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Sample records for plasma specimens failing

  1. Plasma Brightenings in a Failed Solar Filament Eruption

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Y.; Ding, M. D., E-mail: yingli@nju.edu.cn [School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China)

    2017-03-20

    Failed filament eruptions are solar eruptions that are not associated with coronal mass ejections. In a failed filament eruption, the filament materials usually show some ascending and falling motions as well as generating bright EUV emissions. Here we report a failed filament eruption (SOL2016-07-22) that occurred in a quiet-Sun region observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory . In this event, the filament spreads out but gets confined by the surrounding magnetic field. When interacting with the ambient magnetic field, the filament material brightens up and flows along the magnetic field lines through the corona to the chromosphere. We find that some materials slide down along the lifting magnetic structure containing the filament and impact the chromosphere, and through kinetic energy dissipation, cause two ribbon-like brightenings in a wide temperature range. There is evidence suggesting that magnetic reconnection occurs between the filament magnetic structure and the surrounding magnetic fields where filament plasma is heated to coronal temperatures. In addition, thread-like brightenings show up on top of the erupting magnetic fields at low temperatures, which might be produced by an energy imbalance from a fast drop of radiative cooling due to plasma rarefaction. Thus, this single event of a failed filament eruption shows the existence of a variety of plasma brightenings that may be caused by completely different heating mechanisms.

  2. Development of laser plasma x-ray microscope for living hydrated biological specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kado, Masataka; Daido, Hiroyuki

    2005-01-01

    Investigating the structure and the function of life object performing advanced life activity becomes important. In order to investigate the life object, it is necessary to observe living specimens with high spatial resolution and high temporal resolution. Since laser plasma x-ray source has high brightness and short pulse duration, x-ray microscope with the laser plasma x-ray source makes possible to observe living specimens. Such as chromosomes, macrophages, bacterium, and so on have been observed by contact x-ray microscopy. The x-ray images obtained by indirect measurements such as the contact x-ray microscopy have difficulty to avoid artificial effect such as irregular due to developing process. Development of an x-ray microscope with laser plasma x-ray source is necessary to avoid such defects. (author)

  3. Failed PCR of Ganoderma type specimens affects nomenclature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paterson, R R M; Lima, N

    2015-06-01

    The nomenclature of Ganoderma used as a Chinese medicine is debated. A group of researchers could not amplify the DNA of type specimens and concluded the DNA was degraded irreparably. New topotypes were used as the type specimens which was premature. The use of internal amplification controls is recommended to determine if other factors were involved as alternative explanations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Simultaneous specimen and stage cleaning device for analytical electron microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaluzec, Nestor J.

    1996-01-01

    An improved method and apparatus are provided for cleaning both a specimen stage, a specimen and an interior of an analytical electron microscope (AEM). The apparatus for cleaning a specimen stage and specimen comprising a plasma chamber for containing a gas plasma and an air lock coupled to the plasma chamber for permitting passage of the specimen stage and specimen into the plasma chamber and maintaining an airtight chamber. The specimen stage and specimen are subjected to a reactive plasma gas that is either DC or RF excited. The apparatus can be mounted on the analytical electron microscope (AEM) for cleaning the interior of the microscope.

  5. MS-based monitoring of proteolytic decay of synthetic reporter peptides for quality control of plasma and serum specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Findeisen, Peter; Thumfart, Jörg Oliver; Costina, Victor; Hofheinz, Ralf; Neumaier, Michael

    2013-09-01

    To determine the preanalytical quality of serum and plasma by monitoring the time-dependent ex vivo decay of a synthetic reporter peptide (RP) with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Serum and plasma specimens were spiked with the RP and proteolytic fragments were monitored with LC/MS at different preanalytical time points ranging from 2 to 24 hours after blood withdrawal. The concentration of fragments changed in a time-dependent manner, and respective peptide profiles were used to classify specimens according to their preanalytical time span. Classification accuracy was high, with values always above 0.89 for areas under receiver operating characteristic curves. This "proteomics degradation clock" can be used to estimate the preanalytical quality of serum and plasma and might have impact on quality control procedures of biobanking repositories.

  6. Failed fuel detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kogure, Sumio; Seya, Toru; Watanabe, Masaaki.

    1976-01-01

    Purpose: To enhance the reliability of a failed fuel detector which detects radioactivity of nuclear fission products leaked out from fuel elements in cooling water. Constitution: Collected specimen is introduced into a separator and co-existing material considered to be an impediment is separated and removed by ion exchange resins, after which this specimen is introduced into a container housing therein a detector to systematically measure radioactivity. Thereby, it is possible to detect a signal lesser in variation in background, and inspection work also becomes simple. (Kawakami, Y.)

  7. Recent advances in FIB-TEM specimen preparation techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jian; Malis, T.; Dionne, S.

    2006-01-01

    Preparing high-quality transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens is of paramount importance in TEM studies. The development of the focused ion beam (FIB) microscope has greatly enhanced TEM specimen preparation capabilities. In recent years, various FIB-TEM foil preparation techniques have been developed. However, the currently available techniques fail to produce TEM specimens from fragile and ultra-fine specimens such as fine fibers. In this paper, the conventional FIB-TEM specimen preparation techniques are reviewed, and their advantages and shortcomings are compared. In addition, a new technique suitable to prepare TEM samples from ultra-fine specimens is demonstrated

  8. Performance of ARCHITECT HCV core antigen test with specimens from US plasma donors and injecting drug users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mixson-Hayden, Tonya; Dawson, George J; Teshale, Eyasu; Le, Thao; Cheng, Kevin; Drobeniuc, Jan; Ward, John; Kamili, Saleem

    2015-05-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen is a serological marker of current HCV infection. The aim of this study was mainly to evaluate the performance characteristics of the ARCHITECT HCV core antigen assay with specimens from US plasma donors and injecting drug users. A total of 551 serum and plasma samples with known anti-HCV and HCV RNA status were tested for HCV core antigen using the Abbott ARCHITECT HCV core antigen test. HCV core antigen was detectable in 100% of US plasma donor samples collected during the pre-seroconversion phase of infection (anti-HCV negative/HCV RNA positive). Overall sensitivity of the HCV core antigen assay was 88.9-94.3% in samples collected after seroconversion. The correlation between HCV core antigen and HCV RNA titers was 0.959. HCV core antigen testing may be reliably used to identify current HCV infection. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Influence of specimen type and reinforcement on measured tension-tension fatigue life of unidirectional GFRP laminates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Korkiakoski, Samuli; Brøndsted, Povl; Sarlin, Essi

    2016-01-01

    It is well known that standardised tension-tension fatigue test specimens of unidirectional (UD) glass-fibre-reinforced plastics (GFRP) laminates tend to fail at end tabs. The true fatigue life is then underestimated. The first objective of this study was to find for UD GFRP laminates a test...... specimen that fails in the gauge section. The second objective was to compare fatigue performance of two laminates, one having a newly developed UD powder-bound fabric as a reinforcement and the other having a quasi-UD stitched non-crimp fabric as a reinforcement. In the first phase, a rectangular specimen...... in accordance with the ISO 527-5 standard and two slightly different dog-bone shaped specimens were evaluated by means of finite element modelling. Subsequent comparative fatigue tests were performed for the laminates with the three specimen types. The results showed that the test specimen type has...

  10. Plasma cytokine profiles in depressed patients who fail to respond to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor therapy.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Brien, Sinead M

    2012-02-03

    OBJECTIVE: Approximately 30% of patients with depression fail to respond to a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Few studies have attempted to define these patients from a biological perspective. Studies suggest that overall patients with depression show increased production of proinflammatory cytokines. We examined pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels in patients who were SSRI resistant. METHODS: Plasma concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-alpha and sIL-6R were measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in DSM-1V major depressives who were SSRI resistant, in formerly SSRI resistant patients currently euthymic and in healthy controls. RESULTS: Patients with SSRI-resistant depression had significantly higher production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 (p=0.01) and TNF-alpha (p=0.004) compared to normal controls. Euthymic patients who were formerly SSRI resistant had proinflammatory cytokine levels which were similar to the healthy subject group. Anti-inflammatory cytokine levels did not differ across the 3 groups. CONCLUSION: Suppression of proinflammatory cytokines does not occur in depressed patients who fail to respond to SSRIs and is necessary for clinical recovery.

  11. Rotating specimen rack repair

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, G.E.; Rogers, P.J.; Nabor, W.G.; Bair, H.

    1984-01-01

    In 1980, an operator at the UCI TRIGA Reactor noticed difficulties with the rotation of the specimen rack. Investigations showed that the drive bearing in the rack had failed and allowed the bearings to enter the rack. After some time of operation in static mode it was decided that installation of a bearing substitute - a graphite sleeve - would be undertaken. Procedures were written and approved for removal of the rack, fabrication and installation of the sleeve, and re-installation of the rack. This paper describes these procedures in some detail. Detailed drawings of the necessary parts may be obtained from the authors

  12. Thermal endurance tests on silicone rubber specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Warburton, C.

    1977-07-01

    Thermal endurance tests have been performed on a range of silicone rubber specimens at temperature above 300 0 C. It is suggested that the rubber mix A2426, the compound from which Wylfa sealing rings are manufactured, will fail at temperatures above 300 0 C within weeks. Hardness measurements show that this particular rubber performs in a similar manner to Walker's S.I.L./60. (author)

  13. Biomechanical evaluation of a corporectomy in porcine lumbar specimens using flexible polymer belts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beltrán-Fernández, J. A.; Hernández-Gómez, L. H.; Ruiz-Muñoz, E.; González-Rebattú, A.; Rodríguez-Cañizo, R. G.; Urriolagoitia-Calderón, G.; Urriolagoitia-Sosa, G.; Hernández-Moreno, H.

    2009-08-01

    This paper presents the experimental results of a biomechanical evaluation in lumbar porcine specimens (L2-L4), instrumented with flexible polymer belts, under fatigue and tensile loading. The clinical effect called facetary arthrosis is evaluated. An experimental analysis was carried on 3 lumbar porcine specimens. In two of them, polyamide belts are fixed on the interspinous ligament from L2 to L4. Specimens are taken from pigs which are 6 month old. For the present work, the stiffness reduction of the spine and the biomechanical behaviour of the belts in conjunction with the interspinous ligament are evaluated. The purpose is to determine the failure conditions for the elements of the specimen (vertebral disk, supra and intraspinous ligament and vertebral body). Under static loading, which is the base line case, the elements of the specimen failed as a typical healthy structure. While in the fatigue combined with static loading, the element failed in different order. Additionally, the stiffness changed in accordance with the fatigue loading conditions. Because of the simplicity of this alternative technique, a high level of the structural integrity is preserved, as no holes are made on the spinous process in order to insert the fixation screws. Furthermore, there is a cost reduction.

  14. Biomechanical evaluation of a corporectomy in porcine lumbar specimens using flexible polymer belts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beltran-Fernandez, J A; Hernandez-Gomez, L H; Ruiz-Munoz, E; Urriolagoitia-Calderon, G; Urriolagoitia-Sosa, G; Gonzalez-Rebattu, A; RodrIguez-Canizo, R G; Hernandez-Moreno, H

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents the experimental results of a biomechanical evaluation in lumbar porcine specimens (L2-L4), instrumented with flexible polymer belts, under fatigue and tensile loading. The clinical effect called facetary arthrosis is evaluated. An experimental analysis was carried on 3 lumbar porcine specimens. In two of them, polyamide belts are fixed on the interspinous ligament from L2 to L4. Specimens are taken from pigs which are 6 month old. For the present work, the stiffness reduction of the spine and the biomechanical behaviour of the belts in conjunction with the interspinous ligament are evaluated. The purpose is to determine the failure conditions for the elements of the specimen (vertebral disk, supra and intraspinous ligament and vertebral body). Under static loading, which is the base line case, the elements of the specimen failed as a typical healthy structure. While in the fatigue combined with static loading, the element failed in different order. Additionally, the stiffness changed in accordance with the fatigue loading conditions. Because of the simplicity of this alternative technique, a high level of the structural integrity is preserved, as no holes are made on the spinous process in order to insert the fixation screws. Furthermore, there is a cost reduction.

  15. Method for quantifying percentage wood failure in block-shear specimens by a laser scanning profilometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    C. T. Scott; R. Hernandez; C. Frihart; R. Gleisner; T. Tice

    2005-01-01

    A new method for quantifying percentage wood failure of an adhesively bonded block-shear specimen has been developed. This method incorporates a laser displacement gage with an automated two-axis positioning system that functions as a highly sensitive profilometer. The failed specimen is continuously scanned across its width to obtain a surface failure profile. The...

  16. Tensile tests and metallography of brazed AISI 316L specimens after irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Groot, P.; Franconi, E.

    1994-01-01

    Stainless steel type 316L tensile specimens were vacuum brazed with three kinds of alloys: BNi-5, BNi-6, and BNi-7. The specimens were irradiated up to 0.7 dpa at 353 K in the High Flux Reactor at JRC Petten, the Netherlands. Tensile tests were performed at a constant displacement rate of 10 -3 s -1 at room temperature in the ECN hot cell facility. BNi-5 brazed specimens showed ductile behaviour. Necking and fractures were localized in the plate material. BNi-6 and BNi-7 brazed specimens failed brittle in the brazed zone. This was preceded by uniform deformation of the plate material. Tensile test results of irradiated specimens showed higher stresses due to radiation hardening and a reduction of the elongation of the plate material compared to the reference. SEM examination of the irradiated BNi-6 and BNi-7 fracture surfaces showed nonmetallic phases. These phases were not found in the reference specimens. ((orig.))

  17. Intra-articular laser treatment plus Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) significantly reduces pain in many patients who had failed prior PRP treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prodromos, Chadwick C.; Finkle, Susan; Dawes, Alexander; Dizon, Angelo

    2018-02-01

    INTRODUCTION: In our practice Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections effectively reduce pain in most but not all arthritic patients. However, for patients who fail PRP treatment, no good alternative currently exists except total joint replacement surgery. Low level laser therapy (LLLT) on the surface of the skin has not been helpful for arthritis patients in our experience. However, we hypothesized that intra-articular laser treatment would be an effective augmentation to PRP injection and would increase its efficacy in patients who had failed prior PRP injection alone. METHODS: We offered Intra-articular Low Level Laser Therapy (IAL) treatment in conjunction with repeat PRP injection to patients who had received no benefit from PRP injection alone at our center. They were the treatment group. They were not charged for PRP or IAL. They also served as a historical control group since they had all had failed PRP treatment alone. 28 patients (30 joints) accepted treatment after informed consent. 22 knees, 4 hips, 2 shoulder glenohumeral joints and 1 first carpo-metacarpal (1st CMC) joint were treated RESULTS: All patients were followed up at 1 month and no adverse events were seen from the treatment. At 6 months post treatment 46% of patients had good outcomes, and at 1 year 17% still showed improvement after treatment. 11 patients failed treatment and went on to joint replacement. DISCUSSION: A single treatment of IAL with PRP salvaged 46% of patients who had failed PRP treatment alone, allowing avoidance of surgery and good pain control.

  18. Practical Approaches to Mitigation of Specimen Charging in High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Young-Min Kim

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Specimen charging that is associated with the electron bombardment on the sample is a practical hindrance to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM analysis because it causes a severe loss of resolution in either diffraction or image data. Conductive thin film deposition on an insulating specimen has been proposed as an effective approach to the mitigation of the specimen charging; however, this method is generally not useful in HRTEM imaging of materials because the deposited film induces another artifact in the HRTEM image contrast. In this study, we propose practical methods to mitigate the specimen charging that takes place during the HRTEM of materials. For bulk-type specimens prepared by either an ion-thinning or focused-ion beam (FIB process, a plasma cleaning treatment is significantly effective in eliminating the charging phenomenon. In the case of low-dimensional nanomaterials such as nanowires and nanoparticles, the plasma cleaning is not feasible; however, the charging effect can be effectively eliminated by adjusting the electron illumination condition. The proposed methods facilitate a decrease in the buildup of specimen charging, thereby enhancing the quality of high-resolution images significantly.

  19. Laser Plasma Soft X-ray Microscope with Wolter Mirrors for Observation of Biological Specimens in Air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoshino, Masato; Aoki, Sadao

    2006-02-01

    A laser plasma soft X-ray microscope with Wolter mirrors was developed so that specimens could be set in the atmosphere. Silicon nitride membranes 100 nm thick were used as vacuum-tight windows. Using relatively large windows (0.46× 0.46 mm2), an adequate working distance for samples, which was approximately 1.2 mm, was assured. The endurance of the vacuum-tight window was measured briefly. Dry biological cells could be observed with resolution better than 100 nm. A preliminary observation of wet biological cells was carried out using a wet environmental sample holder which was composed of only two sheets of silicon nitride membrane. An X-ray micrograph of wet red blood cells from a chicken was obtained without apparent effects of radiation damage. The properties of a vacuum-tight window and a wet sample holder are discussed.

  20. Laser plasma soft x-ray microscope with Wolter mirrors for observation of biological specimens in air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoshino, Masato; Aoki, Sadao

    2006-01-01

    A laser plasma soft X-ray microscope with Wolter mirrors was developed so that specimens could be set in the atmosphere. Silicon nitride membranes 100 nm thick were used as vacuum-tight windows. Using relatively large windows (0.46 x 0.46 mm 2 ), an adequate working distance for samples, which was approximately 1.2 mm, was assured. The endrance of the vacuum-tight window was measured briefly. Dry biological cells could be observed with resolution better than 100 nm. A preliminary observation of wet biological cells was carried out using a wet environmental sample holder which was composed of only two sheets of silicon nitride membrane. An X-ray micrograph of wet red blood cells from a chicken was obtained without apparent effects of radiation damage. The properties of a vacuum-tight window and a wet sample holder are discussed. (author)

  1. MLEP-Fail calibration for 1/8 inch thick cast plate of 17-4 steel.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corona, Edmundo [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2018-02-01

    The purpose of the work presented in this memo was to calibrate the Sierra material model Multilinear Elastic-Plastic Hardening Model with Failure (MLEP-Fail) for 1/8 inch thick cast plate of 17-4 steel. The calibration approach is essentially the same as that recently used in a previous memo using data from smooth and notched tensile specimens. The notched specimens were manufactured with three notch radii R = 1=8, 1/32 and 1/64 inches. The dimensions of the smooth and notched specimens are given in the prints in Appendix A. Two cast plates, Plate 3 and Plate 4, with nominally identical properties were considered.

  2. Radionuclide release from PWR spent fuel specimens with induced cladding defects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, C.N.; Oversby, V.M.

    1984-03-01

    Radionuclide releases from pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel rod specimens containing various artificially induced cladding defects were compared by leach testing. The study was conducted in support of the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations (NNWSI) Waste Package Task to evaluate the effectiveness of failed cladding as a barrier to radionuclide release. Test description and results are presented

  3. Fatigue life determination by damage measuring in SAE 8620 specimens steel subjected to multiaxial experiments in neutral and corrosive environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Luiz L. da; Filho, Nelson do N.A.; Gomes, Paulo de T.V.; Rabello, Emerson G.; Mansur, Tanius R.

    2013-01-01

    Fatigue is the fail phenomenon of a material subjected to cyclic loads. This phenomenon affects any component under loads (forces, temperatures, etc.) that changes in time. When there is a combined load, originating multiaxial fatigue, which is the most of the real loads, worst is the situation. Before the component fail, the fatigue phenomenon produces damages to its material and this is a cumulative process that could not be reduced. In the continuum mechanic context, material damage is defined as a parameter that reduces the component resistance and this could cause its fail. The process of damage measuring by changes in electrical resistance is used in this work, and from experimental results of SAE 8620 steel specimens subjected to multiaxial fatigue in corrosive and neutral environment, the remaining specimen time life could be determined. Each specimen has its initial electrical resistance measured and after a certain number of fatigue cycles stopping points, its electrical resistance was measured again. In order to study multiaxial fatigue in specimens, a machine that induces simultaneously bending and torsional loads in the specimen was developed. Air at the temperature range of 18 deg C and 20 deg C was considered neutral environment. The corrosive environment was a NaCl solution with a concentration of 3,5% in weigh. The experimental results showed that the measuring fatigue damage using the changes in electrical resistance is efficient and that is possible to estimate the effect of a corrosive environment in the fatigue damage. (author)

  4. Failing Failed States

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holm, Hans-Henrik

    2002-01-01

    coverage. A Danish survey of newsrooms shows that the national world-view and prevalent news criteria prevent consistent coverage. It is argued that politicians are the ones who determine national agendas: it is from political initiatives, rather than media coverage, that failing states and humanitarian......When states are failing, when basic state functions are no longer carried out, and when people have no security, humanitarian crises erupt. In confronting this problem, the stronger states have followed an ad hoc policy of intervention and aid. In some cases, humanitarian disasters have resulted...... from inaction. Often, the media are blamed. Politicians complain about the media when they interfere (the CNN effect), and when they do not. This article looks at how the media do cover failing states. Sierra Leone and Congo are used as examples. The analysis shows that there is little independent...

  5. Radionuclide release from PWR spent fuel specimens with induced cladding defects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, C.N.; Oversby, V.M.

    1984-03-01

    Radionuclide releases from pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel rod specimens containing various artificially induced cladding defects were compared by leach testing. The study was conducted in support of the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations (NNWSI) Waste Package Task to evaluate the effectiveness of failed cladding as a barrier to radionuclide release. Test description and results are presented. 6 references, 4 figures

  6. Ion source for thinning of specimen in transmission electron microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hammer, K.; Rothe, R.

    1983-01-01

    Thinning of specimen for transmission electron microscopy is carried out by means of sputtering. Construction, design, and operation parameters of an ion source are presented. Because the plasma is produced by means of hollow cathode glow discharges, no special focusing system is used

  7. Field study of dried blood spot specimens for HIV-1 drug resistance genotyping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parry, C M; Parkin, N; Diallo, K; Mwebaza, S; Batamwita, R; DeVos, J; Bbosa, N; Lyagoba, F; Magambo, B; Jordan, M R; Downing, R; Zhang, G; Kaleebu, P; Yang, C; Bertagnolio, S

    2014-08-01

    Dried blood spots (DBS) are an alternative specimen type for HIV drug resistance genotyping in resource-limited settings. Data relating to the impact of DBS storage and shipment conditions on genotyping efficiency under field conditions are limited. We compared the genotyping efficiencies and resistance profiles of DBS stored and shipped at different temperatures to those of plasma specimens collected in parallel from patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in Uganda. Plasma and four DBS cards from anti-coagulated venous blood and a fifth card from finger-prick blood were prepared from 103 HIV patients with a median viral load (VL) of 57,062 copies/ml (range, 1,081 to 2,964,191). DBS were stored at ambient temperature for 2 or 4 weeks or frozen at -80 °C and shipped from Uganda to the United States at ambient temperature or frozen on dry ice for genotyping using a broadly sensitive in-house method. Plasma (97.1%) and DBS (98.1%) stored and shipped frozen had similar genotyping efficiencies. DBS stored frozen (97.1%) or at ambient temperature for 2 weeks (93.2%) and shipped at ambient temperature also had similar genotyping efficiencies. Genotyping efficiency was reduced for DBS stored at ambient temperature for 4 weeks (89.3%, P = 0.03) or prepared from finger-prick blood and stored at ambient temperature for 2 weeks (77.7%, P blood and handled similarly. Resistance profiles were similar between plasma and DBS specimens. This report delineates the optimal DBS collection, storage, and shipping conditions and opens a new avenue for cost-saving ambient-temperature DBS specimen shipments for HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) surveillances in resource-limited settings. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  8. Automated Plasma Spray (APS) process feasibility study: Plasma spray process development and evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fetheroff, C. W.; Derkacs, T.; Matay, I. M.

    1979-01-01

    An automated plasma spray (APS) process was developed to apply two layer (NiCrAlY and ZrO2-12Y2O3) thermal-barrier coatings to aircraft gas turbine engine blade airfoils. The APS process hardware consists of four subsystems: a mechanical blade positioner incorporating two interlaced six-degree-of-freedom assemblies; a noncoherent optical metrology subsystem; a microprocessor-based adaptive system controller; and commercial plasma spray equipment. Over fifty JT9D first stage turbine blades specimens were coated with the APS process in preliminary checkout and evaluation studies. The best of the preliminary specimens achieved an overall coating thickness uniformity of + or - 53 micrometers, much better than is achievable manually. Factors limiting this performance were identified and process modifications were initiated accordingly. Comparative evaluations of coating thickness uniformity for manually sprayed and APS coated specimens were initiated. One of the preliminary evaluation specimens was subjected to a torch test and metallographic evaluation.

  9. Recommendations for Collection and Handling of Specimens From Group Breast Cancer Clinical Trials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leyland-Jones, Brian R.; Ambrosone, Christine B.; Bartlett, John; Ellis, Matthew J.C.; Enos, Rebecca A.; Raji, Adekunle; Pins, Michael R.; Zujewski, Jo Anne; Hewitt, Stephen M.; Forbes, John F.; Abramovitz, Mark; Braga, Sofia; Cardoso, Fatima; Harbeck, Nadia; Denkert, Carsten; Jewell, Scott D.

    2008-01-01

    Recommendations for specimen collection and handling have been developed for adoption across breast cancer clinical trials conducted by the Breast International Group (BIG)-sponsored Groups and the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored North American Cooperative Groups. These recommendations are meant to promote identifiable standards for specimen collection and handling within and across breast cancer trials, such that the variability in collection/handling practices that currently exists is minimized and specimen condition and quality are enhanced, thereby maximizing results from specimen-based diagnostic testing and research. Three working groups were formed from the Cooperative Group Banking Committee, BIG groups, and North American breast cancer cooperative groups to identify standards for collection and handling of (1) formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue; (2) blood and its components; and (3) fresh/frozen tissue from breast cancer trials. The working groups collected standard operating procedures from multiple group specimen banks, administered a survey on banking practices to those banks, and engaged in a series of discussions from 2005 to 2007. Their contributions were synthesized into this document, which focuses primarily on collection and handling of specimens to the point of shipment to the central bank, although also offers some guidance to central banks. Major recommendations include submission of an FFPE block, whole blood, and serial serum or plasma from breast cancer clinical trials, and use of one fixative and buffer type (10% neutral phosphate-buffered formalin, pH 7) for FFPE tissue across trials. Recommendations for proper handling and shipping were developed for blood, serum, plasma, FFPE, and fresh/frozen tissue. PMID:18955459

  10. Post-ion beam induced degradation of copper layers in transmission electron microscopy specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seidel, F.; Richard, O.; Bender, H.; Vandervorst, W.

    2015-11-01

    Copper containing transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens frequently show corrosion after focused ion beam (FIB) preparation. This paper reveals that the corrosion product is a Cu-S phase growing over the specimen surface. The layer is identified by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and lattice spacing indexing of power spectra patterns. The corrosion process is further studied by TEM on cone-shaped specimens, which are intentionally stored after FIB preparation with S flakes for short time. Furthermore, a protective method against corrosion is developed by varying the time in the FIB vacuum and the duration of a subsequent plasma cleaning.

  11. Hydrogen permeation properties of plasma-sprayed tungsten

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderl, R.A.; Pawelko, R.J.; Hankins, M.R.; Longhurst, G.R.; Neiser, R.A.

    1994-01-01

    Tungsten has been proposed as a plasma-facing component material for advanced fusion facilities. This paper reports on laboratory-scale studies that were done to assess the hydrogen permeation properties of plasma-sprayed tungsten for such applications. The work entailed deuterium permeation measurements for plasma-sprayed (PS) tungsten coatings, sputter-deposited (SP) tungsten coatings, and steel substrate material using a mass-analyzed, 3 keV D + 3 ion beam with fluxes of similar 6.5x10 19 D/m 2 s. Extensive characterization analyses for the plasma-sprayed tungsten coatings were made using Auger spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Observed permeation rates through composite PS-tungsten/steel specimens were several orders of magnitude below the permeation levels observed for SP-tungsten/steel composite specimens and pure steel specimens. Characterization analyses indicated that the plasma-sprayed tungsten coating had a nonhomogeneous microstructure that consisted of splats with columnar solidification, partially-melted particles with grain boundaries, and void regions. Reduced permeation levels can be attributed to the complex microstructure and a substantial surface-connected porosity. ((orig.))

  12. Hydrogen permeation properties of plasma-sprayed tungsten

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderl, R.A. (Idaho National Engineering Lab., EG and G Idaho Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)); Pawelko, R.J. (Idaho National Engineering Lab., EG and G Idaho Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)); Hankins, M.R. (Idaho National Engineering Lab., EG and G Idaho Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)); Longhurst, G.R. (Idaho National Engineering Lab., EG and G Idaho Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)); Neiser, R.A. (Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States))

    1994-09-01

    Tungsten has been proposed as a plasma-facing component material for advanced fusion facilities. This paper reports on laboratory-scale studies that were done to assess the hydrogen permeation properties of plasma-sprayed tungsten for such applications. The work entailed deuterium permeation measurements for plasma-sprayed (PS) tungsten coatings, sputter-deposited (SP) tungsten coatings, and steel substrate material using a mass-analyzed, 3 keV D[sup +][sub 3] ion beam with fluxes of similar 6.5x10[sup 19] D/m[sup 2] s. Extensive characterization analyses for the plasma-sprayed tungsten coatings were made using Auger spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Observed permeation rates through composite PS-tungsten/steel specimens were several orders of magnitude below the permeation levels observed for SP-tungsten/steel composite specimens and pure steel specimens. Characterization analyses indicated that the plasma-sprayed tungsten coating had a nonhomogeneous microstructure that consisted of splats with columnar solidification, partially-melted particles with grain boundaries, and void regions. Reduced permeation levels can be attributed to the complex microstructure and a substantial surface-connected porosity. ((orig.))

  13. Hydrogen permeation properties of plasma-sprayed tungsten*1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderl, R. A.; Pawelko, R. J.; Hankins, M. R.; Longhurst, G. R.; Neiser, R. A.

    1994-09-01

    Tungsten has been proposed as a plasma-facing component material for advanced fusion facilities. This paper reports on laboratory-scale studies that were done to assess the hydrogen permeation properties of plasma-sprayed tungsten for such applications. The work entailed deuterium permeation measurements for plasma-sprayed (PS) tungsten coatings, sputter-deposited (SP) tungsten coatings, and steel substrate material using a mass-analyzed, 3 keV D 3+ ion beam with fluxes of ˜6.5 × 10 19 D/m 2 s. Extensive characterization analyses for the plasma-sprayed tungsten coatings were made using Auger spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Observed permeation rates through composite PS-tungsten/steel specimens were several orders of magnitude below the permeation levels observed for SP-tungsten/steel composite specimens and pure steel specimens. Characterization analyses indicated that the plasma-sprayed tungsten coating had a nonhomogeneous microstructure that consisted of splats with columnar solidification, partially-melted particles with grain boundaries, and void regions. Reduced permeation levels can be attributed to the complex microstructure and a substantial surface-connected porosity.

  14. Ductile fracture toughness of heavy section pressure vessel steel plate. A specimen-size study of ASTM A 533 steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, J.A.

    1979-09-01

    The ductile fracture toughness, J/sub Ic/, of ASTM A 533, Grade B, Class 1 and ASTM A 533, heat treated to simulate irradiation, was determined for 10- to 100-mm thick compact specimens. The toughness at maximum specimen load was also measured to determine the conservatism of J/sub Ic/. The toughness of ASTM A 533, Grade B, Class 1 steel was 349 kJ/m 2 and at the equivalent upper shelf temperature, the heat treated material exhibited 87 kJ/m 2 . The maximum load fracture toughness was found to be linearly proportional to specimen size, and only specimens which failed to meet ASTM size criteria exhibited maximum load toughness less than J/sub Ic/

  15. Fail-safe first wall for preclusion of little leakage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shibui, Masanao; Nakahira, Masataka; Tada, Eisuke; Takatsu, Hideyuki

    1994-05-01

    Leakages although excluded by design measures would occur most probably in highly stressed areas, weldments and locations without possibility to classify the state by in-service inspection. In a water-cooled first wall, allowable leak rate of water is generally very small, and therefore, locating of the leak portion under highly activated environment will be very difficult and be time-consuming. The double-wall concept is promising for the ITER first wall, because it can be made fail-safe by the application of the leak-before-break and the multiple load path concepts, and because it has a potential capability to solve the little leak problem. When the fail safe strength is well defined, subcritical crack growth in the damaged wall can be permitted. This will enable to detect stable leakage of coolant without deteriorating plasma operation. The paper deals with the little leak problem and presents method for evaluating small leak rate of a liquid coolant from crack-like defects. The fail-safe first wall with the double-wall concept is also proposed for preclusion of little leakage and its fail-safety is discussed. (author)

  16. Effect of ultraviolet light on creatinine measurement in jaundiced specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nisbet, J.A.; D'Souza, R.

    1986-01-01

    During initial evaluation of a creatinine method using the RA-1000 analyser, experiments with addition of bilirubin indicated negligible interference. However the finding of a 'zero' creatinine value in an extremely jaundiced specimen prompted to re-examine the method. In contrast to earlier findings with normal plasma containing added bilirubin, the authors found that plasma from moderately or severely jaundiced patients gave creatinine values lower than those obtained with a reference method. Since bilirubin has been implicated in the interference, the authors studied the effect of destroying bilirubin with ultraviolet light to see if this provided a practical solution to the problem. (Auth.)

  17. Laparoscopic right-sided colonic resection with transluminal colonoscopic specimen extraction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kayaalp, Cuneyt; Kutluturk, Koray; Yagci, Mehmet Ali; Ates, Mustafa

    2015-01-01

    AIM: To study the transcolonic extraction of the proximally resected colonic specimens by colonoscopic assistance at laparoscopic colonic surgery. METHODS: The diagnoses of our patients were Crohn’s disease, carcinoid of appendix and adenocarcinoma of cecum. We preferred laparoscopic total mesocolic resections. Colon and terminal ileum were divided with endoscopic staplers. A colonoscope was placed per anal and moved proximally in the colon till to reach the colonic closed end under the laparoscopic guidance. The stump of the colon was opened with laparoscopic scissors. A snare of colonoscope was released and the intraperitoneal complete free colonic specimen was grasped. Specimen was moved in to the colon with the help of the laparoscopic graspers and pulled gently through the large bowel and extracted through the anus. The open end of the colon was closed again and the ileal limb and the colon were anastomosed intracorporeally with a 60-mm laparoscopic stapler. The common enterotomy orifice was closed in two layers with a running intracorporeal suture. RESULTS: There were three patients with laparoscopic right-sided colonic resections and their specimens were intended to remove through the remnant colon by colonoscopy but the procedure failed in one patient (adenocarcinoma) due to a bulky mass and the specimen extraction was converted to transvaginal route. All the patients had prior abdominal surgeries and had related adhesions. The operating times were 210, 300 and 500 min. The lengths of the specimens were 13, 17 and 27 cm. In our cases, there were no superficial or deep surgical site infections or any other complications. The patients were discharged uneventfully within 4-5 d and they were asymptomatic after a mean 7.6 mo follow-up (ranged 4-12). As far as we know, there were only 12 cases reported yet on transcolonic extraction of the proximal colonic specimens by colonoscopic assistance after laparoscopic resections. With our cases, success rate of the

  18. Measurement of the yield and tensile strengths of neutron-irradiated and post-irradiation recovered vessel steels with notched specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valiente, A.

    1996-01-01

    Tensile circumferentially notched bars are examined as test specimens for measuring the yield and tensile strengths of nuclear pressure vessel steels under several conditions of irradiation and temperature that a vessel can experience during its service life, including recovery post-irradiation treatment. For all the vessel steels, notch geometries and conditions explored, it has been found that notched specimens fail by plastic collapse, and simple formulae have been derived that allow the yield and tensile strengths to be determined from the yielding and plastic collapse load of a notched specimen. Values measured in this way show good agreement with those measured by the standard tensile test method. (orig.)

  19. Preliminary investigation of candidate specimens for the Egyptian environmental specimen bank

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shawky, S.; Amer, H.; Schladot, J.D.; Ostapczuk, P.; Emons, H.; Abou El-Nour, F.

    2000-01-01

    In the frame of establishing an environmental monitoring program related to environmental specimen banking in egypt, some candidate specimens from the aquatic environment (Fish muscle, fish liver; mussels) were investigated. The selection of specimens and sampling sites is described. Specimens are chemically characterised with respect to some major and trace elements and the results are compared with data obtained from comparable specimens collected in aquatic ecosystems of germany

  20. Achievement report for fiscal 1982 on Sunshine Program. Basic research on plasma-aided coal gasification technology; 1982 nendo sekitan no plasma gas ka gijutsu no kiso kenkyu seika hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1983-03-01

    A technology is developed to produce useful gases such as acetylene, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide from coal and coal-related substances making use of the high-temperature high-density energy of plasma jets. Using the newly developed systems, the energy utilization rate is 50% or higher and the yields are 60-100g/kWh for acetylene and 100-160l/kWh for hydrogen. For the achievement of the goal, two types of plasma gasification systems have been developed. One is a '100kW 3-torch plasma gasification system' in which the specimen for gasification is fed to the center of the combined flame for improvement on the contact rate between the specimen and plasma flame. The other is a 'rotating plasma torch system' in which the flame is rotated, and expanded, by an externally provided magnetic field for improvement on the contact rate between the specimen and plasma flame and, simultaneously, for an increase in energy utilization efficiency by feeding the specimen into the discharge region. In this fiscal year, quenching tests are conducted using water and oil so as to establish the difference in quenching effect between quenching agents. What to improve in the systems are clarified. (NEDO)

  1. Impact of specimen adequacy on the assessment of renal allograft biopsy specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cimen, S; Geldenhuys, L; Guler, S; Imamoglu, A; Molinari, M

    2016-01-01

    The Banff classification was introduced to achieve uniformity in the assessment of renal allograft biopsies. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of specimen adequacy on the Banff classification. All renal allograft biopsies obtained between July 2010 and June 2012 for suspicion of acute rejection were included. Pre-biopsy clinical data on suspected diagnosis and time from renal transplantation were provided to a nephropathologist who was blinded to the original pathological report. Second pathological readings were compared with the original to assess agreement stratified by specimen adequacy. Cohen's kappa test and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analyses. Forty-nine specimens were reviewed. Among these specimens, 81.6% were classified as adequate, 6.12% as minimal, and 12.24% as unsatisfactory. The agreement analysis among the first and second readings revealed a kappa value of 0.97. Full agreement between readings was found in 75% of the adequate specimens, 66.7 and 50% for minimal and unsatisfactory specimens, respectively. There was no agreement between readings in 5% of the adequate specimens and 16.7% of the unsatisfactory specimens. For the entire sample full agreement was found in 71.4%, partial agreement in 20.4% and no agreement in 8.2% of the specimens. Statistical analysis using Fisher's exact test yielded a P value above 0.25 showing that - probably due to small sample size - the results were not statistically significant. Specimen adequacy may be a determinant of a diagnostic agreement in renal allograft specimen assessment. While additional studies including larger case numbers are required to further delineate the impact of specimen adequacy on the reliability of histopathological assessments, specimen quality must be considered during clinical decision making while dealing with biopsy reports based on minimal or unsatisfactory specimens.

  2. The effect of platelet-rich plasma injection on lateral epicondylitis following failed conservative management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brkljac, Milos; Kumar, Shyam; Kalloo, Dale; Hirehal, Kiran

    2015-12-01

    We assessed the effect PRP injection on pain and function in patients with lateral epicondylitis where conservative management had failed. We prospectively reviewed 34 patients. The mean follow-up was 26 weeks (range 6-114 weeks). We used the Oxford Elbow Score (OES) and progression to surgery to assess outcomes. 88.2% improved their OES. 8.8% reported symptom progression. One patient had no change. No patients suffered adverse reactions. Two patients underwent an open release procedure. One had the injection repeated. An injection of PRP improves pain and function in patients suffering from LE where conservative management has failed.

  3. Isolation of Biologically Active Exosomes from Plasma of Patients with Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Chang-Sook; Funk, Sonja; Whiteside, Theresa L

    2017-01-01

    A method for exosome isolation from human plasma was developed for rapid, high-throughput processing of plasma specimens obtained from patients with cancer. This method removes the bulk of plasma proteins associated with exosomes and can be used for comparative examinations of exosomes and their content in serial specimens of patients' plasma, allowing for monitoring changes in exosome numbers, profiles, and functions in the course of cancer progression or during therapy. The plasma-derived exosomes can be recovered in quantities sufficient for the characterization of their morphology by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), size and concentration by qNano, protein/lipid ratios, nucleic acid extraction, molecular profiling by Western blots or immune arrays, and functional assays.

  4. Biomarker discovery in biological specimens (plasma, hair, liver and kidney) of diabetic mice based upon metabolite profiling using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsutsui, Haruhito; Maeda, Toshio; Min, Jun Zhe; Inagaki, Shinsuke; Higashi, Tatsuya; Kagawa, Yoshiyuki; Toyo'oka, Toshimasa

    2011-05-12

    The number of diabetic patients has recently been increasing worldwide. Diabetes is a multifactorial disorder based on environmental factors and genetic background. In many cases, diabetes is asymptomatic for a long period and the patient is not aware of the disease. Therefore, the potential biomarker(s), leading to the early detection and/or prevention of diabetes mellitus, are strongly required. However, the diagnosis of the prediabetic state in humans is a very difficult issue, because the lifestyle is variable in each person. Although the development of a diagnosis method in humans is the goal of our research, the extraction and structural identification of biomarker candidates in several biological specimens (i.e., plasma, hair, liver and kidney) of ddY strain mice, which undergo naturally occurring diabetes along with aging, were carried out based upon a metabolite profiling study. The low-molecular-mass compounds including metabolites in the biological specimens of diabetic mice (ddY-H) and normal mice (ddY-L) were globally separated by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) using different reversed-phase columns (i.e., T3-C18 and HS-F5) and detected by electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS). The biomarker candidates related to diabetes mellitus were extracted from a multivariate statistical analysis, such as an orthogonal partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), followed by a database search, such as ChemSpider, KEGG and HMDB. Many metabolites and unknown compounds in each biological specimen were detected as the biomarker candidates related to diabetic mellitus. Among them, the elucidation of the chemical structures of several possible metabolites, including more than two biological specimens, was carried out along with the comparison of the tandem MS/MS analyses using authentic compounds. One metabolite was clearly identified as N-acetyl-L-leucine based upon the MS/MS spectra and the retention time on

  5. Diagnostics of plasma-biological surface interactions in low pressure and atmospheric pressure plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishikawa, Kenji; Hori, Masaru

    2014-01-01

    Mechanisms of plasma-surface interaction are required to understand in order to control the reactions precisely. Recent progress in atmospheric pressure plasma provides to apply as a tool of sterilization of contaminated foodstuffs. To use the plasma with safety and optimization, the real time in situ detection of free radicals - in particular dangling bonds by using the electron-spin-resonance (ESR) technique has been developed because the free radical plays important roles for dominantly biological reactions. First, the kinetic analysis of free radicals on biological specimens such as fungal spores of Penicillium digitatum interacted with atomic oxygen generated plasma electric discharge. We have obtained information that the in situ real time ESR signal from the spores was observed and assignable to semiquinone radical with a g-value of around 2.004 and a line width of approximately 5G. The decay of the signal was correlated with a link to the inactivation of the fungal spore. Second, we have studied to detect chemical modification of edible meat after the irradiation. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF-MS) and ESR, signals give qualification results for chemical changes on edible liver meat. The in situ real-time measurements have proven to be a useful method to elucidate plasma-induced surface reactions on biological specimens. (author)

  6. Clinical evaluation of a mobile digital specimen radiography system for intraoperative specimen verification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yingbing; Ebuoma, Lilian; Saksena, Mansi; Liu, Bob; Specht, Michelle; Rafferty, Elizabeth

    2014-08-01

    Use of mobile digital specimen radiography systems expedites intraoperative verification of excised breast specimens. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a such a system for verifying targets. A retrospective review included 100 consecutive pairs of breast specimen radiographs. Specimens were imaged in the operating room with a mobile digital specimen radiography system and then with a conventional digital mammography system in the radiology department. Two expert reviewers independently scored each image for image quality on a 3-point scale and confidence in target visualization on a 5-point scale. A target was considered confidently verified only if both reviewers declared the target to be confidently detected. The 100 specimens contained a total of 174 targets, including 85 clips (49%), 53 calcifications (30%), 35 masses (20%), and one architectural distortion (1%). Although a significantly higher percentage of mobile digital specimen radiographs were considered poor quality by at least one reviewer (25%) compared with conventional digital mammograms (1%), 169 targets (97%), were confidently verified with mobile specimen radiography; 172 targets (98%) were verified with conventional digital mammography. Three faint masses were not confidently verified with mobile specimen radiography, and conventional digital mammography was needed for confirmation. One faint mass and one architectural distortion were not confidently verified with either method. Mobile digital specimen radiography allows high diagnostic confidence for verification of target excision in breast specimens across target types, despite lower image quality. Substituting this modality for conventional digital mammography can eliminate delays associated with specimen transport, potentially decreasing surgical duration and increasing operating room throughput.

  7. Enhancing PCR Amplification of DNA from Recalcitrant Plant Specimens Using a Trehalose-Based Additive

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tharangamala Samarakoon

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Premise of the study: PCR amplification of DNA extracted from plants is sometimes difficult due to the presence of inhibitory compounds. An effective method to overcome the inhibitory effect of compounds that contaminate DNA from difficult plant specimens is needed. Methods and Results: The effectiveness of a PCR additive reagent containing trehalose, bovine serum albumin (BSA, and polysorbate-20 (Tween-20 (TBT-PAR was tested. PCR of DNA extracted from fresh, silica-dried, and herbarium leaf material of species of Achariaceae, Asteraceae, Lacistemataceae, and Samydaceae that failed using standard techniques were successful with the addition of TBT-PAR. Conclusions: The addition of TBT-PAR during routine PCR is an effective method to improve amplification of DNA extracted from herbarium specimens or plants that are known to contain PCR inhibitors.

  8. Achievement report for fiscal 1981 on research under Sunshine Program. Basic research on plasma-aided coal gasification technology; 1981 nendo sushine keikaku kenkyu seika hokokusho. Sekitan no plasma gas ka gijutsu no kiso kenkyu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1982-03-01

    Researches are conducted for the development of a technology of producing useful gases such as acetylene, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, etc., from coal by the use of the high temperature and high-density energy of the plasma jet. In an experiment using a 100kW 3-port plasma-aided gasification unit, rapid quenching tests are conducted using hydrogen and helium, where the reaction furnace is changed, the specimen feed device is changed, and the plasma torch head is replaced by a high-power head. In a test of the coal specimen, it is found that rapid quenching exerts a great effect on the prevention of re-decomposition of the generated acetylene into hydrogen and carbon black and that a rise in the hydrogen partial pressure results in a great decrease in the quantity of acetylene generated. The said torch head replacement increases the rate of the coal specimen infiltrating into the plasma flame, which brings about an increase in the quantity of acetylene generated. It is found after all that the conventional acetylene yield of 34g/kWh increases to 59g/kWh in a rapid quenching test in which the specimen is dried Akabira coal and the plasma is an argon gas plasma containing 40% hydrogen. (NEDO)

  9. The Alaska Area Specimen Bank: a tribal-federal partnership to maintain and manage a resource for health research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkinson, Alan J; Hennessy, Thomas; Bulkow, Lisa; Smith, H Sally

    2013-01-01

    Banked biospecimens from a defined population are a valuable resource that can be used to assess early markers for illness or to determine the prevalence of a disease to aid the development of intervention strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality. The Alaska Area Specimen Bank (AASB) currently contains 266,353 residual biologic specimens (serum, plasma, whole blood, tissue, bacterial cultures) from 83,841 persons who participated in research studies, public health investigations and clinical testing conducted by the U.S. Public Health Service and Alaska Native tribal health organisations dating back to 1961. The majority (95.7%) are serum specimens, 77% were collected between 1981 and 1994 and 85% were collected from Alaska Native people. Oversight of the specimen bank is provided by a working group with representation from tribal, state and federal health organisations, the Alaska Area IRB and a specimen bank committee which ensures the specimens are used in accordance with policies and procedures developed by the working group.

  10. Rolling Contact Fatigue Failure Mechanisms of Plasma-Nitrided Ductile Cast Iron

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wollmann, D.; Soares, G. P. P. P.; Grabarski, M. I.; Weigert, N. B.; Escobar, J. A.; Pintaude, G.; Neves, J. C. K.

    2017-05-01

    Rolling contact fatigue (RCF) of a nitrided ductile cast iron was investigated. Flat washers machined from a pearlitic ductile cast iron bar were quenched and tempered to maximum hardness, ground, polished and divided into four groups: (1) specimens tested as quenched and tempered; (2) specimens plasma-nitrided for 8 h at 400 °C; (3) specimens plasma-nitrided and submitted to a diffusion process for 16 h at 400 °C; and (4) specimens submitted to a second tempering for 24 h at 400 °C. Hardness profiles, phase analyses and residual stress measurements by x-ray diffraction, surface roughness and scanning electron microscopy were applied to characterize the surfaces at each step of this work. Ball-on-flat washer tests were conducted with a maximum contact pressure of 3.6 GPa, under flood lubrication with a SAE 90 API GL-5 oil at 50 °C. Test ending criterion was the occurrence of a spalling. Weibull analysis was used to characterize RCF's lifetime data. Plasma-nitrided specimens exhibited a shorter RCF lifetime than those just quenched and tempered. The effects of nitriding on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the ductile cast iron are discussed in order to explain the shorter endurance of nitrided samples.

  11. Failure Analysis of Multilayered Suspension Plasma-Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings for Gas Turbine Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, M.; Markocsan, N.; Rocchio-Heller, R.; Liu, J.; Li, X.-H.; Östergren, L.

    2018-02-01

    Improvement in the performance of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) is one of the key objectives for further development of gas turbine applications. The material most commonly used as TBC topcoat is yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). However, the usage of YSZ is limited by the operating temperature range which in turn restricts the engine efficiency. Materials such as pyrochlores, perovskites, rare earth garnets are suitable candidates which could replace YSZ as they exhibit lower thermal conductivity and higher phase stability at elevated temperatures. The objective of this work was to investigate different multilayered TBCs consisting of advanced topcoat materials fabricated by suspension plasma spraying (SPS). The investigated topcoat materials were YSZ, dysprosia-stabilized zirconia, gadolinium zirconate, and ceria-yttria-stabilized zirconia. All topcoats were deposited by TriplexPro-210TM plasma spray gun and radial injection of suspension. Lifetime of these samples was examined by thermal cyclic fatigue and thermal shock testing. Microstructure analysis of as-sprayed and failed specimens was performed with scanning electron microscope. The failure mechanisms in each case have been discussed in this article. The results show that SPS could be a promising route to produce multilayered TBCs for high-temperature applications.

  12. 16 CFR Figure 3 to Part 1610 - Specimen Holder Supported in Specimen Rack

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Specimen Holder Supported in Specimen Rack 3 Figure 3 to Part 1610 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION FLAMMABLE FABRICS ACT... Holder Supported in Specimen Rack ER25MR08.002 ...

  13. Sequencing historical specimens: successful preparation of small specimens with low amounts of degraded DNA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sproul, John S; Maddison, David R

    2017-11-01

    Despite advances that allow DNA sequencing of old museum specimens, sequencing small-bodied, historical specimens can be challenging and unreliable as many contain only small amounts of fragmented DNA. Dependable methods to sequence such specimens are especially critical if the specimens are unique. We attempt to sequence small-bodied (3-6 mm) historical specimens (including nomenclatural types) of beetles that have been housed, dried, in museums for 58-159 years, and for which few or no suitable replacement specimens exist. To better understand ideal approaches of sample preparation and produce preparation guidelines, we compared different library preparation protocols using low amounts of input DNA (1-10 ng). We also explored low-cost optimizations designed to improve library preparation efficiency and sequencing success of historical specimens with minimal DNA, such as enzymatic repair of DNA. We report successful sample preparation and sequencing for all historical specimens despite our low-input DNA approach. We provide a list of guidelines related to DNA repair, bead handling, reducing adapter dimers and library amplification. We present these guidelines to facilitate more economical use of valuable DNA and enable more consistent results in projects that aim to sequence challenging, irreplaceable historical specimens. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Retrospective analysis of heavy metal contamination in Rhode Island based on old and new herbarium specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudin, Sofia M; Murray, David W; Whitfeld, Timothy J S

    2017-01-01

    Herbarium specimens may provide a record of past environmental conditions, including heavy metal pollution. To explore this potential, we compared concentrations of copper, lead, and zinc in historical and new collections from four sites in Rhode Island, USA. We compared historical specimens (1846 to 1916) to congener specimens collected in 2015 at three former industrial sites in Providence, Rhode Island, and one nonindustrial site on Block Island. Leaf material was prepared by UltraWAVE SRC Microwave Digestion, and heavy metal concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. Heavy metal concentrations in the historical and new specimens were measurable for all elements tested, and levels of copper and zinc were comparable in the historical and 2015 collections. By contrast, the concentration of lead declined at all sites over time. Significant variability in heavy metal concentration was observed between taxa, reflecting their varied potential for elemental accumulation. It seems clear that herbarium specimens can be used to evaluate past levels of pollution and assess local environmental changes. With careful sampling effort, these specimens can be a valuable part of environmental science research. Broadening the possible applications for herbarium collections in this way increases their relevance in an era of reduced funding for collections-based research.

  15. Very low pressure plasma sprayed yttria-stabilized zirconia coating using a low-energy plasma gun

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Lin; Zhang, Nannan; Bolot, Rodolphe; Planche, Marie-Pierre; Liao, Hanlin; Coddet, Christian

    2011-01-01

    In the present study, a more economical low-energy plasma source was used to perform a very low pressure plasma-spray (VLPPS) process. The plasma-jet properties were analyzed by means of optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Moreover, yttria-stabilized zirconia coating (YSZ) was elaborated by a F100 low-power plasma gun under working pressure of 1 mbar, and the substrate specimens were partially shadowed by a baffle-plate during plasma spraying for obtaining different coating microstructures. Based on the SEM observation, a column-like grain coating was deposited by pure vapor deposition at the shadowed region, whereas, in the unshadowed region, the coating exhibited a binary microstructure which was formed by a mixed deposition of melted particles and evaporated particles. The mechanical properties of the coating were also well under investigation. (orig.)

  16. Splitting tests on rock specimens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davies, J D; Stagg, K G

    1970-01-01

    Splitting tests are described for a square-section sandstone specimens line loaded through steel or timber packings on the top face and supported on the bottom face either on similar packings (type A specimen) or directly on the lower platen plate of the testing machine (type B specimens). The stress distribution across the vertical central plane and the horizontal central plane were determined from a linear elastic finite element analysis for both types. Two solutions were obtained for the type B specimen: one assuming no friction between the base of the specimen and the platen plate and the other assuming no relative slip between the surfaces. Vertical and horizontal strains were measured at the center of the specimens for all loads up to failure.

  17. Spark plasma sintering of tantalum carbide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khaleghi, Evan; Lin, Yen-Shan; Meyers, Marc A.; Olevsky, Eugene A.

    2010-01-01

    A tantalum carbide powder was consolidated by spark plasma sintering. The specimens were processed under various temperature and pressure conditions and characterized in terms of relative density, grain size, rupture strength and hardness. The results are compared to hot pressing conducted under similar settings. It is shown that high densification is accompanied by substantial grain growth. Carbon nanotubes were added to mitigate grain growth; however, while increasing specimens' rupture strength and final density, they had little effect on grain growth.

  18. Study creep in 4340 steels with different microstructure and plasma carbon nitridation processing; Estudo de fluencia em acos 4340 com diferentes microestruturas e tratamento de carbonitretacao a plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdalla, A.J., E-mail: abdalla@ieav.cta.b [Departamento de Ciencia e Tecnologia Aeroespacial (IEAv/DCTA), Sao Jose dos Campos, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Estudos Avancados; Carrer, I.R.; Barboza, M.J.R.; Baggio-Scheid, V.H. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (EEL/USP), Lorena, SP (Brazil). Escola de Engenharia; Moura Neto, C.; Reis, D.A.P. [Departamento de Ciencia e Tecnologia Aeroespacial (ITA/DCTA), Sao Jose dos Campos, SP (Brazil). Inst. Tecnologico de Aeronautica

    2010-07-01

    From the AISI 4340 bars specimens were made-for-test of creep, they were subjected to different heat treatments for the formation of multiphase microstructures. After this initial treatment, a lot of the specimens were tested in creep. One second batch of specimens was treated with a plasma carbonitriding, and later, were also tested. The carbonitriding layer and microstructure were characterized with X-ray analysis, laser confocal microscopy and hardness testing. Tests showed that the hardness in the steel was reduced due to thermochemical treatment at 500 deg C. We observed variation in creep behavior due to different microstructures formed. After the plasma treatment, there was a considerable reduction in the rate of creep and an increase in the time required for fracture. (author)

  19. Correlation of clinical data with fallopian tube specimen immune cells and tissue culture capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramraj, Satish Kumar; Smith, Katie M; Janakiram, Naveena B; Toal, Coralee; Raman, Ankita; Benbrook, Doris Mangiaracina

    2018-06-01

    Human fallopian tube fimbria secretory epithelial cells (hFTSECs) are considered an origin of ovarian cancer and methods for their culture from fallopian tube specimens have been reported. Our objective was to determine whether characteristics of the donors or surgeries were associated with the capacities of fimbria specimens to generate hFTSEC cultures or their immune profiles. There were no surgical complications attributable to fallopian tube removal. Attempts to establish primary hFTSEC cultures were successful in 37 of 55 specimens (67%). Success rates did not differ significantly between specimens grouped by patient or surgery characteristics. Established cultures could be revived after cryopreservation and none became contaminated with microorganisms. Two cultures evaluated for long term growth senesced between passages 10 and 15. M1 macrophages were the predominant cell type, while all other immune cells were present at much lower percentages. IL-10 and TGF-β exhibited opposing trends with M1 and M2 macrophages. Plasma IL-10 levels exhibited significant positive correlation with patient age. In conclusion, fallopian tube fimbria specimens exhibit a pro-inflammatory phenotype and can be used to provide a source of hFTSECs that can be cultured for a limited time regardless of the donor patient age or race, or the type of surgery performed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Laparoscopic specimen retrieval bags.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smorgick, Noam

    2014-10-01

    Specimen retrieval bags have long been used in laparoscopic gynecologic surgery for contained removal of adnexal cysts and masses. More recently, the concerns regarding spread of malignant cells during mechanical morcellation of myoma have led to an additional use of specimen retrieval bags for contained "in-bag" morcellation. This review will discuss the indications for use retrieval bags in gynecologic endoscopy, and describe the different specimen bags available to date.

  1. Use of globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) to link herbarium specimen records to physical specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Gil; Sweeney, Patrick; Gilbert, Edward

    2018-02-01

    With the advent of the U.S. National Science Foundation's Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections program and related worldwide digitization initiatives, the rate of herbarium specimen digitization in the United States has expanded exponentially. As the number of electronic herbarium records proliferates, the importance of linking these records to the physical specimens they represent as well as to related records from other sources will intensify. Although a rich and diverse literature has developed over the past decade that addresses the use of specimen identifiers for facilitating linking across the internet, few implementable guidelines or recommended practices for herbaria have been advanced. Here we review this literature with the express purpose of distilling a specific set of recommendations especially tailored to herbarium specimen digitization, curation, and management. We argue that associating globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) with physical herbarium specimens and including these identifiers in all electronic records about those specimens is essential to effective digital data curation. We also address practical applications for ensuring these associations.

  2. Urine culture - catheterized specimen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culture - urine - catheterized specimen; Urine culture - catheterization; Catheterized urine specimen culture ... urinary tract infections may be found in the culture. This is called a contaminant. You may not ...

  3. HMSRP Hawaiian Monk Seal Specimen Data (includes physical specimens, collection information, status, storage locations, and laboratory results associated with individual specimens)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set includes physical specimens, paper logs and Freezerworks database of all logged information on specimens collected from Hawaiian monk seals since 1975....

  4. Mixed plasma-facing materials research at INEEL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderl, R.A.; Longhurst, G.R.; Pawelko, R.J.

    2001-01-01

    Mixed-materials research at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) has focused on Be-C and W-C systems. The purpose of this work was to investigate hydrogen isotope retention in these systems. Plasma-mixed material layers using carbon coated Be and W specimens that were heat-treated and tungsten carbide specimens prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) were simulated. Hydrogen isotope retention was investigated by means of thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) measurements on deuterium implanted samples

  5. Abnormal mitochondrial respiration in failed human myocardium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharov, V G; Todor, A V; Silverman, N; Goldstein, S; Sabbah, H N

    2000-12-01

    Chronic heart failure (HF) is associated with morphologic abnormalities of cardiac mitochondria including hyperplasia, reduced organelle size and compromised structural integrity. In this study, we examined whether functional abnormalities of mitochondrial respiration are also present in myocardium of patients with advanced HF. Mitochondrial respiration was examined using a Clark electrode in an oxygraph cell containing saponin-skinned muscle bundles obtained from myocardium of failed explanted human hearts due to ischemic (ICM, n=9) or idiopathic dilated (IDC, n=9) cardiomyopathy. Myocardial specimens from five normal donor hearts served as controls (CON). Basal respiratory rate, respiratory rate after addition of the substrates glutamate and malate (V(SUB)), state 3 respiration (after addition of ADP, V(ADP)) and respiration after the addition of atractyloside (V(AT)) were measured in scar-free muscle bundles obtained from the subendocardial (ENDO) and subepicardial (EPI) thirds of the left ventricular (LV) free wall, interventricular septum and right ventricular (RV) free wall. There were no differences in basal and substrate-supported respiration between CON and HF regardless of etiology. V(ADP)was significantly depressed both in ICM and IDC compared to CON in all the regions studied. The respiratory control ratio, V(ADP)/V(AT), was also significantly decreased in HF compared to CON. In both ICM and IDC, V(ADP)was significantly lower in ENDO compared to EPI. The results indicate that mitochondrial respiration is abnormal in the failing human heart. The findings support the concept of low myocardial energy production in HF via oxidative phosphorylation, an abnormality with a potentially impact on global cardiac performance. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

  6. Serum/plasma methylmercury determination by isotope dilution gas chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baxter, Douglas C., E-mail: douglas.baxter@alsglobal.com [ALS Scandinavia AB, Aurorum 10, 977 75 Lulea (Sweden); Faarinen, Mikko [ALS Scandinavia AB, Aurorum 10, 977 75 Lulea (Sweden); Osterlund, Helene; Rodushkin, Ilia [ALS Scandinavia AB, Aurorum 10, 977 75 Lulea (Sweden); Division of Geosciences, Lulea University of Technology, 977 87 Lulea (Sweden); Christensen, Morten [ALS Scandinavia AB, Maskinvaegen 2, 183 53 Taeby (Sweden)

    2011-09-09

    Highlights: {center_dot} We determine methylmercury in serum and plasma using isotope dilution calibration. {center_dot} Separation by gas chromatography and detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. {center_dot} Data for 50 specimens provides first reference range for methylmercury in serum. {center_dot} Serum samples shown to be stable for 11 months in refrigerator. - Abstract: A method for the determination of methylmercury in plasma and serum samples was developed. The method uses isotope dilution with {sup 198}Hg-labeled methylmercury, extraction into dichloromethane, back-extraction into water, aqueous-phase ethylation, purge and trap collection, thermal desorption, separation by gas chromatography, and mercury isotope specific detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. By spiking 2 mL sample with 1.2 ng tracer, measurements in a concentration interval of (0.007-2.9) {mu}g L{sup -1} could be performed with uncertainty amplification factors <2. A limit of quantification of 0.03 {mu}g L{sup -1} was estimated at 10 times the standard deviation of concentrations measured in preparation blanks. Within- and between-run relative standard deviations were <10% at added concentration levels of 0.14 {mu}g L{sup -1}, 0.35 {mu}g L{sup -1} and 2.8 {mu}g L{sup -1}, with recoveries in the range 82-110%. Application of the method to 50 plasma/serum samples yielded a median (mean; range) concentration of methylmercury of 0.081 (0.091; <0.03-0.19) {mu}g L{sup -1}. This is the first time methylmercury has been directly measured in this kind of specimen, and is therefore the first estimate of a reference range.

  7. Method for repairing failed fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shakudo, Taketomi.

    1986-01-01

    Purpose: To repair fuel elements that became failed during burnup in a reactor or during handling. Method: After the surface in the vicinity of a failed part of a fuel element is cleaned, a socket made of a shape-memory alloy having a ring form or a horseshoe form made by cutting a part of the ring form is inserted into the failed position according to the position of the failed fuel element. The shape memory alloy socket remembers a slightly larger inside diameter in its original phase (high-temperature side) than the outside diameter of the cladding tube and also a slightly larger inside diameter of the socket in the martensite phase (low-temperature side) than the outside diameter of the cladding tube, such that the socket can easily be inserted into the failed position. The socket, inserted into the failed part of the cladding tube, is heated by a heating jig. The socket recovers the original phase, and the shape also tends to recover a smaller diameter than the outside diameter of the cladding tube that has been remembered, and accordingly the failed part of the cladding tube is fastened with a great force and the failed part is fully closed with the socket, thus keeping radioactive materials from going out. (Horiuchi, T.)

  8. Comparative tribological studies of duplex surface treated AISI 1045 steels fabricated by combinations of plasma nitriding and aluminizing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haftlang, Farahnaz; Habibolahzadeh, Ali; Sohi, Mahmoud Heydarzadeh

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • AlN coating was applied on AISI 1045 steel via plasma nitriding and aluminizing. • Aluminizing of pre-nitrided specimen provides the highest surface hardness. • The lowest wear rate was obtained via aluminizing of pre-nitrided specimen. • Wear mechanism of the modified layer consists of oxidative and spallung wear. - Abstract: Duplex surface treatments via aluminizing and plasma nitriding were carried out on AISI 1045 steel. A number of work pieces were aluminized and subsequently plasma nitrided (Al–PN) and other work pieces were plasma nitrided and then aluminized (PN–Al). Aluminizing was carried out via pack process at 1123 K for 5 h and plasma nitriding was performed at 823 K for 5 h. The fabricated steels were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and microhardness testing. Tribological behaviors of the duplex treated AISI 1045 steels were examined against tungsten carbide pin using a pin-on-disc apparatus at room temperature. The PN–Al specimen showed higher surface hardness, lower wear rate and coefficient of friction than the Al–PN one. It was noticed from the worn surfaces that tribo-oxidation plays an important role in wear behavior of both specimens

  9. Effects of tempering temperature on microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of high-strength low-alloy D6AC plasma arc welds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Chun-Ming, E-mail: chunming@ntut.edu.tw [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan (China); Lu, Chi-Hao [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10673, Taiwan (China)

    2016-10-31

    This study prepared high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) D6AC weldments using a plasma arc welding (PAW) process. The PAW weldments were then tempered at temperatures of 300 °C, 450 °C, and 600 °C for 1000 min. Microstructural characteristics of the weld in as-welded HSLA-D6AC, tempered D6AC, and tensile-tested D6AC were observed via optical microscopy (OM). We also investigated the hardness, tensile strength, and V-notched tensile strength (NTS) of the tempered specimens using a Vickers hardness tester and a universal testing machine. The fracture surfaces of the specimens were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Our results show that the mechanical properties and microstructural features of the HSLA weldments are strongly dependent on tempering temperature. An increase in tempering temperature led to a decrease in the hardness and tensile strength of the weldments but led to an increase in ductility. These effects can be attributed to the transformation of the microstructure and its effect on fracture characteristics. The specimens tempered at 300 °C and 450 °C failed in a ductile-brittle manner due to the presence of inter-lath austenite in the microstructure. After tempering at a higher temperature of 600 °C, martensite embrittlement did not occur, such that specimens failure was predominantly in a ductile manner. In the NTS specimens, an increase in tempering temperature led to a reduction in tensile strength due to notch embrittlement and the effects of grain boundary thickening and sliding. Our findings provide a valuable reference for the application of HSLA-D6AC steel in engineering and other fields.

  10. Deuterium inventory in tungsten after plasma exposure. A microstructural survey

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manhard, Armin

    2012-09-01

    Tungsten is a promising material for armouring the plasma-facing wall of future nuclear fusion experiments and power plants. It has a very high melting point, good thermal conductivity and is highly resistant against physical sputtering by energetic particles from the plasma. It also has a very low solubility for hydrogen isotopes. This is important both for safety and also for economic reasons, in particular with regard to the radioactive fusion fuel tritium. Due to this low solubility, the retention of hydrogen isotopes in tungsten materials after exposure to a plasma is dominated by the trapping of hydrogen isotopes at tungsten lattice defects. Therefore, a strong dependence of the hydrogen isotope retention on the microstructure of the tungsten is to be expected. This work describes a survey study of tungsten with different microstructures exposed to deuterium plasmas under a wide range of different plasma exposure conditions. The isotope deuterium was used because its natural abundance is much smaller than that of hydrogen (i.e., 1 H). This allows detecting even very small amounts retained in the tungsten practically without background signal. Furthermore, the use of deuterium allows utilising the nuclear reaction 2 D( 3 He,p) 4 He for depth-resolved quantification of the deuterium inventory up to depths of several microns. In order to standardise the specimens as far as possible, they were all cut from the same initial material from a single manufacturing batch. After a chemo-mechanical polishing procedure, which produces a well-defined surface, the specimens were annealed at either of four different temperatures in order to modify the grain structure and the dislocation density. These were then characterised by scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The specimens were subsequently exposed in a fully characterised deuterium plasma source at different specimen temperatures, ion energies and deuterium fluences. In addition

  11. Study creep in 4340 steels with different microstructure and plasma carbon nitridation processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdalla, A.J.; Carrer, I.R.; Barboza, M.J.R.; Baggio-Scheid, V.H.; Moura Neto, C.; Reis, D.A.P.

    2010-01-01

    From the AISI 4340 bars specimens were made-for-test of creep, they were subjected to different heat treatments for the formation of multiphase microstructures. After this initial treatment, a lot of the specimens were tested in creep. One second batch of specimens was treated with a plasma carbonitriding, and later, were also tested. The carbonitriding layer and microstructure were characterized with X-ray analysis, laser confocal microscopy and hardness testing. Tests showed that the hardness in the steel was reduced due to thermochemical treatment at 500 deg C. We observed variation in creep behavior due to different microstructures formed. After the plasma treatment, there was a considerable reduction in the rate of creep and an increase in the time required for fracture. (author)

  12. Screen-film specimen radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shepard, S.J.; Hogan, J.; Schreck, B.

    1990-01-01

    This paper reports on the reproducibility and quality of biopsy specimen radiographs, a unique phototimed cabinet x-ray system is being developed. The system utilizes specially modified Kodal Min-R cassettes and will be compatible with current mammographic films. Tube voltages are in the 14-20-kVp range with 0.1-1.0-second exposure times. A top-hat type compression device is used (1) to compress the specimen to uniform thickness, (2) to measure the specimen thickness and determine optimum kVp, and (3) to superimpose a grid over the specimen for identification of objects of radiographic interest. The phototiming circuit developed specifically for this purpose will be described along with the modified Min-R cassette. Characteristics of the generator and cabinet will also be described. Tests will be performed on phantoms to evaluate the system limitations

  13. Surface martensitization of Carbon steel using Arc Plasma Sintering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wahyudi, Haris; Dimyati, Arbi; Sebayang, Darwin

    2018-03-01

    In this paper new technology of surface structure modification of steel by short plasma exposure in Arc Plasma Sintering (APS) device is presented. APS is an apparatus working based on plasma generated by DC pulsed current originally used for synthesizing materials via sintering and melting. Plasma exposure in APS was applied into the specimens for 1 and 3 seconds which generate temperature approximately about 1300-1500°C. The SUP9, pearlitic carbon steel samples were used. The hardness, hardening depth and microstructure of the specimens have been investigated by Vickers micro hardness test and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) supported by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX). The results have showed that the mechanical property was significantly improved due to the formation of single martensitic structures as identified by SEM. The hardness of treated surface evaluated by Vickers hardness test showed significant improvement nearly three time from 190 VHN before to 524 VHN after treatment. Furthermore, EDX confirmed that the formation of martensite layer occurred without altering its composition. The APS also produced uniform hardened layer up to 250 μm. The experiment has demonstrated that arc plasma process was successfully improved the mechanical properties of steel in relatively very short time.

  14. Engaging Future Failing States

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-23

    military missions in the Middle East, the Balkans, Africa, Asia , and South America. There is an increasing proliferation of failed and failing states...disparity, overpopulation , food security, health services availability, migration pressures, environmental degradation, personal and 22 community

  15. Plasma spot welding of ferritic stainless steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lesnjak, A.; Tusek, J.

    2002-01-01

    Plasma spot wedding of ferritic stainless steels studied. The study was focused on welding parameters, plasma and shieldings and the optimum welding equipment. Plasma-spot welded overlap joints on a 0.8 mm thick ferritic stainless steel sheet were subjected to a visual examination and mechanical testing in terms of tension-shear strength. Several macro specimens were prepared Plasma spot welding is suitable to use the same gas as shielding gas and as plasma gas , i. e. a 98% Ar/2% H 2 gas mixture. Tension-shear strength of plasma-spot welded joint was compared to that of resistance sport welded joints. It was found that the resistance welded joints withstand a somewhat stronger load than the plasma welded joints due to a large weld sport diameter of the former. Strength of both types of welded joints is approximately the same. (Author) 32 refs

  16. Improvement of wear and corrosion resistances of 17-4PH stainless steel by plasma nitrocarburizing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, R.L.; Yan, M.F.

    2010-01-01

    17-4PH stainless steel was plasma nitrocarburized at 460 o C for improving its mechanical properties without compromising its desirable corrosion resistance. The plasma nitrocarburized layers were studied by optical microscope, X-ray diffractometer, microhardness tester, pin-on-disc tribometer and the anodic polarization method in a 3.5% NaCl solution. The experimental results show that the nitrocarburized layer depths increase with increasing duration time and the layers growth conform approximately to the parabolic law. The phases in the nitrocarburized layer are mainly of γ'-Fe 4 N and α'-Fe with traces of CrN phase. The surface hardness of the modified specimen is more than 1200 HV, which is three times higher than that of untreated one. The friction coefficient and corrosion resistance of the specimen can be apparently improved by plasma nitrocarburizing. With the increase of duration time, the surface hardness slightly decreases whereas the friction coefficient and corrosion resistance of the modified specimen are first increase and then decrease. The 8 h treated specimen has the lowest friction coefficient and the best corrosion resistance in the present test conditions.

  17. Plasma impact on diagnostic mirrors in JET

    OpenAIRE

    A. Garcia-Carrasco; P. Petersson; M. Rubel; A. Widdowson; E. Fortuna-Zalesna; S. Jachmich; M. Brix; L. Marot

    2017-01-01

    Metallic mirrors will be essential components of all optical systems for plasma diagnosis in ITER. This contribution provides a comprehensive account on plasma impact on diagnostic mirrors in JET with the ITER-Like Wall. Specimens from the First Mirror Test and the lithium-beam diagnostic have been studied by spectrophotometry, ion beam analysis and electron microscopy. Test mirrors made of molybdenum were retrieved from the main chamber and the divertor after exposure to the 2013–2014 experi...

  18. Design and Demonstration of a Material-Plasma Exposure Target Station for Neutron Irradiated Samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rapp, Juergen; Aaron, A. M.; Bell, Gary L.; Burgess, Thomas W.; Ellis, Ronald James; Giuliano, D.; Howard, R.; Kiggans, James O.; Lessard, Timothy L.; Ohriner, Evan Keith; Perkins, Dale E.; Varma, Venugopal Koikal

    2015-01-01

    5-20 MW/m"2 and ion fluxes up to 10"2"4 m"-"2s"-"1. Since PFCs will have to withstand neutron irradiation displacement damage up to 50 dpa, the target station design must accommodate radioactive specimens (materials to be irradiated in HFIR or at SNS) to enable investigations of the impact of neutron damage on materials. Therefore, the system will have to be able to install and extract irradiated specimens using equipment and methods to avoid sample modification, control contamination, and minimize worker dose. Included in the design considerations will be an assessment of all the steps between neutron irradiation and post-exposure materials examination/characterization, as well as an evaluation of the facility hazard categorization. In particular, the factors associated with the acquisition of radioactive specimens and their preparation, transportation, experimental configuration at the plasma-specimen interface, post-plasma-exposure sample handling, and specimen preparation will be evaluated. Neutronics calculations to determine the dose rates of the samples were carried out for a large number of potential plasma-facing materials.

  19. Deproteinization is Necessary for the Accurate Determination of Ammonia Levels by Glutamate Dehydrogenase Assay in Blood Plasma From Subjects With Liver Injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vodenicarovova, Melita; Skalska, Hana; Holecek, Milan

    2017-11-08

    To determine the effect of presence of high concentrations of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)- and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-consuming enzymes on the accuracy of glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) assay for ammonia. We measured ammonia concentrations using GLDH and NADH or NADPH in blood-plasma specimens and specimens deproteinized by sulfosalicylic acid from CCl4-treated or control rats. The nonspecific oxidation of NADH and NADPH was measured in mixtures without GLDH. We observed a gradual decrease (~0.5%) in absorbance in the plasma of controls after the addition of NADH but not after adding NADPH. The decrease in absorbance in plasma of CCl4-treated animals was 13.2% and 5.2% after the addition of NADH and NADPH, respectively. The decrease in absorbance was not detected in deproteinized specimens. The values of ammonia concentration were higher in the plasma specimens compared with the deproteinized ones. Deproteinization is necessary for accurate measurement of ammonia using GLDH assay in the blood plasma of subjects with liver injury. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  20. Janka hardness using nonstandard specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    David W. Green; Marshall Begel; William Nelson

    2006-01-01

    Janka hardness determined on 1.5- by 3.5-in. specimens (2×4s) was found to be equivalent to that determined using the 2- by 2-in. specimen specified in ASTM D 143. Data are presented on the relationship between Janka hardness and the strength of clear wood. Analysis of historical data determined using standard specimens indicated no difference between side hardness...

  1. LPTR irradiation of LLL vanadium tensile specimens and LLL Nb--1Zr tensile specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacLean, S.C.; Rowe, C.L.

    1977-01-01

    The LPTR irradiation of 14 LLL vanadium tensile specimens and 14 LLL Nb-1Zr tensile specimens is described. Sample packaging, the irradiation schedule and neutron fluences for three energy ranges are given

  2. Georeferencing Animal Specimen Datasets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Erp, M.G.J.; Hensel, R.; Ceolin, D.; van der Meij, M.

    2014-01-01

    For biodiversity research, the field of study that is concerned with the richness of species of our planet, it is of the utmost importance that the location of an animal specimen find is known with high precision. Due to specimens often having been collected over the course of many years, their

  3. DNA extraction from herbarium specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drábková, Lenka Záveská

    2014-01-01

    With the expansion of molecular techniques, the historical collections have become widely used. Studying plant DNA using modern molecular techniques such as DNA sequencing plays an important role in understanding evolutionary relationships, identification through DNA barcoding, conservation status, and many other aspects of plant biology. Enormous herbarium collections are an important source of material especially for specimens from areas difficult to access or from taxa that are now extinct. The ability to utilize these specimens greatly enhances the research. However, the process of extracting DNA from herbarium specimens is often fraught with difficulty related to such variables as plant chemistry, drying method of the specimen, and chemical treatment of the specimen. Although many methods have been developed for extraction of DNA from herbarium specimens, the most frequently used are modified CTAB and DNeasy Plant Mini Kit protocols. Nine selected protocols in this chapter have been successfully used for high-quality DNA extraction from different kinds of plant herbarium tissues. These methods differ primarily with respect to their requirements for input material (from algae to vascular plants), type of the plant tissue (leaves with incrustations, sclerenchyma strands, mucilaginous tissues, needles, seeds), and further possible applications (PCR-based methods or microsatellites, AFLP).

  4. Specimen size effects in Charpy impact testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexander, D.J.; Klueh, R.L.

    1989-01-01

    Full-size , half-size, and third-size specimens from several different steels have been tested as part of an ongoing alloy development program. The smaller specimens permit more specimens to be made from small trail heats and are much more efficient for irradiation experiments. The results of several comparisons between the different specimen sizes have shown that the smaller specimens show qualitatively similar behavior to large specimens, although the upper-shelf energy level and ductile-to-ductile transition temperature are reduced. The upper-shelf energy levels from different specimen sizes can be compared by using a simple volume normalization method. The effect of specimen size and geometry on the ductile-to-ductile transition temperature is more difficult to predict, although the available data suggest a simple shift in the transition temperature due to specimen size changes.The relatively shallower notch used in smaller specimens alters the deformation pattern, and permits yielding to spread back to the notched surface as well as through to the back. This reduces the constraint and the peak stresses, and thus the initiation of cleavage is more difficult. A better understanding of the stress and strain distributions is needed. 19 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

  5. An example of genetically distinct HIV type 1 variants in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma during suppressive therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahl, Viktor; Gisslen, Magnus; Hagberg, Lars; Peterson, Julia; Shao, Wei; Spudich, Serena; Price, Richard W; Palmer, Sarah

    2014-05-15

    We sequenced the genome of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) recovered from 70 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens and 29 plasma samples and corresponding samples obtained before treatment initiation from 17 subjects receiving suppressive therapy. More CSF sequences than plasma sequences were hypermutants. We determined CSF sequences and plasma sequences in specimens obtained from 2 subjects after treatment initiation. In one subject, we found genetically distinct CSF and plasma sequences, indicating that they came from HIV-1 from 2 different compartments, one potentially the central nervous system, during suppressive therapy. In addition, there was little evidence of viral evolution in the CSF during therapy, suggesting that continuous virus replication is not the major cause of viral persistence in the central nervous system.

  6. Plasma-Serum Cholesterol Differences in Children and Use of Measurements from Different Specimens

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Berentzen, N.E.; Wijga, A.H.; Rossem, van L.; Jongste, de J.C.; Boshuizen, H.C.; Smit, H.A.

    2013-01-01

    Background: We aimed to assess absolute plasma-serum differences and differences in ranking of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), and TC/HDLC ratio in children. Methods: We analysed data of 412 children participating in a Dutch birth cohort. TC, HDLC, and TC/HDLC

  7. Characterization of coatings formed on AZX magnesium alloys by plasma electrolytic oxidation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anawati, Anawati; Gumelar, Muhammad Dikdik

    2018-05-01

    Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) is an electrochemical anodization process which involves the application of a high voltage to create intense plasma on a metal surface to form a ceramic type of oxide. The resulted coating exhibits high wear resistance and good corrosion barrier which are suitable to enhance the performance of biodegradable Mg alloys. In this work, the role of alloying element Ca in modifying the characteristics of PEO layer formed on AZ61 series magnesium alloys was investigated. PEO treatment was conducted on AZ61, AZX611, and AZX612 alloys in 0.5 M Na3PO4 solution at a constant current of 200 A/m2 at 25°C for 8 min. The resulted coatings were characterized by field emission-scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), as well as hardness test. The presence of alloying element Ca in the AZ61 alloys accelerated the PEO coatings formation without altering the coating properties significantly. The coating formed on AZX specimen was slightly thicker ( 14-17 µm) than that of formed onthe AZ specimens ( 13 µm). Longer exposure time to plasma discharge was the reason for faster thickening of the coating layer on AZX specimen. XRD detected a similar crystalline oxide phase of Mg3(PO4)2 in the oxide formed on all of the specimens. Zn was highly incorporated in the coatings with a concentration in the range 24-30 wt%, as analyzed by XRF. Zn compound might exist in amorphous phases. The microhardness test on the coatings revealed similar average hardness 124 HVon all of the specimens.

  8. Dams designed to fail

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Penman, A. [Geotechnical Engineering Consultants, Harpenden (United Kingdom)

    2004-09-01

    New developments in geotechnical engineering have led to methods for designing and constructing safe embankment dams. Failed dams can be categorized as those designed to fail, and those that have failed unexpectedly. This presentation outlined 3 dam failures: the 61 m high Malpasset Dam in France in 1959 which killed 421; the 71 m high Baldwin Hills Dam in the United States in 1963 which killed 5; and, the Vajont Dam in Italy in 1963 which killed 2,600 people. Following these incidents, the International Commission for Large Dams (ICOLD) reviewed regulations on reservoir safety. The 3 dams were found to have inadequate spillways and their failures were due to faults in their design. Fuse plug spillways, which address this problem, are designed to fail if an existing spillway proves inadequate. They allow additional discharge to prevent overtopping of the embankment dam. This solution can only be used if there is an adjacent valley to take the additional discharge. Examples of fuse gates were presented along with their effect on dam safety. A research program is currently underway in Norway in which high embankment dams are being studied for overtopping failure and failure due to internal erosion. Internal erosion has been the main reason why dams have failed unexpectedly. To prevent failures, designers suggested the use of a clay blanket placed under the upstream shoulder. However, for dams with soft clay cores, these underblankets could provide a route for a slip surface and that could lead to failure of the upstream shoulder. It was concluded that a safe arrangement for embankment dams includes the use of tipping gates or overturning gates which always fail at a required flood water level. Many have been installed in old and new dams around the world. 14 refs., 19 figs.

  9. Primary study on the clinical significance of measurement of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and NPY concentrations in human semen plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Jiyun; Ning Yong

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the difference between the semen plasma contents of EGF and NPY in fertile and non-fertile males with the relevant sperm count and motility. Methods: Semen plasma contents of EGF and NPY were determined with RIA in 110 non-fertile males. Simultaneous semen analysis revealed (1) Group A, n=45, with normal sperm count, (2) Group B, n=34 low sperm count (0-20) x 10 6 /ml and (3) Group C n=31, with aspermia. White blood cell/HPF was examined in all the semen specimens and sperm motile rate and motility were examined in Group A specimens. Results: The semen plasma contents of EGF and NPY in non-fertile males were significantly higher than those in fertile males (P 1 x 10 6 /ml) were significantly lower than those in specimens with more white blood cells (P<0.05). Conclusion: Higher semen plasma contents of EGF and NPY might exert toxic effect on the sperms, contributing to the development of infertility. (authors)

  10. Development of Reconstitution Technology for Surveillance Specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yasushi Atago; Shunichi Hatano; Eiichiro Otsuka

    2002-01-01

    The Japan Power Engineering and Inspection Corporation (JAPEIC) has been carrying out the project titled 'Nuclear Power Plant Integrated Management Technology (PLIM)' consigned by Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) since 1996FY as a 10-years project. As one of the project themes, development of reconstitution technology for reactor pressure vessel (RPV/RV) surveillance specimens, which are installed in RPVs to monitor the neutron irradiation embrittlement on RPV/RV materials, is now on being carried out to deal with the long-term operation of nuclear power plants. The target of this theme is to establish the technical standard for applicability of reconstituted surveillance specimens including the reconstitution of the Charpy specimens and Compact Tension (CT) specimens. With the Charpy specimen reconstitution, application of 10 mm length inserts is used, which enables the conversion of tests from the LT-direction to the TL-direction. This paper presents the basic data from Charpy and CT specimens of RPV materials using the surveillance specimens obtained for un-irradiated materials including the following. 1) Reconstitution Technology of Charpy Specimens. a) The interaction between plastic zone and Heat Affected Zone (HAZ). b) The effects of the possible deviations from the standard specimens for the reconstituted specimens. 2) Reconstitution Technology of CT specimens. a) The correlation between fracture toughness and plastic zone width. Because the project is now in progress, this paper describes the outline of the results obtained as of the end of 2000 FY. (authors)

  11. Failed endotracheal intubation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheykhol Islami V

    1995-07-01

    Full Text Available The incidence of failed intubation is higher in obstetric than other surgical patients. Failed intubation was the 2nd commonest cause of mortality during anesthesia. Bearing in mind that failre to intubate may be unavoidable in certain circumstances, it is worth reviewing. The factors, which may contribute to a disastrous out come. Priorities of subsequent management must include maintaining oxygenation and preventing aspiration of gastric contents. Fiber optic intubation is now the technique of choice with a high success rate and with least trauma to the patient.

  12. Quantitative X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roomans, G.M.

    1988-01-01

    Qualitative X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens requires an approach that is somewhat different from that used in the materials sciences. The first step is deconvolution and background subtraction on the obtained spectrum. The further treatment depends on the type of specimen: thin, thick, or semithick. For thin sections, the continuum method of quantitation is most often used, but it should be combined with an accurate correction for extraneous background. However, alternative methods to determine local mass should also be considered. In the analysis of biological bulk specimens, the ZAF-correction method appears to be less useful, primarily because of the uneven surface of biological specimens. The peak-to-local background model may be a more adequate method for thick specimens that are not mounted on a thick substrate. Quantitative X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens generally requires the use of standards that preferably should resemble the specimen in chemical and physical properties. Special problems in biological microanalysis include low count rates, specimen instability and mass loss, extraneous contributions to the spectrum, and preparative artifacts affecting quantitation. A relatively recent development in X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens is the quantitative determination of local water content

  13. Longitudinal Bank for Serum, Plasma and DNA for Detection of Biomarkers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ward, David C. [Nevada Cancer Institute, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

    2009-01-31

    With the support of this DOE appropriation, NVCI has established a biorepository for serum, plasma, DNA and urine specimens. Over 2,500 patients have been consented which is over 90% of all new patients seen at NVCI. The specimens have been coded, centrifuged, aliquoted and frozen at -80°C in a rapid manner so that they are all processed in less than 1 hour from the acquisition. There are over 28,000 aliquoted, coded tubes in our inventory. Specimens from 200 control volunteer subjects without any history of cancer also have been banked. The patient specimens are encoded and the demographics and therapeutic treatments are linked to the Oncore software. This computer program catalogues the specimens and provides a rapid conduit between the biorepository and the NVCI electronic medical record.

  14. Evaluation of impacts of stress triaxiality on plastic deformability of RAFM steel using various types of tensile specimen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kato, Taichiro, E-mail: kato.taichiro@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-166, Obuchi-omotedate, Rokkasho, Aomori 039-3212 (Japan); Ohata, Mitsuru [Osaka University, 2-1, Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); Nogami, Shuhei [Tohoku University, 6-6-01-2, Aramaki-aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579 (Japan); Tanigawa, Hiroyasu [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-166, Obuchi-omotedate, Rokkasho, Aomori 039-3212 (Japan)

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • The fracture ductility is lower as the stress triaxiality is higher. • Voids of the interrupted RB1 specimen were observed along grain boundaries and expanded parallel to the tensile axis. • Voids of interrupted R0.2 specimen were rounded shape than those of RB1. • The fracture surface of specimens were observed the elongated and the equiaxed dimples. • The decrease of plastic deformability of the notched specimen was caused by the process of voids formation and crack growth due to the effect of plastic constraint of the notch. - Abstract: A case study on a fusion blanket design such as DEMO indicated that there could be some sections with high stress triaxiality, a parameter to evaluate the magnitude of plastic constraint, in the case of plasma disruption or coolant loss accident. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately understand the ductility loss limit of structural material in order to conduct the structural design assessment of the irradiated and embrittled fusion reactor blanket. Tensile tests were conducted by using three kinds of tensile specimen shapes to investigate of the plastic deformability of F82H. From the results, the fracture ductility is lower as the stress triaxiality is higher. Voids of the interrupted RB1 specimen were observed along grain boundaries and expanded parallel to the tensile axis. That of interrupted R0.2 specimen was rounded shape compared with those of RB1. The fracture surface of RB1 and R0.2 specimens were observed the elongated dimples and the equiaxed dimples without so much elongation, respectively. It is considered that the decrease of plastic deformability for the notched specimen was caused by the process of voids formation and crack growth due to the effect of plastic constraint of the notch.

  15. Direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and drug resistance in respiratory specimen using Abbott Realtime MTB detection and RIF/INH resistance assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tam, Kingsley King-Gee; Leung, Kenneth Siu-Sing; To, Sabrina Wai-Chi; Siu, Gilman Kit-Hang; Lau, Terrence Chi-Kong; Shek, Victor Chi-Man; Tse, Cindy Wing-Sze; Wong, Samson Sai-Yin; Ho, Pak-Leung; Yam, Wing-Cheong

    2017-10-01

    Abbott RealTime MTB (Abbott-RT) in conjunction with Abbott RealTime MTB RIF/INH Resistance (Abbott-RIF/INH) is a new, high-throughput automated nucleic acid amplification platform (Abbott-MDR) for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and the genotypic markers for rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) resistance directly from respiratory specimens. This prospective study evaluated the diagnostic performance of this new platform for MTBC and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) using 610 sputum specimens in a tuberculosis high-burden setting. Using conventional culture results and clinical background as reference standards, Abbott-RT exhibited an overall sensitivity and specificity of 95.2% and 99.8%, respectively. Genotypic RIF/INH resistance of 178 "MTB detected" specimens was subsequently analyzed by Abbott-RIF/INH. Compared to phenotypic drug susceptibility test results, Abbott-RIF/INH detected resistance genotypic markers in 84.6% MDR-TB, 80% mono-RIF-resistant and 66.7% mono-INH-resistant specimens. Two of the RIF-resistant specimens carried a novel single, nonsense mutation at rpoB Q513 and in silico simulation demonstrated that the truncated RpoB protein failed to bind with other subunits for transcription. Overall, Abbott-MDR platform provided high throughput and reliable diagnosis of MDR-TB within a TB high-burden region. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Acid etching and plasma sterilization fail to improve osseointegration of grit blasted titanium implants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mortensen, Mikkel Saksø; Jakobsen, Stig Storgaard; Saksø, Henrik

    2012-01-01

    Interaction between implant surface and surrounding bone influences implant fixation. We attempted to improve the bone-implant interaction by 1) adding surface micro scale topography by acid etching, and 2) removing surface-adherent pro-inflammatory agents by plasma cleaning. Implant fixation...... was evaluated by implant osseointegration and biomechanical fixation.The study consisted of two paired animal sub-studies where 10 skeletally mature Labrador dogs were used. Grit blasted titanium alloy implants were inserted press fit in each proximal tibia. In the first study grit blasted implants were...... compared with acid etched grit blasted implants. In the second study grit blasted implants were compared with acid etched grit blasted implants that were further treated with plasma sterilization. Implant performance was evaluated by histomorphometrical investigation (tissue-to-implant contact, peri-implant...

  17. Controlled Environment Specimen Transfer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Damsgaard, Christian Danvad; Zandbergen, Henny W.; Hansen, Thomas Willum

    2014-01-01

    an environmental transmission electron microscope to an in situ X-ray diffractometer through a dedicated transmission electron microscope specimen transfer holder, capable of sealing the specimen in a gaseous environment at elevated temperatures. Two catalyst material systems have been investigated; Cu/ZnO/Al2O3...... transferred in a reactive environment to the environmental transmission electron microscope where further analysis on the local scale were conducted. The Co/Al2O3 catalyst was reduced in the environmental microscope and successfully kept reduced outside the microscope in a reactive environment. The in situ......Specimen transfer under controlled environment conditions, such as temperature, pressure, and gas composition, is necessary to conduct successive complementary in situ characterization of materials sensitive to ambient conditions. The in situ transfer concept is introduced by linking...

  18. Plasma etching a ceramic composite. [evaluating microstructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hull, David R.; Leonhardt, Todd A.; Sanders, William A.

    1992-01-01

    Plasma etching is found to be a superior metallographic technique for evaluating the microstructure of a ceramic matrix composite. The ceramic composite studied is composed of silicon carbide whiskers (SiC(sub W)) in a matrix of silicon nitride (Si3N4), glass, and pores. All four constituents are important in evaluating the microstructure of the composite. Conventionally prepared samples, both as-polished or polished and etched with molten salt, do not allow all four constituents to be observed in one specimen. As-polished specimens allow examination of the glass phase and porosity, while molten salt etching reveals the Si3N4 grain size by removing the glass phase. However, the latter obscures the porosity. Neither technique allows the SiC(sub W) to be distinguished from the Si3N4. Plasma etching with CF4 + 4 percent O2 selectively attacks the Si3N4 grains, leaving SiC(sub W) and glass in relief, while not disturbing the pores. An artifact of the plasma etching reaction is the deposition of a thin layer of carbon on Si3N4, allowing Si3N4 grains to be distinguished from SiC(sub W) by back scattered electron imaging.

  19. Therapeutic Plasma Exchange in Critically Ill Children Requiring Intensive Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortina, Gerard; McRae, Rosemary; Chiletti, Roberto; Butt, Warwick

    2018-02-01

    To characterize the clinical indications, procedural safety, and outcome of critically ill children requiring therapeutic plasma exchange. Retrospective observational study based on a prospective registry. Tertiary and quaternary referral 30-bed PICU. Forty-eight critically ill children who received therapeutic plasma exchange during an 8-year period (2007-2014) were included in the study. Therapeutic plasma exchange. A total of 48 patients underwent 244 therapeutic plasma exchange sessions. Of those, therapeutic plasma exchange was performed as sole procedure in 193 (79%), in combination with continuous renal replacement therapy in 40 (16.4%) and additional extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in 11 (4.6%) sessions. The most common admission diagnoses were hematologic disorders (30%), solid organ transplantation (20%), neurologic disorders (20%), and rheumatologic disorders (15%). Complications associated with the procedure occurred in 50 (21.2%) therapeutic plasma exchange sessions. Overall, patient survival from ICU was 82%. Although patients requiring therapeutic plasma exchange alone (n = 31; 64%) had a survival rate of 97%, those with additional continuous renal replacement therapy (n = 13; 27%) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (n = 4; 8%) had survival rates of 69% and 50%, respectively. Factors associated with increased mortality were lower Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 score, need for mechanical ventilation, higher number of failed organs, and longer ICU stay. Our results indicate that, in specialized centers, therapeutic plasma exchange can be performed relatively safely in critically ill children, alone or in combination with continuous renal replacement therapy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Outcome in children requiring therapeutic plasma exchange alone is excellent. However, survival decreases with the number of failed organs and the need for continuous renal replacement therapy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

  20. The AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource: Role in HIV/AIDS scientific discovery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McGrath Michael S

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The AIDS Cancer and Specimen Resource (ACSR supports scientific discovery in the area of HIV/AIDS-associated malignancies. The ACSR was established as a cooperative agreement between the NCI (Office of the Director, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis and regional consortia, University of California, San Francisco (West Coast, George Washington University (East Coast and Ohio State University (Mid-Region to collect, preserve and disperse HIV-related tissues and biologic fluids and controls along with clinical data to qualified investigators. The available biological samples with clinical data and the application process are described on the ACSR web site. The ACSR tissue bank has more than 100,000 human HIV positive specimens that represent different processing (43, specimen (15, and anatomical site (50 types. The ACSR provides special biospecimen collections and prepares speciality items, e.g., tissue microarrays (TMA, DNA libraries. Requests have been greatest for Kaposi's sarcoma (32% and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (26%. Dispersed requests include 83% tissue (frozen and paraffin embedded, 18% plasma/serum and 9% other. ACSR also provides tissue microarrays of, e.g., Kaposi's sarcoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, for biomarker assays and has developed collaborations with other groups that provide access to additional AIDS-related malignancy specimens. ACSR members and associates have completed 63 podium and poster presentations. Investigators have submitted 125 letters of intent requests. Discoveries using ACSR have been reported in 61 scientific publications in notable journals with an average impact factor of 7. The ACSR promotes the scientific exploration of the relationship between HIV/AIDS and malignancy by participation at national and international scientific meetings, contact with investigators who have productive research in this area and identifying, collecting, preserving, enhancing, and dispersing HIV

  1. Formation of Apatite Coatings on an Artificial Ligament Using a Plasma- and Precursor-Assisted Biomimetic Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayako Oyane

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available A plasma- and precursor-assisted biomimetic process utilizing plasma and alternate dipping treatments was applied to a Leed-Keio artificial ligament to produce a thin coating of apatite in a supersaturated calcium phosphate solution. Following plasma surface modification, the specimen was alternately dipped in calcium and phosphate ion solutions three times (alternate dipping treatment to create a precoating containing amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP which is an apatite precursor. To grow an apatite layer on the ACP precoating, the ACP-precoated specimen was immersed for 24 h in a simulated body fluid with ion concentrations approximately equal to those in human blood plasma. The plasma surface modification was necessary to create an adequate apatite coating and to improve the coating adhesion depending on the plasma power density. The apatite coating prepared using the optimized conditions formed a thin-film that covered the entire surface of the artificial ligament. The resulting apatite-coated artificial ligament should exhibit improved osseointegration within the bone tunnel and possesses great potential for use in ligament reconstructions.

  2. FAILED FUEL DISPOSITION STUDY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    THIELGES, J.R.

    2004-01-01

    In May 2004 alpha contamination was found on the lid of the pre-filter housing in the Sodium Removal Ion Exchange System during routine filter change. Subsequent investigation determined that the alpha contamination likely came from a fuel pin(s) contained in an Ident-69 (ID-69) type pin storage container serial number 9 (ID-69-9) that was washed in the Sodium Removal System (SRS) in January 2004. Because all evidence indicated that the wash water interacted with the fuel, this ID49 is designated as containing a failed fuel pin with gross cladding defect and was set aside in the Interim Examination and Maintenance (IEM) Cell until it could be determined how to proceed for long term dry storage of the fuel pin container. This ID49 contained fuel pins from the driver fuel assembly (DFA) 16392, which was identified as a Delayed Neutron Monitor (DNM) leaker assembly. However, this DFA was disassembled and the fuel pin that was thought to be the failed pin was encapsulated and was not located in this ID49 container. This failed fuel disposition study discusses two alternatives that could be used to address long term storage for the contents of ID-69-9. The first alternative evaluated utilizes the current method of identifying and storing DNM leaker fuel pin(s) in tubes and thus, verifying that the alpha contamination found in the SRS came from a failed pin in this pin container. This approach will require unloading selected fuel pins from the ID-69, visually examining and possibly weighing suspect fuel pins to identify the failed pin(s), inserting the failed pin(s) in storage tubes, and reloading the fuel pins into ID49 containers. Safety analysis must be performed to revise the 200 Area Interim Storage Area (ISA) Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) (Reference 1) for this fuel configuration. The second alternative considered is to store the failed fuel as-is in the ID-69. This was evaluated to determine if this approach would comply with storage requirements. This

  3. FAILED FUEL DISPOSITION STUDY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    THIELGES, J.R.

    2004-12-20

    In May 2004 alpha contamination was found on the lid of the pre-filter housing in the Sodium Removal Ion Exchange System during routine filter change. Subsequent investigation determined that the alpha contamination likely came from a fuel pin(s) contained in an Ident-69 (ID-69) type pin storage container serial number 9 (ID-69-9) that was washed in the Sodium Removal System (SRS) in January 2004. Because all evidence indicated that the wash water interacted with the fuel, this ID49 is designated as containing a failed fuel pin with gross cladding defect and was set aside in the Interim Examination and Maintenance (IEM) Cell until it could be determined how to proceed for long term dry storage of the fuel pin container. This ID49 contained fuel pins from the driver fuel assembly (DFA) 16392, which was identified as a Delayed Neutron Monitor (DNM) leaker assembly. However, this DFA was disassembled and the fuel pin that was thought to be the failed pin was encapsulated and was not located in this ID49 container. This failed fuel disposition study discusses two alternatives that could be used to address long term storage for the contents of ID-69-9. The first alternative evaluated utilizes the current method of identifying and storing DNM leaker fuel pin(s) in tubes and thus, verifying that the alpha contamination found in the SRS came from a failed pin in this pin container. This approach will require unloading selected fuel pins from the ID-69, visually examining and possibly weighing suspect fuel pins to identify the failed pin(s), inserting the failed pin(s) in storage tubes, and reloading the fuel pins into ID49 containers. Safety analysis must be performed to revise the 200 Area Interim Storage Area (ISA) Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) (Reference 1) for this fuel configuration. The second alternative considered is to store the failed fuel as-is in the ID-69. This was evaluated to determine if this approach would comply with storage requirements. This

  4. Development of fatigue life evaluation method using small specimen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nogami, Shuhei; Nishimura, Arata; Wakai, Eichi; Tanigawa, Hiroyasu; Itoh, Takamoto; Hasegawa, Akira

    2013-01-01

    For developing the fatigue life evaluation method using small specimen, the effect of specimen size and shape on the fatigue life of the reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels (F82H-IEA, F82H-BA07 and JLF-1) was investigated by the fatigue test at room temperature in air using round-bar and hourglass specimens with various specimen sizes (test section diameter: 0.85–10 mm). The round-bar specimen showed no specimen size and no specimen shape effects on the fatigue life, whereas the hourglass specimen showed no specimen size effect and obvious specimen shape effect on it. The shorter fatigue life of the hourglass specimen observed under low strain ranges could be attributed to the shorter micro-crack initiation life induced by the stress concentration dependent on the specimen shape. On the basis of this study, the small round-bar specimen was an acceptable candidate for evaluating the fatigue life using small specimen

  5. Specimen holder for an electron microscope and device and method for mounting a specimen in an electron microscope

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zandbergen, H.W.; Latenstein van Voorst, A.; Westra, C.; Hoveling, G.H.

    1996-01-01

    A specimen holder for an electron microscope, comprising a bar-shaped body provided adjacent one end with means for receiving a specimen, with means being present for screening the specimen from the environment at least temporarily in airtight and moisture-proof manner in a first position, which

  6. A general mixed mode fracture mechanics test specimen: The DCB-specimen loaded with uneven bending moments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soerensen, B.F.; Joergensen, K.; Oestergaard, R.C. [Risoe National Lab., Materials Dept., Roskilde (Denmark); Jacobsen, T.K. [LM Glasfiber A/S, Lunderskov (Denmark)

    2004-03-01

    A mixed mode specimen is proposed for fracture mechanics characterisation of adhesive joints, laminates and multilayers. The specimen is a double cantilever beam specimen loaded with uneven bending moments at the two free beams. By varying the ratio between the two applied moments, the full mode mixity range from pure mode I to pure mode II can be generated for the same specimen geometry. The specimen allows stable crack growth. In case of large scale crack bridging, mixed mode cohesive laws can be obtained by a J integral based approach. As a preliminary example, fracture of adhesive joints between two glass-fibre laminates was studied. The mixed mode fracture resistance increased with increasing crack length due to fibre cross over bridging, eventually reaching a steady-state level (R-curve behaviour). The steady-state fracture toughness level increased with increasing tangential crack opening displacement. Cohesive stresses were determined by a J integral approach. The deducted shear stress was found to be relative high ({approx} = 20 MPa) in comparison with the normal stress ({approx} = 1 MPa). (au)

  7. Critical thinking: are the ideals of OBE failing us or are we failing the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Critical thinking: are the ideals of OBE failing us or are we failing the ideals of OBE? K Lombard, M Grosser. Abstract. No Abstract. South African Journal of Education Vol. 28 (4) 2008: pp. 561-580. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT.

  8. Design and Demonstration of a Material-Plasma Exposure Target Station for Neutron Irradiated Samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rapp, Juergen [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Aaron, A. M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Bell, Gary L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Burgess, Thomas W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Ellis, Ronald James [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Giuliano, D. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Howard, R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Kiggans, James O. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Lessard, Timothy L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Ohriner, Evan Keith [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Perkins, Dale E. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Varma, Venugopal Koikal [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2015-10-20

    -state heat fluxes of 5–20 MW/m2 and ion fluxes up to 1024 m-2s-1. Since PFCs will have to withstand neutron irradiation displacement damage up to 50 dpa, the target station design must accommodate radioactive specimens (materials to be irradiated in HFIR or at SNS) to enable investigations of the impact of neutron damage on materials. Therefore, the system will have to be able to install and extract irradiated specimens using equipment and methods to avoid sample modification, control contamination, and minimize worker dose. Included in the design considerations will be an assessment of all the steps between neutron irradiation and post-exposure materials examination/characterization, as well as an evaluation of the facility hazard categorization. In particular, the factors associated with the acquisition of radioactive specimens and their preparation, transportation, experimental configuration at the plasma-specimen interface, post-plasma-exposure sample handling, and specimen preparation will be evaluated. Neutronics calculations to determine the dose rates of the samples were carried out for a large number of potential plasma-facing materials.

  9. Radioimmunoassay of bleomycin in plasma and urine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teale, J.D.; Clough, J.M.; Marks, V.

    1977-01-01

    Antibodies to bleomycin were raised by immunization of sheep and rabbits with bleomycin-albumin conjugates. The combination of a high-titre, high-avidity sheep antiserum and iodinated bleomycin produced a radioimmunoassay sensitive to 8 ng of bleomycin per ml of plasma or urine. Untreated specimens (100 μl) of plasma or urine could be added directly to the assay tubes. The anti-serum was specific for bleomycin and showed no cross-reaction with other anti-cancer agents used in combination chemotherapy. Over a concentration range of 20 to 100 ng/ml. recovery of bleomycin from plasma was 110% and from urine, 93%. Repeated assay of plasma samples showed a decrease in bleomycin levels unless the samples were kept at 4 0 C or below. Assay of bleomycin levels in plasma and urine from patients under treatment with bleomycin showed similarities with results reported using a microbiological assay. The radioimmunoassay offers a more reliable, rapid and sensitive method for the measurement of bleomycin. (author)

  10. Degradation and Stabilization of Peptide Hormones in Human Blood Specimens.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jizu Yi

    Full Text Available Plasma hormone peptides, including GLP-1, GIP, Glucagon, and OXM, possess multiple physiological roles and potential therapeutic and diagnostic utility as biomarkers in the research of metabolic disorders. These peptides are subject to proteolytic degradation causing preanalytical variations. Stabilization for accurate quantitation of these active peptides in ex vivo blood specimens is essential for drug and biomarker development. We investigated the protease-driven instability of these peptides in conventional serum, plasma, anticoagulated whole blood, as well as whole blood and plasma stabilized with protease inhibitors. The peptide was monitored by both time-course Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-to-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI -TOF MS and Ab-based assay (ELISA or RIA. MS enabled the identification of proteolytic fragments. In non-stabilized blood samples, the results clearly indicated that dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV removed the N-terminal two amino acid residues from GLP-1, GIP and OXM(1-37 and not-yet identified peptidase(s cleave(s the full-length OXM(1-37 and its fragments. DPP-IV also continued to remove two additional N-terminal residues of processed OXM(3-37 to yield OXM(5-37. Importantly, both DPP-IV and other peptidase(s activities were inhibited efficiently by the protease inhibitors included in the BD P800* tube. There was preservation of GLP-1, GIP, OXM and glucagon in the P800 plasma samples with half-lives > 96, 96, 72, and 45 hours at room temperature (RT, respectively. In the BD P700* plasma samples, the stabilization of GLP-1 was also achieved with half-life > 96 hours at RT. The stabilization of these variable peptides increased their utility in drug and/or biomarker development. While stability results of GLP-1 obtained with Ab-based assay were consistent with those obtained by MS analysis, the Ab-based results of GIP, Glucagon, and OXM did not reflect the time-dependent degradations revealed by MS

  11. High dose infusion of activated protein C (rhAPC) fails to improve neuronal damage and cognitive deficit after global cerebral ischemia in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brückner, Melanie; Lasarzik, Irina; Jahn-Eimermacher, Antje; Peetz, Dirk; Werner, Christian; Engelhard, Kristin; Thal, Serge C

    2013-09-13

    Recent studies demonstrated anticoagulatory, antiinflammatory, antiapoptotic, and neuroprotective properties of activated protein C (APC) in rodent models of acute neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting APC as promising broad acting therapeutic agent. Unfortunately, continuous infusion of recombinant human APC (rhAPC) failed to improve brain damage following cardiac arrest in rats. The present study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effect after global cerebral ischemia (GI) with an optimized infusion protocol. Rats were subjected to bilateral clip occlusion of the common carotid arteries (BCAO) and controlled hemorrhagic hypotension to 40 mm Hg for 14 min and a subsequent 5h-infusion of rhAPC (2mg/kg bolus+6 mg/kg/h continuous IV) or vehicle (0.9% NaCl). The dosage was calculated to maintain plasma hAPC activity at 150%. Cerebral inflammation, apoptosis and neuronal survival was determined at day 10. rhAPC infusion did not influence cortical cerebral perfusion during reperfusion and failed to reduce neuronal cell loss, microglia activation, and caspase 3 activity. Even an optimized rhAPC infusion protocol designed to maintain a high level of APC plasma activity failed to improve the sequels following GI. Despite positive reports about protective effects of APC following, e.g., ischemic stroke, the present study supports the notion that infusion of APC during the early reperfusion phase does not result in sustained neuroprotection and fails to improve outcome after global cerebral ischemia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Contribution of targeted saliva screening for congenital CMV-related hearing loss in newborns who fail hearing screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ari-Even Roth, Daphne; Lubin, Daniel; Kuint, Jacob; Teperberg-Oikawa, Michal; Mendelson, Ella; Strauss, Tzipora; Barkai, Galia

    2017-11-01

    We previously reported a 2.2% rate of infants born with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) due to congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection identified by universal neonatal screen for cCMV using saliva. To evaluate the contribution of targeted saliva screening for cCMV to the detection of infants born with cCMV-related SNHL who failed universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS). We retrospectively reviewed the audiological and medical records of infants who failed UNHS and were tested for cCMV using saliva sample prior to discharge at Sheba Medical Center between 2014 and 2015. Positive cases were confirmed by urine sample. Two hundred (1%) of the 19 830 infants tested during the study period failed in-hospital hearing screening. A saliva specimen was obtained prior to discharge in 187 infants (93.5% of those who failed UNHS). In 178 infants saliva testing was performed at ≤21 days of chronological age and yielded results. cCMV infection was identified in 4/178 tested infants (2.25%, 95% CI 0.8% to 5.3%), of whom three were diagnosed with SNHL (1.7%, 95% CI 0.5% to 4.4%) and offered antiviral treatment. Two of the tested infants (1.12%, 95% CI 0.2% to 3.6%) were diagnosed with cCMV solely due to failure in UNHS. Occult central nervous system (CNS) symptoms of cCMV infection were detected in 2/4 infants following targeted investigation. Targeted cCMV screening in newborns who failed UNHS contributed to the early detection of infants born with cCMV-related isolated SNHL or with occult CNS symptoms who could potentially benefit from antiviral treatment. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  13. A general mixed mode fracture mechanics test specimen: The DCB-specimen loaded with uneven bending moments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Bent F.; Jørgensen, K.; Jacobsen, T.K.

    2004-01-01

    A mixed mode specimen is proposed for fracture mechanics characterisation of adhesive joints, laminates and multilayers. The specimen is a double cantilever beam specimen loaded with uneven bending moments at the two free beams. By varying the ratiobetween the two applied moments, the full mode...... glass-fibre laminates was studied. The mixed mode fracture resistance increased with increasing crack length due to fibre bridging, eventually reaching asteady-state level (R-curve behaviour). The steady-state fracture toughness level increased with increasing tangential crack opening displacement....

  14. Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Highly Alloyed FeCrMoVC Steel Fabricated by Spark Plasma Sintering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Seung-Jin; Jun, Joong-Hwan; Lee, Min-Ha; Shon, In-Jin; Lee, Seok-Jae

    2018-05-01

    In this study, we successfully fabricated highly alloyed FeCrMoVC specimens within 2 min by using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) method. The densities of the sintered specimens were almost identical to their theoretical values. Fine (Mo, V)-rich carbides with lamellar structure were precipitated along the grain boundaries of the as-sintered specimen, whereas relatively large carbides were formed additionally in the transgranular region during the tempering treatment. Compared with the specimen produced by a conventional casting method, the FeCrMoVC specimens from SPS showed smaller grain size with finer carbides and higher hardness values.

  15. Reliability of 46,XX results on miscarriage specimens: a review of 1,222 first-trimester miscarriage specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lathi, Ruth B; Gustin, Stephanie L F; Keller, Jennifer; Maisenbacher, Melissa K; Sigurjonsson, Styrmir; Tao, Rosina; Demko, Zach

    2014-01-01

    To examine the rate of maternal contamination in miscarriage specimens. Retrospective review of 1,222 miscarriage specimens submitted for chromosome testing with detection of maternal cell contamination (MCC). Referral centers requesting genetic testing of miscarriage specimens at a single reference laboratory. Women with pregnancy loss who desire complete chromosome analysis of the pregnancy tissue. Analysis of miscarriage specimens using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray technology with bioinformatics program to detect maternal cell contamination. Chromosome content of miscarriages and incidence of 46,XX results due to MCC. Of the 1,222 samples analyzed, 592 had numeric chromosomal abnormalities, and 630 were normal 46,XX or 46,XY (456 and 187, respectively). In 269 of the 46,XX specimens, MCC with no embryonic component was found. With the exclusion of maternal 46,XX results, the chromosomal abnormality rate increased from 48% to 62%, and the ratio for XX to XY results dropped from 2.6 to 1.0. Over half of the normal 46,XX results in miscarriage specimens were due to MCC. The use of SNPs in MCC testing allows for precise identification of chromosomal abnormalities in miscarriage as well as MCC, improving the accuracy of products of conception testing. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Development of fatigue life evaluation technique using miniature specimen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nogami, Shuhei; Nishimura, Arata; Fujiwara, Masaharu; Hisaka, Tomoaki

    2012-01-01

    To develop the fatigue life evaluation technique using miniature specimen, the investigation of the effect of specimen size and specimen shape on the fatigue life and the development of the fatigue testing machine, especially the extensometer, were carried out. The effect of specimen size on the fatigue life was almost negligible for the round-bar specimens. The shorter fatigue life at relatively low strain range conditions for the hourglass specimen that the standard specimen were observed. Therefore the miniature round-bar specimen was considered to be adequate for the fatigue life evaluation using small specimen. Several types of the extensometer system using a strain gauge and a laser has been developed for realizing the fatigue test of the miniature round-bar specimen at high temperature in vacuum. (author)

  17. Thermal response of plasma sprayed tungsten coating to high heat flux

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, X.; Yang, L.; Tamura, S.; Tokunaga, K.; Yoshida, N.; Noda, N.; Xu, Z.

    2004-01-01

    In order to investigate the thermal response of tungsten coating on carbon and copper substrates by vacuum plasma spray (VPS) or inert gas plasma spray (IPS), annealing and cyclic heat load experiments of these coatings were conducted. It is indicated that the multi-layered tungsten and rhenium interface of VPS-W/CFC failed to act as a diffusion barrier at elevated temperature and tungsten carbides were developed after 1 h incubation time when annealing temperature was higher than 1600 deg. C. IPS-W/Cu and W/C without an intermediate bonding layer were failed by the detachment of the tungsten coating at 900 and 1200 deg. C annealing for several hours, respectively. Cyclic heat load of electron beam with 35 MW/m 2 and 3-s pulse duration indicated that IPS-W/Cu samples failed with local detachment of the tungsten coating within 200 cycles and IPS-W/C showed local cracks by 300 cycles, but VPS-W/CFC withstood 1000 cycles without visible damages. However, crack creation and propagation in VPS-W/CFC were also observed under higher heat load

  18. Design of specimen for weld residual stress simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jin Weon; Park, Jong Sun; Lee, Kyung Soo

    2008-01-01

    The objective of this study is to design a laboratory specimen for simulating residual stress of circumferential butt welding of pipe. Specimen type and method for residual stress generation were proposed based on the review of prior studies and parametric finite element simulation. To prove the proposed specimen type and loading method, the residual stress was generated using the designed specimen by applying proposed method and was measured. The measured residual stress using X-ray diffraction reasonably agreed with the results of finite element simulation considered in the specimen design. Comparison of residual strains measured at several locations of specimen and given by finite element simulation also showed good agreement. Therefore, it is indicated that the designed specimen can reasonably simulate the residual stress of circumferential butt welding of pipe

  19. TEM specimen preparation of semiconductor-PMMA-metal interfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thangadurai, P.; Lumelsky, Yulia; Silverstein, Michael S.; Kaplan, Wayne D.

    2008-01-01

    Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) cross-section specimens of PMMA in contact with gold and Si were prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) and compared with plan-view PMMA specimens prepared by a dip-coating technique. The specimens were characterized by TEM and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). In the cross-section specimens, the thin films of PMMA were located in a Si-PMMA-Au multilayer. Different thicknesses of PMMA films were spin-coated on the Si substrates. The thickness of the TEM specimens prepared by FIB was estimated using EELS to be 0.65 of the plasmon mean-free-path. Along the PMMA-Au interface, Au particle diffusion into the PMMA was observed, and the size of the Au particles was in the range of 2-4 nm. Dip-coating of PMMA directly on Cu TEM grids resulted in thin specimens with a granular morphology, with a thickness of 0.58 of the plasmon mean-free-path. The dip-coated specimens were free from ion milling induced artifacts, and thus serve as control specimens for comparison with the cross-sectioned specimens prepared by FIB

  20. Comparison of gross anatomy test scores using traditional specimens vs. QuickTime Virtual Reality animated specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maza, Paul Sadiri

    In recent years, technological advances such as computers have been employed in teaching gross anatomy at all levels of education, even in professional schools such as medical and veterinary medical colleges. Benefits of computer based instructional tools for gross anatomy include the convenience of not having to physically view or dissect a cadaver. Anatomy educators debate over the advantages versus the disadvantages of computer based resources for gross anatomy instruction. Many studies, case reports, and editorials argue for the increased use of computer based anatomy educational tools, while others discuss the necessity of dissection for various reasons important in learning anatomy, such as a three-dimensional physical view of the specimen, physical handling of tissues, interactions with fellow students during dissection, and differences between specific specimens. While many articles deal with gross anatomy education using computers, there seems to be a lack of studies investigating the use of computer based resources as an assessment tool for gross anatomy, specifically using the Apple application QuickTime Virtual Reality (QTVR). This study investigated the use of QTVR movie modules to assess if using computer based QTVR movie module assessments were equal in quality to actual physical specimen examinations. A gross anatomy course in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University was used as a source of anatomy students and gross anatomy examinations. Two groups were compared, one group taking gross anatomy examinations in a traditional manner, by viewing actual physical specimens and answering questions based on those specimens. The other group took the same examinations using the same specimens, but the specimens were viewed as simulated three-dimensional objects in a QTVR movie module. Sample group means for the assessments were compared. A survey was also administered asking students' perceptions of quality and user-friendliness of the QTVR

  1. Evaluation of irradiated coating material specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Yong Jin; Nam, Seok Woo; Cho, Lee Moon

    2007-12-01

    Evaluation result of irradiated coating material specimens - Coating material specimens radiated Gamma Energy(Co 60) in air condition. - Evaluation conditions was above 1 X 10 4 Gy/hr, and radiated TID 2.0 X 10 6 Gy. - The radiated coating material specimens, No Checking, Cracking, Flaking, Delamination, Peeling and Blistering. - Coating system at the Kori no. 1 and APR 1400 Nuclear power plant, evaluation of irradiated coating materials is in accordance with owner's requirement(2.0 X 10 6 Gy)

  2. Measurements and Counts for Notacanthidae Specimens

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Taxonomic data were collected for specimens of deep-sea spiny eels (Notacanthidae) from the Hawaiian Ridge by Bruce C. Mundy. Specimens were collected off the north...

  3. Notch effects in uniaxial tension specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delph, T.J.

    1979-03-01

    Results of a literature survey on the effect of notches on the time-dependent failure of uniaxial tension specimens at elevated temperatures are presented. Particular attention is paid to the failure of notched specimens containing weldments

  4. Cold atmospheric air plasma sterilization against spores and other microorganisms of clinical interest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klämpfl, Tobias G; Isbary, Georg; Shimizu, Tetsuji; Li, Yang-Fang; Zimmermann, Julia L; Stolz, Wilhelm; Schlegel, Jürgen; Morfill, Gregor E; Schmidt, Hans-Ulrich

    2012-08-01

    Physical cold atmospheric surface microdischarge (SMD) plasma operating in ambient air has promising properties for the sterilization of sensitive medical devices where conventional methods are not applicable. Furthermore, SMD plasma could revolutionize the field of disinfection at health care facilities. The antimicrobial effects on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria of clinical relevance, as well as the fungus Candida albicans, were tested. Thirty seconds of plasma treatment led to a 4 to 6 log(10) CFU reduction on agar plates. C. albicans was the hardest to inactivate. The sterilizing effect on standard bioindicators (bacterial endospores) was evaluated on dry test specimens that were wrapped in Tyvek coupons. The experimental D(23)(°)(C) values for Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus atrophaeus, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus were determined as 0.3 min, 0.5 min, 0.6 min, and 0.9 min, respectively. These decimal reduction times (D values) are distinctly lower than D values obtained with other reference methods. Importantly, the high inactivation rate was independent of the material of the test specimen. Possible inactivation mechanisms for relevant microorganisms are briefly discussed, emphasizing the important role of neutral reactive plasma species and pointing to recent diagnostic methods that will contribute to a better understanding of the strong biocidal effect of SMD air plasma.

  5. Technique of manufacturing specimen of irradiated fuel rods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Min, Duck Seok; Seo, Hang Seok; Min, Duck Kee; Koo, Dae Seo; Lee, Eun Pyo; Yang, Song Yeol

    1999-04-01

    Technique of manufacturing specimen of irradiated fuel rods to perform efficient PIE is developed by analyzing the relation between requiring time of manufacturing specimen and manufacturing method in irradiated fuel rods. It takes within an hour to grind 1 mm of specimen thickness under 150 rpm in speed of grinding, 600 g gravity in force using no.120, no.240, no.320 of grinding paper. In case of no.400 of grinding paper, it takes more an hour to grind the same thickness as above. It takes up to a quarter to grind 80-130 μm in specimen thickness using no.400 of grinding paper. When grinding time goes beyond 15 minutes, the grinding thickness of specimen does not exist. The polishing of specimen with 150 Rpms in speed of grinding machine, 600 g gravity in force, 10 minutes in polishing time using diamond paste 15 μm on polishing cloths amounts to 50 μm in specimen thickness. In case of diamond paste 9 μm on polishing cloth, the polishing of specimen amounts to 20 μm. The polishing thickness of specimen with 15 minutes in polishing time using 6 μm, 3 μm, 1 μm, 1/4 μm does not exist. Technique of manufacturing specimen of irradiated fuel rods will have application to the destructive examination of PIE. (author). 6 refs., 1 tab., 10 figs

  6. Failing Decision

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knudsen, Morten

    2014-01-01

    Recently the Danish subway trains have begun to announce “on time” when they arrive at a station on time. This action reflects a worrying acceptance of the normality of failure. If trains were generally expected to be on time, there would be no reason to – triumphantly – announce it. This chapter...... by an interest in failure as one way of improving understanding of present-day decision making in organizations.......Recently the Danish subway trains have begun to announce “on time” when they arrive at a station on time. This action reflects a worrying acceptance of the normality of failure. If trains were generally expected to be on time, there would be no reason to – triumphantly – announce it. This chapter...... deals not with traffic delays, but with failing decisions in organizations. The assumption of this chapter is that failing decisions today are as normal as delayed trains. Instead of being the exception, failure is part of the everyday reproduction of organizations – as an uncontrolled effect but also...

  7. Simulating fail-stop in asynchronous distributed systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabel, Laura; Marzullo, Keith

    1994-01-01

    The fail-stop failure model appears frequently in the distributed systems literature. However, in an asynchronous distributed system, the fail-stop model cannot be implemented. In particular, it is impossible to reliably detect crash failures in an asynchronous system. In this paper, we show that it is possible to specify and implement a failure model that is indistinguishable from the fail-stop model from the point of view of any process within an asynchronous system. We give necessary conditions for a failure model to be indistinguishable from the fail-stop model, and derive lower bounds on the amount of process replication needed to implement such a failure model. We present a simple one-round protocol for implementing one such failure model, which we call simulated fail-stop.

  8. Effects of Rakkyofructan on Postprandial Glucose Level in Plasma

    OpenAIRE

    谷, 政八; 池田, 涼子; 谷, 洋子; 小林, 恭一; Tani, Masahachi; Ikeda, Ryouko; Tani, Hiroko; Kobayashi, Kyoichi

    2010-01-01

    The effect of Rakkyofructan on the glucose level in plasma after intake of high carbohydrate diet was investigated.The six healthy female volunteers consumed 50 g of carbohydrate meal (the glucose, the cooked white rice, the bread, or the cooked sweet potato) with or without Rakkyofructan.Blood specimen was collected of before and 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 and 150 min after intake, and the glucose level in plasma was measured.The peak value (Cmax) and the area under curve (AUC) of blood glucose lev...

  9. Degradation of nitride coatings in low-pressure gas discharge plasma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivanov, Yurii; Shugurov, Vladimir; Krysina, Olga; Petrikova, Elizaveta; Tolkachev, Oleg

    2017-12-01

    The paper provides research data on the defect structure, mechanical characteristics, and tribological properties of commercially pure VT1-0 titanium exposed to surface modification on a COMPLEX laboratory electron-ion plasma setup which allows nitriding, coating deposition, and etching in low-pressure gas discharge plasma in a single vacuum cycle. It is shown that preliminary plasma nitriding forms a columnar Ti2N phase in VT1-0 titanium and that subsequent TiN deposition results in a thin nanocrystalline TiN layer. When the coating-substrate system is etched, the coating fails and the tribological properties of the material degrade greatly.

  10. Specimen loading list for the varying temperature experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qualls, A.L.; Sitterson, R.G.

    1998-01-01

    The varying temperature experiment HFIR-RB-13J has been assembled and inserted in the reactor. Approximately 5300 specimens were cleaned, inspected, matched, and loaded into four specimen holders. A listing of each specimen loaded into the steady temperature holder, its position in the capsule, and the identification of the corresponding specimen loaded into the varying temperature holder is presented in this report

  11. Recent advances on Charpy specimen reconstitution techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.; Lobo, Raquel M.; Miranda, Carlos Alexandre J., E-mail: aandrade@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2017-07-01

    Charpy specimen reconstitution is widely used around the world as a tool to enhance or supplement surveillance programs of nuclear reactor pressure vessels. The reconstitution technique consists in the incorporation of a small piece from a previously tested specimen into a compound specimen, allowing to increase the number of tests. This is especially important if the available materials is restricted and fracture mechanics parameter have to be determined. The reconstitution technique must fulfill some demands, among them tests results like the original standard specimens and the loaded material of the insert must not be influenced by the welding and machining procedure. It is known that reconstitution of Charpy specimens may affect the impact energy in a consequence of the constraint of plastic deformation by the hardened weldment and HAZ. This paper reviews some recent advances of the reconstitution technique and its applications. (author)

  12. Recent advances on Charpy specimen reconstitution techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.; Lobo, Raquel M.; Miranda, Carlos Alexandre J.

    2017-01-01

    Charpy specimen reconstitution is widely used around the world as a tool to enhance or supplement surveillance programs of nuclear reactor pressure vessels. The reconstitution technique consists in the incorporation of a small piece from a previously tested specimen into a compound specimen, allowing to increase the number of tests. This is especially important if the available materials is restricted and fracture mechanics parameter have to be determined. The reconstitution technique must fulfill some demands, among them tests results like the original standard specimens and the loaded material of the insert must not be influenced by the welding and machining procedure. It is known that reconstitution of Charpy specimens may affect the impact energy in a consequence of the constraint of plastic deformation by the hardened weldment and HAZ. This paper reviews some recent advances of the reconstitution technique and its applications. (author)

  13. Dietary linoleate preserves cardiolipin and attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction in the failing rat heart

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulligan, Christopher M.; Sparagna, Genevieve C.; Le, Catherine H.; De Mooy, Anthony B.; Routh, Melissa A.; Holmes, Michael G.; Hickson-Bick, Diane L.; Zarini, Simona; Murphy, Robert C.; Xu, Fred Y.; Hatch, Grant M.; McCune, Sylvia A.; Moore, Russell L.; Chicco, Adam J.

    2012-01-01

    Aims Cardiolipin (CL) is a tetra-acyl phospholipid that provides structural and functional support to several proteins in the inner mitochondrial membrane. The majority of CL in the healthy mammalian heart contains four linoleic acid acyl chains (L4CL). A selective loss of L4CL is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and heart failure in humans and animal models. We examined whether supplementing the diet with linoleic acid would preserve cardiac L4CL and attenuate mitochondrial dysfunction and contractile failure in rats with hypertensive heart failure. Methods and results Male spontaneously hypertensive heart failure rats (21 months of age) were administered diets supplemented with high-linoleate safflower oil (HLSO) or lard (10% w/w; 28% kilocalorie fat) or without supplemental fat (control) for 4 weeks. HLSO preserved L4CL and total CL to 90% of non-failing levels (vs. 61–75% in control and lard groups), and attenuated 17–22% decreases in state 3 mitochondrial respiration observed in the control and lard groups (P < 0.05). Left ventricular fractional shortening was significantly higher in HLSO vs. control (33 ± 2 vs. 29 ± 2%, P < 0.05), while plasma insulin levels were lower (5.4 ± 1.1 vs. 9.1 ± 2.3 ng/mL; P < 0.05), with no significant effect of lard supplementation. HLSO also increased serum concentrations of several eicosanoid species compared with control and lard diets, but had no effect on plasma glucose or blood pressure. Conclusion Moderate consumption of HLSO preserves CL and mitochondrial function in the failing heart and may be a useful adjuvant therapy for this condition. PMID:22411972

  14. Development of a plasma driven permeation experiment for TPE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Buchenauer, Dean, E-mail: dabuche@sandia.gov [Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA (United States); Kolasinski, Robert [Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA (United States); Shimada, Masa [Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Donovan, David [Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA (United States); Youchison, Dennis [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Merrill, Brad [Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2014-10-15

    Highlights: • We have designed and fabricated a novel tritium permeation membrane holder for use in the Tritium Plasma Experiment (TPE). • The membrane temperature is controlled by varying the cooling flow rate and proximity of a spiral cooling channel. • Sealing tests have demonstrated adequate helium leak rates up to temperatures of 1000 °C. • Flow modeling indicates a minimal helium pressure drop across the membrane holder (<700 Pa). • Thermal modeling shows good heat removal and minimal membrane temperature variation (±2%) even up to peak TPE ion fluxes. - Abstract: Experiments on retention of hydrogen isotopes (including tritium) at temperatures less than 800 °C have been carried out in the Tritium Plasma Experiment (TPE) at Idaho National Laboratory [1,2]. To provide a direct measurement of plasma driven permeation in plasma facing materials at temperatures reaching 1000 °C, a new TPE membrane holder has been built to hold test specimens (≤1 mm in thickness) at high temperature while measuring tritium permeating through the membrane from the plasma facing side. This measurement is accomplished by employing a carrier gas that transports the permeating tritium from the backside of the membrane to ion chambers giving a direct measurement of the plasma driven tritium permeation rate. Isolation of the membrane cooling and sweep gases from TPE's vacuum chamber has been demonstrated by sealing tests performed up to 1000 °C of a membrane holder design that provides easy change out of membrane specimens between tests. Simulations of the helium carrier gas which transports tritium to the ion chamber indicate a very small pressure drop (∼700 Pa) with good flow uniformity (at 1000 sccm). Thermal transport simulations indicate that temperatures up to 1000 °C are expected at the highest TPE fluxes.

  15. Development of a plasma driven permeation experiment for TPE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buchenauer, Dean; Kolasinski, Robert; Shimada, Masa; Donovan, David; Youchison, Dennis; Merrill, Brad

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • We have designed and fabricated a novel tritium permeation membrane holder for use in the Tritium Plasma Experiment (TPE). • The membrane temperature is controlled by varying the cooling flow rate and proximity of a spiral cooling channel. • Sealing tests have demonstrated adequate helium leak rates up to temperatures of 1000 °C. • Flow modeling indicates a minimal helium pressure drop across the membrane holder (<700 Pa). • Thermal modeling shows good heat removal and minimal membrane temperature variation (±2%) even up to peak TPE ion fluxes. - Abstract: Experiments on retention of hydrogen isotopes (including tritium) at temperatures less than 800 °C have been carried out in the Tritium Plasma Experiment (TPE) at Idaho National Laboratory [1,2]. To provide a direct measurement of plasma driven permeation in plasma facing materials at temperatures reaching 1000 °C, a new TPE membrane holder has been built to hold test specimens (≤1 mm in thickness) at high temperature while measuring tritium permeating through the membrane from the plasma facing side. This measurement is accomplished by employing a carrier gas that transports the permeating tritium from the backside of the membrane to ion chambers giving a direct measurement of the plasma driven tritium permeation rate. Isolation of the membrane cooling and sweep gases from TPE's vacuum chamber has been demonstrated by sealing tests performed up to 1000 °C of a membrane holder design that provides easy change out of membrane specimens between tests. Simulations of the helium carrier gas which transports tritium to the ion chamber indicate a very small pressure drop (∼700 Pa) with good flow uniformity (at 1000 sccm). Thermal transport simulations indicate that temperatures up to 1000 °C are expected at the highest TPE fluxes

  16. Thermophysical property measurement at high temperatures by laser-produced plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Y.W.

    1993-01-01

    Excitation by a high-power laser pulse of a material surface generates a sequence of plasma, fluid flow, and acoustic events. These are well separated in time, and their detection and analysis can lead to determination of material properties of the condensed phase target. We have developed a new methodology for real-time determination of molten metal composition by time-resolved spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas (LPP). If the laser pulse is shaped in such a way that the movement of the bulk surface due to evaporation is kept in pace with the thermal diffusion front advancing into the interior of the target, the LPP plume becomes representative of the bulk in elemental composition. In addition, the mass loss due to LPP ablation is very well correlated with the thermal diffusivity of the target matter. For several elemental solid specimens, we show that the product of the ablation thickness and heat of formation is proportional to the thermal diffusivity per unit molecular weight. Such measurements can be extended to molten metal specimens if the mass loss by ablation, density, heat of formation, and molecular weight can be determined simultaneously. The results from the solid specimen and the progress with a levitation-assisted molten metal experiment are presented

  17. Fracture toughness measurements with subsize disk compact specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexander, D.J.

    1992-01-01

    Special fixtures and test methods are necessary to facilitate the fracture toughness testing of small disk compact specimens of irradiated candidate materials for first-wall fusion applications. New methods have been developed for both the unloading compliance and potential drop techniques of monitoring crack growth. Provisions have been made to allow the necessary probes and instrumentation to be installed remotely using manipulators for testing of irradiated specimens in a hot cell. Laboratory trials showed that both unloading compliance and potential drop gave useful results. Both techniques gave similar data, and predicted the final crack extension within allowable limits. The results from the small disk compact specimens were similar to results from conventional compact specimen 12.7 mm thick. However, the slopes of the J-R curves from the larger specimens were lower, suggesting that the smaller disk compact specimens may have lost some constraint due to their size. The testing shows that it should be possible to generate useful J-R curve fracture toughness data from the small disk compact specimens

  18. Fracture toughness measurements with subsize disk compact specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexander, D.J.

    1992-01-01

    Special fixtures and test methods have been developed for testing small disk compact specimens (12.5 mm diam by 4.6 mm thick). Both unloading compliance and potential drop methods have been used to monitor crack extension during the J-integral resistance (J-R) curve testing. Provisions have been made to allow the necessary probes and instrumentation to be installed remotely using manipulators for testing of irradiated specimens in a hat cell. Laboratory trials showed that both unloading compliance and potential drop gave useful results. Both techniques gave similar data, and predicted the final crack extension within allowable limits. The results from the small disk compact specimens were similar to results from conventional compact specimens 12.7-mm thick. However, the slopes of the J-R curves from the larger specimens were lower, suggesting that the smaller disk compact specimens may have lost some constraint due to their size. The testing shows that it should be possible to generate useful J-R curve fracture toughness data from the small disk compact specimens

  19. Theory and Simulations of Solar System Plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldstein, Melvyn L.

    2011-01-01

    "Theory and simulations of solar system plasmas" aims to highlight results from microscopic to global scales, achieved by theoretical investigations and numerical simulations of the plasma dynamics in the solar system. The theoretical approach must allow evidencing the universality of the phenomena being considered, whatever the region is where their role is studied; at the Sun, in the solar corona, in the interplanetary space or in planetary magnetospheres. All possible theoretical issues concerning plasma dynamics are welcome, especially those using numerical models and simulations, since these tools are mandatory whenever analytical treatments fail, in particular when complex nonlinear phenomena are at work. Comparative studies for ongoing missions like Cassini, Cluster, Demeter, Stereo, Wind, SDO, Hinode, as well as those preparing future missions and proposals, like, e.g., MMS and Solar Orbiter, are especially encouraged.

  20. 7 CFR 97.8 - Specimen requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Specimen requirements. 97.8 Section 97.8 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards... required by the examiner to furnish representative specimens of the variety, or its flower, fruit, or seeds...

  1. HER2 testing on core needle biopsy specimens from primary breast cancers: interobserver reproducibility and concordance with surgically resected specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuda, Hitoshi; Kurosumi, Masafumi; Umemura, Shinobu; Yamamoto, Sohei; Kobayashi, Takayuki; Osamura, Robert Yoshiyuki

    2010-01-01

    Accurate evaluation of human epidermal growth factor receptor type-2 (HER2) status based on core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens is mandatory for identification of patients with primary breast cancer who will benefit from primary systemic therapy with trastuzumab. The aim of the present study was to validate the application of HER2 testing with CNB specimens from primary breast cancers in terms of interobserver reproducibility and comparison with surgically resected specimens. A total of 100 pairs of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded CNB and surgically resected specimens of invasive breast carcinomas were cut into sections. All 100 paired sections were subjected to HER2 testing by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and 27 paired sections were subjected to that by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), the results being evaluated by three and two observers, respectively. Interobserver agreement levels in terms of judgment and the concordance of consensus scores between CNB samples and the corresponding surgically resected specimens were estimated as the percentage agreement and κ statistic. In CNB specimens, the percentage interobserver agreement of HER2 scoring by IHC was 76% (κ = 0.71) for 3 × 3 categories (0-1+ versus 2+ versus 3+) and 90% (κ = 0.80) for 2 × 2 categories (0-2+ versus 3+). These levels were close to the corresponding ones for the surgically resected specimens: 80% (κ = 0.77) for 3 × 3 categories and 92% (κ = 0.88) for 2 × 2 categories. Concordance of consensus for HER2 scores determined by IHC between CNB and the corresponding surgical specimens was 87% (κ = 0.77) for 3 × 3 categories, and 94% (κ = 0.83) for 2 × 2 categories. Among the 13 tumors showing discordance in the mean IHC scores between the CNB and surgical specimens, the results of consensus for FISH results were concordant in 11. The rate of successful FISH analysis and the FISH positivity rate in cases with a HER2 IHC score of 2+ differed among specimens processed at

  2. HER2 testing on core needle biopsy specimens from primary breast cancers: interobserver reproducibility and concordance with surgically resected specimens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yamamoto Sohei

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Accurate evaluation of human epidermal growth factor receptor type-2 (HER2 status based on core needle biopsy (CNB specimens is mandatory for identification of patients with primary breast cancer who will benefit from primary systemic therapy with trastuzumab. The aim of the present study was to validate the application of HER2 testing with CNB specimens from primary breast cancers in terms of interobserver reproducibility and comparison with surgically resected specimens. Methods A total of 100 pairs of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded CNB and surgically resected specimens of invasive breast carcinomas were cut into sections. All 100 paired sections were subjected to HER2 testing by immunohistochemistry (IHC and 27 paired sections were subjected to that by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH, the results being evaluated by three and two observers, respectively. Interobserver agreement levels in terms of judgment and the concordance of consensus scores between CNB samples and the corresponding surgically resected specimens were estimated as the percentage agreement and κ statistic. Results In CNB specimens, the percentage interobserver agreement of HER2 scoring by IHC was 76% (κ = 0.71 for 3 × 3 categories (0-1+ versus 2+ versus 3+ and 90% (κ = 0.80 for 2 × 2 categories (0-2+ versus 3+. These levels were close to the corresponding ones for the surgically resected specimens: 80% (κ = 0.77 for 3 × 3 categories and 92% (κ = 0.88 for 2 × 2 categories. Concordance of consensus for HER2 scores determined by IHC between CNB and the corresponding surgical specimens was 87% (κ = 0.77 for 3 × 3 categories, and 94% (κ = 0.83 for 2 × 2 categories. Among the 13 tumors showing discordance in the mean IHC scores between the CNB and surgical specimens, the results of consensus for FISH results were concordant in 11. The rate of successful FISH analysis and the FISH positivity rate in cases with a HER2 IHC score of

  3. Agreement for HPV genotyping detection between self-collected specimens on a FTA cartridge and clinician-collected specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, YaoYao; Gravitt, Patti E.; Howard, Roslyn; Eby, Yolanda J.; Wang, Shaoming; Li, Belinda; Feng, Changyan; Qiao, You-Lin; Castle, Philip E.

    2016-01-01

    The current method of transporting self-collected cervicovaginal specimen for HPV DNA testing relies on liquid based medium, which is challenging and expensive to transport. A novel, dry storage and transportation device, Whatman indicating FTA™ Elute Cartridge, avoids some of the pitfalls of liquid-based medium. This method has been shown to be comparable to liquid-based collection medium, but relative performance of self-collected (SC) and clinician-collected (CC) samples onto FTA cards has not been reported. The objective of this study is to compare the analytic performance of self- and clinician-collected samples onto FTA cartridges for the detection of carcinogenic HPV using Linear Array. There was a 91% agreement, 69% positive agreement, and kappa of 0.75 between the clinician-collected and self-collected specimens for detection of any carcinogenic HPV genotype. When the HPV results were categorized hierarchically according to cervical cancer risk, there was no difference in the distribution of the HPV results for the clinician- and self-collected specimens (p = 0.7). This study concludes that FTA elute cartridge is a promising method of specimen transport for cervical cancer screening programs considering using self-collected specimen and HPV testing. Larger studies with clinical endpoints are now needed to assess the clinical performance. PMID:23370404

  4. Molecular Auditing: An Evaluation of Unsuspected Tissue Specimen Misidentification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demetrick, Douglas J

    2018-06-18

    Context Specimen misidentification is the most significant error in laboratory medicine, potentially accounting for hundreds of millions of dollars in extra health care expenses and significant morbidity in patient populations in the United States alone. New technology allows the unequivocal documentation of specimen misidentification or contamination; however, the value of this technology currently depends on suspicion of the specimen integrity by a pathologist or other health care worker. Objective To test the hypothesis that there is a detectable incidence of unsuspected tissue specimen misidentification among cases submitted for routine surgical pathology examination. Design To test this hypothesis, we selected specimen pairs that were obtained at different times and/or different hospitals from the same patient, and compared their genotypes using standardized microsatellite markers used commonly for forensic human DNA comparison in order to identify unsuspected mismatches between the specimen pairs as a trial of "molecular auditing." We preferentially selected gastrointestinal, prostate, and skin biopsies because we estimated that these types of specimens had the greatest potential for misidentification. Results Of 972 specimen pairs, 1 showed an unexpected discordant genotype profile, indicating that 1 of the 2 specimens was misidentified. To date, we are unable to identify the etiology of the discordance. Conclusions These results demonstrate that, indeed, there is a low level of unsuspected tissue specimen misidentification, even in an environment with careful adherence to stringent quality assurance practices. This study demonstrates that molecular auditing of random, routine biopsy specimens can identify occult misidentified specimens, and may function as a useful quality indicator.

  5. Probes for edge plasma studies of TFTR (invited)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manos, D.M.; Budny, R.V.; Kilpatrick, S.; Stangeby, P.; Zweben, S.

    1986-01-01

    Tokamak fusion test reactor (TFTR) probes are designed to study the interaction of the plasma with material surfaces such as the wall and limiters, and to study the transport of particles and energy between the core and edge. Present probe heads have evolved from prototypes in Princeton large torus (PLT), poloidal divertor experiment (PDX) [Princeton BETA experiment (PBX)], and the initial phase of TFTR operation. The newest heads are capable of making several simultaneous measurements and include Langmuir probes, heat flux probes, magnetic coils, rotating calorimeter fast ion probes, and sample exposure specimens. This paper describes these probe heads and presents some of the data they and their prototypes have acquired. The paper emphasizes measurement of transient plasma effects such as fast ion loss during auxiliary heating, the evolution of the edge plasma during heating, compression, and free expansion, and fluctuations in the edge plasma

  6. Why did occidental modernity fail in the Arab Middle East: the failed modern state?

    OpenAIRE

    Sardar, Aziz

    2011-01-01

    This thesis asks a straightforward but nevertheless a complex question, that is: Why did modernity fail in the Arab Middle East? The notion of modernity in this thesis signifies the occidental modernity which reached the region in many different forms and through various channels. This occidental modernity had an impact on many areas and changed the societies and politics of the region. But these changes stopped short of reaching modernity, in other words it failed to change the society from ...

  7. Thermal property testing technique on micro specimen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baba, Tetsuya; Kishimoto, Isao; Taketoshi, Naoyuki

    2000-01-01

    This study aims at establishment of further development on some testing techniques on the nuclear advanced basic research accumulated by the National Research Laboratory of Metrology for ten years. For this purpose, a technology to test heat diffusion ratio and specific heat capacity of less than 3 mm in diameter and 1 mm in thickness of micro specimen and technology to test heat diffusion ratio at micro area of less than 1 mm in area along cross section of less than 10 mm in diameter of column specimen were developed to contribute to common basic technology supporting the nuclear power field. As a result, as an element technology to test heat diffusion ratio and specific heat capacity of the micro specimen, a specimen holding technique stably to hold a micro specimen with 3 mm in diameter could be developed. And, for testing the specific heat capacity by using the laser flush differential calorimetry, a technique to hold two specimen of 5 mm in diameter at their proximities was also developed. In addition, by promoting development of thermal property data base capable of storing thermal property data obtained in this study and with excellent workability in this 1998 fiscal year a data in/out-put program with graphical user interface could be prepared. (G.K.)

  8. Comparative study on Charpy specimen reconstitution techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bourdiliau, B.; Decroix, G.-M.; Averty, X.; Wident, P.; Bienvenu, Y.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Welding processes are used to reconstitute previously tested Charpy specimens. → Stud welding is preferred for a quick installation, almost immediately operational. → Friction welding produces better quality welds, but requires a development effort. - Abstract: Reconstitution techniques are often used to allow material from previously fractured Charpy-V specimens to be reused for additional experiments. This paper presents a comparative experimental study of various reconstitution techniques and evaluates the feasibility of these methods for future use in shielded cells. The following techniques were investigated: arc stud welding, 6.0 kW CO 2 continuous wave laser welding, 4.5 kW YAG continuous wave laser welding and friction welding. Subsize Charpy specimens were reconstituted using a 400 W YAG pulsed wave laser. The best result was obtained with arc stud welding; the resilience of the reconstituted specimens and the load-displacement curves agreed well with the reference specimens, and the temperature elevation caused by the welding process was limited to the vicinity of the weld. Good results were also obtained with friction welding; this process led to the best quality welds. Laser welding seems to have affected the central part of the specimens, thus leading to different resilience values and load-displacement curves.

  9. Enzymatic detection of formalin-fixed museum specimens for DNA analysis and enzymatic maceration of formalin-fixed specimens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Margrethe; Redsted Rasmussen, Arne; Simonsen, Kim Pilkjær

    2016-01-01

    % ethanol. The method was subsequently tested on wild-living preserved specimens and an archived specimen. The protease enzyme used was SavinaseH 16 L, Type EX from Novozymes A/S. The enzymatic screening test demands only simple laboratory equipment. The method is useful for natural history collections...

  10. Study on the electromagnetic waves propagation characteristics in partially ionized plasma slabs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhi-Bin Wang

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Propagation characteristics of electromagnetic (EM waves in partially ionized plasma slabs are studied in this paper. Such features are significant to applications in plasma antennas, blackout of re-entry flying vehicles, wave energy injection to plasmas, and etc. We in this paper developed a theoretical model of EM wave propagation perpendicular to a plasma slab with a one-dimensional density inhomogeneity along propagation direction to investigate essential characteristics of EM wave propagation in nonuniform plasmas. Particularly, the EM wave propagation in sub-wavelength plasma slabs, where the geometric optics approximation fails, is studied and in comparison with thicker slabs where the geometric optics approximation applies. The influences of both plasma and collisional frequencies, as well as the width of the plasma slab, on the EM wave propagation characteristics are discussed. The results can help the further understanding of propagation behaviours of EM waves in nonuniform plasma, and applications of the interactions between EM waves and plasmas.

  11. Cleaning of niobium surface by plasma of diffuse discharge at atmospheric pressure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarasenko, V. F.; Erofeev, M. V.; Shulepov, M. A.; Ripenko, V. S.

    2017-07-01

    Elements composition of niobium surface before and after plasma treatment by runaway electron preionized diffuse discharge was investigated in atmospheric pressure nitrogen flow by means of an Auger electron spectroscopy. Surface characterizations obtained from Auger spectra show that plasma treatment by diffuse discharge after exposure of 120000 pulses provides ultrafine surface cleaning from carbon contamination. Moreover, the surface free energy of the treated specimens increased up to 3 times, that improve its adhesion property.

  12. Closeout of JOYO-1 Specimen Fabrication Efforts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    ME Petrichek; JL Bump; RF Luther

    2005-01-01

    Fabrication was well under way for the JOYO biaxial creep and tensile specimens when the NR Space program was canceled. Tubes of FS-85, ASTAR-811C, and T-111 for biaxial creep specimens had been drawn at True Tube (Paso Robles, CA), while tubes of Mo-47.5 Re were being drawn at Rhenium Alloys (Cleveland, OH). The Mo-47.5 Re tubes are now approximately 95% complete. Their fabrication and the quantities produced will be documented at a later date. End cap material for FS-85, ASTAR-811C, and T-111 had been swaged at Pittsburgh Materials Technology, Inc. (PMTI) (Large, PA) and machined at Vangura (Clairton, PA). Cutting of tubes, pickling, annealing, and laser engraving were in process at PMTI. Several biaxial creep specimen sets of FS-85, ASTAR-811C, and T-111 had already been sent to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for weld development. In addition, tensile specimens of FS-85, ASTAR-811C, T-111, and Mo-47.5 Re had been machined at Kin-Tech (North Huntington, PA). Actual machining of the other specimen types had not been initiated. Flowcharts 1-3 detail the major processing steps each piece of material has experienced. A more detailed description of processing will be provided in a separate document [B-MT(SRME)-51]. Table 1 lists the in-process materials and finished specimens. Also included are current metallurgical condition of these materials and specimens. The available chemical analyses for these alloys at various points in the process are provided in Table 2

  13. Dynamic feedback for multi-mode plasma instabilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, A.K.

    1978-01-01

    Constant feedback, which has been used exclusively, fails to stabilize more than one mode of a plasma instability. It is shown that a suitable dynamic or frequency-dependent feedback can stabilize all modes. Methods are developed in which such a feedback structure can be chosen in terms of its poles and zeros in relation to those of the plasma transfer function in the complex frequency plane. The synthesis procedure for such a feedback structure, in the form of an integrated electronic circuit is also discussed. As an example, a dynamic feedback for multi-mode stabilization of a collisional drift wave instability is developed in detail. (author)

  14. A simple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the measurement of pyridoxal-5-phosphate and 4-pyridoxic acid in human plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabo, Rona; Kozik, Karolina; Milanowski, Maciej; Hernes, Sigrunn; Slettan, Audun; Haugen, Margaretha; Ye, Shu; Blomhoff, Rune; Mansoor, M Azam

    2014-06-10

    Low concentration of plasma pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP) is associated with hyperhomocysteinemia and inflammation. Most methods for the measurement of plasma PLP require large specimen volume and involve the use of toxic reagents. We have developed a HPLC method for the measurement of PLP and 4-pyridoxic acid (4-PA) in plasma, which requires small specimen volume. The samples are prepared without adding any toxic reagents. Furthermore, we have examined whether intake of vitamin B6 affects the concentration of plasma PLP and 4-PA. The coefficient of variation of the method was 6% and the recovery of the added vitamin in plasma was about 100%. The concentrations of plasma PLP and 4-PA in 168 healthy subjects were 40.6 (8.4-165.0) nmol/L, median and (range) and 17.5 (3.7-114.79) nmol/L, median and (range) respectively. In the multiple regression analyses, the concentration of plasma PLP was associated with the concentration of plasma 4-PA (pplasma 4-PA was associated with plasma PLP (pplasma PLP and 4-PA. Our findings demonstrate that plasma 4-PA, BMI and sex are the major determinants of plasma PLP in healthy individuals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Agreement for HPV genotyping detection between self-collected specimens on a FTA cartridge and clinician-collected specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Yaoyao; Gravitt, Patti E; Howard, Roslyn; Eby, Yolanda J; Wang, Shaoming; Li, Belinda; Feng, Changyan; Qiao, You-Lin; Castle, Philip E

    2013-04-01

    The current method of transporting self-collected cervicovaginal specimen for HPV DNA testing relies on liquid based medium, which is challenging and expensive to transport. A novel, dry storage and transportation device, Whatman indicating FTA™ Elute Cartridge, avoids some of the pitfalls of liquid-based medium. This method has been shown to be comparable to liquid-based collection medium, but relative performance of self-collected (SC) and clinician-collected (CC) samples onto FTA cards has not been reported. The objective of this study is to compare the analytic performance of self- and clinician-collected samples onto FTA cartridges for the detection of carcinogenic HPV using Linear Array. There was a 91% agreement, 69% positive agreement, and kappa of 0.75 between the clinician-collected and self-collected specimens for detection of any carcinogenic HPV genotype. When the HPV results were categorized hierarchically according to cervical cancer risk, there was no difference in the distribution of the HPV results for the clinician- and self-collected specimens (p=0.7). This study concludes that FTA elute cartridge is a promising method of specimen transport for cervical cancer screening programs considering using self-collected specimen and HPV testing. Larger studies with clinical endpoints are now needed to assess the clinical performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Closed External Fixation for Failing or Failed Femoral Shaft Plating in a Developing Country.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aliakbar, Adil; Witwit, Ibrahim; Al-Algawy, Alaa A Hussein

    2017-08-01

    Femoral shaft fractures are one of the common injuries that is treated by open reduction, with internal fixation by plate and screws or intramedullary nailing, which can achieve a high union rate. To evaluate the outcome of using closed external fixation to augment a failing plate; with signs of screw loosening and increasing bone/plate gap; a failed plate; broken plate; screws completely out of bone with redisplacement of fracture. A retrospective study on 18 patients, aged between 17-42 years, who presented between 6-18 weeks after initial surgical fixation, with pain, difficulty in limb function, deformity and abnormal movement at fracture site, was done. X-Rays showed plating failure with acceptable amount of callus, which unfortunately had refractured. Cases associated with infection and no radiological evidence of callus formation were excluded from this study. Closed reduction was done by manipulation, then fracture fixation by AO external fixator. The patients were encouraged for full weight bearing as early as possible with dynamization later on. Of the 18 patients who underwent external fixation after close reduction, 15 cases showed bone healing in a period between 11-18 weeks (mean of 14.27 weeks) with good alignment (Radiologically). Removal of external fixator was done followed by physical therapy thereafter. Closed external fixation for treatment of failing or failed femoral plating, achieves good success rate and has less complications, is a short time procedure, especially in a hospital with limited resources.

  17. A cylindrical specimen holder for electron cryo-tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palmer, Colin M.; Löwe, Jan

    2014-01-01

    The use of slab-like flat specimens for electron cryo-tomography restricts the range of viewing angles that can be used. This leads to the “missing wedge” problem, which causes artefacts and anisotropic resolution in reconstructed tomograms. Cylindrical specimens provide a way to eliminate the problem, since they allow imaging from a full range of viewing angles around the tilt axis. Such specimens have been used before for tomography of radiation-insensitive samples at room temperature, but never for frozen-hydrated specimens. Here, we demonstrate the use of thin-walled carbon tubes as specimen holders, allowing the preparation of cylindrical frozen-hydrated samples of ribosomes, liposomes and whole bacterial cells. Images acquired from these cylinders have equal quality at all viewing angles, and the accessible tilt range is restricted only by the physical limits of the microscope. Tomographic reconstructions of these specimens demonstrate that the effects of the missing wedge are substantially reduced, and could be completely eliminated if a full tilt range was used. The overall quality of these tomograms is still lower than that obtained by existing methods, but improvements are likely in future. - Highlights: • The missing wedge is a serious problem for electron cryo-tomography. • Cylindrical specimens allow the missing wedge to be eliminated. • Carbon nanopipettes can be used as cylindrical holders for tomography of frozen-hydrated specimens. • Cryo-tomography of cylindrical biological samples demonstrates a reduction of deleterious effects associated with the missing wedge

  18. Neglected City Narratives And Failed Rebranding

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mousten, Birthe; Locmele, Gunta

    2017-01-01

    Rīga, Latvia went through a failed rebranding process as the forerunner of its status as a European Capital of Culture (2014). The same thing happened in Aarhus, Denmark. Aarhus will be a European Capital of Culture (2017) and leading to this, it went through a failed rebranding process. Based on...

  19. When Organization Fails: Why Authority Matters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blaschke, Steffen

    2015-01-01

    Review of: James R. Taylor and Elizabeth J. Van Every / When Organization Fails: Why Authority Matters. (New York: Routledge, 2014. 220 pp. ISBN: 978 0415741668)......Review of: James R. Taylor and Elizabeth J. Van Every / When Organization Fails: Why Authority Matters. (New York: Routledge, 2014. 220 pp. ISBN: 978 0415741668)...

  20. Field desorption and field ion surface studies of samples exposed to the plasmas of PLT and ISX

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kellogg, G.L.; Panitz, J.A.

    1978-01-01

    Modifications to the surface of field-ion specimens exposed to plasma discharges in PLT and ISX determined by Imaging Probe, Field Ion Microscope, and Transmission Electron Microscope analysis have in the past shown several consistent features. Surface films consisting primarily of limiter material with trapped plasma and impurity species have been found to reside on samples with direct line of sight exposure to the plasma during the discharges. Control specimens placed in the tokamak, but shielded from the plasma, on the other hand, remained free of deposits. When exposed to only high power plasma discharges, samples placed at the wall position in PLT and ISX have survived the exposures with no evidence of damage or implantation. In this paper we describe the results of a recent exposure in PLT in which for the first time samples of stainless steel were included for High-Field Surface Analysis. Tokamak operating conditions, including stainless-steel limiters, titanium gettering between discharges, and the occurrence of a disruption, also distinguished this exposure from those carried out previously. Surprisingly, even with stainless-steel limiters, carbon films were found to be deposited on the samples at a rate

  1. Replacement/Refurbishment of JSC/NASA POD Specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castner, Willard L.

    2010-01-01

    The NASA Special NDE certification process requires demonstration of NDE capability by test per NASA-STD-5009. This test is performed with fatigue cracked specimens containing very small cracks. The certification test results are usually based on binomial statistics and must meet a 90/95 Probability of Detection (POD). The assumption is that fatigue cracks are tightly closed, difficult to detect, and inspectors and processes passing such a test are well qualified for inspecting NASA fracture critical hardware. The JSC NDE laboratory has what may be the largest inventory that exists of such fatigue cracked NDE demonstration specimens. These specimens were produced by the hundreds in the late 1980s and early 1990s. None have been produced since that time and the condition and usability of the specimens are questionable.

  2. The influence of specimen size on creep crack growth rate in cross-weld CT specimens cut out from a welded component

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersson, Peder; Segle, Peter; Samuelson, Lars Aa.

    1999-04-01

    A 3D finite element study of creep crack growth in cross-weld CT specimens with material properties of 2.25Cr1Mo at 550 deg C is carried out, where large strain and displacement theory is used. The creep crack growth rate is calculated using a creep ductility based damage model, in which the creep strain rate perpendicular to the crack plane ahead of the crack tip is integrated, considering the multiaxial stress state. The influence of specimen size on creep crack growth rate under constant load is given special attention, but the possibility to transfer results from cross-weld CT specimens to welded high temperature components is also investigated. The creep crack growth rate of a crack in a circumferentially welded pipe is compared with the creep crack growth rate of cross-weld CT specimens of three different sizes, cut out from the pipe. Although the constraint ahead of the crack tip is higher for a larger CT specimen, the creep crack growth rate is higher for a smaller specimen than for a larger one if they are loaded to attain the same stress intensity factor. If the specimens are loaded to the same C* value, however, a more complicated pattern occurs; depending on the material properties of the weldment constituents, the CT specimen with the intermediate size will either yield the highest or the lowest creep crack growth rate

  3. 7 CFR 983.52 - Failed lots/rework procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Failed lots/rework procedure. 983.52 Section 983.52..., ARIZONA, AND NEW MEXICO Regulations § 983.52 Failed lots/rework procedure. (a) Substandard pistachios... committee may establish, with the Secretary's approval, appropriate rework procedures. (b) Failed lot...

  4. On impact testing of subsize Charpy V-notch type specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mikhail, A.S.; Nanstad, R.K.

    1994-01-01

    The potential for using subsize specimens to determine the actual properties of reactor pressure vessel steels is receiving increasing attention for improved vessel condition monitoring that could be beneficial for light-water reactor plant-life extension. This potential is made conditional upon, on the one hand, by the possibility of cutting samples of small volume from the internal surface of the pressure vessel for determination of actual properties of the operating pressure vessel. The plant-life extension will require supplemental surveillance data that cannot be provided by the existing surveillance programs. Testing of subsize specimens manufactured from broken halves of previously tested surveillance Charpy V-notch (CVN) specimens offers an attractive means of extending existing surveillance programs. Using subsize CVN type specimens requires the establishment of a specimen geometry that is adequate to obtain a ductile-to-brittle transition curve similar to that obtained from full-size specimens. This requires the development of a correlation of transition temperature and upper-shelf toughness between subsize and full-size specimens. The present study was conducted under the Heavy-Section Steel Irradiation Program. Different published approaches to the use of subsize specimens were analyzed and five different geometries of subsize specimens were selected for testing and evaluation. The specimens were made from several types of pressure vessel steels with a wide range of yield strengths, transition temperatures, and upper-shelf energies (USEs). Effects of specimen dimensions, including depth, angle, and radius of notch have been studied. The correlation of transition temperature determined from different types of subsize specimens and the full-size specimen is presented. A new procedure for transforming data from subsize specimens was developed and is presented

  5. Fuel Retention Improvement at High Temperatures in Tungsten-Uranium Dioxide Dispersion Fuel Elements by Plasma-Spray Cladding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grisaffe, Salvatore J.; Caves, Robert M.

    1964-01-01

    An investigation was undertaken to determine the feasibility of depositing integrally bonded plasma-sprayed tungsten coatings onto 80-volume-percent tungsten - 20-volume-percent uranium dioxide composites. These composites were face clad with thin tungsten foil to inhibit uranium dioxide loss at elevated temperatures, but loss at the unclad edges was still significant. By preheating the composite substrates to approximately 3700 degrees F in a nitrogen environment, metallurgically bonded tungsten coatings could be obtained directly by plasma spraying. Furthermore, even though these coatings were thin and somewhat porous, they greatly inhibited the loss of uranium dioxide. For example, a specimen that was face clad but had no edge cladding lost 5.8 percent uranium dioxide after 2 hours at 4750 dgrees F in flowing hydrogen. A similar specimen with plasma-spray-coated edges, however, lost only 0.75 percent uranium dioxide under the same testing conditions.

  6. Application of subsize specimens in nuclear plant life extension

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosinski, S.T.; Kumar, A.S.; Cannon, N.S.; Hamilton, M.L.

    1993-01-01

    The US Department of Energy is sponsoring a research effort through Sandia National Laboratories and the University of Missouri-Rolla to test a correlation for the upper shelf energy (USE) values obtained from the impact testing of subsize Charpy V-notch specimens to those obtained from the testing of full-size samples. The program involves the impact testing of unirradiated and irradiated full-, half-, and third-size Charpy V-notch specimens. To verify the applicability of the correlation on LWR materials, unirradiated and irradiated full-, half-, and third-size Charpy V-notch specimens of a commercial pressure vessel steel (ASTM A533 Grade B) will be tested. The correlation methodology is based on the partitioning of the USE into crack initiation and crack propagation energies. To accomplish this partition, both precracked and notched-only specimens will be used. Whereas the USE of notched-only specimens is the sum of both crack initiation and crack propagation energies, the USE of precracked specimens reflects only the crack propagation component. The difference in the USE of the two types of specimens represents a measure of the crack initiation energy. Normalizing the values of the crack initiation energy to the fracture volume of the sample produces similar values for the full-, half-, and third-size specimens. In addition, the ratios of the USE and the crack propagation energy are also in agreement for full-, half-, and third-size specimens. These two observations will be used to predict the USE of full-size specimens based on subsize USE data. This paper provides details of the program and presents results obtained from the application of the developed correlation methodology to the impact testing of the unirradiated full-, half-, and third-size A533 Grade B Charpy V-notch specimens

  7. Failed fuel detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martucci, J.A.

    1975-01-01

    A failed fuel detection apparatus is described for a nuclear reactor having a liquid cooled core comprising a gas collection hood adapted to engage the top of the suspect assembly and means for delivering a stripping gas to the vicinity of the bottom of the suspect fuel assembly. (U.S.)

  8. A non-destructive DNA sampling technique for herbarium specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepherd, Lara D

    2017-01-01

    Herbarium specimens are an important source of DNA for plant research but current sampling methods require the removal of material for DNA extraction. This is undesirable for irreplaceable specimens such as rare species or type material. Here I present the first non-destructive sampling method for extracting DNA from herbarium specimens. DNA was successfully retrieved from robust leaves and/or stems of herbarium specimens up to 73 years old.

  9. Miniature tensile test specimens for fusion reactor irradiation studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klueh, R.L.

    1985-01-01

    Three miniature sheet-type tensile specimens and a miniature rod-type specimen are being used to determine irradiated tensile properties for alloy development for fusion reactors. The tensile properties of type 316 stainless steel were determined with these different specimens, and the results were compared. Reasonably good agreement was observed. However, there were differences that led to recommendations on which specimens are preferred. 4 references, 9 figures, 6 tables

  10. Onlay bone augmentation on mouse calvarial bone using a hydroxyapatite/collagen composite material with total blood or platelet-rich plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohba, Seigo; Sumita, Yoshinori; Umebayashi, Mayumi; Yoshimura, Hitoshi; Yoshida, Hisato; Matsuda, Shinpei; Kimura, Hideki; Asahina, Izumi; Sano, Kazuo

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to assess newly formed onlay bone on mouse calvarial bone using a new artificial bone material, a hydroxyapatite/collagen composite, with total blood or platelet-rich plasma. The hydroxyapatite/collagen composite material with normal saline, total blood or platelet-rich plasma was transplanted on mouse calvarial bone. The mice were sacrificed and the specimens were harvested four weeks after surgery. The newly formed bone area was measured on hematoxylin and eosin stained specimens using Image J software. The hydroxyapatite/collagen composite materials with total blood or platelet-rich plasma induced a significantly greater amount of newly formed bone than that with normal saline. Moreover, bone marrow was observed four weeks after surgery in the transplanted materials with total blood or platelet-rich plasma but not with normal saline. However, there were no significant differences in the amount of newly formed bone between materials used with total blood versus platelet-rich plasma. The hydroxyapatite/collagen composite material was valid for onlay bone augmentation and this material should be soaked in total blood or platelet-rich plasma prior to transplantation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Failed fuel detection method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Utamura, Motoaki; Urata, Megumu.

    1976-01-01

    Object: To detect failed fuel element in a reactor with high precision by measuring the radioactivity concentrations for more than one nuclides of fission products ( 131 I and 132 I, for example) contained in each sample of coolant in fuel channel. Method: The radioactivity concentrations in the sampled coolant are obtained from gamma spectra measured by a pulse height analyser after suitable cooling periods according to the half-lives of the fission products to be measured. The first measurement for 132 I is made in two hours after sampling, and the second for 131 I is started one day after the sampling. Fuel element corresponding to the high radioactivity concentrations for both 131 I and 132 I is expected with certainty to have failed

  12. Plasma geometric optics analysis and computation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, T.M.

    1983-01-01

    Important practical applications in the generation, manipulation, and diagnosis of laboratory thermonuclear plasmas have created a need for elaborate computational capabilities in the study of high frequency wave propagation in plasmas. A reduced description of such waves suitable for digital computation is provided by the theory of plasma geometric optics. The existing theory is beset by a variety of special cases in which the straightforward analytical approach fails, and has been formulated with little attention to problems of numerical implementation of that analysis. The standard field equations are derived for the first time from kinetic theory. A discussion of certain terms previously, and erroneously, omitted from the expansion of the plasma constitutive relation is given. A powerful but little known computational prescription for determining the geometric optics field in the neighborhood of caustic singularities is rigorously developed, and a boundary layer analysis for the asymptotic matching of the plasma geometric optics field across caustic singularities is performed for the first time with considerable generality. A proper treatment of birefringence is detailed, wherein a breakdown of the fundamental perturbation theory is identified and circumvented. A general ray tracing computer code suitable for applications to radiation heating and diagnostic problems is presented and described

  13. 10 CFR 26.165 - Testing split specimens and retesting single specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... (c), as applicable. If the specimen in Bottle A is free of any evidence of drugs or drug metabolites... suitable inquiry conducted under the provisions of § 26.63 or to any other inquiry or investigation... records must be provided to personnel conducting reviews, inquiries into allegations, or audits under the...

  14. Elemental analysis of soils using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with multivariate discrimination: tape mounting as an alternative to pellets for small forensic transfer specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jantzi, Sarah C; Almirall, José R

    2014-01-01

    Elemental analysis of soil is a useful application of both laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in geological, agricultural, environmental, archeological, planetary, and forensic sciences. In forensic science, the question to be answered is often whether soil specimens found on objects (e.g., shoes, tires, or tools) originated from the crime scene or other location of interest. Elemental analysis of the soil from the object and the locations of interest results in a characteristic elemental profile of each specimen, consisting of the amount of each element present. Because multiple elements are measured, multivariate statistics can be used to compare the elemental profiles in order to determine whether the specimen from the object is similar to one of the locations of interest. Previous work involved milling and pressing 0.5 g of soil into pellets before analysis using LA-ICP-MS and LIBS. However, forensic examiners prefer techniques that require smaller samples, are less time consuming, and are less destructive, allowing for future analysis by other techniques. An alternative sample introduction method was developed to meet these needs while still providing quantitative results suitable for multivariate comparisons. The tape-mounting method involved deposition of a thin layer of soil onto double-sided adhesive tape. A comparison of tape-mounting and pellet method performance is reported for both LA-ICP-MS and LIBS. Calibration standards and reference materials, prepared using the tape method, were analyzed by LA-ICP-MS and LIBS. As with the pellet method, linear calibration curves were achieved with the tape method, as well as good precision and low bias. Soil specimens from Miami-Dade County were prepared by both the pellet and tape methods and analyzed by LA-ICP-MS and LIBS. Principal components analysis and linear discriminant analysis were applied to the multivariate data

  15. Isotopic analysis of calcium in blood plasma and bone from mouse samples by multiple collector-ICP-mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirata, Takafumi; Tanoshima, Mina; Suga, Akinobu; Tanaka, Yu-ki; Nagata, Yuichi; Shinohara, Atsuko; Chiba, Momoko

    2008-01-01

    The biological processing of Ca produces significant stable isotope fractionation. The level of isotopic fractionation can provide key information about the variation in dietary consumption or Ca metabolism. To investigate this, we measured the 43 Ca/ 42 Ca and 44 Ca/ 42 Ca ratios for bone and blood plasma samples collected from mice of various ages using multiple collector-ICP-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). The 44 Ca/ 42 Ca ratio in bones was significantly (0.44 - 0.84 per mille) lower than the corresponding ratios in the diet, suggesting that Ca was isotopically fractionated during Ca metabolism for bone formation. The resulting 44 Ca/ 42 Ca ratios for blood plasma showed almost identical, or slightly higher, values (0.03 - 0.2 per mille) than found in a corresponding diet. This indicates that a significant amount of Ca in the blood plasma was from dietary sources. Unlike that discovered for Fe, there were not significant differences in the measured 44 Ca/ 42 Ca ratios between female and male specimens (for either bone or blood plasma samples). Similarity, the 44 Ca/ 42 Ca ratios suggests that there were no significant differences in Ca dietary consumption or Ca metabolism between female and male specimens. In contrast, the 44 Ca/ 42 Ca ratios of blood plasma from mother mice during the lactation period were significantly higher than those for all other adult specimens. This suggests that Ca supplied to infants through lactation was isotopically lighter, and the preferential supply of isotropically lighter Ca resulted in isotopically heavier Ca in blood plasma of mother mice during the lactation period. The data obtained here clearly demonstrate that the Ca isotopic ratio has a potential to become a new tool for evaluating changes in dietary consumption, or Ca metabolism of animals. (author)

  16. Thick Concrete Specimen Construction, Testing, and Preliminary Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Clayton, Dwight A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hoegh, Kyle [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States); Khazanovich, Lev [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

    2015-03-01

    The purpose of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program is to develop technologies and other solutions that can improve the reliability, sustain the safety, and extend the operating lifetimes of nuclear power plants (NPPs) beyond 60 years. Since many important safety structures in an NPP are constructed of concrete, inspection techniques must be developed and tested to evaluate the internal condition. In-service containment structures generally do not allow for the destructive measures necessary to validate the accuracy of these inspection techniques. This creates a need for comparative testing of the various nondestructive evaluation (NDE) measurement techniques on concrete specimens with known material properties, voids, internal microstructure flaws, and reinforcement locations. A preliminary report detailed some of the challenges associated with thick reinforced concrete sections and prioritized conceptual designs of specimens that could be fabricated to represent NPP concrete structures for using in NDE evaluation comparisons. This led to the construction of the concrete specimen presented in this report, which has sufficient reinforcement density and cross-sectional size to represent an NPP containment wall. Details on how a suitably thick concrete specimen was constructed are presented, including the construction materials, final nominal design schematic, as well as formwork and rigging required to safely meet the desired dimensions of the concrete structure. The report also details the type and methods of forming the concrete specimen as well as information on how the rebar and simulated defects were embedded. Details on how the resulting specimen was transported, safely anchored, and marked to allow access for systematic comparative NDE testing of defects in a representative NPP containment wall concrete specimen are also given. Data collection using the MIRA Ultrasonic NDE equipment and

  17. Transience of plasma surface modification as an adhesion promoter for polychlorotrifluorethylene

    CERN Document Server

    Subramanian, S; Love, B J; Romand, M; Charbonnier, M

    2002-01-01

    Poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) (PCTFE) and other fluoropolymers are increasingly used as inner layer dielectrics. However, these polymers have low surface energies and correspondingly poor adhesive properties. Results are presented on the use of a low-pressure ammonia plasma to enhance the surface bondability of PCTFE. The plasma modified PCTFE film surfaces were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. Surface modified films exhibited improved adhesion to electroless copper deposits (180 deg. peel test) compared to coated PCTFE controls and that underwent no plasma exposure. Annealing studies were conducted between 30 and 100 deg. C to examine the stability of the plasma-modified surfaces. For samples annealed below T sub g , contact angle measurements indicated that the plasma-introduced groups remained bound on the surface for four weeks. For specimens annealed above T sub g , the surface functionalities were absorbed within the bulk and surface rearrangement occurre...

  18. Handling of biological specimens for electron microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bullock, G.

    1987-01-01

    There are many different aspects of specimen preparation procedure which need to be considered in order to achieve good results. Whether using the scanning or transmission microscope, the initial handling procedures are very similar and are selected for the information required. Handling procedures and techniques described are: structural preservation; immuno-and histo-chemistry; x-ray microanalysis and autoradiography; dehydration and embedding; mounting and coating specimens for scanning electron microscopy; and sectioning of resin embedded material. With attention to detail and careful choice of the best available technique, excellent results should be obtainable whatever the specimen. 6 refs

  19. Study of surface plasma coating of 4340 steel with different microstructure for high temperature use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carrer, Isabela Reis; Abdalla, Antonio Jorge; Barboza, Miguel Justino Ribeiro; Suzuki, Paulo Atsushi

    2010-01-01

    This paper has as main objective the formation of different microstructures by the specific heat treatments and applies the plasma thermochemical treatments to increase surface hardness. These two types of treatments will be evaluated in creep mechanical properties in steel 4340 for aeronautic uses. It will be evaluated, at first, the influence of heat treatments that changes the material microstructure. It was prepared specimen with three kinds of different microstructures (ferritic- perlitic, bainitic and martensitic), have been formed by the different heat treatments. After that, part of specimen will be submitted to plasma coating to evaluate the influence of this kind of surface treatment on creep properties. To better understand the microstructure and the relations between his properties, it was realized microscopic analyses, hardness tests and X-ray diffraction. (author)

  20. Elastic-plastic analysis of the SS-3 tensile specimen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Majumdar, S.

    1998-01-01

    Tensile tests of most irradiated specimens of vanadium alloys are conducted using the miniature SS-3 specimen which is not ASTM approved. Detailed elastic-plastic finite element analysis of the specimen was conducted to show that, as long as the ultimate to yield strength ratio is less than or equal to 1.25 (which is satisfied by many irradiated materials), the stress-plastic strain curve obtained by using such a specimen is representative of the true material behavior

  1. Low Stress Mechanical Properties of Plasma-Treated Cotton Fabric Subjected to Zinc Oxide-Anti-Microbial Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chi-Wai Kan

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cotton fabrics are highly popular because of their excellent properties such as regeneration, bio-degradation, softness, affinity to skin and hygroscopic properties. When in contact with the human body, cotton fabrics offer an ideal environment for microbial growth due to their ability to retain oxygen, moisture and warmth, as well as nutrients from spillages and body sweat. Therefore, an anti-microbial coating formulation (Microfresh and Microban together with zinc oxide as catalyst was developed for cotton fabrics to improve treatment effectiveness. In addition, plasma technology was employed in the study which roughened the surface of the materials, improving the loading of zinc oxides on the surface. In this study, the low stress mechanical properties of plasma pre-treated and/or anti-microbial-treated cotton fabric were studied. The overall results show that the specimens had improved bending properties when zinc oxides were added in the anti-microbial coating recipe. Also, without plasma pre-treatment, anti-microbial-treatment of cotton fabric had a positive effect only on tensile resilience, shear stress at 0.5° and compressional energy, while plasma-treated specimens had better overall tensile properties even after anti-microbial treatment.

  2. Progress Report on Alloy 617 Notched Specimen Testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McMurtrey, Michael David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Wright, Richard Neil [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Lillo, Thomas Martin [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2016-08-01

    Creep behavior of Alloy 617 has been extensively characterized to support the development of a draft Code Case to qualify Alloy 617 in Section III division 5 of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. This will allow use of Alloy 617 in construction of nuclear reactor components at elevated temperatures and longer periods of time (up to 950°C and 100,000 hours). Prior to actual use, additional concerns not considered in the ASME code need to be addressed. Code Cases are based largely on uniaxial testing of smooth gage specimens. In service conditions, components will generally be under multi axial loading. There is also the concern of the behavior at discontinuities, such as threaded components. To address the concerns of multi axial creep behavior and at geometric discontinuities, notched specimens have been designed to create conditions representative of the states that service components experience. Two general notch geometries have been used for these series of tests: U notch and V notch specimens. The notches produce a tri axial stress state, though not uniform across the specimen. Characterization of the creep behavior of the U notch specimens and the creep rupture behavior of the V notch specimens provides a good approximation of the behavior expected of actual components. Preliminary testing and analysis have been completed and are reported in this document. This includes results from V notch specimens tested at 900°C and 800°C. Failure occurred in the smooth gage section of the specimen rather than at the root of the notch, though some damage was present at the root of the notch, where initial stress was highest. This indicates notch strengthening behavior in this material at these temperatures.

  3. Scanning transmission ion micro-tomography (STIM-T) of biological specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwertner, Michael; Sakellariou, Arthur; Reinert, Tilo; Butz, Tilman

    2006-01-01

    Computed tomography (CT) was applied to sets of Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (STIM) projections recorded at the LIPSION ion beam laboratory (Leipzig) in order to visualize the 3D-mass distribution in several specimens. Examples for a test structure (copper grid) and for biological specimens (cartilage cells, cygospore) are shown. Scanning Transmission Micro-Tomography (STIM-T) at a resolution of 260 nm was demonstrated for the first time. Sub-micron features of the Cu-grid specimen were verified by scanning electron microscopy. The ion energy loss measured during a STIM-T experiment is related to the mass density of the specimen. Typically, biological specimens can be analysed without staining. Only shock freezing and freeze-drying is required to preserve the ultra-structure of the specimen. The radiation damage to the specimen during the experiment can be neglected. This is an advantage compared to other techniques like X-ray micro-tomography. At present, the spatial resolution is limited by beam position fluctuations and specimen vibrations

  4. Final Report: Posttest Analysis of Omega II Optical Specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Newlander, C D; Fisher, J H

    2007-01-01

    Preliminary posttest analyses have been completed on optical specimens exposed during the Omega II test series conducted on 14 July 2006. The Omega Facility, located at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) at the University of Rochester was used to produce X-ray environments through the interaction of intense pulsed laser radiation upon germanium-loaded silica aerogels. The optical specimen testing was supported by GH Systems through experiment design, pre- and post-test analyses, specimen acquisition, and overall technical experience. The test specimens were fabricated and characterized by Surface Optics Corporation (SOC), San Diego, CA and were simple protected gold coatings on silica substrates. Six test specimens were exposed, five filtered with thin beryllium foil filters, and one unfiltered which was exposed directly to the raw environment. The experimental objectives were: (1) demonstrate that tests of optical specimens could be performed at the Omega facility; (2) evaluate the use and survivability of beryllium foil filters as a function of thickness; (3) obtain damage data on optical specimens which ranged from no damage to damage; (4) correlate existing thermal response models with the damage data; (5) evaluate the use of the direct raw environment upon the specimen response and the ability/desirability to conduct sensitive optical specimen tests using the raw environment; and (6) initiate the development of a protocol for performing optical coatings/mirror tests. This report documents the activities performed by GH Systems in evaluating and using the environments provided by LLNL, the PUFFTFT analyses performed using those environments, and the calculated results compared to the observed and measured posttest data

  5. Thermal shock fracture of graphite armor plate under the heat load of plasma disruption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horie, Tomoyoshi; Seki, Masahiro; Ohmori, Junji

    1989-01-01

    Experiments on the thermal shock brittle fracture of graphite plates were performed. Thermal loading which simulated a plasma disruption was produced by an electron beam facility. Pre-cracks produced on the surface propagated to the inside of the specimen even if the thermal stress on the surface was compressive. Two mechanisms are possible to produce tensile stress around the crack tip under thermal shock conditions. Temperature, thermal stress, and the stress intensity factor for the specimen were analyzed based on the finite element method for various heating conditions. The trend of experimental results under the asymmetric heating agrees qualitatively with the analytical results. This phenomenon is important for the design of plasma facing components made of graphite. Establishment of a lifetime prediction procedure including fatigue, fatigue crack growth, and brittle fracture is needed for graphite armors. (orig.)

  6. Some recent innovations in small specimen testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Odette, G.R.; He, M.; Gragg, D.; Klingensmith, D.; Lucas, G.E.

    2002-01-01

    New innovative small specimen test techniques are described. Finite element simulations show that combinations of cone indentation pile-up geometry and load-penetration depth relations can be used to determine both the yield stress and strain-hardening behavior of a material. Techniques for pre-cracking and testing sub-miniaturized fracture toughness bend bars, with dimensions of 1.65x1.65x9 mm 3 , or less, are described. The corresponding toughness-temperature curves have a very steep transition slope, primarily due to rapid loss of constraint, which has advantages in some experiments to characterize the effects of specified irradiation variables. As one example of using composite specimens, an approach to evaluating helium effects is proposed, involving diffusion bonding small wires of a 54 Fe-based ferritic-martensitic alloy to a surrounding fracture specimen composed of an elemental Fe-based alloy. Finally, we briefly outline some potential approaches to multipurpose specimens and test automation

  7. Blood specimen labelling errors: Implications for nephrology nursing practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duteau, Jennifer

    2014-01-01

    Patient safety is the foundation of high-quality health care, as recognized both nationally and worldwide. Patient blood specimen identification is critical in ensuring the delivery of safe and appropriate care. The practice of nephrology nursing involves frequent patient blood specimen withdrawals to treat and monitor kidney disease. A critical review of the literature reveals that incorrect patient identification is one of the major causes of blood specimen labelling errors. Misidentified samples create a serious risk to patient safety leading to multiple specimen withdrawals, delay in diagnosis, misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment, transfusion reactions, increased length of stay and other negative patient outcomes. Barcode technology has been identified as a preferred method for positive patient identification leading to a definitive decrease in blood specimen labelling errors by as much as 83% (Askeland, et al., 2008). The use of a root cause analysis followed by an action plan is one approach to decreasing the occurrence of blood specimen labelling errors. This article will present a review of the evidence-based literature surrounding blood specimen labelling errors, followed by author recommendations for completing a root cause analysis and action plan. A failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) will be presented as one method to determine root cause, followed by the Ottawa Model of Research Use (OMRU) as a framework for implementation of strategies to reduce blood specimen labelling errors.

  8. Method of detecting a failed fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Utamura, Motoaki; Urata, Megumi; Uchida, Shunsuke.

    1976-01-01

    Object: To improve detection accuracy of a failed fuel by eliminating a coolant temperature distribution in a fuel assembly. Structure: A failed fuel is detected from contents of nuclear fission products in a coolant by shutting off an upper portion of a fuel assembly provided in the coolant and by sampling the coolant in the fuel assembly. Temperature distribution in the fuel assembly is eliminated, by injecting the higher temperature coolant than that of the coolant inside and outside the fuel assembly when sampling, and thereby replacing the existing coolant in the fuel assembly for the higher temperature coolant. The failed fuel is detected from contents of the fission products existing in the coolant, by sampling the higher temperature coolant of the fuel assembly after a temperature passed. (Moriyama, K.)

  9. Failed fuel rod detector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Uchida, Katsuya; Matsuda, Yasuhiko

    1984-05-02

    The purpose of the project is to enable failed fuel rod detection simply with no requirement for dismantling the fuel assembly. A gamma-ray detection section is arranged so as to attend on the optional fuel rods in the fuel assembly. The fuel assembly is adapted such that a gamma-ray shielding plate is detachably inserted into optional gaps of the fuel rods or, alternatively, the fuel assembly can detachably be inserted to the gamma-ray shielding plate. In this way, amount of gaseous fission products accumulated in all of the plenum portions in the fuel rods as the object of the measurement can be determined without dismantling the fuel assembly. Accordingly, by comparing the amounts of the gaseous fission products, the failed fuel rod can be detected.

  10. Feedback stabilization of the axisymmetric instability of a deformable tokamak plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pomphrey, N.; Jardin, S.C.; Ward, D.J.

    1989-01-01

    The paper presents an analysis of the magnetohydrodynamic stability of the axisymmetric system consisting of a free boundary tokamak plasma with non-circular cross-section, finite resistivity passive conductors, and an active feedback system with magnetic flux pickup loops, a proportional amplifier with gain G and current carrying poloidal field coils. A numerical simulation of the system when G is set to zero identifies flux loop locations which correctly sense the plasma motion. However, when certain of these locations are incorporated into an active feedback scheme, the plasma fails to be stabilized, no matter what value of the gain is chosen. Analysis on the basis of an extended energy principle indicates that this failure is due to the deformability of the plasma cross-section. (author). 14 refs, 7 figs

  11. Tension test system for irradiated small specimens operated by remote control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okada, Akira

    1993-01-01

    A robot-based tension test system has been developed to aid in the mechanical testing of highly radioactive specimens. This system reduces radiation hazards from specimens and allows for the uniform precision of testing results independent of experimenters' skills. The robot system is designed to accommodate a miniaturized tension specimen with a gage section 5.5 by 1.2 mm, with a total length and width of 12.5 and 2.3 mm, respectively, and thickness of about 0.2 mm. The system is composed of a manipulating robot, a vibrational-type specimen feeder, a rotating-type specimen tray, a specimen observation system, a simulated tension text fixture, and a microcomputer for controlling the system. This system accomplishes specimen arrangement in the specimen tray, specimen transportation and loading to the test fixture and testing, and removal of the broken specimen from the fixture. These procedures are performed quickly, safely, and with uniform testing precision by computer control remotely by an unskilled experimenter

  12. Tensile-Creep Test Specimen Preparation Practices of Surface Support Liners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guner, Dogukan; Ozturk, Hasan

    2017-12-01

    Ground support has always been considered as a challenging issue in all underground operations. Many forms of support systems and supporting techniques are available in the mining/tunnelling industry. In the last two decades, a new polymer based material, Thin Spray-on Liner (TSL), has attained a place in the market as an alternative to the current areal ground support systems. Although TSL provides numerous merits and has different application purposes, the knowledge on mechanical properties and performance of this material is still limited. In laboratory studies, since tensile rupture is the most commonly observed failure mechanism in field applications, researchers have generally studied the tensile testing of TSLs with modification of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-638 standards. For tensile creep testing, specimen preparation process also follows the ASTM standards. Two different specimen dimension types (Type I, Type IV) are widely preferred in TSL tensile testing that conform to the related standards. Moreover, molding and die cutting are commonly used specimen preparation techniques. In literature, there is a great variability of test results due to the difference in specimen preparation techniques and practices. In this study, a ductile TSL product was tested in order to investigate the effect of both specimen preparation techniques and specimen dimensions under 7-day curing time. As a result, ultimate tensile strength, tensile yield strength, tensile modulus, and elongation at break values were obtained for 4 different test series. It is concluded that Type IV specimens have higher strength values compared to Type I specimens and moulded specimens have lower results than that of prepared by using die cutter. Moreover, specimens prepared by molding techniques have scattered test results. Type IV specimens prepared by die cutter technique are suggested for preparation of tensile test and Type I specimens prepared by die cutter technique

  13. Analysis of a Failed Eclipse Plasma Ejection Using EUV Observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavabi, E.; Koutchmy, S.; Bazin, C.

    2018-03-01

    The photometry of eclipse white-light (W-L) images showing a moving blob is interpreted for the first time together with observations from space with the PRoject for On Board Autonomy (PROBA-2) mission (ESA). An off-limb event seen with great details in W-L was analyzed with the SWAP imager ( Sun Watcher using Active pixel system detector and image Processing) working in the EUV near 174 Å. It is an elongated plasma blob structure of 25 Mm diameter moving above the east limb with coronal loops under. Summed and co-aligned SWAP images are evaluated using a 20-h sequence, in addition to the 11 July, 2010 eclipse W-L images taken from several sites. The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) recorded the event suggesting a magnetic reconnection near a high neutral point; accordingly, we also call it a magnetic plasmoid. The measured proper motion of the blob shows a velocity up to 12 km s^{-1}. Electron densities of the isolated condensation (cloud or blob or plasmoid) are photometrically evaluated. The typical value is 108 cm^{-3} at r=1.7 R_{⊙}, superposed on a background corona of 107 cm^{-3} density. The mass of the cloud near its maximum brightness is found to be 1.6×10^{13} g, which is typically 0.6×10^{-4} of the overall mass of the corona. From the extrapolated magnetic field the cloud evolves inside a rather broad open region but decelerates, after reaching its maximum brightness. The influence of such small events for supplying material to the ubiquitous slow wind is noticed. A precise evaluation of the EUV photometric data, after accurately removing the stray light, suggests an interpretation of the weak 174 Å radiation of the cloud as due to resonance scattering in the Fe IX/X lines.

  14. AGC-2 Specimen Post Irradiation Data Package Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Windes, William Enoch [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Swank, W. David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Rohrbaugh, David T. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Cottle, David L. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2015-08-01

    This report documents results of the post-irradiation examination material property testing of the creep, control, and piggyback specimens from the irradiation creep capsule Advanced Graphite Creep (AGC)-2 are reported. This is the second of a series of six irradiation test trains planned as part of the AGC experiment to fully characterize the neutron irradiation effects and radiation creep behavior of current nuclear graphite grades. The AGC-2 capsule was irradiated in the Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor at a nominal temperature of 600°C and to a peak dose of 5 dpa (displacements per atom). One-half of the creep specimens were subjected to mechanical stresses (an applied stress of either 13.8, 17.2, or 20.7 MPa) to induce irradiation creep. All post-irradiation testing and measurement results are reported with the exception of the irradiation mechanical strength testing, which is the last destructive testing stage of the irradiation testing program. Material property tests were conducted on specimens from 15 nuclear graphite grades using a similar loading configuration as the first AGC capsule (AGC-1) to provide easy comparison between the two capsules. However, AGC-2 contained an increased number of specimens (i.e., 487 total specimens irradiated) and replaced specimens of the minor grade 2020 with the newer grade 2114. The data reported include specimen dimensions for both stressed and unstressed specimens to establish the irradiation creep rates, mass and volume data necessary to derive density, elastic constants (Young’s modulus, shear modulus, and Poisson’s ratio) from ultrasonic time-of-flight velocity measurements, Young’s modulus from the fundamental frequency of vibration, electrical resistivity, and thermal diffusivity and thermal expansion data from 100–500°C. No data outliers were determined after all measurements were completed. A brief statistical analysis was performed on the irradiated data and a limited comparison between

  15. Pass/fail patterns of candidates who failed COMLEX-USA level 2-PE because of misrepresentation of clinical findings on postencounter notes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langenau, Erik E; Sandella, Jeanne M

    2011-07-01

    In 2007, The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) instituted a policy to address the accuracy and integrity of postencounter written documentation recorded during the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination Level 2-Performance Evaluation (COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE). This policy was instituted not only to protect the integrity of the examination, but also to highlight that overdocumentation of clinical findings not obtained during patient encounters may jeopardize patient safety. To investigate overall and domain pass/fail patterns of candidates who misrepresented clinical findings with regard to past and subsequent performance on COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE. Specifically, to investigate what percentage of candidates failed because of misrepresentation on first attempts and how they performed on subsequent administrations, as well as the previous performance patterns of candidates who failed because of misrepresentation on examination retakes. Historical records from NBOME's COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE database (testing cycles 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010) were used to analyze overall and domain pass/fail patterns of candidates who failed at least once because of misrepresentation of clinical findings. Of the 24 candidates who failed because of misrepresentation of postencounter (SOAP) notes, 20 candidates (83%) were first-time examinees. Four candidates (17%) were repeating the examination, 2 of whom were making a third attempt to pass. Among these 20 candidates who failed because of misrepresentation of clinical findings on their first attempt, 19 passed on their next attempt. At the time of study analysis, all but 2 candidates eventually passed the examination in subsequent attempts. Among candidates found to have misrepresented clinical findings on postencounter written documentation on COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, no pattern existed between their past or subsequent performance with regard to overall or domain pass/fail results. The vast

  16. Novel determinants of H-Ras plasma membrane localization and transformation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Willumsen, B M; Cox, A D; Solski, P A

    1996-01-01

    cysteine did not abolish palmitoylation. However, despite continued lipid modification the mutant proteins failed to bind to plasma membranes and instead accumulated on internal membranes and, importantly, were not transforming. Addition of an N-terminal myristoylation signal to these defective mutants......, or to proteins entirely lacking the C-terminal 25 residues restored both plasma membrane association and transforming activity. Thus, H-Ras does not absolutely require prenylation or palmitoylation nor indeed its hypervariable domain in order to interact with effectors that ultimately cause transformation....... However, in this native state, the C-terminus appears to provide a combination of lipids and a previously unrecognized signal for specific plasma membrane targeting that are essential for the correct localization and biological function of H-Ras....

  17. Log-binomial models: exploring failed convergence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williamson, Tyler; Eliasziw, Misha; Fick, Gordon Hilton

    2013-12-13

    Relative risk is a summary metric that is commonly used in epidemiological investigations. Increasingly, epidemiologists are using log-binomial models to study the impact of a set of predictor variables on a single binary outcome, as they naturally offer relative risks. However, standard statistical software may report failed convergence when attempting to fit log-binomial models in certain settings. The methods that have been proposed in the literature for dealing with failed convergence use approximate solutions to avoid the issue. This research looks directly at the log-likelihood function for the simplest log-binomial model where failed convergence has been observed, a model with a single linear predictor with three levels. The possible causes of failed convergence are explored and potential solutions are presented for some cases. Among the principal causes is a failure of the fitting algorithm to converge despite the log-likelihood function having a single finite maximum. Despite these limitations, log-binomial models are a viable option for epidemiologists wishing to describe the relationship between a set of predictors and a binary outcome where relative risk is the desired summary measure. Epidemiologists are encouraged to continue to use log-binomial models and advocate for improvements to the fitting algorithms to promote the widespread use of log-binomial models.

  18. A Debonded Sandwich Specimen Under Mixed Mode Bending (MMB)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

    2008-01-01

    Face/core interface crack propagation in sandwich specimens is analyzed. A thorough analysis of the typical failure modes in sandwich composites was performed in order to design the MMB specimen to promote face/core debond fracture. Displacement, compliance and energy release rate expressions...... for the MMB specimen were derived from a superposition analysis. An experimental verification of the methodology proposed was performed using MMB sandwich specimens with H100 PVC foam core and E-glass/polyester non-crimp quadro-axial [0/45/90/-45]s DBLT-850 faces. Different mixed mode loadings were applied...

  19. Corrosive and cytotoxic properties of compact specimens and microparticles of Ni-Cr dental alloy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ristic, Ljubisa; Vucevic, Dragana; Radovic, Ljubica; Djordjevic, Snezana; Nikacevic, Milutin; Colic, Miodrag

    2014-04-01

    Nickel-chromium (Ni-Cr) dental alloys have been widely used in prosthodontic practice, but there is a permanent concern about their biocompatibility due to the release of metal ions. This is especially important when Ni-Cr metal microparticles are incorporated into gingival tissue during prosthodontic procedures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine and compare the corrosion and cytotoxic properties of compact specimens and microparticles of Ni-Cr dental alloy. Ni-Cr alloy, Remanium CSe bars (4 mm diameter), were made by the standard casting method and then cut into 0.5-mm-thick disks. Metal particles were obtained by scraping the bars using a diamond instrument for crown preparation. The microstructure was observed by an optical microscope. Quantitative determination and morphological and dimensional characterization of metal particles were carried out by a scanning electron microscope and Leica Application Suite software for image analysis. Corrosion was studied by conditioning the alloy specimens in the RPMI 1640 medium, containing 10% fetal calf serum in an incubator with 5% CO2 for 72 hours at 37°C. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry was used to assess metal ion release. The cytotoxity of conditioning medium (CM) was investigated on L929 cells using an MTT test. One-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. After casting, the microstructure of the Remanium CSe compact specimen composed of Ni, Cr, Mo, Si, Fe, Al, and Co had a typical dendritic structure. Alloy microparticles had an irregular shape with a wide size range: from less than 1 μm to more than 100 μm. The release of metal ions, especially Ni and Mo from microparticles, was significantly higher, compared to the compact alloy specimen. The CM prepared from compact alloy was not cytotoxic at any tested dilutions, whereas CM from alloy microparticles showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity (90% CM and 45% CM versus control; p alloy. This could affect health on long

  20. Failed fuel detection device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sudo, Takayuki.

    1983-01-01

    Purpose: To enable early and sure detection of failed fuels by automatically changing the alarm set value depending on the operation states of a nuclear reactor. Constitution: Gaseous fission products released into coolants are transferred further into cover gases and then introduced through a pipeway to a failed fuel detector. The cover gases introduced from the pipeway to the pipeway or chamber within the detection device are detected by a radiation detector for the radiation dose of the gaseous fission products contained therein. The detected value is converted and amplified as a signal and inputted to a comparator. While on the other hand, a signal corresponding to the reactor power is converted by an alarm setter into a set value and inputted to the comparator. In such a structure, early and sure detection can be made for the fuel failures. (Yoshino, Y.)

  1. Low Plasma alpha-Tocopherol Concentrations and Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Diabetic Hemodialysis Patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Espe, K.M.; Raila, J.; Henze, A.; Blouin, K.; Schneider, A.; Schmiedeke, D.; Krane, V.; Pilz, S.; Schweigert, F.J.; Hocher, B.; Wanner, C.; Drechsler, C.

    2013-01-01

    Background and objectives Trials with the antioxidant vitamin E have failed to show benefit in the general population. Considering the different causes of death in ESRD, this study investigated the association between plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol and specific clinical outcomes in diabetic

  2. Transport hysteresis and zonal flow stimulation in magnetized plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gravier, E.; Lesur, M.; Reveille, T.; Drouot, T.; Médina, J.

    2017-12-01

    A hysteresis in the relationship between zonal flows and electron heating is observed numerically by using gyrokinetic simulations in fusion plasmas. As the electron temperature increases, a first transition occurs, at a given electron/ion temperature ratio, above which zonal flows are much weaker than before the transition, leading to a poorly confined plasma. Beyond this transition, even if the electron temperature is lowered to a moderate value, the plasma fails to recover a dynamic state with strong zonal flows. Then, as the electron temperature decreases further, a new transition appears, at a temperature lower than the first transition, below which the zonal flows are stronger than they were initially. The confinement of the plasma and the heat flux are thus found to be sensitive to the history of the magnetized plasma. These transitions are associated with large exchanges of energy between the modes corresponding to instabilities ( m> 0 ) and zonal flows ( m = 0 ). We also observe that up to the first transition it is possible to use a control method to stimulate the appearance of zonal flows and therefore the confinement of the plasma. Beyond that transition, this control method is no longer effective.

  3. SHOULD EVERY APPENDECECTOMY SPECIMEN BE SUBJECTED TO HISTOPATHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION? A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF HISTOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN APPENDICECTOMY SPECIMENS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahanuma Shaik

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Appendicitis is one of the commonest surgical emergencies with a lifetime risk of 7-8%. The appendicectomy specimens operated upon clinically-suspected appendicitis often appear normal on gross examination, but histopathological evaluation may reveal a diverse underlying pathology. Therefore, for accurate diagnosis, histopathological examination of all appendicectomy specimens is mandatory. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective study of 175 appendicectomy cases operated over a period of two years. The clinical data and histopathological reports were reviewed and various histopathological findings are categorised. RESULTS Out of the total 175 appendicectomies, 155 emergency appendicectomy cases were included in the study, while 20 cases of incidental appendicectomy were excluded. The peak incidence was found in the 2nd and 3rd decades with male predominance. Among the 155 specimens, 96.8% had histological features of appendicitis and 1.9% were normal appendix. The unusual histopathological findings were Carcinoid tumour and Enterobius vermicularis. CONCLUSION The definitive diagnoses of appendicitis as well as the unusual incidental findings that were missed intraoperatively are established by histopathological examination. The study supports the histological examination of all resected appendicectomy specimens.

  4. Failed fuel action plan guidelines: Special report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-11-01

    The objective of this document is to provide a generic guideline that can be used to formulate a failed fuel action plan (FFAP) for specific application by a utility. This document is intended to be part of a comprehensive fuel reliability monitoring, management, and improvement program. The utilities may utilize this document as one resource in developing a failed fuel action plan. This document is not intended to be used as a failed fuel action plan standard. This document is intended to provide guidance on: management responsibilities; fuel performance parameters; cost/benefit analysis; action levels; long-term improvement methods; and data collection, analysis, and trending. 3 refs., 4 figs., 6 tabs

  5. LH-RH binding to purified pituitary plasma membranes: absence of adenylate cyclase activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clayton, R N; Shakespear, R A; Marshall, J C

    1978-06-01

    Purified bovine pituitary plasma membranes possess two specific LH-RH binding sites. The high affinity site (2.5 X 10(9) l/mol) has low capacity (9 X 10(-15) mol/mg membrane protein) while the low affinity site 6.1 X 10(5) l/mol) has a much higher capacity (1.1 X 10(-10) mol/mg). Specific LH-RH binding to plasma membranes is increased 8.5-fold during purification from homogenate whilst adenylate cyclase activity is enriched 7--8-fold. Distribution of specific LH-RH binding to sucrose density gradient interface fractions parallels that of adenylate cyclase activity. Mg2+ and Ca2+ inhibit specific [125I]LH-RH binding at micromolar concentrations. Synthetic LH-RH, up to 250 microgram/ml, failed to stimulate adenylase cyclase activity of the purified bovine membranes. Using a crude 10,800 g rat pituitary membrane preparation, LH-RH similarly failed to activate adenylate cyclase even in the presence of guanyl nucleotides. These data confirm the presence of LH-RH receptor sites on pituitary plasma membranes and suggest that LH-RH-induced gonadotrophin release may be mediated by mechanisms other than activation of adenylate cyclase.

  6. Design and use of nonstandard tensile specimens for irradiated materials testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panayotou, N.F.

    1984-10-01

    Miniature, nonstandard, tensile-type specimens have been developed for use in radiation effects experiments at high energy neutron sources where the useful radiation volume is as small as a few cubic centimeters. The end result of our development is a sheet-type specimen, 12.7 mm long with a 5.1 mm long, 1.0 mm wide gage section, which is typically fabricated from 0.25 mm thick sheet stock by a punching technique. Despite this miniature geometry, it has been determined that the data obtained using these miniature specimens are in good agreement with data obtained using much larger specimens. This finding indicates that miniature tensile specimen data may by used for engineering design purposes. Furthermore, it is clear that miniature tensile specimen technology is applicable to fields other than the study of radiation effects. This paper describes the miniature specimen technology which was developed and compares the data obtained from these miniature specimens to data obtained from much larger specimens. 9 figures

  7. Effect of plasma nitriding on electrodeposited Ni–Al composite coating

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Daemi, N.; Mahboubi, F.; Alimadadi, Hossein

    2011-01-01

    In this study plasma nitriding is applied on nickel–aluminum composite coating, deposited on steel substrate. Ni–Al composite layers were fabricated by electro-deposition process in Watt’s bath containing Al particles. Electrodeposited specimens were subjected to plasma atmosphere comprising of N2......–20% H2, at 500°C, for 5h. The surface morphology investigated, using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the surface roughness was measured by use of contact method. Chemical composition was analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and formation of AlN phase was confirmed by X-ray diffraction....... The corrosion resistance of composite coatings was measured by potentiodynamic polarization in 3.5% NaCl solution. The obtained results show that plasma nitriding process leads to an increase in microhardness and corrosion resistance, simultaneously....

  8. Evaluation of the Behavior of Technova Corporation Rod-Stiffened Stitched Compression Specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jegley, Dawn C.

    2013-01-01

    Under Space Act Agreement 1347 between NASA and Technova Corporation, Technova designed and fabricated two carbon-epoxy crippling specimens and NASA loaded them to failure in axial compression. Each specimen contained a pultruded rod stiffener which was held to the specimen skin with through-the-thickness stitches. One of these specimens was designed to be nominally the same as pultruded rod stitched specimens fabricated by Boeing under previous programs. In the other specimen, the rod was prestressed in a Technova manufacturing process to increase its ability to carrying compressive loading. Experimental results demonstrated that the specimen without prestressing carried approximately the same load as the similar Boeing specimens and that the specimen with prestressing carried significantly more load than the specimen without prestressing.

  9. The failing firm defence: merger policy and entry

    OpenAIRE

    Mason, Robin; Weeds, Helen

    2003-01-01

    This Paper considers the 'failing firm defence'. Under this principle, found in most antitrust jurisdictions, a merger that would otherwise be blocked due to its adverse effect on competition is permitted when the firm to be acquired is a failing firm, and an alternative, less detrimental merger is unavailable. Competition authorities have shown considerable reluctance to accept the failing firm defence, and it has been successfully used in just a handful of cases. The Paper considers the def...

  10. Transience of plasma surface modification as an adhesion promoter for polychlorotrifluorethylene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Subrahmanyan, S.; Dillard, J.G.; Love, B.J.; Romand, M.; Charbonnier, M.

    2002-01-01

    Poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) (PCTFE) and other fluoropolymers are increasingly used as inner layer dielectrics. However, these polymers have low surface energies and correspondingly poor adhesive properties. Results are presented on the use of a low-pressure ammonia plasma to enhance the surface bondability of PCTFE. The plasma modified PCTFE film surfaces were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. Surface modified films exhibited improved adhesion to electroless copper deposits (180 deg. peel test) compared to coated PCTFE controls and that underwent no plasma exposure. Annealing studies were conducted between 30 and 100 deg. C to examine the stability of the plasma-modified surfaces. For samples annealed below T g , contact angle measurements indicated that the plasma-introduced groups remained bound on the surface for four weeks. For specimens annealed above T g , the surface functionalities were absorbed within the bulk and surface rearrangement occurred within 10 h of annealing time. As a result of rearrangement, the benefit of adhesion enhancement by plasma is lost and the adhesion to copper is reduced

  11. Coping Styles of Failing Brunei Vocational Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mundia, Lawrence; Salleh, Sallimah

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence of two types of underachieving students (n = 246) (active failing (AF) and passive failing (PF)) in Brunei vocational and technical education (VTE) institutions and their patterns of coping. Design/methodology/approach: The field survey method was used to directly reach many…

  12. The effect of polyimide imidization conditions on adhesion strength of thin metal films on polyimide substrates

    CERN Document Server

    Yoo, S H

    1999-01-01

    The effects of Ar sup + RF plasma precleaning and polyimide curing conditions on the peel strength between Al thin films and polyimides have been studied. The BPDA-PDA polyimide precursor of PI-2611 (Du pont) was spin-coated and cured under various imidization conditions. The cured polyimide substrates were in-situ AR sup + RF plasma cleaned prior to metal deposition. Al-1 % Si-0.5 % Cu thin films were deposited onto the polyimide substrates by using DC magnetron sputtering. The peel strength was enhanced by Ar sup + RF plasma precleaning. The Al/modified PI specimen failed cohesively in the polyimide. The polyimide curing conditions strongly affect the peel strength in the Al/modified PI system.

  13. Synchrotron radiation microprobe quantitative analysis method for biomedical specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Qing; Shao Hanru

    1994-01-01

    Relative changes of trace elemental content in biomedical specimens are obtained easily by means of synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence microprobe analysis (SXRFM). However, the accurate assignment of concentration on a g/g basis is difficult. Because it is necessary to know both the trace elemental content and the specimen mass in the irradiated volume simultaneously. the specimen mass is a function of the spatial position and can not be weighed. It is possible to measure the specimen mass indirectly by measuring the intensity of Compton scattered peak for normal XRF analysis using a X-ray tube with Mo anode, if the matrix was consisted of light elements and the specimen was a thin sample. The Compton peak is not presented in fluorescence spectrum for white light SXRFM analysis. The continuous background in the spectrum was resulted from the Compton scattering with a linear polarization X-ray source. Biomedical specimens for SXRFM analysis, for example biological section and human hair, are always a thin sample for high energy X-ray, and they consist of H,C,N and O etc. light elements, which implies a linear relationship between the specimen mass and the Compton scattering background in the high energy region of spectrum. By this way , it is possible to carry out measurement of concentration for SXRFM analysis

  14. Preserve specimens for reproducibility

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Krell, F.-T.; Klimeš, Petr; Rocha, L. A.; Fikáček, M.; Miller, S. E.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 539, č. 7628 (2016), s. 168 ISSN 0028-0836 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : reproducibility * specimen * biodiversity Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 40.137, year: 2016 http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v539/n7628/full/539168b.html

  15. Effects of ethanol on plasma protein shedding in the human stomach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brassinne, A.

    1979-01-01

    Plasma protein shedding in the stomach was measured in 23 normal individuals before and after intragastric administration of a 30% solution of ethyl alcohol. Two different methods were used to assess plasma protein shedding. The first technique utilizes [ 131 I] albumin and requires neutralization of the gastric juice. It was used in 12 subjects and failed to demonstrate any increase of plasma protein shedding under the influence of ethanol. The second technique which utilizes [ 51 Cr] chloride was used in 11 subjects. It demonstrated a significant increase of the gastric clearance of plasma protein which reached 2.5 times the control values. The [ 51 Cr] chloride technique does not require prior neutralization of gastric acidity. It is concluded that, in normal man, ethanol administration increases plasma protein shedding in the stomach when it is given in the presence of an acid gastric juice. The effect is not observed when the gastric acidity is neutralized

  16. Investigation of surface boundary conditions for continuum modeling of RF plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, A.; Shotorban, B.

    2018-05-01

    This work was motivated by a lacking general consensus in the exact form of the boundary conditions (BCs) required on the solid surfaces for the continuum modeling of Radiofrequency (RF) plasmas. Various kinds of number and energy density BCs on solid surfaces were surveyed, and how they interacted with the electric potential BC to affect the plasma was examined in two fundamental RF plasma reactor configurations. A second-order local mean energy approximation with equations governing the electron and ion number densities and the electron energy density was used to model the plasmas. Zero densities and various combinations of drift, diffusion, and thermal fluxes were considered to set up BCs. It was shown that the choice of BC can have a significant impact on the sheath and bulk plasma. The thermal and diffusion fluxes to the surface were found to be important. A pure drift BC for dielectric walls failed to produce a sheath.

  17. Thermal expansion of epoxy-fiberglass composite specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McElroy, D.L.; Weaver, F.J.; Bridgman, C.

    1986-01-01

    The thermal expansion behavior of three epoxy-fiberglass composite specimens was measured from 20 to 120 0 C (70 to 250 0 F) using a fused quartz push-rod dilatometer. Billets produced by vacuum impregnating layers of two types of fiberglass cloth with an epoxy resin were core-drilled to produce cylindrical specimens. These were used to study expansion perpendicular and parallel to the fiberglass layers. The dilatometer is held at a preselected temperature until steady-state is indicated by stable length and temperature data. Before testing the composite specimens, a reliability check of the dilatometer was performed using a copper secondary standard. This indicated thermal expansion coefficient (α) values within +-2% of expected values from 20 to 200 0 C

  18. Plasma's sweeping arc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pichon, Max

    2010-01-01

    Full text: It is purely elemental, returning materials to their basic atoms through extreme heat and then recondensing them in useful ways. Plasma arc gasification is the latest advanced waste treatment (AWT)concept to hit our shores, courtesy of Zenergy Australia. According to its fans, plasma technology can eliminate all domestic waste to landfill and turn it into beneficial by-products. Japan has toyed with it for a decade, but the idea is now creating a bit of buzz, in the US in particular. Consultancy URS last year undertook a review of 16 advanced technologies for the City of Los Angeles and determined plasma arc gasification was one of the most promising. The Waste Management Association of Australia (VVMAA), however, is cautious - too many AWT projects here have failed to live up to their promises. Plasma arc gasification works on the same principle as a welding machine. An inert gas is passed through an electrical arc between two electrodes and becomes ionised (called plasma), reaching temperatures as high as 13,900°C. It is then injected into the plasma converter holding the waste. Zenergy is working with US technology company Plasma Waste Recycling (PWR), which says it can convert 80 per cent of waste to syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen that can be used to generate renewable electricity. The inorganic compounds in the waste come out as a solid, either molten metal to be cast as scrap steel or a slag that can be used as a building material aggregate or spun into mineral wool. “The plasma arc process is the next generation for AWT plants as there is no incineration involved, no fly ash, no bottom ash and nothing left to landfill,” said Zenergy Australia's Paul Prasad. He estimates a plant could convert up to 175,000 tonnes of household waste a year into energy or reusable by-products. Technically, it also gets around Australia's fears over incineration, though whether that is really the case in practice remains to be seen. Prasad says

  19. Biaxial Creep Specimen Fabrication

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    JL Bump; RF Luther

    2006-02-09

    This report documents the results of the weld development and abbreviated weld qualification efforts performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for refractory metal and superalloy biaxial creep specimens. Biaxial creep specimens were to be assembled, electron beam welded, laser-seal welded, and pressurized at PNNL for both in-pile (JOYO reactor, O-arai, Japan) and out-of-pile creep testing. The objective of this test campaign was to evaluate the creep behavior of primary cladding and structural alloys under consideration for the Prometheus space reactor. PNNL successfully developed electron beam weld parameters for six of these materials prior to the termination of the Naval Reactors program effort to deliver a space reactor for Project Prometheus. These materials were FS-85, ASTAR-811C, T-111, Alloy 617, Haynes 230, and Nirnonic PE16. Early termination of the NR space program precluded the development of laser welding parameters for post-pressurization seal weldments.

  20. Biaxial Creep Specimen Fabrication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    JL Bump; RF Luther

    2006-01-01

    This report documents the results of the weld development and abbreviated weld qualification efforts performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for refractory metal and superalloy biaxial creep specimens. Biaxial creep specimens were to be assembled, electron beam welded, laser-seal welded, and pressurized at PNNL for both in-pile (JOYO reactor, O-arai, Japan) and out-of-pile creep testing. The objective of this test campaign was to evaluate the creep behavior of primary cladding and structural alloys under consideration for the Prometheus space reactor. PNNL successfully developed electron beam weld parameters for six of these materials prior to the termination of the Naval Reactors program effort to deliver a space reactor for Project Prometheus. These materials were FS-85, ASTAR-811C, T-111, Alloy 617, Haynes 230, and Nirnonic PE16. Early termination of the NR space program precluded the development of laser welding parameters for post-pressurization seal weldments

  1. Plasma-sprayed tantalum/alumina cermets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kramer, C.M.

    1977-12-01

    Cermets of tantalum and alumina were fabricated by plasma spraying, with the amount of alumina varied from 0 to 65 percent (by volume). Each of four compositions was then measured for tensile strength, elastic modulus, and coefficient of thermal expansion. In general, strength and strain to failure decreased with increasing alumina content: 62 MPa for 100 percent Ta to 19 MPa for 35 v percent Ta. A maximum of 0.1 percent strain was observed for the sprayed 100 percent Ta specimens. The coefficient of thermal expansion measured for the pure Ta was 6.2 (10 -6 )/K

  2. Rehydration of forensically important larval Diptera specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanford, Michelle R; Pechal, Jennifer L; Tomberlin, Jeffery K

    2011-01-01

    Established procedures for collecting and preserving evidence are essential for all forensic disciplines to be accepted in court and by the forensic community at large. Entomological evidence, such as Diptera larvae, are primarily preserved in ethanol, which can evaporate over time, resulting in the dehydration of specimens. In this study, methods used for rehydrating specimens were compared. The changes in larval specimens with respect to larval length and weight for three forensically important blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) species in North America were quantified. Phormia regina (Meigen), Cochliomyia macellaria (F.), and Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) third-instar larvae were collected from various decomposing animals and preserved with three preservation methods (80% ethanol, 70% isopropyl alcohol, and hot-water kill then 80% ethanol). Preservative solutions were allowed to evaporate. Rehydration was attempted with either of the following: 80% ethanol, commercial trisodium phosphate substitute solution, or 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution. All three methods partially restored weight and length of specimens recorded before preservation. Analysis of variance results indicated that effects of preservation, rehydration treatment, and collection animal were different in each species. The interaction between preservative method and rehydration treatment had a significant effect on both P. regina and C. macellaria larval length and weight. In addition, there was a significant interaction effect of collection animal on larval C. macellaria measurements. No significant effect was observed in C. rufifacies larval length or weight among the preservatives or treatments. These methods could be used to establish a standard operating procedure for dealing with dehydrated larval specimens in forensic investigations.

  3. Results of the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay for specimens yielding "target not detected" results by the Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan HIV-1 Test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babady, N Esther; Germer, Jeffrey J; Yao, Joseph D C

    2010-03-01

    No significantly discordant results were observed between the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay and the COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 Test (CTM) among 1,190 unique clinical plasma specimens obtained from laboratories located in 40 states representing all nine U.S. geographic regions and previously yielding "target not detected" results by CTM.

  4. Who Really Failed? Commentary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maiuri, Katherine M.; Leon, Raul A.

    2012-01-01

    Scott Jaschik's (2010) article "Who Really Failed?" details the experience of Dominique Homberger, a tenured faculty member at Louisiana State University (LSU) who was removed from teaching her introductory biology course citing student complaints in regards to "the extreme nature" of the grading policy. This removal has…

  5. Abortion: Strong's counterexamples fail

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Di Nucci, Ezio

    2009-01-01

    This paper shows that the counterexamples proposed by Strong in 2008 in the Journal of Medical Ethics to Marquis's argument against abortion fail. Strong's basic idea is that there are cases--for example, terminally ill patients--where killing an adult human being is prima facie seriously morally...

  6. Study on the plasma leptin level and leptin mRNA expression in cancerous breast tissue in patients with breast carcinoma complicated with obesity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Chunrui; Liu Wenli; Sun Hanying; Zhou Jianfeng

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To study the plasma leptin level and leptin mRNA expression in cancerous breast tissue in patients with breast cancer complicated with obesity. Methods: Plasma leptin levels were measured with RIA in 48 breast cancer patients with obesity, 36 patients with various benign breast disorders and obesity and 40 controls (with simple obesity only). The leptin mRNA expression in the surgical specimens from the 84 patients with breast disease was also examined with RT-PCR, Results: The plasma leptin levels in the breast cancer patients (12.02 ± 1.23 μg/L) were significantly higher than those in patients with benign breast disorders (9.84 ± 0.98 μg/L) and controls (9.79 ± 1.16 μg/L) (both P<0.05). The expression levels of leptin mRNA in specimens from malignant breast disease (0.71 ± 0.32), were significantly higher than those in specimens from benign breast diseases (0.41 ± 0.26) (P<0.05), The plasma leptin levels and the tissue leptin mRNA expression levels were mutually positively correlated (r=0.4220 ,P 0.0180). These levels were not correlated with the presence of axillary metastasis, TMN stage, menstrual status, pathological classification and other parameters. Conclusion: Leptin might be a promotive factor in the development of breast cancer. (authors)

  7. Demonstration of Laser Cutting System for Tube Specimen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jin, Y. G.; Kim, G. S.; Heo, G. S.; Baik, S. J.; Kim, H. M.; Ahn, S. B. [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    The oxide layer removal system was also developed because the oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated fuel cladding and components interrupted the applying the electric current during the processing. However, it was found that the mechanical testing data of the irradiated specimens with removal of oxide layer was less reliable than the specimens with oxide layer . The laser cutting system using Nd:YAG with fiber optic beam delivery has great potential in material processing applications of the irradiated fuel cladding and components due to non-contact process. Thus, the oxide layer doesn't interrupt the fabrication process during the laser cutting system. In the present study, the laser cutting system was designed to fabricate the mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding with and without oxide. The feasibility of the laser cutting system was demonstrated for the fabrication of various types of unirradiated specimens. The effect of surface oxide layer was also investigated for machining process of the zirlo fuel cladding and it was found that laser beam machining could be a useful tool to fabricate the specimens with surface oxide layer. Based on the feasibility studies and demonstration, the design of the laser cutting machine for fully or partially automatic and remotely operable system will be proposed and made.

  8. Utility of pooled urine specimens for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in men attending public sexually transmitted infection clinics in Mumbai, India, by PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindan, Christina; Mathur, Meenakshi; Kumta, Sameer; Jerajani, Hermangi; Gogate, Alka; Schachter, Julius; Moncada, Jeanne

    2005-04-01

    Pooling urogenital specimens for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by nucleic acid amplification tests is an attractive alternative to individual testing. As pooling can reduce the costs of testing as well as labor, it has been advocated for use in resource-poor settings. However, it has neither been widely adopted nor evaluated for use in developing countries. We evaluated the practical use of pooling first-catch urine (FCU) specimens for the detection of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae from 690 men in Mumbai, India, by PCR. FCU, urethral smears, and swabs were collected from men seen at two sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics. All laboratory testing was done at the Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital. Gram stain smears and culture isolation for N. gonorrhoeae were performed. Each FCU was tested individually and in pools using the Roche Amplicor PCR for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae with an internal control for inhibition. Specimen pools consisted of aliquots from five consecutively processed FCUs combined into an amplification tube. An optical density reading of > or =0.20 indicated a pool for which subsequent testing of individual samples was required. Prevalence by PCR on single specimens was 2.2% (15/690) for C. trachomatis and 5.4% (37/690) for N. gonorrhoeae. Compared to individual FCU results, pooling for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae had an overall sensitivity of 96.1% (50/52). Specificity was 96.5% (83/86) in that three pools required single testing that failed to identify a positive specimen. Pooling missed two positive specimens, decreased the inhibition rate, and saved 50.3% of reagent costs. In this resource-limited setting, the use of pooling to detect C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae by PCR proved to be a simple, accurate, and cost-effective procedure compared to individual testing.

  9. Investigation of the delay in pressure vessel embrittlement specimen analysis for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory High Flux Isotope Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rothrock, J.D.; Hoffman, E.E.; Manthey, G.C.; Sheffey, D.W.

    1987-01-01

    Analysis of the investigative data pertaining to this incident reveals the following conditions as key findings and probable causes: (1) The contractor failed to properly implement the surveillance program for monitoring reactor pressure vessel embrittlement. (2) Contractor and DOE organizations provided less than adequate oversight and independent overview, especially by not requiring operating organizations to provide documented evidence to substantiate claims that there was ''no problem'' with respect to embrittlement. (3) Although the temperature limitation for reactor pressurization identified in the Technical Specifications was never violated, the basis of this safety limitation was violated. (4) The basis for concluding that there would be no embrittlement of the pressure vessel steel over the expected life of the reactor is questionable. (5) The contractor and DOE failed to make the surveillance program visible by incorporating it in the Technical Specifications. (6) The Accident Analysis/Final Safety Analysis Report was never adequately reviewed and updated subsequent to its initial issuance. (7) Surveillance specimen analysis was incomplete and never transmitted to reactor operating personnel in a usable format prior to November 1986. (8) There was extensive delays (many years) in the testing, analysis, and reporting of surveillance program results

  10. Molecular markers: Implications for cytopathology and specimen collection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanderLaan, Paul A

    2015-08-01

    Cytologic specimens obtained through minimally invasive biopsy techniques are increasingly being used as principle diagnostic specimens for tumors arising in multiple sites. The number and scope of ancillary tests performed on these specimens have grown substantially over the past decade, including many molecular markers that not only can aid in formulating accurate and specific diagnoses but also can provide prognostic or therapeutic information to help direct clinical decisions. Thus, the cytopathologist needs to ensure that adequate material is collected and appropriately processed for the study of relevant molecular markers, many of which are specific to tumor site. This brief review covers considerations for effective cytologic specimen collection and processing to ensure diagnostic and testing success. In addition, a general overview is provided of molecular markers pertinent to tumors from a variety of sites. The recognition of these established and emerging molecular markers by cytopathologists is an important step toward realizing the promise of personalized medicine. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

  11. Heavy duty plasma spray gun

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Irons, G.C.; Klein, J.F.; Lander, R.D.; Thompson, H.C.; Trapani, R.D.

    1984-01-01

    A heavy duty plasma spray gun for extended industrial service is disclosed. The gun includes a gas distribution member made of a material having a coefficient of expansion different from that of the parts surrounding it. The gas distribution member is forcibly urged by a resilient member such as a coiled spring against a seal so as to assure the plasma gas is introduced into the gun arc in a manner only defined by the gas distribution member. The gun has liquid cooling for the nozzle (anode) and the cathode. Double seals are provided between the coolant and the arc region and a vent is provided between the seals which provides an indication when a seal has failed. Some parts of the gun are electrically isolated from others by an intermediate member which is formed as a sandwich of two rigid metal face pieces and an insulator disposed between them. The metal face pieces provide a rigid body to attach the remaining parts in proper alignment therewith

  12. Laboratory specimens and genetic privacy: evolution of legal theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Michelle Huckaby

    2013-03-01

    Although laboratory specimens are an important resource for biomedical research, controversy has arisen when research has been conducted without the knowledge or consent of the individuals who were the source of the specimens. This paper summarizes the most important litigation regarding the research use of laboratory specimens and traces the evolution of legal theory from property claims to claims related to genetic privacy interests. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  13. 50 CFR 31.11 - Donation and loan of wildlife specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Donation and loan of wildlife specimens... of Wildlife Reduction and Disposal § 31.11 Donation and loan of wildlife specimens. Wildlife specimens may be donated or loaned to public institutions for specific purposes. Donation or loans of...

  14. Instrumented impact testing machine with reduced specimen oscillation effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rintamaa, R.; Rahka, K.; Wallin, K.

    1984-07-01

    Owing to small and inexpensive specimens the Charpy impact test is widely used in quality control and alloy development. Limitations in power reactor survellance capsules it is also widely used for safety analysis purposes. Instrumenting the tup and computerizing data acquisition, makes dynamic fracture mechanics data measurement possible and convenient. However, the dynamic effects (inertia forces, specimen oscillations) in the impact test cause inaccuracies in the recorded load-time diagram and hence diminish the reliability of the calculated dynamic fracture mechanics parameters. To decrease inaccuracies a new pendulum type of instrumented impact test apparatus has been developed and constructed in the Metals Laboratory of the Technical Research Centre of Finland. This tester is based on a new principle involving inverted test geometry. The purpose of the geometry inversion is to reduce inertia load and specimen oscillation effects. Further, the new impact tester has some other novel features: e.g. the available initia impact energy is about double compared to the conventional standard (300 J) impact tester allowing the use of larger (10 x 20 x 110 mm) bend specimens than normal Charpy specimens. Also, the rotation asix in the three point bending is nearly stationary making COD-measurements possible. An experimental test series is described in which the inertia effects and specimen oscillations are compared in the conventional and new impact tester utilizing Charpy V-notch specimens. Comparison of the two test geometries is also made with the aid of an analytical model using finite element method (FEM) analysis. (author)

  15. Drone Transport of Microbes in Blood and Sputum Laboratory Specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amukele, Timothy K; Street, Jeff; Carroll, Karen; Miller, Heather; Zhang, Sean X

    2016-10-01

    Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could potentially be used to transport microbiological specimens. To examine the impact of UAVs on microbiological specimens, blood and sputum culture specimens were seeded with usual pathogens and flown in a UAV for 30 ± 2 min. Times to recovery, colony counts, morphologies, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)-based identifications of the flown and stationary specimens were similar for all microbes studied. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  16. Microstructural stability of spark-plasma-sintered Wf/W composite with zirconia interface coating under high-heat-flux hydrogen beam irradiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Avello de Lama

    2017-12-01

    In this paper, the durability and chemical stability of Wf/W composite specimens under cyclic heat-flux loads up to 20 MW/m² (surface temperature: 1260 °C was investigated using hydrogen neutral beam. The bulk material was fabricated by means of spark-plasma-sintering (SPS method using fine tungsten powder and a stack of tungsten wire meshes as reinforcement where the surface of the wire was coated with zirconia thin film to produce an engineered interface. The impact of plasma beam irradiation on microstructure was examined for two kinds of specimens produced at different sintering temperatures, 1400 °C and 1700 °C. Results of microscopic (SEM and chemical (EDX analysis are presented comparing the microstructure and element distribution maps obtained before and after heat flux loading. Effects of different sintering temperatures on damage behaviour are discussed. The present composite materials are shown to be applicable as plasma-facing material for high-heat-flux components.

  17. Breaking the Failed-State Cycle

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Haims, Marla C; Gompert, David C; Treverton, Gregory F; Stearns, Brooke K

    2008-01-01

    In their research and field experience, the authors have observed a wide gulf separating the treatment of the security problems of failed states from the treatment of those states economic problems...

  18. Feasibility Study of Laser Cutting for Fabrication of Tensile Specimen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin, Y. G.; Baik, S. J.; Kim, G. S.; Heo, G. S.; Yoo, B. O.; Ahn, S. B.; Chun, Y. B.

    2015-01-01

    The specimen fabrication technique was established to machine the specimen from the irradiated materials. The wire cut EDM(electric discharge machine) was modified to fabricate the mechanical testing specimens from irradiated components and fuel claddings. The oxide layer removal system was also developed because the oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated components and claddings interrupted the applying the electric current during the processing. However, zirconium oxide is protective against further corrosion as well as beneficial to mechanical strength for the tensile deformation of the cladding. Thus, it is important to fabricate the irradiated specimens without removal of oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated structural components and claddings. In the present study, laser cutting system was introduced to fabricate the various mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding and the feasibility of the laser cutting system was studied for the fabrication of various types of irradiated specimens in a hot cell at IMEF (Irradiated Materials Examination Facility) of KAERI. Laser beam machining system was introduced to fabricate the various mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding and the dimensions were compared for the feasibility of the laser cutting system. The effect of surface oxide layer was also investigated for machining process of the zircaloy-4 fuel cladding and it was found that laser beam machining could be a useful tool to fabricate the specimens with surface oxide layer

  19. Feasibility Study of Laser Cutting for Fabrication of Tensile Specimen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jin, Y. G.; Baik, S. J.; Kim, G. S.; Heo, G. S.; Yoo, B. O.; Ahn, S. B.; Chun, Y. B. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    The specimen fabrication technique was established to machine the specimen from the irradiated materials. The wire cut EDM(electric discharge machine) was modified to fabricate the mechanical testing specimens from irradiated components and fuel claddings. The oxide layer removal system was also developed because the oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated components and claddings interrupted the applying the electric current during the processing. However, zirconium oxide is protective against further corrosion as well as beneficial to mechanical strength for the tensile deformation of the cladding. Thus, it is important to fabricate the irradiated specimens without removal of oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated structural components and claddings. In the present study, laser cutting system was introduced to fabricate the various mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding and the feasibility of the laser cutting system was studied for the fabrication of various types of irradiated specimens in a hot cell at IMEF (Irradiated Materials Examination Facility) of KAERI. Laser beam machining system was introduced to fabricate the various mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding and the dimensions were compared for the feasibility of the laser cutting system. The effect of surface oxide layer was also investigated for machining process of the zircaloy-4 fuel cladding and it was found that laser beam machining could be a useful tool to fabricate the specimens with surface oxide layer.

  20. Validity of fracture toughness determined with small bend specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wallin, K.; Rintamaa, R.; Valo, M.

    1994-02-01

    This report considers the validity of fracture toughness estimates obtained with small bend specimens in relation to fracture toughness estimates obtained with large specimens. The study is based upon the analysis and comparison of actual test results. The results prove the validity of the fracture toughness determined based upon small bend specimens, especially when the results are only used to determine the fracture toughness transition temperature T o . In this case the possible error is typically less than 5 deg C and at most 10 deg C. It can be concluded that small bend specimens are very suitable for the estimation of fracture toughness in the case of brittle fracture, provided the results are corrected for statistical size effects. (orig.). (20 refs., 17 figs.)

  1. Estimation of perimortal percent carboxy-heme in nonstandard postmortem specimens using analysis of carbon monoxide by GC/MS and iron by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Middleberg, R A; Easterling, D E; Zelonis, S F; Rieders, F; Rieders, M F

    1993-01-01

    In decomposed, formalin-fixed, embalmed, exhumed, and some fire-dried cases in which normal blood is unavailable, the usual methods for determination of carboxyhemoglobin saturation frequently fail. To address these specimens, a method utilizing both gas chromatography/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) determination of carbon monoxide (CO) and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS) determination of iron (Fe), in the same specimen, was developed. The method is reported here, along with its application to seven pertinent forsensic death investigations. The CO analytical methodology involves acid liberation of the gas from the specimen aliquot in a headspace vial. After heating and equilibrating, a sample of the headspace vapor is injected into the GC/MS system with a gastight syringe. Quantitation is achieved by standard addition comparison utilizing the ideal gas law equation. Iron is quantified by FAAS analysis of the same aliquot used for the CO determination, following nitric acid digestion. The concentration is determined by comparison to a standard curve. A formula for determining the minimum percent carboxy-heme saturation was derived by using the ratio of the amount of CO to the amount of Fe in the aliquot analyzed. Tissue types analyzed include spleen, liver, muscle, dried blood, and unspecified decomposed tissue.

  2. Development of failed fuel detection system for PWR (III)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, Churl Kew; Kang, Hee Dong; Jeong, Seung Ho; Cho, Byung Sub; Yoon, Byeong Joo; Yoon, Jae Seong

    1987-12-01

    Ultrasonic transducers satisfying the conditions for failed fuel rod detection for failed fuel rod detection have been designed and built. And performance tests for them have been carried out. Ultrasonic signal processing units, a manipulator guiding the ultrasonic probe through the fuel assembly lanes and its control units have been constructed. The performance of the system has been verified experimentally to be successful in failed fuel rod detection. (Author)

  3. Results of the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay for Specimens Yielding “Target Not Detected” Results by the Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan HIV-1 Test▿

    OpenAIRE

    Babady, N. Esther; Germer, Jeffrey J.; Yao, Joseph D. C.

    2009-01-01

    No significantly discordant results were observed between the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay and the COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 Test (CTM) among 1,190 unique clinical plasma specimens obtained from laboratories located in 40 states representing all nine U.S. geographic regions and previously yielding “target not detected” results by CTM.

  4. SurePath Specimens Versus ThinPrep Specimen Types on the COBAS 4800 Platform: High-Risk HPV Status and Cytology Correlation in an Ethnically Diverse Bronx Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naeem, R C; Goldstein, D Y; Einstein, Mark H; Ramos Rivera, G; Schlesinger, K; Khader, S N; Suhrland, M; Fox, A S

    2017-08-01

    To compare the cytologic preparations of 130 cervical specimens (from women of various ethnicities at high risk for human papillomavirus [HPV] infection) using the SurePath (SP) collection system with specimens gathered using the ThinPrep (TP) system, as processed on the Cobas 4800 analyzer, to determine which collection method more accurately identifies HPV infection. In our prospective study, specimens were collected from 130 women of various ethnicities residing in or near Bronx County, NY. The SP-collected specimen was first processed for cytologic findings; if clinical HPV testing was requested on that specimen, it was tested using Hybrid Capture II (HC2) methodology. We tested the remnant SP-collected cell concentrate using the Cobas analyzer. Then, the TP-collected and SP-collected specimens were tested in the same run on that analyzer, and the results were compared. We also compared the results with the concurrent cytologic findings. The results were concordant for overall HR-HPV status in 93.8% of cases. Also, a statistically significant lower cycle threshold value was observed with Cobas testing of specimen concentrates tested via the BD SurePath Pap Test (P = .001), suggesting higher sensitivity compared with specimens tested via the ThinPrep Pap Test. Cobas 4800 HPV testing of SP-collected specimen concentrates yields comparable results to TP-collected specimen concentrates. Based on the limited data that we derived, SP collection may be a more favorable methodology than TP collection for HPV testing of individuals at high risk in our ethnically diverse, urban patient population. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  5. NASA Biological Specimen Repository

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMonigal, K. A.; Pietrzyk, R. A.; Sams, C. F.; Johnson, M. A.

    2010-01-01

    The NASA Biological Specimen Repository (NBSR) was established in 2006 to collect, process, preserve and distribute spaceflight-related biological specimens from long duration ISS astronauts. This repository provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning may missions. The NBSR collects blood and urine samples from all participating ISS crewmembers who have provided informed consent. These biological samples are collected once before flight, during flight scheduled on flight days 15, 30, 60, 120 and within 2 weeks of landing. Postflight sessions are conducted 3 and 30 days after landing. The number of in-flight sessions is dependent on the duration of the mission. Specimens are maintained under optimal storage conditions in a manner that will maximize their integrity and viability for future research The repository operates under the authority of the NASA/JSC Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects to support scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment. The NBSR will institute guidelines for the solicitation, review and sample distribution process through establishment of the NBSR Advisory Board. The Advisory Board will be composed of representatives of all participating space agencies to evaluate each request from investigators for use of the samples. This process will be consistent with ethical principles, protection of crewmember confidentiality, prevailing laws and regulations, intellectual property policies, and consent form language. Operations supporting the NBSR are scheduled to continue until the end of U.S. presence on the ISS. Sample distribution is proposed to begin with selections on investigations beginning in 2017. The availability of the NBSR will contribute to the body of knowledge about the diverse factors of spaceflight on human physiology.

  6. Enhancement of corrosion resistance for plasma nitrided AISI 4140 steel by plain air plasma post-oxidizing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Jiqiang; Liu, Han; Ye, Xuemei [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials Surface Technology, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China); Chai, Yating [Materials Research and Education Center, Auburn University, AL 36849 (United States); Hu, Jing, E-mail: jinghoo@126.com [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials Surface Technology, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China); Materials Research and Education Center, Auburn University, AL 36849 (United States)

    2015-05-25

    Highlights: • Plain air was primarily used for plasma post-oxidation for AISI 4140 steel. • A thin iron oxide layer composed of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} to Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} was formed on top of the compound layer. • The ratio of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} to Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} was closely related to the post-oxidizing conditions. • Post-oxidizing at 673 K for 60 min brought out highest ratio of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} to Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and optimum corrosion resistance. - Abstract: Plasma post-oxidizing was conducted immediately after plasma nitriding in the same equipment for AISI 4140 steel, and plain air was used as the oxygen bearing gas. The cross-sectional microstructures of the treated samples were observed by optical metallography and scanning electron microcopy (SEM), and the thickness of compound layer was measured accordingly. The phases were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), corrosion resistance was evaluated by electrochemical polarization, and the surface morphology before and after polarization test was also observed by SEM. Meanwhile, standard Gibbs free energy of the oxidation reactions existed in Fe–O system was calculated. The results show that a thin iron oxide layer composed of magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) and hematite (Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) is formed on top of the compound layer during plasma post-oxidizing process, and the ratio of magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) to hematite (Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) is depended on plasma post-oxidizing temperature and time. Highest ratio of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} to Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} is obtained while post-oxidizing at 673 K for 60 min due to lower standard Gibbs free energy and appropriate forming rate for the formation of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} at this temperature. The thin oxide layer brings out significant enhancement of corrosion resistance, especially at higher ratios of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} to Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, due to the dense and adherent characteristic of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} oxide. Surface images of the post-oxidizing specimen

  7. Thermal fatigue behavior of thermal barrier coatings by air plasma spray

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Han Sang; Kim, Eui Hyun [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jung Hyuk [Korea Plant Service and Engineering Co. Ltd., Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2008-06-15

    Effects of top coat morphology and thickness on thermal fatigue behavior of Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC) were investigated in this study. Thermal fatigue tests were conducted on three coating specimens with different top coat morphology and thickness, and then the test data were compared via microstructures, cycles to failure, and fracture surfaces. In the air plasma spray specimens (APS1, APS2), top coat were 200 and 300 {mu}m respectively. The thickness of top coat was about 700 {mu}m in the Perpendicular Cracked Specimen (PCS). Under thermal fatigue condition at 1,100 .deg. C, the cycles to top coat failure of APS1, APS2, and PCS were 350, 560 and 480 cycles, respectively. The cracks were initiated at the interface of top coat and Thermally Grown Oxide (TGO) and propagated into TGO or top coat as the number of thermal fatigue cycles increased. For the PCS specimen, additive cracks were initiated and propagated at the starting points of perpendicular cracks in the top coat. Also, the thickness of TGO and the decrease of aluminium concentration in bond coat do not affect the cycles to failure.

  8. Laparoscopic revision of failed antireflux operations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serafini, F M; Bloomston, M; Zervos, E; Muench, J; Albrink, M H; Murr, M; Rosemurgy, A S

    2001-01-01

    A small number of patients fail fundoplication and require reoperation. Laparoscopic techniques have been applied to reoperative fundoplications. We reviewed our experience with reoperative laparoscopic fundoplication. Reoperative laparoscopic fundoplication was undertaken in 28 patients, 19 F and 9 M, of mean age 56 years +/- 12. Previous antireflux procedures included 19 open and 12 laparoscopic antireflux operations. Symptoms were heartburn (90%), dysphagia (35%), and atypical symptoms (30%%). The mean interval from antireflux procedure to revision was 13 months +/- 4.2. The mean DeMeester score was 78+/-32 (normal 14.7). Eighteen patients (64%) had hiatal breakdown, 17 (60%) had wrap failure, 2 (7%) had slipped Nissen, 3 (11%) had paraesophageal hernias, and 1 (3%) had an excessively tight wrap. Twenty-five revisions were completed laparoscopically, while 3 patients required conversion to the open technique. Complications occurred in 9 of 17 (53%) patients failing previous open fundoplications and in 4 of 12 patients (33%) failing previous laparoscopic fundoplications and included 15 gastrotomies and 1 esophagotomy, all repaired laparoscopically, 3 postoperative gastric leaks, and 4 pneumothoraces requiring tube thoracostomy. No deaths occurred. Median length of stay was 5 days (range 2-90 days). At a mean follow-up of 20 months +/- 17, 2 patients (7%) have failed revision of their fundoplications, with the rest of the patients being essentially asymptomatic (93%). The results achieved with reoperative laparoscopic fundoplication are similar to those of primary laparoscopic fundoplications. Laparoscopic reoperations, particularly of primary open fundoplication, can be technically challenging and fraught with complications. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  9. Assessment of plastic flow and fracture properties with small specimens test techniques for IFMIF-designed specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spaetig, P.; Campitelli, E.N.; Bonade, R.; Baluc, N.

    2005-01-01

    The primary mission of the International Fusion Material Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) is to generate a material database to be used for the design of various components, for the licensing and for the assessment of the safe operation of a demonstration fusion reactor. IFMIF is an accelerator-based high-energy neutron source whose irradiation volume is quite limited (0.5 l for the high fluence volume). This requires the use of small specimens to measure the irradiation-induced changes on the physical and mechanical properties of materials. In this paper, we developed finite element models to better analyze the results obtained with two different small specimen test techniques applied to the tempered martensitic steel F82H-mod. First, one model was used to reconstruct the load-deflection curves of small ball punch tests, which are usually used to extract standard tensile parameters. It was shown that a reasonable assessment of the overall plastic flow can be done with small ball punch tests. Second, we investigated the stress field sensitivity at a crack tip to the constitutive behavior, for a crack modeled in plane strain, small-scale yielding and fracture mode I conditions. Based upon a local criterion for cleavage, that appears to be the basis to account for the size and geometry effects on fracture toughness, we showed that the details of the constitutive properties play a key role in modeling the irradiation-induced fracture toughness changes. Consequently, we suggest that much more attention and efforts have to be paid in investigating the post-yield behavior of the irradiated specimens and, in order to reach this goal, we recommend the use of not only tensile specimens but also that of compression ones in the IFMIF irradiation matrices. (author)

  10. Measurement of plasma adenosine concentration: methodological and physiological considerations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gewirtz, H.; Brown, P.; Most, A.S.

    1987-01-01

    This study tested the hypothesis that measurements of plasma adenosine concentration made on samples of blood obtained in dipyridamole and EHNA (i.e., stopping solution) may be falsely elevated as a result of ongoing in vitro production and accumulation of adenosine during sample processing. Studies were performed with samples of anticoagulated blood obtained from anesthesized domestic swine. Adenosine concentration of ultra filtrated plasma was determined by HPLC. The following parameters were evaluated: (i) rate of clearance of [ 3 H]adenosine added to plasma, (ii) endogenous adenosine concentration of matched blood samples obtained in stopping solution alone, stopping solution plus EDTA, and perchloric acid (PCA), (iii) plasma and erythrocyte endogenous adenosine concentration in nonhemolyzed samples, and (iv) plasma adenosine concentration of samples hemolyzed in the presence of stopping solution alone or stopping solution plus EDTA. We observed that (i) greater than or equal to 95% of [ 3 H]adenosine added to plasma is removed from it by formed elements of the blood in less than 20 s, (ii) plasma adenosine concentration of samples obtained in stopping solution alone is generally 10-fold greater than that of matched samples obtained in stopping solution plus EDTA, (iii) deliberate mechanical hemolysis of blood samples obtained in stopping solution alone resulted in substantial augmentation of plasma adenosine levels in comparison with matched nonhemolyzed specimens--addition of EDTA to stopping solution prevented this, and (iv) adenosine content of blood samples obtained in PCA agreed closely with the sum of plasma and erythrocyte adenosine content of samples obtained in stopping solution plus EDTA

  11. Specimen's plane misaligned installation solution based on charge fluctuation inside SEM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Haojian; Liu, Yanting; Yang, Yuanyuan; Wang, Panbing; Shen, Yajing

    2018-04-01

    Precise specimen's installation is a sticking point to ensure the characterization accuracy of the in-situ material property test. Although it is common knowledge that specimen's plane misaligned installation (PMI) would cause extra force loading during mechanical testing, there are few effective solutions available to deal with it at the current stage, especially during the in-situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) test. Taking into consideration the charge fluctuation phenomenon under SEM, this paper proposes a highlight area variation (HAV) method for specimen deformation judgment, i.e., the specimen deformation is defined when the highlight area changes greater than 20% of the initial value of the specimen surface. Three types of specimens with different resistivities, i.e., human hair (electrical resistivity ˜3 × 1012 Ω cm), optical fiber (electrical resistivity ˜1017 Ω cm), and magnetic wire (electrical resistivity ˜2 × 10-5 Ω cm), are chosen to verify the effectiveness of the HAV method. Furthermore, combined with the developed robot-aided alignment system, the specimen's PMI problem can also be solved. In the demonstration, the human hair specimen is installed across two specimen stages and its in-situ twisting (in 360°) test is implemented. The results clearly indicate that the HAV method and the robot-aided alignment system are practical and reliable, and the specimen can be aligned on the same plane and installed precisely with accuracy up to 3 μm. This method will benefit the in-situ SEM material mechanical property test and has a significant impact in fundamental material research.

  12. Rescue of failed filtering blebs with ab interno trephination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shihadeh, Wisam A; Ritch, Robert; Liebmann, Jeffrey M

    2006-06-01

    We evaluated the effectiveness of ab interno automated trephination as a technique for rescuing failed mature filtering blebs. A retrospective chart review of 40 failed blebs of 38 patients who had a posttrephination follow-up period of at least 3 months was done. With success defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) control with other modalities of management. Complications were few. We believe that ab interno trephination is an excellent option for rescuing selected failed filtering blebs.

  13. Fracture mechanics characterisation of medium-size adhesive joint specimens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Bent F.; Jacobsen, T.K.

    2004-01-01

    Medium-size specimens (glass-fibre beams bonded together by an adhesive layer were tested in four point bending to determine their load carrying capacity. Specimens having different thickness were tested. Except for onespecimen, the cracking occurred as cracking...... along the adhesive layer; initially cracking occurred along the adhesive/laminate interface, but after some crack extension the cracking took place inside the laminate (for one specimen the later part of thecracking occurred unstably along the adhesive/ laminate interface). Crack bridging by fibres...

  14. A proposed standard round compact specimen for plane strain fracture toughness testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Underwood, J. H.; Newman, J. C., Jr.; Seeley, R. R.

    1980-01-01

    A round, disk-shaped specimen is proposed as a standard test specimen for addition to ASTM Test for Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness of Metallic Materials (E 399-78A). The specimen is diametrically cracked, and loaded in the same way as the existing standard compact specimen. Tests and analyses were performed to verify that the proposed round compact specimen and associated stress intensity factor K solution are appropriate for a standard plane strain fracture toughness test. The use of the round compact specimen for other fracture tests is described.

  15. Test methodology and technology of fracture toughness for small size specimens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wakai, E.; Takada, F.; Ishii, T.; Ando, M. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naga-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); Matsukawa, S. [JNE Techno-Research Co., Kanagawa-ken (Japan)

    2007-07-01

    Full text of publication follows: Small specimen test technology (SSTT) is required to investigate mechanical properties in the limited availability of effective irradiation volumes in test reactors and accelerator-based neutron and charged particle sources. The test methodology guideline and the manufacture processes for very small size specimens have not been established, and we would have to formulate it. The technology to control exactly the load and displacement is also required in the test technology under the environment of high dose radiation produced from the specimens. The objective of this study is to examine the test technology and methodology of fracture toughness for very small size specimens. A new bend test machine installed in hot cell has been manufactured to obtain fracture toughness and DBTT (ductile - brittle transition temperature) of reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels for small bend specimens of t/2-1/3PCCVN (pre-cracked 1/3 size Charpy V-notch) with 20 mm length and DFMB (deformation and fracture mini bend specimen) with 9 mm length. The new machine can be performed at temperatures from -196 deg. C to 400 deg. C under unloading compliance method. Neutron irradiation was also performed at about 250 deg. C to about 2 dpa in JMTR. After the irradiation, fracture toughness and DBTT were examined by using the machine. Checking of displacement measurement between linear gauge of cross head's displacement and DVRT of the specimen displacement was performed exactly. Conditions of pre-crack due to fatigue in the specimen preparation were also examined and it depended on the shape and size of the specimens. Fracture toughness and DBTT of F82H steel for t/2-1/3PCCVN, DFMB and 0.18DCT specimens before irradiation were examined as a function of temperature. DBTT of smaller size specimens of DFMB was lower than that of larger size specimen of t/2-1/3PCCVN and 0.18DCT. The changes of fracture toughness and DBTT due to irradiation were also

  16. 77 FR 9846 - Source of Income From Qualified Fails Charges

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-21

    ... temporary regulations noted that no trading practice existed at that time for fails charges on securities other than Treasuries, but that if a fails charge trading practice pertaining to other securities was... sources within the United States, and the income from the qualified fails charge is treated as effectively...

  17. The Influence of Hot-Rolled Temperature on Plasma Nitriding Behavior of Iron-Based Alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Hossary, F. M.; Khalil, S. M.; Lotfy, Kh.; Kassem, M. A.

    2009-07-01

    Experiments were performed with an aim of studying the effect of hot-rolled temperature (600 and 900°C) on radio frequency (rf) plasma nitriding of Fe93Ni4Zr3 alloy. Nitriding was carried out for 10 min in a nitrogen atmosphere at a base pressure of 10-2 mbarr. Different continuous plasma processing powers of 300-550 W in steps 50 W or less were applied. Nitrided hot-rolled specimens were characterized by optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and microhardness measurements. The results reveal that the surface of hot-rolled rf plasma nitrided specimens at 600°C is characterized with a fine microstructure as a result of the high nitrogen solubility and diffusivity. Moreover, the hot-rolled treated samples at 600°C exhibit higher microhardness value than the associated values of hot-rolled treated samples at 900°C. The enhancement of microhardness is due to precipitation and predominance of new phases ( γ and ɛ phases). Mainly, this conclusion has been attributed to the high defect densities and small grain sizes of the samples hot-rolled at 600°C. Generally, the refinement of grain size plays a dramatic role in improvement of mechanical properties of tested samples.

  18. Old Plants, New Tricks: Phenological Research Using Herbarium Specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willis, Charles G; Ellwood, Elizabeth R; Primack, Richard B; Davis, Charles C; Pearson, Katelin D; Gallinat, Amanda S; Yost, Jenn M; Nelson, Gil; Mazer, Susan J; Rossington, Natalie L; Sparks, Tim H; Soltis, Pamela S

    2017-07-01

    The timing of phenological events, such as leaf-out and flowering, strongly influence plant success and their study is vital to understanding how plants will respond to climate change. Phenological research, however, is often limited by the temporal, geographic, or phylogenetic scope of available data. Hundreds of millions of plant specimens in herbaria worldwide offer a potential solution to this problem, especially as digitization efforts drastically improve access to collections. Herbarium specimens represent snapshots of phenological events and have been reliably used to characterize phenological responses to climate. We review the current state of herbarium-based phenological research, identify potential biases and limitations in the collection, digitization, and interpretation of specimen data, and discuss future opportunities for phenological investigations using herbarium specimens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Design of four-point SENB specimens with stable crack growth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Jeppe Bjørn; Kildegaard, Casper; Sørensen, Bent F.

    2018-01-01

    A four-point single-edge-notch-beam (SENB) test specimen loaded in displacement control (fixed grip) is proposed for studying crack deflection at bi-material interfaces. In order to ensure stable crack growth, a novel analytical model of the four-point SENB specimen in fixed grip is derived...... and compared with numerical models. Model results show that the specimen should be short and thick, and the start-crack length should be deep for the crack to propagate stable towards the bi-material interface. Observations from experimental tests of four-point SENB specimens with different start-crack lengths...

  20. Study on the rhythmic variation of plasma cortisol levels in patients with essential hypertension (EH) and coronary heart disease (CHD)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Mei; Wu Guo; Li Ying

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To study the rhythmic fluctuation of plasma cortisol levels in patients with EH and CHD. Methods: Plasma cortisol levels were determined with RIA at 8Am, 4Pm and midnight in 61 patients with EH, 46 patients with CHD and 36 controls. Results: The normal rhythmic fluctuation pattern of plasma cortisol levels was retained in the EH and CHD patients. However, the levels were all significantly higher in the patients than those in the controls, especially in the midnight specimens. Conclusion: Marked elevated plasma cortisol levels were observed in patients with EH and CHD, with the normal rhythmic fluctuation pattern retained. (authors)

  1. Why Companies Fail? The Boiling Frog Syndrome

    OpenAIRE

    Ozcan, Rasim

    2018-01-01

    Why nations fail? An answer is given by Acemoglu and Robinson (2012) by pointing out the importance of institutions for an economy that leads to innovations for economic growth. Christensen (2012) asks a similar question for a firm and diagnoses why companies fail. In this study, I relate Acemoglu and Robinson (2012) with Christensen (2012) in order to better understand how to make companies more prosperous, more powerful, healthier, and live longer via innovations.

  2. Molecular detection of candida species from hospitalized patient’s specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camacho-Cardoso, José Luis; Martínez-Rivera, María Ángeles; Manzano-Gayosso, Patricia; Méndez-Tovar, Luis Javier; López-Martínez, Rubén; Hernández-Hernández, Francisca

    To identify the most frequent Candida species in specimens from patients hospitalized in different medical centers of Mexico City, with suspected fungal infection. Specimens were grown on Sabouraud dextrose agar at 28°C for 72 h. In addition, DNA was extracted. Isolates were grown on CHROMagar Candida™, at 37°C for 48 h. The molecular identification was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers specific for four species. Eighty one specimens were processed and included: bronchial lavage, pleural, cerebrospinal, peritoneal, ascites and bile fluids; blood, sputum, bone marrow, oro-tracheal cannula and ganglion. By culture, 30 samples (37%) were positive, and by PCR, 41 (50.6%). By PCR, the frequency of species was: Candida albicans 82.9%, Candida tropicalis 31.7%, Candida glabrata 24.4%, and Candida parapsilosis 4.9%. In 34.1% of specimens a species mixture was detected suggesting a co-infection: Two species in five specimens (C. albicans-C tropicalis and C. albicans-C glabrata), and three species in three specimens (C. albicans-C. glabrata-C. tropicalis). The PCR is an useful tool for detection the most common Candida species causing infection in hospitalized patients, it avoids the requirement of culture weather we start from clinical specimen and it favors the early diagnosis of invasive candidiasis. Copyright: © 2017 SecretarÍa de Salud

  3. Erosion of pyrolytic carbon under high surface energy deposition from a pulsed hydrogen plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bolt, H.

    1992-01-01

    Carbon materials are widely applied as plasma facing materials in nuclear fusion devices and are also the prime candidate materials for the next generation of experimental fusion reactors. During operation these materials are frequently subjected to high energy deposition from plasma disruptions. The erosion of carbon materials is regarded as the main issue governing the operational lifetime of plasma facing components. Laboratory experiments have been performed to study the thermal erosion behaviour of carbon in a plasma environment. In the experiments the surface of pyrolytic carbon specimens was exposed to pulsed energy deposition of up to 3.8 MJ m -2 from a hydrogen plasma. The behaviour of the eroded carbon species in the plasma was measured by time-resolved and space-resolved spectroscopy. Intense line radiation of ionic carbon has been measured in the plasma in front of the carbon surface. The results show that the eroded carbon is immediately ionised in the vicinity of the material surface, with a fraction of it being ionised to the double-charged state. (Author)

  4. Stress-deformed state of cylindrical specimens during indirect tensile strength testing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Levan Japaridze

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the interaction between cylindrical specimen made of homogeneous, isotropic, and linearly elastic material and loading jaws of any curvature is considered in the Brazilian test. It is assumed that the specimen is diametrically compressed by elliptic normal contact stresses. The frictional contact stresses between the specimen and platens are neglected. The analytical solution starts from the contact problem of the loading jaws of any curvature and cylindrical specimen. The contact width, corresponding loading angle (2θ0, and elliptical stresses obtained through solution of the contact problems are used as boundary conditions for a cylindrical specimen. The problem of the theory of elasticity for a cylinder is solved using Muskhelishvili's method. In this method, the displacements and stresses are represented in terms of two analytical functions of a complex variable. In the main approaches, the nonlinear interaction between the loading bearing blocks and the specimen as well as the curvature of their surfaces and the elastic parameters of their materials are taken into account. Numerical examples are solved using MATLAB to demonstrate the influence of deformability, curvature of the specimen and platens on the distribution of the normal contact stresses as well as on the tensile and compressive stresses acting across the loaded diameter. Derived equations also allow calculating the modulus of elasticity, total deformation modulus and creep parameters of the specimen material based on the experimental data of radial contraction of the specimen.

  5. Biological Sexing of a 4000-Year-Old Egyptian Mummy Head to Assess the Potential of Nuclear DNA Recovery from the Most Damaged and Limited Forensic Specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loreille, Odile; Ratnayake, Shashikala; Bazinet, Adam L; Stockwell, Timothy B; Sommer, Daniel D; Rohland, Nadin; Mallick, Swapan; Johnson, Philip L F; Skoglund, Pontus; Onorato, Anthony J; Bergman, Nicholas H; Reich, David; Irwin, Jodi A

    2018-03-01

    High throughput sequencing (HTS) has been used for a number of years in the field of paleogenomics to facilitate the recovery of small DNA fragments from ancient specimens. Recently, these techniques have also been applied in forensics, where they have been used for the recovery of mitochondrial DNA sequences from samples where traditional PCR-based assays fail because of the very short length of endogenous DNA molecules. Here, we describe the biological sexing of a ~4000-year-old Egyptian mummy using shotgun sequencing and two established methods of biological sex determination (R X and R Y ), by way of mitochondrial genome analysis as a means of sequence data authentication. This particular case of historical interest increases the potential utility of HTS techniques for forensic purposes by demonstrating that data from the more discriminatory nuclear genome can be recovered from the most damaged specimens, even in cases where mitochondrial DNA cannot be recovered with current PCR-based forensic technologies. Although additional work remains to be done before nuclear DNA recovered via these methods can be used routinely in operational casework for individual identification purposes, these results indicate substantial promise for the retrieval of probative individually identifying DNA data from the most limited and degraded forensic specimens.

  6. Biological Sexing of a 4000-Year-Old Egyptian Mummy Head to Assess the Potential of Nuclear DNA Recovery from the Most Damaged and Limited Forensic Specimens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Odile Loreille

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available High throughput sequencing (HTS has been used for a number of years in the field of paleogenomics to facilitate the recovery of small DNA fragments from ancient specimens. Recently, these techniques have also been applied in forensics, where they have been used for the recovery of mitochondrial DNA sequences from samples where traditional PCR-based assays fail because of the very short length of endogenous DNA molecules. Here, we describe the biological sexing of a ~4000-year-old Egyptian mummy using shotgun sequencing and two established methods of biological sex determination (RX and RY, by way of mitochondrial genome analysis as a means of sequence data authentication. This particular case of historical interest increases the potential utility of HTS techniques for forensic purposes by demonstrating that data from the more discriminatory nuclear genome can be recovered from the most damaged specimens, even in cases where mitochondrial DNA cannot be recovered with current PCR-based forensic technologies. Although additional work remains to be done before nuclear DNA recovered via these methods can be used routinely in operational casework for individual identification purposes, these results indicate substantial promise for the retrieval of probative individually identifying DNA data from the most limited and degraded forensic specimens.

  7. Specimen environments in thermal neutron scattering experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cebula, D.J.

    1980-11-01

    This report is an attempt to collect into one place outline information concerning the techniques used and basic design of sample environment apparatus employed in neutron scattering experiments. Preliminary recommendations for the specimen environment programme of the SNS are presented. The general conclusion reached is that effort should be devoted towards improving reliability and efficiency of operation of specimen environment apparatus and developing systems which are robust and easy to use, rather than achieving performance at the limits of technology. (author)

  8. Passive shut-down of ITER plasma by Be evaporation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amano, Tsuneo.

    1996-02-01

    In an accident event where the cooling system of first wall of the ITER fails, the first wall temperature continues to rise as long as the ignited state of the core plasma persists. In this paper, a passive shut-down scheme of the ITER from this accident by evaporated Be from the first wall is examined. It is shown the estimated Be influx 5 10 24 /sec is sufficient to quench the ignition. (author)

  9. Post-deformation examination of specimens subjected to SCC testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gussev, Maxim N. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Field, Kevin G. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Busby, Jeremy T. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Leonard, Keith J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2016-09-01

    This report details the results of post-radiation and post-deformation characterizations performed during FY 2015–FY 2016 on a subset of specimens that had previously been irradiated at high displacement per atom (dpa) damage doses. The specimens, made of commercial austenitic stainless steels and alloys, were subjected to stress-corrosion cracking tests (constant extension rate testing and crack growth testing) at the University of Michigan under conditions typical of nuclear power plants. After testing, the specimens were returned to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for further analysis and evaluation.

  10. An electronic specimen collection protocol schema (eSCPS). Document architecture for specimen management and the exchange of specimen collection protocols between biobanking information systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eminaga, O; Semjonow, A; Oezguer, E; Herden, J; Akbarov, I; Tok, A; Engelmann, U; Wille, S

    2014-01-01

    The integrity of collection protocols in biobanking is essential for a high-quality sample preparation process. However, there is not currently a well-defined universal method for integrating collection protocols in the biobanking information system (BIMS). Therefore, an electronic schema of the collection protocol that is based on Extensible Markup Language (XML) is required to maintain the integrity and enable the exchange of collection protocols. The development and implementation of an electronic specimen collection protocol schema (eSCPS) was performed at two institutions (Muenster and Cologne) in three stages. First, we analyzed the infrastructure that was already established at both the biorepository and the hospital information systems of these institutions and determined the requirements for the sufficient preparation of specimens and documentation. Second, we designed an eSCPS according to these requirements. Finally, a prospective study was conducted to implement and evaluate the novel schema in the current BIMS. We designed an eSCPS that provides all of the relevant information about collection protocols. Ten electronic collection protocols were generated using the supplementary Protocol Editor tool, and these protocols were successfully implemented in the existing BIMS. Moreover, an electronic list of collection protocols for the current studies being performed at each institution was included, new collection protocols were added, and the existing protocols were redesigned to be modifiable. The documentation time was significantly reduced after implementing the eSCPS (5 ± 2 min vs. 7 ± 3 min; p = 0.0002). The eSCPS improves the integrity and facilitates the exchange of specimen collection protocols in the existing open-source BIMS.

  11. A test specimen for characterizing the fracture energy of interfaces in composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaw, L.; Abbaschian, R.

    1993-01-01

    A sandwich-type chevron-notched specimen, which has a phase angle of loading near zero, is proposed to measure interfacial fracture energy arising mainly from chemical bonding. With the specimen configuration of this kind, the advantages from both sandwich test specimens and chevron-notched specimens can be combined to provide an easy and accurate test for the measurement of interfacial fracture energy. The validity of the specimen has been analyzed in terms of the mechanics of sandwich-type specimens and chevron-notched specimens, and demonstrated using the Al 2 O 3 /Nb bimaterial system. The results show that for a phase angle of loading around -7 degrees the Al 2 O 3 /Nb interface has a fracture energy of 9.3 ± 0.2 J/m 2 . 39 refs

  12. Catalog of insect type specimens preserved at the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science with corrections of some specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kai-Qin; Wang, Yun-Zhen; Dong, Da-Zhi; Zhang, Li-Kun

    2015-09-18

    This article presents a list of insect types preserved in Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology (KNHMZ). As of March, 2015, 3 412 type specimens belonging to 266 species/subspecies of 37 families in 9 orders (Odonata, Isoptera, Mantodea, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera) are included. Information corrections of some specimens are provided in this article.

  13. Location specific in situ TEM straining specimens made using FIB

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Field, R.D.; Papin, P.A.

    2004-01-01

    A method has been devised and demonstrated for producing in situ straining specimens for the transmission electron microscope (TEM) from specific locations in a sample using a dual-beam focused ion beam (FIB) instrument. The specimen is removed from a polished surface in the FIB using normal methods and then attached to a pre-fabricated substrate in the form of a modified TEM tensile specimen. In this manner, specific features of the microstructure of a polished optical mount can be selected for in situ tensile straining. With the use of electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), this technique could be extended to select specific orientations of the specimen as well

  14. Uniaxial compression tests on diesel contaminated frozen silty soil specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chenaf, D.; Stampli, N.; Bathurst, R.; Chapuis, R.P.

    1999-01-01

    Results of a uniaxial, unconfined compression test on artificial diesel-contaminated and uncontaminated frozen silty soils are discussed. The testing program involved 59 specimens. The results show that for the same fluid content, diesel contamination reduced the strength of the frozen specimens by increasing the unfrozen water content. For example, in specimens containing 50 per cent diesel oil of the fluid content by weight the maximum strength was reduced by 95 per cent compared to the strength of an uncontaminated specimen. Diesel contamination was also shown to contribute to the slippage between soil particles by acting as a lubricant, thus accelerating the loss of compressive strength.13 refs., 18 figs

  15. 7 CFR 983.152 - Failed lots/rework procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Failed lots/rework procedure. 983.152 Section 983.152..., ARIZONA, AND NEW MEXICO Rules and Regulations § 983.152 Failed lots/rework procedure. (a) Inshell rework procedure for aflatoxin. If inshell rework is selected as a remedy to meet the aflatoxin regulations of this...

  16. Effects of Specimen Diameters on the Distribution of Corrosion Fatigue Cracks

    OpenAIRE

    石原, 外美; 塩澤, 和章; 宮尾, 嘉寿

    1988-01-01

    The distribution of corrosion fatigue cracks observed on the un-notched round specimen surface differs with specimen diameter, especially in the low stress amplitude region. At a constant fatigue life ratio, many long cracks are initiated on the larger specimen, 12 mm (diameter), in comparison with the smaller specimen, 6 mm (diameter). On the other hand, in the high stress amplitude region of corrosion fatigue and fatigue in laboratory air, the distribution of cracks during the fatigue proce...

  17. Detecting Rickettsia parkeri Infection from Eschar Swab Specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-01

    Detecting Rickettsia parkeri Infection from Eschar Swab Specimens Todd Myers, Tahaniyat Lalani, Mike Dent, Ju Jiang, Patrick L. Daly, Jason D...Maguire, and Allen L. Richards The typical clinical presentation of several spotted fever group Rickettsia infections includes eschars. Clinical...diagnosis by using an eschar swab specimen from patients infected with Rickettsia parkeri. Until 2004, all confirmed cases of tick-borne spotted

  18. Failed healing of rotator cuff repair correlates with altered collagenase and gelatinase in supraspinatus and subscapularis tendons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Catherine M; Chen, Christopher T; Shindle, Michael K; Cordasco, Frank A; Rodeo, Scott A; Warren, Russell F

    2012-09-01

    Despite improvements in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair technique and technology, a significant rate of failed tendon healing persists. Improving the biology of rotator cuff repairs may be an important focus to decrease this failure rate. The objective of this study was to determine the mRNA biomarkers and histological characteristics of repaired rotator cuffs that healed or developed persistent defects as determined by postoperative ultrasound. Increased synovial inflammation and tendon degeneration at the time of surgery are correlated with the failed healing of rotator cuff tendons. Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Biopsy specimens from the subscapularis tendon, supraspinatus tendon, glenohumeral synovium, and subacromial bursa of 35 patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were taken at the time of surgery. Expression of proinflammatory cytokines, tissue remodeling genes, and angiogenesis factors was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Histological characteristics of the affected tissue were also assessed. Postoperative (>6 months) ultrasound was used to evaluate the healing of the rotator cuff. General linear modeling with selected mRNA biomarkers was used to predict rotator cuff healing. Thirty patients completed all analyses, of which 7 patients (23%) had failed healing of the rotator cuff. No differences in demographic data were found between the defect and healed groups. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons shoulder scores collected at baseline and follow-up showed improvement in both groups, but there was no significant difference between groups. Increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1) and MMP-9 was found in the supraspinatus tendon in the defect group versus the healed group (P = .006 and .02, respectively). Similar upregulation of MMP-9 was also found in the subscapularis tendon of the defect group (P = .001), which was consistent with the loss of collagen organization as determined by

  19. Ultrasonics aids the identification of failed fuel rods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1985-01-01

    Over a number of years Brown Boveri Reaktor of West Germany has developed and commercialized an ultrasonic failed fuel rod detection system. Sipping has up to now been the standard technique for failed fuel detection, but sipping can only indicate whether or not an assembly contains defective rods; the BBR system can tell which rod is defective. (author)

  20. Mesh-morphing algorithms for specimen-specific finite element modeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigal, Ian A; Hardisty, Michael R; Whyne, Cari M

    2008-01-01

    Despite recent advances in software for meshing specimen-specific geometries, considerable effort is still often required to produce and analyze specimen-specific models suitable for biomechanical analysis through finite element modeling. We hypothesize that it is possible to obtain accurate models by adapting a pre-existing geometry to represent a target specimen using morphing techniques. Here we present two algorithms for morphing, automated wrapping (AW) and manual landmarks (ML), and demonstrate their use to prepare specimen-specific models of caudal rat vertebrae. We evaluate the algorithms by measuring the distance between target and morphed geometries and by comparing response to axial loading simulated with finite element (FE) methods. First a traditional reconstruction process based on microCT was used to obtain two natural specimen-specific FE models. Next, the two morphing algorithms were used to compute mappings from the surface of one model, the source, to the other, the target, and to use this mapping to morph the source mesh to produce a target mesh. The microCT images were then used to assign element-specific material properties. In AW the mappings were obtained by wrapping the source and target surfaces with an auxiliary triangulated surface. In ML, landmarks were manually placed on corresponding locations on the surfaces of both source and target. Both morphing algorithms were successful in reproducing the shape of the target vertebra with a median distance between natural and morphed models of 18.8 and 32.2 microm, respectively, for AW and ML. Whereas AW-morphing produced a surface more closely resembling that of the target, ML guaranteed correspondence of the landmark locations between source and target. Morphing preserved the quality of the mesh producing models suitable for FE simulation. Moreover, there were only minor differences between natural and morphed models in predictions of deformation, strain and stress. We therefore conclude that

  1. 21 CFR 866.2900 - Microbiological specimen collection and transport device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Microbiology Devices... microbiological specimen collection and transport device is a specimen collecting chamber intended for medical...

  2. Reliability testing of failed fuel location system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vieru, G.

    1996-01-01

    This paper presents the experimental reliability tests performed in order to prove the reliability parameters for Failed Fuel Location System (FFLS), equipment used to detect in which channel of a particular heat transport loop a fuel failure is located, and to find in which channel what particular bundle pair is failed. To do so, D20 samples from each reactor channel are sequentially monitored to detect a comparatively high level of delayed neutron activity. 15 refs, 8 figs, 2 tabs

  3. Standard practice for fracture testing with surface-crack tension specimens

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2003-01-01

    1.1 This practice covers the design, preparation, and testing of surface-crack tension (SCT) specimens. It relates specifically to testing under continuously increasing force and excludes cyclic and sustained loadings. The quantity determined is the residual strength of a specimen having a semielliptical or circular-segment fatigue crack in one surface. This value depends on the crack dimensions and the specimen thickness as well as the characteristics of the material. 1.2 Metallic materials that can be tested are not limited by strength, thickness, or toughness. However, tests of thick specimens of tough materials may require a tension test machine of extremely high capacity. The applicability of this practice to nonmetallic materials has not been determined. 1.3 This practice is limited to specimens having a uniform rectangular cross section in the test section. The test section width and length must be large with respect to the crack length. Crack depth and length should be chosen to suit the ultimate pu...

  4. Phenotype-Driven Plasma Biobanking Strategies and Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erica A. Bowton

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Biobank development and integration with clinical data from electronic medical record (EMR databases have enabled recent strides in genomic research and personalized medicine. BioVU, Vanderbilt’s DNA biorepository linked to de-identified clinical EMRs, has proven fruitful in its capacity to extensively appeal to numerous areas of biomedical and clinical research, supporting the discovery of genotype-phenotype interactions. Expanding on experiences in BioVU creation and development, we have recently embarked on a parallel effort to collect plasma in addition to DNA from blood specimens leftover after routine clinical testing at Vanderbilt. This initiative offers expanded utility of BioVU by combining proteomic and metabolomic approaches with genomics and/or clinical outcomes, widening the breadth for potential research and subsequent future impact on clinical care. Here, we describe the considerations and components involved in implementing a plasma biobank program from a feasibility assessment through pilot sample collection.

  5. Intraoperative specimen radiography in patients with nonpalpable malignant breast lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schmachtenberg, C.; Engelken, F.; Fischer, T.; Bick, U.; Poellinger, A.; Fallenberg, E.M. [Charite, Berlin (Germany). Radiology

    2012-07-15

    Purpose: Specimen mammography of nonpalpable wire-localized breast lesions is the standard in breast-conserving surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of intraoperative 2-view specimen mammography in different cancer types. Materials and Methods: After ethics approval, 3 readers retrospectively evaluated margins on 266 2-view specimen radiographs. They determined the closest margin and the orientation. The results were correlated with the histopathology (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] and contingency coefficient [CC]) and compared (Wilcoxon test). Results: Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) was present in 115 (43 %), IDC in 75 (28 %), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) in 57 (22 %) and rare cancers (CA) in 19 specimens (7 %). The sensitivity/specificity and positive/negative predictive value (P/NPV) of specimen mammography were 0.50/0.86 and 0.86/0.50 for CA, 0.42/0.68 and 0.48/0.63 for IDC, 0.36/0.81 and 0.69/0.51 for ILC, and 0.22/0.78 and 0.68/0.32 for IDC+DCIS. Readers correctly identified the orientation of the closest margin in at least one view in an average of 149 specimens (56 %). CCs were between 0.680 (IDC) and 0.912 (CA), suggesting a moderate correlation between radiographic and histological orientation. The correlations were worse for the radiographic and histological distances, with ICC ranging from 0.238 (ILC) to 0.475 (CA). The Wilcoxon test revealed overestimation of the radiographic margins compared to the histological ones for DCIS. Conclusion: Our results suggest that specimen radiography has relatively good overall specificity and good PPV, while the sensitivity and NPV are low for DCIS. A negative result on specimen radiography does not rule out histologically involved margins. (orig.)

  6. Influence of thermal conditioning media on Charpy specimen test temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nanstad, R.K.; Swain, R.L.; Berggren, R.G.

    1989-01-01

    The Charpy V-notch (CVN) impact test is used extensively for determining the toughness of structural materials. Research programs in many technologies concerned with structural integrity perform such testing to obtain Charpy energy vs temperature curves. American Society for Testing and Materials Method E 23 includes rather strict requirements regarding determination and control of specimen test temperature. It specifies minimum soaking times dependent on the use of liquids or gases as the medium for thermally conditioning the specimen. The method also requires that impact of the specimen occur within 5 s removal from the conditioning medium. It does not, however, provide guidance regarding choice of conditioning media. This investigation was primarily conducted to investigate the changes in specimen temperature which occur when water is used for thermal conditioning. A standard CVN impact specimen of low-alloy steel was instrumented with surface-mounted and embedded thermocouples. Dependent on the media used, the specimen was heated or cooled to selected temperatures in the range -100 to 100 degree C using cold nitrogen gas, heated air, acetone and dry ice, methanol and dry ice, heated oil, or heated water. After temperature stabilization, the specimen was removed from the conditioning medium while the temperatures were recorded four times per second from all thermocouples using a data acquisition system and a computer. The results show that evaporative cooling causes significant changes in the specimen temperatures when water is used for conditioning. Conditioning in the other media did not result in such significant changes. The results demonstrate that, even within the guidelines of E 23, significant test temperature changes can occur which may substantially affect the Charpy impact test results if water is used for temperature conditioning. 7 refs., 11 figs

  7. Intraoperative specimen radiography in patients with nonpalpable malignant breast lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmachtenberg, C; Engelken, F; Fischer, T; Bick, U; Poellinger, A; Fallenberg, E M

    2012-07-01

    Specimen mammography of nonpalpable wire-localized breast lesions is the standard in breast-conserving surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of intraoperative 2-view specimen mammography in different cancer types. After ethics approval, 3 readers retrospectively evaluated margins on 266 2-view specimen radiographs. They determined the closest margin and the orientation. The results were correlated with the histopathology (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] and contingency coefficient [CC]) and compared (Wilcoxon test). Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) was present in 115 (43 %), IDC in 75 (28 %), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) in 57 (22 %) and rare cancers (CA) in 19 specimens (7 %). The sensitivity/specificity and positive/negative predictive value (P/NPV) of specimen mammography were 0.50/0.86 and 0.86/0.50 for CA, 0.42/0.68 and 0.48/0.63 for IDC, 0.36/0.81 and 0.69/0.51 for ILC, and 0.22/0.78 and 0.68/0.32 for IDC+DCIS. Readers correctly identified the orientation of the closest margin in at least one view in an average of 149 specimens (56 %). CCs were between 0.680 (IDC) and 0.912 (CA), suggesting a moderate correlation between radiographic and histological orientation. The correlations were worse for the radiographic and histological distances, with ICC ranging from 0.238 (ILC) to 0.475 (CA). The Wilcoxon test revealed overestimation of the radiographic margins compared to the histological ones for DCIS. Our results suggest that specimen radiography has relatively good overall specificity and good PPV, while the sensitivity and NPV are low for DCIS. A negative result on specimen radiography does not rule out histologically involved margins. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  8. Intraoperative specimen radiography in patients with nonpalpable malignant breast lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmachtenberg, C.; Engelken, F.; Fischer, T.; Bick, U.; Poellinger, A.; Fallenberg, E.M.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: Specimen mammography of nonpalpable wire-localized breast lesions is the standard in breast-conserving surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of intraoperative 2-view specimen mammography in different cancer types. Materials and Methods: After ethics approval, 3 readers retrospectively evaluated margins on 266 2-view specimen radiographs. They determined the closest margin and the orientation. The results were correlated with the histopathology (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] and contingency coefficient [CC]) and compared (Wilcoxon test). Results: Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) was present in 115 (43 %), IDC in 75 (28 %), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) in 57 (22 %) and rare cancers (CA) in 19 specimens (7 %). The sensitivity/specificity and positive/negative predictive value (P/NPV) of specimen mammography were 0.50/0.86 and 0.86/0.50 for CA, 0.42/0.68 and 0.48/0.63 for IDC, 0.36/0.81 and 0.69/0.51 for ILC, and 0.22/0.78 and 0.68/0.32 for IDC+DCIS. Readers correctly identified the orientation of the closest margin in at least one view in an average of 149 specimens (56 %). CCs were between 0.680 (IDC) and 0.912 (CA), suggesting a moderate correlation between radiographic and histological orientation. The correlations were worse for the radiographic and histological distances, with ICC ranging from 0.238 (ILC) to 0.475 (CA). The Wilcoxon test revealed overestimation of the radiographic margins compared to the histological ones for DCIS. Conclusion: Our results suggest that specimen radiography has relatively good overall specificity and good PPV, while the sensitivity and NPV are low for DCIS. A negative result on specimen radiography does not rule out histologically involved margins. (orig.)

  9. Failing by design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGrath, Rita Gunther

    2011-04-01

    It's hardly news that business leaders work in increasingly uncertain environments, where failures are bound to be more common than successes. Yet if you ask executives how well, on a scale of one to 10, their organizations learn from failure, you'll often get a sheepish "Two-or maybe three" in response. Such organizations are missing a big opportunity: Failure may be inevitable but, if managed well, can be very useful. A certain amount of failure can help you keep your options open, find out what doesn't work, create the conditions to attract resources and attention, make room for new leaders, and develop intuition and skill. The key to reaping these benefits is to foster "intelligent failure" throughout your organization. McGrath describes several principles that can help you put intelligent failure to work. You should decide what success and failure would look like before you start a project. Document your initial assumptions, test and revise them as you go, and convert them into knowledge. Fail fast-the longer something takes, the less you'll learn-and fail cheaply, to contain your downside risk. Limit the number of uncertainties in new projects, and build a culture that tolerates, and sometimes even celebrates, failure. Finally, codify and share what you learn. These principles won't give you a means of avoiding all failures down the road-that's simply not realistic. They will help you use small losses to attain bigger wins over time.

  10. Imaging of concrete specimens using inverse synthetic aperture radar

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rhim, Hong C.; Buyukozturk, Oral

    2000-01-01

    Radar Measurement results of laboratory size concrete specimens are presented in this paper. The purpose of this research work is to study various aspects of the radar method in an effort to develop an improved radar system for nondestructive testing of concrete structures. The radar system used for the study is an Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR), which is capable of transmitting microwaves at three different frequency ranges of 2-3.4, 3.4-5.8, and 8-12 GHz. Radar measurement setup is such that the radar is locates 14.4 m away from a concrete target to satisfy a far-field criterion. The concrete target is rotated for 20 degrees during the measurements for the generation of two-dimensional (cross-range) imagery. Concrete targets used for the measurements have the dimensions of 305 mm (width)x305 mm (height)x92 mm (thickness) with different inside configurations. Comparisons are made for dry and wet specimens, specimens with and without inclusions. Each specimen is made to model various situations that a concrete structure can have in reality. Results show that center frequency, frequency bandwidth, and polarization of the incident wave have different effects on identifying the thickness or inclusions inside concrete specimens. Results also suggest that a certain combination of measurement parameters is suitable for a specific application area. Thus, measurement parameters can be optimized for a specific problem. The findings are presented and discussed in details in the paper. Signal processing schemes implemented for imaging of the specimens are also discussed

  11. Evidence that muscle cells do not express the histidine-rich glycoprotein associated with AMP deaminase but can internalise the plasma protein

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.R.M. Sabbatini

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG is synthesized by liver and is present at relatively high concentration in the plasma of vertebrates. We have previously described the association of a HRG-like molecule to purified rabbit skeletal muscle AMP deaminase (AMPD. We also provided the first evidence for the presence of a HRG-like protein in human skeletal muscle where a positive correlation between HRG content and total determined AMPD activity has been shown. In the present paper we investigate the origin of skeletal muscle HRG. The screening of a human skeletal muscle cDNA expression library using an anti-HRG antibody failed to reveal any positive clone. The RT-PCR analysis, performed on human skeletal muscle RNA as well as on RNA from the rhabdomyosarcoma (RD cell line, failed to show any mRNA specific for the plasma HRG or for the putative muscle variant. When the RD cells were incubated with human plasma HRG, a time-dependent increase of the HRG immunoreactivity was detected both at the plasma membrane level and intracellularly. The internalisation of HRG was inhibited by the addition of heparin. The above data strongly suggest that skeletal muscle cells do not synthesize the muscle variant of HRG but instead can actively internalise it from plasma.

  12. In-core sipping method for the identification of failed fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Zhongwang; Zhang Yajun

    2000-01-01

    The failed fuel assembly identification system is an important safety system which ensures safe operations of reactor and immediate treatment of failed fuel rod cladding. The system uses an internationally recognized method to identify failed fuel assemblies in a reactor with fuel element cases. The in-core sipping method is customary used to identify failed fuel assemblies during refueling or after fuel rod cladding failure accidents. The test is usually performed after reactor shutdown by taking samples from each fuel element case while the cases are still in their original core positions. The sample activity is then measured to identify failed fuel assemblies. A failed fuel assembly identification system was designed for the NHR-200 based on the properties of the NHR-200 and national requirements. the design provides an internationally recognized level of safety to ensure the safety of NHR-200

  13. Development of piezoelectric ceramics driven fatigue testing machine for small specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito, S.; Kikuchi, K.; Onishi, Y.; Nishino, T.

    2002-01-01

    A new fatigue testing machine with piezoelectric ceramics actuators was developed and a prototype was manufactured for high-cycle fatigue tests with small specimens. The machine has a simple mechanism and is compact. These features make it easy to set up and to maintain the machine in a hot cell. The excitation of the actuator can be transmitted to the specimen using a lever-type testing jig. More than 100 μm of displacement could be prescribed precisely to the specimen at a frequency of 50 Hz. This was sufficient performance for high-cycle bend fatigue tests on specimens irradiated at the SINQ target in Paul Scherrer Institute. The relationship of a displacement applied to the specimen and the strain of the necking part were obtained by experimental methods and by finite element method (FEM) calculations. Both results showed good agreement. This fact makes it possible to evaluate the strain of irradiated specimens by FEM simulations

  14. Weeded Out? Gendered Responses to Failing Calculus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanabria, Tanya; Penner, Andrew

    2017-06-01

    Although women graduate from college at higher rates than men, they remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study examines whether women react to failing a STEM weed-out course by switching to a non-STEM major and graduating with a bachelor's degree in a non-STEM field. While competitive courses designed to weed out potential STEM majors are often invoked in discussions around why students exit the STEM pipeline, relatively little is known about how women and men react to failing these courses. We use detailed individual-level data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS) Postsecondary Transcript Study (PETS): 1988-2000 to show that women who failed an introductory calculus course are substantially less likely to earn a bachelor's degree in STEM. In doing so, we provide evidence that weed-out course failure might help us to better understand why women are less likely to earn degrees.

  15. Examination of the fatigue life under combined loading of specimens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fojtík F.

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available This contribution describes experimental results under combined loading of specimens manufactured from common construction steel 11523. Specimens were gradually loaded by amplitude of the torque, then by combination of torque and tension prestress. The last set of specimens was loaded in combination of torque and inner overpressure. To obtain the required input values the stress-strain analysis of specimens by finite element method in software Ansys was performed within the last experiment. For evaluation of the results the Fuxa's criterion was applied. The performed experiments and their results embody a good agreement with bellow mentioned conjugated strength criterion. The experiments were performed on reconstructed testing machine equipped by pressure chamber.

  16. Improved PID control for triaxial testing liquefied specimen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sabaliauskas, Tomas; Ibsen, Lars Bo

    Using a frictionless triaxial apparatus, sand specimens can be tested at relatively high axial strains, even while liquefying. However, liquefying specimens have extremely nonlinear stiffness, thus standard PID control does not perform well. To maintain control over applied loads, the PID...... controller was modified to adapt to disturbed soil states. The proposed methods expand the scope of testing towards options which are otherwise inaccessible by triaxial testing....

  17. DECOFF Probabilities of Failed Operations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gintautas, Tomas

    2015-01-01

    A statistical procedure of estimation of Probabilities of Failed Operations is described and exemplified using ECMWF weather forecasts and SIMO output from Rotor Lift test case models. Also safety factor influence is investigated. DECOFF statistical method is benchmarked against standard Alpha-factor...

  18. Failed fuel detection device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawai, Masayoshi; Hayashida, Yoshihisa; Niidome, Jiro.

    1985-01-01

    Purpose: To prevent intrusion of background neutrons to neutron detectors thereby improve the S/N ratio of the detectors in the failed fuel detection device of LMFBR type reactors. Constitution: Neutrons from the reactor core pass through the gaps around the penetration holes in which the primary pipeways pass through the concrete shielding walls and pass through the gaps between the thermal shielding members and the neutron moderating shielding members of the failed fuel detection device and then intrude into the neutron detectors. In view of the above, inner neutron moderating shielding members and movable or resilient neutron shielding members are disposed to the inside of the neutron moderating shielding member. Graphite or carbon hydrides such as paraffin or synthetic resin with a large neutron moderation effect are used as the outer moderating shielding member and materials such as boron or carbon are used for the inner members. As a result, the background neutrons are shielded by the inner neutron moderating shielding members and the resilient neutron shielding members, by which the S/N ratio of the neutron detectors can be increased to 2 - 4 times. (Moriyama, K.)

  19. Monolithic integration of nanoscale tensile specimens and MEMS structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yilmaz, Mehmet; Kysar, Jeffrey W

    2013-01-01

    Nanoscale materials often have stochastic material properties due to a random distribution of material defects and an insufficient number of defects to ensure a consistent average mechanical response. Current methods to measure the mechanical properties employ MEMS-based actuators. The nanoscale specimens are typically mounted manually onto the load platform, so the boundary conditions have random variations, complicating the experimental measurement of the intrinsic stochasticity of the material properties. Here we show methods for monolithic integration of a nanoscale specimen co-fabricated with the loading platform. The nanoscale specimen is gold with dimensions of ∼40 nm thickness, 350 ± 50 nm width, and 7 μm length and the loading platform is an interdigitated electrode electrostatic actuator. The experiment is performed in a scanning electron microscope and digital image correlation is employed to measure displacements to determine stress and strain. The ultimate tensile strength of the nanocrystalline nanoscale specimen approaches 1 GPa, consistent with measurements made by other nanometer scale sample characterization methods on other material samples at the nanometer scale, as well as gold samples at the nanometer scale. The batch-compatible microfabrication method can be used to create nominally identical nanoscale specimens and boundary conditions for a broad range of materials. (paper)

  20. Increasing the efficiency of digitization workflows for herbarium specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tulig, Melissa; Tarnowsky, Nicole; Bevans, Michael; Anthony Kirchgessner; Thiers, Barbara M

    2012-01-01

    The New York Botanical Garden Herbarium has been databasing and imaging its estimated 7.3 million plant specimens for the past 17 years. Due to the size of the collection, we have been selectively digitizing fundable subsets of specimens, making successive passes through the herbarium with each new grant. With this strategy, the average rate for databasing complete records has been 10 specimens per hour. With 1.3 million specimens databased, this effort has taken about 130,000 hours of staff time. At this rate, to complete the herbarium and digitize the remaining 6 million specimens, another 600,000 hours would be needed. Given the current biodiversity and economic crises, there is neither the time nor money to complete the collection at this rate.Through a combination of grants over the last few years, The New York Botanical Garden has been testing new protocols and tactics for increasing the rate of digitization through combinations of data collaboration, field book digitization, partial data entry and imaging, and optical character recognition (OCR) of specimen images. With the launch of the National Science Foundation's new Advancing Digitization of Biological Collections program, we hope to move forward with larger, more efficient digitization projects, capturing data from larger portions of the herbarium at a fraction of the cost and time.

  1. Centrifuge-operated specimen staining method and apparatus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Mark S. F. (Inventor); Feeback, Daniel L. (Inventor)

    1999-01-01

    A method of staining preselected, mounted specimens of either biological or nonbiological material enclosed within a staining chamber where the liquid staining reagents are applied and removed from the staining chamber using hypergravity as the propelling force. In the preferred embodiment, a spacecraft-operated centrifuge and method of diagnosing biological specimens while in orbit, characterized by hermetically sealing a shell assembly. The assembly contains slide stain apparatus with computer control therefor, the operative effect of which is to overcome microgravity, for example on board an International Space Station.

  2. Gadolinium-based Contrast Agent Accumulates in the Brain Even in Subjects without Severe Renal Dysfunction: Evaluation of Autopsy Brain Specimens with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanda, Tomonori; Fukusato, Toshio; Matsuda, Megumi; Toyoda, Keiko; Oba, Hiroshi; Kotoku, Jun'ichi; Haruyama, Takahiro; Kitajima, Kazuhiro; Furui, Shigeru

    2015-07-01

    To use inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) to evaluate gadolinium accumulation in brain tissues, including the dentate nucleus (DN) and globus pallidus (GP), in subjects who received a gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA). Institutional review board approval was obtained for this study. Written informed consent for postmortem investigation was obtained either from the subject prior to his or her death or afterward from the subject's relatives. Brain tissues obtained at autopsy in five subjects who received a linear GBCA (GBCA group) and five subjects with no history of GBCA administration (non-GBCA group) were examined with ICP-MS. Formalin-fixed DN tissue, the inner segment of the GP, cerebellar white matter, the frontal lobe cortex, and frontal lobe white matter were obtained, and their gadolinium concentrations were measured. None of the subjects had received a diagnosis of severely compromised renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate brain regions. Gadolinium was detected in all specimens in the GBCA agent group (mean, 0.25 µg per gram of brain tissue ± 0.44 [standard deviation]), with significantly higher concentrations in each region (P = .004 vs the non-GBCA group for all regions). In the GBCA group, the DN and GP showed significantly higher gadolinium concentrations (mean, 0.44 µg/g ± 0.63) than other regions (0.12 µg/g ± 0.16) (P = .029). Even in subjects without severe renal dysfunction, GBCA administration causes gadolinium accumulation in the brain, especially in the DN and GP.

  3. Why did the League of Nations fail?

    OpenAIRE

    Jari Eloranta

    2011-01-01

    Why did the League of Nations ultimately fail to achieve widespread disarmament, its most fundamental goal? This article shows that the failure of the League of Nations had two important dimensions: (1) the failure to provide adequate security guarantees for its members (like an alliance); (2) the failure of this organization to achieve the disarmament goals it set out in the 1920s and 1930s. Thus, it was doomed from the outset to fail, due to built-in institutional contradictions. It can als...

  4. Fracture toughness measurements with subsize disk compact specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexander, D.J.

    1994-01-01

    Special fixtures and test methods have been developed for testing small disk compact specimens (1.25 mm diam by 4.6 mm thick). Specimens of European type 316L austenitic stainless steel were irradiated to damage levels of about 3 dpa at nominal irradiation temperatures of either 90 or 250 C and tested over a temperature range from 20 to 250 C. Results show that irradiation to this dose level at these temperatures reduces the fracture toughness but the toughness remains quite high. The toughness decreases as the test temperature increases. Irradiation at 250 C is more damaging than at 90 C, causing larger decreases in the fracture toughness. The testing shows that it is possible to generate useful fracture toughness data with a small disk compact specimens

  5. Computer vision applied to herbarium specimens of German trees: testing the future utility of the millions of herbarium specimen images for automated identification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unger, Jakob; Merhof, Dorit; Renner, Susanne

    2016-11-16

    Global Plants, a collaborative between JSTOR and some 300 herbaria, now contains about 2.48 million high-resolution images of plant specimens, a number that continues to grow, and collections that are digitizing their specimens at high resolution are allocating considerable recourses to the maintenance of computer hardware (e.g., servers) and to acquiring digital storage space. We here apply machine learning, specifically the training of a Support-Vector-Machine, to classify specimen images into categories, ideally at the species level, using the 26 most common tree species in Germany as a test case. We designed an analysis pipeline and classification system consisting of segmentation, normalization, feature extraction, and classification steps and evaluated the system in two test sets, one with 26 species, the other with 17, in each case using 10 images per species of plants collected between 1820 and 1995, which simulates the empirical situation that most named species are represented in herbaria and databases, such as JSTOR, by few specimens. We achieved 73.21% accuracy of species assignments in the larger test set, and 84.88% in the smaller test set. The results of this first application of a computer vision algorithm trained on images of herbarium specimens shows that despite the problem of overlapping leaves, leaf-architectural features can be used to categorize specimens to species with good accuracy. Computer vision is poised to play a significant role in future rapid identification at least for frequently collected genera or species in the European flora.

  6. Maintaining respect and fairness in the usage of stored shared specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mduluza, Takafira; Midzi, Nicholas; Duruza, Donold; Ndebele, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Every year, research specimens are shipped from one institution to another as well as across national boundaries. A significant proportion of specimens move from poor to rich countries. Concerns are always raised on the future usage of the stored specimens shipped to research institutions from developing countries. Creating awareness of the processes is required in all sectors involved in biomedical research. To maintain fairness and respect in sharing biomedical specimens and research products requires safeguarding by Ethics Review Committees in both provider and recipient institutions. Training in basic ethical principles in research is required to all sectors involved in biomedical research so as to level up the research playing field. By agreeing to provide specimens, individuals and communities from whom samples are collected would have placed their trust and all ensuing up-keep of the specimens to the researchers. In most collaborative set-up, laid down material transfer agreements are negotiated and signed before the shipment of specimens. Researchers, research ethics committees (RECs) and institutions in the countries of origin are supposed to serve as overseers of the specimens. There is need to advocate for honesty in sample handling and sharing, and also need to oversee any written commitments by researchers, RECs and institutions at source as well as in recipient institution. Commitments from source RECs and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and in the receiving institution on overseeing the future usage of stored specimens are required; including the ultimate confirmation abiding by the agreement. Training in ethical issues pertaining to sample handling and biomedical research in general is essential at all levels of academic pursuit. While sharing of biological specimens and research data demands honesty and oversight by ethical regulatory agents from both institutions in developing country and recipient institutions in developed countries. Archiving

  7. Creep behavior of plasma carburized Ti-6Al-4V alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, Veronica Mara Cortez Alves de; Barboza, Miguel Justino Ribeiro; Silva, Mariane Capellari Leite da; Pinto, Catia Gisele; Suzuki, Paulo Atsushi; Machado, Joao Paulo B.

    2010-01-01

    This paper aims to evaluate the effect of plasma carburizing on the Ti-6Al-4V alloy submitted to creep tests. The results showed that the alloy Ti-6Al-4V had a hardness of 334 ± 18 HV. After treatment thermochemical by plasma, was observed the formation of a layer of average thickness of 1,5 μm and hardness of 809 ± 79 HV due to the presence of TiC phase identified by X-ray diffraction. The treatment increased the values of average roughness of 1,28 to 2,02 μm. The creep properties of carburized specimens were improved in comparison with those of the uncarburized Ti-6Al-4V alloy. (author)

  8. 50 CFR 14.24 - Scientific specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ..., POSSESSION, TRANSPORTATION, SALE, PURCHASE, BARTER, EXPORTATION, AND IMPORTATION OF WILDLIFE AND PLANTS... international mail system. Provided, that this exception will not apply to any specimens or parts thereof taken...

  9. Evaluation of A-1 reactor heavy-water calandria specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brumovsky, M.

    1976-01-01

    Container chains with surveillance specimens were placed in two special channels of the core peripheral part to test changes in mechanical properties due to reactor operation of caisson tube material. The specimens were made from the caisson tube material and placed by eight pieces on the outer surface of the containers. The first removed specimens were tested for corrosion losses, tensile strength, and fractured surfaces were then assessed. The changes in strength properties were found to be similar in both base material and welded joints. The corrosion film on surveillance specimens did not practically affect strength properties nor ductility. It was found that the Al-Mg-Si alloy used for the heavy water vessel caisson tubes following stabilization annealing was fully stable at operating temperatures of up to 100 degC. Slio.ht changes in properties can be attributed to the effect of a high neutron dose. Thus, the high radiation and temperature stability of the alloy was confirmed. (O.K.)

  10. Review of forensically important entomological specimens collected from human cadavers in Malaysia (2005-2010).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavitha, Rajagopal; Nazni, Wasi Ahmad; Tan, Tian Chye; Lee, Han Lim; Azirun, Mohd Sofian

    2013-07-01

    Forensic entomological specimens collected from human decedents during crime scene investigations in Malaysia in the past 6 years (2005-2010) are reviewed. A total of 80 cases were recorded and 93 specimens were collected. From these specimens, 10 species of cyclorrphagic flies were identified, consisting of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) -38 specimens (40.86%), Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) -36 specimens (38.70%), Chrysomya villeneuvi (Patton) -2 specimens (2.15%), Chrysomya nigripes (Aubertin) -2 specimens (2.15%), Chrysomya pinguis (Walker) -1 specimen (1.08%), Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus) -1 specimen (1.08%), Hemipyrellia liguriens (Wiedemann) -5 specimens (5.37%), Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp) -1 specimen (1.08%), Megaselia scalaris (Loew)-1 specimen (1.08%) and Sarcophaga ruficornis (Fabricius) -4 specimens (4.30%). In two specimens (2.15%), the maggots were not identifiable. Ch. megacephala and Ch. rufifacies were the commonest species found in human decedents from three different ecological habitats. S. nudiseta is an uncommon species found only on human cadavers from indoors. A total of 75 cases (93.75%) had a single fly infestation and 5 cases (6.25%) had double fly infestation. In conclusion, although large numbers of fly species were found on human decedents, the predominant species are still those of Chrysomya. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

  11. Alpha-synuclein levels in blood plasma decline with healthy aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koehler, Niklas K U; Stransky, Elke; Meyer, Mirjam; Gaertner, Susanne; Shing, Mona; Schnaidt, Martina; Celej, Maria S; Jovin, Thomas M; Leyhe, Thomas; Laske, Christoph; Batra, Anil; Buchkremer, Gerhard; Fallgatter, Andreas J; Wernet, Dorothee; Richartz-Salzburger, Elke

    2015-01-01

    There is unequivocal evidence that alpha-synuclein plays a pivotal pathophysiological role in neurodegenerative diseases, and in particular in synucleinopathies. These disorders present with a variable extent of cognitive impairment and alpha-synuclein is being explored as a biomarker in CSF, blood serum and plasma. Considering key events of aging that include proteostasis, alpha-synuclein may not only be useful as a marker for differential diagnosis but also for aging per se. To explore this hypothesis, we developed a highly specific ELISA to measure alpha-synuclein. In healthy males plasma alpha-synuclein levels correlated strongly with age, revealing much lower concentrations in older (avg. 58.1 years) compared to younger (avg. 27.6 years) individuals. This difference between the age groups was enhanced after acidification of the plasmas (phealthy aging. Thus, alpha-synuclein may be a novel biomarker of aging, a factor that should be considered when analyzing its presence in biological specimens.

  12. Impact of plasma tube wall thickness on power coupling in ICP sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nawaz, Anuscheh; Herdrich, Georg

    2009-01-01

    The inductively heated plasma source at the Institute of Space Systems was investigated with respect to the wall thickness of the plasma tube using an air plasma. For this, the wall thickness of the quartz tube was reduced in steps from 2.5 to 1.25 mm. The significance of reducing the wall thickness was analyzed with respect to both the maximum allowable tube cooling power and the coupling efficiency. While the former results from thermal stresses in the tube's wall, the latter results from a minimization of magnetic field losses near the coil turns of the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source. Analysis of the thermal stress could be validated by experimental data, i.e. the measurement of the tube cooling power when the respective tube structure failed. The coupling efficiency could be assessed qualitatively by simplified models, and the experimental data recorded show that coupling was improved far more than predicted.

  13. Failed total carpometacarpal joint prosthesis of the thumb

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Torben Bæk; Homilius, Morten

    2010-01-01

    Total joint prosthesis in carpometacarpal joint arthritis of the thumb often fails. Loosening of the implant is often treated by resection arthroplasty, and we reviewed 10 patients, mean age 54 years (range 47-63) who were treated by resection arthroplasty after a failed total joint prosthesis. T...... in eight of 10 patients, but the mean Disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) scores, self-reported pinch-grip-related function, and pain were comparable with our earlier published results with the Elektra carpometacarpal total joint prosthesis.......Total joint prosthesis in carpometacarpal joint arthritis of the thumb often fails. Loosening of the implant is often treated by resection arthroplasty, and we reviewed 10 patients, mean age 54 years (range 47-63) who were treated by resection arthroplasty after a failed total joint prosthesis....... The male:female ratio was 1:4 and the mean duration of observation 32 months (range 6-52). In three patients the revised implant was a MOJE uncemented carpometacarpal joint prosthesis and in seven patients an Elektra uncemented one. At follow-up grip strength was reduced to less than 90% of the other hand...

  14. Optimization of tensile method and specimen geometry in modified ring tensile test

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitano, Koji; Fuketa, Toyoshi; Sasajima, Hideo; Uetsuka, Hiroshi

    2001-03-01

    Several techniques in ring tensile test are proposed in order to evaluate mechanical properties of cladding under hoop loading condition caused by pellet/cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI). In the modified techniques, variety of tensile methods and specimen geometry are being proposed in order to limit deformation within the gauge section. However, the tensile method and the specimen geometry were not determined in the modified techniques. In the present study, we have investigated the tensile method and the specimen geometry through finite element method (FEM) analysis of specimen deformation and tensile test on specimens with various gauge section geometries. In using two-piece tensile tooling, the mechanical properties under hoop loading condition can be correctly evaluated when deformation part (gauge section) is put on the top of a half-mandrel, and friction between the specimen and the half-mandrel is reduced with Teflon tape. In addition, we have shown the optimum specimen geometry for PWR 17 by 17 type cladding. (author)

  15. Patient safety in the clinical laboratory: a longitudinal analysis of specimen identification errors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagar, Elizabeth A; Tamashiro, Lorraine; Yasin, Bushra; Hilborne, Lee; Bruckner, David A

    2006-11-01

    Patient safety is an increasingly visible and important mission for clinical laboratories. Attention to improving processes related to patient identification and specimen labeling is being paid by accreditation and regulatory organizations because errors in these areas that jeopardize patient safety are common and avoidable through improvement in the total testing process. To assess patient identification and specimen labeling improvement after multiple implementation projects using longitudinal statistical tools. Specimen errors were categorized by a multidisciplinary health care team. Patient identification errors were grouped into 3 categories: (1) specimen/requisition mismatch, (2) unlabeled specimens, and (3) mislabeled specimens. Specimens with these types of identification errors were compared preimplementation and postimplementation for 3 patient safety projects: (1) reorganization of phlebotomy (4 months); (2) introduction of an electronic event reporting system (10 months); and (3) activation of an automated processing system (14 months) for a 24-month period, using trend analysis and Student t test statistics. Of 16,632 total specimen errors, mislabeled specimens, requisition mismatches, and unlabeled specimens represented 1.0%, 6.3%, and 4.6% of errors, respectively. Student t test showed a significant decrease in the most serious error, mislabeled specimens (P patient safety projects. Trend analysis demonstrated decreases in all 3 error types for 26 months. Applying performance-improvement strategies that focus longitudinally on specimen labeling errors can significantly reduce errors, therefore improving patient safety. This is an important area in which laboratory professionals, working in interdisciplinary teams, can improve safety and outcomes of care.

  16. Influence of specimen size on the creep of rock salt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Senseny, P.E.

    1982-01-01

    Triaxial compression creep data for Avery Island dome salt are analyzed to determine the influence of specimen size on creep deformation. Laboratory experiments were performed on 50- and 100-mm-diameter specimens in the temperature range from 25 to 200 0 C and the axial stress difference range from 2.5 to 31.0 MPa. The strain-vs-time data from each test are divided into transient and steady-state components. Results of statistical analysis of these data show that transient creep of the small specimens is a stronger function of stress, temperature, and time than is transient creep of the larger specimens. Analysis of the steady-state data show no size effect, however. 14 references, 7 figures, 3 tables

  17. Laser weld reconstitution of conventional Charpy and Miniaturized Notch Test (MNT) specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manahan, M.P.; Williams, J.; Martukanitz, R.P.

    1993-01-01

    As nuclear power plants approach end-of-license (EOL) and consideration is given to license renewal, there is an ever increasing need to expand the amount of data obtainable from the original surveillance specimens. A laser welding technique to reconstitute broken Charpy specimens is being developed to produce both conventional and miniaturized Charpy specimens. This paper reports on early laser welding development efforts and summarizes previous proof-of-principle experiments on a 1/16 scale miniaturized Charpy test. In order to benchmark the laser welding procedure, the laser-reconstituted specimen data have been compared with the original specimen data. In addition, the microstructure after welding has been examined to ensure that the material in the vicinity of the notch is essentially unchanged after the welding process. Data which characterize the thermal transient during welding are obtained by attaching thermocouples to the specimens. Other important considerations include perturbation of the stress field near the notch, dynamic stress waves, and contact of the weld region with the tup. Precise control of welding parameters has been demonstrated, heat-affected zones as small as 0.25 mm can be achieved, and sufficient penetration depth can be obtained to enable welding thick sections (1T or greater) to yield conventional Charpy specimens or fracture toughness specimens and thin sections (∼5 mm) to yield Miniaturized Notch Test (MNT) specimens

  18. Fracture toughness of Charpy-size compound specimens and its application in engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, X.P.; Shi, Y.W.

    1994-01-01

    The use of a pre-cracked Charpy-size specimen with a side-groove to evaluate the fracture toughness of materials has been researched and considered. This method not only satisfies the demand for small-size specimens in surveillance tests of fracture toughness but also avoids using complicated physical methods to monitor the initial conditions of crack propagation. For most materials this method has solved the problem in which the small-size specimen did not satisfy the valid conditions of a fracture toughness measurement. In order to obtain more information from neutron-irradiated sample specimens and raise the reliability of fracture toughness surveillance tests, it has been considered more important to repeatedly exploit the broken Charpy-size specimen tested in the surveillance test, and to make it renewable. In this work, on the renewing design and utilization of Charpy-size specimens, nine data on fracture toughness can be obtained from one pre-cracked side-grooved Charpy-size specimen, while at present usually only one to three data on fracture toughness can be obtained from one Charpy-size specimen. Thus, it is found that the new method would improve the reliability of fracture toughness surveillance testing and evaluation. In addition, some factors that affect the optimum design of pre-cracked deep side-groove Charpy-size compound specimens have also been discussed. (author)

  19. Plasma surface oxidation of 316L stainless steel for improving adhesion strength of silicone rubber coating to metal substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Latifi, Afrooz, E-mail: afroozlatifi@yahoo.com [Department of Biomaterials, Biomedical Engineering Faculty, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Imani, Mohammad [Novel Drug Delivery Systems Dept., Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box 14965/115, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khorasani, Mohammad Taghi [Biomaterials Dept., Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box 14965/159, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Daliri Joupari, Morteza [Animal and Marine Biotechnology Dept., National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, P.O. Box 14965/161, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2014-11-30

    Highlights: • Stainless steel 316L was surface modified by plasma surface oxidation (PSO) and silicone rubber (SR) coating. • On the PSO substrates, concentration of oxide species was increased ca. 2.5 times comparing to non-PSO substrates. • The surface wettability was improved to 12.5°, in terms of water contact angle, after PSO. • Adhesion strength of SR coating on the PSO substrates was improved by more than two times comparing to non-PSO ones. • After pull-off test, the fractured area patterns for SR coating were dependent on the type of surface modifications received. - Abstract: Stainless steel 316L is one of the most widely used materials for fabricating of biomedical devices hence, improving its surface properties is still of great interest and challenging in biomaterial sciences. Plasma oxidation, in comparison to the conventional chemical or mechanical methods, is one of the most efficient methods recently used for surface treatment of biomaterials. Here, stainless steel specimens were surface oxidized by radio-frequency plasma irradiation operating at 34 MHz under pure oxygen atmosphere. Surface chemical composition of the samples was significantly changed after plasma oxidation by appearance of the chromium and iron oxides on the plasma-oxidized surface. A wettable surface, possessing high surface energy (83.19 mN m{sup −1}), was observed after plasma oxidation. Upon completion of the surface modification process, silicone rubber was spray coated on the plasma-treated stainless steel surface. Morphology of the silicone rubber coating was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A uniform coating was formed on the oxidized surface with no delamination at polymer–metal interface. Pull-off tests showed the lowest adhesion strength of coating to substrate (0.12 MPa) for untreated specimens and the highest (0.89 MPa) for plasma-oxidized ones.

  20. Behavior of porous beryllium under thermomechanical loading. Part 6. Effect of pressure on the microstructure of plasma-sprayed beryllium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanafee, J.E.; Snell, E.O.

    1975-01-01

    The effects of pressure and specimen preparation on the microstructure of two grades of porous plasma-sprayed beryllium were determined. One grade, P-1, was sintered after spraying while the other grade, P-10, was tested in the as-sprayed condition. the principal microstructural characteristics studied were grain size: grain morphology, and void distribution and size. It was found that machining can readily cause a significant dense surface layer on the porous beryllium specimens, and that the dense surface layer can be removed by etching. There was substantial difference in microstructure between the P-1 sintered and P-10 unsintered specimens both before and after being subjected to shock waves and static compression. (U.S.)

  1. Thermal analysis of the failed equipment storage vault system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jerrell, J.; Lee, S.Y.; Shadday, A.

    1995-07-01

    A storage facility for failed glass melters is required for radioactive operation of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). It is currently proposed that the failed melters be stored in the Failed Equipment Storage Vaults (FESV's) in S area. The FESV's are underground reinforced concrete structures constructed in pairs, with adjacent vaults sharing a common wall. A failed melter is to be placed in a steel Melter Storage Box (MSB), sealed, and lowered into the vault. A concrete lid is then placed over the top of the FESV. Two melters will be placed within the FESV/MSB system, separated by the common wall. There is no forced ventilation within the vault so that the melter is passively cooled. Temperature profiles in the Failed Equipment Storage Vault Structures have been generated using the FLOW3D software to model heat conduction and convection within the FESV/MSB system. Due to complexities in modeling radiation with FLOW3D, P/THERMAL software has been used to model radiation using the conduction/convection temperature results from FLOW3D. The final conjugate model includes heat transfer by conduction, convection, and radiation to predict steady-state temperatures. Also, the FLOW3D software has been validated as required by the technical task request

  2. Plasma spot welding of ferritic stainless steels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lešnjak, A.

    2002-06-01

    Full Text Available Plasma spot welding of ferritic stainless steels is studied. The study was focused on welding parameters, plasma and shielding gases and the optimum welding equipment. Plasma-spot welded overlap joints on a 0.8 mm thick ferritic stainless steel sheet were subjected to a visual examination and mechanical testing in terms of tension-shear strength. Several macro specimens were prepared. Plasma spot welding is suitable to use the same gas as shielding gas and as plasma gas, i.e., a 98 % Ar/2 % H 2 gas mixture. Tension-shear strength of plasma-spot welded joints was compared to that of resistance-spot welded joints. It was found that the resistance welded joints withstand a somewhat stronger load than the plasma welded joints due to a larger weld spot diameter of the former. Strength of both types of welded joints is approximately the same.

    El artículo describe el proceso de soldeo de aceros inoxidables ferríticos por puntos con plasma. La investigación se centró en el establecimiento de los parámetros óptimos de la soldadura, la definición del gas de plasma y de protección más adecuado, así como del equipo óptimo para la realización de la soldadura. Las uniones de láminas de aceros inoxidables ferríticos de 0,8 mm de espesor, soldadas a solape por puntos con plasma, se inspeccionaron visualmente y se ensayaron mecánicamente mediante el ensayo de cizalladura por tracción. Se realizaron macro pulidos. Los resultados de la investigación demostraron que la solución más adecuada para el soldeo por puntos con plasma es elegir el mismo gas de plasma que de protección. Es decir, una mezcla de 98 % de argón y 2 % de hidrógeno. La resistencia a la cizalladura por tracción de las uniones soldadas por puntos con plasma fue comparada con la resistencia de las uniones soldadas por resistencia por puntos. Se llegó a la conclusión de que las uniones soldadas por resistencia soportan una carga algo mayor que la uniones

  3. Increasing the efficiency of digitization workflows for herbarium specimens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa Tulig

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The New York Botanical Garden Herbarium has been databasing and imaging its estimated 7.3 million plant specimens for the past 17 years. Due to the size of the collection, we have been selectively digitizing fundable subsets of specimens, making successive passes through the herbarium with each new grant. With this strategy, the average rate for databasing complete records has been 10 specimens per hour. With 1.3 million specimens databased, this effort has taken about 130,000 hours of staff time. At this rate, to complete the herbarium and digitize the remaining 6 million specimens, another 600,000 hours would be needed. Given the current biodiversity and economic crises, there is neither the time nor money to complete the collection at this rate.Through a combination of grants over the last few years, The New York Botanical Garden has been testing new protocols and tactics for increasing the rate of digitization through combinations of data collaboration, field book digitization, partial data entry and imaging, and optical character recognition (OCR of specimen images. With the launch of the National Science Foundation’s new Advancing Digitization of Biological Collections program, we hope to move forward with larger, more efficient digitization projects, capturing data from larger portions of the herbarium at a fraction of the cost and time.

  4. Catalogue of test specimens for non-destructive examination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1985-05-01

    One of the key elements in assuring the integrity of reactor primary circuits is the availability of trustworthy non-destructive methods for detecting dangerous defects that may be present. Various approaches to making such examinations are being developed, including the use of ultrasonic and radiographic techniques. To demonstrate their capability and reliability, they must be tested on steel specimens reproducing the various types of faults which may arise in real primary circuit vessels and piping. Such specimens are costly to fabricate. It is therefore clearly desirable that existing specimens should be made accessible to as many organisations as possible for testing. This catalogue contains detailed Information on forty-odd deliberately flawed plates, blocks, vessels, etc. which have been produced in OECD countries, along with the name of a contact person to whom inquiries should be directed in each case

  5. Guidebook for the fabrication of non-destructive testing (NDT) test specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-01-01

    Non-destructive testing (NDT) test specimens constitute a very important part of training and certification of NDT personnel and are important for carrying out actual inspection and testing, and for achieving international harmonization of NDT practices. The IAEA organized an advisory group of experts to develop a Guidebook for Fabrication of NDT Test Specimens. The experts consulted the ISO/FDIS 9712-1999 requirements for training and certification of personnel and the suitability of various types of NDT test specimens that are needed to meet such requirements This guidebook presents a set of NDT test specimens, and the methodology and procedures for their fabrication

  6. Analysis of failed nuclear plant components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diercks, D.R.

    1993-01-01

    Argonne National Laboratory has conducted analyses of failed components from nuclear power-generating stations since 1974. The considerations involved in working with an analyzing radioactive components are reviewed here, and the decontamination of these components is discussed. Analyses of four failed components from nuclear plants are then described to illustrate the kinds of failures seen in service. The failures discussed are (1) intergranular stress-corrosion cracking of core spray injection piping in a boiling water reactor, (2) failure of canopy seal welds in adapter tube assemblies in the control rod drive head of a pressurized water reactor, (3) thermal fatigue of a recirculation pump shaft in a boiling water reactor, and (4) failure of pump seal wear rings by nickel leaching in a boiling water reactor

  7. Analysis of failed nuclear plant components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diercks, D.R.

    1992-07-01

    Argonne National Laboratory has conducted analyses of failed components from nuclear power generating stations since 1974. The considerations involved in working with and analyzing radioactive components are reviewed here, and the decontamination of these components is discussed. Analyses of four failed components from nuclear plants are then described to illustrate the kinds of failures seen in service. The failures discussed are (a) intergranular stress corrosion cracking of core spray injection piping in a boiling water reactor, (b) failure of canopy seal welds in adapter tube assemblies in the control rod drive head of a pressure water reactor, (c) thermal fatigue of a recirculation pump shaft in a boiling water reactor, and (d) failure of pump seal wear rings by nickel leaching in a boiling water reactor

  8. Tensile and Creep Testing of Sanicro 25 Using Miniature Specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dymáček, Petr; Jarý, Milan; Dobeš, Ferdinand; Kloc, Luboš

    2018-01-01

    Tensile and creep properties of new austenitic steel Sanicro 25 at room temperature and operating temperature 700 °C were investigated by testing on miniature specimens. The results were correlated with testing on conventional specimens. Very good agreement of results was obtained, namely in yield and ultimate strength, as well as short-term creep properties. Although the creep rupture time was found to be systematically shorter and creep ductility lower in the miniature test, the minimum creep rates were comparable. The analysis of the fracture surfaces revealed similar ductile fracture morphology for both specimen geometries. One exception was found in a small area near the miniature specimen edge that was cut by electro discharge machining, where an influence of the steel fracture behavior at elevated temperature was identified. PMID:29337867

  9. Tensile and Creep Testing of Sanicro 25 Using Miniature Specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dymáček, Petr; Jarý, Milan; Dobeš, Ferdinand; Kloc, Luboš

    2018-01-16

    Tensile and creep properties of new austenitic steel Sanicro 25 at room temperature and operating temperature 700 °C were investigated by testing on miniature specimens. The results were correlated with testing on conventional specimens. Very good agreement of results was obtained, namely in yield and ultimate strength, as well as short-term creep properties. Although the creep rupture time was found to be systematically shorter and creep ductility lower in the miniature test, the minimum creep rates were comparable. The analysis of the fracture surfaces revealed similar ductile fracture morphology for both specimen geometries. One exception was found in a small area near the miniature specimen edge that was cut by electro discharge machining, where an influence of the steel fracture behavior at elevated temperature was identified.

  10. Alfredo Dugès' type specimens of amphibians and reptiles revisited.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flores-Villela, Oscar; Ríos-Muñoz, César A; Magaña-Cota, Gloria E; Quezadas-Tapia, Néstor L

    2016-03-14

    The type specimens of amphibians and reptiles of the Museo de Historia Natural Alfredo Dugès, at the University of Guanajuato (MADUG) were reviewed following Smith & Necker's (1943) summary. Owing to this collection's eventful history and its historical importance as the oldest herpetological collection in Mexico, a review of its conservation status was needed. After many years, the collection has received proper recognition at the University of Guanajuato with a portion of the herpetological types considered "Precious Assets" of the university. We found 34 type specimens pertaining to 18 taxa; six are additional specimens to those previously reported; six herpetological types are missing, including the body of the type of Adelophis copei. All specimens are in good to reasonable condition except for the type of Rhinocheilus antonii, which has dried out completely. All specimens are illustrated to show their condition.

  11. Light impurity transport in JET ILW L-mode plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonanomi, N.; Mantica, P.; Giroud, C.; Angioni, C.; Manas, P.; Menmuir, S.; Contributors, JET

    2018-03-01

    A series of experimental observations of light impurity profiles was carried out in JET (Joint European Torus) ITER-like wall (ILW) L-mode plasmas in order to investigate their transport mechanisms. These discharges feature the presence of 3He, Be, C, N, Ne, whose profiles measured by active Charge Exchange diagnostics are compared with quasi-linear and non-linear gyro-kinetic simulations. The peaking of 3He density follows the electron density peaking, Be and Ne are also peaked, while the density profiles of C and N are flat in the mid plasma region. Gyro-kinetic simulations predict peaked density profiles for all the light impurities studied and at all the radial positions considered, and fail predicting the flat or hollow profiles observed for C and N at mid radius in our cases.

  12. Development of failed fuel detection and location system in sodium-cooled large reactor. Sampling method of failed fuels under the slit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aizawa, Kousuke; Fujita, Kaoru; Kamide, Hideki; Kasahara, Naoto

    2010-01-01

    A conceptual design study of Japan Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR) is in progress as an issue of the 'Fast Reactor Cycle Technology Development (FaCT)' project in Japan. JSFR adopts a Selector-Valve mechanism for the failed fuel detection and location (FFDL) system. The Selector-Valve FFDL system identifies failed fuel subassemblies by sampling sodium from each fuel subassembly outlet and detecting fission product. One of the JSFR design features is employing an upper internal structure (UIS) with a radial slit, in which an arm of fuel handling machine can move and access the fuel assemblies under the UIS. Thus, JSFR cannot place sampling nozzles right above the fuel subassemblies located under the slit. In this study, the sampling method for indentifying under-slit failed fuel subassemblies has been demonstrated by water experiments. (author)

  13. Investigation of smooth specimen scc test procedures; variations in environment, specimen size, stressing frame, and stress state. [for high strength aluminum alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lifka, B. W.; Sprowls, D. O.; Kelsey, R. A.

    1975-01-01

    The variables studied in the stress-corrosion cracking performance of high strength aluminum alloys were: (1) corrosiveness of the environment, (2) specimen size and stiffness of the stressing system, (3) interpretation of transgranular cracking, and (4) interaction of the state of stress and specimen orientation in a product with an anisotropic grain structure. It was shown that the probability of failure and time to fracture for a specimen loaded in direct tension are influenced by corrosion pattern, the stressing assembly stiffness, and the notch tensile strength of the alloy. Results demonstrate that the combination of a normal tension stress and a shear stress acting on the plane of maximum susceptibility in a product with a highly directional grain cause the greatest tendency for stress-corrosion cracking.

  14. Anterolateral Ligament of the Knee Shows Variable Anatomy in Pediatric Specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shea, Kevin G; Milewski, Matthew D; Cannamela, Peter C; Ganley, Theodore J; Fabricant, Peter D; Terhune, Elizabeth B; Styhl, Alexandra C; Anderson, Allen F; Polousky, John D

    2017-06-01

    Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction failure rates are highest in youth athletes. The role of the anterolateral ligament in rotational knee stability is of increasing interest, and several centers are exploring combined ACL and anterolateral ligament reconstruction for these young patients. Literature on the anterolateral ligament of the knee is sparse in regard to the pediatric population. A single study on specimens younger than age 5 years demonstrated the presence of the anterolateral ligament in only one of eight specimens; therefore, much about the prevalence and anatomy of the anterolateral ligament in pediatric specimens remains unknown. We sought to (1) investigate the presence or absence of the anterolateral ligament in prepubescent anatomic specimens; (2) describe the anatomic relationship of the anterolateral ligament to the lateral collateral ligament; and (3) describe the anatomic relationship between the anterolateral ligament and the physis. Fourteen skeletally immature knee specimens (median age, 8 years; range, 7-11 years) were dissected (12 male, two female specimens). The posterolateral structures were identified in all specimens, including the lateral collateral ligament and popliteus tendon. The presence or absence of the anterolateral ligament was documented in each specimen, along with origin, insertion, and dimensions, when applicable. The relationship of the anterolateral ligament origin to the lateral collateral ligament origin was recorded. The anterolateral ligament was identified in nine of 14 specimens. The tibial attachment point was consistently located in the same region on the proximal tibia, between the fibular head and Gerdy's tubercle; however, the femoral origin of the anterolateral ligament showed considerable variation with respect to the lateral collateral ligament origin. The median femoral origin of the anterolateral ligament was 10 mm (first interquartile 6 mm, third interquartile 13) distal to the distal

  15. 46 CFR 57.06-4 - Production testing specimen requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... WELDING AND BRAZING Production Tests § 57.06-4 Production testing specimen requirements. (a) For test... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Production testing specimen requirements. 57.06-4... to welding shall not throw the finished test plate out of line by an angle of over 5°. (c) Where the...

  16. Thermal Cycling of Uranium Dioxide - Tungsten Cermet Fuel Specimens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gripshover, P.J.; Peterson, J.H.

    1969-12-08

    In phase I tungsten clad cermet fuel specimens were thermal cycled, to study the effects of fuel loading, fuel particle size, stablized fuel, duplex coatings, and fabrication techniques on dimensional stability during thermal cycling. In phase II the best combination of the factors studies in phase I were combined in one specimen for evaluation.

  17. Failing States or Failing Models?: Accounting for the Incidence of State Collapse

    OpenAIRE

    Martin Doornbos

    2010-01-01

    In recent years the notion and phenomenon of .failingÿ states - states deemed incapable to fulfil the basic tasks of providing security for their populace -, has been rapidly drawing attention. I will start off with a closer look at the inci- dence of fragile states and state failure, more specifically of state collapse. Connected with this, I will raise the question of differential degrees of propensity to failure and collapse among contemporary state systems, and to point to apparent region...

  18. Improving by postoxidation of corrosion resistance of plasma nitrocarburized AISI 316 stainless steels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yenilmez, A.; Karakan, M.; Çelik, İ.

    2017-01-01

    Austenitic stainless steels are widely used in several industries such as chemistry, food, health and space due to their perfect corrosion resistance. However, in addition to corrosion resistance, the mechanic and tribological features such as wear resistance and friction are required to be good in the production and engineering of this type of machines, equipment and mechanic parts. In this study, ferritic (FNC) and austenitic (ANC) nitrocarburizing were applied on AISI 316 stainless steel specimens with perfect corrosion resistance in the plasma environment at the definite time (4 h) and constant gas mixture atmosphere. In order to recover corrosion resistance which was deteriorated after nitrocarburizing again, plasma postoxidation process (45 min) was applied. After the duplex treatment, the specimens' structural analyses with XRD and SEM methods, corrosion analysis with polarization method and surface hardness with microhardness method were examined. At the end of the studies, AISI 316 surface hardness of stainless steel increased with nitrocarburizing process, but the corrosion resistance was deteriorated with FNC (570 °C) and ANC (670 °C) nitrocarburizing. With the following of the postoxidation treatment, it was detected that the corrosion resistance became better and it approached its value before the process.

  19. Transmission electron microscopy of bulk specimens over 10 µm in thickness

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sadamatsu, Sunao, E-mail: sadamatsu@mech.kagoshima-u.ac.jp [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kagoshima University, Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Tanaka, Masaki; Higashida, Kenji [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kyushu University, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Matsumura, Syo [Department of Applied Quantum Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Kyushu University, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Ultramicroscopy Research Center, Kyushu University, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan)

    2016-03-15

    We succeeded the observation of microstructures in bulk-sized specimens of over 10 µm in thickness by employing a technique that combines transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy-filtered imaging based on electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). This method is unique in that it incorporates the inelastically scattered electrons into the imaging process. Using this technique, bright and sharp images of dislocations in crystalline silicon specimens as thick as 10 µm were obtained. A calibration curve to determine foil thickness of such a thick specimen was also derived. This method simply extends the observable thickness range in TEM. If combined with tilt series of observation over a significant range of angle, it will disclose three dimensional nanostructures in a µm-order block of a specimen, promoting our understanding of the controlling mechanisms behind various bulky material properties. - Highlights: • We developed a method which enables thick specimens to be observed using EF-TEM. • The effects of energy filter width and position on images were determined. • We suggested a method to determine the thickness of a thick film sample. • We achieved observation of microstructures in specimens with a thickness of 10 µm.

  20. Design Analysis of the Mixed Mode Bending Sandwich Specimen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Quispitupa, Amilcar; Berggreen, Christian; Carlsson, Leif A.

    2010-01-01

    A design analysis of the mixed mode bending (MMB) sandwich specimen for face–core interface fracture characterization is presented. An analysis of the competing failure modes in the foam cored sandwich specimens is performed in order to achieve face–core debond fracture prior to other failure modes...... for the chosen geometries and mixed mode loading conditions....

  1. Single specimen fracture toughness determination procedure using instrumented impact test

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rintamaa, R.

    1993-04-01

    In the study a new single specimen test method and testing facility for evaluating dynamic fracture toughness has been developed. The method is based on the application of a new pendulum type instrumented impact tester equipped with and optical crack mouth opening displacement (COD) extensometer. The fracture toughness measurement technique uses the Double Displacement Ratio (DDR) method, which is based on the assumption that the specimen is deformed as two rigid arms that rotate around an apparent centre of rotation. This apparent moves as the crack grows, and the ratio of COD versus specimen displacement changes. As a consequence the onset ductile crack initiation can be detected on the load-displacement curve. Thus, an energy-based fracture toughness can be calculated. In addition the testing apparatus can use specimens with the Double ligament size as compared with the standard Charpy specimen which makes the impact testing more appropriate from the fracture mechanics point of view. The novel features of the testing facility and the feasibility of the new DDR method has been verified by performing an extensive experimental and analytical study. (99 refs., 91 figs., 27 tabs.)

  2. Characterization of Cement Particles Found in Peri-implantitis-Affected Human Biopsy Specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burbano, Maria; Wilson, Thomas G; Valderrama, Pilar; Blansett, Jonathan; Wadhwani, Chandur P K; Choudhary, Pankaj K; Rodriguez, Lucas C; Rodrigues, Danieli C

    2015-01-01

    Peri-implantitis is a disease characterized by soft tissue inflammation and continued loss of supporting bone, which can result in implant failure. Peri-implantitis is a multifactorial disease, and one of its triggering factors may be the presence of excess cement in the soft tissues surrounding an implant. This descriptive study evaluated the composition of foreign particles from 36 human biopsy specimens with 19 specimens selected for analysis. The biopsy specimens were obtained from soft tissues affected by peri-implantitis around cement-retained implant crowns and compared with the elemental composition of commercial luting cement. Nineteen biopsy specimens were chosen for the comparison, and five test cements (TempBond, Telio, Premier Implant Cement, Intermediate Restorative Material, and Relyx) were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. This enabled the identification of the chemical composition of foreign particles embedded in the tissue specimens and the composition of the five cements. Statistical analysis was conducted using classification trees to pair the particles present in each specimen with the known cements. The particles in each biopsy specimen could be associated with one of the commercial cements with a level of probability ranging between .79 and 1. TempBond particles were found in one biopsy specimen, Telio particles in seven, Premier Implant Cement particles in four, Relyx particles in four, and Intermediate Restorative Material particles in three. Particles found in human soft tissue biopsy specimens around implants affected by peri-implant disease were associated with five commercially available dental cements.

  3. Analysis of failed nuclear plant components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diercks, D. R.

    1993-12-01

    Argonne National Laboratory has conducted analyses of failed components from nuclear power- gener-ating stations since 1974. The considerations involved in working with and analyzing radioactive compo-nents are reviewed here, and the decontamination of these components is discussed. Analyses of four failed components from nuclear plants are then described to illustrate the kinds of failures seen in serv-ice. The failures discussed are (1) intergranular stress- corrosion cracking of core spray injection piping in a boiling water reactor, (2) failure of canopy seal welds in adapter tube assemblies in the control rod drive head of a pressurized water reactor, (3) thermal fatigue of a recirculation pump shaft in a boiling water reactor, and (4) failure of pump seal wear rings by nickel leaching in a boiling water reactor.

  4. Sem-observation of developing plant organs using deep-frozen specimens

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    NN,

    1982-01-01

    The SEM-observation of plant material normally requires dehydrated, dry specimens coated with carbon or metal. Unfortunately, the standard drying methods (including the critical-point-drying-technique) often cause shrinking and deformation of the specimen surface; therefore, SEMstudies on plant

  5. Comparison of tissue damage caused by various laser systems with tissue tolerable plasma by light and laser scan microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vandersee, Staffan; Lademann, Jürgen; Richter, Heike; Patzelt, Alexa; Lange-Asschenfeldt, Bernhard

    2013-01-01

    Tissue tolerable plasma (TTP) represents a novel therapeutic method with promising capabilities in the field of dermatological interventions, in particular disinfection but also wound antisepsis and regeneration. The energy transfer by plasma into living tissue is not easily educible, as a variety of features such as the medium’s actual molecule-stream, the ions, electrons and free radicals involved, as well as the emission of ultraviolet, visible and infrared light contribute to its increasingly well characterized effects. Thus, relating possible adversary effects, especially of prolonged exposure to a single component of the plasma’s mode of action, is difficult. Until now, severe adverse events connected to plasma exposure have not been reported when conducted according to existing therapeutic protocols. In this study, we have compared the tissue damage-potential of CO 2 and dye lasers with TTP in a porcine model. After exposure of pig ear skin to the three treatment modalities, all specimens were examined histologically and by means of laser scan microscopy (LSM). Light microscopical tissue damage could only be shown in the case of the CO 2 laser, whereas dye laser and plasma treatment resulted in no detectable impairment of the specimens. In the case of TTP, LSM examination revealed only an impairment of the uppermost corneal layers of the skin, thus stressing its safety when used in vivo. (letter)

  6. Radioimmunossay of hormones and metabolites in blood serum and plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khare, G.P.

    1978-01-01

    Hormones or metabolites which are capable of producing antibodies can be detected and precisely quantitated by this method. Antibodies, to various hormones or metabolites whose assay is desired, are adsorbed onto commercially available imitation or cultured pearls. These pearls coated with antibody are contacted with a buffered reaction mixture containing blood serum or plasma specimen and respective radioactive antigen. The entire reaction is allowed to proceed for a time sufficient to form antigen (radioactive or non-radioactive)-antibody complex. These complexes on the pearls are washed and the total amount of radioactivity emanating from the complex is measured. This is indicative of the extent of binding of radioactive antigen and provides an indirect correlation of the amount of non-radioactive antigen present in the serum or plasma sample

  7. Histological evaluation of 400 cholecystectomy specimens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H Kumar

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: A majority of gallbladder specimens show changes associated with chronic cholecystitis; however few harbour a highly lethal carcinoma. This study was conducted to review the significant histopathological findings encountered in gallbladder specimens received in our laboratory.Materials and Methods: Four hundred cholecystectomy specimens were studied over a period of five years (May, 2002 to April, 2007 received at department of pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India. Results: Gallstones and associated diseases were more common in women in the 4th to 5th decade as compared to men with M: F ratio of 1:1.33. Maximum number of patients (28.25% being 41 to 50 years old. Histopathologically, the most common diagnosis was chronic cholecystitis (66.75%, followed by chronic active cholecystitis (20.25%, acute cholecystitis (6%, gangrenous cholecystitis (2.25%,xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (0.50%, empyema (1%, mucocele (0.25%, choledochal cyst (0.25%, adenocarcinoma gallbladder (1.25% and  normal  gallbladders (1%.Conclusion: All lesions were found more frequently in women except chronic active cholecystitis. Gallstones were present in (80.25% cases, and significantly associated with various lesions (P value 0.009. Pigment stones were most common, followed by cholesterol stones and mixed stones. Adequate  sectioning  is  mandatory  in  all  cases  to  assess  epithelial changes arising from cholelithiasis and chronic cholecystitis as it has been known to progress to malignancy in some cases.

  8. Meal composition and plasma amino acid ratios: Effect of various proteins or carbohydrates, and of various protein concentrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokogoshi, Hidehiko; Wurtman, Richard J.

    1986-01-01

    The effects of meals containing various proteins and carbohydrates, and of those containing various proportions of protein (0 percent to 20 percent of a meal, by weight) or of carbohydrate (0 percent to 75 percent), on plasma levels of certain large neutral amino acids (LNAA) in rats previously fasted for 19 hours were examined. Also the plasma tryptophan ratios (the ratio of the plasma trytophan concentration to the summed concentrations of the other large neutral amino acids) and other plasma amino acid ratios were calculated. (The plasma tryptophan ratio has been shown to determine brain tryptophan levels and, thereby, to affect the synthesis and release of the neurotransmitter serotonin). A meal containing 70 percent to 75 percent of an insulin-secreting carbohydrate (dextrose or dextrin) increased plasma insulin levels and the tryptophan ratio; those containing 0 percent or 25 percent carbohydrate failed to do so. Addition of as little as 5 percent casein to a 70 percent carbohydrate meal fully blocked the increase in the plasma tryptophan ratio without affecting the secretion of insulin - probably by contributing much larger quantities of the other LNAA than of tryptophan to the blood. Dietary proteins differed in their ability to suppress the carbohydrate-induced rise in the plasma tryptophan ratio. Addition of 10 percent casein, peanut meal, or gelatin fully blocked this increase, but lactalbumin failed to do so, and egg white did so only partially. (Consumption of the 10 percent gelatin meal also produced a major reduction in the plasma tyrosine ratio, and may thereby have affected brain tyrosine levels and catecholamine synthesis.) These observations suggest that serotonin-releasing neurons in brains of fasted rats are capable of distinguishing (by their metabolic effects) between meals poor in protein but rich in carbohydrates that elicit insulin secretion, and all other meals. The changes in brain serotonin caused by carbohydrate-rich, protein

  9. Experience with failed or damaged spent fuel and its impacts on handling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bailey, W.J.

    1989-12-01

    Spent fuel management planning needs to include consideration of failed or damaged spent light-water reactor (LWR) fuel. Described in this paper, which was prepared under the Commercial Spent Fuel Management (CSFM) Program that is sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE), are the following: the importance of fuel integrity and the behavior of failed fuel, the quantity and burnup of failed or damaged fuel in storage, types of defects, difficulties in evaluating data on failed or damaged fuel, experience with wet storage, experience with dry storage, handling of failed or damaged fuel, transporting of fuel, experience with higher burnup fuel, and conclusions. 15 refs

  10. Role of specimen US for predicting resection margin status in breast conserving therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moschetta, M; Telegrafo, M; Introna, T; Coi, L; Rella, L; Ranieri, V; Cirili, A; Stabile Ianora, A A; Angelelli, G

    2015-01-01

    To assess the diagnostic accuracy of specimen ultrasound (US) for predicting resection margin status in women undergoing breast conserving therapy for US-detected cancer, having the histological findings as the reference standard. A total of 132 consecutive patients (age range, 34-87 years; mean, 51 years) underwent breast-conserving surgery for US-detected invasive breast cancer. All surgical specimens underwent US examination. The presence of lesion within the specimen and its distance from the specimen margins were assessed considering a threshold distance between the lesion and specimen margins of 10 mm. US findings were then compared with the pathological ones and specimen US. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) for predicting histological margin status were evaluated, having the histological findings as the reference standard. The histological examination detected invasive ductal carcinoma in 96/132 (73%) cases, invasive lobular carcinoma in 32/132 (24%), mucinous carcinoma in 4/132 (3%). The pathological margin analysis revealed 96/132 (73%) negative margins and 36 (27%) close/positive margins. US examination detected all 132 breast lesions within the surgical specimens. 110 (83%) negative margins and 22 (17%) positive margins were found on US. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, PPV and NPV of 44%, 94%, 80%, 73% and 82%, respectively, were found for specimen US. Specimen US represents a time and cost saving imaging tool for evaluating the presence of US detected-breast lesion within surgical specimen and for predicting the histological margin status.

  11. Strain Measurement System Developed for Biaxially Loaded Cruciform Specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause, David L.

    2000-01-01

    A new extensometer system developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field measures test area strains along two orthogonal axes in flat cruciform specimens. This system incorporates standard axial contact extensometers to provide a cost-effective high-precision instrument. The device was validated for use by extensive testing of a stainless steel specimen, with specimen temperatures ranging from room temperature to 1100 F. In-plane loading conditions included several static biaxial load ratios, plus cyclic loadings of various waveform shapes, frequencies, magnitudes, and durations. The extensometer system measurements were compared with strain gauge data at room temperature and with calculated strain values for elevated-temperature measurements. All testing was performed in house in Glenn's Benchmark Test Facility in-plane biaxial load frame.

  12. Friction Compensation in the Upsetting of Cylindrical Test Specimens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Peter; Martins, P. A. F.; Bay, Niels Oluf

    2016-01-01

    This manuscript presents a combined numerical andexperimental methodology for determining the stress-straincurve of metallic materials from the measurements of forceand displacement obtained in the axial compression of cylindrical test specimens with friction between the specimens and the platens....... The methodology is based on minimizing the errorbetween the average surface pressure obtained from the experimental measurements of the force and displacement and thatobtained from the slab method of analysis of metal plasticity.Three different friction models based on Coulomb friction, the constant friction...... model or combined friction models are utilized .Experimental results obtained from cylindrical and Rastegaev test specimens with different lubricants combined with the experimental determination of friction by means of ring compression tests allows compensating the effect of friction...

  13. JR-curves of wide plates and CT25 specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aurich, D.; Wobst, K.; Krafka, H.

    1987-01-01

    In connection with the problem of the applicability of the characteristic specimen date - i.e. the initiation and stable crack propagation under maximal loads, together with the elastic-plastic material behaviour - to that of actual components, spot-check type beside tests were conducted using wide-plate central crack, central notch (CCT, CNT) and double external crack (DECT) samples. The material in question was an StE 460 steel. A comparison between the determined values shows that the assessed pressure vessel behaviour differs extensively to the values derived from the CCT and CNT specimens. The corresponding results obtained from the CT25 and DECT specimens vary only slightly in the region of interest and correspond to real vessel values. (orig./DG) [de

  14. Extraction of ultrashort DNA molecules from herbarium specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutaker, Rafal M; Reiter, Ella; Furtwängler, Anja; Schuenemann, Verena J; Burbano, Hernán A

    2017-02-01

    DNA extracted from herbarium specimens is highly fragmented; therefore, it is crucial to use extraction protocols that retrieve short DNA molecules. Improvements in extraction and DNA library preparation protocols for animal remains have allowed efficient retrieval of molecules shorter than 50 bp. Here, we applied these improvements to DNA extraction protocols for herbarium specimens and evaluated extraction performance by shotgun sequencing, which allows an accurate estimation of the distribution of DNA fragment lengths. Extraction with N-phenacylthiazolium bromide (PTB) buffer decreased median fragment length by 35% when compared with cetyl-trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB); modifying the binding conditions of DNA to silica allowed for an additional decrease of 10%. We did not observe a further decrease in length for single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) versus double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) library preparation methods. Our protocol enables the retrieval of ultrashort molecules from herbarium specimens, which will help to unlock the genetic information stored in herbaria.

  15. I Failed the edTPA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuranishi, Adam; Oyler, Celia

    2017-01-01

    In this article, co-written by a teacher and a professor, the authors examine possible explanations for why Adam (first author), a New York City public school special educator, failed the edTPA, a teacher performance assessment required by all candidates for state certification. Adam completed a yearlong teaching residency where he was the special…

  16. Development of reconstitution method for surveillance specimens using surface activated joining

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, Terumi; Kaihara, Shoichiro; Yoshida, Kazuo; Sato, Akira [Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Onizawa, Kunio; Nishiyama, Yutaka; Fukaya, Kiyoshi; Suzuki, Masahide

    1996-03-01

    Evaluation of embrittlement of reactor vessel steel due to irradiation requires surveillance tests. However, many surveillance specimens are necessary for nuclear plants life extension. Therefore, a specimen reconstitution technique has become important to provide the many specimens for continued surveillance. A surface activated joining (SAJ) method has been developed to join various materials together at low temperatures with little deformation, and is useful to bond irradiated specimens. To assess the validity of this method, Charpy impact tests were carried out, and the characteristics caused by heating during joining were measured. The test results showed the Charpy impact values were almost the same as base materials, and surface activated joining reduced heat affected zone to less than 2 mm. (author).

  17. 10 CFR 26.159 - Assuring specimen security, chain of custody, and preservation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... other entity has reason to question the integrity and identity of the specimens, the specimens may not... identification numbers on the custody-and-control form; (iii) A specimen bottle seal is broken or shows evidence... of the shipping containers are inaccessible without breaking a tamper-evident seal. (g) Couriers...

  18. Fast plasma sintering delivers functional graded materials components with macroporous structures and osseointegration properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godoy, R F; Coathup, M J; Blunn, G W; Alves, A L; Robotti, P; Goodship, A E

    2016-04-13

    We explored the osseointegration potential of two macroporous titanium surfaces obtained using fast plasma sintering (FPS): Ti macroporous structures with 400-600 µmØ pores (TiMac400) and 850-1000 µmØ pores (TiMac850). They were compared against two surfaces currently in clinical use: Ti-Growth® and air plasma spray (Ti-Y367). Each surface was tested, once placed over a Ti-alloy and once onto a CoCr bulk substrate. Implants were placed in medial femoral condyles in 24 sheep. Samples were explanted at four and eight weeks after surgery. Push-out loads were measured using a material-testing system. Bone contact and ingrowth were assessed by histomorphometry and SEM and EDX analyses. Histology showed early osseointegration for all the surfaces tested. At 8 weeks, TiMac400, TiMac850 and Ti-Growth® showed deep bone ingrowth and extended colonisation with newly formed bone. The mechanical push-out force was equal in all tested surfaces. Plasma spray surfaces showed greater bone-implant contact and higher level of pores colonisation with new bone than FPS produced surfaces. However, the void pore area in FPS specimens was significantly higher, yet the FPS porous surfaces allowed a deeper osseointegration of bone to implant. FPS manufactured specimens showed similar osseointegration potential to the plasma spray surfaces for orthopaedic implants. FPS is a useful technology for manufacturing macroporous titanium surfaces. Furthermore, its capability to combine two implantable materials, using bulk CoCr with macroporous titanium surfaces, could be of interest as it enables designers to conceive and manufacture innovative components. FPS delivers functional graded materials components with macroporous structures optimised for osseointegration.

  19. Method of detecting failed fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishizaki, Hideaki; Suzumura, Takeshi.

    1982-01-01

    Purpose: To enable the settlement of the temperature of an adequate filling high temperature pure water by detecting the outlet temperature of a high temperature pure water filling tube to a fuel assembly to control the heating of the pure water and detecting the failed fuel due to the sampling of the pure water. Method: A temperature sensor is provided at a water tube connected to a sipping cap for filling high temperature pure water to detect the temperature of the high temperature pure water at the outlet of the tube, and the temperature is confirmed by a temperature indicator. A heater is controlled on the basis of this confirmation, an adequate high temperature pure water is filled in the fuel assembly, and the pure water is replaced with coolant. Then, it is sampled to settle the adequate temperature of the high temperature coolant used for detecting the failure of the fuel assembly. As a result, the sipping effect does not decrease, and the failed fuel can be precisely detected. (Yoshihara, H.)

  20. Method and Apparatus for Measuring Thermal Conductivity of Small, Highly Insulating Specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Robert A (Inventor); Kuczmarski, Maria A (Inventor)

    2013-01-01

    A method and apparatus for the measurement of thermal conductivity combines the following capabilities: 1) measurements of very small specimens; 2) measurements of specimens with thermal conductivity on the same order of that as air; and, 3) the ability to use air as a reference material. Care is taken to ensure that the heat flow through the test specimen is essentially one-dimensional. No attempt is made to use heated guards to minimize the flow of heat from the hot plate to the surroundings. Results indicate that since large correction factors must be applied to account for guard imperfections when specimen dimensions are small, simply measuring and correcting for heat from the heater disc that does not flow into the specimen is preferable.

  1. Pass-fail grading: laying the foundation for self-regulated learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Casey B; Fantone, Joseph C

    2010-10-01

    Traditionally, medical schools have tended to make assumptions that students will "automatically" engage in self-education effectively after graduation and subsequent training in residency and fellowships. In reality, the majority of medical graduates out in practice feel unprepared for learning on their own. Many medical schools are now adopting strategies and pedagogies to help students become self-regulating learners. Along with these changes in practices and pedagogy, many schools are eliminating a cornerstone of extrinsic motivation: discriminating grades. To study the effects of the switch from discriminating to pass-fail grading in the second year of medical school, we compared internal and external assessments and evaluations for a second-year class with a discriminating grading scale (Honors, High Pass, Pass, Fail) and for a second-year class with a pass-fail grading scale. Of the measures we compared (MCATs, GPAs, means on second-year examinations, USMLE Step 1 scores, residency placement, in which there were no statistically significant changes), the only statistically significant decreases (lower performance with pass fail) were found in two of the second-year courses. Performance in one other course also improved significantly. Pass-fail grading can meet several important intended outcomes, including "leveling the playing field" for incoming students with different academic backgrounds, reducing competition and fostering collaboration among members of a class, more time for extracurricular interests and personal activities. Pass-fail grading also reduces competition and supports collaboration, and fosters intrinsic motivation, which is key to self-regulated, lifelong learning.

  2. Gleason Score Correlation Between Prostate Biopsy and Radical Prostatectomy Specimens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erdem Öztürk

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men and the second cause of cancer-related mortality. Prostate biopsy and the Gleason score guide treatment decisions in prostate cancer. Several studies have investigated the correlation between biopsy scores and radical prostatectomy specimen scores. We also evaluated the correlation of Gleason scores of these specimens in our patient series. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 468 men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent radical prostatectomy between 2008 and 2017. Patients’ age, prostate-specific antigen levels at diagnosis, and prostate biopsy and radical prostatectomy specimen Gleason scores were recorded. Upgrading and downgrading were defined as increase or decrease of Gleason score of radical prostate specimen compared to Gleason score of prostate biopsy. Results: A total of 442 men diagnosed with prostate cancer were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 62.62±6.26 years (44-84 years and mean prostate specific antigen level was 9.01±6.84 ng/mL (1.09-49 ng/mL. Prostate biopsy Gleason score was 7 in 27 (6.1% men. Radical prostatectomy specimen Gleason score was 7 in 62 (14% men. Gleason correlation was highest in the 240 patients (71.6% with score <7 and was lowest in the 31 (38.75% patients with score =7. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the discordance rate between Gleason scores of prostate biopsy and radical prostatectomy specimens was 35.7%.

  3. Comparative evaluation of three automated systems for DNA extraction in conjunction with three commercially available real-time PCR assays for quantitation of plasma Cytomegalovirus DNAemia in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bravo, Dayana; Clari, María Ángeles; Costa, Elisa; Muñoz-Cobo, Beatriz; Solano, Carlos; José Remigia, María; Navarro, David

    2011-08-01

    Limited data are available on the performance of different automated extraction platforms and commercially available quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) methods for the quantitation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in plasma. We compared the performance characteristics of the Abbott mSample preparation system DNA kit on the m24 SP instrument (Abbott), the High Pure viral nucleic acid kit on the COBAS AmpliPrep system (Roche), and the EZ1 Virus 2.0 kit on the BioRobot EZ1 extraction platform (Qiagen) coupled with the Abbott CMV PCR kit, the LightCycler CMV Quant kit (Roche), and the Q-CMV complete kit (Nanogen), for both plasma specimens from allogeneic stem cell transplant (Allo-SCT) recipients (n = 42) and the OptiQuant CMV DNA panel (AcroMetrix). The EZ1 system displayed the highest extraction efficiency over a wide range of CMV plasma DNA loads, followed by the m24 and the AmpliPrep methods. The Nanogen PCR assay yielded higher mean CMV plasma DNA values than the Abbott and the Roche PCR assays, regardless of the platform used for DNA extraction. Overall, the effects of the extraction method and the QRT-PCR used on CMV plasma DNA load measurements were less pronounced for specimens with high CMV DNA content (>10,000 copies/ml). The performance characteristics of the extraction methods and QRT-PCR assays evaluated herein for clinical samples were extensible at cell-based standards from AcroMetrix. In conclusion, different automated systems are not equally efficient for CMV DNA extraction from plasma specimens, and the plasma CMV DNA loads measured by commercially available QRT-PCRs can differ significantly. The above findings should be taken into consideration for the establishment of cutoff values for the initiation or cessation of preemptive antiviral therapies and for the interpretation of data from clinical studies in the Allo-SCT setting.

  4. Comparison of measurement results between cervical pedicle specimens and CT images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Guangjian; Li Hua; Liu Haiyan; Gao Zhenping

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To compare the difference between the measurement results of the cervical pedicle specimens and CT image, and provide the basis for clinical cervical screw internal fixation operation. Methods: Twenty-seven Chinese adult cadaver cervical specimens including C3 to C7 vertebrae were measured by a digital calipers and CT image, containing pedicle height (PH, PH'), pedicle width(PW, PW'), total pedicle length (TL, TL') and two pedicle lengths(PL1, PL2; PL1', PL2'). The results of specimens and CT image were compared. Results: Different cervical vertebra in the same side of specimens or CT images, PW (PW'): C3, C4< C5, C6 (P<0.05), C5, C6< C7 (P<0.01); PH (PH'): there were no significant differences; TL, PL1, PL2 (TL', PL1', PL2'): there were no marked differences. In the same cervical vertebra of the specimens or CT images, PW (PW')< PH (PH') (P<0.01), PL1 (PL1') < PL2 (PL2') (P<0.01). Conclusion: The results of measurement by CT images are not markedly different from that of specimens. CT image measurement is available before cervical screw internal fixation operation. (authors)

  5. Surface modification of 17-4PH stainless steel by DC plasma nitriding and titanium nitride film duplex treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qi, F.; Leng, Y.X.; Huang, N.; Bai, B.; Zhang, P.Ch.

    2007-01-01

    17-4PH stainless steel was modified by direct current (DC) plasma nitriding and titanium nitride film duplex treatment in this study. The microstructure, wear resistance and corrosion resistance were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), pin-on-disk tribological test and polarization experiment. The results revealed that the DC plasma nitriding pretreatment was in favor of improving properties of titanium nitride film. The corrosion resistance and wear resistance of duplex treatment specimen was more superior to that of only coated titanium nitride film

  6. Use of precracked Charpy and smaller specimens to establish the master curve

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sokolov, M.A.; McCabe, D.E.; Nanstad, R.K.; Davidov, Y.A.

    1997-01-01

    The current provisions used in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations for the determination of the fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel steels employs an assumption that there is a direct correlation between K Ic lower-bound toughness and the Charpy V-notch transition curve. Such correlations are subject to scatter from both approaches which weakens the reliability of fracture mechanics-based analyses. In this study, precracked Charpy and smaller size specimens are used in three-point static bend testing to develop fracture mechanics based K k values. The testing is performed under carefully controlled conditions such that the values can be used to predict the fracture toughness performance of large specimens. The concept of a universal transition curve (master curve) is applied. Data scatter that is characteristic of commercial grade steels and their weldments is handled by Weibull statistical modeling. The master curve is developed to describe the median K Jc fracture toughness for 1T size compact specimens. Size effects are modeled using weakest-link theory and are studied for different specimen geometries. It is shown that precracked Charpy specimens when tested within their confined validity limits follow the weakest-link size-adjustment trend and predict the fracture toughness of larger specimens. Specimens of smaller than Charpy sizes (5 mm thick) exhibit some disparities in results relative to weakest-link size adjustment prediction suggesting that application of such adjustment to very small specimens may have some limitations

  7. The effect of specimen and flaw dimensions on fracture toughness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nevalainen, M.J.

    1997-06-01

    The effect of the specimen size and geometry on fracture toughness has been investigated both by experimental tests and computational analyses. The methods for constraint description, namely T-stress, Q-parameter and Small-Scale Yielding Correction (SSYC) have been compared and applied for various geometries. A statistical treatment for the specimen thickness effect on cleavage fracture toughness has been investigated. Elliptical surface cracks were compared with straight-thickness cracks and a method for crack shape correction was presented. Based on the results, the differences in apparent fracture toughness values obtained from various specimen configurations can be better understood and taken into account

  8. Thermo-mechanical Fatigue Failure of Thermal Barrier Coated Superalloy Specimen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramanian, Rajivgandhi; Mori, Yuzuru; Yamagishi, Satoshi; Okazaki, Masakazu

    2015-09-01

    Failure behavior of thermal barrier coated (TBC) Ni-based superalloy specimens were studied from the aspect of the effect of bond coat material behavior on low cycle fatigue (LCF) and thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) at various temperatures and under various loading conditions. Initially, monotonic tensile tests were carried out on a MCrAlY alloy bond coat material in the temperature range of 298 K to 1273 K (25 °C to 1000 °C). Special attention was paid to understand the ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT). Next, LCF and TMF tests were carried out on the thermal barrier coated Ni-based alloy IN738 specimen. After these tests, the specimens were sectioned to understand their failure mechanisms on the basis of DBTT of the bond coat material. Experimental results demonstrated that the LCF and TMF lives of the TBC specimen were closely related to the DBTT of the bond coat material, and also the TMF lives were different from those of LCF tests. It has also been observed that the crack density in the bond coat in the TBC specimen was significantly dependent on the test conditions. More importantly, not only the number of cracks but also the crack penetration probability into substrate were shown to be sensitive to the DBTT.

  9. Revision surgery for failed thermal capsulorrhaphy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Hyung Bin; Yokota, Atsushi; Gill, Harpreet S; El Rassi, George; McFarland, Edward G

    2005-09-01

    With the failure of thermal capsulorrhaphy for shoulder instability, there have been concerns with capsular thinning and capsular necrosis affecting revision surgery. To report the findings at revision surgery for failed thermal capsulorrhaphy and to evaluate the technical effects on subsequent revision capsular plication. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Fourteen patients underwent arthroscopic evaluation and open reconstruction for a failed thermal capsulorrhaphy. The cause of the failure, the quality of the capsule, and the ability to suture the capsule were recorded. The patients were evaluated at follow-up for failure, which was defined as recurrent subluxations or dislocations. The origin of the instability was traumatic (n = 6) or atraumatic (n = 8). At revision surgery in the traumatic group, 4 patients sustained failure of the Bankart repair with capsular laxity, and the others experienced capsular laxity alone. In the atraumatic group, all patients experienced capsular laxity as the cause of failure. Of the 14 patients, the capsule quality was judged to be thin in 5 patients and ablated in 1 patient. A glenoid-based capsular shift could be accomplished in all 14 patients. At follow-up (mean, 35.4 months; range, 22 to 48 months), 1 patient underwent revision surgery and 1 patient had a subluxation, resulting in a failure rate of 14%. Recurrent capsular laxity after failed thermal capsular shrinkage is common and frequently associated with capsular thinning. In most instances, the capsule quality does not appear to technically affect the revision procedure.

  10. An automated tensile machine for small specimens heavily neutron irradiated in FFTF/MOTA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kohyama, Akira; Sato, Shinji; Hamada, Kenichi

    1993-01-01

    The objective of this work is to develop a fully automated tensile machine for post-irradiation examination (PIE) of Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF)/Materials Open Test Assembly (MOTA) irradiated miniature tension specimens. The anticipated merit of the automated tensile machine is to reduce damage to specimens during specimen handling for PIE and to reduce exposure to radioactive specimens. This machine is designed for testing at elevated temperatures, up to 873 K, in a vacuum or in an inert gas environment. Twelve specimen assemblies are placed in the vacuum chamber that can be tested successively in a fully automated manner. A unique automated tensile machine for the PIE of FFTF/MOTA irradiated specimens, the Monbusho Automated Tensile Machine (MATRON) consists of a test frame with controlling units and an automated specimen-loading apparatus. The qualification of the test frame has been completed, and the results have satisfied the machine specifications. The capabilities of producing creep and relaxation data have been demonstrated for Cu, Al, 316SS, and ferritic steels. The specimen holders for the three-point bending test and the small bulge test (small punch test; SP test) were also designed and produced

  11. National intelligence estimates and the Failed State Index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voracek, Martin

    2013-10-01

    Across 177 countries around the world, the Failed State Index, a measure of state vulnerability, was reliably negatively associated with the estimates of national intelligence. Psychometric analysis of the Failed State Index, compounded of 12 social, economic, and political indicators, suggested factorial unidimensionality of this index. The observed correspondence of higher national intelligence figures to lower state vulnerability might arise through these two macro-level variables possibly being proxies of even more pervasive historical and societal background variables that affect both.

  12. Failed State and the Mandate of Peacekeeping Operations

    OpenAIRE

    Eka Nizmi, Yusnarida

    2011-01-01

    By 1990, Somalia had become a good example of what was becoming known as a “failed state”- a people without a government strong enough to govern the country or represent it in International organizations; a country whose poverty, disorganization, refugee flows, political instability, and random warfare had the potential to spread across borders and threaten the stability of other states and the peace of the region.[1] At the end of the cold war there were several such failed states in Africa,...

  13. A method of failed fuel detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uchida, Shunsuke; Utamura, Motoaki; Urata, Megumu.

    1976-01-01

    Object: To keep the coolant fed to a fuel assembly at a level below the temperature of existing coolant to detect a failed fuel with high accuracy without using a heater. Structure: When a coolant in a coolant pool disposed at the upper part of a reactor container is fed by a coolant feed system into a fuel assembly through a cap to fill therewith and exchange while forming a boundary layer between said coolant and the existing coolant, the temperature distribution of the feed coolant is heated by fuel rods so that the upper part is low whereas the lower part is high. Then, the lower coolant is upwardly moved by the agitating action and fission products leaked through a failed opening at the lower part of the fuel assembly and easily extracted by the sampling system. (Yoshino, Y.)

  14. Enhanced radiometric detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis by using filter-concentrated bovine fecal specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Collins, M.T.; Kenefick, K.B.; Sockett, D.C.; Lambrecht, R.S.; McDonald, J.; Jorgensen, J.B.

    1990-01-01

    A commercial radiometric medium, BACTEC 12B, was modified by addition of mycobactin, egg yolk suspension, and antibiotics (vancomycin, amphotericin B, and nalidixic acid). Decontaminated bovine fecal specimens were filter concentrated by using 3-microns-pore-size, 13-mm-diameter polycarbonate filters, and the entire filter was placed into the radiometric broth. Comparison of the radiometric technique with conventional methods on 603 cattle from 9 Mycobacterium paratuberculosis-infected herds found that of 75 positive specimens, the radiometric technique detected 92% while conventional methods detected 60% (P less than 0.0005). Only 3.9% of radiometric cultures were contaminated. To measure the effect of filter concentration of specimens on the detection rate, 5 cattle with minimal and 5 with moderate ileum histopathology were sampled weekly for 3 weeks. M. paratuberculosis was detected in 33.3% of nonfiltered specimens and 76.7% of filtered specimens (P less than 0.005). Detection rates were directly correlated with the severity of disease, and the advantage of specimen concentration was greatest on fecal specimens from cattle with low-grade infections. Detection times were also correlated with infection severity: 13.4 +/- 5.9 days with smear-positive specimens, 27.9 +/- 8.7 days with feces from cows with typical subclinical infections, and 38.7 +/- 3.8 days with fecal specimens from cows with low-grade infections. Use of a cocktail of vancomycin, amphotericin B, and nalidixic acid for selective suppression of nonmycobacterial contaminants was better than the commercial product PANTA (Becton Dickinson Microbiologic Systems, Towson, Md.) only when specimens contained very low numbers of M. paratuberculosis

  15. Pulsatile hyperglucagonemia fails to increase hepatic glucose production in normal man

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paolisso, G.; Scheen, A.J.; Luyckx, A.S.; Lefebvre, P.J.

    1987-01-01

    To study the metabolic effects of pulsatile glucagon administration, six male volunteers were submitted to a 260-min glucose-controlled glucose intravenous infusion using the Biostator. The endogenous secretion of the pancreatic hormones was inhibited by somatostatin, basal insulin secretion was replaced by a continuous insulin infusion, and glucagon was infused intravenously in two conditions at random: either continuously or intermittently. Blood glucose levels and glucose infusion rate were monitored continuously by the Biostator, and classical methodology using a D-[3- 3 H]glucose infusion allowed the authors to study glucose turnover. While basal plasma glucagon levels were similar in both conditions, they plateaued at 189 +/- 38 pg ml -1 during continuous infusion and varied between 95 and 501 pg x ml -1 during pulsatile infusion. When compared with continuous administration, pulsatile glucagon infusion 1) initially induced a similar increase in endogenous (hepatic) glucose production and blood glucose, 2) did not prevent the so-called evanescent effect of glucagon on blood glucose, and 3) after 3 h tended to reduce rather than increase hepatic glucose production. In conclusion, in vivo pulsatile hyperglucanemia in normal man fails to increase hepatic glucose production

  16. Mini-interfacial Fracture Toughness of a Multimode Adhesive Bonded to Plasma-treated Dentin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayres, Ana Paula Almeida; Pongprueksa, Pong; De Munck, Jan; Gré, Cristina Parise; Nascimento, Fábio Dupart; Giannini, Marcelo; Van Meerbeek, Bart

    2017-01-01

    To investigate the bonding efficacy of a multimode adhesive to plasma-treated and -untreated (control) dentin using a mini-interfacial fracture toughness (mini-iFT) test. Twenty human molars were used in a split-tooth design (n = 10). The adhesive Scotchbond Universal (SBU; 3M ESPE) was applied in etch-and-rinse (E&R) and self-etch (SE) modes. Mid-coronal dentin was exposed and covered with a standardized smear layer ground to 320 grit. One half of each dentin surface received 15 s of non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP), while the other half was covered with a metallic barrier and kept untreated. Following the E&R mode, dentin was plasma treated immediately after phosphoric acid etching. SBU and a resin-based composite were applied to dentin following the manufacturer's instructions. Six mini-iFT specimens were prepared per tooth (1.5 x 2.0 x 16 to 18 mm), and a single notch was prepared at the adhesive-dentin interface using a 150-μm diamond blade under water cooling. Half of the mini-iFT specimens were immediately loaded until failure in a 4-point bending test, while the other half were first stored in distilled water for 6 months. After testing, the exact dimensions of the notch were measured with a measuring optical microscope, from which ΚIc was determined. Three-way ANOVA revealed higher mini-iFT for SBU applied in E&R than SE mode for both storage times, irrespective of NTAP treatment. Overall, mini-iFT did not decrease for any of the experimental groups upon 6-month aging, while plasma treatment did not show a direct beneficial effect on mini-iFT of SBU applied in either E&R or SE mode.

  17. Influence of impacts on static and low-cycle fatigue characteristics of composite specimens (Draft)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Walters, C.L.

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes the effect of impacts on the possible reduction of the structural characteristics and damage growth of graphite-epoxy specimens. The considered specimens are undamaged specimens and specimens impacted with two different energy levels. In particular, barely visible impact damage

  18. Quantification of the Triazole Antifungal Compounds Voriconazole and Posaconazole in Human Serum or Plasma Using Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molinelli, Alejandro R; Rose, Charles H

    2016-01-01

    Voriconazole and posaconazole are triazole antifungal compounds used in the treatment of fungal infections. Therapeutic drug monitoring of both compounds is recommended in order to guide drug dosing to achieve optimal blood concentrations. In this chapter we describe an HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for the quantification of both compounds in human plasma or serum following a simple specimen preparation procedure. Specimen preparation consists of protein precipitation using methanol and acetonitrile followed by a cleanup step that involves filtration through a cellulose acetate membrane. The specimen is then injected into an HPLC-ESI-MS/MS equipped with a C18 column and separated over an acetonitrile gradient. Quantification of the drugs in the specimen is achieved by comparing the response of the unknown specimen to that of the calibrators in the standard curve using multiple reaction monitoring.

  19. Fail-safe reactivity compensation method for a nuclear reactor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nygaard, Erik T.; Angelo, Peter L.; Aase, Scott B.

    2018-01-23

    The present invention relates generally to the field of compensation methods for nuclear reactors and, in particular to a method for fail-safe reactivity compensation in solution-type nuclear reactors. In one embodiment, the fail-safe reactivity compensation method of the present invention augments other control methods for a nuclear reactor. In still another embodiment, the fail-safe reactivity compensation method of the present invention permits one to control a nuclear reaction in a nuclear reactor through a method that does not rely on moving components into or out of a reactor core, nor does the method of the present invention rely on the constant repositioning of control rods within a nuclear reactor in order to maintain a critical state.

  20. Growth and male reproduction improvement of non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatment on chickens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao Zhang, Jiao; Luong Huynh, Do; Chandimali, Nisansala; Kang, Tae Yoon; Kim, Nameun; Mok, Young Sun; Kwon, Taeho; Jeong, Dong Kee

    2018-05-01

    This study investigated whether plasma treatment of fertilized eggs before hatching could affect the growth and reproduction of chickens. Three point five-day-incubated fertilized eggs exposed to non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma at 2.81 W of power for 2 min resulted in the highest growth in chickens. Plasma growth-promoting effect was regulated by the reactive oxygen species homeostasis and the improvement of energy metabolism via increasing serum hormones and adenosine triphosphate levels which were resulted from the regulation of genes involved in antioxidant defense, hormone biosynthesis and energetic metabolism. Interestingly, plasma-treated male chickens conspicuously grew faster than females. Further, aspects of male reproductive system (testosterone level and sperm quality) were improved by the plasma treatment but female reproduction (estradiol and progesterone levels, egg-laying rate and egg weight) had no significant changes. Unfortunately, offspring whose parents were the optimal plasma-treated chickens did not show any difference on growth characteristics and failed to inherit excellent growth features from their parents. Our results suggest a new method to improve the growth rate and male reproductive capacity in poultry but it is only effective in the plasma direct-treated generation.

  1. Bireflectance imaging of coal and carbon specimens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crelling, J.C. [Department of Geology, 1259 Lincoln Drive, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 (United States); Glasspool, I.J.; Gibbins, J.R.; Seitz, M. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2BX (United Kingdom)

    2005-11-10

    Although bireflectance measurements are routine, to date they have been limited to selected single point measurements. This study uses a 360{sup o} rotating polarizer in the incident light path combined with digital imaging to map the optical bireflectance of a polished specimen over the complete field of view, a system herein referred to as 'Bireflectance Imaging of Coal and Carbon Specimens' (BRICCS). True maximum reflectance maps and maps of polarizer angle for maximum reflectance (to identify co-ordered regions) are obtainable from the same data. A variety of coal, coke, char, graphite, and carbon/carbon specimens have been examined with the BRICCS system and the results demonstrate that the system can produce accurate maximum and apparent minimum reflectance, bireflectance, and extinction angle images. For example, flakes of natural graphite show no bireflectance along their long axis except in areas that have been strained. The images are maps showing the value of every pixel that has been calibrated by mineral reflectance standards. The maps are unique in that they show fields of view that cannot be seen by normal viewing through the microscope. For example, the bireflectance maps show the maximum difference between the maximum and apparent minimum reflectance for each of the million pixels at twenty orientations of the polarizer. (author)

  2. Crack Propagation on ESE(T) Specimens Strengthened with CFRP Sheets

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Christian Skodborg; Jensen, Peter Holmstrøm; Dyrelund, Jens

    2009-01-01

    In this paper fatigue tests on side notched steel test specimens strengthened with adhesive bonded fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets are presented. The specimens are subject to crack growth both in the steel and bond line. Influence of the load ratio and initial crack length on the overall...

  3. Morphing methods to parameterize specimen-specific finite element model geometries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigal, Ian A; Yang, Hongli; Roberts, Michael D; Downs, J Crawford

    2010-01-19

    Shape plays an important role in determining the biomechanical response of a structure. Specimen-specific finite element (FE) models have been developed to capture the details of the shape of biological structures and predict their biomechanics. Shape, however, can vary considerably across individuals or change due to aging or disease, and analysis of the sensitivity of specimen-specific models to these variations has proven challenging. An alternative to specimen-specific representation has been to develop generic models with simplified geometries whose shape is relatively easy to parameterize, and can therefore be readily used in sensitivity studies. Despite many successful applications, generic models are limited in that they cannot make predictions for individual specimens. We propose that it is possible to harness the detail available in specimen-specific models while leveraging the power of the parameterization techniques common in generic models. In this work we show that this can be accomplished by using morphing techniques to parameterize the geometry of specimen-specific FE models such that the model shape can be varied in a controlled and systematic way suitable for sensitivity analysis. We demonstrate three morphing techniques by using them on a model of the load-bearing tissues of the posterior pole of the eye. We show that using relatively straightforward procedures these morphing techniques can be combined, which allows the study of factor interactions. Finally, we illustrate that the techniques can be used in other systems by applying them to morph a femur. Morphing techniques provide an exciting new possibility for the analysis of the biomechanical role of shape, independently or in interaction with loading and material properties. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Residual stress state in pipe cut ring specimens for fracture toughness testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Damjanovic, Darko [J.J. Strossmayer Univ. of Osijek, Slavonski Brod (Croatia). Mechanical Engineering Faculty; Kozak, Drazan [Zagreb Univ. (Croatia). Dept. for Mechanical Design; Marsoner, Stefan [Materials Center, Leoben (Austria).; Gubeljak, Nenad [Maribor Univ. (Slovenia). Chair of Mechanics

    2017-07-01

    Thin-walled pipes are not suitable for measuring fracture toughness parameters of vital importance because longitudinal crack failure is the most common failure mode in pipes. This is due to the impossibility to manufacture standard specimens for measuring fracture toughness, such as SENB or CT specimens, from the thin wall of the pipe. Previous works noticed this problem, but until now, a good and convenient solution has not been found or developed. To overcome this problem, very good alternative solution was proposed, the so-called pipe ring notched bend specimen (PRNB) [1-5]. Until now, only the idealized geometry PRNB specimen is analyzed, i. e., a specimen which is not cut out from an actual pipe but produced from steel plate. Based on that, residual stresses are neglected along with the imperfections in geometry (elliptical and eccentricity). The aim of this research is to estimate the residual stress state(s) in real pipes used in the boiler industry produced by hot rolling technique. These types of pipes are delivered only in normalized condition, but not stress relieved. Therefore, there are residual stresses present due to the manufacturing technique, but also due to uneven cooling after the production process. Within this paper, residual stresses are estimated by three methods: the incremental hole drilling method (IHMD), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the splitting method (SM). Knowing the residual stress state in the ring specimen, it is possible to assess their impact on fracture toughness measured on the corresponding PRNB specimen(s).

  5. Residual stress state in pipe cut ring specimens for fracture toughness testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Damjanovic, Darko; Kozak, Drazan; Marsoner, Stefan; Gubeljak, Nenad

    2017-01-01

    Thin-walled pipes are not suitable for measuring fracture toughness parameters of vital importance because longitudinal crack failure is the most common failure mode in pipes. This is due to the impossibility to manufacture standard specimens for measuring fracture toughness, such as SENB or CT specimens, from the thin wall of the pipe. Previous works noticed this problem, but until now, a good and convenient solution has not been found or developed. To overcome this problem, very good alternative solution was proposed, the so-called pipe ring notched bend specimen (PRNB) [1-5]. Until now, only the idealized geometry PRNB specimen is analyzed, i. e., a specimen which is not cut out from an actual pipe but produced from steel plate. Based on that, residual stresses are neglected along with the imperfections in geometry (elliptical and eccentricity). The aim of this research is to estimate the residual stress state(s) in real pipes used in the boiler industry produced by hot rolling technique. These types of pipes are delivered only in normalized condition, but not stress relieved. Therefore, there are residual stresses present due to the manufacturing technique, but also due to uneven cooling after the production process. Within this paper, residual stresses are estimated by three methods: the incremental hole drilling method (IHMD), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the splitting method (SM). Knowing the residual stress state in the ring specimen, it is possible to assess their impact on fracture toughness measured on the corresponding PRNB specimen(s).

  6. An Inset CT Specimen for Evaluating Fracture in Small Samples of Material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yahyazadehfar, M.; Nazari, A.; Kruzic, J.J.; Quinn, G.D.; Arola, D.

    2013-01-01

    In evaluations on the fracture behavior of hard tissues and many biomaterials, the volume of material available to study is not always sufficient to apply a standard method of practice. In the present study an inset Compact Tension (inset CT) specimen is described, which uses a small cube of material (approximately 2×2×2 mm3) that is molded within a secondary material to form the compact tension geometry. A generalized equation describing the Mode I stress intensity was developed for the specimen using the solutions from a finite element model that was defined over permissible crack lengths, variations in specimen geometry, and a range in elastic properties of the inset and mold materials. A validation of the generalized equation was performed using estimates for the fracture toughness of a commercial dental composite via the “inset CT” specimen and the standard geometry defined by ASTM E399. Results showed that the average fracture toughness obtained from the new specimen (1.23 ± 0.02 MPa•m0.5) was within 2% of that from the standard. Applications of the inset CT specimen are presented for experimental evaluations on the crack growth resistance of dental enamel and root dentin, including their fracture resistance curves. Potential errors in adopting this specimen are then discussed, including the effects of debonding between the inset and molding material on the estimated stress intensity distribution. Results of the investigation show that the inset CT specimen offers a viable approach for studying the fracture behavior of small volumes of structural materials. PMID:24268892

  7. Thinning of specimens for examination under the electron microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franks, J.

    1982-01-01

    Heretofore specimens have been thinned to penetration for examination by electron microscopy techniques, by ion erosion techniques. A more rapid technique is disclosed employing a beam or beams comprised solely of neutral particles. In tests carried out using this technique the sputtering rate from a sample specimen has been shown to be several percentages greater using a neutral source than from an ion source with the same flux density. (author)

  8. Special fracture mechanics specimens for multilayer plastic pipes testing

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hutař, Pavel; Šestáková, Lucie; Knésl, Zdeněk; Nezbedová, E.; Náhlík, Luboš

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 28, č. 8 (2009), s. 785-792 ISSN 0142-9418 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA106/09/0279; GA ČR GC101/09/J027 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : Multilayer plastic pipes * C-type specimen * K-calibration * Fracture toughness * Slow crack growth * Non-homogenous specimens Subject RIV: JL - Material s Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 1.667, year: 2009

  9. Raising the Corrosion Resistance of Low-Carbon Steels by Electrolytic-Plasma Saturation with Nitrogen and Carbon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusmanov, S. A.; Grishina, E. P.; Belkin, P. N.; Kusmanova, Yu. V.; Kudryakova, N. O.

    2017-05-01

    Structural features of the external oxide layer and internal nitrided, carbonitrided and carburized layers in steels 10, 20 and St3 produced by the method of electrolytic plasma treatment are studied. Specimens of the steels are tested for corrosion in a naturally aerated 1-N solution of sodium chloride. The condition of the metal/sodium chloride solution interface is studied by the method of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It is shown that the corrosion resistance of low-carbon steels can be raised by anode electrolytic-plasma saturation with nitrogen and carbon. Recommendations are given on the choice of carbonitriding modes for structural steels.

  10. Use of miniature tensile specimen and video extensometer for measurement of mechanical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Kundan; Pooleery, Arun; Madhusoodanan, K.

    2014-08-01

    Miniaturisation of the tensile test specimen below the sub-size level poses various challenges, such as conformity of specimen to various acceptance criteria as per standard test specimen, aspect ratio, minimum number of grains required in a gauge cross-section, fabrication for uniformity in metrological values, etc. Apart from these, measurement of strain over a very limited available space on the test specimen is another practical challenge. Despite these limitations, miniature specimen testing is increasingly being used worldwide these days. The driving forces behind increasing use of miniature test techniques are new material development, assuring fitness of component after in-service-inspection, low dose of radiation exposure due to smaller dimensions of test specimens etc. However, the evaluation of mechanical properties from a miniature tensile test has a greater advantage over the other miniature novel test techniques, such as small punch test, ABI, miniature fatigue and impact tests etc., as it is a direct method of measurement of mechanical properties. This report covers various aspects of miniature tensile test methodologies, which include geometrical design of specimen having gauge length of 3-5 mm, fabrication, development of special fixtures for gripping the test specimens, and use of optical method for strain measurement. The geometrical design of the specimen and its behaviour over application of tensile load has been established using FEM analysis. A good agreement between conventional and miniature test results exemplifies the potential of the miniature tensile test technique. (author)

  11. Fabrication and testing of prestressed composite rotor blade spar specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gleich, D.

    1974-01-01

    Prestressed composite spar specimens were fabricated and evaluated by crack propagation and ballistic penetration tests. The crack propagation tests on flawed specimens showed that the prestressed composite spar construction significantly suppresses crack growth. Damage from three high velocity 30 caliber projectile hits was confined to three small holes in the ballistic test specimen. No fragmentation or crack propagation was observed indicating good ballistic damage resistance. Rotor attachment approaches and improved structural performance configurations were identified. Design theory was verified by tests. The prestressed composite spar configuration consisted of a compressively prestressed high strength ARDEFORM 301 stainless steel liner overwrapped with pretensioned S-994 fiberglass.

  12. Failed fuel detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Onodera, Koichi.

    1981-01-01

    Purpose: To improve the reliability of detecting the failure of a fuel rod by imparting a wire disconnection detecting function to a central electrode at the center of a failure mode thereto. Constitution: A wire disconnection detecting terminal is provided at the terminal opposite to the signal output terminal of a central electrode in a failed fuel detector used for detecting the failure of a fuel rod in an atomic power plant using liquid metal as a coolant, and a voltage monitor for monitoring the terminal voltage is connected to the terminal. The disconnection of the central electrode is detected by the failure of the output of the voltage monitor, and an alarm is thus generated. (Aizawa, K.)

  13. On a specimen of Lumbricus terrestris, L. with bifurcated tail

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Horst, R.

    1886-01-01

    In the last number of the »Annals and Magazine of Nat. History” (Dec. 1885), I find a notice of Prof. Jeffrey Bell about two Lumbrici with bifid hinder ends, one specimen belonging to L. terrestris, the other to L. foetidus; moreover he mentions a specimen, presenting a similar remarquable

  14. Experimental and Numerical Investigations on Feasibility and Validity of Prismatic Rock Specimen in SHPB

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xibing Li

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents experimental and numerical studies on the feasibility and validity of using prismatic rock specimens in split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB test. Firstly, the experimental tests are conducted to evaluate the stress and strain uniformity in the prismatic specimens during impact loading. The stress analysis at the ends of the specimen shows that stress equilibrium can be achieved after about three wave reflections in the specimen, and the balance can be well maintained for a certain time after peak stress. The strain analysis reveals that the prismatic specimen deforms uniformly during the dynamic loading period. Secondly, numerical simulation is performed to further verify the stress and strain uniformity in the prismatic specimen in SHPB test. It indicates that the stress equilibrium can be achieved in prismatic specimen despite a certain degree of stress concentration at the corners. The comparative experiments demonstrate that the change of specimen shape has no significant effect on dynamic responses and failure patterns of the specimen. Finally, a dynamic crack propagation test is presented to show the application of the present work in studying fracturing mechanisms under dynamic loading.

  15. Small specimen technique for assessing mechanical properties of metallic components

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lobo, Raquel M.; Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.; Morcelli, Aparecido E., E-mail: rmlobo@ipen.br, E-mail: morcelliae@gmail.com [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2017-11-01

    Small Punch Test (SPT) is one of the most promising techniques of small specimen test, which was originally applied in testing of irradiated materials in nuclear engineering. Then it was introduced to other fields as an almost nondestructive method to measure the local mechanical properties that are difficult to be obtained using conventional mechanical tests. Most studies to date are focused on metallic materials, although SPT applications are recently spreading to other materials. The small punch test (SPT) employs small-sized specimens (for example, samples measuring 8 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm thick). The specimen is firmly clamped between two circular dies and is bi-axially strained until failure into a circular hole using a hemispherical punch. The 'load-punch displacement' record can be used to estimate the yield strength, the ultimate tensile strength, the tensile elongation, and the temperature of the ductile-to-brittle transition. Recently, some researchers are working on the use of miniature notched or pre-cracked specimens (denoted as p-SPT) to validate its geometry and dimensions for obtaining the fracture properties of metallic materials. In a first approach, the technique makes it possible to convert primary experimental data into conventional mechanical properties of a massive specimen. In this paper a comprehensive review of the different STP applications is presented with the aim of clarifying its usefulness. (author)

  16. Small specimen technique for assessing mechanical properties of metallic components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lobo, Raquel M.; Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.; Morcelli, Aparecido E.

    2017-01-01

    Small Punch Test (SPT) is one of the most promising techniques of small specimen test, which was originally applied in testing of irradiated materials in nuclear engineering. Then it was introduced to other fields as an almost nondestructive method to measure the local mechanical properties that are difficult to be obtained using conventional mechanical tests. Most studies to date are focused on metallic materials, although SPT applications are recently spreading to other materials. The small punch test (SPT) employs small-sized specimens (for example, samples measuring 8 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm thick). The specimen is firmly clamped between two circular dies and is bi-axially strained until failure into a circular hole using a hemispherical punch. The 'load-punch displacement' record can be used to estimate the yield strength, the ultimate tensile strength, the tensile elongation, and the temperature of the ductile-to-brittle transition. Recently, some researchers are working on the use of miniature notched or pre-cracked specimens (denoted as p-SPT) to validate its geometry and dimensions for obtaining the fracture properties of metallic materials. In a first approach, the technique makes it possible to convert primary experimental data into conventional mechanical properties of a massive specimen. In this paper a comprehensive review of the different STP applications is presented with the aim of clarifying its usefulness. (author)

  17. Method for detecting a failed fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Utamura, Motoaki; Urata, Megumu; Uchida, Shunsuke.

    1976-01-01

    Purpose: To provide a method for the detection of failed fuel by pouring hot water, in which pouring speed of liquid to be poured and temperature of the liquid are controlled to prevent the leakage of the liquid. Constitution: The method comprises blocking the top of a fuel assembly arranged in coolant to stop a flow of coolant, pouring a liquid higher in temperature than that of coolant into the fuel assembly, sampling the liquid poured, and measuring the concentration of radioactivity of coolant already subjected to sampling to detect a failed fuel. At this time, controlling is made so that the pouring speed of the poured liquid is set to about 25 l/min, and an increased portion of temperature from the temperature of liquid to the temperature of coolant is set to a level less than about 15 0 C. (Furukawa, Y.)

  18. Testing machine for fatigue crack kinetic investigation in specimens under bending

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panasyuk, V.V.; Ratych, L.V.; Dmytrakh, I.N.

    1978-01-01

    A kinematic diagram of testing mashine for the investigation of fatigue crack kinetics in prismatic specimens, subjected to pure bending is described. Suggested is a technique of choosing an optimum ratio of the parameters of ''the testing machine-specimen'' system, which provide the stabilization of the stress intensity coefficient for a certain region of crack development under hard loading. On the example of the 40KhS and 15Kh2MFA steel specimens the pliability of the machine constructed according to the described diagram and designed for the 30ONxm maximum bending moment. The results obtained can be used in designing of the testing machines for studying pure bending under hard loading and in choosing the sizes of specimens with rectangular cross sections for investigations into the kinetics of the fatigue crack

  19. Fail-safe logic elements for use with reactor safety systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bobis, J.P.; McDowell, W.P.

    1976-01-01

    A complete fail-safe trip circuit is described which utilizes fail-safe logic elements. The logic elements used are analog multipliers and active bandpass filter networks. These elements perform Boolean operations on a set of AC signals from the output of a reactor safety-channel trip comparator

  20. Electronprobe X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens improvement of a number of quantification procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boekestein, A.

    1984-01-01

    In this thesis an investigation is described to establish which quantification procedures can be used in the X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens. Two classes of specimens have been distinguished from each other, i.e. thick specimens (opaque to the beam electrons) and thin specimens (transparent to the beam electrons). (Auth.)

  1. Perfect storm: Therapeutic plasma exchange for a patient with thyroid storm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGonigle, Andrea M; Tobian, Aaron A R; Zink, Jennifer L; King, Karen E

    2018-02-01

    Thyroid storm is a potentially lethal complication of hyperthyroidism with increased thyroid hormones and exaggerated symptoms of thyrotoxicosis. First-line therapy includes methimazole (MMI) or propylthiouracil (PTU) to block production of thyroid hormones as a bridge toward definitive surgical treatment. Untreated thyroid storm has a mortality rate of up to 30%; this is particularly alarming when patients cannot tolerate or fail pharmacotherapy, especially if they cannot undergo thyroidectomy. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is an ASFA category III indication for thyroid storm, meaning the optimum role of this therapy is not established, and there are a limited number of cases in the literature. Yet TPE can remove T3 and T4 bound to albumin, autoantibodies, catecholamines and cytokines and is likely beneficial for these patients. We report a patient with thyroid storm who could not tolerate PTU, subsequently failed therapy with MMI, and was not appropriate for thyroidectomy. TPE was therefore performed daily for 4 days (1.0 plasma volume with 5% albumin replacement and 2 U of plasma). Over the treatment course, the patient's thyroid hormones normalized and symptoms of thyroid storm largely resolved; his T3 decreased from 2.27 to 0.81 ng/mL (normal 0.8-2.0), T4 decreased from 4.8 to 1.7 ng/mL (0.8-1.8), heart rate normalized, altered mental status improved, and he converted to normal sinus rhythm. He was ultimately discharged in euthyroid state. He experienced no side effects from his TPE procedures. TPE is a safe and effective treatment for thyroid storm when conventional treatments are not successful or appropriate. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Design and construction of OGL-1 Specimen Transfer System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, Kunio; Saruta, Tohru; Nabeya, Hideaki; Nakagaki, Shogo; Nishizaki, Tadashi.

    1977-11-01

    OGL-1 is the first high temperature gas in-pile loop in Japan, which is installed in JMTR of Oarai Research Establishment, JAERI. As the JMTR is the PWR type, specimens must be set in the loop with a remote control system ''OGL-1 Specimen Transfer System'' because of the needs for moisture prevention and radiation shielding. Described in this report are design philosophy, loop development, problems in construction, inspection and operation. (auth.)

  3. Breast surgical specimen radiographs: How reliable are they?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Britton, P.D.; Sonoda, L.I.; Yamamoto, A.K.; Koo, B.; Soh, E.; Goud, A.

    2011-01-01

    Radiography of the excised surgical specimen following wire guided localisation of impalpable breast lesions is standard surgical practice. The aims of the study were to establish the reliability of the breast specimen radiograph (SR) in determining lesion excision and to determine whether the radiographic margin correlated with the histological margin. The clinical, imaging, SR and pathological details of 106 patients with a pre-operative diagnosis of breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. The reliability of orientation was estimated and the appearance and distance from the mammographic abnormality to each radial margin were measured and correlated with surgical histological findings. The overall accuracy of the specimen radiograph in determining whether the mammographic lesion was present was 99%. The SR could be orientated 'very reliably' or 'reliably' in 80% of patients however in only 48% of patients did the closest margin on the SR correspond with the same nearest margin at final histology. A maximum measurement of 11 mm or more from the lesion to the specimen edge was associated with a 77% likelihood of having a clear final histological margin (taken as 5 mm or more) and if <11 mm a 58% chance of having involved final histological margins. There was however a wide overlap in the results with patients having an apparently wide SR margin but histologically involved margins and vice versa. The SR is reliable at determining whether the target lesion has been removed. The correlation of SR margin orientation and measurement with final histological measurement is however far less reliable.

  4. Grips for testing of electrical characteristics of a specimen under a mechanical load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briggs, Timothy; Loyola, Bryan

    2018-04-24

    Various technologies to facilitate coupled electrical and mechanical measurement of conductive materials are disclosed herein. A gripping device simultaneously holds a specimen in place and causes contact to be made between the specimen and a plurality of electrodes connected to an electrical measuring device. An electrical characteristic of the specimen is then measured while a mechanical load is applied to the specimen, and a relationship between the mechanical load and changes in the electrical characteristic can be identified.

  5. Systems with randomly failing repairable components

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Der Kiureghian, Armen; Ditlevsen, Ove Dalager; Song, Junho

    2005-01-01

    Closed-form expressions are derived for the steady-state availability, mean rate of failure, mean duration of downtime and reliability of a general system with randomly and independently failing repairable components. Component failures are assumed to be homogeneous Poisson events in time and rep...

  6. Calcium titanate (CaTiO{sub 3}) dielectrics prepared by plasma spray and post-deposition thermal treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ctibor, Pavel [Materials Engineering Department, Institute of Plasma Physics ASCR, v.v.i., Za Slovankou 3, Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Kotlan, Jiri, E-mail: kotlan@ipp.cas.cz [Materials Engineering Department, Institute of Plasma Physics ASCR, v.v.i., Za Slovankou 3, Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Department of Electrotechnology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Technicka 2, Prague 6 (Czech Republic); Pala, Zdenek [Materials Engineering Department, Institute of Plasma Physics ASCR, v.v.i., Za Slovankou 3, Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Sedlacek, Josef [Department of Electrotechnology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Technicka 2, Prague 6 (Czech Republic); Hajkova, Zuzana; Grygar, Tomas Matys [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry ASCR, v.v.i., Husinec-Rez 1001, Rez (Czech Republic)

    2015-12-15

    Highlights: • Calcium titanate was sprayed by two different plasma spray systems. • Significant improvement of dielectric properties after annealing was observed. • Calcium titanate self-supporting parts can be fabricated by plasma spraying. - Abstract: This paper studies calcium titanate (CaTiO{sub 3}) dielectrics prepared by plasma spray technology. A water stabilized plasma gun (WSP) as well as a widely used gas stabilized plasma gun (GSP) were employed in this study to deposit three sample sets at different spray conditions. Prepared specimens were annealed in air at atmospheric pressure for 2 h at various temperatures from 530 to 1170 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and porosity measurements were used for sample characterization. Dielectric spectroscopy was applied to obtain relative permittivity, conductivity and loss factor frequency dependence. Band gap energy was estimated from reflectance measurements. The work is focused on the explanation of changes in microstructure and properties of a plasma sprayed deposit after thermal annealing. Obtained results show significant improvement of dielectric properties after thermal annealing.

  7. Urine specimen validity test for drug abuse testing in workplace and court settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Shin-Yu; Lee, Hei-Hwa; Lee, Jong-Feng; Chen, Bai-Hsiun

    2018-01-01

    In recent decades, urine drug testing in the workplace has become common in many countries in the world. There have been several studies concerning the use of the urine specimen validity test (SVT) for drug abuse testing administered in the workplace. However, very little data exists concerning the urine SVT on drug abuse tests from court specimens, including dilute, substituted, adulterated, and invalid tests. We investigated 21,696 submitted urine drug test samples for SVT from workplace and court settings in southern Taiwan over 5 years. All immunoassay screen-positive urine specimen drug tests were confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We found that the mean 5-year prevalence of tampering (dilute, substituted, or invalid tests) in urine specimens from the workplace and court settings were 1.09% and 3.81%, respectively. The mean 5-year percentage of dilute, substituted, and invalid urine specimens from the workplace were 89.2%, 6.8%, and 4.1%, respectively. The mean 5-year percentage of dilute, substituted, and invalid urine specimens from the court were 94.8%, 1.4%, and 3.8%, respectively. No adulterated cases were found among the workplace or court samples. The most common drug identified from the workplace specimens was amphetamine, followed by opiates. The most common drug identified from the court specimens was ketamine, followed by amphetamine. We suggest that all urine specimens taken for drug testing from both the workplace and court settings need to be tested for validity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. Setting and validating the pass/fail score for the NBDHE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Tsung-Hsun; Dixon, Barbara Leatherman

    2013-04-01

    This report describes the overall process used for setting the pass/fail score for the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). The Objective Standard Setting (OSS) method was used for setting the pass/fail score for the NBDHE. The OSS method requires a panel of experts to determine the criterion items and proportion of these items that minimally competent candidates would answer correctly, the percentage of mastery and the confidence level of the error band. A panel of 11 experts was selected by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (Joint Commission). Panel members represented geographic distribution across the U.S. and had the following characteristics: full-time dental hygiene practitioners with experience in areas of preventive, periodontal, geriatric and special needs care, and full-time dental hygiene educators with experience in areas of scientific basis for dental hygiene practice, provision of clinical dental hygiene services and community health/research principles. Utilizing the expert panel's judgments, the pass/fail score was set and then the score scale was established using the Rasch measurement model. Statistical and psychometric analysis shows the actual failure rate and the OSS failure rate are reasonably consistent (2.4% vs. 2.8%). The analysis also showed the lowest error of measurement, an index of the precision at the pass/fail score point and that the highest reliability (0.97) are achieved at the pass/fail score point. The pass/fail score is a valid guide for making decisions about candidates for dental hygiene licensure. This new standard was reviewed and approved by the Joint Commission and was implemented beginning in 2011.

  9. Robust and automated three-dimensional segmentation of densely packed cell nuclei in different biological specimens with Lines-of-Sight decomposition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathew, B; Schmitz, A; Muñoz-Descalzo, S; Ansari, N; Pampaloni, F; Stelzer, E H K; Fischer, S C

    2015-06-08

    Due to the large amount of data produced by advanced microscopy, automated image analysis is crucial in modern biology. Most applications require reliable cell nuclei segmentation. However, in many biological specimens cell nuclei are densely packed and appear to touch one another in the images. Therefore, a major difficulty of three-dimensional cell nuclei segmentation is the decomposition of cell nuclei that apparently touch each other. Current methods are highly adapted to a certain biological specimen or a specific microscope. They do not ensure similarly accurate segmentation performance, i.e. their robustness for different datasets is not guaranteed. Hence, these methods require elaborate adjustments to each dataset. We present an advanced three-dimensional cell nuclei segmentation algorithm that is accurate and robust. Our approach combines local adaptive pre-processing with decomposition based on Lines-of-Sight (LoS) to separate apparently touching cell nuclei into approximately convex parts. We demonstrate the superior performance of our algorithm using data from different specimens recorded with different microscopes. The three-dimensional images were recorded with confocal and light sheet-based fluorescence microscopes. The specimens are an early mouse embryo and two different cellular spheroids. We compared the segmentation accuracy of our algorithm with ground truth data for the test images and results from state-of-the-art methods. The analysis shows that our method is accurate throughout all test datasets (mean F-measure: 91%) whereas the other methods each failed for at least one dataset (F-measure≤69%). Furthermore, nuclei volume measurements are improved for LoS decomposition. The state-of-the-art methods required laborious adjustments of parameter values to achieve these results. Our LoS algorithm did not require parameter value adjustments. The accurate performance was achieved with one fixed set of parameter values. We developed a novel and

  10. Thiel embalming fluid--a new way to revive formalin-fixed cadaveric specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunter, Amanda; Eisma, Roos; Lamb, Clare

    2014-09-01

    By soft fixing cadavers using the Thiel embalming method, our cadavers now exhibit a greater degree of flexibility and color retention compared to that of traditional formalin-fixed cadavers. The aim of this experiment was to discover whether Thiel embalming fluid could be used to revive and soften the muscles of formalin-fixed prosected specimens. Earlier this year, two severely dehydrated formalin-fixed forearm and hand specimens were fully submerged in a tank containing Thiel embalming fluid. After a period of six months the specimens were removed from the tank and noticeable changes were observed in flexibility, quality of the tissue, and color of the specimens. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Efficacy of repeated 5-fluorouracil needling for failing and failed filtering surgeries based on simple gonioscopic examination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rashad MA

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Mohammad A RashadOphthalmology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, EgyptPurpose: To evaluate the success rate of a modified bleb needling technique in eyes with previous glaucoma surgery that had elevated intraocular pressure.Methods: A retrospective study of 24 eyes of 24 patients that underwent repeated bleb needling performed for failing and failed blebs on slit lamp with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU injections on demand. This was performed after gonioscopic examination to define levels of filtration block.Results: There was significant reduction of mean IOP from 36.91 mmHg to 14.73 mmHg at the final follow-up (P < 0.001. The overall success rate was 92%.Conclusion: Repeated needling with adjunctive 5-FU proved a highly effective, safe alternative to revive filtration surgery rather than another medication or surgery.Keywords: bleb, failure, 5-FU, needling, gonioscopy

  12. Optimal design and fabrication of three-dimensional calibration specimens for scanning probe microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Xiaoning; Luo Tingting; Chen Yuhang; Huang Wenhao [Department of Precision Machinery and Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026 Hefei (China); Piaszenski, Guido [Raith GmbH, Konrad-Adenauer-Allee 8, 44263 Dortmund (Germany)

    2012-05-15

    Micro-/nano-scale roughness specimens are highly demanded to synthetically calibrate the scanning probe microscopy (SPM) instrument. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) specimens with controllable main surface evaluation parameters were designed. In order to improve the design accuracy, the genetic algorithm was introduced into the conventional digital filter method. A primary 3D calibration specimen with the dimension of 10 {mu}m x 10 {mu}m was fabricated by electron beam lithography. Atomic force microscopy characterizations demonstrated that the statistical and spectral parameters of the fabricated specimen match well with the designed values. Such a kind of 3D specimens has the potential to calibrate the SPM for applications in quantitative surface evaluations.

  13. Elastic-plastic analysis of fracture mechanics test specimens. Part 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talja, H.; Wallin, K.

    1984-12-01

    This is second part of the report of the research program 'Comparisons between computational and experimental elastic-plastic results' started at the Technical Research Centre of Finland in 1981. The first part of the research program was reported earlier and contained a two dimensional linear elastic finite element analysis of four specimen geometries (CT, RCT, ASTM-3P and Charpy-V) and testing and elastic-plastic analysis of the specimen (EGF71; 1TCT, material A 542). In this report the second part of the program containing the testing and 2-D elastic-plastic analyses of five specimens is described. The four specimen geometries mentioned above and two different materials (stainless steel AISI 304 and ferrite pressure vessel steel A533B) are considered. The following comparisons are presented in the report: load vs. load displacement curves, J-integral, crack opening displacement (COD), J vs. COD and the size of the plastic zone. The agreement between the computational and experimental results is quite good. Complete agreement can be achieved only with 3-dimensional calculation models. (author)

  14. Time dependent convection electric fields and plasma injection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaye, S.M.; Kivelson, M.G.

    1979-01-01

    Large-scale electric fields associated with storms or substorms are responsible for inward convection and energization of plasma sheet plasma. Calculations based on steady state convection theory show that the response to such electric fields qualitatively accounts for many features of the injected particle distribution, but quantitative agreement with the theory has not yet been obtained. It is known that the predictions can be improved by introducing the concept of convection in response to a time dependent electric field. On the other hand, time dependent calculations are sensitive to the choice of initial conditions, and most models have failed to incorporate these conditions in a realistic and self-consistent manner. In this paper we present a more complete model consisting of realisic initial conditions and time dependent convection to explain a typical substorm-associated electron injection event. We find very good agreement between the observed electron flux changes and those predicted by our model

  15. Very Preterm Infants Failing CPAP Show Signs of Fatigue Immediately after Birth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siew, Melissa L.; van Vonderen, Jeroen J.; Hooper, Stuart B.; te Pas, Arjan B.

    2015-01-01

    Objective To investigate the differences in breathing pattern and effort in infants at birth who failed or succeeded on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) during the first 48 hours after birth. Methods Respiratory function recordings of 32 preterm infants were reviewed of which 15 infants with a gestational age of 28.6 (0.7) weeks failed CPAP and 17 infants with a GA of 30.1 (0.4) weeks did not fail CPAP. Frequency, duration and tidal volumes (VT) of expiratory holds (EHs), peak inspiratory flows, CPAP-level and FiO2-levels were analysed. Results EH incidence increased CPAP-fail and CPAP-success infants. At 9-12 minutes, CPAP-fail infants more frequently used smaller VTs, 0-9 ml/kg and required higher peak inspiratory flows. However, CPAP-success infants often used large VTs (>9 ml/kg) with higher peak inspiratory flows than CPAP-fail infants (71.8 ± 15.8 vs. 15.5 ± 5.2 ml/kg.s, p CPAP-fail infants required higher FiO2 (0.31 ± 0.03 vs. 0.21 ± 0.01), higher CPAP pressures (6.62 ± 0.3 vs. 5.67 ± 0.26 cmH2O) and more positive pressure-delivered breaths (45 ± 12 vs. 19 ± 9%) (p CPAP-fail infants more commonly used lower VTs and required higher peak inspiratory flow rates while receiving greater respiratory support. VT was less variable and larger VT was infrequently used reflecting early signs of fatigue. PMID:26052947

  16. Pictorial essay: Role of ultrasound in failed carpal tunnel decompression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajesh Botchu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available USG has been used for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. Scarring and incomplete decompression are the main causes for persistence or recurrence of symptoms. We performed a retrospective study to assess the role of ultrasound in failed carpal tunnel decompression. Of 422 USG studies of the wrist performed at our center over the last 5 years, 14 were for failed carpal tunnel decompression. Scarring was noted in three patients, incomplete decompression in two patients, synovitis in one patient, and an anomalous muscle belly in one patient. No abnormality was detected in seven patients. We present a pictorial review of USG findings in failed carpal tunnel decompression.

  17. Pictorial essay: Role of ultrasound in failed carpal tunnel decompression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Botchu, Rajesh; Khan, Aman; Jeyapalan, Kanagaratnam

    2012-01-01

    USG has been used for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. Scarring and incomplete decompression are the main causes for persistence or recurrence of symptoms. We performed a retrospective study to assess the role of ultrasound in failed carpal tunnel decompression. Of 422 USG studies of the wrist performed at our center over the last 5 years, 14 were for failed carpal tunnel decompression. Scarring was noted in three patients, incomplete decompression in two patients, synovitis in one patient, and an anomalous muscle belly in one patient. No abnormality was detected in seven patients. We present a pictorial review of USG findings in failed carpal tunnel decompression.

  18. An analysis of forensic entomological specimens by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syamsa, R A; Ahmad, F M S; Marwi, M A; Zuha, R M; Omar, B

    2010-09-01

    This study reviews forensic entomological specimens analysed by the Department of Parasitology & Medical Entomology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for the year 2004. A total of 10 cases (6 males and 4 females) were observed for the entomological specimens. Various types of death scenes were obtained including indoor and outdoor area such as bushes field, rubbish dumping site, and aquatic areas. Identified fly species collected from the death sites were blow flies, Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya rufifacies and Lucilia cuprina and unknown sarcophagid larvae, with Ch. megacephala being the most common species found in the ecologically varied death scene habitats. The post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation ranged from one to five days, based on the entomological specimens collected.

  19. The effect of specimen and flaw dimensions on fracture toughness

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nevalainen, M.J. [VTT Manufacturing Technology, Espoo (Finland)

    1997-06-01

    The effect of the specimen size and geometry on fracture toughness has been investigated both by experimental tests and computational analyses. The methods for constraint description, namely T-stress, Q-parameter and Small-Scale Yielding Correction (SSYC) have been compared and applied for various geometries. A statistical treatment for the specimen thickness effect on cleavage fracture toughness has been investigated. Elliptical surface cracks were compared with straight-thickness cracks and a method for crack shape correction was presented. Based on the results, the differences in apparent fracture toughness values obtained from various specimen configurations can be better understood and taken into account. 64 refs. The thesis includes also four previous publications by author.

  20. Cerenkov and radioluminescence imaging of brain tumor specimens during neurosurgery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinelli, Antonello Enrico; Schiariti, Marco P.; Grana, Chiara M.; Ferrari, Mahila; Cremonesi, Marta; Boschi, Federico

    2016-05-01

    We presented the first example of Cerenkov luminescence imaging (CLI) and radioluminescence imaging (RLI) of human tumor specimens. A patient with a brain meningioma localized in the left parietal region was injected with 166 MBq of Y90-DOTATOC the day before neurosurgery. The specimens of the tumor removed during surgery were imaged using both CLI and RLI using an optical imager prototype developed in our laboratory. The system is based on a cooled electron multiplied charge coupled device coupled with an f/0.95 17-mm C-mount lens. We showed for the first time the possibility of obtaining CLI and RLI images of fresh human brain tumor specimens removed during neurosurgery.

  1. Genomic treasure troves: complete genome sequencing of herbarium and insect museum specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staats, Martijn; Erkens, Roy H J; van de Vossenberg, Bart; Wieringa, Jan J; Kraaijeveld, Ken; Stielow, Benjamin; Geml, József; Richardson, James E; Bakker, Freek T

    2013-01-01

    Unlocking the vast genomic diversity stored in natural history collections would create unprecedented opportunities for genome-scale evolutionary, phylogenetic, domestication and population genomic studies. Many researchers have been discouraged from using historical specimens in molecular studies because of both generally limited success of DNA extraction and the challenges associated with PCR-amplifying highly degraded DNA. In today's next-generation sequencing (NGS) world, opportunities and prospects for historical DNA have changed dramatically, as most NGS methods are actually designed for taking short fragmented DNA molecules as templates. Here we show that using a standard multiplex and paired-end Illumina sequencing approach, genome-scale sequence data can be generated reliably from dry-preserved plant, fungal and insect specimens collected up to 115 years ago, and with minimal destructive sampling. Using a reference-based assembly approach, we were able to produce the entire nuclear genome of a 43-year-old Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) herbarium specimen with high and uniform sequence coverage. Nuclear genome sequences of three fungal specimens of 22-82 years of age (Agaricus bisporus, Laccaria bicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus) were generated with 81.4-97.9% exome coverage. Complete organellar genome sequences were assembled for all specimens. Using de novo assembly we retrieved between 16.2-71.0% of coding sequence regions, and hence remain somewhat cautious about prospects for de novo genome assembly from historical specimens. Non-target sequence contaminations were observed in 2 of our insect museum specimens. We anticipate that future museum genomics projects will perhaps not generate entire genome sequences in all cases (our specimens contained relatively small and low-complexity genomes), but at least generating vital comparative genomic data for testing (phylo)genetic, demographic and genetic hypotheses, that become increasingly more horizontal

  2. Role of Ca in Modifying Corrosion Resistance and Bioactivity of Plasma Anodized AM60 Magnesium Alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anawati, Anawati; Asoh, Hidetaka; Ono, Sachiko [Kogakuin University, Tokyo (Japan)

    2016-06-15

    The effect of alloying element Ca (0, 1, and 2 wt%) on corrosion resistance and bioactivity of the as-received and anodized surface of rolled plate AM60 alloys was investigated. A plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) was carried out to form anodic oxide film in 0.5 mol dm{sup -3} Na{sub 3}PO{sub 4} solution. The corrosion behavior was studied by polarization measurements while the in vitro bioactivity was tested by soaking the specimens in Simulated Body Fluid (1.5xSBF). Optical micrograph and elemental analysis of the substrate surfaces indicated that the number of intermetallic particles increased with Ca content in the alloys owing to the formation of a new phase Al2Ca. The corrosion resistance of AM60 specimens improved only slightly by alloying with 2 wt% Ca which was attributed to the reticular distribution of Al2Ca phase existed in the alloy that might became barrier for corrosion propagation across grain boundaries. Corrosion resistance of the three alloys was significantly improved by coating the substrates with anodic oxide film formed by PEO. The film mainly composed of magnesium phosphate with thickness in the range 30 - 40 μm. The heat resistant phase of Al{sub 2}Ca was believed to retard the plasma discharge during anodization and, hence, decreased the film thickness of Ca-containing alloys. The highest apatite forming ability in 1.5xSBF was observed for AM60-1Ca specimens (both substrate and anodized) that exhibited more degradation than the other two alloys as indicated by surface observation. The increase of surface roughness and the degree of supersaturation of 1.5xSBF due to dissolution of Mg ions from the substrate surface or the release of film compounds from the anodized surface are important factors to enhance deposition of Ca-P compound on the specimen surfaces.

  3. A study on preparation of cross sectional anatomy specimen of cadaver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Im, C. K.; Choi, B. I.; Park, J. H.; Chang, K. H.; Yeon, K. M.; Han, M. C.; Kim, C. W.

    1984-01-01

    With the advent of cross sectional image of CT, ultrasound and magnetic resonance, the need for knowledge of cross sectional anatomy is stranger than ever. To meet this need, preparation of cross sectional anatomy specimen using cadaver is indispensable, not only because it tis the real cut surface anatomy but also because overt limitations of radiographic image in both contrast and special resolution. Authors prepared cross sectional anatomy specimen using a male cadaver, comprising photographs and slides of the 60 cross cut slices from the head to the pelvis. After photography, each slices was embedded using transparent resin allowing permanent preservation of specimen without altering its original architecture. Author's unique method of preparation is presented and 4 representative specimens are illustrated comparing cadaver's CT image, cross cut surface photography, and photography of resin embedded slice of the same cut surface.

  4. Response of a PGNAA setup for pozzolan-based cement concrete specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naqvi, A.A.; Garwan, M.A.; Maslehuddin, M.; Nagadi, M.M.; Al-Amoudi, O.S.B.; Raashid, M.

    2010-01-01

    Pozzolanic materials are added to Portland cement concrete to increase its durability, particularly corrosion-resistance. In this study the elemental composition of a pozzolanic cement concrete was measured non-destructively utilizing an accelerator-based Prompt Gamma Ray Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) setup. The optimum size of the pozzolanic cement concrete specimen was obtained through Monte Carlo simulations. The simulation results were experimentally verified through the γ-ray yield measurement from the pozzolanic cement concrete specimens as a function of their radii. The concentration of the pozzolanic material in the cement concrete specimens was evaluated by measuring γ-ray yield for calcium and iron from pozzolanic cement concrete specimens containing 5-80 wt% pozzolan. A good agreement was noted between the experimental values and the Monte Carlo simulation results, indicating an excellent response of the KFUPM accelerator-based PGNAA setup for pozzolan based concrete.

  5. Response of a PGNAA setup for pozzolan-based cement concrete specimens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naqvi, A.A. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)], E-mail: aanaqvi@kfupm.edu.sa; Garwan, M.A. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Maslehuddin, M. [Center for Engineering Research, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Nagadi, M.M. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Al-Amoudi, O.S.B. [Department of Civil Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Raashid, M. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)

    2010-04-15

    Pozzolanic materials are added to Portland cement concrete to increase its durability, particularly corrosion-resistance. In this study the elemental composition of a pozzolanic cement concrete was measured non-destructively utilizing an accelerator-based Prompt Gamma Ray Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) setup. The optimum size of the pozzolanic cement concrete specimen was obtained through Monte Carlo simulations. The simulation results were experimentally verified through the {gamma}-ray yield measurement from the pozzolanic cement concrete specimens as a function of their radii. The concentration of the pozzolanic material in the cement concrete specimens was evaluated by measuring {gamma}-ray yield for calcium and iron from pozzolanic cement concrete specimens containing 5-80 wt% pozzolan. A good agreement was noted between the experimental values and the Monte Carlo simulation results, indicating an excellent response of the KFUPM accelerator-based PGNAA setup for pozzolan based concrete.

  6. Relationship between strain and central deflection in small punch creep specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Zhen; Wang Zhiwen

    2003-01-01

    Acquiring information about creep strain directly from small punch creep tests is difficult because the deformation behaviour of the small punch specimen is complicated. A routine is suggested in the present paper to treat this problem indirectly. Based on a finite element analysis, it is proposed that the relationship of central deflection δ to central creep strain ε c of a specimen subjected to creep can be represented approximately by the relationship of central deflection δ to central (elastic-plastic) strain ε of a specimen not subjected to creep. With this hypothesis, the δ∼ε c relation of the small punch creep specimen is obtained by resorting to a rigid-plastic membrane stretch forming model. Finally, small punch creep test results are used to evaluate creep strain and creep strain rate by taking advantage of this δ∼ε c relation

  7. Detection device for the failed position in fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tokunaga, Kensuke; Nomura, Teiji; Hiruta, Koji

    1985-01-01

    Purpose: To detect the failed position of a fuel assembly with ease and safety. Constitution: A fuel assembly is tightly closed in a sipper tube equipped with a gas supply tube and a gas exhaust tube at the upper portion and a purified water injection tube and a draining tube at the lower end. Then, water in the sipper tube is drained to the lower portion of the fuel assembly by the pressure of gases while opening the gas supply tube and the draining tube, and closing the exhaust tube and the injection tube. Then, after closing the gas supply tube and the draining tube while opening theexhaust tube and the injection tube, purified water is injected into the sipper tube from the injection tube to an optional height till the fuel assembly is immersed. Then, after leaving for a predetermined of time, water is sampled and the radioactive material density therein is measured. By changing the injection level of the purified water, since the radioactive material density changes at the failed position, the failed position can be detected with ease. (Sekiya, K.)

  8. The effect of co-deposition of hydrogen and metals on wall pumping in long duration plasma in TRIAM-1M

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyamoto, M.; Tokitani, M.; Tokunaga, K.; Fujiwara, T.; Yoshida, N.; Sakamoto, M.; Zushi, H.; Nagata, S.; Ono, K.

    2005-01-01

    The effect of co-deposition on recycling and wall pumping during long duration plasmas in TRIAM-1M has been studied. To examine the hydrogen retention on the all metal walls, material exposure experiments were carried out using an ultra-long discharge for about 72 min. After exposure to the plasma, the surface modification and hydrogen retention of the specimens were examined quantitatively by means of ion beam analysis techniques and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Large amount of retained hydrogen were detected in the specimen exposed to the long duration discharge in TRIAM-1M. This amount was sufficient to explain the wall pumping in TRIAM-1M. A correlation was also observed between the thicknesses of the deposits and the amount of retained hydrogen. These results mean that the metallic deposited layer can trap a large amount of hydrogen and has a strong influence on hydrogen recycling similar to a carbon deposit

  9. Comparison of the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Toluidine Red Unheated Serum Test and the CSF Rapid Plasma Reagin Test with the CSF Venereal Disease Research Laboratory Test for Diagnosis of Neurosyphilis among HIV-Negative Syphilis Patients in China

    OpenAIRE

    Zhu, Lin; Gu, Xin; Peng, Rui-Rui; Wang, Cuini; Gao, Zixiao; Zhou, Pingyu; Gao, Ying; Shi, Mei; Guan, Zhifang; Seña, Arlene C.

    2014-01-01

    In this study, we aimed to investigate the performance of nontreponemal antibody tests in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from syphilis patients. From September 2009 to September 2012, CSF specimens were collected at the Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital in Shanghai, China, from 1,132 syphilis patients without HIV infection, including 154 with symptomatic and 56 with asymptomatic neurosyphilis. All of the CSF specimens underwent testing with a rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test, an RPR-V (commer...

  10. Methods and devices for small specimen testing at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jitsukawa, Shiro; Kizaki, Minoru; Umino, Akira; Shiba, Kiyoyuki; Hishinuma, Akimichi

    1993-01-01

    Devices for a punch test on annular notched specimens, small punch (SP) tests, and miniaturized tension tests in hot cells were developed. A micro-manipulator to handle small specimens and an electro-discharge machine (EDM) to extract miniaturized tension specimens and annular notched specimens from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) disks were also fabricated. These devices were designed and made for remote operation in hot cells. Preliminary tests to evaluate the applicability of test methods were carried out. Correlation between SP test results and tensile properties was not strong. Miniaturized tensile results were reasonably similar to the results with larger specimens. The ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) by the punch test on annular notched specimens was higher than that obtained from the SP test. However, materials dependence of the DBTT was different from that measured by standard Charpy V-notch (CVN) tests. This may be due to a specimen size effect

  11. Underachievement, Failing Youth and Moral Panics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Emma

    2010-01-01

    This paper considers contemporary "moral panics" around the underachievement of boys in school examinations in the UK and America. In the UK, in particular, the underachievement of boys is central to current "crisis accounts" about falling standards and failing pupils. "Underachievement" is a familiar word to those…

  12. Strip specimen tests for pipeline materials and girth welds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mohr, William C. [Edison Welding Institute (EWI), Columbus, Ohio (United States)

    2009-07-01

    Strip specimen testing of pipeline materials has been widely applied as a method of getting data relevant to the performance of pipelines under axial direction loading. Comparisons of strip specimen against smaller standard tests (round tensile bar, fracture toughness specimens, polished round bars) and against full-scale or large-scale testing will be explored. Data from early-generation pipe welds from the 1920's to the 1940's to the most recent materials for offshore reeled pipe will be used for examples. Strip samples can provide full thickness information to take account of varying material properties or imperfection distribution through the thickness. Strip samples can also accommodate measurement of effects of the original surface finish or weld surface shape. Strip samples have more design flexibility than standard tests, but must be designed to limit stress concentrations and effects of local bending. (author)

  13. Specimen preparation of irradiated materials for examination in the atom probe field ion microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Russell, K.F.; Miller, M.K.

    1994-01-01

    The atom probe field ion microscope (APFIM) requires specimens in the form of ultrasharp needles. Basic protective measures used to reduce exposure druing specimen preparation are discussed. The low-level radioactive specimen blanks may be made using a two-stage electropolishing process using a thin layer of electrolyte floating on a denser inert liquid; this produces a necked region and eventually two specimens from each single blank. The amount of material handled may also be reduced using a micropolishing technique to repolish blunt or fractured specimens. Control of contamination and possible spills is discussed

  14. An acceleration test for stress corrosion cracking using humped specimen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamaya, Masayuki; Fukumura, Takuya; Totsuka, Nobuo

    2003-01-01

    By using the humped specimen, which is processed by the humped die, in the slow strain rate technique (SSRT) test, fracture facet due to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) can be observed in relatively short duration. Although the cold work and concentrated stress and strain caused by the characteristic shape of the specimen accelerate the SCC, to date these acceleration effects have not been examined quantitatively. In the present study, the acceleration effects of the humped specimen were examined through experiments and finite element analyses (FEA). The experiments investigated the SCC of alloy 600 in the primary water environment of a pressurized water reactor. SSRT tests were conducted using two kinds of humped specimen: one was annealed after hump processing in order to eliminate the cold work, and the other was hump processed after the annealing treatment. The work ratio caused by the hump processing and stress/strain conditions during SSRT test were evaluated by FEA. It was found that maximum work ratio of 30% is introduced by the hump processing and that the distribution of the work ratio is not uniform. Furthermore, the work ratio is influenced by the friction between the specimen and dies as well as by the shape of dies. It was revealed that not only the cold work but also the concentrated stress and strain during SSRT test accelerate the crack initiation and growth of the SCC. (author)

  15. Experimental procedure for the characterization of cyclic behavior from very thin plate specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maury, A.; Moulin, D.

    1983-01-01

    Many investigators, including those involved in the INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARK PROJECT ON SIMPLIFIED METHODS FOR ELEVATED TEMPERATURE DESIGN AND ANALYSIS - PROBLEM II, have tried to reproduce experimentally observed behavior by inelastic calculations. Unfortunately, the material characteristics used in the computer code were established from monotonic tensile tests performed with specimens extracted from the plate product itself (1.45 mm thick) employed to construct the ratchetting specimen. It now appears that the cyclic behavior of the material is much more relevant to the phenomenon observed. Hence the need to make this kind of characterization. Nevertheless, the practical problem is to produce cyclic stresses, i.e. tensile and compressive stresses, with very thin specimens. The main difficulty is to prevent the buckling effect. A new special device set up for this particular purpose is described here. The solution adopted was to create uniformly distributed alternative pure bending stresses in the thin plate specimen. Bending moments were produced by two end-grips fixed to the specimen, and these grips were mounted on a conventional test-machine which was displacement-controlled. To reduce tensile and compressive membrane stresses inside the specimen, the grips had two parallel axles of rotation. The forces produced by the machine and the displacements of a number of points of the specimen were continuously recorded during the test, so that cyclically stabilized, bending moments could be evaluated easily for each curvature variation imposed. The very first cyclic experimental data obtained, at room temperature, for the material of the sodium test specimen, a 316 type stainless steel, are presented. It may be noted that the simple specimens were very easy to prepare and hence inexpensive. (orig.)

  16. MIXED HYALINE VASCULAR AND PLASMA CELL TYPE CASTLEMAN’S DISEASE: REPORT OF A CASE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Asgarani

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Castleman’s disease (angiofollicular lymphoid hyperplasia includes a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative disorders. The cause of this disease remains uncertain. There are two types of localized Castleman’s disease: the more common hyaline vascular and the plasma cell types. Mixed variant is an uncommon localized lesion in general population. The lesions can occur in any part of the body that contains lymphoid tissue, although seventy percent are found in the anterior mediastinum. We report a thirty years old boy with Castleman’s disease who presented with fever, anorexia, weight loss,sweating, anemia and abdominal mass. The histologic examination of the biopsy specimens revealed a mixed hyaline vascular and plasma cell type of Castleman’s disease.

  17. Failed fuel detection and location of LMFBR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mimoto, Yasuhide; Hukuda, Tooru; Nakamoto, Koichiro

    1974-01-01

    This is a summary report on Failed Fuel Detection and Location Methods of liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactors, and describes an outline of related research and development conducted by PNC. (auth.)

  18. Triggered activity and automaticity in ventricular trabeculae of failing human and rabbit hearts

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermeulen, J. T.; McGuire, M. A.; Opthof, T.; Coronel, R.; de Bakker, J. M.; Klöpping, C.; Janse, M. J.

    1994-01-01

    The aim of the study was to assess the occurrence of triggered activity and automaticity in ventricular trabeculae from failing human hearts and normal and failing rabbit hearts during exposure to a normal and altered extracellular environment. Ventricular trabeculae were harvested from failing

  19. Automated detection of breast cancer in resected specimens with fluorescence lifetime imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phipps, Jennifer E.; Gorpas, Dimitris; Unger, Jakob; Darrow, Morgan; Bold, Richard J.; Marcu, Laura

    2018-01-01

    Re-excision rates for breast cancer lumpectomy procedures are currently nearly 25% due to surgeons relying on inaccurate or incomplete methods of evaluating specimen margins. The objective of this study was to determine if cancer could be automatically detected in breast specimens from mastectomy and lumpectomy procedures by a classification algorithm that incorporated parameters derived from fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIm). This study generated a database of co-registered histologic sections and FLIm data from breast cancer specimens (N  =  20) and a support vector machine (SVM) classification algorithm able to automatically detect cancerous, fibrous, and adipose breast tissue. Classification accuracies were greater than 97% for automated detection of cancerous, fibrous, and adipose tissue from breast cancer specimens. The classification worked equally well for specimens scanned by hand or with a mechanical stage, demonstrating that the system could be used during surgery or on excised specimens. The ability of this technique to simply discriminate between cancerous and normal breast tissue, in particular to distinguish fibrous breast tissue from tumor, which is notoriously challenging for optical techniques, leads to the conclusion that FLIm has great potential to assess breast cancer margins. Identification of positive margins before waiting for complete histologic analysis could significantly reduce breast cancer re-excision rates.

  20. Weak and Failing States: Evolving Security Threats and U.S. Policy

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Wyler, Liana S

    2008-01-01

    .... national security goal since the end of the Cold War. Numerous U.S. government documents point to several threats emanating from states that are variously described as weak, fragile, vulnerable, failing, precarious, failed, in crisis, or collapsed...

  1. Structural analysis of 177-FA redesigned surveillance specimen holder tube

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pryor, C.W.; Thoren, D.E.; Vames, G.J.; Harris, R.J.

    1976-08-01

    Because of in-service operational problems, the surveillance specimen holder tubes described in B and W topical report BAW-10051 have been redesigned. This report describes the new design and structural analysis for normal operation and upset loading conditions. The results of the analysis demonstrate the adequacy of the new surveillance specimen holder tubes for their design life of 40 years

  2. Finite element simulations of electrostatic dopant potentials in thin semiconductor specimens for electron holography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Somodi, P.K.; Twitchett-Harrison, A.C.; Midgley, P.A. [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ (United Kingdom); Kardynał, B.E. [Peter Grünberg Institute 9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich (Germany); Barnes, C.H.W. [Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom); Dunin-Borkowski, R.E., E-mail: rafaldb@gmail.com [Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons and Peter Grünberg Institute 5, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich (Germany)

    2013-11-15

    Two-dimensional finite element simulations of electrostatic dopant potentials in parallel-sided semiconductor specimens that contain p–n junctions are used to assess the effect of the electrical state of the surface of a thin specimen on projected potentials measured using off-axis electron holography in the transmission electron microscope. For a specimen that is constrained to have an equipotential surface, the simulations show that the step in the projected potential across a p–n junction is always lower than would be predicted from the properties of the bulk device, but is relatively insensitive to the value of the surface state energy, especially for thicker specimens and higher dopant concentrations. The depletion width measured from the projected potential, however, has a complicated dependence on specimen thickness. The results of the simulations are of broader interest for understanding the influence of surfaces and interfaces on electrostatic potentials in nanoscale semiconductor devices. - Highlights: • Finite element simulations are performed to calculate electrostatic dopant potentials in TEM specimens that contain p–n junctions. • The effect of the electrical state of the specimen surface on the projected potential is assessed for equipotential specimen surfaces. • The step in projected potential is always found to be lower than the step in potential in the bulk device. • The step in projected potential is least sensitive to surface state energy for thicker specimens and higher dopant concentrations. • The depletion width measured from the projected potential has a complicated dependence on specimen thickness.

  3. Finite element simulations of electrostatic dopant potentials in thin semiconductor specimens for electron holography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Somodi, P.K.; Twitchett-Harrison, A.C.; Midgley, P.A.; Kardynał, B.E.; Barnes, C.H.W.; Dunin-Borkowski, R.E.

    2013-01-01

    Two-dimensional finite element simulations of electrostatic dopant potentials in parallel-sided semiconductor specimens that contain p–n junctions are used to assess the effect of the electrical state of the surface of a thin specimen on projected potentials measured using off-axis electron holography in the transmission electron microscope. For a specimen that is constrained to have an equipotential surface, the simulations show that the step in the projected potential across a p–n junction is always lower than would be predicted from the properties of the bulk device, but is relatively insensitive to the value of the surface state energy, especially for thicker specimens and higher dopant concentrations. The depletion width measured from the projected potential, however, has a complicated dependence on specimen thickness. The results of the simulations are of broader interest for understanding the influence of surfaces and interfaces on electrostatic potentials in nanoscale semiconductor devices. - Highlights: • Finite element simulations are performed to calculate electrostatic dopant potentials in TEM specimens that contain p–n junctions. • The effect of the electrical state of the specimen surface on the projected potential is assessed for equipotential specimen surfaces. • The step in projected potential is always found to be lower than the step in potential in the bulk device. • The step in projected potential is least sensitive to surface state energy for thicker specimens and higher dopant concentrations. • The depletion width measured from the projected potential has a complicated dependence on specimen thickness

  4. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMonigal, Kathleen A.; Pietrzyk, Robert a.; Johnson, Mary Anne

    2008-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository (Repository) is a storage bank that is used to maintain biological specimens over extended periods of time and under well-controlled conditions. Samples from the International Space Station (ISS), including blood and urine, will be collected, processed and archived during the preflight, inflight and postflight phases of ISS missions. This investigation has been developed to archive biosamples for use as a resource for future space flight related research. The International Space Station (ISS) provides a platform to investigate the effects of microgravity on human physiology prior to lunar and exploration class missions. The storage of crewmember samples from many different ISS flights in a single repository will be a valuable resource with which researchers can study space flight related changes and investigate physiological markers. The development of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository will allow for the collection, processing, storage, maintenance, and ethical distribution of biosamples to meet goals of scientific and programmatic relevance to the space program. Archiving of the biosamples will provide future research opportunities including investigating patterns of physiological changes, analysis of components unknown at this time or analyses performed by new methodologies.

  5. Measurement of deformation field in CT specimen using laser speckle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeon, Moon Chang; Kang, Ki Ju

    2001-01-01

    To obtain A 2 experimentally in the J-A 2 theory, deformation field on the lateral surface of a CT specimen was to be determined using laser speckle method. The crack growth was measured using direct current potential drop method and most procedure of experimental and data reduction was performed according to ASTM Standard E1737-96. Laser speckle images during crack propagation were monitored by two CCD cameras to cancel the effect of rotation and translation of the specimen. An algorithm to pursue displacement of a point from each image was developed and successfully used to measure A 2 continuously as the crack tip was propagated. The effects of specimen thickness on J-R curve and A 2 were explored

  6. Influence of process time on microstructure and properties of 17-4PH steel plasma nitrocarburized with rare earths addition at low temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, M.F.; Liu, R.L.

    2010-01-01

    17-4PH stainless steel was plasma nitrocarburized at 430 deg. C for different time with rare earths (RE) addition. Plasma RE nitrocarburized layers were studied by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer, X-ray diffraction, microhardness tests, pin-on-disc tribometer and anodic polarization tests. The results show that rare earths atoms can diffuse into the surface of 17-4PH steel. The modified layer depths increase with increasing process time and the layer growth conforms approximately to the parabolic law. The phases in the modified layer are mainly of γ'-Fe 4 N, nitrogen and carbon expanded martensite (α' N ) as well as some incipient CrN at short time (2 h). With increasing of process time, the phases of CrN and γ'-Fe 4 N increase but α' N decomposes gradually. Interestingly, the peaks of γ'-Fe 4 N display a high (2 0 0) plane preferred orientation. The hardness of the modified specimen is more than 1340 HV, which is about 3.7 times higher than that of untreated one. The friction coefficients and wear rates of specimens can be dramatically decreased by plasma RE nitrocarburizing. The surface hardness and the friction coefficients decrease gradually with increasing process time. The corrosion test shows that the 8 h treated specimen has the best corrosion resistance with the characterization of lower corrosion current density, a higher corrosion potential and a large passive region as compared with those of untreated one.

  7. The Reputational Consequences of Failed Replications and Wrongness Admission among Scientists.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam K Fetterman

    Full Text Available Scientists are dedicating more attention to replication efforts. While the scientific utility of replications is unquestionable, the impact of failed replication efforts and the discussions surrounding them deserve more attention. Specifically, the debates about failed replications on social media have led to worry, in some scientists, regarding reputation. In order to gain data-informed insights into these issues, we collected data from 281 published scientists. We assessed whether scientists overestimate the negative reputational effects of a failed replication in a scenario-based study. Second, we assessed the reputational consequences of admitting wrongness (versus not as an original scientist of an effect that has failed to replicate. Our data suggests that scientists overestimate the negative reputational impact of a hypothetical failed replication effort. We also show that admitting wrongness about a non-replicated finding is less harmful to one's reputation than not admitting. Finally, we discovered a hint of evidence that feelings about the replication movement can be affected by whether replication efforts are aimed one's own work versus the work of another. Given these findings, we then present potential ways forward in these discussions.

  8. The Reputational Consequences of Failed Replications and Wrongness Admission among Scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fetterman, Adam K; Sassenberg, Kai

    2015-01-01

    Scientists are dedicating more attention to replication efforts. While the scientific utility of replications is unquestionable, the impact of failed replication efforts and the discussions surrounding them deserve more attention. Specifically, the debates about failed replications on social media have led to worry, in some scientists, regarding reputation. In order to gain data-informed insights into these issues, we collected data from 281 published scientists. We assessed whether scientists overestimate the negative reputational effects of a failed replication in a scenario-based study. Second, we assessed the reputational consequences of admitting wrongness (versus not) as an original scientist of an effect that has failed to replicate. Our data suggests that scientists overestimate the negative reputational impact of a hypothetical failed replication effort. We also show that admitting wrongness about a non-replicated finding is less harmful to one's reputation than not admitting. Finally, we discovered a hint of evidence that feelings about the replication movement can be affected by whether replication efforts are aimed one's own work versus the work of another. Given these findings, we then present potential ways forward in these discussions.

  9. Design of a radiation facility for very small specimens used in radiobiology studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, Manuel; Jeraj, Robert

    2008-06-01

    A design of a radiation facility for very small specimens used in radiobiology is presented. This micro-irradiator has been primarily designed to irradiate partial bodies in zebrafish embryos 3-4 mm in length. A miniature x-ray, 50 kV photon beam, is used as a radiation source. The source is inserted in a cylindrical brass collimator that has a pinhole of 1.0 mm in diameter along the central axis to produce a pencil photon beam. The collimator with the source is attached underneath a computer-controlled movable table which holds the specimens. Using a 45° tilted mirror, a digital camera, connected to the computer, takes pictures of the specimen and the pinhole collimator. From the image provided by the camera, the relative distance from the specimen to the pinhole axis is calculated and coordinates are sent to the movable table to properly position the samples in the beam path. Due to its monitoring system, characteristic of the radiation beam, accuracy and precision of specimen positioning, and automatic image-based specimen recognition, this radiation facility is a suitable tool to irradiate partial bodies in zebrafish embryos, cell cultures or any other small specimen used in radiobiology research.

  10. Automation of specimen selection and data acquisition for protein electron crystallography

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oostergetel, G.T.; Keegstra, W.; Brisson, A.D R

    A system is presented for semi-automatic specimen selection and data acquisition for protein electron crystallography, based on a slow-scan CCD camera connected to a transmission electron microscope and control from an external computer. Areas of interest on the specimen are localised at low

  11. Failure to Fail in a Final Pre-Service Teaching Practicum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danyluk, Patricia J.; Luhanga, Florence; Gwekwerere, Yovita N.; MacEwan, Leigh; Larocque, Sylvie

    2015-01-01

    This article presents a Canadian perspective on the issue of failure to fail in Bachelor of Education programs. The issue of failure to fail in Bachelor of Education programs is one that had not been explored in any great detail. What literature does exist focuses on the strain that a teacher experiences when s/he mentors a student teacher…

  12. "To big to fail"-doktrinen står for fald?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grosen, Anders

    2010-01-01

    Hvis præsident Barack Obama får sin vilje, skal den klassiske "too big to fail"-bankdoktrin afløses af en "small enough to fail"-doktrin. Det fremgår af præsidentens planer om at opdele storbankerne i mindre enheder og forbyde bankernes handelsaktiviteter for egen regning. Hvis Barack Obama får...

  13. [Fractographic analysis of clinically failed anterior all ceramic crowns].

    Science.gov (United States)

    DU, Qian; Zhou, Min-bo; Zhang, Xin-ping; Zhao, Ke

    2012-04-01

    To identify the site of crack initiation and propagation path of clinically failed all ceramic crowns by fractographic analysis. Three clinically failed anterior IPS Empress II crowns and two anterior In-Ceram alumina crowns were retrieved. Fracture surfaces were examined using both optical stereo and scanning electron microscopy. Fractographic theory and fracture mechanics principles were applied to disclose the damage characteristics and fracture mode. All the crowns failed by cohesive failure within the veneer on the labial surface. Critical crack originated at the incisal contact area and propagated gingivally. Porosity was found within the veneer because of slurry preparation and the sintering of veneer powder. Cohesive failure within the veneer is the main failure mode of all ceramic crown. Veneer becomes vulnerable when flaws are present. To reduce the chances of chipping, multi-point occlusal contacts are recommended, and layering and sintering technique of veneering layer should also be improved.

  14. Method for thinning specimen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Follstaedt, David M.; Moran, Michael P.

    2005-03-15

    A method for thinning (such as in grinding and polishing) a material surface using an instrument means for moving an article with a discontinuous surface with an abrasive material dispersed between the material surface and the discontinuous surface where the discontinuous surface of the moving article provides an efficient means for maintaining contact of the abrasive with the material surface. When used to dimple specimens for microscopy analysis, a wheel with a surface that has been modified to produce a uniform or random discontinuous surface significantly improves the speed of the dimpling process without loss of quality of finish.

  15. Application of small specimens to fracture mechanics characterization of irradiated pressure vessel steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sokolov, M.A.; Wallin, K.; McCabe, D.E.

    1996-01-01

    In this study, precracked Charpy V-notch (PCVN) specimens were used to characterize the fracture toughness of unirradiated and irradiated reactor pressure vessel steels in the transition region by means of three-point static bending. Fracture toughness at cleavage instability was calculated in terms of elastic-plastic K Jc values. A statistical size correction based upon weakest-link theory was performed. The concept of a master curve was applied to analyze fracture toughness properties. Initially, size-corrected PCVN data from A 533 grade B steel, designated HSST Plate O2, were used to position the master curve and a 5% tolerance bound for K Jc data. By converting PCVN data to IT compact specimen equivalent K Jc data, the same master curve and 5% tolerance bound curve were plotted against the Electric Power Research Institute valid linear-elastic K Jc database and the ASME lower bound K Ic curve. Comparison shows that the master curve positioned by testing several PCVN specimens describes very well the massive fracture toughness database of large specimens. These results give strong support to the validity of K Jc with respect to K Ic in general and to the applicability of PCVN specimens to measure fracture toughness of reactor vessel steels in particular. Finally, irradiated PCVN specimens of other materials were tested, and the results are compared to compact specimen data. The current results show that PCVNs demonstrate very good capacity for fracture toughness characterization of reactor pressure vessel steels. It provides an opportunity for direct measurement of fracture toughness of irradiated materials by means of precracking and testing Charpy specimens from surveillance capsules. However, size limits based on constraint theory restrict the operational test temperature range for K Jc data from PCVN specimens. 13 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

  16. Oral fluid and plasma 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and metabolite correlation after controlled oral MDMA administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desrosiers, Nathalie A; Barnes, Allan J; Hartman, Rebecca L; Scheidweiler, Karl B; Kolbrich-Spargo, Erin A; Gorelick, David A; Goodwin, Robert S; Huestis, Marilyn A

    2013-05-01

    Oral fluid (OF) offers a noninvasive sample collection for drug testing. However, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) in OF has not been adequately characterized in comparison to plasma. We administered oral low-dose (1.0 mg/kg) and high-dose (1.6 mg/kg) MDMA to 26 participants and collected simultaneous OF and plasma specimens for up to 143 h after dosing. We compared OF/plasma (OF/P) ratios, time of initial detection (t first), maximal concentrations (C max), time of peak concentrations (t max), time of last detection (t last), clearance, and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA)-to-MDMA ratios over time. For OF MDMA and MDA, C max was higher, t last was later, and clearance was slower compared to plasma. For OF MDA only, t first was later compared to plasma. Median (range) OF/P ratios were 5.6 (0.1-52.3) for MDMA and 3.7 (0.7-24.3) for MDA. OF and plasma concentrations were weakly but significantly correlated (MDMA: R(2) = 0.438, MDA: R(2) = 0.197, p MDMA low = 5.2 (0.1-40.4), high = 6.0 (0.4-52.3, p MDMA ratios in plasma were higher than those in OF (p MDMA ratios significantly increased over time in OF and plasma. The MDMA and MDA concentrations were higher in OF than in plasma. OF and plasma concentrations were correlated, but large inter-subject variability precludes the estimation of plasma concentrations from OF.

  17. When the science fails and the ethics works: 'Fail-safe' ethics in the FEM-PrEP study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kingori, Patricia

    2015-12-01

    This paper will explore the concept of 'fail safe' ethics in the FEM PrEP trial, and the practice of research and ethics on the ground. FEM-PrEP examined the efficacy of PrEP in African women after promising outcomes in research conducted with MSM. This was a hugely optimistic time and FEM-PrEP was mobilised using rights-based ethical arguments that women should have access to PrEP. This paper will present data collected during an ethnographic study of frontline research workers involved in FEM-PrEP. During our discussions, 'fail-safe' ethics emerged as concept that encapsulated their confidence that their ethics could not fail. However, in 2011, FEM-PrEP was halted and deemed a failure. The women involved in the study were held responsible because contrary to researcher's expectations they were not taking the oral PrEP being researched. This examination of FEM-PrEP will show that ethical arguments are increasingly deployed to mobilise, maintain and in some cases stop trials in ways which, at times, are superseded or co-opted by other interests. While promoting the interests of women, rights-based approaches are argued to indirectly justify the continuation of individualised, biomedical interventions which have been problematic in other women-centred trials. In this examination of FEM-PrEP, the rights-based approach obscured: ethical concerns beyond access to PrEP; the complexities of power relationships between donor and host countries; the operations of the HIV industry in research-saturated areas and the cumulative effect of unfilled expectations in HIV research and how this has shaped ideas of research and ethics.

  18. A Scientific Investigation into why Firms Fail: A Model of corporate ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A Scientific Investigation into why Firms Fail: A Model of corporate health trajectory. ... to analyse the data of 20 banks, 10 which failed and 10 that is successful. Key words: Corporate collapse, trajectories of failure, bank failure, bank distress, ...

  19. Individual variability in the venom proteome of juvenile Bothrops jararaca specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias, Gabriela S; Kitano, Eduardo S; Pagotto, Ana H; Sant'anna, Sávio S; Rocha, Marisa M T; Zelanis, André; Serrano, Solange M T

    2013-10-04

    Snake venom proteomes/peptidomes are highly complex and subject to ontogenetic changes. Individual variation in the venom proteome of juvenile snakes is poorly known. We report the proteomic analysis of venoms from 21 juvenile specimens of Bothrops jararaca of different geographical origins and correlate it with the evaluation of important venom features. Individual venoms showed similar caseinolytic activities; however, their amidolytic activities were significantly different. Rather intriguingly, plasma coagulant activity showed remarkable variability among the venoms but not the prothrombin-activating activity. LC-MS analysis showed significant differences between venoms; however, an interesting finding was the ubiquitous presence of the tripeptide ZKW, an endogenous inhibitor of metalloproteinases. Electrophoretic profiles of proteins submitted to reduction showed significant variability in total proteins, glycoproteins, and in the subproteomes of proteinases. Moreover, identification of differential bands revealed variation in most B. jararaca toxin classes. Profiles of venoms analyzed under nonreducing conditions showed less individual variability and identification of proteins in a conserved band revealed the presence of metalloproteinases and l-amino acid oxidase as common components of these venoms. Taken together, our findings suggest that individual venom proteome variability in B. jararaca exists from a very early animal age and is not a result of ontogenetic and diet changes.

  20. Comparison of five methods for extraction of Legionella pneumophila from respiratory specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Deborah; Yen-Lieberman, Belinda; Reischl, Udo; Warshawsky, Ilka; Procop, Gary W

    2004-12-01

    The efficiencies of five commercially available nucleic acid extraction methods were evaluated for the recovery of a standardized inoculum of Legionella pneumophila in respiratory specimens (sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL] specimens). The concentrations of Legionella DNA recovered from sputa with the automated MagNA Pure (526,200 CFU/ml) and NucliSens (171,800 CFU/ml) extractors were greater than those recovered with the manual methods (i.e., Roche High Pure kit [133,900 CFU/ml], QIAamp DNA Mini kit [46,380 CFU/ml], and ViralXpress kit [13,635 CFU/ml]). The rank order was the same for extracts from BAL specimens, except that for this specimen type the QIAamp DNA Mini kit recovered more than the Roche High Pure kit.

  1. EDITORIAL: Plasma jets and plasma bullets Plasma jets and plasma bullets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, M. G.; Ganguly, B. N.; Hicks, R. F.

    2012-06-01

    Plasma plumes, or plasma jets, belong to a large family of gas discharges whereby the discharge plasma is extended beyond the plasma generation region into the surrounding ambience, either by a field (e.g. electromagnetic, convective gas flow, or shock wave) or a gradient of a directionless physical quantity (e.g. particle density, pressure, or temperature). This physical extension of a plasma plume gives rise to a strong interaction with its surrounding environment, and the interaction alters the properties of both the plasma and the environment, often in a nonlinear and dynamic fashion. The plasma is therefore not confined by defined physical walls, thus extending opportunities for material treatment applications as well as bringing in new challenges in science and technology associated with complex open-boundary problems. Some of the most common examples may be found in dense plasmas with very high dissipation of externally supplied energy (e.g. in electrical, optical or thermal forms) and often in or close to thermal equilibrium. For these dense plasmas, their characteristics are determined predominantly by strong physical forces of different fields, such as electrical, magnetic, thermal, shock wave, and their nonlinear interactions [1]. Common to these dense plasma plumes are significant macroscopic plasma movement and considerable decomposition of solid materials (e.g. vaporization). Their applications are numerous and include detection of elemental traces, synthesis of high-temperature materials and welding, laser--plasma interactions, and relativistic jets in particle accelerators and in space [2]-[4]. Scientific challenges in the understanding of plasma jets are exciting and multidisciplinary, involving interweaving transitions of all four states of matter, and their technological applications are wide-ranging and growing rapidly. Using the Web of Science database, a search for journal papers on non-fusion plasma jets reveals that a long initial phase up

  2. Wildlife specimen collection, preservation, and shipment

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, C. LeAnn; Dusek, Robert J.; Franson, J. Christian; Friend, Milton; Gibbs, Samantha E.J.; Wild, Margaret A.

    2015-01-01

    Specimens are used to provide supporting information leading to the determination of the cause of disease or death in wildlife and for disease monitoring or surveillance. Commonly used specimens for wildlife disease investigations include intact carcasses, tissues from carcasses, euthanized or moribund animals, parasites, ingested food, feces, or environmental samples. Samples from live animals or the environment (e.g., contaminated feed) in the same vicinity as a mortality event also may be helpful. The type of specimen collected is determined by availability of samples and biological objectives. Multiple fresh, intact carcasses from affected species are the most useful in establishing a cause for a mortality event. Submission of entire carcasses allows observation of gross lesions and abnormalities, as well as disease testing of multiple tissues. Samples from live animals may be more appropriate when sick animals cannot be euthanized (e.g., threatened or endangered species) or for research and monitoring projects examining disease or agents circulating in apparently healthy animals or those not exhibiting clinical signs. Samples from live animals may include collections of blood, hair, feathers, feces, or ectoparasites, or samples obtained by swabbing lesions or orifices. Photographs and videos are useful additions for recording field and clinical signs and conveying conditions at the site. Collection of environmental samples (e.g., feces, water, feed, or soil) may be appropriate when animals cannot be captured for sampling or the disease agent may persist in the environment. If lethal collection is considered necessary, biologists should refer to the policies, procedures, and permit requirements of their institution/facility and the agency responsible for species management (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or State natural resource agency) prior to use in the field. If threatened or endangered species are found dead, or there is evidence of illegal take, field

  3. A new shape specimens determined the J1c value of nuclear pressure vessel steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, W.Q.

    1989-01-01

    The J integral has two basic definitions, a two-dimensional energy line integral definition and an energy rate definition. The line integral definition cannot be used for this experimental determination. The energy rate definition can be used but the procedure is somewhat laborious. Methods were developed for more easily determining J by approximation formulas. The first of these were where J could be estimated with reasonable accuracy for a deeply cracked bend-type specimen. This method is slightly inaccurate. This paper is concerned with a new shape specimen. It is called the W-shape specimen. The W-shape specimens are smaller volume than the compact specimens. It is convenient to operate the W-shape specimens in hot cell. It can be put into surveillance capsules and can also do specimen irradiation in engineering test reactor

  4. Biaxial Testing of 2195 Aluminum Lithium Alloy Using Cruciform Specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, W. M.; Pollock, W. D.; Dawicke, D. S.; Wagner, John A. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    A cruciform biaxial test specimen was used to test the effect of biaxial load on the yield of aluminum-lithium alloy 2195. Fifteen cruciform specimens were tested from 2 thicknesses of 2195-T8 plate, 0.45 in. and 1.75 in. These results were compared to the results from uniaxial tensile tests of the same alloy, and cruciform biaxial tests of aluminum alloy 2219-T87.

  5. Accelerating plant DNA barcode reference library construction using herbarium specimens: improved experimental techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Chao; Dong, Wenpan; Shi, Shuo; Cheng, Tao; Li, Changhao; Liu, Yanlei; Wu, Ping; Wu, Hongkun; Gao, Peng; Zhou, Shiliang

    2015-11-01

    A well-covered reference library is crucial for successful identification of species by DNA barcoding. The biggest difficulty in building such a reference library is the lack of materials of organisms. Herbarium collections are potentially an enormous resource of materials. In this study, we demonstrate that it is likely to build such reference libraries using the reconstructed (self-primed PCR amplified) DNA from the herbarium specimens. We used 179 rosaceous specimens to test the effects of DNA reconstruction, 420 randomly sampled specimens to estimate the usable percentage and another 223 specimens of true cherries (Cerasus, Rosaceae) to test the coverage of usable specimens to the species. The barcode rbcLb (the central four-sevenths of rbcL gene) and matK was each amplified in two halves and sequenced on Roche GS 454 FLX+. DNA from the herbarium specimens was typically shorter than 300 bp. DNA reconstruction enabled amplification fragments of 400-500 bp without bringing or inducing any sequence errors. About one-third of specimens in the national herbarium of China (PE) were proven usable after DNA reconstruction. The specimens in PE cover all Chinese true cherry species and 91.5% of vascular species listed in Flora of China. It is very possible to build well-covered reference libraries for DNA barcoding of vascular species in China. As exemplified in this study, DNA reconstruction and DNA-labelled next-generation sequencing can accelerate the construction of local reference libraries. By putting the local reference libraries together, a global library for DNA barcoding becomes closer to reality. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Multiplex PCR-based assay for detection of Bordetella pertussis in nasopharyngeal swab specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wadowsky, R M; Michaels, R H; Libert, T; Kingsley, L A; Ehrlich, G D

    1996-11-01

    A multiplex PCR-based assay was developed for the detection of Bordetella pertussis in nasopharyngeal swab specimens. The assay simultaneously amplified two separate DNA targets (153 and 203 bp) within a B. pertussis repetitive element and a 438-bp target within the beta-actin gene of human DNA (PCR amplification control). PCR products were detected by a sensitive and specific liquid hybridization gel retardation assay. A total of 496 paired nasopharyngeal swab specimens were tested by both the PCR-based assay and culture. Although 30 (6%) of the specimens inhibited the amplification of the beta-actin target, in all 29 specimens studied, the inhibition disappeared on repeat testing or was easily overcome with a 1:8 dilution or less of specimen digest. Of the 495 specimen pairs yielding a final evaluable result by the PCR-based assay, 19.0% were positive by the PCR-based assay, whereas 13.9% were positive by culture (P < 0.0001). After resolving the PCR-positive, culture-negative results by testing an additional aliquot from these specimens by the multiplex PCR-based assay, the PCR-based assay had a sensitivity and specificity of 98.9 and 99.7%, respectively, compared with values of 73.4 and 100%, respectively, for culture. In comparison with patients with culture-confirmed pertussis, those with PCR-positive, culture-negative results were older and more likely to have had prolonged cough, immunization with pertussis vaccine, or treatment with erythromycin. This multiplex PCR-based assay is substantially more sensitive than culture and identifies specimens that contain inhibitors of PCR.

  7. Management of the failed posterior/multidirectional instability patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forsythe, Brian; Ghodadra, Neil; Romeo, Anthony A; Provencher, Matthew T

    2010-09-01

    Although the results of operative treatment of posterior and multidirectional instability (P-MDI) of the shoulder have improved, they are not as reliable as those treated for anterior instability of the shoulder. This may be attributed to the complexities in the classification, etiology, and physical examination of a patient with suspected posterior and multidirectional instability. Failure to address the primary and concurrent lesion adequately and the development of pain and/or stiffness are contributing factors to the failure of P-MDI procedures. Other pitfalls include errors in history and physical examination, failure to recognize concomitant pathology, and problems with the surgical technique or implant failure. Patulous capsular tissues and glenoid version also play in role management of failed P-MDI patients. With an improved understanding of pertinent clinical complaints and physical examination findings and the advent of arthroscopic techniques and improved implants, successful strategies for the nonoperative and operative management of the patient after a failed posterior or multidirectional instability surgery may be elucidated. This article highlights the common presentation, physical findings, and radiographic workup in a patient that presents after a failed P-MDI repair and offers strategies for revision surgical repair.

  8. Effect of specimen geometry on the variability in fatigue crack growth rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuji, Hirokazu; Nakajima, Hajime; Kondo, Tatsuo

    1982-02-01

    Fatigue crack growth tests on SA 533 grade B class 1 steel were conducted in air with both contoured double cantilever beam (CDCB) specimens and compact-tension (CT) specimens for comparison, which corresponded to the ΔK constant and ΔK increasing fatigue tests respectively. The variability of the measured values was examined statistically, and possible sources of the determined variability were discussed. The variability in the ΔK increasing fatigue tests with the CT specimens was found to be substantially greater than that in the ΔK constant fatigue tests with the CDCB specimens employed in the present study. In addition, the width of the scatter as well as in the degree of deviation from the expected linearity in da/dN versus ΔK plots were found to be varied depending on the level of ΔK in the CT specimen. Based on the results, a conclusion was drawn that constant ΔK type tests should be preferred in the tests where accuracy and reproducibility of crack growth rate measurement was of particular importance. (author)

  9. Estimations of creep behavior and failure life for a circumferentially notched specimen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Ken-ichi; Yokobori, Toshimitsu; Kikuchi, Kenji.

    1997-01-01

    No method with which to characterize and/or illustrate total creep behavior for specimens with notches, holes or cracks has been proposed. In this paper it is proposed that most creep curves can be drawn with a master curve for each creep test whenever test conditions and failure modes are similar to each other, and the lifetime ratio normalized by the rupture time is introduced. Using smooth and circumferentially notched specimens of 2.25 Cr-1 Mo steel, creep tests were performed at 600degC for examination of this concept. Furthermore, a θ projection method was used to describe creep curves for notched specimens and to extrapolate longer creep lives. Then, the whole creep curve shape for notched specimens could be easily drawn, except for that in the vicinity of the rupture point. However, longer creep lives of notched specimens were underestimated in comparison with a simple extrapolation of the experimental data. This resulted from the negative dependence of the parameter of θ 3 on the applied stress. (author)

  10. Assessing the potential cost of a failed Doha round

    OpenAIRE

    Antoine Bouet

    2010-01-01

    This study offers new conclusions on the economic cost of a failed Doha Development Agenda (DDA). We assess potential outcome of the Doha Round as well as four protectionist scenarios using the MIRAGE Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model. In a scenario where applied tariffs of World Trade Organization (WTO) economies would go up to currently bound tariff rates, world trade would decrease by 7.7 % and world welfare by US$353 billion. The economic cost of a failed DDA is here evaluated by...

  11. Prediction of multiaxial fatigue life for notched specimens of titanium alloy TC4

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Z. R.; Li, Z. X. [Southeast University, Nanjing (China); Hu, X. T.; Song, Y. D. [Nanjing University, Nanjing (China)

    2016-05-15

    Both the proportional and nonproportional multiaxial fatigue tests were conducted on two kinds of notched specimens of titanium alloy TC4. The multiaxial fatigue critical area of notched specimen is considered as the location experiencing the maximum damage. It is unsatisfactory to predict the multiaxial fatigue life with the local stress and strain in the fatigue critical area. The critical distance concepts are employed in the multiaxial life prediction method for notched specimens. The proposed method was checked by the test data of TC4 notched specimens. The prediction results are almost within a factor of three scatter band of the test results.

  12. Soft x-ray microradiography and lithograph using a laser produced plasma source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, P.C.

    1992-01-01

    Considering the hardware characteristics of the laser-induced plasma X-ray source and the limitations of the conventional cone-beam reconstruction algorithm, a general cone-beam reconstruction algorithm has been developed at our laboratory, in which the motion locus of the X-ray source is an arbitrary curve corresponding to at least a 2π continuous horizontal angular displacement in the coordinate system of the specimen. The preliminary simulation shows that the general cone-beam reconstruction algorithm consistently results in visually satisfactory images

  13. Suitability of thermal plasmas for large-area bacteria inactivation on temperature-sensitive surfaces – first results with Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szulc, M; Schein, S; Schaup, J; Zimmermann, S; Schein, J

    2017-01-01

    The application of thermal plasma for large-area bacteria inactivation on temperature-sensitive surfaces is not a common one. Nonetheless, there are thermal plasma generators which offer a high sheath homogeneity and have proven to be suitable for treatment of thermally sensitive materials in the past. To investigate the suitability of such plasmas, agar dishes plated with endospores of Geobacillus stearothermophilus have been treated with a long arc plasma generator called LARGE. The achieved results have been compared with a commercially available non-thermal plasma generator. A significant inactivation of the endospores could be observed only after 60 s of treatment with the thermal plasma source. This was not possible with the non-thermal generator. Moreover, no temperature damage or increase of the specimen could be detected. An attempt to determine the main agents responsible for the microbicidal effects have been made – the influence of plasma gas composition, discharge current and treatment time has been investigated. Significant improvements in the disinfection rates after adding small amounts of nitrogen to the plasma gas could be observed. A first discussion regarding the suitability of thermal plasmas for bacteria inactivation has been given. (paper)

  14. Detection of cervical precancerous lesions with Aptima HPV assays using SurePath preservative fluid specimens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Max Chernesky

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available SurePath specimens from women referred to colposcopy were treated with Aptima Transfer Solution (ATS before testing in Aptima HPV (AHPV and Aptima HPV 16, 18/45 (AHPV-GT assays. Untreated SurePath specimens were tested with the cobas HPV test. PreservCyt specimens were assessed for cytology and tested with AHPV. High-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia lesions served as the reference standard. Excellent agreement (95.5%; k=0.91 was observed for ATS-treated SurePath specimens between Tigris and Panther systems and between the PreservCyt and ATS-treated SurePath specimens (91.1%, k=0.81 with the AHPV assay on Tigris. Agreement between the AHPV and cobas assays with SurePath specimens was substantial (89.9%, k=0.80. AHPV sensitivity for CIN2+(n=147 was 91.2% for SurePath and PreservCyt. Cobas HPV sensitivity was 93.9% for SurePath specimens. AHPV testing of SurePath specimens was more specific (59.4% than cobas (54.7% (p<0.001. Detection and genotyping showed similar absolute and relative risks. ATS-treated SurePath specimens tested with AHPV and AHPV-GT assays showed similar performance with greater specificity than cobas HPV on SurePath specimens. Similar overall results were seen using a CIN3 disease endpoint. Keywords: Human papillomavirus, SurePath, PreservCyt, Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, CIN2+, Aptima transfer solution (ATS

  15. 7 CFR 1951.264 - Action when borrower fails to cooperate, respond or graduate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... Analyzing Credit Needs and Graduation of Borrowers § 1951.264 Action when borrower fails to cooperate, respond or graduate. (a) When borrowers with other than FCP loans fail to: (1) Provide information... appeal the decision. (b) If an FCP borrower fails to cooperate after a lender expresses a willingness to...

  16. Synthesis Report on the understanding of failed LMFBR fuel element performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plitz, H.; Bagley, K.; Harbourne, B.

    1990-07-01

    In the coarse of LMFBR operation fuel element failures cannot entirely be avoided as experienced during the operation of PFR, PHENIX and KNK II, where 44 failed fuel elements have been registered between 1978 and 1989. In earlier irradiations, post irradiation examinations showed mixed oxide pin diameter increases up to pin pitch distance, urging to stress reactor safety questions on the potential of fuel pin failure propagation within pin bundles. The chemical interaction of sodium with mixed oxide fuel is regarded to be the key for the understanding of failed fuel behavior. Valuable results on the failed fuel pin behavior during operation were obtained from the SILOE sodium loop test. Based on the bulk of experience with the detection of fuel pin failures, with the continued operation and with the handling of failed pins respectively elements, one can state: 1. All fuel pin failures have been detected securely in time and have been located. 2. Small defects are developing slowly. 3. Even large defects at end-of-life pins resulted in limited fuel loss. 4. Clad failures behave benign in main aspects. 5. The chemical interaction of sodium with mixed oxide is an important factor in the behavior of failed fuel pins, especially at high burnup. 6. Despite different pin designs and different operation conditions, on the basis of 44 failed elements in PFR, PHENIX and KNK II no pin-to-pin propagation was observed and fuel release was rather low, often not detectable. 7. In no case hazard conditions affecting reactor safety have been experienced

  17. Yield of two consecutive sputum specimens for the effective diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad R Islam

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: From long instances, it is debatable whether three sputum specimens are required for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB or TB can be diagnosed effectively using two consecutive sputum specimens. This study was set out to evaluate the significance of examining multiple sputum specimens in diagnosis of TB. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the acid-fast bacillus (AFB smear and culture results of three consecutive days' sputum specimens from 413 confirmed TB patients which were detected as part of a larger active case finding study in Dhaka Central Jail, the largest correctional facility in Bangladesh. RESULTS: AFB was detected from 81% (n = 334 patients, of which 89% (n = 297 were diagnosed from the first and additional 9% (n = 30 were from the second sputum specimen. M. tuberculosis growth was observed for 406 patients and 85% (n = 343 were obtained from the first sputum and additional 10% (n = 42 were from the second one. The third specimen didn't show significant additional diagnostic value for the detection of AFB by microscopy or growth of the M. tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded from our study results that examining two consecutive sputum specimens is sufficient enough for the effective diagnosis of TB. It can also decrease the laboratory workload and hence improve the quality of work in settings with high TB burden like Bangladesh.

  18. Yield of two consecutive sputum specimens for the effective diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Mohammad R; Khatun, Razia; Uddin, Mohammad Khaja Mafij; Khan, Md Siddiqur Rahman; Rahman, Md Toufiq; Ahmed, Tahmeed; Banu, Sayera

    2013-01-01

    From long instances, it is debatable whether three sputum specimens are required for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) or TB can be diagnosed effectively using two consecutive sputum specimens. This study was set out to evaluate the significance of examining multiple sputum specimens in diagnosis of TB. We retrospectively reviewed the acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear and culture results of three consecutive days' sputum specimens from 413 confirmed TB patients which were detected as part of a larger active case finding study in Dhaka Central Jail, the largest correctional facility in Bangladesh. AFB was detected from 81% (n = 334) patients, of which 89% (n = 297) were diagnosed from the first and additional 9% (n = 30) were from the second sputum specimen. M. tuberculosis growth was observed for 406 patients and 85% (n = 343) were obtained from the first sputum and additional 10% (n = 42) were from the second one. The third specimen didn't show significant additional diagnostic value for the detection of AFB by microscopy or growth of the M. tuberculosis. We concluded from our study results that examining two consecutive sputum specimens is sufficient enough for the effective diagnosis of TB. It can also decrease the laboratory workload and hence improve the quality of work in settings with high TB burden like Bangladesh.

  19. System for the continuous irradiation of specimens, especially for activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dieck, L.E.

    1975-01-01

    The system is to ensure a continuous irradiation of several specimens, especially for activation analysis. The specimens rotate in a hollow body which is axially movable along a rail. The rotation is effected by a turbine driven by hydraulic or pneumatic power and placed in the hollow body which can be used for example in the rabbit system of a nuclear reactor. The driving medium serves both as conveying medium for the system and drive for the rotating drum and as coolant for the specimens and results in radiation protection. The geometric arrangement and design of both the turbine and the whole system is decribed in detail. (UWI) [de

  20. Pseudolipomatosis in Endometrial Specimens Does Not Represent Uterine Perforation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heller, Alexis

    2017-02-01

    Specimens of endometrial biopsies can sometimes present with an artifact within blood, composed of optically clear vacuoles mimicking adipose tissue, pseudolipomatosis. This artifact can be mistaken for adipose tissue and lead to an overdiagnosis of uterine perforation. We describe the case of pseudolipomatosis seen within the evacuated products of conception from a missed abortion. Areas of vacuolization in the blood clot mimicked adipose tissue. However, the vacuoles varied in size and did not contain adipocytes. Familiarity with this artifact will lead to avoidance of overdiagnosis of adipose tissue and uterine perforation in curettage specimens.

  1. Influence of specimen design on the deformation and failure of zircaloy cladding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bates, D.W.; Koss, D.A.; Motta, A.T.; Majumdar, S.

    2000-01-01

    Experimental as well as computational analyses have been used to examine the deformation and failure behavior of ring-stretch specimens of Zircaloy-4 cladding tubes. The results show that, at least for plastically anisotropic unirradiated cladding, specimens with a small gauge length l to width w ratio (l/w ∼ 1) exhibit pronounced non-uniform deformation along their length. As a result, specimen necking occurs upon yielding when the specimen is fully plastic. Finite element analysis indicates a minimum l/w of 4 before a significant fraction of the gauge length deforms homogeneously. A brief examination of the contrasting deformation and failure behavior between uniaxial and plane-strain ring tension tests further supports the use of the latter geometry for determining cladding failure ductility data that are relevant to certain reactivity-initiated accident conditions

  2. Sequence Capture and Phylogenetic Utility of Genomic Ultraconserved Elements Obtained from Pinned Insect Specimens.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bonnie B Blaimer

    Full Text Available Obtaining sequence data from historical museum specimens has been a growing research interest, invigorated by next-generation sequencing methods that allow inputs of highly degraded DNA. We applied a target enrichment and next-generation sequencing protocol to generate ultraconserved elements (UCEs from 51 large carpenter bee specimens (genus Xylocopa, representing 25 species with specimen ages ranging from 2-121 years. We measured the correlation between specimen age and DNA yield (pre- and post-library preparation DNA concentration and several UCE sequence capture statistics (raw read count, UCE reads on target, UCE mean contig length and UCE locus count with linear regression models. We performed piecewise regression to test for specific breakpoints in the relationship of specimen age and DNA yield and sequence capture variables. Additionally, we compared UCE data from newer and older specimens of the same species and reconstructed their phylogeny in order to confirm the validity of our data. We recovered 6-972 UCE loci from samples with pre-library DNA concentrations ranging from 0.06-9.8 ng/μL. All investigated DNA yield and sequence capture variables were significantly but only moderately negatively correlated with specimen age. Specimens of age 20 years or less had significantly higher pre- and post-library concentrations, UCE contig lengths, and locus counts compared to specimens older than 20 years. We found breakpoints in our data indicating a decrease of the initial detrimental effect of specimen age on pre- and post-library DNA concentration and UCE contig length starting around 21-39 years after preservation. Our phylogenetic results confirmed the integrity of our data, giving preliminary insights into relationships within Xylocopa. We consider the effect of additional factors not measured in this study on our age-related sequence capture results, such as DNA fragmentation and preservation method, and discuss the promise of the UCE

  3. A development of laser-plasma-based soft x-ray microscope system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nam, Ki Yong; Kim, Kyong Woo; Kim, Kyu Gyeom; Kwon, Young Man; Yoon, Kwon Ha

    2003-01-01

    Soft x-ray nano-imaging microscopy system for biomedical application with a high resolution about 50 nm has been designed and described, and its integrated techniques also have been studied. The system is mainly composed of soft x-ray generation system, nano-scaled control system, x-ray optical device like a condenser or object mirror, a CCD camera coupled with multichannel plate (MCP) and vacuum system. In the system, soft x-ray is generated from the laser-based plasma by focusing Nd:YAG laser beam on tantalum (Ta) target. In an x-ray optical system, a wolter mirror has been considering condensing the x-ray beam on a biological specimen and zone plate was adapted as an object mirror. A Si 3 N 4 was used as specimen holder for keeping a biological sample alive in atmosphere conditions. A back-illuminated-CCD camera coupled with multichannel plate was determined to set up.

  4. A development of laser-plasma-based soft x-ray microscope system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nam, Ki Yong; Kim, Kyong Woo; Kim, Kyu Gyeom; Kwon, Young Man; Yoon, Kwon Ha [X-ray Microscopy Research Center, Wonkwang University, Iksan (Korea, Republic of)

    2003-07-01

    Soft x-ray nano-imaging microscopy system for biomedical application with a high resolution about 50 nm has been designed and described, and its integrated techniques also have been studied. The system is mainly composed of soft x-ray generation system, nano-scaled control system, x-ray optical device like a condenser or object mirror, a CCD camera coupled with multichannel plate (MCP) and vacuum system. In the system, soft x-ray is generated from the laser-based plasma by focusing Nd:YAG laser beam on tantalum (Ta) target. In an x-ray optical system, a wolter mirror has been considering condensing the x-ray beam on a biological specimen and zone plate was adapted as an object mirror. A Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} was used as specimen holder for keeping a biological sample alive in atmosphere conditions. A back-illuminated-CCD camera coupled with multichannel plate was determined to set up.

  5. Measuring ERCC1 protein expression in cancer specimens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Smith, David Hersi; Fiehn, Anne-Marie Kanstrup; Fogh, Louise

    2014-01-01

    Platinum chemotherapy remains part of standard therapies in the management of a variety of cancers. Severe side effects and a high degree of resistance to platinum drugs have led numerous researchers to search for predictive biomarkers, which could aid in identifying patients that are the most......, the specificity of antibody 4F9 was tested by immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Scoring guidelines to aid in the evaluation of ERCC1 tumor expression were developed and evaluated in archival formalin-fixed paraffin embedded colorectal cancer specimens. Antibody 4F9 was found...... to be specific by all methods applied and it was possible to evaluate the ERCC1 expression in the majority (85%) of colorectal cancer tumor specimens....

  6. Ionization potential depression in an atomic-solid-plasma picture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosmej, F. B.

    2018-05-01

    Exotic solid density matter such as heated hollow crystals allow extended material studies while their physical properties and models such as the famous ionization potential depression are presently under renewed controversial discussion. Here we develop an atomic-solid-plasma (ASP) model that permits ionization potential depression studies also for single and multiple core hole states. Numerical calculations show very good agreement with recently available data not only in absolute values but also for Z-scaled properties while currently employed methods fail. For much above solid density compression, the ASP model predicts increased K-edge energies that are related to a Fermi surface rising. This is in good agreement with recent quantum molecular dynamics simulations. For hot dense matter a quantum number dependent optical electron finite temperature ion sphere model is developed that fits well with line shift and line disappearance data from dense laser produced plasma experiments. Finally, the physical transparency of the ASP picture allows a critical discussion of current methods.

  7. Diggers failing to become diggers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Lars

    Mining has in recent years emerged as a national discourse in Australia as the combined result of the mining boom and national anxieties over the GFC featured prominently in references to Australia as a failed competitive state (the folding of manufacturing, where the closure of car factories pla...... to the broader issue of how mining relates to the question of the society Australia wants to be – on the scale from ecological sanctuary to global quarry....

  8. Characterization of plasma coated tungsten heavy alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bose, A.; Kapoor, D.; Lankford, J. Jr.; Nicholls, A.E.

    1996-01-01

    The detrimental environmental impact of Depleted Uranium-based penetrators have led to tremendous development efforts in the area of tungsten heavy alloy based penetrators. One line of investigation involves the coating of tungsten heavy alloys with materials that are prone to shear localization. Plasma spraying of Inconel 718 and 4340 steel have been used to deposit dense coatings on tungsten heavy alloy substrates. The aim of the investigation was to characterize the coating primarily in terms of its microstructure and a special push-out test. The paper describes the results of the push-out tests and analyzes some of the possible failure mechanisms by carrying out microstructural characterization of the failed rings obtained from the push out tests

  9. Evaluation of Blast Resistance of Fiber Reinforced Composite Specimens under Contact Blast Load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janota, O.; Foglar, M.

    2017-09-01

    This paper presents results of experimental programme which took place in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Experiments were focused on the resistance of full scale concrete panels subjected to contact blast loading. Specimens were loaded by contact blast by plastic explosive. All specimens were reinforced concrete slabs made of fiber concrete. Basalt mesh and textile sheets were added to some of the experiments for creating more heterogeneous material to achieve better resistance of the specimens. Evaluation of experiments was mainly focused on the damaged area on the contact side and soffit of the specimens. Dependency of the final damage of concrete panels on the weight of explosive and concrete strength was assessed.

  10. Increased number of IgG4-positive plasma cells in chronic rhinosinusitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohno, Keiko; Kimura, Yurika; Matsuda, Yoko; Takahashi, Masatoki; Honjyou, Motomu; Arai, Tomio; Tsutsumi, Takeshi

    2017-02-01

    High levels of IgG4-positive plasma cells were observed in tissue samples from ∼30% of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis who satisfied the comprehensive diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related disease. Detection of increased numbers of IgG4-positive plasma cells in the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses might not be sufficient to make a diagnosis of IgG4-related rhinosinusitis, and a comprehensive evaluation is required. This study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of IgG4-positive plasma cells in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. This study examined nasal mucosal specimens from 35 patients and assigned them to high-IgG4 and low-IgG4 groups based on infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells. It compared the pathological characteristics of the two groups, including the presence of fibrosis, phlebitis, hyperplasia of the nasal glands and infiltration of inflammatory cells. No cases of chronic rhinosinusitis showed storiform fibrosis or obliterative phlebitis. The mean number of IgG4-positive plasma cells in samples from all patients was 29.8 ± 40.3/high-power field. Eleven of the 35 cases (31.4%) were classified as high-IgG4. Hyperplasia of the nasal glands was observed significantly more frequently in the high-IgG4 group than in the low-IgG4 group (p = .03).

  11. The Venice specimen of Ouranosaurus nigeriensis (Dinosauria, Ornithopoda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filippo Bertozzo

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Ouranosaurus nigeriensis is an iconic African dinosaur taxon that has been described on the basis of two nearly complete skeletons from the Lower Cretaceous Gadoufaoua locality of the Ténéré desert in Niger. The entire holotype and a few bones attributed to the paratype formed the basis of the original description by Taquet (1976. A mounted skeleton that appears to correspond to O. nigeriensis has been on public display since 1975, exhibited at the Natural History Museum of Venice. It was never explicitly reported whether the Venice specimen represents a paratype and therefore, the second nearly complete skeleton reported in literature or a third unreported skeleton. The purpose of this paper is to disentangle the complex history of the various skeletal remains that have been attributed to Ouranosaurus nigeriensis (aided by an unpublished field map of the paratype and to describe in detail the osteology of the Venice skeleton. The latter includes the paratype material (found in 1970 and collected in 1972, with the exception of the left femur, the right coracoid and one manus ungual phalanx I, which were replaced with plaster copies, and (possibly other manus phalanges. Some other elements (e.g., the first two chevrons, the right femur, the right tibia, two dorsal vertebrae and some pelvic bones were likely added from other individual/s. The vertebral column of the paratype was articulated and provides a better reference for the vertebral count of this taxon than the holotype. Several anatomical differences are observed between the holotype and the Venice specimen. Most of them can be ascribed to intraspecific variability (individual or ontogenetic, but some are probably caused by mistakes in the preparation or assemblage of the skeletal elements in both specimens. The body length of the Venice skeleton is about 90% the linear size of the holotype. Osteohistological analysis (the first for this taxon of some long bones, a rib and a dorsal

  12. The Venice specimen of Ouranosaurus nigeriensis (Dinosauria, Ornithopoda).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertozzo, Filippo; Dalla Vecchia, Fabio Marco; Fabbri, Matteo

    2017-01-01

    Ouranosaurus nigeriensis is an iconic African dinosaur taxon that has been described on the basis of two nearly complete skeletons from the Lower Cretaceous Gadoufaoua locality of the Ténéré desert in Niger. The entire holotype and a few bones attributed to the paratype formed the basis of the original description by Taquet (1976). A mounted skeleton that appears to correspond to O. nigeriensis has been on public display since 1975, exhibited at the Natural History Museum of Venice. It was never explicitly reported whether the Venice specimen represents a paratype and therefore, the second nearly complete skeleton reported in literature or a third unreported skeleton. The purpose of this paper is to disentangle the complex history of the various skeletal remains that have been attributed to Ouranosaurus nigeriensis (aided by an unpublished field map of the paratype) and to describe in detail the osteology of the Venice skeleton. The latter includes the paratype material (found in 1970 and collected in 1972), with the exception of the left femur, the right coracoid and one manus ungual phalanx I, which were replaced with plaster copies, and (possibly) other manus phalanges. Some other elements (e.g., the first two chevrons, the right femur, the right tibia, two dorsal vertebrae and some pelvic bones) were likely added from other individual/s. The vertebral column of the paratype was articulated and provides a better reference for the vertebral count of this taxon than the holotype. Several anatomical differences are observed between the holotype and the Venice specimen. Most of them can be ascribed to intraspecific variability (individual or ontogenetic), but some are probably caused by mistakes in the preparation or assemblage of the skeletal elements in both specimens. The body length of the Venice skeleton is about 90% the linear size of the holotype. Osteohistological analysis (the first for this taxon) of some long bones, a rib and a dorsal neural spine

  13. Fracture toughness evaluation of Eurofer'97 by testing small specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serrano, M.; Fernandez, P.; Lapena, J.

    2006-01-01

    The Eurofer'97 is the structural reference material that will be tested in the ITER modules. Its metallurgical properties have been well characterized during the last years. However, more investigations related with the fracture toughness of this material are necessary because this property is one of the most important to design structural components and to study their integrity assessment. In the case of structural materials for fusion reactor the small specimen technology (SSTT) are being actively developed to investigate the fracture toughness among other mechanical properties. The use of small specimens is due to the small available irradiation volume of IFMIF and also due to the high fluence expected in the fusion reactor. The aim of this paper is to determine the fracture toughness of the Eurofer'97 steel by testing small specimens of different geometry in the ductile to brittle transition region, with the application of the Master Curve methodology, and to evaluate this method to assess the decrease in fracture toughness due to neutron irradiation. The tests and data analysis have been performed following the Master Curve approach included in the ASTM Standard E1921-05. Specimen size effect and comparison of the fracture toughness results with data available in the literature are also considered. (author)

  14. MR evaluation of postmenopausal ovarian size. Comparison with surgical specimen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joja, Ikuo; Ishida, Kana; Matsushita, Toshi; Mimura, Seiichi; Yamaguchi, Takuya; Akagi, Noriaki; Miyagi, Yasunari; Hara, Takeshi; Kanazawa, Susumu

    2008-01-01

    We investigated ovarian size after menopause using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and gross specimens obtained from patients with uterine cancer after menopause in whom normal ovaries were confirmed at the time of surgery. The relationships between size of ovarian long axis and age, the number of years since menopause, and age at menopause were statistically evaluated for 130 ovaries observed in short-axis T 2 -weighted MR images of the uterine corpus and in 147 ovarian gross specimens. No significant relationships were found between size of ovarian long axis and these 3 factors. When the sizes of the ovaries in MR images were compared with those in gross specimens, the latter were larger, with a statistically significant difference. Similarly, when the sizes of the ovaries observed or not observed in MR images were compared in gross specimens, the former were larger, with a statistically significant difference. These results indicate that the size of the ovarian long axis observed in MR images does not accurately reflect the true size of the long axis, but ovarian size strongly affects visualization of the ovaries in MR images after menopause. In addition, these results indicate that there are no significant relationships between ovarian size after menopause and age, the number of years since menopause, or age at menopause. (author)

  15. Modification of the surface properties of glass-ceramic materials at low-pressure RF plasma stream

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tovstopyat, Alexander; Gafarov, Ildar; Galeev, Vadim; Azarova, Valentina; Golyaeva, Anastasia

    2018-05-01

    The surface roughness has a huge effect on the mechanical, optical, and electronic properties of materials. In modern optical systems, the specifications for the surface accuracy and smoothness of substrates are becoming even more stringent. Commercially available pre-polished glass-ceramic substrates were treated with the radio frequency (RF) inductively coupled (13.56 MHz) low-pressure plasma to clean the surface of the samples and decrease the roughness. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to investigate the plasma stream parameters and phase-shifted interferometry to investigate the surface of the specimen. In this work, the dependence of RF inductively coupled plasma on macroscopic parameters was investigated with the focus on improving the surfaces. The ion energy, sputtering rate, and homogeneity were investigated. The improvements of the glass-ceramic surfaces from 2.6 to 2.2 Å root mean square by removing the "waste" after the previous operations had been achieved.

  16. Influence of specimen design on the ductility of zircaloy cladding: Experiment and analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bates, D. W.; Majumdar, S.; Koss, D. A.; Motta, A. T.

    1999-01-01

    In a reactivity-initiated accident (RIA), a control rod ejection or drop causes a sudden increase in reactor power, which in turn deposits a large amount of energy into the fuel. The resulting thermal expansion and fission gas release loads the cladding into the plastic regime and may cause it to fail. In order to predict cladding survivability, there has been considerable interest and effort in supplementing integral WA tests with separate-effects ring tests of cladding tubes. Such tests can give one insight into failure mechanisms and measure relevant mechanical properties (such as yield strength, uniform elongation, uniaxial stress-strain curve, etc.), for use in computer codes that attempt to predict cladding response during an RIA. The accuracy of such model predictions obviously depends on appropriate and accurate failure data. This study concerns itself with the proper development of ring tensile tests that (i) are similar to the loading conditions present in an RIA, (ii) measure the relevant mechanical properties and (iii) provide insight regarding the influence of the strain paths on the failure mechanisms present if Zircaloy cladding. Based on both experiments and computational modeling, the authors investigate the failure of Zircaloy tubing as a function of specimen geometry, and discuss the limitations of certain ring-test geometries in yielding failure ductility data that are applicable to RIA situations

  17. Virus isolation: Specimen type and probable transmission

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. Virus isolation: Specimen type and probable transmission. Over 500 CHIK virus isolations were made. 4 from male Ae. Aegypti (?TOT). 6 from CSF (neurological involvement). 1 from a 4-day old child (transplacental transmission.

  18. Impregnation of soft biological specimens with thermosetting resins and elastomers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Hagens, G

    1979-06-01

    A new method for impregnation of biological specimens with thermosetting resins and elastomers is described. The method has the advantage that the original relief of the surface is retained. The impregnation is carried out by utilizing the difference between the high vapor tension of the intermedium (e.g., methylene chloride) and the low vapor tension of the solution to be polymerized. After impregnation, the specimen is subject to polymerization conditions without surrounding embedding material. The optical and mechanical properties can be selected by proper choice from various kinds of resins and different procedures, for example, by complete or incomplete impregnation. Acrylic resins, polyester resins, epoxy resins, polyurethanes and silicone rubber have been found suitable for the method. Excellent results have been obtained using transparent silicone rubber since after treatment the specimens are still flexible and resilient, and have retained their natural appearance.

  19. Failure mechanism of resistance-spot-welded specimens impacted on base material by bullets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Chunlei; Ma, Bohan; Chen, Danian; Wang, Huanran; Ma, Dongfang

    2018-01-01

    The tests of bullet impact on the base material (BM) of a simple specimen with a single resistance-spot-welded (RSW) nugget of TRIP800 steel are performed to investigate the response of the RSW specimen to the ballistic debris impact on the RSW specimen. A one-stage gas gun is used to fire the bullets while a laser velocity interferometer system for any reflector (VISAR) is used to measure the velocity histories of the free surfaces of the RSW specimen. The recovered RSW specimens are examined with the three-dimensional super depth digital microscope (SDDM) and the scanning electro microscope (SEM). For the tests of small multiple-bullet impact, it is revealed that the wave train of the VISAR measured results and the detachment of the base material interfaces in the recovered RSW specimens are directly related to the reflection and refraction of the curved stress waves incoming to the interfaces and the free surfaces in the RSW specimens. The detachment of BM interfaces can lead to the impact failure of the RSW joints for the larger multiple-bullet impact at higher velocity, the mechanism of which is different from the case for normal incidence (spalling). For the tests of single large bullet impact, it is brought to light experimentally that the plastic strain concentration at the "notch tip" spurs either the crack near the RSW joint or the split of the nugget. The numerical simulation shows up the process of splitting the nugget: a crack initiates at the "notch tip", propagates across the nugget interface and splits the nugget into two parts. It is indicated that the interaction between the stress waves and many interfaces/free surfaces in the RSW specimen under ballistic impact causes variable local stress triaxialities and stress Lode angles, which affects the deformation and fracture mechanism of the RSW specimen including stretching and shearing failure. It is shown that the impact failure of the RSW joints is a mixture of brittle fracture and ductile

  20. Micro-texturing into DLC/diamond coated molds and dies via high density oxygen plasma etching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunata Ersyzario Edo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD-diamond films have been widely utilized not only as a hard protective coating for molds and dies but also as a functional substrate for bio-MEMS/NEMS. Micro-texturing into these hard coated molds and dies provides a productive tool to duplicate the original mother micro-patterns onto various work materials and to construct any tailored micro-textures for sensors and actuators. In the present paper, the high density oxygen plasma etching method is utilized to make micro-line and micro-groove patterns onto the DLC and diamond coatings. Our developing oxygen plasma etching system is introduced together with characterization on the plasma state during etching. In this quantitative plasma diagnosis, both the population of activated species and the electron and ion densities are identified through the emissive light spectroscopy and the Langmuir probe method. In addition, the on-line monitoring of the plasmas helps to describe the etching process. DLC coated WC (Co specimen is first employed to describe the etching mechanism by the present method. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD diamond coated WC (Co is also employed to demonstrate the reliable capacity of the present high density oxygen plasma etching. This oxygen plasma etching performance is discussed by comparison of the etching rates.