concept

Science.gov (United States)

Gbedo, Yémalin Gabin; Mangin-Brinet, Mariane

2017-07-01

We present a new procedure to determine parton distribution functions (PDFs), based on Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. The aim of this paper is to show that we can replace the standard χ2 minimization by procedures grounded on statistical methods, and on Bayesian inference in particular, thus offering additional insight into the rich field of PDFs determination. After a basic introduction to these techniques, we introduce the algorithm we have chosen to implement—namely Hybrid (or Hamiltonian) Monte Carlo. This algorithm, initially developed for Lattice QCD, turns out to be very interesting when applied to PDFs determination by global analyses; we show that it allows us to circumvent the difficulties due to the high dimensionality of the problem, in particular concerning the acceptance. A first feasibility study is performed and presented, which indicates that Markov chain Monte Carlo can successfully be applied to the extraction of PDFs and of their uncertainties.

Enhanced performance of CdS/CdTe thin-film devices through temperature profiling techniques applied to close-spaced sublimation deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiaonan Li; Sheldon, P.; Moutinho, H.; Matson, R. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

1996-05-01

The authors describe a methodology developed and applied to the close-spaced sublimation technique for thin-film CdTe deposition. The developed temperature profiles consisted of three discrete temperature segments, which the authors called the nucleation, plugging, and annealing temperatures. They have demonstrated that these temperature profiles can be used to grow large-grain material, plug pinholes, and improve CdS/CdTe photovoltaic device performance by about 15%. The improved material and device properties have been obtained while maintaining deposition temperatures compatible with commercially available substrates. This temperature profiling technique can be easily applied to a manufacturing environment by adjusting the temperature as a function of substrate position instead of time.

Nuclear microprobe analysis of muscle biopsies: Applications in pathology and clinic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moretto, Ph.; Coquet, M.; Gherardi, R.K.; Stoedzel, P.

2000-01-01

The nuclear microprobe analysis of muscle biopsy sections has been recently applied to investigate different muscle disorders. This technique, employed as a complementary examination in the frame of pathological studies, permitted to confirm the diagnosis for a first pathology and to elucidate the cause of a second. In skeletal muscles of a young patient suffering from a slow progressive myopathy, calcium accumulations have been demonstrated in histologically abnormal fibers. These findings have been compared to histopathological characteristics previously described. On the other hand, we have evaluated muscle sections from two patients who presented symptoms of an inflammatory myopathy, a rare pathology that recently emerged in France. The chemical analyses permitted us to highlight local aluminium infiltration in muscles. The hypothesis of an unusual reaction to intramuscular aluminium accumulation has been advanced. These studies demonstrate the capability for ion beam microanalytical techniques to address acute problems in pathology

Cometary and interstellar dust grains - Analysis by ion microprobe mass spectrometry and other techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Zinner, Ernst

1991-01-01

A survey of microanalytical measurements on interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and interstellar dust grains from primitive meteorites is presented. Ion-microprobe mass spectrometry with its capability to determine isotopic compositions of many elements on a micron spatial scale has played a special role. Examples are measurements of H, N, and O isotopes and refractory trace elements in IDPs; C, N, Mg, and Si isotopes in interstellar SiC grains; and C and N isotopes and H, N, Al, and Si concentrations in interstellar graphite grains.

Microanalytical techniques applied to phase identification and measurement of solute redistribution at the solid/liquid interface of frozen Fe-4.3Ni doublets

CERN Document Server

Faryna, M; Okane, T

2002-01-01

A Fe-4.3M alloy has been solidified directionally by using the Bridgman system. The solidification conditions were chosen to obtain an oriented cellular structure of delta-ferrite. These are: a positive temperature gradient of about 60 K/cm and a growth rate of 6.6 mu m/s. A change in these conditions can lead either to the formation of austenite or to the competitive growth of delta-ferrite/gamma-austenite. The solid/liquid interface of delta-ferrite cells has been frozen and double instability has been revealed at the tip of the cells. The instability is described as the first harmonic wave of fundamental undulation, which appeared at the formerly planar solid/liquid interface. This means that a doublet structure is formed only with the imposed specific conditions of solidification. The Ni-solute redistribution after back-diffusion has been measured across the delta-ferrite doublet. Results of energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) measurements on the distribution of Ni and Fe correspond well to the theoretical pred...

Advanced gamma spectrum processing technique applied to the analysis of scattering spectra for determining material thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoang Duc Tam; VNUHCM-University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City; Huynh Dinh Chuong; Tran Thien Thanh; Vo Hoang Nguyen; Hoang Thi Kieu Trang; Chau Van Tao

2015-01-01

In this work, an advanced gamma spectrum processing technique is applied to analyze experimental scattering spectra for determining the thickness of C45 heat-resistant steel plates. The single scattering peak of scattering spectra is taken as an advantage to measure the intensity of single scattering photons. Based on these results, the thickness of steel plates is determined with a maximum deviation of real thickness and measured thickness of about 4 %. Monte Carlo simulation using MCNP5 code is also performed to cross check the results, which yields a maximum deviation of 2 %. These results strongly confirm the capability of this technique in analyzing gamma scattering spectra, which is a simple, effective and convenient method for determining material thickness. (author)

Basic principles of applied nuclear techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basson, J.K.

1976-01-01

The technological applications of radioactive isotopes and radiation in South Africa have grown steadily since the first consignment of man-made radioisotopes reached this country in 1948. By the end of 1975 there were 412 authorised non-medical organisations (327 industries) using hundreds of sealed sources as well as their fair share of the thousands of radioisotope consignments, annually either imported or produced locally (mainly for medical purposes). Consequently, it is necessary for South African technologists to understand the principles of radioactivity in order to appreciate the industrial applications of nuclear techniques [af

Condition monitoring and signature analysis techniques as applied to Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) [Paper No.: VIA - 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rangarajan, V.; Suryanarayana, L.

1981-01-01

The technique of vibration signature analysis for identifying the machine troubles in their early stages is explained. The advantage is that a timely corrective action can be planned to avoid breakdowns and unplanned shutdowns. At the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS), this technique is applied to regularly monitor vibrations of equipment and thus is serving as a tool for doing corrective maintenance of equipment. Case studies of application of this technique to main boiler feed pumps, moderation pump motors, centrifugal chiller, ventilation system fans, thermal shield ventilation fans, filtered water pumps, emergency process sea water pumps, and antifriction bearings of MAPS are presented. Condition monitoring during commissioning and subsequent operation could indicate defects. Corrective actions which were taken are described. (M.G.B.)

Large-timestep techniques for particle-in-cell simulation of systems with applied fields that vary rapidly in space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedman, A.; Grote, D.P.

1996-10-01

Under conditions which arise commonly in space-charge-dominated beam applications, the applied focusing, bending, and accelerating fields vary rapidly with axial position, while the self-fields (which are, on average, comparable in strength to the applied fields) vary smoothly. In such cases it is desirable to employ timesteps which advance the particles over distances greater than the characteristic scales over which the applied fields vary. Several related concepts are potentially applicable: sub-cycling of the particle advance relative to the field solution, a higher-order time-advance algorithm, force-averaging by integration along approximate orbits, and orbit-averaging. We report on our investigations into the utility of such techniques for systems typical of those encountered in accelerator studies for heavy-ion beam-driven inertial fusion

Using wavelet denoising and mathematical morphology in the segmentation technique applied to blood cells images.

Science.gov (United States)

Boix, Macarena; Cantó, Begoña

2013-04-01

Accurate image segmentation is used in medical diagnosis since this technique is a noninvasive pre-processing step for biomedical treatment. In this work we present an efficient segmentation method for medical image analysis. In particular, with this method blood cells can be segmented. For that, we combine the wavelet transform with morphological operations. Moreover, the wavelet thresholding technique is used to eliminate the noise and prepare the image for suitable segmentation. In wavelet denoising we determine the best wavelet that shows a segmentation with the largest area in the cell. We study different wavelet families and we conclude that the wavelet db1 is the best and it can serve for posterior works on blood pathologies. The proposed method generates goods results when it is applied on several images. Finally, the proposed algorithm made in MatLab environment is verified for a selected blood cells.

Biomechanical study of the funnel technique applied in thoracic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

of vertebra was made for injury model of anterior and central column ... data were collected to eliminate creep and relaxation of soft tissues in .... 3 Pullout strength curve for Magerl technique (A) and Funnel technique (B). 210x164mm (72 x 72 ...

A simple pulse shape discrimination technique applied to a silicon strip detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Figuera, P.; Lu, J.; Amorini, F.; Cardella, G.; DiPietro, A.; Papa, M.; Musumarra, A.; Pappalardo, G.; Rizzo, F.; Tudisco, S.

2001-01-01

Full text: Since the early sixties, it has been known that the shape of signals from solid state detectors can be used for particle identification. Recently, this idea has been revised in a group of papers where it has been shown that the shape of current signals from solid state detectors is mainly governed by the combination of plasma erosion time and charge carrier collection time effects. We will present the results of a systematic study on a pulse shape identification method which, contrary to the techniques proposed, is based on the use of the same electronic chain normally used in the conventional time of flight technique. The method is based on the use of charge preamplifiers, low polarization voltages (i.e. just above full depletion ones), rear side injection of the incident particles, and on a proper setting of the constant fraction discriminators which enhances the dependence of the timing output on the rise time of the input signals (which depends on the charge and energy of the incident ions). The method has been applied to an annular Si strip detector with an inner radius of about 16 mm and an outer radius of about 88 mm. The detector, manufactured by Eurisys Measures (Type Ips.73.74.300.N9), is 300 microns thick and consists of 8 independent sectors each divided into 9 circular strips. On beam tests have been performed at the cyclotron of the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud in Catania using a 25.7 MeV/nucleon 58 Ni beam impinging on a 51 V and 45 Sc composite target. Excellent charge identification from H up to the Ni projectile has been observed and typical charge identification thresholds are: ∼ 1.7 MeV/nucleon for Z ≅ 6, ∼ 3.0 MeV/nucleon for Z ≅ 11, and ∼ 5.5 MeV/nucleon for Z ≅ 20. Isotope identification up to A ≅ 13 has been observed with an energy threshold of about 6 MeV/nucleon. The identification quality has been studied as a function of the constant fraction settings. The method has been applied to all the 72 independent strips

Applying machine-learning techniques to Twitter data for automatic hazard-event classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Filgueira, R.; Bee, E. J.; Diaz-Doce, D.; Poole, J., Sr.; Singh, A.

2017-12-01

The constant flow of information offered by tweets provides valuable information about all sorts of events at a high temporal and spatial resolution. Over the past year we have been analyzing in real-time geological hazards/phenomenon, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, floods or the aurora, as part of the GeoSocial project, by geo-locating tweets filtered by keywords in a web-map. However, not all the filtered tweets are related with hazard/phenomenon events. This work explores two classification techniques for automatic hazard-event categorization based on tweets about the "Aurora". First, tweets were filtered using aurora-related keywords, removing stop words and selecting the ones written in English. For classifying the remaining between "aurora-event" or "no-aurora-event" categories, we compared two state-of-art techniques: Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) algorithms. Both approaches belong to the family of supervised learning algorithms, which make predictions based on labelled training dataset. Therefore, we created a training dataset by tagging 1200 tweets between both categories. The general form of SVM is used to separate two classes by a function (kernel). We compared the performance of four different kernels (Linear Regression, Logistic Regression, Multinomial Naïve Bayesian and Stochastic Gradient Descent) provided by Scikit-Learn library using our training dataset to build the SVM classifier. The results shown that the Logistic Regression (LR) gets the best accuracy (87%). So, we selected the SVM-LR classifier to categorise a large collection of tweets using the "dispel4py" framework.Later, we developed a CNN classifier, where the first layer embeds words into low-dimensional vectors. The next layer performs convolutions over the embedded word vectors. Results from the convolutional layer are max-pooled into a long feature vector, which is classified using a softmax layer. The CNN's accuracy

Applying Mixed Methods Techniques in Strategic Planning

Science.gov (United States)

Voorhees, Richard A.

2008-01-01

In its most basic form, strategic planning is a process of anticipating change, identifying new opportunities, and executing strategy. The use of mixed methods, blending quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques and data, in the process of assembling a strategic plan can help to ensure a successful outcome. In this article, the author…

2D and 3D optical diagnostic techniques applied to Madonna dei Fusi by Leonardo da Vinci

Science.gov (United States)

Fontana, R.; Gambino, M. C.; Greco, M.; Marras, L.; Materazzi, M.; Pampaloni, E.; Pelagotti, A.; Pezzati, L.; Poggi, P.; Sanapo, C.

2005-06-01

3D measurement and modelling have been traditionally applied to statues, buildings, archeological sites or similar large structures, but rarely to paintings. Recently, however, 3D measurements have been performed successfully also on easel paintings, allowing to detect and document the painting's surface. We used 3D models to integrate the results of various 2D imaging techniques on a common reference frame. These applications show how the 3D shape information, complemented with 2D colour maps as well as with other types of sensory data, provide the most interesting information. The 3D data acquisition was carried out by means of two devices: a high-resolution laser micro-profilometer, composed of a commercial distance meter mounted on a scanning device, and a laser-line scanner. The 2D data acquisitions were carried out using a scanning device for simultaneous RGB colour imaging and IR reflectography, and a UV fluorescence multispectral image acquisition system. We present here the results of the techniques described, applied to the analysis of an important painting of the Italian Reinassance: `Madonna dei Fusi', attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.

Applying modern psychometric techniques to melodic discrimination testing: Item response theory, computerised adaptive testing, and automatic item generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Peter M C; Collins, Tom; Müllensiefen, Daniel

2017-06-15

Modern psychometric theory provides many useful tools for ability testing, such as item response theory, computerised adaptive testing, and automatic item generation. However, these techniques have yet to be integrated into mainstream psychological practice. This is unfortunate, because modern psychometric techniques can bring many benefits, including sophisticated reliability measures, improved construct validity, avoidance of exposure effects, and improved efficiency. In the present research we therefore use these techniques to develop a new test of a well-studied psychological capacity: melodic discrimination, the ability to detect differences between melodies. We calibrate and validate this test in a series of studies. Studies 1 and 2 respectively calibrate and validate an initial test version, while Studies 3 and 4 calibrate and validate an updated test version incorporating additional easy items. The results support the new test's viability, with evidence for strong reliability and construct validity. We discuss how these modern psychometric techniques may also be profitably applied to other areas of music psychology and psychological science in general.

Insights into metals in individual fine particles from municipal solid waste using synchrotron radiation-based micro-analytical techniques

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yumin Zhu; Hua Zhang; Liming Shao; Pinjing He

2015-01-01

Excessive inter-contamination with heavy metals hampers the application of biological treatment products derived from mixed or mechanically-sorted municipal solid waste (MSW).In this study,we investigated fine particles of ＜2 mm,which are small fractions in MSW but constitute a significant component of the total heavy metal content,using bulk detection techniques.A total of 17 individual fine particles were evaluated using synchrotron radiation-based micro-X-ray fluorescence and micro-X-ray diffraction.We also discussed the association,speciation and source apportionment of heavy metals.Metals were found to exist in a diffuse distribution with heterogeneous intensities and intense hot-spots of ＜10 μm within the fine particles.Zn-Cu,Pb-Fe and Fe-Mn-Cr had significant correlations in terms of spatial distribution.The overlapped enrichment,spatial association,and the mineral phases of metals revealed the potential sources of fine particles from size-reduced waste fractions (such as scraps of organic wastes or ceramics) or from the importation of other particles.The diverse sources of heavy metal pollutants within the fine particles suggested that separate collection and treatment of the biodegradable waste fraction (such as food waste) is a preferable means of facilitating the beneficial utilization of the stabilized products.

The evolution of Yellowstone's magmatic system over the past 630 kyr: Insights from the crystal record

Science.gov (United States)

Stelten, M. E.

2017-12-01

The Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field in northwestern Wyoming is one of the world's largest, active silicic volcanic centers, and has produced three caldera-forming "super eruptions" over the past 2.1 Myr. As a result, the petrologic evolution of Yellowstone's magmatic system has been the focus of numerous studies over the past 60 years. Early studies at Yellowstone focused on characterizing whole-rock chemical and isotopic variations observed in magmas erupted over Yellowstone's lifetime. While these have provided important insights into the source of Yellowstone magmas and the processes controlling their compositional evolution though time, whole-rock studies are limited in their ability to identify the mechanisms and timescales of rhyolite generation. In contrast, much of the recent work at Yellowstone has focused on applying micro-analytical techniques to characterize the age and composition of phenocrysts hosted in Yellowstone rhyolites. These studies have greatly advanced our understanding of the magmatic system at Yellowstone and have provided crucial new insights into the mechanisms and timescales of rhyolite generation. In particular, recent work has focused on applying micro-analytical techniques to study the age and origin of the [1] three caldera-forming eruptions that produced the Huckleberry Ridge, Mesa Falls, Lava Creek tuffs and [2] post-Lava Creek tuff intracaldera rhyolites that compose the Plateau Rhyolite. As a result, a wealth of crystal-chemical data now exists for rhyolites erupted throughout Yellowstone's 2.1 Myr history. These data provide a unique opportunity to create a detailed reconstruction of Yellowstone's magmatic system through time. In this contribution, I integrate available age, chemical, and isotopic data for phenocrysts hosted in Yellowstone rhyolites to construct a model for the evolution of Yellowstone's magmatic system from the caldera-forming eruption of the Lava Creek tuff at ca. 0.63 Ma to the present day. In particular

Rapid nuclear forensics analysis via laser based microphotonic techniques coupled with chemometrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatta, B.; Kalambuka, H.A.; Dehayem-Kamadjeu, A.

2017-01-01

Nuclear forensics (NF) is an important tool for analysis and attribution of nuclear and radiological materials (NRM) in support of nuclear security. The critical challenge in NF currently is the lack of suitable microanalytical methodologies for direct, rapid and minimally-invasive detection and quantification of NF signatures. Microphotonic techniques can achieve this task particularly when the materials are of limited size and under concealed condition. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the combined potential of chemometrics enabled LIBS and laser Raman spectromicroscopy (LRS) for rapid NF analysis and attribution. Using LIBS, uranium lines at 385.464 nm, 385.957 nm and 386.592 nm were identified as NF signatures in uranium ore surrogates. A multivariate calibration strategy using artificial neural network was developed for quantification of trace uranium. Principal component analysis (PCA) of LIBS spectra achieved source attribution of the ores. LRS studies on UCl3, UO3(NO3)2.6H2O, UO2SO4.3H2O and UO3 in pellet state identified the bands associated with different uranium molecules as varying in the range of (840 to 867) ± 15 cm-1. Using this signature, we have demonstrated spectral imaging of uranium under concealed conditions (author)

Personnel contamination protection techniques applied during the TMI-2 [Three Mile Island Unit 2] cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hildebrand, J.E.

1988-01-01

The severe damage to the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) core and the subsequent discharge of reactor coolant to the reactor and auxiliary buildings resulted in extremely hostile radiological environments in the TMI-2 plant. High fission product surface contamination and radiation levels necessitated the implementation of innovative techniques and methods in performing cleanup operations while assuring effective as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) practices. The approach utilized by GPU Nuclear throughout the cleanup in applying protective clothing requirements was to consider the overall health risk to the worker including factors such as cardiopulmonary stress, visual and hearing acuity, and heat stress. In applying protective clothing requirements, trade-off considerations had to be made between preventing skin contaminations and possibly overprotecting the worker, thus impacting his ability to perform his intended task at maximum efficiency and in accordance with ALARA principles. The paper discusses the following topics: protective clothing-general use, beta protection, skin contamination, training, personnel access facility, and heat stress

A Systematic Approach to Applying Lean Techniques to Optimize an Office Process at the Y-12 National Security Complex

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Credille, Jennifer [Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Owens, Elizabeth [Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

2017-10-11

This capstone offers the introduction of Lean concepts to an office activity to demonstrate the versatility of Lean. Traditionally Lean has been associated with process improvements as applied to an industrial atmosphere. However, this paper will demonstrate that implementing Lean concepts within an office activity can result in significant process improvements. Lean first emerged with the conception of the Toyota Production System. This innovative concept was designed to improve productivity in the automotive industry by eliminating waste and variation. Lean has also been applied to office environments, however the limited literature reveals most Lean techniques within an office are restricted to one or two techniques. Our capstone confronts these restrictions by introducing a systematic approach that utilizes multiple Lean concepts. The approach incorporates: system analysis, system reliability, system requirements, and system feasibility. The methodical Lean outline provides tools for a successful outcome, which ensures the process is thoroughly dissected and can be achieved for any process in any work environment.

The differential dieaway technique applied to the measurement of the fissile content of drums of cement encapsulated waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swinhoe, M.T.

1986-01-01

This report describes calculations of the differential dieaway technique as applied to cement encapsulated waste. The main difference from previous applications of the technique are that only one detector position is used (diametrically opposite the neutron source) and the chamber walls are made of concrete. The results show that by rotating the drum the response to fissile material across the central plane of the drum can be made relatively uniform. The absolute size of the response is about 0.4. counts per minute per gram fissile for a neutron source of 10 8 neutrons per second. Problems of neutron and gamma background and water content are considered. (author)

Non-destructive electrochemical techniques applied to the corrosion evaluation of the liner structures in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez, I.; Castillo, A.; Andrade, C.

2008-01-01

The liner structure in nuclear power plants provides containment for the operation and therefore the study of its durability and integrity during its service life is an important issue. There are several causes for the deterioration of the liner, which in general involve corrosion due to its metallic nature. The present paper is aimed at describing the assessment of corrosion problems of two liners from two different nuclear power plants, which were evaluated using non-destructive electrochemical techniques. In spite of the testing difficulties arisen, from the results extracted it can be concluded that the electrochemical techniques applied are adequate for the corrosion evaluation. They provide important information about the integrity of the structure and allow for its evolution with time to be assessed

Biocavity laser for high-speed cell and tumour biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gourley, P L

2003-01-01

Through recent interdisciplinary scientific research, modern medicine has significantly advanced the diagnosis and treatment of disease. However, little progress has been made in reducing the death rate due to cancer, which remains the leading cause of death in much of the world. Pathologists rely on microscopic examination of cell morphology using methods that originated over a hundred years ago. These staining methods are labour-intensive, time-consuming, and sometimes in error. New micro-analytical methods for high speed (real-time) automated screening of tissues and cells could advance pathology and minimize cancer deaths. By teaming experts in physical/chemical sciences and engineering with those in medicine, it may be possible to develop micro-analytical cell spectral/imaging techniques to rapidly distinguish normal and abnormal cells. In this paper, we review the physics and applications of the biocavity laser which may enable these advances in the near future. (topical review)

Beyond Astro 101: A First Report on Applying Interactive Education Techniques to an Astronphysics Class for Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Perrin, Marshall D.; Ghez, A. M.

2009-05-01

Learner-centered interactive instruction methods now have a proven track record in improving learning in "Astro 101" courses for non-majors, but have rarely been applied to higher-level astronomy courses. Can we hope for similar gains in classes aimed at astrophysics majors, or is the subject matter too fundamentally different for those techniques to apply? We present here an initial report on an updated calculus-based Introduction to Astrophysics class at UCLA that suggests such techniques can indeed result in increased learning for major students. We augmented the traditional blackboard-derivation lectures and challenging weekly problem sets by adding online questions on pre-reading assignments (''just-in-time teaching'') and frequent multiple-choice questions in class ("Think-Pair-Share''). We describe our approach, and present examples of the new Think-Pair-Share questions developed for this more sophisticated material. Our informal observations after one term are that with this approach, students are more engaged and alert, and score higher on exams than typical in previous years. This is anecdotal evidence, not hard data yet, and there is clearly a vast amount of work to be done in this area. But our first impressions strongly encourage us that interactive methods should be able improve the astrophysics major just as they have improved Astro 101.

Object oriented programming techniques applied to device access and control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goetz, A.; Klotz, W.D.; Meyer, J.

1992-01-01

In this paper a model, called the device server model, has been presented for solving the problem of device access and control faced by all control systems. Object Oriented Programming techniques were used to achieve a powerful yet flexible solution. The model provides a solution to the problem which hides device dependancies. It defines a software framework which has to be respected by implementors of device classes - this is very useful for developing groupware. The decision to implement remote access in the root class means that device servers can be easily integrated in a distributed control system. A lot of the advantages and features of the device server model are due to the adoption of OOP techniques. The main conclusion that can be drawn from this paper is that 1. the device access and control problem is adapted to being solved with OOP techniques, 2. OOP techniques offer a distinct advantage over traditional programming techniques for solving the device access problem. (J.P.N.)

A systematic review of applying modern software engineering techniques to developing robotic systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Pons

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Robots have become collaborators in our daily life. While robotic systems become more and more complex, the need to engineer their software development grows as well. The traditional approaches used in developing these software systems are reaching their limits; currently used methodologies and tools fall short of addressing the needs of such complex software development. Separating robotics’ knowledge from short-cycled implementation technologies is essential to foster reuse and maintenance. This paper presents a systematic review (SLR of the current use of modern software engineering techniques for developing robotic software systems and their actual automation level. The survey was aimed at summarizing existing evidence concerning applying such technologies to the field of robotic systems to identify any gaps in current research to suggest areas for further investigation and provide a background for positioning new research activities.

An acceleration technique for the Gauss-Seidel method applied to symmetric linear systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Cajigas

2014-06-01

Full Text Available A preconditioning technique to improve the convergence of the Gauss-Seidel method applied to symmetric linear systems while preserving symmetry is proposed. The preconditioner is of the form I + K and can be applied an arbitrary number of times. It is shown that under certain conditions the application of the preconditioner a finite number of steps reduces the matrix to a diagonal. A series of numerical experiments using matrices from spatial discretizations of partial differential equations demonstrates that both versions of the preconditioner, point and block version, exhibit lower iteration counts than its non-symmetric version. Resumen. Se propone una técnica de precondicionamiento para mejorar la convergencia del método Gauss-Seidel aplicado a sistemas lineales simétricos pero preservando simetría. El precondicionador es de la forma I + K y puede ser aplicado un número arbitrario de veces. Se demuestra que bajo ciertas condiciones la aplicación del precondicionador un número finito de pasos reduce la matriz del sistema precondicionado a una diagonal. Una serie de experimentos con matrices que provienen de la discretización de ecuaciones en derivadas parciales muestra que ambas versiones del precondicionador, por punto y por bloque, muestran un menor número de iteraciones en comparación con la versión que no preserva simetría.

Inner-shell electron spectroscopy for microanalysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joy, D.C.; Maher, D.M.

1979-01-01

The transmission electron energy-loss spectrum shows characteristic edges corresponding to the excitation of inner-shell electrons of atoms in a thin sample. Analysis of these edges provides detailed chemical, structural, and electronic data from the radiated volume. By combining electron spectroscopy and electron microscopy, this microanalytical technique can be performed in conjunction with high-resolution imaging of the sample. It is shown that this approach has advantages of sensitivity, spatial resolution, and convenience over other comparable techniques. 7 figures

Laser--Doppler anemometry technique applied to two-phase dispersed flows in a rectangular channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.L.; Srinivasan, J.

1979-01-01

A new optical technique using Laser--Doppler anemometry has been applied to the local measurement of turbulent upward flow of a dilute water droplet--air two-phase dispersion in a vertical rectangular channel. Individually examined were over 20,000 droplet signals coming from each of a total of ten transversely placed measuring points, the closest of which to the channel wall was 250 μ away from the wall. Two flows of different patterns due to different imposed flow conditions were investigated, one with and the other without a liquid film formed on the channel wall. Reported are the size and number density distribution and the axial and lateral velocity distributions for the droplets as well as the axial and lateral velocity distributions for the air

Digital filtering techniques applied to electric power systems protection; Tecnicas de filtragem digital aplicadas a protecao de sistemas eletricos de potencia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brito, Helio Glauco Ferreira

1996-12-31

This work introduces an analysis and a comparative study of some of the techniques for digital filtering of the voltage and current waveforms from faulted transmission lines. This study is of fundamental importance for the development of algorithms applied to digital protection of electric power systems. The techniques studied are based on the Discrete Fourier Transform theory, the Walsh functions and the Kalman filter theory. Two aspects were emphasized in this study: Firstly, the non-recursive techniques were analysed with the implementation of filters based on Fourier theory and the Walsh functions. Secondly, recursive techniques were analyzed, with the implementation of the filters based on the Kalman theory and once more on the Fourier theory. (author) 56 refs., 25 figs., 16 tabs.

Machine-learning techniques applied to antibacterial drug discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Durrant, Jacob D; Amaro, Rommie E

2015-01-01

The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria threatens to revert humanity back to the preantibiotic era. Even now, multidrug-resistant bacterial infections annually result in millions of hospital days, billions in healthcare costs, and, most importantly, tens of thousands of lives lost. As many pharmaceutical companies have abandoned antibiotic development in search of more lucrative therapeutics, academic researchers are uniquely positioned to fill the pipeline. Traditional high-throughput screens and lead-optimization efforts are expensive and labor intensive. Computer-aided drug-discovery techniques, which are cheaper and faster, can accelerate the identification of novel antibiotics, leading to improved hit rates and faster transitions to preclinical and clinical testing. The current review describes two machine-learning techniques, neural networks and decision trees, that have been used to identify experimentally validated antibiotics. We conclude by describing the future directions of this exciting field. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Advanced nondestructive techniques applied for the detection of discontinuities in aluminum foams

Science.gov (United States)

Katchadjian, Pablo; García, Alejandro; Brizuela, Jose; Camacho, Jorge; Chiné, Bruno; Mussi, Valerio; Britto, Ivan

2018-04-01

Metal foams are finding an increasing range of applications by their lightweight structure and physical, chemical and mechanical properties. Foams can be used to fill closed moulds for manufacturing structural foam parts of complex shape [1]; foam filled structures are expected to provide good mechanical properties and energy absorption capabilities. The complexity of the foaming process and the number of parameters to simultaneously control, demand a preliminary and hugely wide experimental activity to manufacture foamed components with a good quality. That is why there are many efforts to improve the structure of foams, in order to obtain a product with good properties. The problem is that even for seemingly identical foaming conditions, the effective foaming can vary significantly from one foaming trial to another. The variation of the foams often is related by structural imperfections, joining region (foam-foam or foam-wall mold) or difficulties in achieving a complete filling of the mould. That is, in a closed mold, the result of the mold filling and its structure or defects are not known a priori and can eventually vary significantly. These defects can cause a drastic deterioration of the mechanical properties [2] and lead to a low performance in its application. This work proposes the use of advanced nondestructive techniques for evaluating the foam distribution after filling the mold to improve the manufacturing process. To achieved this purpose ultrasonic technique (UT) and cone beam computed tomography (CT) were applied on plate and structures of different thicknesses filled with foam of different porosity. UT was carried out on transmission mode with low frequency air-coupled transducers [3], in focused and unfocused configurations.

Bioremediation techniques applied to aqueous media contaminated with mercury.

Science.gov (United States)

Velásquez-Riaño, Möritz; Benavides-Otaya, Holman D

2016-12-01

In recent years, the environmental and human health impacts of mercury contamination have driven the search for alternative, eco-efficient techniques different from the traditional physicochemical methods for treating this metal. One of these alternative processes is bioremediation. A comprehensive analysis of the different variables that can affect this process is presented. It focuses on determining the effectiveness of different techniques of bioremediation, with a specific consideration of three variables: the removal percentage, time needed for bioremediation and initial concentration of mercury to be treated in an aqueous medium.

Spatial analysis techniques applied to uranium prospecting in Chihuahua State, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Hinojosa de la Garza, Octavio R.; Montero Cabrera, María Elena; Sanín, Luz H.; Reyes Cortés, Manuel; Martínez Meyer, Enrique

2014-07-01

To estimate the distribution of uranium minerals in Chihuahua, the advanced statistical model "Maximun Entropy Method" (MaxEnt) was applied. A distinguishing feature of this method is that it can fit more complex models in case of small datasets (x and y data), as is the location of uranium ores in the State of Chihuahua. For georeferencing uranium ores, a database from the United States Geological Survey and workgroup of experts in Mexico was used. The main contribution of this paper is the proposal of maximum entropy techniques to obtain the mineral's potential distribution. For this model were used 24 environmental layers like topography, gravimetry, climate (worldclim), soil properties and others that were useful to project the uranium's distribution across the study area. For the validation of the places predicted by the model, comparisons were done with other research of the Mexican Service of Geological Survey, with direct exploration of specific areas and by talks with former exploration workers of the enterprise "Uranio de Mexico". Results. New uranium areas predicted by the model were validated, finding some relationship between the model predictions and geological faults. Conclusions. Modeling by spatial analysis provides additional information to the energy and mineral resources sectors.

Tracer techniques applied to groundwater studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, W.

1975-01-01

The determination of several aquifer characteristics, primarily in the satured zone, namely: porosity, permeability, transmissivity, dispersivity, direction and velocity of sub-surface water is presented. These techniques are based on artificial radioisotopes utilization. Only field determination of porosity are considered here and their advantage over laboratory measurements are: better representation of volume average, insensibility to local inhomogenities and no distortion of the structure due to sampling. The radioisotope dilution method is used to obtain an independent and direct measurement of the filtration velocity in a water-bearing formation under natural or induced hydraulic gradient. The velocity of the flow is usually calculated from Darcy's formula through the measurement of gradients and requires a knowledge of the permeability of the formation. The filtration velocity interpreted in conjunction with other parameters can, under favourable conditions, provide valuable information on the permeability, transmissibility and amount of water moving through an aquifer

Proposal of requirements for performance in Brazil for systems of external individual monitoring for neutrons applying the TLD-albedo technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, Marcelo M.; Mauricio, Claudia L.P.; Pereira, Walsan W.; Fonseca, Evaldo S. da; Silva, Ademir X.

2009-01-01

This work presents a criteria and conditions proposal for the regulations in Brazil of individual monitoring systems for neutrons applying the albedo technique with thermoluminescent detectors. Tests are proposed for the characterization performance of the system based on the Regulation ISO 21909 and on the experience of the authors

Applying Cooperative Techniques in Teaching Problem Solving

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krisztina Barczi

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Teaching how to solve problems – from solving simple equations to solving difficult competition tasks – has been one of the greatest challenges for mathematics education for many years. Trying to find an effective method is an important educational task. Among others, the question arises as to whether a method in which students help each other might be useful. The present article describes part of an experiment that was designed to determine the effects of cooperative teaching techniques on the development of problem-solving skills.

The ordering operator technique applied to open systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedrosa, I.A.; Baseia, B.

1982-01-01

A normal ordering technique and the coherent representation are used to discribe the time evolution of an open system of a single oscillator, linearly coupled with an infinite number of reservoir oscillators and it is shown how to include the dissipation and get the exponential decay. (Author) [pt

X-diffraction technique applied for nano system metrology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuznetsov, Alexei Yu.; Machado, Rogerio; Robertis, Eveline de; Campos, Andrea P.C.; Archanjo, Braulio S.; Gomes, Lincoln S.; Achete, Carlos A.

2009-01-01

The application of nano materials are fast growing in all industrial sectors, with a strong necessity in nano metrology and normalizing in the nano material area. The great potential of the X-ray diffraction technique in this field is illustrated at the example of metals, metal oxides and pharmaceuticals

The measurement and calculation of the X-ray spatial resolution obtained in the analytical electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michael, J.R.; Williams, D.B.

1990-01-01

The X-ray microanalytical spatial resolution is determined experimentally in various analytical electron microscopes by measuring the degradation of an atomically discrete composition profile across an interphase interface in a thin-foil of Ni-Cr-Fe. The experimental spatial resolutions are then compared with calculated values. The calculated spatial resolutions are obtained by the mathematical convolution of the electron probe size with an assumed beam-broadening distribution and the single-scattering model of beam broadening. The probe size is measured directly from an image of the probe in a TEM/SETEM and indirectly from dark-field signal changes resulting from scanning the probe across the edge of an MgO crystal in a dedicated STEM. This study demonstrates the applicability of the convolution technique to the calculation of the microanalytical spatial resolution obtained in the analytical electron microscope. It is demonstrated that, contrary to popular opinion, the electron probe size has a major impact on the measured spatial resolution in foils < 150 nm thick. (author)

Photoacoustic technique applied to the study of skin and leather

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vargas, M.; Varela, J.; Hernandez, L.; Gonzalez, A.

1998-01-01

In this paper the photoacoustic technique is used in bull skin for the determination of thermal and optical properties as a function of the tanning process steps. Our results show that the photoacoustic technique is sensitive to the study of physical changes in this kind of material due to the tanning process

Nanostructure characterisation of flow-formed Cr–Mo–V steel using transmission Kikuchi diffraction technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birosca, S.; Ding, R.; Ooi, S.; Buckingham, R.; Coleman, C.; Dicks, K.

2015-01-01

Nowadays flow-forming has become a desired near net shape manufacturing method as it provides excellent mechanical properties with improved surface finish and significant manufacturing cost reduction. However, the material is subjected to excessive plastic deformation during flow-forming process, generating a very fine and complex microstructure. In addition, the intense dislocation density and residual stress that is generated in the component during processing makes the microstructure characterisation using conventional micro-analytical tools challenging. Thus, the microstructure/property relationship study in such a material is rather difficult. In the present study a flow-formed Cr–Mo–V steel nanostructure and crystallographic texture were characterised by means of Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction (TKD). Here, TKD is shown to be a powerful technique in revealing very fine martensite laths within an austenite matrix. Moreover, fine precipitates in the order of 20–70 nm on the martensite lath boundaries were clearly imaged and characterised. This greatly assisted in understanding the preferable site formation of the carbides in such a complex microstructure. The results showed that the actual TKD spatial resolution was in the range of 5–10 nm using 25 kV for flow-formed Cr–Mo–V steel. - Highlights: • Optimum Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction (TKD) technique's configuration is reported. • TKD could reveal detailed nanostructural features and the microtexture of martensite laths. • Actual TKD spatial resolution was in the range of 5–10 nm using 25 kV for flow-formed Cr-Mo-V steel. • At nano scale the sub-structure morphology of martensite lath were determined using TKD

Nanostructure characterisation of flow-formed Cr–Mo–V steel using transmission Kikuchi diffraction technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Birosca, S., E-mail: s.birosca@swansea.ac.uk [Materials Research Centre, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP (United Kingdom); Ding, R. [School of Metallurgy and Materials, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom); Ooi, S. [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom); Buckingham, R.; Coleman, C. [Materials Research Centre, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP (United Kingdom); Dicks, K. [Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis, Halifax Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP12 3SE (United Kingdom)

2015-06-15

Nowadays flow-forming has become a desired near net shape manufacturing method as it provides excellent mechanical properties with improved surface finish and significant manufacturing cost reduction. However, the material is subjected to excessive plastic deformation during flow-forming process, generating a very fine and complex microstructure. In addition, the intense dislocation density and residual stress that is generated in the component during processing makes the microstructure characterisation using conventional micro-analytical tools challenging. Thus, the microstructure/property relationship study in such a material is rather difficult. In the present study a flow-formed Cr–Mo–V steel nanostructure and crystallographic texture were characterised by means of Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction (TKD). Here, TKD is shown to be a powerful technique in revealing very fine martensite laths within an austenite matrix. Moreover, fine precipitates in the order of 20–70 nm on the martensite lath boundaries were clearly imaged and characterised. This greatly assisted in understanding the preferable site formation of the carbides in such a complex microstructure. The results showed that the actual TKD spatial resolution was in the range of 5–10 nm using 25 kV for flow-formed Cr–Mo–V steel. - Highlights: • Optimum Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction (TKD) technique's configuration is reported. • TKD could reveal detailed nanostructural features and the microtexture of martensite laths. • Actual TKD spatial resolution was in the range of 5–10 nm using 25 kV for flow-formed Cr-Mo-V steel. • At nano scale the sub-structure morphology of martensite lath were determined using TKD.

Eddy current technique applied to automated tube profilometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobbeni, D.; Melsen, C. van

1982-01-01

The use of eddy current methods in the first totally automated pre-service inspection of the internal diameter of PWR steam generator tubes is described. The technique was developed at Laborelec, the Belgian Laboratory of the Electricity Supply Industry. Details are given of the data acquisition system and of the automated manipulator. Representative tube profiles are illustrated. (U.K.)

Dutch Young Adults Ratings of Behavior Change Techniques Applied in Mobile Phone Apps to Promote Physical Activity: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Belmon, Laura S; Middelweerd, Anouk; Te Velde, Saskia J; Brug, Johannes

2015-11-12

Interventions delivered through new device technology, including mobile phone apps, appear to be an effective method to reach young adults. Previous research indicates that self-efficacy and social support for physical activity and self-regulation behavior change techniques (BCT), such as goal setting, feedback, and self-monitoring, are important for promoting physical activity; however, little is known about evaluations by the target population of BCTs applied to physical activity apps and whether these preferences are associated with individual personality characteristics. This study aimed to explore young adults' opinions regarding BCTs (including self-regulation techniques) applied in mobile phone physical activity apps, and to examine associations between personality characteristics and ratings of BCTs applied in physical activity apps. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey among healthy 18 to 30-year-old adults (N=179). Data on participants' gender, age, height, weight, current education level, living situation, mobile phone use, personality traits, exercise self-efficacy, exercise self-identity, total physical activity level, and whether participants met Dutch physical activity guidelines were collected. Items for rating BCTs applied in physical activity apps were selected from a hierarchical taxonomy for BCTs, and were clustered into three BCT categories according to factor analysis: "goal setting and goal reviewing," "feedback and self-monitoring," and "social support and social comparison." Most participants were female (n=146), highly educated (n=169), physically active, and had high levels of self-efficacy. In general, we observed high ratings of BCTs aimed to increase "goal setting and goal reviewing" and "feedback and self-monitoring," but not for BCTs addressing "social support and social comparison." Only 3 (out of 16 tested) significant associations between personality characteristics and BCTs were observed: "agreeableness" was related to

GORE PRECLUDE MVP dura substitute applied as a nonwatertight "underlay" graft for craniotomies: product and technique evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chappell, E Thomas; Pare, Laura; Salehpour, Mohammed; Mathews, Marlon; Middlehof, Charles

2009-01-01

While watertight closure of the dura is a long-standing tenet of cranial surgery, it is often not possible and sometimes unnecessary. Many graft materials with various attributes and drawbacks have been in use for many years. A novel synthetic dural graft material called GORE PRECLUDE MVP dura substitute (WL Gore & Associates, Inc, Flagstaff, Ariz) (henceforth called "MVP") is designed for use both in traditional watertight dural closure and as a dural "underlay" graft in a nonwatertight fashion. One surface of MVP is engineered to facilitate fibroblast in-growth so that its proximity to the underside of the dura will lead to rapid incorporation, whereas the other surface acts as a barrier to reduce tissue adhesion to the device. A series of 59 human subjects undergoing craniotomy and available for clinical and radiographic follow-up underwent nonwatertight underlay grafting of their durotomy with MVP. This is an assessment of the specific product and technique. No attempt is made to compare this to other products or techniques. The mean follow-up in this group was more than 4 months. All subjects have ultimately experienced excellent outcomes related to use of the graft implanted with the underlay technique. No complications occurred related directly to MVP, but the wound-related complication rate attributed to the underlay technique was higher than expected (17%). However, careful analysis found a high rate of risk factors for wound complications and determined that complications with the underlay technique could be avoided by assuring close approximation of the graft material to the underside of the dura. MVP can be used as an underlay graft in a nonwatertight fashion. However, if used over large voids (relaxed brain or large tumor bed), "tacking" or traditional watertight closure techniques should be used. The underlay application of MVP is best applied over the convexities and is particularly well-suited to duraplasty after hemicraniectomy.

Applied research on air pollution using nuclear-related analytical techniques. Report on the second research co-ordination meeting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-07-01

A co-ordinated research programme (CRP) on applied research on air pollution using nuclear-related techniques is a global CRP which started in 1992, and is scheduled to run until early 1997. The purpose of this CRP is to promote the use of nuclear analytical techniques in air pollution studies, e.g. NAA, XRF, and PIXE for the analysis of toxic and other trace elements in air particulate matter. The main purposes of the core programme are i) to support the use of nuclear and nuclear-related analytical techniques for research and monitoring studies on air pollution, ii) to identify major sources of air pollution affecting each of the participating countries with particular reference to toxic heavy metals, and iii) to obtain comparative data on pollution levels in areas of high pollution (e.g. a city centre or a populated area downwind of a large pollution source) and low pollution (e.g. rural area). This document reports the discussions held during the second Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) for the CRP which took place at ANSTO in Menai, Australia. (author)

Applied research on air pollution using nuclear-related analytical techniques. Report on the second research co-ordination meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

A co-ordinated research programme (CRP) on applied research on air pollution using nuclear-related techniques is a global CRP which started in 1992, and is scheduled to run until early 1997. The purpose of this CRP is to promote the use of nuclear analytical techniques in air pollution studies, e.g. NAA, XRF, and PIXE for the analysis of toxic and other trace elements in air particulate matter. The main purposes of the core programme are i) to support the use of nuclear and nuclear-related analytical techniques for research and monitoring studies on air pollution, ii) to identify major sources of air pollution affecting each of the participating countries with particular reference to toxic heavy metals, and iii) to obtain comparative data on pollution levels in areas of high pollution (e.g. a city centre or a populated area downwind of a large pollution source) and low pollution (e.g. rural area). This document reports the discussions held during the second Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) for the CRP which took place at ANSTO in Menai, Australia. (author)

Performance values for non destructive assay (NDA) techniques applied to safeguards: the 2002 evaluation by the ESARDA NDA Working Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guardini, S.

2003-01-01

The first evaluation of NDA performance values undertaken by the ESARDA Working Group for Standards and Non Destructive Assay Techniques (WGNDA) was published in 1993. Almost 10 years later the Working Group decided to review those values, to report about improvements and to issue new performance values for techniques which were not applied in the early nineties, or were at that time only emerging. Non-Destructive Assay techniques have become more and more important in recent years, and they are used to a large extent in nuclear material accountancy and control both by operators and control authorities. As a consequence, the performance evaluation for NDA techniques is of particular relevance to safeguards authorities in optimising Safeguards operations and reducing costs. Performance values are important also for NMAC regulators, to define detection levels, limits for anomalies, goal quantities and to negotiate basic audit rules. This paper presents the latest evaluation of ESARDA Performance Values (EPVs) for the most common NDA techniques currently used for the assay of nuclear materials for Safeguards purposes. The main topics covered by the document are: techniques for plutonium bearing materials: PuO 2 and MOX; techniques for U-bearing materials; techniques for U and Pu in liquid form; techniques for spent fuel assay. This issue of the performance values is the result of specific international round robin exercises, field measurements and ad hoc experiments, evaluated and discussed in the ESARDA NDA Working Group. (author)

Flash radiographic technique applied to fuel injector sprays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vantine, H.C.

1977-01-01

A flash radiographic technique, using 50 ns exposure times, was used to study the pattern and density distribution of a fuel injector spray. The experimental apparatus and method are described. An 85 kVp flash x-ray generator, designed and fabricated at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, is utilized. Radiographic images, recorded on standard x-ray films, are digitized and computer processed

Use of Random and Site-Directed Mutagenesis to Probe Protein Structure-Function Relationships: Applied Techniques in the Study of Helicobacter pylori.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitmire, Jeannette M; Merrell, D Scott

2017-01-01

Mutagenesis is a valuable tool to examine the structure-function relationships of bacterial proteins. As such, a wide variety of mutagenesis techniques and strategies have been developed. This chapter details a selection of random mutagenesis methods and site-directed mutagenesis procedures that can be applied to an array of bacterial species. Additionally, the direct application of the techniques to study the Helicobacter pylori Ferric Uptake Regulator (Fur) protein is described. The varied approaches illustrated herein allow the robust investigation of the structural-functional relationships within a protein of interest.

Applying CFD in the Analysis of Heavy-Oil Transportation in Curved Pipes Using Core-Flow Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Conceição

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Multiphase flow of oil, gas and water occurs in the petroleum industry from the reservoir to the processing units. The occurrence of heavy oils in the world is increasing significantly and points to the need for greater investment in the reservoirs exploitation and, consequently, to the development of new technologies for the production and transport of this oil. Therefore, it is interesting improve techniques to ensure an increase in energy efficiency in the transport of this oil. The core-flow technique is one of the most advantageous methods of lifting and transporting of oil. The core-flow technique does not alter the oil viscosity, but change the flow pattern and thus, reducing friction during heavy oil transportation. This flow pattern is characterized by a fine water pellicle that is formed close to the inner wall of the pipe, aging as lubricant of the oil flowing in the core of the pipe. In this sense, the objective of this paper is to study the isothermal flow of heavy oil in curved pipelines, employing the core-flow technique. A three-dimensional, transient and isothermal mathematical model that considers the mixture and k-e  turbulence models to address the gas-water-heavy oil three-phase flow in the pipe was applied for analysis. Simulations with different flow patterns of the involved phases (oil-gas-water have been done, in order to optimize the transport of heavy oils. Results of pressure and volumetric fraction distribution of the involved phases are presented and analyzed. It was verified that the oil core lubricated by a fine water layer flowing in the pipe considerably decreases pressure drop.

Performance Values for Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) Technique Applied to Wastes: Evaluation by the ESARDA NDA Working Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rackham, Jamie; Weber, Anne-Laure; Chard, Patrick

2012-01-01

The first evaluation of NDA performance values was undertaken by the ESARDA Working Group for Standards and Non Destructive Assay Techniques and was published in 1993. Almost ten years later in 2002 the Working Group reviewed those values and reported on improvements in performance values and new measurement techniques that had emerged since the original assessment. The 2002 evaluation of NDA performance values did not include waste measurements (although these had been incorporated into the 1993 exercise), because although the same measurement techniques are generally applied, the performance is significantly different compared to the assay of conventional Safeguarded special nuclear material. It was therefore considered more appropriate to perform a separate evaluation of performance values for waste assay. Waste assay is becoming increasingly important within the Safeguards community, particularly since the implementation of the Additional Protocol, which calls for declaration of plutonium and HEU bearing waste in addition to information on existing declared material or facilities. Improvements in the measurement performance in recent years, in particular the accuracy, mean that special nuclear materials can now be accounted for in wastes with greater certainty. This paper presents an evaluation of performance values for the NDA techniques in common usage for the assay of waste containing special nuclear material. The main topics covered by the document are: 1- Techniques for plutonium bearing solid wastes 2- Techniques for uranium bearing solid wastes 3 - Techniques for assay of fissile material in spent fuel wastes. Originally it was intended to include performance values for measurements of uranium and plutonium in liquid wastes; however, as no performance data for liquid waste measurements was obtained it was decided to exclude liquid wastes from this report. This issue of the performance values for waste assay has been evaluated and discussed by the ESARDA

Performance Values for Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) Technique Applied to Wastes: Evaluation by the ESARDA NDA Working Group

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rackham, Jamie [Babcock International Group, Sellafield, Seascale, Cumbria, (United Kingdom); Weber, Anne-Laure [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire Fontenay-Aux-Roses (France); Chard, Patrick [Canberra, Forss Business and Technology park, Thurso, Caithness (United Kingdom)

2012-12-15

The first evaluation of NDA performance values was undertaken by the ESARDA Working Group for Standards and Non Destructive Assay Techniques and was published in 1993. Almost ten years later in 2002 the Working Group reviewed those values and reported on improvements in performance values and new measurement techniques that had emerged since the original assessment. The 2002 evaluation of NDA performance values did not include waste measurements (although these had been incorporated into the 1993 exercise), because although the same measurement techniques are generally applied, the performance is significantly different compared to the assay of conventional Safeguarded special nuclear material. It was therefore considered more appropriate to perform a separate evaluation of performance values for waste assay. Waste assay is becoming increasingly important within the Safeguards community, particularly since the implementation of the Additional Protocol, which calls for declaration of plutonium and HEU bearing waste in addition to information on existing declared material or facilities. Improvements in the measurement performance in recent years, in particular the accuracy, mean that special nuclear materials can now be accounted for in wastes with greater certainty. This paper presents an evaluation of performance values for the NDA techniques in common usage for the assay of waste containing special nuclear material. The main topics covered by the document are: 1- Techniques for plutonium bearing solid wastes 2- Techniques for uranium bearing solid wastes 3 - Techniques for assay of fissile material in spent fuel wastes. Originally it was intended to include performance values for measurements of uranium and plutonium in liquid wastes; however, as no performance data for liquid waste measurements was obtained it was decided to exclude liquid wastes from this report. This issue of the performance values for waste assay has been evaluated and discussed by the ESARDA

Neutron Filter Technique and its use for Fundamental and applied Investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gritzay, V.; Kolotyi, V.

2008-01-01

At Kyiv Research Reactor (KRR) the neutron filtered beam technique is used for more than 30 years and its development continues, the new and updated facilities for neutron cross section measurements provide the receipt of neutron cross sections with rather high accuracy: total neutron cross sections with accuracy 1% and better, neutron scattering cross sections with 3-6% accuracy. The main purpose of this paper is presentation of the neutron measurement techniques, developed at KRR, and demonstration some experimental results, obtained using these techniques

VIDEOGRAMMETRIC RECONSTRUCTION APPLIED TO VOLCANOLOGY: PERSPECTIVES FOR A NEW MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE IN VOLCANO MONITORING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuelle Cecchi

2011-05-01

Full Text Available This article deals with videogrammetric reconstruction of volcanic structures. As a first step, the method is tested in laboratory. The objective is to reconstruct small sand and plaster cones, analogous to volcanoes, that deform with time. The initial stage consists in modelling the sensor (internal parameters and calculating its orientation and position in space, using a multi-view calibration method. In practice two sets of views are taken: a first one around a calibration target and a second one around the studied object. Both sets are combined in the calibration software to simultaneously compute the internal parameters modelling the sensor, and the external parameters giving the spatial location of each view around the cone. Following this first stage, a N-view reconstruction process is carried out. The principle is as follows: an initial 3D model of the cone is created and then iteratively deformed to fit the real object. The deformation of the meshed model is based on a texture coherence criterion. At present, this reconstruction method and its precision are being validated at laboratory scale. The objective will be then to follow analogue model deformation with time using successive reconstructions. In the future, the method will be applied to real volcanic structures. Modifications of the initial code will certainly be required, however excellent reconstruction accuracy, valuable simplicity and flexibility of the technique are expected, compared to classic stereophotogrammetric techniques used in volcanology.

Dosimetry techniques applied to thermoluminescent age estimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erramli, H.

1986-12-01

The reliability and the ease of the field application of the measuring techniques of natural radioactivity dosimetry are studied. The natural radioactivity in minerals in composed of the internal dose deposited by alpha and beta radiations issued from the sample itself and the external dose deposited by gamma and cosmic radiations issued from the surroundings of the sample. Two technics for external dosimetry are examined in details. TL Dosimetry and field gamma dosimetry. Calibration and experimental conditions are presented. A new integrated dosimetric method for internal and external dose measure is proposed: the TL dosimeter is placed in the soil in exactly the same conditions as the sample ones, during a time long enough for the total dose evaluation [fr

Assessment of ground-based monitoring techniques applied to landslide investigations

Science.gov (United States)

Uhlemann, S.; Smith, A.; Chambers, J.; Dixon, N.; Dijkstra, T.; Haslam, E.; Meldrum, P.; Merritt, A.; Gunn, D.; Mackay, J.

2016-01-01

A landslide complex in the Whitby Mudstone Formation at Hollin Hill, North Yorkshire, UK is periodically re-activated in response to rainfall-induced pore-water pressure fluctuations. This paper compares long-term measurements (i.e., 2009-2014) obtained from a combination of monitoring techniques that have been employed together for the first time on an active landslide. The results highlight the relative performance of the different techniques, and can provide guidance for researchers and practitioners for selecting and installing appropriate monitoring techniques to assess unstable slopes. Particular attention is given to the spatial and temporal resolutions offered by the different approaches that include: Real Time Kinematic-GPS (RTK-GPS) monitoring of a ground surface marker array, conventional inclinometers, Shape Acceleration Arrays (SAA), tilt meters, active waveguides with Acoustic Emission (AE) monitoring, and piezometers. High spatial resolution information has allowed locating areas of stability and instability across a large slope. This has enabled identification of areas where further monitoring efforts should be focused. High temporal resolution information allowed the capture of 'S'-shaped slope displacement-time behaviour (i.e. phases of slope acceleration, deceleration and stability) in response to elevations in pore-water pressures. This study shows that a well-balanced suite of monitoring techniques that provides high temporal and spatial resolutions on both measurement and slope scale is necessary to fully understand failure and movement mechanisms of slopes. In the case of the Hollin Hill landslide it enabled detailed interpretation of the geomorphological processes governing landslide activity. It highlights the benefit of regularly surveying a network of GPS markers to determine areas for installation of movement monitoring techniques that offer higher resolution both temporally and spatially. The small sensitivity of tilt meter measurements

Timescales of magma transport and mixing at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai’i

OpenAIRE

Rae, Auriol SP; Edmonds, Marie; Maclennan, John Campbell; Morgan, Daniel; Houghton, Bruce; Hartley, Margaret E; Sides, Isobel

2016-01-01

Modelling of volcanic processes is strongly limited by a poor knowledge of the timescales of storage, mixing and final ascent of magmas into the shallowest portions of volcanic 'plumbing' systems immediately prior to eruption. It is impossible to measure these timescales directly; however, micro-analytical techniques provide indirect estimates based on the extent of diffusion of species through melts and crystals. Here, diffusion in olivine phenocrysts from the 1959 Kīlauea Iki eruption is us...

Applications of Qualitative Microanalysis to the Determination of Secondary Species Associated with Uranium; Application de la microanalyse qualitative a la determination des especes secondaires d'uranium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agrinier, H

1959-02-01

Microanalytical techniques are described which allow rapid determinations of secondary species associated with uranium. They consist in exposing the constituent elements of the ores by means of characteristic microchemical reactions. Because of their rapidity and the small amount of apparatus needed, these techniques can be used either in the field or in the laboratory. (author) [French] Les techniques de microanalyse decrites dans cet ouvrage permettent la determination rapide des especes secondaires d'uranium. Elles consistent a mettre en evidence les elements constitutifs des mineraux par des reactions microchimiques caracteristiques. En raison de leur rapidite et du peu de materiel qu'elles necessitent, ces techniques peuvent etre utilisees aussi bien sur le terrain qu'au laboratoire. (auteur)

Applied techniques for high bandwidth data transfers across wide area networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jason; Gunter, Dan; Tierney, Brian; Allcock, Bill; Bester, Joe; Bresnahan, John; Tuecke, Steve

2001-01-01

Large distributed systems such as Computational/Data Grids require large amounts of data to be co-located with the computing facilities for processing. Ensuring that the data is there in time for the computation in today's Internet is a massive problem. From our work developing a scalable distributed network cache, we have gained experience with techniques necessary to achieve high data throughput over high bandwidth Wide Area Networks (WAN). In this paper, we discuss several hardware and software design techniques and issues, and then describe their application to an implementation of an enhanced FTP protocol called GridFTP. We also describe results from two applications using these techniques, which were obtained at the Supercomputing 2000 conference

Zero order and signal processing spectrophotometric techniques applied for resolving interference of metronidazole with ciprofloxacin in their pharmaceutical dosage form.

Science.gov (United States)

Attia, Khalid A M; Nassar, Mohammed W I; El-Zeiny, Mohamed B; Serag, Ahmed

2016-02-05

Four rapid, simple, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods were used for the determination of ciprofloxacin in the presence of metronidazole as interference. The methods under study are area under the curve, simultaneous equation in addition to smart signal processing techniques of manipulating ratio spectra namely Savitsky-Golay filters and continuous wavelet transform. All the methods were validated according to the ICH guidelines where accuracy, precision and repeatability were found to be within the acceptable limits. The selectivity of the proposed methods was tested using laboratory prepared mixtures and assessed by applying the standard addition technique. So, they can therefore be used for the routine analysis of ciprofloxacin in quality-control laboratories. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nuclear analytical techniques applied to forensic chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicolau, Veronica; Montoro, Silvia; Pratta, Nora; Giandomenico, Angel Di

1999-01-01

Gun shot residues produced by firing guns are mainly composed by visible particles. The individual characterization of these particles allows distinguishing those ones containing heavy metals, from gun shot residues, from those having a different origin or history. In this work, the results obtained from the study of gun shot residues particles collected from hands are presented. The aim of the analysis is to establish whether a person has shot a firing gun has been in contact with one after the shot has been produced. As reference samples, particles collected hands of persons affected to different activities were studied to make comparisons. The complete study was based on the application of nuclear analytical techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X Ray Electron Probe Microanalysis and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The essays allow to be completed within time compatible with the forensic requirements. (author)

Ion beam analysis techniques applied to large scale pollution studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohen, D D; Bailey, G; Martin, J; Garton, D; Noorman, H; Stelcer, E; Johnson, P [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia)

1994-12-31

Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) techniques are ideally suited to analyse the thousands of filter papers a year that may originate from a large scale aerosol sampling network. They are fast multi-elemental and, for the most part, non-destructive so other analytical methods such as neutron activation and ion chromatography can be performed afterwards. ANSTO in collaboration with the NSW EPA, Pacific Power and the Universities of NSW and Macquarie has established a large area fine aerosol sampling network covering nearly 80,000 square kilometres of NSW with 25 fine particle samplers. This network known as ASP was funded by the Energy Research and Development Corporation (ERDC) and commenced sampling on 1 July 1991. The cyclone sampler at each site has a 2.5 {mu}m particle diameter cut off and runs for 24 hours every Sunday and Wednesday using one Gillman 25mm diameter stretched Teflon filter for each day. These filters are ideal targets for ion beam analysis work. Currently ANSTO receives 300 filters per month from this network for analysis using its accelerator based ion beam techniques on the 3 MV Van de Graaff accelerator. One week a month of accelerator time is dedicated to this analysis. Four simultaneous accelerator based IBA techniques are used at ANSTO, to analyse for the following 24 elements: H, C, N, O, F, Na, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn, Br and Pb. The IBA techniques were proved invaluable in identifying sources of fine particles and their spatial and seasonal variations accross the large area sampled by the ASP network. 3 figs.

Ion beam analysis techniques applied to large scale pollution studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohen, D.D.; Bailey, G.; Martin, J.; Garton, D.; Noorman, H.; Stelcer, E.; Johnson, P. [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia)

1993-12-31

Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) techniques are ideally suited to analyse the thousands of filter papers a year that may originate from a large scale aerosol sampling network. They are fast multi-elemental and, for the most part, non-destructive so other analytical methods such as neutron activation and ion chromatography can be performed afterwards. ANSTO in collaboration with the NSW EPA, Pacific Power and the Universities of NSW and Macquarie has established a large area fine aerosol sampling network covering nearly 80,000 square kilometres of NSW with 25 fine particle samplers. This network known as ASP was funded by the Energy Research and Development Corporation (ERDC) and commenced sampling on 1 July 1991. The cyclone sampler at each site has a 2.5 {mu}m particle diameter cut off and runs for 24 hours every Sunday and Wednesday using one Gillman 25mm diameter stretched Teflon filter for each day. These filters are ideal targets for ion beam analysis work. Currently ANSTO receives 300 filters per month from this network for analysis using its accelerator based ion beam techniques on the 3 MV Van de Graaff accelerator. One week a month of accelerator time is dedicated to this analysis. Four simultaneous accelerator based IBA techniques are used at ANSTO, to analyse for the following 24 elements: H, C, N, O, F, Na, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn, Br and Pb. The IBA techniques were proved invaluable in identifying sources of fine particles and their spatial and seasonal variations accross the large area sampled by the ASP network. 3 figs.

Applying Toyota production system techniques for medication delivery: improving hospital safety and efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Newell, Terry L; Steinmetz-Malato, Laura L; Van Dyke, Deborah L

2011-01-01

The inpatient medication delivery system used at a large regional acute care hospital in the Midwest had become antiquated and inefficient. The existing 24-hr medication cart-fill exchange process with delivery to the patients' bedside did not always provide ordered medications to the nursing units when they were needed. In 2007 the principles of the Toyota Production System (TPS) were applied to the system. Project objectives were to improve medication safety and reduce the time needed for nurses to retrieve patient medications. A multidisciplinary team was formed that included representatives from nursing, pharmacy, informatics, quality, and various operational support departments. Team members were educated and trained in the tools and techniques of TPS, and then designed and implemented a new pull system benchmarking the TPS Ideal State model. The newly installed process, providing just-in-time medication availability, has measurably improved delivery processes as well as patient safety and satisfaction. Other positive outcomes have included improved nursing satisfaction, reduced nursing wait time for delivered medications, and improved efficiency in the pharmacy. After a successful pilot on two nursing units, the system is being extended to the rest of the hospital. © 2010 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

Applying of Reliability Techniques and Expert Systems in Management of Radioactive Accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aldaihan, S.; Alhbaib, A.; Alrushudi, S.; Karazaitri, C.

1998-01-01

Accidents including radioactive exposure have variety of nature and size. This makes such accidents complex situations to be handled by radiation protection agencies or any responsible authority. The situations becomes worse with introducing advanced technology with high complexity that provide operator huge information about system working on. This paper discusses the application of reliability techniques in radioactive risk management. Event tree technique from nuclear field is described as well as two other techniques from nonnuclear fields, Hazard and Operability and Quality Function Deployment. The objective is to show the importance and the applicability of these techniques in radiation risk management. Finally, Expert Systems in the field of accidents management are explored and classified upon their applications

Applying NISHIJIN historical textile technique for e-Textile.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuroda, Tomohiro; Hirano, Kikuo; Sugimura, Kazushige; Adachi, Satoshi; Igarashi, Hidetsugu; Ueshima, Kazuo; Nakamura, Hideo; Nambu, Masayuki; Doi, Takahiro

2013-01-01

The e-Textile is the key technology for continuous ambient health monitoring to increase quality of life of patients with chronic diseases. The authors introduce techniques of Japanese historical textile, NISHIJIN, which illustrate almost any pattern from one continuous yarn within the machine weaving process, which is suitable for mixed flow production. Thus, NISHIJIN is suitable for e-Textile production, which requires rapid prototyping and mass production of very complicated patterns. The authors prototyped and evaluated a few vests to take twelve-lead electrocardiogram. The result tells that the prototypes obtains electrocardiogram, which is good enough for diagnosis.

The oxidation of mild steel in high pressure CO2. Paper presented to the Nuclear Engineering Society on Tuesday, 15 November 1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gleave, C.

1977-01-01

The mechanisms of oxidation of mild steels in high pressure carbon dioxide is elucidated. Rimming steel was oxidized sequentially in C 160 2, at 4.1 MPa and 500 0 C. C 180 2 was used as a tracer gas. The distribution of the 18 0 in the oxide scales could be determined by nuclear micro-analytical techniques in order to determine the oxide growth in both protective and breakaway oxide scales. The examination of the data from weight gains and both nuclear and metallurgical techniques is described and discussed. Several conclusions are drawn to explain the mechanism of the corrosion. (U.K.)

Applying a nonlinear, pitch-catch, ultrasonic technique for the detection of kissing bonds in friction stir welds.

Science.gov (United States)

Delrue, Steven; Tabatabaeipour, Morteza; Hettler, Jan; Van Den Abeele, Koen

2016-05-01

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a promising technology for the joining of aluminum alloys and other metallic admixtures that are hard to weld by conventional fusion welding. Although FSW generally provides better fatigue properties than traditional fusion welding methods, fatigue properties are still significantly lower than for the base material. Apart from voids, kissing bonds for instance, in the form of closed cracks propagating along the interface of the stirred and heat affected zone, are inherent features of the weld and can be considered as one of the main causes of a reduced fatigue life of FSW in comparison to the base material. The main problem with kissing bond defects in FSW, is that they currently are very difficult to detect using existing NDT methods. Besides, in most cases, the defects are not directly accessible from the exposed surface. Therefore, new techniques capable of detecting small kissing bond flaws need to be introduced. In the present paper, a novel and practical approach is introduced based on a nonlinear, single-sided, ultrasonic technique. The proposed inspection technique uses two single element transducers, with the first transducer transmitting an ultrasonic signal that focuses the ultrasonic waves at the bottom side of the sample where cracks are most likely to occur. The large amount of energy at the focus activates the kissing bond, resulting in the generation of nonlinear features in the wave propagation. These nonlinear features are then captured by the second transducer operating in pitch-catch mode, and are analyzed, using pulse inversion, to reveal the presence of a defect. The performance of the proposed nonlinear, pitch-catch technique, is first illustrated using a numerical study of an aluminum sample containing simple, vertically oriented, incipient cracks. Later, the proposed technique is also applied experimentally on a real-life friction stir welded butt joint containing a kissing bond flaw. Copyright © 2016

Applied computing in medicine and health

CERN Document Server

Al-Jumeily, Dhiya; Mallucci, Conor; Oliver, Carol

2015-01-01

Applied Computing in Medicine and Health is a comprehensive presentation of on-going investigations into current applied computing challenges and advances, with a focus on a particular class of applications, primarily artificial intelligence methods and techniques in medicine and health. Applied computing is the use of practical computer science knowledge to enable use of the latest technology and techniques in a variety of different fields ranging from business to scientific research. One of the most important and relevant areas in applied computing is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health and medicine. Artificial intelligence in health and medicine (AIHM) is assuming the challenge of creating and distributing tools that can support medical doctors and specialists in new endeavors. The material included covers a wide variety of interdisciplinary perspectives concerning the theory and practice of applied computing in medicine, human biology, and health care. Particular attention is given to AI-bas...

Learning mediastinoscopy: the need for education, experience and modern techniques--interdependency of the applied technique and surgeon's training level.

Science.gov (United States)

Walles, Thorsten; Friedel, Godehard; Stegherr, Tobias; Steger, Volker

2013-04-01

Mediastinoscopy represents the gold standard for invasive mediastinal staging. While learning and teaching the surgical technique are challenging due to the limited accessibility of the operation field, both benefited from the implementation of video-assisted techniques. However, it has not been established yet whether video-assisted mediastinoscopy improves the mediastinal staging in itself. Retrospective single-centre cohort analysis of 657 mediastinoscopies performed at a specialized tertiary care thoracic surgery unit from 1994 to 2006. The number of specimens obtained per procedure and per lymph node station (2, 4, 7, 8 for mediastinoscopy and 2-9 for open lymphadenectomy), the number of lymph node stations examined, sensitivity and negative predictive value with a focus on the technique employed (video-assisted vs standard technique) and the surgeon's experience were calculated. Overall sensitivity was 60%, accuracy was 90% and negative predictive value 88%. With the conventional technique, experience alone improved sensitivity from 49 to 57% and it was predominant at the paratracheal right region (from 62 to 82%). But with the video-assisted technique, experienced surgeons rose sensitivity from 57 to 79% in contrast to inexperienced surgeons who lowered sensitivity from 49 to 33%. We found significant differences concerning (i) the total number of specimens taken, (ii) the amount of lymph node stations examined, (iii) the number of specimens taken per lymph node station and (iv) true positive mediastinoscopies. The video-assisted technique can significantly improve the results of mediastinoscopy. A thorough education on the modern video-assisted technique is mandatory for thoracic surgeons until they can fully exhaust its potential.

Study of solute segregation at interfaces using Auger electron spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, C.L.

1984-01-01

Interfacial segregation, often confined to within a few atomic distances of the interface, can strongly influence the processing and properties of metals and ceramics. The thinness of such solute-enriched regions can cause them to be particularly suitable for study using surface sensitive microanalytical techniques such as Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The application of AES to studies of interfacial segregation in metals and ceramics is briefly reviewed, and several examples are presented. 43 references, 14 figures

Estimates of error introduced when one-dimensional inverse heat transfer techniques are applied to multi-dimensional problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, C.; Koski, J.A.; Razani, A.

2000-01-01

A study of the errors introduced when one-dimensional inverse heat conduction techniques are applied to problems involving two-dimensional heat transfer effects was performed. The geometry used for the study was a cylinder with similar dimensions as a typical container used for the transportation of radioactive materials. The finite element analysis code MSC P/Thermal was used to generate synthetic test data that was then used as input for an inverse heat conduction code. Four different problems were considered including one with uniform flux around the outer surface of the cylinder and three with non-uniform flux applied over 360 deg C, 180 deg C, and 90 deg C sections of the outer surface of the cylinder. The Sandia One-Dimensional Direct and Inverse Thermal (SODDIT) code was used to estimate the surface heat flux of all four cases. The error analysis was performed by comparing the results from SODDIT and the heat flux calculated based on the temperature results obtained from P/Thermal. Results showed an increase in error of the surface heat flux estimates as the applied heat became more localized. For the uniform case, SODDIT provided heat flux estimates with a maximum error of 0.5% whereas for the non-uniform cases, the maximum errors were found to be about 3%, 7%, and 18% for the 360 deg C, 180 deg C, and 90 deg C cases, respectively

Water spray cooling technique applied on a photovoltaic panel: The performance response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nižetić, S.; Čoko, D.; Yadav, A.; Grubišić-Čabo, F.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An experimental study was conducted on a monocrystalline photovoltaic panel (PV). • A water spray cooling technique was implemented to determine PV panel response. • The experimental results showed favorable cooling effect on the panel performance. • A feasibility aspect of the water spray cooling technique was also proven. - Abstract: This paper presents an alternative cooling technique for photovoltaic (PV) panels that includes a water spray application over panel surfaces. An alternative cooling technique in the sense that both sides of the PV panel were cooled simultaneously, to investigate the total water spray cooling effect on the PV panel performance in circumstances of peak solar irradiation levels. A specific experimental setup was elaborated in detail and the developed cooling system for the PV panel was tested in a geographical location with a typical Mediterranean climate. The experimental result shows that it is possible to achieve a maximal total increase of 16.3% (effective 7.7%) in electric power output and a total increase of 14.1% (effective 5.9%) in PV panel electrical efficiency by using the proposed cooling technique in circumstances of peak solar irradiation. Furthermore, it was also possible to decrease panel temperature from an average 54 °C (non-cooled PV panel) to 24 °C in the case of simultaneous front and backside PV panel cooling. Economic feasibility was also determined for of the proposed water spray cooling technique, where the main advantage of the analyzed cooling technique is regarding the PV panel’s surface and its self-cleaning effect, which additionally acts as a booster to the average delivered electricity.

Study for applying microwave power saturation technique on fingernail/EPR dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Byeong Ryong; Choi, Hoon; Nam, Hyun Ill; Lee, Byung Ill [Radiation Health Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

There is growing recognition worldwide of the need to develop effective uses of dosimetry methods to assess unexpected exposure to radiation in the event of a large scale event. One of physically based dosimetry methods electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy has been applied to perform retrospective radiation dosimetry using extracted samples of tooth enamel and nail(fingernail and toenail), following radiation accidents and exposures resulting from weapon use, testing, and production. Human fingernails are composed largely of a keratin, which consists of {alpha} helical peptide chains that are twisted into a left handed coil and strengthened by disulphide cross links. Ionizing radiation generates free radicals in the keratin matrix, and these radicals are stable over a relatively long period (days to weeks). Most importantly, the number of radicals is proportional to the magnitude of the dose over a wide dose range (0{approx}30 Gy). Also, dose can be estimated at four different locations on the human body, providing information on the homogeneity of the radiation exposure. And The results from EPR nail dosimetry are immediately available However, relatively large background signal (BKS) converted from mechanically induced signal (MIS) after cutting process of fingernail, normally overlaps with the radiation induced signal (RIS), make it difficult to estimate accurate dose accidental exposure. Therefore, estimation method using dose response curve was difficult to ensure reliability below 5 Gy. In this study, In order to overcome these disadvantages, we measured the reactions of RIS and BKS (MIS) according to the change of Microwave power level, and researched about the applicability of the Power saturation technique at low dose.

FEEDBACK LINEARISATION APPLIED ON A HYDRAULIC

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Torben Ole; Hansen, Michael Rygaard; Pedersen, Henrik C.

2005-01-01

is on developing and applying several different feedback linearisation (FL) controllers to the individual servo actuators in a hydraulically driven servo robot to evaluate and compare their possiblities and limitations. This is done based on both simulation and experimental results.......Generally most hydraulic systems are intrensically non-linear, why applying linear control techniques typically results in conservatively dimensioned controllers to obtain stable performance. Non-linear control techniques have the potential of overcoming these problems, and in this paper the focus...

XRF Newsletter, No. 18, December 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-12-01

Considerable progress has been observed in recent years in the development and applications of micro-analytical techniques based on nuclear spectrometry. Major reasons for this include the possibility to use new excitation sources such as synchrotron radiation (SR) facilities, and low-power compact X ray tubes designed to offer optimum excitation geometry, combined with the availability of advanced new-generation thermoelectrically cooled semiconductor detectors and of miniaturized or large-scale X ray optics with improved performance (in particular for use with SR sources). Consequently, the quality of characterization of various materials has improved considerably not only in large- scale laboratory facilities (ion-beam and SR sources) but also with in-house experimental set-ups, and new applications have become possible in support of applied research, teaching and education in nuclear science and technology in a wide variety of fields. The following nuclear spectrometry (and related) techniques can be used for microanalysis: (i) X ray fluorescence (XRF), (ii) total reflection X ray fluorescence (TXRF) (iii) neutron activation analysis (NAA), (iv) ion beam analysis based on applications of low-energy particle accelerators (including particle X ray emission - PIXE, particle induced gamma ray emission - PIGE, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry - RBS), (v) extended X ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) and X ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES), (vi) X ray fluorescence micro-tomography, (vii) scanning electron microscopy (SEM), etc. The techniques are usually used for elemental analysis, 2D and 3D microscopy imaging, and chemical speciation. The range of possible applications of micro-analytical techniques is very wide and covers, inter alia, the following fields: - Industrial applications including microelectronics, mineralogy, study of corrosion processes, measurement of coating thickness, study of catalytic materials, waste

Applying value stream mapping techniques to eliminate non-value-added waste for the procurement of endovascular stents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teichgräber, Ulf K.; Bucourt, Maximilian de

2012-01-01

Objectives: To eliminate non-value-adding (NVA) waste for the procurement of endovascular stents in interventional radiology services by applying value stream mapping (VSM). Materials and methods: The Lean manufacturing technique was used to analyze the process of material and information flow currently required to direct endovascular stents from external suppliers to patients. Based on a decision point analysis for the procurement of stents in the hospital, a present state VSM was drawn. After assessment of the current status VSM and progressive elimination of unnecessary NVA waste, a future state VSM was drawn. Results: The current state VSM demonstrated that out of 13 processes for the procurement of stents only 2 processes were value-adding. Out of the NVA processes 5 processes were unnecessary NVA activities, which could be eliminated. The decision point analysis demonstrated that the procurement of stents was mainly a forecast driven push system. The future state VSM applies a pull inventory control system to trigger the movement of a unit after withdrawal by using a consignment stock. Conclusion: VSM is a visualization tool for the supply chain and value stream, based on the Toyota Production System and greatly assists in successfully implementing a Lean system.

Positron Plasma Control Techniques Applied to Studies of Cold Antihydrogen

CERN Document Server

Funakoshi, Ryo

2003-01-01

In the year 2002, two experiments at CERN succeeded in producing cold antihydrogen atoms, first ATHENA and subsequently ATRAP. Following on these results, it is now feasible to use antihydrogen to study the properties of antimatter. In the ATHENA experiment, the cold antihydrogen atoms are produced by mixing large amounts of antiprotons and positrons in a nested Penning trap. The complicated behaviors of the charged particles are controlled and monitored by plasma manipulation techniques. The antihydrogen events are studied using position sensitive detectors and the evidence of production of antihydrogen atoms is separated out with the help of analysis software. This thesis covers the first production of cold antihydrogen in the first section as well as the further studies of cold antihydrogen performed by using the plasma control techniques in the second section.

Advanced examination techniques applied to the qualification of critical welds for the ITER correction coils

CERN Document Server

Sgobba, Stefano; Libeyre, Paul; Marcinek, Dawid Jaroslaw; Piguiet, Aline; Cécillon, Alexandre

2015-01-01

The ITER correction coils (CCs) consist of three sets of six coils located in between the toroidal (TF) and poloidal field (PF) magnets. The CCs rely on a Cable-in-Conduit Conductor (CICC), whose supercritical cooling at 4.5 K is provided by helium inlets and outlets. The assembly of the nozzles to the stainless steel conductor conduit includes fillet welds requiring full penetration through the thickness of the nozzle. Static and cyclic stresses have to be sustained by the inlet welds during operation. The entire volume of helium inlet and outlet welds, that are submitted to the most stringent quality levels of imperfections according to standards in force, is virtually uninspectable with sufficient resolution by conventional or computed radiography or by Ultrasonic Testing. On the other hand, X-ray computed tomography (CT) was successfully applied to inspect the full weld volume of several dozens of helium inlet qualification samples. The extensive use of CT techniques allowed a significant progress in the ...

Creep lifing methodologies applied to a single crystal superalloy by use of small scale test techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeffs, S.P.; Lancaster, R.J.; Garcia, T.E.

2015-01-01

In recent years, advances in creep data interpretation have been achieved either by modified Monkman–Grant relationships or through the more contemporary Wilshire equations, which offer the opportunity of predicting long term behaviour extrapolated from short term results. Long term lifing techniques prove extremely useful in creep dominated applications, such as in the power generation industry and in particular nuclear where large static loads are applied, equally a reduction in lead time for new alloy implementation within the industry is critical. The latter requirement brings about the utilisation of the small punch (SP) creep test, a widely recognised approach for obtaining useful mechanical property information from limited material volumes, as is typically the case with novel alloy development and for any in-situ mechanical testing that may be required. The ability to correlate SP creep results with uniaxial data is vital when considering the benefits of the technique. As such an equation has been developed, known as the k SP method, which has been proven to be an effective tool across several material systems. The current work now explores the application of the aforementioned empirical approaches to correlate small punch creep data obtained on a single crystal superalloy over a range of elevated temperatures. Finite element modelling through ABAQUS software based on the uniaxial creep data has also been implemented to characterise the SP deformation and help corroborate the experimental results

Nuclear techniques applied to provenance and technological studies of Renaissance majolica roundels from Portuguese museums attributed to della Robbia Italian workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dias, M.I.; Prudencio, M.I.; Kasztovszky, Zsolt; Maroti, Boglarka; Harsanyi, Ildiko

2017-01-01

Artistic and historical examination of high-quality glazed terracotta sculptures displayed in various Portuguese museums point to their production in della Robbia workshop of Florence (Italy). A multitechnique analytical approach is applied for the first time to these sculptures, aiming to confirm their origin. Materials were analyzed using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis, Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis and X-ray Diffraction. The compositional results are similar to other della Robbia sculptures, suggesting a common origin for the raw material that was identified as carbonate rich marine origin marly clay. The applied firing temperatures was proved to be around 900 deg C. The differences found within each sculpture are explained by the production technique of assembling separate parts to produce these huge sculptures, and the clay pit heterogeneity. (author)

Geological-geophysical techniques applied to urban planning in karst hazardous areas. Case study of Zaragoza, NE Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Pueyo Anchuela, O.; Soriano, A.; Casas Sainz, A.; Pocoví Juan, A.

2009-12-01

Industrial and urban growth must deal in some settings with geological hazards. In the last 50 years, the city of Zaragoza (NE Spain) has developed an increase of its urbanized area in a progression several orders higher than expected from its population increase. This fast growth has affected several areas around the city that were not usually used for construction. Maps of the Zaragoza city area at the end of the XIXth century and beginning of the XXth reveal the presence of karst hazards in several zones that can be observed in more modern data, as aerial photographs taken during a period ranging from 1927 to present. The urban and industrial development has covered many of these hazardous zones, even though potential risks were known. The origins of the karst problems are related to the solution of evaporites (mainly gypsum, glauberite and halite) that represent the Miocene substratum of the Zaragoza area underlying the Quaternary terraces and pediments related to the Ebro River and its tributaries. Historical data show the persistence of subsidence foci during long periods of time while in recent urbanized areas this stability is not shared, observing the increase of activity and/or radius affection in short periods of time after building over. These problems can be related to two factors: i) urban development over hazardous areas can increase the karst activity and ii) the affection radius is not properly established with the commonly applied methods. One way to develop these detailed maps can be related to the geophysical approach. The applied geophysical routine, dependent on the characteristics of the surveyed area, is based on potential geophysical techniques (magnetometry and gravimetry) and others related to the application of induced fields (EM and GPR). The obtained results can be related to more straightforward criteria as the detection of cavities in the subsoil and indirect indicators related to the long-term activity of the subsidence areas

Applied predictive analytics principles and techniques for the professional data analyst

CERN Document Server

Abbott, Dean

2014-01-01

Learn the art and science of predictive analytics - techniques that get results Predictive analytics is what translates big data into meaningful, usable business information. Written by a leading expert in the field, this guide examines the science of the underlying algorithms as well as the principles and best practices that govern the art of predictive analytics. It clearly explains the theory behind predictive analytics, teaches the methods, principles, and techniques for conducting predictive analytics projects, and offers tips and tricks that are essential for successful predictive mode

Applied techniques for high bandwidth data transfers across wide area networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J.; Gunter, D.; Tierney, B.; Allcock, B.; Bester, J.; Bresnahan, J.; Tuecke, S.

2001-01-01

Large distributed systems such as Computational/Data Grids require large amounts of data to be co-located with the computing facilities for processing. From their work developing a scalable distributed network cache, the authors have gained experience with techniques necessary to achieve high data throughput over high bandwidth Wide Area Networks (WAN). The authors discuss several hardware and software design techniques, and then describe their application to an implementation of an enhanced FTP protocol called GridFTP. The authors describe results from the Supercomputing 2000 conference

Applying Data-mining techniques to study drought periods in Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Belda, F.; Penades, M. C.

2010-09-01

Data-mining is a technique that it can be used to interact with large databases and to help in the discovery relations between parameters by extracting information from massive and multiple data archives. Drought affects many economic and social sectors, from agricultural to transportation, going through urban water deficit and the development of modern industries. With these problems and drought geographical and temporal distribution it's difficult to find a single definition of drought. Improving the understanding of the knowledge of climatic index is necessary to reduce the impacts of drought and to facilitate quick decisions regarding this problem. The main objective is to analyze drought periods from 1950 to 2009 in Spain. We use several kinds of information, different formats, sources and transmission mode. We use satellite-based Vegetation Index, dryness index for several temporal periods. We use daily and monthly precipitation and temperature data and soil moisture data from numerical weather model. We calculate mainly Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) that it has been used amply in the bibliography. We use OLAP-Mining techniques to discovery of association rules between remote-sensing, numerical weather model and climatic index. Time series Data- Mining techniques organize data as a sequence of events, with each event having a time of recurrence, to cluster the data into groups of records or cluster with similar characteristics. Prior climatological classification is necessary if we want to study drought periods over all Spain.

Functional reasoning, explanation and analysis: Part 1: a survey on theories, techniques and applied systems. Part 2: qualitative function formation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Far, B.H.

1992-01-01

Functional Reasoning (FR) enables people to derive the purpose of objects and explain their functions, JAERI's 'Human Acts Simulation Program (HASP)', started from 1987, has the goal of developing programs of the underlying technologies for intelligent robots by imitating the intelligent behavior of humans. FR is considered a useful reasoning method in HASP and applied to understand function of tools and objects in the Toolbox Project. In this report, first, the results of the diverse FR researches within a variety of disciplines are reviewed and the common core and basic problems are identified. Then the qualitative function formation (QFF) technique is introduced. Some novel points are: extending the common qualitative models to include interactions and timing of events by defining temporal and dependency constraints, and binding it with the conventional qualitative simulation. Function concepts are defined as interpretations of either a persistence or an order in the sequence of states, using the trace of the qualitative state vector derived by qualitative simulation on the extended qualitative model. This offers solution to some of the FR problems and leads to a method for generalization and comparison of functions of different objects. (author) 85 refs

Considering "Nonlinearity" Across the Continuum in Medical Education Assessment: Supporting Theory, Practice, and Future Research Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Durning, Steven J; Lubarsky, Stuart; Torre, Dario; Dory, Valérie; Holmboe, Eric

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to propose new approaches to assessment that are grounded in educational theory and the concept of "nonlinearity." The new approaches take into account related phenomena such as "uncertainty," "ambiguity," and "chaos." To illustrate these approaches, we will use the example of assessment of clinical reasoning, although the principles we outline may apply equally well to assessment of other constructs in medical education. Theoretical perspectives include a discussion of script theory, assimilation theory, self-regulated learning theory, and situated cognition. Assessment examples to include script concordance testing, concept maps, self-regulated learning microanalytic technique, and work-based assessment, which parallel the above-stated theories, respectively, are also highlighted. We conclude with some practical suggestions for approaching nonlinearity. © 2015 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on Continuing Medical Education, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

Shades of green in 15th century paintings: combined microanalysis of the materials using synchrotron radiation XRD, FTIR and XRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salvado, Nati; Buti, Salvador; Cotte, Marine; Cinque, Gianfelice; Pradell, Trinitat

2013-01-01

A representative selection of green paintings from fifteenth century Catalonia and the Crown of Aragon are analyzed by a combination of synchrotron radiation microanalytical techniques including FTIR, XRD, and XRF. The green pigments themselves are found to be a mixture of copper acetates/basic copper acetates and basic copper chlorides. Nevertheless, a broader range of green shades were obtained by mixing the green pigment with yellow, white, and blue pigments and applied forming a sequence of micrometric layers. Besides the nature of the pigments themselves, degradation and reaction products, such as carboxylates, formates and oxalates were also identified. Some of the copper based compounds, such as the basic copper chloride, may be either part of the original pigment or a weathering product. The high resolution, high brilliance, and small footprint of synchrotron radiation proved to be essential for the analysis of those submillimetric paint layers made of a large variety of compounds heterogeneous in nature and distribution and present in extremely low concentrations. (orig.)

Analysis of Arbitrary Reflector Antennas Applying the Geometrical Theory of Diffraction Together with the Master Points Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Jesús Algar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available An efficient approach for the analysis of surface conformed reflector antennas fed arbitrarily is presented. The near field in a large number of sampling points in the aperture of the reflector is obtained applying the Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (GTD. A new technique named Master Points has been developed to reduce the complexity of the ray-tracing computations. The combination of both GTD and Master Points reduces the time requirements of this kind of analysis. To validate the new approach, several reflectors and the effects on the radiation pattern caused by shifting the feed and introducing different obstacles have been considered concerning both simple and complex geometries. The results of these analyses have been compared with the Method of Moments (MoM results.

Imaging of surfaces and defects of crystals. Progress report, August 1, 1983-July 31, 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cowley, J.M.

1984-01-01

The current year has been one of major advances in our progress towards the development of techniques for the study of surfaces with high spatial resolution. The medium-energy (1-15keV) REMEDIE system (for Reflection Electron Microscopy and Electron Diffraction at Intermediate Energies) has been rebuilt to the stage of showing better than 100A in the transmission mode in good vacuum and has been applied to the study of some surface reconstructions on silicon. These instruments include a 300 keV TEM-STEM analytical electron microscopy from Philips, to be converted for operation under ultra-high vacuum conditions by GATAN Inc. In this a resolution of better than 2.3A and various microanalytical techniques will be applied to surface studies. Also an ultra-high vacuum dedicated STEM instrument is being obtained and this will be modified for the combined application of high resolution STEM imaging, microdiffraction and microanalysis and the surface research techniques of AES, SAM, LEED, UPS and so on. Further observations on the interactions of small metal particles with ceramics have revealed a situation which has profound implications for electron-optical studies and for some possible technical applications of ceramic systems. It has been shown that the surface of MgO is modified by the presence of small amounts of various metals in such a way that it becomes highly sensitive to electron irradiation, undergoing vigorous reconstructions of the surface morphology and in some cases, becoming amorphous

Time scales of magma transport and mixing at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai’i

OpenAIRE

Rae, Auriol S.P.; Edmonds, Marie; Maclennan, John; Morgan, Daniel; Houghton, Bruce; Hartley, Margaret E.; Sides, Isobel

2016-01-01

Modeling of volcanic processes is limited by a lack of knowledge of the time scales of storage, mixing, and final ascent of magmas into the shallowest portions of volcanic plumbing systems immediately prior to eruption. It is impossible to measure these time scales directly; however, micro-analytical techniques provide indirect estimates based on the extent of diffusion of species through melts and crystals. We use diffusion in olivine phenocrysts from the A.D. 1959 Kīlauea Iki (Hawai‘i, USA)...

Applying the sterile insect technique to the control of insect pests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LaChance, L.E.; Klassen, W.

1991-01-01

The sterile insect technique involves the mass-rearing of insects, which are sterilized by gamma rays from a 60 Co source before being released in a controlled fashion into nature. Matings between the sterile insects released and native insects produce no progeny, and so if enough of these matings occur the pest population can be controlled or even eradicated. A modification of the technique, especially suitable for the suppression of the moths and butterflies, is called the F, or inherited sterility method. In this, lower radiation doses are used such that the released males are only partially sterile (30-60%) and the females are fully sterile. When released males mate with native females some progeny are produced, but they are completely sterile. Thus, full expression of the sterility is delayed by one generation. This article describes the use of the sterile insect technique in controlling the screwworm fly, the tsetse fly, the medfly, the pink bollworm and the melon fly, and of the F 1 sterility method in the eradication of local gypsy moth infestations. 18 refs, 5 figs, 1 tab

Enhanced nonlinear iterative techniques applied to a nonequilibrium plasma flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knoll, D.A.

1998-01-01

The authors study the application of enhanced nonlinear iterative methods to the steady-state solution of a system of two-dimensional convection-diffusion-reaction partial differential equations that describe the partially ionized plasma flow in the boundary layer of a tokamak fusion reactor. This system of equations is characterized by multiple time and spatial scales and contains highly anisotropic transport coefficients due to a strong imposed magnetic field. They use Newton's method to linearize the nonlinear system of equations resulting from an implicit, finite volume discretization of the governing partial differential equations, on a staggered Cartesian mesh. The resulting linear systems are neither symmetric nor positive definite, and are poorly conditioned. Preconditioned Krylov iterative techniques are employed to solve these linear systems. They investigate both a modified and a matrix-free Newton-Krylov implementation, with the goal of reducing CPU cost associated with the numerical formation of the Jacobian. A combination of a damped iteration, mesh sequencing, and a pseudotransient continuation technique is used to enhance global nonlinear convergence and CPU efficiency. GMRES is employed as the Krylov method with incomplete lower-upper (ILU) factorization preconditioning. The goal is to construct a combination of nonlinear and linear iterative techniques for this complex physical problem that optimizes trade-offs between robustness, CPU time, memory requirements, and code complexity. It is shown that a mesh sequencing implementation provides significant CPU savings for fine grid calculations. Performance comparisons of modified Newton-Krylov and matrix-free Newton-Krylov algorithms will be presented

AN ACCURACY ASSESSMENT OF GEOREFERENCED POINT CLOUDS PRODUCED VIA MULTI-VIEW STEREO TECHNIQUES APPLIED TO IMAGERY ACQUIRED VIA UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Harwin

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Low-cost Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs are becoming viable environmental remote sensing tools. Sensor and battery technology is expanding the data capture opportunities. The UAV, as a close range remote sensing platform, can capture high resolution photography on-demand. This imagery can be used to produce dense point clouds using multi-view stereopsis techniques (MVS combining computer vision and photogrammetry. This study examines point clouds produced using MVS techniques applied to UAV and terrestrial photography. A multi-rotor micro UAV acquired aerial imagery from a altitude of approximately 30–40 m. The point clouds produced are extremely dense (<1–3 cm point spacing and provide a detailed record of the surface in the study area, a 70 m section of sheltered coastline in southeast Tasmania. Areas with little surface texture were not well captured, similarly, areas with complex geometry such as grass tussocks and woody scrub were not well mapped. The process fails to penetrate vegetation, but extracts very detailed terrain in unvegetated areas. Initially the point clouds are in an arbitrary coordinate system and need to be georeferenced. A Helmert transformation is applied based on matching ground control points (GCPs identified in the point clouds to GCPs surveying with differential GPS. These point clouds can be used, alongside laser scanning and more traditional techniques, to provide very detailed and precise representations of a range of landscapes at key moments. There are many potential applications for the UAV-MVS technique, including coastal erosion and accretion monitoring, mine surveying and other environmental monitoring applications. For the generated point clouds to be used in spatial applications they need to be converted to surface models that reduce dataset size without loosing too much detail. Triangulated meshes are one option, another is Poisson Surface Reconstruction. This latter option makes use of point normal

Applying value stream mapping techniques to eliminate non-value-added waste for the procurement of endovascular stents.

Science.gov (United States)

Teichgräber, Ulf K; de Bucourt, Maximilian

2012-01-01

OJECTIVES: To eliminate non-value-adding (NVA) waste for the procurement of endovascular stents in interventional radiology services by applying value stream mapping (VSM). The Lean manufacturing technique was used to analyze the process of material and information flow currently required to direct endovascular stents from external suppliers to patients. Based on a decision point analysis for the procurement of stents in the hospital, a present state VSM was drawn. After assessment of the current status VSM and progressive elimination of unnecessary NVA waste, a future state VSM was drawn. The current state VSM demonstrated that out of 13 processes for the procurement of stents only 2 processes were value-adding. Out of the NVA processes 5 processes were unnecessary NVA activities, which could be eliminated. The decision point analysis demonstrated that the procurement of stents was mainly a forecast driven push system. The future state VSM applies a pull inventory control system to trigger the movement of a unit after withdrawal by using a consignment stock. VSM is a visualization tool for the supply chain and value stream, based on the Toyota Production System and greatly assists in successfully implementing a Lean system. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neoliberal Optimism: Applying Market Techniques to Global Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Yuyang

2017-01-01

Global health and neoliberalism are becoming increasingly intertwined as organizations utilize markets and profit motives to solve the traditional problems of poverty and population health. I use field work conducted over 14 months in a global health technology company to explore how the promise of neoliberalism re-envisions humanitarian efforts. In this company's vaccine refrigerator project, staff members expect their investors and their market to allow them to achieve scale and develop accountability to their users in developing countries. However, the translation of neoliberal techniques to the global health sphere falls short of the ideal, as profits are meager and purchasing power remains with donor organizations. The continued optimism in market principles amidst such a non-ideal market reveals the tenacious ideological commitment to neoliberalism in these global health projects.

A Methods and procedures to apply probabilistic safety Assessment (PSA) techniques to the cobalt-therapy process. Cuban experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vilaragut Llanes, J.J.; Ferro Fernandez, R.; Lozano Lima, B; De la Fuente Puch, A.; Dumenigo Gonzalez, C.; Troncoso Fleitas, M.; Perez Reyes, Y.

2003-01-01

This paper presents the results of the Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) to the Cobalt Therapy Process, which was performed as part of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Coordinated Research Project (CRP) to Investigate Appropriate Methods and Procedures to Apply Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) Techniques to Large Radiation Sources. The primary methodological tools used in the analysis were Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Event Trees and Fault Trees. These tools were used to evaluate occupational, public and medical exposures during cobalt therapy treatment. The emphasis of the study was on the radiological protection of patients. During the course of the PSA, several findings were analysed concerning the cobalt treatment process. In relation with the Undesired Events Probabilities, the lowest exposures probabilities correspond to the public exposures during the treatment process (Z21); around 10-10 per year, being the workers exposures (Z11); around 10-4 per year. Regarding to the patient, the Z33 probabilities prevail (not desired dose to normal tissue) and Z34 (not irradiated portion to target volume). Patient accidental exposures are also classified in terms of the extent to which the error is likely to affect individual treatments, individual patients, or all the patients treated on a specific unit. Sensitivity analyses were realised to determine the influence of certain tasks or critical stages on the results. As a conclusion the study establishes that the PSA techniques may effectively and reasonably determine the risk associated to the cobalt-therapy treatment process, though there are some weaknesses in its methodological application for this kind of study requiring further research. These weaknesses are due to the fact that the traditional PSA has been mainly applied to complex hardware systems designed to operate with a high automation level, whilst the cobalt therapy treatment is a relatively simple hardware system with a

Technique of uranium exploration in tropical rain forests as applied in Sumatra and other tropical areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahn, L.

1983-01-01

The technique of uranium prospecting in areas covered by tropical rain forest is discussed using a uranium exploration campaign conducted from 1976 to 1978 in Western Sumatra as an example. A regional reconnaissance survey using stream sediment samples combined with radiometric field measurements proved ideal for covering very large areas. A mobile field laboratory was used for the geochemical survey. Helicopter support in diffult terrain was found to be very efficient and economical. A field procedure for detecting low uranium concentrations in stream water samples is described. This method has been successfully applied in Sarawak. To distinguish meaningful uranium anomalies in water from those with no meaning for prospecting, the correlations between U content and conductivity of the water and between U content and Ca and HCO 3 content must be considered. This method has been used successfully in a geochemical survey in Thailand. (author)

Determination of hydrogen diffusivity and permeability in W near room temperature applying a tritium tracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikeda, T.; Otsuka, T.; Tanabe, T.

2011-01-01

Tungsten is a primary candidate of plasma facing material in ITER and beyond, owing to its good thermal property and low erosion. But hydrogen solubility and diffusivity near ITER operation temperatures (below 500 K) have scarcely studied. Mainly because its low hydrogen solubility and diffusivity at lower temperatures make the detection of hydrogen quite difficult. We have tried to observe hydrogen plasma driven permeation (PDP) through nickel and tungsten near room temperatures applying a tritium tracer technique, which is extremely sensible to detect tritium diluted in hydrogen. The apparent diffusion coefficients for PDP were determined by permeation lag times at first time, and those for nickel and tungsten were similar or a few times larger than those for gas driven permeation (GDP). The permeation rates for PDP in nickel and tungsten were larger than those for GDP normalized to the same gas pressure about 20 and 5 times larger, respectively.

Applied nuclear γ-resonance as fingerprint technique in geochemistry and mineralogy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Constantinescu, S.

2003-01-01

The aim of the present paper is to evidence the new developments of one of the most refined technique, the nuclear γ resonance or the well-known Moessbauer effect, in the field of mineralogical and geo-chemical investigation. There are many Moessbauer studies on minerals, but the development, the new performance of the Moessbauer equipment and of the computers impose to review more profoundly and more thoroughly the information, which this non-destructive technique offers. This task became more and more pressingly because a lot of minerals contain in high proportion, the Moessbauer isotopes. Generally, the mineralogists, physicists and chemists hope to obtain more refined and complete information about the physics and chemistry synthesis aspects in solid state transformation of some natural and synthetic materials and also about the structural aspects, by these kind of techniques. On this line, the authors very shortly review the principal aspects of the Moessbauer spectroscopy and underline the most important information one can obtain from spectra. The recent results, which have been obtained on minerals extracted from Romanian geological deposits by the authors, will be discussed in detail in the second part of this article. (authors)

Conceptual design study and evaluation of an advanced treatment process applying a submerged combustion technique for spent solvents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchiyama, Gunzo; Maeda, Mitsuru; Fijine, Sachio; Chida, Mitsuhisa; Kirishima, Kenji.

1993-10-01

An advanced treatment process based on a submerged combustion technique was proposed for spent solvents and the distillation residues containing transuranium (TRU) nuclides. A conceptual design study and the preliminary cost estimation of the treatment facility applying the process were conducted. Based on the results of the study, the process evaluation on the technical features, such as safety, volume reduction of TRU waste and economics was carried out. The key requirements for practical use were also summarized. It was shown that the process had the features as follows: the simplified treatment and solidification steps will not generate secondary aqueous wastes, the volume of TRU solid waste will be reduced less than one tenth of that of a reference technique (pyrolysis process), and the facility construction cost is less than 1 % of the total construction cost of a future large scale reprocessing plant. As for the low level wastes of calcium phosphate, it was shown that the further removal of β · γ nuclides with TRU nuclides from the wastes would be required for the safety in interim storage and transportation and for the load of shielding. (author)

Creep lifing methodologies applied to a single crystal superalloy by use of small scale test techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeffs, S.P., E-mail: s.p.jeffs@swansea.ac.uk [Institute of Structural Materials, Swansea University, Singleton Park SA2 8PP (United Kingdom); Lancaster, R.J. [Institute of Structural Materials, Swansea University, Singleton Park SA2 8PP (United Kingdom); Garcia, T.E. [IUTA (University Institute of Industrial Technology of Asturias), University of Oviedo, Edificio Departamental Oeste 7.1.17, Campus Universitario, 33203 Gijón (Spain)

2015-06-11

In recent years, advances in creep data interpretation have been achieved either by modified Monkman–Grant relationships or through the more contemporary Wilshire equations, which offer the opportunity of predicting long term behaviour extrapolated from short term results. Long term lifing techniques prove extremely useful in creep dominated applications, such as in the power generation industry and in particular nuclear where large static loads are applied, equally a reduction in lead time for new alloy implementation within the industry is critical. The latter requirement brings about the utilisation of the small punch (SP) creep test, a widely recognised approach for obtaining useful mechanical property information from limited material volumes, as is typically the case with novel alloy development and for any in-situ mechanical testing that may be required. The ability to correlate SP creep results with uniaxial data is vital when considering the benefits of the technique. As such an equation has been developed, known as the k{sub SP} method, which has been proven to be an effective tool across several material systems. The current work now explores the application of the aforementioned empirical approaches to correlate small punch creep data obtained on a single crystal superalloy over a range of elevated temperatures. Finite element modelling through ABAQUS software based on the uniaxial creep data has also been implemented to characterise the SP deformation and help corroborate the experimental results.

People Recognition for Loja ECU911 applying artificial vision techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Cale

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This article presents a technological proposal based on artificial vision which aims to search people in an intelligent way by using IP video cameras. Currently, manual searching process is time and resource demanding in contrast to automated searching one, which means that it could be replaced. In order to obtain optimal results, three different techniques of artificial vision were analyzed (Eigenfaces, Fisherfaces, Local Binary Patterns Histograms. The selection process considered factors like lighting changes, image quality and changes in the angle of focus of the camera. Besides, a literature review was conducted to evaluate several points of view regarding artificial vision techniques.

Considerations in applying on-line IC techniques to BWR's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaleda, R.J.

1992-01-01

Ion-Chromatography (IC) has moved from its traditional role as a laboratory analytical tool to a real time, dynamic, on-line measurement device to follow ppb and sub-ppb concentrations of deleterious impurities in nuclear power plants. Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), individual utilities, and industry all have played significant roles in effecting the transition. This paper highlights considerations and the evolution in current on-line Ion Chromatography systems. The first applications of on-line techniques were demonstrated by General Electric (GE) under EPRI sponsorship at Rancho Seco (1980), Calvert Cliffs, and McGuire nuclear units. The primary use was for diagnostic purposes. Today the on-line IC applications have been expanded to include process control and routine plant monitoring. Current on-line IC's are innovative in design, promote operational simplicity, are modular for simplified maintenance and repair, and use field-proven components which enhance reliability. Conductivity detection with electronic or chemical suppression and spectrometric detection techniques are intermixed in applications. Remote multi-point sample systems have addressed memory effects. Early applications measured ionic species in the part per billion range. Today reliable part per trillion measurements are common for on-line systems. Current systems are meeting the challenge of EPRI guideline requirements. Today's on-line IC's, with programmed sampling systems, monitor fluid streams throughout a power plant, supplying data that can be trended, stored and retrieved easily. The on-line IC has come of age. Many technical challenges were overcome to achieve today's IC

Applied Statistics: From Bivariate through Multivariate Techniques [with CD-ROM

Science.gov (United States)

Warner, Rebecca M.

2007-01-01

This book provides a clear introduction to widely used topics in bivariate and multivariate statistics, including multiple regression, discriminant analysis, MANOVA, factor analysis, and binary logistic regression. The approach is applied and does not require formal mathematics; equations are accompanied by verbal explanations. Students are asked…

Application of functional analysis techniques to supervisory systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambert, Manuel; Riera, Bernard; Martel, Gregory

1999-01-01

The aim of this paper is to apply firstly two interesting functional analysis techniques for the design of supervisory systems for complex processes, and secondly to discuss the strength and the weaknesses of each of them. Two functional analysis techniques have been applied, SADT (Structured Analysis and Design Technique) and FAST (Functional Analysis System Technique) on a process, an example of a Water Supply Process Control (WSPC) system. These techniques allow a functional description of industrial processes. The paper briefly discusses the functions of a supervisory system and some advantages of the application of functional analysis for the design of a 'human' centered supervisory system. Then the basic principles of the two techniques applied on the WSPC system are presented. Finally, the different results obtained from the two techniques are discussed

UQ and V&V techniques applied to experiments and simulations of heated pipes pressurized to failure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romero, Vicente Jose [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Dempsey, J. Franklin [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Antoun, Bonnie R. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2014-05-01

This report demonstrates versatile and practical model validation and uncertainty quantification techniques applied to the accuracy assessment of a computational model of heated steel pipes pressurized to failure. The Real Space validation methodology segregates aleatory and epistemic uncertainties to form straightforward model validation metrics especially suited for assessing models to be used in the analysis of performance and safety margins. The methodology handles difficulties associated with representing and propagating interval and/or probabilistic uncertainties from multiple correlated and uncorrelated sources in the experiments and simulations including: material variability characterized by non-parametric random functions (discrete temperature dependent stress-strain curves); very limited (sparse) experimental data at the coupon testing level for material characterization and at the pipe-test validation level; boundary condition reconstruction uncertainties from spatially sparse sensor data; normalization of pipe experimental responses for measured input-condition differences among tests and for random and systematic uncertainties in measurement/processing/inference of experimental inputs and outputs; numerical solution uncertainty from model discretization and solver effects.

The Study of Mining Activities and their Influences in the Almaden Region Applying Remote Sensing Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rico, C.; Schmid, T.; Millan, R.; Gumuzzio, J.

2010-01-01

This scientific-technical report is a part of an ongoing research work carried out by Celia Rico Fraile in order to obtain the Diploma of Advanced Studies as part of her PhD studies. This work has been developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Science at The Universidad Autonoma de Madrid and the Department of Environment at CIEMAT. The main objective of this work was the characterization and classification of land use in Almaden (Ciudad Real) during cinnabar mineral exploitation and after mining activities ceased in 2002, developing a methodology focused on the integration of remote sensing techniques applying multispectral and hyper spectral satellite data. By means of preprocessing and processing of data from the satellite images as well as data obtained from field campaigns, a spectral library was compiled in order to obtain representative land surfaces within the study area. Monitoring results show that the distribution of areas affected by mining activities is rapidly diminishing in recent years. (Author) 130 refs

Applying Supervised Opinion Mining Techniques on Online User Reviews

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ion SMEUREANU

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the spectacular development of web technologies, lead to an enormous quantity of user generated information in online systems. This large amount of information on web platforms make them viable for use as data sources, in applications based on opinion mining and sentiment analysis. The paper proposes an algorithm for detecting sentiments on movie user reviews, based on naive Bayes classifier. We make an analysis of the opinion mining domain, techniques used in sentiment analysis and its applicability. We implemented the proposed algorithm and we tested its performance, and suggested directions of development.

Applying clinically proven human techniques for contraception and fertility to endangered species and zoo animals: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Silber, Sherman J; Barbey, Natalie; Lenahan, Kathy; Silber, David Z

2013-12-01

Reversible contraception that does not alter natural behavior is a critical need for managing zoo populations. In addition to reversible contraception, other fertility techniques perfected in humans may be useful, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or oocyte and embryo banking for endangered species like amphibians and Mexican wolves (Canis lupus baileyi). Furthermore, the genetics of human fertility can give a better understanding of fertility in more exotic species. Collaborations were established to apply human fertility techniques to the captive population. Reversible vasectomy might be one solution for reversible contraception that does not alter behavior. Reversible approaches to vasectomy, avoiding secondary epididymal disruption, were attempted in South American bush dogs (Speothos venaticus), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), Przewalski's horse (Equus przewalski poliakov), and Sika deer (Cervus nippon) in a variety of zoos around the world. These techniques were first perfected in > 4,000 humans before attempting them in zoo animals. In vitro fertilization with gestational surrogacy was used to attempt to break the vicious cycle of hand rearing of purebred orangutans, and egg and ovary vitrification in humans have led to successful gamete banking for Mexican wolves and disappearing amphibians. The study of the human Y chromosome has even explained a mechanism of extinction related to global climate change. The best results with vasectomy reversal (normal sperm counts, pregnancy, and live offspring) were obtained when the original vasectomy was performed "open-ended," so as to avoid pressure-induced epididymal disruption. The attempt at gestational surrogacy for orangutans failed because of severe male infertility and the lack of success with human ovarian hyperstimulation protocols. Vitrification of oocytes is already being employed for the Amphibian Ark Project and for Mexican wolves. Vasectomy can be a reversible contraception

Effect of applying wheat stubble on preservation and utilization of n-fertilizer by 15N trace technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Xinyu; Zhang Yumei; Xiang Hua; Hu Jisheng

1991-10-01

By using 15 N trace technique, the effect of applying wheat stubble on the preservation and utilization rate of 15 N- ammonium sulphate have been studied. The abundance of ( 15 NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 fertilizer was 8.92%. After three years pot test and field plot test, the results showed that the yields with ' 15 N+mulching' and ' 15 N+incorporating' treated were increased by 5.4∼30.0% for spring wheat and millet(pot test), and 18∼23% for winter wheat and summer corn(field plot test), as compared with only ' 15 N' treatment. The results of 15 N-fertilizer labelled tests showed that the utilization rates of 15 N-fertilizer treated by ' 15 N+mulching' for cropping seasons were 57.8%, 65.8%, 36.6% and 8.5% respectively. These were increased 3.7%, 10.2%, 21.5% and 2.8% as compared with only ' 15 N' treatment. Comparing with only ' 15 N'treatment, the N leached off by percolation water was decreasing 50%, the loss of N caused by volatilization was decreasing 30.3% and the N in humus was increasing 21.1%. All of these proved that the applying of wheat stubble in different mode would adjust and control the activation of microbe in the soil, and the preservation and utilization rate of fertilizer in the soul would be increased

A Micro-Analytic Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopper, Robert; Drummond, Kent

1988-01-01

Introduces a new method for studying influence of media on language. Compares radio call-in conversations and normal telephone conversations, where differences might be seen as aspects of the interaction between media and language use. (JK)

Sterility test by radiometric technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faruq, Muhammad

1980-01-01

Sterility test of pharmaceuticals can be carried out by the application of pharmacopoeia and radiometric technique. In Indonesia the application of pharmacopoeia technique is carried out through liquid germination for aerobacteria and for fungus and yeast. Radiometric technique is applied to autotrop and heterotrop bacteria. (SMN)

Situational Awareness Applied to Geology Field Mapping using Integration of Semantic Data and Visualization Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Houser, P. I. Q.

2017-12-01

21st century earth science is data-intensive, characterized by heterogeneous, sometimes voluminous collections representing phenomena at different scales collected for different purposes and managed in disparate ways. However, much of the earth's surface still requires boots-on-the-ground, in-person fieldwork in order to detect the subtle variations from which humans can infer complex structures and patterns. Nevertheless, field experiences can and should be enabled and enhanced by a variety of emerging technologies. The goal of the proposed research project is to pilot test emerging data integration, semantic and visualization technologies for evaluation of their potential usefulness in the field sciences, particularly in the context of field geology. The proposed project will investigate new techniques for data management and integration enabled by semantic web technologies, along with new techniques for augmented reality that can operate on such integrated data to enable in situ visualization in the field. The research objectives include: Develop new technical infrastructure that applies target technologies to field geology; Test, evaluate, and assess the technical infrastructure in a pilot field site; Evaluate the capabilities of the systems for supporting and augmenting field science; and Assess the generality of the system for implementation in new and different types of field sites. Our hypothesis is that these technologies will enable what we call "field science situational awareness" - a cognitive state formerly attained only through long experience in the field - that is highly desirable but difficult to achieve in time- and resource-limited settings. Expected outcomes include elucidation of how, and in what ways, these technologies are beneficial in the field; enumeration of the steps and requirements to implement these systems; and cost/benefit analyses that evaluate under what conditions the investments of time and resources are advisable to construct

Magnetically applied pressure-shear : a new technique for direct strength measurement at high pressure (final report for LDRD project 117856).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lamppa, Derek C.; Haill, Thomas A.; Alexander, C. Scott; Asay, James Russell

2010-09-01

A new experimental technique to measure material shear strength at high pressures has been developed for use on magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) drive pulsed power platforms. By applying an external static magnetic field to the sample region, the MHD drive directly induces a shear stress wave in addition to the usual longitudinal stress wave. Strength is probed by passing this shear wave through a sample material where the transmissible shear stress is limited to the sample strength. The magnitude of the transmitted shear wave is measured via a transverse VISAR system from which the sample strength is determined.

Error analysis of the phase-shifting technique when applied to shadow moire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Changwoon; Han Bongtae

2006-01-01

An exact solution for the intensity distribution of shadow moire fringes produced by a broad spectrum light is presented. A mathematical study quantifies errors in fractional fringe orders determined by the phase-shifting technique, and its validity is corroborated experimentally. The errors vary cyclically as the distance between the reference grating and the specimen increases. The amplitude of the maximum error is approximately 0.017 fringe, which defines the theoretical limit of resolution enhancement offered by the phase-shifting technique

Neutron activation: an invaluable technique for teaching applied radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trainer, Matthew

2002-01-01

This experiment introduces students to the important method of neutron activation. A sample of aluminium was irradiated with neutrons from an isotropic 241 Am-Be source. Using γ-ray spectroscopy, two radionuclide products were identified as 27 Mg and 28 Al. Applying a cadmium cut-off filter and an optimum irradiation time of 45 min, the half-life of 27 Mg was determined as 9.46±0.50 min. The half-life of the 28 Al radionuclide was determined as 2.28±0.10 min using a polythene moderator and an optimum irradiation time of 10 min. (author)

Applying aerial digital photography as a spectral remote sensing technique for macrophytic cover assessment in small rural streams

Science.gov (United States)

Anker, Y.; Hershkovitz, Y.; Gasith, A.; Ben-Dor, E.

2011-12-01

Although remote sensing of fluvial ecosystems is well developed, the tradeoff between spectral and spatial resolutions prevents its application in small streams (habitat scales classifications, acquisition of aerial digital RGB datasets. B. For section scale classification, hyperspectral (HSR) dataset acquisition. C. For calibration, HSR reflectance measurements of specific ground targets, in close proximity to each dataset acquisition swath. D. For habitat scale classification, manual, in-stream flora grid transects classification. The digital RGB datasets were converted to reflectance units by spectral calibration against colored reference plates. These red, green, blue, white, and black EVA foam reference plates were measured by an ASD field spectrometer and each was given a spectral value. Each spectral value was later applied to the spectral calibration and radiometric correction of spectral RGB (SRGB) cube. Spectral calibration of the HSR dataset was done using the empirical line method, based on reference values of progressive grey scale targets. Differentiation between the vegetation species was done by supervised classification both for the HSR and for the SRGB datasets. This procedure was done using the Spectral Angle Mapper function with the spectral pattern of each vegetation species as a spectral end member. Comparison between the two remote sensing techniques and between the SRGB classification and the in-situ transects indicates that: A. Stream vegetation classification resolution is about 4 cm by the SRGB method compared to about 1 m by HSR. Moreover, this resolution is also higher than of the manual grid transect classification. B. The SRGB method is by far the most cost-efficient. The combination of spectral information (rather than the cognitive color) and high spatial resolution of aerial photography provides noise filtration and better sub-water detection capabilities than the HSR technique. C. Only the SRGB method applies for habitat and

Applying machine learning techniques for forecasting flexibility of virtual power plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

MacDougall, Pamela; Kosek, Anna Magdalena; Bindner, Henrik W.

2016-01-01

network as well as the multi-variant linear regression. It is found that it is possible to estimate the longevity of flexibility with machine learning. The linear regression algorithm is, on average, able to estimate the longevity with a 15% error. However, there was a significant improvement with the ANN...... approach to investigating the longevity of aggregated response of a virtual power plant using historic bidding and aggregated behaviour with machine learning techniques. The two supervised machine learning techniques investigated and compared in this paper are, multivariate linear regression and single...... algorithm achieving, on average, a 5.3% error. This is lowered 2.4% when learning for the same virtual power plant. With this information it would be possible to accurately offer residential VPP flexibility for market operations to safely avoid causing further imbalances and financial penalties....

Acoustic Emission Technique Applied in Textiles Mechanical Characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rios-Soberanis Carlos Rolando

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The common textile architecture/geometry are woven, braided, knitted, stitch boded, and Z-pinned. Fibres in textile form exhibit good out-of-plane properties and good fatigue and impact resistance, additionally, they have better dimensional stability and conformability. Besides the nature of the textile, the architecture has a great role in the mechanical behaviour and mechanisms of damage in textiles, therefore damage mechanisms and mechanical performance in structural applications textiles have been a major concern. Mechanical damage occurs to a large extent during the service lifetime consequently it is vital to understand the material mechanical behaviour by identifying its mechanisms of failure such as onset of damage, crack generation and propagation. In this work, textiles of different architecture were used to manufacture epoxy based composites in order to study failure events under tensile load by using acoustic emission technique which is a powerful characterization tool due to its link between AE data and fracture mechanics, which makes this relation a very useful from the engineering point of view.

Compressed Sensing Techniques Applied to Ultrasonic Imaging of Cargo Containers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuri Álvarez López

2017-01-01

Full Text Available One of the key issues in the fight against the smuggling of goods has been the development of scanners for cargo inspection. X-ray-based radiographic system scanners are the most developed sensing modality. However, they are costly and use bulky sources that emit hazardous, ionizing radiation. Aiming to improve the probability of threat detection, an ultrasonic-based technique, capable of detecting the footprint of metallic containers or compartments concealed within the metallic structure of the inspected cargo, has been proposed. The system consists of an array of acoustic transceivers that is attached to the metallic structure-under-inspection, creating a guided acoustic Lamb wave. Reflections due to discontinuities are detected in the images, provided by an imaging algorithm. Taking into consideration that the majority of those images are sparse, this contribution analyzes the application of Compressed Sensing (CS techniques in order to reduce the amount of measurements needed, thus achieving faster scanning, without compromising the detection capabilities of the system. A parametric study of the image quality, as a function of the samples needed in spatial and frequency domains, is presented, as well as the dependence on the sampling pattern. For this purpose, realistic cargo inspection scenarios have been simulated.

Assessment of the geoavailability of trace elements from minerals in mine wastes: analytical techniques and assessment of selected copper minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Driscoll, Rhonda; Hageman, Phillip L.; Benzel, William M.; Diehl, Sharon F.; Adams, David T.; Morman, Suzette; Choate, LaDonna M.

2012-01-01

In this study, four randomly selected copper-bearing minerals were examined—azurite, malachite, bornite, and chalcopyrite. The objectives were to examine and enumerate the crystalline and chemical properties of each of the minerals, to determine which, if any, of the Cu-bearing minerals might adversely affect systems biota, and to provide a multi-procedure reference. Laboratory work included use of computational software for quantifying crystalline and amorphous material and optical and electron imaging instruments to model and project crystalline structures. Chemical weathering, human fluid, and enzyme simulation studies were also conducted. The analyses were conducted systematically: X-ray diffraction and microanalytical studies followed by a series of chemical, bio-leaching, and toxicity experiments.

Analog fault diagnosis by inverse problem technique

KAUST Repository

Ahmed, Rania F.

2011-12-01

A novel algorithm for detecting soft faults in linear analog circuits based on the inverse problem concept is proposed. The proposed approach utilizes optimization techniques with the aid of sensitivity analysis. The main contribution of this work is to apply the inverse problem technique to estimate the actual parameter values of the tested circuit and so, to detect and diagnose single fault in analog circuits. The validation of the algorithm is illustrated through applying it to Sallen-Key second order band pass filter and the results show that the detecting percentage efficiency was 100% and also, the maximum error percentage of estimating the parameter values is 0.7%. This technique can be applied to any other linear circuit and it also can be extended to be applied to non-linear circuits. © 2011 IEEE.

Air flow measurement techniques applied to noise reduction of a centrifugal blower

Science.gov (United States)

Laage, John W.; Armstrong, Ashli J.; Eilers, Daniel J.; Olsen, Michael G.; Mann, J. Adin

2005-09-01

The air flow in a centrifugal blower was studied using a variety of flow and sound measurement techniques. The flow measurement techniques employed included Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), pitot tubes, and a five hole spherical probe. PIV was used to measure instantaneous and ensemble-averaged velocity fields over large area of the outlet duct as a function of fan position, allowing for the visualization of the flow as it leave the fan blades and progressed downstream. The results from the flow measurements were reviewed along side the results of the sound measurements with the goal of identifying sources of noise and inefficiencies in flow performance. The radiated sound power was divided into broadband and tone noise and measures of the flow. The changes in the tone and broadband sound were compared to changes in flow quantities such as the turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds stress. Results for each method will be presented to demonstrate the strengths of each flow measurement technique as well as their limitations. Finally, the role that each played in identifying noise sources is described.

Laser microprobe mass analysis (LAMMA) of aluminum and lead in fine roots and their ectomycorrhizal mantles of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.).

Science.gov (United States)

Eeckhaoudt, S; Vandeputte, D; Van Praag, H; Van Grieken, R; Jacob, W

1992-03-01

Fine roots and ectomycorrhizal root tips were sampled in a Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stand in the eastern part of the Belgian Ardennes. The cellular and partly subcellular localizations of aluminum and lead were identified by the micro-analytical laser microprobe mass analysis (LAMMA) technique. In fine roots with secondary structure, localization of aluminum was limited to the peripheral cell layers. Lead was found in the outer layers, and also in the primary phloem. Aluminum penetrated the mycorrhizal mantle, but lead was seldom detected in ectomycorrhizae.

Noise resistance applied to the study of zinc rich paints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espada Recarey, L.; Sanchez Bermudez, A.; Urrejola Madrinan, S.; Bouzada Alvela, F.

2001-01-01

Electrochemical Noise has been one of the more useful analysis methods to the study the corrosion processes due to the fact that it is simple and cheap. The objective of this work is to check the efficiency of this technique when it is applied to the study of Rich Zinc Paints and specifically the Noise Resistance parameter which is very efficiency to study metal-electrolyte systems. Then this technique was applied to Rich Zinc Paints systems of which we have already information by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The outcomes of this paper show the efficiency of applying Noise Resistance technique to explain the behavior of this kind of systems. (Author) 18 refs

Statistical Techniques Applied to Aerial Radiometric Surveys (STAARS): cluster analysis. National Uranium Resource Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pirkle, F.L.; Stablein, N.K.; Howell, J.A.; Wecksung, G.W.; Duran, B.S.

1982-11-01

One objective of the aerial radiometric surveys flown as part of the US Department of Energy's National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program was to ascertain the regional distribution of near-surface radioelement abundances. Some method for identifying groups of observations with similar radioelement values was therefore required. It is shown in this report that cluster analysis can identify such groups even when no a priori knowledge of the geology of an area exists. A method of convergent k-means cluster analysis coupled with a hierarchical cluster analysis is used to classify 6991 observations (three radiometric variables at each observation location) from the Precambrian rocks of the Copper Mountain, Wyoming, area. Another method, one that combines a principal components analysis with a convergent k-means analysis, is applied to the same data. These two methods are compared with a convergent k-means analysis that utilizes available geologic knowledge. All three methods identify four clusters. Three of the clusters represent background values for the Precambrian rocks of the area, and one represents outliers (anomalously high 214 Bi). A segmentation of the data corresponding to geologic reality as discovered by other methods has been achieved based solely on analysis of aerial radiometric data. The techniques employed are composites of classical clustering methods designed to handle the special problems presented by large data sets. 20 figures, 7 tables

Enhanced nonlinear iterative techniques applied to a non-equilibrium plasma flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knoll, D.A.; McHugh, P.R. [Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

1996-12-31

We study the application of enhanced nonlinear iterative methods to the steady-state solution of a system of two-dimensional convection-diffusion-reaction partial differential equations that describe the partially-ionized plasma flow in the boundary layer of a tokamak fusion reactor. This system of equations is characterized by multiple time and spatial scales, and contains highly anisotropic transport coefficients due to a strong imposed magnetic field. We use Newton`s method to linearize the nonlinear system of equations resulting from an implicit, finite volume discretization of the governing partial differential equations, on a staggered Cartesian mesh. The resulting linear systems are neither symmetric nor positive definite, and are poorly conditioned. Preconditioned Krylov iterative techniques are employed to solve these linear systems. We investigate both a modified and a matrix-free Newton-Krylov implementation, with the goal of reducing CPU cost associated with the numerical formation of the Jacobian. A combination of a damped iteration, one-way multigrid and a pseudo-transient continuation technique are used to enhance global nonlinear convergence and CPU efficiency. GMRES is employed as the Krylov method with Incomplete Lower-Upper(ILU) factorization preconditioning. The goal is to construct a combination of nonlinear and linear iterative techniques for this complex physical problem that optimizes trade-offs between robustness, CPU time, memory requirements, and code complexity. It is shown that a one-way multigrid implementation provides significant CPU savings for fine grid calculations. Performance comparisons of the modified Newton-Krylov and matrix-free Newton-Krylov algorithms will be presented.

Applying Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Techniques to Prioritize Agility Drivers

OpenAIRE

Ahmad Jafarnejad; Sayyed Mohammad Reza Davoodi; Abolfazl Sherafat

2013-01-01

It seems that to recognize and classify the factors affecting organizational agility and need to specify the amount of their importance for the organization is essential to preserve survival and success in today's environment. This paper reviews the concept of agility and its division in the following indicators included the factors of motivations organizational agility that have been ranked in terms of level of importance and their influence by the techniques of MCDM. The inner complexity, s...

Plasma-based techniques applied to the determination of metals and metalloids in atmospheric aerosols

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smichowski, Patricia

2011-01-01

Full text: This lecture presents an overview of the research carried out by our group during the last decade on the determination of metals, metalloids, ions and species in atmospheric aerosols and related matrices using plasma-based techniques. In our first studies we explored the application of a size fractionation procedure and the subsequent determination of minor, major and trace elements in samples of deposited particles collected one day after the eruption of the Copahue Volcano, located in the Chile-Argentina border to assess the content of relevant elements with respect of the environment and the local population health. We employed a multi-technique approach (ICP-MS, XRD and NAA) to gain complete information of the characteristics of the sample. In addition to the study of ashes emitted for natural sources we also studied ashes of anthropogenic origin such as those arising from coal combustion in thermal power plants. For estimating the behavior and fate of elements in atmospheric particles and ashes we applied in this case a chemical fractionation procedure in order to establish the distribution of many elements amongst soluble, bound to carbonates, bound to oxides and bound to organic matter and environmental immobile fraction. Studies on the air quality of the mega-city of Buenos Aires were scarce and fragmentary and our objective was, and still is, to contribute to clarify key issues related to levels of crustal, toxic and potentially toxic elements in this air basin. Our findings were compared with average concentrations of metals and metalloids with results reported for other Latin American cities such as Sao Paulo, Mexico and Santiago de Chile. In this context, a series of studies were carried out since 2004 considering different sampling strategies to reflect local aspects of air pollution sources. In the last years, our interest was focused on the levels of traffic-related elements in the urban atmosphere. We have contributed with the first data

Plasma-based techniques applied to the determination of metals and metalloids in atmospheric aerosols

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smichowski, Patricia, E-mail: smichows@cnea.gov.ar [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Gerencia Quimica, Pcia de Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2011-07-01

Full text: This lecture presents an overview of the research carried out by our group during the last decade on the determination of metals, metalloids, ions and species in atmospheric aerosols and related matrices using plasma-based techniques. In our first studies we explored the application of a size fractionation procedure and the subsequent determination of minor, major and trace elements in samples of deposited particles collected one day after the eruption of the Copahue Volcano, located in the Chile-Argentina border to assess the content of relevant elements with respect of the environment and the local population health. We employed a multi-technique approach (ICP-MS, XRD and NAA) to gain complete information of the characteristics of the sample. In addition to the study of ashes emitted for natural sources we also studied ashes of anthropogenic origin such as those arising from coal combustion in thermal power plants. For estimating the behavior and fate of elements in atmospheric particles and ashes we applied in this case a chemical fractionation procedure in order to establish the distribution of many elements amongst soluble, bound to carbonates, bound to oxides and bound to organic matter and environmental immobile fraction. Studies on the air quality of the mega-city of Buenos Aires were scarce and fragmentary and our objective was, and still is, to contribute to clarify key issues related to levels of crustal, toxic and potentially toxic elements in this air basin. Our findings were compared with average concentrations of metals and metalloids with results reported for other Latin American cities such as Sao Paulo, Mexico and Santiago de Chile. In this context, a series of studies were carried out since 2004 considering different sampling strategies to reflect local aspects of air pollution sources. In the last years, our interest was focused on the levels of traffic-related elements in the urban atmosphere. We have contributed with the first data

Applied in vitro radio bioassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaburo, J.C.G.; Sordi, G.M.A.A.

1992-11-01

The aim of this publication is to show the concepts and in vitro bioassay techniques as well as experimental procedures related with internal contamination evaluation. The main routes of intake, metabolic behavior, and the possible types of bioassay samples that can be collected for radionuclides analysis are described. Both biological processes and the chemical and physical behavior of the radioactive material of interest are considered and the capabilities of analytical techniques to detect and quantify the radionuclides are discussed. Next, the need of quality assurance throughout procedures are considered and finally a summary of the techniques applied to the internal routine monitoring of IPEN workers is given. (author)

Digital prototyping technique applied for redesigning plastic products

Science.gov (United States)

Pop, A.; Andrei, A.

2015-11-01

After products are on the market for some time, they often need to be redesigned to meet new market requirements. New products are generally derived from similar but outdated products. Redesigning a product is an important part of the production and development process. The purpose of this paper is to show that using modern technology, like Digital Prototyping in industry is an effective way to produce new products. This paper tries to demonstrate and highlight the effectiveness of the concept of Digital Prototyping, both to reduce the design time of a new product, but also the costs required for implementing this step. The results of this paper show that using Digital Prototyping techniques in designing a new product from an existing one available on the market mould offers a significantly manufacturing time and cost reduction. The ability to simulate and test a new product with modern CAD-CAM programs in all aspects of production (designing of the 3D model, simulation of the structural resistance, analysis of the injection process and beautification) offers a helpful tool for engineers. The whole process can be realised by one skilled engineer very fast and effective.

Forecasting Baltic Dirty Tanker Index by Applying Wavelet Neural Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fan, Shuangrui; JI, TINGYUN; Bergqvist, Rickard

2013-01-01

modeling techniques used in freight rate forecasting. At the same time research in shipping index forecasting e.g. BDTI applying artificial intelligent techniques is scarce. This analyses the possibilities to forecast the BDTI by applying Wavelet Neural Networks (WNN). Firstly, the characteristics...... of traditional and artificial intelligent forecasting techniques are discussed and rationales for choosing WNN are explained. Secondly, the components and features of BDTI will be explicated. After that, the authors delve the determinants and influencing factors behind fluctuations of the BDTI in order to set...

Sensitivity analysis techniques applied to a system of hyperbolic conservation laws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weirs, V. Gregory; Kamm, James R.; Swiler, Laura P.; Tarantola, Stefano; Ratto, Marco; Adams, Brian M.; Rider, William J.; Eldred, Michael S.

2012-01-01

Sensitivity analysis is comprised of techniques to quantify the effects of the input variables on a set of outputs. In particular, sensitivity indices can be used to infer which input parameters most significantly affect the results of a computational model. With continually increasing computing power, sensitivity analysis has become an important technique by which to understand the behavior of large-scale computer simulations. Many sensitivity analysis methods rely on sampling from distributions of the inputs. Such sampling-based methods can be computationally expensive, requiring many evaluations of the simulation; in this case, the Sobol' method provides an easy and accurate way to compute variance-based measures, provided a sufficient number of model evaluations are available. As an alternative, meta-modeling approaches have been devised to approximate the response surface and estimate various measures of sensitivity. In this work, we consider a variety of sensitivity analysis methods, including different sampling strategies, different meta-models, and different ways of evaluating variance-based sensitivity indices. The problem we consider is the 1-D Riemann problem. By a careful choice of inputs, discontinuous solutions are obtained, leading to discontinuous response surfaces; such surfaces can be particularly problematic for meta-modeling approaches. The goal of this study is to compare the estimated sensitivity indices with exact values and to evaluate the convergence of these estimates with increasing samples sizes and under an increasing number of meta-model evaluations. - Highlights: ► Sensitivity analysis techniques for a model shock physics problem are compared. ► The model problem and the sensitivity analysis problem have exact solutions. ► Subtle details of the method for computing sensitivity indices can affect the results.

The Byzantine Church of ``40 Holy Martyrs'' in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria: Pigments and Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Sakellariou, E.; Zorba, T.; Pavlidou, E.; Angelova, S.; Paraskevopoulos, K. M.

2010-01-01

The "St. 40 Martyrs" church is the most famous medieval building in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria. It is located in Assenova mahala, just next to Tsarevets. It was built and its walls were painted during the reign of Bulgarian king Ivan Assen II after the victory against Epyrus despot Theodoros Comninos (1230 AD). It consists of two buildings - a six-column basilica and another, smaller building on its western wall, which was built later. During the presence of the Ottoman Turks, maybe until the first half of the 18th century, the church remained christian. When it was converted to a mosque, all the christian symbols in it were destroyed. The archeological researches on site were initiated in 1969. As it is clear, the 40 Martyrs church is a historical monument of culture with great significance. The church had murals, from the earlier period, but in the following years and especially during the Ottoman period, the church has suffered many and different destructions. Nevertheless, the very few pieces of murals that are rescued till nowadays provide important information for the technique and the pigments that were used on its wall paintings. In the present work, twelve series of samples from the wall paintings were studied in order to characterize the materials and the technique used for church iconography. The study was based on the micro-analytical techniques of the Fourier Transform Infrared micro-spectroscopy (μs-FTIR), the Optical Microscopy and the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled to an Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (EDS). In the FTIR spectra of all pigments the characteristic peaks of calcite were detected, confirming the use of fresco technique for the creation of murals. The combination of FTIR spectroscopy and SEM-EDS analysis, reveal the existence of lapis-lazuli for the blue color, green earth for the green color, cinnabar for the red color, calcite for the white color and carbon black for the black color. Moreover, in other chromatic layers

The Byzantine Church of '40 Holy Martyrs' in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria: Pigments and Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakellariou, E.; Zorba, T.; Pavlidou, E.; Paraskevopoulos, K. M.; Angelova, S.

2010-01-01

The 'St. 40 Martyrs' church is the most famous medieval building in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria. It is located in Assenova mahala, just next to Tsarevets. It was built and its walls were painted during the reign of Bulgarian king Ivan Assen II after the victory against Epyrus despot Theodoros Comninos (1230 AD). It consists of two buildings - a six-column basilica and another, smaller building on its western wall, which was built later. During the presence of the Ottoman Turks, maybe until the first half of the 18th century, the church remained christian. When it was converted to a mosque, all the christian symbols in it were destroyed. The archeological researches on site were initiated in 1969. As it is clear, the 40 Martyrs church is a historical monument of culture with great significance. The church had murals, from the earlier period, but in the following years and especially during the Ottoman period, the church has suffered many and different destructions. Nevertheless, the very few pieces of murals that are rescued till nowadays provide important information for the technique and the pigments that were used on its wall paintings. In the present work, twelve series of samples from the wall paintings were studied in order to characterize the materials and the technique used for church iconography. The study was based on the micro-analytical techniques of the Fourier Transform Infrared micro-spectroscopy (μs-FTIR), the Optical Microscopy and the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled to an Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (EDS). In the FTIR spectra of all pigments the characteristic peaks of calcite were detected, confirming the use of fresco technique for the creation of murals. The combination of FTIR spectroscopy and SEM-EDS analysis, reveal the existence of lapis-lazuli for the blue color, green earth for the green color, cinnabar for the red color, calcite for the white color and carbon black for the black color. Moreover, in other chromatic layers

SINP MSU accelerator facility and applied research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chechenin, N.G.; Ishkhanov, B.S.; Kulikauskas, V.S.; Novikov, L.S.; Pokhil, G.P.; Romanovskii, E.A.; Shvedunov, V.I.; Spasskii, A.V.

2004-01-01

Full text: SINP accelerator facility includes 120 cm cyclotron, electrostatic generator with the upper voltage 3.0 MeV, electrostatic generator with the upper voltage 2.5 MeV, Cocroft -Walton generator with the upper voltage 500 keV, 150 keV accelerator for solid microparticles. A new generation of electron beam accelerators has been developed during the last decade. The SINP accelerator facility will be shortly described in the report. A wide range of basic research in nuclear and atomic physics, physics of ion-beam interactions with condensed matter is currently carried out. SINP activity in the applied research is concentrated in the following areas of materials science: - Materials diagnostics with the Rutherford backscattering techniques (RBS) and channeling of ions (RBS/C). A large number of surface ad-layers and multilayer systems for advanced micro- and nano-electronic technology have been investigated. A selected series of examples will be illustrated. - Concentration depth profiles of hydrogen by the elastic recoils detection techniques (ERD). Primarily, the hydrogen depth profiles in perspective materials for thermonuclear reactors have been investigated. - Lattice site locations of hydrogen by a combination of ERD and channeling techniques. This is a new technique which was successfully applied for investigation of hydrogen and hydrogen-defect complexes in silicon for the smart-cut technology. - Light element diagnostics by RBS and nuclear backscattering techniques (NBS). The technique is illustrated by applications for nitrogen concentration profiling in steels. Nitrogen take-up and release, nitrides precipitate formation will be illustrated. - New medium energy ion scattering (MEIS) facility and applications. Ultra-high vacuum and superior energy resolution electrostatic toroidal analyzer is designed to be applied for characterization of composition and structure of several upper atomic layers of materials

MSC/NASTRAN ''expert'' techniques developed and applied to the TFTR poloidal field coils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Toole, J.A.

1986-01-01

The TFTR poloidal field (PF) coils are being analyzed by PPPL and Grumman using MSC/NASTRAN as a part of an overall effort to establish the absolute limiting conditions of operation for TFTR. Each of the PF coils will be analyzed in depth, using a detailed set of finite element models. Several of the models developed are quite large because each copper turn, as well as its surrounding insulation, was modeled using solid elements. Several of the finite element models proved large enough to tax the capabilities of the National Magnetic Fusion Energy Computer Center (NMFECC), specifically disk storage space. To allow the use of substructuring techniques with their associated data bases for the larger models, it became necessary to employ certain infrequently used MSC/NASTRAN ''expert'' techniques. The techniques developed used multiple data bases and data base sets to divide each problem into a series of computer runs. For each run, only the data required was kept on active disk space, the remainder being placed in inactive ''FILEM'' storage, thus, minimizing active disk space required at any time and permitting problem solution using the NMFECC. A representative problem using the TFTR OH-1 coil global model provides an example of the techniques developed. The special considerations necessary to obtain proper results are discussed

Feasibility to apply the steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) technique in the country's heavy crude-oil fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez, Edwin; Orjuela, Jaime

2004-01-01

The steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) processes are one of the most efficient and profitable technologies for the production of heavy crude oils and oil sands. These processes involve the drilling of a couple of parallel horizontal wells, separated by a vertical distance and located near the oil field base. The upper well is used to continuously inject steam into the zone of interest, while the lower well collects all resulting fluids (oil, condensate and formation water) and takes them to the surface (Butler, 1994). This technology has been successfully implemented in countries such as Canada, Venezuela and United States, reaching recovery factors in excess of 50%. This article provides an overview of the technique's operation mechanism and the process most relevant characteristics, as well as the various categories this technology is divided into, including all its advantages and limitations. Furthermore, the article sets the oil field's minimal conditions under which the SAGD process is efficient, which conditions, as integrated to a series of mathematical models, allow to make forecasts on production, thermal efficiency (ODR) and oil to be recovered, as long as it is feasible (from a technical point of view) to apply this technique to a defined oil field. The information and concepts compiled during this research prompted the development of software, which may be used as an information, analysis and interpretation tool to predict and quantify this technology's performance. Based on the article, preliminary studies were started for the country's heavy crude-oil fields, identifying which provide the minimum conditions for the successful development of a pilot project

Applied probability and stochastic processes

CERN Document Server

Sumita, Ushio

1999-01-01

Applied Probability and Stochastic Processes is an edited work written in honor of Julien Keilson. This volume has attracted a host of scholars in applied probability, who have made major contributions to the field, and have written survey and state-of-the-art papers on a variety of applied probability topics, including, but not limited to: perturbation method, time reversible Markov chains, Poisson processes, Brownian techniques, Bayesian probability, optimal quality control, Markov decision processes, random matrices, queueing theory and a variety of applications of stochastic processes. The book has a mixture of theoretical, algorithmic, and application chapters providing examples of the cutting-edge work that Professor Keilson has done or influenced over the course of his highly-productive and energetic career in applied probability and stochastic processes. The book will be of interest to academic researchers, students, and industrial practitioners who seek to use the mathematics of applied probability i...

Active Learning Techniques Applied to an Interdisciplinary Mineral Resources Course.

Science.gov (United States)

Aird, H. M.

2015-12-01

An interdisciplinary active learning course was introduced at the University of Puget Sound entitled 'Mineral Resources and the Environment'. Various formative assessment and active learning techniques that have been effective in other courses were adapted and implemented to improve student learning, increase retention and broaden knowledge and understanding of course material. This was an elective course targeted towards upper-level undergraduate geology and environmental majors. The course provided an introduction to the mineral resources industry, discussing geological, environmental, societal and economic aspects, legislation and the processes involved in exploration, extraction, processing, reclamation/remediation and recycling of products. Lectures and associated weekly labs were linked in subject matter; relevant readings from the recent scientific literature were assigned and discussed in the second lecture of the week. Peer-based learning was facilitated through weekly reading assignments with peer-led discussions and through group research projects, in addition to in-class exercises such as debates. Writing and research skills were developed through student groups designing, carrying out and reporting on their own semester-long research projects around the lasting effects of the historical Ruston Smelter on the biology and water systems of Tacoma. The writing of their mini grant proposals and final project reports was carried out in stages to allow for feedback before the deadline. Speakers from industry were invited to share their specialist knowledge as guest lecturers, and students were encouraged to interact with them, with a view to employment opportunities. Formative assessment techniques included jigsaw exercises, gallery walks, placemat surveys, think pair share and take-home point summaries. Summative assessment included discussion leadership, exams, homeworks, group projects, in-class exercises, field trips, and pre-discussion reading exercises

Constraints on the timing of multiple thermal events and re-equilibration recorded by high-U zircon and xenotime: Case study of pegmatite from Piława Górna (Góry Sowie Block, SW Poland)

Science.gov (United States)

Budzyń, Bartosz; Sláma, Jiří; Kozub-Budzyń, Gabriela A.; Konečný, Patrik; Holický, Ivan; Rzepa, Grzegorz; Jastrzębski, Mirosław

2018-06-01

The application of zircon and xenotime geochronometers requires knowledge of their potential and limitations related to possible disturbance of the age record. The alteration of the intergrown zircon and xenotime in pegmatite from the Góry Sowie Block (SW Poland) was studied using the electron microprobe analysis, X-ray WDS compositional mapping, micro-Raman analysis, and LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of zircon and xenotime, as well as the U-Th-total Pb dating of uraninite. These microanalytical techniques were applied to understand the formation mechanisms of the secondary textures related to post-magmatic processes in the zircon and xenotime intergrowth, and to constrain their timing. Textural and compositional features combined with U-Pb data indicate that the pegmatite-related crystallization of the zircon and xenotime intergrowth occurred ca. 2.09 Ga (2086 ± 35 Ma for zircon and 2093 ± 52 Ma for xenotime), followed by the re-equilibration of zircon and xenotime ca. 370 Ma (373 ± 18 Ma and 368 ± 6 Ma, respectively) during the formation of the younger pegmatite. The zircon and xenotime were most likely derived from Precambrian basement rocks and emplaced in the pegmatite as a restite. The zircon preserved textures related to diffusion-reaction processes that affected its high-U core (up to ca. 9.6 wt% UO2), which underwent further metamictization and amorphization due to self-radiation damage. The zircon rim and xenotime were affected by coupled dissolution-reprecipitation processes that resulted in patchy zoning, age disturbance and sponge-like textures. Xenotime was also partially replaced by fluorapatite or hingganite-(Y) and Y-enriched allanite-(Ce). The termination of the low-temperature alteration was constrained by the U-Th-total Pb age of the uraninite inclusions that crystallized in zircon at 281 ± 2 Ma, which is consistent with the age of 278 ± 15 Ma obtained from the youngest cluster of U-Pb ages in the re-equilibrated high-U zircon domains. This study

The simulation of Typhoon-induced coastal inundation in Busan, South Korea applying the downscaling technique

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Dongmin; Park, Junghyun; Yuk, Jin-Hee; Joh, MinSu

2017-04-01

Due to typhoons, the south coastal cities including Busan in South Korea coastal are very vulnerable to a surge, wave and corresponding coastal inundation, and are affected every year. In 2016, South Korea suffered tremendous damage by typhoon 'Chaba', which was developed near east-north of Guam on Sep. 28 and had maximum 10-minute sustained wind speed of about 50 m/s, 1-minute sustained wind speed of 75 m/s and a minimum central pressure of 905 hpa. As 'Chaba', which is the strongest since typhoon 'Maemi' in 2003, hit South Korea on Oct. 5, it caused a massive economic and casualty damage to Ulsan, Gyeongju and Busan in South Korea. In particular, the damage of typhoon-induced coastal inundation in Busan, where many high-rise buildings and residential areas are concentrated near coast, was serious. The coastal inundation could be more affected by strong wind-induced wave than surge. In fact, it was observed that the surge height was about 1 m averagely and a significant wave height was about 8 m at coastal sea nearby Busan on Oct. 5 due to 'Chaba'. Even though the typhoon-induced surge elevated the sea level, the typhoon-induced long period wave with wave period of more than 15s could play more important role in the inundation. The present work simulated the coastal inundation induced by 'Chaba' in Busan, South Korea considering the effects of typhoon-induced surge and wave. For 'Chaba' hindcast, high resolution Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) was applied using a reanalysis data produced by NCEP (FNL 0.25 degree) on the boundary and initial conditions, and was validated by the observation of wind speed, direction and pressure. The typhoon-induced coastal inundation was simulated by an unstructured gird model, Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM), which is fully current-wave coupled model. To simulate the wave-induced inundation, 1-way downscaling technique of multi domain was applied. Firstly, a mother's domain including Korean peninsula was

Cervical spine mobilisation forces applied by physiotherapy students.

Science.gov (United States)

Snodgrass, Suzanne J; Rivett, Darren A; Robertson, Val J; Stojanovski, Elizabeth

2010-06-01

Postero-anterior (PA) mobilisation is commonly used in cervical spine treatment and included in physiotherapy curricula. The manual forces that students apply while learning cervical mobilisation are not known. Quantifying these forces informs the development of strategies for learning to apply cervical mobilisation effectively and safely. This study describes the mechanical properties of cervical PA mobilisation techniques applied by students, and investigates factors associated with force application. Physiotherapy students (n=120) mobilised one of 32 asymptomatic subjects. Students applied Grades I to IV central and unilateral PA mobilisation to C2 and C7 of one asymptomatic subject. Manual forces were measured in three directions using an instrumented treatment table. Spinal stiffness of mobilised subjects was measured at C2 and C7 using a device that applied a standard oscillating force while measuring this force and its concurrent displacement. Analysis of variance was used to determine differences between techniques and grades, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to calculate the inter- and intrastudent repeatability of forces, and linear regression was used to determine the associations between applied forces and characteristics of students and mobilised subjects. Mobilisation forces increased from Grades I to IV (highest mean peak force, Grade IV C7 central PA technique: 63.7N). Interstudent reliability was poor [ICC(2,1)=0.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14 to 0.43], but intrastudent repeatability of forces was somewhat better (0.83, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.86). Higher applied force was associated with greater C7 stiffness, increased frequency of thumb pain, male gender of the student or mobilised subject, and a student being earlier in their learning process. Lower forces were associated with greater C2 stiffness. This study describes the cervical mobilisation forces applied by students, and the characteristics of the student and mobilised

Quantitative thoracic CT techniques in adults: can they be applied in the pediatric population?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Soon Ho [Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Goo, Jin Mo [Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Cancer Research Institute, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Goo, Hyun Woo [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2013-03-15

With the rapid evolution of the multidetector row CT technique, quantitative CT has started to be used in clinical studies for revealing a heterogeneous entity of airflow limitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that is caused by a combination of lung parenchymal destruction and remodeling of the small airways in adults. There is growing evidence of a good correlation between quantitative CT findings and pathological findings, pulmonary function test results and other clinical parameters. This article provides an overview of current quantitative thoracic CT techniques used in adults, and how to translate these CT techniques to the pediatric population. (orig.)

Trends in analytical techniques applied to particulate matter characterization: A critical review of fundaments and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Galvão, Elson Silva; Santos, Jane Meri; Lima, Ana Teresa; Reis, Neyval Costa; Orlando, Marcos Tadeu D'Azeredo; Stuetz, Richard Michael

2018-05-01

Epidemiological studies have shown the association of airborne particulate matter (PM) size and chemical composition with health problems affecting the cardiorespiratory and central nervous systems. PM also act as cloud condensation nuclei (CNN) or ice nuclei (IN), taking part in the clouds formation process, and therefore can impact the climate. There are several works using different analytical techniques in PM chemical and physical characterization to supply information to source apportionment models that help environmental agencies to assess damages accountability. Despite the numerous analytical techniques described in the literature available for PM characterization, laboratories are normally limited to the in-house available techniques, which raises the question if a given technique is suitable for the purpose of a specific experimental work. The aim of this work consists of summarizing the main available technologies for PM characterization, serving as a guide for readers to find the most appropriate technique(s) for their investigation. Elemental analysis techniques like atomic spectrometry based and X-ray based techniques, organic and carbonaceous techniques and surface analysis techniques are discussed, illustrating their main features as well as their advantages and drawbacks. We also discuss the trends in analytical techniques used over the last two decades. The choice among all techniques is a function of a number of parameters such as: the relevant particles physical properties, sampling and measuring time, access to available facilities and the costs associated to equipment acquisition, among other considerations. An analytical guide map is presented as a guideline for choosing the most appropriated technique for a given analytical information required. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Educational Geographers and Applied Geography.

Science.gov (United States)

Frazier, John W.

1979-01-01

Describes the development of applied geography programs and restructuring of curricula with an emphasis on new technique and methodology courses, though retaining the liberal arts role. Educational geographers can help the programs to succeed through curriculum analysis, auditing, advising students, and liaison with other geography sources. (CK)

Principles of fluorescence techniques

CERN Document Server

2016-01-01

Fluorescence techniques are being used and applied increasingly in academics and industry. The Principles of Fluorescence Techniques course will outline the basic concepts of fluorescence techniques and the successful utilization of the currently available commercial instrumentation. The course is designed for students who utilize fluorescence techniques and instrumentation and for researchers and industrial scientists who wish to deepen their knowledge of fluorescence applications. Key scientists in the field will deliver theoretical lectures. The lectures will be complemented by the direct utilization of steady-state and lifetime fluorescence instrumentation and confocal microscopy for FLIM and FRET applications provided by leading companies.

An efficient permeability scaling-up technique applied to the discretized flow equations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Urgelli, D.; Ding, Yu [Institut Francais du Petrole, Rueil Malmaison (France)

1997-08-01

Grid-block permeability scaling-up for numerical reservoir simulations has been discussed for a long time in the literature. It is now recognized that a full permeability tensor is needed to get an accurate reservoir description at large scale. However, two major difficulties are encountered: (1) grid-block permeability cannot be properly defined because it depends on boundary conditions; (2) discretization of flow equations with a full permeability tensor is not straightforward and little work has been done on this subject. In this paper, we propose a new method, which allows us to get around both difficulties. As the two major problems are closely related, a global approach will preserve the accuracy. So, in the proposed method, the permeability up-scaling technique is integrated in the discretized numerical scheme for flow simulation. The permeability is scaled-up via the transmissibility term, in accordance with the fluid flow calculation in the numerical scheme. A finite-volume scheme is particularly studied, and the transmissibility scaling-up technique for this scheme is presented. Some numerical examples are tested for flow simulation. This new method is compared with some published numerical schemes for full permeability tensor discretization where the full permeability tensor is scaled-up through various techniques. Comparing the results with fine grid simulations shows that the new method is more accurate and more efficient.

Cesium distribution and phases in proxy experiments on the incineration of radioactively contaminated waste from the Fukushima area.

Science.gov (United States)

Saffarzadeh, Amirhomayoun; Shimaoka, Takayuki; Kakuta, Yoshitada; Kawano, Takashi

2014-10-01

After the March 11, 2011 Tohoku earthquake and Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident, incineration was initially adopted as an effective technique for the treatment of post-disaster wastes. Accordingly, considerable amounts of radioactively contaminated residues were immediately generated through incineration. The level of radioactivity associated with radiocesium in the incineration ash residues (bottom ash and fly ash) became significantly high (several thousand to 100,000 Bq/kg) as a result of this treatment. In order to understand the modes of occurrence of radiocesium, bottom ash products were synthesized through combusting of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) with stable Cs salts in a pilot incinerator. Microscopic and microanalytical (SEM-EDX) techniques were applied and the following Cs categories were identified: low and high concentrations in the matrix glass, low-level partitioning into some newly-formed silicate minerals, partitioning into metal-sulfide compounds, and occurring in newly-formed Cs-rich minerals. These categories that are essentially silicate-bound are the most dominant forms in large and medium size bottom ash particles. It is expected that these achievements provide solutions to the immobilization of radiocesium in the incineration ash products contaminated by Fukushima nuclear accident. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applied Mathematical Problems in Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Llopis-Albert

2016-10-01

Full Text Available There is a close relationship between engineering and mathematics, which has led to the development of new techniques in recent years. Likewise the developments in technology and computers have led to new ways of teaching mathematics for engineering students and the use of modern techniques and methods.  This research aims to provide insight on how to deal with mathematical problems for engineering students. This is performed by means of a fuzzy set/Qualitative Comparative Analysis applied to conflict resolution of Public Participation Projects in support to the EU Water Framework Directive.

Teachers and Learners’ Perceptions of Applying Translation as a Method, Strategy, or Technique in an Iranian EFL Setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Mollaei

2017-04-01

Full Text Available It has been found that translation is an efficient means to teach/learn grammar, syntax, and lexis of a foreign language. Meanwhile, translation is good for beginners who do not still enjoy the critical level of proficiency in their target language for expression.  This study was conducted to examine the teachers and learners’ perceptions of employing translation in the foreign language classroom; i.e., the effects, merits, demerits, limitations, as well as its use as a method, strategy or technique. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect and analyze the data from graduate and undergraduate learners (n=56 and teachers (n=44, male and female, who responded to two questionnaires. Additionally, only the teachers were interviewed to gain richer insight into their perceptions and attitudes. According to the results of independent samples t-test, there was no significant difference between teachers and learners’ attitude to applying translation as a method, strategy, or technique in learning a foreign language.  Based on the interview results, some teachers believed that employing translation in the foreign language context was helpful but not constantly. They claimed that translation was only effective in teaching vocabulary and grammar apart from leaners’ proficiency level as it can clarify meaning. But some other teachers noted that mother tongue would interfere with learning foreign language; they considered translation as a time-consuming activity through which students cannot capture the exact meaning.

Techniques in Presenting Vocabulary to Young Efl Learners

OpenAIRE

Awaluddin, Annisa

2013-01-01

This paper reports on research results aimed at investigating the techniques used by a teacher of a young learner course in presenting meaning and form of vocabulary, as well as the reasons in employing the techniques. This study applied framework from Takač (2008). Observations and interview were carried out to collect the data. The findings indicate that the teacher applied various techniques with various reasons, both in presenting word meaning and form. In presenting word meaning, the tea...

Parachute technique for partial penectomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Korkes

2010-04-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Penile carcinoma is a rare but mutilating malignancy. In this context, partial penectomy is the most commonly applied approach for best oncological results. We herein propose a simple modification of the classic technique of partial penectomy, for better cosmetic and functional results. TECHNIQUE: If partial penectomy is indicated, the present technique can bring additional benefits. Different from classical technique, the urethra is spatulated only ventrally. An inverted "V" skin flap with 0.5 cm of extension is sectioned ventrally. The suture is performed with vicryl 4-0 in a "parachute" fashion, beginning from the ventral portion of the urethra and the "V" flap, followed by the "V" flap angles and than by the dorsal portion of the penis. After completion of the suture, a Foley catheter and light dressing are placed for 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Several complex reconstructive techniques have been previously proposed, but normally require specific surgical abilities, adequate patient selection and staged procedures. We believe that these reconstructive techniques are very useful in some specific subsets of patients. However, the technique herein proposed is a simple alternative that can be applied to all men after a partial penectomy, and takes the same amount of time as that in the classic technique. In conclusion, the "parachute" technique for penile reconstruction after partial amputation not only improves the appearance of the penis, but also maintains an adequate function.

Applied measuring techniques for the investigation of time-dependent flow phenomena in centrifugal compressors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hass, U.; Haupt, U.; Jansen, M.; Kassens, K.; Knapp, P.; Rautenberg, M.

1978-01-01

During the past 10 years new measuring techniques have been developed for the experimental investigation of highly loaded centrifugal compressors. These measuring techniques take into account the time dependency of the fluctuating physical quantities such as pressure, temperature, and velocity. Some key points of these experimental techniques are shown and explained in this paper. An important basis for such measurements is the accurate dynamic calibration of the measuring apparatus. In addition, some problems involved analyzing measured signals are dealt with and pressure measurements and their interpretation are shown. Finally optical, acoustical and vibrational measuring procedures are described which are additionally used for the investigation of non-stationary flow phenomena. (orig.) [de

A Kalman filter technique applied for medical image reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goliaei, S.; Ghorshi, S.; Manzuri, M. T.; Mortazavi, M.

2011-01-01

Medical images contain information about vital organic tissues inside of human body and are widely used for diagnoses of disease or for surgical purposes. Image reconstruction is essential for medical images for some applications such as suppression of noise or de-blurring the image in order to provide images with better quality and contrast. Due to vital rule of image reconstruction in medical sciences the corresponding algorithms with better efficiency and higher speed is desirable. Most algorithms in image reconstruction are operated on frequency domain such as the most popular one known as filtered back projection. In this paper we introduce a Kalman filter technique which is operated in time domain for medical image reconstruction. Results indicated that as the number of projection increases in both normal collected ray sum and the collected ray sum corrupted by noise the quality of reconstructed image becomes better in terms of contract and transparency. It is also seen that as the number of projection increases the error index decreases.

Informationization nuclear apparatus communication technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Tiqi; Fang Zongliang; Wen Qilin

2006-01-01

The paper explains the request of communication ability in nuclear technique application area. Based on the actuality of nuclear apparatus communication ability, and mainly combining with the development of communication technique, the authors analyzes the application trend of communication technique applying in nuclear apparatus, for the apparatus and system needing communication ability, they need selecting suitable communication means to make them accomplish the task immediately and effectively. (authors)

Coldness applied to plastic engineering techniques and rooms; Le froid applique aux techniques de la plasturgie et a ses locaux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

This technical dossier is the result of a collaboration between the CFE, EdF Industrie and the French federation of plastic engineering. It aims at answering all questions relative to plastic materials processing: 1 - general study on the economical aspects of plastic engineering, plastic materials, and manufacturing processes; 2 - the different cold processing techniques (air cooling and refrigerating systems); 3 - the main transformation processes for thermo-plastic materials and the advantage of cooling techniques; 4 - the environmental conditioning of rooms (clean rooms); 5 - examples of realizations. (J.S.)

Machine learning techniques for optical communication system optimization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zibar, Darko; Wass, Jesper; Thrane, Jakob

In this paper, machine learning techniques relevant to optical communication are presented and discussed. The focus is on applying machine learning tools to optical performance monitoring and performance prediction.......In this paper, machine learning techniques relevant to optical communication are presented and discussed. The focus is on applying machine learning tools to optical performance monitoring and performance prediction....

Applying squeezing technique to clay-rocks: lessons learned from ten years experiments at Mont Terri

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez, A. M.; Melon, A.; Sanchez-Ledesma, D.M.; Tournassat, C.; Gaucher, E.; Astudillo, J.; Vinsot, A.

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. Argillaceous formations of low permeability are considered in several countries as potential host rocks for the disposal of high level radioactive wastes (HLRW). In order to determine their suitability for waste disposal, evaluations of the hydro-geochemistry and transport mechanisms from such geologic formations to the biosphere must be undertaken. The migration of radionuclides through the geosphere will occur predominantly in the aqueous phase, and hence the pore water chemistry plays an important role in determining ion diffusion characteristics in argillaceous formations. Consequently, a great effort has been made to characterise the pore water chemistry in clay-rocks formations. In the last 10 years various techniques were developed for determining pore water composition of clay-rocks including both direct and indirect methods: 1) In situ pore water sampling (water and gas) from sealed boreholes (Pearson et al., 2003; Vinsot et al. 2008); 2) Laboratory pore water sampling from unaltered core samples by the squeezing technique at high pressures (Fernandez et al., 2009); and 3) Characterization of the water chemistry by geochemical modelling (Gaucher et al. 2009). Pore water chemistry in clay-rocks and extraction techniques were documented and reviewed in different studies (Sacchi et al., 2001). Recovering pristine pore water from low permeable and low water content systems is very difficult and sometimes impossible. Besides, uncertainties are associated to each method used for the pore water characterization. In this paper, a review about the high pressure squeezing technique applied to indurate clay-rocks was performed. For this purpose, the experimental work on Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri Research Laboratory during the last ten years was evaluated. A complete discussion was made about different issues such as: a) why is necessary to obtain the pore water by squeezing in the context of radioactive waste

The Ecological Profiles Technique applied to data from Lichtenburg, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. W. Morris

1974-12-01

Full Text Available The method of ecological profiles and information shared between species and ecological variables, developed in France, is described for the first time in English. Preliminary results, using the technique on Bankenveld quadrat data from Lichtenburg, Western Transvaal, are given. It is concluded that the method has great potential value for the understanding of the autecology of South African species provided that the sampling method is appropriate.

3D laser scanning techniques applying to tunnel documentation and geological mapping at Aespoe hard rock laboratory, Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Q.; Wang, G.; Roeshoff, K.

2008-01-01

3D terrestrial laser scanning is nowadays one of the most attractive methods to applying for 3D mapping and documentation of rock faces and tunnels, and shows the most potential to improve the data quality and provide some good solutions in rock engineering projects. In this paper, the state-of-the-art methods are described for different possibility to tunnel documentation and geological mapping based on 3D laser scanning data. Some results are presented from the case study performed at the Hard Rock Laboratory, Aespoe run by SKB, Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co. Comparing to traditional methods, 3D laser scanning techniques can not only provide us with a rapid and 3D digital way for tunnel documentation, but also create a potential chance to achieve high quality data, which might be beneficial to different rock engineering project procedures, including field data acquisition, data processing, data retrieving and management, and also modeling and design. (authors)

Fluidic optics

Science.gov (United States)

Whitesides, George M.; Tang, Sindy K. Y.

2006-09-01

Fluidic optics is a new class of optical system with real-time tunability and reconfigurability enabled by the introduction of fluidic components into the optical path. We describe the design, fabrication, operation of a number of fluidic optical systems, and focus on three devices, liquid-core/liquid-cladding (L2) waveguides, microfluidic dye lasers, and diffraction gratings based on flowing, crystalline lattices of bubbles, to demonstrate the integration of microfluidics and optics. We fabricate these devices in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) with soft-lithographic techniques. They are simple to construct, and readily integrable with microanalytical or lab-on-a-chip systems.

Orbital welding technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeschen, W.

2003-01-01

The TIG (Tungsten-inert gas) orbital welding technique is applied in all areas of pipe welding. The process is mainly used for austenitic and ferritic materials but also for materials like aluminium, nickel, and titanium alloys are commonly welded according to this technique. Thin-walled as well as thick-walled pipes are welded economically. The application of orbital welding is of particular interest in the area of maintenance of thick-walled pipes that is described in this article. (orig.) [de

Computer vision techniques applied to the quality control of ceramic plates

OpenAIRE

Silveira, Joaquim; Ferreira, Manuel João Oliveira; Santos, Cristina; Martins, Teresa

2009-01-01

This paper presents a system, based on computer vision techniques, that detects and quantifies different types of defects in ceramic plates. It was developed in collaboration with the industrial ceramic sector and consequently it was focused on the defects that are considered more quality depreciating by the Portuguese industry. They are of three main types: cracks; granules and relief surface. For each type the development was specific as far as image processing techn...

Applied longitudinal analysis

CERN Document Server

Fitzmaurice, Garrett M; Ware, James H

2012-01-01

Praise for the First Edition "". . . [this book] should be on the shelf of everyone interested in . . . longitudinal data analysis.""-Journal of the American Statistical Association   Features newly developed topics and applications of the analysis of longitudinal data Applied Longitudinal Analysis, Second Edition presents modern methods for analyzing data from longitudinal studies and now features the latest state-of-the-art techniques. The book emphasizes practical, rather than theoretical, aspects of methods for the analysis of diverse types of lo

Investigation about the efficiency of the bioaugmentation technique when applied to diesel oil contaminated soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriano Pinto Mariano

2009-10-01

Full Text Available This work investigated the efficiency of the bioaugmentation technique when applied to diesel oil contaminated soils collected at three service stations. Batch biodegradation experiments were carried out in Bartha biometer flasks (250 mL used to measure the microbial CO2 production. Biodegradation efficiency was also measured by quantifying the concentration of hydrocarbons. In addition to the biodegradation experiments, the capability of the studied cultures and the native microorganisms to biodegrade the diesel oil purchased from a local service station, was verified using a technique based on the redox indicator 2,6 -dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP. Results obtained with this test showed that the inocula used in the biodegradation experiments were able to degrade the diesel oil and the tests carried out with the native microorganisms indicated that these soils had a microbiota adapted to degrade the hydrocarbons. In general, no gain was obtained with the addition of microorganisms or even negative effects were observed in the biodegradation experiments.Este trabalho investigou a eficiência da técnica do bioaumento quando aplicada a solos contaminados com óleo diesel coletados em três postos de combustíveis. Experimentos de biodegradação foram realizados em frascos de Bartha (250 mL, usados para medir a produção microbiana de CO2. A eficiência de biodegradação também foi quantificada pela concentração de hidrocarbonetos. Conjuntamente aos experimentos de biodegradação, a capacidade das culturas estudadas e dos microrganismos nativos em biodegradar óleo diesel comprado de um posto de combustíveis local, foi verificada utilizando-se a técnica baseada no indicador redox 2,6 - diclorofenol indofenol (DCPIP. Resultados obtidos com esse teste mostraram que os inóculos empregados nos experimentos de biodegradação foram capazes de biodegradar óleo diesel e os testes com os microrganismos nativos indicaram que estes solos

Proceedings of the workshop on applied mathematics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, H C; Couture, M; Douglas, S; Leivo, H P

1992-10-01

The Workshop on Applied Mathematics was held at the Cockcroft Centre, Deep River, Ontario, 1992 February 7-8. The purpose of the workshop was to provide a forum for applied mathematicians to survey the use and to discuss the future of applied mathematics at AECL Research. There were 57 participants at the workshop A total of eight 30-minute and 25 15-minute talks were presented describing mathematical techniques used in the whole range of activities at AECL Research, from numerical simulation of fluid flow through eddy current testing to quantum algebra and accelerator physics.

Proceedings of the workshop on applied mathematics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, H.C.; Couture, M.; Douglas, S.; Leivo, H.P.

1992-10-01

The Workshop on Applied Mathematics was held at the Cockcroft Centre, Deep River, Ontario, 1992 February 7-8. The purpose of the workshop was to provide a forum for applied mathematicians to survey the use and to discuss the future of applied mathematics at AECL Research. There were 57 participants at the workshop A total of eight 30-minute and 25 15-minute talks were presented describing mathematical techniques used in the whole range of activities at AECL Research, from numerical simulation of fluid flow through eddy current testing to quantum algebra and accelerator physics

Do trained practice nurses apply motivational interviewing techniques in primary care consultations?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noordman, J.; Lee, I. van der; Nielen, M.; Vlek, H.; Weijden, T. van der; Dulmen, S. van

2012-01-01

Background: Reducing the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle behaviour could positively influence health. Motivational interviewing (MI) is used to promote change in unhealthy lifestyle behaviour as part of primary or secondary prevention. Whether MI is actually applied as taught is unknown. Practice

Space-mapping techniques applied to the optimization of a safety isolating transformer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

T.V. Tran; S. Brisset; D. Echeverria (David); D.J.P. Lahaye (Domenico); P. Brochet

2007-01-01

textabstractSpace-mapping optimization techniques allow to allign low-fidelity and high-fidelity models in order to reduce the computational time and increase the accuracy of the solution. The main idea is to build an approximate model from the difference of response between both models. Therefore

Geologic-radiometric techniques applied for uranium prospection at the Hierro-Cayo Largo area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gongora, L.E.; Olivera, J.

1995-01-01

Using geologic-radiometric techniques uraniferous anomalies were evaluated at the Hierro-Cayo Largo area located in Pinar del Rio province. During the uranium prospection works at most promising areas, geologic itineraries and gamma ray, radon emanation spectrometric survey were done. Trenches were made and some boreholes were drilled (up to 20-30 m depth). In addition a lot of samples were taken in order to determine the amount of U, Ra, Th, y K by spectrometric techniques. As result of this investigation, a geological placing, a mineralogical and geochemical characteristic of uraniferous mineralization was possible to find out. The appropriate prospection indications for uranium exploration at Esperanza geologic zone were defined

Physical and Clinical Evaluation of Hip Spica Cast applied with Three-slab Technique using Fibreglass Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bitar KM

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Hip spica casting is an important component of treatment for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH and popular treatment method for femur fractures in children. Breakage at the hip region is a relatively common problem of this cast. We have developed a three-slab technique of hip spica application using fibreglass as the cast material. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the physical durability of the spica cast and skin complications with its use. Methodology: A retrospective review of children with various conditions requiring hip spica immobilisation which was applied using our method. Study duration was from 1st of January 2014 until 31st December 2015. Our main outcomes were cast breakage and skin complications. For children with hip instability, the first cast would be changed after one month, and the second cast about two months later. Results: Twenty-one children were included, with an average age of 2.2 years. The most common indication for spica immobilisation was developmental dysplasia of the hip. One child had skin irritation after spica application. No spica breakage was noted. Conclusion: This study showed that the three-slab method of hip spica cast application using fibreglass material was durable and safe with low risk of skin complications.

Gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry applied for the analysis of triazine herbicides in environmental waters by an isotope dilution technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai Zongwei; Wang Dongli; Ma, W.T.

2004-01-01

A gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry method was developed for the analysis of simazine, atrazine, cyanazine, as well as the degradation products of atrazine, such as deethylatrazine and deisopropylatrazine in environmental water samples. Isotope dilution technique was applied for the quantitative analysis of atrazine in water at low ng/l levels. One liter of water sample spiked with stable isotope internal standard atrazine-d 5 was extracted with a C 18 solid-phase extraction cartridge. The analysis was performed on an ion trap mass spectrometer operated in MS/MS method. The extraction recoveries were in the range of 83-94% for the triazine herbicides in water at the concentrations of 24, 200, and 1000 ng/l, while poor recoveries were obtained for the degradation products of atrazine. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) were within the range of 3.2-16.1%. The detection limits of the method were between 0.75 and 12 ng/l when 1 l of water was analyzed. The method was successfully applied to analyze environmental water samples collected from a reservoir and a river in Hong Kong for atrazine detected at concentrations between 3.4 and 26 ng/l

Applying GRA and QFD to Improve Library Service Quality

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yen-Ting; Chou, Tsung-Yu

2011-01-01

This paper applied Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) to Quality Function Deployment (QFD) to identify service improvement techniques for an academic library. First, reader needs and their importance, and satisfaction degrees were examined via questionnaires. Second, the service improvement techniques for satisfying the reader needs were developed by…

Estimation of water quality parameters applying satellite data fusion and mining techniques in the lake Albufera de Valencia (Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Doña, Carolina; Chang, Ni-Bin; Vannah, Benjamin W.; Sánchez, Juan Manuel; Delegido, Jesús; Camacho, Antonio; Caselles, Vicente

2014-05-01

Linked to the enforcement of the European Water Framework Directive (2000) (WFD), which establishes that all countries of the European Union have to avoid deterioration, improve and retrieve the status of the water bodies, and maintain their good ecological status, several remote sensing studies have been carried out to monitor and understand the water quality variables trend. Lake Albufera de Valencia (Spain) is a hypereutrophic system that can present chrorophyll a concentrations over 200 mg·m-3 and transparency (Secchi disk) values below 20 cm, needing to retrieve and improve its water quality. The principal aim of our work was to develop algorithms to estimate water quality parameters such as chlorophyll a concentration and water transparency, which are informative of the eutrophication and ecological status, using remote sensing data. Remote sensing data from Terra/MODIS, Landsat 5-TM and Landsat 7-ETM+ images were used to carry out this study. Landsat images are useful to analyze the spatial variability of the water quality variables, as well as to monitor small to medium size water bodies due to its 30-m spatial resolution. But, the poor temporal resolution of Landsat, with a 16-day revisit time, is an issue. In this work we tried to solve this data gap by applying fusion techniques between Landsat and MODIS images. Although the lower spatial resolution of MODIS is 250/500-m, one image per day is available. Thus, synthetic Landsat images were created using data fusion for no data acquisition dates. Good correlation values were obtained when comparing original and synthetic Landsat images. Genetic programming was used to develop models for predicting water quality. Using the reflectance bands of the synthetic Landsat images as inputs to the model, values of R2 = 0.94 and RMSE = 8 mg·m-3 were obtained when comparing modeled and observed values of chlorophyll a, and values of R2= 0.91 and RMSE = 4 cm for the transparency (Secchi disk). Finally, concentration

Economics on nuclear techniques application in industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Masao

1979-01-01

The economics of the application of nuclear techniques to industry is discussed. Nuclear techniques were applied to gauging (physical measurement), analysis, a radioactive tracer method, electrolytic dissociation, and radiography and were found to be very economical. They can be applied to manufacturing, mining, oceano-engineering, environmental engineering, and construction, all of which have a great influence on economics. However, because the application of a radioactive tracer technique does not have a direct influence on economics, it is difficult to estimate how beneficial it is. The cost-benefit ratio method recommended by IAEA was used for economical calculations. Examples of calculations made in gauging and analysis are given. (Ueda, J.)

Nuclear reactor vessel surface inspecting technique applying electric resistance probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, T.; Enami, K.; Yoshioka, M.

1975-01-01

A new technique for inspecting the inner surface of the PWR type nuclear reactor vessel by use of an electric resistance probe is introduced, centering on a data processing system. This system is composed of a mini-computer, a system typewriter, an interface unit, a D-A converter and controller, and X-Y recorder and others. Its functions are judging flaws and making flaw detection maps. In order to judge flaws by flaw detection signals, three kinds of flaw judging methods have been developed. In case there is a flaw, its position and depth are calculated and listed on the system typewriter. The flaw detection maps are expressed in four kinds of modes and they are displayed on the X-Y recorder. (auth.)

Fate of nitrogen in soil-crop system by nuclear techniques. Effects of applied rate of ammonium bicarbonate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Qing

1996-11-01

The experiment was conducted with 15 N tracing techniques in Shijiazhuang from 1994 to 1995. Three nitrogen rates, including optimum rate (150 kg/hm 2 ) based on the recommendation of local farmers, above 50% of optimum rate (225 kg/hm 2 ) and below 50% of optimum rate (75 kg/hm 2 ), were selected to study the effect of application rates of ammonium bicarbonate on yield of winter wheat and fate of applied nitrogen under local management and irrigated condition. The results showed that nitrogen uptake and grain yield of wheat under fertilized treatments were higher than those in unfertilized treatment (except 225 kg/hm 2 treatment). The highest yield and top dry mater weight (grain 6.80 t/hm 2 , top 14.70 t/hm 2 ) were obtained in optimum N applied treatment (150 kg/hm 2 ), while the highest nitrogen recovery efficiency (38.5%) of ammonium bicarbonate by winter wheat was found in below 50% of optimum rate treatment (75 kg/hm 2 ) due to the relatively high basic fertility of the field. However, nitrogen recovery efficiency of ammonium bicarbonate decreased with the increasing N application rate. The highest residue of fertilizer N was found in 225 kg/hm 2 treatment, and 46% of the residue existed in the top layer of the soil (0∼50 cm). The unaccounted N from fertilizer were 30.20%, 36.56%, 31.25% in 75 kg/hm 2 , 150 kg/hm 2 , 225 kg/hm 2 treatments respectively according to 15 N balance calculation in soil-plant system. The effect of residue N in soil on the next crop, maize, in 225 kg/hm 2 treatment was best in three fertilized treatments, suggesting the possibilities of nitrate leaching down in 225 kg/hm 2 treatment. (15 tabs.)

Application of the PISC results and methodology to assess the effectiveness of NDT techniques applied on non nuclear components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maciga, G.; Papponetti, M.; Crutzen, S.; Jehenson, P.

1990-01-01

Performance demonstration for NDT has been an active topic for several years. Interest in it came to the fore in the early 1980's when several institutions started to propose to use of realistic training assemblies and the formal approach of Validation Centers. These steps were justified for example by the results of the PISC exercises which concluded that there was a need for performance demonstration starting with capability assessment of techniques and procedure as they were routinely applied. If the PISC programme is put under the general ''Nuclear Motivation'', the PISC Methodology could be extended to problems to structural components in general, such as on conventional power plants, chemical, aerospace and offshore industries, where integrity and safety have regarded as being of great importance. Some themes of NDT inspections of fossil power plant and offshore components that could be objects of validation studies will be illustrated. (author)

Usage of laser techniques and digital aerial coverage as a layer for as-built applied to the LPG pipeline Urucu-Coari right-of-way

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furquim, Antonio J. [ESTEIO Engenharia e Aerolevantamentos S.A, Curitiba, PR (Brazil)

2009-07-01

The usage of taking of digital aerial images is a reality worldwide, but in Brazil there is few sensors in use available, which makes recognize the pioneer aspect of the technique. Something similar also occurs with the airborne LASER scanning, whose technique has been applied for more time, used in the obtaining of digital terrain models. The use of digital imaging along with the LASER survey can offer an option for the generation of high quality products in a very fast and efficient way, aiming at numberless applications. Among such applications, the generation of cartographic products for the implantation of pipelines, as well as the as-built drawings of these same rights-of-ways after the implantation can be highlighted. The pipeline sector has been the focus of great investments and keeps on presenting demand for new projects and implantations. That allows to deduce that the speed in the generation of accurate bases for such purpose shall progress towards the continuous development of such aerial survey techniques. This paper presents the application of images and LASER survey to obtain ortho photos of Urucu-Coari liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline. (author)

Synchrotron and Simulations Techniques Applied to Problems in Materials Science: Catalysts and Azul Maya Pigments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chianelli, R.

2005-01-01

Development of synchrotron techniques for the determination of the structure of disordered, amorphous and surface materials has exploded over the past twenty years due to the increasing availability of high flux synchrotron radiation and the continuing development of increasingly powerful synchrotron techniques. These techniques are available to materials scientists who are not necessarily synchrotron scientists through interaction with effective user communities that exist at synchrotrons such as the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL). In this article we review the application of multiple synchrotron characterization techniques to two classes of materials defined as ''surface compounds.'' One class of surface compounds are materials like MoS 2-x C x that are widely used petroleum catalysts used to improve the environmental properties of transportation fuels. These compounds may be viewed as ''sulfide supported carbides'' in their catalytically active states. The second class of ''surface compounds'' is the ''Maya Blue'' pigments that are based on technology created by the ancient Maya. These compounds are organic/inorganic ''surface complexes'' consisting of the dye indigo and palygorskite, a common clay. The identification of both surface compounds relies on the application of synchrotron techniques as described in this report

Statistical learning techniques applied to epidemiology: a simulated case-control comparison study with logistic regression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Land Walker H

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background When investigating covariate interactions and group associations with standard regression analyses, the relationship between the response variable and exposure may be difficult to characterize. When the relationship is nonlinear, linear modeling techniques do not capture the nonlinear information content. Statistical learning (SL techniques with kernels are capable of addressing nonlinear problems without making parametric assumptions. However, these techniques do not produce findings relevant for epidemiologic interpretations. A simulated case-control study was used to contrast the information embedding characteristics and separation boundaries produced by a specific SL technique with logistic regression (LR modeling representing a parametric approach. The SL technique was comprised of a kernel mapping in combination with a perceptron neural network. Because the LR model has an important epidemiologic interpretation, the SL method was modified to produce the analogous interpretation and generate odds ratios for comparison. Results The SL approach is capable of generating odds ratios for main effects and risk factor interactions that better capture nonlinear relationships between exposure variables and outcome in comparison with LR. Conclusions The integration of SL methods in epidemiology may improve both the understanding and interpretation of complex exposure/disease relationships.

Applied mathematics for science and engineering

CERN Document Server

Glasgow, Larry A

2014-01-01

Prepare students for success in using applied mathematics for engineering practice and post-graduate studies moves from one mathematical method to the next sustaining reader interest and easing the application of the techniques Uses different examples from chemical, civil, mechanical and various other engineering fields Based on a decade's worth of the authors lecture notes detailing the topic of applied mathematics for scientists and engineers Concisely writing with numerous examples provided including historical perspectives as well as a solutions manual for academic adopters

Radiation technique for the destruction of plutella

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

Plutella can be destroyed by cultivation technique where cabbage is grown interchangebly with other plants, biological technique where the natural enemy of plutella is used, and chemical technique where insecticide is used. Those method do not better results than the sterile male technique which can be either nuclear or chemical in nature. Laboratory, semifield research, and research in a limited field have been carried out when applying the sterile male technique. (SMN)

Surface exploration geophysics applied to the moon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ander, M.E.

1984-01-01

With the advent of a permanent lunar base, the desire to explore the lunar near-surface for both scientific and economic purposes will arise. Applications of exploration geophysical methods to the earth's subsurface are highly developed. This paper briefly addresses some aspects of applying this technology to near surface lunar exploration. It is noted that both the manner of application of some techniques, as well as their traditional hierarchy as assigned on earth, should be altered for lunar exploration. In particular, electromagnetic techniques may replace seismic techniques as the primary tool for evaluating near-surface structure

Pixe method as microanalytical instrument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabacniks, M.H.

1986-02-01

The PIXE method (Particle Induced X-Ray Emission) as analytical method presenting the evolution, the theoretical fundaments, the detection limit, the optimization for operational conditions is evaluated. The applications of the method to air pollution control and aerosol studies in regions such as Antartic, Amazon and other regions are analysed. (M.C.K.) [pt

2012 Annual Conference on Experimental and Applied Mechanics

CERN Document Server

Crone, Wendy; Jin, Helena; Sciammarella, Cesar; Furlong, Cosme; Furlong, Cosme; Chalivendra, Vijay; Song, Bo; Casem, Daniel; Antoun, Bonnie; Qi, H; Hall, Richard; Tandon, GP; Lu, Hongbing; Lu, Charles; Yoshida, Sanichiro; Shaw, Gordon; Prorok, Barton; Barthelat, François; Korach, Chad; Grande-Allen, K; Lipke, Elizabeth; Lykofatitits, George; Zavattieri, Pablo; Starman, LaVern; Patterson, Eann; Backman, David; Cloud, Gary; Vol.1 Dynamic Behavior of Materials; Vol.2 Challenges in Mechanics of Time-Dependent Materials and Processes in Conventional and Multifunctional Materials; Vol.3 Imaging Methods for Novel Materials and Challenging Applications; Vol.4 Experimental and Applied Mechanics; Vol.5 Mechanics of Biological Systems and Materials; Vol.6 MEMS and Nanotechnology; Vol.7 Composite Materials and Joining Technologies for Composites

2013-01-01

Experimental and Applied Mechanics, Volume 4: Proceedings of the 2012 Annual Conference on Experimental and Applied Mechanics, the fourth volume of seven from the Conference, brings together 54 contributions to this important area of research and engineering. The collection presents early findings and case studies on fundamental and applied aspects of Experimental and Applied Mechanics, including papers on:  Fracture & Fatigue Microscale & Microstructural Effects in Fatigue & Fracture Material Applications Composite Characterization Using Digital Image Correlation Techniques Multi-Scale Simulation and Testing of Composites Residual Stress Inverse Problems/Hybrid Methods Nano-Composites Microstructure Material Characterization Modeling and Uncertainty Quantification Impact Behavior of Composites.

Advanced in-flight measurement techniques

CERN Document Server

Lawson, Nicholas; Jentink, Henk; Kompenhans, Jürgen

2013-01-01

The book presents a synopsis of the main results achieved during the 3 year EU-project "Advanced Inflight Measurement Techniques (AIM)" which applied advanced image based measurement techniques to industrial flight testing. The book is intended to be not only an overview on the AIM activities but also a guide on the application of advanced optical measurement techniques for future flight testing. Furthermore it is a useful guide for engineers in the field of experimental methods and flight testing who face the challenge of a future requirement for the development of highly accurate non-intrusive in-flight measurement techniques.

Detection of corrosion by radiographic techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, M.; Ashraf, M.M.; Khurshid, U.

2004-01-01

Radiation processing technologies are playing an increasing role during manufacturing and subsequent use of everyday products. These technologies are now well established and are extensively practiced in industries, to ensure quality and safety of machinery. Corrosion reduces the operational life of the component, its efficiency and helps generate waste. There is an increasing need to detect and characterize the formation of corrosion in industrial components and assemblies at an early stage. Radiation methods and techniques are applied worldwide to examine defects and corrosion-formation in industrial components. For safety and economic reason, appropriate monitoring of the machinery and industrial components would help reduce accidental risks during operation and avoid production-losses. In the present study, X-ray and neutron-radiography techniques were applied for the inspection and evaluation of corrosion in metallic samples for thickness values of the order of 5 mm or less. Relative contrast at various degrees of metal corrosion product loss was computed theoretical and also measured experimentally by applying radiographic techniques. The relative contrast-sensitivity was also measured in two different ways by X-ray and neutron radiography, to compare the visibility of coarse and fine features. Thick metallic areas, free from sealant and variable paint thickness, were imaged with thermal neutrons beam. Low KV X-rays were also applied for imaging corrosion in metallic components. To optimize exposure-time at low KV in X-ray radiography, a medical film/screen combination was used. X-ray radiography approved to be the more promising technique for imaging of corrosion, as compared to neutron radiography. (author)

State and data techniques for control of discontinuous systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kisner, R.A.

1986-01-01

This paper describes a technique for structured analysis and design of automated control systems. The technique integrates control of continuous and discontinuous nuclear power plant subsystems and components. A hierarchical control system with distributed intelligence follows from applying the technique. Further, it can be applied to all phases of control system design. For simplicity, the example used in the paper is limited to phase 1 design (basic automatic control action), in which no maintenance, testing, or contingency capability is attempted. 11 figs

Statistical and Computational Techniques in Manufacturing

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

In recent years, interest in developing statistical and computational techniques for applied manufacturing engineering has been increased. Today, due to the great complexity of manufacturing engineering and the high number of parameters used, conventional approaches are no longer sufficient. Therefore, in manufacturing, statistical and computational techniques have achieved several applications, namely, modelling and simulation manufacturing processes, optimization manufacturing parameters, monitoring and control, computer-aided process planning, etc. The present book aims to provide recent information on statistical and computational techniques applied in manufacturing engineering. The content is suitable for final undergraduate engineering courses or as a subject on manufacturing at the postgraduate level. This book serves as a useful reference for academics, statistical and computational science researchers, mechanical, manufacturing and industrial engineers, and professionals in industries related to manu...

A Development Strategy for Creating a Suite of Reference Materials for the in-situ Microanalysis of Non-conventional Raw Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Renno, A. D.; Merchel, S.; Michalak, P. P.; Munnik, F.; Wiedenbeck, M.

2010-12-01

Recent economic trends regarding the supply of rare metals readily justify scientific research into non-conventional raw materials, where a particular need is a better understanding of the relationship between mineralogy, microstructure and the distribution of key metals within ore deposits (geometallurgy). Achieving these goals will require an extensive usage of in-situ microanalytical techniques capable of spatially resolving material heterogeneities which can be key for understanding better resource utilization. The availability of certified reference materials (CRMs) is an essential prerequisite for (1) validating new analytical methods, (2) demonstrating data quality to the contracting authorities, (3) supporting method development and instrument calibration, and (4) establishing traceability between new analytical approaches and existing data sets. This need has led to the granting of funding by the European Union and the German Free State of Saxony for a program to develop such reference materials . This effort will apply the following strategies during the selection of the phases: (1) will use exclusively synthetic minerals, thereby providing large volumes of homogeneous starting material. (2) will focus on matrices which are capable of incorporating many ‘important’ elements while avoid exotic compositions which would not be optimal matrix matches. (3) will emphasise those phases which remain stable during the various microanalytical procedure. This initiative will assess the homogeneity of the reference materials at sampling sizes ranging between 50 and 1 µm; it is also intended to document crystal structural homogeneity too, as this too may potentially impact specific analytical methods. As far as possible both definitive methods as well as methods involving matrix corrections will be used for determining the compositions of the of the individual materials. A critical challenge will be the validation of the determination of analytes concentrations

Methods of applied mathematics with a software overview

CERN Document Server

Davis, Jon H

2016-01-01

This textbook, now in its second edition, provides students with a firm grasp of the fundamental notions and techniques of applied mathematics as well as the software skills to implement them. The text emphasizes the computational aspects of problem solving as well as the limitations and implicit assumptions inherent in the formal methods. Readers are also given a sense of the wide variety of problems in which the presented techniques are useful. Broadly organized around the theme of applied Fourier analysis, the treatment covers classical applications in partial differential equations and boundary value problems, and a substantial number of topics associated with Laplace, Fourier, and discrete transform theories. Some advanced topics are explored in the final chapters such as short-time Fourier analysis and geometrically based transforms applicable to boundary value problems. The topics covered are useful in a variety of applied fields such as continuum mechanics, mathematical physics, control theory, and si...

Applied linear regression

CERN Document Server

Weisberg, Sanford

2013-01-01

Praise for the Third Edition ""...this is an excellent book which could easily be used as a course text...""-International Statistical Institute The Fourth Edition of Applied Linear Regression provides a thorough update of the basic theory and methodology of linear regression modeling. Demonstrating the practical applications of linear regression analysis techniques, the Fourth Edition uses interesting, real-world exercises and examples. Stressing central concepts such as model building, understanding parameters, assessing fit and reliability, and drawing conclusions, the new edition illus

Methods of applied mathematics

CERN Document Server

Hildebrand, Francis B

1992-01-01

This invaluable book offers engineers and physicists working knowledge of a number of mathematical facts and techniques not commonly treated in courses in advanced calculus, but nevertheless extremely useful when applied to typical problems in many different fields. It deals principally with linear algebraic equations, quadratic and Hermitian forms, operations with vectors and matrices, the calculus of variations, and the formulations and theory of linear integral equations. Annotated problems and exercises accompany each chapter.

Comparison of multivariate preprocessing techniques as applied to electronic tongue based pattern classification for black tea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palit, Mousumi; Tudu, Bipan; Bhattacharyya, Nabarun; Dutta, Ankur; Dutta, Pallab Kumar; Jana, Arun; Bandyopadhyay, Rajib; Chatterjee, Anutosh

2010-01-01

In an electronic tongue, preprocessing on raw data precedes pattern analysis and choice of the appropriate preprocessing technique is crucial for the performance of the pattern classifier. While attempting to classify different grades of black tea using a voltammetric electronic tongue, different preprocessing techniques have been explored and a comparison of their performances is presented in this paper. The preprocessing techniques are compared first by a quantitative measurement of separability followed by principle component analysis; and then two different supervised pattern recognition models based on neural networks are used to evaluate the performance of the preprocessing techniques.

Novas técnicas de reometria aplicadas a suspensões cerâmicas Novel rheometric techniques applied to ceramic suspensions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. D. dos Anjos

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Suspensões cerâmicas com adequado comportamento reológico são imprescindíveis para a aplicação, adequação do processamento e otimização das propriedades finais dos produtos. No entanto, o uso de técnicas de reometria para análise de suspensões cerâmicas foi pouco explorado na literatura, quando comparado a outros sistemas, tais como polímeros fundidos. Desse modo, pretende-se demonstrar que o emprego de técnicas mais modernas de reometria permite uma nova compreensão desses materiais e das interações entre seus componentes. Neste trabalho foi estabelecida uma metodologia de análise para sistemas cerâmicos tendo como objeto de pesquisa uma suspensão de alumina e sol de sílica. Foi realizada uma série de medidas de viscosidade (eta, módulos de armazenamento (G' e de perda (G" e de força normal (Fn, cujos resultados servirão de base para estudos posteriores no mesmo sistema, visando aplicação em concretos refratários.Ceramic suspensions with suitable rheological properties are essential on application, process control and optimization of end products and properties. Nevertheless, the use of rheometric techniques to analyze such suspensions has been scarcely studied when compared to other systems, such as molten polymers. Therefore, in the present work, novel rheometric techniques will be presented which can allow a further understanding regarding these materials and the interaction among their components. A systematic study applying these techniques was established and the viscosity, storage modulus, loss modulus and normal force measurements were evaluated in a ceramic suspension containing alumina and silica sol. These results will be the fundaments for further studies, aiming their application on refractory castables.

Domain Immersion Technique And Free Surface Computations Applied To Extrusion And Mixing Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Valette, Rudy; Vergnes, Bruno; Basset, Olivier; Coupez, Thierry

2007-04-01

This work focuses on the development of numerical techniques devoted to the simulation of mixing processes of complex fluids such as twin-screw extrusion or batch mixing. In mixing process simulation, the absence of symmetry of the moving boundaries (the screws or the rotors) implies that their rigid body motion has to be taken into account by using a special treatment. We therefore use a mesh immersion technique (MIT), which consists in using a P1+/P1-based (MINI-element) mixed finite element method for solving the velocity-pressure problem and then solving the problem in the whole barrel cavity by imposing a rigid motion (rotation) to nodes found located inside the so called immersed domain, each subdomain (screw, rotor) being represented by a surface CAD mesh (or its mathematical equation in simple cases). The independent meshes are immersed into a unique backgound computational mesh by computing the distance function to their boundaries. Intersections of meshes are accounted for, allowing to compute a fill factor usable as for the VOF methodology. This technique, combined with the use of parallel computing, allows to compute the time-dependent flow of generalized Newtonian fluids including yield stress fluids in a complex system such as a twin screw extruder, including moving free surfaces, which are treated by a "level set" and Hamilton-Jacobi method.

Influence of elemental concentration in soil on vegetables applying analytical nuclear techniques: k0-instrumental neutron activation analysis and radiometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menezes, Maria Angela de B.C.; Mingote, Raquel Maia; Silva, Lucilene Guerra e; Pedrosa, Lorena Gomes

2005-01-01

Samples from two vegetable gardens where analysed aiming at determining the elemental concentration. The vegetables selected to be studied are grown by the people for their own use and are present in daily meal. One vegetable garden studied is close to a mining activity in a region inserted in the Iron Quadrangle (Quadrilatero Ferrifero), located in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. This region is considered one of the richest mineral bearing regions in the world. Another vegetable garden studied is far from this region and without any mining activity It was also studied as a comparative site. This assessment was carried out to evaluate the elemental concentration in soil and vegetables, matrixes connected with the chain food, applying the k 0 -Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (k 0 -INAA) at the Laboratory for Neutron Activation Analysis. However, this work reports only the results of thorium, uranium and rare-earth obtained in samples collected during the dry season, focusing on the influence of these elements on vegetable elemental composition. Results of natural radioactivity determined by Gross Alpha and Gross Beta measurements, are also reported. This study is related to the BRA 11920 project, entitled 'Iron Quadrangle, Brazil: assessment of health impact caused by mining pollutants through chain food applying nuclear and related techniques', one of the researches co-ordinated by the IAEA (Vienna, Austria). (author)

Nonequilibrium Green function techniques applied to hot electron quantum transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jauho, A.P.

1989-01-01

During the last few years considerable effort has been devoted to deriving quantum transport equations for semiconductors under extreme conditions (high electric fields, spatial quantization in one or two directions). Here we review the results obtained with nonequilibrium Green function techniques as formulated by Baym and Kadanoff, or by Keldysh. In particular, the following topics will be discussed: (i) Systematic approaches to reduce the transport equation governing the correlation function to a transport equation for the Wigner function; (ii) Approximations reducing the nonmarkovian quantum transport equation to a numerically tractable form, and results for model semiconductors; (iii) Recent progress in extending the formalism to inhomogeneous systems; and (iv) Nonequilibrium screening. In all sections we try to direct the reader's attention to points where the present understanding is (at best) incomplete, and indicate possible lines for future work. (orig.)

Statistical Theory of the Vector Random Decrement Technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asmussen, J. C.; Brincker, Rune; Ibrahim, S. R.

1999-01-01

decays. Due to the speed and/or accuracy of the Vector Random Decrement technique, it was introduced as an attractive alternative to the Random Decrement technique. In this paper, the theory of the Vector Random Decrement technique is extended by applying a statistical description of the stochastic...

Artificial Intelligence Techniques: Applications for Courseware Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Dear, Brian L.

1986-01-01

Introduces some general concepts and techniques of artificial intelligence (natural language interfaces, expert systems, knowledge bases and knowledge representation, heuristics, user-interface metaphors, and object-based environments) and investigates ways these techniques might be applied to analysis, design, development, implementation, and…

Magnetic Resonance Techniques Applied to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

Science.gov (United States)

de Celis Alonso, Benito; Hidalgo-Tobón, Silvia S.; Menéndez-González, Manuel; Salas-Pacheco, José; Arias-Carrión, Oscar

2015-01-01

Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects at least 10 million people worldwide. It is a neurodegenerative disease, which is currently diagnosed by neurological examination. No neuroimaging investigation or blood biomarker is available to aid diagnosis and prognosis. Most effort toward diagnosis using magnetic resonance (MR) has been focused on the use of structural/anatomical neuroimaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). However, deep brain stimulation, a current strategy for treating PD, is guided by MR imaging (MRI). For clinical prognosis, diagnosis, and follow-up investigations, blood oxygen level-dependent MRI, DTI, spectroscopy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation have been used. These techniques represent the state of the art in the last 5 years. Here, we focus on MR techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. PMID:26191037

State of the art of toshiba maintenance techniques for reactor internals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maekawa, Osamu; Hattori, Yasuhiro; Sudo, Akira

2002-01-01

As the number of aged plants increases, maintaining the integrity of the reactor pressure vessel and reactor internals in aged plants has become an essential issue to ensure continued stable operation and achieve higher plant operability. A major issue with regard to reactor internals is stress corrosion cracks (SCCs). Laser-applying techniques have many features suitable for preventive maintenance work on reactor internals. Toshiba has developed various laser-applying preventive maintenance techniques and accumulated considerable field experience utilizing these techniques in various aged plants. Moreover, in view of the importance of confirming the soundness of reactor internals in aged plants, Toshiba has developed and applied sophisticated nondestructive testing techniques for this purpose. (author)

U P1, an example for advanced techniques applied to high level activity dismantling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michel-Noel, M.; Calixte, O.; Blanchard, S.; Bani, J.; Girones, P.; Moitrier, C.; Terry, G.; Bourdy, R.

2014-01-01

The U P1 plant on the CEA Marcoule site was dedicated to the processing of spend fuels from the G1, G2 and G3 plutonium-producing reactors. This plant represents 20.000 m 2 of workshops housing about 1000 hot cells. In 1998, a huge program for the dismantling and cleaning-up of the UP1 plant was launched. CEA has developed new techniques to face the complexity of the dismantling operations. These techniques include immersive virtual reality, laser cutting, a specific manipulator arm called MAESTRO and remote handling. (A.C.)

Applied mathematics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nedelec, J.C.

1988-01-01

The 1988 progress report of the Applied Mathematics center (Polytechnic School, France), is presented. The research fields of the Center are the scientific calculus, the probabilities and statistics and the video image synthesis. The research topics developed are: the analysis of numerical methods, the mathematical analysis of the physics and mechanics fundamental models, the numerical solution of complex models related to the industrial problems, the stochastic calculus and the brownian movement, the stochastic partial differential equations, the identification of the adaptive filtering parameters, the discrete element systems, statistics, the stochastic control and the development, the image synthesis techniques for education and research programs. The published papers, the congress communications and the thesis are listed [fr

X-ray Computed Microtomography technique applied for cementitious materials: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Ítalo Batista

2018-04-01

The main objective of this article is to present a bibliographical review about the use of the X-ray microtomography method in 3D images processing of cementitious materials microstructure, analyzing the pores microstructure and connectivity network, enabling tthe possibility of building a relationship between permeability and porosity. The use of this technique enables the understanding of physical, chemical and mechanical properties of cementitious materials by publishing good results, considering that the quality and quantity of accessible information were significant and may contribute to the study of cementitious materials development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MACHINE LEARNING TECHNIQUES APPLIED TO LIGNOCELLULOSIC ETHANOL IN SIMULTANEOUS HYDROLYSIS AND FERMENTATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Fischer

Full Text Available Abstract This paper investigates the use of machine learning (ML techniques to study the effect of different process conditions on ethanol production from lignocellulosic sugarcane bagasse biomass using S. cerevisiae in a simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF process. The effects of temperature, enzyme concentration, biomass load, inoculum size and time were investigated using artificial neural networks, a C5.0 classification tree and random forest algorithms. The optimization of ethanol production was also evaluated. The results clearly depict that ML techniques can be used to evaluate the SHF (R2 between actual and model predictions higher than 0.90, absolute average deviation lower than 8.1% and RMSE lower than 0.80 and predict optimized conditions which are in close agreement with those found experimentally. Optimal conditions were found to be a temperature of 35 ºC, an SHF time of 36 h, enzymatic load of 99.8%, inoculum size of 29.5 g/L and bagasse concentration of 24.9%. The ethanol concentration and volumetric productivity for these conditions were 12.1 g/L and 0.336 g/L.h, respectively.

Improving optical properties of silicon nitride films to be applied in the middle infrared optics by a combined high-power impulse/unbalanced magnetron sputtering deposition technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Bo-Huei; Hsiao, Chien-Nan

2014-02-01

Silicon nitride films are prepared by a combined high-power impulse/unbalanced magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS/UBMS) deposition technique. Different unbalance coefficients and pulse on/off ratios are applied to improve the optical properties of the silicon nitride films. The refractive indices of the Si3N4 films vary from 2.17 to 2.02 in the wavelength ranges of 400-700 nm, and all the extinction coefficients are smaller than 1×10(-4). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffractometry measurements reveal the amorphous structure of the Si3N4 films with extremely low hydrogen content and very low absorption between the near IR and middle IR ranges. Compared to other deposition techniques, Si3N4 films deposited by the combined HIPIMS/UBMS deposition technique possess the highest refractive index, the lowest extinction coefficient, and excellent structural properties. Finally a four-layer coating is deposited on both sides of a silicon substrate. The average transmittance from 3200 to 4800 nm is 99.0%, and the highest transmittance is 99.97% around 4200 nm.

Element selective detection of molecular species applying chromatographic techniques and diode laser atomic absorption spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunze, K; Zybin, A; Koch, J; Franzke, J; Miclea, M; Niemax, K

2004-12-01

Tunable diode laser atomic absorption spectroscopy (DLAAS) combined with separation techniques and atomization in plasmas and flames is presented as a powerful method for analysis of molecular species. The analytical figures of merit of the technique are demonstrated by the measurement of Cr(VI) and Mn compounds, as well as molecular species including halogen atoms, hydrogen, carbon and sulfur.

A study on the hollow-out radiation technique applied to the protection of the spinal cord

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Tadayoshi

1975-01-01

The hollow-out radiation technique to protect the spinal cord in linear accelerator X-ray treatment of malignant diseases has been established in this study. Several kinds of diseases were selected as the subjects of the hollow-out technique to protect the cervical spinal cord, thoracic spinal cord, and dorsolumbar spinal cord from radiation, plus fundamental data, such as the materials, shapes and sizes of absorber, which are most appropriate for each of the diseases, were established. In all the cases receiving this technique, the necessary areas of therapy are covered by 80-90% dose distribution and the radiation dose of the spinal cord is kept below 40%. The fundamental data and irradiation conditions for the hollow-out technique of every part of the spinal cord were arranged from the results of phantom examinations on every part of the human body and from 42 cases actually treated. In the present study, the hollow-out technique for the cervical spinal cord, thoracic spinal cord, and dorsolumbar spinal cord is divided into 5 categories, and a method for the planning of radiation therapy and the actual treatment are described. The hollow-out radiation technique on the spinal cord is useful radiation therapy which can give better results by preventing radiation myelopathy. (auth.)

Quantitative Portfolio Optimization Techniques Applied to the Brazilian Stock Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Alves Portela Santos

2012-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper we assess the out-of-sample performance of two alternative quantitative portfolio optimization techniques - mean-variance and minimum variance optimization – and compare their performance with respect to a naive 1/N (or equally-weighted portfolio and also to the market portfolio given by the Ibovespa. We focus on short selling-constrained portfolios and consider alternative estimators for the covariance matrices: sample covariance matrix, RiskMetrics, and three covariance estimators proposed by Ledoit and Wolf (2003, Ledoit and Wolf (2004a and Ledoit and Wolf (2004b. Taking into account alternative portfolio re-balancing frequencies, we compute out-of-sample performance statistics which indicate that the quantitative approaches delivered improved results in terms of lower portfolio volatility and better risk-adjusted returns. Moreover, the use of more sophisticated estimators for the covariance matrix generated optimal portfolios with lower turnover over time.

The efficacy of the 'mind map' study technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Farrand, Paul; Hussain, Fearzana; Hennessy, Enid

2002-05-01

To examine the effectiveness of using the 'mind map' study technique to improve factual recall from written information. To obtain baseline data, subjects completed a short test based on a 600-word passage of text prior to being randomly allocated to form two groups: 'self-selected study technique' and 'mind map'. After a 30-minute interval the self-selected study technique group were exposed to the same passage of text previously seen and told to apply existing study techniques. Subjects in the mind map group were trained in the mind map technique and told to apply it to the passage of text. Recall was measured after an interfering task and a week later. Measures of motivation were taken. Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London. 50 second- and third-year medical students. Recall of factual material improved for both the mind map and self-selected study technique groups at immediate test compared with baseline. However this improvement was only robust after a week for those in the mind map group. At 1 week, the factual knowledge in the mind map group was greater by 10% (adjusting for baseline) (95% CI -1% to 22%). However motivation for the technique used was lower in the mind map group; if motivation could have been made equal in the groups, the improvement with mind mapping would have been 15% (95% CI 3% to 27%). Mind maps provide an effective study technique when applied to written material. However before mind maps are generally adopted as a study technique, consideration has to be given towards ways of improving motivation amongst users.

Food physics and radiation techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabo, A. S.

1999-01-01

In the lecture information is given about food physics, which is a rather new, interdisciplinary field of science, connecting food science and applied physics. The topics of radioactivity of foodstuffs and radiation techniques in the food industry are important parts of food physics detailed information will be given about the main fields (e.g. radio stimulation, food preservation) of radiation techniques in the agro-food sector. Finally some special questions of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs in hungary and applicability of radioanalytical techniques (e.g. Inaa) for food investigation will be analyzed and discussed

Metal oxide collectors for storing matter technique applied in secondary ion mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miśnik, Maciej [Institute of Tele and Radio Technology, ul. Ratuszowa 11, 03-450 Warszawa (Poland); Gdańsk University of Technology (Poland); Konarski, Piotr [Institute of Tele and Radio Technology, ul. Ratuszowa 11, 03-450 Warszawa (Poland); Zawada, Aleksander [Institute of Tele and Radio Technology, ul. Ratuszowa 11, 03-450 Warszawa (Poland); Military University of Technology, Warszawa (Poland)

2016-03-15

We present results of the use of metal and metal oxide substrates that serve as collectors in ‘storing matter’, the quantitative technique of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). This technique allows separating the two base processes of secondary ion formation in SIMS. Namely, the process of ion sputtering is separated from the process of ionisation. The technique allows sputtering of the analysed sample and storing the sputtered material, with sub-monolayer coverage, onto a collector surface. Such deposits can be then analysed by SIMS, and as a result, the so called ‘matrix effects’ are significantly reduced. We perform deposition of the sputtered material onto Ti and Cu substrates and also onto metal oxide substrates as molybdenum, titanium, tin and indium oxides. The process of sputtering is carried within the same vacuum chamber where the SIMS analysis of the collected material is performed. For sputtering and SIMS analysis of the deposited material we use 5 keV Ar{sup +} beam of 500 nA. The presented results are obtained with the use of stationary collectors. Here we present a case study of chromium. The obtained results show that the molybdenum and titanium oxide substrates used as collectors increase useful yield by two orders, with respect to such pure elemental collectors as Cu and Ti. Here we define useful yield as a ratio of the number of detected secondary ions during SIMS analysis and the number of atoms sputtered during the deposition process.

Radiographic constant exposure technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Domanus, Joseph Czeslaw

1985-01-01

The constant exposure technique has been applied to assess various industrial radiographic systems. Different X-ray films and radiographic papers of two producers were compared. Special attention was given to fast film and paper used with fluorometallic screens. Radiographic image quality...... was tested by the use of ISO wire IQI's and ASTM penetrameters used on Al and Fe test plates. Relative speed and reduction of kilovoltage obtained with the constant exposure technique were calculated. The advantages of fast radiographic systems are pointed out...

Point-source inversion techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Langston, Charles A.; Barker, Jeffrey S.; Pavlin, Gregory B.

1982-11-01

A variety of approaches for obtaining source parameters from waveform data using moment-tensor or dislocation point source models have been investigated and applied to long-period body and surface waves from several earthquakes. Generalized inversion techniques have been applied to data for long-period teleseismic body waves to obtain the orientation, time function and depth of the 1978 Thessaloniki, Greece, event, of the 1971 San Fernando event, and of several events associated with the 1963 induced seismicity sequence at Kariba, Africa. The generalized inversion technique and a systematic grid testing technique have also been used to place meaningful constraints on mechanisms determined from very sparse data sets; a single station with high-quality three-component waveform data is often sufficient to discriminate faulting type (e.g., strike-slip, etc.). Sparse data sets for several recent California earthquakes, for a small regional event associated with the Koyna, India, reservoir, and for several events at the Kariba reservoir have been investigated in this way. Although linearized inversion techniques using the moment-tensor model are often robust, even for sparse data sets, there are instances where the simplifying assumption of a single point source is inadequate to model the data successfully. Numerical experiments utilizing synthetic data and actual data for the 1971 San Fernando earthquake graphically demonstrate that severe problems may be encountered if source finiteness effects are ignored. These techniques are generally applicable to on-line processing of high-quality digital data, but source complexity and inadequacy of the assumed Green's functions are major problems which are yet to be fully addressed.

3D-Laser-Scanning Technique Applied to Bulk Density Measurements of Apollo Lunar Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Macke, R. J.; Kent, J. J.; Kiefer, W. S.; Britt, D. T.

2015-01-01

In order to better interpret gravimetric data from orbiters such as GRAIL and LRO to understand the subsurface composition and structure of the lunar crust, it is import to have a reliable database of the density and porosity of lunar materials. To this end, we have been surveying these physical properties in both lunar meteorites and Apollo lunar samples. To measure porosity, both grain density and bulk density are required. For bulk density, our group has historically utilized sub-mm bead immersion techniques extensively, though several factors have made this technique problematic for our work with Apollo samples. Samples allocated for measurement are often smaller than optimal for the technique, leading to large error bars. Also, for some samples we were required to use pure alumina beads instead of our usual glass beads. The alumina beads were subject to undesirable static effects, producing unreliable results. Other investigators have tested the use of 3d laser scanners on meteorites for measuring bulk volumes. Early work, though promising, was plagued with difficulties including poor response on dark or reflective surfaces, difficulty reproducing sharp edges, and large processing time for producing shape models. Due to progress in technology, however, laser scanners have improved considerably in recent years. We tested this technique on 27 lunar samples in the Apollo collection using a scanner at NASA Johnson Space Center. We found it to be reliable and more precise than beads, with the added benefit that it involves no direct contact with the sample, enabling the study of particularly friable samples for which bead immersion is not possible

Spectral deformation techniques applied to the study of quantum statistical irreversible processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Courbage, M.

1978-01-01

A procedure of analytic continuation of the resolvent of Liouville operators for quantum statistical systems is discussed. When applied to the theory of irreversible processes of the Brussels School, this method supports the idea that the restriction to a class of initial conditions is necessary to obtain an irreversible behaviour. The general results are tested on the Friedrichs model. (Auth.)

Cognitive Support in Teaching Football Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Duda, Henryk

2009-01-01

Study aim: To improve the teaching of football techniques by applying cognitive and imagery techniques. Material and methods: Four groups of subjects, n = 32 each, were studied: male and female physical education students aged 20-21 years, not engaged previously in football training; male juniors and minors, aged 16 and 13 years, respectively,…

Review of the Statistical Techniques in Medical Sciences | Okeh ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... medical researcher in selecting the appropriate statistical techniques. Of course, all statistical techniques have certain underlying assumptions, which must be checked before the technique is applied. Keywords: Variable, Prospective Studies, Retrospective Studies, Statistical significance. Bio-Research Vol. 6 (1) 2008: pp.

Applying data mining techniques to medical time series: an empirical case study in electroencephalography and stabilometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Anguera

2016-01-01

This paper illustrates the application of different knowledge discovery techniques for the purposes of classification within the above domains. The accuracy of this application for the two classes considered in each case is 99.86% and 98.11% for epilepsy diagnosis in the electroencephalography (EEG domain and 99.4% and 99.1% for early-age sports talent classification in the stabilometry domain. The KDD techniques achieve better results than other traditional neural network-based classification techniques.

The Small-scale Structure of Photospheric Convection Retrieved by a Deconvolution Technique Applied to Hinode /SP Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oba, T. [SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252–5210 (Japan); Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K. [Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (MPS), Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany); Iida, Y. [Department of Science and Technology/Kwansei Gakuin University, Gakuen 2-1, Sanda, Hyogo, 669–1337 Japan (Japan); Quintero Noda, C.; Shimizu, T. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252–5210 (Japan)

2017-11-01

Solar granules are bright patterns surrounded by dark channels, called intergranular lanes, in the solar photosphere and are a manifestation of overshooting convection. Observational studies generally find stronger upflows in granules and weaker downflows in intergranular lanes. This trend is, however, inconsistent with the results of numerical simulations in which downflows are stronger than upflows through the joint action of gravitational acceleration/deceleration and pressure gradients. One cause of this discrepancy is the image degradation caused by optical distortion and light diffraction and scattering that takes place in an imaging instrument. We apply a deconvolution technique to Hinode /SP data in an attempt to recover the original solar scene. Our results show a significant enhancement in both the convective upflows and downflows but particularly for the latter. After deconvolution, the up- and downflows reach maximum amplitudes of −3.0 km s{sup −1} and +3.0 km s{sup −1} at an average geometrical height of roughly 50 km, respectively. We found that the velocity distributions after deconvolution match those derived from numerical simulations. After deconvolution, the net LOS velocity averaged over the whole field of view lies close to zero as expected in a rough sense from mass balance.

3D-QSPR Method of Computational Technique Applied on Red Reactive Dyes by Using CoMFA Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahnaz Perveen

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Cellulose fiber is a tremendous natural resource that has broad application in various productions including the textile industry. The dyes, which are commonly used for cellulose printing, are “reactive dyes” because of their high wet fastness and brilliant colors. The interaction of various dyes with the cellulose fiber depends upon the physiochemical properties that are governed by specific features of the dye molecule. The binding pattern of the reactive dye with cellulose fiber is called the ligand-receptor concept. In the current study, the three dimensional quantitative structure property relationship (3D-QSPR technique was applied to understand the red reactive dyes interactions with the cellulose by the Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA method. This method was successfully utilized to predict a reliable model. The predicted model gives satisfactory statistical results and in the light of these, it was further analyzed. Additionally, the graphical outcomes (contour maps help us to understand the modification pattern and to correlate the structural changes with respect to the absorptivity. Furthermore, the final selected model has potential to assist in understanding the charachteristics of the external test set. The study could be helpful to design new reactive dyes with better affinity and selectivity for the cellulose fiber.

3D-QSPR method of computational technique applied on red reactive dyes by using CoMFA strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmood, Uzma; Rashid, Sitara; Ali, S Ishrat; Parveen, Rasheeda; Zaheer-Ul-Haq; Ambreen, Nida; Khan, Khalid Mohammed; Perveen, Shahnaz; Voelter, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

Cellulose fiber is a tremendous natural resource that has broad application in various productions including the textile industry. The dyes, which are commonly used for cellulose printing, are "reactive dyes" because of their high wet fastness and brilliant colors. The interaction of various dyes with the cellulose fiber depends upon the physiochemical properties that are governed by specific features of the dye molecule. The binding pattern of the reactive dye with cellulose fiber is called the ligand-receptor concept. In the current study, the three dimensional quantitative structure property relationship (3D-QSPR) technique was applied to understand the red reactive dyes interactions with the cellulose by the Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) method. This method was successfully utilized to predict a reliable model. The predicted model gives satisfactory statistical results and in the light of these, it was further analyzed. Additionally, the graphical outcomes (contour maps) help us to understand the modification pattern and to correlate the structural changes with respect to the absorptivity. Furthermore, the final selected model has potential to assist in understanding the characteristics of the external test set. The study could be helpful to design new reactive dyes with better affinity and selectivity for the cellulose fiber.

Application of scanning electron microscopy and ultraviolet fluorescence to a study of Chattanooga Shale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, L.A.; Kopp, O.C.; Crouse, R.S.

1982-01-01

Microanalytical techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray analysis, and electron-beam microprobe analysis have been shown to be ideal for determining the host phases of the minor and trace elements in the Chattanooga shale. Positive correlations were found between pyrite and organic constituents. However, these observations provided no evidence that microorganisms acted as hosts for pyrite framboids. Interestingly, appreciable organic sulfur is still present, suggesting that the sulfur used for the formation of pyrite must have been derived mostly from other sources. It may be that the sulfate-reducing bacteria had an affinity for organic matter and that the organic fragments acted as substrates for pyrite growth

Microdialysis technique and interventional radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An Xiao; Xiao Xiangsheng

2007-01-01

Basic research in interventional radiology, including transcatheter artery perfusion especially, is progressing slowly due to lack of proper method. Microdialysis technique, a kind of accurate sampling technique in vivo, may help to solve the problem. Just as its name implies, microdialysis means tiny dialysis with advantages of authenticity, exactness and less error. Furthermore it has been applied widely and should be received with great attention and popularity. (authors)

Noise resistance applied to the study paints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanchas Garcia-Zarco, S.; Alfosin Perez, V.; Suarez Garcia, A.; Urrejola Madrinan, S.; Sanchez Bermudez, A.

2015-01-01

Electrochemical noise is one of the methods of analysis used to interpret the phenomenon of corrosion. It has a number of advantages over other methodology types including its simplicity, its low cost and the fact that it does not disturb the system. This methodology appears to be effective together with other techniques in metal-electrolyte systems. In this case the technique is applied on its own on commercial anti-corrosion paints for which no information is available from other techniques. The main result of this study reveals the effectiveness of the noise resistance parameter, which had already been tested in the lab, when it is used to explain how the paint system behaves in industry. (Author)

48 CFR 1631.203-70 - Allocation techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... shall consistently apply the methods and techniques established to classify direct and indirect costs... meant to be exhaustive, but rather are examples of allocation methods that may be acceptable under... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 true Allocation techniques. 1631...

Noninvasive Remote Sensing Techniques for Infrastructures Diagnostics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelo Palombo

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The present paper aims at analyzing the potentialities of noninvasive remote sensing techniques used for detecting the conservation status of infrastructures. The applied remote sensing techniques are ground-based microwave radar interferometer and InfraRed Thermography (IRT to study a particular structure planned and made in the framework of the ISTIMES project (funded by the European Commission in the frame of a joint Call “ICT and Security” of the Seventh Framework Programme. To exploit the effectiveness of the high-resolution remote sensing techniques applied we will use the high-frequency thermal camera to measure the structures oscillations by high-frequency analysis and ground-based microwave radar interferometer to measure the dynamic displacement of several points belonging to a large structure. The paper describes the preliminary research results and discusses on the future applicability and techniques developments for integrating high-frequency time series data of the thermal imagery and ground-based microwave radar interferometer data.

A conditioning technique for matrix inversion for Wilson fermions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeGrand, T.A.

1988-01-01

I report a simple technique for conditioning conjugate gradient or conjugate residue matrix inversion as applied to the lattice gauge theory problem of computing the propagator of Wilson fermions. One form of the technique provides about a factor of three speedup over an unconditioned algorithm while running at the same speed as an unconditioned algorithm. I illustrate the method as it is applied to a conjugate residue algorithm. (orig.)

Special irradiation techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colomez, Gerard; Veyrat, J.F.

1981-01-01

Irradiation trials conducted on materials-testing reactors should provide a better understanding of the phenomena which characterize the working and evolution in time of electricity-generating nuclear reactors. The authors begin by outlining the objectives behind experimental irradiation (applied to the various nuclear chains) and then describe the special techniques deployed to achieve these objectives [fr

Applying Qualitative Research Methods to Narrative Knowledge Engineering

OpenAIRE

O'Neill, Brian; Riedl, Mark

2014-01-01

We propose a methodology for knowledge engineering for narrative intelligence systems, based on techniques used to elicit themes in qualitative methods research. Our methodology uses coding techniques to identify actions in natural language corpora, and uses these actions to create planning operators and procedural knowledge, such as scripts. In an iterative process, coders create a taxonomy of codes relevant to the corpus, and apply those codes to each element of that corpus. These codes can...

Ion bombardment techniques - recent developments in SIMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konarski, P.; Miśnik, M.

2013-01-01

We present a short review of cluster ion bombardment technique recently applied in SIMS. Many advantages of using cluster ion beams are specified over monoatomic ion species. Cluster ions open really new perspectives especially in organic based structures analysis. Nevertheless cluster ions are not the perfect solution and still new ideas of ion erosion in SIMS are needed. Another issue discussed is 'storing matter' technique applied for quantitative analysis in SIMS. Simple idea of sputter deposition of eroded material onto rotating substrate and then analysing the stored material allows to avoid strong matrix effects in SIMS. Presented are the results performed in Tele and Radio Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland. These are the first results of ‘storing matter’ technique performed in one analytical chamber of SIMS instrument. (authors)

Tensometry technique for X-ray diffraction in applied analysis of welding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turibus, S.N.; Caldas, F.C.M.; Miranda, D.M.; Monine, V.I.; Assis, J.T.

2010-01-01

This paper presents the analysis of residual stress introduced in welding process. As the stress in a material can induce damages, it is necessary to have a method to identify this residual stress state. For this it was used the non-destructive X-ray diffraction technique to analyze two plates from A36 steel jointed by metal inert gas (MIG) welding. The stress measurements were made by the sin 2 ψ method in weld region of steel plates including analysis of longitudinal and transverse residual stresses in fusion zone, heat affected zone (HAZ) and base metal. To determine the stress distribution along the depth of the welded material it was used removing of superficial layers made by electropolishing. (author)

Schlieren technique applied to the arc temperature measurement in a high energy density cutting torch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prevosto, L.; Mancinelli, B.; Artana, G.; Kelly, H.

2010-01-01

Plasma temperature and radial density profiles of the plasma species in a high energy density cutting arc have been obtained by using a quantitative schlieren technique. A Z-type two-mirror schlieren system was used in this research. Due to its great sensibility such technique allows measuring plasma composition and temperature from the arc axis to the surrounding medium by processing the gray-level contrast values of digital schlieren images recorded at the observation plane for a given position of a transverse knife located at the exit focal plane of the system. The technique has provided a good visualization of the plasma flow emerging from the nozzle and its interactions with the surrounding medium and the anode. The obtained temperature values are in good agreement with those values previously obtained by the authors on the same torch using Langmuir probes.

Huffman-based code compression techniques for embedded processors

KAUST Repository

Bonny, Mohamed Talal; Henkel, Jö rg

2010-01-01

% for ARM and MIPS, respectively. In our compression technique, we have conducted evaluations using a representative set of applications and we have applied each technique to two major embedded processor architectures, namely ARM and MIPS. © 2010 ACM.

Radio Ranging Techniques to test Relativistic Gravitation

OpenAIRE

Cowsik, R.

1999-01-01

It is suggested that modern techniques of radio ranging when applied to study the motion of the Moon, can improve the accuracy of tests of relativistic gravitation obtained with currently operating laser ranging techniques. Other auxillary information relevant to the Solar system would also emerge from such a study.

Using wavelet denoising and mathematical morphology in the segmentation technique applied to blood cells images

OpenAIRE

Boix García, Macarena; Cantó Colomina, Begoña

2013-01-01

Accurate image segmentation is used in medical diagnosis since this technique is a noninvasive pre-processing step for biomedical treatment. In this work we present an efficient segmentation method for medical image analysis. In particular, with this method blood cells can be segmented. For that, we combine the wavelet transform with morphological operations. Moreover, the wavelet thresholding technique is used to eliminate the noise and prepare the image for suitable segmentation. In wavelet...

The Delphi Technique in Educational Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravonne A. Green

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The Delphi Technique has been useful in educational settings in forming guidelines, standards, and in predicting trends. Judd lists these major uses of the Delphi Technique in higher education: (a cost-effectiveness, (b cost–benefit analysis, (c curriculum and campus planning, and (d university-wide educational goals and objectives. The thorough Delphi researcher seeks to reconcile the Delphi consensus with current literature, institutional research, and the campus environment. This triangle forms a sound base for responsible research practice. This book gives an overview of the Delphi Technique and the primary uses of this technique in research. This article on the Delphi Technique will give the researcher an invaluable resource for learning about the Delphi Technique and for applying this method in educational research projects.

Applying Tiab’s direct synthesis technique to dilatant non-Newtonian/Newtonian fluids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Andrés Martínez

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Non-Newtonian fluids, such as polymer solutions, have been used by the oil industry for many years as fracturing agents and drilling mud. These solutions, which normally include thickened water and jelled fluids, are injected into the formation to enhanced oil recovery by improving sweep efficiency. It is worth noting that some heavy oils behave non-Newtonianly. Non-Newtonian fluids do not have direct proportionality between applied shear stress and shear rate and viscosity varies with shear rate depending on whether the fluid is either pseudoplastic or dilatant. Viscosity decreases as shear rate increases for the former whilst the reverse takes place for dilatants. Mathematical models of conventional fluids thus fail when applied to non-Newtonian fluids. The pressure derivative curve is introduced in this descriptive work for a dilatant fluid and its pattern was observed. Tiab’s direct synthesis (TDS methodology was used as a tool for interpreting pressure transient data to estimate effective permeability, skin factors and non-Newtonian bank radius. The methodology was successfully verified by its application to synthetic examples. Also, comparing it to pseudoplastic behavior, it was found that the radial flow regime in the Newtonian zone of dilatant fluids took longer to form regarding both the flow behavior index and consistency factor.

Chromatic changes to artificial irises produced using different techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Bannwart, Lisiane Cristina; Goiato, Marcelo Coelho; dos Santos, Daniela Micheline; Moreno, Amália; Pesqueira, Aldiéris Alves; Haddad, Marcela Filié; Andreotti, Agda Marobo; de Medeiros, Rodrigo Antonio

2013-05-01

Ocular prostheses are important determinants of their users' aesthetic recovery and self-esteem. Because of use, ocular prostheses longevity is strongly affected by instability of the iris color due to polymerization. The goal of this study is to examine how the color of the artificial iris button is affected by different techniques of artificial wear and by the application of varnish following polymerization of the colorless acrylic resin that covers the colored paint. We produce 60 samples (n=10) according to the wear technique applied: conventional technique without varnish (PE); conventional technique with varnish (PEV); technique involving a prefabricated cap without varnish (CA); technique involving a prefabricated cap with varnish (CAV); technique involving inverted painting without varnish (PI); and technique involving inverted painting with varnish (PIV). Color readings using a spectrophotometer are taken before and after polymerization. We submitted the data obtained to analyses of variance and Tukey's test (P<0.05). The color test shows significant changes after polymerization in all groups. The PE and PI techniques have clinically acceptable values of ΔE, independent of whether we apply varnish to protect the paint. The PI technique produces the least color change, whereas the PE and CA techniques significantly improve color stability.

A new neutron noise technique for fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuo Fengguan; Jin Manyi; Yao Shigui; Su Zhuting

1987-12-01

This paper gives a new neutron noise technique for fast reactors, which is known as thermalization measurement technique of the neutron noise. The theoretical formulas of the technique were developed, and a digital delayed coincidence time analyzer consisted of TTL integrated circuits was constructed for the study of this technique. The technique has been tested and applied practically at Df-VI fast zero power reactor. It was shown that the provided technique in this work has a number of significant advantages in comparison with the conventional neutron noise method

Cytology of pollutant metals in marine invertebrates: A review of microanalytical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nott, J.A.

1991-01-01

x-ray microanalysis (XRMA) is customized for investigations of the metabolic and detoxification strategies of heavy metals taken by marine organisms from polluted environments. Sites of uptake, intracellular accumulation, transport and excretion are visualized, analysed and quantified. Cryopreparation techniques are required to prevent the translocation or loss from specimens of soluble metal species. In marine invertebrates, metals are detoxified by systems of chemical binding and intracellular compartmentalization. XRMA investigations have concentrated on marine molluscs and crustaceans and even within these restricted groups there are marked inter-species differences in the biochemical and cytological processes which reduce metal bioavailability. Some detoxification systems also protect the carnivores which ingest the metal-laden tissues of the prey. This results in the bioreduction of metals along a food chain. These processes are investigated by XRMA which can be tuned to observe the complex interactions which operate at all levels within and between the biota and polluted environments. 90 refs

Revisión de los principales modelos para aplicar técnicas de Minería de Procesos (Review of models for applying process mining techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arturo Orellana García

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Spanish abstract La minería de procesos constituye una alternativa novedosa para mejorar los procesos en una variedad de dominios de aplicación. Tiene como objetivo extraer información a partir de los datos almacenados en los registros de trazas de los sistemas de información, en busca de errores, inconsistencias, vulnerabilidades y variabilidad en los procesos que se ejecutan. Las técnicas de minería de procesos se utilizan en múltiples sectores, como la industria, los servicios web, la inteligencia de negocios y la salud. Sin embargo, para aplicar estas técnicas existen varios modelos a seguir y poca información sobre cual aplicar, al no contar con un análisis comparativo entre estos. La investigación se centró en recopilar información sobre los principales modelos propuestos por autores de referencia mundial en el tema de minería de procesos para aplicar técnicas en el descubrimiento, chequeo de conformidad y mejoramiento de los procesos. Se realiza un análisis de los mismos en función de seleccionar los elementos y características útiles para su aplicación en el entorno hospitalario. La actual investigación contribuye al desarrollo de un modelo para la detección y análisis de variabilidad en procesos hospitalarios utilizando técnicas de minería de procesos. Permite a los investigadores tener de forma centralizada, los criterios para decidir qué modelo utilizar, o qué fases emplear de uno o más modelos. English abstract Process mining is a novel alternative to improve processes in a variety of application domains. It aims to extract information from data stored in records of traces from information systems, looking for errors, inconsistencies, vulnerabilities and variability in processes that are executing. The process mining techniques are used in multiple sectors such as industry, web services, business intelligence and health. However, to apply these techniques there are several models and little information on

Urban field guide: applying social forestry observation techniques to the east coast megalopolis

Science.gov (United States)

E. Svendsen; V. Marshall; M.F. Ufer

2006-01-01

A changing economy and different lifestyles have altered the meaning of the forest in the northeastern United States, prompting scientists to reconsider the spatial form, stewardship and function of the urban forest. The Authors describe how social observation techniques and the employment of a novel, locally based, participatory hand-held monitoring system could aid...

Organic acid derivatization techniques applied to petroleum hydrocarbon transformations in subsurface environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barcelona, M.J.; Lu, J.; Tomczak, D.M.

1995-01-01

Evidence for the natural microbial remediation of subsurface fuel contamination situations should include identification and analysis of transformation or degradation products. In this way, a mass balance between fuel constituents and end products may be approached to monitor cleanup progress. Application of advanced organic acid metabolite derivatization techniques to several know sites of organic compounds and fuel mixture contamination provide valuable information on the pathways and progress of microbial transformation. Good correlation between observed metabolites and transformation pathways of aromatic fuel constituents were observed at the sites

Gamma-radiography techniques applied to quality control of welds in water pipe lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, W.; Oki, H.

1974-01-01

Non-destructive testing of welds may be done by the gamma-radiography technique, in order to detect the presence or absence of discontinuities and defects in the bulk of deposited metal and near the base metal. Gamma-radiography allows the documentation of the test with a complete inspection record, which is a fact not common in other non-destructive testing methods. In the quality control of longitudinal or transversal welds in water pipe lines, two exposition techniques are used: double wall and panoramic exposition. Three different water pipe lines systems have analysed for weld defects, giving a total of 16,000 gamma-radiographies. The tests were made according to the criteria established by the ASME standard. The principal metallic discontinuites found in the weld were: porosity (32%), lack of penetration (29%), lack of fusion (20%), and slag inclusion (19%). The percentage of gamma-radiographies showing welds without defects was 39% (6168 gamma-radiographies). On the other hand, 53% (8502 gamma-radiographies) showed the presence of acceptable discontinuities and 8% (1330 gamma-radiographies) were rejected according to the ASME standards [pt

Use of radiocarbon technique for archaelogic dating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chausson, Y.

1986-01-01

The nuclear technique based on the beta radiation measurements emitted by the radiocarbon is applied an the geochronologycal dating of organic samples of prehistoric fires and sambaqui shells. This paper describes the origin of the method, the technique used and its applications, the analysis method, the equipments and the experiences performed. (Author) [pt

Adaptive prediction applied to seismic event detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, G.A.; Rodgers, P.W.

1981-01-01

Adaptive prediction was applied to the problem of detecting small seismic events in microseismic background noise. The Widrow-Hoff LMS adaptive filter used in a prediction configuration is compared with two standard seismic filters as an onset indicator. Examples demonstrate the technique's usefulness with both synthetic and actual seismic data

Applying the sterile insect technique to the control of insect pests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LaChance, L.E.; Klassen, W.

1991-01-01

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is basically a novel twentieth century approach to insect birth control. It is species specific and exploits the mate seeking behaviour of the insect. The basic principle is simple. Insects are mass reared in 'factories' and sexually sterilized by gamma rays from a 60 Co source. The sterile insects are then released in a controlled fashion into nature. Matings between the sterile insects released and native insects produced no progeny. If enough of these matings take place, reproduction of the pest population decreases. With continued release, the pest population can be controlled and in some cases eradicated. In the light of the many important applications of the SIT worldwide and the great potential that SIT concepts hold for insect and pest control in developing countries, two special benefits should be stressed. Of greatest significance is the fact that the SIT permits suppression and eradication of insect pests in an environmentally harmless manner. It combines nuclear techniques with genetic approaches and, in effect, replaces intensive use of chemicals in pest control. Although chemicals are used sparingly at the outset in some SIT programmes to reduce the size of the pest population before releases of sterilized insects are started, the total amount of chemicals used in an SIT programme is a mere fraction of what would be used without the SIT. It is also of great importance that the SIT is not designed strictly for the eradication of pest species but can readily be used in the suppression of insect populations. In fact, the SIT is ideally suited for use in conjunction with other agricultural pest control practices such as the use of parasites and predators, attractants and cultural controls (e.g. ploughing under or destruction of crop residues) in integrated pest management programmes to achieve control at the lowest possible price and with a minimum of chemical contamination of the environment

Applying the sterile insect technique to the control of insect pests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaChance, L E; Klassen, W [Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna (Austria)

1991-09-01

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is basically a novel twentieth century approach to insect birth control. It is species specific and exploits the mate seeking behaviour of the insect. The basic principle is simple. Insects are mass reared in 'factories' and sexually sterilized by gamma rays from a {sup 60}Co source. The sterile insects are then released in a controlled fashion into nature. Matings between the sterile insects released and native insects produced no progeny. If enough of these matings take place, reproduction of the pest population decreases. With continued release, the pest population can be controlled and in some cases eradicated. In the light of the many important applications of the SIT worldwide and the great potential that SIT concepts hold for insect and pest control in developing countries, two special benefits should be stressed. Of greatest significance is the fact that the SIT permits suppression and eradication of insect pests in an environmentally harmless manner. It combines nuclear techniques with genetic approaches and, in effect, replaces intensive use of chemicals in pest control. Although chemicals are used sparingly at the outset in some SIT programmes to reduce the size of the pest population before releases of sterilized insects are started, the total amount of chemicals used in an SIT programme is a mere fraction of what would be used without the SIT. It is also of great importance that the SIT is not designed strictly for the eradication of pest species but can readily be used in the suppression of insect populations. In fact, the SIT is ideally suited for use in conjunction with other agricultural pest control practices such as the use of parasites and predators, attractants and cultural controls (e.g. ploughing under or destruction of crop residues) in integrated pest management programmes to achieve control at the lowest possible price and with a minimum of chemical contamination of the environment.

Hybrid multicore/vectorisation technique applied to the elastic wave equation on a staggered grid

Science.gov (United States)

Titarenko, Sofya; Hildyard, Mark

2017-07-01

In modern physics it has become common to find the solution of a problem by solving numerically a set of PDEs. Whether solving them on a finite difference grid or by a finite element approach, the main calculations are often applied to a stencil structure. In the last decade it has become usual to work with so called big data problems where calculations are very heavy and accelerators and modern architectures are widely used. Although CPU and GPU clusters are often used to solve such problems, parallelisation of any calculation ideally starts from a single processor optimisation. Unfortunately, it is impossible to vectorise a stencil structured loop with high level instructions. In this paper we suggest a new approach to rearranging the data structure which makes it possible to apply high level vectorisation instructions to a stencil loop and which results in significant acceleration. The suggested method allows further acceleration if shared memory APIs are used. We show the effectiveness of the method by applying it to an elastic wave propagation problem on a finite difference grid. We have chosen Intel architecture for the test problem and OpenMP (Open Multi-Processing) since they are extensively used in many applications.

Applying stakeholder Delphi techniques for planning sustainable use of aquatic resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Søren; Banta, Gary Thomas; Bunting, Stuart W

2015-01-01

and Vietnam. The purpose of this paper is to give an account of how the stakeholder Delphi method was adapted and applied to support the participatory integrated action planning for sustainable use of aquatic resources facilitated within the HighARCS project. An account of the steps taken and results recorded......The HighARCS (Highland Aquatic Resources Conservation and Sustainable Development) project was a participatory research effort to map and better understand the patterns of resource use and livelihoods of communities who utilize highland aquatic resources in five sites across China, India...... of the stakeholder Delphi requires the presence of multidisciplinary and facilitating skills and competences within the implementing teams which should be considered before deciding to include a Stakeholder Delphi as a decision-making tool...

Nuclear analytical techniques applied to characterization of atmospheric aerosols in Amazon Region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerab, Fabio; Artaxo, Paulo

1996-01-01

This work presents the atmospheric aerosols characterization that exist in different regions of Amazon basin. The biogenic aerosol emission by forest, as well as the atmospheric emissions of particulate materials due to biomass burning, were analyzed. Samples of aerosol particles were collected during three years in two different locations of Amazon region using Stacked Unit Filters. In order to study these samples some analytical nuclear techniques were used. The high concentrations of aerosols as a result of biomass burning process were observed in the period of june-september

Progress in diagnostic techniques for sc cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reece, C.E.

1988-01-01

While routinely achieved performance characteristics of superconducting cavities have now reached a level which makes them useful in large scale applications, achieving this level has come only through the knowledge gained by systematic studies of performance limiting phenomena. Despite the very real progress that has been made, the routine performance of superconducting cavities still falls far short of both the theoretical expectations and the performance of a few exception examples. It is the task of systematically applied diagnostic techniques to reveal additional information concerning the response of superconducting surfaces to applied RF fields. Here recent developments in diagnostic techniques are discussed. 18 references, 12 figures

SPI Trend Analysis of New Zealand Applying the ITA Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tommaso Caloiero

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A natural temporary imbalance of water availability, consisting of persistent lower-than-average or higher-than-average precipitation, can cause extreme dry and wet conditions that adversely impact agricultural yields, water resources, infrastructure, and human systems. In this study, dry and wet periods in New Zealand were expressed using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI. First, both the short term (3 and 6 months and the long term (12 and 24 months SPI were estimated, and then, possible trends in the SPI values were detected by means of a new graphical technique, the Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA, which allows the trend identification of the low, medium, and high values of a series. Results show that, in every area currently subject to drought, an increase in this phenomenon can be expected. Specifically, the results of this paper highlight that agricultural regions on the eastern side of the South Island, as well as the north-eastern regions of the North Island, are the most consistently vulnerable areas. In fact, in these regions, the trend analysis mainly showed a general reduction in all the values of the SPI: that is, a tendency toward heavier droughts and weaker wet periods.

Novel information theory techniques for phonon spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hague, J P

2007-01-01

The maximum entropy method (MEM) and spectral reverse Monte Carlo (SRMC) techniques are applied to the determination of the phonon density of states (PDOS) from heat-capacity data. The approach presented here takes advantage of the standard integral transform relating the PDOS with the specific heat at constant volume. MEM and SRMC are highly successful numerical approaches for inverting integral transforms. The formalism and algorithms necessary to carry out the inversion of specific heat curves are introduced, and where possible, I have concentrated on algorithms and experimental details for practical usage. Simulated data are used to demonstrate the accuracy of the approach. The main strength of the techniques presented here is that the resulting spectra are always physical: Computed PDOS is always positive and properly applied information theory techniques only show statistically significant detail. The treatment set out here provides a simple, cost-effective and reliable method to determine phonon properties of new materials. In particular, the new technique is expected to be very useful for establishing where interesting phonon modes and properties can be found, before spending time at large scale facilities

Fundamental study on repairing technique for cracked or damaged parts of structures by cold gas dynamic spray technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, Kazuhiro; Amao, Satoshi; Ichikawa, Yuji; Shoji, Tetsuo

2008-01-01

This study proposes an innovative technique for repairing of cracked or damaged parts of structures, such as nuclear or thermal power plants, by means of cold gas dynamic spray (CS) technique. In the case of generation of cracks etc. in the structure, the cracks can be repaired by welding. However, the welding spends considerable time on repair, and also needs special skills. The CS technique is known as a new technique not only for coatings but also for thick depositions. It has many advantages, i.e. dense deposition, high deposition rate and low oxidation. Therefore, it has a possibility to apply the CS technique instead of welding to repair the cracks etc. In this study, the cold gas dynamic spray technique as a new repairing technique for some structures is introduced. (author)

Delphi technique applied to risk identification and assessment on pipe supports fabrication and erection contracts; Aplicacao da tecnica Delphi para identificacao e avaliacao de riscos na contratacao e montagem de suportes de tubulacao

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cruz, Rodrigo Luiz Neves; Balbi, Diego Junca de Gonzaga [Promon Engenharia, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2012-07-01

Through the years, Risk Management became an accepted subject in Brazilian Organizations, with its own language, techniques and tools; and its processes are being more and more often introduced in its management models. However, risk identification, assessment and management is a difficult task, and can be even more difficult for construction industry-related projects, for these ventures tend to be more dynamic and complex. In this sense, the objective of this paper is to present the application of Delphi technique for risk identification in the erection of piping support. To achieve the desired objective, a literature review of theory references was conducted to understand concepts involved. To apply the technique itself, experts in plant erection were involving. (author)

Column-Oriented Storage Techniques for MapReduce

OpenAIRE

Floratou, Avrilia; Patel, Jignesh; Shekita, Eugene; Tata, Sandeep

2011-01-01

Users of MapReduce often run into performance problems when they scale up their workloads. Many of the problems they encounter can be overcome by applying techniques learned from over three decades of research on parallel DBMSs. However, translating these techniques to a MapReduce implementation such as Hadoop presents unique challenges that can lead to new design choices. This paper describes how column-oriented storage techniques can be incorporated in Hadoop in a way that preserves its pop...

Handbook of laboratory techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Authority in Argentina have laboratories of support to regulations functions on radiological and nuclear safety, safeguards and physical protection, that have a surface of 2950 m 2 in the Ezeiza Atomic Center. The manual describes in seven chapters the different techniques developed and applied in the laboratories along four decades of existence. The chapter 1: Dedicated to the treatment of environmental samples, described the procedures associated with the different types of samples: deposits, waters, sediments, vegetables, milk, fish and diet. The chapter 2: Details 48 radiochemical techniques associated to the measurements of americium 241, carbon 16, strontium 90, iodine 129, plutonium, radium 226, radon, uranium, nickel and actinides. The chapter 3: Describes the measurements techniques of alpha and gamma spectrometry. The different techniques of biological and physical dosimetry are described in the chapters 5 and 6 respectively. The final chapter is dedicated the techniques of external and internal contamination. It s important to emphasize that this manual contains the standardized technologies that the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Argentina submits regularly to international comparisons

Adaptive prediction applied to seismic event detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clark, G.A.; Rodgers, P.W.

1981-09-01

Adaptive prediction was applied to the problem of detecting small seismic events in microseismic background noise. The Widrow-Hoff LMS adaptive filter used in a prediction configuration is compared with two standard seismic filters as an onset indicator. Examples demonstrate the technique's usefulness with both synthetic and actual seismic data.

Aircraft operability methods applied to space launch vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Douglas

1997-01-01

The commercial space launch market requirement for low vehicle operations costs necessitates the application of methods and technologies developed and proven for complex aircraft systems. The ``building in'' of reliability and maintainability, which is applied extensively in the aircraft industry, has yet to be applied to the maximum extent possible on launch vehicles. Use of vehicle system and structural health monitoring, automated ground systems and diagnostic design methods derived from aircraft applications support the goal of achieving low cost launch vehicle operations. Transforming these operability techniques to space applications where diagnostic effectiveness has significantly different metrics is critical to the success of future launch systems. These concepts will be discussed with reference to broad launch vehicle applicability. Lessons learned and techniques used in the adaptation of these methods will be outlined drawing from recent aircraft programs and implementation on phase 1 of the X-33/RLV technology development program.

Optimization of methodology for the assessing of bioaccumulation factors of periphyton metals applying the X-ray fluorescence technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merced Ch, D.

2015-01-01

The Lerma River is one of the most polluted at Mexico, has a high pollutant load and low biodiversity, this aquatic plants and species zoo perifiton presented adaptations to environmental conditions that exist due to dumping of wastewater are developed. In this paper bioaccumulation factors (BAF) of Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb metal on Hydrocotyle ranunculoides zoo perifiton associated with the upper reaches of the Lerma River applying the technique of fluorescence X-rays were evaluated in the form of Total Reflection. The BAF were higher compared to the soluble fraction to the total fraction this because the metal in the soluble phase are in solution and are therefore more available to join aquatic organisms, moreover respect to the BAF sediment were ≤ 1.5 indicate that these organisms have little affinity for incorporating metals from the sediment. Considering the sum of the FBA of all metals in each agency notes that the leech was the biggest bio accumulated metals (42468) followed by the worm to (27958), the arthropod with (10757) and finally the snail with (8421). Overall for this study agencies according to the BAF reported to bio accumulate metals are the following behavior Fe > Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Mn > Pb. (Author)

Huffman-based code compression techniques for embedded processors

KAUST Repository

Bonny, Mohamed Talal

2010-09-01

The size of embedded software is increasing at a rapid pace. It is often challenging and time consuming to fit an amount of required software functionality within a given hardware resource budget. Code compression is a means to alleviate the problem by providing substantial savings in terms of code size. In this article we introduce a novel and efficient hardware-supported compression technique that is based on Huffman Coding. Our technique reduces the size of the generated decoding table, which takes a large portion of the memory. It combines our previous techniques, Instruction Splitting Technique and Instruction Re-encoding Technique into new one called Combined Compression Technique to improve the final compression ratio by taking advantage of both previous techniques. The instruction Splitting Technique is instruction set architecture (ISA)-independent. It splits the instructions into portions of varying size (called patterns) before Huffman coding is applied. This technique improves the final compression ratio by more than 20% compared to other known schemes based on Huffman Coding. The average compression ratios achieved using this technique are 48% and 50% for ARM and MIPS, respectively. The Instruction Re-encoding Technique is ISA-dependent. It investigates the benefits of reencoding unused bits (we call them reencodable bits) in the instruction format for a specific application to improve the compression ratio. Reencoding those bits can reduce the size of decoding tables by up to 40%. Using this technique, we improve the final compression ratios in comparison to the first technique to 46% and 45% for ARM and MIPS, respectively (including all overhead that incurs). The Combined Compression Technique improves the compression ratio to 45% and 42% for ARM and MIPS, respectively. In our compression technique, we have conducted evaluations using a representative set of applications and we have applied each technique to two major embedded processor architectures

Applied Control Systems Design

CERN Document Server

Mahmoud, Magdi S

2012-01-01

Applied Control System Design examines several methods for building up systems models based on real experimental data from typical industrial processes and incorporating system identification techniques. The text takes a comparative approach to the models derived in this way judging their suitability for use in different systems and under different operational circumstances. A broad spectrum of control methods including various forms of filtering, feedback and feedforward control is applied to the models and the guidelines derived from the closed-loop responses are then composed into a concrete self-tested recipe to serve as a check-list for industrial engineers or control designers. System identification and control design are given equal weight in model derivation and testing to reflect their equality of importance in the proper design and optimization of high-performance control systems. Readers’ assimilation of the material discussed is assisted by the provision of problems and examples. Most of these e...

Reliability analysis techniques in power plant design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, N.E.

1981-01-01

An overview of reliability analysis techniques is presented as applied to power plant design. The key terms, power plant performance, reliability, availability and maintainability are defined. Reliability modeling, methods of analysis and component reliability data are briefly reviewed. Application of reliability analysis techniques from a design engineering approach to improving power plant productivity is discussed. (author)

Advanced Gradient Based Optimization Techniques Applied on Sheet Metal Forming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endelt, Benny; Nielsen, Karl Brian

2005-01-01

The computational-costs for finite element simulations of general sheet metal forming processes are considerable, especially measured in time. In combination with optimization, the performance of the optimization algorithm is crucial for the overall performance of the system, i.e. the optimization algorithm should gain as much information about the system in each iteration as possible. Least-square formulation of the object function is widely applied for solution of inverse problems, due to the superior performance of this formulation.In this work focus will be on small problems which are defined as problems with less than 1000 design parameters; as the majority of real life optimization and inverse problems, represented in literature, can be characterized as small problems, typically with less than 20 design parameters.We will show that the least square formulation is well suited for two classes of inverse problems; identification of constitutive parameters and process optimization.The scalability and robustness of the approach are illustrated through a number of process optimizations and inverse material characterization problems; tube hydro forming, two step hydro forming, flexible aluminum tubes, inverse identification of material parameters

An analog simulation technique for distributed flow systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Sten Bay; Kümmel, Mogens

1973-01-01

earlier[3]. This is an important extension since flow systems are frequently controlled through manipulation of the flow rate. Previously the tech­nique has been applied with constant flows [4, 5]. Results demonstrating the new hardware are presented from simula­tion of a transportation lag and a double......Simulation of distributed flow systems in chemical engine­ering has been applied more and more during the last decade as computer techniques have developed [l]. The applications have served the purpose of identification of process dynamics and parameter estimation as well as improving process...... and process control design. Although the conventional analog computer has been expanded with hybrid techniques and digital simulation languages have appeared, none of these has demonstrated superiority in simulating distributed flow systems in general [l]. Conventional analog techniques are expensive...

Efficiency of modified chemical remediation techniques for soil contaminated by organochlorine pesticides

Science.gov (United States)

Correa-Torres, S. N.; Kopytko, M.; Avila, S.

2016-07-01

This study reports the optimization of innovation chemical techniques in order to improve the remediation of soils contaminated with organochloride pesticides. The techniques used for remediation were dehalogenation and chemical oxidation in soil contaminated by pesticides. These techniques were applied sequentially and combined to evaluate the design optimize the concentration and contact time variables. The soil of this study was collect in cotton crop zone in Agustin Codazzi municipality, Colombia, and its physical properties was measure. The modified dehalogenation technique of EPA was applied on the contaminated soil by adding Sodium Bicarbonate solution at different concentrations and rates during 4, 7 and 14 days, subsequently oxidation technique was implemented by applying a solution of KMnO4 at different concentration and reaction times. Organochlorine were detected by Gas Chromatography analysis coupled Mass Spectrometry and its removals were between 85.4- 90.0% of compounds such as 4, 4’-DDT, 4,4’-DDD, 4,4-DDE, trans-Clordane y Endrin. These results demonstrate that the technique of dehalogenation with oxidation chemistry can be used for remediation soils contaminated by organochloride pesticides.

A Study on Nondestructive Technique Using Laser Technique for Evaluation of Carbon fiber Reinforced Plastic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sang Woo; Lee, Joon Hyun; Seo, Kyeong Cheol; Byun, Joon Hyung

2005-01-01

Fiber reinforced plastic material should be inspected in fabrication process in order to enhance quality by prevent defects such as delamination and void. Generally, ultrasonic technique is widely used to evaluate FRP. In conventional ultrasonic techniques, transducer should be contacted on FRP. However, conventional contacting method could not be applied in fabrication process and novel non-contact evaluating technique was required. Laser-based ultrasonic technique was tried to evaluate CFRP plate. Laser-based ultrasonic waves propagated on CFRP were received with various transducers such as accelerometer and AE sensor in order to evaluate the properties of waves due to the variation of frequency. Velocities of laser-based ultrasonic waves were evaluated for various fiber orientation. In addition, laser interferometry was used to receive ultrasonic wave in CFRP and frequency was analysed

Synthetic Aperture Sequential Beamformation applied to medical imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hemmsen, Martin Christian; Hansen, Jens Munk; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

2012-01-01

Synthetic Aperture Sequential Beamforming (SASB) is applied to medical ultrasound imaging using a multi element convex array transducer. The main motivation for SASB is to apply synthetic aperture techniques without the need for storing RF-data for a number of elements and hereby devise a system...... with a reduced system complexity. Using a 192 element, 3.5 MHz, λ-pitch transducer, it is demonstrated using tissue-phantom and wire-phantom measurements, how the speckle size and the detail resolution is improved compared to conventional imaging....

Statistical techniques applied to aerial radiometric surveys (STAARS): series introduction and the principal-components-analysis method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pirkle, F.L.

1981-04-01

STAARS is a new series which is being published to disseminate information concerning statistical procedures for interpreting aerial radiometric data. The application of a particular data interpretation technique to geologic understanding for delineating regions favorable to uranium deposition is the primary concern of STAARS. Statements concerning the utility of a technique on aerial reconnaissance data as well as detailed aerial survey data will be included

Theory of Feynman-alpha technique with masking window for accelerator-driven systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitamura, Yasunori; Misawa, Tsuyoshi

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A theory of the modified Feynman-alpha technique for the ADS was developed. • The experimental conditions under which this technique works were discussed. • It is expected this technique is applied to the subcriticality monitor for the ADS. - Abstract: Recently, a modified Feynman-alpha technique for the subcritical system driven by periodically triggered neutron bursts was developed. One of the main features of this technique is utilization of a simple formula that is advantageous in evaluating the subcriticality. However, owing to the absence of the theory of this technique, this feature has not been fully investigated yet. In the present study, a theory of this technique is provided. Furthermore, the experimental conditions under which the simple formula works are discussed to apply this technique to the subcriticality monitor for the accelerator-driven system.

Ensemble correlation PIV applied to bubble plumes rising in a bubble column.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Delnoij, E.; Westerweel, J.; Deen, N.G.; Kuipers, J.A.M.; van Swaaij, Willibrordus Petrus Maria

1999-01-01

This paper discusses an ensemble correlation, double-exposure single-frame, particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique that can be applied to study dispersed gas¿liquid two-phase flows. The essentials of this technique will be reviewed and several important issues concerning the implementation of

Advanced Intellect-Augmentation Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Engelbart, D. C.

This progress report covers a two-year project which is part of a program that is exploring the value of computer aids in augmenting human intellectual capability. The background and nature of the program, its resources, and the activities it has undertaken are outlined. User experience in applying augmentation tools and techniques to various…

Applied geodesy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, S.

1987-01-01

This volume is based on the proceedings of the CERN Accelerator School's course on Applied Geodesy for Particle Accelerators held in April 1986. The purpose was to record and disseminate the knowledge gained in recent years on the geodesy of accelerators and other large systems. The latest methods for positioning equipment to sub-millimetric accuracy in deep underground tunnels several tens of kilometers long are described, as well as such sophisticated techniques as the Navstar Global Positioning System and the Terrameter. Automation of better known instruments such as the gyroscope and Distinvar is also treated along with the highly evolved treatment of components in a modern accelerator. Use of the methods described can be of great benefit in many areas of research and industrial geodesy such as surveying, nautical and aeronautical engineering, astronomical radio-interferometry, metrology of large components, deformation studies, etc

Morphological classification and microanalysis of tire tread particles worn by abrasion or corrosion

Science.gov (United States)

Crosta, Giovanni F.

2011-06-01

Two types of tread wear particles are investigated: tread wear particles from a steel brush abrader (TrBP) and particles produced during a steering pad run (TrSP). A leaching experiment in water at pH = 7.5 for 24 and 48h was carried out on TrBP to simulate environmental degradation. Images of all materials were collected by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) together with element microanalytical (EDX) data. Surface morphology is described by a function of wave number (the "enhanced spectrum") obtained from SEM image analysis and non-linear filtering. A surface roughness index, ρ, is derived from the enhanced spectrum. The innovative contribution of this work is the representation of morphology by means of ρ, which, together with EDX data, allows the quantitative characterization of the materials. In particular, the surface roughness of leached TrBP is shown to decay in time and is related to the corresponding microanalytical data for the first time. The morphology of steering pad TrSP, affected by included mineral particles, is shown to be more heterogeneous. Differences in morphology (enhanced spectra and ρ), elemental composition and surface chemistry of TrBP and TrSP are discussed. All methods described and implemented herewith can be immediately applied to other types of tread wear material. The arguments put forward herewith should help in the proper design of those experiments aimed at assessing the impact of tread wear materials on the environment and on human health.

Acceleration techniques for the discrete ordinate method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efremenko, Dmitry; Doicu, Adrian; Loyola, Diego; Trautmann, Thomas

2013-01-01

In this paper we analyze several acceleration techniques for the discrete ordinate method with matrix exponential and the small-angle modification of the radiative transfer equation. These techniques include the left eigenvectors matrix approach for computing the inverse of the right eigenvectors matrix, the telescoping technique, and the method of false discrete ordinate. The numerical simulations have shown that on average, the relative speedup of the left eigenvector matrix approach and the telescoping technique are of about 15% and 30%, respectively. -- Highlights: ► We presented the left eigenvector matrix approach. ► We analyzed the method of false discrete ordinate. ► The telescoping technique is applied for matrix operator method. ► Considered techniques accelerate the computations by 20% in average.

Investigations of the electrical neutralization and bonding mechanisms of shallow impurities in silicon grain boundaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazmerski, L.L.; Nelson, A.J.; Dhere, R.G.; Abou-Elfotouh, F.

1987-01-01

Interactions between shallow acceptors (B, Al, Ga and In) and hydrogen in polycrystalline Si are investigated. The bonding mechanisms involved in the acceptor neutralization process at grain boundaries are examined using microanalytical techniques. Differences in the incorporation of molecular and atomic hydrogen, and corresponding variations in electrical passivation at grain boundaries, are observed. Low-temperature Auger difference spectroscopy confirms Si-H bonding to dominate B, Ga and In-doped cases, with no direct acceptor-hydrogen bonding. Al-rich grain boundaries show H-complex and hydroxyl bonding. The data confirm chemical bond strength trends with B< Ga< In. Volume-indexed AES is utilized to compare bonding and H-distributions in B- and Al-rich grain boundary regions

Advances in FACE and manipulation techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beier, Claus; Larsen, Klaus S.; Mikkelsen, Teis Nørgaard

Experimental techniques to expose plants and ecosystems to elevated CO2 have been around for decades, starting out with branch cuvettes, chambers and green houses and in the 90ies leading to the development of the FACE (Free Air Carbon Enrichment) technique, which has been and still is widely used....... The FACE technique is used under field conditions and has been developed over the years to be applied for many types of ecosystems from low stature shrub, grass and arable lands to high stature forest trees. These experiments have provided extensive knowledge and data on CO2 effects on individual plants...

Applied impulsive mathematical models

CERN Document Server

Stamova, Ivanka

2016-01-01

Using the theory of impulsive differential equations, this book focuses on mathematical models which reflect current research in biology, population dynamics, neural networks and economics. The authors provide the basic background from the fundamental theory and give a systematic exposition of recent results related to the qualitative analysis of impulsive mathematical models. Consisting of six chapters, the book presents many applicable techniques, making them available in a single source easily accessible to researchers interested in mathematical models and their applications. Serving as a valuable reference, this text is addressed to a wide audience of professionals, including mathematicians, applied researchers and practitioners.

Application of machine learning techniques to lepton energy reconstruction in water Cherenkov detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Drakopoulou, E.; Cowan, G. A.; Needham, M. D.; Playfer, S.; Taani, M.

2018-04-01

The application of machine learning techniques to the reconstruction of lepton energies in water Cherenkov detectors is discussed and illustrated for TITUS, a proposed intermediate detector for the Hyper-Kamiokande experiment. It is found that applying these techniques leads to an improvement of more than 50% in the energy resolution for all lepton energies compared to an approach based upon lookup tables. Machine learning techniques can be easily applied to different detector configurations and the results are comparable to likelihood-function based techniques that are currently used.

Event tree analysis using artificial intelligence techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixon, B.W.; Hinton, M.F.

1985-01-01

Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques used in Expert Systems and Object Oriented Programming are discussed as they apply to Event Tree Analysis. A SeQUence IMPortance calculator, SQUIMP, is presented to demonstrate the implementation of these techniques. Benefits of using AI methods include ease of programming, efficiency of execution, and flexibility of application. The importance of an appropriate user interface is stressed. 5 figs

Applying Squeezing Technique to Clayrocks: Lessons Learned from Experiments at Mont Terri Rock Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez, A. M.; Sanchez-Ledesma, D. M.; Tournassat, C.; Melon, A.; Gaucher, E.; Astudillo, E.; Vinsot, A.

2013-01-01

Knowledge of the pore water chemistry in clay rock formations plays an important role in determining radionuclide migration in the context of nuclear waste disposal. Among the different in situ and ex-situ techniques for pore water sampling in clay sediments and soils, squeezing technique dates back 115 years. Although different studies have been performed about the reliability and representativeness of squeezed pore waters, more of them were achieved on high porosity, high water content and unconsolidated clay sediments. A very few of them tackled the analysis of squeezed pore water from low-porosity, low water content and highly consolidated clay rocks. In this work, a specially designed and fabricated one-dimensional compression cell two directional fluid flow was used to extract and analyse the pore water composition of Opalinus Clay core samples from Mont Terri (Switzerland). The reproducibility of the technique is good and no ionic ultrafiltration, chemical fractionation or anion exclusion was found in the range of pressures analysed: 70-200 MPa. Pore waters extracted in this range of pressures do not decrease in concentration, which would indicate a dilution of water by mixing of the free pore water and the outer layers of double layer water (Donnan water). A threshold (safety) squeezing pressure of 175 MPa was established for avoiding membrane effects (ion filtering, anion exclusion, etc.) from clay particles induced by increasing pressures. Besides, the pore waters extracted at these pressures are representative of the Opalinus Clay formation from a direct comparison against in situ collected borehole waters. (Author)

Applying Squeezing Technique to Clayrocks: Lessons Learned from Experiments at Mont Terri Rock Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez, A. M.; Sanchez-Ledesma, D. M.; Tournassat, C.; Melon, A.; Gaucher, E.; Astudillo, E.; Vinsot, A.

2013-07-01

Knowledge of the pore water chemistry in clay rock formations plays an important role in determining radionuclide migration in the context of nuclear waste disposal. Among the different in situ and ex-situ techniques for pore water sampling in clay sediments and soils, squeezing technique dates back 115 years. Although different studies have been performed about the reliability and representativeness of squeezed pore waters, more of them were achieved on high porosity, high water content and unconsolidated clay sediments. A very few of them tackled the analysis of squeezed pore water from low-porosity, low water content and highly consolidated clay rocks. In this work, a specially designed and fabricated one-dimensional compression cell two directional fluid flow was used to extract and analyse the pore water composition of Opalinus Clay core samples from Mont Terri (Switzerland). The reproducibility of the technique is good and no ionic ultrafiltration, chemical fractionation or anion exclusion was found in the range of pressures analysed: 70-200 MPa. Pore waters extracted in this range of pressures do not decrease in concentration, which would indicate a dilution of water by mixing of the free pore water and the outer layers of double layer water (Donnan water). A threshold (safety) squeezing pressure of 175 MPa was established for avoiding membrane effects (ion filtering, anion exclusion, etc.) from clay particles induced by increasing pressures. Besides, the pore waters extracted at these pressures are representative of the Opalinus Clay formation from a direct comparison against in situ collected borehole waters. (Author)

The applied research program of the High Flux Neutron Generator at the National Nuclear Center, Havana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, G.; Martin, G.; Ceballos, C.; Padron, I.; Shtejer, K.; Perez, N.; Guibert, R.; Ledo, L.M.; Cruz Inclan, Carlos

2001-01-01

The Havana High Flux Neutron Generator facility is an intense neutron source based on a 20 mA duoplasmatron ion source and a 250 kV high voltage power supply. It has been installed in the Neutron Generator Laboratory at the Center of Applied Technologies and Nuclear Research in 1997. This paper deal outlined the future applied program to be carried out in this facility in the next years. The Applied Research Program consists on install two nuclear analytic techniques: the PELAN technique which uses the neutron generator in the pulse mode and the Low Energy PIXE technique which uses the same facility as a low energy proton accelerator for PIXE analysis. (author)

High speed resonant frequency determination applied to field mapping using perturbation techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, B.H.; Burton, R.J.; Hutcheon, R.M.

1992-01-01

Perturbation techniques are commonly used for measuring electric and magnetic field distributions in resonant structures. A field measurement system has been assembled using a Hewlett Packard model 8753C network analyzer interfaced via an HPIB bus to a personal computer to form an accurate, rapid and flexible system for data acquisition, control, and analysis of such measurements. Characterization of long linac structures (up to 3 m) is accomplished in about three minutes, minimizing thermal drift effects. This paper describes the system, its application and its extension to applications such as confirming the presence of weak, off-axis quadrupole fields in an on-axis coupled linac. (Author) 5 figs., 10 refs

Study of different filtering techniques applied to spectra from airborne gamma spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilhelm, Emilien; Gutierrez, Sebastien; Reboli, Anne; Menard, Stephanie; Nourreddine, Abdel-Mjid [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique et aux energies alternatives - CEA, DAM, DIF F-91297 Arpajon (France); Arbor, Nicolas [Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178 Universite de Strasbourg-CNRS, 23 rue du Loess, BP 28, F-67037 Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France)

2015-07-01

One of the features of spectra obtained by airborne gamma spectrometry is low counting statistics due to the short acquisition time (1 s) and the large source-detector distance (40 m). It leads to considerable uncertainty in radionuclide identification and determination of their respective activities from the windows method recommended by the IAEA, especially for low-level radioactivity. The present work compares the results obtained with filters in terms of errors of the filtered spectra with the window method and over the whole gamma energy range. The results are used to determine which filtering technique is the most suitable in combination with some method for total stripping of the spectrum. (authors)

Principles, Techniques, and Applications of Tissue Microfluidics

Science.gov (United States)

Wade, Lawrence A.; Kartalov, Emil P.; Shibata, Darryl; Taylor, Clive

2011-01-01

The principle of tissue microfluidics and its resultant techniques has been applied to cell analysis. Building microfluidics to suit a particular tissue sample would allow the rapid, reliable, inexpensive, highly parallelized, selective extraction of chosen regions of tissue for purposes of further biochemical analysis. Furthermore, the applicability of the techniques ranges beyond the described pathology application. For example, they would also allow the posing and successful answering of new sets of questions in many areas of fundamental research. The proposed integration of microfluidic techniques and tissue slice samples is called "tissue microfluidics" because it molds the microfluidic architectures in accordance with each particular structure of each specific tissue sample. Thus, microfluidics can be built around the tissues, following the tissue structure, or alternatively, the microfluidics can be adapted to the specific geometry of particular tissues. By contrast, the traditional approach is that microfluidic devices are structured in accordance with engineering considerations, while the biological components in applied devices are forced to comply with these engineering presets.

2016 Annual Conference on Experimental and Applied Mechanics

CERN Document Server

Lamberson, Leslie; Kimberley, Jamie; Korach, Chad; Tekalur, Srinivasan; Zavattieri, Pablo; Yoshida, Sanichiro; Lamberti, Luciano; Sciammarella, Cesar; Ralph, W; Singh, Raman; Tandon, Gyaneshwar; Thakre, Piyush; Zavattieri, Pablo; Zhu, Yong; Zehnder, Alan; Zehnder, Alan; Carroll, Jay; Hazeli, Kavan; Berke, Ryan; Pataky, Garrett; Cavalli, Matthew; Beese, Alison; Xia, Shuman; Starman, La; Hay, Jennifer; Karanjgaokar, Nikhil; Quinn, Simon; Balandraud, Xavier; Cloud, Gary; Patterson, Eann; Backman, David

2017-01-01

Dynamic Behavior of Materials, Volume 1 of the Proceedings of the 2016 SEM Annual Conference& Exposition on Experimental and Applied Mechanics, the first volume of ten from the Conference, brings together contributions to this important area of research and engineering. The collection presents early findings and case studies on fundamental and applied aspects of Experimental Mechanics, including papers on: Quantitative Visualization Fracture & Fragmentation Dynamic Behavior of Low Impedance Materials Shock & Blast Dynamic Behavior of Composites Novel Testing Techniques Hybrid Experimental & Computational Methods Dynamic Behavior of Geo-materials General Material Behavior.

A plastic micropump constructed with conventional techniques and materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bohm, S.; Olthuis, Wouter; Bergveld, Piet

1999-01-01

A plastic micropump which can be produced using conventional production techniques and materials is presented. By applying well-known techniques and materials, economic fabrication of micropumps for various applications is feasible even at low production volumes. The micropump is capable of pumping

Two applications of airtightness control techniques on big assemblies

CERN Document Server

Devallan, C; Marcellin, J

1973-01-01

Deals with two airtightness control techniques respectively applied on intersecting storage rings (ISR) at CERN in Geneva and on a liquid methane storage tank. These two big assemblies called for two different control techniques which use helium and ammonia respectively as tracer gas. Existing practical leakage detection techniques to meet industrial needs are discussed at the end of the article. (2 refs).

Comparative assessment of PIV-based pressure evaluation techniques applied to a transonic base flow

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blinde, P; Michaelis, D; van Oudheusden, B.W.; Weiss, P.E.; de Kat, R.; Laskari, A.; Jeon, Y.J.; David, L; Schanz, D; Huhn, F.; Gesemann, S; Novara, M.; McPhaden, C.; Neeteson, N.; Rival, D.; Schneiders, J.F.G.; Schrijer, F.F.J.

2016-01-01

A test case for PIV-based pressure evaluation techniques has been developed by constructing a simulated experiment from a ZDES simulation for an axisymmetric base flow at Mach 0.7. The test case comprises sequences of four subsequent particle images (representing multi-pulse data) as well as

Application of the Lorentz-transform technique to meson photoproduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiss, C.; Leidemann, W.; Orlandini, G.; Tomusiak, E.L.

2003-01-01

We show that the Lorentz integral transform (LIT) technique which has been successfully applied to photoreactions in light nuclei can also be applied to photoreactions involving particle production. A simple model where results are easily calculable in the traditional fashion is used to test the technique. Specifically, we compute inclusive π + photoproduction from deuterium for photon energies less than 200 MeV using a Yamaguchi model for the NN interaction. It is demonstrated that, although the response functions for inclusive meson production do not have favourable asymptotic behavior, one can nonetheless extract them by inversion of the transform. The implication is that one can treat realistic problems of photo-meson production, including all final-state interactions, by means of the LIT technique. (orig.)

Surface analysis the principal techniques

CERN Document Server

Vickerman, John C

2009-01-01

This completely updated and revised second edition of Surface Analysis: The Principal Techniques, deals with the characterisation and understanding of the outer layers of substrates, how they react, look and function which are all of interest to surface scientists. Within this comprehensive text, experts in each analysis area introduce the theory and practice of the principal techniques that have shown themselves to be effective in both basic research and in applied surface analysis. Examples of analysis are provided to facilitate the understanding of this topic and to show readers how they c

Effectiveness of relaxation techniques before diagnostic screening of cancer patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Montserrat Aiger

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Psychophysiological arousal was observed in cancer patients during the application of relaxation techniques prior to a diagnostic scan (PET-CT. The aim of the study is twofold: firstly, it is sought to establish whether such techniques can minimize patient arousal before diagnostic screening begins, and secondly to measure which of them are most effective. The dependent variable is electrodermal activity, recording the attentional level and emotional response, and the independent variable comprises the relaxation techniques used, namely Jacobson, breathing and visualization. The 39 patients were split into experimental groups to whom the relaxation techniques (Jacobson, breathing exercises, and visualization were applied before they went for the PET-CT. An activity-module procedure was applied to track electrodermal activity during the relaxation sessions, consisting of instructions, timeout; wait, task; relaxation and end of the recording session. The control group received no relaxation techniques before the PET-CT. Session-end results show that patients who perform relaxation techniques achieve greater attentional focus using Jacobson's technique (M = .212 and enhanced emotional containment using visualization (M = .206. It is concluded that relaxation techniques minimize the state of activation during the waiting period before a diagnostic scan.

Hyphenated analytical techniques for materials characterisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, Gordon; Kailas, Lekshmi

2017-01-01

This topical review will provide a survey of the current state of the art in ‘hyphenated’ techniques for characterisation of bulk materials, surface, and interfaces, whereby two or more analytical methods investigating different properties are applied simultaneously to the same sample to better characterise the sample than can be achieved by conducting separate analyses in series using different instruments. It is intended for final year undergraduates and recent graduates, who may have some background knowledge of standard analytical techniques, but are not familiar with ‘hyphenated’ techniques or hybrid instrumentation. The review will begin by defining ‘complementary’, ‘hybrid’ and ‘hyphenated’ techniques, as there is not a broad consensus among analytical scientists as to what each term means. The motivating factors driving increased development of hyphenated analytical methods will also be discussed. This introduction will conclude with a brief discussion of gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray analysis in electron microscopy as two examples, in the context that combining complementary techniques for chemical analysis were among the earliest examples of hyphenated characterisation methods. The emphasis of the main review will be on techniques which are sufficiently well-established that the instrumentation is commercially available, to examine physical properties including physical, mechanical, electrical and thermal, in addition to variations in composition, rather than methods solely to identify and quantify chemical species. Therefore, the proposed topical review will address three broad categories of techniques that the reader may expect to encounter in a well-equipped materials characterisation laboratory: microscopy based techniques, scanning probe-based techniques, and thermal analysis based techniques. Examples drawn from recent literature, and a concluding case study, will be used to explain the

Hyphenated analytical techniques for materials characterisation

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Gordon; Kailas, Lekshmi

2017-09-01

This topical review will provide a survey of the current state of the art in ‘hyphenated’ techniques for characterisation of bulk materials, surface, and interfaces, whereby two or more analytical methods investigating different properties are applied simultaneously to the same sample to better characterise the sample than can be achieved by conducting separate analyses in series using different instruments. It is intended for final year undergraduates and recent graduates, who may have some background knowledge of standard analytical techniques, but are not familiar with ‘hyphenated’ techniques or hybrid instrumentation. The review will begin by defining ‘complementary’, ‘hybrid’ and ‘hyphenated’ techniques, as there is not a broad consensus among analytical scientists as to what each term means. The motivating factors driving increased development of hyphenated analytical methods will also be discussed. This introduction will conclude with a brief discussion of gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray analysis in electron microscopy as two examples, in the context that combining complementary techniques for chemical analysis were among the earliest examples of hyphenated characterisation methods. The emphasis of the main review will be on techniques which are sufficiently well-established that the instrumentation is commercially available, to examine physical properties including physical, mechanical, electrical and thermal, in addition to variations in composition, rather than methods solely to identify and quantify chemical species. Therefore, the proposed topical review will address three broad categories of techniques that the reader may expect to encounter in a well-equipped materials characterisation laboratory: microscopy based techniques, scanning probe-based techniques, and thermal analysis based techniques. Examples drawn from recent literature, and a concluding case study, will be used to explain the

Characterisation of bioactive protein-bound polysaccharides from Amanita ponderosa cultures

OpenAIRE

Salvador, C; Martins, M R; Arteiro, J M; Caldeira, A T

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of protein-polysaccharide complexes obtained from A. ponderosa cultures using a new microanalytical approach to monitoring quickly and easily the production process.

New informative techniques in high energy physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klimenko, S.V.; Ukhov, V.I.

1992-01-01

A number of new informative techniques applied to high energy physics are considered. These are the object-oriented programming, systems integration, UIMS, visualisation, expert systems, neural networks. 100 refs

Real space renormalization techniques for disordered systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anda, E.V.

1985-01-01

Real Space renormalization techniques are applied to study different disordered systems, with an emphasis on the under-standing of the electronic properties of amorphous matter, mainly semiconductors. (author) [pt

Practising What We Teach: Vocational Teachers Learn to Research through Applying Action Learning Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Lasky, Barbara; Tempone, Irene

2004-01-01

Action learning techniques are well suited to the teaching of organisation behaviour students because of their flexibility, inclusiveness, openness, and respect for individuals. They are no less useful as a tool for change for vocational teachers, learning, of necessity, to become researchers. Whereas traditional universities have always had a…

Current status of neutron activation analysis and applied nuclear chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, W.S.

1990-01-01

A review of recent scientometric studies of citations and publication data shows the present state of NAA and applied nuclear chemistry as compared to other analytical techniques. (author) 9 refs.; 7 tabs

Three dimensional imaging technique for laser-plasma diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Shaoen; Zheng Zhijian; Liu Zhongli

2001-01-01

A CT technique for laser-plasma diagnostic and a three-dimensional (3D) image reconstruction program (CT3D) have been developed. The 3D images of the laser-plasma are reconstructed by using a multiplication algebraic reconstruction technique (MART) from five pinhole camera images obtained along different sight directions. The technique has been used to measure the three-dimensional distribution of X-ray of laser-plasma experiments in Xingguang II device, and the good results are obtained. This shows that a CT technique can be applied to ICF experiments

Three dimensional imaging technique for laser-plasma diagnostics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaoen, Jiang; Zhijian, Zheng; Zhongli, Liu [China Academy of Engineering Physics, Chengdu (China)

2001-04-01

A CT technique for laser-plasma diagnostic and a three-dimensional (3D) image reconstruction program (CT3D) have been developed. The 3D images of the laser-plasma are reconstructed by using a multiplication algebraic reconstruction technique (MART) from five pinhole camera images obtained along different sight directions. The technique has been used to measure the three-dimensional distribution of X-ray of laser-plasma experiments in Xingguang II device, and the good results are obtained. This shows that a CT technique can be applied to ICF experiments.

Acoustic Emission and Echo Signal Compensation Techniques Applied to an Ultrasonic Logging-While-Drilling Caliper.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Yongchao; Ju, Xiaodong; Lu, Junqiang; Men, Baiyong

2017-06-10

A logging-while-drilling (LWD) caliper is a tool used for the real-time measurement of a borehole diameter in oil drilling engineering. This study introduces the mechanical structure and working principle of a new LWD caliper based on ultrasonic distance measurement (UDM). The detection range is a major performance index of a UDM system. This index is determined by the blind zone length and remote reflecting interface detection capability of the system. To reduce the blind zone length and detect near the reflecting interface, a full bridge acoustic emission technique based on bootstrap gate driver (BGD) and metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) is designed by analyzing the working principle and impedance characteristics of a given piezoelectric transducer. To detect the remote reflecting interface and reduce the dynamic range of the received echo signals, the relationships between the echo amplitude and propagation distance of ultrasonic waves are determined. A signal compensation technique based on time-varying amplification theory, which can automatically change the gain according to the echo arrival time is designed. Lastly, the aforementioned techniques and corresponding circuits are experimentally verified. Results show that the blind zone length in the UDM system of the LWD caliper is significantly reduced and the capability to detect the remote reflecting interface is considerably improved.

White spots on Smoke rings by Bruce Nauman: a case study on contemporary art conservation using microanalytical techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Mafalda, Ana Cardeira; da Câmara, Rodrigo Bettencourt; Strzelec, Patrick; Schiavon, Nick; Mirão, José; Candeias, António; Carvalho, Maria Luísa; Manso, Marta

2015-02-01

The artwork "Smoke Rings: Two Concentric Tunnels, Non-Communicating" by Bruce Nauman represents a case study of corrosion of a black patina-coated Al-alloy contemporary artwork. The main concern over this artwork was the widespread presence of white spots on its surface. Alloy substrate, patina, and white spots were characterized by means of energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Alloy substrate was identified as an aluminum alloy 6,000 series Al-Si-Mg. Patina's identified composition confirmed the documentation provided by the atelier. Concerning the white spots, zircon particles were found on patina surface as external elements.

Improving Air Quality (and Weather) Predictions using Advanced Data Assimilation Techniques Applied to Coupled Models during KORUS-AQ

Science.gov (United States)

Carmichael, G. R.; Saide, P. E.; Gao, M.; Streets, D. G.; Kim, J.; Woo, J. H.

2017-12-01

Ambient aerosols are important air pollutants with direct impacts on human health and on the Earth's weather and climate systems through their interactions with radiation and clouds. Their role is dependent on their distributions of size, number, phase and composition, which vary significantly in space and time. There remain large uncertainties in simulated aerosol distributions due to uncertainties in emission estimates and in chemical and physical processes associated with their formation and removal. These uncertainties lead to large uncertainties in weather and air quality predictions and in estimates of health and climate change impacts. Despite these uncertainties and challenges, regional-scale coupled chemistry-meteorological models such as WRF-Chem have significant capabilities in predicting aerosol distributions and explaining aerosol-weather interactions. We explore the hypothesis that new advances in on-line, coupled atmospheric chemistry/meteorological models, and new emission inversion and data assimilation techniques applicable to such coupled models, can be applied in innovative ways using current and evolving observation systems to improve predictions of aerosol distributions at regional scales. We investigate the impacts of assimilating AOD from geostationary satellite (GOCI) and surface PM2.5 measurements on predictions of AOD and PM in Korea during KORUS-AQ through a series of experiments. The results suggest assimilating datasets from multiple platforms can improve the predictions of aerosol temporal and spatial distributions.

The development process and tendency of nuclear instruments applied in industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Changsong

2005-01-01

The development process of nuclear technique application in industry may be divided into three stages: early stage--density, thickness and level measurement; middle stage--neutron moisture, ash content and X-ray fluorescence analysis; recent state--container inspection and industrial CT, nuclear magnetic resonance, neutron capture and non-elastic collision analysis techniques. The development tendency of nuclear instruments applied in industry is: spectrum measurement; detector array and image technique; nuclide analysis and new kinds of nuclear detectors are widely adopted. (authors)

Contribution of nuclear techniques towards a sustainable agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muniz Ugarte, O.

1997-01-01

The papers mentions the main nuclear techniques applied in order to achieve a sustainable agriculture, the technical support given to Cuba by the IAEA mainly in training and in the creation of a infrastructure (Laboratories) to enable the application of nuclear techniques to agricultural research related to soil fertility, plant nutrition and water usage

Signed directed social network analysis applied to group conflict

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zheng, Quan; Skillicorn, David; Walther, Olivier

2015-01-01

Real-world social networks contain relationships of multiple different types, but this richness is often ignored in graph-theoretic modelling. We show how two recently developed spectral embedding techniques, for directed graphs (relationships are asymmetric) and for signed graphs (relationships...... are both positive and negative), can be combined. This combination is particularly appropriate for intelligence, terrorism, and law enforcement applications. We illustrate by applying the novel embedding technique to datasets describing conflict in North-West Africa, and show how unusual interactions can...

Modern problems in applied analysis

CERN Document Server

Rogosin, Sergei

2018-01-01

This book features a collection of recent findings in Applied Real and Complex Analysis that were presented at the 3rd International Conference “Boundary Value Problems, Functional Equations and Applications” (BAF-3), held in Rzeszow, Poland on 20-23 April 2016. The contributions presented here develop a technique related to the scope of the workshop and touching on the fields of differential and functional equations, complex and real analysis, with a special emphasis on topics related to boundary value problems. Further, the papers discuss various applications of the technique, mainly in solid mechanics (crack propagation, conductivity of composite materials), biomechanics (viscoelastic behavior of the periodontal ligament, modeling of swarms) and fluid dynamics (Stokes and Brinkman type flows, Hele-Shaw type flows). The book is addressed to all readers who are interested in the development and application of innovative research results that can help solve theoretical and real-world problems.

Fragrance composition of Dendrophylax lindenii (Orchidaceae using a novel technique applied in situ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James J. Sadler

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The ghost orchid, Dendrophylax lindenii (Lindley Bentham ex Rolfe (Orchidaceae, is one of North America’s rarest and well-known orchids. Native to Cuba and SW Florida where it frequents shaded swamps as an epiphyte, the species has experienced steady decline. Little information exists on D. lindenii’s biology in situ, raising conservation concerns. During the summer of 2009 at an undisclosed population in Collier County, FL, a substantial number (ca. 13 of plants initiated anthesis offering a unique opportunity to study this species in situ. We report a new technique aimed at capturing floral headspace of D. lindenii in situ, and identified volatile compounds using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS. All components of the floral scent were identified as terpenoids with the exception of methyl salicylate. The most abundant compound was the sesquiterpene (E,E-α-farnesene (71% followed by (E-β-ocimene (9% and methyl salicylate (8%. Other compounds were: linalool (5%, sabinene (4%, (E-α-bergamotene (2%, α-pinene (1%, and 3-carene (1%. Interestingly, (E,E-α-farnesene has previously been associated with pestiferous insects (e.g., Hemiptera. The other compounds are common floral scent constituents in other angiosperms suggesting that our in situ technique was effective. Volatile capture was, therefore, possible without imposing physical harm (e.g., inflorescence detachment to this rare orchid.

Lessons learned in applying function analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitchel, G.R.; Davey, E.; Basso, R.

2001-01-01

This paper summarizes the lessons learned in undertaking and applying function analysis based on the recent experience of utility, AECL and international design and assessment projects. Function analysis is an analytical technique that can be used to characterize and asses the functions of a system and is widely recognized as an essential component of a 'systematic' approach to design, on that integrated operational and user requirements into the standard design process. (author)

An optimization planning technique for Suez Canal Network in Egypt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abou El-Ela, A.A.; El-Zeftawy, A.A.; Allam, S.M.; Atta, Gasir M. [Electrical Engineering Dept., Faculty of Eng., Shebin El-Kom (Egypt)

2010-02-15

This paper introduces a proposed optimization technique POT for predicting the peak load demand and planning of transmission line systems. Many of traditional methods have been presented for long-term load forecasting of electrical power systems. But, the results of these methods are approximated. Therefore, the artificial neural network (ANN) technique for long-term peak load forecasting is modified and discussed as a modern technique in long-term load forecasting. The modified technique is applied on the Egyptian electrical network dependent on its historical data to predict the electrical peak load demand forecasting up to year 2017. This technique is compared with extrapolation of trend curves as a traditional method. The POT is applied also to obtain the optimal planning of transmission lines for the 220 kV of Suez Canal Network (SCN) using the ANN technique. The minimization of the transmission network costs are considered as an objective function, while the transmission lines (TL) planning constraints are satisfied. Zafarana site on the Red Sea coast is considered as an optimal site for installing big wind farm (WF) units in Egypt. So, the POT is applied to plan both the peak load and the electrical transmission of SCN with and without considering WF to develop the impact of WF units on the electrical transmission system of Egypt, considering the reliability constraints which were taken as a separate model in the previous techniques. The application on SCN shows the capability and the efficiently of the proposed techniques to obtain the predicting peak load demand and the optimal planning of transmission lines of SCN up to year 2017. (author)

Methodology to evaluate the impact of the erosion in cultivated floors applying the technique of the 137CS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gil Castillo, R.; Peralta Vital, J.L.; Carrazana, J.; Riverol, M.; Penn, F.; Cabrera, E.

2004-01-01

The present paper shows the results obtained in the framework of 2 Nuclear Projects, in the topic of application of nuclear techniques to evaluate the erosion rates in cultivated soils. Taking into account the investigations with the 137 CS technique, carried out in the Province of Pinar del Rio, was obtained and validated (first time) a methodology to evaluate the erosion impact in a cropland. The obtained methodology includes all relevant stages for the adequate application of the 137 CS technique, from the initial step of area selection, the soil sampling process, selection of the models and finally, the results evaluation step. During the methodology validation process in soils of the Municipality of San Juan y Martinez, the erosion rates estimated by the methodology and the obtained values by watershed segment measures (traditional technique) were compared in a successful manner. The methodology is a technical guide, for the adequate application of the 137 CS technique to estimate the soil redistribution rates in cultivated soils

Fulltext PDF

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Flow and oscillations in collapsible tubes: ... (ANFIS) based on single channel abdominal ... Computational heat transfer analysis and ... Micro-analytical studies on sugar cane ... performance of a building roof with a phase ..... Finned-tubes.

Applied survival analysis using R

CERN Document Server

Moore, Dirk F

2016-01-01

Applied Survival Analysis Using R covers the main principles of survival analysis, gives examples of how it is applied, and teaches how to put those principles to use to analyze data using R as a vehicle. Survival data, where the primary outcome is time to a specific event, arise in many areas of biomedical research, including clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and studies of animals. Many survival methods are extensions of techniques used in linear regression and categorical data, while other aspects of this field are unique to survival data. This text employs numerous actual examples to illustrate survival curve estimation, comparison of survivals of different groups, proper accounting for censoring and truncation, model variable selection, and residual analysis. Because explaining survival analysis requires more advanced mathematics than many other statistical topics, this book is organized with basic concepts and most frequently used procedures covered in earlier chapters, with more advanced topics...

Applied multidimensional scaling and unfolding

CERN Document Server

Borg, Ingwer; Mair, Patrick

2018-01-01

This book introduces multidimensional scaling (MDS) and unfolding as data analysis techniques for applied researchers. MDS is used for the analysis of proximity data on a set of objects, representing the data as distances between points in a geometric space (usually of two dimensions). Unfolding is a related method that maps preference data (typically evaluative ratings of different persons on a set of objects) as distances between two sets of points (representing the persons and the objects, resp.). This second edition has been completely revised to reflect new developments and the coverage of unfolding has also been substantially expanded. Intended for applied researchers whose main interests are in using these methods as tools for building substantive theories, it discusses numerous applications (classical and recent), highlights practical issues (such as evaluating model fit), presents ways to enforce theoretical expectations for the scaling solutions, and addresses the typical mistakes that MDS/unfoldin...

Low-dimensional and Data Fusion Techniques Applied to a Rectangular Supersonic Multi-stream Jet

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, Matthew; Stack, Cory; Magstadt, Andrew; Ali, Mohd; Gaitonde, Datta; Glauser, Mark

2017-11-01

Low-dimensional models of experimental and simulation data for a complex supersonic jet were fused to reconstruct time-dependent proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) coefficients. The jet consists of a multi-stream rectangular single expansion ramp nozzle, containing a core stream operating at Mj , 1 = 1.6 , and bypass stream at Mj , 3 = 1.0 with an underlying deck. POD was applied to schlieren and PIV data to acquire the spatial basis functions. These eigenfunctions were projected onto their corresponding time-dependent large eddy simulation (LES) fields to reconstruct the temporal POD coefficients. This reconstruction was able to resolve spectral peaks that were previously aliased due to the slower sampling rates of the experiments. Additionally, dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) was applied to the experimental and LES datasets, and the spatio-temporal characteristics were compared to POD. The authors would like to acknowledge AFOSR, program manager Dr. Doug Smith, for funding this research, Grant No. FA9550-15-1-0435.

Maximizing Reading Narrative Text Ability by Probing Prompting Learning Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wiwied Pratiwi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this research was to know whether Probing Prompting Learning Technique can be used to get the maximum effect of students’ reading narrative ability in teaching and learning process. This research was applied collaborative action reEsearch, this research was done in two cycle. The subject of this research was 23 students at tenth grade of SMA Kartikatama Metro. The result of the research showed that the Probing Prompting Learning Technique is useful and effective to help students get maximum effect of their reading. Based on the results of the questionnaire obtained an average percentage of 95%, it indicated that application of Probing Prompting Learning Technique in teaching l reading was appropriately applied. In short that students’ responses toward Probing Prompting Learning Technique in teaching reading was positive. In conclusion, Probing Prompting Learning Technique can get maximum effect of students’ reading ability. In relation to the result of the reserach, some suggestion are offered to english teacher, that  the use of Probing Prompting learning Technique in teaching reading will get the maximum effect of students’ reading abilty.

Artificial intelligence applied to fuel management in BWR type reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz S, J.J.

1998-01-01

In this work two techniques of artificial intelligence, neural networks and genetic algorithms were applied to a practical problem of nuclear fuel management; the determination of the optimal fuel reload for a BWR type reactor. This is an important problem in the design of the operation cycle of the reactor. As a result of the application of these techniques, comparable or even better reloads proposals than those given by expert companies in the subject were obtained. Additionally, two other simpler problems in reactor physics were solved: the determination of the axial power profile and the prediction of the value of some variables of interest at the end of the operation cycle of the reactor. Neural networks and genetic algorithms have been applied to solve many problems of engineering because of their versatility but they have been rarely used in the area of fuel management. The results obtained in this thesis indicates the convenience of undertaking further work on this area and suggest the application of these techniques of artificial intelligence to the solution of other problems in nuclear reactor physics. (Author)

Multidisciplinary Design Techniques Applied to Conceptual Aerospace Vehicle Design. Ph.D. Thesis Final Technical Report

Science.gov (United States)

Olds, John Robert; Walberg, Gerald D.

1993-01-01

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is an emerging discipline within aerospace engineering. Its goal is to bring structure and efficiency to the complex design process associated with advanced aerospace launch vehicles. Aerospace vehicles generally require input from a variety of traditional aerospace disciplines - aerodynamics, structures, performance, etc. As such, traditional optimization methods cannot always be applied. Several multidisciplinary techniques and methods were proposed as potentially applicable to this class of design problem. Among the candidate options are calculus-based (or gradient-based) optimization schemes and parametric schemes based on design of experiments theory. A brief overview of several applicable multidisciplinary design optimization methods is included. Methods from the calculus-based class and the parametric class are reviewed, but the research application reported focuses on methods from the parametric class. A vehicle of current interest was chosen as a test application for this research. The rocket-based combined-cycle (RBCC) single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) launch vehicle combines elements of rocket and airbreathing propulsion in an attempt to produce an attractive option for launching medium sized payloads into low earth orbit. The RBCC SSTO presents a particularly difficult problem for traditional one-variable-at-a-time optimization methods because of the lack of an adequate experience base and the highly coupled nature of the design variables. MDO, however, with it's structured approach to design, is well suited to this problem. The result of the application of Taguchi methods, central composite designs, and response surface methods to the design optimization of the RBCC SSTO are presented. Attention is given to the aspect of Taguchi methods that attempts to locate a 'robust' design - that is, a design that is least sensitive to uncontrollable influences on the design. Near-optimum minimum dry weight solutions are

Experiments in atomic and applied physics using synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, K.W.

1987-01-01

A diverse program in atomic and applied physics using x rays produced at the X-26 beam line at the Brookhaven National Synchrotron Light Source is in progress. The atomic physics program studies the properties of multiply-ionized atoms using the x rays for photo-excitation and ionization of neutral atoms and ion beams. The applied physics program builds on the techniques and results of the atomic physics work to develop new analytical techniques for elemental and chemical characterization of materials. The results are then used for a general experimental program in biomedical sciences, geo- and cosmochemistry, and materials sciences. The present status of the program is illustrated by describing selected experiments. Prospects for development of new experimental capabilities are discussed in terms of a heavy ion storage ring for atomic physics experiments and the feasibility of photoelectron microscopy for high spatial resolution analytical work. 21 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs

New techniques in digital holography

CERN Document Server

Picart, Pascal

2015-01-01

A state of the art presentation of important advances in the field of digital holography, detailing advances related to fundamentals of digital holography, in-line holography applied to fluid mechanics, digital color holography, digital holographic microscopy, infrared holography, special techniques in full field vibrometry and inverse problems in digital holography

Application of the Sampling Selection Technique in Approaching Financial Audit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Munteanu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In his professional approach, the financial auditor has a wide range of working techniques, including selection techniques. They are applied depending on the nature of the information available to the financial auditor, the manner in which they are presented - paper or electronic format, and, last but not least, the time available. Several techniques are applied, successively or in parallel, to increase the safety of the expressed opinion and to provide the audit report with a solid basis of information. Sampling is used in the phase of control or clarification of the identified error. The main purpose is to corroborate or measure the degree of risk detected following a pertinent analysis. Since the auditor does not have time or means to thoroughly rebuild the information, the sampling technique can provide an effective response to the need for valorization.

SIFT applied to CBIR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ALMEIDA, J.

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR is a challenging task. Common approaches use only low-level features. Notwithstanding, such CBIR solutions fail on capturing some local features representing the details and nuances of scenes. Many techniques in image processing and computer vision can capture these scene semantics. Among them, the Scale Invariant Features Transform~(SIFT has been widely used in a lot of applications. This approach relies on the choice of several parameters which directly impact its effectiveness when applied to retrieve images. In this paper, we discuss the results obtained in several experiments proposed to evaluate the application of the SIFT in CBIR tasks.

Development of adaptive control applied to chaotic systems

Science.gov (United States)

Rhode, Martin Andreas

1997-12-01

Continuous-time derivative control and adaptive map-based recursive feedback control techniques are used to control chaos in a variety of systems and in situations that are of practical interest. The theoretical part of the research includes the review of fundamental concept of control theory in the context of its applications to deterministic chaotic systems, the development of a new adaptive algorithm to identify the linear system properties necessary for control, and the extension of the recursive proportional feedback control technique, RPF, to high dimensional systems. Chaos control was applied to models of a thermal pulsed combustor, electro-chemical dissolution and the hyperchaotic Rossler system. Important implications for combustion engineering were suggested by successful control of the model of the thermal pulsed combustor. The system was automatically tracked while maintaining control into regions of parameter and state space where no stable attractors exist. In a simulation of the electrochemical dissolution system, application of derivative control to stabilize a steady state, and adaptive RPF to stabilize a period one orbit, was demonstrated. The high dimensional adaptive control algorithm was applied in a simulation using the Rossler hyperchaotic system, where a period-two orbit with two unstable directions was stabilized and tracked over a wide range of a system parameter. In the experimental part, the electrochemical system was studied in parameter space, by scanning the applied potential and the frequency of the rotating copper disk. The automated control algorithm is demonstrated to be effective when applied to stabilize a period-one orbit in the experiment. We show the necessity of small random perturbations applied to the system in order to both learn the dynamics and control the system at the same time. The simultaneous learning and control capability is shown to be an important part of the active feedback control.

Meta-analysis in applied ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Gavin

2010-02-23

This overview examines research synthesis in applied ecology and conservation. Vote counting and pooling unweighted averages are widespread despite the superiority of syntheses based on weighted combination of effects. Such analyses allow exploration of methodological uncertainty in addition to consistency of effects across species, space and time, but exploring heterogeneity remains controversial. Meta-analyses are required to generalize in ecology, and to inform evidence-based decision-making, but the more sophisticated statistical techniques and registers of research used in other disciplines must be employed in ecology to fully realize their benefits.

Neutron scattering in applied research: possibilities for medium-flux research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reijonen, H.

1977-01-01

The possibilities for neutron scattering techniques in applied research are reviewed. The areas covered are magnetism, determination of hydrogen self-diffusion constants and ionic mobility in superionic conductors, liquid crystals, molecular solids, polymers, surface chemistry and catalysts, colloids biology, physical metallurgy and neutron diagnostics. Established applications and new proposals for research projects are presented in various degrees of detail. Small angle scattering techniques, physical metallurgy and biology were identified as having particular potential. Prospective users should be realistically informed of the possibilities of neutron scattering techniques. (author)

Acoustic Emission and Echo Signal Compensation Techniques Applied to an Ultrasonic Logging-While-Drilling Caliper

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongchao Yao

2017-06-01

Full Text Available A logging-while-drilling (LWD caliper is a tool used for the real-time measurement of a borehole diameter in oil drilling engineering. This study introduces the mechanical structure and working principle of a new LWD caliper based on ultrasonic distance measurement (UDM. The detection range is a major performance index of a UDM system. This index is determined by the blind zone length and remote reflecting interface detection capability of the system. To reduce the blind zone length and detect near the reflecting interface, a full bridge acoustic emission technique based on bootstrap gate driver (BGD and metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET is designed by analyzing the working principle and impedance characteristics of a given piezoelectric transducer. To detect the remote reflecting interface and reduce the dynamic range of the received echo signals, the relationships between the echo amplitude and propagation distance of ultrasonic waves are determined. A signal compensation technique based on time-varying amplification theory, which can automatically change the gain according to the echo arrival time is designed. Lastly, the aforementioned techniques and corresponding circuits are experimentally verified. Results show that the blind zone length in the UDM system of the LWD caliper is significantly reduced and the capability to detect the remote reflecting interface is considerably improved.

Sensitivity Analysis Techniques Applied in Video Streaming Service on Eucalyptus Cloud Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosangela Melo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Nowdays, several streaming servers are available to provide a variety of multimedia applications such as Video on Demand in cloud computing environments. These environments have the business potential because of the pay-per-use model, as well as the advantages of easy scalability and, up-to-date of the packages and programs. This paper uses hierarchical modeling and different sensitivity analysis techniques to determine the parameters that cause the greatest impact on the availability of a Video on Demand. The results show that distinct approaches provide similar results regarding the sensitivity ranking, with specific exceptions. A combined evaluation indicates that system availability may be improved effectively by focusing on a reduced set of factors that produce large variation on the measure of interest.

Automatic diameter control system applied to the laser heated pedestal growth technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreeta M.R.B.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available We described an automatic diameter control system (ADC, for the laser heated pedestal growth technique, that reduces the diameter fluctuations in oxide fibers grown from unreacted and non-sinterized pedestals, to less than 2% of the average fiber diameter, and diminishes the average diameter fluctuation, over the entire length of the fiber, to less than 1%. The ADC apparatus is based on an artificial vision system that controls the pulling speed and the height of the molten zone within a precision of 30 mum. We also show that this system can be used for periodic in situ axial doping the fiber. Pure and Cr3+ doped LaAlO3 and pure LiNbO3 were usedas model materials.

A new technique for infrared scintillation measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiossi, F., E-mail: federico.chiossi@studenti.unipd.it [Dip. di Fisica e Astronomia and INFN, University of Padua, Via F. Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Brylew, K. [Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziadzka 5, 87-100 Torun (Poland); Borghesani, A.F. [CNISM Unit and Dip. di Fisica e Astronomia, University of Padua, Via F. Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Braggio, C.; Carugno, G. [Dip. di Fisica e Astronomia and INFN, University of Padua, Via F. Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Drozdowski, W. [Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziadzka 5, 87-100 Torun (Poland); Guarise, M. [Dip. di Fisica e Astronomia and INFN, University of Padua, Via F. Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy)

2017-05-21

We propose a new technique to measure the infrared scintillation light yield of rare earth doped crystals by comparing it to near UV–visible scintillation of a calibrated Pr:(Lu{sub 0.75}Y{sub 0.25}){sub 3}Al{sub 5}O{sub 12} sample. As an example, we apply this technique to provide the light yield in visible and infrared range up to 1700 nm of this crystal.

Techniques for the improvement of heat exchange

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huyghe, J.

1983-01-01

The target of the described techniques is either to improve the performances of the equipements or to reduce their cost price. These techniques were developed at the laboratory scale and some of them were tested in pilot units. Neither of them has yet been applied in commercial plants. Different type of corrogated tubes, thin film evaporation, dropwise condensation, plastic tube or plates, tube configuration and heat pipes are examined [fr

Personnel Audit Using a Forensic Mining Technique

OpenAIRE

Adesesan B. Adeyemo; Oluwafemi Oriola

2010-01-01

This paper applies forensic data mining to determine the true status of employees and thereafter provide useful evidences for proper administration of administrative rules in a Typical Nigerian Teaching Service. The conventional technique of personnel audit was studied and a new technique for personnel audit was modeled using Artificial Neural Networks and Decision Tree algorithms. Atwo-layer classifier architecture was modeled. The outcome of the experiment proved that Radial Basis Function ...

A new technique for infrared scintillation measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiossi, F.; Brylew, K.; Borghesani, A.F.; Braggio, C.; Carugno, G.; Drozdowski, W.; Guarise, M.

2017-01-01

We propose a new technique to measure the infrared scintillation light yield of rare earth doped crystals by comparing it to near UV–visible scintillation of a calibrated Pr:(Lu_0_._7_5Y_0_._2_5)_3Al_5O_1_2 sample. As an example, we apply this technique to provide the light yield in visible and infrared range up to 1700 nm of this crystal.

Resonant laser techniques for combustion and flow diagnostics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fritzon, Rolf

1998-05-01

This thesis presents results from two areas of research. Firstly, the resonant coherent laser techniques polarization spectroscopy (PS), degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) and stimulated emission (SE) have been developed in the general field of combustion diagnostics. Secondly, laser induced fluorescence (LIF) has been developed and applied for the visualization of mixture fractions in turbulent non reacting flows. PS was developed for instantaneous two-dimensional imaging of minor species in flames, the technique being demonstrated on OH and NO. Various aspects of imaging and of detection in general were investigated. Two-photon induced PS was demonstrated for the detection of NH{sub 3}, CO and N{sub 2} molecules. LIF was monitored simultaneously to allow a quantitative comparison between the techniques. Furthermore, PS and DFWM were developed for instantaneous two-dimensional OH temperature imaging. Through a novel experimental approach based on the use of a dual-wavelength dye laser and a diffraction grating the temperature imaging measurements were performed using only one laser and one CCD camera. A comparison between the two techniques was made. SE was through a crossed-beam arrangement developed for spatially resolved detection of flame species. Two-dimensional LIF was developed and applied for measuring mixture fractions in the shear layer between two co-flowing turbulent gaseous jets. The technique was further applied in a study of the mixing of a turbulent water jet impinging orthogonally onto a flat surface. Average concentration fields in the center-plane of the jet was compared with results from large eddy simulations and with data from the literature 221 refs, 48 figs, 5 tabs

Integral transform techniques for Green's function

CERN Document Server

Watanabe, Kazumi

2015-01-01

This book describes mathematical techniques for integral transforms in a detailed but concise manner. The techniques are subsequently applied to the standard partial differential equations, such as the Laplace equation, the wave equation and elasticity equations. Green’s functions for beams, plates and acoustic media are also shown, along with their mathematical derivations. The Cagniard-de Hoop method for double inversion is described in detail, and 2D and 3D elastodynamic problems are treated in full. This new edition explains in detail how to introduce the branch cut for the multi-valued square root function. Further, an exact closed form Green’s function for torsional waves is presented, as well as an application technique of the complex integral, which includes the square root function and an application technique of the complex integral.

Use of Jigsaw Technique to Teach the Unit "Science within Time" in Secondary 7th Grade Social Sciences Course and Students' Views on This Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Yapici, Hakki

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to apply the jigsaw technique in Social Sciences teaching and to unroll the effects of this technique on learning. The unit "Science within Time" in the secondary 7th grade Social Sciences text book was chosen for the research. It is aimed to compare the jigsaw technique with the traditional teaching method in…

How to Apply the User Profile Usability Technique in the User Modelling Activity for an Adaptive Food Recommendation System for People on Special Diets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucrecia Llerena

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Interest among software professionals in the possibility of adapting software to user requirements has grown as a result of the evolution of software analysis, design and implementation thinking and the growth in the number of software systems users. Moving away from the traditional approach where the user has to settle for the options offered by software systems, different factors (e.g. user needs, aspirations, preferences, knowledge level, goals have to be taken into account for this purpose. Technically, this possibility is referred to as adaptiveness, and it requires user data. It is these data (user model that determine the adaptiveness conditions. Our aim is to build a user model for adaptive systems applied to nutritional requirements, modelling user characteristics that affect their diets and help to improve their health. To build the user model, we apply the user profile usability technique. In order to validate our proposal, we analyse and design a preliminary prototype of an adaptive system capable of making food recommendations to satisfy specific user needs. This study revealed that diet is a propitious field for the development of adaptive systems and that user modelling is a good choice for design of this type of systems.

Parameters and definitions in applied technique quality test for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging system (NMRI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Zhikai; Zhao Lancai

1999-08-01

During the past two decades, medical diagnostic imaging technique has achieved dramatic development such as CT, MRI, PET, DSA and so on. The most striking examples of them are the application of X ray computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging in the field of medical diagnosis. It can be predicted that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will definitely have more widespread prospects of applications and play more and more important role in clinical diagnosis looking forward to the development of image diagnostic technique for 21 st century. The authors also present the measuring methods for some parameters. The parameters described can be used for reference by clinical diagnosticians, operators on MRI and medical physicists who engages in image quality assurance (QA) and control (QC) in performing MRI acceptance test and routine test

Study of bioaccumulation and biotransformation by microanalytical X-ray techniques: investigation of distribution and speciation of Cu and Cr in the body of the plant-feeding nematode, Xiphinema vuittenezi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sávoly, Zoltán; Záray, Gyula

2014-01-01

Free-living nematodes, due to their microscopic size and quite complex life processes can be widely applied as biological model organisms to study the effect of soil pollutants. The modern X-ray spectrometric methods enable the individual analysis of microscopic biological samples, hereby expanding the scope of environmental and toxicological sciences. In order to study the uptake and bioaccumulation of Cu and Cr by nematodes (Xiphinema vuittenezi), the worms were starved in tap water for five days, and then treated with solutions of CuSO 4 , Cu(NO 3 ) 2 , KCr(SO 4 ) 2 or K 2 CrO 4 for 1–120 h. The effect of two soil-polluting elements, Cu, which is often applied in herbicides, and Cr, which is essential in the form of Cr(III), but toxic if it occurs as Cr(VI), on soil-inhabiting nematodes was studied. The uptake of these toxicants and their bioaccumulation was investigated by TXRF, following a two-step sample digestion method (digestion with HNO 3 and using cold O plasma). Their effect on the essential element content of nematodes was also studied. Differences were found between the uptake of Cr(III) and Cr(VI). The Cr(III) causes decreased Zn content comparing with untreated nematodes, for Cr(VI) it was not observed. Elemental maps in the cross-sections of the worms prepared by focused gallium ion beam, following a special sample preparation method (quick-freezing in liquid nitrogen for 2 min and lyophilization for 72 h) were collected by scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray detector. The distribution of Cr-P and Cu-P showed a similar pattern, however, the distribution of S deviated from these ones. According to these findings, the role of P-containing ligands in the binding of Cu and Cr is more characteristic than of S-containing ones. With the purpose of studying the speciation of the Cu and Cr in the worm, X-ray absorption near edge structure spectrometry was applied. The sample preparation method was the same as in the case of

The "Unfinished Sentences" Technique in Studying Loneliness Phenomenon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zh V Puzanova

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the unfinished sentences technique as a soft, qualitative way to collect and analyze sociological data. The article represents an attempt to describe the main features of qualitative approach to designing, conducting and analyzing the semi-structured data of sociological research based on the unfinished sentences technique and aimed at studying the problem of loneliness. The article also proposes a scheme to apply typological analysis principles to the data obtained through the unfinished sentences technique.

A new estimation technique of sovereign default risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Ali Soytaş

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Using the fixed-point theorem, sovereign default models are solved by numerical value function iteration and calibration methods, which due to their computational constraints, greatly limits the models' quantitative performance and foregoes its country-specific quantitative projection ability. By applying the Hotz-Miller estimation technique (Hotz and Miller, 1993- often used in applied microeconometrics literature- to dynamic general equilibrium models of sovereign default, one can estimate the ex-ante default probability of economies, given the structural parameter values obtained from country-specific business-cycle statistics and relevant literature. Thus, with this technique we offer an alternative solution method to dynamic general equilibrium models of sovereign default to improve upon their quantitative inference ability.

Gel'fand and Tsetlin technique and heavy quarks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mubarak, Ahmad; Jallu, M.S.

1979-04-01

Here the authors present the SU(5) symmetry scheme by chosing the truth quark (t) as the fifth quark. To classify baryons and mesons, including the upsilon mesons and the associated hadrons, the Gel'fand and Tsetlin technique is exploited. This proves to be an elegant technique in this analysis. Also some relations are found between the masses of the truthful (3 + /2) baryons and the (3 + /2) non-truthful baryons by applying the Feldman and Matthews parallelogram rule to the different parallelograms formed by different baryons in the weight diagram. The results obtained by applying this rule are almost consistent with the corresponding results obtained from the mass spectrum of 3 + /2 baryons. (author)

Abstract: Trauma Tapping Technique: Practical First Aid for Stress ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Trauma tapping technique (TTT) is a procedure that uses touch through tapping to relieve anxiety symptoms. TTT is a nonverbal process that can be delivered at minimal cost with the potential for easy dissemination. This technique can be applied in urban or rural communities and in medical or mental health environments.

Enviromentally Sound Timber Extracting Techniques for Small Tree Harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Lihai Wang

1999-01-01

Due to large area disturbed and great deal of energy cost during-its operations, introducing or applying the appropriate timber extracting techniques could significantly reduce the impact of timber extraction operations to forest environment while pursuing the reasonable operation costs. Four environmentally sound timber extraction techniques for small tree harvesting...

August Dvorak (1894-1975): Early expressions of applied behavior analysis and precision teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Bonnie; Moxley, Roy A.

1988-01-01

August Dvorak is best known for his development of the Dvorak keyboard. However, Dvorak also adapted and applied many behavioral and scientific management techniques to the field of education. Taken collectively, these techniques are representative of many of the procedures currently used in applied behavior analysis, in general, and especially in precision teaching. The failure to consider Dvorak's instructional methods may explain some of the discrepant findings in studies which compare the efficiency of the Dvorak to the standard keyboard. This article presents a brief background on the development of the standard (QWERTY) and Dvorak keyboards, describes parallels between Dvorak's teaching procedures and those used in precision teaching, reviews some of the comparative research on the Dvorak keyboard, and suggests some implications for further research in applying the principles of behavior analysis. PMID:22477993

Radioanalytical techniques and their application in forensic science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chattopadhyay, N.

1998-01-01

Neutron techniques mainly in the form of Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) is suitable for determination of very low amounts of many elements and can be effectively applied in crime investigation. Trace element analysis plays a significant role in forensic science. Different aspects of radioanalytical techniques, role of a few typical elements and their forensic application in different types of samples are discussed

Inverse Optimization and Forecasting Techniques Applied to Decision-making in Electricity Markets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saez Gallego, Javier

patterns that the load traditionally exhibited. On the other hand, this thesis is motivated by the decision-making processes of market players. In response to these challenges, this thesis provides mathematical models for decision-making under uncertainty in electricity markets. Demand-side bidding refers......This thesis deals with the development of new mathematical models that support the decision-making processes of market players. It addresses the problems of demand-side bidding, price-responsive load forecasting and reserve determination. From a methodological point of view, we investigate a novel...... approach to model the response of aggregate price-responsive load as a constrained optimization model, whose parameters are estimated from data by using inverse optimization techniques. The problems tackled in this dissertation are motivated, on one hand, by the increasing penetration of renewable energy...

An Effective Performance Analysis of Machine Learning Techniques for Cardiovascular Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinitha DOMINIC

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Machine learning techniques will help in deriving hidden knowledge from clinical data which can be of great benefit for society, such as reduce the number of clinical trials required for precise diagnosis of a disease of a person etc. Various areas of study are available in healthcare domain like cancer, diabetes, drugs etc. This paper focuses on heart disease dataset and how machine learning techniques can help in understanding the level of risk associated with heart diseases. Initially, data is preprocessed then analysis is done in two stages, in first stage feature selection techniques are applied on 13 commonly used attributes and in second stage feature selection techniques are applied on 75 attributes which are related to anatomic structure of the heart like blood vessels of the heart, arteries etc. Finally, validation of the reduced set of features using an exhaustive list of classifiers is done.In parallel study of the anatomy of the heart is done using the identified features and the characteristics of each class is understood. It is observed that these reduced set of features are anatomically relevant. Thus, it can be concluded that, applying machine learning techniques on clinical data is beneficial and necessary.

Developments in surface contamination and cleaning fundamentals and applied aspects

CERN Document Server

Kohli, Rajiv

2015-01-01

Developments in Surface Contamination and Cleaning, Vol. 1: Fundamentals and Applied Aspects, Second Edition, provides an excellent source of information on alternative cleaning techniques and methods for characterization of surface contamination and validation. Each volume in this series contains a particular topical focus, covering the key techniques and recent developments in the area. This volume forms the heart of the series, covering the fundamentals and application aspects, characterization of surface contaminants, and methods for removal of surface contamination. In addition, new cleaning techniques effective at smaller scales are considered and employed for removal where conventional cleaning techniques fail, along with new cleaning techniques for molecular contaminants. The Volume is edited by the leading experts in small particle surface contamination and cleaning, providing an invaluable reference for researchers and engineers in R&D, manufacturing, quality control, and procurement specific...

Colour and shape analysis techniques for weed detection in cereal fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pérez, A.J; López, F; Benlloch, J.V.

2000-01-01

. The proposed methods use colour information to discriminate between vegetation and background, whilst shape analysis techniques are applied to distinguish between crop and weeds. The determination of crop row position helps to reduce the number of objects to which shape analysis techniques are applied....... The performance of algorithms was assessed by comparing the results with a human classification, providing an acceptable success rate. The study has shown that despite the difficulties in accurately determining the number of seedlings (as in visual surveys), it is feasible to use image processing techniques......Information on weed distribution within the field is necessary to implement spatially variable herbicide application. This paper deals with the development of near-ground image capture and processing techniques in order to detect broad-leaved weeds in cereal crops under actual field conditions...

Exposure measuring techniques for wide band mobile radio-communications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trinchero, S.; Benedetto, A.; Anglesio, L.; D'Amore, G.; Trinchero, D.

2004-01-01

The paper illustrates the limits and performances of different experimental monitoring techniques, which are applied to digitally modulated radiofrequency electromagnetic fields used for mobile telecommunications. Different experimental set-ups have been developed, verified and applied for the analysis and characterisation of wide band probes and narrow band measuring procedures. (authors)

Prostate Cancer Probability Prediction By Machine Learning Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Jović, Srđan; Miljković, Milica; Ivanović, Miljan; Šaranović, Milena; Arsić, Milena

2017-11-26

The main goal of the study was to explore possibility of prostate cancer prediction by machine learning techniques. In order to improve the survival probability of the prostate cancer patients it is essential to make suitable prediction models of the prostate cancer. If one make relevant prediction of the prostate cancer it is easy to create suitable treatment based on the prediction results. Machine learning techniques are the most common techniques for the creation of the predictive models. Therefore in this study several machine techniques were applied and compared. The obtained results were analyzed and discussed. It was concluded that the machine learning techniques could be used for the relevant prediction of prostate cancer.

The First Trial of the P Technique in Psychotherapy Research: A Still-Lively Legacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Luborsky, Lester

1995-01-01

Reexamines a 49-year-old study of P technique applied to a psychotherapy patient with a recurrent physical symptom. Explores dimensions of psychotherapeutic change as well as the context for the recurrent symptom. Illustrates the contributions from applying the P technique to psychotherapy research, to psychosomatic medicine, and to personality…