AECB staff annual assessment of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

The Atomic Energy Control Board is the independent federal agency that controls all nuclear activities in Canada. A major use of nuclear energy in Canada is electricity production. The AECB assesses every station's performance against legal requirements, including the conditions in the operating licence. Each station is inspected and all aspects of the station's operation and management is reviewed. This report is the AECB staff assessment of reactor safety at the Point Lepreau Generating Station in 1996. Point Lepreau operated safely but the worsening trends in NB Power's safety performance leads to the conclusion that urgent action is required. NB Power is required to report formally to the AECB on progress with measures to improve safety management every six months. Further licensing action will be taken on NB Power if it fails to make the improvements

Emergency response guide for Point Lepreau area residents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-01-01

The design, construction and operating procedures of CANDU nuclear generating stations ensure that an accident causing a significant risk to people living near these stations is extremely unlikely. However, despite the excellent safety record of nuclear stations, it is common practice to prepare an emergency plan for such facilities. In this regard, The New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization is responsible for developing and implementing the Off-Site Emergency Plan for the Point Lepreau Generating Station. Work for the Off-Site Emergency Plan began in 1976 and, under the leadership of N.B.E.M.O., a number of government agencies co-operated in this project. The completed plan thus represents agreement among a number of Province of New Brunswick departments, various community groups, NB Power, and representatives of the Government of Canada. Also, information gathered in the annual door-to-door survey of the Lepreau area enabled government planners to make specialized arrangements such as an extensive warden service, a siren system, and evacuation assistance for the disabled

Point Lepreau: One of the world's best

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, G.M.

1992-01-01

General management aspects of and technical information about the Point Lepreau generating station in Canada are presented; the plant has one of the best lifetime operating records of any nuclear power plant in the world, and the best of any Candu reactor. The Candu-6 design is briefly described, and performance statistics are tabulated for a 5-year period. Aspects of plant operation discussed in some detail include planning meetings, outage management, health physics, computer control systems, and fuel handling. The role of onsite representative of the Atomic Energy Control Board is also described

Possible refurbishment of Point Lepreau

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, R.M.; Groom, S.H.; Thompson, P.D.; Barclay, J.M.; Allen, P.J.

2001-01-01

In February 2000, the NB Power Board of Directors approved Phase one of a project to produce a business case including a detailed scope and estimate associated with the possible refurbishment of the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS). The Preliminary plan for refurbishment projects an 18-month outage starting as early as the spring of 2006. If the station were to be refurbished, then it would be run for another 25 to 30 years. The decision on whether or not to refurbish PLGS has not been made and is not expected until the summer of 2002. The results of the first phase of the project will be used to prepare a detailed business case that will be presented to the NB Power board of directors in January of 2002. At that time a decision will be made as to whether to refurbish the unit, or obtain other means of replacing the energy produced by PLGS. The station currently produces about a third of the power generated within the province. If the business case is approved, all-380 Pressure Tubes and Calandria Tubes, along with their related End Fittings and Feeders would be replaced. This material would be stored in new storage vaults to be constructed at the existing on-site Waste Management Facility. Replacement of other station components will be performed as required, as determined from the results of a comprehensive Plant Condition Assessment. The condition assessments build on work done under the Plant Life Management Program. Point Lepreau Generating Station has operated well since start of commercial operation in early 1983. With a lifetime capacity factor of about 84% (up to the end of 2000), it has proven to be an economic and environmentally sound electricity provider. The station has also had a significant positive economic impact in Southern New Brunswick, employing over 600 people. However the Pressure Tubes and Feeders are nearing the point in time in which they will exceed their fitness for service criteria. Although tubes can be replaced on an

Possible refurbishment of Point Lepreau

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, R.M.; Groom, S.H.; Thompson, P.D.; Barclay, J.M.; Allen, P.J.

2001-01-01

In February 2000, the NB Power Board of Directors approved Phase one of a project to produce a business case including a detailed scope and estimate associated with the possible refurbishment of the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS). The Preliminary plan for refurbishment projects an 18-month outage starting as early as the spring of 2006. If the station were to be refurbished, then it would be run for another 25 to 30 years. The decision on whether or not to refurbish PLGS has not been made and is not expected until the summer of 2002. The results of the first phase of the project will be used to prepare a detailed business case that will be presented to the NB Power board of directors in January of 2002. At that time a decision will be made as to whether to refurbish the unit, or obtain other means of replacing the energy produced by PLGS. The station currently produces about a third of the power generated within the province. If the business case is approved, all-380 Pressure Tubes and Calandria Tubes, along with their related End Fittings and Feeders would be replaced. This material would be stored in new storage vaults to be constructed at the existing on-site Waste Management Facility. Replacement of other station components will be performed as required, as determined from the results of a comprehensive Plant Condition Assessment. The condition assessments build on work done under the Plant Life Management Program. Point Lepreau Generating Station has operated well since start of commercial operation in early 1983. With a lifetime capacity factor of about 84% (up to the end of 2000), it has proven to be an economic and environmentally sound electricity provider. The station has also had a significant positive economic impact in Southern New Brunswick, employing over 600 people. However the Pressure Tubes and Feeders are nearing the point in time in which they will exceed their fitness for service criteria. Although tubes can be replaced on an

Point Lepreau Generating Station - 1995 SLAR program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, R.

1996-01-01

The Pt. Lepreau SLAR Program began after the successful use of the SLAR MKIII Tool during the 1993 Pt. Lepreau G.S. Maintenance outage. Preparations began immediately to assemble staff and equipment to complete a full core SLAR starting in April 1995. Installation and commissioning of the SLAR System at site began on March 29/95 and on reactor operations started on April 15/95. A total of 372 channels were visited with SLAR and all but 4 were dispositioned to the target life of 241, 500 Effective Full Power Hours. SLAR operations were completed on October 5/95 and within 7 days the Fuel Handling System was returned to pre-SLAR configuration and functionally tested. The SLAR Program was completed on schedule and within budget. (author)

Practical examples of how knowledge management is addressed in Point Lepreau heat transport ageing management programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slade, J.; Gendron, T.; Greenlaw, G.

2009-01-01

In the mid-1990s, New Brunswick Power Nuclear implemented a Management System Process Model at the Point Lepreau Generating Station that provides the basic elements of a knowledge management program. As noted by the IAEA, the challenge facing the nuclear industry now is to make improvements in knowledge management in areas that are more difficult to implement. Two of these areas are: increasing the value of existing knowledge, and converting tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge (knowledge acquisition). This paper describes some practical examples of knowledge management improvements in the Point Lepreau heat transport system ageing management program. (author)

Steam generators secondary side chemical cleaning at Point Lepreau using the Siemen's high temperature process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, K.; MacNeil, C.; Odar, S.

1996-01-01

The secondary sides of all four steam generators at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Stations were cleaned during the 1995 annual outage run-down using the Siemens high temperature chemical cleaning process. Traditionally all secondary side chemical cleaning exercises in CANDU as well as the other nuclear power stations in North America have been conducted using a process developed in conjunction with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The Siemens high temperature process was applied for the first time in North America at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station (PLGS). The paper discusses experiences related to the pre and post award chemical cleaning activities, chemical cleaning application, post cleaning inspection results and waste handling activities. (author)

Start-up support for New Brunswick Electric's Point Lepreau nuclear steam generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, W.; Leroux, A.

1983-05-01

The start-up of the 600 MW Point Lepreau reactor provided the opportunity for direct involvement in the important low and medium power start-up phase which was of particular interest because this was a first-of-a-kind reactor type incorporating a new steam generator design. Support included test assistance and test results interpretation for the thermal hydraulic performance of the steam generators and in particular, investigation of water level response to operating pressure, power and feed flow. This work resulted in both a greatly improved understanding of transient characteristics and in a number of beneficial refinements in the control methods

Wind hazard assessment for Point Lepreau Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mullin, D.; Moland, M.; Sciaudone, J.C.; Twisdale, L.A.; Vickery, P.J.; Mizzen, D.R.

2015-01-01

In response to the CNSC Fukushima Action Plan, NB Power has embarked on a wind hazard assessment for the Point Lepreau Generating Station site that incorporates the latest up to date wind information and modeling. The objective was to provide characterization of the wind hazard from all potential sources and estimate wind-driven missile fragilities and wind pressure fragilities for various structures, systems and components that would provide input to a possible high wind Probabilistic Safety Assessment. The paper will discuss the overall methodology used to assess hazards related to tornadoes, hurricanes and straight-line winds, and site walk-down and hazard/fragility results. (author)

Gentilly-2 and Point Lepreau divider plate replacement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, W.; McClellan, G.; Weston, S.

1996-01-01

The steam generators at Hydro Quebec's Gentilly-2 and New Brunswick Power's Point Lepreau Nuclear Plants have been in operation since 1983, and were built with primary divider plates of a bolted panel configuration. During a routine outage inspection at Gentilly-2, it was noted that two bolts had dislodged from the divider plate and were located lying in the primary head. Subsequent inspections revealed erosion damage to a a substantial number of divider plate bolts and to a lesser extent, to the divider plate itself. After further inspection and repair the units were returned to operation, however, it was determined that a permanent replacement of the primary divider plates was going to be necessary. Upon evaluation of various options, it was decided that the panel type divider plates would be replaced with a single piece floating design. The divider plate itself was to be of one piece all-welded arrangement to be constructed from individual panels to be brought in through the manways. In view of the strength limitations of the bolted attachment of the upper seat bar to the tubesheet, a new welded seat was was provided. To counteract erosion concerns, the new divider plate is fitted with erosion resistant inserts of weld buildup and with improved sealing features in order to minimize leakage and erosion. At an advanced stage in the design and manufacture of the components, the issue of divider plate strength during loss of coolant accident (LOCA) conditions came into focus. Analysis was performed to determine the strength and/or failure characteristics of the divider plate to a variety of small and large LOCA conditions. Subsequently, Point Lepreau decided to replace their divider plates to address LOCA concerns. The paper describes the diagnosis of the original divider plates and the design. manufacture, field mobilization, installation and subsequent operation of the replacement divider plates. (author)

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment for Point Lepreau Generating Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mullin, D. [New Brunswick Power Corp., Point Lepreau Generating Station, Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada); Lavine, A. [AMEC Foster Wheeler Environment and Infrastructure Americas, Oakland, California (United States); Egan, J. [SAGE Engineers, Oakland, California (United States)

2015-09-15

A Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) has been performed for the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS). The objective is to provide characterization of the earthquake ground shaking that will be used to evaluate seismic safety. The assessment is based on the current state of knowledge of the informed scientific and engineering community regarding earthquake hazards in the site region, and includes two primary components-a seismic source model and a ground motion model. This paper provides the methodology and results of the PLGS PSHA. The implications of the updated hazard information for site safety are discussed in a separate paper. (author)

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment for Point Lepreau Generating Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mullin, D., E-mail: dmullin@nbpower.com [New Brunswick Power Corporation, Point Lepreau Generating Station, Point Lepreau, NB (Canada); Lavine, A., E-mail: alexis.lavine@amecfw.com [AMEC Foster Wheeler Environment & Infrastructure Americas, Oakland, CA (United States); Egan, J., E-mail: jegan@sageengineers.com [SAGE Engineers, Oakland, CA (United States)

2015-07-01

A Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) has been performed for the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS). The objective is to provide characterization of the earthquake ground shaking that will be used to evaluate seismic safety. The assessment is based on the current state of knowledge of the informed scientific and engineering community regarding earthquake hazards in the site region, and includes two primary components--a seismic source model and a ground motion model. This paper provides the methodology and results of the PLGS PSHA. The implications of the updated hazard information for site safety are discussed in a separate paper. (author)

AECB staff annual report of Point Lepreau G.S. for the year 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-05-01

This report is a review by AECB staff of the operation of Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station during 1990. The review is based on information contained in the various documents submitted by New Brunswick Power under the terms of the Operating Licence and on information gathered by AECB staff during routine site monitoring, inspections and audits

Strategy for success in maintenance management at Point Lepreau nuclear generating station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, R.M.

1987-01-01

Improvements in availability of the station and in productivity of workers were achieved at Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station through implementation of a Maintenance Management System, which incorporates work planning and outage management techniques. Eight software systems on a VAX 11/70 minicomputer control work orders, temporary and permanent design changes, parts and material inventories, time keeping, and project management. All maintenance is coordinated through a regular planning meeting

Environmental radiation monitoring data for Point Lepreau Generating Station, 1988. Annual publication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sutherland, J K

1989-01-01

Annual report presenting a compilation of the 1988 environmental radiation monitoring program data from samples collected around the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station (PLNGS) and at reference stations remote from PLNGS. About 1,700 analyses were made on 1,200 samples to monitor environmental radiation, including air filters, airborne water vapour, sea water, well water, milk, beach sediments, clams, fish, lobster, dulse, crabs, scallops and lichen. Background radiation is measured by thermoluminescence dosimetry.

Environmental radiation monitoring data for Point Lepreau Generating Station, 1987. Annual publication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sutherland, J K

1988-01-01

Annual report presenting a compilation of the 1987 environmental radiation monitoring program data from samples collected around the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station (PLNGS) and at reference stations remote from PLNGS. About 1,800 analyses were made on 1,300 samples to monitor environmental radiation, including air filters, airborne water vapour, sea water, well water, milk, beach sediments, clams, fish, lobster, dulse, crabs, scallops and periwinkles. Background radiation is measured by thermoluminescence dosimetry.

Operational reliability of the Point Lepreau GS standby generators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loughead, D. A.; McGregor, A. T. [Safety and Compllance Group, New Brunswick Electric Power Commission, Point Lepreau Generating Station, P.O.Box 10 Lepreau, New Brunswick E0G 2H0 (Canada)

1986-02-15

Performance of the two Point Lepreau GS standby generators during the first three years of licensed station operation is reviewed. It is shown that the mandated reliability/availability requirements have been met. The nature of starting and running failures has been examined and the consequences, in terms of design and procedural changes, discussed. A brief review of standby generator outages is included to permit estimates of standby generator availability and total Class III standby power unavailability. A pair of simple equations is introduced as a means of estimating the probable economic penalty, both cumulative and incremental, associated with the running failure of one standby generator while the other is on a maintenance outage. (authors)

Operational reliability of the Point Lepreau GS standby generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loughead, D.A.; McGregor, A.T.

1986-01-01

Performance of the two Point Lepreau GS standby generators during the first three years of licensed station operation is reviewed. It is shown that the mandated reliability/availability requirements have been met. The nature of starting and running failures has been examined and the consequences, in terms of design and procedural changes, discussed. A brief review of standby generator outages is included to permit estimates of standby generator availability and total Class III standby power unavailability. A pair of simple equations is introduced as a means of estimating the probable economic penalty, both cumulative and incremental, associated with the running failure of one standby generator while the other is on a maintenance outage. (authors)

Lepreau 2 environmental impact statement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-05-01

Maritime Nuclear, a joint undertaking of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and the New Brunswick Electric Power Commission, proposes to construct a second CANDU 600 MW nuclear-powered generating unit at the site of the existing Point Lepreau Generating Station, in New Brunswick. A feasibility study is now underway and guidelines issued by the Lepreau 2 Environmental Assessment Panel identified six priority issues and concerns. These are: impacts on the biological environment, impacts of radiation on humans, impacts on the socio-economic environment, monitoring, emergency planning, and decommissioning. These factors as well as a description of the site and proposed facility are described in this report

Environmental radiation monitoring data for Point Lepreau Generating Station, 1990. Annual publication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sutherland, J K

1991-01-01

Annual report presenting a compilation of the 1990 environmental radiation monitoring program data from samples collected around the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station (PLNGS) and at reference stations remote from PLNGS. About 1,500 analyses were made on 1,100 samples to monitor environmental radiation, including air particulates, airborne water vapour, carbon dioxide in air, sea water, well water, milk, beach sediments, clams, fish, lobster, dulse, crabs, scallops, periwinkles, sea plants and lichen. Background radiation is measured by thermoluminescence dosimetry. Radon is not assessed.

Experience from the development of Point Lepreau's training program for technical support staff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, S.; Scott, K.

2007-01-01

The Training Department at the Point Lepreau GS has been developing and improving its training for technical support staff. A generic set of objectives are being used as the basis for a systematic approach to training. The program covers general and job specific knowledge and skills using a mix of classroom instruction, mentoring and continuing training seminars. This paper describes experience, success and the challenges in the development, delivery and evaluation of the training program. (author)

Lepreau 2 environmental impact statement. Summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-05-01

Maritime Nuclear, a joint undertaking of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and the New Brunswick Electric Power Commission, proposes to construct a second CANDU 600 MW nuclear-powered generating unit at the site of the existing Point Lepreau Generating Station, in New Brunswick. A feasibility study is now underway and guidelines issued by the Lepreau 2 Environmental Assessment Panel identified six priority issues and concerns. These are: impacts on the biological environment, impacts of radiation on humans, impacts on the socio-economic environment, monitoring, emergency planning, and decommissioning. These factors as well as a description of the proposed facility are described in this report

Update of severe accident management guidelines at Point Lepreau Generating Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mullin, D.; Robertson, S., E-mail: dmullin@nbpower.com, E-mail: srobertson@nbpower.com [New Brunswick Power Corporation, Point Lepreau Generating Station, NB (Canada); Wilson, D.J., E-mail: wilsondj@nbnet.nb.ca [Atlantic Nuclear Inc., Fredericton, NB (Canada)

2015-07-01

In response to the events at Fukushima Dai'ichi, the CANDU Owners Group (COG) embarked on Joint Project JP4426 to update the overall framework for Severe Accident Management Guidelines (SAMG) to reflect lessons learned. This includes enhancements to consider SAMG in the shutdown/low power state, more extensive consideration of Spent (Irradiated) Fuel Bay (SFB) events and to address plant habitability issues. Point Lepreau is in the process of applying the COG methodologies in developing site-specific basis documents and revisions to SAM guidance documents. The paper will also describe SAMG for the Canister site, emergency procedure revisions to deal with extreme natural events and recommendations for evacuation of protective zones based on plant state criteria. (author)

AECL's participation in the commissioning of Point Lepreau generating station unit 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chawla, S.; Singh, K.; Yerramilli, S.

1983-05-01

Support from Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) to Point Lepreau during the commissioning program has been in the form of: seconded staff for commissioning program management, preparation of commissioning procedures, and hands-on commissioning of several systems; analysis of test results; engineering service for problem solving and modifications; design engineering for changes and additions; procurement of urgently-needed parts and materials; technological advice; review of operational limits; interpretation of design manuals and assistance with and preparation of submissions to regulatory authorities; and development of equipment and procedures for inspection and repairs. This, together with AECL's experience in the commissioning of other 600 MWe stations, Douglas Point and Ontario Hydro stations, provides AECL with a wide range of expertise for providing operating station support services for CANDU stations

AECB staff annual report of Point Lepreau NGS for the year 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-11-01

This report is the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) assessment of the operation of Point Lepreau nuclear generating station during 1991. On-site project officers and Ottawa-based specialists monitored the plant throughout the year. The AECB believes that New Brunswick Power is operating the reactor safely and in accordance with its operating licence. New Brunswick Power have made good progress with changes to make sure the special safety systems are operated to the highest possible standards. NB Power's financial restraints have not affected safe operation of the reactor; however, limited resources and an ambitious program of support for the first Romanian reactor could affect future operation

Likelihood and consequences of fuel string compression at Point Lepreau Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reid, P.J.; Gibb, R.A.

1996-01-01

During an accident which results in fuel heatup, axial thermal expansion of the fuel string relative to the pressure tube will occur. If the temperature transient is sufficiently severe, the fuel string may contact the shieled plugs at both ends of the channel. Any additional axial thermal expansion will result in deformation of fuel and fuel channel components, leading to tensile or compressive stresses in the different fuel channel components. If these loads become sufficiently large, they could result in failure of a fuel channel component or to channel failure due to bending of a fuel element under load. The analysis described in this paper demonstrates that this process would not result in fuel channel failure for a design basis accident at Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS), even if the station were retubed to 'as-built' channel lengths. (author)

Point Lepreau refurbishment - update 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, R.M.; Eagles, E.R.; Hickman, C.N.; Baker, R.; Thompson, P.D.; Howieson, J.Q.; Ichiyen, N.

2005-01-01

NB Power Nuclear is planning to conduct a 18-month maintenance outage of the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) beginning in April 2008. The major activity would be the replacement of all 380 Fuel Channel and Calandria Tube assemblies and connecting feeder pipes. This activity is referred to as Retube. NB Power Nuclear would also take advantage of this outage to conduct a number of repairs, replacements, inspection and upgrades (such as rewinding or replacing the generator, replacement of shutdown system trip computers, replacement of certain valves and expansion joints, inspection of systems not normally accessible, etc.). These collective activities are referred to as Refurbishment. This would allow the station to operate for an additional 25 to 30 years. The scope or the project was determined [mm the outcome of a two year study involving a detailed condition assessment of the station which examined Issues relating to ageing and obsolescence, along with a detailed review or Safety and Licensing issues associated with extended operation. The Refurbishment outage would be preceded by a detailed Engineering Project Phase that would: Finalize details of the Retube process including modeling, tooling development, site facilities and training of personnel. Perform necessary engineering activities related to design modifications. Construct the new waste storage structures to house Retube Waste and other additional waste storage structures for the extended life of the station. Setup necessary temporary construction facilities (offices, storage areas, change moms, decontamination an maintenance areas) to support Retube. Procure equipment and components. Perform detailed outage planning. Initiate development of detailed commissioning as well as lay-up, monitoring and return to service procedures. At the present time, the NB Power Nuclear Board of Directors and the New Brunswick Provincial government are reviewing a proposal for a lease arrangement from Bruce Power

S08: investigation and repair of a cracked feeder at Point Lepreau GS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A Celovsky, A.; Wright, M.D.; Gendron, T.S.

1997-01-01

Early in 1997 investigation of a low level leak in the Point Lepreau GS (PLGS) PHTS revealed that an outlet feeder, S08, was leaking. Ultrasonic inspection, and subsequent failure analysis, revealed that the leak was a consequence of a crack. Given the unusual nature of this event, and current concerns over feeder thinning, a detailed and careful removal and examination procedure was developed. The S08 outlet feeder was removed and shipped to Chalk River Laboratories for examination. The examination confirmed that the failure was a through-wall crack, most likely the consequence of stress corrosion cracking. A critical point of the analysis was to determine how the crack initiated, and subsequently propagated. High residual stresses and possible abnormal loading in conjunction with chemistry environments resulted in the Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) of the S08 outlet feeder bend. It is recognized that some of the causative factors implicated in the S08 failure apply to other outlet feeders. In particular, residual stresses in the non-stress-relieved, short-radius cold bent pipes will remain relatively high over the future life of the feeders. However, the risk of CANDU feeder failure by SCC is judged to be extremely low based on the evidence of the inspections carried out to date and the good performance record of feeder pipe in the CANDU industry. The channel was restored to its locked configuration, and the failed section of feeder replaced. (author)

Steam generators secondary side chemical cleaning at Point Lepreau using the Siemens high temperature process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, K.; MacNeil, C.; Odar, S.; Kuhnke, K.

1997-01-01

This paper describes the chemical cleaning of the four steam generators at the Point Lepreau facility, which was accomplished as a part of a normal service outage. The steam generators had been in service for twelve years. Sludge samples showed the main elements were Fe, P and Na, with minor amounts of Ca, Mg, Mn, Cr, Zn, Cl, Cu, Ni, Ti, Si, and Pb, 90% in the form of Magnetite, substantial phosphate, and trace amounts of silicates. The steam generators were experiencing partial blockage of broached holes in the TSPs, and corrosion on tube ODs in the form of pitting and wastage. In addition heat transfer was clearly deteriorating. More than 1000 kg of magnetite and 124 kg of salts were removed from the four steam generators

Alternative methodology for assessing part-through-wall cracks in carbon steel bends removed from Point Lepreau Generating Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duan Xinjian, E-mail: duanx@aecl.c [Senior Engineer, Reactor Engineering Department, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Mississauga, ON (Canada); Kozluk, Michael J., E-mail: kozlukm@aecl.c [Independent Consultant, Oakville, ON (Canada); Gendron, Tracy [Manager-HTS Materials Integrity, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River, ON (Canada); Slade, John [Senior Technical Advisor, Point Lepreau Generating Station, Lepreau, NB (Canada)

2011-03-15

In 2008 April Point Lepreau Generating Station entered an extended refurbishment outage that will involve the replacement of key reactor components (fuel channels and connecting feeder pipes). Prior to the refurbishment outage, New Brunswick Power Nuclear had been successfully managing intergranular, axial cracking of carbon steel feeder piping, that were also experiencing thinning, in the Point Lepreau Generating Station, primarily by an aggressive program of inspection, repair and testing of ex-service material. For the previous three maintenance outages, a probabilistic safety evaluation (PSE) had been used to demonstrate that annual inspection of the highest risk locations maintains the nuclear safety risk from cracking at an acceptably low level. The PSE makes use of the Failure Assessment Diagram (FAD) model to predict the failure of part-through-wall cracks. Burst-pressure testing of two ex-service feeder pipe sections with part-through-wall cracks showed that this FAD model significantly under predicts the failure pressure measured in the component tests. Use of this FAD model introduces undesirable conservatism into PSE assessments that are used to optimize feeder piping inspection and maintenance plans. This paper describes an alternative finite element approach, which could be used to provide more representative structural models for use in PSE assessments. This alternative approach employs the elasto-plastic large strain finite element formulation; uses representative material properties; considers the spatial microstructural distribution; accounts for the effect of work hardening rate; models all deformation processes, i.e., uniform deformation, localized necking, and failure imitation and propagation. Excellent pre-test prediction was shown for the burst-pressure test performed in 2006. Although cold-worked feeder bends have reduced fracture toughness compared to the parent straight pipe, post-test metallurgical examinations showed that failure at the

Aging management program of the reactor building concrete at Point Lepreau Generating Station

Science.gov (United States)

Aldea, C.-M.; Shenton, B.; Demerchant, M. M.; Gendron, T.

2011-04-01

In order for New Brunswick Power Nuclear (NBPN) to control the risks of degradation of the concrete reactor building at the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) the development of an aging management plan (AMP) was initiated. The intention of this plan was to determine the requirements for specific structural components of concrete of the reactor building that require regular inspection and maintenance to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the plant. The document is currently in draft form and presents an integrated methodology for the application of an AMP for the concrete of the reactor building. The current AMP addresses the reactor building structure and various components, such as joint sealant and liners that are integral to the structure. It does not include internal components housed within the structure. This paper provides background information regarding the document developed and the strategy developed to manage potential degradation of the concrete of the reactor building, as well as specific programs and preventive and corrective maintenance activities initiated.

Severe accident analysis of a steam generator tube rupture accident using MAAP-CANDU to support level 2 PSA for the Point Lepreau Generating Station Refurbishment Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petoukhov, S.M.; Brown, M.J. [Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, ON (Canada)

2015-07-01

A Level 2 Probabilistic Safety Assessment was performed for the Point Lepreau Generating Station. The MAAP-CANDU code was used to simulate the progression of postulated severe core damage accidents and fission product releases. This paper discusses the results for the reference case of the Steam Generator Tube Rupture initiating event. The reference case, dictated by the Level 2 Probabilistic Safety Assessment, was extreme and assumed most safety-related plant systems were not available: all steam generator feedwater; the emergency water supply; the moderator, shield and shutdown cooling systems; and all stages of emergency core cooling. The reference case also did not credit any post Fukushima lessons or any emergency mitigating equipment. The reference simulation predicted severe core damage beginning at 3.7 h, containment failure at 6.4 h, moderator boil off by 8.2 h, and calandria vessel failure at 42 h. A total release of 5.3% of the initial inventory of radioactive isotopes of Cs, Rb and I was predicted by the end of the simulation (139 h). Almost all noble gas fission products were released to the environment, primarily after the containment failure. No hydrogen/carbon monoxide burning was predicted. (author)

Lepreau 2 environmental impact statement. Supplemental information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-09-01

This report contains supplemental information to the Environmental Impact Statement that was issued on the proposed second nuclear generating station Point Lepreau-2 in New Brunswick, Canada. Some issues dealt with here are the terrestrial and aquatic impacts of radioactive and thermal releases to the environment, radiation safety for the human population, socio-economic impacts on the region in regards to housing, social services and employment, and monitoring programs for all aspects of the development, construction and operation of the plant

SSCI 125 emulation of Point Lepreau G.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacLean, M.; Hogg, J.; Newman, H.; Thompson, H.

1997-01-01

A C language program has been developed at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station which emulates the actions of an SSCI 125 computer's instruction set and also emulates the actions of those input and output devices which belong to the plant control computer of the nuclear power plant's full scope training simulator. This enables the same DCC software to run on both the $20 million dollar training simulator and an equivalent desktop simulator whose hardware cost is now $16,000 or less. It facilitates making additional copies of the $20 million dollar training simulator for less than 0.1% of the cost per copy. When this emulation program is run on a 266 MHz DEC single CPU Alpha computer, it simulates the running of the training simulator plant control DCC (digital control computer) at approximately the rate of real time: either faster or slightly slower depending on the compiler options employed and depending on the choice of the modeled machine cycle speed of the SSCI. Using the standard machine cycle speed of 660 nanoseconds, using the emulator fully optimized and using plant process modelling without optimization the speed is 90% as fast as real time - this is the normal use situation for simulator modelers who were the originally intended users of the emulator. If the modeled SSCI machine cycle speed is slowed down to 792 nanoseconds (making use of space capacity on the real SSCI to reduce the workload of emulation), and all objects are compiled as optimized, then it takes only about 20 minutes of clock time to simulate over 30 minutes of modelling time. This mode of simulation may be useful for somebody who is not doing emulator or modeling code development. This could include preparing lesson plans for the training simulator, developing or evaluating plant operating procedures or trying out revised DCC software. (DM)

Using the PAW/PEM monitoring systems to support operations at Point Lepreau

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacDonald, S.; McIntyre, M.; Dai, H.

1997-01-01

The plant data logger was brought on-line at the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) in 1992 in order to record information from instruments throughout the plant. Using the System Engineers Data Extraction (SEDE) utility, current plant data is at the fingertips of anyone with a network connection. System engineers can monitor the performance of their systems at any time and take pro-active measures to avoid problems with performance, as well as monitor behaviour during tests and plant upsets. Nuclear Safety personnel gather data for use in simulation and analysis validation, as well as to ensure that plant parameters are kept within the safe operating envelope. The PLGS operational safety group embarked on a project to develop a data management system. The project and the monitoring process has come to be known as the Plant Analysis Workbench (PAW). When the need for complex monitoring of safety system signals was identified, this led to a similar project called the Plant Expert Monitor (PEM). In this paper we present an overview of the functionality of both PAW and PEM, outlining in particular the expert system architecture in PEM and giving an example of its day-to-day use

Aging management program of the reactor building concrete at Point Lepreau Generating Station

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gendron T.

2011-04-01

Full Text Available In order for New Brunswick Power Nuclear (NBPN to control the risks of degradation of the concrete reactor building at the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS the development of an aging management plan (AMP was initiated. The intention of this plan was to determine the requirements for specific structural components of concrete of the reactor building that require regular inspection and maintenance to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the plant. The document is currently in draft form and presents an integrated methodology for the application of an AMP for the concrete of the reactor building. The current AMP addresses the reactor building structure and various components, such as joint sealant and liners that are integral to the structure. It does not include internal components housed within the structure. This paper provides background information regarding the document developed and the strategy developed to manage potential degradation of the concrete of the reactor building, as well as specific programs and preventive and corrective maintenance activities initiated.

Refurbishment of Point Lepreau Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, P.D.; Jaitly, R.; Ichiyen, N.; Petrilli, M.A.

2004-01-01

NB Power is planning to conduct an 18-month maintenance outage of the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) beginning in April 2008. The major activity would be the replacement of all 380 Fuel Channel and Calandria Tube Assemblies and the connecting feeder pipes. This activity is referred to as Retube. NB Power would also take advantage of this outage to conduct a number of repairs, replacements, inspections and upgrades (such as rewinding or replacing the generator, replacement of shutdown system trip computers, replacement of certain valves and expansion joints, inspection of systems not normally accessible, etc). These collective activities are referred to as Refurbishment. This would allow the station to operate for an additional 25 to 30 years. The scope of the project was determined from the outcome of a two-year study involving a detailed condition assessment of the station that examined issues relating to ageing and obsolescence. The majority of the plant components were found to be capable of supporting extended operation without needing replacement or changes. In addition to the condition assessment, a detailed review of Safety and Licensing issues associated with extended operation was performed. This included a review of known regulatory and safety issues, comparison of the station against current codes and standards, and comparison of the station against safety related modifications made to more recent CANDU 6 units. Benefit cost analyses (BCA) were performed to assist the utility in determining which changes were appropriate to include in the project scope. As a Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) for PLGS did not exist at the time, a risk baseline for the station had to be determined for use in the BCA. Extensive dialogue with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission staff was also undertaken during this phase. A comprehensive Licensing Framework was produced upon which the CNSC provided feedback to NB Power. This feedback was important in terms of

AECB staff annual assessment of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station for the year 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-06-01

This report is the Atomic Energy Control Board assessment of safety at Point Lepreau Generating Station for 1994. AECB on-site Project Officers, and Ottawa based specialists monitored the station throughout the year. The station operated safely during 1994. Performance of the special safety systems was very good, and NB Power made important progress improving the safety management of these systems. NB Power staff failed to comply with the conditions of our Operating Licence seven times during 1994. This is an improvement from last year, but the number of compliance problems is still too high. NB Power introduced safety culture training for its staff last year. AECB is optimistic that this will help to improve compliance. The station fully met the radiation safety requirements during the year. Releases of radioactive material to the environment are well below the limits set. Radiation exposure to workers are being well controlled, and AECB believe that NB Power is maintaining these exposures 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable' for this reactor type

Improvement of Point Lepreau Generating Station ROP detector characteristics by adjusting gains in compensation amplifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anghel, V., E-mail: vinicius.anghel@cnl.ca [Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada); Basque, M.-J. [Atlantic Nuclear Services Inc., Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada); Comeau, D. [Point Lepreau Generating Station, Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada); Sur, B. [Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada); Taylor, D. [Point Lepreau Generating Station, Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada)

2015-06-15

Canadian Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors are protected against reactor overpower by 2 independent shutdown systems: Shut Down System 1 and 2. At Point Lepreau Generating Station, these shutdown systems can be actuated by signals from Platinum-clad Inconel In-Core Flux Detectors measuring the neutron flux. These detectors have a complex dynamic behaviour, characterized by 'prompt' and 'delayed' components with respect to immediate changes in the in-core neutron flux. In aging detectors, it was found that the prompt response decreases. A detector response that actuates the shutdown system effectively has to have a large prompt response and a small delayed response. These required responses may be obtained by adjusting the dynamic compensation amplifiers (compensator) settings. This paper presents the measured results of a compensation adjustment procedure for the in-core platinum-clad Inconel detectors. The compensation is computed from the detector parameters estimated by VS, a fully automated and qualified computer program that analyzes the response of the detectors. (author)

Evaluation of slow shutdown system flux detectors in Point Lepreau Generating Station - II: dynamic compensation error analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anghel, V.N.P.; Sur, B. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada); Taylor, D. [New Brunswick Power Nuclear, Point Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada)

2009-07-01

CANDU reactors are protected against reactor overpower by two independent shutdown systems: Shut Down System 1 and 2 (SDS1 and SDS2). At the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS), the shutdown systems can be actuated by measurements of the neutron flux from Platinum-clad Inconel In-Core Flux Detectors. These detectors have a complex dynamic behaviour, characterized by 'prompt' and 'delayed' components with respect to immediate changes in the in-core neutron flux. It was shown previously (I: Dynamic Response Characterization by Anghel et al., this conference) that the dynamic responses of the detectors changed with irradiation, with the SDS2 detectors having 'prompt' signal components that decreased significantly. In this paper we assess the implication of these changes for detector dynamic compensation errors by comparing the compensated detector response with the power-to-fuel and the power-to-coolant responses to neutron flux ramps as assumed by previous error analyses. The dynamic compensation error is estimated at any given trip time for all possible accident flux ramps. Some implications for the shutdown system trip set points, obtained from preliminary results, are discussed. (author)

Point Lepreau refurbishment project programmable digital comparator (PDC) replacement for SDS1 and SDS2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichiyen, N.M.; Chan, D.; Thompson, P.D.

2003-01-01

NB Power is tentatively planning to conduct an 18-month maintenance outage of the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) starting in April 2007. The scope of the outage was determined from the outcome of a two year study (Phase 1) involving a detailed condition assessment of the station which examined issues relating to ageing and obsolescence, along with a detailed review of Safety and Licensing issues associated with extended operation. In order to minimize schedule and regulatory risk for the Refurbishment project, pre-project work was initiated in early 2002. This program is called Phase 2 ESA (Early Start Activities). As part of the Phase 1 assessments it was concluded that replacement of the PDCs (Programmable Digital Comparators) for both shutdown systems was required in order to ensure operation of the plant for a further 25-30 years. Critical tasks were identified related to PDC replacement as part of the Phase 2 ESA program. This paper describes the activities that have taken place in the Phase 2 ESA program as well as the plan for future work for the PDC replacement for SDS 1 (Shutdown System Number One) and SDS2 (Shutdown System Number Two). (author)

Monitoring and managing component fatigue at Point Lepreau Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, G.L.; Yetisir, M.; Scovil, A.; Slade, J.

2008-01-01

Many CANDU plants are now approaching the end of their design lives and are being considered for extended operation beyond their design life. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has asked utilities to address component fatigue issues in plant life extension (PLEX) applications. In particular, environmental effects on fatigue was identified as an issue that needs to be addressed, similar to being addressed for license renewal for U.S. nuclear power plants. To address CNSC concerns, the CANDU Owners Group (COG) has initiated a program to help utilities develop component fatigue management programs for PLEX operation. A summary of a pilot study that was conducted at the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) is provided below: A plant-specific Recommendation Study provided a comprehensive review of the existing plant-specific systems, cycle counting procedures, and other fatigue-related requirements, and made some general recommendations on how best to implement a fatigue management system for PLEX. The plant-specific study determined that only 10 to 15% of the design transients have been used after 25 effective full power years (EFPY) of operation. Hence, a significant amount of original design margin for fatigue usage margin remains available for PLEX operation. Environmental fatigue considerations in heavy water (D 2 O) were included in the plant-specific assessment. Only warm-up transients were assessed to have dissolved oxygen concentrations that can result in a significant environmental effect for the ferritic steels used in the CANDU primary systems. Due to the low accumulation of transients and the absence of known thermal stratification mechanisms, thermal fatigue is not as significant an issue in CANDU plants as in pressurized water reactor (PWR) and boiling water reactor (BWR) plants. The needs for implementing a comprehensive Fatigue Management Program for PLGS to satisfy PLEX requirements were defined, and specific direction and strategy for

Point Lepreau Refurbishment Project. Programmable digital comparator (PDC) replacement for SDS1 and SDS2 - update 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fraser, K.G.; Ichiyen, N.M.; Condor, A.E.; Thompson, P.D.

2005-01-01

NB Power is tentatively planning to conduct an 18-month maintenance outage of the Point Lepreau Generating Station starting in April 2008. The scope of the outage was determined from the outcome of a two year study (Phase 1) involving a detailed condition assessment of the station which examined issues relating to ageing and obsolescence, along with a detailed review of Safety and Licensing issues associated with extended operation. In order to minimize schedule and regulatory risk for the Refurbishment project, pre-project work was initiated in early 2002. This program is called Phase 2 ESA (Early Start Activities). As part of the Phase 1 assessments it was concluded that replacement of the Programmable Digital Comparators for both shutdown systems was required in order to ensure operation of the plant for a further 25-30 years. Critical tasks were identified related to PDC replacement as part of the Phase 2 ESA program. This paper describes the progress of the Phase 2 ESA program as well as the planned future (Phase 2) work for the PDC replacement for both shutdown systems. (author)

Evaluation of slow shutdown system flux detectors in Point Lepreau Generating Station - I: dynamic response characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anghel, V.N.P. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada); Comeau, D. [New Brunswick Power Nuclear, Point Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada); McKay, J.; Sur, B. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada); Taylor, D. [New Brunswick Power Nuclear, Point Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada)

2009-07-01

CANDU reactors are protected against reactor overpower by two independent shutdown systems: Shut Down System 1 and 2 (SDS1 and SDS2). At the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS), the shutdown systems can be actuated by measurements of the neutron flux by Platinum-clad Inconel In-Core Flux Detectors (ICFDs). These detectors have a complex dynamic behaviour, characterized by 'prompt' and 'delayed' components with respect to immediate changes in the in-core neutron flux. The dynamic response components need to be determined accurately in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the detectors for actuating the shutdown systems. The amplitudes of the prompt and the delayed components of individual detectors were estimated over a period of several years by comparison of archived detector response data with the computed local neutron flux evolution for SDS1 and SDS2 reactor trips. This was achieved by custom-designed algorithms. The results of this analysis show that the dynamic response of the detectors changes with irradiation, with the SDS2 detectors having 'prompt' signal components that decreased significantly with irradiation. Some general conclusions about detector aging effects are also drawn. (author)

Co-ordination of federal and provincial environmental assessment processes for the Point Lepreau Generating Station Solid Radioactive Waste Management Facility modifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hickman, C.; Thompson, P.D.; Barnes, J.

2006-01-01

Modification of the Solid Radioactive Waste Management Facility at Point Lepreau Generating Station is required to accommodate waste generated during and after an 18-month maintenance outage during which the station would be Refurbished. The modification of the facility triggered both federal and provincial environmental assessment requirements, and these assessments were conducted in a 'coordinated' and cooperative fashion. In this project, the coordinated approach worked well, and provided some significant advantages to the proponent, the public and the regulators. However, there are opportunities for further improvement in future projects, and this paper explores the advantages and disadvantages of this 'co-ordinated' approach. As part of this exploration, there is a discussion of administrative and regulatory changes that the province is considering for the environmental assessment process, and a discussion of the need for a formal 'harmonization' agreement. (author)

Co-ordination of federal and provincial environmental assessment processes for the Point Lepreau Generating Station Solid Radioactive Waste Management Facility modifications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hickman, C.; Thompson, P.D. [Point Lepreau Generating Station, Point Lepreau Refurbishment Project, Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada); Barnes, J. [Jacques Whitford Environment Ltd., Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada)

2006-07-01

Modification of the Solid Radioactive Waste Management Facility at Point Lepreau Generating Station is required to accommodate waste generated during and after an 18-month maintenance outage during which the station would be Refurbished. The modification of the facility triggered both federal and provincial environmental assessment requirements, and these assessments were conducted in a 'coordinated' and cooperative fashion. In this project, the coordinated approach worked well, and provided some significant advantages to the proponent, the public and the regulators. However, there are opportunities for further improvement in future projects, and this paper explores the advantages and disadvantages of this 'co-ordinated' approach. As part of this exploration, there is a discussion of administrative and regulatory changes that the province is considering for the environmental assessment process, and a discussion of the need for a formal 'harmonization' agreement. (author)

Evaluation of options for life cycle management of feeder cracking at the Point Lepreau Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gendron, T.S.; Slade, J.P.

2003-01-01

The CANDU industry has a predictive capability for most Heat Transport System (HTS) degradation issues that allows utilities to apply cost-effective maintenance programs. The standard approach for maintenance programs is focussed inspection and planned replacement. Some examples of degradation issues with deterministic failure rates are feeder thinning, and pressure tube elongation and deuterium ingress. However, the cracking observed in Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) outlet feeder first bends is one notable exception to this behaviour. A predictive capability for feeder cracking does not currently exist for several reasons. First, the mechanism of feeder cracking, stress corrosion cracking (SCC), has to some degree a random nature. Second, although a probable environment causing cracking has been identified, the precise stress and environmental conditions for feeder crack initiation and propagation have not been defined. Finally, the very low incidence of feeder cracking observed to-date (four, all at PLGS) precludes a probabilistic or statistical prediction of failure rate. Generally, utilities select a Life Cycle Management Plan that ensures safe operation and has the lowest Net Present Value cost. In preparing a Feeder Life Cycle Management Plan, New Brunswick Power (NBP) has recognized that the Net Present Value cost is very sensitive to failure rate. Since the failure rate for feeder cracking is not well defined, the following three scenarios were considered to bound the probability of future failures at PLGS. (author)

Demonstration irradiation of CANFLEX in Pt. Lepreau

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inch, W.; Thompson, P.; Suk, Ho Chun

1999-01-01

The demonstration irradiation of CANFLEX in the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) in New Brunswick, Canada, will mark a major milestone towards delivering this new fuel to CANDU utilities. One high-powered and one instrumented fuel channel are being fuelled with CANFLEX bundles to establish irradiation experience in a power reactor. As CANFLEX is discharged into the reactor bays, it win be examined by fuel experts from PLGS and AECL. Several irradiated CANFLEX bundles will be shipped to Chalk River for extensive post-irradiation examination. CANFLEX is the latest fuel carrier in the evolution of CANDU fuel. Its design has been driven to provide higher dryout powers and lower peak element ratings, while being fully compatible with existing CANDU stations and addressing the development requirements for future advanced CANDU stations. The design has been tuned through analysis and testing at AECL and KAERI. The final CANFLEX design has undergone extensive analysis, performance testing and critical industry review. Safety performance has been analyzed and documented in a licensing submission to the Canadian regulator, the Atomic Energy Control Board, for approval to proceed with the demonstration irradiation. Because CANFLEX is fully compatible with existing plants, CANDU 6 stations can simply substitute CANFLEX-NU for 37-element fuel and achieve improved reactor operating and safety margins, and higher critical channel powers. For CANDU designers, CANFLEX provides the opportunity to benefit from the use of slightly enriched uranium (SEU) or recycled uranium (RU) from reprocessed spent PWR fuel. Enrichment can be used in one of several ways: to increase the power from a given reactor core size through flattening the radial channel power profile; to increase the fuel burnup and reduce the quantity of spent fuel; to improve fuel cycle economics, both front- and back-end; and, in general, to provide greater flexibility in reactor design. (author)

Nuclear power in New Brunswick

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Connor, A.J.

1984-06-01

New Brunswick Power is a medium-utility with gross production for the past fiscal year for domestic and external sales of about 16.5 billion kilowatt hours. Of this figure 33.5% was supplied through nuclear generation. The financial risks involved with the production of the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station were discussed. Further, questions of assurances given for schedule and cost, licencing, and long-term plant performance of the Point Lepreau no. 2 unit were addressed. These were discussed with particular emphasis on the competition for the New England market

Power exports - a U.S. market for CANDU (question mark)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McIntyre, H.C.

1982-01-01

The advantages to both countries of power exports from Canada to the U.S.A. are explained. The policy of the Canadian federal government now tends to favour such exports. While Hydro-Quebec leads in exports, Ontario Hydro plans to sell 1.2 GW of coal-generated power to New Jersey. New Brunswick now has applications before the National Energy Board for export of 0.35 GW from Point Lepreau. A second 0.6 GW unit at Point Lepreau, dedicated to the export of electricity, has been suggested

Innovative ultrasonics for power plant commissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphy, R.V.; Alikhan, S.

1983-05-01

During the commissioning of a nuclear power plant, the usual role of ultrasonics is associated with nondestructive testing of welds. There is, however, a variety of undesirable conditions associated with the fluids carried through the various reactor systems which may be just as important to station operation. A variety of unusual ultrasonic techniques has been developed for testing fluid systems at the Point Lepreau Generating Station. This paper uses the experience gained at the Point Lepreau reactor to illustrate the valuable information which can be gained from these measurements, such as: fluid level in pipes and headers; fluid level in pressure vessels; detection, and sizing of debris in pipes; in situ measurement and verification of orifice condition; detection and location of cavitation, water hammer, valve leakage; quantitative measurement of gate movement within the body of an inservice valve; determination of valve position; detection and imaging of flow separation; detection and location of leaks in concrete containment structures; verification of design flows; balancing of loop flows; and detection of low flow. The application of these techniques at other reactor sites is also discussed

Point Lepreau G.S. commissioning management experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alikhan, S.; Walker, W.J.

1983-05-01

This paper shares the experience gained by New Brunswick Power in commissioning its first nuclear plant, with particular emphasis on the management techniques that were developed. Some of the areas discussed include: organization of Nuclear Operations Group responsible for commissioning and its interface with construction; outline and scope of documentation required to define, execute and report commissioning to satisfy the licensing requirements, management techniques developed to implement commissioning; and a summary of lessons learned and recommendations for the future

Intervention of the Canadian Nuclear Association to the National Energy Board

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-01-01

This submission from the Canadian Nuclear Association to the National Energy Board of Canada was made in support of the application by the New Brunswick Electric Power Commission to increase its electricity exports from the Point Lepreau nuclear station to the New England states from 205 MW to 335 MW. The Canadian Nuclear Association felt that their support was justified in view of the fact that the CANDU nuclear reactor had proven itself to be a safe, reliable and economic source of electric generation. They felt the 630 MW CANDU station at Point Lepreau, New Brunswick would have sufficient generating capacity to export 335 MW for a ten-year period

Investigation into anomalous lead-cable responses in vanadium sir detectors in Pt. Lepreau and Gentilly-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sur, B.; McAllindon, D.P.; Bailey, C.M.

1997-01-01

Vanadium In-Core Flux Detectors (ICFDs) are used for flux mapping in CANDU 6 stations. The Inconel lead-cables (LCs) of these detectors produce a small (0.5% - 2%) but significant signal contribution which varies with the in-core length of the lead-cable. The ICFD signal must therefore be corrected for the lead-cable contribution to avoid biasing the flux map. Corrections for lead-cable contributions are made on the basis of a prediction of lead-cable relative sensitivity and its change with irradiation history due to the complex burn-up on the Inconel constituents. Lead-cables without any detectors are installed at the stations and monitored regularly to validate the lead-cable relative sensitivity prediction. A survey of the detector-less lead-cables at Pt. Lepreau and Gentilly-2 shows an unpredicted rapid increase and subsequent decrease in lead-cable relative sensitivity in the first few hundred full-power days after installation. In this paper, the prediction of lead-cable sensitivity and its change due to burn-up effects are reviewed. The data from the stations is presented and modeled. Possible physical causes of the rapid variation in sensitivity are explored. Further work to resolve the issue of anomalous lead-cable sensitivity is discussed. (author)

Ingredients for sustained excellence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, A.R.; Alikhan, S.; Steed, R.G.

1992-01-01

Point Lepreau, a 680MWe CANDU reactor, has, since startup, been one of the world's best performing reactors. Many of the ingredients for this success can be found at other plants, but Pt Lepreau has found a ''chemistry'' that has sustained its performance at a very high level. Our belief is that this is the result of two major influences: Pt Lepreau is the only nuclear unit in a small utility, all its nuclear expertise exists at the station, and all necessary disciplines can be readily galvanized to solve problems and get work done. The structure of the organization is simple, with station management involvement in day to day activities. This fosters accountability and a natural efficiency that does not need slogans to achieve its purpose. Turning to the factors that have contributed to the station's success, the IAEA's technical exchange visit in July 1990 identified four items ''which are particularly noteworthy since they can be developed and used widely in the nuclear industry to enhance safety and availability. These are: quality assurance applications; the degree to which system engineers are employed; the dedication of skilled resources to and thoroughness of outage planning; and the in-house development of computers to assist directly in the day to day, medium and long term management of the generating station''. (Author)

Implementation of an Improved Safe Operating Envelope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prime, Robyn; McIntyre, Mark; Reeves, David

2008-01-01

This paper is a continuation of the paper presented at IYNC 2004 on 'The Definition of a Safe Operating Envelope'. The current paper concentrates on the implementation process of the Safe Operating Envelope employed at the Point Lepreau Generating Station. (authors)

Implementation of an Improved Safe Operating Envelope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prime, Robyn; McIntyre, Mark [NB Power Nuclear, P.O. Box 600, Lepreau, NB (Canada); Reeves, David [Atlantic Nuclear Services Ltd., PO Box 1268 Fredericton, NB (Canada)

2008-07-01

This paper is a continuation of the paper presented at IYNC 2004 on 'The Definition of a Safe Operating Envelope'. The current paper concentrates on the implementation process of the Safe Operating Envelope employed at the Point Lepreau Generating Station. (authors)

Reevaluation of steam generator level trip set point

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shim, Yoon Sub; Soh, Dong Sub; Kim, Sung Oh; Jung, Se Won; Sung, Kang Sik; Lee, Joon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1994-06-01

The reactor trip by the low level of steam generator water accounts for a substantial portion of reactor scrams in a nuclear plant and the feasibility of modification of the steam generator water level trip system of YGN 1/2 was evaluated in this study. The study revealed removal of the reactor trip function from the SG water level trip system is not possible because of plant safety but relaxation of the trip set point by 9 % is feasible. The set point relaxation requires drilling of new holes for level measurement to operating steam generators. Characteristics of negative neutron flux rate trip and reactor trip were also reviewed as an additional work. Since the purpose of the trip system modification for reduction of a reactor scram frequency is not to satisfy legal requirements but to improve plant performance and the modification yields positive and negative aspects, the decision of actual modification needs to be made based on the results of this study and also the policy of a plant owner. 37 figs, 6 tabs, 14 refs. (Author).

Educational partnerships - a win win endeavor!

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munro, R.A.

1996-01-01

This paper is largely concerned with the New Brunswick teacher placement project. Groups of teachers have visited Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station, where they have learned more about nuclear energy, and have helped to improve public affairs material and exhibits aimed at school children

Performance improvement program: goals and experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guglielmi, F.

2015-01-01

Following long 54 month refurbishment outage at Point Lepreau Generating Station, operational performance had fallen below industry standards in a number of areas. Leadership development and succession planning had stalled. Operational focus was low primarily due to the construction focus during refurbishment. Condition of balance of plant was poor including several long standing deficiencies. In order to improve performance, the site implemented a framework based on INPO 12-011: Focus on Improving Behaviours; Set common goals and demonstrate results; Align and engage the organization; Drive to achieve high levels of performance and sustain performance.

Performance improvement program: goals and experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guglielmi, F. [Point Lepreau Generating Station, Maces Bay, New Brunswick (Canada)

2015-07-01

Following long 54 month refurbishment outage at Point Lepreau Generating Station, operational performance had fallen below industry standards in a number of areas. Leadership development and succession planning had stalled. Operational focus was low primarily due to the construction focus during refurbishment. Condition of balance of plant was poor including several long standing deficiencies. In order to improve performance, the site implemented a framework based on INPO 12-011: Focus on Improving Behaviours; Set common goals and demonstrate results; Align and engage the organization; Drive to achieve high levels of performance and sustain performance.

Power in the Maritimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

This article highlights generation and transmission developments in Atlantic Canada, up-dates current projects and future planning, and features authoritative statements by utility executives about the energy situation in the Maritime provinces. Some details of the Point Lepreau 630 MW CANDU reactor are given. (N.D.H.)

The Circuit-Level Decoupling Modulation Strategy for Three-Level Neutral-Point-Clamped (TL-NPC) Inverter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Zhe; Thomsen, Ole Cornelius; Andersen, Michael A. E.

2011-01-01

In this paper, a circuit-level decoupling modulation strategy is proposed for the three-level (TL) neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverters. With the proposed modulation scheme, the TL-NPC inverter can be decoupled into two three-level Buck converters in each defined operating section, which makes...

Neutral-point current modeling and control for Neutral-Point Clamped three-level converter drive with small DC-link capacitors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maheshwari, Ram Krishan; Munk-Nielsen, Stig; Busquets-Monge, Sergio

2011-01-01

A Neutral-Point-Clamped (NPC) three-level inverter with small DC-link capacitors is presented in this paper. This inverter requires zero average neutral-point current for stable neutral-point potential. A simple carrier based modulation strategy is proposed for achieving zero average neutral...... drive with only 14 μF DC-link capacitors. A fast and stable performance of the neutral-point voltage controller is achieved and verified by experiments....

Environmental radioactivity in Canada - 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tracey, B.L.

1984-01-01

The radiological surveillance program of the Department of National Health and Welfare is conducted for the purpose of determining levels of environmental radioactivity in Canada and assessing the resulting population exposures. Special investigations were carried out during 1982 on metabolism of natural radionuclides and on the accumulation of radon in energy-efficient homes. The pre-operational phase of the monitoring program at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station was completed. Dose commitments have been estimated for the ongoing natural radioactivity, fallout and reactor studies. All measurements made during the year are below the limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection

New Brunswick Power Nuclear Corporation update 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, R.M.; Eagles, E.R.; Pilkington, W.S.

2005-01-01

A brief presentation will be made on the operations and business activities over the previous year with a discussion of the current status of the NB Power group of companies. The New Brunswick Government has implemented the new 'Electricity Act' which has resulted restructuring of NB Power, opening of the electricity market to wholesale completion and the separation of the transmission system operation from NB Power. On October 1, 2005 the restructuring of NB Power was implemented to change NB Power from a single integrated utility into NB Power Holding Corporation with four subsidiary operating companies including NB Power Nuclear Corporation, NB Power Distribution and Customer Service Corporation, NB Power Transmission Corporation and NB Power Generation Corporation. As part of the Electricity Act, the transmission system reliability, operation and market control functions have been moved into a separate company, the NB System Operator, outside of the NB Power group of companies. A review of Point Lepreau's operational activities will include presentation of the capacity factor, availability and safety results with a summary of significant issues, planned outages and unplanned outages. An update on the current status of Power Reactor Operating License renewal and the strategies for renewal timing will be presented. Planning for refurbishment has continued with a major focus on addressing the recommendations made by Dr. Robin Jeffrey in his report to the Province of New Brunswick. These recommendations included three options for replacement of the Point Lepreau capacity and energy; 1) improve refurbishment contract arrangements with AECL, 2) solicit external investment in refurbishment and the station and 3) update the case for fossil fuel alternatives. The NB Power Holding Corporation Board of Directors have provided the appropriate information on the options to the owner (Province of New Brunswick) for consideration. A decision on the future of the Point Lepreau

Three-level grid-connected photovoltaic inverter with maximum power point tracking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, K.M.; Chan, W.L.

2013-01-01

Highlight: ► This paper reports a novel 3-level grid connected photovoltaic inverter. ► The inverter features maximum power point tracking and grid current shaping. ► The inverter can be acted as an active filter and a renewable power source. - Abstract: This paper presents a systematic way of designing control scheme for a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) inverter featuring maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and grid current shaping. Unlike conventional design, only four power switches are required to achieve three output levels and it is not necessary to use any phase-locked-loop circuitry. For the proposed scheme, a simple integral controller has been designed for the tracking of the maximum power point of a PV array based on an improved extremum seeking control method. For the grid-connected inverter, a current loop controller and a voltage loop controller have been designed. The current loop controller is designed to shape the inverter output current while the voltage loop controller can maintain the capacitor voltage at a certain level and provide a reference inverter output current for the PV inverter without affecting the maximum power point of the PV array. Experimental results are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the tracking and control scheme.

Plans to adapt Point Lepreau ageing management to new industry guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenlaw, G.; Gendron, T.; Slade, J.; Rankin, B.

2008-01-01

In preparation for PLGS life extension, NBPN spent considerable effort to evaluate the impact of ageing and to develop ageing management processes to maintain the required safety functions for extended operation. These were based on INPO AP-913. Recently, the CNSC has been developing Canadian ageing management guidelines in line with the IAEA approach. In response, NBPN plans to document how current PLGS processes meet the new CNSC guidelines and to identify any areas for improvement. Best practices from utilities that have retrofitted IAEA guidelines and PLGS experience in applying risk-based methods for ageing management will be used to implement improvements. (author)

A carrier-based approach for overmodulation of three-level neutral-point-lamped inverter with zero neutral-point current

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maheshwari, Ram Krishan; Munk-Nielsen, Stig; Busquets-Monge, S.

2012-01-01

In a voltage source inverter, overmodulation is required to extend the range of operation and enhance the dc-link voltage utilization. A carrier-based implementation of a modulation strategy for the three-level neutral-point-clamped inverter is proposed for the overmodulation region. The modulation...... strategy ensures zero average neutral-point current in a switching period. A newly proposed boundary compression is used to regulate the dc-link voltage at all operating points. A description of the algorithm to implement the modulation strategy is also presented. The main advantage of the proposed...

Neutral-point voltage dynamic model of three-level NPC inverter for reactive load

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maheshwari, Ram Krishan; Munk-Nielsen, Stig; Busquets-Monge, Sergio

2012-01-01

A three-level neutral-point-clamped inverter needs a controller for the neutral-point voltage. Typically, the controller design is based on a dynamic model. The dynamic model of the neutral-point voltage depends on the pulse width modulation technique used for the inverter. A pulse width modulati...

Annual report, 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-06-01

In fiscal 1979 efforts continued to be made to reduce New Brunswick's dependance on imported oil. Construction of the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station was slowed by a 64-day strike, but by the end of the year the major portion of the civil engineering work on the project had been finished and work was concentrating on mechanical ad electrical installations. (LL)

Enhanced Buck-Boost Three-Level Neutral-Point-Clamped Inverters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, K. K.; Gao, F.; Chiang Loh, Poh

2009-01-01

In traditional three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverters, a major issue is capacitor voltage imbalance, which results in low order harmonics. The compensation of the capacitor voltages often require additional control complexity, which cannot be conveniently implemented. The "alternative...... phase opposition disposition" (APOD) modulation method used in traditional NPC topologies also has lower harmonics performance as compared to the "phase disposition" (PD) modulation method.In this paper, we introduce a new three-level NPC topology that utilises the harmonically superior PD modulation...... method, with the ability to easily adjust for capacitor voltage imbalances. To further improve the boost capability of the three-level NPC inverters, another new topology introduces 2 additional diodes,achieving higher boost performance while totally eliminating thepossibility of capacitor voltage...

Predicting protein folding rate change upon point mutation using residue-level coevolutionary information.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallik, Saurav; Das, Smita; Kundu, Sudip

2016-01-01

Change in folding kinetics of globular proteins upon point mutation is crucial to a wide spectrum of biological research, such as protein misfolding, toxicity, and aggregations. Here we seek to address whether residue-level coevolutionary information of globular proteins can be informative to folding rate changes upon point mutations. Generating residue-level coevolutionary networks of globular proteins, we analyze three parameters: relative coevolution order (rCEO), network density (ND), and characteristic path length (CPL). A point mutation is considered to be equivalent to a node deletion of this network and respective percentage changes in rCEO, ND, CPL are found linearly correlated (0.84, 0.73, and -0.61, respectively) with experimental folding rate changes. The three parameters predict the folding rate change upon a point mutation with 0.031, 0.045, and 0.059 standard errors, respectively. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Inquiries and technological assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The authors examine six Canadian inquiries to determine their values as scientific assessments, their ability to combine scientific data with policy considerations, and their effectiveness in extending public debate on scientific issues. Among the inquiries examined are the environmental assessment hearings into the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station, the Bayda inquiry into the Cluff Lake uranium mine, and the Porter commission on electric power planning in Ontario

Fractional charge and inter-Landau-level states at points of singular curvature.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Rudro R; Son, Dam Thanh

2016-08-02

The quest for universal properties of topological phases is fundamentally important because these signatures are robust to variations in system-specific details. Aspects of the response of quantum Hall states to smooth spatial curvature are well-studied, but challenging to observe experimentally. Here we go beyond this prevailing paradigm and obtain general results for the response of quantum Hall states to points of singular curvature in real space; such points may be readily experimentally actualized. We find, using continuum analytical methods, that the point of curvature binds an excess fractional charge and sequences of quantum states split away, energetically, from the degenerate bulk Landau levels. Importantly, these inter-Landau-level states are bound to the topological singularity and have energies that are universal functions of bulk parameters and the curvature. Our exact diagonalization of lattice tight-binding models on closed manifolds demonstrates that these results continue to hold even when lattice effects are significant. An important technological implication of these results is that these inter-Landau-level states, being both energetically and spatially isolated quantum states, are promising candidates for constructing qubits for quantum computation.

PERSPECTIVE: The tripping points of sea level rise

Science.gov (United States)

Hecht, Alan D.

2009-12-01

When President Nixon created the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970 he said the environment must be perceived as a single, interrelated system. We are nowhere close to achieving this vision. Jim Titus and his colleagues [1] highlight one example of where one set of regulations or permits may be in conflict with another and where regulations were crafted in the absence of understanding the cumulative impact of global warming. The issue here is how to deal with the impacts of climate change on sea level and the latter's impact on wetland polices, clean water regulations, and ecosystem services. The Titus paper could also be called `The tripping points of sea level rise'. Titus and his colleagues have looked at the impact of such sea level rise on the east coast of the United States. Adaptive responses include costly large- scale investment in shore protection (e.g. dikes, sand replenishment) and/or ecosystem migration (retreat), where coastal ecosystems move inland. Shore protection is limited by available funds, while ecosystem migrations are limited by available land use. The driving factor is the high probability of sea level rise due to climate change. Estimating sea level rise is difficult because of local land and coastal dynamics including rising or falling land areas. It is estimated that sea level could rise between 8 inches and 2 feet by the end of this century [2]. The extensive data analysis done by Titus et al of current land use is important because, as they observe, `property owners and land use agencies have generally not decided how they will respond to sea level rise, nor have they prepared maps delineating where shore protection and retreat are likely'. This is the first of two `tripping points', namely the need for adaptive planning for a pending environmental challenge that will create economic and environment conflict among land owners, federal and state agencies, and businesses. One way to address this gap in adaptive management

Implementation of Canflex bundle manufacture - from 'bench scale' to production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pant, A.

1999-01-01

Zircatec Precision Industries (ZPI) has been involved with the development of the 43 element Canflex bundle design since 1986. This development included several 'prototype' campaigns involving the manufacture of small quantities of test bundles using enriched fuel. Manufacturing and inspection methods for this fuel were developed at ZPI as the design progressed. The most recent campaign involved the production of 26 bundles of the final Canflex design for a demonstration irradiation in the Point Lepreau Generating Station. This presentation will explore issues pertaining to the introduction of a new product line from initial trial quantities to full production levels. The Canflex fuel experience and a brief review of development efforts will be used as an example. (author)

Towards a generic user support system (GUS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garland, W.J.; Wilson, R.J.

1993-01-01

One relevant issue confronting the operator of a nuclear power plant is information and task overload. The goal, then, of the various developers is to improve the current situations by creating an environment where the operator can perform at optimum capacity. This is to be accomplished by providing tools and techniques which reduce operator involvement in low level tasks (freeing up time for higher level cognitive tasks) and assist in information and knowledge manipulation so that high level tasks can be performed more efficiently. This paper reviews the operational environment of nuclear plants from the viewpoint of engineering design and from the viewpoint of the operators and technical support staff. Principles are advanced for a generic operator companion. These design principles are being applied to a test case: the Point Lepreau NGS secondary side central sampling system. 6 refs., 6 figs

Dynamic nuclear polarization at high Landau levels in a quantum point contact

Science.gov (United States)

Fauzi, M. H.; Noorhidayati, A.; Sahdan, M. F.; Sato, K.; Nagase, K.; Hirayama, Y.

2018-05-01

We demonstrate a way to polarize and detect nuclear spin in a gate-defined quantum point contact operating at high Landau levels. Resistively detected nuclear magnetic resonance (RDNMR) can be achieved up to the fifth Landau level and at a magnetic field lower than 1 T. We are able to retain the RDNMR signals in a condition where the spin degeneracy of the first one-dimensional (1D) subband is still preserved. Furthermore, the effects of orbital motion on the first 1D subband can be made smaller than those due to electrostatic confinement. This developed RDNMR technique is a promising means to study electronic states in a quantum point contact near zero magnetic field.

1978 annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-06-01

In fiscal 1978 efforts continued to be made to increase New Brunswick's energy independence through research into and development of indigenous power sources including coal, peat, tidal, and hydroelectric resources. At Point Lepreau nuclear generating station the reactor building was completed, the concrete vault was prepared, and the calandria was installed. Work continued within the reactor building. Excavation of the cooling water tunnels and riser shafts was completed. (LL)

Diffusion of dust particles from a point-source above ground level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, M.H.A.; Eltayeb, I.A.

1998-10-01

A pollutant of small particles is emitted by a point source at a height h above ground level in an atmosphere in which a uni-directional wind speed, U, is prevailing. The pollutant is subjected to diffusion in all directions in the presence of advection and settling due to gravity. The equation governing the concentration of the pollutant is studied with the wind speed and the different components of diffusion tensor are proportional to the distance above ground level and the source has a uniform strength. Adopting a Cartesian system of coordinates in which the x-axis lies along the direction of the wind velocity, the z-axis is vertically upwards and the y-axis completes the right-hand triad, the solution for the concentration c(x,y,z) is obtained in closed form. The relative importance of the components of diffusion along the three axes is discussed. It is found that for any plane y=constant (=A), c(x,y,z) is concentrated along a curve of ''extensive pollution''. In the plane A=0, the concentration decreases along the line of extensive pollution as we move away from the source. However, for planes A≅0, the line of extensive pollution possesses a point of accumulation, which lies at a nonzero value of x. As we move away from the plane A=0, the point of accumulation moves laterally away from the plane x=0 and towards the plane z=0. The presence of the point of accumulation is entirely due to the presence of lateral diffusion. (author)

Discontinuous PWM Modulation Strategy with Circuit-Level Decoupling Concept of Three-Level Neutral-Point Clamped (NPC) Inverter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Zhe; Thomsen, Ole Cornelius; Andersen, Michael A. E.

2013-01-01

inverters, but also reduces the switching loss of the inverter along with an inherent neutral point (NP) voltage control. Based on a circuit-level decoupling concept, the NPC inverter can be decoupled into two three-level Buck converters in every defined operating section, and thereby the controller design...... can be reduced by one third. In order to explain the operation of this topology properly, the decoupling principle including the driving signal synthesis and the NP potential variation are analyzed in detail in this paper. Finally the viability and performance of the proposed modulation scheme...

Group- and Individual-Level Responsiveness of the 3-Point Berg Balance Scale and 3-Point Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yi-Jing; Lin, Gong-Hong; Lee, Shih-Chieh; Chen, Yi-Miau; Huang, Sheau-Ling; Hsieh, Ching-Lin

2018-03-01

To examine both group- and individual-level responsiveness of the 3-point Berg Balance Scale (BBS-3P) and 3-point Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS-3P) in patients with stroke, and to compare the responsiveness of both 3-point measures versus their original measures (Berg Balance Scale [BBS] and Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients [PASS]) and their short forms (short-form Berg Balance Scale [SFBBS] and short-form Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients [SFPASS]) and between the BBS-3P and PASS-3P. Data were retrieved from a previous study wherein 212 patients were assessed at 14 and 30 days after stroke with the BBS and PASS. Medical center. Patients (N=212) with first onset of stroke within 14 days before hospitalization. Not applicable. Group-level responsiveness was examined by the standardized response mean (SRM), and individual-level responsiveness was examined by the proportion of patients whose change scores exceeded the minimal detectable change of each measure. The responsiveness was compared using the bootstrap approach. The BBS-3P and PASS-3P had good group-level (SRM, .60 and SRM, .56, respectively) and individual-level (48.1% and 44.8% of the patients with significant improvement, respectively) responsiveness. Bootstrap analyses showed that the BBS-3P generally had superior responsiveness to the BBS and SFBBS, and the PASS-3P had similar responsiveness to the PASS and SFPASS. The BBS-3P and PASS-3P were equally responsive to both group and individual change. The responsiveness of the BBS-3P and PASS-3P was comparable or superior to those of the original and short-form measures. We recommend the BBS-3P and PASS-3P as responsive outcome measures of balance for individuals with stroke. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Point Placement by Veterinary Professionals with Different Levels of Acupuncture Training in a Canine Cadaver Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Toni; Shmalberg, Justin; Hochman, Lindsay; Miscioscia, Erin; Brumby, Meghan; McKenna, Kelsey; Roth, Amber

2017-10-01

Veterinary acupuncture is becoming increasingly implemented for various disease processes, with growing numbers of veterinarians pursuing advanced training to meet the rising demand for this relatively new intervention. Accurate acupoint placement remains challenging, with individual practitioners relying on varying methods of point identification, often compounded by the transpositional nature of points for companion animals. The aim of this study was to assess for differences in acupuncture needle placement of select points between veterinary professionals with three different levels of acupuncture training in an academic teaching environment. Seven participants placed a total of six acupoints on a canine cadaver. Digital radiography was used to document each participant's point placement. Each participant's point location was then compared to a control "correct" point, and the distance between the two points was measured. A significant difference in placement accuracy was identified between the participants when grouped by training level (p = 0.03). These results indicate that veterinary patients receiving acupuncture treatment from veterinarians with different levels of training may subsequently experience varying effects, although further studies are warranted on more specific acupoint description as well as the clinical implications of needle placement accuracy. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Incentivizing Advanced Mathematics Study at Upper Secondary Level: The Case of Bonus Points in Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

Treacy, Páraic Thomas

2018-01-01

Secondary level mathematics education in Ireland has recently experienced a period of significant change with the introduction of new curricula and the addition of an incentive to study upper secondary mathematics at the most advanced level (Higher Level). This incentive, typically referred to as 'bonus points', appears to have aided a significant…

Simulating fission product transients via the history-based local-parameter methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenkins, D.A.; Rouben, B.; Salvatore, M.

1993-01-01

This paper describes the fission-product-calculation capacity of the history-based local-parameter methodology for evaluating lattice properties for use in core-tracking calculations in CANDU reactors. In addition to taking into account the individual past history of each bundles flux/power level, fuel temperature, and coolant density and temperature that the bundle has seen during its stay in the core, the latest refinement of the history-based method provides the capability of fission-product-drivers. It allows the bundle-specific concentrations of the three basic groups of saturating fission products to be calculated in steady state or following a power transient, including long shutdowns. The new capability is illustrated by simulating the startup period following a typical long-shutdown, starting from a snapshot in the Point Lepreau operating history. 9 refs., 7 tabs

Recent developments in Canadian nuclear power plant licensing practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchildon, P.

1985-06-01

This paper examines the dominant factors which have influenced the safety evaluation and licensing process of current 600 MW reactors. It describes possible modifications to the process which are being considered for the licensing of a second 600 MW reactor at Point Lepreau. The key element is a firm licensing agreement covering the entire licensing cycle, to be established between the proponent and the AECB before a construction licence is issued. Progress accomplished to date in reaching such an agreement is described

Management of a 600 MW CANDU project to facilitate electricity export

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunter, G.E.

1983-06-01

The export of electricity from 600-MW CANDU nuclear power plants built in Canada remains feasible providing certain requirements continue to be met. The principal objective in developing nuclear power resources for export is that they must produce economically attractive electricity. A review of the experience of construction and operation of Point Lepreau Unit 1 suggests an inherent ability to reduce construction costs and shorten construction schedules so as to make electrical power output from these stations even more attractive to export customers

Selection of equipment for equipment qualification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torr, K.G.

1989-01-01

This report describes the methodology applied in selecting equipment in the special safety systems for equipment qualification in the CANDU 600 MW nuclear generating stations at Gentilly 2 and Point Lepreau. Included is an explanation of the selection procedure adopted and the rationale behind the criteria used in identifying the equipment. The equipment items on the list have been grouped into three priority categories as a planning aid to AECB staff for a review of the qualification status of the special safety systems

Correlation between the Physical Activity Level and Grade Point Averages of Faculty of Education Students

Science.gov (United States)

Imdat, Yarim

2014-01-01

The aim of the study is to find the correlation that exists between physical activity level and grade point averages of faculty of education students. The subjects consist of 359 (172 females and 187 males) under graduate students To determine the physical activity levels of the students in this research, International Physical Activity…

Diffusion from a Ground Level Point Source Experiment with Thermoluminescence Dosimeters and Kr 85 as Tracer Substance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gyllander, Ch; Hollman, S; Widemo, U

1969-04-15

Within the framework of the IRIS-project (Iodine Research in Safety Project) an experiment to study diffusion at near-ground level was carried out on 19 December 1967 using {sup 85}Kr as the tracer element. The object of the experiment was a) to test the method using |3-sensitive thermoluminescence dosimeters under actual field conditions. b) to study the initial dilution from a ground level point source. The test area chosen was the Tranvik valley just south of Trobbofjaerden, an inland bay of the Baltic. Dose distributions have been studied at two sections, 50 and 200 m respectively, from the release point. At each level various dispersion parameters have been experimentally determined and their conformity to normal distribution have been calculated. Dilution factors valid for the centre of the plume are related to the values reported in the literature. The experiment was made under ideal weather conditions above snow-free ground. Results of the next experiment, a point release at ground level from a building at Studsvik, are expected to yield valuable information concerning the effect of buildings on the diffusion pattern.

Diffusion from a Ground Level Point Source Experiment with Thermoluminescence Dosimeters and Kr 85 as Tracer Substance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gyllander, Ch.; Hollman, S.; Widemo, U.

1969-04-01

Within the framework of the IRIS-project (Iodine Research in Safety Project) an experiment to study diffusion at near-ground level was carried out on 19 December 1967 using 85 Kr as the tracer element. The object of the experiment was a) to test the method using |3-sensitive thermoluminescence dosimeters under actual field conditions. b) to study the initial dilution from a ground level point source. The test area chosen was the Tranvik valley just south of Trobbofjaerden, an inland bay of the Baltic. Dose distributions have been studied at two sections, 50 and 200 m respectively, from the release point. At each level various dispersion parameters have been experimentally determined and their conformity to normal distribution have been calculated. Dilution factors valid for the centre of the plume are related to the values reported in the literature. The experiment was made under ideal weather conditions above snow-free ground. Results of the next experiment, a point release at ground level from a building at Studsvik, are expected to yield valuable information concerning the effect of buildings on the diffusion pattern

Performance improvement - business excellence processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doucett, J.

2010-01-01

This presentation discusses Performance Improvement which is defined as 'the process of identifying and analyzing important organizational and individual performance gaps, planning for future performance improvement, designing and developing cost-effective and ethically justifiable intervention to close performance gaps, implementing the interventions and evaluating the financial and non-financial results', i.e. making things better. Specifically, it discusses the refurbishment outage at the Point Lepreau Power Plant that began at the end of March 2008. The business risks identified in 2008 were leadership, demographics and management system.

Nuclear power plants in Canada: how we address community issues and concerns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McFarlane, D.

2003-01-01

This presentation was developed by the public affairs staff of three Canadian utilities who offered case studies from three nuclear generating stations. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) facilities include Pickering Nuclear, with 8 units, and Darlington Nuclear, with 4 units, both located in the Region of Durham. The Pickering community is located east of Toronto on the shore of Lake Ontario. The facilities are located in the City of Pickering but are close to Ajax and the City of Toronto as well. They are surrounded by residences and businesses. The Darlington station is close to Pickering but further east of Toronto. It is located in a more rural environment in the Municipality of Clarington. Approximately 96% of installed capacity in Quebec is based on hydropower. Hydro-Quebec's Gentilly-2 is the only thermal nuclear generation station in operation. The station is located in Becancour on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Montreal. The population of Becancour is 12 000, while Trois-Rivieres and Champlain, on the north shore, count 100 000 residents. New Brunswick Power's Point Lepreau generating station (PLGS) is the only nuclear facility in Atlantic Canada, and supplies some 30% of in-province energy. The station is located in a rural area on the Lepreau peninsula overlooking the Bay of Fundy. It is located within 10 kilometers of the small communities of Dipper Harbour, Maces Bay, Little Lepreau and Chance Harbour. Approximately 38 kilometers to the northeast is located Saint John with a population of about 120 000. Corporate-community relations objectives are similar across the three utilities. They include building trust, garnering support for ongoing operations, and being - as well as being viewed as - a good corporate citizen. Meeting these objectives implies knowing and caring for the community and the issues raised by residents - not just issues of interest to the company. (author)

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited annual report 1989-1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

In 1990, after a comprehensive industry review, the Canadian government announced that steps would be taken to revitalize the nuclear industry. Canada's nuclear utilities made a commitment to bear a large share of the cost of nuclear research and development. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) reported its first financial loss in twelve years, as anticipated at the start of the year. Four of the 20 CANDU reactors operating worldwide were in the top ten based on lifetime performance. By year-end one foreign and two domestic utilities had announced their intention to build more CANDU units. The federal government has agreed to stabilize AECL's research funding at 1989-90 levels ($31.5 million above levels planned in 1985), has authorized AECL to negotiate with New Brunswick to build Point Lepreau-2 as the prototype for the CANDU-3 reactor, and has allowed the restructuring of AECL so utility and private sector investors can become equity partners in AECL CANDU

New Modulation Strategy to Balance the Neutral-Point Voltage for Three-Level Neutral-Clamped Inverter Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choi, Uimin; Lee, June-Seok; Lee, Kyo-Beum

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a new modulation strategy that balances the neutral-point voltage for three-level neutral-clamped inverter systems. The proposed modulation replaces the P-type or N-type small switching states with other switching states that do not affect the neutral-point voltage. The zero...... and medium switching states are employed to help the neutral-point voltage balancing. This method little bit increases the switching events and output total harmonic distortion. However, this method has a strong balancing ability at all regions. Further, it is very simple to implement in both space vector...

Managing organizational culture within a management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Comeau, L.; Watts, G.

2009-01-01

The Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) is currently undergoing a major refurbishment of its nuclear reactor. At the same time, a small team is designing the organization that will operate the plant after refurbishment. This paper offers a high level overview of the Post-Refurbishment Organization (PRO) project and will focus primarily on the approach used to address organizational culture and human system dynamics. We will describe how various tools, used to assess organization culture, team performance, and individual self-understanding, are used collectively to place the right person in the right position. We will explain how the career system, Pathfinder, is used to integrate these tools to support a comprehensive model for organization design and development. Finally, we demonstrate how the management of organizational cultural and human system dynamics are integrated into the PLGS Integrated Management System. (author)

A Four-Level T-Type Neutral Point Piloted Inverter for Solar Energy Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saddam Shueai Alnamer

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Multilevel inverters provide an output signal with low harmonic distortion and superior output voltages. This work proposes a new four-level T-type neutral point piloted (T-NPP topology with higher efficiency and low total harmonic distortion (THD and with the ability to withstand high voltage stresses, especially for high-power applications. The proposed topology is designed in such manner that the direct current (DC-voltage stresses split over the components with strong possibilities to increase the load current and switching frequency. However, the operation of the proposed topology is based on two essential principles. The first principle is that each upper and lower switch of each leg consists of two insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs connected in series in order to withstand high voltage stresses and make it split over the two IGBTs in each switch. The second principle is using the DC-link circuit (T1 & T2 to generate 2Vdc and 1Vdc by connecting the bidirectional switches of each leg to the DC-link’s mid-point. Furthermore, the proposed four-level T-NPP inverter outperforms other converters by the high number of output voltage level, low number of components, simple structure and higher efficiency. Finally, the proposed T-NPP topology concept was validated via simulation, experiments and theoretical analysis.

Performance improvement - business excellence processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doucett, J. [NB Nuclear Power, Point Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada)

2010-07-01

This presentation discusses Performance Improvement which is defined as 'the process of identifying and analyzing important organizational and individual performance gaps, planning for future performance improvement, designing and developing cost-effective and ethically justifiable intervention to close performance gaps, implementing the interventions and evaluating the financial and non-financial results', i.e. making things better. Specifically, it discusses the refurbishment outage at the Point Lepreau Power Plant that began at the end of March 2008. The business risks identified in 2008 were leadership, demographics and management system.

The effect of fog on radionuclide deposition velocities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibb, R.; Carson, P.; Thompson, W.

1997-01-01

Current nuclear power station release models do not evaluate deposition under foggy atmospheric conditions. Deposition velocities and scavenging coefficients of radioactive particles entrained in fog are presented for the Point Lepreau area of the Bay of Fundy coast. It is recommended to calculate deposition based on fog deposition velocities. The deposition velocities can be calculated from common meteorological data. The range of deposition velocities is approximately 1 - 100 cm/s. Fog deposition is surface roughness dependent with forests having larger deposition and deposition velocities than soil or grasses. (author)

Year in review: 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reid, J.M.

1994-01-01

This review of the year includes mention of the following subjects: The good performance of CANDU reactors worldwide (especially Point Lepreau and Wolsung-1); Permission granted to proceed with four new uranium projects in Saskatchewan; Failure of a suit brought by Energy Probe, the City of Toronto and Roslie Bertell claiming unconstitutionality of the Nuclear Liability Act; The International Nuclear Congress (INC93) in Toronto, and other conferences; Consultations with the Government of Canada regarding license fees to be charged by the AECB, and also consultations regarding the environment and other matters

Design of Neutral-Point Voltage Controller of a Three-level NPC Inverter with Small DC-Link Capacitors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maheshwari, Ram Krishan; Munk-Nielsen, Stig; Busquets-Monge, S.

2013-01-01

A Neutral-Point-Clamped (NPC) three-level inverter with small dc-link capacitors is presented in this paper. The inverter requires zero average neutral-point current for stable neutral-point voltage. The small dc-link capacitors may not maintain capacitor voltage balance, even with zero neutral......-point voltage control on the basis of the continuous model. The design method for optimum performance is discussed. The implementation of the proposed modulation strategy and the controller is very simple. The controller is implemented in a 7.5 kW induction machine based drive with only 14 ìF dc-link capacitors...

Do points, levels and leaderboards harm intrinsic motivation? An empirical analysis of common gamification elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mekler, Elisa D.; Brühlmann, Florian; Opwis, Klaus

2013-01-01

It is heavily debated within the gamification community whether specific game elements may actually undermine users' intrinsic motivation. This online experiment examined the effects of three commonly employed game design elements - points, leaderboard, levels - on users' performance, intrinsic...

Electroacupuncture effect at the LI 4 Hegu point on the plasma β-endorphin level of healthy subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Setiawardhani, A. L.; Srilestari, A.; Simadibrata, C.

2017-08-01

As a therapy modality, acupuncture is becoming popular for treating diseases. Nevertheless, the acupuncture mechanism of action remains unclear until now. Some studies suggest that acupuncture works by stimulating the β-endorphin release, whereas other studies show the opposite. This study aims to determine whether electro acupuncture at the LI 4 Hegu point could increase the plasma β-endorphin level as a basic of acupuncture mechanism of action. Thirty-six healthy subjects were involved and divided randomly into two groups, namely, intervention (n=18) and control (n=18). In the intervention group, electroacupuncture was applied at the LI 4 Hegu point with a low frequency for 30 min. In the control group, sham electroacupuncture was applied at a non-acupoint for 30 min. The plasma β-endorphin was examined before and after intervention using the ELISA method. A significant difference was found between the intervention and control groups in increasing the plasma β-endorphin level (9(50%) vs. 1(5.6%); p = 0.009). A significant difference was also observed in the plasma β-endorphin level after intervention between the two groups (35.1±3.4 vs. 10.3±1.8 p=0.003). Electroacupuncture at the LI 4 Hegu point was found to increase the plasma β-endorphin level in healthy subjects.

Space vector modulation strategy for neutral-point voltage balancing in three-level inverter systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choi, Uimin; Lee, Kyo Beum

2013-01-01

This study proposes a space vector modulation (SVM) strategy to balance the neutral-point voltage of three-level inverter systems. The proposed method is implemented by combining conventional symmetric SVM with nearest three-vector (NTV) modulation. The conventional SVM is converted to NTV...... modulation by properly adding or subtracting a minimum gate-on time. In addition, using this method, the switching frequency is reduced and a decrease of switching loss would be yielded. The neutral-point voltage is balanced by the proposed SVM strategy without additional hardware or complex calculations....... Simulation and experimental results are shown to verify the validity and feasibility of the proposed SVM strategy....

Maximum power point tracking techniques for wind energy systems using three levels boost converter

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Cuong Hung; Nollet, Frédéric; Essounbouli, Najib; Hamzaoui, Abdelaziz

2018-05-01

This paper presents modeling and simulation of three level Boost DC-DC converter in Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS). Three-level Boost converter has significant advantage compared to conventional Boost. A maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method for a variable speed wind turbine using permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) is also presented. Simulation of three-level Boost converter topology with Perturb and Observe algorithm and Fuzzy Logic Control is implemented in MATLAB/SIMULINK. Results of this simulation show that the system with MPPT using fuzzy logic controller has better performance to the Perturb and Observe algorithm: fast response under changing conditions and small oscillation.

3D change detection at street level using mobile laser scanning point clouds and terrestrial images

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Rongjun; Gruen, Armin

2014-04-01

Automatic change detection and geo-database updating in the urban environment are difficult tasks. There has been much research on detecting changes with satellite and aerial images, but studies have rarely been performed at the street level, which is complex in its 3D geometry. Contemporary geo-databases include 3D street-level objects, which demand frequent data updating. Terrestrial images provides rich texture information for change detection, but the change detection with terrestrial images from different epochs sometimes faces problems with illumination changes, perspective distortions and unreliable 3D geometry caused by the lack of performance of automatic image matchers, while mobile laser scanning (MLS) data acquired from different epochs provides accurate 3D geometry for change detection, but is very expensive for periodical acquisition. This paper proposes a new method for change detection at street level by using combination of MLS point clouds and terrestrial images: the accurate but expensive MLS data acquired from an early epoch serves as the reference, and terrestrial images or photogrammetric images captured from an image-based mobile mapping system (MMS) at a later epoch are used to detect the geometrical changes between different epochs. The method will automatically mark the possible changes in each view, which provides a cost-efficient method for frequent data updating. The methodology is divided into several steps. In the first step, the point clouds are recorded by the MLS system and processed, with data cleaned and classified by semi-automatic means. In the second step, terrestrial images or mobile mapping images at a later epoch are taken and registered to the point cloud, and then point clouds are projected on each image by a weighted window based z-buffering method for view dependent 2D triangulation. In the next step, stereo pairs of the terrestrial images are rectified and re-projected between each other to check the geometrical

Genetic interaction analysis of point mutations enables interrogation of gene function at a residue-level resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Braberg, Hannes; Moehle, Erica A.; Shales, Michael; Guthrie, Christine; Krogan, Nevan J.

2014-01-01

We have achieved a residue-level resolution of genetic interaction mapping – a technique that measures how the function of one gene is affected by the alteration of a second gene – by analyzing point mutations. Here, we describe how to interpret point mutant genetic interactions, and outline key applications for the approach, including interrogation of protein interaction interfaces and active sites, and examination of post-translational modifications. Genetic interaction analysis has proven effective for characterizing cellular processes; however, to date, systematic high-throughput genetic interaction screens have relied on gene deletions or knockdowns, which limits the resolution of gene function analysis and poses problems for multifunctional genes. Our point mutant approach addresses these issues, and further provides a tool for in vivo structure-function analysis that complements traditional biophysical methods. We also discuss the potential for genetic interaction mapping of point mutations in human cells and its application to personalized medicine. PMID:24842270

Training for effective environmental protection in the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parkinson, D.; Brake, J.; Hickman, C.; Tamm, J.

2007-01-01

This paper examines the role of environmental training in the delivery of effective environmental protection programs for construction projects in the nuclear industry. The paper uses a case study approach, based on Point Lepreau Generating Station's Refurbishment Project, to demonstrate how the underpinning principles of 'training, awareness and competence' can be delivered within a structured environmental management framework, to achieve sustained excellence in environmental management and performance. Key issues addressed by the paper include the early identification of different target audiences, making effective use of communication themes, and the importance of reinforcement and follow-up in support of training goals. (author)

A strategy for the phased replacement of CANDU digital control computers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hepburn, G.A.

2001-01-01

Significant developments have occurred with respect to the replacement of the Plant Digital Control Computers (DCCs) on CANDU plants in the past six months. This paper summarises the conclusions of the condition assessment carried out on these machines at Point Lepreau Generating Station, and describes a strategy for a phased transition to a replacement system based on today's technology. Most elements of the strategy are already in place, and sufficient technical work has been done to allow those components which have been assessed as requiring prompt attention to be replaced in a matter of months. (author)

Industry partnership: adding value to nuclear refurbishment and maintenance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibbins, T.; Bains, N.; Morikawa, D.

2008-01-01

The Point Lepreau Generating Station was the first CANDU 6 unit to be licensed for operation, beginning commercial operation in 1983. It is now become the first CANDU 6 to undergo full refurbishment. As part of the overall project, all 380 fuel channels and associated feeders will be removed and replaced. In order to undertake this project, it was necessary for AECL to design and develop over fifty 'first-of-a-kind tools' for fuel channel and calandria tube replacement. This paper outlines the complexity of the retube tooling project and the industry partnership strategy for the engineered tooling systems development. (author)

Results of fuel management at Embalse nuclear power plant. Analysis of performance at other plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paz, A.O. de; Moreno, C.A.; Vinez, J.C.

1987-01-01

The operating experience of fuel management at the Embalse nuclear power plant from new core to the present situation (approximately 937 days at full power) is described. The average core burnup is about 4000 MW d/t U and the monthly averaged discharge burnup about 7800 MW d/t U. The neutron flux distribution is calculated by means of program PUMA-C, which is periodically checked by comparison between calculated and measured values of 102 vanadium detectors. A comparison of the performance of other reactors type CANDU 600 (Point Lepreau, Gentilly 2, Wolsung) from the point of view of fuel strategy is also presented. The data to perform the comparison were obtained by means of the CANDU system of information exchange between users (COG). (Author)

The Effect of Scalp Point Cluster-Needling on Learning and Memory Function and Neurotransmitter Levels in Rats with Vascular Dementia

OpenAIRE

Yang, Junli; Litscher, Gerhard; Li, Haitao; Guo, Wenhai; Liang, Zhang; Zhang, Ting; Wang, Weihua; Li, Xiaoyan; Zhou, Yao; Zhao, Bing; Rong, Qi; Sheng, Zemin; Gaischek, Ingrid; Litscher, Daniela; Wang, Lu

2014-01-01

We observed the effect of scalp point cluster-needling treatment on learning and memory function and neurotransmitter levels in rats with vascular dementia (VD). Permanent ligation of the bilateral carotid arteries was used to create the VD rat model. A Morris water maze was used to measure the rats' learning and memory function, and the changes in neurotransmitter levels in the rats' hippocampus were analyzed. The results show that scalp point cluster-needling can increase the VD rat model's...

High performance control strategy for single-phase three-level neutral-point-clamped traction four-quadrant converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kejian, Song; Konstantinou, Georgios; Jing, Li

2017-01-01

Operational data from Chinese railways indicate a number of challenges for traction four-quadrant converter (4QC) control including low-order voltage and current harmonics and reference tracking. A control strategy for a single-phase three-level neutral-point-clamped 4QC employed in the electric...

Gaussian-2 theory: Use of higher level correlation methods, quadratic configuration interaction geometries, and second-order Moller--Plesset zero-point energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtiss, L.A.; Raghavachari, K.; Pople, J.A.

1995-01-01

The performance of Gaussian-2 theory is investigated when higher level theoretical methods are included for correlation effects, geometries, and zero-point energies. A higher level of correlation treatment is examined using Brueckner doubles [BD(T)] and coupled cluster [CCSD(T)] methods rather than quadratic configuration interaction [QCISD(T)]. The use of geometries optimized at the QCISD level rather than the second-order Moller--Plesset level (MP2) and the use of scaled MP2 zero-point energies rather than scaled Hartree--Fock (HF) zero-point energies have also been examined. The set of 125 energies used for validation of G2 theory [J. Chem. Phys. 94, 7221 (1991)] is used to test out these variations of G2 theory. Inclusion of higher levels of correlation treatment has little effect except in the cases of multiply-bonded systems. In these cases better agreement is obtained in some cases and poorer agreement in others so that there is no improvement in overall performance. The use of QCISD geometries yields significantly better agreement with experiment for several cases including the ionization potentials of CS and O 2 , electron affinity of CN, and dissociation energies of N 2 , O 2 , CN, and SO 2 . This leads to a slightly better agreement with experiment overall. The MP2 zero-point energies gives no overall improvement. These methods may be useful for specific systems

Modulation Methods for Three-level Neutral-Point-Clamped Inverter Achieving Stress Redistribution under Moderate Modulation Index

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Ke; Blaabjerg, Frede

2016-01-01

This letter investigates the loss and thermal behaviors of a three-level neutral-point-clamped (3L-NPC) inverter undergoing moderate modulation index, which is typically presented during minor voltage sags of the power grid or speed changes of the electric machines. A series of new space vector m...

Critical safety parameters: The logical approach to refresher training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, A.R.; Pilkington, W.; Turner, S.

1991-01-01

Nuclear power plant managers must ensure that control room staff are able to perform effectively. This is of particular importance through the longer term after initial authorization. Traditionally refresher training has been based on delivery of fragmented training packages typically derived from the initial authorization training programs. Various approaches have been taken to provide a more integrated refresher training program. However, methods such as job and task analysis and subject matter expert derived training have tended to develop without a focused clear overall training objective. The primary objective of all control room staff training is to ensure a proper and safe response to all plant transients. At the Point Lepreau Nuclear Plant, this has defined the Critical Safety Parameter based refresher training program. The overall objective of the Critical Safety Parameter training program is to ensure that control room staff can monitor and control a discrete set of plant parameters. Maintenance of the selected parameters within defined boundaries assures adequate cooling of the fuel and containment of radioactivity. Control room staff need to be able to reliably respond correctly to plant transients under potentially high stress conditions,. utilizing the essential knowledge and skills to deal with such transients. The inference is that the knowledge and skills must be limited to that which can be reliably recalled. This paper describes how the Point Lepreau Nuclear Plant has developed a refresher training program on the basis of a limited number of Critical Safety Parameters. Through this approach, it has been possible to define the essential set of knowledge and skills which ensures a correct response to plant transients

Splitting of the zero-energy Landau level and universal dissipative conductivity at critical points in disordered graphene.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortmann, Frank; Roche, Stephan

2013-02-22

We report on robust features of the longitudinal conductivity (σ(xx)) of the graphene zero-energy Landau level in the presence of disorder and varying magnetic fields. By mixing an Anderson disorder potential with a low density of sublattice impurities, the transition from metallic to insulating states is theoretically explored as a function of Landau-level splitting, using highly efficient real-space methods to compute the Kubo conductivities (both σ(xx) and Hall σ(xy)). As long as valley degeneracy is maintained, the obtained critical conductivity σ(xx) =/~ 1.4e(2)/h is robust upon an increase in disorder (by almost 1 order of magnitude) and magnetic fields ranging from about 2 to 200 T. When the sublattice symmetry is broken, σ(xx) eventually vanishes at the Dirac point owing to localization effects, whereas the critical conductivities of pseudospin-split states (dictating the width of a σ(xy) = 0 plateau) change to σ(xx) =/~ e(2)/h, regardless of the splitting strength, superimposed disorder, or magnetic strength. These findings point towards the nondissipative nature of the quantum Hall effect in disordered graphene in the presence of Landau level splitting.

Recent digital control and protection retrofits in power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fournier, R.D.; Hammer, M.; Smith, J.E.

1987-01-01

Digital computers are now being retrofitted to all types of power plants, replacing analog equipment and solving problems such as equipment obsolescence and low reliability. Three diverse examples of retrofits are presented in this paper, representing trends in man/machine interface design at an oil-fired plant, protection system in pressurized heavy-water reactors, and control systems in light water reactors (LWRs). The examples have been chosen to illustrate diverse reasons for the retrofits and the benefits derived. The cases presented report retrofits at Northern States Power's Monticello boiling water reactor, New Brunswick Electric Power Commission's (NBEPC's) Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station, and finally NBEPC's oil-fired plant at Courtney Bay

Manpower development for safe operation of nuclear power plant. China. Seminar on the technical support functions. Activity: 6.1.1-Task-03. Technical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groom, S.H.

1994-01-01

The workshop which was intended to present operating experiences from utilities with a wide range of numbers of operating nuclear units. The speaker, S.H. Groom, presented N.B. Power's experience with a single nuclear unit, and intended to: Present the objectives, organization, and scope of work of the central and site Technical Service groups within N.B. Power which support the operation of the Point Lepreau NGS; Define responsibilities of, and interfaces between the on-site and the central technical service staff; Recommend methods for the establishment and maintenance of an efficient technical support group for the operation of any nuclear power plant

Review of first line supervisory positions in nuclear power plants - Phase II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mackenzie, C W; Huntley, M [Hickling Corp., Ottawa, ON (Canada)

1995-10-01

This report provides an overview of first line supervisory activities at Ontario Hydro nuclear generating stations (Pickering `A` and Bruce `B`) and the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station in New Brunswick. Activity profiles describing the range of first line supervisory roles and responsibilities for nuclear operators have been developed from survey data and flowcharting methods. These activity profiles have then been compared with formal job responsibilities as identified in job descriptions, supervisory training provided and assessment criteria used to evaluate supervisors. Finally, this report relates the findings of supervisory practices in the group under study with the findings in the current literature relating to supervisory functioning. (author). 32 tabs., 2 figs.

Review of first line supervisory positions in nuclear power plants - Phase II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mackenzie, C.W.; Huntley, M.

1995-10-01

This report provides an overview of first line supervisory activities at Ontario Hydro nuclear generating stations (Pickering 'A' and Bruce 'B') and the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station in New Brunswick. Activity profiles describing the range of first line supervisory roles and responsibilities for nuclear operators have been developed from survey data and flowcharting methods. These activity profiles have then been compared with formal job responsibilities as identified in job descriptions, supervisory training provided and assessment criteria used to evaluate supervisors. Finally, this report relates the findings of supervisory practices in the group under study with the findings in the current literature relating to supervisory functioning. (author). 32 tabs., 2 figs

A Fast-Processing Modulation Strategy for Three-Phase Four-Leg Neutral-Point-Clamped Inverter Based on the Circuit-Level Decoupling Concept

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ghoreishy, Hoda; Zhang, Zhe; Thomsen, Ole Cornelius

2012-01-01

In this paper, a modulation strategy based on the circuit-level decoupling concept is proposed and investigated for the three-level four-leg neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverter,with the aim of delivering power to all sorts of loads, linear/nonlinear and balanced/unbalanced. By applying the propo......In this paper, a modulation strategy based on the circuit-level decoupling concept is proposed and investigated for the three-level four-leg neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverter,with the aim of delivering power to all sorts of loads, linear/nonlinear and balanced/unbalanced. By applying...... the proposed modulation strategy, the four-leg NPC inverter can be decoupled into three three-level Buck converters in each defined operating section. This makes the controller design much simpler compared to the conventional four-leg NPC inverter controllers. Also, this technique can be implemented...

Octopuses use a human-like strategy to control precise point-to-point arm movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Sumbre, Germán; Fiorito, Graziano; Flash, Tamar; Hochner, Binyamin

2006-04-18

One of the key problems in motor control is mastering or reducing the number of degrees of freedom (DOFs) through coordination. This problem is especially prominent with hyper-redundant limbs such as the extremely flexible arm of the octopus. Several strategies for simplifying these control problems have been suggested for human point-to-point arm movements. Despite the evolutionary gap and morphological differences, humans and octopuses evolved similar strategies when fetching food to the mouth. To achieve this precise point-to-point-task, octopus arms generate a quasi-articulated structure based on three dynamic joints. A rotational movement around these joints brings the object to the mouth . Here, we describe a peripheral neural mechanism-two waves of muscle activation propagate toward each other, and their collision point sets the medial-joint location. This is a remarkably simple mechanism for adjusting the length of the segments according to where the object is grasped. Furthermore, similar to certain human arm movements, kinematic invariants were observed at the joint level rather than at the end-effector level, suggesting intrinsic control coordination. The evolutionary convergence to similar geometrical and kinematic features suggests that a kinematically constrained articulated limb controlled at the level of joint space is the optimal solution for precise point-to-point movements.

Loss Distribution Analysis of Three-Level Active Neutral-Point-Clamped (3L-ANPC) Converter with Different PWM Strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Gang; Yang, Yongheng; Iannuzzo, Francesco

2016-01-01

The three-level (3L) Active Neutral-Point-Clamped (ANPC) topology has been introduced to resolve the uneven loss distribution issue in the classical 3L Neutral-Point-Clamped (NPC) topology. This Pulse-Width-Modulation (PWM) strategy is then an important means to fully explore the potential benefits...... are separated in order to improve the loss distribution among the power devices. A comparison between the proposed strategy and other major PWM strategies for the loss distribution is also carried out in this paper. Benchmarking results show that the proposed strategy has effective and superior performance...

Measurements of the Received Signal Level and Service Coverage Area at the IEEE 802.11 Access Point in the Building

Science.gov (United States)

Gunantara, N.; Sudiarta, P. K.; Prasetya, AAN A. I.; Dharma, A.; Gde Antara, I. N.

2018-04-01

Access point (AP) is part of a Wireless Local Access Network (WLAN) with its communications using WiFi. AP is used to transmit and receive data to users/clients. The ability of AP to serve users/clients depends on many factors. Moreover, if AP is applied in conditions inside the building. In this study, AP is installed at two points inside the building and then measured in the form of the received signal level (RSL) and service coverage area. One AP measured its performance by 26 measurement points and the other AP measured its performance by 20 measurement points. When AP has measured its performance then another AP position is switched off. Based on the measurement result, the received signal level value is the highest value is about -47 dBm at a distance of 3.2 m, while the lowest is about -79 dBm at a 9.21 m because it is on barrier 2 walls. While based on service coverage area, the area which is far away from the AP then the quality of service becomes bad because the transmitted signal is weakening caused by the distance and the loss of the wall.

Georeferenced Point Clouds: A Survey of Features and Point Cloud Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes Otepka

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a survey of georeferenced point clouds. Concentration is, on the one hand, put on features, which originate in the measurement process themselves, and features derived by processing the point cloud. On the other hand, approaches for the processing of georeferenced point clouds are reviewed. This includes the data structures, but also spatial processing concepts. We suggest a categorization of features into levels that reflect the amount of processing. Point clouds are found across many disciplines, which is reflected in the versatility of the literature suggesting specific features.

Web-Based Learning Enhancements: Video Lectures through Voice-Over PowerPoint in a Majors-Level Biology Course

Science.gov (United States)

Lents, Nathan H.; Cifuentes, Oscar E.

2009-01-01

This study is an experimental introduction of web-based lecture delivery into a majors-level introductory biology course. Web-based delivery, achieved through the use of prerecorded Voice-Over PowerPoint video lectures, was introduced on a limited basis to an experimental section while a control group, with the same instructor, received standard…

On the Level Set of a Function with Degenerate Minimum Point

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasuhiko Kamiyama

2015-01-01

Full Text Available For n≥2, let M be an n-dimensional smooth closed manifold and f:M→R a smooth function. We set minf(M=m and assume that m is attained by unique point p∈M such that p is a nondegenerate critical point. Then the Morse lemma tells us that if a is slightly bigger than m, f-1(a is diffeomorphic to Sn-1. In this paper, we relax the condition on p from being nondegenerate to being an isolated critical point and obtain the same consequence. Some application to the topology of polygon spaces is also included.

Geodetic Control Points, Benchmarks; Vertical elevation bench marks for monumented geodetic survey control points for which mean sea level elevations have been determined., Published in 1995, 1:24000 (1in=2000ft) scale, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC State | GIS Inventory — Geodetic Control Points dataset current as of 1995. Benchmarks; Vertical elevation bench marks for monumented geodetic survey control points for which mean sea level...

Evaluation of Short-Term Changes in Serum Creatinine Level as a Meaningful End Point in Randomized Clinical Trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Coca, Steven G; Zabetian, Azadeh; Ferket, Bart S; Zhou, Jing; Testani, Jeffrey M; Garg, Amit X; Parikh, Chirag R

2016-08-01

Observational studies have shown that acute change in kidney function (specifically, AKI) is a strong risk factor for poor outcomes. Thus, the outcome of acute change in serum creatinine level, regardless of underlying biology or etiology, is frequently used in clinical trials as both efficacy and safety end points. We performed a meta-analysis of clinical trials to quantify the relationship between positive or negative short-term effects of interventions on change in serum creatinine level and more meaningful clinical outcomes. After a thorough literature search, we included 14 randomized trials of interventions that altered risk for an acute increase in serum creatinine level and had reported between-group differences in CKD and/or mortality rate ≥3 months after randomization. Seven trials assessed interventions that, compared with placebo, increased risk of acute elevation in serum creatinine level (pooled relative risk, 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.22 to 1.89), and seven trials assessed interventions that, compared with placebo, reduced risk of acute elevation in serum creatinine level (pooled relative risk, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.44 to 0.74). However, pooled risks for CKD and mortality associated with interventions did not differ from those with placebo in either group. In conclusion, several interventions that affect risk of acute, mild to moderate, often temporary elevation in serum creatinine level in placebo-controlled randomized trials showed no appreciable effect on CKD or mortality months later, raising questions about the value of using small to moderate changes in serum creatinine level as end points in clinical trials. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Refinements to calandria tube - liquid injection nozzle (CT-LIN) contact assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sedran, P.J.

2012-01-01

In recent years, the issue of CT-LIN contact, which first gained attention in 1989, has been addressed through CT-LIN gap measurements, followed by analytical predictions of time-to-contact. CT-LIN time-to-contact predictions have been preformed independently by CPUS Limited for Point Lepreau and Gentilly-2 and by AECL Sheridan Park (now Candu Energy Inc.) for Bruce Power and Gentilly-2. Both companies used the CDEPTH code in combination with CT-LIN gap measurements. Subsequent to the assessments for Point Lepreau and Gentilly-2, a recommended approach for future assessments was presented at the 2008 CANDU maintenance conference. Since that time, a number of refinements to the overall strategy for predicting CT-LIN time-to-contact have been developed and are outlined in this paper. The refinements include: 1. The use of ultrasonic LIN elevation measurements to confirm LIN creep sag behaviour 2. The development of a non-linear empirical CT Creep Sag Model 3. The development of a rationale for discrepancies observed in repeated optical CT-LIN gap measurements and a discussion of alternative CT-LIN gap measurements With these refinements, more accurate CT-LIN time-to-contact predictions can be obtained. For stations that plan to refurbish by 210,000 EFPH, the improvement in time-to-contact predictions resulting from the fore mentioned refinements will not be of any real benefit.. However, for stations that are planning life extensions in order to operate beyond 210,000 EFPH, CT-LIN contact will be an issue. For these stations, improvements in CT-LIN contact time predictions would be beneficial. This paper presents a summary of the proposed refinements and demonstrates how they would impact CT-LIN time-to-contact predictions. (author)

Lathe leveler

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lovelady, III, Michael W.J.

2018-03-06

A lathe leveler for centering a cutting tool in relation to a cylindrical work piece includes a first leveling arm having a first contact point disposed adjacent a distal end of the first leveling arm, a second leveling arm having a second contact point disposed adjacent a distal end of the second leveling arm, a leveling gage, and a leveling plate having a cutting tool receiving surface positioned parallel to a horizontal axis of the leveling gage and on a same plane as a midpoint of the first contact point and the second contact point. The leveling arms and leveling plate are dimensioned and configured such that the cutting tool receiving surface is centered in relation to the work piece when the first and second contact points are in contact with one of the inner surface and outer surface of the cylindrical work piece and the leveling gage is centered.

Comparison of carbon monoxide levels during heating of ice and water to boiling point with a camping stove.

Science.gov (United States)

Leigh-Smith, Simon; Watt, Ian; McFadyen, Angus; Grant, Stan

2004-01-01

To determine whether using a camping stove to bring a pan of ice to boiling point produces higher carbon monoxide (CO) concentration than would bringing a pan of water to boiling point. The hypothesis was that ice would cause greater CO concentration because of its greater flame-cooling effect and, consequently, more incomplete combustion. This was a randomized, prospective observational study. After an initial pilot study, CO concentration was monitored during 10 trials for each of ice and water. A partially ventilated 200-L cardboard box model was developed and then used inside a chamber at -6 degrees C. Ice temperature and volume, water temperature and volume, pan size, and flame characteristics were all standardized. Temperature of the heated medium was monitored to determine time to boiling point. Carbon monoxide concentration was monitored every 30 seconds for the first 3 minutes, then every minute until the end of each 10-minute trial. There was no significant difference (P > .05) in CO production levels between ice and water. Each achieved a similar mean plateau level of approximately 400 ppm CO concentration with a similar rate of rise. However, significantly higher (P = .014) CO concentration occurred at 4 and 5 minutes when the flame underwent a yellow flare; this occurred only on 3 occasions when ice was the medium. There were no significant differences for CO production between bringing a pan of ice or water to boiling point. In a small number of ice trials, the presence of a yellow flame resulted in high CO concentration. Yellow flares might occur more often with ice or snow melting, but this has not been proven.

Development and implementation of a construction environmental protection program at a solid radioactive waste management facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wong, T.S. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Mississauga, Ontario (Canada); Bishop, T. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Saint John, New Brunswick (Canada); Hickman, C.N. [Point Lepreau Generating Station, Saint John, New Brunswick (Canada)

2007-07-01

Refurbishment of ageing nuclear stations has great economic and environmental benefits, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The Government of New Brunswick (NB) decided in 2005 to refurbish the Point Lepreau Generating Station with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) as the general contractor. The project includes construction of additional radioactive waste management facilities. AECL developed, for the construction project, an environmental protection program to comply with commitments made during the environmental assessment process, and regulatory requirements. The program covers detailed environmental plans, training courses, and engagement of consultants to provide training and conduct monitoring of the construction activities. Construction related environmental effects have been successfully mitigated and the monitoring results indicate compliance with all environmental requirements. (author)

Does pan diameter influence carbon monoxide levels during heating of water to boiling point with a camping stove?

Science.gov (United States)

Leigh-Smith, Simon; Stevenson, Richard; Watt, Martin; Watt, Ian; McFadyen, Angus; Grant, Stan

2004-01-01

To determine whether pan diameter influences carbon monoxide (CO) concentration during heating of water to boiling point with a camping stove. The hypothesis was that increasing pan diameter increases CO concentration because of greater flame dispersal and a larger flame. This was a randomized, prospective study. A Coleman Dual Fuel 533 stove was used to heat pans of water to boiling point, with CO concentration monitored every 30 seconds for 5 minutes. The stove was inside a partially ventilated 200-L cardboard box model that was inside an environmental chamber at -6 degrees C. Water temperature, water volume, and flame characteristics were all standardized. Ten trials were performed for each of 2 pan diameters (base diameters of 165 mm [small] and 220 mm [large]). There was a significant difference (P = .002) between the pans for CO levels at each measurement interval from 60 seconds onward. These differences were markedly larger after 90 seconds, with a mean difference of 185 ppm (95% CI 115, 276 ppm) for all the results from 120 seconds onwards. This study has shown that there is significantly higher CO production with a large-diameter pan compared with a small-diameter pan. These findings were evident by using a camping stove to heat water to boiling point when a maximum blue flame was present throughout. Thus, in enclosed environments it is recommended that small-diameter pans be used in an attempt to prevent high CO levels.

Uncertainty analysis of point by point sampling complex surfaces using touch probe CMMs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barini, Emanuele; Tosello, Guido; De Chiffre, Leonardo

2007-01-01

The paper describes a study concerning point by point scanning of complex surfaces using tactile CMMs. A four factors-two level full factorial experiment was carried out, involving measurements on a complex surface configuration item comprising a sphere, a cylinder and a cone, combined in a singl...

Plant habitability assessment for Point Lepreau Generating Station during a severe accident resulting from station blackout conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mullin, D.

2015-01-01

In response to the CNSC Fukushima Action Plan, the CANDU Owners Group (COG) developed a methodology for assessing nuclear power plant habitability under Joint Project 4426 and to determine if any improvement actions are necessary to provide a high degree of assurance that a severe accident can be managed from a human and organizational performance perspective. NB Power has applied the methodology considering a station black-out scenario (representative case), and assessed the effects of non-radiological hazards and radiological hazards in the context of operator dose relative to emergency dose limits. The paper will discuss the overall methodology, findings and recommendations. (author)

Plant habitability assessment for Point Lepreau Generating Station during a severe accident resulting from station blackout conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mullin, D., E-mail: dmullin@nbpower.com [New Brunswick Power Corporation, Point Lepreau Generating Station, Lepreau, NB (Canada)

2015-07-01

In response to the CNSC Fukushima Action Plan, the CANDU Owners Group (COG) developed a methodology for assessing nuclear power plant habitability under Joint Project 4426 and to determine if any improvement actions are necessary to provide a high degree of assurance that a severe accident can be managed from a human and organizational performance perspective. NB Power has applied the methodology considering a station black-out scenario (representative case), and assessed the effects of non-radiological hazards and radiological hazards in the context of operator dose relative to emergency dose limits. The paper will discuss the overall methodology, findings and recommendations. (author)

Milestone-specific, Observed data points for evaluating levels of performance (MODEL) assessment strategy for anesthesiology residency programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagy, Christopher J; Fitzgerald, Brian M; Kraus, Gregory P

2014-01-01

Anesthesiology residency programs will be expected to have Milestones-based evaluation systems in place by July 2014 as part of the Next Accreditation System. The San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium (SAUSHEC) anesthesiology residency program developed and implemented a Milestones-based feedback and evaluation system a year ahead of schedule. It has been named the Milestone-specific, Observed Data points for Evaluating Levels of performance (MODEL) assessment strategy. The "MODEL Menu" and the "MODEL Blueprint" are tools that other anesthesiology residency programs can use in developing their own Milestones-based feedback and evaluation systems prior to ACGME-required implementation. Data from our early experience with the streamlined MODEL blueprint assessment strategy showed substantially improved faculty compliance with reporting requirements. The MODEL assessment strategy provides programs with a workable assessment method for residents, and important Milestones data points to programs for ACGME reporting.

Estrogenic activity, chemical levels and health risk assessment of municipal distribution point water from Pretoria and Cape Town, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Zijl, Magdalena Catherina; Aneck-Hahn, Natalie Hildegard; Swart, Pieter; Hayward, Stefan; Genthe, Bettina; De Jager, Christiaan

2017-11-01

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are ubiquitous in the environment and have been detected in drinking water from various countries. Although various water treatment processes can remove EDCs, chemicals can also migrate from pipes that transport water and contaminate drinking water. This study investigated the estrogenic activity in drinking water from various distribution points in Pretoria (City of Tshwane) (n = 40) and Cape Town (n = 40), South Africa, using the recombinant yeast estrogen screen (YES) and the T47D-KBluc reporter gene assay. The samples were collected seasonally over four sampling periods. The samples were also analysed for bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP), di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diisononylphthalate (DINP), 17β-estradiol (E 2 ), estrone (E 1 ) and ethynylestradiol (EE 2 ) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrophotometry (UPLC-MS/MS). This was followed by a scenario based health risk assessment to assess the carcinogenic and toxic human health risks associated with the consumption of distribution point water. None of the water extracts from the distribution points were above the detection limit in the YES bioassay, but the EEq values ranged from 0.002 to 0.114 ng/L using the T47D-KBluc bioassay. BPA, DEHA, DBP, DEHP, DINP E 1 , E 2, and EE 2 were detected in distribution point water samples. NP was below the detection limit for all the samples. The estrogenic activity and levels of target chemicals were comparable to the levels found in other countries. Overall the health risk assessment revealed acceptable health and carcinogenic risks associated with the consumption of distribution point water. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating Wind Profiling Radars and Radiosonde Observations with Model Point Data to Develop a Decision Support Tool to Assess Upper-Level Winds for Space Launch

Science.gov (United States)

Bauman, William H., III; Flinn, Clay

2013-01-01

On the day of launch, the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) Launch Weather Officers (LWOs) monitor the upper-level winds for their launch customers. During launch operations, the payload/launch team sometimes asks the LWOs if they expect the upper-level winds to change during the countdown. The LWOs used numerical weather prediction model point forecasts to provide the information, but did not have the capability to quickly retrieve or adequately display the upper-level observations and compare them directly in the same display to the model point forecasts to help them determine which model performed the best. The LWOs requested the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) develop a graphical user interface (GUI) that will plot upper-level wind speed and direction observations from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Automated Meteorological Profiling System (AMPS) rawinsondes with point forecast wind profiles from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) North American Mesoscale (NAM), Rapid Refresh (RAP) and Global Forecast System (GFS) models to assess the performance of these models. The AMU suggested adding observations from the NASA 50 MHz wind profiler and one of the US Air Force 915 MHz wind profilers, both located near the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility, to supplement the AMPS observations with more frequent upper-level profiles. Figure 1 shows a map of KSC/CCAFS with the locations of the observation sites and the model point forecasts.

Laser Dew-Point Hygrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Shigeaki; Toyooka, Satoru

1995-01-01

A rough-surface-type automatic dew-point hygrometer was developed using a laser diode and an optical fiber cable. A gold plate with 0.8 µ m average surface roughness was used as a surface for deposition of dew to facilitate dew deposition and prevent supersaturation of water vapor at the dew point. It was shown experimentally that the quantity of dew deposited can be controlled to be constant at any predetermined level, and is independent of the dew point to be measured. The dew points were measured in the range from -15° C to 54° C in which the temperature ranged from 0° C to 60° C. The measurement error of the dew point was ±0.5° C which was equal to below ±2% in relative humidity in the above dew-point range.

Do acupuncture points exist?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Xiaohui; Zhang Xinyi; Liu Chenglin; Dang, Ruishan; Huang Yuying; He Wei; Ding Guanghong

2009-01-01

We used synchrotron x-ray fluorescence analysis to probe the distribution of four chemical elements in and around acupuncture points, two located in the forearm and two in the lower leg. Three of the four acupuncture points showed significantly elevated concentrations of elements Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn in relation to levels in the surrounding tissue, with similar elevation ratios for Cu and Fe. The mapped distribution of these elements implies that each acupuncture point seems to be elliptical with the long axis along the meridian. (note)

Do acupuncture points exist?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan Xiaohui; Zhang Xinyi [Department of Physics, Surface Physics Laboratory (State Key Laboratory), and Synchrotron Radiation Research Center of Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Liu Chenglin [Physics Department of Yancheng Teachers' College, Yancheng 224002 (China); Dang, Ruishan [Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Huang Yuying; He Wei [Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 (China); Ding Guanghong [Shanghai Research Center of Acupuncture and Meridian, Pudong, Shanghai 201203 (China)

2009-05-07

We used synchrotron x-ray fluorescence analysis to probe the distribution of four chemical elements in and around acupuncture points, two located in the forearm and two in the lower leg. Three of the four acupuncture points showed significantly elevated concentrations of elements Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn in relation to levels in the surrounding tissue, with similar elevation ratios for Cu and Fe. The mapped distribution of these elements implies that each acupuncture point seems to be elliptical with the long axis along the meridian. (note)

Loss and thermal redistributed modulation methods for three-level neutral-point-clamped wind power inverter undergoing Low Voltage Ride Through

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Ke; Blaabjerg, Frede

2012-01-01

The three-level neutral-point-clamped (3L-NPC) converter is a promising multilevel topology in the application of mega-watts wind power generation system. However, the growing requirements by grid codes may impose high stress and even give reliability problem to this converter topology. This paper...... modulation methods, the thermal distribution in the 3L-NPC wind power inverter undergoing LVRT becomes more equal, and the junction temperature of the most stressed devices can be also relieved. Also the control ability of DC-bus neutral point potential, which is one of the crucial considerations for the 3L...

The generation of calandria tube (CT) inner diameter profiles from fuel channel (FC) inspection data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sedran, P.J., E-mail: paul.sedran@amec.com [AMEC NSS, Toronto, ON (Canada); Rankin, B., E-mail: brankin@nbpower.com [NB Power, Fredericton, NB (Canada); Lemire, C., E-mail: Lemire.Christian@hydro.qc.ca [Hydro-Quebec, Montreal, QC (Canada)

2015-07-01

Studies of CT deformation at spacer locations, key to the development of FC deformation modelling, have been limited by the availability of gauging measurements from removed CTs. In [1], it was proposed that CT dimensional profiles could be generated using FC inspection data. Since then, the concept was investigated further by assessing: (1) the normalisation of gap measurements to the diameter of the spacer coil, (2) the validity of gap measurements from inspections of Point Lepreau and Gentilly-2, and the CT dimensional profiles generated from the inspection data.It was concluded, from the work presented in this paper, that the CT-PT gap data and the CT dimensional profiles generated using the data from the two subject inspections are reasonable. (author)

Microcurrent Point Stimulation Applied to Lower Back Acupuncture Points for the Treatment of Nonspecific Neck Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Kelly; Gokal, Raman; Chevalier, Antoine; Todorsky, William; Lim, Mike

2017-04-01

Although acupuncture and microcurrent are widely used for chronic pain, there remains considerable controversy as to their therapeutic value for neck pain. We aimed to determine the effect size of microcurrent applied to lower back acupuncture points to assess the impact on the neck pain. This was a cohort analysis of treatment outcomes pre- and postmicrocurrent stimulation, involving 34 patients with a history of nonspecific chronic neck pain. Consenting patients were enrolled from a group of therapists attending educational seminars and were asked to report pain levels pre-post and 48 hours after a single MPS application. Direct current microcurrent point stimulation (MPS) applied to standardized lower back acupuncture protocol points was used. Evaluations entailed a baseline visual analog scale (VAS) pain scale assessment, using a VAS, which was repeated twice after therapy, once immediately postelectrotherapy and again after a 48-h follow-up period. All 34 patients received a single MPS session. Results were analyzed using paired t tests. Results and Outcomes: Pain intensity showed an initial statistically significant reduction of 68% [3.9050 points; 95% CI (2.9480, 3.9050); p = 0.0001], in mean neck pain levels after standard protocol treatment, when compared to initial pain levels. There was a further statistically significant reduction of 35% in mean neck pain levels at 48 h when compared to pain levels immediately after standard protocol treatment [0.5588 points; 95% CI (0.2001, 0.9176); p = 0.03], for a total average pain relief of 80%. The positive results in this study could have applications for those patients impacted by chronic neck pain.

Beginning SharePoint 2010 Development

CERN Document Server

Fox, Steve

2010-01-01

Discover how to take advantage of the many new features in SharePoint 2010. SharePoint provides content management (enterprise content management, Web content management, records management, and more), workflow, and social media features, and the new version boasts enhanced capabilities. This introductory-level book walks you through the process of learning, developing, and deploying SharePoint 2010 solutions. You'll leverage your existing skills and tools to grasp the fundamental programming concepts and practices of SharePoint 2010. The author clearly explains how to develop your first appli

A fixed-point farrago

CERN Document Server

Shapiro, Joel H

2016-01-01

This text provides an introduction to some of the best-known fixed-point theorems, with an emphasis on their interactions with topics in analysis. The level of exposition increases gradually throughout the book, building from a basic requirement of undergraduate proficiency to graduate-level sophistication. Appendices provide an introduction to (or refresher on) some of the prerequisite material and exercises are integrated into the text, contributing to the volume’s ability to be used as a self-contained text. Readers will find the presentation especially useful for independent study or as a supplement to a graduate course in fixed-point theory. The material is split into four parts: the first introduces the Banach Contraction-Mapping Principle and the Brouwer Fixed-Point Theorem, along with a selection of interesting applications; the second focuses on Brouwer’s theorem and its application to John Nash’s work; the third applies Brouwer’s theorem to spaces of infinite dimension; and the fourth rests ...

Five-Level Z-Source Neutral Point-Clamped Inverter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gao, F.; Loh, P.C.; Blaabjerg, Frede

2007-01-01

This paper proposes a five-level Z-source neutralpoint- clamped (NPC) inverter with two Z-source networks functioning as intermediate energy storages coupled between dc sources and NPC inverter circuitry. Analyzing the operational principles of Z-source network with partial dclink shoot......-through scheme reveals the hidden theories in the five-level Z-source NPC inverter unlike the operational principle appeared in the general two-level Z-source inverter, so that the five-level Z-source NPC inverter can be designed with the modulation of carrier-based phase disposition (PD) or alternative phase...

Operation and thermal loading of three-level Neutral-Point-Clamped wind power converter under various grid faults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Ke; Blaabjerg, Frede; Liserre, Marco

2012-01-01

In order to fulfill the continuous growing grid-side demands, the full-scale power converters are becoming more and more popular in the wind power application. Nevertheless, the more severe loading of the power semiconductor devices in the full-scale power converters, especially during Low Voltage...... Ride Through (LVRT) operation under grid faults, may compromise the reliability of the system and consequently further increase its cost. In this paper, the impact of various grid faults on a three-level Neutral-Point-Clamped (3L-NPC) grid-converter in terms of thermal loading of power semiconductor...

Heat sink considerations during SLAR defuelling activities of the 1995 maintenance outage at the Point Lepreau G.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richard, R.A.; Edgar, D.J.; Gibb, R.A.

1996-01-01

In order to conduct the Spacer Locate and Reposition (SLAR) activities, individual fuel channels were de-fuelled using the SLAR tool itself. The presence of the tool in the channel containing fuel caused concerns over channel flow interruption. A methodology was devised to assess the limited fuel heat up during de-fuelling and during possible prolonged periods of complete flow interruption. Once established, the approach could be used to assess the effect of varying parameters which could effect channel heat-up. Costly delays in SLAR maintenance activities were avoided by ensuring the sequence of channel visits was such that the individual channel powers decayed sufficiently to prevent channel heat up beyond acceptable temperature limits. (author)

NOTE: Do acupuncture points exist?

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Xiaohui; Zhang, Xinyi; Liu, Chenglin; Dang, Ruishan; Huang, Yuying; He, Wei; Ding, Guanghong

2009-05-01

We used synchrotron x-ray fluorescence analysis to probe the distribution of four chemical elements in and around acupuncture points, two located in the forearm and two in the lower leg. Three of the four acupuncture points showed significantly elevated concentrations of elements Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn in relation to levels in the surrounding tissue, with similar elevation ratios for Cu and Fe. The mapped distribution of these elements implies that each acupuncture point seems to be elliptical with the long axis along the meridian.

Foot strike patterns of runners at the 15-km point during an elite-level half marathon.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Yamauchi, Takeshi; Kraemer, William J

2007-08-01

There are various recommendations by many coaches regarding foot landing techniques in distance running that are meant to improve running performance and prevent injuries. Several studies have investigated the kinematic and kinetic differences between rearfoot strike (RFS), midfoot strike (MFS), and forefoot strike (FFS) patterns at foot landing and their effects on running efficiency on a treadmill and over ground conditions. However, little is known about the actual condition of the foot strike pattern during an actual road race at the elite level of competition. The purpose of the present study was to document actual foot strike patterns during a half marathon in which elite international level runners, including Olympians, compete. Four hundred fifteen runners were filmed by 2 120-Hz video cameras in the height of 0.15 m placed at the 15.0-km point and obtained sagittal foot landing and taking off images for 283 runners. Rearfoot strike was observed in 74.9% of all analyzed runners, MFS in 23.7%, and FFS in 1.4%. The percentage of MFS was higher in the faster runners group, when all runners were ranked and divided into 50 runner groups at the 15.0-km point of the competition. In the top 50, which included up to the 69th place runner in actual order who passed the 15-km point at 45 minutes, 53 second (this speed represents 5.45 m x s(-1), or 15 minutes, 17 seconds per 5 km), RFS, MFS, and FFS were 62.0, 36.0, and 2.0%, respectively. Contact time (CT) clearly increased for the slower runners, or the placement order increased (r = 0.71, p strike was observed in 42% of all runners. The percentage of INV for MFS was higher than for RFS and FFS (62.5, 32.0, and 50%, respectively). The CT with INV for MFS + FFS was significantly shorter than the CT with and without INV for RFS. Furthermore, the CT with INV was significantly shorter than push-off time without INV for RFS. The findings of this study indicate that foot strike patterns are related to running speed. The

Imaging atomic-level random walk of a point defect in graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Kotakoski, Jani; Mangler, Clemens; Meyer, Jannik C.

2014-05-01

Deviations from the perfect atomic arrangements in crystals play an important role in affecting their properties. Similarly, diffusion of such deviations is behind many microstructural changes in solids. However, observation of point defect diffusion is hindered both by the difficulties related to direct imaging of non-periodic structures and by the timescales involved in the diffusion process. Here, instead of imaging thermal diffusion, we stimulate and follow the migration of a divacancy through graphene lattice using a scanning transmission electron microscope operated at 60 kV. The beam-activated process happens on a timescale that allows us to capture a significant part of the structural transformations and trajectory of the defect. The low voltage combined with ultra-high vacuum conditions ensure that the defect remains stable over long image sequences, which allows us for the first time to directly follow the diffusion of a point defect in a crystalline material.

The Hb E (HBB: c.79G>A), Mean Corpuscular Volume, Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Cutoff Points in Double Heterozygous Hb E/- -SEA α-Thalassemia-1 Carriers are Dependent on Hemoglobin Levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Leckngam, Prapapun; Limweeraprajak, Ektong; Kiewkarnkha, Tiemjan; Tatu, Thanusak

2017-01-01

Identifying double heterozygosities in Hb E (HBB: c.79 G>A)/- - SEA (Southeast Asian) (α-thalassemia-1) (α-thal-1) in patients first diagnosed as carrying Hb E is important in thalassemia control. Low Hb E, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (Hb) (MCH) levels have been observed in this double heterozygosity. However, the cutoff points of these parameters have never been systematically established. Here, we analyzed Hb E and red blood cell (RBC) parameters in 372 Hb E patients grouped by Hb levels, by the status of - - SEA and -α 3.7 (α-thal-2; rightward) deletions, to establish the cutoff points. Then, the established cutoff points were evaluated in 184 Hb E patients. It was found that the cutoff points of Hb E, MCV, MCH were significantly dependent on the Hb levels. In the group having Hb levels Hb E, MCV and MCH were 21.2%, 64.9 fL and 21.0 pg, respectively, and were 25.6%, 72.8 fL and 23.9 pg, respectively, in the group having Hb levels 10.0-11.9 g/dL. Finally, in the group having Hb levels ≥12.0 g/dL, the cutoff points of Hb E, MCV and MCH were 27.1%, 76.7 fL and 25.3 pg, respectively. Thus, to screen for the double heterozygous Hb E/- - SEA anomaly in patients initially diagnosed as carrying Hb E, the Hb levels must be taken into account in choosing the suitable cutoff points of these three parameters.

Restructuring of Canada's nuclear utilities: recent developments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guindon, S.

1998-01-01

Business decisions relating to the electric power sector are a provincial responsibility in Canada. The federal government looks to the three nuclear utilities to manage their nuclear assets and maintain them in a way that maximizes their reliability, efficiency and overall performance. A significant development in Canada's nuclear sector in the past year was the Ontario Hydro Nuclear Asset Optimization Plan. Structural change in the North American electricity market is a major impetus for decisions regarding nuclear assets by Canada's electric power utilities. The Ontario government is now taking steps to introduce competition in the Ontario Electricity market. The province of New Brunswick, which has one reactor at Point Lepreau which supplies one-third of the province's electricity, is also taking measures to introduce competition in its electricity market. (author)

Thermosyphoning in the CANDU reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spinks, N.J.; Wright, A.C.D.; Caplan, M.Z.; Prawirosoehardjo, S.; Gulshani, P.

1984-01-01

Thermosyphoning is defined as the natural convective flow of primary coolant over the boilers. It is the predicted mode of heat transport from core to boilers in many postulated scenarios for CANDU reactor safety analysis. The scenarios encompass a wide range of boundary conditions in reactor power, secondary temperature and primary coolant inventory. Loss of pumping of the primary coolant is a common feature. Thermosyphoning is single or two-phase depending on the boundary conditions. The paper describes the important thermohydraulic characteristics of thermosyphoning in CANDU reactors with emphasis on two-phase thermosyphoning. It utilizes predictions of a transient thermohydraulics computer code and describes experiments done for the purpose of verifying these predictions. Predictions are compared with single-phase thermosyphoning tests done during commissioning of the Gentilly-2 and Point Lepreau CANDU 600 reactors. (orig.)

Feasibility study of 24-month cycle using enriched Gadolinium as burnable poison for OPR1000

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moon, Sang-Rae; Shin, Ho-Cheol [KHNP Central Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

All of cobalt-60 sources are imported to Korea. CANDU units are generally used to produce cobalt-60 at Bruce and Point Lepreau in Canada and Embalse in Argentina. China has started production of cobalt-60 using its CANDU 6 Qinshan Phase III nuclear power plant in 2009. For cobalt-60 production, the reactor's full complement of stainless steel adjusters is replaced with neutronically equivalent cobalt-59 adjusters, which are essentially invisible to reactor operation. With its very high neutron flux and optimized fuel burn-up, the CANDU has a very high cobalt-60 production rate in a relatively short time. This makes CANDU an excellent vehicle for bulk cobalt-60 production. Several studies have been performed to produce cobalt-60 using adjuster rod at Wolsong nuclear power plant. This study proposed new concept for producing cobalt-60 and performed the feasibility study. Bundle typed cobalt loading concept is proposed and evaluated the feasibility to fuel management without physics and system design change. The requirement to load cobalt bundle to the core was considered and several channels are nominated. The production of cobalt-60 source is very depend on the flux level and burnup directly.

Sensorimotor synchronization with different metrical levels of point-light dance movements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi-Huang eSu

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Rhythm perception and synchronization have been extensively investigated in the auditory domain, as they underlie means of human communication such as music and speech. Although recent studies suggest comparable mechanisms for synchronizing with periodically moving visual objects, the extent to which it applies to ecologically relevant information, such as the rhythm of complex biological motion, remains unknown. The present study addressed this issue by linking rhythm of music and dance in the framework of action-perception coupling. As a previous study showed that observers perceived multiple metrical periodicities in dance movements that embodied this structure, the present study examined whether sensorimotor synchronization (SMS to dance movements resembles what is known of auditory SMS. Participants watched a point-light figure performing two basic steps of Swing dance cyclically, in which the trunk bounced at every beat and the limbs moved at every second beat, forming two metrical periodicities. Participants tapped synchronously to the bounce of the trunk with or without the limbs moving in the stimuli (Experiment 1, or tapped synchronously to the leg movements with or without the trunk bouncing simultaneously (Experiment 2. Results showed that, while synchronization with the bounce (lower-level pulse was not influenced by the presence or absence of limb movements (metrical accent, synchronization with the legs (beat was improved by the presence of the bounce (metrical subdivision across different movement types. The latter finding parallels the subdivision benefit often demonstrated in auditory tasks, suggesting common sensorimotor mechanisms for visual rhythms in dance and auditory rhythms in music.

Sensorimotor Synchronization with Different Metrical Levels of Point-Light Dance Movements

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Yi-Huang

2016-01-01

Rhythm perception and synchronization have been extensively investigated in the auditory domain, as they underlie means of human communication such as music and speech. Although recent studies suggest comparable mechanisms for synchronizing with periodically moving visual objects, the extent to which it applies to ecologically relevant information, such as the rhythm of complex biological motion, remains unknown. The present study addressed this issue by linking rhythm of music and dance in the framework of action-perception coupling. As a previous study showed that observers perceived multiple metrical periodicities in dance movements that embodied this structure, the present study examined whether sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) to dance movements resembles what is known of auditory SMS. Participants watched a point-light figure performing two basic steps of Swing dance cyclically, in which the trunk bounced at every beat and the limbs moved at every second beat, forming two metrical periodicities. Participants tapped synchronously to the bounce of the trunk with or without the limbs moving in the stimuli (Experiment 1), or tapped synchronously to the leg movements with or without the trunk bouncing simultaneously (Experiment 2). Results showed that, while synchronization with the bounce (lower-level pulse) was not influenced by the presence or absence of limb movements (metrical accent), synchronization with the legs (beat) was improved by the presence of the bounce (metrical subdivision) across different movement types. The latter finding parallels the “subdivision benefit” often demonstrated in auditory tasks, suggesting common sensorimotor mechanisms for visual rhythms in dance and auditory rhythms in music. PMID:27199709

Fixed-Point Configurable Hardware Components

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rocher Romuald

2006-01-01

Full Text Available To reduce the gap between the VLSI technology capability and the designer productivity, design reuse based on IP (intellectual properties is commonly used. In terms of arithmetic accuracy, the generated architecture can generally only be configured through the input and output word lengths. In this paper, a new kind of method to optimize fixed-point arithmetic IP has been proposed. The architecture cost is minimized under accuracy constraints defined by the user. Our approach allows exploring the fixed-point search space and the algorithm-level search space to select the optimized structure and fixed-point specification. To significantly reduce the optimization and design times, analytical models are used for the fixed-point optimization process.

Detecting corner points from digital curves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarfraz, M.

2011-01-01

Corners in digital images give important clues for shape representation, recognition, and analysis. Since dominant information regarding shape is usually available at the corners, they provide important features for various real life applications in the disciplines like computer vision, pattern recognition, computer graphics. Corners are the robust features in the sense that they provide important information regarding objects under translation, rotation and scale change. They are also important from the view point of understanding human perception of objects. They play crucial role in decomposing or describing the digital curves. They are also used in scale space theory, image representation, stereo vision, motion tracking, image matching, building mosaics and font designing systems. If the corner points are identified properly, a shape can be represented in an efficient and compact way with sufficient accuracy. Corner detection schemes, based on their applications, can be broadly divided into two categories: binary (suitable for binary images) and gray level (suitable for gray level images). Corner detection approaches for binary images usually involve segmenting the image into regions and extracting boundaries from those regions that contain them. The techniques for gray level images can be categorized into two classes: (a) Template based and (b) gradient based. The template based techniques utilize correlation between a sub-image and a template of a given angle. A corner point is selected by finding the maximum of the correlation output. Gradient based techniques require computing curvature of an edge that passes through a neighborhood in a gray level image. Many corner detection algorithms have been proposed in the literature which can be broadly divided into two parts. One is to detect corner points from grayscale images and other relates to boundary based corner detection. This contribution mainly deals with techniques adopted for later approach

Leading bureaucracies to the tipping point: An alternative model of multiple stable equilibrium levels of corruption.

Science.gov (United States)

Caulkins, Jonathan P; Feichtinger, Gustav; Grass, Dieter; Hartl, Richard F; Kort, Peter M; Novak, Andreas J; Seidl, Andrea

2013-03-16

We present a novel model of corruption dynamics in the form of a nonlinear optimal dynamic control problem. It has a tipping point, but one whose origins and character are distinct from that in the classic Schelling (1978) model. The decision maker choosing a level of corruption is the chief or some other kind of authority figure who presides over a bureaucracy whose state of corruption is influenced by the authority figure's actions, and whose state in turn influences the pay-off for the authority figure. The policy interpretation is somewhat more optimistic than in other tipping models, and there are some surprising implications, notably that reforming the bureaucracy may be of limited value if the bureaucracy takes its cues from a corrupt leader.

Leading bureaucracies to the tipping point: An alternative model of multiple stable equilibrium levels of corruption

Science.gov (United States)

Caulkins, Jonathan P.; Feichtinger, Gustav; Grass, Dieter; Hartl, Richard F.; Kort, Peter M.; Novak, Andreas J.; Seidl, Andrea

2013-01-01

We present a novel model of corruption dynamics in the form of a nonlinear optimal dynamic control problem. It has a tipping point, but one whose origins and character are distinct from that in the classic Schelling (1978) model. The decision maker choosing a level of corruption is the chief or some other kind of authority figure who presides over a bureaucracy whose state of corruption is influenced by the authority figure’s actions, and whose state in turn influences the pay-off for the authority figure. The policy interpretation is somewhat more optimistic than in other tipping models, and there are some surprising implications, notably that reforming the bureaucracy may be of limited value if the bureaucracy takes its cues from a corrupt leader. PMID:23565027

State Level Point-of-Sale Policy Priority as a Result of the FSPTCA.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Combs, Todd; Jones, Janice; Sorg, Amy A

2015-01-01

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA) give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unprecedented power to regulate tobacco products. One of the most significant provisions of the law allows state and local governments to adopt and enforce tobacco control legislation restricting the time, place, and manner (but not the content) of tobacco advertising. However, there is still reluctance among states and localities for mass adoption of laws due to challenges associated with legal feasibility and lack of U.S.-based evidence in effectiveness. The Center for Public Health Systems Science conducted interviews with key tobacco control contacts in 48 states at two time points (2012 and 2014) since the passage of the FSPTCA to assess the influence of the law on point-of-sale policy development in their state tobacco programs. Logistic regression results show that point-of-sale policy importance is growing post-FSPTCA, and that key influencers of this importance are states' tobacco control histories and environments, including that related to excise taxes and smoke free air policies. The adoption of smokefree and tax policies has become commonplace across the U.S., and the quality and extent of these laws and prevailing political will increasingly impact the ability of states to work in emerging tobacco control policy areas including those directed at the point of sale.

State level point-of-sale policy priority as a result of the FSPTCA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Moreland-Russell PhD MPH

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA unprecedented power to regulate tobacco products. One of the most significant provisions of the law allows state and local governments to adopt and enforce tobacco control legislation restricting the time, place, and manner (but not the content of tobacco advertising. However, there is still reluctance among states and localities for mass adoption of laws due to challenges associated with legal feasibility and lack of U.S.-based evidence in effectiveness. The Center for Public Health Systems Science conducted interviews with key tobacco control contacts in 48 states at two time points (2012 and 2014 since the passage of the FSPTCA to assess the influence of the law on point-of-sale policy development in their state tobacco programs. Logistic regression results show that point-of-sale policy importance is growing post-FSPTCA, and that key influencers of this importance are states' tobacco control histories and environments, including that related to excise taxes and smoke free air policies. The adoption of smokefree and tax policies has become commonplace across the U.S., and the quality and extent of these laws and prevailing political will increasingly impact the ability of states to work in emerging tobacco control policy areas including those directed at the point of sale.

Fixed-point signal processing

CERN Document Server

Padgett, Wayne T

2009-01-01

This book is intended to fill the gap between the ""ideal precision"" digital signal processing (DSP) that is widely taught, and the limited precision implementation skills that are commonly required in fixed-point processors and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). These skills are often neglected at the university level, particularly for undergraduates. We have attempted to create a resource both for a DSP elective course and for the practicing engineer with a need to understand fixed-point implementation. Although we assume a background in DSP, Chapter 2 contains a review of basic theory

Pointing and the Evolution of Language: An Applied Evolutionary Epistemological Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nathalie Gontier

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Numerous evolutionary linguists have indicated that human pointing behaviour might be associated with the evolution of language. At an ontogenetic level, and in normal individuals, pointing develops spontaneously and the onset of human pointing precedes as well as facilitates phases in speech and language development. Phylogenetically, pointing behaviour might have preceded and facilitated the evolutionary origin of both gestural and vocal language. Contrary to wild non-human primates, captive and human-reared nonhuman primates also demonstrate pointing behaviour. In this article, we analyse the debates on pointing and its role it might have played in language evolution from a meta-level. From within an Applied Evolutionary Epistemological approach, we examine how exactly we can determine whether pointing has been a unit, a level or a mechanism in language evolution.

Quantifying the effect of sea level rise and flood defence - a point process perspective on coastal flood damage

Science.gov (United States)

Boettle, M.; Rybski, D.; Kropp, J. P.

2016-02-01

In contrast to recent advances in projecting sea levels, estimations about the economic impact of sea level rise are vague. Nonetheless, they are of great importance for policy making with regard to adaptation and greenhouse-gas mitigation. Since the damage is mainly caused by extreme events, we propose a stochastic framework to estimate the monetary losses from coastal floods in a confined region. For this purpose, we follow a Peak-over-Threshold approach employing a Poisson point process and the Generalised Pareto Distribution. By considering the effect of sea level rise as well as potential adaptation scenarios on the involved parameters, we are able to study the development of the annual damage. An application to the city of Copenhagen shows that a doubling of losses can be expected from a mean sea level increase of only 11 cm. In general, we find that for varying parameters the expected losses can be well approximated by one of three analytical expressions depending on the extreme value parameters. These findings reveal the complex interplay of the involved parameters and allow conclusions of fundamental relevance. For instance, we show that the damage typically increases faster than the sea level rise itself. This in turn can be of great importance for the assessment of sea level rise impacts on the global scale. Our results are accompanied by an assessment of uncertainty, which reflects the stochastic nature of extreme events. While the absolute value of uncertainty about the flood damage increases with rising mean sea levels, we find that it decreases in relation to the expected damage.

Proton Pump Inhibitors and Serum Magnesium Levels in Patients With Torsades de Pointes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pietro E. Lazzerini

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Torsades de pointes (TdP is a life-threatening ventricular tachycardia occurring in long QT-syndrome patients. It usually develops when multiple QT-prolonging factors are concomitantly present, more frequently drugs and electrolyte imbalances. Since proton–pump inhibitors (PPIs-associated hypomagnesemia is an increasingly recognized adverse event, PPIs were recently included in the list of drugs with conditional risk of TdP, despite only few cases of TdP in PPI users have been reported so far.Objectives: Aim of the present study is to evaluate whether PPI-induced hypomagnesemia actually has a significant clinical impact on the risk of TdP in the general population.Methods: Forty-eight unselected patients who experienced TdP were consecutively enrolled (2008-2017. Shortly after the first TdP episode, in those patients who did not receive magnesium sulfate and/or potassium or calcium replacement therapy, serum electrolytes were measured and their relationship with PPI usage analyzed.Results: Many patients (28/48, 58% were under current PPI treatment when TdP occurred. Among TdP patients in whom serum electrolyte determinations were obtained before replacement therapy (27/48, those taking PPIs had significantly lower serum magnesium levels than those who did not. Hypomagnesemia occurred in ~40% of patients receiving PPIs (6/14, in all cases after an extended treatment (>2 weeks. In patients taking PPIs the mean QT-prolonging risk factor number was significantly higher than in those who did not, a difference which was mainly driven by lower magnesium levels.Conclusions: In unselected TdP patients, PPI-induced hypomagnesemia was common and significantly contributed to their cumulative arrhythmic risk. By providing clinical support to current recommendations, our data confirm that more awareness is needed when a PPI is prescribed, specifically as regards the risk of life-threatening arrhythmias.

Do domestic dogs interpret pointing as a command?

Science.gov (United States)

Scheider, Linda; Kaminski, Juliane; Call, Josep; Tomasello, Michael

2013-05-01

Domestic dogs comprehend human gestural communication flexibly, particularly the pointing gesture. Here, we examine whether dogs interpret pointing informatively, that is, as simply providing information, or rather as a command, for example, ordering them to move to a particular location. In the first study a human pointed toward an empty cup. In one manipulation, the dog either knew or did not know that the designated cup was empty (and that the other cup actually contained the food). In another manipulation, the human (as authority) either did or did not remain in the room after pointing. Dogs ignored the human's gesture if they had better information, irrespective of the authority's presence. In the second study, we varied the level of authority of the person pointing. Sometimes this person was an adult, and sometimes a young child. Dogs followed children's pointing just as frequently as they followed adults' pointing (and ignored the dishonest pointing of both), suggesting that the level of authority did not affect their behavior. Taken together these studies suggest that dogs do not see pointing as an imperative command ordering them to a particular location. It is still not totally clear, however, if they interpret it as informative or in some other way.

Operational limits of a three level neutral point clamped converter used for controlling a hybrid energy storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Etxeberria, A.; Vechiu, I.; Camblong, H.; Kreckelbergh, S.; Bacha, S.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The control of a hybrid storage system using a Three Level NPC converter is analysed. • A sinusoidal PWM with an offset injection is used to control the storage system. • The operation of the selected converter is analysed in its entire operation range. • The operational limits of the Three Level NPC converter are defined. - Abstract: This work analyses the use of a Three-Level Neutral Point Clamped (3LNPC) converter to control the power flow of a Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) and at the same time interconnect it with the common AC bus of a microgrid. Nowadays there is not any storage technology capable of offering a high energy storage capacity, a high power capacity and a fast response at the same time. Therefore, the necessity of hybridising more than one storage technology is a widely accepted idea in order to satisfy the mentioned requirements. This work shows how the operational limits of the 3LNPC converter can be calculated and integrated in a control structure to facilitate an optimal use of the HESS according to the rules fixed by the user

Designing for human performance - CANDU electrical panels - then and now

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, B.K.

2003-01-01

Experience has shown that few changes are made to CANDU control center panels once plants are in service. There are several reasons for this, for example, operational conservatism, outage minimization, avoidance of retraining effort, and perhaps lack of appreciation of improvement opportunities. Since the initial CANDU 6 plants were designed, the industry has moved forward with adoption of new approaches to control room interface design that have introduced changes in design principles and emphasis. At Point Lepreau, the electrical panels have remained virtually unchanged since initial design. The author, the original electrical system commissioning engineer, reviews the design considerations that led to the initial panel design, reviews some of the operational limitations discovered during use, and offers some suggestions on improvement directions, if these panels were being designed today, that would offer an implementation to better support operator tasks. (author)

[Clinical key points. Gonioscopy].

Science.gov (United States)

Hamard, P

2007-05-01

Gonioscopy should be performed in all patients with glaucoma or suspected of having glaucoma. Four points are systematically evaluated: the width of the angle, the degree of trabecular pigmentation, the iridotrabecular appositions or synechia, and the level of iris insertion and the shape of the peripheral iris profile.

Control Point Generated PLS - lines

Data.gov (United States)

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — The Control Point Generated PLS layer contains line and polygon features to the 1/4 of 1/4 PLS section (approximately 40 acres) and government lot level. The layer...

Control Point Generated PLS - polygons

Data.gov (United States)

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — The Control Point Generated PLS layer contains line and polygon features to the 1/4 of 1/4 PLS section (approximately 40 acres) and government lot level. The layer...

Effects of shutdown chemistry on steam generator radiation levels at Point Beach Unit 2. Interim report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kormuth, J.W.

1982-05-01

A refueling shutdown chemistry test was conducted at a PWR, Point Beach Unit 2. The objective was to yield reactor coolant chemistry data during the cooldown/shutdown process which might establish a relationship between shutdown chemistry and its effects on steam generator radiation fields. Of particular concern were the effects of the presence of hydrogen in the coolant as contrasted to an oxygenated coolant. Analysis of reactor coolant samples showed a rapid soluble release (spike) in Co-58, Co-60, and nickel caused by oxygenation of the coolant. The measurement of radioisotope specific activities indicates that the material undergoing dissolution during the shutdown originated from different sources which had varying histories of activation. The test program developed no data which would support theories that oxygenation of the coolant while the steam generators are full of water contributes to increased steam generator radiation levels

Vendor compliance with Ontario's tobacco point of sale legislation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubray, Jolene M; Schwartz, Robert M; Garcia, John M; Bondy, Susan J; Victor, J Charles

2009-01-01

On May 31, 2006, Ontario joined a small group of international jurisdictions to implement legislative restrictions on tobacco point of sale promotions. This study compares the presence of point of sale promotions in the retail tobacco environment from three surveys: one prior to and two following implementation of the legislation. Approximately 1,575 tobacco vendors were randomly selected for each survey. Each regionally-stratified sample included equal numbers of tobacco vendors categorized into four trade classes: chain convenience, independent convenience and discount, gas stations, and grocery. Data regarding the six restricted point of sale promotions were collected using standardized protocols and inspection forms. Weighted estimates and 95% confidence intervals were produced at the provincial, regional and vendor trade class level using the bootstrap method for estimating variance. At baseline, the proportion of tobacco vendors who did not engage in each of the six restricted point of sale promotions ranged from 41% to 88%. Within four months following implementation of the legislation, compliance with each of the six restricted point of sale promotions exceeded 95%. Similar levels of compliance were observed one year later. Grocery stores had the fewest point of sale promotions displayed at baseline. Compliance rates did not differ across vendor trade classes at either follow-up survey. Point of sale promotions did not differ across regions in any of the three surveys. Within a short period of time, a high level of compliance with six restricted point of sale promotions was achieved.

Control of a Vanadium Redox Battery and supercapacitor using a Three-Level Neutral Point Clamped converter

Science.gov (United States)

Etxeberria, A.; Vechiu, I.; Baudoin, S.; Camblong, H.; Kreckelbergh, S.

2014-02-01

The increasing use of distributed generators, which are mainly based on renewable sources, can create several issues in the operation of the electric grid. The microgrid is being analysed as a solution to the integration in the grid of the renewable sources at a high penetration level in a controlled way. The storage systems play a vital role in order to keep the energy and power balance of the microgrid. Due to the technical limitations of the currently available storage systems, it is necessary to use more than one storage technology to satisfy the requirements of the microgrid application. This work validates in simulations and experimentally the use of a Three-Level Neutral Point Clamped converter to control the power flow of a hybrid storage system formed by a SuperCapacitor and a Vanadium Redox Battery. The operation of the system is validated in two case studies in the experimental platform installed in ESTIA. The experimental results prove the validity of the proposed system as well as the designed control algorithm. The good agreement among experimental and simulation results also validates the simulation model, that can therefore be used to analyse the operation of the system in different case studies.

State-Level Point-of-Sale Tobacco News Coverage and Policy Progression Over a 2-Year Period.

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Allison E; Southwell, Brian G; Ribisl, Kurt M; Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Bowling, J Michael; Lytle, Leslie A

2018-01-01

Mass media content may play an important role in policy change. However, the empirical relationship between media advocacy efforts and tobacco control policy success has rarely been studied. We examined the extent to which newspaper content characteristics (volume, slant, frame, source, use of evidence, and degree of localization) that have been identified as important in past descriptive studies were associated with policy progression over a 2-year period in the context of point-of-sale (POS) tobacco control. We used regression analyses to test the relationships between newspaper content and policy progression from 2012 to 2014. The dependent variable was the level of implementation of state-level POS tobacco control policies at Time 2. Independent variables were newspaper article characteristics (volume, slant, frame, source, use of evidence, and degree of localization) and were collected via content analysis of the articles. State-level policy environment contextual variables were examined as confounders. Positive, significant bivariate relationships exist between characteristics of news content (e.g., high overall volume, public health source present, local quote and local angle present, and pro-tobacco control slant present) and Time 2 POS score. However, in a multivariate model controlling for other factors, significant relationships did not hold. Newspaper coverage can be a marker of POS policy progression. Whether media can influence policy implementation remains an important question. Future work should continue to tease out and confirm the unique characteristics of media content that are most associated with subsequent policy progression, in order to inform media advocacy efforts.

Correlation between physics A-levels/A-levels and degree performance

Science.gov (United States)

Chadwick, Roy

1985-09-01

The author presents an analysis of 178 students who left Solihull Sixth form College between 1975 and 1981 to do a degree in physics (approximately one third) or engineering (approximately two thirds) at university or polytechnic. The first table is an analysis of physics A-level grade and degree performance; the second table an analysis of the points total for physics A-level plus maths A-level (five for A, four for B, etc.), against degree performances, and the final table an analysis of the points total for physics A-level plus maths A-level plus third A-level (again five for A, four for B, etc.), against degree performance.

Uncertainty analysis of point-by-point sampling complex surfaces using touch probe CMMs DOE for complex surfaces verification with CMM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barini, Emanuele Modesto; Tosello, Guido; De Chiffre, Leonardo

2010-01-01

The paper describes a study concerning point-by-point sampling of complex surfaces using tactile CMMs. A four factor, two level completely randomized factorial experiment was carried out, involving measurements on a complex surface configuration item comprising a sphere, a cylinder and a cone, co...

Γ-source Neutral Point Clamped Inverter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mo, Wei; Loh, Poh Chiang; Blaabjerg, Frede

Transformer based Z-source inverters are recently proposed to achieve promising buck-boost capability. They have improved higher buck-boost capability, smaller size and less components count over Z-source inverters. On the other hand, neutral point clamped inverters have less switching stress...... and better output performance comparing with traditional two-level inverters. Integrating these two types of configurations can help neutral point inverters achieve enhanced votlage buck-boost capability....

Consistency of Trend Break Point Estimator with Underspecified Break Number

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingjing Yang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the consistency of trend break point estimators when the number of breaks is underspecified. The consistency of break point estimators in a simple location model with level shifts has been well documented by researchers under various settings, including extensions such as allowing a time trend in the model. Despite the consistency of break point estimators of level shifts, there are few papers on the consistency of trend shift break point estimators in the presence of an underspecified break number. The simulation study and asymptotic analysis in this paper show that the trend shift break point estimator does not converge to the true break points when the break number is underspecified. In the case of two trend shifts, the inconsistency problem worsens if the magnitudes of the breaks are similar and the breaks are either both positive or both negative. The limiting distribution for the trend break point estimator is developed and closely approximates the finite sample performance.

Level 1 - level 2 interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boneham, P.

2003-01-01

The Plant Damage States (PDS) are the starting point for the level 2 analysis. A PDS is group of core damage sequences that are expected to have similar severe accident progressions. In this paper an overview of Level 1/Level 2 interface, example PDS parameters, example PDS definitions using codes and example Bridge Tree are presented. PDS frequency calculation (identification of sequences for each PDS in level 1,split some CD sequences which have different level 2 progressions), code calculations providing support for grouping decisions and timings as well as PDS frequencies and definitions input to level 2 are also discussed

Feasibility Study for Cobalt Bundle Loading to CANDU Reactor Core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Donghwan; Kim, Youngae; Kim, Sungmin

2016-01-01

CANDU units are generally used to produce cobalt-60 at Bruce and Point Lepreau in Canada and Embalse in Argentina. China has started production of cobalt-60 using its CANDU 6 Qinshan Phase III nuclear power plant in 2009. For cobalt-60 production, the reactor’s full complement of stainless steel adjusters is replaced with neutronically equivalent cobalt-59 adjusters, which are essentially invisible to reactor operation. With its very high neutron flux and optimized fuel burn-up, the CANDU has a very high cobalt-60 production rate in a relatively short time. This makes CANDU an excellent vehicle for bulk cobalt-60 production. Several studies have been performed to produce cobalt-60 using adjuster rod at Wolsong nuclear power plant. This study proposed new concept for producing cobalt-60 and performed the feasibility study. Bundle typed cobalt loading concept is proposed and evaluated the feasibility to fuel management without physics and system design change. The requirement to load cobalt bundle to the core was considered and several channels are nominated. The production of cobalt-60 source is very depend on the flux level and burnup directly. But the neutron absorption characteristic of cobalt bundle is too high, so optimizing design study is needed in the future

Feasibility Study for Cobalt Bundle Loading to CANDU Reactor Core

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Donghwan; Kim, Youngae; Kim, Sungmin [KHNP Central Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

CANDU units are generally used to produce cobalt-60 at Bruce and Point Lepreau in Canada and Embalse in Argentina. China has started production of cobalt-60 using its CANDU 6 Qinshan Phase III nuclear power plant in 2009. For cobalt-60 production, the reactor’s full complement of stainless steel adjusters is replaced with neutronically equivalent cobalt-59 adjusters, which are essentially invisible to reactor operation. With its very high neutron flux and optimized fuel burn-up, the CANDU has a very high cobalt-60 production rate in a relatively short time. This makes CANDU an excellent vehicle for bulk cobalt-60 production. Several studies have been performed to produce cobalt-60 using adjuster rod at Wolsong nuclear power plant. This study proposed new concept for producing cobalt-60 and performed the feasibility study. Bundle typed cobalt loading concept is proposed and evaluated the feasibility to fuel management without physics and system design change. The requirement to load cobalt bundle to the core was considered and several channels are nominated. The production of cobalt-60 source is very depend on the flux level and burnup directly. But the neutron absorption characteristic of cobalt bundle is too high, so optimizing design study is needed in the future.

Characterization of MIPAS elevation pointing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Kiefer

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Sufficient knowledge of the pointing is essential for analyses of limb emission measurements. The scientific retrieval processor for MIPAS on ENVISAT operated at IMK allows the retrieval of pointing information in terms of tangent altitudes along with temperature. The retrieved tangent altitudes are independent of systematic offsets in the engineering Line-Of-Sight (LOS information delivered with the ESA Level 1b product. The difference of pointing retrieved from the reprocessed high resolution MIPAS spectra and the engineering pointing information was examined with respect to spatial/temporal behaviour. Among others the following characteristics of MIPAS pointing could be identified: Generally the engineering tangent altitudes are too high by 0–1.8 km with conspicuous variations in this range over time. Prior to December of 2003 there was a drift of about 50–100 m/h, which was due to a slow change in the satellite attitude. A correction of this attitude is done twice a day, which leads to discontinuities in the order of 1–1.5 km in the tangent altitudes. Occasionally discontinuities up to 2.5 km are found, as already reported from MIPAS and SCIAMACHY observations. After an update of the orbit position software in December 2003 values of drift and jumps are much reduced. There is a systematic difference in the mispointing between the poles which amounts to 1.5–2 km, i.e. there is a conspicuous orbit-periodic feature. The analysis of the correlation between the instrument's viewing angle azimuth and differential mispointing supports the hypotheses that a major part of this latter phenomenon can be attributed to an error in the roll angle of the satellite/instrument system of approximately 42 mdeg. One conclusion is that ESA level 2 data should be compared to other data exclusively on tangent pressure levels. Complementary to IMK data, ESA operational LOS calibration results were used to characterize MIPAS pointing. For this purpose

History and Point in Time in Enterprise Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constantin Gelu APOSTOL

2006-01-01

Full Text Available First part points out the main differences between temporal and non-temporal databases. In the second part, based on identification of the three main categories of time involved in database applications: user-defined time, valid time and transaction time, some relevant solutions for their implementation are discussed, mainly from the point of view of database organization and data access level of enterprise applications. The final part is dedicated to the influences of historical data in the business logic and presentation levels of enterprise applications and in application services, as security, workflow, reporting.

Update on Cernavoda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boucher, R.

1994-01-01

The Cernavoda project in Romania is for five 700 MWe CANDU units. Construction began in 1980, but because of problems occurring, many of them associated with political, social, and economic changes in Romania, in 1991 the management of construction of Unit 1 was transferred from RENEL (Regia Nationala de Electricitate) to a consortium formed by AECL and Ansaldo. This had been one of the chief recommendations of a pr-operational safety review conducted by the I.A.E.A. By May 1994, Unit 1 was 93.4% complete, but progress was hampered by the need to rework a number of components, mainly piping. A continuous quality assurance program was in place. Ninety-two Romanian operators were trained by New Brunswick Power at Point Lepreau. As of the date of the conference, the target date for grid connection was March 1995, nine months ahead of the contractual target

Nuclear power as a regional energy supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacLoon, Frank.

1983-02-01

The author describes the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant and its impact on the electric power grid and the economy of the small province of New Brunswick. The 600 MW CANDU reactor is considered suitable for small operations and has an excellent world record. Although nuclear energy has high capital costs, its fuel costs are low, thus rendering it comparatively inflation free. Its fuel costs of 3 to 4 mills are contrasted with 40 mills for oil-fuelled units. The cost advantage of uranium over coal and oil permits New Brunswick to put aside funds for waste management and decommissioning. Regulatory streamlining is needed to reduce both expense and time of construction. The CANDU system is ideally suited to providing base load, with coal as an intermediate load supply and hydro for peaking. There is room for tidal power as a future part of the mix

Calibration and comparison of accelerometer cut points in preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

van Cauwenberghe, Eveline; Labarque, Valery; Trost, Stewart G; de Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Cardon, Greet

2011-06-01

The present study aimed to develop accelerometer cut points to classify physical activities (PA) by intensity in preschoolers and to investigate discrepancies in PA levels when applying various accelerometer cut points. To calibrate the accelerometer, 18 preschoolers (5.8 ± 0.4 years) performed eleven structured activities and one free play session while wearing a GT1M ActiGraph accelerometer using 15 s epochs. The structured activities were chosen based on the direct observation system Children's Activity Rating Scale (CARS) while the criterion measure of PA intensity during free play was provided using a second-by-second observation protocol (modified CARS). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to determine the accelerometer cut points. To examine the classification differences, accelerometer data of four consecutive days from 114 preschoolers (5.5 ± 0.3 years) were classified by intensity according to previously published and the newly developed accelerometer cut points. Differences in predicted PA levels were evaluated using repeated measures ANOVA and Chi Square test. Cut points were identified at 373 counts/15 s for light (sensitivity: 86%; specificity: 91%; Area under ROC curve: 0.95), 585 counts/15 s for moderate (87%; 82%; 0.91) and 881 counts/15 s for vigorous PA (88%; 91%; 0.94). Further, applying various accelerometer cut points to the same data resulted in statistically and biologically significant differences in PA. Accelerometer cut points were developed with good discriminatory power for differentiating between PA levels in preschoolers and the choice of accelerometer cut points can result in large discrepancies.

Dissipative N-point-vortex Models in the Plane

Science.gov (United States)

Shashikanth, Banavara N.

2010-02-01

A method is presented for constructing point vortex models in the plane that dissipate the Hamiltonian function at any prescribed rate and yet conserve the level sets of the invariants of the Hamiltonian model arising from the SE (2) symmetries. The method is purely geometric in that it uses the level sets of the Hamiltonian and the invariants to construct the dissipative field and is based on elementary classical geometry in ℝ3. Extension to higher-dimensional spaces, such as the point vortex phase space, is done using exterior algebra. The method is in fact general enough to apply to any smooth finite-dimensional system with conserved quantities, and, for certain special cases, the dissipative vector field constructed can be associated with an appropriately defined double Nambu-Poisson bracket. The most interesting feature of this method is that it allows for an infinite sequence of such dissipative vector fields to be constructed by repeated application of a symmetric linear operator (matrix) at each point of the intersection of the level sets.

Realization of Copper Melting Point for Thermocouple Calibrations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. A. ABDELAZIZ

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Although the temperature stability and uncertainty of the freezing plateau is better than that of the melting plateau in most of the thermometry fixed points, but realization of melting plateaus are easier than that of freezing plateaus for metal fixed points. It will be convenient if the melting points can be used instead of the freezing points in calibration of standard noble metal thermocouples because of easier realization and longer plateau duration of melting plateaus. In this work a comparison between the melting and freezing points of copper (Cu was carried out using standard noble metal thermocouples. Platinum - platinum 10 % rhodium (type S, platinum – 30 % rhodium / platinum 6 % rhodium (type B and platinum - palladium (Pt/Pd thermocouples are used in this study. Uncertainty budget analysis of the melting points and freezing points is presented. The experimental results show that it is possible to replace the freezing point with the melting point of copper cell in the calibration of standard noble metal thermocouples in secondary-level laboratories if the optimal methods of realization of melting points are used.

The Level of Utilizing Blended Learning in Teaching Science from the Point of View of Science Teachers in Private Schools of Ajman Educational Zone

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Derbashi, Khaled Y.; Abed, Osama H.

2017-01-01

This study aims to define the level of utilizing blended learning in teaching science from the point of view of science teachers (85 male and female teachers) who are working in private schools of Ajman Educational Zone. The study also aims to find if there are significant differences according to gender, years of experience, or the fact that…

Simultaneous cloud point extraction of low levels of Cd, Cr and Hg in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A one-step preconcentration cloud point extraction (CPE) method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of Cd, Cr, and Hg using a mixture of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) and 1-(2-thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol (TAN) chelating agents and polyoxyethylene nonylphenylether-20 (PONPE-20) surfactant.

Performance of mercury triple point cells made in Brazil

OpenAIRE

Petkovic, Slavolhub Garcia; Santiago, José Felipe Neves; Teixeira, Renato Nunes; Santos, Paulo Roberto da Fonseca

2002-01-01

ABSTRACT: Fixed−points cells are primary standards in ITS-90. They contain reference material with a purity of 99.999 % or more. The gallium in a melting−point cell, for example, can reach a purity of 99.99999 %. This level of purity is not easy to obtain. However, substances like water and mercury can be purified by means of distillation and chemical procedures. This paper presents the results of mercury triple−point cells made in Brazil that were directly compared to a mercury triple−point ...

Interest point detection for hyperspectral imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Dorado-Muñoz, Leidy P.; Vélez-Reyes, Miguel; Roysam, Badrinath; Mukherjee, Amit

2009-05-01

This paper presents an algorithm for automated extraction of interest points (IPs)in multispectral and hyperspectral images. Interest points are features of the image that capture information from its neighbours and they are distinctive and stable under transformations such as translation and rotation. Interest-point operators for monochromatic images were proposed more than a decade ago and have since been studied extensively. IPs have been applied to diverse problems in computer vision, including image matching, recognition, registration, 3D reconstruction, change detection, and content-based image retrieval. Interest points are helpful in data reduction, and reduce the computational burden of various algorithms (like registration, object detection, 3D reconstruction etc) by replacing an exhaustive search over the entire image domain by a probe into a concise set of highly informative points. An interest operator seeks out points in an image that are structurally distinct, invariant to imaging conditions, stable under geometric transformation, and interpretable which are good candidates for interest points. Our approach extends ideas from Lowe's keypoint operator that uses local extrema of Difference of Gaussian (DoG) operator at multiple scales to detect interest point in gray level images. The proposed approach extends Lowe's method by direct conversion of scalar operations such as scale-space generation, and extreme point detection into operations that take the vector nature of the image into consideration. Experimental results with RGB and hyperspectral images which demonstrate the potential of the method for this application and the potential improvements of a fully vectorial approach over band-by-band approaches described in the literature.

Turning point: the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's effort to revitalize public health at the state level.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassmiller, Susan

2002-01-01

The Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Foundation initiated Turning Point in collaboration with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (Kellogg) in 1997. The purpose of this major national initiative was to strengthen the public health infrastructure in the United States so that states, local communities, and their public health agencies might respond to the challenge to protect and improve the public's health in the 21st century. RWJ funded 21 states and Kellogg funded 43 communities to work together to create a new way of thinking about how health could be improved and who should be involved. Although the ultimate outcome was to improve health, both foundations expected diverse partnerships to work together to create strategic health improvement plans at both the community and state levels. The foundations funded a variety of strategies within those health improvement plans during an implementation phase. The premise in funding partnerships, as opposed to a single entity, was that effective public health systems would be developed best through a shared responsibility (including the private sector) for the health of a community.

Wireless power charging using point of load controlled high frequency power converters

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, John M.; Campbell, Steven L.; Chambon, Paul H.; Seiber, Larry E.; White, Clifford P.

2015-10-13

An apparatus for wirelessly charging a battery of an electric vehicle is provided with a point of load control. The apparatus includes a base unit for generating a direct current (DC) voltage. The base unit is regulated by a power level controller. One or more point of load converters can be connected to the base unit by a conductor, with each point of load converter comprising a control signal generator that transmits a signal to the power level controller. The output power level of the DC voltage provided by the base unit is controlled by power level controller such that the power level is sufficient to power all active load converters when commanded to do so by any of the active controllers, without generating excessive power that may be otherwise wasted.

Probing multiband superconductivity by point-contact spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daghero, D; Gonnelli, R S

2010-01-01

Point-contact spectroscopy was originally developed for the determination of the electron-phonon spectral function in normal metals. However, in the past 20 years it has become an important tool in the investigation of superconductors. As a matter of fact, point contacts between a normal metal and a superconductor can provide information on the amplitude and symmetry of the energy gap that, in the superconducting state, opens up at the Fermi level. In this paper we review the experimental and theoretical aspects of point-contact spectroscopy in superconductors, and we give an experimental survey of the most recent applications of this technique to anisotropic and multiband superconductors. (topical review)

High-level waste tank farm set point document

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anthony, J.A. III.

1995-01-01

Setpoints for nuclear safety-related instrumentation are required for actions determined by the design authorization basis. Minimum requirements need to be established for assuring that setpoints are established and held within specified limits. This document establishes the controlling methodology for changing setpoints of all classifications. The instrumentation under consideration involve the transfer, storage, and volume reduction of radioactive liquid waste in the F- and H-Area High-Level Radioactive Waste Tank Farms. The setpoint document will encompass the PROCESS AREA listed in the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) (DPSTSA-200-10 Sup 18) which includes the diversion box HDB-8 facility. In addition to the PROCESS AREAS listed in the SAR, Building 299-H and the Effluent Transfer Facility (ETF) are also included in the scope

High-level waste tank farm set point document

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anthony, J.A. III

1995-01-15

Setpoints for nuclear safety-related instrumentation are required for actions determined by the design authorization basis. Minimum requirements need to be established for assuring that setpoints are established and held within specified limits. This document establishes the controlling methodology for changing setpoints of all classifications. The instrumentation under consideration involve the transfer, storage, and volume reduction of radioactive liquid waste in the F- and H-Area High-Level Radioactive Waste Tank Farms. The setpoint document will encompass the PROCESS AREA listed in the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) (DPSTSA-200-10 Sup 18) which includes the diversion box HDB-8 facility. In addition to the PROCESS AREAS listed in the SAR, Building 299-H and the Effluent Transfer Facility (ETF) are also included in the scope.

A new compact fixed-point blackbody furnace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiraka, K.; Oikawa, H.; Shimizu, T.; Kadoya, S.; Kobayashi, T.; Yamada, Y.; Ishii, J.

2013-01-01

More and more NMIs are realizing their primary scale themselves with fixed-point blackbodies as their reference standard. However, commercially available fixed-point blackbody furnaces of sufficient quality are not always easy to obtain. CHINO Corp. and NMIJ, AIST jointly developed a new compact fixed-point blackbody furnace. The new furnace has such features as 1) improved temperature uniformity when compared to previous products, enabling better plateau quality, 2) adoption of the hybrid fixed-point cell structure with internal insulation to improve robustness and thereby to extend lifetime, 3) easily ejectable and replaceable heater unit and fixed-point cell design, leading to reduced maintenance cost, 4) interchangeability among multiple fixed points from In to Cu points. The replaceable cell feature facilitates long term maintenance of the scale through management of a group of fixed-point cells of the same type. The compact furnace is easily transportable and therefore can also function as a traveling standard for disseminating the radiation temperature scale, and for maintaining the scale at the secondary level and industrial calibration laboratories. It is expected that the furnace will play a key role of the traveling standard in the anticipated APMP supplementary comparison of the radiation thermometry scale

Point-of-care and point-of-procedure optical imaging technologies for primary care and global health.

Science.gov (United States)

Boppart, Stephen A; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca

2014-09-10

Leveraging advances in consumer electronics and wireless telecommunications, low-cost, portable optical imaging devices have the potential to improve screening and detection of disease at the point of care in primary health care settings in both low- and high-resource countries. Similarly, real-time optical imaging technologies can improve diagnosis and treatment at the point of procedure by circumventing the need for biopsy and analysis by expert pathologists, who are scarce in developing countries. Although many optical imaging technologies have been translated from bench to bedside, industry support is needed to commercialize and broadly disseminate these from the patient level to the population level to transform the standard of care. This review provides an overview of promising optical imaging technologies, the infrastructure needed to integrate them into widespread clinical use, and the challenges that must be addressed to harness the potential of these technologies to improve health care systems around the world. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Non-monotonic Pre-fixed Points and Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Berardi

2013-08-01

Full Text Available We consider the problem of finding pre-fixed points of interactive realizers over arbitrary knowledge spaces, obtaining a relative recursive procedure. Knowledge spaces and interactive realizers are an abstract setting to represent learning processes, that can interpret non-constructive proofs. Atomic pieces of information of a knowledge space are stratified into levels, and evaluated into truth values depending on knowledge states. Realizers are then used to define operators that extend a given state by adding and possibly removing atoms: in a learning process states of knowledge change nonmonotonically. Existence of a pre-fixed point of a realizer is equivalent to the termination of the learning process with some state of knowledge which is free of patent contradictions and such that there is nothing to add. In this paper we generalize our previous results in the case of level 2 knowledge spaces and deterministic operators to the case of omega-level knowledge spaces and of non-deterministic operators.

The Mean as Balance Point

Science.gov (United States)

O'Dell, Robin S.

2012-01-01

There are two primary interpretations of the mean: as a leveler of data (Uccellini 1996, pp. 113-114) and as a balance point of a data set. Typically, both interpretations of the mean are ignored in elementary school and middle school curricula. They are replaced with a rote emphasis on calculation using the standard algorithm. When students are…

Correlations in quantum systems and branch points in the complex plane

OpenAIRE

Rotter, I.

2001-01-01

Branch points in the complex plane are responsible for avoided level crossings in closed and open quantum systems. They create not only an exchange of the wave functions but also a mixing of the states of a quantum system at high level density. The influence of branch points in the complex plane on the low-lying states of the system is small.

Filtering Photogrammetric Point Clouds Using Standard LIDAR Filters Towards DTM Generation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Z.; Gerke, M.; Vosselman, G.; Yang, M. Y.

2018-05-01

Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) can be generated from point clouds acquired by laser scanning or photogrammetric dense matching. During the last two decades, much effort has been paid to developing robust filtering algorithms for the airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. With the point cloud quality from dense image matching (DIM) getting better and better, the research question that arises is whether those standard Lidar filters can be used to filter photogrammetric point clouds as well. Experiments are implemented to filter two dense matching point clouds with different noise levels. Results show that the standard Lidar filter is robust to random noise. However, artefacts and blunders in the DIM points often appear due to low contrast or poor texture in the images. Filtering will be erroneous in these locations. Filtering the DIM points pre-processed by a ranking filter will bring higher Type II error (i.e. non-ground points actually labelled as ground points) but much lower Type I error (i.e. bare ground points labelled as non-ground points). Finally, the potential DTM accuracy that can be achieved by DIM points is evaluated. Two DIM point clouds derived by Pix4Dmapper and SURE are compared. On grassland dense matching generates points higher than the true terrain surface, which will result in incorrectly elevated DTMs. The application of the ranking filter leads to a reduced bias in the DTM height, but a slightly increased noise level.

HIERARCHICAL REGULARIZATION OF POLYGONS FOR PHOTOGRAMMETRIC POINT CLOUDS OF OBLIQUE IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Xie

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Despite the success of multi-view stereo (MVS reconstruction from massive oblique images in city scale, only point clouds and triangulated meshes are available from existing MVS pipelines, which are topologically defect laden, free of semantical information and hard to edit and manipulate interactively in further applications. On the other hand, 2D polygons and polygonal models are still the industrial standard. However, extraction of the 2D polygons from MVS point clouds is still a non-trivial task, given the fact that the boundaries of the detected planes are zigzagged and regularities, such as parallel and orthogonal, cannot preserve. Aiming to solve these issues, this paper proposes a hierarchical polygon regularization method for the photogrammetric point clouds from existing MVS pipelines, which comprises of local and global levels. After boundary points extraction, e.g. using alpha shapes, the local level is used to consolidate the original points, by refining the orientation and position of the points using linear priors. The points are then grouped into local segments by forward searching. In the global level, regularities are enforced through a labeling process, which encourage the segments share the same label and the same label represents segments are parallel or orthogonal. This is formulated as Markov Random Field and solved efficiently. Preliminary results are made with point clouds from aerial oblique images and compared with two classical regularization methods, which have revealed that the proposed method are more powerful in abstracting a single building and is promising for further 3D polygonal model reconstruction and GIS applications.

High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Test Reactor Point Design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sterbentz, James William [Idaho National Laboratory; Bayless, Paul David [Idaho National Laboratory; Nelson, Lee Orville [Idaho National Laboratory; Gougar, Hans David [Idaho National Laboratory; Kinsey, James Carl [Idaho National Laboratory; Strydom, Gerhard [Idaho National Laboratory; Kumar, Akansha [Idaho National Laboratory

2016-04-01

A point design has been developed for a 200 MW high-temperature gas-cooled test reactor. The point design concept uses standard prismatic blocks and 15.5% enriched UCO fuel. Reactor physics and thermal-hydraulics simulations have been performed to characterize the capabilities of the design. In addition to the technical data, overviews are provided on the technological readiness level, licensing approach and costs.

Bright point study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, F.; Harvey, K.; Bruner, M.; Kent, B.; Antonucci, E.

1982-01-01

Transition region and coronal observations of bright points by instruments aboard the Solar Maximum Mission and high resolution photospheric magnetograph observations on September 11, 1980 are presented. A total of 31 bipolar ephemeral regions were found in the photosphere from birth in 9.3 hours of combined magnetograph observations from three observatories. Two of the three ephemeral regions present in the field of view of the Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Polarimeter were observed in the C IV 1548 line. The unobserved ephemeral region was determined to be the shortest-lived (2.5 hr) and lowest in magnetic flux density (13G) of the three regions. The Flat Crystal Spectrometer observed only low level signals in the O VIII 18.969 A line, which were not statistically significant to be positively identified with any of the 16 ephemeral regions detected in the photosphere. In addition, the data indicate that at any given time there lacked a one-to-one correspondence between observable bright points and photospheric ephemeral regions, while more ephemeral regions were observed than their counterparts in the transition region and the corona

On the regularization of extremal three-point functions involving giant gravitons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charlotte Kristjansen

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In the AdS5/CFT4 set-up, extremal three-point functions involving two giant 1/2 BPS gravitons and one point-like 1/2 BPS graviton, when calculated using semi-classical string theory methods, match the corresponding three-point functions obtained in the tree-level gauge theory. The string theory computation relies on a certain regularization procedure whose justification is based on the match between gauge and string theory. We revisit the regularization procedure and reformulate it in a way which allows a generalization to the ABJM set-up where three-point functions of 1/2 BPS operators are not protected and where a match between tree-level gauge theory and semi-classical string theory is hence not expected.

The task ahead: a Canadian federal regulator's perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, F.F.

1983-06-01

The author discusses the role of the Canadian National Energy Board (NEB) in any possible future exports of nuclear-generated electric power. The federal government has already indicated that it would support New Brunswick Power in its efforts to develop a second reactor at Point Lepreau dedicated to power export, and that similar support would be extended to other utilities. The NEB Act requires that a proposed energy export be surplus to reasonable foreseeable Canadian requirements and that the price be just and reasonable. The output of a plant built for power exports would be surplus to Canadian needs, but the problem comes in determining if producing that surplus would result in a net benefit to Canadians. Negotiating sales contracts will not be easy; purchase of Canadian firm power is only one option among others available to US utilities. However, the Canadian policy framework exists and the NEB is ready to receive applications for export licences

Wrox SharePoint 2010 SharePoint911 three-pack

CERN Document Server

Klindt, Todd; Mason, Jennifer; Rogers, Laura; Drisgill, Randy; Ross, John; Riemann, Larry; Perran, Amanda; Perran, Shane; Sanford, Jacob J; Stubbs, Paul; Caravajal, Steve

2012-01-01

The Wrox SharePoint 2010 SharePoint911 Three-Pack combines the contents of three full e-books written by the experts from SharePoint911.  That's over 1800 pages of hands-on advice from Todd Klindt, Shane Young, Laura Rogers, Randy Drisgill, Jennifer Mason, John Ross, and Larry Riemann, among others. In Beginning SharePoint 2010: Building Business Solutions with SharePoint (ISBN 978-0-470-61789-2) by Amanda Perran, Shane Perran, Jennifer Mason, and Laura Rogers, readers learn the core concepts, terminology, and features of SharePoint 2010. In Professiona

Schroedinger operators with point interactions and short range expansions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albeverio, S.; Hoeegh-Krohn, R.; Oslo Univ.

1984-01-01

We give a survey of recent results concerning Schroedinger operators with point interactions in R 3 . In the case where the point interactions are located at a discrete set of points we discuss results about the resolvent, the spectrum, the resonances and the scattering quantities. We also discuss the approximation of point interactions by short range local potentials (short range or low energy expansions) and the one electron model of a 3-dimensional crystal. Moreover we discuss Schroedinger operators with Coulomb plus point interactions, with applications to the determination of scattering lengths and of level shifts in mesic atoms. Further applications to the multiple well problem, to multiparticle systems, to crystals with random impurities, to polymers and quantum fields are also briefly discussed. (orig.)

High Temperature Gas-Cooled Test Reactor Point Design: Summary Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sterbentz, James William [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Bayless, Paul David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Nelson, Lee Orville [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Gougar, Hans David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Kinsey, J. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Strydom, Gerhard [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-03-01

A point design has been developed for a 200-MW high-temperature gas-cooled test reactor. The point design concept uses standard prismatic blocks and 15.5% enriched uranium oxycarbide fuel. Reactor physics and thermal-hydraulics simulations have been performed to characterize the capabilities of the design. In addition to the technical data, overviews are provided on the technology readiness level, licensing approach, and costs of the test reactor point design.

High Temperature Gas-Cooled Test Reactor Point Design: Summary Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sterbentz, James William [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Bayless, Paul David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Nelson, Lee Orville [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Gougar, Hans David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Strydom, Gerhard [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-01-01

A point design has been developed for a 200-MW high-temperature gas-cooled test reactor. The point design concept uses standard prismatic blocks and 15.5% enriched uranium oxycarbide fuel. Reactor physics and thermal-hydraulics simulations have been performed to characterize the capabilities of the design. In addition to the technical data, overviews are provided on the technology readiness level, licensing approach, and costs of the test reactor point design.

Beginning SharePoint 2010 Administration Windows SharePoint Foundation 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010

CERN Document Server

Husman, Göran

2010-01-01

Complete coverage on the latest advances in SharePoint 2010 administration. SharePoint 2010 comprises an abundance of new features, and this book shows you how to take advantage of all SharePoint 2010's many improvements. Written by a four-time SharePoint MVP, Beginning SharePoint 2010 Administration begins with a comparison of SharePoint 2010 compared to the previous version and then examines the differences between WSS 4.0 and MSS 2010. Packed with step-by-step instructions, tips and tricks, and real-world examples, this book dives into the basics of how to install, manage, and administrate

Automatic Generation of Structural Building Descriptions from 3D Point Cloud Scans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ochmann, Sebastian; Vock, Richard; Wessel, Raoul

2013-01-01

We present a new method for automatic semantic structuring of 3D point clouds representing buildings. In contrast to existing approaches which either target the outside appearance like the facade structure or rather low-level geometric structures, we focus on the building’s interior using indoor...... scans to derive high-level architectural entities like rooms and doors. Starting with a registered 3D point cloud, we probabilistically model the affiliation of each measured point to a certain room in the building. We solve the resulting clustering problem using an iterative algorithm that relies...

May 2002 Lidar Point Data of Southern California Coastline: Dana Point to Point La Jolla

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains lidar point data from a strip of Southern California coastline (including water, beach, cliffs, and top of cliffs) from Dana Point to Point La...

September 2002 Lidar Point Data of Southern California Coastline: Dana Point to Point La Jolla

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains lidar point data from a strip of Southern California coastline (including water, beach, cliffs, and top of cliffs) from Dana Point to Point La...

Introducing Nine-Point Circle to Junior High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Fiangga, S.; Azizah, M. A. N.; Rini, R. N. K.; Hidayanti, A. N.

2018-01-01

The concept of circles is an ancient concept that has appeared since Ancient Egypt from which this concept gives many significant contributions in mathematics’ development until now. Nevertheless, the concept of circles hides many uncover mysterious features that are of applications in mathematics. One of the mysterious features is the Nine-Point Circle. This Nine-point circle is also known as Euler’s circle, six-point circle, Feuerbach’s circle, the twelve-point circle, and many others. Because of these different names, there have been misunderstand among mathematicians about the Nine-Point Circle’s history. Besides, the discussion of Nine-Point Circle can be used to be an initial material to explain elementary geometry topic in junior high school’s level curriculum of 2013. Therefore, this concept needs to be delivered to the students as a geometry introduction. A possible form of the integration historical aspect of Nine-point circle is suggested in this paper as well as its importance in the curriculum of 2013.

Finding a single point of truth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sokolov, S.; Thijssen, H. [Autodesk Inc, Toronto, ON (Canada); Laslo, D.; Martin, J. [Autodesk Inc., San Rafael, CA (United States)

2010-07-01

Electric utilities collect large volumes of data at every level of their business, including SCADA, Smart Metering and Smart Grid initiatives, LIDAR and other 3D imagery surveys. Different types of database systems are used to store the information, rendering data flow within the utility business process extremely complicated. The industry trend has been to endure redundancy of data input and maintenance of multiple copies of the same data across different solution data sets. Efforts have been made to improve the situation with point to point interfaces, but with the tools and solutions available today, a single point of truth can be achieved. Consolidated and validated data can be published into a data warehouse at the right point in the process, making the information available to all other enterprise systems and solutions. This paper explained how the single point of truth spatial data warehouse and process automation services can be configured to streamline the flow of data within the utility business process using the initiate-plan-execute-close (IPEC) utility workflow model. The paper first discussed geospatial challenges faced by utilities and then presented the approach and technology aspects. It was concluded that adoption of systems and solutions that can function with and be controlled by the IPEC workflow can provide significant improvement for utility operations, particularly if those systems are coupled with the spatial data warehouse that reflects a single point of truth. 6 refs., 3 figs.

Adaptive aspirations and performance heterogeneity : Attention allocation among multiple reference points

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blettner, D.P.; He, Z.; Hu, S.; Bettis, R.

Organizations learn and adapt their aspiration levels based on reference points (prior aspiration, prior performance, and prior performance of reference groups). The relative attention that organizations allocate to these reference points impacts organizational search and strategic decisions.

An Asynchronous IEEE Floating-Point Arithmetic Unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joel R. Noche

2007-12-01

Full Text Available An asynchronous floating-point arithmetic unit is designed and tested at the transistor level usingCadence software. It uses CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor and DCVS (differentialcascode voltage switch logic in a 0.35 µm process using a 3.3 V supply voltage, with dual-rail data andsingle-rail control signals using four-phase handshaking.Using 17,085 transistors, the unit handles single-precision (32-bit addition/subtraction, multiplication,division, and remainder using the IEEE 754-1985 Standard for Binary Floating-Point Arithmetic, withrounding and other operations to be handled by separate hardware or software. Division and remainderare done using a restoring subtractive algorithm; multiplication uses an additive algorithm. Exceptionsare noted by flags (and not trap handlers and the output is in single-precision.Previous work on asynchronous floating-point arithmetic units have mostly focused on single operationssuch as division. This is the first work to the authors' knowledge that can perform floating-point addition,multiplication, division, and remainder using a common datapath.

BPP: a sequence-based algorithm for branch point prediction.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qing; Fan, Xiaodan; Wang, Yejun; Sun, Ming-An; Shao, Jianlin; Guo, Dianjing

2017-10-15

Although high-throughput sequencing methods have been proposed to identify splicing branch points in the human genome, these methods can only detect a small fraction of the branch points subject to the sequencing depth, experimental cost and the expression level of the mRNA. An accurate computational model for branch point prediction is therefore an ongoing objective in human genome research. We here propose a novel branch point prediction algorithm that utilizes information on the branch point sequence and the polypyrimidine tract. Using experimentally validated data, we demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms existing methods. Availability and implementation: https://github.com/zhqingit/BPP. djguo@cuhk.edu.hk. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

End points and assessments in esthetic dental treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishida, Yuichi; Fujimoto, Keiko; Higaki, Nobuaki; Goto, Takaharu; Ichikawa, Tetsuo

2015-10-01

There are two key considerations for successful esthetic dental treatments. This article systematically describes the two key considerations: the end points of esthetic dental treatments and assessments of esthetic outcomes, which are also important for acquiring clinical skill in esthetic dental treatments. The end point and assessment of esthetic dental treatment were discussed through literature reviews and clinical practices. Before designing a treatment plan, the end point of dental treatment should be established. The section entitled "End point of esthetic dental treatment" discusses treatments for maxillary anterior teeth and the restoration of facial profile with prostheses. The process of assessing treatment outcomes entitled "Assessments of esthetic dental treatment" discusses objective and subjective evaluation methods. Practitioners should reach an agreement regarding desired end points with patients through medical interviews, and continuing improvements and developments of esthetic assessments are required to raise the therapeutic level of esthetic dental treatments. Copyright © 2015 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Four points function fitted and first derivative procedure for determining the end points in potentiometric titration curves: statistical analysis and method comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Kholeif, S A

2001-06-01

A new method that belongs to the differential category for determining the end points from potentiometric titration curves is presented. It uses a preprocess to find first derivative values by fitting four data points in and around the region of inflection to a non-linear function, and then locate the end point, usually as a maximum or minimum, using an inverse parabolic interpolation procedure that has an analytical solution. The behavior and accuracy of the sigmoid and cumulative non-linear functions used are investigated against three factors. A statistical evaluation of the new method using linear least-squares method validation and multifactor data analysis are covered. The new method is generally applied to symmetrical and unsymmetrical potentiometric titration curves, and the end point is calculated using numerical procedures only. It outperforms the "parent" regular differential method in almost all factors levels and gives accurate results comparable to the true or estimated true end points. Calculated end points from selected experimental titration curves compatible with the equivalence point category of methods, such as Gran or Fortuin, are also compared with the new method.

Spectrophotometric determination of low levels arsenic species in beverages after ion-pairing vortex-assisted cloud-point extraction with acridine red.

Science.gov (United States)

Altunay, Nail; Gürkan, Ramazan; Kır, Ufuk

2016-01-01

A new, low-cost, micellar-sensitive and selective spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of inorganic arsenic (As) species in beverage samples. Vortex-assisted cloud-point extraction (VA-CPE) was used for the efficient pre-concentration of As(V) in the selected samples. The method is based on selective and sensitive ion-pairing of As(V) with acridine red (ARH(+)) in the presence of pyrogallol and sequential extraction into the micellar phase of Triton X-45 at pH 6.0. Under the optimised conditions, the calibration curve was highly linear in the range of 0.8-280 µg l(-1) for As(V). The limits of detection and quantification of the method were 0.25 and 0.83 µg l(-1), respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of trace As in the pre-treated and digested samples under microwave and ultrasonic power. As(V) and total As levels in the samples were spectrophotometrically determined after pre-concentration with VA-CPE at 494 nm before and after oxidation with acidic KMnO4. The As(III) levels were calculated from the difference between As(V) and total As levels. The accuracy of the method was demonstrated by analysis of two certified reference materials (CRMs) where the measured values for As were statistically within the 95% confidence limit for the certified values.

Two-year-olds use adults' but not peers' points.

Science.gov (United States)

Kachel, Gregor; Moore, Richard; Tomasello, Michael

2018-03-12

In the current study, 24- to 27-month-old children (N = 37) used pointing gestures in a cooperative object choice task with either peer or adult partners. When indicating the location of a hidden toy, children pointed equally accurately for adult and peer partners but more often for adult partners. When choosing from one of three hiding places, children used adults' pointing to find a hidden toy significantly more often than they used peers'. In interaction with peers, children's choice behavior was at chance level. These results suggest that toddlers ascribe informative value to adults' but not peers' pointing gestures, and highlight the role of children's social expectations in their communicative development. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Performances improvement of maximum power point tracking perturb and observe method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Egiziano, L.; Femia, N.; Granozio, D.; Petrone, G.; Spagnuolo, G. [Salermo Univ., Salermo (Italy); Vitelli, M. [Seconda Univ. di Napoli, Napoli (Italy)

2006-07-01

Perturb and observe best operation conditions were investigated in order to identify edge efficiency performance capabilities of a maximum power point (MPP) tracking technique for photovoltaic (PV) applications. The strategy was developed to ensure a 3-points behavior across the MPP under a fixed irradiation level with a central point blocked on the MPP and 2 operating points operating at voltage values that guaranteed the same power levels. The system was also devised to quickly detect the MPP movement in the presence of varying atmospheric conditions by increasing the perturbation so that the MPP was guaranteed within a few sampling periods. A perturbation equation was selected where amplitude was represented as a function of the actual power drawn from the PV field together with the adoption of a parabolic interpolation of the sequence of the final 3 acquired voltage power couples corresponding to as many operating points. The technique was developed to ensure that the power difference between 2 consecutive operating points was higher than the power quantization error. Simulations were conducted to demonstrate that the proposed technique arranged operating points symmetrically around the MPP. The average power of the 3-points set was achieved by means of the parabolic prediction. Experiments conducted to validate the simulation showed a reduced power oscillation below the MPP and a real power gain. 2 refs., 8 figs.

Address Points - COUNTY_ADDRESS_POINTS_IDHS_IN: Address Points Maintained by County Agencies in Indiana (Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Point feature class)

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC State | GIS Inventory — COUNTY_ADDRESS_POINTS_IDHS_IN is an ESRI Geodatabase point feature class that contains address points maintained by county agencies in Indiana, provided by personnel...

Real World SharePoint 2010 Indispensable Experiences from 22 MVPs

CERN Document Server

Hillier, Scot; Bishop, Darrin; Bleeker, Todd; Bogue, Robert; Bosch, Karine; Brotto, Claudio; Buenz, Adam; Connell, Andrew; Drisgill, Randy; Lapointe, Gary; Medero, Jason; Molnar, Agnes; O'Brien, Chris; Klindt, Todd; Poelmans, Joris; Rehmani, Asif; Ross, John; Swan, Nick; Walsh, Mike; Williams, Randy; Young, Shane; Macori, Igor

2010-01-01

Proven real-world best practices from leading Microsoft SharePoint MVPsSharePoint enables Web sites to host shared workspaces and is a leading solution for Enterprise Content Management. The newest version boasts significant changes, impressive enhancements, and new features, requiring developers and administrators of all levels of experience to quickly get up to speed on the latest changes. This book is a must-have anthology of current best practices for SharePoint 2010 from 20 of the top SharePoint MVPs. They offer insider advice on everything from installation, workflow, and Web parts to bu

Beginning SharePoint 2010 Building Business Solutions with SharePoint

CERN Document Server

Perran, Amanda; Mason, Jennifer; Rogers, Laura

2010-01-01

Two SharePoint MVPs provide the ultimate introduction to SharePoint 2010Beginning SharePoint 2010: Building Team Solutions with SharePoint provides information workers and site managers with extensive knowledge and expert advice, empowering them to become SharePoint champions within their organizations.Provides expansive coverage of SharePoint topics, as well as specialty areas such as forms, excel services, records management, and web content managementDetails realistic usage scenarios, and includes practice examples that highlight best practices for configuration and customizationIncludes de

FINDING CUBOID-BASED BUILDING MODELS IN POINT CLOUDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Nguatem

2012-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present an automatic approach for the derivation of 3D building models of level-of-detail 1 (LOD 1 from point clouds obtained from (dense image matching or, for comparison only, from LIDAR. Our approach makes use of the predominance of vertical structures and orthogonal intersections in architectural scenes. After robustly determining the scene's vertical direction based on the 3D points we use it as constraint for a RANSAC-based search for vertical planes in the point cloud. The planes are further analyzed to segment reliable outlines for rectangular surface within these planes, which are connected to construct cuboid-based building models. We demonstrate that our approach is robust and effective over a range of real-world input data sets with varying point density, amount of noise, and outliers.

Accurate dew-point measurement over a wide temperature range using a quartz crystal microbalance dew-point sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Su-Yong; Kim, Jong-Chul; Choi, Buyng-Il

2008-11-01

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) dew-point sensors are based on frequency measurement, and so have fast response time, high sensitivity and high accuracy. Recently, we have reported that they have the very convenient attribute of being able to distinguish between supercooled dew and frost from a single scan through the resonant frequency of the quartz resonator as a function of the temperature. In addition to these advantages, by using three different types of heat sinks, we have developed a QCM dew/frost-point sensor with a very wide working temperature range (-90 °C to 15 °C). The temperature of the quartz surface can be obtained effectively by measuring the temperature of the quartz crystal holder and using temperature compensation curves (which showed a high level of repeatability and reproducibility). The measured dew/frost points showed very good agreement with reference values and were within ±0.1 °C over the whole temperature range.

Accurate dew-point measurement over a wide temperature range using a quartz crystal microbalance dew-point sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Su-Yong; Kim, Jong-Chul; Choi, Buyng-Il

2008-01-01

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) dew-point sensors are based on frequency measurement, and so have fast response time, high sensitivity and high accuracy. Recently, we have reported that they have the very convenient attribute of being able to distinguish between supercooled dew and frost from a single scan through the resonant frequency of the quartz resonator as a function of the temperature. In addition to these advantages, by using three different types of heat sinks, we have developed a QCM dew/frost-point sensor with a very wide working temperature range (−90 °C to 15 °C). The temperature of the quartz surface can be obtained effectively by measuring the temperature of the quartz crystal holder and using temperature compensation curves (which showed a high level of repeatability and reproducibility). The measured dew/frost points showed very good agreement with reference values and were within ±0.1 °C over the whole temperature range

Pressure Points in Reading Comprehension: A Quantile Multiple Regression Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Logan, Jessica

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine how selected pressure points or areas of vulnerability are related to individual differences in reading comprehension and whether the importance of these pressure points varies as a function of the level of children's reading comprehension. A sample of 245 third-grade children were given an assessment battery…

From Point Clouds to Definitions of Architectural Space

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tamke, Martin; Blümel, Ina; Ochmann, Sebastian

2014-01-01

Regarding interior building topology as an important aspect in building design and management, several approaches to indoor point cloud structuring have been introduced recently. Apart from a high-level semantic segmentation of the formerly unstructured point clouds into stories and rooms...... possible applications of these approaches in architectural design and building management and comment on the possible benefits for the building profession. While contemporary practice of spatial arrangement is predominantly based on the manual iteration of spatial topologies, we show that the segmentation...

Tipping Point

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... en español Blog About OnSafety CPSC Stands for Safety The Tipping Point Home > 60 Seconds of Safety (Videos) > The Tipping Point The Tipping Point by ... danger death electrical fall furniture head injury product safety television tipover tv Watch the video in Adobe ...

Bilevel Optimization for Scene Segmentation of LiDAR Point Cloud

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LI Minglei

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The segmentation of point clouds obtained by light detection and ranging (LiDAR systems is a critical step for many tasks,such as data organization,reconstruction and information extraction.In this paper,we propose a bilevel progressive optimization algorithm based on the local differentiability.First,we define the topological relation and distance metric of points in the framework of Riemannian geometry,and in the point-based level using k-means method generates over-segmentation results,e.g.super voxels.Then these voxels are formulated as nodes which consist a minimal spanning tree.High level features are extracted from voxel structures,and a graph-based optimization method is designed to yield the final adaptive segmentation results.The implementation experiments on real data demonstrate that our method is efficient and superior to state-of-the-art methods.

Digital Levelling in Subterranean Spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomáš Jiřikovský

2007-06-01

Full Text Available For precision levelling works are now more often used digital levels and code-scale staffs. Advantages in (and problems with their application to the regular line-levelling are well known and described. However, when using the digital levelling for measurements in specific local geodetic networks, monitoring networks and inside of buildings and underground spaces, new problems appear with the signalisation of the observed points, readability of the code (non-uniform illumination, temperature changes etc. The article informs about the application of two types of digital levels (Sokkia SDL-2, Trimble Zeiss DiNi 12T in the experimental subterranean levelling network for the basement settlement monitoring of a ten-floor building; the solution of marking of the points, field calibration and the system calibration of digital levels.

Biological reference points for fish stocks in a multispecies context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Collie, J.S.; Gislason, Henrik

2001-01-01

Biological reference points (BRPs) are widely used to define safe levels of harvesting for marine fish populations. Most BRPs are either minimum acceptable biomass levels or maximum fishing mortality rates. The values of BRPs are determined from historical abundance data and the life...

Point-to-point people with purpose—Exploring the possibility of a commercial traveler market for point-to-point suborbital space transportation

Science.gov (United States)

Webber, Derek

2013-12-01

An argument was made at the First Arcachon Conference on Private Human Access to Space in 2008 [1] that some systematic market research should be conducted into potential market segments for point-to-point suborbital space transportation (PtP), in order to understand whether a commercial market exists which might augment possible government use for such a vehicle. The cargo market potential was subsequently addressed via desk research, and the results, which resulted in a pessimistic business case outlook, were presented in [2]. The same desk research approach is now used in this paper to address the potential business and wealthy individual passenger traveler market segment ("point-to-point people with purpose"). The results, with the assumed ticket pricing, are not encouraging.

Automatic Generation of Structural Building Descriptions from 3D Point Cloud Scans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ochmann, Sebastian; Vock, Richard; Wessel, Raoul

2013-01-01

We present a new method for automatic semantic structuring of 3D point clouds representing buildings. In contrast to existing approaches which either target the outside appearance like the facade structure or rather low-level geometric structures, we focus on the building’s interior using indoor...... scans to derive high-level architectural entities like rooms and doors. Starting with a registered 3D point cloud, we probabilistically model the affiliation of each measured point to a certain room in the building. We solve the resulting clustering problem using an iterative algorithm that relies...... on the estimated visibilities between any two locations within the point cloud. With the segmentation into rooms at hand, we subsequently determine the locations and extents of doors between adjacent rooms. In our experiments, we demonstrate the feasibility of our method by applying it to synthetic as well...

Computing three-point functions for short operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bargheer, Till; Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ; Minahan, Joseph A.; Pereira, Raul

2013-11-01

We compute the three-point structure constants for short primary operators of N=4 super Yang.Mills theory to leading order in 1/√(λ) by mapping the problem to a flat-space string theory calculation. We check the validity of our procedure by comparing to known results for three chiral primaries. We then compute the three-point functions for any combination of chiral and non-chiral primaries, with the non-chiral primaries all dual to string states at the first massive level. Along the way we find many cancellations that leave us with simple expressions, suggesting that integrability is playing an important role.

Computing three-point functions for short operators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bargheer, Till [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ (United States). School of Natural Sciences; Minahan, Joseph A.; Pereira, Raul [Uppsala Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy

2013-11-15

We compute the three-point structure constants for short primary operators of N=4 super Yang.Mills theory to leading order in 1/√(λ) by mapping the problem to a flat-space string theory calculation. We check the validity of our procedure by comparing to known results for three chiral primaries. We then compute the three-point functions for any combination of chiral and non-chiral primaries, with the non-chiral primaries all dual to string states at the first massive level. Along the way we find many cancellations that leave us with simple expressions, suggesting that integrability is playing an important role.

Starting point anchoring effects in choice experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ladenburg, Jacob; Olsen, Søren Bøye

of preferences in Choice Experiments resembles the Dichotomous Choice format, there is reason to suspect that Choice Experiments are equally vulnerable to anchoring bias. Employing different sets of price levels in a so-called Instruction Choice Set presented prior to the actual choice sets, the present study...... subjectivity in the present study is gender dependent, pointing towards, that female respondents are prone to be affected by the price levels employed. Male respondents, on the other hand, are not sensitive towards these prices levels. Overall, this implicates that female respondents, when employing a low......-priced Instruction Choice Set, tend to express lower willingness-to-pay than when higher prices are employed....

Hardware-accelerated Point Generation and Rendering of Point-based Impostors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bærentzen, Jakob Andreas

2005-01-01

This paper presents a novel scheme for generating points from triangle models. The method is fast and lends itself well to implementation using graphics hardware. The triangle to point conversion is done by rendering the models, and the rendering may be performed procedurally or by a black box API....... I describe the technique in detail and discuss how the generated point sets can easily be used as impostors for the original triangle models used to create the points. Since the points reside solely in GPU memory, these impostors are fairly efficient. Source code is available online....

REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN SLOVAK REPUBLIC AT NUTS 3 LEVEL FROM DIRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENTS POINT OF VIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radoslav Koziak

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Slovak Republic, likewise other member states of the European Union, has beenexperiencing problems with the inter-regional differences for long time. These aremanifested in different forms (economic, social, environmental and others. Diversemacroeconomic regional indicators are used to express and quantificate the inter-regionaldifferences. Among traditionally used and by experts acknowledged quantities ofmeasurement of the inter-regional differences belong for example a gross domestic product(from diverse viewpoint and specification, labor market indicators, e.g. employment andunemployment rates, demographic development indicators, indicators assessingenvironment condition or standard of life, as well as the indicators quantifying theinvestments condition and development (domestic or foreign that flow into the objectterritory since we consider them an important factor and precondition of growth anddevelopment of the state as a whole, as well as its individual regions.The present contribution deals with an issue of the inter-regional differences formulationand measurement in the Slovak Republic on a NUTS 3 regions examination level (from anuniform system of the territorial units classification viewpoint, it means the autonomousdistricts (from a territorial-administrative order of Slovak Republic viewpoint, from directforeign investments‘ point of view.In the contribution there are theoretically defined basic concepts with which we operate,a specified methodological procedure for the inter-regional differences formulation andmeasurement, a direct foreign investments condition analysis from 1997 to 2007(development of the direct foreign investments during above period in all autonomousdistricts were subjected to a statistical examination as well as statistical testing that willreveal a convergence (meaning a moderation/decrease or a divergence (meaninga deepening of the inter-regional disparities on the NUTS 3 level. In addition to anabsolute

Modeling the contribution of point sources and non-point sources to Thachin River water pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffner, Monika; Bader, Hans-Peter; Scheidegger, Ruth

2009-08-15

Major rivers in developing and emerging countries suffer increasingly of severe degradation of water quality. The current study uses a mathematical Material Flow Analysis (MMFA) as a complementary approach to address the degradation of river water quality due to nutrient pollution in the Thachin River Basin in Central Thailand. This paper gives an overview of the origins and flow paths of the various point- and non-point pollution sources in the Thachin River Basin (in terms of nitrogen and phosphorus) and quantifies their relative importance within the system. The key parameters influencing the main nutrient flows are determined and possible mitigation measures discussed. The results show that aquaculture (as a point source) and rice farming (as a non-point source) are the key nutrient sources in the Thachin River Basin. Other point sources such as pig farms, households and industries, which were previously cited as the most relevant pollution sources in terms of organic pollution, play less significant roles in comparison. This order of importance shifts when considering the model results for the provincial level. Crosschecks with secondary data and field studies confirm the plausibility of our simulations. Specific nutrient loads for the pollution sources are derived; these can be used for a first broad quantification of nutrient pollution in comparable river basins. Based on an identification of the sensitive model parameters, possible mitigation scenarios are determined and their potential to reduce the nutrient load evaluated. A comparison of simulated nutrient loads with measured nutrient concentrations shows that nutrient retention in the river system may be significant. Sedimentation in the slow flowing surface water network as well as nitrogen emission to the air from the warm oxygen deficient waters are certainly partly responsible, but also wetlands along the river banks could play an important role as nutrient sinks.

Acupuncture-Point Stimulation for Postoperative Pain Control: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xian-Liang Liu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Acupuncture-point stimulation (APS in postoperative pain control compared with sham/placebo acupuncture or standard treatments (usual care or no treatment. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs were included. Meta-analysis results indicated that APS interventions improved VAS scores significantly and also reduced total morphine consumption. No serious APS-related adverse effects (AEs were reported. There is Level I evidence for the effectiveness of body points plaster therapy and Level II evidence for body points electroacupuncture (EA, body points acupressure, body points APS for abdominal surgery patients, auricular points seed embedding, manual auricular acupuncture, and auricular EA. We obtained Level III evidence for body points APS in patients who underwent cardiac surgery and cesarean section and for auricular-point stimulation in patients who underwent abdominal surgery. There is insufficient evidence to conclude that APS is an effective postoperative pain therapy in surgical patients, although the evidence does support the conclusion that APS can reduce analgesic requirements without AEs. The best level of evidence was not adequate in most subgroups. Some limitations of this study may have affected the results, possibly leading to an overestimation of APS effects.

Electrochemical and weight-loss study of carbon steel corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, V.J.; Olive, R.P.

2007-01-01

The Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) will undergo an 18 month refurbishment project beginning in April, 2008. During this time, most of the carbon steel piping in the primary loop will be drained of water and dried. However, some water will remain during the shutdown due to the lack of drains in some lower points in the piping system. As a result, it is necessary to examine the effect of corrosion during the refurbishment. This study examined the effect of several variables on the corrosion rate of clean carbon steel. Specifically, the effect of oxygen in the system and the presence of chloride ions were evaluated. Corrosion rates were determined using both a weight-loss technique and electrochemical methods. The experiment was conducted at room temperature. The corrosion products from the experiment were analyzed using a Raman microscope. The results of the weight-loss measurements show that the corrosion rate of polished carbon steel is independent of both the presence of oxygen and chloride ions. The electrochemical method failed to yield meaningful results due to the lack of clearly interpretable data and the inherent subjectivity in the analysis. Lepidocricite was found to be the main corrosion product using the Raman microscope. (author)

General Algorithm (High level)

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. General Algorithm (High level). Iteratively. Use Tightness Property to remove points of P1,..,Pi. Use random sampling to get a Random Sample (of enough points) from the next largest cluster, Pi+1. Use the Random Sampling Procedure to approximate ci+1 using the ...

Trans-Z-source Neutral Point Clamped inverter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mo, W.; Loh, P. C.; Li, D.

2012-01-01

Transformer based Z-source (trans-Z-source) inverters are recently proposed by extending the traditional Z-source inverter with higher buck-boost capability as well as reducing the passive components at the same time. Multi-Level Z-source inverters are single-stage topological solutions used...... for buck-boost energy conversion with all the favourable advantages of multi-level switching retained. This paper presents three-level trans-Z-source Neutral Point Clamped (NPC) inverter topology, which achieves both the advantages of trans-Z-source and three-level NPC inverter configuration. With proper...... modulation scheme, the three-level trans-Z-source inverter can function with minimum of six device commutations per half carrier cycle (same as the traditional buck NPC inverter), while maintaining to produce the designed volt-sec average and inductive voltage boosting at ac output terminals. The designed...

The open superstring 6-point amplitude with manifest symmetries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barreiro, Luiz Antonio; Medina, Ricardo; Stieberger, Stephan

2011-01-01

Full text: The general tree level amplitude for massless bosons states of open superstrings has been known for a long time ago. It is clear how to obtain this general formula using vertex operators in the Ramond-Neveu-Schwarz formalism. From the beginning of the eighties the explicit expression for this formula has been known in the case of 3 and 4-point amplitudes. In that decade an attempt (with partial success) was done, by Kitazawa, to obtain the corresponding 5-point amplitude. Only in 2002 a complete and correct expression for this amplitude was obtained. Its low energy expansion was compared to the corresponding one from the low energy effective Lagrangian of the open superstring, finding a perfect match. A few years later, in 2005, it was realized that the 5-point formula could be written in a very much compact form, as a sum of two terms: each of them consisting of a momentum factor and a kinematic expression. This constituted a generalization of the 4-point amplitude case, which had been known to be cast in only one momentum factor multiplied by one kinematic expression. For this simplification to happen, known symmetries of the (tree level) scattering amplitudes were implemented in a manifest form. These symmetries are (on-shell) gauge symmetry, cyclic symmetry and twisting symmetry (or world sheet parity). In the recent years it has been realized that the N-point amplitude can be written as a sum of (N - 3)! terms (where N > 3). This result not only agrees with the 3, 4 and 5-point results, but also with the 6-point result which had been obtained by 2005, written as a sum of six terms. The expression that up to now has been obtained for the 6-point amplitude is quite complicated and, besides knowing that it consists of six terms, is not very illuminating. In this work we report on the recent result of writing the 6-point amplitude with gauge, cyclic and twisting symmetries manifest. Not only because of the manifest symmetries this result is important

Self-Similar Spin Images for Point Cloud Matching

Science.gov (United States)

Pulido, Daniel

based on the concept of self-similarity to aid in the scale and feature matching steps. An open problem in fusion is how best to extract features from two point clouds and then perform feature-based matching. The proposed approach for this matching step is the use of local self-similarity as an invariant measure to match features. In particular, the proposed approach is to combine the concept of local self-similarity with a well-known feature descriptor, Spin Images, and thereby define "Self-Similar Spin Images". This approach is then extended to the case of matching two points clouds in very different coordinate systems (e.g., a geo-referenced Lidar point cloud and stereo-image derived point cloud without geo-referencing). The use of Self-Similar Spin Images is again applied to address this problem by introducing a "Self-Similar Keyscale" that matches the spatial scales of two point clouds. Another open problem is how best to detect changes in content between two point clouds. A method is proposed to find changes between two point clouds by analyzing the order statistics of the nearest neighbors between the two clouds, and thereby define the "Nearest Neighbor Order Statistic" method. Note that the well-known Hausdorff distance is a special case as being just the maximum order statistic. Therefore, by studying the entire histogram of these nearest neighbors it is expected to yield a more robust method to detect points that are present in one cloud but not the other. This approach is applied at multiple resolutions. Therefore, changes detected at the coarsest level will yield large missing targets and at finer levels will yield smaller targets.

Assessment of the usefulness of the standardized uptake values and the radioactivity levels for the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancer measured by using 18F-FDG PET/CT dual-time-point imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyeon-Guck; Hong, Seong-Jong; Cho, Jae-Hwan; Han, Man-Seok; Kim, Tae-Hyung; Lee, Ik-Han

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the changes in the SUV (standardized uptake value), the 18F-FDG (18F-fluorodeoxyglucose) uptake pattern, and the radioactivity level for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer via dual-time-point 18F-FDG PET/CT (positron emission tomographycomputed tomography) imaging. Moreover, the study aimed to verify the usefulness and significance of SUV values and radioactivity levels to discriminate tumor malignancy. A retrospective analysis was performed on 40 patients who received 18F-FDG PET/CT for thyroid cancer as a primary tumor. To set the background, we compared changes in values by calculating the dispersion of scattered rays in the neck area and the lung apex, and by comparing the mean and SD (standard deviation) values of the maxSUV and the radioactivity levels. According to the statistical analysis of the changes in 18F-FDG uptake for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer, a high similarity was observed with the coefficient of determination being R2 = 0.939, in the SUVs and the radioactivity levels. Moreover, similar results were observed in the assessment of tumor malignancy using dual-time-point. The quantitative analysis method for assessing tumor malignancy using radioactivity levels was neither specific nor discriminative compared to the semi-quantitative analysis method.

Exceptional points and quantum correlations in precise measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thilagam, A

2012-01-01

We examine the physical manifestations of exceptional points and passage times in a two-level system which is subjected to quantum measurements and which admits a non-Hermitian description. Using an effective Hamiltonian acting in the two-dimensional space spanned by the evolving initial and final states, the effects of highly precise quantum measurements in which the monitoring device interferes significantly with the evolution dynamics of the monitored two-level system is analyzed. The dynamics of a multipartite system consisting of the two-level system, a source of external potential and the measurement device is examined using correlation measures such as entanglement and non-classical quantum correlations. Results show that the quantum correlations between the monitored (monitoring) systems is considerably decreased (increased) as the measurement precision nears the exceptional point, at which the passage time is half of the measurement duration. The results indicate that the underlying mechanism by which the non-classical correlations of quantum systems are transferred from one subsystem to another may be better revealed via use of geometric approaches. This article is part of a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical devoted to ‘Quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators’. (paper)

Impact of Point and Non-point Source Pollution on Coral Reef Ecosystems In Mamala Bay, Oahu, Hawaii based on Water Quality Measurements and Benthic Surveys in 1993-1994 (NODC Accession 0001172)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The effects of both point and non-point sources of pollution on coral reef ecosystems in Mamala Bay were studied at three levels of biological organization; the...

Intermittent sea-level acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Olivieri, M.; Spada, G.

2013-10-01

Using instrumental observations from the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL), we provide a new assessment of the global sea-level acceleration for the last ~ 2 centuries (1820-2010). Our results, obtained by a stack of tide gauge time series, confirm the existence of a global sea-level acceleration (GSLA) and, coherently with independent assessments so far, they point to a value close to 0.01 mm/yr2. However, differently from previous studies, we discuss how change points or abrupt inflections in individual sea-level time series have contributed to the GSLA. Our analysis, based on methods borrowed from econometrics, suggests the existence of two distinct driving mechanisms for the GSLA, both involving a minority of tide gauges globally. The first effectively implies a gradual increase in the rate of sea-level rise at individual tide gauges, while the second is manifest through a sequence of catastrophic variations of the sea-level trend. These occurred intermittently since the end of the 19th century and became more frequent during the last four decades.

An Updated Point Design for Heavy Ion Fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, S.S.; Meier, W.R.; Abbott, R.B.; Barnard, J.J.; Brown, T.; Callahan, D.A.; Heitzenroeder, P.; Latkowski, J.F.; Logan, B.G.; Pemberton, S.J.; Peterson, P.F.; Rose, D.V.; Sabbi, G.L.; Sharp, W.M.; Welch, D.R.

2002-01-01

An updated, self-consistent point design for a heavy ion fusion (HIF) power plant based on an induction linac driver, indirect-drive targets, and a thick liquid wall chamber has been completed. Conservative parameters were selected to allow each design area to meet its functional requirements in a robust manner, and thus this design is referred to as the Robust Point Design (RPD-2002). This paper provides a top-level summary of the major characteristics and design parameters for the target, driver, final focus magnet layout and shielding, chamber, beam propagation to the target, and overall power plant

Fault-tolerant three-level inverter

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, John; Xu, Longya; Bhargava, Brij B.

2006-12-05

A method for driving a neutral point clamped three-level inverter is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, DC current is received at a neutral point-clamped three-level inverter. The inverter has a plurality of nodes including first, second and third output nodes. The inverter also has a plurality of switches. Faults are checked for in the inverter and predetermined switches are automatically activated responsive to a detected fault such that three-phase electrical power is provided at the output nodes.

Pointing control for LDR

Science.gov (United States)

Yam, Y.; Briggs, C.

1988-01-01

One important aspect of the LDR control problem is the possible excitations of structural modes due to random disturbances, mirror chopping, and slewing maneuvers. An analysis was performed to yield a first order estimate of the effects of such dynamic excitations. The analysis involved a study of slewing jitters, chopping jitters, disturbance responses, and pointing errors, making use of a simplified planar LDR model which describes the LDR dynamics on a plane perpendicular to the primary reflector. Briefly, the results indicate that the command slewing profile plays an important role in minimizing the resultant jitter, even to a level acceptable without any control action. An optimal profile should therefore be studied.

CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS ON THE TECHNOLOGICAL FLOW OF PANIFICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gigel PARASCHIV

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Bread and panification products are intended for direct human consumption and underlying nutritional pyramid, it can affect the consumers health in case of biological, chemical or physical contamination, immediate or delayed, by noxious accumulation in the human organism. Only by rigorous compliance of the production rules throughout the technological process can ensure the quality and food safety of these products. If the risk can be prevented, eliminated or reduce to an acceptable level, as a result of a control actions made at that stage, it is considered a Critical Control Point (CCP. There can be checkpoints where it can exert a control action. Thus, the checkpoint is represented by any stage in which the risk factors, biological, chemical or physical, can be controlled in order to prevent, disrupt or reduce them to an acceptable level. This paper is referring to the control points on the technological flow of the bread fabrication, in all phases of this technological flow, laying stress on that points (or phases which can affect security and food safety, through the influence of parameters of any kind on the quality of finished products.

Improving CANDU annunciation - Current R and D and future directions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lupton, L.R.; Feher, M.P.; Davey, E.C.; Guo, K.Q.; Bhuiyan, S.H.

1994-01-01

Annunciation is used to ensure that control room staff are promptly alerted to important changes in plant conditions that may impact on safety and production goals. We are carrying out research and development to improve CANDU annunciation, in partnership with Canadian CANDU utility and design organizations. The main goal is to solve the ''information overload'' problem that occurs during major plant upsets, while providing operators with annunciation information needed to prevent, mitigate, and accommodate plant disturbances. To data, a set of annunciation concepts has been developed based on operational needs in a complex supervisory control environment. A prototype annunciation system has been developed and demonstrated with Point Lepreau Generating Station operations staff. Preliminary evaluations show that the system has the potential to solve many of the current problems associated with upset management. Further evaluation of this system is planned for 1994/95. This paper summarizes the project, including the current status, lessons learned to data, future directions of the research, and implementation by plants. (author). 9 refs, 3 figs, 1 tab

Nuclear power in New Brunswick

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganong, G.H.D.; Gunter, G.E.; McKenzie, A.R.

1982-06-01

New Brunswick's first nuclear power station was started in 1974, and construction of the major structures began in May 1975. The station is a 600 MW CANDU plant designed for salt water cooling and arranged to serve as the first of a two-unit station. It was the first nuclear plant in Canada to be subjected to the federal government requirements for environmental assessment, and the first in which design, construction and commissioning were carried out under a full quality assurance program to the CSA Z299 standard. The discovery of damage to the steam generators necessitated an extensive rebuild of these components and had a major impact on the construction schedule. Commissioning of the plant got under way in 1979, although construction continued during 1981. Point Lepreau is among the leaders in cost and schedule performance for all reactors being completed worldwide in 1982. Lessons learned during the construction of this reactor suggest that a unit of this type could be built in considerably less time and at a lower cost if a unified approach to engineering and procurement could be achieved

Virtual turning points

CERN Document Server

Honda, Naofumi; Takei, Yoshitsugu

2015-01-01

The discovery of a virtual turning point truly is a breakthrough in WKB analysis of higher order differential equations. This monograph expounds the core part of its theory together with its application to the analysis of higher order Painlevé equations of the Noumi–Yamada type and to the analysis of non-adiabatic transition probability problems in three levels. As M.V. Fedoryuk once lamented, global asymptotic analysis of higher order differential equations had been thought to be impossible to construct. In 1982, however, H.L. Berk, W.M. Nevins, and K.V. Roberts published a remarkable paper in the Journal of Mathematical Physics indicating that the traditional Stokes geometry cannot globally describe the Stokes phenomena of solutions of higher order equations; a new Stokes curve is necessary.

Controllable resonant tunnelling through single-point potentials: A point triode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zolotaryuk, A.V.; Zolotaryuk, Yaroslav

2015-01-01

A zero-thickness limit of three-layer heterostructures under two bias voltages applied externally, where one of which is supposed to be a gate parameter, is studied. As a result, an effect of controllable resonant tunnelling of electrons through single-point potentials is shown to exist. Therefore the limiting structure may be termed a “point triode” and considered in the theory of point interactions as a new object. The simple limiting analytical expressions adequately describe the resonant behaviour in the transistor with realistic parameter values and thus one can conclude that the zero-range limit of multi-layer structures may be used in fabricating nanodevices. The difference between the resonant tunnelling across single-point potentials and the Fabry–Pérot interference effect is also emphasized. - Highlights: • The zero-thickness limit of three-layer heterostructures is described in terms of point interactions. • The effect of resonant tunnelling through these single-point potentials is established. • The resonant tunnelling is shown to be controlled by a gate voltage

Tipping Point

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... OnSafety CPSC Stands for Safety The Tipping Point Home > 60 Seconds of Safety (Videos) > The Tipping Point ... 24 hours a day. For young children whose home is a playground, it’s the best way to ...

Interesting Interest Points

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aanæs, Henrik; Dahl, Anders Lindbjerg; Pedersen, Kim Steenstrup

2012-01-01

on spatial invariance of interest points under changing acquisition parameters by measuring the spatial recall rate. The scope of this paper is to investigate the performance of a number of existing well-established interest point detection methods. Automatic performance evaluation of interest points is hard......Not all interest points are equally interesting. The most valuable interest points lead to optimal performance of the computer vision method in which they are employed. But a measure of this kind will be dependent on the chosen vision application. We propose a more general performance measure based...... position. The LED illumination provides the option for artificially relighting the scene from a range of light directions. This data set has given us the ability to systematically evaluate the performance of a number of interest point detectors. The highlights of the conclusions are that the fixed scale...

A Studentized Permutation Test for the Comparison of Spatial Point Patterns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hahn, Ute

of empirical K-functions are compared by a permutation test using a studentized test statistic. The proposed test performs convincingly in terms of empirical level and power in a simulation study, even for point patterns where the K-function estimates on neighboring subsamples are not strictly exchangeable....... It also shows improved behavior compared to a test suggested by Diggle et al. (1991, 2000) for the comparison of groups of independently replicated point patterns. In an application to two point patterns from pathology that represent capillary positions in sections of healthy and tumorous tissue, our...

Zero-point oscillations, zero-point fluctuations, and fluctuations of zero-point oscillations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalili, Farit Ya

2003-01-01

Several physical effects and methodological issues relating to the ground state of an oscillator are considered. Even in the simplest case of an ideal lossless harmonic oscillator, its ground state exhibits properties that are unusual from the classical point of view. In particular, the mean value of the product of two non-negative observables, kinetic and potential energies, is negative in the ground state. It is shown that semiclassical and rigorous quantum approaches yield substantially different results for the ground state energy fluctuations of an oscillator with finite losses. The dependence of zero-point fluctuations on the boundary conditions is considered. Using this dependence, it is possible to transmit information without emitting electromagnetic quanta. Fluctuations of electromagnetic pressure of zero-point oscillations are analyzed, and the corresponding mechanical friction is considered. This friction can be viewed as the most fundamental mechanism limiting the quality factor of mechanical oscillators. Observation of these effects exceeds the possibilities of contemporary experimental physics but almost undoubtedly will be possible in the near future. (methodological notes)

Point-point and point-line moving-window correlation spectroscopy and its applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Qun; Sun, Suqin; Zhan, Daqi; Yu, Zhiwu

2008-07-01

In this paper, we present a new extension of generalized two-dimensional (2D) correlation spectroscopy. Two new algorithms, namely point-point (P-P) correlation and point-line (P-L) correlation, have been introduced to do the moving-window 2D correlation (MW2D) analysis. The new method has been applied to a spectral model consisting of two different processes. The results indicate that P-P correlation spectroscopy can unveil the details and re-constitute the entire process, whilst the P-L can provide general feature of the concerned processes. Phase transition behavior of dimyristoylphosphotidylethanolamine (DMPE) has been studied using MW2D correlation spectroscopy. The newly proposed method verifies that the phase transition temperature is 56 °C, same as the result got from a differential scanning calorimeter. To illustrate the new method further, a lysine and lactose mixture has been studied under thermo perturbation. Using the P-P MW2D, the Maillard reaction of the mixture was clearly monitored, which has been very difficult using conventional display of FTIR spectra.

Tipping Point

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... 60 Seconds of Safety (Videos) > The Tipping Point The Tipping Point by CPSC Blogger September 22, 2009 appliance child Childproofing CPSC danger death electrical fall furniture head injury product safety television tipover tv Watch the video in Adobe Flash ...

Characterizing fixed points

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjo Zlobec

2017-04-01

Full Text Available A set of sufficient conditions which guarantee the existence of a point x⋆ such that f(x⋆ = x⋆ is called a "fixed point theorem". Many such theorems are named after well-known mathematicians and economists. Fixed point theorems are among most useful ones in applied mathematics, especially in economics and game theory. Particularly important theorem in these areas is Kakutani's fixed point theorem which ensures existence of fixed point for point-to-set mappings, e.g., [2, 3, 4]. John Nash developed and applied Kakutani's ideas to prove the existence of (what became known as "Nash equilibrium" for finite games with mixed strategies for any number of players. This work earned him a Nobel Prize in Economics that he shared with two mathematicians. Nash's life was dramatized in the movie "Beautiful Mind" in 2001. In this paper, we approach the system f(x = x differently. Instead of studying existence of its solutions our objective is to determine conditions which are both necessary and sufficient that an arbitrary point x⋆ is a fixed point, i.e., that it satisfies f(x⋆ = x⋆. The existence of solutions for continuous function f of the single variable is easy to establish using the Intermediate Value Theorem of Calculus. However, characterizing fixed points x⋆, i.e., providing answers to the question of finding both necessary and sufficient conditions for an arbitrary given x⋆ to satisfy f(x⋆ = x⋆, is not simple even for functions of the single variable. It is possible that constructive answers do not exist. Our objective is to find them. Our work may require some less familiar tools. One of these might be the "quadratic envelope characterization of zero-derivative point" recalled in the next section. The results are taken from the author's current research project "Studying the Essence of Fixed Points". They are believed to be original. The author has received several feedbacks on the preliminary report and on parts of the project

Modeling molecular boiling points using computed interaction energies.

Science.gov (United States)

Peterangelo, Stephen C; Seybold, Paul G

2017-12-20

The noncovalent van der Waals interactions between molecules in liquids are typically described in textbooks as occurring between the total molecular dipoles (permanent, induced, or transient) of the molecules. This notion was tested by examining the boiling points of 67 halogenated hydrocarbon liquids using quantum chemically calculated molecular dipole moments, ionization potentials, and polarizabilities obtained from semi-empirical (AM1 and PM3) and ab initio Hartree-Fock [HF 6-31G(d), HF 6-311G(d,p)], and density functional theory [B3LYP/6-311G(d,p)] methods. The calculated interaction energies and an empirical measure of hydrogen bonding were employed to model the boiling points of the halocarbons. It was found that only terms related to London dispersion energies and hydrogen bonding proved significant in the regression analyses, and the performances of the models generally improved at higher levels of quantum chemical computation. An empirical estimate for the molecular polarizabilities was also tested, and the best models for the boiling points were obtained using either this empirical polarizability itself or the polarizabilities calculated at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level, along with the hydrogen-bonding parameter. The results suggest that the cohesive forces are more appropriately described as resulting from highly localized interactions rather than interactions between the global molecular dipoles.

Concept for Risk-based Prioritisation of Point Sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Overheu, N.D.; Troldborg, Mads; Tuxen, N.

2010-01-01

estimates on a local scale from all the sources, and 3D catchment-scale fate and transport modelling. It handles point sources at various knowledge levels and accounts for uncertainties. The tool estimates the impacts on the water supply in the catchment and provides an overall prioritisation of the sites...

Possibility of the conservative management of acute epidural hematoma from the point of views of serial CT scan and the consciousness level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miki, Tamotsu; Okada, Kazunori; Ito, Yoshinori; Miwa, Tetsuro

1985-01-01

Nowadays serial computerized tomography is often performed in the diagnosis and care of patients with acute epidural hematoma. In the treatment of acute epidural hematoma, serial computerized tomography has shown dynamic changes in the hematoma, and the careful observation of clinical signs has reduced the number of operative cases. Moreover, some good outcomes of cases of acute epidural hematoma have appeared as a result of conservative management. Since the introduction of computerized tomography, we have treated 79 cases of acute epidural hematoma. The mortality rate has been 12.7 % (10 cases), while there have been 60 good-outcome cases, including 22 non-surgical cases (27.8 %). In an attempt to make clear the possibility of the conservative management of acute epidural hematoma, we made a comparative study of surgical good-outcome cases and conservative good-outcome cases from the points of view of serial computerized tomography and the consciousness level. We reached the following conclusions: The guidelines for the conservative management of acute epidural hematoma are: 1) Glasgow coma scale: more than 14 points, 2) Volume of hematoma on CT: less than 20 ml, as determined by the volume-summation method, 3) No mass sign of hematoma on CT, 4) No or only transient forcal neurological signs, and 5) The above factors (1)-(4) have no tendency to get worse within 6 hours after head trauma. (author)

The usefulness of cytogenetic parameters, level of p53 protein and endogenous glutathione as intermediate end-points in raw betel-nut genotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumpawat, K; Chatterjee, A

2003-07-01

Betel-nut (BN) chewing related oral mucosal lesions are potential hazards to a large population worldwide. Genotoxicity of betel alkaloids, polyphenol and tannin fractions have been reported. It has been shown earlier that BN ingredients altered the level of endogenous glutathione (GSH) which could modulate the host susceptibility to the action of other chemical carcinogens. The north-east Indian variety of BN, locally known as 'kwai', is raw, wet and consumed unprocessed with betel-leaf and slaked lime and contains higher alkaloids, polyphenol and tannins as compared to the dried one. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of DNA damage, pattern of cell kinetics, the level of p53-protein and endogenous GSH in kwai chewers in the tribal population of Meghalaya state in the northeastern region of India with an aim to see whether these end-points could serve as biomarkers of genetic damage of relevance for genotoxic/carcinogenic process. The present data show higher DNA damage, delay in cell kinetics, p53 expression and lower GSH-level in heavy chewers (HC) than nonchewers (NC). The influence of bleomycin (BLM) on chromatid break induction in G2-phase of peripheral blood lymphocytes in NC and HC has been analysed to determine individual susceptibility to carcinogenic assaults. HC showed higher induction of chromatid breaks than NC. Risk assessment in this study suggests an interaction between carcinogen exposure and mutagen sensitivity measures, risk estimates being higher in those individuals who both consume kwai and express sensitivity to free radical oxygen damage in vitro. From this study it seems that besides cytogenetical parameters, the level of endogenous GSH and the level of p53 protein could act as effective biomarkers for kwai chewers.

Two- and three-point functions in Liouville theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorn, H.; Otto, H.J.

1994-04-01

Based on our generalization of the Goulian-Li continuation in the power of the 2D cosmological term we construct the two and three-point correlation functions for Liouville exponentials with generic real coefficients. As a strong argument in favour of the procedure we prove the Liouville equation of motion on the level of three-point functions. The analytical structure of the correlation functions as well as some of its consequences for string theory are discussed. This includes a conjecture on the mass shell condition for excitations of noncritical strings. We also make a comment concerning the correlation functions of the Liouville field itself. (orig.)

Fixed Points

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 5; Issue 5. Fixed Points - From Russia with Love - A Primer of Fixed Point Theory. A K Vijaykumar. Book Review Volume 5 Issue 5 May 2000 pp 101-102. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link:

Demerit points systems.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2006-01-01

In 2012, 21 of the 27 EU Member States had some form of demerit points system. In theory, demerit points systems contribute to road safety through three mechanisms: 1) prevention of unsafe behaviour through the risk of receiving penalty points, 2) selection and suspension of the most frequent

Performance of Mercury Triple-Point Cells Made in Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Petkovic, S. G.; Santiago, J. F. N.; Filho, R. R.; Teixeira, R. N.; Santos, P. R. F.

2003-09-01

Fixed-points cells are primary standards in ITS-90. They contain reference material with a purity of 99.999 % or more. The gallium in a melting-point cell, for example, can reach a purity of 99.99999 %. This level of purity is not easy to obtain. However, substances like water and mercury can be purified by means of distillation and chemical procedures. This paper presents the results of mercury triple-point cells made in Brazil that were directly compared to a mercury triple-point cell of 99.999% purity. This reference cell, made by Isotech (England), was previously compared to cells from CENAM (Mexico) and NRC (Canada) and the maximum deviation found was approximately 0.4 mK. The purification stage started with a sample of mercury 99.3 % pure, and the repeated use of both mechanical and chemical processes led to a purification grade considered good enough for calibration of standard platinum resistance thermometers. The purification procedures, the method of construction of the cell, the laboratory facilities, the comparison results and the budget of uncertainties are described in this paper. All of the cells tested have a triple-point temperature within 0.25 mK of the triple-point temperature of the Inmetro reference cell.

LSAH: a fast and efficient local surface feature for point cloud registration

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Rongrong; Zhu, Feng; Wu, Qingxiao; Kong, Yanzi

2018-04-01

Point cloud registration is a fundamental task in high level three dimensional applications. Noise, uneven point density and varying point cloud resolutions are the three main challenges for point cloud registration. In this paper, we design a robust and compact local surface descriptor called Local Surface Angles Histogram (LSAH) and propose an effectively coarse to fine algorithm for point cloud registration. The LSAH descriptor is formed by concatenating five normalized sub-histograms into one histogram. The five sub-histograms are created by accumulating a different type of angle from a local surface patch respectively. The experimental results show that our LSAH is more robust to uneven point density and point cloud resolutions than four state-of-the-art local descriptors in terms of feature matching. Moreover, we tested our LSAH based coarse to fine algorithm for point cloud registration. The experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm is robust and efficient as well.

The Euclidean three-point function in loop and perturbative gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rovelli, Carlo; Zhang Mingyi

2011-01-01

We compute the leading order of the three-point function in loop quantum gravity, using the vertex expansion of the Euclidean version of the new spin foam dynamics, in the region of γ < 1. We find results consistent with Regge calculus in the limit γ → 0, j → ∞. We also compute the tree-level three-point function of perturbative quantum general relativity in position space and discuss the possibility of directly comparing the two results.

A point-to-point simple telehealth application for cardiovascular prevention: the ESINO LARIO experience. Cardiovascular prevention at point of care.

Science.gov (United States)

Malacarne, Mara; Gobbi, Giorgio; Pizzinelli, Paolo; Lesma, Alessandro; Castelli, Alberto; Lucini, Daniela; Pagani, Massimo

2009-01-01

Recent epidemiological evidence indicates that chronic degenerative diseases, notably cardiovascular, represent the major toll in terms of death and of impaired quality of life. Recent estimates indicate that a small increase in financial resources in a number of clinical cases may be sufficient to minimize the consequences of elevated cardiovascular risk per individual. The observation that lifestyle choices, and in particular increased physical exercise, might strongly impact cardiovascular risk, suggests a redesign of preventive strategies, based on the combination of pharmacological and behavioral interventions. Following our recent experience with the INteractive teleConsultation network for worldwide healthcAre Services (INCAS) system, we designed a simpler point-to-point telehealth infrastructure, to be employed in cardiovascular risk reduction programs, predicting a high level of acceptance from the population, at the cost of very limited investment. This model was tested on 181 subjects (ages 18-80 years) in the Italian mountain village of Esino Lario. These subjects underwent a screening test to evaluate arrhythmia and cardiometabolic risks (arrhythmias were found in 14% of subjects, systolic arterial pressure was observed in 43% of subjects above 140 mm Hg, diastolic arterial pressure in 31% above 90 mm Hg). This study demonstrates the feasibility of a scaled-down telehealth application particularly suited to cardiovascular prevention in remote areas, such as in mountain villages.

Defining obesity cut-off points for migrant South Asians.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura J Gray

Full Text Available Body mass index (BMI and waist circumference (WC are used to define cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes risk. We aimed to derive appropriate BMI and WC obesity cut-off points in a migrant South Asian population.4688 White Europeans and 1333 South Asians resident in the UK aged 40-75 years inclusive were screened for type 2 diabetes. Principal components analysis was used to derive a glycaemia, lipid, and a blood pressure factor. Regression models for each factor, adjusted for age and stratified by sex, were used to identify BMI and WC cut-off points in South Asians that correspond to those defined for White Europeans.For South Asian males, derived BMI obesity cut-off points equivalent to 30.0 kg/m(2 in White Europeans were 22.6 kg/m(2 (95% Confidence Interval (95% CI 20.7 kg/m(2 to 24.5 kg/m(2 for the glycaemia factor, 26.0 kg/m(2 (95% CI 24.7 kg/m(2 to 27.3 kg/m(2 for the lipid factor, and 28.4 kg/m(2 (95% CI 26.5 kg/m(2 to 30.4 kg/m(2 for the blood pressure factor. For WC, derived cut-off points for South Asian males equivalent to 102 cm in White Europeans were 83.8 cm (95% CI 79.3 cm to 88.2 cm for the glycaemia factor, 91.4 cm (95% CI 86.9 cm to 95.8 cm for the lipid factor, and 99.3 cm (95% CI 93.3 cm to 105.2 cm for the blood pressure factor. Lower ethnicity cut-off points were seen for females for both BMI and WC.Substantially lower obesity cut-off points are needed in South Asians to detect an equivalent level of dysglycemia and dyslipidemia as observed in White Europeans. South Asian ethnicity could be considered as a similar level of risk as obesity (in White Europeans for the development of type 2 diabetes.

Energy-dependent expansion of .177 caliber hollow-point air gun projectiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, Ronald; Schultz, Benno; Bockholdt, Britta; Ekkernkamp, Axel; Frank, Matthias

2017-05-01

Amongst hundreds of different projectiles for air guns available on the market, hollow-point air gun pellets are of special interest. These pellets are characterized by a tip or a hollowed-out shape in their tip which, when fired, makes the projectiles expand to an increased diameter upon entering the target medium. This results in an increase in release of energy which, in turn, has the potential to cause more serious injuries than non-hollow-point projectiles. To the best of the authors' knowledge, reliable data on the terminal ballistic features of hollow-point air gun projectiles compared to standard diabolo pellets have not yet been published in the forensic literature. The terminal ballistic performance (energy-dependent expansion and penetration) of four different types of .177 caliber hollow-point pellets discharged at kinetic energy levels from approximately 3 J up to 30 J into water, ordnance gelatin, and ordnance gelatin covered with natural chamois as a skin simulant was the subject of this investigation. Energy-dependent expansion of the tested hollow-point pellets was observed after being shot into all investigated target media. While some hollow-point pellets require a minimum kinetic energy of approximately 10 J for sufficient expansion, there are also hollow-point pellets which expand at kinetic energy levels of less than 5 J. The ratio of expansion (RE, calculated by the cross-sectional area (A) after impact divided by the cross-sectional area (A 0 ) of the undeformed pellet) of hollow-point air gun pellets reached values up of to 2.2. The extent of expansion relates to the kinetic energy of the projectile with a peak for pellet expansion at the 15 to 20 J range. To conclude, this work demonstrates that the hollow-point principle, i.e., the design-related enlargement of the projectiles' frontal area upon impact into a medium, does work in air guns as claimed by the manufacturers.

Dynamics and Physiological Roles of Stochastic Firing Patterns Near Bifurcation Points

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Bing; Gu, Huaguang

2017-06-01

Different stochastic neural firing patterns or rhythms that appeared near polarization or depolarization resting states were observed in biological experiments on three nervous systems, and closely matched those simulated near bifurcation points between stable equilibrium point and limit cycle in a theoretical model with noise. The distinct dynamics of spike trains and interspike interval histogram (ISIH) of these stochastic rhythms were identified and found to build a relationship to the coexisting behaviors or fixed firing frequency of four different types of bifurcations. Furthermore, noise evokes coherence resonances near bifurcation points and plays important roles in enhancing information. The stochastic rhythms corresponding to Hopf bifurcation points with fixed firing frequency exhibited stronger coherence degree and a sharper peak in the power spectrum of the spike trains than those corresponding to saddle-node bifurcation points without fixed firing frequency. Moreover, the stochastic firing patterns changed to a depolarization resting state as the extracellular potassium concentration increased for the injured nerve fiber related to pathological pain or static blood pressure level increased for aortic depressor nerve fiber, and firing frequency decreased, which were different from the physiological viewpoint that firing frequency increased with increasing pressure level or potassium concentration. This shows that rhythms or firing patterns can reflect pressure or ion concentration information related to pathological pain information. Our results present the dynamics of stochastic firing patterns near bifurcation points, which are helpful for the identification of both dynamics and physiological roles of complex neural firing patterns or rhythms, and the roles of noise.

Coaching for improved personal and organizational effectiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, K.; Williams, R.A.

2002-01-01

Leadership ability and highly developed interpersonal skills are essential for both organizational and personal effectiveness. High-performance organizations have typically taken an integrated approach to address these critical needs. One element of a comprehensive strategy to improve these key competencies is to provide both individual and work-group coaching. This paper describes what leaders at the Pt. Lepreau NGS have experienced while receiving personal and small group coaching, and the effect it has had on their overall performance effectiveness. (author)

Coaching for improved personal and organizational effectiveness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, K. [Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station, Lepreau, New Brunswick (Canada); Williams, R.A. [Briant-Williams, (Canada)

2002-07-01

Leadership ability and highly developed interpersonal skills are essential for both organizational and personal effectiveness. High-performance organizations have typically taken an integrated approach to address these critical needs. One element of a comprehensive strategy to improve these key competencies is to provide both individual and work-group coaching. This paper describes what leaders at the Pt. Lepreau NGS have experienced while receiving personal and small group coaching, and the effect it has had on their overall performance effectiveness. (author)

Publication point indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elleby, Anita; Ingwersen, Peter

2010-01-01

; the Cumulated Publication Point Indicator (CPPI), which graphically illustrates the cumulated gain of obtained vs. ideal points, both seen as vectors; and the normalized Cumulated Publication Point Index (nCPPI) that represents the cumulated gain of publication success as index values, either graphically......The paper presents comparative analyses of two publication point systems, The Norwegian and the in-house system from the interdisciplinary Danish Institute of International Studies (DIIS), used as case in the study for publications published 2006, and compares central citation-based indicators...... with novel publication point indicators (PPIs) that are formalized and exemplified. Two diachronic citation windows are applied: 2006-07 and 2006-08. Web of Science (WoS) as well as Google Scholar (GS) are applied to observe the cite delay and citedness for the different document types published by DIIS...

Comprehensive Loss Evaluation of Neutral-Point-Clamped (NPC) and T-Type Three-Level Invertersbased on a Circuit Level Decoupling Modulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Zhe; Anthon, Alexander; Andersen, Michael A. E.

2014-01-01

frequencyincreases due to high switching loss of the equipped high voltagepower switches. In order to reduce switching loss and herebyenhance efficiency, a newly proposed circuit-level decouplingmodulation (CLDM) scheme is applied for these two widely usedthree-phase three-level inverters, as well...

A three-point Taylor algorithm for three-point boundary value problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.L. López; E. Pérez Sinusía; N.M. Temme (Nico)

2011-01-01

textabstractWe consider second-order linear differential equations $\\varphi(x)y''+f(x)y'+g(x)y=h(x)$ in the interval $(-1,1)$ with Dirichlet, Neumann or mixed Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions given at three points of the interval: the two extreme points $x=\\pm 1$ and an interior point

Big Rock Point severe accident management strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brogan, B.A.; Gabor, J.R.

1996-01-01

December 1994, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) issued guidance relative to the formal industry position on Severe Accident Management (SAM) approved by the NEI Strategic Issues Advisory Committee on November 4, 1994. This paper summarizes how Big Rock Point (BRP) has and continues to address SAM strategies. The historical accounting portion of this presentation includes a description of how the following projects identified and defined the current Big Rock Point SAM strategies: the 1981 Level 3 Probabilistic Risk Assessment performance; the development of the Plant Specific Technical Guidelines from which the symptom oriented Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs) were developed; the Control Room Design Review; and, the recent completion of the Individual Plant Evaluation (IPE). In addition to the historical presentation deliberation, this paper the present activities that continue to stress SAM strategies

Exceptional Points and Dynamical Phase Transitions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Rotter

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In the framework of non-Hermitian quantum physics, the relation between exceptional points,dynamical phase transitions and the counter intuitive behavior of quantum systems at high level density is considered. The theoretical results obtained for open quantum systems and proven experimentally some years ago on a microwave cavity, may explain environmentally induce deffects (including dynamical phase transitions, which have been observed in various experimental studies. They also agree(qualitatively with the experimental results reported recently in PT symmetric optical lattices.

Influence of the burning point on the dew point in a diesel engine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teetz, C.

1982-06-01

A computation on the influence of the ignition point on the dew point in a cylinder of a diesel engine is presented. The cylinder-pressure diagrams are shown. The results of computation are given. A later ignition point diminishes the area with cylinder wall temperatures below the dew point. The endangering by cylinder wall temperatures below the dew point is illustrated.

Point specificity in acupuncture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choi Emma M

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract The existence of point specificity in acupuncture is controversial, because many acupuncture studies using this principle to select control points have found that sham acupoints have similar effects to those of verum acupoints. Furthermore, the results of pain-related studies based on visual analogue scales have not supported the concept of point specificity. In contrast, hemodynamic, functional magnetic resonance imaging and neurophysiological studies evaluating the responses to stimulation of multiple points on the body surface have shown that point-specific actions are present. This review article focuses on clinical and laboratory studies supporting the existence of point specificity in acupuncture and also addresses studies that do not support this concept. Further research is needed to elucidate the point-specific actions of acupuncture.

Street-Level Bureaucrats as Individual Policymakers:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baviskar, Siddhartha; Winter, Søren

2016-01-01

Lipsky (1980) pointed out that street-level bureaucrats (SLBs) are important policymakers due to the discretion they exercise and argued from a structural perspective that these workers manifest relatively similar coping behaviors owing to their shared working conditions, characterized by chronic......Lipsky (1980) pointed out that street-level bureaucrats (SLBs) are important policymakers due to the discretion they exercise and argued from a structural perspective that these workers manifest relatively similar coping behaviors owing to their shared working conditions, characterized...

Using Gel Electrophoresis To Illustrate Protein Diversity and Isoelectric Point.

Science.gov (United States)

Browning, Mark; Vanable, Joseph

2002-01-01

Demonstrates the differences in protein structures by focusing on isoelectric point with an experiment that is observable under certain pH levels in gel electrophoresis. Explains the electrophoresis procedure and reports results of the experiments. (YDS)

One-point functions in defect CFT and integrability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leeuw, Marius de; Kristjansen, Charlotte [The Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen Ø, DK-2100 (Denmark); Zarembo, Konstantin [NORDITA, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University, Roslagstullsbacken 23, Stockholm, SE-106 91 (Sweden); Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SE-751 08 (Sweden)

2015-08-19

We calculate planar tree level one-point functions of non-protected operators in the defect conformal field theory dual to the D3-D5 brane system with k units of the world volume flux. Working in the operator basis of Bethe eigenstates of the Heisenberg XXX{sub 1/2} spin chain we express the one-point functions as overlaps of these eigenstates with a matrix product state. For k=2 we obtain a closed expression of determinant form for any number of excitations, and in the case of half-filling we find a relation with the Néel state. In addition, we present a number of results for the limiting case k→∞.

Pointing Verification Method for Spaceborne Lidars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Axel Amediek

2017-01-01

Full Text Available High precision acquisition of atmospheric parameters from the air or space by means of lidar requires accurate knowledge of laser pointing. Discrepancies between the assumed and actual pointing can introduce large errors due to the Doppler effect or a wrongly assumed air pressure at ground level. In this paper, a method for precisely quantifying these discrepancies for airborne and spaceborne lidar systems is presented. The method is based on the comparison of ground elevations derived from the lidar ranging data with high-resolution topography data obtained from a digital elevation model and allows for the derivation of the lateral and longitudinal deviation of the laser beam propagation direction. The applicability of the technique is demonstrated by using experimental data from an airborne lidar system, confirming that geo-referencing of the lidar ground spot trace with an uncertainty of less than 10 m with respect to the used digital elevation model (DEM can be obtained.

Shot Noise Suppression in a Quantum Point Contact with Short Channel Length

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Heejun

2015-01-01

An experimental study on the current shot noise of a quantum point contact with short channel length is reported. The experimentally measured maximum energy level spacing between the ground and the first excited state of the device reached up to 7.5 meV, probably due to the hard wall confinement by using shallow electron gas and sharp point contact geometry. The two-dimensional non-equilibrium shot noise contour map shows noise suppression characteristics in a wide range of bias voltage. Fano factor analysis indicates spin-polarized transport through a short quantum point contact. (paper)

Electrons at the monkey saddle: A multicritical Lifshitz point

Science.gov (United States)

Shtyk, A.; Goldstein, G.; Chamon, C.

2017-01-01

We consider two-dimensional interacting electrons at a monkey saddle with dispersion ∝px3-3 pxpy2 . Such a dispersion naturally arises at the multicritical Lifshitz point when three Van Hove saddles merge in an elliptical umbilic elementary catastrophe, which we show can be realized in biased bilayer graphene. A multicritical Lifshitz point of this kind can be identified by its signature Landau level behavior Em∝(Bm ) 3 /2 and related oscillations in thermodynamic and transport properties, such as de Haas-Van Alphen and Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, whose period triples as the system crosses the singularity. We show, in the case of a single monkey saddle, that the noninteracting electron fixed point is unstable to interactions under the renormalization-group flow, developing either a superconducting instability or non-Fermi-liquid features. Biased bilayer graphene, where there are two non-nested monkey saddles at the K and K' points, exhibits an interplay of competing many-body instabilities, namely, s -wave superconductivity, ferromagnetism, and spin- and charge-density waves.

Turkey Point tritium. Progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ostlund, H.G.; Dorsey, H.G.

1976-01-01

In 1972-73 the Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) began operation of two nuclear reactors at Turkey Point on lower Biscayne Bay. One radioactive by-product resulting from the operation of the nuclear reactors, tritium, provides a unique opportunity to study transport and exchange processes on a local scale. Since the isotope in the form of water is not removed from the liquid effluent, it is discharged to the cooling canal system. By studying its residence time in the canal and the pathways by which it leaves the canals, knowledge of evaporative process, groundwater movement, and bay exchange with the ocean can be obtained. Preliminary results obtained from measurement of tritium levels, both in the canal system and in the surrounding environment are discussed. Waters in lower Biscayne Bay and Card and Barnes Sounds receive only a small portion of the total tritium produced by the nuclear plant. The dominating tritium loss most likely is through evaporation from the canals. The capability of measuring extremely low HTO levels allows the determination of the evaporation rate experimentally by measuring the tritium levels of air after having passed over the canals

Hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype in primary health care: comparison of two cutoff points

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Braz MAD

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Marina Augusta Dias Braz,1 Jallyne Nunes Vieira,1 Flayane Oliveira Gomes,1 Priscilla Rafaella da Silva,1 Ohanna Thays de Medeiros Santos,1 Ilanna Marques Gomes da Rocha,2 Iasmin Matias de Sousa,2 Ana Paula Trussardi Fayh2 1Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde do Trairi, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN, Santa Cruz, 2Department of Nutrition, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, UFRN, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Objective: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTGW phenotype among users of primary health care using two different cutoff points used in the literature. Methods: We evaluated adults and elderly individuals of both sexes who attended the same level of primary health care. HTGW phenotype was determined with measurements of waist circumference (WC and triglyceride levels and compared using cutoff points proposed by the National Cholesterol Education Program – NCEP/ATP III (WC ≥102 cm for men and ≥88 cm for women; triglyceride levels ≥150 mg/dL for both sexes and by Lemieux et al (WC ≥90 cm for men and ≥85 cm for women; triglyceride levels ≥177 mg/dL for both. Results: Within the sample of 437 individuals, 73.7% was female. The prevalence of HTGW phenotype was high and statistically different with the use of different cutoff points from the literature. The prevalence was higher using the NCEP/ATP III criteria compared to those proposed by Lemieux et al (36.2% and 32.5%, respectively, p<0.05. Individuals with the presence of the phenotype also presented alterations in other traditional cardiovascular risk markers. Conclusion: The HTGW phenotype identified high prevalence of cardiovascular risk in the population, with higher cutoff points from the NCEP/ATP III criteria. The difference in frequency of risk alerts us to the need to establish cutoff points for the Brazilian population. Keywords: abdominal obesity, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular risk

Policy considerations of low-level and intermediate-level radioactive wastes from a public interest perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodgers, S.

1977-01-01

A critical, environmentalist view is taken of the problem of low-level radioactive waste disposal. Policy questions and needs for additional data are listed. The lack of a requirement for environmental impact statements prior to site licensing is pointed out. Some of New Mexico's experiences are briefly recounted. The need for definitions for radioactive wastes is pointed out

CONTINUOUS ANALYZER UTILIZING BOILING POINT DETERMINATION

Science.gov (United States)

Pappas, W.S.

1963-03-19

A device is designed for continuously determining the boiling point of a mixture of liquids. The device comprises a distillation chamber for boiling a liquid; outlet conduit means for maintaining the liquid contents of said chamber at a constant level; a reflux condenser mounted above said distillation chamber; means for continuously introducing an incoming liquid sample into said reflux condenser and into intimate contact with vapors refluxing within said condenser; and means for measuring the temperature of the liquid flowing through said distillation chamber. (AEC)

Testing of the BipiColombo Antenna Pointing Mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Campo, Pablo; Barrio, Aingeru; Martin, Fernando

2015-09-01

BepiColombo is an ESA mission to Mercury, its planetary orbiter (MPO) has two antenna pointing mechanism, High gain antenna (HGA) pointing mechanism steers and points a large reflector which is integrated at system level by TAS-I Rome. Medium gain antenna (MGA) APM points a 1.5 m boom with a horn antenna. Both radiating elements are exposed to sun fluxes as high as 10 solar constants without protections.A previous paper [1] described the design and development process to solve the challenges of performing in harsh environment.. Current paper is focused on the testing process of the qualification units. Testing performance of antenna pointing mechanism in its specific environmental conditions has required special set-up and techniques. The process has provided valuable feedback on the design and the testing methods which have been included in the PFM design and tests.Some of the technologies and components were developed on dedicated items priort to EQM, but once integrated, test behaviour had relevant differences.Some of the major concerns for the APM testing are:- Create during the thermal vacuum testing the qualification temperature map with gradients along the APM. From of 200oC to 70oC.- Test in that conditions the radio frequency and pointing performances adding also high RF power to check the power handling and self-heating of the rotary joint.- Test in life up to 12000 equivalent APM revolutions, that is 14.3 million motor revolutions in different thermal conditions.- Measure low thermal distortion of the mechanical chain, being at the same time insulated from external environment and interfaces (55 arcsec pointing error)- Perform deployment of large items guaranteeing during the process low humidity, below 5% to protect dry lubrication- Verify stability with representative inertia of large boom or reflector 20 Kgm2.

Critical-point nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, R.M.

2004-01-01

It has been suggested that a change of nuclear shape may be described in terms of a phase transition and that specific nuclei may lie close to the critical point of the transition. Analytical descriptions of such critical-point nuclei have been introduced recently and they are described briefly. The results of extensive searches for possible examples of critical-point behavior are presented. Alternative pictures, such as describing bands in the candidate nuclei using simple ΔK = 0 and ΔK = 2 rotational-coupling models, are discussed, and the limitations of the different approaches highlighted. A possible critical-point description of the transition from a vibrational to rotational pairing phase is suggested

Robust Spacecraft Component Detection in Point Clouds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quanmao Wei

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Automatic component detection of spacecraft can assist in on-orbit operation and space situational awareness. Spacecraft are generally composed of solar panels and cuboidal or cylindrical modules. These components can be simply represented by geometric primitives like plane, cuboid and cylinder. Based on this prior, we propose a robust automatic detection scheme to automatically detect such basic components of spacecraft in three-dimensional (3D point clouds. In the proposed scheme, cylinders are first detected in the iteration of the energy-based geometric model fitting and cylinder parameter estimation. Then, planes are detected by Hough transform and further described as bounded patches with their minimum bounding rectangles. Finally, the cuboids are detected with pair-wise geometry relations from the detected patches. After successive detection of cylinders, planar patches and cuboids, a mid-level geometry representation of the spacecraft can be delivered. We tested the proposed component detection scheme on spacecraft 3D point clouds synthesized by computer-aided design (CAD models and those recovered by image-based reconstruction, respectively. Experimental results illustrate that the proposed scheme can detect the basic geometric components effectively and has fine robustness against noise and point distribution density.

Robust Spacecraft Component Detection in Point Clouds.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Quanmao; Jiang, Zhiguo; Zhang, Haopeng

2018-03-21

Automatic component detection of spacecraft can assist in on-orbit operation and space situational awareness. Spacecraft are generally composed of solar panels and cuboidal or cylindrical modules. These components can be simply represented by geometric primitives like plane, cuboid and cylinder. Based on this prior, we propose a robust automatic detection scheme to automatically detect such basic components of spacecraft in three-dimensional (3D) point clouds. In the proposed scheme, cylinders are first detected in the iteration of the energy-based geometric model fitting and cylinder parameter estimation. Then, planes are detected by Hough transform and further described as bounded patches with their minimum bounding rectangles. Finally, the cuboids are detected with pair-wise geometry relations from the detected patches. After successive detection of cylinders, planar patches and cuboids, a mid-level geometry representation of the spacecraft can be delivered. We tested the proposed component detection scheme on spacecraft 3D point clouds synthesized by computer-aided design (CAD) models and those recovered by image-based reconstruction, respectively. Experimental results illustrate that the proposed scheme can detect the basic geometric components effectively and has fine robustness against noise and point distribution density.

Customer Satisfaction Among the Members of the Summit Point Golf and Country Club

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VERONICA JOY V. BENCITO

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This study focused on the customer satisfaction among the members of the Summit Point Golf and Country Club which served as the basis for continuous improvement. It determined the level of customer satisfaction on the services offered by the Summit Point employees in terms of food and beverages, customer service and facilities. Lastly, it also tested the significant differences on the level of customer satisfactions when grouped according to their membership variables of the club. The descriptive type of research was used to assess the operation of the club. Data gathered were analyzed using the weighted mean and ANOVA method. The members of the Summit Point Golf and Country Club are generally satisfied in terms of facilities and amenities, food and beverages and customer service. The hypothesis has no significant difference between the membership profile and level of customer satisfaction in terms of facilities and amenities and customer service is rejected. This means that their responses differ as to their reasons of joining the club, their obtained degree and the frequency of playing in the club.

The registration of non-cooperative moving targets laser point cloud in different view point

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shuai; Sun, Huayan; Guo, Huichao

2018-01-01

Non-cooperative moving target multi-view cloud registration is the key technology of 3D reconstruction of laser threedimension imaging. The main problem is that the density changes greatly and noise exists under different acquisition conditions of point cloud. In this paper, firstly, the feature descriptor is used to find the most similar point cloud, and then based on the registration algorithm of region segmentation, the geometric structure of the point is extracted by the geometric similarity between point and point, The point cloud is divided into regions based on spectral clustering, feature descriptors are created for each region, searching to find the most similar regions in the most similar point of view cloud, and then aligning the pair of point clouds by aligning their minimum bounding boxes. Repeat the above steps again until registration of all point clouds is completed. Experiments show that this method is insensitive to the density of point clouds and performs well on the noise of laser three-dimension imaging.

[Dancing with Pointe Shoes: Characteristics and Assessment Criteria for Pointe Readiness].

Science.gov (United States)

Wanke, Eileen M; Exner-Grave, Elisabeth

2017-12-01

Training with pointe shoes is an integral part of professional dance education and ambitious hobby dancing. Pointe shoes - developed more than hundred years ago and almost unaltered since then - are highly specific and strike a balance between aesthetics, function, protection, and health care. Therefore, pointe readiness should be tested prior to all dance training or career training. Medical specialists are often confronted with this issue. Specific anatomical dance technique-orientated general conditional and coordinative preconditions as well as dance-technical prerequisites must be met by pointe readiness tests in order to keep traumatic injuries or long-term damage at a minimum. In addition to a (training) history, medical counselling sessions have come to include various tests that enable a reliable decision for or against pointe work. This article suggests adequate testing procedures (STT TEST), taking account of professional dancing as well as hobby dancing. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Comparison of Dose When Prescribed to Point A and Point H for Brachytherapy in Cervical Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gang, Ji Hyeong; Gim, Il Hwan; Hwang, Seon Boong; Kim, Woong; Im, Hyeong Seo; Gang, Jin Mook; Gim, Gi Hwan; Lee, Ah Ram [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seou (Korea, Republic of)

2012-09-15

The purpose of this study is to compare plans prescribed to point A with these prescribed to point H recommended by ABS (American Brachytherapy Society) in high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy for cervical carcinoma. This study selected 103 patients who received HDR (High Dose Rate) brachytherapy using tandem and ovoids from March 2010 to January 2012. Point A, bladder point, and rectal point conform with Manchester System. Point H conforms with ABS recommendation. Also Sigmoid colon point, and vagina point were established arbitrarily. We examined distance between point A and point H. The percent dose at point A was calculated when 100% dose was prescribed to point H. Additionally, the percent dose at each reference points when dose is prescribed to point H and point A were calculated. The relative dose at point A was lower when point H was located inferior to point A. The relative doses at bladder, rectal, sigmoid colon, and vagina points were higher when point H was located superior to point A, and lower when point H was located inferior to point A. This study found out that as point H got located much superior to point A, the absorbed dose of surrounding normal organs became higher, and as point H got located much inferior to point A, the absorbed dose of surrounding normal organs became lower. This differences dose not seem to affect the treatment. However, we suggest this new point is worth being considered for the treatment of HDR if dose distribution and absorbed dose at normal organs have large differences between prescribed to point A and H.

Microprocessor-controlled step-down maximum-power-point tracker for photovoltaic systems

Science.gov (United States)

Mazmuder, R. K.; Haidar, S.

1992-12-01

An efficient maximum power point tracker (MPPT) has been developed and can be used with a photovoltaic (PV) array and a load which requires lower voltage than the PV array voltage to be operated. The MPPT makes the PV array to operate at maximum power point (MPP) under all insolation and temperature, which ensures the maximum amount of available PV power to be delivered to the load. The performance of the MPPT has been studied under different insolation levels.

Telescopic Hybrid Fast Solver for 3D Elliptic Problems with Point Singularities

KAUST Repository

Paszyńska, Anna; Jopek, Konrad; Banaś, Krzysztof; Paszyński, Maciej; Gurgul, Piotr; Lenerth, Andrew; Nguyen, Donald; Pingali, Keshav; Dalcind, Lisandro; Calo, Victor M.

2015-01-01

This paper describes a telescopic solver for two dimensional h adaptive grids with point singularities. The input for the telescopic solver is an h refined two dimensional computational mesh with rectangular finite elements. The candidates for point singularities are first localized over the mesh by using a greedy algorithm. Having the candidates for point singularities, we execute either a direct solver, that performs multiple refinements towards selected point singularities and executes a parallel direct solver algorithm which has logarithmic cost with respect to refinement level. The direct solvers executed over each candidate for point singularity return local Schur complement matrices that can be merged together and submitted to iterative solver. In this paper we utilize a parallel multi-thread GALOIS solver as a direct solver. We use Incomplete LU Preconditioned Conjugated Gradients (ILUPCG) as an iterative solver. We also show that elimination of point singularities from the refined mesh reduces significantly the number of iterations to be performed by the ILUPCG iterative solver.

Telescopic Hybrid Fast Solver for 3D Elliptic Problems with Point Singularities

KAUST Repository

Paszyńska, Anna

2015-06-01

This paper describes a telescopic solver for two dimensional h adaptive grids with point singularities. The input for the telescopic solver is an h refined two dimensional computational mesh with rectangular finite elements. The candidates for point singularities are first localized over the mesh by using a greedy algorithm. Having the candidates for point singularities, we execute either a direct solver, that performs multiple refinements towards selected point singularities and executes a parallel direct solver algorithm which has logarithmic cost with respect to refinement level. The direct solvers executed over each candidate for point singularity return local Schur complement matrices that can be merged together and submitted to iterative solver. In this paper we utilize a parallel multi-thread GALOIS solver as a direct solver. We use Incomplete LU Preconditioned Conjugated Gradients (ILUPCG) as an iterative solver. We also show that elimination of point singularities from the refined mesh reduces significantly the number of iterations to be performed by the ILUPCG iterative solver.

C-point and V-point singularity lattice formation and index sign conversion methods

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar Pal, Sushanta; Ruchi; Senthilkumaran, P.

2017-06-01

The generic singularities in an ellipse field are C-points namely stars, lemons and monstars in a polarization distribution with C-point indices (-1/2), (+1/2) and (+1/2) respectively. Similar to C-point singularities, there are V-point singularities that occur in a vector field and are characterized by Poincare-Hopf index of integer values. In this paper we show that the superposition of three homogenously polarized beams in different linear states leads to the formation of polarization singularity lattice. Three point sources at the focal plane of the lens are used to create three interfering plane waves. A radial/azimuthal polarization converter (S-wave plate) placed near the focal plane modulates the polarization states of the three beams. The interference pattern is found to host C-points and V-points in a hexagonal lattice. The C-points occur at intensity maxima and V-points occur at intensity minima. Modulating the state of polarization (SOP) of three plane waves from radial to azimuthal does not essentially change the nature of polarization singularity lattice as the Poincare-Hopf index for both radial and azimuthal polarization distributions is (+1). Hence a transformation from a star to a lemon is not trivial, as such a transformation requires not a single SOP change, but a change in whole spatial SOP distribution. Further there is no change in the lattice structure and the C- and V-points appear at locations where they were present earlier. Hence to convert an interlacing star and V-point lattice into an interlacing lemon and V-point lattice, the interferometer requires modification. We show for the first time a method to change the polarity of C-point and V-point indices. This means that lemons can be converted into stars and stars can be converted into lemons. Similarly the positive V-point can be converted to negative V-point and vice versa. The intensity distribution in all these lattices is invariant as the SOPs of the three beams are changed in an

Tipping Points? Curvilinear Associations between Activity Level and Mental Development in Toddlers

Science.gov (United States)

Flom, Megan; Cohen, Madeleine; Saudino, Kimberly J.

2017-01-01

The Theory of Optimal Stimulation (Zentall & Zentall, "Psychological Bulletin," 94, 1983, 446) posits that the relation between activity level (AL) and cognitive performance follows an inverted U shape where midrange AL predicts better cognitive performance than AL at the extremes. We explored this by fitting linear and quadratic…

PowerPoint 2010 Bible

CERN Document Server

Wempen, Faithe

2010-01-01

Master PowerPoint and improve your presentation skills-with one book!. It's no longer enough to have slide after slide of text, bullets, and charts. It's not even enough to have good speaking skills if your PowerPoint slides bore your audience. Get the very most out of all that PowerPoint 2010 has to offer while also learning priceless tips and techniques for making good presentations in this new PowerPoint 2010 Bible. Well-known PowerPoint expert and author Faithe Wempen provides formatting tips; shows you how to work with drawings, tables, and SmartArt; introduces new collaboration tools; wa

A multi-resolution HEALPix data structure for spherically mapped point data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert W. Youngren

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Data describing entities with locations that are points on a sphere are described as spherically mapped. Several data structures designed for spherically mapped data have been developed. One of them, known as Hierarchical Equal Area iso-Latitude Pixelization (HEALPix, partitions the sphere into twelve diamond-shaped equal-area base cells and then recursively subdivides each cell into four diamond-shaped subcells, continuing to the desired level of resolution. Twelve quadtrees, one associated with each base cell, store the data records associated with that cell and its subcells.HEALPix has been used successfully for numerous applications, notably including cosmic microwave background data analysis. However, for applications involving sparse point data HEALPix has possible drawbacks, including inefficient memory utilization, overwriting of proximate points, and return of spurious points for certain queries.A multi-resolution variant of HEALPix specifically optimized for sparse point data was developed. The new data structure allows different areas of the sphere to be subdivided at different levels of resolution. It combines HEALPix positive features with the advantages of multi-resolution, including reduced memory requirements and improved query performance.An implementation of the new Multi-Resolution HEALPix (MRH data structure was tested using spherically mapped data from four different scientific applications (warhead fragmentation trajectories, weather station locations, galaxy locations, and synthetic locations. Four types of range queries were applied to each data structure for each dataset. Compared to HEALPix, MRH used two to four orders of magnitude less memory for the same data, and on average its queries executed 72% faster. Keywords: Computer science

High precision target center determination from a point cloud

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Kregar

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Many applications of terrestrial laser scanners (TLS require the determination of a specific point from a point cloud. In this paper procedure of high precision planar target center acquisition from point cloud is presented. The process is based on an image matching algorithm but before we can deal with raster image to fit a target on it, we need to properly determine the best fitting plane and project points on it. The main emphasis of this paper is in the precision estimation and propagation through the whole procedure which allows us to obtain precision assessment of final results (target center coordinates. Theoretic precision estimations – obtained through the procedure were rather high so we compared them with the empiric precision estimations obtained as standard deviations of results of 60 independently scanned targets. An χ2-test confirmed that theoretic precisions are overestimated. The problem most probably lies in the overestimated precisions of the plane parameters due to vast redundancy of points. However, empirical precisions also confirmed that the proposed procedure can ensure a submillimeter precision level. The algorithm can automatically detect grossly erroneous results to some extent. It can operate when the incidence angles of a laser beam are as high as 80°, which is desirable property if one is going to use planar targets as tie points in scan registration. The proposed algorithm will also contribute to improve TLS calibration procedures.

Hemoglobin Levels Across the Pediatric Critical Care Spectrum: A Point Prevalence Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, Nabil E; Reischman, Diann E; Fitzgerald, Robert K; Faustino, Edward Vincent S

2018-05-01

To determine the prevailing hemoglobin levels in PICU patients, and any potential correlates. Post hoc analysis of prospective multicenter observational data. Fifty-nine PICUs in seven countries. PICU patients on four specific days in 2012. None. Patients' hemoglobin and other clinical and institutional data. Two thousand three hundred eighty-nine patients with median age of 1.9 years (interquartile range, 0.3-9.8 yr), weight 11.5 kg (interquartile range, 5.4-29.6 kg), and preceding PICU stay of 4.0 days (interquartile range, 1.0-13.0 d). Their median hemoglobin was 11.0 g/dL (interquartile range, 9.6-12.5 g/dL). The prevalence of transfusion in the 24 hours preceding data collection was 14.2%. Neonates had the highest hemoglobin at 13.1 g/dL (interquartile range, 11.2-15.0 g/dL) compared with other age groups (p < 0.001). The percentage of 31.3 of the patients had hemoglobin of greater than or equal to 12 g/dL, and 1.1% had hemoglobin of less than 7 g/dL. Blacks had lower median hemoglobin (10.5; interquartile range, 9.3-12.1 g/dL) compared with whites (median, 11.1; interquartile range, 9.0-12.6; p < 0.001). Patients in Spain and Portugal had the highest median hemoglobin (11.4; interquartile range, 10.0-12.6) compared with other regions outside of the United States (p < 0.001), and the highest proportion (31.3%) of transfused patients compared with all regions (p < 0.001). Patients in cardiac PICUs had higher median hemoglobin than those in mixed PICUs or noncardiac PICUs (12.3, 11.0, and 10.6 g/dL, respectively; p < 0.001). Cyanotic heart disease patients had the highest median hemoglobin (12.6 g/dL; interquartile range, 11.1-14.5). Multivariable regression analysis within diagnosis groups revealed that hemoglobin levels were significantly associated with the geographic location and history of complex cardiac disease in most of the models. In children with cancer, none of the variables tested correlated with patients' hemoglobin levels

Noise and intercept point calculation for modern radio receiver planning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, Christian Rye; Kolding, T. E.

2001-01-01

The paper presents analytical expressions for determining noise and intercept points for cascaded radio receiver stages. The theory allows for active receiver stages with frequency selectivity and flexible impedance levels. This makes the method highly usable for planning of modem receivers where...

Critical points for finite Fibonacci chains of point delta-interactions and orthogonal polynomials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Prunele, E

2011-01-01

For a one-dimensional Schroedinger operator with a finite number n of point delta-interactions with a common intensity, the parameters are the intensity, the n - 1 intercenter distances and the mass. Critical points are points in the parameters space of the Hamiltonian where one bound state appears or disappears. The study of critical points for Hamiltonians with point delta-interactions arranged along a Fibonacci chain is shown to be closely related to the study of the so-called Fibonacci operator, a discrete one-dimensional Schroedinger-type operator, which occurs in the context of tight binding Hamiltonians. These critical points are the zeros of orthogonal polynomials previously studied in the context of special diatomic linear chains with elastic nearest-neighbor interaction. Properties of the zeros (location, asymptotic behavior, gaps, ...) are investigated. The perturbation series from the solvable periodic case is determined. The measure which yields orthogonality is investigated numerically from the zeros. It is shown that the transmission coefficient at zero energy can be expressed in terms of the orthogonal polynomials and their associated polynomials. In particular, it is shown that when the number of point delta-interactions is equal to a Fibonacci number minus 1, i.e. when the intervals between point delta-interactions form a palindrome, all the Fibonacci chains at critical points are completely transparent at zero energy. (paper)

Poisson branching point processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuo, K.; Teich, M.C.; Saleh, B.E.A.

1984-01-01

We investigate the statistical properties of a special branching point process. The initial process is assumed to be a homogeneous Poisson point process (HPP). The initiating events at each branching stage are carried forward to the following stage. In addition, each initiating event independently contributes a nonstationary Poisson point process (whose rate is a specified function) located at that point. The additional contributions from all points of a given stage constitute a doubly stochastic Poisson point process (DSPP) whose rate is a filtered version of the initiating point process at that stage. The process studied is a generalization of a Poisson branching process in which random time delays are permitted in the generation of events. Particular attention is given to the limit in which the number of branching stages is infinite while the average number of added events per event of the previous stage is infinitesimal. In the special case when the branching is instantaneous this limit of continuous branching corresponds to the well-known Yule--Furry process with an initial Poisson population. The Poisson branching point process provides a useful description for many problems in various scientific disciplines, such as the behavior of electron multipliers, neutron chain reactions, and cosmic ray showers

Georeferencing UAS Derivatives Through Point Cloud Registration with Archived Lidar Datasets

Science.gov (United States)

Magtalas, M. S. L. Y.; Aves, J. C. L.; Blanco, A. C.

2016-10-01

Georeferencing gathered images is a common step before performing spatial analysis and other processes on acquired datasets using unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Methods of applying spatial information to aerial images or their derivatives is through onboard GPS (Global Positioning Systems) geotagging, or through tying of models through GCPs (Ground Control Points) acquired in the field. Currently, UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) derivatives are limited to meter-levels of accuracy when their generation is unaided with points of known position on the ground. The use of ground control points established using survey-grade GPS or GNSS receivers can greatly reduce model errors to centimeter levels. However, this comes with additional costs not only with instrument acquisition and survey operations, but also in actual time spent in the field. This study uses a workflow for cloud-based post-processing of UAS data in combination with already existing LiDAR data. The georeferencing of the UAV point cloud is executed using the Iterative Closest Point algorithm (ICP). It is applied through the open-source CloudCompare software (Girardeau-Montaut, 2006) on a `skeleton point cloud'. This skeleton point cloud consists of manually extracted features consistent on both LiDAR and UAV data. For this cloud, roads and buildings with minimal deviations given their differing dates of acquisition are considered consistent. Transformation parameters are computed for the skeleton cloud which could then be applied to the whole UAS dataset. In addition, a separate cloud consisting of non-vegetation features automatically derived using CANUPO classification algorithm (Brodu and Lague, 2012) was used to generate a separate set of parameters. Ground survey is done to validate the transformed cloud. An RMSE value of around 16 centimeters was found when comparing validation data to the models georeferenced using the CANUPO cloud and the manual skeleton cloud. Cloud-to-cloud distance computations of

Analisis Break Even Point Penjualan Pupuk Kompos Toar Organic Fertilizer di Kakaskasen Kota Tomohon

OpenAIRE

Sianipar, Maya Basaria; Mandei, Juliana R; Katiandagho, Theodora M

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the value of sales of compos at break even. Starting from of 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Analysis of break even point is an analysis tools that is used by management of a company that serves to determine the level of sales, so the company doesn't profit and loss. Analysis of break even points can be used by a manager or a leader of the company with the aim to determine the level of sales volume before experiencing benefits and losses.Research uses the d...

Stabilizing Planar Inverted Pendulum System Based on Fuzzy Nine-point Controller

OpenAIRE

Qi Qian; Liu Feng; Tang Yong-chuan; Yang Yang

2013-01-01

In order to stabilize planar inverted pendulum, after analyzing the physical characteristics of the planar inverted pendulum system, a pendulum nine-point controller and a car nine-point controller for X-axis and Y-axis were designed respectively. Then a fuzzy coordinator was designed using the fuzzy control theory based on the priority of those two controllers, and the priority level of the pendulum is higher than the car. Thus, the control tasks of each controller in each axis were harmoniz...

Effects of placement point of background music on shopping website.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Chien-Jung; Chiang, Chia-Chi

2012-01-01

Consumer on-line behaviors are more important than ever due to highly growth of on-line shopping. The purposes of this study were to design placement methods of background music for shopping website and examine the effect on browsers' emotional and cognitive response. Three placement points of background music during the browsing, i.e. 2 min., 4 min., and 6 min. from the start of browsing were considered for entry points. Both browsing without music (no music) and browsing with constant music volume (full music) were treated as control groups. Participants' emotional state, approach-avoidance behavior intention, and action to adjust music volume were collected. Results showed that participants had a higher level of pleasure, arousal and approach behavior intention for the three placement points than for no music and full music. Most of the participants for full music (5/6) adjusted the background music. Only 16.7% (3/18) participants for other levels turn off the background music. The results indicate that playing background music after the start of browsing is benefit for on-line shopping atmosphere. It is inappropriate to place background music at the start of browsing shopping website. The marketer must manipulated placement methods of background music for a web store carefully.

Non-uniqueness of the point of application of the buoyancy force

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kliava, Janis; Megel, Jacques

2010-01-01

Even though the buoyancy force (also known as the Archimedes force) has always been an important topic of academic studies in physics, its point of application has not been explicitly identified yet. We present a quantitative approach to this problem based on the concept of the hydrostatic energy, considered here for a general shape of the cross-section of a floating body and for an arbitrary angle of heel. We show that the location of the point of application of the buoyancy force essentially depends (i) on the type of motion experienced by the floating body and (ii) on the definition of this point. In a rolling/pitching motion, considerations involving the rotational moment lead to a particular dynamical point of application of the buoyancy force, and for some simple shapes of the floating body this point coincides with the well-known metacentre. On the other hand, from the work-energy relation it follows that in the rolling/pitching motion the energetical point of application of this force is rigidly connected to the centre of buoyancy; in contrast, in a vertical translation this point is rigidly connected to the centre of gravity of the body. Finally, we consider the location of the characteristic points of the floating bodies for some particular shapes of immersed cross-sections. The paper is intended for higher education level physics teachers and students.

Learning power point 2000 easily

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mon, In Su; Je, Jung Suk

2000-05-15

This book introduces power point 2000, which gives descriptions what power point is, what we can do with power point 2000, is it possible to install power point 2000 in my computer? Let's run power point, basic of power point such as new presentation, writing letter, using text box, changing font size, color and shape, catching power user, insertion of word art and creating of new file. It also deals with figure, chart, graph, making multimedia file, presentation, know-how of power point for teachers and company workers.

Accelerometer Cut Points for Physical Activity Assessment of Older Adults with Parkinson's Disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Håkan Nero

Full Text Available To define accelerometer cut points for different walking speeds in older adults with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease.A volunteer sample of 30 older adults (mean age 73; SD 5.4 years with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease walked at self-defined brisk, normal, and slow speeds for three minutes in a circular indoor hallway, each wearing an accelerometer around the waist. Walking speed was calculated and used as a reference measure. Through ROC analysis, accelerometer cut points for different levels of walking speed in counts per 15 seconds were generated, and a leave-one-out cross-validation was performed followed by a quadratic weighted Cohen's Kappa, to test the level of agreement between true and cut point-predicted walking speeds.Optimal cut points for walking speeds ≤ 1.0 m/s were ≤ 328 and ≤ 470 counts/15 sec; for speeds > 1.3 m/s, they were ≥ 730 and ≥ 851 counts/15 sec for the vertical axis and vector magnitude, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity were 61%-100% for the developed cut points. The quadratic weighted Kappa showed substantial agreement: κ = 0.79 (95% CI 0.70-0.89 and κ = 0.69 (95% CI 0.56-0.82 for the vertical axis and the vector magnitude, respectively.This study provides accelerometer cut points based on walking speed for physical-activity measurement in older adults with Parkinson's disease for evaluation of interventions and for investigating links between physical activity and health.

Bright point study. [of solar corona

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, F.; Harvey, K.; Bruner, M.; Kent, B.; Antonucci, E.

1982-01-01

Transition region and coronal observations of bright points by instruments aboard the Solar Maximum Mission and high resolution photospheric magnetograph observations on September 11, 1980 are presented. A total of 31 bipolar ephemeral regions were found in the photosphere from birth in 9.3 hours of combined magnetograph observations from three observatories. Two of the three ephemeral regions present in the field of view of the Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Polarimeter were observed in the C IV 1548 line. The unobserved ephemeral region was determined to be the shortest-lived (2.5 hr) and lowest in magnetic flux density (13G) of the three regions. The Flat Crystal Spectrometer observed only low level signals in the O VIII 18.969 A line, which were not statistically significant to be positively identified with any of the 16 ephemeral regions detected in the photosphere. In addition, the data indicate that at any given time there lacked a one-to-one correspondence between observable bright points and photospheric ephemeral regions, while more ephemeral regions were observed than their counterparts in the transition region and the corona.

Set-Point Theory and personality development : Reconciliation of a paradox

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ormel, Johan; Von Korff, Michael; Jeronimus, Bertus F.; Riese, Harriette; Specht, Jule

Set-point trait theories presume homeostasis at a specified level (stability/trait) and a surrounding “bandwidth” (change/state). The theory has been productively applied in studies on subjective well-being (SWB) but hardly in research on stability and change in personality (e.g. neuroticism,

From Contrapuntal Music to Polyphonic Novel: Aldous Huxley’s Point Counter Point

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mevlüde ZENGİN

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Taken at face value Point Counter Point (1928 written by Aldous Huxley seems to be a novel including many stories of various and sundry people and reflecting their points of view about the world in which they live and about the life they have been leading. However, it is this very quality of the novel that provides grounds for the study of the novel as a polyphonic one. The novel presents to its reader an aggregate of strikingly different characters and thus a broad spectrum of contemporary society. The characters in the novel are all characterized by and individualized with easily recognizable physical, intellectual, emotional, psychological and moral qualities. Each of them is well-contrived through their differences in social status, political views, wealth, etc. Thus, many different viewpoints, conflicting voices, contrasting insights and ideas are heard and seen synchronically in Point Counter Point, which makes it polyphonic. Polyphony is a musical motif referring to different notes and chords played at the same time to create a rhythm. It was first adopted by M. M. Bakhtin to analyze F. M. Dostoyevsky’s fiction. The aim of this study is firstly to elucidate, in Bakhtinian thought, polyphony and then dialogism and heteroglossia closely related to his concept of polyphony; and then to put the polyphonic qualities in Point Counter Point forth, studying the novel’s dialogism and heteroglot qualities

Flow area optimization in point to area or area to point flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghodoossi, Lotfollah; Egrican, Niluefer

2003-01-01

This paper deals with the constructal theory of generation of shape and structure in flow systems connecting one point to a finite size area. The flow direction may be either from the point to the area or the area to the point. The formulation of the problem remains the same if the flow direction is reversed. Two models are used in optimization of the point to area or area to point flow problem: cost minimization and revenue maximization. The cost minimization model enables one to predict the shape of the optimized flow areas, but the geometric sizes of the flow areas are not predictable. That is, as an example, if the area of flow is a rectangle with a fixed area size, optimization of the point to area or area to point flow problem by using the cost minimization model will only predict the height/length ratio of the rectangle not the height and length itself. By using the revenue maximization model in optimization of the flow problems, all optimized geometric aspects of the interested flow areas will be derived as well. The aim of this paper is to optimize the point to area or area to point flow problems in various elemental flow area shapes and various structures of the flow system (various combinations of elemental flow areas) by using the revenue maximization model. The elemental flow area shapes used in this paper are either rectangular or triangular. The forms of the flow area structure, made up of an assembly of optimized elemental flow areas to obtain bigger flow areas, are rectangle-in-rectangle, rectangle-in-triangle, triangle-in-triangle and triangle-in-rectangle. The global maximum revenue, revenue collected per unit flow area and the shape and sizes of each flow area structure have been derived in optimized conditions. The results for each flow area structure have been compared with the results of the other structures to determine the structure that provides better performance. The conclusion is that the rectangle-in-triangle flow area structure

Bit Error Rate Due to Misalignment of Earth Station Antenna Pointing to Satellite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wahyu Pamungkas

2010-04-01

Full Text Available One problem causing reduction of energy in satellite communications system is the misalignment of earth station antenna pointing to satellite. Error in pointing would affect the quality of information signal to energy bit in earth station. In this research, error in pointing angle occurred only at receiver (Rx antenna, while the transmitter (Tx antennas precisely point to satellite. The research was conducted towards two satellites, namely TELKOM-1 and TELKOM-2. At first, measurement was made by directing Tx antenna precisely to satellite, resulting in an antenna pattern shown by spectrum analyzer. The output from spectrum analyzers is drawn with the right scale to describe swift of azimuth and elevation pointing angle towards satellite. Due to drifting from the precise pointing, it influenced the received link budget indicated by pattern antenna. This antenna pattern shows reduction of power level received as a result of pointing misalignment. As a conclusion, the increasing misalignment of pointing to satellite would affect in the reduction of received signal parameters link budget of down-link traffic.

Three point functions in the large N=4 holography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Changhyun; Kim, Hyunsu

2015-01-01

Sixteen higher spin currents with spins (1,(3/2),(3/2),2), ((3/2),2,2,(5/2)), ((3/2),2,2,(5/2)), and (2,(5/2),(5/2),3) were previously obtained in an extension of the large N=4 ‘nonlinear’ superconformal algebra in two dimensions. By carefully analyzing the zero-mode eigenvalue equations, three-point functions of bosonic (higher spin) currents are obtained with two scalars for any finite N (where SU(N+2) is the group of coset) and k (the level of spin-1 Kac Moody current). Furthermore, these 16 higher spin currents are implicitly obtained in an extension of large N=4 ‘linear’ superconformal algebra for generic N and k. The corresponding three-point functions are also determined. Under the large N ’t Hooft limit, the two corresponding three-point functions in the nonlinear and linear versions coincide even though they are completely different for finite N and k.

Professional SharePoint 2010 Development

CERN Document Server

Rizzo, Tom; Fried, Jeff

2010-01-01

Learn to leverage the features of the newest version of SharePoint, in this update to the bestseller. More than simply a portal, SharePoint is Microsoft's popular content management solution for building intranets and Web sites or hosting wikis and blogs. Offering broad coverage on all aspects of development for the SharePoint platform, this comprehensive book shows you exactly what SharePoint does, how to build solutions, and what features are accessible within SharePoint. Written by one of the most recognized names in SharePoint development, Professional SharePoint 2010 Development offers an

Change Points in the Population Trends of Aerial-Insectivorous Birds in North America: Synchronized in Time across Species and Regions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam C Smith

Full Text Available North American populations of aerial insectivorous birds are in steep decline. Aerial insectivores (AI are a group of bird species that feed almost exclusively on insects in flight, and include swallows, swifts, nightjars, and flycatchers. The causes of the declines are not well understood. Indeed, it is not clear when the declines began, or whether the declines are shared across all species in the group (e.g., caused by changes in flying insect populations or specific to each species (e.g., caused by changes in species' breeding habitat. A recent study suggested that population trends of aerial insectivores changed for the worse in the 1980s. If there was such a change point in trends of the group, understanding its timing and geographic pattern could help identify potential causes of the decline. We used a hierarchical Bayesian, penalized regression spline, change point model to estimate group-level change points in the trends of 22 species of AI, across 153 geographic strata of North America. We found evidence for group-level change points in 85% of the strata. Change points for flycatchers (FC were distinct from those for swallows, swifts and nightjars (SSN across North America, except in the Northeast, where all AI shared the same group-level change points. During the 1980s, there was a negative change point across most of North America, in the trends of SSN. For FC, the group-level change points were more geographically variable, and in many regions there were two: a positive change point followed by a negative change point. This group-level synchrony in AI population trends is likely evidence of a response to a common environmental factor(s with similar effects on many species across broad spatial extents. The timing and geographic patterns of the change points that we identify here should provide a spring-board for research into the causes behind aerial insectivore declines.

The Lagrangian Points

Science.gov (United States)

Linton, J. Oliver

2017-01-01

There are five unique points in a star/planet system where a satellite can be placed whose orbital period is equal to that of the planet. Simple methods for calculating the positions of these points, or at least justifying their existence, are developed.

Electronic zero-point fluctuation forces inside circuit components

Science.gov (United States)

Leonhardt, Ulf

2018-01-01

One of the most intriguing manifestations of quantum zero-point fluctuations are the van der Waals and Casimir forces, often associated with vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. We study generalized fluctuation potentials acting on internal degrees of freedom of components in electrical circuits. These electronic Casimir-like potentials are induced by the zero-point current fluctuations of any general conductive circuit. For realistic examples of an electromechanical capacitor and a superconducting qubit, our results reveal the possibility of tunable forces between the capacitor plates, or the level shifts of the qubit, respectively. Our analysis suggests an alternative route toward the exploration of Casimir-like fluctuation potentials, namely, by characterizing and measuring them as a function of parameters of the environment. These tunable potentials may be useful for future nanoelectromechanical and quantum technologies. PMID:29719863

Electronic zero-point fluctuation forces inside circuit components.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahmoon, Ephraim; Leonhardt, Ulf

2018-04-01

One of the most intriguing manifestations of quantum zero-point fluctuations are the van der Waals and Casimir forces, often associated with vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. We study generalized fluctuation potentials acting on internal degrees of freedom of components in electrical circuits. These electronic Casimir-like potentials are induced by the zero-point current fluctuations of any general conductive circuit. For realistic examples of an electromechanical capacitor and a superconducting qubit, our results reveal the possibility of tunable forces between the capacitor plates, or the level shifts of the qubit, respectively. Our analysis suggests an alternative route toward the exploration of Casimir-like fluctuation potentials, namely, by characterizing and measuring them as a function of parameters of the environment. These tunable potentials may be useful for future nanoelectromechanical and quantum technologies.

Salient Point Detection in Protrusion Parts of 3D Object Robust to Isometric Variations

Science.gov (United States)

Mirloo, Mahsa; Ebrahimnezhad, Hosein

2018-03-01

In this paper, a novel method is proposed to detect 3D object salient points robust to isometric variations and stable against scaling and noise. Salient points can be used as the representative points from object protrusion parts in order to improve the object matching and retrieval algorithms. The proposed algorithm is started by determining the first salient point of the model based on the average geodesic distance of several random points. Then, according to the previous salient point, a new point is added to this set of points in each iteration. By adding every salient point, decision function is updated. Hence, a condition is created for selecting the next point in which the iterative point is not extracted from the same protrusion part so that drawing out of a representative point from every protrusion part is guaranteed. This method is stable against model variations with isometric transformations, scaling, and noise with different levels of strength due to using a feature robust to isometric variations and considering the relation between the salient points. In addition, the number of points used in averaging process is decreased in this method, which leads to lower computational complexity in comparison with the other salient point detection algorithms.

The point of no return: A fundamental limit on the ability to control thought and action.

Science.gov (United States)

Logan, Gordon D

2015-01-01

Bartlett (1958. Thinking. New York: Basic Books) described the point of no return as a point of irrevocable commitment to action, which was preceded by a period of gradually increasing commitment. As such, the point of no return reflects a fundamental limit on the ability to control thought and action. I review the literature on the point of no return, taking three perspectives. First, I consider the point of no return from the perspective of the controlled act, as a locus in the architecture and anatomy of the underlying processes. I review experiments from the stop-signal paradigm that suggest that the point of no return is located late in the response system. Then I consider the point of no return from the perspective of the act of control that tries to change the controlled act before it becomes irrevocable. From this perspective, the point of no return is a point in time that provides enough "lead time" for the act of control to take effect. I review experiments that measure the response time to the stop signal as the lead time required for response inhibition in the stop-signal paradigm. Finally, I consider the point of no return in hierarchically controlled tasks, in which there may be many points of no return at different levels of the hierarchy. I review experiments on skilled typing that suggest different points of no return for the commands that determine what is typed and the countermands that inhibit typing, with increasing commitment to action the lower the level in the hierarchy. I end by considering the point of no return in perception and thought as well as action.

The End of Points

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, Jo

2018-01-01

Have teachers become too dependent on points? This article explores educators' dependency on their points systems, and the ways that points can distract teachers from really analyzing students' capabilities and achievements. Feldman argues that using a more subjective grading system can help illuminate crucial information about students and what…

Multispectral Image Feature Points

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristhian Aguilera

2012-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel feature point descriptor for the multispectral image case: Far-Infrared and Visible Spectrum images. It allows matching interest points on images of the same scene but acquired in different spectral bands. Initially, points of interest are detected on both images through a SIFT-like based scale space representation. Then, these points are characterized using an Edge Oriented Histogram (EOH descriptor. Finally, points of interest from multispectral images are matched by finding nearest couples using the information from the descriptor. The provided experimental results and comparisons with similar methods show both the validity of the proposed approach as well as the improvements it offers with respect to the current state-of-the-art.

The Effect of Honors Courses on Grade Point Averages

Science.gov (United States)

Spisak, Art L.; Squires, Suzanne Carter

2016-01-01

High-ability entering college students give three main reasons for not choosing to become part of honors programs and colleges; they and/or their parents believe that honors classes at the university level require more work than non-honors courses, are more stressful, and will adversely affect their self-image and grade point average (GPA) (Hill;…

Performance evaluation of laser guided leveler

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.A. Hoque

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The study was conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI farm on clay loam soil during Rabi season of 2010-2011. The treatments consisted of laser land leveling (T1 and control (non-leveled (T2. A preliminary field survey was done using staff gage. Initially a base station was established to dispense laser ray uniformly. The laser ray erected from base station guided the sensor of the stuff gage and the leveler. Elevation data was collected from the different points of the field and made an average. The maximum gage reading were 247.0 cm and the minimum gage reading was 219.2 cm. Average gage readings of the laser leveled plot was 235.66 cm that was settled for auto adjustment. Therefore, huge amount of soils (16.46 cm high was cut from the highest point and subsequently had to fill to the low points. Finally, an equal gage reading of 235.66 cm was observed after leveling the plot. The laser leveler (Leica MLS700 was used hitching with a TAFE tractor. The field was leveled with manual control initially and finally it was operated with auto adjustment. Two operators, 25 litter diesels and total 6 hours time were required during this leveling. Wheat was cultivated in leveled land (T1 and non-leveled land (T2. Laser leveling was insured for improvement in nutrient use efficiencies, option for precision farming, reduces weed problems, and improves uniformity of crop maturity. There was better distribution of water in leveled plot, which helped to reduce irrigation application time 1 hour. Due to uniformity of moisture content improved germination and crop establishment was found which reflected in higher plant population (239 m-2. Maximum yield (3.41 t ha-1 was obtained in T1 due to longer panicle (10.89 cm, more grain per plant (27.47 and 1000 grain weight (47.38 g compared to yield of T2 (2.62 t ha-1.

Quantitative structure-property relationships for prediction of boiling point, vapor pressure, and melting point.

Science.gov (United States)

Dearden, John C

2003-08-01

Boiling point, vapor pressure, and melting point are important physicochemical properties in the modeling of the distribution and fate of chemicals in the environment. However, such data often are not available, and therefore must be estimated. Over the years, many attempts have been made to calculate boiling points, vapor pressures, and melting points by using quantitative structure-property relationships, and this review examines and discusses the work published in this area, and concentrates particularly on recent studies. A number of software programs are commercially available for the calculation of boiling point, vapor pressure, and melting point, and these have been tested for their predictive ability with a test set of 100 organic chemicals.

Unidirectional reflectionless light propagation at exceptional points

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huang Yin

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of unidirectional reflectionless light propagation in photonic devices at exceptional points (EPs. EPs, which are branch point singularities of the spectrum, associated with the coalescence of both eigenvalues and corresponding eigenstates, lead to interesting phenomena, such as level repulsion and crossing, bifurcation, chaos, and phase transitions in open quantum systems described by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. Recently, it was shown that judiciously designed photonic synthetic matters could mimic the complex non-Hermitian Hamiltonians in quantum mechanics and realize unidirectional reflection at optical EPs. Unidirectional reflectionlessness is of great interest for optical invisibility. Achieving unidirectional reflectionless light propagation could also be potentially important for developing optical devices, such as optical network analyzers. Here, we discuss unidirectional reflectionlessness at EPs in both parity-time (PT-symmetric and non-PT-symmetric optical systems. We also provide an outlook on possible future directions in this field.

Assessment of hygiene standards and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points implementation on passenger ships.

Science.gov (United States)

Mouchtouri, Varavara; Malissiova, Eleni; Zisis, Panagiotis; Paparizou, Evina; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2013-01-01

The level of hygiene on ferries can have impact on travellers' health. The aim of this study was to assess the hygiene standards of ferries in Greece and to investigate whether Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) implementation contributes to the hygiene status and particularly food safety aboard passenger ships. Hygiene inspections on 17 ferries in Greece were performed using a standardized inspection form, with a 135-point scale. Thirty-four water and 17 food samples were collected and analysed. About 65% (11/17) of ferries were scored with >100 points. Ferries with HACCP received higher scores during inspection compared to those without HACCP (p value food samples, only one was found positive for Salmonella spp. Implementation of management systems including HACCP principles can help to raise the level of hygiene aboard passenger ships.

Professional SharePoint 2010 Development

CERN Document Server

Rizzo, Tom; Fried, Jeff; Swider, Paul J; Hillier, Scot; Schaefer, Kenneth

2012-01-01

Updated guidance on how to take advantage of the newest features of SharePoint programmability More than simply a portal, SharePoint is Microsoft's popular content management solution for building intranets and websites or hosting wikis and blogs. Offering broad coverage on all aspects of development for the SharePoint platform, this comprehensive book shows you exactly what SharePoint does, how to build solutions, and what features are accessible within SharePoint. Written by a team of SharePoint experts, this new edition offers an extensive selection of field-tested best practices that shows

SharePoint 2010 For Dummies

CERN Document Server

Williams, Vanessa L

2012-01-01

Here's the bestselling guide on SharePoint 2010, updated to cover Office 365 SharePoint Portal Server is an essential part of the enterprise infrastructure for many businesses. The Office 365 version includes significantly enhanced cloud capabilities. This second edition of the bestselling guide to SharePoint covers getting a SharePoint site up and running, branded, populated with content, and more. It explains ongoing site management and offers plenty of advice for administrators who want to leverage SharePoint and Office 365 in various ways.Many businesses today rely on SharePoint Portal Ser

Throughput analysis of point-to-multi-point hybric FSO/RF network

KAUST Repository

Rakia, Tamer; Gebali, Fayez; Yang, Hong-Chuan; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2017-01-01

This paper presents and analyzes a point-to-multi-point (P2MP) network that uses a number of free-space optical (FSO) links for data transmission from the central node to the different remote nodes. A common backup radio-frequency (RF) link is used

Pilot points method for conditioning multiple-point statistical facies simulation on flow data

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Wei; Jafarpour, Behnam

2018-05-01

We propose a new pilot points method for conditioning discrete multiple-point statistical (MPS) facies simulation on dynamic flow data. While conditioning MPS simulation on static hard data is straightforward, their calibration against nonlinear flow data is nontrivial. The proposed method generates conditional models from a conceptual model of geologic connectivity, known as a training image (TI), by strategically placing and estimating pilot points. To place pilot points, a score map is generated based on three sources of information: (i) the uncertainty in facies distribution, (ii) the model response sensitivity information, and (iii) the observed flow data. Once the pilot points are placed, the facies values at these points are inferred from production data and then are used, along with available hard data at well locations, to simulate a new set of conditional facies realizations. While facies estimation at the pilot points can be performed using different inversion algorithms, in this study the ensemble smoother (ES) is adopted to update permeability maps from production data, which are then used to statistically infer facies types at the pilot point locations. The developed method combines the information in the flow data and the TI by using the former to infer facies values at selected locations away from the wells and the latter to ensure consistent facies structure and connectivity where away from measurement locations. Several numerical experiments are used to evaluate the performance of the developed method and to discuss its important properties.

Digital microwave communication engineering point-to-point microwave systems

CERN Document Server

Kizer, George

2013-01-01

The first book to cover all engineering aspects of microwave communication path design for the digital age Fixed point-to-point microwave systems provide moderate-capacity digital transmission between well-defined locations. Most popular in situations where fiber optics or satellite communication is impractical, it is commonly used for cellular or PCS site interconnectivity where digital connectivity is needed but not economically available from other sources, and in private networks where reliability is most important. Until now, no book has adequately treated all en

Spatial Mixture Modelling for Unobserved Point Processes: Examples in Immunofluorescence Histology.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Chunlin; Merl, Daniel; Kepler, Thomas B; West, Mike

2009-12-04

We discuss Bayesian modelling and computational methods in analysis of indirectly observed spatial point processes. The context involves noisy measurements on an underlying point process that provide indirect and noisy data on locations of point outcomes. We are interested in problems in which the spatial intensity function may be highly heterogenous, and so is modelled via flexible nonparametric Bayesian mixture models. Analysis aims to estimate the underlying intensity function and the abundance of realized but unobserved points. Our motivating applications involve immunological studies of multiple fluorescent intensity images in sections of lymphatic tissue where the point processes represent geographical configurations of cells. We are interested in estimating intensity functions and cell abundance for each of a series of such data sets to facilitate comparisons of outcomes at different times and with respect to differing experimental conditions. The analysis is heavily computational, utilizing recently introduced MCMC approaches for spatial point process mixtures and extending them to the broader new context here of unobserved outcomes. Further, our example applications are problems in which the individual objects of interest are not simply points, but rather small groups of pixels; this implies a need to work at an aggregate pixel region level and we develop the resulting novel methodology for this. Two examples with with immunofluorescence histology data demonstrate the models and computational methodology.

Immediate Effect of Needling at CV-12 (Zhongwan) Acupuncture Point on Blood Glucose Level in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Ranjan; Mooventhan, A; Manjunath, Nandi Krishnamurthy

2017-08-01

Diabetes mellitus is a major global health problem. Needling at CV-12 has reduced blood glucose level in diabetic rats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of needling at CV-12 (Zhongwan) on blood glucose level in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Forty T2DM patients were recruited and randomized into either the acupuncture group or placebo control group. The participants in the acupuncture group were needled at CV-12 (4 cun above the center of the umbilicus), and those in the placebo control group were needled at a placebo point on the right side of the abdomen (1 cun beside the CV-12). For both groups, the needle was retained for 30 minutes. Assessments were performed prior to and after the intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 16. There was a significant reduction in random blood glucose level in the acupuncture group compared to baseline. No such significant change was observed in the placebo control group. The result of this study suggests that 30 minutes of needling at CV-12 might be useful in reducing blood glucose level in patients with T2DM. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The goal of ape pointing.

Science.gov (United States)

Halina, Marta; Liebal, Katja; Tomasello, Michael

2018-01-01

Captive great apes regularly use pointing gestures in their interactions with humans. However, the precise function of this gesture is unknown. One possibility is that apes use pointing primarily to direct attention (as in "please look at that"); another is that they point mainly as an action request (such as "can you give that to me?"). We investigated these two possibilities here by examining how the looking behavior of recipients affects pointing in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus). Upon pointing to food, subjects were faced with a recipient who either looked at the indicated object (successful-look) or failed to look at the indicated object (failed-look). We predicted that, if apes point primarily to direct attention, subjects would spend more time pointing in the failed-look condition because the goal of their gesture had not been met. Alternatively, we expected that, if apes point primarily to request an object, subjects would not differ in their pointing behavior between the successful-look and failed-look conditions because these conditions differed only in the looking behavior of the recipient. We found that subjects did differ in their pointing behavior across the successful-look and failed-look conditions, but contrary to our prediction subjects spent more time pointing in the successful-look condition. These results suggest that apes are sensitive to the attentional states of gestural recipients, but their adjustments are aimed at multiple goals. We also found a greater number of individuals with a strong right-hand than left-hand preference for pointing.

Automatic markerless registration of point clouds with semantic-keypoint-based 4-points congruent sets

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Xuming

2017-08-01

The coarse registration of point clouds from urban building scenes has become a key topic in applications of terrestrial laser scanning technology. Sampling-based algorithms in the random sample consensus (RANSAC) model have emerged as mainstream solutions to address coarse registration problems. In this paper, we propose a novel combined solution to automatically align two markerless point clouds from building scenes. Firstly, the method segments non-ground points from ground points. Secondly, the proposed method detects feature points from each cross section and then obtains semantic keypoints by connecting feature points with specific rules. Finally, the detected semantic keypoints from two point clouds act as inputs to a modified 4PCS algorithm. Examples are presented and the results compared with those of K-4PCS to demonstrate the main contributions of the proposed method, which are the extension of the original 4PCS to handle heavy datasets and the use of semantic keypoints to improve K-4PCS in relation to registration accuracy and computational efficiency.

Hip Arthroscopy in High-Level Baseball Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrd, J W Thomas; Jones, Kay S

2015-08-01

To report the results of hip arthroscopy among high-level baseball players as recorded by outcome scores and return to baseball. All patients undergoing hip arthroscopy were prospectively assessed with the modified Harris Hip Score. On review of all procedures performed over a 12-year period, 44 hips were identified among 41 intercollegiate or professional baseball players who had achieved 2-year follow-up. Among the 41 players, follow-up averaged 45 months (range, 24 to 120 months), with a mean age of 23 years (range, 18 to 34 years). There were 23 collegiate (1 bilateral) and 18 professional (2 bilateral) baseball players, including 10 Major League Baseball players. Of the 8 Major League Baseball pitchers, 6 (75%) also underwent ulnar collateral ligament elbow surgery. Improvement in the modified Harris Hip Score averaged 13 points (from 81 points preoperatively to 94 points postoperatively); a paired-samples t test determined that this mean improvement of 13 points was statistically significant (P arthroscopy. This study supports the idea that arthroscopic treatment for a variety of hip pathologies in high-level baseball players provides a successful return to sport and improvement in functional outcome scores. Level IV, therapeutic case series. Copyright © 2015 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Point Cluster Analysis Using a 3D Voronoi Diagram with Applications in Point Cloud Segmentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shen Ying

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Three-dimensional (3D point analysis and visualization is one of the most effective methods of point cluster detection and segmentation in geospatial datasets. However, serious scattering and clotting characteristics interfere with the visual detection of 3D point clusters. To overcome this problem, this study proposes the use of 3D Voronoi diagrams to analyze and visualize 3D points instead of the original data item. The proposed algorithm computes the cluster of 3D points by applying a set of 3D Voronoi cells to describe and quantify 3D points. The decompositions of point cloud of 3D models are guided by the 3D Voronoi cell parameters. The parameter values are mapped from the Voronoi cells to 3D points to show the spatial pattern and relationships; thus, a 3D point cluster pattern can be highlighted and easily recognized. To capture different cluster patterns, continuous progressive clusters and segmentations are tested. The 3D spatial relationship is shown to facilitate cluster detection. Furthermore, the generated segmentations of real 3D data cases are exploited to demonstrate the feasibility of our approach in detecting different spatial clusters for continuous point cloud segmentation.

SharePoint 2010 Field Guide

CERN Document Server

Mann, Steven; Gazmuri, Pablo; Caravajal, Steve; Wheeler, Christina

2012-01-01

Hands-on solutions for common SharePoint 2010 challenges Aimed at the more than 100 million licensed SharePoint 2010 users, this indispensable field guide addresses an abundance of common SharePoint 2010 problems and offers proven solutions. A team of authors encourages you to customize SharePoint beyond the out-of-the-box functionality so that you can build more complex solutions to these challenges. You?ll discover intricate details and specific full-scale solutions that you can then implement to your own SharePoint 2010 solutions.Tackles a variety of SharePoint 2010 problems ranging from si

Professional SharePoint 2010 Administration

CERN Document Server

Klindt, Todd; Caravajal, Steve

2010-01-01

Thorough coverage of the improvements and changes to SharePoint 2010. SharePoint 2010 boasts a variety of incredible new features that will challenge even the most experienced administrator who is upgrading from SharePoint 2007. Written by a team of SharePoint experts, this book places a takes aim at showing you how to make these new features work right for you. Offering an in-depth look at SharePoint 2010, the authors focus on how SharePoint functionality has changed from its earliest version to its newest, and they provide you with detailed coverage of all the new features and capabilities.:

Professional SharePoint 2013 administration

CERN Document Server

Young, Shane; Klindt, Todd

2013-01-01

SharePoint admin author gurus return to prepare you for working with the new features of SharePoint 2013! The new iteration of SharePoint boasts exciting new features. However, any new version also comes with its fair share of challenges and that's where this book comes in. The team of SharePoint admin gurus returns to presents a fully updated resource that prepares you for making all the new SharePoint 2013 features work right. They cover all of the administration components of SharePoint 2013 in detail, and present a clear understanding of how they affect the role of the adminis

Training of troubleshooting skills in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhodes, W.; Szlapetis, I.J.; Casselman, K.

1995-12-01

This report details the study of training of troubleshooting skills for Canadian nuclear power plant operators and maintainers. The study was conducted in three distinct stages: 1) literature review and production of annotated bibliographies; 2) survey of experts in training for troubleshooting skills in North America; 3) survey of Canadian nuclear power plant training centres. Within this report are 12 annotated bibliographies of significant documents and an extensive bibliographic listing of relevant literature. The review of the literature and the survey of training experts identified the state-of-art in troubleshooting training with respect to training approaches and training tools. Trainers in the military, pharmaceutical, petro-chemical, and nuclear industries were surveyed and/or interviewed to determine the current approaches and technologies used in training for troubleshooting. Training personnel responsible for Canada's major nuclear generating stations (Bruce, Darlington, Pickering, and Point Lepreau) were interviewed and surveyed to determine the status of troubleshooting training in the Canadian nuclear industry. This information has been integrated and presented in this report. Conclusions and recommendations regarding the nature of the troubleshooting tasks performed by operators and maintainers and the related training were submitted. (author). 152 refs., 7 tabs., 1 fig

3D computer visualization and animation of CANDU reactor core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian, T.; Echlin, M.; Tonner, P.; Sur, B.

1999-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) computer visualization and animation models of typical CANDU reactor cores (Darlington, Point Lepreau) have been developed using world-wide-web (WWW) browser based tools: JavaScript, hyper-text-markup language (HTML) and virtual reality modeling language (VRML). The 3D models provide three-dimensional views of internal control and monitoring structures in the reactor core, such as fuel channels, flux detectors, liquid zone controllers, zone boundaries, shutoff rods, poison injection tubes, ion chambers. Animations have been developed based on real in-core flux detector responses and rod position data from reactor shutdown. The animations show flux changing inside the reactor core with the drop of shutoff rods and/or the injection of liquid poison. The 3D models also provide hypertext links to documents giving specifications and historical data for particular components. Data in HTML format (or other format such as PDF, etc.) can be shown in text, tables, plots, drawings, etc., and further links to other sources of data can also be embedded. This paper summarizes the use of these WWW browser based tools, and describes the resulting 3D reactor core static and dynamic models. Potential applications of the models are discussed. (author)

WIMS-AECL/RFSP code validation of reactivity calculations following a long shutdown using the simple-cell history-based method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ardeshiri, F.; Donnelly, J.V.; Arsenault, B.

1998-01-01

The purpose of this analysis is to validate the Reactor Fuelling Simulation Program (RFSP) using the simple-cell model (SCM) history-based method in a startup simulation following a reactor shutdown period. This study is part of the validation work for history-based calculations, using the WIMS-AECL code with the ENDF/B-V library, and the SCM linked to the RFSP code. In this work, the RFSP code with the SCM history-based method was used to track a 1-year period of the Point Lepreau reactor operating history, that included a 12-day reactor shutdown and subsequent startup. Measured boron and gadolinium concentrations were used in the RFSP simulations, and the predicted values of core reactivity were compared to the reference (pre-shutdown) value. The discrepancies in core reactivity are shown to be better than ±2 milli-k at any time, and better than about ±0.5 milli-k towards the end of the startup transient. The results of this analysis also show that the calculated maximum channel and bundle powers are within an acceptable range during both the core-follow and the reactor startup simulations. (author)

Training of troubleshooting skills in nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rhodes, W; Szlapetis, I J; Casselman, K [Rhodes and Associates, Inc., Willowdale, ON (Canada)

1995-12-01

This report details the study of training of troubleshooting skills for Canadian nuclear power plant operators and maintainers. The study was conducted in three distinct stages: (1) literature review and production of annotated bibliographies; (2) survey of experts in training for troubleshooting skills in North America; (3) survey of Canadian nuclear power plant training centres. Within this report are 12 annotated bibliographies of significant documents and an extensive bibliographic listing of relevant literature. The review of the literature and the survey of training experts identified the state-of-art in troubleshooting training with respect to training approaches and training tools. Trainers in the military, pharmaceutical, petro-chemical, and nuclear industries were surveyed and/or interviewed to determine the current approaches and technologies used in training for troubleshooting. Training personnel responsible for Canada`s major nuclear generating stations (Bruce, Darlington, Pickering, and Point Lepreau) were interviewed and surveyed to determine the status of troubleshooting training in the Canadian nuclear industry. This information has been integrated and presented in this report. Conclusions and recommendations regarding the nature of the troubleshooting tasks performed by operators and maintainers and the related training were submitted. (author). 152 refs., 7 tabs., 1 fig.

New level of structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenberg, O.W.

1985-01-01

In the standard model of matter, ther are five stages of compositeness- molecules, atoms, nuclei, nucleons, and quarks and leptons-but we are beginning to see regularities at the fifth layer that may point to a deeper, sixth level of structure

Pair of Exceptional Points in a Microdisk Cavity under an Extremely Weak Deformation

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Chang-Hwan; Kullig, Julius; Wiersig, Jan

2018-03-01

One of the interesting features of open quantum and wave systems is the non-Hermitian degeneracy called an exceptional point, where not only energy levels but also the corresponding eigenstates coalesce. We demonstrate that such a degeneracy can appear in optical microdisk cavities by deforming the boundary extremely weakly. This surprising finding is explained by a semiclassical theory of dynamical tunneling. It is shown that the exceptional points come in nearly degenerated pairs, originating from the different symmetry classes of modes. A spatially local chirality of modes at the exceptional point is related to vortex structures of the Poynting vector.

I See Your Point: Infants under 12 Months Understand that Pointing Is Communicative

Science.gov (United States)

Krehm, Madelaine; Onishi, Kristine H.; Vouloumanos, Athena

2014-01-01

Do young infants understand that pointing gestures allow the pointer to change the information state of a recipient? We used a third-party experimental scenario to examine whether 9- and 11-month-olds understand that a pointer's pointing gesture can inform a recipient about a target object. When the pointer pointed to a target, infants…

Smartphone based point-of-care detector of urine albumin

Science.gov (United States)

Cmiel, Vratislav; Svoboda, Ondrej; Koscova, Pavlina; Provaznik, Ivo

2016-03-01

Albumin plays an important role in human body. Its changed level in urine may indicate serious kidney disorders. We present a new point-of-care solution for sensitive detection of urine albumin - the miniature optical adapter for iPhone with in-built optical filters and a sample slot. The adapter exploits smart-phone flash to generate excitation light and camera to measure the level of emitted light. Albumin Blue 580 is used as albumin reagent. The proposed light-weight adapter can be produced at low cost using a 3D printer. Thus, the miniaturized detector is easy to use out of lab.

From Point Cloud to Textured Model, the Zamani Laser Scanning ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

roshan

meshed models based on dense points has received mixed reaction from the wide range of potential end users of the final ... data, can be subdivided into the stages of data acquisition, registration, data cleaning, modelling, hole filling ..... provide management tools for site management at local and regional level. The project ...

The timing of control signals underlying fast point-to-point arm movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghafouri, M; Feldman, A G

2001-04-01

It is known that proprioceptive feedback induces muscle activation when the facilitation of appropriate motoneurons exceeds their threshold. In the suprathreshold range, the muscle-reflex system produces torques depending on the position and velocity of the joint segment(s) that the muscle spans. The static component of the torque-position relationship is referred to as the invariant characteristic (IC). According to the equilibrium-point (EP) hypothesis, control systems produce movements by changing the activation thresholds and thus shifting the IC of the appropriate muscles in joint space. This control process upsets the balance between muscle and external torques at the initial limb configuration and, to regain the balance, the limb is forced to establish a new configuration or, if the movement is prevented, a new level of static torques. Taken together, the joint angles and the muscle torques generated at an equilibrium configuration define a single variable called the EP. Thus by shifting the IC, control systems reset the EP. Muscle activation and movement emerge following the EP resetting because of the natural physical tendency of the system to reach equilibrium. Empirical and simulation studies support the notion that the control IC shifts and the resulting EP shifts underlying fast point-to-point arm movements are gradual rather than step-like. However, controversies exist about the duration of these shifts. Some studies suggest that the IC shifts cease with the movement offset. Other studies propose that the IC shifts end early in comparison to the movement duration (approximately, at peak velocity). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the duration of the IC shifts underlying fast point-to-point arm movements. Subjects made fast (hand peak velocity about 1.3 m/s) planar arm movements toward different targets while grasping a handle. Hand forces applied to the handle and shoulder/elbow torques were, respectively, measured from a force sensor placed

Hypothesis Support Mechanism for Mid-Level Visual Pattern Recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Amador, Jose J (Inventor)

2007-01-01

A method of mid-level pattern recognition provides for a pose invariant Hough Transform by parametrizing pairs of points in a pattern with respect to at least two reference points, thereby providing a parameter table that is scale- or rotation-invariant. A corresponding inverse transform may be applied to test hypothesized matches in an image and a distance transform utilized to quantify the level of match.

Bubble-point and dew-point equation for binary refrigerant mixture R22-R142b

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liancheng Tan; Zhongyou Zhao; Yonghong Duan (Xi' an Jiaotong Univ., Xi' an (China). Dept. of Power Machinery Engineering)

1992-01-01

A bubble-point and dew-point equation (in terms either of temperature or of pressure is suggested for the refrigerant mixture R22-R142b), which is regarded as one of the alternatives to R12. This equation has been examined with experimental data. A modified Rackett equation for the calculation of the bubble-point volume is also proposed. Compared with the experimental data, the rms errors in the calculated values of the bubble-point temperature, the dew-point temperature, and the bubble-point volume are 1.093%, 0.947%, and 1.120%, respectively. The calculation covers a wide range of temperatures and pressures, even near the critical point. It is shown how the equations are extrapolated to calculate other binary refrigerant mixtures. (author)

Room acoustics modeling using a point-cloud representation of the room geometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Markovic, Milos; Olesen, Søren Krarup; Hammershøi, Dorte

2013-01-01

Room acoustics modeling is usually based on the room geometry that is parametrically described prior to a sound transmission calculation. This is a highly room-specific task and rather time consuming if a complex geometry is to be described. Here, a run time generic method for an arbitrary room...... geometry acquisition is presented. The method exploits a depth sensor of the Kinect device that provides a point based information of a scanned room interior. After post-processing of the Kinect output data, a 3D point-cloud model of the room is obtained. Sound transmission between two selected points...... level of user immersion by a real time acoustical simulation of a dynamic scenes....

Imaging study on acupuncture points

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, X. H.; Zhang, X. Y.; Liu, C. L.; Dang, R. S.; Ando, M.; Sugiyama, H.; Chen, H. S.; Ding, G. H.

2009-09-01

The topographic structures of acupuncture points were investigated by using the synchrotron radiation based Dark Field Image (DFI) method. Four following acupuncture points were studied: Sanyinjiao, Neiguan, Zusanli and Tianshu. We have found that at acupuncture point regions there exists the accumulation of micro-vessels. The images taken in the surrounding tissue out of the acupuncture points do not show such kind of structure. It is the first time to reveal directly the specific structure of acupuncture points by X-ray imaging.

Imaging study on acupuncture points

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, X H; Zhang, X Y; Liu, C L; Dang, R S; Ando, M; Sugiyama, H; Chen, H S; Ding, G H

2009-01-01

The topographic structures of acupuncture points were investigated by using the synchrotron radiation based Dark Field Image (DFI) method. Four following acupuncture points were studied: Sanyinjiao, Neiguan, Zusanli and Tianshu. We have found that at acupuncture point regions there exists the accumulation of micro-vessels. The images taken in the surrounding tissue out of the acupuncture points do not show such kind of structure. It is the first time to reveal directly the specific structure of acupuncture points by X-ray imaging.

Magic Pointing for Eyewear Computers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jalaliniya, Shahram; Mardanbegi, Diako; Pederson, Thomas

2015-01-01

In this paper, we propose a combination of head and eye movements for touchlessly controlling the "mouse pointer" on eyewear devices, exploiting the speed of eye pointing and accuracy of head pointing. The method is a wearable computer-targeted variation of the original MAGIC pointing approach...... which combined gaze tracking with a classical mouse device. The result of our experiment shows that the combination of eye and head movements is faster than head pointing for far targets and more accurate than eye pointing....

Deformation analyse of the high point field Košická Nová Ves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sedlák Vladimír

2003-09-01

Full Text Available From the science point of view the deformation measurements serve to an objective determination of movements and from the technical point of view the deformation measurements serve to a determinantion of the building technologies and the construction procedures. Detrmined movements by means of using the geodetic terrestrial or satellite navigation technologies give informations about displacements in a concrete time information on the base of repeated geodetic measurements in the concrete time intervals (epochs.Level deformation investigation of the point of the monitoring station stabled in the fill slope territory Košická Nová Ves is the main task of the presented paper. Level measurements are realized in autumn 2000 (the epoch 200.9 - it is considered as the first epoch of the deformation measurement, and in spring 2001 (the epoch 2001.3 – it is considered as the second epoch of the deformation measurement.

Effect of saddle-point anisotropy on point-defect drift-diffusion into straight dislocations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skinner, B.C.; Woo, C.H.

1983-02-01

Effects on point-defect drift-diffusion in the strain fields of edge or screw dislocations, due to the anisotropy of the point defect in its saddle-point configuration, are investigated. Expressions for sink strength and bias that include the saddle-point shape effect are derived, both in the absence and presence of an externally applied stress. These are found to depend on intrinsic parameters such as the relaxation volume and the saddle-point shape of the point defects, and extrinsic parameters such as temperature and the magnitude and direction of the externally applied stress with respect to the line direction and Burgers vector direction of the dislocation. The theory is applied to fcc copper and bcc iron. It is found that screw dislocations are biased sinks and that the stress-induced bias differential for the edge dislocations depends much more on the line direction than the Burgers vector direction. Comparison with the stress-induced bias differential due to the usual SIPA effect is made. It is found that the present effect causes a bias differential that is more than an order of magnitude larger

Handbook of floating-point arithmetic

CERN Document Server

Muller, Jean-Michel; de Dinechin, Florent; Jeannerod, Claude-Pierre; Joldes, Mioara; Lefèvre, Vincent; Melquiond, Guillaume; Revol, Nathalie; Torres, Serge

2018-01-01

This handbook is a definitive guide to the effective use of modern floating-point arithmetic, which has considerably evolved, from the frequently inconsistent floating-point number systems of early computing to the recent IEEE 754-2008 standard. Most of computational mathematics depends on floating-point numbers, and understanding their various implementations will allow readers to develop programs specifically tailored for the standard’s technical features. Algorithms for floating-point arithmetic are presented throughout the book and illustrated where possible by example programs which show how these techniques appear in actual coding and design. The volume itself breaks its core topic into four parts: the basic concepts and history of floating-point arithmetic; methods of analyzing floating-point algorithms and optimizing them; implementations of IEEE 754-2008 in hardware and software; and useful extensions to the standard floating-point system, such as interval arithmetic, double- and triple-word arithm...

Trans-Z-source and Γ-Z-source neutral-point-clamped inverters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wei, Mo; Loh, Poh Chiang; Blaabjerg, Frede

2015-01-01

Z-source neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverters are earlier proposed for obtaining voltage buck-boost and three-level switching simultaneously. Their performances are, however, constrained by a trade-off between their input-to-output gain and modulation ratio. This trade-off can lead to high...

Five-Level Active-Neutral-Point-Clamped DC/DC Converter for Medium-Voltage DC Grids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Dong; Deng, Fujin; Chen, Zhe

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a five-level active-neutralpoint- clamped (5L-ANPC) dc/dc converter for applications in medium voltage dc (MVDC) grids. A modulation strategy is proposed for the 5L-ANPC dc/dc converter to generate multilevel voltage waveforms, which can effectively reduce voltage change rate dv...... effectively eliminate high voltage leaps caused by the dead time effect. In addition, a capacitor voltage control strategy is proposed for the 5L-ANPC dc/dc converter to ensure the balanced flying capacitor voltage and desired five-level voltage waveforms. Finally, simulation and experimental studies...

Indexing Moving Points

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agarwal, Pankaj K.; Arge, Lars Allan; Erickson, Jeff

2003-01-01

We propose three indexing schemes for storing a set S of N points in the plane, each moving along a linear trajectory, so that any query of the following form can be answered quickly: Given a rectangle R and a real value t, report all K points of S that lie inside R at time t. We first present an...

Inhibition effect of calcium hydroxide point and chlorhexidine point on root canal bacteria of necrosis teeth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andry Leonard Je

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Calcium Hydroxide point and Chlorhexidine point are new drugs for eliminating bacteria in the root canal. The points slowly and controly realease Calcium Hydroxide and Chlorhexidine into root canal. The purpose of the study was to determined the effectivity of Calcium hydroxide point (Calcium hydroxide plus point and Chlorhexidine point in eleminating the root canal bacteria of nescrosis teeth. In this study 14 subjects were divided into 2 groups. The first group was treated with Calcium hydroxide point and the second was treated with Chlorhexidine poin. The bacteriological sampling were measured with spectrofotometry. The Paired T Test analysis (before and after showed significant difference between the first and second group. The Independent T Test which analysed the effectivity of both groups had not showed significant difference. Although there was no significant difference in statistical test, the result of second group eliminate more bacteria than the first group. The present finding indicated that the use of Chlorhexidine point was better than Calcium hydroxide point in seven days period. The conclusion is Chlorhexidine point and Calcium hydroxide point as root canal medicament effectively eliminate root canal bacteria of necrosis teeth.

Pro SharePoint 2013 administration

CERN Document Server

Garrett, Robert

2013-01-01

Pro SharePoint 2013 Administration is a practical guide to SharePoint 2013 for intermediate to advanced SharePoint administrators and power users, covering the out-of-the-box feature set and capabilities of Microsoft's collaboration and business productivity platform. SharePoint 2013 is an incredibly complex product, with many moving parts, new features, best practices, and 'gotchas.' Author Rob Garrett distills SharePoint's portfolio of features, capabilities, and utilities into an in-depth professional guide-with no fluff and copious advice-that is designed from scratch to be the manual Micr

Geodetic Control Points - Multi-State Control Point Database

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC State | GIS Inventory — The Multi-State Control Point Database (MCPD) is a database of geodetic and mapping control covering Idaho and Montana. The control were submitted by registered land...

Formation Energies of Native Point Defects in Strained layer Superlattices (Postprint)

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-05

1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law , no...Hamiltonian, tight-binding Hamiltonian, and Green’s function techniques to obtain energy levels arising from native point defects (NPDs) in InAs-GaSb and...GaSb systems and 2 designs of InAs-InAs 0.7 Sb 0.3 systems lattice matched to GaSb substrate. The calculated defect levels not only agree well with

Modelling point patterns with linear structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Jesper; Rasmussen, Jakob Gulddahl

2009-01-01

processes whose realizations contain such linear structures. Such a point process is constructed sequentially by placing one point at a time. The points are placed in such a way that new points are often placed close to previously placed points, and the points form roughly line shaped structures. We...... consider simulations of this model and compare with real data....

Modelling point patterns with linear structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Jesper; Rasmussen, Jakob Gulddahl

processes whose realizations contain such linear structures. Such a point process is constructed sequentially by placing one point at a time. The points are placed in such a way that new points are often placed close to previously placed points, and the points form roughly line shaped structures. We...... consider simulations of this model and compare with real data....

Tipping point of a conifer forest ecosystem under severe drought

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Kaicheng; Yi, Chuixiang; Wu, Donghai; Zhou, Tao; Zhao, Xiang; Blanford, William J.; Wei, Suhua; Wu, Hao; Ling, Du; Li, Zheng

2015-02-01

Drought-induced tree mortality has recently received considerable attention. Questions have arisen over the necessary intensity and duration thresholds of droughts that are sufficient to trigger rapid forest declines. The values of such tipping points leading to forest declines due to drought are presently unknown. In this study, we have evaluated the potential relationship between the level of tree growth and concurrent drought conditions with data of the tree growth-related ring width index (RWI) of the two dominant conifer species (Pinus edulis and Pinus ponderosa) in the Southwestern United States (SWUS) and the meteorological drought-related standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). In this effort, we determined the binned averages of RWI and the 11 month SPEI within the month of July within each bin of 30 of RWI in the range of 0-3000. We found a significant correlation between the binned averages of RWI and SPEI at the regional-scale under dryer conditions. The tipping point of forest declines to drought is predicted by the regression model as SPEItp = -1.64 and RWItp = 0, that is, persistence of the water deficit (11 month) with intensity of -1.64 leading to negligible growth for the conifer species. When climate conditions are wetter, the correlation between the binned averages of RWI and SPEI is weaker which we believe is most likely due to soil water and atmospheric moisture levels no longer being the dominant factor limiting tree growth. We also illustrate a potential application of the derived tipping point (SPEItp = -1.64) through an examination of the 2002 extreme drought event in the SWUS conifer forest regions. Distinguished differences in remote-sensing based NDVI anomalies were found between the two regions partitioned by the derived tipping point.

Tipping point of a conifer forest ecosystem under severe drought

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Kaicheng; Zhou, Tao; Wu, Hao; Ling, Du; Li, Zheng; Yi, Chuixiang; Blanford, William J; Wei, Suhua; Wu, Donghai; Zhao, Xiang

2015-01-01

Drought-induced tree mortality has recently received considerable attention. Questions have arisen over the necessary intensity and duration thresholds of droughts that are sufficient to trigger rapid forest declines. The values of such tipping points leading to forest declines due to drought are presently unknown. In this study, we have evaluated the potential relationship between the level of tree growth and concurrent drought conditions with data of the tree growth-related ring width index (RWI) of the two dominant conifer species (Pinus edulis and Pinus ponderosa) in the Southwestern United States (SWUS) and the meteorological drought-related standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). In this effort, we determined the binned averages of RWI and the 11 month SPEI within the month of July within each bin of 30 of RWI in the range of 0–3000. We found a significant correlation between the binned averages of RWI and SPEI at the regional-scale under dryer conditions. The tipping point of forest declines to drought is predicted by the regression model as SPEI tp  = −1.64 and RWI tp  = 0, that is, persistence of the water deficit (11 month) with intensity of −1.64 leading to negligible growth for the conifer species. When climate conditions are wetter, the correlation between the binned averages of RWI and SPEI is weaker which we believe is most likely due to soil water and atmospheric moisture levels no longer being the dominant factor limiting tree growth. We also illustrate a potential application of the derived tipping point (SPEI tp  = −1.64) through an examination of the 2002 extreme drought event in the SWUS conifer forest regions. Distinguished differences in remote-sensing based NDVI anomalies were found between the two regions partitioned by the derived tipping point. (letter)

Beginning SharePoint Designer 2010

CERN Document Server

Windischman, Woodrow W; Rehmani, Asif

2010-01-01

Teaching Web designers, developers, and IT professionals how to use the new version of SharePoint Designer. Covering both the design and business applications of SharePoint Designer, this complete Wrox guide brings readers thoroughly up to speed on how to use SharePoint Designer in an enterprise. You'll learn to create and modify web pages, use CSS editing tools to modify themes, use Data View to create interactivity with SharePoint and other data, and much more. Coverage includes integration points with Visual Studio, Visio, and InfoPath.: Shows web designers, developers, and IT professionals

SharePoint 2013 for dummies

CERN Document Server

Withee, Ken

2013-01-01

The bestselling guide on running SharePoint, now updated to cover all the new features of SharePoint 2013 SharePoint Portal Server is an essential part of the enterprise infrastructure for many businesses. Building on the success of previous versions of SharePoint For Dummies, this new edition covers all the latest features of SharePoint 2013 and provides you with an easy-to-understand resource for making the most of all that this version has to offer. You'll learn how to get a site up and running, branded, and populated with content, workflow, and management. In addition, t

Pro SharePoint 2010 Search

CERN Document Server

Noble, J; Bakman-Mikalski, Dan

2011-01-01

Pro SharePoint 2010 Search gives you expert advice on planning, deploying and customizing searches in SharePoint 2010. Drawing on the authors' extensive experience of working with real-world SharePoint deployments, this book teaches everything you'll need to know to create well-designed SharePoint solutions that always keep the end-user's experience in mind. Increase your search efficiency with SharePoint 2010's search functionality: extend the search user interface using third-party tools, and utilize analytics to improve relevancy. This practical hands-on book is a must-have resource for any

Consistency of the national realization of dew-point temperature using NIS standard humidity generators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El-Galil Doaa Abd

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A comparison of two standard humidity generators (two-temperature (2-T and one-temperature (1-T generators that are developed by the National Institute for Standards (NIS has been performed using a transfer standard chilled-mirror hygrometer and measurement procedures to realize dew-point temperature Td in the range from −50 °C to 0 °C. The main objective of this comparison was to compare the realizations of dew-point temperature and to establish the level of consistency between the two generators. For a level of consistency between two measurements, it is expressed by the difference between the measured values, m1 − m2, and the expanded pair uncertainty of this difference Up [1]. The comparison measurements revealed dew-point temperature differences of 0.02 °C and 0.07 °C with expanded pair uncertainties of ±0.09 °C and ±0.15 °C.

Conversion of zero point energy into high-energy photons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ivlev, B. I. [Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Instituto de Fisica, Av. Manuel Nava No. 6, Zona Universitaria, 78290 San Luis Potosi, SLP (Mexico)

2016-11-01

An unusual phenomenon, observed in experiments is studied. X-ray laser bursts of keV energy are emitted from a metal where long-living states, resulting in population inversion, are totally unexpected. Anomalous electron-photon states are revealed to be formed inside the metal. These states are associated with narrow, 10{sup -11} cm, potential well created by the local reduction of zero point electromagnetic energy. In contrast to analogous van der Waals potential well, leading to attraction of two hydrogen atoms, the depth of the anomalous well is on the order of 1 MeV. The states in that well are long-living which results in population inversion and subsequent laser generation observed. The X-ray emission, occurring in transitions to lower levels, is due to the conversion of zero point electromagnetic energy. (Author)

Remarks on the three-level topological string theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budzynski, R.J.

1997-01-01

A few observations concerning topological string theories at the string-tree level are presented: (1) The tree-level, large phase space solution of an arbitrary model is expressed in terms of a variational problem, with an ''action'' equal, at the solution, to the one-point function of the puncture operator, and found by solving equations of Gauss-Manin type; (2) For A k Landau-Ginzburg models, an extension to large phase space of the usual residue formula for three-point functions is given. (author)

Tipping point analysis of ocean acoustic noise

Science.gov (United States)

Livina, Valerie N.; Brouwer, Albert; Harris, Peter; Wang, Lian; Sotirakopoulos, Kostas; Robinson, Stephen

2018-02-01

We apply tipping point analysis to a large record of ocean acoustic data to identify the main components of the acoustic dynamical system and study possible bifurcations and transitions of the system. The analysis is based on a statistical physics framework with stochastic modelling, where we represent the observed data as a composition of deterministic and stochastic components estimated from the data using time-series techniques. We analyse long-term and seasonal trends, system states and acoustic fluctuations to reconstruct a one-dimensional stochastic equation to approximate the acoustic dynamical system. We apply potential analysis to acoustic fluctuations and detect several changes in the system states in the past 14 years. These are most likely caused by climatic phenomena. We analyse trends in sound pressure level within different frequency bands and hypothesize a possible anthropogenic impact on the acoustic environment. The tipping point analysis framework provides insight into the structure of the acoustic data and helps identify its dynamic phenomena, correctly reproducing the probability distribution and scaling properties (power-law correlations) of the time series.

Tipping point analysis of ocean acoustic noise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. N. Livina

2018-02-01

Full Text Available We apply tipping point analysis to a large record of ocean acoustic data to identify the main components of the acoustic dynamical system and study possible bifurcations and transitions of the system. The analysis is based on a statistical physics framework with stochastic modelling, where we represent the observed data as a composition of deterministic and stochastic components estimated from the data using time-series techniques. We analyse long-term and seasonal trends, system states and acoustic fluctuations to reconstruct a one-dimensional stochastic equation to approximate the acoustic dynamical system. We apply potential analysis to acoustic fluctuations and detect several changes in the system states in the past 14 years. These are most likely caused by climatic phenomena. We analyse trends in sound pressure level within different frequency bands and hypothesize a possible anthropogenic impact on the acoustic environment. The tipping point analysis framework provides insight into the structure of the acoustic data and helps identify its dynamic phenomena, correctly reproducing the probability distribution and scaling properties (power-law correlations of the time series.

Set points, settling points and some alternative models: theoretical options to understand how genes and environments combine to regulate body adiposity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John R. Speakman

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The close correspondence between energy intake and expenditure over prolonged time periods, coupled with an apparent protection of the level of body adiposity in the face of perturbations of energy balance, has led to the idea that body fatness is regulated via mechanisms that control intake and energy expenditure. Two models have dominated the discussion of how this regulation might take place. The set point model is rooted in physiology, genetics and molecular biology, and suggests that there is an active feedback mechanism linking adipose tissue (stored energy to intake and expenditure via a set point, presumably encoded in the brain. This model is consistent with many of the biological aspects of energy balance, but struggles to explain the many significant environmental and social influences on obesity, food intake and physical activity. More importantly, the set point model does not effectively explain the ‘obesity epidemic’ – the large increase in body weight and adiposity of a large proportion of individuals in many countries since the 1980s. An alternative model, called the settling point model, is based on the idea that there is passive feedback between the size of the body stores and aspects of expenditure. This model accommodates many of the social and environmental characteristics of energy balance, but struggles to explain some of the biological and genetic aspects. The shortcomings of these two models reflect their failure to address the gene-by-environment interactions that dominate the regulation of body weight. We discuss two additional models – the general intake model and the dual intervention point model – that address this issue and might offer better ways to understand how body fatness is controlled.

On Motion Planning for Point-to-Point Maneuvers for a Class of Sailing Vehicles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xiao, Lin; Jouffroy, Jerome

2011-01-01

Despite their interesting dynamic and controllability properties, sailing vehicles have not been much studied in the control community. In this paper, we investigate motion planning of such vehicles. Starting from a simple dynamic model of sailing vessels in one dimension, this paper first...... considers their associated controllability issues, with the so-called no-sailing zone as a starting point, and it links them with a motion planning strategy using two-point boundary value problems as the main mathematical tool. This perspective is then expanded to do point-to-point maneuvers of sailing...

Making Sense of Boiling Points and Melting Points

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

GENERAL | ARTICLE. The boiling and melting points of a pure substance are char- ... bonds, which involves high energy and hence high temperatures. Among the .... with zero intermolecular force at all temperatures and pressures, which ...

Base substitutions, frameshifts, and small deletions constitute ionizing radiation-induced point mutations in mammalian cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosovsky, A.J.; de Boer, J.G.; de Jong, P.J.; Drobetsky, E.A.; Glickman, B.W.

1988-01-01

The relative role of point mutations and large genomic rearrangements in ionizing radiation-induced mutagenesis has been an issue of long-standing interest. Recent studies using Southern blotting analysis permit the partitioning of ionizing radiation-induced mutagenesis in mammalian cells into detectable deletions and major genomic rearrangements and into point mutations. The molecular nature of these point mutations has been left unresolved; they may include base substitutions as well as small deletions, insertions, and frame-shifts below the level of resolution of Southern blotting analysis. In this investigation, we have characterized a collection of ionizing radiation-induced point mutations at the endogenous adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (aprt) locus of Chinese hamster ovary cells at the DNA sequence level. Base substitutions represented approximately equal to 2/3 of the point mutations analyzed. Although the collection of mutants is relatively small, every possible type of base substitution event has been recovered. These mutations are well distributed throughout the coding sequence with only one multiple occurrence. Small deletions represented the remainder of characterized mutants; no insertions have been observed. Sequence-directed mechanisms mediated by direct repeats could account for some of the observed deletions, while others appear to be directly attributable to radiation-induced strand breakage

Two-Gyro Pointing Stability of HST measured with ACS

Science.gov (United States)

Koekemoer, Anton M.; Kozhurina-Platais, Vera; Riess, Adam; Sirianni, Marco; Biretta, John; Pavlovsky

2005-06-01

We present the results of the pointing stability tests for HST, as measured with the ACS/ HRC during the Two-Gyro test program conducted in February 2005. We measure the shifts of 185 exposures of the globular clusters NGC6341 and Omega Centauri, obtained over a total of 13 orbits, and compare the measured pointings to those that were commanded in the observing program. We find in all cases that the measured shifts and rotations have the same level of accuracy as those that were commanded in three-gyro mode. Specifically, the pointing offsets during an orbit relative to the first exposure can be characterized with distributions having a dispersion of 2.3 milliarcseconds for shifts and 0.00097 degrees for rotations, thus less than 0.1 HRC pixels, and agree extremely well with similar values measured for comparable exposures obtained in three-gyro mode. In addition, we successfully processed these two-gyro test data through the MultiDrizzle software which is used in the HST pipeline to perform automated registration, cosmic ray rejection and image combination for multiple exposure sequences, and we find excellent agreement with similar exposures obtained in three-gyro mode. In summary, we find no significant difference between the quality of HST pointing as measured from these two-gyro test data, relative to the nominal behavior of HST in regular three-gyro operations.

Environmental tipping points significantly affect the cost−benefit assessment of climate policies

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yongyang; Judd, Kenneth L.; Lenton, Timothy M.; Lontzek, Thomas S.; Narita, Daiju

2015-01-01

Most current cost−benefit analyses of climate change policies suggest an optimal global climate policy that is significantly less stringent than the level required to meet the internationally agreed 2 °C target. This is partly because the sum of estimated economic damage of climate change across various sectors, such as energy use and changes in agricultural production, results in only a small economic loss or even a small economic gain in the gross world product under predicted levels of climate change. However, those cost−benefit analyses rarely take account of environmental tipping points leading to abrupt and irreversible impacts on market and nonmarket goods and services, including those provided by the climate and by ecosystems. Here we show that including environmental tipping point impacts in a stochastic dynamic integrated assessment model profoundly alters cost−benefit assessment of global climate policy. The risk of a tipping point, even if it only has nonmarket impacts, could substantially increase the present optimal carbon tax. For example, a risk of only 5% loss in nonmarket goods that occurs with a 5% annual probability at 4 °C increase of the global surface temperature causes an immediate two-thirds increase in optimal carbon tax. If the tipping point also has a 5% impact on market goods, the optimal carbon tax increases by more than a factor of 3. Hence existing cost−benefit assessments of global climate policy may be significantly underestimating the needs for controlling climate change. PMID:25825719

Environmental tipping points significantly affect the cost-benefit assessment of climate policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yongyang; Judd, Kenneth L; Lenton, Timothy M; Lontzek, Thomas S; Narita, Daiju

2015-04-14

Most current cost-benefit analyses of climate change policies suggest an optimal global climate policy that is significantly less stringent than the level required to meet the internationally agreed 2 °C target. This is partly because the sum of estimated economic damage of climate change across various sectors, such as energy use and changes in agricultural production, results in only a small economic loss or even a small economic gain in the gross world product under predicted levels of climate change. However, those cost-benefit analyses rarely take account of environmental tipping points leading to abrupt and irreversible impacts on market and nonmarket goods and services, including those provided by the climate and by ecosystems. Here we show that including environmental tipping point impacts in a stochastic dynamic integrated assessment model profoundly alters cost-benefit assessment of global climate policy. The risk of a tipping point, even if it only has nonmarket impacts, could substantially increase the present optimal carbon tax. For example, a risk of only 5% loss in nonmarket goods that occurs with a 5% annual probability at 4 °C increase of the global surface temperature causes an immediate two-thirds increase in optimal carbon tax. If the tipping point also has a 5% impact on market goods, the optimal carbon tax increases by more than a factor of 3. Hence existing cost-benefit assessments of global climate policy may be significantly underestimating the needs for controlling climate change.

Rational points on varieties

CERN Document Server

Poonen, Bjorn

2017-01-01

This book is motivated by the problem of determining the set of rational points on a variety, but its true goal is to equip readers with a broad range of tools essential for current research in algebraic geometry and number theory. The book is unconventional in that it provides concise accounts of many topics instead of a comprehensive account of just one-this is intentionally designed to bring readers up to speed rapidly. Among the topics included are Brauer groups, faithfully flat descent, algebraic groups, torsors, étale and fppf cohomology, the Weil conjectures, and the Brauer-Manin and descent obstructions. A final chapter applies all these to study the arithmetic of surfaces. The down-to-earth explanations and the over 100 exercises make the book suitable for use as a graduate-level textbook, but even experts will appreciate having a single source covering many aspects of geometry over an unrestricted ground field and containing some material that cannot be found elsewhere. The origins of arithmetic (o...

Speciation of iodine (I-127) in the natural environment around Canadian CANDU sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kramer, S.J.; Kotzer, T.G.; Chant, L.A.

2001-06-01

In Canada, very little data is available regarding the concentrations and chemical speciation of iodine in the environment proximal and distal to CANDU Nuclear Power Generating Stations (NPGS). In the immediate vicinity of CANDU reactors, the short-lived iodine isotope 131 I (t 1/2 = 8.04 d), which is produced from fission reactions, is generally below detection and yields little information about the environmental cycling of iodine. Conversely, the fission product 129 I has a long half-life (t 1/2 = 1.57x10 7 y) and has had other anthropogenic inputs (weapons testing, nuclear fuel reprocessing) other than CANDU over the past 50 years. As a result, the concentrations of stable iodine ( 127 I) have been used as a proxy. In this study, a sampling system was developed and tested at AECL's Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) to collect and measure the particulate and gaseous inorganic and organic fractions of stable iodine ( 127 I) in air and associated organic and inorganic reservoirs. Air, vegetation and soil samples were collected at CRL, and at Canadian CANDU Nuclear Power Generating Stations (NPGS) at OPG's (Ontario Power Generation) Pickering (PNGS) and Darlington NPGS (DNGS) in Ontario, as well as at NB Power's Pt. Lepreau NPGS in New Brunswick. The concentrations of particulate and inorganic iodine in air at CRL were extremely low, and were often found to be below detection. The concentrations are believed to be at this level because the sediments in the CRL area are glacial fluvial and devoid of marine ionic species, and the local atmospheric conditions at the sampling site are very humid. Concentrations of a gaseous organic species were comparable to worldwide levels. The concentrations of particulate and inorganic iodine in air were also found to be low at PNGS and DNGS, which may be attributed to reservoir effects of the large freshwater lakes in southern Ontario, which might serve to dilute the atmospheric iodine concentrations. The concentrations of

A MARKED POINT PROCESS MODEL FOR VEHICLE DETECTION IN AERIAL LIDAR POINT CLOUDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Börcs

2012-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper we present an automated method for vehicle detection in LiDAR point clouds of crowded urban areas collected from an aerial platform. We assume that the input cloud is unordered, but it contains additional intensity and return number information which are jointly exploited by the proposed solution. Firstly, the 3-D point set is segmented into ground, vehicle, building roof, vegetation and clutter classes. Then the points with the corresponding class labels and intensity values are projected to the ground plane, where the optimal vehicle configuration is described by a Marked Point Process (MPP model of 2-D rectangles. Finally, the Multiple Birth and Death algorithm is utilized to find the configuration with the highest confidence.

Recent progress in fission at saddle point and scission point

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blons, J.; Paya, D.; Signarbieux, C.

High resolution measurements of 230 Th and 232 Th fission cross sections for neutrons exhibit a fine structure. Such a structure is interpreted as a superposition of two rotational bands in the third, asymmetric, well of the fission barrier. The fragment mass distribution in the thermal fission of 235 U and 233 U does not show any even-odd effect, even at the highest kinetic energies. This is the mark of a strong viscosity in the descent from saddle point to scission point [fr

The algorithm to generate color point-cloud with the registration between panoramic image and laser point-cloud

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, Fanyang; Zhong, Ruofei

2014-01-01

Laser point cloud contains only intensity information and it is necessary for visual interpretation to obtain color information from other sensor. Cameras can provide texture, color, and other information of the corresponding object. Points with color information of corresponding pixels in digital images can be used to generate color point-cloud and is conducive to the visualization, classification and modeling of point-cloud. Different types of digital cameras are used in different Mobile Measurement Systems (MMS).the principles and processes for generating color point-cloud in different systems are not the same. The most prominent feature of the panoramic images is the field of 360 degrees view angle in the horizontal direction, to obtain the image information around the camera as much as possible. In this paper, we introduce a method to generate color point-cloud with panoramic image and laser point-cloud, and deduce the equation of the correspondence between points in panoramic images and laser point-clouds. The fusion of panoramic image and laser point-cloud is according to the collinear principle of three points (the center of the omnidirectional multi-camera system, the image point on the sphere, the object point). The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm and formulae in this paper are correct

SCAP-82, Single Scattering, Albedo Scattering, Point-Kernel Analysis in Complex Geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Disney, R.K.; Vogtman, S.E.

1987-01-01

1 - Description of problem or function: SCAP solves for radiation transport in complex geometries using the single or albedo scatter point kernel method. The program is designed to calculate the neutron or gamma ray radiation level at detector points located within or outside a complex radiation scatter source geometry or a user specified discrete scattering volume. Geometry is describable by zones bounded by intersecting quadratic surfaces within an arbitrary maximum number of boundary surfaces per zone. Anisotropic point sources are describable as pointwise energy dependent distributions of polar angles on a meridian; isotropic point sources may also be specified. The attenuation function for gamma rays is an exponential function on the primary source leg and the scatter leg with a build- up factor approximation to account for multiple scatter on the scat- ter leg. The neutron attenuation function is an exponential function using neutron removal cross sections on the primary source leg and scatter leg. Line or volumetric sources can be represented as a distribution of isotropic point sources, with un-collided line-of-sight attenuation and buildup calculated between each source point and the detector point. 2 - Method of solution: A point kernel method using an anisotropic or isotropic point source representation is used, line-of-sight material attenuation and inverse square spatial attenuation between the source point and scatter points and the scatter points and detector point is employed. A direct summation of individual point source results is obtained. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: - The SCAP program is written in complete flexible dimensioning so that no restrictions are imposed on the number of energy groups or geometric zones. The geometric zone description is restricted to zones defined by boundary surfaces defined by the general quadratic equation or one of its degenerate forms. The only restriction in the program is that the total

Publication point indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elleby, Anita; Ingwersen, Peter

2010-01-01

The paper presents comparative analyses of two publication point systems, The Norwegian and the in-house system from the interdiscplinary Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), used as case in the study for publications published 2006, and compares central citation-based indicators...... with novel publication point indicators (PPIs) that are formalized and exemplified. Two diachronic citation windows are applied: 2006-07 and 2006-08. Web of Science (WoS) as well as Google Scholar (GS) are applied to observe the cite delay and citedness for the different document types published by DIIS...... for all document types. Statistical significant correlations were only found between WoS and GS and the two publication point systems in between, respectively. The study demonstrates how the nCPPI can be applied to institutions as evaluation tools supplementary to JCI in various combinations...

Using dew points to estimate savings during a planned cooling shutdown

Science.gov (United States)

Friedlein, Matthew T.; Changnon, David; Musselman, Eric; Zielinski, Jeff

2005-12-01

In an effort to save money during the summer of 2003, Northern Illinois University (NIU) administrators instituted a four-day working week and stopped air conditioning buildings for the three-day weekends (Friday through Sunday). Shutting down the air conditioning systems caused a noticeable drop in electricity usage for that part of the campus that features in our study, with estimated total electricity savings of 1,268,492 kilowatt-hours or 17% of the average usage during that eight-week period. NIU's air conditioning systems, which relied on evaporative cooling to function, were sensitive to dew point levels. Greatest savings during the shutdown period occurred on days with higher dew points. An examination of the regional dew point climatology (1959 2003) indicated that the average summer daily dew point for 2003 was 14.9°C (58.8°F), which fell in the lowest 20% of the distribution. Based on the relationship between daily average dew points and electrical usage, a predictive model that could estimate electrical daily savings was created. This model suggests that electrical savings related to any future three-day shutdowns over summer could be much greater in more humid summers. Studies like this demonstrate the potential value of applying climatological information and of integrating this information into practical decision-making.

Exploring Human Activity Patterns Using Taxicab Static Points

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Jiang

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the patterns of human activities within a geographical space by adopting the taxicab static points which refer to the locations with zero speed along the tracking trajectory. We report the findings from both aggregated and individual aspects. Results from the aggregated level indicate the following: (1 Human activities exhibit an obvious regularity in time, for example, there is a burst of activity during weekend nights and a lull during the week. (2 They show a remarkable spatial drifting pattern, which strengthens our understanding of the activities in any given place. (3 Activities are heterogeneous in space irrespective of their drifting with time. These aggregated results not only help in city planning, but also facilitate traffic control and management. On the other hand, investigations on an individual level suggest that (4 activities witnessed by one taxicab will have different temporal regularity to another, and (5 each regularity implies a high level of prediction with low entropy by applying the Lempel-Ziv algorithm.

Development of a High Temperature Antenna Pointing Mechanism for BepiColombo Planetary Orbiter

Science.gov (United States)

Campo, Pablo; Barrio, Aingeru; Puente, Nicolas; Kyle, Robert

2013-09-01

BepiColombo is an ESA mission to Mercury its planetary orbiter (MPO) has two antenna pointing mechanism, High gain antenna pointing mechanism steers and points a large reflector which is integrated at system level by TAS-I Rome. Medium gain antenna (MGA) APM points a 1.5 m boom with a horn antenna. Both radiating elements exposed to sun fluxes as high as 10 solar constants without protections.The pointing mechanism is a major challenge as high performances are required in a harsh environment. It has required the development of new technologies, and components specially dedicated for the mission needs. Some of the state of the art required for the mission was achieved during the preparatory technology development activities [1]. However the number of critical elements involved, and the difficulties of some areas have required the continuation of the developments, and new research activities had to be launched in CD phase. Some of the major concerns and related areas of development are:- High temperature and long life requirements for the gearhead motors (up to 15500 equivalent APM revolutions, 19 million motor revolution)- Low thermal distortion of the mechanical chain, being at the same time insulating from external environment and interfaces (55 arcsec pointing error)- Low heat leak to the spacecraft (in the order of 50W per APM)- High precision position control, low microvibration noise and error stability in motion (16 arcsec/s)- High power radio frequency (18W in band Ka, 30 in X band) with phase stability for use in radio-science (3mm in Ka band, 5o in X band).- Wide range of motion (full 360o with end-stops)Currently HGA APM EQM azimuth and elevation stages are assembled and ready for test at actuator level.

Is zero-point energy physical? A toy model for Casimir-like effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikolić, Hrvoje

2017-01-01

Zero-point energy is generally known to be unphysical. Casimir effect, however, is often presented as a counterexample, giving rise to a conceptual confusion. To resolve the confusion we study foundational aspects of Casimir effect at a qualitative level, but also at a quantitative level within a simple toy model with only 3 degrees of freedom. In particular, we point out that Casimir vacuum is not a state without photons, and not a ground state for a Hamiltonian that can describe Casimir force. Instead, Casimir vacuum can be related to the photon vacuum by a non-trivial Bogoliubov transformation, and it is a ground state only for an effective Hamiltonian describing Casimir plates at a fixed distance. At the fundamental microscopic level, Casimir force is best viewed as a manifestation of van der Waals forces. - Highlights: • A toy model for Casimir-like effect with only 3 degrees of freedom is constructed. • Casimir vacuum can be related to the photon vacuum by a non-trivial Bogoliubov transformation. • Casimir vacuum is a ground state only for an effective Hamiltonian describing Casimir plates at a fixed distance. • At the fundamental microscopic level, Casimir force is best viewed as a manifestation of van der Waals forces.

Mercury exposure in terrestrial birds far downstream of an historical point source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jackson, Allyson K., E-mail: allyson.jackson@briloon.org [Biodiversity Research Institute, 19 Flaggy Meadow Road, Gorham, ME 04038 (United States); Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187 (United States); Evers, David C.; Folsom, Sarah B. [Biodiversity Research Institute, 19 Flaggy Meadow Road, Gorham, ME 04038 (United States); Condon, Anne M. [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6669 Short Lane, Gloucester, VA 23061 (United States); Diener, John; Goodrick, Lizzie F. [Biodiversity Research Institute, 19 Flaggy Meadow Road, Gorham, ME 04038 (United States); McGann, Andrew J. [Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187 (United States); Schmerfeld, John [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6669 Short Lane, Gloucester, VA 23061 (United States); Cristol, Daniel A. [Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187 (United States)

2011-12-15

Mercury (Hg) is a persistent environmental contaminant found in many freshwater and marine ecosystems. Historical Hg contamination in rivers can impact the surrounding terrestrial ecosystem, but there is little known about how far downstream this contamination persists. In 2009, we sampled terrestrial forest songbirds at five floodplain sites up to 137 km downstream of an historical source of Hg along the South and South Fork Shenandoah Rivers (Virginia, USA). We found that blood total Hg concentrations remained elevated over the entire sampling area and there was little evidence of decline with distance. While it is well known that Hg is a pervasive and long-lasting aquatic contaminant, it has only been recently recognized that it also biomagnifies effectively in floodplain forest food webs. This study extends the area of concern for terrestrial habitats near contaminated rivers for more than 100 km downstream from a waterborne Hg point source. - Highlights: > We report blood mercury levels for terrestrial songbirds downstream of contamination. > Blood mercury levels remain elevated above reference for at least 137 km downstream. > Trends vary based on foraging guild and migration strategy. > Mercury affects terrestrial biota farther downstream than previously documented. - Blood mercury levels of forest songbirds remain elevated above reference levels for at least 137 km downstream of historical point source.

Hybrid collaborative optimization based on selection strategy of initial point and adaptive relaxation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ji, Aimin; Yin, Xu; Yuan, Minghai [Hohai University, Changzhou (China)

2015-09-15

There are two problems in Collaborative optimization (CO): (1) the local optima arising from the selection of an inappropriate initial point; (2) the low efficiency and accuracy root in inappropriate relaxation factors. To solve these problems, we first develop the Latin hypercube design (LHD) to determine an initial point of optimization, and then use the non-linear programming by quadratic Lagrangian (NLPQL) to search for the global solution. The effectiveness of the initial point selection strategy is verified by three benchmark functions with some dimensions and different complexities. Then we propose the Adaptive relaxation collaborative optimization (ARCO) algorithm to solve the inconsistency between the system level and the disciplines level, and in this method, the relaxation factors are determined according to the three separated stages of CO respectively. The performance of the ARCO algorithm is compared with the standard collaborative algorithm and the constant relaxation collaborative algorithm with a typical numerical example, which indicates that the ARCO algorithm is more efficient and accurate. Finally, we propose a Hybrid collaborative optimization (HCO) approach, which integrates the selection strategy of initial point with the ARCO algorithm. The results show that HCO can achieve the global optimal solution without the initial value and it also has advantages in convergence, accuracy and robustness. Therefore, the proposed HCO approach can solve the CO problems with applications in the spindle and the speed reducer.

Hybrid collaborative optimization based on selection strategy of initial point and adaptive relaxation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji, Aimin; Yin, Xu; Yuan, Minghai

2015-01-01

There are two problems in Collaborative optimization (CO): (1) the local optima arising from the selection of an inappropriate initial point; (2) the low efficiency and accuracy root in inappropriate relaxation factors. To solve these problems, we first develop the Latin hypercube design (LHD) to determine an initial point of optimization, and then use the non-linear programming by quadratic Lagrangian (NLPQL) to search for the global solution. The effectiveness of the initial point selection strategy is verified by three benchmark functions with some dimensions and different complexities. Then we propose the Adaptive relaxation collaborative optimization (ARCO) algorithm to solve the inconsistency between the system level and the disciplines level, and in this method, the relaxation factors are determined according to the three separated stages of CO respectively. The performance of the ARCO algorithm is compared with the standard collaborative algorithm and the constant relaxation collaborative algorithm with a typical numerical example, which indicates that the ARCO algorithm is more efficient and accurate. Finally, we propose a Hybrid collaborative optimization (HCO) approach, which integrates the selection strategy of initial point with the ARCO algorithm. The results show that HCO can achieve the global optimal solution without the initial value and it also has advantages in convergence, accuracy and robustness. Therefore, the proposed HCO approach can solve the CO problems with applications in the spindle and the speed reducer

Tipping Point

Science.gov (United States)

... Point by CPSC Blogger September 22, 2009 appliance child Childproofing CPSC danger death electrical fall furniture head injury product safety television tipover tv Watch the video in Adobe Flash ...

Automatic building extraction from LiDAR data fusion of point and grid-based features

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Shouji; Zhang, Yunsheng; Zou, Zhengrong; Xu, Shenghua; He, Xue; Chen, Siyang

2017-08-01

This paper proposes a method for extracting buildings from LiDAR point cloud data by combining point-based and grid-based features. To accurately discriminate buildings from vegetation, a point feature based on the variance of normal vectors is proposed. For a robust building extraction, a graph cuts algorithm is employed to combine the used features and consider the neighbor contexture information. As grid feature computing and a graph cuts algorithm are performed on a grid structure, a feature-retained DSM interpolation method is proposed in this paper. The proposed method is validated by the benchmark ISPRS Test Project on Urban Classification and 3D Building Reconstruction and compared to the state-art-of-the methods. The evaluation shows that the proposed method can obtain a promising result both at area-level and at object-level. The method is further applied to the entire ISPRS dataset and to a real dataset of the Wuhan City. The results show a completeness of 94.9% and a correctness of 92.2% at the per-area level for the former dataset and a completeness of 94.4% and a correctness of 95.8% for the latter one. The proposed method has a good potential for large-size LiDAR data.

EXCEPTIONAL POINTS IN OPEN AND PT-SYMMETRIC SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hichem Eleuch

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Exceptional points (EPs determine the dynamics of open quantum systems and cause also PT symmetry breaking in PT symmetric systems. From a mathematical point of view, this is caused by the fact that the phases of the wavefunctions (eigenfunctions of a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian relative to one another are not rigid when an EP is approached. The system is therefore able to align with the environment to which it is coupled and, consequently, rigorous changes of the system properties may occur. We compare analytically as well as numerically the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a 2 × 2 matrix that is characteristic either of open quantum systems at high level density or of PT symmetric optical lattices. In both cases, the results show clearly the influence of the environment on the system in the neighborhood of EPs. Although the systems are very different from one another, the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions indicate the same characteristic features.

Pseudo-dynamic source modelling with 1-point and 2-point statistics of earthquake source parameters

KAUST Repository

Song, S. G.; Dalguer, L. A.; Mai, Paul Martin

2013-01-01

statistical framework that governs the finite-fault rupture process with 1-point and 2-point statistics of source parameters in order to quantify the variability of finite source models for future scenario events. We test this method by extracting 1-point

PowerPoint 2013 bible

CERN Document Server

Wempen, Faithe

2013-01-01

Master PowerPoint and improve your presentation skills with one book! In today's business climate, you need to know PowerPoint inside and out, and that's not all. You also need to be able to make a presentation that makes an impact. From using sophisticated transitions and animation in your PowerPoint presentations to interfacing in person with your audience, this information-packed book helps you succeed. Start creating professional-quality slides that captivate audiences and discover essential tips and techniques for making first-rate presentations, whether you're at a podium or

Experience in ultrasonic gap measurement between calandria tubes and liquid injection shutdown systems nozzles in Bruce Nuclear Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abucay, R.C.; Mahil, K.S.; Goszczynski, J.J.

1995-01-01

The gaps between calandria tubes (CT) and Liquid Injection Shutdown System (LISS) nozzles at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station ''A'' (Bruce A) are known to decrease with time due to radiation induced creep/sag of the calandria tubes. If this gap decreases to a point where the calandria tubes come into contact with the LISS nozzle, the calandria tubes could fail as a result of fretting damage. Proximity measurements were needed to verify the analytical models and ensure that CT/LISS nozzle contact does not occur earlier than predicted. The technique used was originally developed at Ontario Hydro Technologies (formerly Ontario Hydro Research Division) in the late seventies and put into practical use by Research and Productivity Council (RPC) of New Brunswick, who carried out similar measurements at Point Lepreau NGS in 1989 and 1991. The gap measurement was accomplished y inserting an inspection probe, containing four ultrasonic transducers (2 to measure gaps and 2 to check for probe tilt) and a Fredericks electrolytic potentiometer as a probe rotational sensor, inside LISS Nozzle number-sign 7. The ultrasonic measurements were fed to a system computer that was programmed to convert the readings into fully compensated gaps, taking into account moderator heavy water temperature and probe tilt. Since the measured gaps were found to be generally larger than predicted, the time to CT/LISS nozzle contact is now being re-evaluated and the planned LISS nozzle replacement will likely be deferred, resulting in considerable savings

Evolution of CANDU reactor design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pon, G.A.

1978-08-01

The CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium) design had its begin-ings in the early 1950's with the preliminary engineering studies that led to the 20 MW(e) NPD (Nuclear Power Demonstration) and the 200 MW(e) Douglas Point station . The next decade saw the first operation of both these stations and the commitment of the 2000 MW(e) Pickering and 3000 MW(e) Bruce plants. The present decade has witnessed the excellent performance of Pickering and Bruce and commitments to construct Gentilly-2, Cordoba, Pt. Lepreau, Wolsung, Pickering B, Bruce B and Darlington. In most cases, successive CANDU designs have meant an increase in plant output. Evolutionary developments have been made to fit the requirements of higher ratings and sizes, new regulations, better reliability and maintainability and lower costs. These changes, which are described system by system, have been introduced in the course of engineering parallel reactor projects with overlapping construction schedules -circumstances which ensure close contact with the practical realities of economics, manufacturing functions, construction activities and performance in commissioning. Features for one project furnished alternative concepts for others still on the drawing board and the experience gained in the first application yielded a sound basis for its re-use in succeeding projects. Thus the experiences gained in NPD, Douglas Point, Gentilly-1 and KANUPP have contributed to Pickering and Bruce, which in turn have contributed to the design of Gentilly-2. (author)

December 2002 Lidar Point Data of Southern California Coastline: Dana Point to Point La Jolla

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains lidar point data (latitude and longitude) from a strip of Southern California coastline (including water, beach, cliffs, and top of cliffs)...

April 2004 Lidar Point Data of Southern California Coastline: Dana Point to Point La Jolla

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains lidar point data (Geodetic Coordinates) from a strip of Southern California coastline (including water, beach, cliffs, and top of cliffs) from...

March 2003 Lidar Point Data of Southern California Coastline: Dana Point to Point La Jolla

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains lidar point data (Geodetic Coordinates) from a strip of Southern California coastline (including water, beach, cliffs, and top of cliffs) from...

Computing bubble-points of CO

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ramdin, M.; Balaji, S.P.; Vicent Luna, J.M.; Torres-Knoop, A; Chen, Q.; Dubbeldam, D.; Calero, S; de Loos, T.W.; Vlugt, T.J.H.

2016-01-01

Computing bubble-points of multicomponent mixtures using Monte Carlo simulations is a non-trivial task. A new method is used to compute gas compositions from a known temperature, bubble-point pressure, and liquid composition. Monte Carlo simulations are used to calculate the bubble-points of

Hyperglycemia and subsequent torsades de pointes with marked QT prolongation during refeeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakashima, Takashi; Kubota, Tomoki; Takasugi, Nobuhiro; Kitagawa, Yuichiro; Yoshida, Takahiro; Ushikoshi, Hiroaki; Kawasaki, Masanori; Nishigaki, Kazuhiko; Ogura, Shinji; Minatoguchi, Shinya

2017-01-01

A fatal cardiac complication can occasionally present in malnourished patients during refeeding; this is known as refeeding syndrome. However, to our knowledge, hyperglycemia preceding torsades de pointes with QT prolongation during refeeding has not been reported. In the present study, we present a case in which hyperglycemia preceded torsades de pointes with QT prolongation during refeeding. The aim of this study was to determine the possible mechanism underlying QT prolongation during refeeding and indicate how to prevent it. A 32-y-old severely malnourished woman (body mass index 14.57 kg/m 2 ) was admitted to the intensive care unit of our institution after resuscitation from cardiopulmonary arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. She was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Although no obvious electrolyte abnormalities were observed, her blood glucose level was 11 mg/dL. A 12-lead electrocardiogram at admission showed sinus rhythm with normal QT interval (QTc 0.448). Forty mL of 50% glucose (containing 20 g of glucose) was intravenously injected, followed by a drip infusion of glucose to maintain blood glucose level within normal range. After 9 h, the patient's blood glucose level increased to 569 mg/dL. However, after 38 h, an episode of marked QT prolongation (QTc 0.931) followed by torsades de pointes developed. Hyperglycemia during refeeding can present with QT prolongation; consequently, monitoring blood glucose levels may be useful in avoiding hyperglycemia, which can result in QT prolongation. Furthermore, additional monitoring of QT intervals using a 12-lead electrocardiogram should allow the early detection of QT prolongation when glucose solution is administered to a malnourished patient with (severe) hypoglycemia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Magnonic triply-degenerate nodal points

Science.gov (United States)

Owerre, S. A.

2017-12-01

We generalize the concept of triply-degenerate nodal points to non-collinear antiferromagnets. Here, we introduce this concept to insulating quantum antiferromagnets on the decorated honeycomb lattice, with spin-1 bosonic quasiparticle excitations known as magnons. We demonstrate the existence of magnonic surface states with constant energy contours that form pairs of magnonic arcs connecting the surface projection of the magnonic triple nodal points. The quasiparticle excitations near the triple nodal points represent three-component bosons beyond that of magnonic Dirac, Weyl, and nodal-line cases. They can be regarded as a direct reflection of the intrinsic spin carried by magnons. Furthermore, we show that the magnonic triple nodal points can split into magnonic Weyl points, as the system transits from a non-collinear spin structure to a non-coplanar one with a non-zero scalar spin chirality. Our results not only apply to insulating antiferromagnets, but also provide a platform to seek for triple nodal points in metallic antiferromagnets.

Fermat's point from five perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jungeun; Flores, Alfinio

2015-04-01

The Fermat point of a triangle is the point such that minimizes the sum of the distances from that point to the three vertices. Five approaches to study the Fermat point of a triangle are presented in this article. First, students use a mechanical device using masses, strings and pulleys to study the Fermat point as the one that minimizes the potential energy of the system. Second, students use soap films between parallel planes connecting three pegs. The tension on the film will be minimal when the sum of distances is minimal. Third, students use an empirical approach, measuring distances in an interactive GeoGebra page. Fourth, students use Euclidean geometry arguments for two proofs based on the Torricelli configuration, and one using Viviani's Theorem. And fifth, the kinematic method is used to gain additional insight on the size of the angles between the segments joining the Fermat point with the vertices.

Automated Reconstruction of Building LoDs from Airborne LiDAR Point Clouds Using an Improved Morphological Scale Space

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bisheng Yang

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Reconstructing building models at different levels of detail (LoDs from airborne laser scanning point clouds is urgently needed for wide application as this method can balance between the user’s requirements and economic costs. The previous methods reconstruct building LoDs from the finest 3D building models rather than from point clouds, resulting in heavy costs and inflexible adaptivity. The scale space is a sound theory for multi-scale representation of an object from a coarser level to a finer level. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel method to reconstruct buildings at different LoDs from airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR point clouds based on an improved morphological scale space. The proposed method first extracts building candidate regions following the separation of ground and non-ground points. For each building candidate region, the proposed method generates a scale space by iteratively using the improved morphological reconstruction with the increase of scale, and constructs the corresponding topological relationship graphs (TRGs across scales. Secondly, the proposed method robustly extracts building points by using features based on the TRG. Finally, the proposed method reconstructs each building at different LoDs according to the TRG. The experiments demonstrate that the proposed method robustly extracts the buildings with details (e.g., door eaves and roof furniture and illustrate good performance in distinguishing buildings from vegetation or other objects, while automatically reconstructing building LoDs from the finest building points.

Einstein gravity 3-point functions from conformal field theory

Science.gov (United States)

Afkhami-Jeddi, Nima; Hartman, Thomas; Kundu, Sandipan; Tajdini, Amirhossein

2017-12-01

We study stress tensor correlation functions in four-dimensional conformal field theories with large N and a sparse spectrum. Theories in this class are expected to have local holographic duals, so effective field theory in anti-de Sitter suggests that the stress tensor sector should exhibit universal, gravity-like behavior. At the linearized level, the hallmark of locality in the emergent geometry is that stress tensor three-point functions 〈 T T T 〉, normally specified by three constants, should approach a universal structure controlled by a single parameter as the gap to higher spin operators is increased. We demonstrate this phenomenon by a direct CFT calculation. Stress tensor exchange, by itself, violates causality and unitarity unless the three-point functions are carefully tuned, and the unique consistent choice exactly matches the prediction of Einstein gravity. Under some assumptions about the other potential contributions, we conclude that this structure is universal, and in particular, that the anomaly coefficients satisfy a ≈ c as conjectured by Camanho et al. The argument is based on causality of a four-point function, with kinematics designed to probe bulk locality, and invokes the chaos bound of Maldacena, Shenker, and Stanford.

Multiscale change-point analysis of inhomogeneous Poisson processes using unbalanced wavelet decompositions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, M.H.; Di Bucchianico, A.; Mattheij, R.M.M.; Peletier, M.A.

2006-01-01

We present a continuous wavelet analysis of count data with timevarying intensities. The objective is to extract intervals with significant intensities from background intervals. This includes the precise starting point of the significant interval, its exact duration and the (average) level of

An Exploratory Study: A Kinesic Analysis of Academic Library Public Service Points

Science.gov (United States)

Kazlauskas, Edward

1976-01-01

An analysis of body movements of individuals at reference and circulation public service points in four academic libraries indicated that both receptive and nonreceptive nonverbal behaviors were used by all levels of library employees, and these behaviors influenced patron interaction. (Author/LS)

CONTOURS BASED APPROACH FOR THERMAL IMAGE AND TERRESTRIAL POINT CLOUD REGISTRATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Bennis

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Building energetic performances strongly depend on the thermal insulation. However the performance of the insulation materials tends to decrease over time which necessitates the continuous monitoring of the building in order to detect and repair the anomalous zones. In this paper, it is proposed to couple 2D infrared images representing the surface temperature of the building with 3D point clouds acquired with Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS resulting in a semi-automatic approach allowing the texturation of TLS data with infrared image of buildings. A contour-based algorithm is proposed whose main features are : 1 the extraction of high level primitive is not required 2 the use of projective transform allows to handle perspective effects 3 a point matching refinement procedure allows to cope with approximate control point selection. The procedure is applied to test modules aiming at investigating the thermal properties of material.

High Response Dew Point Measurement System for a Supersonic Wind Tunnel

Science.gov (United States)

Blumenthal, Philip Z.

1996-01-01

A new high response on-line measurement system has been developed to continuously display and record the air stream dew point in the NASA Lewis 10 x 10 supersonic wind tunnel. Previous instruments suffered from such problems as very slow response, erratic readings, and high susceptibility to contamination. The system operates over the entire pressure level range of the 10 x 10 SWT, from less than 2 psia to 45 psia, without the need for a vacuum pump to provide sample flow. The system speeds up tunnel testing, provides large savings in tunnel power costs and provides the dew point input for the data-reduction subroutines which calculate test section conditions.

Identification of critical points of thermal environment in broiler production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AG Menezes

2010-03-01

Full Text Available This paper describes an exploratory study carried out to determine critical control points and possible risks in hatcheries and broiler farms. The study was based in the identification of the potential hazards existing in broiler production, from the hatchery to the broiler farm, identifying critical control points and defining critical limits. The following rooms were analyzed in the hatchery: egg cold storage, pre-heating, incubator, and hatcher rooms. Two broiler houses were studied in two different farms. The following data were collected in the hatchery and broiler houses: temperature (ºC and relative humidity (%, air velocity (m s-1, ammonia levels, and light intensity (lx. In the broiler house study, a questionnaire using information of the Broiler Production Good Practices (BPGP manual was applied, and workers were interviewed. Risk analysis matrices were build to determine Critical Control Points (CCP. After data collection, Statistical Process Control (SPC was applied through the analysis of the Process Capacity Index, using the software program Minitab15®. Environmental temperature and relative humidity were the critical points identified in the hatchery and in both farms. The classes determined as critical control points in the broiler houses were poultry litter, feeding, drinking water, workers' hygiene and health, management and biosecurity, norms and legislation, facilities, and activity planning. It was concluded that CCP analysis, associated with SPC control tools and guidelines of good production practices, may contribute to improve quality control in poultry production.

Point card compatible automatic vending machine for canned drink; Point card taio kan jido hanbaiki

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-01-10

A point card compatible automatic vending machine for canned drinks is developed, which provides drink manufacturers with a powerful tool to acquire selling sites and attract consumers. Since the machine is equipped with a device to handle point cards, regular customers have increased and sales have picked up. A point card issuing device is also installed, and the new machine issues a point card whenever a customer wants. The drink manufacturers are evaluating high of the vending machine because it will contribute to the diffusion of the point card system and because a sales promotion campaign may be conducted through the vending machine for instance by exchanging a fully marked card with a giveaway on the spot. In the future, a bill validator (paper money identifier) will be integrated even with small size machines for the diffusion of point card compatible machines. (translated by NEDO)

SharePoint governance

OpenAIRE

Ali, Mudassar

2013-01-01

Masteroppgave i informasjons- og kommunikasjonsteknologi IKT590 2013 – Universitetet i Agder, Grimstad SharePoint is a web-based business collaboration platform from Microsoft which is very robust and dynamic in nature. The platform has been in the market for more than a decade and has been adapted by large number of organisations in the world. The platform has become larger in scale, richer in features and is improving consistently with every new version. However, SharePoint ...

Solving discrete zero point problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)