Research of plasma-electrolyte discharge in the processes of obtaining metallic powders

Science.gov (United States)

Kashapov, R. N.; Kashapov, L. N.; Kashapov, N. F.

2017-11-01

The use of the plasma electrolyte process has never been considered as a simple, cheap and fast method of obtaining powders used in selective laser melting processes. Therefore, the adaptation of the plasma-electrolyte process to the production of metal powders used in additive production is an urgent task. The paper presents the results of studies of gas discharge parameters between a metal and liquid electrode in the processes of obtaining metallic iron powders. The discharge combustion conditions necessary for the formation of metal powders of micron size are determined. A possible mechanism for the formation of powder particles in a discharge plasma is proposed.

The ATLAS Fast TracKer Processing Units

CERN Document Server

Krizka, Karol; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The Fast Tracker is a hardware upgrade to the ATLAS trigger and data-acquisition system, with the goal of providing global track reconstruction by the start of the High Level Trigger starts. The Fast Tracker can process incoming data from the whole inner detector at full first level trigger rate, up to 100 kHz, using custom electronic boards. At the core of the system is a Processing Unit installed in a VMEbus crate, formed by two sets of boards: the Associative Memory Board and a powerful rear transition module called the Auxiliary card, while the second set is the Second Stage board. The associative memories perform the pattern matching looking for correlations within the incoming data, compatible with track candidates at coarse resolution. The pattern matching task is performed using custom application specific integrated circuits, called associative memory chips. The auxiliary card prepares the input and reject bad track candidates obtained from from the Associative Memory Board using the full precision a...

Melt state behaviour of PEEK and processing window interpretation for fast compression moulding process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bessard, Emeline; De Almeida, Olivier; Bernhart, Gerard

2011-01-01

Fast mould heating is nowadays possible by using induction technology for example with the Cage System registered developed by RocTool. It allows heating and cooling kinetics of about 100 deg. C per minute and new perspectives are thus possible to optimize the compression moulding process of long fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites. Indeed, a high forming temperature may favour polymer creep and so on composite consolidation. Nevertheless, the processing time of PEEK composite above melt temperature must be reduced to a few minutes due to the fast thermal degradation of the matrix. On the other hand, high cooling rates may have negative effect on matrix crystallinity. The proposed procedure consist in performing a few minutes isotherm around 300 deg. C during the fast cooling. It would favour a high degree of crystallinity of PEEK without extending the cycle time.

Explicit and Implicit Processes Constitute the Fast and Slow Processes of Sensorimotor Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

McDougle, Samuel D; Bond, Krista M; Taylor, Jordan A

2015-07-01

A popular model of human sensorimotor learning suggests that a fast process and a slow process work in parallel to produce the canonical learning curve (Smith et al., 2006). Recent evidence supports the subdivision of sensorimotor learning into explicit and implicit processes that simultaneously subserve task performance (Taylor et al., 2014). We set out to test whether these two accounts of learning processes are homologous. Using a recently developed method to assay explicit and implicit learning directly in a sensorimotor task, along with a computational modeling analysis, we show that the fast process closely resembles explicit learning and the slow process approximates implicit learning. In addition, we provide evidence for a subdivision of the slow/implicit process into distinct manifestations of motor memory. We conclude that the two-state model of motor learning is a close approximation of sensorimotor learning, but it is unable to describe adequately the various implicit learning operations that forge the learning curve. Our results suggest that a wider net be cast in the search for the putative psychological mechanisms and neural substrates underlying the multiplicity of processes involved in motor learning. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/359568-12$15.00/0.

Fast But Fleeting: Adaptive Motor Learning Processes Associated with Aging and Cognitive Decline

Science.gov (United States)

Trewartha, Kevin M.; Garcia, Angeles; Wolpert, Daniel M.

2014-01-01

Motor learning has been shown to depend on multiple interacting learning processes. For example, learning to adapt when moving grasped objects with novel dynamics involves a fast process that adapts and decays quickly—and that has been linked to explicit memory—and a slower process that adapts and decays more gradually. Each process is characterized by a learning rate that controls how strongly motor memory is updated based on experienced errors and a retention factor determining the movement-to-movement decay in motor memory. Here we examined whether fast and slow motor learning processes involved in learning novel dynamics differ between younger and older adults. In addition, we investigated how age-related decline in explicit memory performance influences learning and retention parameters. Although the groups adapted equally well, they did so with markedly different underlying processes. Whereas the groups had similar fast processes, they had different slow processes. Specifically, the older adults exhibited decreased retention in their slow process compared with younger adults. Within the older group, who exhibited considerable variation in explicit memory performance, we found that poor explicit memory was associated with reduced retention in the fast process, as well as the slow process. These findings suggest that explicit memory resources are a determining factor in impairments in the both the fast and slow processes for motor learning but that aging effects on the slow process are independent of explicit memory declines. PMID:25274819

Fast but fleeting: adaptive motor learning processes associated with aging and cognitive decline.

Science.gov (United States)

Trewartha, Kevin M; Garcia, Angeles; Wolpert, Daniel M; Flanagan, J Randall

2014-10-01

Motor learning has been shown to depend on multiple interacting learning processes. For example, learning to adapt when moving grasped objects with novel dynamics involves a fast process that adapts and decays quickly-and that has been linked to explicit memory-and a slower process that adapts and decays more gradually. Each process is characterized by a learning rate that controls how strongly motor memory is updated based on experienced errors and a retention factor determining the movement-to-movement decay in motor memory. Here we examined whether fast and slow motor learning processes involved in learning novel dynamics differ between younger and older adults. In addition, we investigated how age-related decline in explicit memory performance influences learning and retention parameters. Although the groups adapted equally well, they did so with markedly different underlying processes. Whereas the groups had similar fast processes, they had different slow processes. Specifically, the older adults exhibited decreased retention in their slow process compared with younger adults. Within the older group, who exhibited considerable variation in explicit memory performance, we found that poor explicit memory was associated with reduced retention in the fast process, as well as the slow process. These findings suggest that explicit memory resources are a determining factor in impairments in the both the fast and slow processes for motor learning but that aging effects on the slow process are independent of explicit memory declines. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/3413411-11$15.00/0.

Cheap type solar bioclimatic individual houses for residential areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihailescu Teofil

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the Romanian architectural practice for individual houses in residential areas, designing the architectural object in order to function together with the nature is neglected in the majority of the situations. This happens despite of a great variety of the solar bioclimatic solutions materialized in the traditional houses of all the Romanian geographical regions in a history of over 2000 years of traditional architecture. Unfortunately, in the local real estate realities, other choices are preferred in instead those of the solar bioclimatic architecture. The approach starts with a historical approach, analyzing several examples of traditional houses from all the regions of Romania, in order to identify the traditional bioclimatic solutions used to better adapt to the environment. This constitutes the source of inspiration for the modern cheap type solar bioclimatic houses presented. But a way of thinking should be changed for it, with the help of the Romanian state transformed in financial and legislative realities. These cheap type solar bioclimatic individual houses are destined for the middle class families and involve minimum costs for building and living, creating the best premises to efficiently use one or all of the complementary systems for producing, storage and/or transforming the energy from the environment (using solar, wind, water and/or earth energy.

Money talks? An experimental investigation of cheap talk and burned money

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Haan, T.; Offerman, T.; Sloof, R.

2015-01-01

We experimentally study the strategic transmission of information in a setting where both cheap talk and money can be used. Theoretically, many equilibria exist side by side, in which senders use either costless messages, money, or both. We find that senders prefer to communicate through costless

Money talks? An experimental investigation of cheap talk and burned money

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Haan, T.; Offerman, T.; Sloof, R.

2011-01-01

We experimentally study the strategic transmission of information in a setting where both cheap talk and money can be used for communication purposes. Theoretically a large number of equilibria exist side by side, in which senders either use costless messages, money, or a combination of the two. We

Money talks? An experimental investigation of cheap talk and burned money

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Haan, T.; Offerman, T.; Sloof, R.

2012-01-01

We experimentally study the strategic transmission of information in a setting where both cheap talk and money can be used for communication purposes. Theoretically a large number of equilibria exist side by side, in which senders either use costless messages, money, or a combination of the two. We

Cheap heat grows in fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haluza, I.

2006-01-01

Slovak farmers resemble the peasants from the film T he Magnificent Seven . They keep complaining about their fate but consider any innovation as an interference. And that is why they still have not started growing fast-growing wood although the number of heating plants processing bio-mass from forests and fields is growing. Natural gas is expensive and coal creates pollution. Energy from biomass is becoming a good business and also creates new business opportunities - growing the raw material it needs. Such heating plants usually use waste from wood processing companies and Slovak Forests (Lesy SR) has also started deliveries of chip wood from old forests. There are plantations of fast growing wood suitable for heat production of over 500-thousand hectares throughout the EU. This is about 10% of Slovakian's area where the first plantations are also already being set up. The first promising plantation project was launched this spring. And this is not a project launched and backed by a big company but a starting up businessman, Miroslav Forgac from Kosice. He founded his company, Forgim, last winter. Without big money involved and thank to a new business idea he managed to persuade farmers to set up the first plantations. He supplied the seedlings and the business has started with 75 ha of plantations around Trnava, Sala, Komarno, Lucenec, Poprad and Kosice. He is gradually signing contracts with other landowners and next year the area of plantations is set to grow by 1500 ha. Plantations of fast growing trees such as willow, poplar and acacia regenerate by new trees growing out of the roots of the old and from cut trees so from one seedling and one investment there can be several harvests. Swedish willows from Forgim regenerate 20 to 25 years after the first planting. And only then new seedlings have to be purchased. Using special machines that even cut the wood to wood chips the plantations can be 'harvested' every three years. Unlike crops, the fields do not

Fast Mapping Across Time: Memory Processes Support Children's Retention of Learned Words

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haley eVlach

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Children's remarkable ability to map linguistic labels to objects in the world is referred to as fast mapping. The current study examined children's (N = 216 and adults’ (N = 54 retention of fast-mapped words over time (immediately, after a 1 week delay, and after a 1 month delay. The fast mapping literature often characterizes children's retention of words as consistently high across timescales. However, the current study demonstrates that learners forget word mappings at a rapid rate. Moreover, these patterns of forgetting parallel forgetting functions of domain general memory processes. Memory processes are critical to children's word learning and the role of one such process, forgetting, is discussed in detail—forgetting supports both word mapping and the generalization of words and categories.

Fast Mapping Across Time: Memory Processes Support Children's Retention of Learned Words.

Science.gov (United States)

Vlach, Haley A; Sandhofer, Catherine M

2012-01-01

Children's remarkable ability to map linguistic labels to referents in the world is commonly called fast mapping. The current study examined children's (N = 216) and adults' (N = 54) retention of fast-mapped words over time (immediately, after a 1-week delay, and after a 1-month delay). The fast mapping literature often characterizes children's retention of words as consistently high across timescales. However, the current study demonstrates that learners forget word mappings at a rapid rate. Moreover, these patterns of forgetting parallel forgetting functions of domain-general memory processes. Memory processes are critical to children's word learning and the role of one such process, forgetting, is discussed in detail - forgetting supports extended mapping by promoting the memory and generalization of words and categories.

Fast logic?: Examining the time course assumption of dual process theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Bago, Bence; De Neys, Wim

2017-01-01

Influential dual process models of human thinking posit that reasoners typically produce a fast, intuitive heuristic (i.e., Type-1) response which might subsequently be overridden and corrected by slower, deliberative processing (i.e., Type-2). In this study we directly tested this time course assumption. We used a two response paradigm in which participants have to give an immediate answer and afterwards are allowed extra time before giving a final response. In four experiments we used a range of procedures (e.g., challenging response deadline, concurrent load) to knock out Type 2 processing and make sure that the initial response was intuitive in nature. Our key finding is that we frequently observe correct, logical responses as the first, immediate response. Response confidence and latency analyses indicate that these initial correct responses are given fast, with high confidence, and in the face of conflicting heuristic responses. Findings suggest that fast and automatic Type 1 processing also cues a correct logical response from the start. We sketch a revised dual process model in which the relative strength of different types of intuitions determines reasoning performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiple-electron processes in fast ion-atom collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlachter, A.S.

1989-03-01

Research in atomic physics at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Super-HILAC and Bevalac accelerators on multiple-electron processes in fast ion-atom collisions is described. Experiments have studied various aspects of the charge-transfer, ionization, and excitation processes. Examples of processes in which electron correlation plays a role are resonant transfer and excitation and Auger-electron emission. Processes in which electron behavior can generally be described as uncorrelated include ionization and charge transfer in high-energy ion-atom collisions. A variety of experiments and results for energies from 1 MeV/u to 420 MeV/u are presented. 20 refs., 15 figs

Silicon nanowires for ultra-fast and ultrabroadband optical signal processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ji, Hua; Hu, Hao; Pu, Minhao

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present recent research on silicon nanowires for ultra-fast and ultra-broadband optical signal processing at DTU Fotonik. The advantages and limitations of using silicon nanowires for optical signal processing are revealed through experimental demonstrations of various optical...

Testing the effectiveness of certainty scales, cheap talk, and dissonance-minimization in reducing hypothetical bias in contingent valuation studies

Science.gov (United States)

Mark Morrison; Thomas C. Brown

2009-01-01

Stated preference methods such as contingent valuation and choice modeling are subject to various biases that may lead to differences between actual and hypothetical willingness to pay. Cheap talk, follow-up certainty scales, and dissonance minimization are three techniques for reducing this hypothetical bias. Cheap talk and certainty scales have received considerable...

Formulation of cheap prawn diets and their biological evaluation on some penaeid prawns

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Goswami, U.; Goswami, S.C.

While using the cheap locally available wastes and raw materials, two compound diets have been formulated and prepared. Three species of penaeid prawns viz. Metapenaeus monoceros, M. affinis and Penaeus indicus were fed on these diets...

[Medical and dental digital photography. Choosing a cheap and user-friendly camera].

Science.gov (United States)

Chossegros, C; Guyot, L; Mantout, B; Cheynet, F; Olivi, P; Blanc, J-L

2010-04-01

Digital photography is more and more important in our everyday medical practice. Patient data, medico-legal proof, remote diagnosis, forums, and medical publications are some of the applications of digital photography in medical and dental fields. A lot of small, light, and cheap cameras are on the market. The main issue is to obtain good, reproducible, cheap, and easy-to-shoot pictures. Every medical situation, portrait in esthetic surgery, skin photography in dermatology, X-ray pictures or intra-oral pictures, for example, has its own requirements. For these reasons, we have tried to find an "ideal" compact digital camera. The Sony DSC-T90 (and its T900 counterpart with a wider screen) seems a good choice. Its small size makes it usable in every situation and its price is low. An external light source and a free photo software (XnView((R))) can be useful complementary tools. The main adjustments and expected results are discussed.

Fast engineering optimization: A novel highly effective control parameterization approach for industrial dynamic processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ping; Li, Guodong; Liu, Xinggao

2015-09-01

Control vector parameterization (CVP) is an important approach of the engineering optimization for the industrial dynamic processes. However, its major defect, the low optimization efficiency caused by calculating the relevant differential equations in the generated nonlinear programming (NLP) problem repeatedly, limits its wide application in the engineering optimization for the industrial dynamic processes. A novel highly effective control parameterization approach, fast-CVP, is first proposed to improve the optimization efficiency for industrial dynamic processes, where the costate gradient formulae is employed and a fast approximate scheme is presented to solve the differential equations in dynamic process simulation. Three well-known engineering optimization benchmark problems of the industrial dynamic processes are demonstrated as illustration. The research results show that the proposed fast approach achieves a fine performance that at least 90% of the computation time can be saved in contrast to the traditional CVP method, which reveals the effectiveness of the proposed fast engineering optimization approach for the industrial dynamic processes. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast processing of foreign fiber images by image blocking

OpenAIRE

Yutao Wu; Daoliang Li; Zhenbo Li; Wenzhu Yang

2014-01-01

In the textile industry, it is always the case that cotton products are constitutive of many types of foreign fibers which affect the overall quality of cotton products. As the foundation of the foreign fiber automated inspection, image process exerts a critical impact on the process of foreign fiber identification. This paper presents a new approach for the fast processing of foreign fiber images. This approach includes five main steps, image block, image pre-decision, image background extra...

Auger processes in tracks of fast multicharged ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katin, V.V.; Martynenko, Yu.V.; Yavlinskij, Yu.N.

1992-01-01

The fast multicharged ion spends about 40% of energy losses on vacancy creation in the inner electron shells. This energy is transferred to the kinetic energy of electrons due to the cascade of Auger processes during ∼ 10 -14 s whereas the primary excited electrons receive the energy in ∼10 -16 s. (author)

Lanzamiento de supermercados cheap en venezuela

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar A. Colmenares D.

2008-01-01

Full Text Available El presente caso de estudio se plantea en el contexto del sector de distribución de alimentos al detal en Venezuela en los años 2005 al 2007, el cual ha ostentado diversas mutaciones y cambios en función de las condiciones socioeconómicas del país y las tendencias globales. La cadena internacional de Supermercados Cheap, de origen tailandés, es una empresa dedicada a la distribución al menor de productos de consumo masivo, que estaba interesada en abrir operaciones comerciales en Latinoamérica tomando como país piloto a Venezuela. Para ello, quiere desarrollar una red de tiendas con marca y concepto propio adecuada a las características y exigencias del mercado local. En este sentido, debe diagnosticar el escenario de negocios y del mercado actual del sector y diseñar un plan de acción para cumplir con su objetivo.

Fast reactors bulk sodium coolant disposal NOAH process application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magny, E. de; Berte, M.

1997-01-01

Within the frame of the fast reactors decommissioning, the becoming of contaminated sodium coolant from primary, secondary and auxiliary circuits is an important aspect. The 'NOAH' sodium disposal process, developed by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), is presented as the only process, for destroying large quantities of contaminated sodium, that has attained industrial status. The principles and technical options of the process are described and main advantages such as safety , operating simplicity and compactness of the plant are put forward. The process has been industrially validated in 1993/1994 by successfully reacting the 37 metric tons of primary contaminated sodium from the French Rapsodie experimental reactor. The main outstanding aspects and experience gained from this so called 'DESORA' operation (DEstruction of SOdium from RApsodie) are recalled. Another industrial application concerns the current project for destroying more than 1500 metric tons of contaminated sodium from the British PFR (Prototype Fast Reactor) in Scotland. Although the design is in the continuity of DESORA, it has taken into account the specific requirements of PFR application and the experience feed back from Rapsodie. The main technical options and performances of the PFR sodium reaction unit are presented while mentioning the design evolution. (author)

The ATLAS Fast Tracker Processing Units - input and output data preparation

CERN Document Server

Bolz, Arthur Eugen; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The ATLAS Fast Tracker is a hardware processor built to reconstruct tracks at a rate of up to 100 kHz and provide them to the high level trigger system. The Fast Tracker will allow the trigger to utilize tracking information from the entire detector at an earlier event selection stage than ever before, allowing for more efficient event rejection. The connection of the system from to the detector read-outs and to the high level trigger computing farms are made through custom boards implementing Advanced Telecommunications Computing Technologies standard. The input is processed by the Input Mezzanines and Data Formatter boards, designed to receive and sort the data coming from the Pixel and Semi-conductor Tracker. The Fast Tracker to Level-2 Interface Card connects the system to the computing farm. The Input Mezzanines are 128 boards, performing clustering, placed on the 32 Data Formatter mother boards that sort the information into 64 logical regions required by the downstream processing units. This necessitat...

Don't speak too fast! Processing of fast rate speech in children with specific language impairment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hélène Guiraud

Full Text Available Perception of speech rhythm requires the auditory system to track temporal envelope fluctuations, which carry syllabic and stress information. Reduced sensitivity to rhythmic acoustic cues has been evidenced in children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI, impeding syllabic parsing and speech decoding. Our study investigated whether these children experience specific difficulties processing fast rate speech as compared with typically developing (TD children.Sixteen French children with SLI (8-13 years old with mainly expressive phonological disorders and with preserved comprehension and 16 age-matched TD children performed a judgment task on sentences produced 1 at normal rate, 2 at fast rate or 3 time-compressed. Sensitivity index (d' to semantically incongruent sentence-final words was measured.Overall children with SLI perform significantly worse than TD children. Importantly, as revealed by the significant Group × Speech Rate interaction, children with SLI find it more challenging than TD children to process both naturally or artificially accelerated speech. The two groups do not significantly differ in normal rate speech processing.In agreement with rhythm-processing deficits in atypical language development, our results suggest that children with SLI face difficulties adjusting to rapid speech rate. These findings are interpreted in light of temporal sampling and prosodic phrasing frameworks and of oscillatory mechanisms underlying speech perception.

Don't speak too fast! Processing of fast rate speech in children with specific language impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Guiraud, Hélène; Bedoin, Nathalie; Krifi-Papoz, Sonia; Herbillon, Vania; Caillot-Bascoul, Aurélia; Gonzalez-Monge, Sibylle; Boulenger, Véronique

2018-01-01

Perception of speech rhythm requires the auditory system to track temporal envelope fluctuations, which carry syllabic and stress information. Reduced sensitivity to rhythmic acoustic cues has been evidenced in children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI), impeding syllabic parsing and speech decoding. Our study investigated whether these children experience specific difficulties processing fast rate speech as compared with typically developing (TD) children. Sixteen French children with SLI (8-13 years old) with mainly expressive phonological disorders and with preserved comprehension and 16 age-matched TD children performed a judgment task on sentences produced 1) at normal rate, 2) at fast rate or 3) time-compressed. Sensitivity index (d') to semantically incongruent sentence-final words was measured. Overall children with SLI perform significantly worse than TD children. Importantly, as revealed by the significant Group × Speech Rate interaction, children with SLI find it more challenging than TD children to process both naturally or artificially accelerated speech. The two groups do not significantly differ in normal rate speech processing. In agreement with rhythm-processing deficits in atypical language development, our results suggest that children with SLI face difficulties adjusting to rapid speech rate. These findings are interpreted in light of temporal sampling and prosodic phrasing frameworks and of oscillatory mechanisms underlying speech perception.

ZnO as a cheap and effective filler for high breakdown strength elastomers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yu, Liyun; Skov, Anne Ladegaard

2017-01-01

. In this article, we explore the use of a cheap and abundant metal oxide filler, namely ZnO, as a filler in silicone-based dielectric elastomers. The electro-mechanical properties of the elastomer composites are investigated, and their performance is evaluated by means of figures of merit. Various commercial...

Additive Manufacturing: Multi Material Processing and Part Quality Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, David Bue

This Ph.D dissertation,ffAdditive Manufacturing: Multi Material Processing and Part Quality Controlff, deal with Additive Manufacturing technologies which is a common name for a series of processes that are recognized by being computer controlled, highly automated, and manufacture objects...... by a layered deposition of material. Two areas of particular interest is addressed. They are rooted in two very different areas, yet is intended to fuel the same goal. To help Additive Manufacturing technologies one step closer to becoming the autonomous, digital manufacturing method of tomorrow. Vision...... systems A paradox exist in the field of Additive Manufacturing. The technologies allow for close-to unrestrained and integral geometrical freedom. Almost any geometry can be manufactured fast, e"ciently and cheap. Something that has been missing fundamental capability since the entering of the industrial...

Core characteristics of fast reactor cycle with simple dry pyrochemical processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikegami, Tetsuo

2008-01-01

Fast reactor core concept and core nuclear characteristics are studied for the application of the simple dry pyrochemical processing for fast reactor mixed oxide spent fuels, that is, the Compound Process Fuel Cycle, large FR core with of loaded fuels are recycled by the simple dry pyrochemical processing. Results of the core nuclear analyses show that it is possible to recycle FR spent fuel once and to have 1.01 of breeding ratio without radial blanket region. The comparison is made among three kinds of recycle fuels, LWR UO 2 spent fuel, LWR MOX spent fuel, and FR spent fuel. The recycle fuels reach an equilibrium state after recycles regardless of their starting heavy metal compositions, and the recycled FR fuel has the lowest radio-activity and the same level of heat generation among the recycle fuels. Therefore, the compound process fuel cycle has flexibility to recycle both LWR spent fuel and FR spent fuel. The concept has a possibility of enhancement of nuclear non-proliferation and process simplification of fuel cycle. (author)

Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattson, Mark P; Longo, Valter D; Harvie, Michelle

2017-10-01

Humans in modern societies typically consume food at least three times daily, while laboratory animals are fed ad libitum. Overconsumption of food with such eating patterns often leads to metabolic morbidities (insulin resistance, excessive accumulation of visceral fat, etc.), particularly when associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Because animals, including humans, evolved in environments where food was relatively scarce, they developed numerous adaptations that enabled them to function at a high level, both physically and cognitively, when in a food-deprived/fasted state. Intermittent fasting (IF) encompasses eating patterns in which individuals go extended time periods (e.g., 16-48h) with little or no energy intake, with intervening periods of normal food intake, on a recurring basis. We use the term periodic fasting (PF) to refer to IF with periods of fasting or fasting mimicking diets lasting from 2 to as many as 21 or more days. In laboratory rats and mice IF and PF have profound beneficial effects on many different indices of health and, importantly, can counteract disease processes and improve functional outcome in experimental models of a wide range of age-related disorders including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease Parkinson's disease and stroke. Studies of IF (e.g., 60% energy restriction on 2days per week or every other day), PF (e.g., a 5day diet providing 750-1100kcal) and time-restricted feeding (TRF; limiting the daily period of food intake to 8h or less) in normal and overweight human subjects have demonstrated efficacy for weight loss and improvements in multiple health indicators including insulin resistance and reductions in risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which IF improves health and counteracts disease processes involve activation of adaptive cellular stress response signaling pathways that enhance mitochondrial health, DNA repair

FAST PYROLYSIS PROCESS OF ORANGE SOLID WASTE. FACTORS INFLUENCE IN THE PROCESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonardo Aguiar Trujillo

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The orange processing industry generates high volumes of solid residue. This residue has been used in animal feeding and biochemical processes. A possible energy use of the waste can be thermochemical fast pyrolysis process. The objective was to determine the influence of the heating rate and temperature in the process of rapid pyrolysis of orange solid residue. In the process a design, 2k full factorial experiment was used, evaluating the influence of the independent variables and its interactions on the answers, using a 95 % significance level. We found that temperature is the most significant influence on the responses parameter having significant influence on the yields to: gas, coal, tar and the calorific value of the gas and the heating rate does not influence the answers. Finally, the interaction affects the gas yield. The results obtained in this study are: Rgas (19 – 38 %, Rchar (25 – 42 %, Ralq (6 – 12 %, PCIgas entre (140 – 1050 kJ/m3N.

Sintering behavior of porous wall tile bodies during fast single-firing process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sidnei José Gomes Sousa

2005-06-01

Full Text Available In ceramic wall tile processing, fast single-firing cycles have been widely used. In this investigation a fast single-firing porous wall tile mixture was prepared using raw materials from the North Fluminense region.Specimens were obtained by uniaxial pressing and sintered in air at various temperatures (1080 - 1200 °C using a fast-firing cycle (60 minutes. Evolution of the microstructure was followed by XRD and SEM. The results revealed that the main phases formed during the sintering step are anorthite, gehlenite and hematite. It appears that the sintering process is characterized by the presence of a small amount of a liquid phase below 1140 °C. As a result, the microstructure of the ceramic bodies showed a network of small dense zones interconnected with a porous phase. In addition, the strength of the material below 1140 °C appeared to be related to the type and quantity of crystalline phases in the sintered bodies.

Cumulative latency advance underlies fast visual processing in desynchronized brain state.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xu-dong; Chen, Cheng; Zhang, Dinghong; Yao, Haishan

2014-01-07

Fast sensory processing is vital for the animal to efficiently respond to the changing environment. This is usually achieved when the animal is vigilant, as reflected by cortical desynchronization. However, the neural substrate for such fast processing remains unclear. Here, we report that neurons in rat primary visual cortex (V1) exhibited shorter response latency in the desynchronized state than in the synchronized state. In vivo whole-cell recording from the same V1 neurons undergoing the two states showed that both the resting and visually evoked conductances were higher in the desynchronized state. Such conductance increases of single V1 neurons shorten the response latency by elevating the membrane potential closer to the firing threshold and reducing the membrane time constant, but the effects only account for a small fraction of the observed latency advance. Simultaneous recordings in lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and V1 revealed that LGN neurons also exhibited latency advance, with a degree smaller than that of V1 neurons. Furthermore, latency advance in V1 increased across successive cortical layers. Thus, latency advance accumulates along various stages of the visual pathway, likely due to a global increase of membrane conductance in the desynchronized state. This cumulative effect may lead to a dramatic shortening of response latency for neurons in higher visual cortex and play a critical role in fast processing for vigilant animals.

Fast Bayesian Inference in Dirichlet Process Mixture Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lianming; Dunson, David B

2011-01-01

There has been increasing interest in applying Bayesian nonparametric methods in large samples and high dimensions. As Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms are often infeasible, there is a pressing need for much faster algorithms. This article proposes a fast approach for inference in Dirichlet process mixture (DPM) models. Viewing the partitioning of subjects into clusters as a model selection problem, we propose a sequential greedy search algorithm for selecting the partition. Then, when conjugate priors are chosen, the resulting posterior conditionally on the selected partition is available in closed form. This approach allows testing of parametric models versus nonparametric alternatives based on Bayes factors. We evaluate the approach using simulation studies and compare it with four other fast nonparametric methods in the literature. We apply the proposed approach to three datasets including one from a large epidemiologic study. Matlab codes for the simulation and data analyses using the proposed approach are available online in the supplemental materials.

The ATLAS Fast Tracker Processing Units - track finding and fitting

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00384270; The ATLAS collaboration; Alison, John; Ancu, Lucian Stefan; Andreani, Alessandro; Annovi, Alberto; Beccherle, Roberto; Beretta, Matteo; Biesuz, Nicolo Vladi; Bogdan, Mircea Arghir; Bryant, Patrick; Calabro, Domenico; Citraro, Saverio; Crescioli, Francesco; Dell'Orso, Mauro; Donati, Simone; Gentsos, Christos; Giannetti, Paola; Gkaitatzis, Stamatios; Gramling, Johanna; Greco, Virginia; Horyn, Lesya Anna; Iovene, Alessandro; Kalaitzidis, Panagiotis; Kim, Young-Kee; Kimura, Naoki; Kordas, Kostantinos; Kubota, Takashi; Lanza, Agostino; Liberali, Valentino; Luciano, Pierluigi; Magnin, Betty; Sakellariou, Andreas; Sampsonidis, Dimitrios; Saxon, James; Shojaii, Seyed Ruhollah; Sotiropoulou, Calliope Louisa; Stabile, Alberto; Swiatlowski, Maximilian; Volpi, Guido; Zou, Rui; Shochet, Mel

2016-01-01

The Fast Tracker is a hardware upgrade to the ATLAS trigger and data-acquisition system, with the goal of providing global track reconstruction by the start of the High Level Trigger starts. The Fast Tracker can process incoming data from the whole inner detector at full first level trigger rate, up to 100 kHz, using custom electronic boards. At the core of the system is a Processing Unit installed in a VMEbus crate, formed by two sets of boards: the Associative Memory Board and a powerful rear transition module called the Auxiliary card, while the second set is the Second Stage board. The associative memories perform the pattern matching looking for correlations within the incoming data, compatible with track candidates at coarse resolution. The pattern matching task is performed using custom application specific integrated circuits, called associative memory chips. The auxiliary card prepares the input and reject bad track candidates obtained from from the Associative Memory Board using the full precision a...

Google Searches for "Cheap Cigarettes" Spike at Tax Increases: Evidence from an Algorithm to Detect Spikes in Time Series Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Caputi, Theodore L

2018-05-03

Online cigarette dealers have lower prices than brick-and-mortar retailers and advertise tax-free status.1-8 Previous studies show smokers search out these online alternatives at the time of a cigarette tax increase.9,10 However, these studies rely upon researchers' decision to consider a specific date and preclude the possibility that researchers focus on the wrong date. The purpose of this study is to introduce an unbiased methodology to the field of observing search patterns and to use this methodology to determine whether smokers search Google for "cheap cigarettes" at cigarette tax increases and, if so, whether the increased level of searches persists. Publicly available data from Google Trends is used to observe standardized search volumes for the term, "cheap cigarettes". Seasonal Hybrid Extreme Studentized Deviate and E-Divisive with Means tests were performed to observe spikes and mean level shifts in search volume. Of the twelve cigarette tax increases studied, ten showed spikes in searches for "cheap cigarettes" within two weeks of the tax increase. However, the mean level shifts did not occur for any cigarette tax increase. Searches for "cheap cigarettes" spike around the time of a cigarette tax increase, but the mean level of searches does not shift in response to a tax increase. The SHESD and EDM tests are unbiased methodologies that can be used to identify spikes and mean level shifts in time series data without an a priori date to be studied. SHESD and EDM affirm spikes in interest are related to tax increases. • Applies improved statistical techniques (SHESD and EDM) to Google search data related to cigarettes, reducing bias and increasing power • Contributes to the body of evidence that state and federal tax increases are associated with spikes in searches for cheap cigarettes and may be good dates for increased online health messaging related to tobacco.

Microbial diversity and prevalence of foodborne pathogens in cheap and junk foods consumed by primary schoolchildren.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, M J; Kim, S A; Kang, Y S; Hwang, I G; Rhee, M S

2013-07-01

Aerobic plate counts (APC), coliforms, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and eight foodborne pathogens were tested in 1008 cheap and junk foods, including candies, dried cakes, chewing gum, chocolate, dried and seasoned seafood, ice cream, and sugary foods. APCs were positive for 342 samples (33·9%), and the majority of the counts were 2-3 log CFU g(-1) or ml(-1) (average: 1·10 log CFU g(-1) or ml(-1) ). Most samples (97·3%) contained no coliforms (average: 0·07 log CFU g(-1) or ml(-1) ). Bacillus cereus was detected in 68 samples (average: 0·14 log CFU g(-1) or ml(-1) ). Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes were detected in 6 and 1 samples, respectively, whereas other foodborne pathogens were not isolated. The highest bacterial counts were associated with dried and seasoned seafood products and dried cakes, suggesting that appropriate regulations of these food types should be considered. Cheap and junk foods were produced mainly in developing countries, but there were no significant differences in the bacterial counts among different countries of origin. The presence of foodborne pathogens may pose a risk for children. These results suggest that there is cause for deeper concern about the safety of these foods and that effective countermeasures should be established to improve their microbiological safety. Food safety is especially important for children, but only limited information is available about the microbiological quality of cheap and junk foods that are consumed frequently by primary schoolchildren (e.g. dried cakes, candies and chocolates). The present study investigated the microbial quality of cheap and junk foods, and our results indicate that these foods are a potential health risk for children, therefore, deeper concern about the safety of these foods and effective countermeasures should be established to improve their microbiological safety. The present study may contribute to the development of an appropriate child food

Examination of formulation and process factors on the characteristics of fast dissolving and fast disintegrating tablets manufactured by a direct compression process.

OpenAIRE

Pabari, Ritesh M

2010-01-01

Oral dosage forms are the safest and most convenient dosage forms and of these tablets are the most popular with patients because of their portability, ease and convenience of dose intake and with manufacturers because of their simple and low cost manufacturing process. Fast disintegrating dissolving tablets (FDDTs), a more recent innovation, have gained a great deal of attention particularly for use in various patient groups such as the paediatric, geriatric, travelling patients and patients...

Sugar cane leaf: a potential raw material for cheap grades of paper and board

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tiwary, K. N.; Kulkarni, A. Y.

1980-03-15

About 6 to 7 million tons of sugar cane leaves are available per year as agricultural residue and can be utilized for manufacture of cheap grades of paper and board. An unbleached yield of 56% could be obtained using 10% NaOH at a temperature of 170/sup 0/C with a bath ratio of 1 to 4 and cooking time of 10 min. Sulfate pulping with equivalent conditions gave a bleached pulp with comparatively higher brightness values, other properties remaining almost same. Bleaching of 10% soda pulp with 10 and 12% chlorine have given 42 and 40% yields at 71 to 72 and 77 to 78% Elrepho brightness, respectively. In case of 9% sulfate pulp the yields are 36 to 37% at 77 to 79% brightness when bleached with the same sequence as above with 10 to 10.5% chlorine. The pulps are strong for preparation of cheap grades of bleached as well as unbleached varieties of paper. Double fold and tear are however medium to low and hence need long fibered pulp blending to improve these characteristics.

Integration of Fast Predictive Model and SLM Process Development Chamber, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This STTR project seeks to develop a fast predictive model for selective laser melting (SLM) processes and then integrate that model with an SLM chamber that allows...

Doubling the Performance-Cost Ratio of PV by Using Cheap Mirrors - a Secondary School Project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Breejen, H.; van Herwaarden, S.; Keijsers, B.; van Dijk, V.A.P.; van Sark, W.G.J.H.M.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/074628526

2007-01-01

Reduction of cost is a major issue in the photovoltaics field. We have addressed this issue in a secondaryschool science project by considering the use of cheap mirrors in combination with solar panels, for application in developing countries. We have confirmed that it is possible to increase the

Application of statistical experimental design for optimisation of bioinsecticides production by sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain on cheap medium.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Khedher, Saoussen; Jaoua, Samir; Zouari, Nabil

2013-01-01

In order to overproduce bioinsecticides production by a sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain, an optimal composition of a cheap medium was defined using a response surface methodology. In a first step, a Plackett-Burman design used to evaluate the effects of eight medium components on delta-endotoxin production showed that starch, soya bean and sodium chloride exhibited significant effects on bioinsecticides production. In a second step, these parameters were selected for further optimisation by central composite design. The obtained results revealed that the optimum culture medium for delta-endotoxin production consists of 30 g L(-1) starch, 30 g L(-1) soya bean and 9 g L(-1) sodium chloride. When compared to the basal production medium, an improvement in delta-endotoxin production up to 50% was noted. Moreover, relative toxin yield of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis S22 was improved markedly by using optimised cheap medium (148.5 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch) when compared to the yield obtained in the basal medium (94.46 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch). Therefore, the use of optimised culture cheap medium appeared to be a good alternative for a low cost production of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis bioinsecticides at industrial scale which is of great importance in practical point of view.

Application of statistical experimental design for optimisation of bioinsecticides production by sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain on cheap medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saoussen Ben Khedher

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In order to overproduce bioinsecticides production by a sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis strain, an optimal composition of a cheap medium was defined using a response surface methodology. In a first step, a Plackett-Burman design used to evaluate the effects of eight medium components on delta-endotoxin production showed that starch, soya bean and sodium chloride exhibited significant effects on bioinsecticides production. In a second step, these parameters were selected for further optimisation by central composite design. The obtained results revealed that the optimum culture medium for delta-endotoxin production consists of 30 g L-1 starch, 30 g L-1 soya bean and 9g L-1 sodium chloride. When compared to the basal production medium, an improvement in delta-endotoxin production up to 50% was noted. Moreover, relative toxin yield of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis S22 was improved markedly by using optimised cheap medium (148.5 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch when compared to the yield obtained in the basal medium (94.46 mg delta-endotoxins per g starch. Therefore, the use of optimised culture cheap medium appeared to be a good alternative for a low cost production of sporeless Bacillus thuringiensis bioinsecticides at industrial scale which is of great importance in practical point of view.

Overview of planning process at FFTF [Fast Flux Test Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadeken, A.D.

1986-03-01

The planning process at the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is controlled through a hierarchy of documents ranging from a ten-year strategic plan to a weekly schedule. Within the hierarchy are a Near-Term (three-year) Operating Plan, a Cycle (six-month) Plan, and an Outage/Operating Phase Schedule. Coordination of the planning process is accomplished by a dedicated preparation team that also provides an overview of the formal planning timetable which identifies key action items required to be completed before an outage/operating phase can begin

Augmenting short cheap talk scripts with a repeated opt-out reminder in choice experiment surveys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ladenburg, Jacob; Olsen, Søren Bøye

to choose the opt-out alternative if they find the experimentally designed alternatives too expensive. In an empirical Choice Experiment survey we find the Opt-Out Reminder to significantly reduce total WTP and to some extent also marginal WTP beyond the capability of the Cheap Talk applied without the Opt...

The end of cheap uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dittmar, Michael

2013-01-01

Historic data from many countries demonstrate that on average no more than 50–70% of the uranium in a deposit could be mined. An analysis of more recent data from Canada and Australia leads to a mining model with an average deposit extraction lifetime of 10 ± 2 years. This simple model provides an accurate description of the extractable amount of uranium for the recent mining operations. Using this model for all larger existing and planned uranium mines up to 2030, a global uranium mining peak of at most 58 ± 4 ktons around the year 2015 is obtained. Thereafter we predict that uranium mine production will decline to at most 54 ± 5 ktons by 2025 and, with the decline steepening, to at most 41 ± 5 ktons around 2030. This amount will not be sufficient to fuel the existing and planned nuclear power plants during the next 10–20 years. In fact, we find that it will be difficult to avoid supply shortages even under a slow 1%/year worldwide nuclear energy phase-out scenario up to 2025. We thus suggest that a worldwide nuclear energy phase-out is in order. If such a slow global phase-out is not voluntarily effected, the end of the present cheap uranium supply situation will be unavoidable. The result will be that some countries will simply be unable to afford sufficient uranium fuel at that point, which implies involuntary and perhaps chaotic nuclear phase-outs in those countries involving brownouts, blackouts, and worse

Fast optical recording media based on semiconductor nanostructures for image recording and processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasherininov, P. G.; Tomasov, A. A.

2008-01-01

Fast optical recording media based on semiconductor nanostructures (CdTe, GaAs) for image recording and processing with a speed to 10 6 cycle/s (which exceeds the speed of known recording media based on metal-insulator-semiconductor-(liquid crystal) (MIS-LC) structures by two to three orders of magnitude), a photosensitivity of 10 -2 V/cm 2 , and a spatial resolution of 5-10 (line pairs)/mm are developed. Operating principles of nanostructures as fast optical recording media and methods for reading images recorded in such media are described. Fast optical processors for recording images in incoherent light based on CdTe crystal nanostructures are implemented. The possibility of their application to fabricate image correlators is shown.

Worldwide cheap and heavy oil productions: A long-term energy model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guseo, Renato

2011-01-01

Crude oil, natural gas liquids, heavy oils, deepwater oils, and polar oils are non-renewable energy resources with increasing extraction costs. Two major definitions emerge: regular or 'cheap' oil and non-conventional or 'heavy' oil. Peaking time in conventional oil production has been a recent focus of debate. For two decades, non-conventional oils have been mixed with regular crude oil. Peaking time estimation and the rate at which production may be expected to decline, following the peak, are more difficult to determine. We propose a two-wave model for world oil production pattern and forecasting, based on the diffusion of innovation theories: a sequential multi-Bass model. Historical well-known shocks are confirmed, and new peaking times for crude oil and mixed oil are determined with corresponding depletion rates. In the final section, possible ties between the dynamics of oil extraction and refining capacities are discussed as a predictive symptom of an imminent mixed oil peak in 2016. - Highlights: → Production of conventional and non-conventional oils in aggregate time series. → Decomposition modelling and forecasting with a multi-regime model. → Diffusion of innovation theories and appropriateness of applying Bass concepts to the extraction of oil resources. → Partially overlapping oil extraction processes. → Refining capacities and dynamics of oil extraction.

The End of Cheap Oil: Economic, Social, and Political Change in the US and Former Soviet Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert K. Kaufmann

2014-09-01

Full Text Available I use the quality and quantity of energy flows to interpret economic, social, and political changes in the US and Former Soviet Union. The economic successes of both the former Soviet Union (FSU and the US reflect an abundant supply of high quality energy. This abundance ended in the 1970s in the US and the 1980s in the Former Soviet Union. In the US, the end of cheap oil caused labor productivity to stagnate, which stopped on-going growth in wages and family incomes. To preserve the American Dream, which holds that each generation will be better off than the one that preceded it, women entered the workforce, income was transferred from saving to consumption, the US economy changed from a net creditor to a net debtor, and debt held by families and the Federal government increased. Despite efforts to hide the income effects, the end of cheap oil also is responsible for increasing income inequality. In the FSU, the end of abundant energy supplies meant that allocating the energy surplus among the domestic economy, subsidized exports to Eastern Europe, and hard currency sales to the West became a zero sum game. This contributed to the collapse of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA alliance and the FSU. If the US is able to extricate itself from personal and governmental debt, solving the social and political concerns about inequality is the next formidable challenge posed by the end of cheap oil.

Temporal Gillespie Algorithm: Fast Simulation of Contagion Processes on Time-Varying Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Vestergaard, Christian L; Génois, Mathieu

2015-10-01

Stochastic simulations are one of the cornerstones of the analysis of dynamical processes on complex networks, and are often the only accessible way to explore their behavior. The development of fast algorithms is paramount to allow large-scale simulations. The Gillespie algorithm can be used for fast simulation of stochastic processes, and variants of it have been applied to simulate dynamical processes on static networks. However, its adaptation to temporal networks remains non-trivial. We here present a temporal Gillespie algorithm that solves this problem. Our method is applicable to general Poisson (constant-rate) processes on temporal networks, stochastically exact, and up to multiple orders of magnitude faster than traditional simulation schemes based on rejection sampling. We also show how it can be extended to simulate non-Markovian processes. The algorithm is easily applicable in practice, and as an illustration we detail how to simulate both Poissonian and non-Markovian models of epidemic spreading. Namely, we provide pseudocode and its implementation in C++ for simulating the paradigmatic Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible and Susceptible-Infected-Recovered models and a Susceptible-Infected-Recovered model with non-constant recovery rates. For empirical networks, the temporal Gillespie algorithm is here typically from 10 to 100 times faster than rejection sampling.

Proposed pyrometallurgical process for rapid recycle of discharged fuel materials from the integral fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burris, L.; Steindler, M.; Miller, W.

1984-01-01

The pool-type Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept developed by Argonne National Laboratory includes on-site recycle of discharged core and blanket fuel materials. The process and fabrication steps will be demonstrated in the EBR-II Fuel Cycle Facility with IFR fuel irradiated in EBR-II and the Fast Flux Test Facility. The proposed process consists of two major steps: a halide slagging step and an electrorefining step. The fuel is maintained in the metallic form to yield directly a metal product sufficiently decontaminated to allow recycle to the reactor as new fuel. The process is further described and available information to support its feasibility is presented

The orexin component of fasting triggers memory processes underlying conditioned food selection in the rat.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferry, Barbara; Duchamp-Viret, Patricia

2014-03-14

To test the selectivity of the orexin A (OXA) system in olfactory sensitivity, the present study compared the effects of fasting and of central infusion of OXA on the memory processes underlying odor-malaise association during the conditioned odor aversion (COA) paradigm. Animals implanted with a cannula in the left ventricle received ICV infusion of OXA or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) 1 h before COA acquisition. An additional group of intact rats were food-deprived for 24 h before acquisition. Results showed that the increased olfactory sensitivity induced by fasting and by OXA infusion was accompanied by enhanced COA performance. The present results suggest that fasting-induced central OXA release influenced COA learning by increasing not only olfactory sensitivity, but also the memory processes underlying the odor-malaise association.

Pyrometallurgical processing of Integral Fast Reactor metal fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Battles, J.E.; Miller, W.E.; Gay, E.C.

1991-01-01

The pyrometallurgical process for recycling spent metal fuels from the Integral Fast Reactor is now in an advanced state of development. This process involves electrorefining spent fuel with a cadmium anode, solid and liquid cathodes, and a molten salt electrolyte (LiCl-KCl) at 500 degrees C. The initial process feasibility and flowsheet verification studies have been conducted in a laboratory-scale electrorefiner. Based on these studies, a dual cathode approach has been adopted, where uranium is recovered on a solid cathode mandrel and uranium-plutonium is recovered in a liquid cadmium cathode. Consolidation and purification (salt and cadmium removal) of uranium and uranium-plutonium products from the electrorefiner have been successful. The process is being developed with the aid of an engineering-scale electrorefiner, which has been successfully operated for more than three years. In this electrorefiner, uranium has been electrotransported from the cadmium anode to a solid cathode in 10 kg quantities. Also, anodic dissolution of 10 kg batches of chopped, simulated fuel (U--10% Zr) has been demonstrated. Development of the liquid cadmium cathode for recovering uranium-plutonium is under way

Preventing distortion of quick couplers of hoses of central pipe lines--a cheap and simple method.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamath S

1995-01-01

Full Text Available A cheap and practical approach of steel chains attached to the station outlet quick couplers helps in maintaining the shape of the quick couplers and ensures their effective functioning over a long period of time and avoids mishap of connection due to damage of these couplers.

Bayesian site selection for fast Gaussian process regression

KAUST Repository

Pourhabib, Arash; Liang, Faming; Ding, Yu

2014-01-01

Gaussian Process (GP) regression is a popular method in the field of machine learning and computer experiment designs; however, its ability to handle large data sets is hindered by the computational difficulty in inverting a large covariance matrix. Likelihood approximation methods were developed as a fast GP approximation, thereby reducing the computation cost of GP regression by utilizing a much smaller set of unobserved latent variables called pseudo points. This article reports a further improvement to the likelihood approximation methods by simultaneously deciding both the number and locations of the pseudo points. The proposed approach is a Bayesian site selection method where both the number and locations of the pseudo inputs are parameters in the model, and the Bayesian model is solved using a reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo technique. Through a number of simulated and real data sets, it is demonstrated that with appropriate priors chosen, the Bayesian site selection method can produce a good balance between computation time and prediction accuracy: it is fast enough to handle large data sets that a full GP is unable to handle, and it improves, quite often remarkably, the prediction accuracy, compared with the existing likelihood approximations. © 2014 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Bayesian site selection for fast Gaussian process regression

KAUST Repository

Pourhabib, Arash

2014-02-05

Gaussian Process (GP) regression is a popular method in the field of machine learning and computer experiment designs; however, its ability to handle large data sets is hindered by the computational difficulty in inverting a large covariance matrix. Likelihood approximation methods were developed as a fast GP approximation, thereby reducing the computation cost of GP regression by utilizing a much smaller set of unobserved latent variables called pseudo points. This article reports a further improvement to the likelihood approximation methods by simultaneously deciding both the number and locations of the pseudo points. The proposed approach is a Bayesian site selection method where both the number and locations of the pseudo inputs are parameters in the model, and the Bayesian model is solved using a reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo technique. Through a number of simulated and real data sets, it is demonstrated that with appropriate priors chosen, the Bayesian site selection method can produce a good balance between computation time and prediction accuracy: it is fast enough to handle large data sets that a full GP is unable to handle, and it improves, quite often remarkably, the prediction accuracy, compared with the existing likelihood approximations. © 2014 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Fast and cheap prototyping of non-standard optical components for sensing speckle dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Michael Linde; Olesen, Anders Sig; Stubager, Jørgen

2016-01-01

As a part of the work carried out a project supported by the Danish council for technology and innovation, we have investigated the option of smoothening standard CNC machined surfaces. In the process of constructing optical prototypes, involving custom-designed optics, the development price...... and time can become a prohibitively large part of a research budget. Machining the optical surfaces of a molding tool may be done directly using diamond turning, but it is expensive and time consuming. Alternatively, a more standardized and cheaper machining method can be used, however, calling for manual...... surfaces of various shapes succeeding a standard CNC machining process. Different coatings have been tested for their abilities to fill and smoothen out structures of larger scales, while removing the small-scale roughness, which is critical for optical uses. In this work we will present an optical element...

Fast on-line analysis of process alkane gas mixtures by NIR spectroscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boelens, H. F. M.; Kok, W. T.; de Noord, O. E.; Smilde, A. K.

2000-01-01

Proper operation of a molecular sieve process for the separation of iso- and cyclo-alkanes front normal alkanes requires the fast online detection of normal alkanes breaking through the column. The feasibility of using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for this application was investigated. Alkane

A reengineering success story: process improvement in emergency department x-ray cycle time, leading to breakthrough performance in the ED ambulatory care (Fast Track) process.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinosa, J A; Treiber, P M; Kosnik, L

1997-01-01

This article describes the journey of a multidisciplinary reengineering team, which worked to reduce a critical, high-leverage process in an emergency department setting. The process selected was emergency department radiology services. This process was selected on a rational basis. The team knew tht 60 percent of our emergency department patients were truly ambulatory, and that most could be seen in a "fast track" process as part of our emergency department's core mission. However, we knew from customer satisfaction data, that patients would like to be "in and out" of emergency department Fast Track in less than an hour. Over half of our Fast Track patients require x-rays. For most, this was their sole reason for seeking emergency care. Our state, at the start of the project, included an average x-ray cycle time of over 60 minutes. The associated Fast-Track cycle time was over 90 minutes median. It was clear to the emergency department leadership, as well as to members of the Fast-Track management team, that a cycle time of 30 minutes or less for x-ray service was needed as a necessary condition to an hour or less Fast Track cycle time. It was also felt that a more rapid x-ray cycle time would allow for more rapid turn over of ED rooms, leading to a virtual greater capacity to the ED. It was hoped that this would lead to a reduction in the time from arrival to treatment by the emergency physician for all patients.

Polarization preserving ultra fast optical shutter for quantum information processing

OpenAIRE

Spagnolo, Nicolo'; Vitelli, Chiara; Giacomini, Sandro; Sciarrino, Fabio; De Martini, Francesco

2008-01-01

We present the realization of a ultra fast shutter for optical fields, which allows to preserve a generic polarization state, based on a self-stabilized interferometer. It exhibits high (or low) transmittivity when turned on (or inactive), while the fidelity of the polarization state is high. The shutter is realized through two beam displacing prisms and a longitudinal Pockels cell. This can represent a useful tool for controlling light-atom interfaces in quantum information processing.

A process model for design team communication within fast-track building projects using project websites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Otter, den A.F.H.J.; Reymen, I.M.M.J.

2008-01-01

The factor time within building projects is on high pressure because of the increasing need for faster delivery of buildings. Within fast track, complex building projects the design process is an important key. Through case analyses offart-hack design processes it became obvious that process and

Fast covariance estimation for innovations computed from a spatial Gibbs point process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Coeurjolly, Jean-Francois; Rubak, Ege

In this paper, we derive an exact formula for the covariance of two innovations computed from a spatial Gibbs point process and suggest a fast method for estimating this covariance. We show how this methodology can be used to estimate the asymptotic covariance matrix of the maximum pseudo...

Assessment of the dry process fuel sodium-cooled fast reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roh, Gyu Hong; Choi, Hang Bok

2004-04-01

The feasibility of using dry-processed oxide fuel in a Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) was analyzed for the equilibrium fuel cycle of two reference cores: Hybrid BN-600 benchmark core with a enlarged lattice pitch and modified BN-600 core. The dry process technology assumed in this study based on the molten-salt process, which was developed by Russian scientists for recycling oxide fuels. The core calculation was performed by the REBUS-3 code and the reactor characteristics such as the transuranic enrichment, breeding ratio, peak linear power, burnup reactivity swing, etc. were calculated for the equilibrium core under a fixed fuel management scheme. The results showed that a self-sustainable breakeven core was achievable without blanket fuels when the fuel volume fraction was {approx}50% and most of the fission products were removed.

Assessment of the dry process fuel sodium-cooled fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roh, Gyu Hong; Choi, Hang Bok

2004-04-01

The feasibility of using dry-processed oxide fuel in a Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) was analyzed for the equilibrium fuel cycle of two reference cores: Hybrid BN-600 benchmark core with a enlarged lattice pitch and modified BN-600 core. The dry process technology assumed in this study based on the molten-salt process, which was developed by Russian scientists for recycling oxide fuels. The core calculation was performed by the REBUS-3 code and the reactor characteristics such as the transuranic enrichment, breeding ratio, peak linear power, burnup reactivity swing, etc. were calculated for the equilibrium core under a fixed fuel management scheme. The results showed that a self-sustainable breakeven core was achievable without blanket fuels when the fuel volume fraction was ∼50% and most of the fission products were removed

A novel scheme for making cheap electricity with nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pettibone, J.S.

1991-04-01

Nuclear fuels should produce cheaper electricity than coal, considering their high specific energy and low cost. To exploit these properties, the scheme proposed here replaces the expensive reactor/steam-turbine system with an engine in which the expansion of a gas heated by a nuclear explosion raises a mass of liquid, thereby producing stored hydraulic energy. This energy could be converted to electricity by hydroelectric generation with water as the working fluid or by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generation with molten metal. A rough cost analysis suggests the hydroelectric system could reduce the present cost of electricity by two-thirds, and the MHD system by even more. Such cheap power would make feasible large-scale electrolysis to produce hydrogen and other fuels and chemical raw materials. 2 refs., 1 fig

A proposed pyrometallurgical process for rapid recycle of discharged fuel materials from the Integral Fast Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burris, L.; Steindler, M.; Miller, W.

1984-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept developed by Argonne National Laboratory includes on-site recycle of discharged core and blanket fuel materials. The process and fabrication steps will be demonstrated in the EBR-II Fuel Cycle Facility with IFR fuel irradiated in EBR-II and the Fast Flux Test Facility. The proposed process consists of two major steps -- a halide slagging step and an electrorefining step. The fuel is maintained in the metallic form to yield directly a metal product sufficiently decontaminated to allow recycle to the reactor as new fuel. The process is further described and available information to support its feasibility is presented

Fast fission phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregoire, Christian.

1982-03-01

Experimental studies of fast fission phenomena are presented. The paper is divided into three parts. In the first part, problems associated with fast fission processes are examined in terms of interaction potentials and a dynamic model is presented in which highly elastic collisions, the formation of compound nuclei and fast fission appear naturally. In the second part, a description is given of the experimental methods employed, the observations made and the preliminary interpretation of measurements suggesting the occurence of fast fission processes. In the third part, our dynamic model is incorporated in a general theory of the dissipative processes studied. This theory enables fluctuations associated with collective variables to be calculated. It is applied to highly inelastic collisions, to fast fission and to the fission dynamics of compound nuclei (for which a schematic representation is given). It is with these calculations that the main results of the second part can be interpreted [fr

Investigation of molten salt fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubota, Kenichi; Konomura, Mamoru

2002-01-01

On survey research for practicability strategy of fast reactor (FR) (phase 1), to extract future practicability image candidates of FR from wide options, in addition to their survey and investigation objects of not only solid fuel reactors of conventional research object but also molten salt reactor as a flowing fuel reactor, investigation on concept of molten salt FR plant was carried out. As a part of the first step of the survey research for practicability strategy, a basic concept on plant centered at nuclear reactor facility using chloride molten salt reactor capable of carrying out U-Pu cycle was examined, to perform a base construction to evaluate economical potential for a practical FBR. As a result, a result could be obtained that because of inferior fuel inventory and heat transmission to those in Na cooling reactor in present knowledge, mass of reactor vessel and intermediate heat exchanger were to widely increased to expect reduction of power generation unit price even on considering cheapness of its fuel cycle cost. Therefore, at present step further investigation on concept design of the chloride molten salt reactor plant system is too early in time, and it is at a condition where basic and elementary researches aiming at upgrading of economical efficiency such as wide reduction of fuel inventory, a measure expectable for remarkable rationalization effect of reprocessing system integrating a reactor to a processing facility, and so on. (G.K.)

The end of cheap oil: Current status and prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsoskounoglou, Miltos; Ayerides, George; Tritopoulou, Efi

2008-01-01

This paper, analyses the factors impacting the price of crude oil in order to examine the likely evolution of the oil market and attempts to answer the question, whether cheap oil is already a thing of the past. Based on data made publicly available mostly by the major oil companies, it examines the effects of demand and supply, the evolution of world oil reserves, the trends in new discoveries of new oilfields, the evolution of world Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the depletion of oil resources. The analysis concludes that the world peak in conventional oil production-the point beyond which oil production will irreversibly start declining-is approaching and will be reached, even according to the most optimistic scenarios, before 2040 and quite possibly much sooner. If the appropriate solutions for substituting crude oil and for conserving the use of energy are not implemented in time, then the current upward trend in oil prices is bound to continue

Preliminary studies leading to a conceptual design of a 1000 MWe fast neutron reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vendryes, G.; Zaleski, C.P.

1964-01-01

This report presents the results of studies which seemed important to undertake in connexion with the development of fast neutron reactors. - It points out the advantage of high internal breeding ratios (∼1, 1) which are necessary in order to get a small change in time both in power distribution and reactivity (less: than 0.005 Δk/k in 18 months). - It shows how to achieve this goal, when simultaneously power distribution flattening is obtained. These results in a higher mean specific power (which is an economic gain) and therefore in a smaller doubling time (about 10 years). - It attempts to find criteria concerning the specific power that should be used in future reactor designs -It presents a conceptional design of a 1000 MWe fast neutron reactor, for the realisation of which no technological impossibility appears. - It shows that the dynamic behaviour seems satisfactory despite a positive total isothermal sodium coefficient. - It tries to predict the development of fast reactors within the future total nuclear program. It does not appear that fissile materials supply problems should in France slow down the development of fast neutron reactors, which will be essentially tied up to its economical ability to produce cheap electric power. (authors) [fr

High Resolution Melting Analysis for fast and cheap polymorphism screening of marine populations

OpenAIRE

sprotocols

2015-01-01

Authors: Anne-Leila Meistertzheim, Isabelle Calves, Sébastien Artigaud, Carolyn S. Friedman, Christine Paillard, Jean Laroche & Claude Ferec ### Abstract This protocol permits the mutation scanning of PCR products by high-resolution DNA melting analysis requiring the inclusion of a saturating intercalating dye in the PCR mix without labelled probe. During a scanning process, fluorescent melting curves of PCR amplicons are analyzed. Mutations modifying melting curve shapes, are allowed...

Software and Hardware System for Fast Processes Study When Preparing Foundation Beds of Oil and Gas Facilities

Science.gov (United States)

Gruzin, A. V.; Gruzin, V. V.; Shalay, V. V.

2018-04-01

Analysis of existing technologies for preparing foundation beds of oil and gas buildings and structures has revealed the lack of reasoned recommendations on the selection of rational technical and technological parameters of compaction. To study the nature of the dynamics of fast processes during compaction of foundation beds of oil and gas facilities, a specialized software and hardware system was developed. The method of calculating the basic technical parameters of the equipment for recording fast processes is presented, as well as the algorithm for processing the experimental data. The performed preliminary studies confirmed the accuracy of the decisions made and the calculations performed.

Novel Additive Manufacturing Pneumatic Actuators and Mechanisms for Food Handling Grippers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Blanes

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Conventional pneumatic grippers are widely used in industrial pick and place robot processes for rigid objects. They are simple, robust and fast, but their design, motion and features are limited, and they do not fulfil the final purpose. Food products have a wide variety of shapes and textures and are susceptible to damaged. Robot grippers for food handling should adapt to this wide range of dimensions and must be fast, cheap, reasonably reliable, and with cheap and reasonable maintenance costs. They should not damage the product and must meet hygienic conditions. The additive manufacturing (AM process is able to manufacture parts without significant restrictions, and is Polyamide approved as food contact material by FDA. This paper presents that, taking the best of plastic flexibility, AM allows the implementation of novel actuators, original compliant mechanisms and practical grippers that are cheap, light, fast, small and easily adaptable to specific food products. However, if they are not carefully designed, the results can present problems, such as permanent deformations, low deformation limits, and low operation speed. We present possible solutions for the use of AM to design proper robot grippers for food handling. Some successful results, such as AM actuators based on deformable air chambers, AM compliant mechanisms, and grippers developed in a single part will be introduced and discussed.

A retrofit strategy to achieve “Fast, Flexible, Future (F3)” pharmaceutical production processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Singh, Ravendra; Rozada-Sanchez, Raquel; Wrate, Tim

2011-01-01

n the work reported here, a substrates adoption methodology for a series of similar substrates has been developed as part of a retrofit strategy. The objective is to achieve “fast, flexible and future” pharmaceutical production processes by adapting a generic modular process-plant template...

Identification of children with reading difficulties: Cheap can be adequate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Mads; Nielsen, Anne-Mette Veber

Classification of reading difficulties: Cheap screening can be accurate Purpose: Three factors are important for identification of students in need of remedial instruction: accuracy, timeliness, and cost. The identification has to be accurate to be of any use, the identification has to be timely......, inexpensive testing. The present study investigated the classification accuracy of three screening models varying in timeliness and cost. Method: We compared the ROC statistics of three logistic models for predicting end of Grade 2 reading difficulties in a sample of 164 students: 1) an early, comprehensive...... model using a battery of Grade 0 tests, including phoneme awareness, rapid naming, and paired associate learning, 2) a late, comprehensive model adding reading measures from January of Grade 1, and 3) a late, inexpensive model using only group-administered reading measures from January of Grade 1...

Fusion energy: 'clean' nuclear power with cheap fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persson, H.

1976-01-01

Because of the world energy crisis the possible use of thermonuclear energy is exciting great interest, particularly in the United States. Of primary importance is that the fuel required is cheap and readily available - it is the world's water resources. The basic long standing fundamental problem is to produce a stable plasma; the difficulties and the reasons for them are discussed. Of the machines and methods designed to overcome the problem, to date the Russian-developed Tokamak appears the most likely to succeed. The confidence in this equipment is shown by the number under construction or design in the U.S.; brief descriptions are given of a number of 'tokamaks' being built by Government agencies and universities and by industry. The Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) hopes that some useful energy can be produced by 1985 and a 500MW generator by 1995-97. Of importance also to the understanding of the fusion reaction are fundamental investigations with, for instance, particle accelerators. Work at Oakridge, Livermore, Princeton and Brookhaven is discussed. Other experiments e.g. laser induced fusion, are also considered. (G.P.)

Process and device for imploding a micro-area by means of a fast liner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thode, L.E.

1981-01-01

The invention describes a process and a device for controlling a fast liner with hot plasma, in order to start or drive a structured micro-area to implode, in turn. In this way a natural pulse formation causes high implosion speeds for generating energy in the form of radiation, neutrons and/or alpha particles. By optimizing the extraordinarily powerful flow instability to heat the very dense plasma, the invention produces effective giving up of radiation energy to heat the plasma and to initiate the fast liner to implode the micro-area. (orig.) [de

Fast, multi-channel real-time processing of signals with microsecond latency using graphics processing units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rath, N., E-mail: Nikolaus@rath.org; Levesque, J. P.; Mauel, M. E.; Navratil, G. A.; Peng, Q. [Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, 500 W 120th St, New York, New York 10027 (United States); Kato, S. [Department of Information Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya (Japan)

2014-04-15

Fast, digital signal processing (DSP) has many applications. Typical hardware options for performing DSP are field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated DSP chips, or general purpose personal computer systems. This paper presents a novel DSP platform that has been developed for feedback control on the HBT-EP tokamak device. The system runs all signal processing exclusively on a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to achieve real-time performance with latencies below 8 μs. Signals are transferred into and out of the GPU using PCI Express peer-to-peer direct-memory-access transfers without involvement of the central processing unit or host memory. Tests were performed on the feedback control system of the HBT-EP tokamak using forty 16-bit floating point inputs and outputs each and a sampling rate of up to 250 kHz. Signals were digitized by a D-TACQ ACQ196 module, processing done on an NVIDIA GTX 580 GPU programmed in CUDA, and analog output was generated by D-TACQ AO32CPCI modules.

Fast, multi-channel real-time processing of signals with microsecond latency using graphics processing units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rath, N.; Levesque, J. P.; Mauel, M. E.; Navratil, G. A.; Peng, Q.; Kato, S.

2014-01-01

Fast, digital signal processing (DSP) has many applications. Typical hardware options for performing DSP are field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated DSP chips, or general purpose personal computer systems. This paper presents a novel DSP platform that has been developed for feedback control on the HBT-EP tokamak device. The system runs all signal processing exclusively on a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to achieve real-time performance with latencies below 8 μs. Signals are transferred into and out of the GPU using PCI Express peer-to-peer direct-memory-access transfers without involvement of the central processing unit or host memory. Tests were performed on the feedback control system of the HBT-EP tokamak using forty 16-bit floating point inputs and outputs each and a sampling rate of up to 250 kHz. Signals were digitized by a D-TACQ ACQ196 module, processing done on an NVIDIA GTX 580 GPU programmed in CUDA, and analog output was generated by D-TACQ AO32CPCI modules

[Continuum based fast Fourier transform processing of infrared spectrum].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qing-Jie; Lin, Qi-Zhong; Wang, Qin-Jun; Li, Hui; Li, Shuai

2009-12-01

To recognize ground objects with infrared spectrum, high frequency noise removing is one of the most important phases in spectrum feature analysis and extraction. A new method for infrared spectrum preprocessing was given combining spectrum continuum processing and Fast Fourier Transform (CFFT). Continuum was firstly removed from the noise polluted infrared spectrum to standardize hyper-spectra. Then the spectrum was transformed into frequency domain (FD) with fast Fourier transform (FFT), separating noise information from target information After noise eliminating from useful information with a low-pass filter, the filtered FD spectrum was transformed into time domain (TD) with fast Fourier inverse transform. Finally the continuum was recovered to the spectrum, and the filtered infrared spectrum was achieved. Experiment was performed for chlorite spectrum in USGS polluted with two kinds of simulated white noise to validate the filtering ability of CFFT by contrast with cubic function of five point (CFFP) in time domain and traditional FFT in frequency domain. A circle of CFFP has limited filtering effect, so it should work much with more circles and consume more time to achieve better filtering result. As for conventional FFT, Gibbs phenomenon has great effect on preprocessing result at edge bands because of special character of rock or mineral spectra, while works well at middle bands. Mean squared error of CFFT is 0. 000 012 336 with cut-off frequency of 150, while that of FFT and CFFP is 0. 000 061 074 with cut-off frequency of 150 and 0.000 022 963 with 150 working circles respectively. Besides the filtering result of CFFT can be improved by adjusting the filter cut-off frequency, and has little effect on working time. The CFFT method overcomes the Gibbs problem of FFT in spectrum filtering, and can be more convenient, dependable, and effective than traditional TD filter methods.

The use of fast digital filters for the processing of scintigraphic pictures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grochulski, W.; Penczek, P.

1982-01-01

A brief review of typical methods applied in the development of digital filters for the processing of scintigraphic pictures is given. A simple parametrisation of such filters in the frequency domain is proposed and successfully applied in the case of mathematically simulated IAEA phantoms. The FFT algorithm is used. A possible application of the fast Walsh transform is pointed out. (author)

The First Prototype for the FastTracker Processing Unit

CERN Document Server

Andreani, A; The ATLAS collaboration; Beretta, M; Bogdan, M; Citterio, M; Alberti, F; Giannetti, P; Lanza, A; Magalotti, D; Piendibene, M; Shochet, M; Stabile, A; Tang, J; Tompkins, L

2012-01-01

Modern experiments search for extremely rare processes hidden in much larger background levels. As the experiment complexity and the accelerator backgrounds and luminosity increase we need increasingly complex and exclusive selections. We present the first prototype of a new Processing Unit, the core of the FastTracker processor for Atlas, whose computing power is such that a couple of hundreds of them will be able to reconstruct all the tracks with transverse momentum above 1 GeV in the ATLAS events up to Phase II instantaneous luminosities (5×1034 cm-2 s-1) with an event input rate of 100 kHz and a latency below hundreds of microseconds. We plan extremely powerful, very compact and low consumption units for the far future, essential to increase efficiency and purity of the Level 2 selected samples through the intensive use of tracking. This strategy requires massive computing power to minimize the online execution time of complex tracking algorithms. The time consuming pattern recognition problem, generall...

Future evolution of the Fast TracKer (FTK) processing unit

CERN Document Server

Gentsos, C; The ATLAS collaboration; Giannetti, P; Magalotti, D; Nikolaidis, S

2014-01-01

The Fast Tracker (FTK) processor [1] for the ATLAS experiment has a computing core made of 128 Processing Units that reconstruct tracks in the silicon detector in a ~100 μsec deep pipeline. The track parameter resolution provided by FTK enables the HLT trigger to identify efficiently and reconstruct significant samples of fermionic Higgs decays. Data processing speed is achieved with custom VLSI pattern recognition, linearized track fitting executed inside modern FPGAs, pipelining, and parallel processing. One large FPGA executes full resolution track fitting inside low resolution candidate tracks found by a set of 16 custom Asic devices, called Associative Memories (AM chips) [2]. The FTK dual structure, based on the cooperation of VLSI dedicated AM and programmable FPGAs, is maintained to achieve further technology performance, miniaturization and integration of the current state of the art prototypes. This allows to fully exploit new applications within and outside the High Energy Physics field. We plan t...

Report of the subgroup on fast processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibbard, B.G.; Kirsch, L.E.; Moneti, G.; Plano, R.J.; Rabin, M.S.Z.; Willen, E.

1977-01-01

A study was made of the flow of data and the simultaneous processing needed to reduce the 10 7 to 10 8 triggers per second expected at ISABELLE to a number of events on the order of 10 to 100 per second which would be written on magnetic tape. It was assumed that within 100 ns of the event a fast pretrigger would have reduced the data rate to at most 10 7 per second. At that point, data from all sense elements in the experiment would be fed into a 1-μs-long pipeline. Within the first 1 μs (while the data are in the first pipeline) another level of triggering would reduce the trigger rate to at most 10 6 per second. The data would then be fed into a second pipeline which is 50 μs long. During the 50 μs the data are in the second pipeline, a more sophisticated level of triggering (slow trigger) would reduce the trigger rate to a level that can be handled by standard data processing techniques (microprocessors or larger machines), i.e., 10 2 to 10 3 per second. The pipelines and the buffer between them, a sequential address memory, are described first, and then several alternative schemes for the pretrigger and slow trigger are presented. 10 figures

Internationalization process of h3 to the US market

OpenAIRE

Monteiro, Marta Oliveira da Silva

2012-01-01

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics Created in 2007, h3 is a Portuguese company that operates, mainly in Shopping Centres, in the fast food industry by offering cheap and unique “gourmet hamburgers” served on plates instead of bread. In the beginning of 2011, the company started its international expansion programme by opening stores in Warsaw, Madrid and São Paulo, which w...

Energy conversion assessment of vacuum, slow and fast pyrolysis processes for low and high ash paper waste sludge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ridout, Angelo J.; Carrier, Marion; Collard, François-Xavier; Görgens, Johann

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Vacuum, slow and fast pyrolysis of low and high ash paper waste sludge (PWS) is compared. • Reactor temperature and pellet size optimised to maximise liquid and solid product yields. • Gross energy recovery from solid and liquid was assessed. • Fast pyrolysis of low and high ash PWS offers higher energy conversions. - Abstract: The performance of vacuum, slow and fast pyrolysis processes to transfer energy from the paper waste sludge (PWS) to liquid and solid products was compared. Paper waste sludges with low and high ash content (8.5 and 46.7 wt.%) were converted under optimised conditions for temperature and pellet size to maximise both product yields and energy content. Comparison of the gross energy conversions, as a combination of the bio-oil/tarry phase and char (EC_s_u_m), revealed that the fast pyrolysis performance was between 18.5% and 20.1% higher for the low ash PWS, and 18.4% and 36.5% higher for high ash PWS, when compared to the slow and vacuum pyrolysis processes respectively. For both PWSs, this finding was mainly attributed to higher production of condensable organic compounds and lower water yields during FP. The low ash PWS chars, fast pyrolysis bio-oils and vacuum pyrolysis tarry phase products had high calorific values (∼18–23 MJ kg"−"1) making them promising for energy applications. Considering the low calorific values of the chars from alternative pyrolysis processes (∼4–7 MJ kg"−"1), the high ash PWS should rather be converted to fast pyrolysis bio-oil to maximise the recovery of usable energy products.

Polymer materials for roll coated solar cells: strategies tom improve performance and stability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heckler, Ilona Maria

Solar cells are among the renewable energy technologies with a large potential in terms of solar energy availability. The solar cells based on conjugated polymers belong to the third generation of this technology and their attractive features include a fast and cheap solution‐processed production...

Radiological considerations of the reactor cover gas processing system at the FFTF [Fast Flux Test Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prevo, P.R.

1986-09-01

Radiological and environmental protection experience associated with the reactor cover gas processing system at the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) has been excellent. Personnel radiation exposures received from operating and maintaining the reactor cover gas processing system have been very low, the system has remained free of radioactive particulate contamination through the first seven operating cycles (cesium contamination was detected at the end of Cycle 8A), and releases of radioactivity to the environment have been very low, well below environmental standards. This report discusses these three aspects of fast reactor cover gas purification over the first eight operating cycles of the FFTF (a duration of a little more than four years, from April 1982 through July 1986)

Swarm Robotics, or: The Smartness of 'a bunch of cheap dumb things'

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastian Vehlken

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Not only recent Science Fiction – e.g., Star Trek Beyond (USA 2016 – celebrates the capacities of robot collectives. Also RoboCup, an annual robot soccer competition, or Harvard University’s Kilobot Project show stunning examples of the central idea behind Swarm Robotics: »[U]sing swarms is the same as getting a bunch of small cheap dumb things to do the same job as an expensive smart thing« (Beni/Wang 1989. This article examines some crucial aspects of the techno-history of a research field which intertwines engineering and biological knowledge and whose applications deal with compelling questions about synchronization and self-organization in changing environments – on the ground, in the air, and under water.

A New Metre for Cheap, Quick, Reliable and Simple Thermal Transmittance (U-Value) Measurements in Buildings.

Science.gov (United States)

Andújar Márquez, José Manuel; Martínez Bohórquez, Miguel Ángel; Gómez Melgar, Sergio

2017-09-03

This paper deals with the thermal transmittance measurement focused on buildings and specifically in building energy retrofitting. Today, if many thermal transmittance measurements in a short time are needed, the current devices, based on the measurement of the heat flow through the wall, cannot carry out them, except if a great amount of devices are used at once along with intensive and tedious post-processing and analysis work. In this paper, from well-known physical laws, authors develop a methodology based on three temperatures measurements, which is implemented by a novel thermal transmittance metre. The paper shows its development step by step. As a result the developed device is modular, scalable, and fully wireless; it is capable of taking as many measurements at once as user needs. The developed system is compared working together on a same test to the currently used one based on heat flow. The results show that the developed metre allows carrying out thermal transmittance measurements in buildings in a cheap, quick, reliable and simple way.

BetaBit: A fast generator of autocorrelated binary processes for geophysical research

Science.gov (United States)

Serinaldi, Francesco; Lombardo, Federico

2017-05-01

We introduce a fast and efficient non-iterative algorithm, called BetaBit, to simulate autocorrelated binary processes describing the occurrence of natural hazards, system failures, and other physical and geophysical phenomena characterized by persistence, temporal clustering, and low rate of occurrence. BetaBit overcomes the simulation constraints posed by the discrete nature of the marginal distributions of binary processes by using the link existing between the correlation coefficients of this process and those of the standard Gaussian processes. The performance of BetaBit is tested on binary signals with power-law and exponentially decaying autocorrelation functions (ACFs) corresponding to Hurst-Kolmogorov and Markov processes, respectively. An application to real-world sequences describing rainfall intermittency and the occurrence of strong positive phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index shows that BetaBit can also simulate surrogate data preserving the empirical ACF as well as signals with autoregressive moving average (ARMA) dependence structures. Extensions to cyclo-stationary processes accounting for seasonal fluctuations are also discussed.

Cheap and fast measuring roughness on big surfaces with an imprint method

Science.gov (United States)

Schopf, C.; Liebl, J.; Rascher, R.

2017-10-01

Roughness, shape and structure of a surface offer information on the state, shape and surface characteristics of a component. Particularly the roughness of the surface dictates the subsequent polishing of the optical surface. The roughness is usually measured by a white light interferometer, which is limited by the size of the components. Using a moulding method of surfaces that are difficult to reach, an imprint is taken and analysed regarding to roughness and structure. This moulding compound method is successfully used in dental technology. In optical production, the moulding compound method is advantageous in roughness determination in inaccessible spots or on large components (astrological optics). The "replica method" has been around in metal analysis and processing. Film is used in order to take an impression of a surface. Then, it is analysed for structures. In optical production, compound moulding seems advantageous in roughness determination in inaccessible spots or on large components (astrological optics). In preliminary trials, different glass samples with different roughness levels were manufactured. Imprints were taken from these samples (based on DIN 54150 "Abdruckverfahren für die Oberflächenprüfung"). The objective of these feasibility tests was to determine the limits of this method (smallest roughness determinable / highest roughness). The roughness of the imprint was compared with the roughness of the glass samples. By comparing the results, the uncertainty of the measuring method was determined. The spectrum for the trials ranged from rough grind (0.8 μm rms), over finishing grind (0.6 μm rms) to polishing (0.1 μm rms).

Availability and Use of Cheap Tobacco in the United Kingdom 2002-2014: Findings From the International Tobacco Control Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Partos, Timea R; Gilmore, Anna B; Hitchman, Sara C; Hiscock, Rosemary; Branston, J Robert; McNeill, Ann

2018-05-03

Raising tobacco prices is the most effective population-level intervention for reducing smoking, but this is undermined by the availability of cheap tobacco. This study monitors trends in cheap tobacco use among adult smokers in the United Kingdom between 2002 and 2014 via changes in product type, purchase source, and prices paid. Weighted data from 10 waves of the International Tobacco Control policy evaluation study were used. This is a longitudinal cohort study of adult smokers with replenishment; 6169 participants provided 15812 responses. Analyses contrasted (1) product type: roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco, factory-made packs (FM-P), and factory-made cartons (FM-C); (2) purchase source: UK store-based sources (e.g., supermarkets and convenience stores) with non-UK/nonstore sources representing tax avoidance/evasion (e.g., outside the UK, duty free, and informal sellers); and (3) prices paid (inflation-adjusted to 2014 values). Generalized estimating equations tested linear changes over time. (1) RYO use increased significantly over time as FM decreased. (2) UK store-based sources constituted approximately 80% of purchases over time, with no significant increases in tax avoidance/evasion. (3) Median RYO prices were less than half that of FM, with FM-C cheaper than FM-P. Non-UK/nonstore sources were cheapest. Price increases of all three product types from UK store-based sources from 2002 to 2014 were statistically significant but not substantial. Wide (and increasing for FM-P) price ranges meant each product type could be purchased in 2014 at prices below their 2002 medians from UK store-based sources. Options exist driving UK smokers to minimize their tobacco expenditure; smokers do so largely by purchasing cheap tobacco products from UK stores. The effectiveness of price increases as a deterrent to smoking is being undermined by the availability of cheap tobacco such as roll-your-own tobacco and cartons of packs of factory-made cigarettes. Wide price ranges

Genuine Onion: Simple, Fast, Flexible, and Cheap Website Authentication

Science.gov (United States)

2015-05-21

pages, hometown sports teams, sites for local one-time events, small businesses , municipal election campaigns, etc. Though not such large targets as...audio, and interactive storytelling are still available for designers willing to use HTML5 and CSS3. What we have described so far implies a relatively

Cheap imports next ordeal for Europe's high-cost producers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chynoweth, E.

1993-01-01

About one-third of Europe's 34 cracker and downstream units lost money in the final quarter of 1992, says Chem Systems (London). Average return on capital employed is negative - at the same level as in the gloomy days of the early 1980s - yet average operating rates are 80% now, compared with 65% a decade ago. Margins at what Chem Systems calls leader cracks (naphtha-based units that use good modern practices) are DM42/m.t. ethylene, DM100/m.t. less than they were in 1991. The consultant firm's recent report, European Petrochemical Strategy in the 1990s, suggests closure of 5%-10% of high-cost production. But, Chem Systems director Roger Longley states: We are not advocating wholesale closure. There are a small number (of plants) where additional investment would not payback that would be economical to shut. Cost reduction through mergers and acquisitions and operational changes is much more important, especially from an international aspect, Longley says. One thing people do not fully appreciate is that Europe is a high-cost region for petrochemical production, he adds. Traditionally, Europe exports 5% of its ethylene output, now it needs to tolerate cheap imports

SETTLEMENT OF BANKING DISPUTE IN INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denico Doly

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This article talks about dispute between costumer and the bank. Settlement of disputes should be resolved by the principle of fast, accurate and cheap. Issues raised in this paper is how an ideal dispute resolution process to resolve dispute banking. This paper describes the advantages and disadvantages in any dispute resolution process both through litigation and non litigation. Based in the principles of fast, accurate and cheap it is explained that banks in Indonesia must resolve their disputes through non litigation or ADR. Tulisan ini membicarakan mengenai penyelesaian sengketa antara nasabah dengan bank. Penyelesaian sengketa harusnya diselesaikan dengan prinsip cepat, tepat dan murah. Permasalahan yang diangkat dalam tulisan ini yaitu bagaimana proses penyelesaian sengketa yang ideal dalam menyelesaikan sengketa perbankan. Tulisan ini menggambarkan mengenai kelebihan dan kekurangan dalam setiap proses penyelesaian sengketa baik melalui jalur litigasi maupun non litigasi. Berdasarkan prinsip cepat, tepat dan murah maka dipaparkan bahwa perbankan di Indonesia harus menyelesaikan sengketanya melalui jalur non litigasi atau ADR.

Fast and slow spindles during the sleep slow oscillation: disparate coalescence and engagement in memory processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Mölle, Matthias; Bergmann, Til O; Marshall, Lisa; Born, Jan

2011-10-01

Thalamo-cortical spindles driven by the up-state of neocortical slow (memory consolidation during sleep. We examined interactions between SOs and spindles in human slow wave sleep, focusing on the presumed existence of 2 kinds of spindles, i.e., slow frontocortical and fast centro-parietal spindles. Two experiments were performed in healthy humans (24.5 ± 0.9 y) investigating undisturbed sleep (Experiment I) and the effects of prior learning (word paired associates) vs. non-learning (Experiment II) on multichannel EEG recordings during sleep. Only fast spindles (12-15 Hz) were synchronized to the depolarizing SO up-state. Slow spindles (9-12 Hz) occurred preferentially at the transition into the SO down-state, i.e., during waning depolarization. Slow spindles also revealed a higher probability to follow rather than precede fast spindles. For sequences of individual SOs, fast spindle activity was largest for "initial" SOs, whereas SO amplitude and slow spindle activity were largest for succeeding SOs. Prior learning enhanced this pattern. The finding that fast and slow spindles occur at different times of the SO cycle points to disparate generating mechanisms for the 2 kinds of spindles. The reported temporal relationships during SO sequences suggest that fast spindles, driven by the SO up-state feed back to enhance the likelihood of succeeding SOs together with slow spindles. By enforcing such SO-spindle cycles, particularly after prior learning, fast spindles possibly play a key role in sleep-dependent memory processing.

Fasting and Fast Food Diet Play an Opposite Role in Mice Brain Aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Castrogiovanni, Paola; Li Volti, Giovanni; Sanfilippo, Cristina; Tibullo, Daniele; Galvano, Fabio; Vecchio, Michele; Avola, Roberto; Barbagallo, Ignazio; Malaguarnera, Lucia; Castorina, Sergio; Musumeci, Giuseppe; Imbesi, Rosa; Di Rosa, Michelino

2018-01-20

Fasting may be exploited as a possible strategy for prevention and treatment of several diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and aging. On the other hand, high-fat diet (HFD) represents a risk factor for several diseases and increased mortality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of fasting on mouse brain aging transcriptome and how HFD regulates such pathways. We used the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, in order to identify suitable microarray datasets comparing mouse brain transcriptome under fasting or HFD vs aged mouse brain transcriptome. Three microarray datasets were selected for this study, GSE24504, GSE6285, and GSE8150, and the principal molecular mechanisms involved in this process were evaluated. This analysis showed that, regardless of fasting duration, mouse brain significantly expressed 21 and 30 upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively. The involved biological processes were related to cell cycle arrest, cell death inhibition, and regulation of cellular metabolism. Comparing mouse brain transcriptome under fasting and aged conditions, we found out that the number of genes in common increased with the duration of fasting (222 genes), peaking at 72 h. In addition, mouse brain transcriptome under HFD resembles for the 30% the one of the aged mice. Furthermore, several molecular processes were found to be shared between HFD and aging. In conclusion, we suggest that fasting and HFD play an opposite role in brain transcriptome of aged mice. Therefore, an intermittent diet could represent a possible clinical strategy to counteract aging, loss of memory, and neuroinflammation. Furthermore, low-fat diet leads to the inactivation of brain degenerative processes triggered by aging.

Achieving cheap clean energy for all in the 21^st Century?

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Rajan

2006-11-01

Energy is essential for modern life and is a critical resource that we take for granted. Unfortunately, we are increasingly confronted by many unsettling questions: Is there enough cheap oil and gas remaining and should we start changing our life styles towards energy efficiency? What will be the price of oil and gas next year and will we face shortages? Are rising prices reflective of greed and manipulation or geopolitics or of real constraints? Will renewable sources provide a significant fraction of our energy needs? Is global warming already happening and is it a result of our ``addiction to oil''? If the answer to these is ``yes'', then what can we, as individuals, do to help ourselves, the nation, and the world? This talk will attempt to answer these questions by examining the global oil, gas and other resources, emerging constraints and opportunities, and geopolitics.

Waste removal in pyrochemical fuel processing for the Integral Fast Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackerman, J.P.; Johnson, T.R.; Laidler, J.J.

1994-01-01

Electrorefining in a molten salt electrolyte is used in the Integral Fast Reactor fuel cycle to recover actinides from spent fuel. Processes that are being developed for removing the waste constituents from the electrorefiner and incorporating them into the waste forms are described in this paper. During processing, halogen, chalcogen, alkali, alkaline earth, and rare earth fission products build up in the molten salt as metal halides and anions, and fuel cladding hulls and noble metal fission products remain as metals of various particle sizes. Essentially all transuranic actinides are collected as metals on cathodes, and are converted to new metal fuel. After processing, fission products and other waste are removed to a metal and a mineral waste form. The metal waste form contains the cladding hulls, noble metal fission products, and (optionally) most rare earths in a copper or stainless steel matrix. The mineral waste form contains fission products that have been removed from the salt into a zeolite or zeolite-derived matrix

Recent developments in fast spectroscopy for plant mineral analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie evan Maarschalkerweerd

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Ideal fertilizer management to optimize plant productivity and quality is more relevant than ever, as global food demands increase along with the rapidly growing world population. At the same time, sub-optimal or excessive use of fertilizers leads to severe environmental damage in areas of intensive crop production. The approaches of soil and plant mineral analysis are briefly compared and discussed here, and the new techniques using fast spectroscopy that offer cheap, rapid and easy-to-use analysis of plant nutritional status are reviewed. The majority of these methods use vibrational spectroscopy, such as Visual-Near Infrared (Vis-NIR and to a lesser extent Ultraviolet (UV and Mid-Infrared (MIR spectroscopy. Advantages of and problems with application of these techniques are thoroughly discussed. Spectroscopic techniques considered having major potential for plant mineral analysis, such as chlorophyll a fluorescence, X-ray fluorescence (XRF and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS are also described.

Fast breeder reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heinzel, V.

1975-01-01

The author gives a survey of 'fast breeder reactors'. In detail the process of breeding, the reasons for the development of fast breeders, the possible breeder reactors, the design criteria, fuels, cladding, coolant, and safety aspects are reported on. Design data of some experimental reactors already in operation are summarized in stabular form. 300 MWe Prototype-Reactors SNR-300 and PFR are explained in detail and data of KWU helium-cooled fast breeder reactors are given. (HR) [de

Fast processing of foreign fiber images by image blocking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yutao Wu

2014-08-01

Full Text Available In the textile industry, it is always the case that cotton products are constitutive of many types of foreign fibers which affect the overall quality of cotton products. As the foundation of the foreign fiber automated inspection, image process exerts a critical impact on the process of foreign fiber identification. This paper presents a new approach for the fast processing of foreign fiber images. This approach includes five main steps, image block, image pre-decision, image background extraction, image enhancement and segmentation, and image connection. At first, the captured color images were transformed into gray-scale images; followed by the inversion of gray-scale of the transformed images ; then the whole image was divided into several blocks. Thereafter, the subsequent step is to judge which image block contains the target foreign fiber image through image pre-decision. Then we segment the image block via OSTU which possibly contains target images after background eradication and image strengthening. Finally, we connect those relevant segmented image blocks to get an intact and clear foreign fiber target image. The experimental result shows that this method of segmentation has the advantage of accuracy and speed over the other segmentation methods. On the other hand, this method also connects the target image that produce fractures therefore getting an intact and clear foreign fiber target image.

Availability and Use of Cheap Tobacco in the United Kingdom 2002–2014: Findings From the International Tobacco Control Project

Science.gov (United States)

Partos, Timea R; Gilmore, Anna B; Hitchman, Sara C; Hiscock, Rosemary; Branston, J Robert; McNeill, Ann

2018-01-01

Abstract Introduction Raising tobacco prices is the most effective population-level intervention for reducing smoking, but this is undermined by the availability of cheap tobacco. This study monitors trends in cheap tobacco use among adult smokers in the United Kingdom between 2002 and 2014 via changes in product type, purchase source, and prices paid. Methods Weighted data from 10 waves of the International Tobacco Control policy evaluation study were used. This is a longitudinal cohort study of adult smokers with replenishment; 6169 participants provided 15812 responses. Analyses contrasted (1) product type: roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco, factory-made packs (FM-P), and factory-made cartons (FM-C); (2) purchase source: UK store-based sources (e.g., supermarkets and convenience stores) with non-UK/nonstore sources representing tax avoidance/evasion (e.g., outside the UK, duty free, and informal sellers); and (3) prices paid (inflation-adjusted to 2014 values). Generalized estimating equations tested linear changes over time. Results (1) RYO use increased significantly over time as FM decreased. (2) UK store-based sources constituted approximately 80% of purchases over time, with no significant increases in tax avoidance/evasion. (3) Median RYO prices were less than half that of FM, with FM-C cheaper than FM-P. Non-UK/nonstore sources were cheapest. Price increases of all three product types from UK store-based sources from 2002 to 2014 were statistically significant but not substantial. Wide (and increasing for FM-P) price ranges meant each product type could be purchased in 2014 at prices below their 2002 medians from UK store-based sources. Conclusions Options exist driving UK smokers to minimize their tobacco expenditure; smokers do so largely by purchasing cheap tobacco products from UK stores. Implications The effectiveness of price increases as a deterrent to smoking is being undermined by the availability of cheap tobacco such as roll-your-own tobacco and

Fast uncertainty reduction strategies relying on Gaussian process models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevalier, Clement

2013-01-01

This work deals with sequential and batch-sequential evaluation strategies of real-valued functions under limited evaluation budget, using Gaussian process models. Optimal Stepwise Uncertainty Reduction (SUR) strategies are investigated for two different problems, motivated by real test cases in nuclear safety. First we consider the problem of identifying the excursion set above a given threshold T of a real-valued function f. Then we study the question of finding the set of 'safe controlled configurations', i.e. the set of controlled inputs where the function remains below T, whatever the value of some others non-controlled inputs. New SUR strategies are presented, together with efficient procedures and formulas to compute and use them in real world applications. The use of fast formulas to recalculate quickly the posterior mean or covariance function of a Gaussian process (referred to as the 'kriging update formulas') does not only provide substantial computational savings. It is also one of the key tools to derive closed form formulas enabling a practical use of computationally-intensive sampling strategies. A contribution in batch-sequential optimization (with the multi-points Expected Improvement) is also presented. (author)

The process e-p→γep as a fast luminosity monitor for the HERA-collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaemers, K.J.F.; Horst, M. van der

1988-09-01

The process e - →γe - p as a fast luminosity monitor for HERA. Results are given and discussed for the differential cross-sections and the integrated cross-section. It is possible to use expressions derived in the form of an event generator. 7 refs.; 4 figs

Fast digitizing and digital signal processing of detector signals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hannaske, Roland

2008-01-01

A fast-digitizer data acquisition system recently installed at the neutron time-of-flight experiment nELBE, which is located at the superconducting electron accelerator ELBE of Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, is tested with two different detector types. Preamplifier signals from a high-purity germanium detector are digitized, stored and finally processed. For a precise determination of the energy of the detected radiation, the moving-window deconvolution algorithm is used to compensate the ballistic deficit and different shaping algorithms are applied. The energy resolution is determined in an experiment with γ-rays from a 22 Na source and is compared to the energy resolution achieved with analogously processed signals. On the other hand, signals from the photomultipliers of barium fluoride and plastic scintillation detectors are digitized. These signals have risetimes of a few nanoseconds only. The moment of interaction of the radiation with the detector is determined by methods of digital signal processing. Therefore, different timing algorithms are implemented and tested with data from an experiment at nELBE. The time resolutions achieved with these algorithms are compared to each other as well as to reference values coming from analog signal processing. In addition to these experiments, some properties of the digitizing hardware are measured and a program for the analysis of stored, digitized data is developed. The analysis of the signals shows that the energy resolution achieved with the 10-bit digitizer system used here is not competitive to a 14-bit peak-sensing ADC, although the ballistic deficit can be fully corrected. However, digital methods give better result in sub-ns timing than analog signal processing. (orig.)

Obesity under affluence varies by welfare regimes: the effect of fast food, insecurity, and inequality.

Science.gov (United States)

Offer, Avner; Pechey, Rachel; Ulijaszek, Stanley

2010-12-01

Among affluent countries, those with market-liberal welfare regimes (which are also English-speaking) tend to have the highest prevalence of obesity. The impact of cheap, accessible high-energy food is often invoked in explanation. An alternative approach is that overeating is a response to stress, and that competition, uncertainty, and inequality make market-liberal societies more stressful. This ecological regression meta-study pools 96 body-weight surveys from 11 countries c. 1994-2004. The fast-food 'shock' impact is found to work most strongly in market-liberal countries. Economic insecurity, measured in several different ways, was almost twice as powerful, while the impact of inequality was weak, and went in the opposite direction. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fast analytical scatter estimation using graphics processing units.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingleby, Harry; Lippuner, Jonas; Rickey, Daniel W; Li, Yue; Elbakri, Idris

2015-01-01

To develop a fast patient-specific analytical estimator of first-order Compton and Rayleigh scatter in cone-beam computed tomography, implemented using graphics processing units. The authors developed an analytical estimator for first-order Compton and Rayleigh scatter in a cone-beam computed tomography geometry. The estimator was coded using NVIDIA's CUDA environment for execution on an NVIDIA graphics processing unit. Performance of the analytical estimator was validated by comparison with high-count Monte Carlo simulations for two different numerical phantoms. Monoenergetic analytical simulations were compared with monoenergetic and polyenergetic Monte Carlo simulations. Analytical and Monte Carlo scatter estimates were compared both qualitatively, from visual inspection of images and profiles, and quantitatively, using a scaled root-mean-square difference metric. Reconstruction of simulated cone-beam projection data of an anthropomorphic breast phantom illustrated the potential of this method as a component of a scatter correction algorithm. The monoenergetic analytical and Monte Carlo scatter estimates showed very good agreement. The monoenergetic analytical estimates showed good agreement for Compton single scatter and reasonable agreement for Rayleigh single scatter when compared with polyenergetic Monte Carlo estimates. For a voxelized phantom with dimensions 128 × 128 × 128 voxels and a detector with 256 × 256 pixels, the analytical estimator required 669 seconds for a single projection, using a single NVIDIA 9800 GX2 video card. Accounting for first order scatter in cone-beam image reconstruction improves the contrast to noise ratio of the reconstructed images. The analytical scatter estimator, implemented using graphics processing units, provides rapid and accurate estimates of single scatter and with further acceleration and a method to account for multiple scatter may be useful for practical scatter correction schemes.

Cheap for Whom? Migration, Farm Labor, and Social Reproduction in the Imperial Valley-Mexicali Borderlands, 1942-1969

OpenAIRE

Mendez, Alina Ramirez

2017-01-01

This dissertation argues that the agriculture industry in California’s Imperial Valley has enjoyed ample access to cheap labor since the mid-twentieth century because Mexicali, Baja California Norte, its Mexican neighbor, has subsidized the reproduction of a transborder labor force employed in agriculture but otherwise denied social membership in the United States. This subsidy from Mexicali to the Imperial Valley began in 1942 with the start of the Bracero Program and continued well past the...

Cheap-GSHPs, an European project aiming cost-reducing innovations for shallow geothermal installations. - Geological data reinterpretation

Science.gov (United States)

Bertermann, David; Müller, Johannes; Galgaro, Antonio; Cultrera, Matteo; Bernardi, Adriana; Di Sipio, Eloisa

2016-04-01

The success and widespread diffusion of new sustainable technologies are always strictly related to their affordability. Nowadays the energy price fluctuations and the economic crisis are jeopardizing the development and diffusion of renewable technologies and sources. With the aim of both reduce the overall costs of shallow geothermal systems and improve their installation safety, an European project has took place recently, under the Horizon 2020 EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. The acronym of this project is Cheap-GSHPs, meaning "cheap and efficient application of reliable ground source heat exchangers and pumps"; the CHEAP-GSHPs project involves 17 partners among 9 European countries such Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Spain, Switzerland. In order to achieve the planned targets, an holistic approach is adopted, where all involved elements that take part of shallow geothermal activities are here integrated. In order to reduce the drilling specific costs and for a solid planning basis the INSPIRE-conformal ESDAC data set PAR-MAT-DOM ("parent material dominant") was analysed and reinterpreted regarding the opportunities for cost reductions. Different ESDAC classification codes were analysed lithologically and sedimentologically in order to receive the most suitable drilling technique within different formations. Together with drilling companies this geological data set was translated into a geotechnical map which allows drilling companies the usage of the most efficient drilling within a certain type of underground. The scale of the created map is 1: 100,000 for all over Europe. This leads to cost reductions for the final consumers. Further there will be the definition of different heat conductivity classes based on the reinterpreted PAR-MAT-DOM data set which will provide underground information. These values will be reached by sampling data all over Europe and literature data. The samples will be measured by several

Distinguishing Fast and Slow Processes in Accuracy - Response Time Data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederik Coomans

Full Text Available We investigate the relation between speed and accuracy within problem solving in its simplest non-trivial form. We consider tests with only two items and code the item responses in two binary variables: one indicating the response accuracy, and one indicating the response speed. Despite being a very basic setup, it enables us to study item pairs stemming from a broad range of domains such as basic arithmetic, first language learning, intelligence-related problems, and chess, with large numbers of observations for every pair of problems under consideration. We carry out a survey over a large number of such item pairs and compare three types of psychometric accuracy-response time models present in the literature: two 'one-process' models, the first of which models accuracy and response time as conditionally independent and the second of which models accuracy and response time as conditionally dependent, and a 'two-process' model which models accuracy contingent on response time. We find that the data clearly violates the restrictions imposed by both one-process models and requires additional complexity which is parsimoniously provided by the two-process model. We supplement our survey with an analysis of the erroneous responses for an example item pair and demonstrate that there are very significant differences between the types of errors in fast and slow responses.

Process-specific analysis in episodic memory retrieval using fast optical signals and hemodynamic signals in the right prefrontal cortex

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Sunghee; Jeong, Jichai

2018-02-01

Objective. Memory is formed by the interaction of various brain functions at the item and task level. Revealing individual and combined effects of item- and task-related processes on retrieving episodic memory is an unsolved problem because of limitations in existing neuroimaging techniques. To investigate these issues, we analyze fast and slow optical signals measured from a custom-built continuous wave functional near-infrared spectroscopy (CW-fNIRS) system. Approach. In our work, we visually encode the words to the subjects and let them recall the words after a short rest. The hemodynamic responses evoked by the episodic memory are compared with those evoked by the semantic memory in retrieval blocks. In the fast optical signal, we compare the effects of old and new items (previously seen and not seen) to investigate the item-related process in episodic memory. The Kalman filter is simultaneously applied to slow and fast optical signals in different time windows. Main results. A significant task-related HbR decrease was observed in the episodic memory retrieval blocks. Mean amplitude and peak latency of a fast optical signal are dependent upon item types and reaction time, respectively. Moreover, task-related hemodynamic and item-related fast optical responses are correlated in the right prefrontal cortex. Significance. We demonstrate that episodic memory is retrieved from the right frontal area by a functional connectivity between the maintained mental state through retrieval and item-related transient activity. To the best of our knowledge, this demonstration of functional NIRS research is the first to examine the relationship between item- and task-related memory processes in the prefrontal area using single modality.

Process-specific analysis in episodic memory retrieval using fast optical signals and hemodynamic signals in the right prefrontal cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Sunghee; Jeong, Jichai

2018-02-01

Memory is formed by the interaction of various brain functions at the item and task level. Revealing individual and combined effects of item- and task-related processes on retrieving episodic memory is an unsolved problem because of limitations in existing neuroimaging techniques. To investigate these issues, we analyze fast and slow optical signals measured from a custom-built continuous wave functional near-infrared spectroscopy (CW-fNIRS) system. In our work, we visually encode the words to the subjects and let them recall the words after a short rest. The hemodynamic responses evoked by the episodic memory are compared with those evoked by the semantic memory in retrieval blocks. In the fast optical signal, we compare the effects of old and new items (previously seen and not seen) to investigate the item-related process in episodic memory. The Kalman filter is simultaneously applied to slow and fast optical signals in different time windows. A significant task-related HbR decrease was observed in the episodic memory retrieval blocks. Mean amplitude and peak latency of a fast optical signal are dependent upon item types and reaction time, respectively. Moreover, task-related hemodynamic and item-related fast optical responses are correlated in the right prefrontal cortex. We demonstrate that episodic memory is retrieved from the right frontal area by a functional connectivity between the maintained mental state through retrieval and item-related transient activity. To the best of our knowledge, this demonstration of functional NIRS research is the first to examine the relationship between item- and task-related memory processes in the prefrontal area using single modality.

A scheme for recording a fast process at nanosecond scale by using digital holographic interferometry with continuous wave laser

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Zhao, Jianlin; Di, Jianglei; Jiang, Biqiang

2015-04-01

A scheme for recording fast process at nanosecond scale by using digital holographic interferometry with continuous wave (CW) laser is described and demonstrated experimentally, which employs delayed-time fibers and angular multiplexing technique and can realize the variable temporal resolution at nanosecond scale and different measured depths of object field at certain temporal resolution. The actual delay-time is controlled by two delayed-time fibers with different lengths. The object field information in two different states can be simultaneously recorded in a composite hologram. This scheme is also suitable for recording fast process at picosecond scale, by using an electro-optic modulator.

FastMag: Fast micromagnetic simulator for complex magnetic structures (invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, R.; Li, S.; Lubarda, M. V.; Livshitz, B.; Lomakin, V.

2011-04-01

A fast micromagnetic simulator (FastMag) for general problems is presented. FastMag solves the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation and can handle multiscale problems with a high computational efficiency. The simulator derives its high performance from efficient methods for evaluating the effective field and from implementations on massively parallel graphics processing unit (GPU) architectures. FastMag discretizes the computational domain into tetrahedral elements and therefore is highly flexible for general problems. The magnetostatic field is computed via the superposition principle for both volume and surface parts of the computational domain. This is accomplished by implementing efficient quadrature rules and analytical integration for overlapping elements in which the integral kernel is singular. Thus, discretized superposition integrals are computed using a nonuniform grid interpolation method, which evaluates the field from N sources at N collocated observers in O(N) operations. This approach allows handling objects of arbitrary shape, allows easily calculating of the field outside the magnetized domains, does not require solving a linear system of equations, and requires little memory. FastMag is implemented on GPUs with ?> GPU-central processing unit speed-ups of 2 orders of magnitude. Simulations are shown of a large array of magnetic dots and a recording head fully discretized down to the exchange length, with over a hundred million tetrahedral elements on an inexpensive desktop computer.

Design of a Simple and Cheap Water Electrolyser for the Production of Solar Hydrogen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ram Prasad

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Commercially available conventional alkaline electrolyser and advanced polymer membrane electrolysers for water electrolysis are quite expensive. Taking into account this aspect, a very simple and cheap water electrolyser has been designed and fabricated utilising easily available economical materials for small scale production of hydrogen using renewable energy from photovoltaic panel. The construction details of the electrolyser with a schematic drawing of the experimental set-up for PV production of H2 are given. In order to fabricate the compact electrolyser, two coaxial tubular PVC pipes were used. The lower part of the inner pipe has fine perforations for the transport of ions through electrolyte between the electrodes. Two cylindrical electrodes, cathode and anode are kept in inner and outer pipes respectively. The performance of hydrogen production was measured using a photovoltaic panel directly connected to the electrolyser under atmospheric pressure and in 27wt% KOH solution. Flow rates of hydrogen and oxygen were measured using a digital flow meter. High purity fuel cell grade hydrogen (99.98% and oxygen (99.85% have been produced. The experimental results confirm that the present electrolyser has eligible properties for hydrogen production in remote areas. No such electrolyser has been reported prior to this work. Copyright (c 2009 by BCREC. All rights reserved.[Received: 20 May 2009, Revised: 14 August 2009, Accepted: 19 August 2009][How to Cite: R. Prasad. (2009. Design of a Simple and Cheap Water Electrolyser for the Production of Solar Hydrogen. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering and Catalysis, 4(1: 10-15.  doi:10.9767/bcrec.4.1.7113.10-15][How to Link/ DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.4.1.7113.10-15 || or local: http://ejournal.undip.ac.id/index.php/bcrec/article/view/7113 ] 

Design of a Simple and Cheap Water Electrolyser for the Production of Solar Hydrogen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Prasad

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Commercially available conventional alkaline electrolyser and advanced polymer membrane electrolysers for water electrolysis are quite expensive. Taking into account this aspect, a very simple and cheap water electrolyser has been designed and fabricated utilising easily available economical materials for small scale production of hydrogen using renewable energy from photovoltaic panel. The construction details of the electrolyser with a schematic drawing of the experimental set-up for PV production of H2 are given. In order to fabricate the compact electrolyser, two coaxial tubular PVC pipes were used. The lower part of the inner pipe has fine perforations for the transport of ions through electrolyte between the electrodes. Two cylindrical electrodes, cathode and anode are kept in inner and outer pipes respectively. The performance of hydrogen production was measured using a photovoltaic panel directly connected to the electrolyser under atmospheric pressure and in 27wt% KOH solution. Flow rates of hydrogen and oxygen were measured using a digital flow meter. High purity fuel cell grade hydrogen (99.98% and oxygen (99.85% have been produced. The experimental results confirm that the present electrolyser has eligible properties for hydrogen production in remote areas. No such electrolyser has been reported prior to this work. Copyright (c 2009 by BCREC. All rights reserved.[Received: 20 May 2009, Revised: 14 August 2009, Accepted: 19 August 2009][How to Cite: R. Prasad. (2009. Design of a Simple and Cheap Water Electrolyser for the Production of Solar Hydrogen. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering and Catalysis, 4(1: 10-15. doi:10.9767/bcrec.4.1.21.10-15][How to Link/ DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.4.1.21.10-15

Shielding computations for solution transfer lines from Analytical Lab to process cells of Demonstration Fast Reactor Plant (DFRP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baskar, S.; Jose, M.T.; Baskaran, R.; Venkatraman, B.

2018-01-01

The diluted virgin solutions (both aqueous and organic) and aqueous analytical waste generated from experimental analysis of process solutions, pertaining to Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) and Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), in glove boxes of active analytical Laboratory (AAL) are pumped back to the process cells through a pipe in pipe arrangement. There are 6 transfer lines (Length 15-32 m), 2 for each type of transfer. The transfer lines passes through the area inside the AAL and also the operating area. Hence it is required to compute the necessary radial shielding requirement around the lines to limit the dose rates in both the areas to the permissible values as per the regulatory requirement

A possible mechanism in heavy ion induced reactions: 'fast fission process'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borderie, B.; Gardes, D.; Berlanger, M.

1980-01-01

The influence of the orbital angular momentum l on the mass distribution of fission fragments is studied, both on previously available data on heavy ion induced fission and in new specifically planned experiments: systems 40 Ar + 165 Ho and 24 Mg + 181 Ta at bombarding energies ranging from 180 up to 391 MeV and leading to the same fissionning nucleus 205 At wigh different l distributions. When l values corresponding to a vanished fission barrier are reached, the mass distribution broadens. This suggest the existence of a specific process, 'fast fission', at l-values leading to compound nucleus formation and deep inelastic collisions, respectively. This process and its conditions of occurrence are discussed; of special interest are the correlated differences between the limitations to the fission cross-section and the fission mass distributions broadenings, respectively, for the Ar + Ho and Mg + Ta systems

A simple, fast and cheap non-SPE screening method for antibacterial residue analysis in milk and liver using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Magda Targa; Melo, Jéssica; Barreto, Fabiano; Hoff, Rodrigo Barcellos; Jank, Louise; Bittencourt, Michele Soares; Arsand, Juliana Bazzan; Schapoval, Elfrides Eva Scherman

2014-11-01

In routine laboratory work, screening methods for multiclass analysis can process a large number of samples in a short time. The main challenge is to develop a methodology to detect as many different classes of residues as possible, combined with speed and low cost. An efficient technique for the analysis of multiclass antibacterial residues (fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, sulfonamides and trimethoprim) was developed based on simple, environment-friendly extraction for bovine milk, cattle and poultry liver. Acidified ethanol was used as an extracting solvent for milk samples. Liver samples were treated using EDTA-washed sand for cell disruption, methanol:water and acidified acetonitrile as extracting solvent. A total of 24 antibacterial residues were detected and confirmed using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), at levels between 10, 25 and 50% of the maximum residue limit (MRL). For liver samples a metabolite (sulfaquinoxaline-OH) was also monitored. A validation procedure was conducted for screening purposes in accordance with European Union requirements (2002/657/EC). The detection capability (CCβ) false compliant rate was less than 5% at the lowest level for each residue. Specificity and ruggedness were also discussed. Incurred and routine samples were analyzed and the method was successfully applied. The results proved that this method can be an important tool in routine analysis, since it is very fast and reliable. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Analytical Hierarchy Process (Ahp) Approach on Consumer Preference in Franchise Fast Food Restaurant Selection in Manado City (Study at: Mcdonald's, Kfc, and A&w)

OpenAIRE

Wibowo, Svetlania Wulan; Tielung, Maria

2016-01-01

Franchise fast food restaurant has become one of the preferred restaurants in Manado City. There have been many outlets franchise fast food restaurant which opened its business in Manado City. The purpose of this research is to analyze the most preferred franchise fast food restaurant by consumer and to analyze the criteria that influence consumer in selecting franchise fast food restaurant. Researcher used Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to compare each franchise fast food restaurant as t...

Detecting fast, online reasoning processes in clinical decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Amanda; Cobos, Pedro L; López, Francisco J; Godoy, Antonio

2014-06-01

In an experiment that used the inconsistency paradigm, experienced clinical psychologists and psychology students performed a reading task using clinical reports and a diagnostic judgment task. The clinical reports provided information about the symptoms of hypothetical clients who had been previously diagnosed with a specific mental disorder. Reading times of inconsistent target sentences were slower than those of control sentences, demonstrating an inconsistency effect. The results also showed that experienced clinicians gave different weights to different symptoms according to their relevance when fluently reading the clinical reports provided, despite the fact that all the symptoms were of equal diagnostic value according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; American Psychiatric Association, 2000). The diagnostic judgment task yielded a similar pattern of results. In contrast to previous findings, the results of the reading task may be taken as direct evidence of the intervention of reasoning processes that occur very early, rapidly, and online. We suggest that these processes are based on the representation of mental disorders and that these representations are particularly suited to fast retrieval from memory and to making inferences. They may also be related to the clinicians' causal reasoning. The implications of these results for clinician training are also discussed.

The Orexin Component of Fasting Triggers Memory Processes Underlying Conditioned Food Selection in the Rat

Science.gov (United States)

Ferry, Barbara; Duchamp-Viret, Patricia

2014-01-01

To test the selectivity of the orexin A (OXA) system in olfactory sensitivity, the present study compared the effects of fasting and of central infusion of OXA on the memory processes underlying odor-malaise association during the conditioned odor aversion (COA) paradigm. Animals implanted with a cannula in the left ventricle received ICV infusion…

Experimental research subject and renovation of chemical processing facility (CPF) for advanced fast reactor fuel reprocessing technology development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koyama, Tomozo; Shinozaki, Tadahiro; Nomura, Kazunori; Koma, Yoshikazu; Miyachi, Shigehiko; Ichige, Yoshiaki; Kobayashi, Tsuguyuki; Nemoto, Shin-ichi

2002-01-01

In order to enhance economical efficiency, environmental impact and nuclear nonproliferation resistance, the Advanced Reprocessing Technology, such as simplification and optimization of process, and applicability evaluation of the innovative technology that was not adopted up to now, has been developed for the reprocessing of the irradiated fuel taken out from a fast reactor. Renovation of the hot cell interior equipments, establishment and updating of glove boxes, installation of various analytical equipments, etc. in the Chemical Processing Facility (CPF) was done to utilize the CPF more positivity which is the center of the experimental field, where actual fuel can be used, for research and development towards establishment of the Advanced Reprocessing Technology development. The hot trials using the irradiated fuel pins of the experimental fast reactor 'JOYO' for studies on improved aqueous reprocessing technology, MA separation technology, dry process technology, etc. are scheduled to be carried out with these new equipments. (author)

Electron accelerators for waste processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kon'kov, N.G.

1976-01-01

The documents of the International symposium on radiation vaste processing are presented. Questions on waste utilization with the help of electron accelerators are considered. The electron accelerators are shown to have an advantage over some other ionizing radiation sources. A conclusion is made that radiation methods of waste processing are extensively elaborated in many developed countries. It has been pointed out that an electron accelerator is a most cheap and safe ionizing radiation source primarily for processing of gaseous and liquid wastes

Fast reactors and nonproliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orlov, V.V.

1997-01-01

1.Three aspects of nonproliferation relevant to nuclear power are: Pu buildup in NPP spent fuel cooling ponds (∼ 104 t in case of consumption of ∼ 107 t cheap uranium). Danger of illegal radiochemical extraction of Pu for weapons production; Pu extraction from NPP fuel at the plants available in nuclear countries, its burning along with weapon-grade Pu in NPP reactors or in special-purpose burners; increased hazard of nuclear weapons sprawl with breeders and closed fuel cycle technology spreading all over the world. 2.The latter is one of major obstacles to creation of large-scale nuclear power. 3.Nuclear power of the first stage using 235 U will be able to meet the demands of certain fuel-deficient countries and regions, replacing ∼ 5-10% of conventional fuels in the global consumption for a number of decades. 4.Fast reactors of the first generation and the currently employed fuel technology are far from exhausting their potential for solving economic problems and meeting the challenges of safety, radioactive waste and nonproliferation. Development of large-scale nuclear power will become an option accepted by society for solving energy problems in the following century, provided a breeder technology is elaborated and demonstrated in the next 15-20 years, which would comply with the totality of the following requirement: full internal Pu breeding deterministic elimination of severe accidents involving fuel damage and high radioactivity releases: fast runaway, loss of coolant, fires, steam and hydrogen explosions, etc.; reaching a balance between radioactive wastes disposed of and uranium mined in terms of radiation hazard; technology of closed fuel cycle preventing its use for Pu extraction and permitting physical protection from fuel thefts;economic competitiveness of nuclear power for most of countries and regions, i.e. primarily the cost of NPPs with fat reactors is to be below the cost of modern LWR plants, etc

Revealing the programming process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bennedsen, Jens; Caspersen, Michael Edelgaard

2005-01-01

One of the most important goals of an introductory programming course is that the students learn a systematic approach to the development of computer programs. Revealing the programming process is an important part of this; however, textbooks do not address the issue -- probably because...... the textbook medium is static and therefore ill-suited to expose the process of programming. We have found that process recordings in the form of captured narrated programming sessions are a simple, cheap, and efficient way of providing the revelation.We identify seven different elements of the programming...

A fast all-in-one method for automated post-processing of PIV data.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Damien

2011-05-01

Post-processing of PIV (particle image velocimetry) data typically contains three following stages: validation of the raw data, replacement of spurious and missing vectors, and some smoothing. A robust post-processing technique that carries out these steps simultaneously is proposed. The new all-in-one method (DCT-PLS), based on a penalized least squares approach (PLS), combines the use of the discrete cosine transform (DCT) and the generalized cross-validation, thus allowing fast unsupervised smoothing of PIV data. The DCT-PLS was compared with conventional methods, including the normalized median test, for post-processing of simulated and experimental raw PIV velocity fields. The DCT-PLS was shown to be more efficient than the usual methods, especially in the presence of clustered outliers. It was also demonstrated that the DCT-PLS can easily deal with a large amount of missing data. Because the proposed algorithm works in any dimension, the DCT-PLS is also suitable for post-processing of volumetric three-component PIV data.

A fast all-in-one method for automated post-processing of PIV data

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Damien

2013-01-01

Post-processing of PIV (particle image velocimetry) data typically contains three following stages: validation of the raw data, replacement of spurious and missing vectors, and some smoothing. A robust post-processing technique that carries out these steps simultaneously is proposed. The new all-in-one method (DCT-PLS), based on a penalized least squares approach (PLS), combines the use of the discrete cosine transform (DCT) and the generalized cross-validation, thus allowing fast unsupervised smoothing of PIV data. The DCT-PLS was compared with conventional methods, including the normalized median test, for post-processing of simulated and experimental raw PIV velocity fields. The DCT-PLS was shown to be more efficient than the usual methods, especially in the presence of clustered outliers. It was also demonstrated that the DCT-PLS can easily deal with a large amount of missing data. Because the proposed algorithm works in any dimension, the DCT-PLS is also suitable for post-processing of volumetric three-component PIV data. PMID:24795497

Ultra fast atomic process in X-ray emission by inner-shell ionization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moribayashi, Kengo; Sasaki, Akira [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Neyagawa, Osaka (Japan). Kansai Research Establishment; Tajima, T

1998-03-01

An ultra-fast atomic process together with X-ray emission by inner-shell ionization using high intensity (10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2}) short pulse (20fs) X-ray is studied. A new class of experiment is proposed and a useful pumping source is suggested. In this method, it is found that the gain value of X-ray laser amounts to larger than 1000(1/cm) with use of the density of 10{sup 22}/cm{sup 3} of carbon atom. Electron impact ionization effect and initial density effect as well as intensity of pumping source effect are also discussed. (author)

Fast Formation of Conductive Material by Simultaneous Chemical Process for Infilling Through-Silicon Via

Science.gov (United States)

Kawakita, Jin; Chikyow, Toyohiro

2012-06-01

It is necessary to develop a fast and inexpensive fabrication process of vertical electric wiring by through-silicon via (TSV) technology for advanced three-dimensional semiconductor devices. In this research, a fast-forming conductive composite was successfully developed by simultaneous deposition of conductive organic polymer (polypyrrole) and metal (silver) from the liquid phase, accelerated by photoirradiation. The growth rate of the composite was 38 nm·s-1, which is more than 10 times higher than that of copper by conventional plating. The electric conductivity of the composite was 2.1×104 Ω-1·cm-1, which is on the same level as general metal conductors. In addition, the effects of reaction conditions on the growth rate and the conductivity of the composites were revealed. From these results, the infilling time of the TSV was expected to shorten from the present 2-10 h to 5-10 m.

Upgrading of citric acid production from cheap carbohydrate sources as affected by aspergillus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elbatal, A.I.; Khalaf, S.A.; Khalil, A.H.

1995-01-01

Five strains of aspergillus niger (EMCC 102, EMCC 104, EMCC 111, EMCC 132 and EMCC 147) were for citric acid production at different incubation period using different cheap carbohydrate substrates, such as beet, cane and citrus molasses and milk whey. A. niger EMCC 111 was found to be the most potent strain for citric acid production from beet molasses after 11 days of incubation at 30 degree. The studies concerning molasses concentration and nitrogen sources (inorganic and organic sources with different concentration, revealed that 30 g% beet molasses and ammonium sulfate with 0.05 g% as N 2 content, gave the highest production of citric acid. Gamma irradiated inocula of A. niger EMCC 111 at doses (0.05-0.8 KGy), showed that the dose 0.4 KGy was the optimum for maximum citric acid production. 8 tabs

An innovative experimental sequence on electromagnetic induction and eddy currents based on video analysis and cheap data acquisition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonanno, A; Sapia, P; Bozzo, G

2017-01-01

In this work, we present a coherent sequence of experiments on electromagnetic (EM) induction and eddy currents, appropriate for university undergraduate students, based on a magnet falling through a drilled aluminum disk. The sequence, leveraging on the didactical interplay between the EM and mechanical aspects of the experiments, allows us to exploit the students’ awareness of mechanics to elicit their comprehension of EM phenomena. The proposed experiments feature two kinds of measurements: (i) kinematic measurements (performed by means of high-speed video analysis) give information on the system’s kinematics and, via appropriate numerical data processing, allow us to get dynamic information, in particular on energy dissipation; (ii) induced electromagnetic field (EMF) measurements (by using a homemade multi-coil sensor connected to a cheap data acquisition system) allow us to quantitatively determine the inductive effects of the moving magnet on its neighborhood. The comparison between experimental results and the predictions from an appropriate theoretical model (of the dissipative coupling between the moving magnet and the conducting disk) offers many educational hints on relevant topics related to EM induction, such as Maxwell’s displacement current, magnetic field flux variation, and the conceptual link between induced EMF and induced currents. Moreover, the didactical activity gives students the opportunity to be trained in video analysis, data acquisition and numerical data processing. (paper)

LTFR-4, Library Generated for Fast Reactor Design Program from JAERI Fast-Set Multigroup Constant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Tomoo

1971-01-01

Nature of physical problem solved: The program processes JAERI-Fast group constants sets of less than 30-group and prepares a binary library tape for efficient usage by a series of related fast reactor design calculation programmes

The End of Cheap Oil: Economic, Social, and Political Change in the US and Former Soviet Union

OpenAIRE

Kaufmann, Robert

2014-01-01

I use the quality and quantity of energy flows to interpret economic, social, and political changes in the US and Former Soviet Union. The economic successes of both the former Soviet Union (FSU) and the US reflect an abundant supply of high quality energy. This abundance ended in the 1970s in the US and the 1980s in the Former Soviet Union. In the US, the end of cheap oil caused labor productivity to stagnate, which stopped on-going growth in wages and family incomes. To preserve the Ameri...

Lime Juice and Vinegar Injections as a Cheap and Natural Alternative to Control COTS Outbreaks.

Science.gov (United States)

Moutardier, Grégoire; Gereva, Sompert; Mills, Suzanne C; Adjeroud, Mehdi; Beldade, Ricardo; Ham, Jayven; Kaku, Rocky; Dumas, Pascal

2015-01-01

Outbreaks of the corallivorous crown-of-thorns seastar Acanthaster planci (COTS) represent one of the greatest disturbances to coral reef ecosystems in the Indo-Pacific, affecting not only coral reefs but also the coastal communities which rely on their resources. While injection approaches are increasingly used in an attempt to control COTS densities, most of them display severe drawbacks including logistical challenges, high residual environmental impacts or low cost-effectiveness. We tested a new alternative control method based upon acidic injections of cheap, 100% natural products. We investigated the lethal doses, intra- and inter-specific disease transmission and immune responses of COTS when injected with fresh lime juice (extracted from local Citrus arantifolia) and white spirit vinegar. High COTS mortality was achieved with small volumes: 10-20 ml per seastar induced death in 89%/97% of injected specimens after an average 34.3 h/29.8 h for lime juice and vinegar respectively. Highest efficiency was reached for both solutions with double shots of (2 × 10 ml) in two different areas on the body: 100% mortality occurred within 12-24 h, which is similar or faster compared with other current injection methods. Multiple immune measures suggested that death was very likely caused by pH stress from the acidic solutions rather than a bacterial infection. Contagion to either conspecifics or a variety of other reef species was not observed, even at COTS densities 15 times higher than the highest naturally reported. 10 to 20 l lime juice/vinegar could kill up to a thousand COTS at a cost of less than 0.05 USD per specimen; no permits or special handling procedures are required. We conclude that injections of lime juice and vinegar offer great advantages when compared to current best practises and constitute a cheap and natural option for all reefs affected by COTS.

Conversion of microalgae to jet fuel: process design and simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui-Yuan; Bluck, David; Van Wie, Bernard J

2014-09-01

Microalgae's aquatic, non-edible, highly genetically modifiable nature and fast growth rate are considered ideal for biomass conversion to liquid fuels providing promise for future shortages in fossil fuels and for reducing greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions from combustion. We demonstrate adaptability of PRO/II software by simulating a microalgae photo-bio-reactor and thermolysis with fixed conversion isothermal reactors adding a heat exchanger for thermolysis. We model a cooling tower and gas floatation with zero-duty flash drums adding solids removal for floatation. Properties data are from PRO/II's thermodynamic data manager. Hydrotreating is analyzed within PRO/II's case study option, made subject to Jet B fuel constraints, and we determine an optimal 6.8% bioleum bypass ratio, 230°C hydrotreater temperature, and 20:1 bottoms to overhead distillation ratio. Process economic feasibility occurs if cheap CO2, H2O and nutrient resources are available, along with solar energy and energy from byproduct combustion, and hydrotreater H2 from product reforming. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High performance image acquisition and processing architecture for fast plant system controllers based on FPGA and GPU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nieto, J.; Sanz, D.; Guillén, P.; Esquembri, S.; Arcas, G. de; Ruiz, M.; Vega, J.; Castro, R.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • To test an image acquisition and processing system for Camera Link devices based in a FPGA, compliant with ITER fast controllers. • To move data acquired from the set NI1483-NIPXIe7966R directly to a NVIDIA GPU using NVIDIA GPUDirect RDMA technology. • To obtain a methodology to include GPUs processing in ITER Fast Plant Controllers, using EPICS integration through Nominal Device Support (NDS). - Abstract: The two dominant technologies that are being used in real time image processing are Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and Graphical Processor Unit (GPU) due to their algorithm parallelization capabilities. But not much work has been done to standardize how these technologies can be integrated in data acquisition systems, where control and supervisory requirements are in place, such as ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor). This work proposes an architecture, and a development methodology, to develop image acquisition and processing systems based on FPGAs and GPUs compliant with ITER fast controller solutions. A use case based on a Camera Link device connected to an FPGA DAQ device (National Instruments FlexRIO technology), and a NVIDIA Tesla GPU series card has been developed and tested. The architecture proposed has been designed to optimize system performance by minimizing data transfer operations and CPU intervention thanks to the use of NVIDIA GPUDirect RDMA and DMA technologies. This allows moving the data directly between the different hardware elements (FPGA DAQ-GPU-CPU) avoiding CPU intervention and therefore the use of intermediate CPU memory buffers. A special effort has been put to provide a development methodology that, maintaining the highest possible abstraction from the low level implementation details, allows obtaining solutions that conform to CODAC Core System standards by providing EPICS and Nominal Device Support.

High performance image acquisition and processing architecture for fast plant system controllers based on FPGA and GPU

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nieto, J., E-mail: jnieto@sec.upm.es [Grupo de Investigación en Instrumentación y Acústica Aplicada, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Crta. Valencia Km-7, Madrid 28031 (Spain); Sanz, D.; Guillén, P.; Esquembri, S.; Arcas, G. de; Ruiz, M. [Grupo de Investigación en Instrumentación y Acústica Aplicada, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Crta. Valencia Km-7, Madrid 28031 (Spain); Vega, J.; Castro, R. [Asociación EURATOM/CIEMAT para Fusión, Madrid (Spain)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • To test an image acquisition and processing system for Camera Link devices based in a FPGA, compliant with ITER fast controllers. • To move data acquired from the set NI1483-NIPXIe7966R directly to a NVIDIA GPU using NVIDIA GPUDirect RDMA technology. • To obtain a methodology to include GPUs processing in ITER Fast Plant Controllers, using EPICS integration through Nominal Device Support (NDS). - Abstract: The two dominant technologies that are being used in real time image processing are Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and Graphical Processor Unit (GPU) due to their algorithm parallelization capabilities. But not much work has been done to standardize how these technologies can be integrated in data acquisition systems, where control and supervisory requirements are in place, such as ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor). This work proposes an architecture, and a development methodology, to develop image acquisition and processing systems based on FPGAs and GPUs compliant with ITER fast controller solutions. A use case based on a Camera Link device connected to an FPGA DAQ device (National Instruments FlexRIO technology), and a NVIDIA Tesla GPU series card has been developed and tested. The architecture proposed has been designed to optimize system performance by minimizing data transfer operations and CPU intervention thanks to the use of NVIDIA GPUDirect RDMA and DMA technologies. This allows moving the data directly between the different hardware elements (FPGA DAQ-GPU-CPU) avoiding CPU intervention and therefore the use of intermediate CPU memory buffers. A special effort has been put to provide a development methodology that, maintaining the highest possible abstraction from the low level implementation details, allows obtaining solutions that conform to CODAC Core System standards by providing EPICS and Nominal Device Support.

Ultra-processed products are becoming dominant in the global food system.

Science.gov (United States)

Monteiro, C A; Moubarac, J-C; Cannon, G; Ng, S W; Popkin, B

2013-11-01

The relationship between the global food system and the worldwide rapid increase of obesity and related diseases is not yet well understood. A reason is that the full impact of industrialized food processing on dietary patterns, including the environments of eating and drinking, remains overlooked and underestimated. Many forms of food processing are beneficial. But what is identified and defined here as ultra-processing, a type of process that has become increasingly dominant, at first in high-income countries, and now in middle-income countries, creates attractive, hyper-palatable, cheap, ready-to-consume food products that are characteristically energy-dense, fatty, sugary or salty and generally obesogenic. In this study, the scale of change in purchase and sales of ultra-processed products is examined and the context and implications are discussed. Data come from 79 high- and middle-income countries, with special attention to Canada and Brazil. Results show that ultra-processed products dominate the food supplies of high-income countries, and that their consumption is now rapidly increasing in middle-income countries. It is proposed here that the main driving force now shaping the global food system is transnational food manufacturing, retailing and fast food service corporations whose businesses are based on very profitable, heavily promoted ultra-processed products, many in snack form. © 2013 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Weak data do not make a free lunch, only a cheap meal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Zhipu [National Cancer Institute, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 90439 (United States); Rajashankar, Kanagalaghatta [Cornell University, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Dauter, Zbigniew, E-mail: dauter@anl.gov [National Cancer Institute, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 90439 (United States)

2014-02-01

Refinement and analysis of four structures with various data resolution cutoffs suggests that at present there are no reliable criteria for judging the diffraction data resolution limit and the condition I/σ(I) = 2.0 is reasonable. However, extending the limit by about 0.2 Å beyond the resolution defined by this threshold does not deteriorate the quality of refined structures and in some cases may be beneficial. Four data sets were processed at resolutions significantly exceeding the criteria traditionally used for estimating the diffraction data resolution limit. The analysis of these data and the corresponding model-quality indicators suggests that the criteria of resolution limits widely adopted in the past may be somewhat conservative. Various parameters, such as R{sub merge} and I/σ(I), optical resolution and the correlation coefficients CC{sub 1/2} and CC*, can be used for judging the internal data quality, whereas the reliability factors R and R{sub free} as well as the maximum-likelihood target values and real-space map correlation coefficients can be used to estimate the agreement between the data and the refined model. However, none of these criteria provide a reliable estimate of the data resolution cutoff limit. The analysis suggests that extension of the maximum resolution by about 0.2 Å beyond the currently adopted limit where the I/σ(I) value drops to 2.0 does not degrade the quality of the refined structural models, but may sometimes be advantageous. Such an extension may be particularly beneficial for significantly anisotropic diffraction. Extension of the maximum resolution at the stage of data collection and structure refinement is cheap in terms of the required effort and is definitely more advisable than accepting a too conservative resolution cutoff, which is unfortunately quite frequent among the crystal structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank.

Weak data do not make a free lunch, only a cheap meal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, Zhipu; Rajashankar, Kanagalaghatta; Dauter, Zbigniew

2014-01-01

Refinement and analysis of four structures with various data resolution cutoffs suggests that at present there are no reliable criteria for judging the diffraction data resolution limit and the condition I/σ(I) = 2.0 is reasonable. However, extending the limit by about 0.2 Å beyond the resolution defined by this threshold does not deteriorate the quality of refined structures and in some cases may be beneficial. Four data sets were processed at resolutions significantly exceeding the criteria traditionally used for estimating the diffraction data resolution limit. The analysis of these data and the corresponding model-quality indicators suggests that the criteria of resolution limits widely adopted in the past may be somewhat conservative. Various parameters, such as R merge and I/σ(I), optical resolution and the correlation coefficients CC 1/2 and CC*, can be used for judging the internal data quality, whereas the reliability factors R and R free as well as the maximum-likelihood target values and real-space map correlation coefficients can be used to estimate the agreement between the data and the refined model. However, none of these criteria provide a reliable estimate of the data resolution cutoff limit. The analysis suggests that extension of the maximum resolution by about 0.2 Å beyond the currently adopted limit where the I/σ(I) value drops to 2.0 does not degrade the quality of the refined structural models, but may sometimes be advantageous. Such an extension may be particularly beneficial for significantly anisotropic diffraction. Extension of the maximum resolution at the stage of data collection and structure refinement is cheap in terms of the required effort and is definitely more advisable than accepting a too conservative resolution cutoff, which is unfortunately quite frequent among the crystal structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank

FAST CALCULATION OF THE LOMB-SCARGLE PERIODOGRAM USING GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNITS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Townsend, R. H. D.

2010-01-01

I introduce a new code for fast calculation of the Lomb-Scargle periodogram that leverages the computing power of graphics processing units (GPUs). After establishing a background to the newly emergent field of GPU computing, I discuss the code design and narrate key parts of its source. Benchmarking calculations indicate no significant differences in accuracy compared to an equivalent CPU-based code. However, the differences in performance are pronounced; running on a low-end GPU, the code can match eight CPU cores, and on a high-end GPU it is faster by a factor approaching 30. Applications of the code include analysis of long photometric time series obtained by ongoing satellite missions and upcoming ground-based monitoring facilities, and Monte Carlo simulation of periodogram statistical properties.

A fast PID controller Design for Modern PLC for Process Control Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirza, A.; Nafis, A.; Anees, R.M.; Idris, S.

2004-01-01

PID is the most widely used control scheme in the process industry. Pill controllers are utilized for the control of such varied parameters as pressure, flow, temperature, etc. One characteristic of these parameters is that they posses slow dynamics. Most of the available digital controllers can manipulate only a single parameter- multiple controllers are required for control of more than one parameter. The Fast PID Controller for Modem PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) developed by the authors, provides control of several parameters at a time (through a single Pill control element), enhanced programmability including variable sampling period, parameter monitoring and data storage, which may be easily implemented in a PLC. (author)

World energy resources, demand and supply of energy, and the prospects for the fast breeder reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haefele, W.

1978-01-01

In the past it was taken for granted that the prime role of fast breeder reactors was to complement light water reactors, mainly because of their similar and compatible fuel cycles. In particular, the plutonium converted in LWRs is most intelligently disposed of and used in FBRs. Evaluation of the time horizon of such reactor strategies generally extended only to the year 2000. It is important to realize, however, that the salient task in the breeder field after 2000 - besides electricity generation - will be to substitute for conventional ''cheap'' oil. Electricity today makes up only 10% to 12% of the total secondary energy, while liquids essentially command up to about 50%. Thus the future application of the FBR technology will have to be geared more to the production of a liquid secondary energy carrier than to electricity. A new yardstick for all these considerations is the strongly rising energy prices. They may double, for example, leading to an oil price of US 24/bbl. Under these circumstances it is prudent to generalize the scope for future fast breeders. The key element of such a new fast breeder strategy would be the production of hydrogen by electrolysis or thermolysis or a combination of both. For example, methanol synthesized from hydrogen and residual fossil fuels would thus become economically attractive. The FBR breeding gain, on the other hand, would be used for the continued supply of LWRs generating electricity. The paper identifies order-of-magnitude considerations most important for such a fast breeder application against a global energy demand scenario for the year 2030. (author)

Predictable and Predictive Emotions:Explaining Cheap Signals and Trust Re-Extension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric eSchniter

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Despite normative predictions from economics and biology, unrelated strangers will often develop the trust necessary to reap gains from one-shot economic exchange opportunities. This appears to be especially true when declared intentions and emotions can be cheaply communicated. Perhaps even more puzzling to economists and biologists is the observation that anonymous and unrelated individuals, known to have breached trust, often make effective use of cheap signals, such as promises and apologies, to encourage trust re-extension. We used a pair of trust games with one-way communication and emotion surveys to investigate the role of emotions in regulating the propensity to message, apologize, re-extend trust, and demonstrate trustworthiness. This design allowed us to observe the endogenous emergence and natural distribution of trust-relevant behaviors, remedial strategies used by promise-breakers, their effects on behavior, and subsequent outcomes. We found that emotions triggered by interaction outcomes are predictable and also predict subsequent apology and trust re-extension. The role of emotions in behavioral regulation helps explain why messages are produced, when they can be trusted, and when trust will be re-extended.

Predictable and predictive emotions: explaining cheap signals and trust re-extension.

Science.gov (United States)

Schniter, Eric; Sheremeta, Roman M

2014-01-01

Despite normative predictions from economics and biology, unrelated strangers will often develop the trust necessary to reap gains from one-shot economic exchange opportunities. This appears to be especially true when declared intentions and emotions can be cheaply communicated. Perhaps even more puzzling to economists and biologists is the observation that anonymous and unrelated individuals, known to have breached trust, often make effective use of cheap signals, such as promises and apologies, to encourage trust re-extension. We used a pair of trust games with one-way communication and an emotion survey to investigate the role of emotions in regulating the propensity to message, apologize, re-extend trust, and demonstrate trustworthiness. This design allowed us to observe the endogenous emergence and natural distribution of trust-relevant behaviors, remedial strategies used by promise-breakers, their effects on behavior, and subsequent outcomes. We found that emotions triggered by interaction outcomes are predictable and also predict subsequent apology and trust re-extension. The role of emotions in behavioral regulation helps explain why messages are produced, when they can be trusted, and when trust will be re-extended.

Bio-oil from fast pyrolysis of lignin: Effects of process and upgrading parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Liangliang; Zhang, Yaning; Liu, Shiyu; Zhou, Nan; Chen, Paul; Cheng, Yanling; Addy, Min; Lu, Qian; Omar, Muhammad Mubashar; Liu, Yuhuan; Wang, Yunpu; Dai, Leilei; Anderson, Erik; Peng, Peng; Lei, Hanwu; Ruan, Roger

2017-10-01

Effects of process parameters on the yield and chemical profile of bio-oil from fast pyrolysis of lignin and the processes for lignin-derived bio-oil upgrading were reviewed. Various process parameters including pyrolysis temperature, reactor types, lignin characteristics, residence time, and feeding rate were discussed and the optimal parameter conditions for improved bio-oil yield and quality were concluded. In terms of lignin-derived bio-oil upgrading, three routes including pretreatment of lignin, catalytic upgrading, and co-pyrolysis of hydrogen-rich materials have been investigated. Zeolite cracking and hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) treatment are two main methods for catalytic upgrading of lignin-derived bio-oil. Factors affecting zeolite activity and the main zeolite catalytic mechanisms for lignin conversion were analyzed. Noble metal-based catalysts and metal sulfide catalysts are normally used as the HDO catalysts and the conversion mechanisms associated with a series of reactions have been proposed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Novel Active Online State of Charge Based Balancing Approach for Lithium-Ion Battery Packs during Fast Charging Process in Electric Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiudong Cui

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Non-uniformity of Lithium-ion cells in a battery pack is inevitable and has become the bottleneck to the pack capacity, especially in the fast charging process. Therefore, a balancing approach is essentially required. This paper proposes an active online cell balancing approach in a fast charging process using the state of charge (SOC as balancing criterion. The goal of this approach is to complete pack balancing within the limited charging time. An adaptive extended Kalman filter (AEKF is applied to estimate the pack cell SOC during the charging process to obtain accurate results under modeling errors and measurement noises. To implement the proposed AEKF, only one additional current sensor is required to obtain the current of each cell required for the SOC estimation. An experimental platform is established to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results show that the proposed balancing approach with the SOC as a balancing criterion can overcome the challenges of non-uniformity and flat voltage plateau and charge more capacity into a LiFePO4 battery pack than those with the terminal voltage as a balancing criterion in the fast charging process.

Revisit of analytical methods for the process and plant control analyses during reprocessing of fast reactor fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subba Rao, R.V.

2016-01-01

CORAL (COmpact facility for Reprocessing of Advanced fuels in Lead cell) is an experimental facility for demonstrating the reprocessing of irradiated fast reactor fuels discharged from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR). The objective of the reprocessing plant is to achieve nuclear grade plutonium and uranium oxides with minimum process waste volumes. The process flow sheet for the reprocessing of spent Fast Reactor Fuel consists of Transport of spent fuel, Chopping, Dissolution, Feed conditioning, Solvent Extraction cycle, Partitioning Cycle and Re-conversion of Plutonium nitrate and uranium nitrate to respective oxides. The efficiency and performance of the plant to achieve desired objective depends on the analyses of various species in the different steps adopted during reprocessing of fuels. The analytical requirements in the plant can be broadly classified as 1. Process control Analyses (Analyses which effect the performance of the plant- PCA); 2. Plant control Analyses (Analyses which indicates efficiency of the plant-PLCA); 3. Nuclear Material Accounting samples (Analyses which has bearing on nuclear material accounting in the plant - NUMAC) and Quality control Analyses (Quality of the input bulk chemicals as well as products - QCA). The analytical methods selected are based on the duration of analyses, precision and accuracies required for each type analytical requirement classified earlier. The process and plant control analyses requires lower precision and accuracies as compared to NUMAC analyses, which requires very high precision accuracy. The time taken for analyses should be as lower as possible for process and plant control analyses as compared to NUMAC analyses. The analytical methods required for determining U and Pu in process and plant samples from FRFR will be different as compared to samples from TRFR (Thermal Reactor Fuel Reprocessing) due to higher Pu to U ratio in FRFR as compared TRFR and they should be such that they can be easily

The AMchip04 and the Processing Unit Prototype for the FastTracker

CERN Document Server

Andreani, A; The ATLAS collaboration; Beretta, M; Bogdan, M; Citterio, M; Alberti, F; Giannetti, P; Lanza, A; Magalotti, D; Piendibene, M; Shochet, M; Stabile, A; Tang, J; Tompkins, L; Volpi, G

2012-01-01

Modern experiments search for extremely rare processes hidden in much larger background levels. As the experiment complexity and the accelerator backgrounds and luminosity increase we need increasingly complex and exclusive selections. We present the first prototype of a new Processing Unit, the core of the FastTracker processor for Atlas, whose computing power is such that a couple of hundreds of them will be able to reconstruct all the tracks with transverse momentum above 1 GeV in the ATLAS events up to Phase II instantaneous luminosities (5×1034 cm-2 s-1) with an event input rate of 100 kHz and a latency below hundreds of microseconds. We plan extremely powerful, very compact and low consumption units for the far future, essential to increase efficiency and purity of the Level 2 selected samples through the intensive use of tracking. This strategy requires massive computing power to minimize the online execution time of complex tracking algorithms. The time consuming pattern recognition problem, generall...

Fast simulation of reconstructed phylogenies under global time-dependent birth-death processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Höhna, Sebastian

2013-06-01

Diversification rates and patterns may be inferred from reconstructed phylogenies. Both the time-dependent and the diversity-dependent birth-death process can produce the same observed patterns of diversity over time. To develop and test new models describing the macro-evolutionary process of diversification, generic and fast algorithms to simulate under these models are necessary. Simulations are not only important for testing and developing models but play an influential role in the assessment of model fit. In the present article, I consider as the model a global time-dependent birth-death process where each species has the same rates but rates may vary over time. For this model, I derive the likelihood of the speciation times from a reconstructed phylogenetic tree and show that each speciation event is independent and identically distributed. This fact can be used to simulate efficiently reconstructed phylogenetic trees when conditioning on the number of species, the time of the process or both. I show the usability of the simulation by approximating the posterior predictive distribution of a birth-death process with decreasing diversification rates applied on a published bird phylogeny (family Cettiidae). The methods described in this manuscript are implemented in the R package TESS, available from the repository CRAN (http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/TESS/). Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Fast Physics Testbed for the FASTER Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, W.; Liu, Y.; Hogan, R.; Neggers, R.; Jensen, M.; Fridlind, A.; Lin, Y.; Wolf, A.

2010-03-15

This poster describes the Fast Physics Testbed for the new FAst-physics System Testbed and Research (FASTER) project. The overall objective is to provide a convenient and comprehensive platform for fast turn-around model evaluation against ARM observations and to facilitate development of parameterizations for cloud-related fast processes represented in global climate models. The testbed features three major components: a single column model (SCM) testbed, an NWP-Testbed, and high-resolution modeling (HRM). The web-based SCM-Testbed features multiple SCMs from major climate modeling centers and aims to maximize the potential of SCM approach to enhance and accelerate the evaluation and improvement of fast physics parameterizations through continuous evaluation of existing and evolving models against historical as well as new/improved ARM and other complementary measurements. The NWP-Testbed aims to capitalize on the large pool of operational numerical weather prediction products. Continuous evaluations of NWP forecasts against observations at ARM sites are carried out to systematically identify the biases and skills of physical parameterizations under all weather conditions. The highresolution modeling (HRM) activities aim to simulate the fast processes at high resolution to aid in the understanding of the fast processes and their parameterizations. A four-tier HRM framework is established to augment the SCM- and NWP-Testbeds towards eventual improvement of the parameterizations.

Preparation of processed nuclear data libraries for thermal, fast and fusion research and power reactor applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganesan, S.

1994-03-01

A Consultants Meeting on ''Preparation of Processed Nuclear Data Libraries for Thermal, Fast and Fusion Research and Power Reactor Applications'' was convened by the International Atomic Energy Agency and held during December 13-16, 1993 December 8-10, 1993 at the IAEA Headquarters, Vienna. The detailed agenda, the complete list of participants and the recommendations are presented in this report. (author)

The Future Evolution of the Fast TracKer Processing Unit

CERN Document Server

Gentsos, Christos; The ATLAS collaboration; Magalotti, Daniel; Bertolucci, Federico; Citraro, Saverio; Kordas, Kostantinos; Nikolaidis, Spyridon

2016-01-01

Real time tracking is a key ingredient for online event selection at hadron colliders. The Silicon Vertex Tracker at the CDF experiment and the Fast Tracker (FTK) at ATLAS are two successful examples of the importance of dedicated hardware to reconstruct full events at hadron machines. We present the future evolution of this technology, for applications in the High Luminosity runs at the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). Data processing speed is achieved with custom VLSI pattern recognition and linearized track fitting executed inside modern FPGAs, exploiting deep pipelining, extensive parallelism, and efficient use of available resources. In the current system, one large FPGA executed track fitting in full resolution inside low resolution candidate tracks found by a set of custom ASIC devices, called Associative Memories (AM chips). The FTK dual structure, based on the cooperation of VLSI AM and programmable FPGAs, is maintained, but we plan to increase the FPGA parallelism by associating one FPGA to each AM c...

The Future Evolution of the Fast TracKer Processing Unit

CERN Document Server

Gentsos, Christos; The ATLAS collaboration; Magalotti, Daniel; Bertolucci, Federico; Citraro, Saverio; Kordas, Kostantinos; Nikolaidis, Spyridon

2015-01-01

Real time tracking is a key ingredient for online event selection at hadron colliders. The Silicon Vertex Tracker at the CDF experiment and the Fast Tracker (FTK) at ATLAS are two successful examples of the importance of dedicated hardware to reconstruct full events at hadron machines. We present the future evolution of this technology, for applications in the High Luminosity runs at the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). Data processing speed is achieved with custom VLSI pattern recognition and linearized track fitting executed inside modern FPGAs, exploiting deep pipelining, extensive parallelism, and efficient use of available resources. In the current system, one large FPGA executed track fitting in full resolution inside low resolution candidate tracks found by a set of custom ASIC devices, called Associative Memories (AM chips). The FTK dual structure, based on the cooperation of VLSI AM and programmable FPGAs, is maintained, but we plan to increase the FPGA parallelism by associating one FPGA to each AM c...

Substrates adoption methodology (SAM) to achieve “Fast, Flexible, Future (F3)” pharmaceutical production processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Singh, Ravendra; Rozada-Sanchez, Raquel; Wrate, Tim

within the template. In this way the substrates adoption methodology helps to achieve “fast, flexible, future (F3)” pharmaceutical production processes by adapting a recently designed generic modular process-plant. The supporting tools for the substrate adoption are: (1) an ontological knowledge......There is a significant cost associated with process development of a portfolio of pharmaceutical products, few of which will reach the market. Continuous processing will increase the “chemical space” which can increase development efficiency. For example one, particularly attractive option...... is to develop manufacturing processes based on modular continuous systems; a flexible generic continuous modular plant which can be adapted for different substrates. In the work reported here, a substrates adoption methodology (SAM) has been developed. The proposed SAM identifies the necessary changes...

When fast logic meets slow belief: Evidence for a parallel-processing model of belief bias

OpenAIRE

Trippas, Dries; Thompson, Valerie A.; Handley, Simon J.

2016-01-01

Two experiments pitted the default-interventionist account of belief bias against a parallel-processing model. According to the former, belief bias occurs because a fast, belief-based evaluation of the conclusion pre-empts a working-memory demanding logical analysis. In contrast, according to the latter both belief-based and logic-based responding occur in parallel. Participants were given deductive reasoning problems of variable complexity and instructed to decide whether the conclusion was ...

Prolonged fasting impairs neural reactivity to visual stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohn, N; Wassenberg, A; Toygar, T; Kellermann, T; Weidenfeld, C; Berthold-Losleben, M; Chechko, N; Orfanos, S; Vocke, S; Laoutidis, Z G; Schneider, F; Karges, W; Habel, U

2016-01-01

Previous literature has shown that hypoglycemia influences the intensity of the BOLD signal. A similar but smaller effect may also be elicited by low normal blood glucose levels in healthy individuals. This may not only confound the BOLD signal measured in fMRI, but also more generally interact with cognitive processing, and thus indirectly influence fMRI results. Here we show in a placebo-controlled, crossover, double-blind study on 40 healthy subjects, that overnight fasting and low normal levels of glucose contrasted to an activated, elevated glucose condition have an impact on brain activation during basal visual stimulation. Additionally, functional connectivity of the visual cortex shows a strengthened association with higher-order attention-related brain areas in an elevated blood glucose condition compared to the fasting condition. In a fasting state visual brain areas show stronger coupling to the inferior temporal gyrus. Results demonstrate that prolonged overnight fasting leads to a diminished BOLD signal in higher-order occipital processing areas when compared to an elevated blood glucose condition. Additionally, functional connectivity patterns underscore the modulatory influence of fasting on visual brain networks. Patterns of brain activation and functional connectivity associated with a broad range of attentional processes are affected by maturation and aging and associated with psychiatric disease and intoxication. Thus, we conclude that prolonged fasting may decrease fMRI design sensitivity in any task involving attentional processes when fasting status or blood glucose is not controlled.

Sistem Gesture Accelerometer dengan Metode Fast Dynamic Time Warping (FastDTW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sam Farisa Chaerul Haviana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the modern environment, the interaction between humans and computers require a more natural form of interaction. Therefore, it is important to be able to build a system that can meet these demands, such as by building a hand gesture recognition system or gesture to create a more natural form of interaction. This study aims to design a smartphone’s accelerometer gesture system as human computer interaction interfaces using FastDTW (Fast Dynamic Time Warping.The result of this study is form of gesture interaction which implemented in a system that can make the process of recognition of the human hand movements based on a smartphone accelerometer which generates a command to run the media player application functions as a case study. FastDTW as the development of Dynamic Time Warping method (DTW is able to compute faster than DTW and have an accuracy approaching DTW. From the test results, FastDTW show a fairly high degree of accuracy reached 86% and showed a better computing speed compared to DTW   Keywords: Human and Computer Interaction, Accelerometer-based gesture, FastDTW, Media player application function

Fast image acquisition and processing on a TV camera-based portal imaging system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baier, K.; Meyer, J.

2005-01-01

The present paper describes the fast acquisition and processing of portal images directly from a TV camera-based portal imaging device (Siemens Beamview Plus trademark). This approach employs not only hard- and software included in the standard package installed by the manufacturer (in particular the frame grabber card and the Matrox(tm) Intellicam interpreter software), but also a software tool developed in-house for further processing and analysis of the images. The technical details are presented, including the source code for the Matrox trademark interpreter script that enables the image capturing process. With this method it is possible to obtain raw images directly from the frame grabber card at an acquisition rate of 15 images per second. The original configuration by the manufacturer allows the acquisition of only a few images over the course of a treatment session. The approach has a wide range of applications, such as quality assurance (QA) of the radiation beam, real-time imaging, real-time verification of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) fields, and generation of movies of the radiation field (fluoroscopy mode). (orig.)

Assessment of the Dry Processed Oxide Fuel in Liquid Metal Fast Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roh, Gyu Hong; Choi, Hang Bok

2005-09-15

The neutronic feasibility of the dry process oxide fuel was assessed for the sodium-cooled and lead-cooled fast reactors (SFR and LFR, respectively), which were recommended as Generation-IV (Gen-IV) reactor systems by the Gen-IV international forum. The reactor analysis was performed for the equilibrium fuel cycle of two core configurations: Hybrid BN-600 benchmark core with an enlarged lattice pitch and a modified BN-600 core. The dry process technology assumed in this study is the molten-salt process, which was developed by Russian scientists for recycling oxide fuels. The core calculation was performed by the REBUS-3 code and the reactor characteristics such as the transuranic (TRU) enrichment, breeding ratio, peak linear power, burnup reactivity swing, etc. were calculated for the equilibrium core under a fixed fuel management scheme. The results showed that a fissile self-sustainable breakeven core was achievable without blanket fuels when the fuel volume fraction was {approx}50% and most of the fission products were removed. If the design criteria used in this study is proved to be acceptable through a detailed physics design and thermal hydraulic analysis in the future, it is practically possible to construct an equilibrium fuel cycle of the SFR and LFR systems based on the oxide fuel by utilizing the dry process technology.

Assessment of the Dry Processed Oxide Fuel in Liquid Metal Fast Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roh, Gyu Hong; Choi, Hang Bok

2005-09-01

The neutronic feasibility of the dry process oxide fuel was assessed for the sodium-cooled and lead-cooled fast reactors (SFR and LFR, respectively), which were recommended as Generation-IV (Gen-IV) reactor systems by the Gen-IV international forum. The reactor analysis was performed for the equilibrium fuel cycle of two core configurations: Hybrid BN-600 benchmark core with an enlarged lattice pitch and a modified BN-600 core. The dry process technology assumed in this study is the molten-salt process, which was developed by Russian scientists for recycling oxide fuels. The core calculation was performed by the REBUS-3 code and the reactor characteristics such as the transuranic (TRU) enrichment, breeding ratio, peak linear power, burnup reactivity swing, etc. were calculated for the equilibrium core under a fixed fuel management scheme. The results showed that a fissile self-sustainable breakeven core was achievable without blanket fuels when the fuel volume fraction was ∼50% and most of the fission products were removed. If the design criteria used in this study is proved to be acceptable through a detailed physics design and thermal hydraulic analysis in the future, it is practically possible to construct an equilibrium fuel cycle of the SFR and LFR systems based on the oxide fuel by utilizing the dry process technology

Fast Pyrolysis of Four Lignins from Different Isolation Processes Using Py-GC/MS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaona Lin

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Pyrolysis is a promising approach that is being investigated to convert lignin into higher value products including biofuels and phenolic chemicals. In this study, fast pyrolysis of four types of lignin, including milled Amur linden wood lignin (MWL, enzymatic hydrolysis corn stover lignin (EHL, wheat straw alkali lignin (AL and wheat straw sulfonate lignin (SL, were performed using pyrolysis gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA showed that the four lignins exhibited widely different thermolysis behaviors. The four lignins had similar functional groups according to the FTIR analysis. Syringyl, guaiacyl and p-hydroxyphenylpropane structural units were broken down during pyrolysis. Fast pyrolysis product distributions from the four lignins depended strongly on the lignin origin and isolation process. Phenols were the most abundant pyrolysis products from MWL, EHL and AL. However, SL produced a large number of furan compounds and sulfur compounds originating from kraft pulping. The effects of pyrolysis temperature and time on the product distributions from corn stover EHL were also studied. At 350 °C, EHL pyrolysis mainly produced acids and alcohols, while phenols became the main products at higher temperature. No obvious influence of pyrolysis time was observed on EHL pyrolysis product distributions.

FAST: FAST Analysis of Sequences Toolbox

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Travis J. Lawrence

2015-05-01

Full Text Available FAST (FAST Analysis of Sequences Toolbox provides simple, powerful open source command-line tools to filter, transform, annotate and analyze biological sequence data. Modeled after the GNU (GNU’s Not Unix Textutils such as grep, cut, and tr, FAST tools such as fasgrep, fascut, and fastr make it easy to rapidly prototype expressive bioinformatic workflows in a compact and generic command vocabulary. Compact combinatorial encoding of data workflows with FAST commands can simplify the documentation and reproducibility of bioinformatic protocols, supporting better transparency in biological data science. Interface self-consistency and conformity with conventions of GNU, Matlab, Perl, BioPerl, R and GenBank help make FAST easy and rewarding to learn. FAST automates numerical, taxonomic, and text-based sorting, selection and transformation of sequence records and alignment sites based on content, index ranges, descriptive tags, annotated features, and in-line calculated analytics, including composition and codon usage. Automated content- and feature-based extraction of sites and support for molecular population genetic statistics makes FAST useful for molecular evolutionary analysis. FAST is portable, easy to install and secure thanks to the relative maturity of its Perl and BioPerl foundations, with stable releases posted to CPAN. Development as well as a publicly accessible Cookbook and Wiki are available on the FAST GitHub repository at https://github.com/tlawrence3/FAST. The default data exchange format in FAST is Multi-FastA (specifically, a restriction of BioPerl FastA format. Sanger and Illumina 1.8+ FastQ formatted files are also supported. FAST makes it easier for non-programmer biologists to interactively investigate and control biological data at the speed of thought.

Development of a fast, lean and agile direct pelletization process using experimental design techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Politis, Stavros N; Rekkas, Dimitrios M

2017-04-01

A novel hot melt direct pelletization method was developed, characterized and optimized, using statistical thinking and experimental design tools. Mixtures of carnauba wax (CW) and HPMC K100M were spheronized using melted gelucire 50-13 as a binding material (BM). Experimentation was performed sequentially; a fractional factorial design was set up initially to screen the factors affecting the process, namely spray rate, quantity of BM, rotor speed, type of rotor disk, lubricant-glidant presence, additional spheronization time, powder feeding rate and quantity. From the eight factors assessed, three were further studied during process optimization (spray rate, quantity of BM and powder feeding rate), at different ratios of the solid mixture of CW and HPMC K100M. The study demonstrated that the novel hot melt process is fast, efficient, reproducible and predictable. Therefore, it can be adopted in a lean and agile manufacturing setting for the production of flexible pellet dosage forms with various release rates easily customized between immediate and modified delivery.

Reprocessing of fast neutron reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourgeois, M.

1981-05-01

A PUREX process specially adapted to fast neutron reactor fuels is employed. The results obtained indicate that the aqueous process can be applied to this type of fuel: almost 10 years operation at the AT 1 plant which processes fuel from RAPSODIE; the good results obtained at the MARCOULE pilot plant on large batches of reference fuels. The CEA is continuing its work to transfer this technology onto an industrial scale. Industrial prototypes and the launching of the TOR (traitement d'oxydes rapides) project will facilitate this transfer. In 1984, it is expected that fast fuels will be able to be processed on a significant scale and that supplementary R and D facilities will be available [fr

Recent developments and applications of fast position-sensitive gas detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauli, Fabio

1999-01-01

The introduction, 30 years ago, of the multiwire proportional chamber initiated a very active and fruitful period of development of fast gas detectors. Performing position-sensitive devices have been perfected, for the needs of elementary particle physics and for applications in medical diagnostics, biology, material analysis. The high rate performance of wire counters, limited by positive ions accumulation, was largely improved with the introduction of the micro-strip gas chamber, capable of achieving position accuracies of few tens of microns at radiation fluxes exceeding 1 MHz/mm 2 . The micro-strip chamber properties have been extensively studied in view of large scale use in high luminosity experiments; some interesting applications in other fields will be described here. Originally conceived as a gain booster to solve reliability problems met with micro-strips, the gas electron multiplier was invented about a year and a half ago. Progress made with high gain models is leading to a new concept in gas detectors, powerful yet cheap and reliable. Possible developments and applications will be discussed: large area position-sensitive photo detectors and X-ray imagers, including devices with non-planar geometry suited to spectrometers and crystal diffraction studies

Pilot studies of an extraction process for reprocessing of spent fuel from fast reactors: Hardware and process details of extractor selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anisimov, V.I.; Pavlovich, V.B.; Smetanin, E.Ya.; Glazunov, N.V.; Shklyar, L.I.; Dubrovskii, V.G.; Serov, A.V.; Zakharkin, B.S.; Konorchenko, V.D.; Korotkov, I.A.; Neumoev, N.V.; Renard, E.V.

1992-01-01

While acknowledging the bold and persistent efforts of U.S. and Russian specialists to develop the concept of pyrochemical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel from fast reactors on remote-controlled equipment for removal of actinides from the fission products one should recognize that the tasks of reprocessing such fuel can be handled only by using water-extraction technology, especially since the known Purex process continues to be improved to the point that a single-cycle scheme may be developed. This article presents results of pilot studies conducted in hot cells using multistage extractors in continuous counterflow operation; data on various extractor types used in reprocessing spent mixed oxide nuclear fuel; advantages and disadvantages of centrifugal and pulsed column extractor; comparison of column-type and centrifugal extractors; and extraction process

Fast breeder project (PSB)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-07-01

Activities performed during the 1st quarter of 1976 at or on behalf of the Gesellschaft fuer Kernforschung mbH, Karlsruhe, within the framework of the Fast Breeder Project are given a survey. The following project subdivisions are dealt with: Fuel rod development; materials testing and developments; corrosion studies and coolant analyses; physical experiments; reactor theory; safety of fast breeders; instrumentation and signal processing for core monitoring; effects on the environment; sodium technology tests; thermodynamic and fluid flow tests in gas. (HR) [de

Chemo-tolerance and sensitization by short-term fasting: The autophagy connection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustav Van Niekerk

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Preclinical studies suggest that fasting prior to chemotherapy may be an effective strategy to protect patients against the adverse effects of chemo-toxicity. Fasting may also sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy. It is further suggested that fasting may similarly augment the efficacy of oncolytic viral therapy. The primary mechanism mediating these beneficial effects is thought to relate to the fact that fasting results in a decrease of circulating growth factors. In turn, such fasting cues would prompt normal cells to redirect energy towards cell maintenance and repair processes, rather than growth and proliferation. However, fasting is also known to up-regulate autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved catabolic process that is up-regulated in response to various cell stressors. Here we review a number of mechanisms by which fasting-induced autophagy may have an impact on both chemo-tolerance and chemo-sensitization. Firstly, fasting may exert a protective effect by mobilizing autophagic components prior to chemo-induction. In turn, the autophagic apparatus can be repurposed for removing cellular components damaged by chemotherapy. Autophagy also plays a key role in epitope expression as well as in modulating inflammation. Chemo-sensitization resulting from fasting may in fact be an effect of enhanced immune surveillance as a result of better autophagy-dependent epitope processing. Finally, autophagy is involved in host defense against viruses, and aspects of the autophagic process are also often targets for viral subversion. Consequently, altering autophagic flux by fasting may alter viral infectivity. These observations suggest that fasting-induced autophagy may have an impact on therapeutic efficacy in various oncological contexts.

Liquid fuels from Canadian peat by the Waterloo fast pyrolysis process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piskorz, J.; Majerski, P.; Scott, D.S. (Univ. of Waterloo, ON (Canada))

1990-06-01

Two Quebec peats were pyrolyzed in the Waterloo fast pyrolysis process with the objective of maximizing liquid yields. A young sphagnum peat gave maximum organic liquid yields of 45-47% in an optimum range of 450-550{degree}C and 1 atm pressure. Char yields varied from 35% to 26% and gas yields from 12% to 17% over the range. The character of the liquid product changed significantly over the optimum temperature range, with the ratio of water soluble to water insoluble components decreasing from 2.3 to 0.6 as temperature increased, with an accompanying decrease in oxygen content. Pyrolytic oil yields from an old black peat gave similar results, although with somewhat lower yields of organic liquids. Char yield was somewhat higher (33%) at optimum conditions, but gas yield was nearly identical. Upgrading tests of the peat oil obtained a yield of ca 33% of the liquid feed as a gasoline-like liquid under hydrodeoxygenation conditions. 7 refs., 11 figs., 6 tabs.

A double stage dry-wet-fermentation process for a fast and safe digestion of different kinds of organic material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busch, G.; Sieber, M.; Buschmann, J.; Burkhardat, M.

2009-01-01

The fermentation of organic material is a four-step-process. It is admissible to merge the first two steps (hydrolysis and acidification) to hydrolysis in general and the last two steps (aceto genesis and methano genesis) to methano genesis. The Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus has devised a double stage dry-wet-fermentation process for fast and safe anaerobic degradation. Using these processes, it is possible to decompose different kinds of organic material like renewable material (e. g. maize silage), waste (e. g. household-waste) and industrial material (e. g. glycerine). (Author)

Losses of neutral injected fast ions due to adiabaticity breaking processes in a field-reversed configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Toshiki; Inoue, Koji; Ishizuka, Takashi; Kondoh, Yoshiomi; Iwasawa, Naotaka

2004-02-01

Losses of neutral beam (NB) injected fast ions from the confinement region of a Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) with a strong magnetic mirror are numerically analyzed for parameters relevant to NB injection experiments on the FIX (FRC injection experiment) device [T. Asai et al., Phys. Plasmas 7, 2294 (2000)]. Ionization processes of beam particles are calculated by the Monte Carlo method. The confinement of beam ions is discussed with the concept of accessible regions that restrict the ion excursion and are determined from two constants of motion, the kinetic energy and canonical angular momentum, in the case of an axisymmetric and a steady state FRC without an electrostatic field. From the calculation of the accessible regions, it is found that all the fast ions suffer from the orbit loss on the wall surface and/or the end loss. Single particle orbits are also calculated to find a difference of confinement properties from the results by employing the accessible regions. The magnetic moment is observed to show non-adiabatic motions of the beam ions, which cause a gradual orbit loss on the wall even in a case that a strong magnetic mirror is applied. The results show that the correlation of the magnetic moment disappears as the fast ions experience the density gradient around the separatrix surface and the field-null points. (author)

ATLAS Fast Physics Monitoring: TADA

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00375930; The ATLAS collaboration; Elsing, Markus

2017-01-01

The ATLAS experiment at the LHC is recording data from proton-proton collisions with 13 TeV center-of-mass energy since spring 2015. The collaboration is using a fast physics monitoring framework (TADA) to automatically perform a broad range of fast searches for early signs of new physics and to monitor the data quality across the year with the full analysis level calibrations applied to the rapidly growing data.TADA is designed to provide fast feedback directly after the collected data has been fully calibrated and processed at the Tier-0, the CERN Data Center. The system can monitor a large range of physics channels, offline data quality and physics performance quantities nearly final analysis level object calibrations. TADA output is available on a website accessible by the whole collaboration that gets updated twice a day with the data from newly processed runs. Hints of potentially interesting physics signals or performance issues identified in this way are reported to be followed up by physics or combin...

ATLAS Fast Physics Monitoring: TADA

CERN Document Server

Elsing, Markus; The ATLAS collaboration; Sabato, Gabriele; Kamioka, Shusei; Nairz, Armin Michael; Moyse, Edward; Gumpert, Christian

2016-01-01

The ATLAS Experiment at the LHC is recording data from proton-proton collisions with 13 TeV center-of-mass energy since spring 2015. The collaboration is using a fast physics monitoring framework (TADA) to automatically perform a broad range of fast searches for early signs of new physics and to monitor the data quality across the year with the full analysis level calibrations applied to the rapidly growing data. TADA is designed to provide fast feedback directly after the collected data has been fully calibrated and processed at the Tier-0. The system can monitor a large range of physics channels, offline data quality and physics performance quantities nearly final analysis level object calibrations. TADA output is available on a website accessible by the whole collaboration that gets updated twice a day with the data from newly processed runs. Hints of potentially interesting physics signals or performance issues identified in this way are reported to be followed up by physics or combined performance groups...

Cubic superparamagnetic nanoparticles of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} via fast microwave heating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galvão, W. S.; Freire, R. M. [Universidade Federal do Ceará–UFC, Grupo de Química de Materiais Avançados (GQMAT), Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química (Brazil); Ribeiro, T. S.; Vasconcelos, I. F. [Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Engenharia Metalúrgica e de Materiais (Brazil); Costa, L. S. [State University of Campinas–UNICAMP, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry (Brazil); Freire, V. N.; Sales, F. A. M. [Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Física, Centro de Ciências (Brazil); Denardin, J. C. [Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Departamento de Física (Chile); Fechine, P. B. A., E-mail: fechine@ufc.br [Universidade Federal do Ceará–UFC, Grupo de Química de Materiais Avançados (GQMAT), Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química (Brazil)

2014-12-15

This study demonstrated the possibility of using microwave heating as a fast and cheap method for synthesizing superparamagnetic nanoparticles. In this sense, NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} samples were subjected to microwave heating at various temperatures to determine the lowest temperature at which the crystalline phase of the nanoparticles occurs. X-Ray powder diffraction, {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy of the samples were performed to confirm the formed nanoparticles. It was observed a cubic structure of inverse spinel type with good crystallinity. The magnetic properties of the samples were studied using a vibrating sample magnetometer and was found to zero values to remanent magnetization and coercivity field. This behavior suggests superparamagnetic features for all samples. The crystallite size (9, 10, and 12 nm) and saturation magnetization (31–45 emu/g) were used as a function of the increase of the temperature treatment time. Blocking temperature was found by tracing remanent magnetization versus temperature.

[Fast Detection of Camellia Sinensis Growth Process and Tea Quality Informations with Spectral Technology: A Review].

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Ji-yu; Song, Xing-lin; Liu, Fei; Bao, Yi-dan; He, Yong

2016-03-01

The research achievements and trends of spectral technology in fast detection of Camellia sinensis growth process information and tea quality information were being reviewed. Spectral technology is a kind of fast, nondestructive, efficient detection technology, which mainly contains infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy. The rapid detection of Camellia sinensis growth process information and tea quality is helpful to realize the informatization and automation of tea production and ensure the tea quality and safety. This paper provides a review on its applications containing the detection of tea (Camellia sinensis) growing status(nitrogen, chlorophyll, diseases and insect pest), the discrimination of tea varieties, the grade discrimination of tea, the detection of tea internal quality (catechins, total polyphenols, caffeine, amino acid, pesticide residual and so on), the quality evaluation of tea beverage and tea by-product, the machinery of tea quality determination and discrimination. This paper briefly introduces the trends of the technology of the determination of tea growth process information, sensor and industrial application. In conclusion, spectral technology showed high potential to detect Camellia sinensis growth process information, to predict tea internal quality and to classify tea varieties and grades. Suitable chemometrics and preprocessing methods is helpful to improve the performance of the model and get rid of redundancy, which provides the possibility to develop the portable machinery. Future work is to develop the portable machinery and on-line detection system is recommended to improve the further application. The application and research achievement of spectral technology concerning about tea were outlined in this paper for the first time, which contained Camellia sinensis growth, tea production, the quality and safety of tea and by-produce and so on, as well as some problems to be solved

Methane and carbon dioxide ratio in excreted air for quantification of the methane production from ruminants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Jørgen; Bjerg, Bjarne Schmidt; Hvelplund, Torben

2010-01-01

This technical note presents a simple, fast, reliable and cheap method to estimate the methane (CH4) production from animals by using the CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in air near the animals combined with an estimation of the total CO2 production from information on intake of metab......This technical note presents a simple, fast, reliable and cheap method to estimate the methane (CH4) production from animals by using the CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in air near the animals combined with an estimation of the total CO2 production from information on intake...

Portable pulse X-ray micro and nanosecond range apparatus for studying fast-going processes in opaque media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goganov, D.A.; Komyak, N.I.; Pelix, E.A.

Pulse X-radiography (X-ray flash duration in the order of 10 -6 -10 -9 sec) is the principal method for studying fast-going processes in opaque media by serial and parallel radiographic imaging. Description is given and main features are outlined of pulse X-ray apparatus IRA-4b, 5b, 6b producing X-radiation flashes from 0.3 μsec to 10-20 nsec in duration

Fast and accurate inductance and coupling calculation for a multi-layer Nb process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fourie, Coenrad J; Takahashi, Akitomo; Yoshikawa, Nobuyuki

2015-01-01

Currently, fabrication processes for superconductive integrated circuits are moving to multiple wiring and shielding layers, some of which are placed below the main ground plane (GP) and device layers. The Advanced Industrial Science and Technology advanced process (ADP2) was the first such multi-layer Nb process with planarized passive transmission line and GP layers below the junction layer, and is at the time of writing still the most developed. This process allows complex circuit designs, and accurate inductance extraction helps to push the boundaries of the layouts possible. We show that the position of ground connections between ground layers influences the inductance of structures for which these GPs act as return path, and that this needs to be accounted for in modelling. However, due to the number of wiring layers and GPs, full layout modelling of large cells causes long calculation times. In this paper we discuss methods with which to reduce model size, and calibrate InductEx calculations using these methods against measured results. We show that model reduction followed by calibration results in fast calculation times while good accuracy is maintained. We also show that InductEx correctly handles coupling between conductors in a multi-layer layout, and how to model layouts to gauge unwanted coupling between power lines and single flux quantum electronics. (paper)

Improving abdomen tumor low-dose CT images using a fast dictionary learning based processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Yang; Shi Luyao; Shu Huazhong; Luo Limin; Coatrieux, Jean-Louis; Yin Xindao; Toumoulin, Christine

2013-01-01

In abdomen computed tomography (CT), repeated radiation exposures are often inevitable for cancer patients who receive surgery or radiotherapy guided by CT images. Low-dose scans should thus be considered in order to avoid the harm of accumulative x-ray radiation. This work is aimed at improving abdomen tumor CT images from low-dose scans by using a fast dictionary learning (DL) based processing. Stemming from sparse representation theory, the proposed patch-based DL approach allows effective suppression of both mottled noise and streak artifacts. The experiments carried out on clinical data show that the proposed method brings encouraging improvements in abdomen low-dose CT images with tumors. (paper)

The software-defined fast post-processing for GEM soft x-ray diagnostics in the Tungsten Environment in Steady-state Tokamak thermal fusion reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Krawczyk, Rafał Dominik; Czarski, Tomasz; Linczuk, Paweł; Wojeński, Andrzej; Kolasiński, Piotr; GÄ ska, Michał; Chernyshova, Maryna; Mazon, Didier; Jardin, Axel; Malard, Philippe; Poźniak, Krzysztof; Kasprowicz, Grzegorz; Zabołotny, Wojciech; Kowalska-Strzeciwilk, Ewa; Malinowski, Karol

2018-06-01

This article presents a novel software-defined server-based solutions that were introduced in the fast, real-time computation systems for soft X-ray diagnostics for the WEST (Tungsten Environment in Steady-state Tokamak) reactor in Cadarache, France. The objective of the research was to provide a fast processing of data at high throughput and with low latencies for investigating the interplay between the particle transport and magnetohydrodynamic activity. The long-term objective is to implement in the future a fast feedback signal in the reactor control mechanisms to sustain the fusion reaction. The implemented electronic measurement device is anticipated to be deployed in the WEST. A standalone software-defined computation engine was designed to handle data collected at high rates in the server back-end of the system. Signals are obtained from the front-end field-programmable gate array mezzanine cards that acquire and perform a selection from the gas electron multiplier detector. A fast, authorial library for plasma diagnostics was written in C++. It originated from reference offline MATLAB implementations. They were redesigned for runtime analysis during the experiment in the novel online modes of operation. The implementation allowed the benchmarking, evaluation, and optimization of plasma processing algorithms with the possibility to check the consistency with reference computations written in MATLAB. The back-end software and hardware architecture are presented with data evaluation mechanisms. The online modes of operation for the WEST are discussed. The results concerning the performance of the processing and the introduced functionality are presented.

Development of a very fast spectral response measurement system for analysis of hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells and modules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodríguez, J.A.; Fortes, M.; Alberte, C.; Vetter, M.; Andreu, J.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Spectral response equipment for measuring a-Si:H solar cells in a few seconds. ► Equipment based on 16 LEDs with simultaneous illumination of the solar cell. ► The current generated by each LED is analyzed by a Fast Fourier Transform. ► Cheap equipment without lock-in technology for the current measurement. ► Measurement error vs. conventional measurement less than 1% in J sc . - Abstract: An important requirement for a very fast spectral response measurement system is the simultaneous illumination of the solar cell at multiple well defined wavelengths. Nowadays this can be done by means of light emitting diodes (LEDs) available for a multitude of wavelengths. For the purpose to measure the spectral response (SR) of amorphous silicon solar cells a detailed characterization of LEDs emitting in the wavelength range from 300 nm to 800 nm was performed. In the here developed equipment the LED illumination is modulated in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 200 Hz and the current generated by each LED is analyzed by a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to determine the current component corresponding to each wavelength. The equipment provides a signal to noise ratio of 2–4 orders of magnitude for individual wavelengths resulting in a precise measurement of the SR over the whole wavelength range. The difference of the short circuit current determined from the SR is less than 1% in comparison to a conventional system with monochromator.

Chemical reactions induced by fast neutron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katsumura, Y.

1989-01-01

Here, several studies on fast neutron irradiation effects carried out at the reactor 'YAYOI' are presented. Some indicate a significant difference in the effect from those by γ-ray irradiation but others do not, and the difference changes from subject to subject which we observed. In general, chemical reactions induced by fast neutron irradiation expand in space and time, and there are many aspects. In the time region just after the deposition of neutron energy in the system, intermediates are formed densely and locally reflecting high LET of fast neutrons and, with time, successive reactions proceed parallel to dissipation of localized energy and to diffusion of the intermediates. Finally the reactions are completed in longer time region. If we pick up the effects which reserve the locality of the initial processes, a significant different effect between in fast neutron radiolysis and in γ-ray radiolysis would be derived. If we observe the products generated after dissipation and diffusion in longer time region, a clear difference would not be observed. Therefore, in order to understand the fast neutron irradiation effects, it is necessary to know the fundamental processes of the reactions induced by radiations. (author)

Fast-neutron coincidence-counter manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ensslin, N.; Atwell, T.L.; Lee, D.M.; Erkkila, B.; Marshall, R.S.; Morgan, A.; Shonrock, C.; Tippens, B.; Van Lyssel, T.

1982-03-01

The fast neutron counter (FNC) described in this report is a computer-based assay system employing fast-pulse counting instrumentation. It is installed below a glove box in the metal electrorefining area of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Processing Facility. The instrument was designed to assay plutonium salts and residues from this process and to verify the mass of electrorefined metal. Los Alamos National Laboratory Groups Q-1, Q-3, and CMB-11 carried out a joint test and evaluation plan of this instrument between May 1978 and May 1979. The results of that evaluation, a description of the FNC, and operating instructions for further use are given in this report

Hardware system of parallel processing for fast CT image reconstruction based on circular shifting float memory architecture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Shi; Kang Kejun; Wang Jingjin

1995-01-01

Computerized Tomography (CT) is expected to become an inevitable diagnostic technique in the future. However, the long time required to reconstruct an image has been one of the major drawbacks associated with this technique. Parallel process is one of the best way to solve this problem. This paper gives the architecture and hardware design of PIRS-4 (4-processor Parallel Image Reconstruction System) which is a parallel processing system for fast 3D-CT image reconstruction by circular shifting float memory architecture. It includes structure and component of the system, the design of cross bar switch and details of control model. The test results are described

FAST - A multiprocessed environment for visualization of computational fluid dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bancroft, G.V.; Merritt, F.J.; Plessel, T.C.; Kelaita, P.G.; Mccabe, R.K.

1991-01-01

The paper presents the Flow Analysis Software Toolset (FAST) to be used for fluid-mechanics analysis. The design criteria for FAST including the minimization of the data path in the computational fluid-dynamics (CFD) process, consistent user interface, extensible software architecture, modularization, and the isolation of three-dimensional tasks from the application programmer are outlined. Each separate process communicates through the FAST Hub, while other modules such as FAST Central, NAS file input, CFD calculator, surface extractor and renderer, titler, tracer, and isolev might work together to generate the scene. An interprocess communication package making it possible for FAST to operate as a modular environment where resources could be shared among different machines as well as a single host is discussed. 20 refs

The fast reactor and energy supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The progress made with fast reactor development in many countries is summarised showing that the aim is to provide to the nation concerned an ability to instal fast reactor power stations at the end of this century or early in the next one. Accepting the importance of fast reactors as a potential independent source of energy, problems concerning economics, industrial capability, technical factors, public acceptibility and in particular plutonium management, are discussed. It is concluded that although fast reactors have reached a comparatively advanced stage of development, a number of factors make it likely that their introduction for electricity generation will be a gradual process. Nevertheless it is necessary to complete demonstration and development phases in good time. (U.K.)

Observations of fast variable objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alekseev, G.N.

1978-01-01

A problem on studying fast variable astronomic objects is considered. The basis of the method used in the experiment is a detailed photoelectric study of a fast variableness along with spectroscopy of a high time resolution. Power spectrum of the SS Cyg brightness oscillations and autocorrelation function of the AX Mon brightness are analyzed as an example. To provide a reliable identification of parameters of star active regions responsible for the fast variableness, an experiment is proposed, the ''synchronous spectroscopy'' method being used. The method is based on the supposition about temporary stationarity of occasional processes within the limits of the time scale of several hours. The block diagram of the experiment is described

a Novel Image Acquisition and Processing Procedure for Fast Tunnel Dsm Production

Science.gov (United States)

Roncella, R.; Umili, G.; Forlani, G.

2012-07-01

In mining operations the evaluation of the stability condition of the excavated front are critic to ensure a safe and correct planning of the subsequent activities. The procedure currently used to this aim has some shortcomings: safety for the geologist, completeness of data collection and objective documentation of the results. In the last decade it has been shown that the geostructural parameters necessary to the stability analysis can be derived from high resolution digital surface models (DSM) of rock faces. With the objective to overcome the limitation of the traditional survey and to minimize data capture times, so reducing delays on mining site operations, a photogrammetric system to generate high resolution DSM of tunnels has been realized. A fast, effective and complete data capture method has been developed and the orientation and restitution phases have been largely automated. The survey operations take no more than required to the traditional ones; no additional topographic measurements other than those available are required. To make the data processing fast and economic our Structure from Motion procedure has been slightly modified to adapt to the peculiar block geometry while, the DSM of the tunnel is created using automatic image correlation techniques. The geomechanical data are sampled on the DSM, by using the acquired images in a GUI and a segmentation procedure to select discontinuity planes. To allow an easier and faster identification of relevant features of the surface of the tunnel, using again an automatic procedure, an orthophoto of the tunnel is produced. A case study where a tunnel section of ca. 130 m has been surveyed is presented.

A NOVEL IMAGE ACQUISITION AND PROCESSING PROCEDURE FOR FAST TUNNEL DSM PRODUCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Roncella

2012-07-01

Full Text Available In mining operations the evaluation of the stability condition of the excavated front are critic to ensure a safe and correct planning of the subsequent activities. The procedure currently used to this aim has some shortcomings: safety for the geologist, completeness of data collection and objective documentation of the results. In the last decade it has been shown that the geostructural parameters necessary to the stability analysis can be derived from high resolution digital surface models (DSM of rock faces. With the objective to overcome the limitation of the traditional survey and to minimize data capture times, so reducing delays on mining site operations, a photogrammetric system to generate high resolution DSM of tunnels has been realized. A fast, effective and complete data capture method has been developed and the orientation and restitution phases have been largely automated. The survey operations take no more than required to the traditional ones; no additional topographic measurements other than those available are required. To make the data processing fast and economic our Structure from Motion procedure has been slightly modified to adapt to the peculiar block geometry while, the DSM of the tunnel is created using automatic image correlation techniques. The geomechanical data are sampled on the DSM, by using the acquired images in a GUI and a segmentation procedure to select discontinuity planes. To allow an easier and faster identification of relevant features of the surface of the tunnel, using again an automatic procedure, an orthophoto of the tunnel is produced. A case study where a tunnel section of ca. 130 m has been surveyed is presented.

The Associative Memory Serial Link Processor of the ALTAS Fast TracKer Processing System

CERN Document Server

Sotiropoulou, Calliope Louisa; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

The upgraded trigger system of the ATLAS experiment at LHC will improve the capability of the detectors to select the events with the greatest scientific potential. The FastTracker (FTK) is one of the ATLAS trigger upgrade that is presently under commissioning. FTK is a hardware system that feeds the High Level Trigger with charged particle tracks reconstructed from hits in silicon detectors at the rate of 105 events per second. Once a track candidate is found, the track reconstruction proceeds by matching low resolution hits to predefined patterns. Selected hits matching the predefined pattern are used in a second processing step for a more precise track fitting algorithm. The main processing element of FTK is the Associative Memory (AM) system that is used to perform pattern matching with high degree of parallelism. Its implementation is called the AM Board Serial Link Processor (AMBSLP) and it is a very efficient pattern matching machine that handles massively parallel data. The AMB SLP consists of two typ...

A Fast General-Purpose Clustering Algorithm Based on FPGAs for High-Throughput Data Processing

CERN Document Server

Annovi, A; The ATLAS collaboration; Castegnaro, A; Gatta, M

2012-01-01

We present a fast general-purpose algorithm for high-throughput clustering of data ”with a two dimensional organization”. The algorithm is designed to be implemented with FPGAs or custom electronics. The key feature is a processing time that scales linearly with the amount of data to be processed. This means that clustering can be performed in pipeline with the readout, without suffering from combinatorial delays due to looping multiple times through all the data. This feature makes this algorithm especially well suited for problems where the data has high density, e.g. in the case of tracking devices working under high-luminosity condition such as those of LHC or Super-LHC. The algorithm is organized in two steps: the first step (core) clusters the data; the second step analyzes each cluster of data to extract the desired information. The current algorithm is developed as a clustering device for modern high-energy physics pixel detectors. However, the algorithm has much broader field of applications. In ...

Smart & connected agrifood: beyond precision agriculture

OpenAIRE

Tod, D; Williams, R; Johnstone, P

2017-01-01

The digital revolution refers to changes sweeping the consumer goods and services sector made possible by advances in cheap, fast and reliable data acquisition and processing, sophisticated analytics, cloud computing services, wireless technologies, the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence. These offer the opportunity for a wide range of businesses to improve their operational effectiveness, and they have enabled the creation of a number of disruptive business models, e.g. Uber and ...

Development of fast ignition integrated interconnecting code (FI3) for fast ignition scheme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagatomo, H.; Johzaki, T.; Mima, K.; Sunahara, A.; Nishihara, K.; Izawa, Y.; Sakagami, H.; Nakao, Y.; Yokota, T.; Taguchi, T.

2005-01-01

The numerical simulation plays an important role in estimating the feasibility and performance of the fast ignition. There are two key issues in numerical analysis for the fast ignition. One is the controlling the implosion dynamics to form a high density core plasma in non-spherical implosion, and the other is heating core plasma efficiency by the short pulse high intense laser. From initial laser irradiation to final fusion burning, all the physics are coupling strongly in any phase, and they must be solved consistently in computational simulation. However, in general, it is impossible to simulate laser plasma interaction and radiation hydrodynamics in a single computational code, without any numerical dissipation, special assumption or conditional treatment. Recently, we have developed 'Fast Ignition Integrated Interconnecting code' (FI 3 ) which consists of collective Particle-in-Cell code, Relativistic Fokker-Planck hydro code, and 2-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics code. And those codes are connecting with each other in data-flow bases. In this paper, we will present detail feature of the FI 3 code, and numerical results of whole process of fast ignition. (author)

Fast harmonic field mapper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Au, R.; Fowler, M.; Hanawa, H.; Riedel, J.; Qua, Z.G.

1984-01-01

In early 1983 it was decided to mount coils on arms separated by 120 degrees and buck them out so that the third harmonic dphi/dt component would be cancelled and thus the first and second field harmonics could be very accurately measured. The original intention was to do as others had done, namely, use fast ADC's to read the voltages, and computer process the result to get the Fourier components. However, because of the 100 to 1 dynamic range of the fast ADC's and the likelihood that noise would be a problem, the authors decided to do things differently. Using a fast Fourier transform analyzer was considered, but this instrument is very expensive, so they decided to use a completely electronic analog approach: The authors decided to use active bandpass filters to render the harmonic components

Study on TAE-induced fast-ion loss process in LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, K.; Isobe, M.; Toi, K.; Shimizu, A.; Osakabe, M.; Spong, D.A.; Yamamoto, S.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we report experimentally observed characteristics of fast-ion loss caused by TAE in non-axisymmetric system. We also make a comparison between experiment and simulation with the aid of orbit-following particle calculation that incorporates TAE magnetic fluctuations. (J.P.N.)

Tests on fast heating for the regeneration process of ITER cryopumps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Day, C.; Kammerer, B.; Mack, A.

1996-10-01

Within the framework of the European Fusion Technology Programme, a primary vacuum pump for the ITER reactor is being developed. As the tritium accumulated by the pumps must be limited, short pumping cycles are necessary and as a consequence to that regeneration times of about 4 min only are required by the intermittently working cryopumps; approximately 60 s are available for the heating process from LHe temperature (4.2 K) to LN 2 temperature (77 K). Methods for fast heating were tested in component tests. The heating tests were performed at the TITAN test facility. According to the basic planning, the LHe-cooled panel consisted of seven flow channels in quilted design (500 x 350 mm 2 ); the detailed planning meanwhile showed that a smaller number of channels per panel will be sufficient. The panel was mounted in a LN 2 -cooled rig, which worked as first pumping stage. After having worked out a screening study comprehensive test series with three different heating methods were performed. (orig.) [de

Continuous Evaluation of Fast Processes in Climate Models Using ARM Measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Zhijin [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Sha, Feng [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Liu, Yangang [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Lin, Wuyin [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Toto, Tami [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Vogelmann, Andrew [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2016-02-02

This five-year award supports the project “Continuous Evaluation of Fast Processes in Climate Models Using ARM Measurements (FASTER)”. The goal of this project is to produce accurate, consistent and comprehensive data sets for initializing both single column models (SCMs) and cloud resolving models (CRMs) using data assimilation. A multi-scale three-dimensional variational data assimilation scheme (MS-3DVAR) has been implemented. This MS-3DVAR system is built on top of WRF/GSI. The Community Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) system is an operational data assimilation system at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and has been implemented in the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model. This MS-3DVAR is further enhanced by the incorporation of a land surface 3DVAR scheme and a comprehensive aerosol 3DVAR scheme. The data assimilation implementation focuses in the ARM SGP region. ARM measurements are assimilated along with other available satellite and radar data. Reanalyses are then generated for a few selected period of time. This comprehensive data assimilation system has also been employed for other ARM-related applications.

DETEC, a Subprogram for Simulation of the Fast-Neutron Detection Process in a Hydro-Carbonous Plastic Scintillator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gustafsson, B; Aspelund, O

1966-07-15

A description is given of the subprogram DETEC, which for energies below 5 MeV simulates the detection process of a fast-neutron within a large cylindrical plastic scintillator. DETEC has been coded in FORTRAN IV, and consists of a subroutine and a BLOCK-DATA subprogram. The latter is in its present form adapted to the dimensions 5 cm diam. x 8 cm of the scintillating materials NE102 and NE102A. The character of DETEC as a subprogram is manifest through the requirement of a main routine for generation of the following input parameters: 1. fast-neutron position; 2. direction; 3. energy; 4. entrance time; 5. input weight (all referred to the detector surface), and 6. the discriminator threshold. When these are provided, the virtues of DETEC are recording of the detected weight and the time elapsed prior to the detection event. The merits of DETEC are finally demonstrated in two typical applications.

DETEC, a Subprogram for Simulation of the Fast-Neutron Detection Process in a Hydro-Carbonous Plastic Scintillator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gustafsson, B.; Aspelund, O.

1966-07-01

A description is given of the subprogram DETEC, which for energies below 5 MeV simulates the detection process of a fast-neutron within a large cylindrical plastic scintillator. DETEC has been coded in FORTRAN IV, and consists of a subroutine and a BLOCK-DATA subprogram. The latter is in its present form adapted to the dimensions 5 cm diam. x 8 cm of the scintillating materials NE102 and NE102A. The character of DETEC as a subprogram is manifest through the requirement of a main routine for generation of the following input parameters: 1. fast-neutron position; 2. direction; 3. energy; 4. entrance time; 5. input weight (all referred to the detector surface), and 6. the discriminator threshold. When these are provided, the virtues of DETEC are recording of the detected weight and the time elapsed prior to the detection event. The merits of DETEC are finally demonstrated in two typical applications

Cu{sub 2}O/TiO{sub 2} heterostructures on a DVD as easy&cheap photoelectrochemical sensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zanatta, Michele; Calvillo, Laura; Zheng, Jian; Rizzi, Gian Andrea, E-mail: gianandrea.rizzi@unipd.it; Durante, Christian; Giallongo, Giuseppe; Chirkov, Dymitrov; Colazzo, Luciano; Marega, Carla; Gennaro, Armando; Granozzi, Gaetano

2016-03-31

Cu{sub 2}O nanoparticles have been grown by pulse-electrochemical deposition on a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) which acts as a nanostructured electrode. Prior to Cu{sub 2}O deposition, the silver-coated rectangular-shaped grooves of the disassembled DVD were coated with a TiO{sub 2} thin film by a modified sol–gel method, where oxalic acid is used in place of the usual mineral acids to peptize the precipitated hydrous titania formed from the hydrolysis of titanium iso-propoxide. This procedure leaves no inorganic residues after UV-curing, resulting in a high quality film, mainly composed of TiO{sub 2}-anatase. As demonstrated by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) measurements, the DVD grooves are filled by a 120–130 nm thick TiO{sub 2} film, while the thickness of the TiO{sub 2} deposit on the crests is only ca. 50 nm. This inhomogeneous thickness leads to an inhomogeneous electric field when the DVD is used as an electrode for depositing Cu{sub 2}O nanoparticles, which eventually leads to the growth of Cu{sub 2}O nanoparticles only on the DVD crests. A highly regular and reproducible Cu{sub 2}O/TiO{sub 2} stripe-like heterostructure is obtained where both semiconducting oxides are aside. This system has been characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and photocurrent measurements. A possible use of this easy&cheap electrode as a visible light responsive sensor to water soluble organics in basic solution is suggested. - Highlights: • A commercial DVD is recycled to prepare cheap photo-electrochemical sensors. • The sensing elements are Cu{sub 2}O nanostripes grown on a nanostructured TiO{sub 2} thin film obtained at room temperature. • Water soluble organics can be detected by dissolved O{sub 2} activation with visible light.

A Design of Experiment approach to predict product and process parameters for a spray dried influenza vaccine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanojia, Gaurav; Willems, Geert-Jan; Frijlink, Henderik W; Kersten, Gideon F A; Soema, Peter C; Amorij, Jean-Pierre

2016-09-25

Spray dried vaccine formulations might be an alternative to traditional lyophilized vaccines. Compared to lyophilization, spray drying is a fast and cheap process extensively used for drying biologicals. The current study provides an approach that utilizes Design of Experiments for spray drying process to stabilize whole inactivated influenza virus (WIV) vaccine. The approach included systematically screening and optimizing the spray drying process variables, determining the desired process parameters and predicting product quality parameters. The process parameters inlet air temperature, nozzle gas flow rate and feed flow rate and their effect on WIV vaccine powder characteristics such as particle size, residual moisture content (RMC) and powder yield were investigated. Vaccine powders with a broad range of physical characteristics (RMC 1.2-4.9%, particle size 2.4-8.5μm and powder yield 42-82%) were obtained. WIV showed no significant loss in antigenicity as revealed by hemagglutination test. Furthermore, descriptive models generated by DoE software could be used to determine and select (set) spray drying process parameter. This was used to generate a dried WIV powder with predefined (predicted) characteristics. Moreover, the spray dried vaccine powders retained their antigenic stability even after storage for 3 months at 60°C. The approach used here enabled the generation of a thermostable, antigenic WIV vaccine powder with desired physical characteristics that could be potentially used for pulmonary administration. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasmonic nanoparticle lithography: Fast resist-free laser technique for large-scale sub-50 nm hole array fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Zhenying; Yu, Ye Feng; Valuckas, Vytautas; Yap, Sherry L. K.; Vienne, Guillaume G.; Kuznetsov, Arseniy I.

2018-05-01

Cheap large-scale fabrication of ordered nanostructures is important for multiple applications in photonics and biomedicine including optical filters, solar cells, plasmonic biosensors, and DNA sequencing. Existing methods are either expensive or have strict limitations on the feature size and fabrication complexity. Here, we present a laser-based technique, plasmonic nanoparticle lithography, which is capable of rapid fabrication of large-scale arrays of sub-50 nm holes on various substrates. It is based on near-field enhancement and melting induced under ordered arrays of plasmonic nanoparticles, which are brought into contact or in close proximity to a desired material and acting as optical near-field lenses. The nanoparticles are arranged in ordered patterns on a flexible substrate and can be attached and removed from the patterned sample surface. At optimized laser fluence, the nanohole patterning process does not create any observable changes to the nanoparticles and they have been applied multiple times as reusable near-field masks. This resist-free nanolithography technique provides a simple and cheap solution for large-scale nanofabrication.

Serach for polarization effects in the antiproton production process

CERN Multimedia

It is proposed to study polarization effects in the production of antiprotons at the PS test beam line T11 at 3.5 GeV/c momentum. A polarization in the production process has never been studied but if existing it would allow for a rather simple and cheap way to generate a polarized antiproton beam with the existing facilities at CERN.

Neighborhood fast food availability and fast food consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Oexle, Nathalie; Barnes, Timothy L; Blake, Christine E; Bell, Bethany A; Liese, Angela D

2015-09-01

Recent nutritional and public health research has focused on how the availability of various types of food in a person's immediate area or neighborhood influences his or her food choices and eating habits. It has been theorized that people living in areas with a wealth of unhealthy fast-food options may show higher levels of fast-food consumption, a factor that often coincides with being overweight or obese. However, measuring food availability in a particular area is difficult to achieve consistently: there may be differences in the strict physical locations of food options as compared to how individuals perceive their personal food availability, and various studies may use either one or both of these measures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between weekly fast-food consumption and both a person's perceived availability of fast-food and an objective measure of fast-food presence - Geographic Information Systems (GIS) - within that person's neighborhood. A randomly selected population-based sample of eight counties in South Carolina was used to conduct a cross-sectional telephone survey assessing self-report fast-food consumption and perceived availability of fast food. GIS was used to determine the actual number of fast-food outlets within each participant's neighborhood. Using multinomial logistic regression analyses, we found that neither perceived availability nor GIS-based presence of fast-food was significantly associated with weekly fast-food consumption. Our findings indicate that availability might not be the dominant factor influencing fast-food consumption. We recommend using subjective availability measures and considering individual characteristics that could influence both perceived availability of fast food and its impact on fast-food consumption. If replicated, our findings suggest that interventions aimed at reducing fast-food consumption by limiting neighborhood fast-food availability might not be completely effective

Serum Lipid Profile: Fasting or Non-fasting?

OpenAIRE

Nigam, P. K.

2010-01-01

Serum lipid profile has now become almost a routine test. It is usually done in fasting state due to certain limitations in non-fasting serum sample. In the recent past efforts have been made to simplify blood sampling by replacing fasting lipid profile with non-fasting lipid profile. However, fasting specimen is preferred if cardiovascular risk assessment is based on total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol or non-HDL cholesterol. A lot has yet to be done in this area. Till then we have to believe...

The simulation of the process of sodium freezing in the tubes for the optimization of fast breeder reactor units maintenance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tashlykov, O.L.; Shcheklein, S.E.; Annikov, S.V.

2013-01-01

The peculiarities of the repair works of the fast breeder reactor sodium systems are considered. The requirements for the sodium melting exclusion inside the equipment and piping during their opening and repair are given. The results of the sodium cooling process simulation with SolidWorks software are also described [ru

How Radiologists Think: Understanding Fast and Slow Thought Processing and How It Can Improve Our Teaching.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Gijp, Anouk; Webb, Emily M; Naeger, David M

2017-06-01

Scholars have identified two distinct ways of thinking. This "Dual Process Theory" distinguishes a fast, nonanalytical way of thinking, called "System 1," and a slow, analytical way of thinking, referred to as "System 2." In radiology, we use both methods when interpreting and reporting images, and both should ideally be emphasized when educating our trainees. This review provides practical tips for improving radiology education, by enhancing System 1 and System 2 thinking among our trainees. Copyright © 2017 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Glucocorticoids activate the ATP-ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic system in skeletal muscle during fasting

Science.gov (United States)

Wing, S. S.; Goldberg, A. L.; Goldberger, A. L. (Principal Investigator)

1993-01-01

Glucocorticoids are essential for the increase in protein breakdown in skeletal muscle normally seen during fasting. To determine which proteolytic pathway(s) are activated upon fasting, leg muscles from fed and fasted normal rats were incubated under conditions that block or activate different proteolytic systems. After food deprivation (1 day), the nonlysosomal ATP-dependent process increased by 250%, as shown in experiments involving depletion of muscle ATP. Also, the maximal capacity of the lysosomal process increased 60-100%, but no changes occurred in the Ca(2+)-dependent or the residual energy-independent proteolytic processes. In muscles from fasted normal and adrenalectomized (ADX) rats, the protein breakdown sensitive to inhibitors of the lysosomal or Ca(2+)-dependent pathways did not differ. However, the ATP-dependent process was 30% slower in muscles from fasted ADX rats. Administering dexamethasone to these animals or incubating their muscles with dexamethasone reversed this defect. During fasting, when the ATP-dependent process rises, muscles show a two- to threefold increase in levels of ubiquitin (Ub) mRNA. However, muscles of ADX animals failed to show this response. Injecting dexamethasone into the fasted ADX animals increased muscle Ub mRNA within 6 h. Thus glucocorticoids activate the ATP-Ub-dependent proteolytic pathway in fasting apparently by enhancing the expression of components of this system such as Ub.

Technical-and-economic analysis and optimization of the full flow charts of processing of radioactive wastes on a polyfunctional plant of pyrochemical processing of the spent nuclear fuel of fast reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Gupalo, V. S.; Chistyakov, V. N.; Kormilitsyn, M. V.; Kormilitsyna, L. A.; Osipenko, A. G.

2015-12-01

When considering the full flow charts of processing of radioactive wastes (RAW) on a polyfunctional plant of pyrochemical processing of the spent nuclear fuel of NIIAR fast reactors, we corroborate optimum technical solutions for the preparation of RAW for burial from a standpoint of heat release, dose formation, and technological storage time with allowance for technical-and-economic and ecological indices during the implementation of the analyzed technologies and equipment for processing of all RAW fluxes.

Schottky barrier enhancement on n-InP solar cell applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Thomas; Leistiko, Otto

1994-01-01

It is demonstrated that the Schottky barrier height on n-type InP can be enhanced to values close to the energy bandgap (1.35 eV) by employing a AuZnCr metallization. The process is simple and requires only mild and fast annealing sequences with temperatures not exceeding 500°C. Also, no critical...... epitaxial growth step of junctions is needed, making the process fairly cheap. Thus, prospects for an efficient and simple solar cell device structure for space application purposes based on highly radiant-resistant InP are greatly improved...

Decommissioning of fast reactors after sodium draining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-11-01

Acknowledging the importance of passing on knowledge and experience, as well mentoring the next generation of scientists and engineers, and in response to expressed needs by Member States, the IAEA has undertaken concrete steps towards the implementation of a fast reactor data retrieval and knowledge preservation initiative. Decommissioning of fast reactors and other sodium bearing facilities is a domain in which considerable experience has been accumulated. Within the framework and drawing on the wide expertise of the Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (TWG-FR), the IAEA has initiated activities aiming at preserving the feedback (lessons learned) from this experience and condensing those to technical recommendations on fast reactor design features that would ease their decommissioning. Following a recommendation by the TWG-FR, the IAEA had convened a topical Technical Meeting (TM) on 'Operational and Decommissioning Experience with Fast Reactors', hosted by CEA, Centre d'Etudes de Cadarache, France, from 11 to 15 March 2002 (IAEA-TECDOC- 1405). The participants in that TM exchanged detailed technical information on fast reactor operation and decommissioning experience with various sodium cooled fast reactors, and, in particular, reviewed the status of the various decommissioning programmes. The TM concluded that the decommissioning of fast reactors to reach safe enclosure presented no major difficulties, and that this had been accomplished mainly through judicious adaptation of processes and procedures implemented during the reactor operation phase, and the development of safe sodium waste treatment processes. However, the TM also concluded that, on the path to achieving total dismantling, challenges remain with regard to the decommissioning of components after sodium draining, and suggested that a follow-on TM be convened, that would provide a forum for in-depth scientific and technical exchange on this topic. This publication constitutes the Proceedings of

Deposition of metallic nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes via a fast evaporation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren Guoqiang; Xing Yangchuan

2006-01-01

A new technique was developed for the deposition of colloidal metal nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes. It involves fast evaporation of a suspension containing sonochemically functionalized carbon nanotubes and colloidal nanoparticles. It was demonstrated that metallic nanoparticles with different sizes and concentrations can be deposited on the carbon nanotubes with only a few agglomerates. The technique does not seem to be limited by what the nanoparticles are, and therefore would be applicable to the deposition of other nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes. PtPd and CoPt 3 alloy nanoparticles were used to demonstrate the deposition process. It was found that the surfactants used to disperse the nanoparticles can hinder the nanoparticle deposition. When the nanoparticles were washed with ethanol, they could be well deposited on the carbon nanotubes. The obtained carbon nanotube supported metal nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry

Fast Access Data Acquisition System (FADAS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katsman, Vladimir

1998-01-01

Our goal in this program is to develop Fast Access Data Acquisition System (FADAS) by combining the flexibility of Multilink's GaAs and InP electronics and electro-optics with an extremely high data rate for the efficient handling and transfer of collider experimental data. This novel solution is based on Multilink's and Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL) unique components and technologies for extremely fast data transfer, storage, and processing

Fast business process similarity search

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yan, Z.; Dijkman, R.M.; Grefen, P.W.P.J.

2012-01-01

Nowadays, it is common for organizations to maintain collections of hundreds or even thousands of business processes. Techniques exist to search through such a collection, for business process models that are similar to a given query model. However, those techniques compare the query model to each

Fast determination of phenoxy acid herbicides in carrots and apples using liquid chromatography coupled triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Santilio, Angela; Stefanelli, Patrizia; Dommarco, Roberto

2009-08-01

A fast, simple and inexpensive method has been developed for the analysis of phenoxy acid herbicides: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), 2-(4-chloro-o-tolyloxy)propionic acid (MCPP), 2-(4-aryloxyphenoxy)propionic acid (Fluazifop) and 2-(4-aryloxyphenoxy)propionic acid (Haloxyfop) in carrots and apples by liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The compounds were analyzed by QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe) methodology without cleanup. The recoveries were performed at two spiked levels (0.05 and 0.5 mg/kg) for both matrices with six replicates for each level. The mean recoveries ranged from 70-92% for both apples and carrots. The precision of the method expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD%) was found to be in the range 3-15%. For all compounds, good linearity (r(2) > 0.99) was obtained over the range of concentration from 0.05 micro g/mL to 0.5 micro g/mL, corresponding to the pesticide concentrations of 0.05 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively. The determination limits (LOQs) ranged from 0.01 ng/mL to 1.3 ng/mL in solvent, whereas, the LOQs calculated in matrix ranged from 0.05 ng/g to 21.0 ng/g for apples and from 0.06 ng/g to 10.2 ng/g for carrots. The developed methodology combines the advantages of both QuEChERS and LC/MS/MS producing a very rapid, sensitive and cheap method useful for the routine analytical laboratories.

Comparing the energy required for fine grinding torrefied and fast heat treated pine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kokko, Lauri; Tolvanen, Henrik; Hämäläinen, Kai; Raiko, Risto

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study was to compare torrefaction to partial pyrolysis conducted with a fast heat treatment process. Both torrefaction and the fast heat treatment tests were performed in a bubbling fluidized bed reactor. The study investigated the anhydrous weight losses, the fine grinding energy requirements, and the lower heating values of the samples produced with the two methods i.e. torrefaction and the fast heat treatment. The effect of particle size to these quantities was also investigated. The measurements demonstrated that the fine grinding energy requirement decreased rapidly as a function of anhydrous weight loss. The overall energy content remaining in the solid product decreased linearly as a function of anhydrous weight loss. The study shows that there is only little difference in the final products of the two processes when using particle sizes less than 4 mm. This means that it is possible to get similar products from the fast heat treatment process that takes only seconds compared to the slower torrefaction process that takes minutes. -- Highlights: ► Fine grinding energy requirement is dependent on anhydrous weight loss. ► A fast heat treatment process of only 10 s is possible for pine wood. ► A particle size of less than 4 mm is required for the fast process.

ATLAS fast physics monitoring: TADA

Science.gov (United States)

Sabato, G.; Elsing, M.; Gumpert, C.; Kamioka, S.; Moyse, E.; Nairz, A.; Eifert, T.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

The ATLAS experiment at the LHC has been recording data from proton-proton collisions with 13 TeV center-of-mass energy since spring 2015. The collaboration is using a fast physics monitoring framework (TADA) to automatically perform a broad range of fast searches for early signs of new physics and to monitor the data quality across the year with the full analysis level calibrations applied to the rapidly growing data. TADA is designed to provide fast feedback directly after the collected data has been fully calibrated and processed at the Tier-0. The system can monitor a large range of physics channels, offline data quality and physics performance quantities. TADA output is available on a website accessible by the whole collaboration. It gets updated twice a day with the data from newly processed runs. Hints of potentially interesting physics signals or performance issues identified in this way are reported to be followed up by physics or combined performance groups. The note reports as well about the technical aspects of TADA: the software structure to obtain the input TAG files, the framework workflow and structure, the webpage and its implementation.

Astrid (fast breeder nuclear reactor)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

This document presents ASTRID (Advanced Sodium Technological Reactor for Industrial Demonstration), a French project of sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor, fourth generation reactor which should be fuelled by uranium 238 rather than uranium 235, and should therefore need less extracted natural uranium to produce electricity. The operation principle of fast breeder reactors is described. They notably directly consume plutonium, allow an easier radioactive waste management as they transform long life radioactive elements into shorter life elements by transmutation. The regeneration process is briefly described, and the various operation modes are evoked (iso-generator, sub-generator, and breeder). Some peculiarities of sodium-cooled reactors are outlined. The Astrid operation principle is described, its main design innovations outlined. Various challenges are discussed regarding safety of supply and waste processing, and the safety of future reactors. Major actors are indicated: CEA, Areva, EDF, SEIV Alcen, Toshiba, Rolls Royce, and Comex. Some key data are indicated: expected lifetime, expected availability rate, cost. The projected site is Marcoule and fast breeder reactors operated or under construction in the world are indicated. The document also proposes an overview of the background and evolution of reactors of 4. generation

Activation of ion implanted Si for backside processing by Ultra-fast Laser Thermal Annealing: Energy homogeneity and micro-scale sheet resistance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huet, K.; Lin, Rong; Boniface, C

2009-01-01

In this paper ion activation of implanted silicon using ultra-fast laser thermal annealing (LTA) process was discussed. The results stated that there was high dopant activation using LTA process for over 70%, excellent within shot activation uniformity, and there was a possibility for overlap...... parameter optimization. It was observed that, for activation LTA process, shallow box-shaped profiles- high diffusivity of B in liquids and high-temperatures was observed only near the surface in a submicrosecond timescale. Possible solutions were suggested as to low-cost and high-end for overlap...

Status report on fast reactor recycle and impact on geologic disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, T. H.; Morris, E. E.; Wigeland, R. A.

2007-01-01

The GNEP program envisions continuing the use of light-water reactors (LWRs), with the addition of processing the discharged, or spent, LWR fuel to recover actinide and fission product elements, and then recycling the actinide elements in sodium-cooled fast reactors. Previous work has established the relationship between the processing efficiencies of spent LWR fuel, as represented by spent PWR fuel, and the potential increase in repository utilization for the resulting processing waste. The purpose of this current study is to determine a similar relationship for the waste from processing spent fast reactor fuel, and then to examine the wastes from the combination of LWRs and fast reactors as would be deployed with the GNEP approach

The Fast-Casual Conundrum: Fast-Casual Restaurant Entrées Are Higher in Calories than Fast Food.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoffman, Danielle E; Davidson, Charis R; Hales, Sarah B; Crimarco, Anthony E; Dahl, Alicia A; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle M

2016-10-01

Frequently eating fast food has been associated with consuming a diet high in calories, and there is a public perception that fast-casual restaurants (eg, Chipotle) are healthier than traditional fast food (eg, McDonald's). However, research has not examined whether fast-food entrées and fast-casual entrées differ in calorie content. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the caloric content of entrées at fast-food restaurants differed from that found at fast-casual restaurants. This study was a cross-sectional analysis of secondary data. Calorie information from 2014 for lunch and dinner entrées for fast-food and fast-casual restaurants was downloaded from the MenuStat database. Mean calories per entrée between fast-food restaurants and fast-casual restaurants and the proportion of restaurant entrées that fell into different calorie ranges were assessed. A t test was conducted to test the hypothesis that there was no difference between the average calories per entrée at fast-food and fast-casual restaurants. To examine the difference in distribution of entrées in different calorie ranges between fast-food and fast-casual restaurants, χ(2) tests were used. There were 34 fast-food and 28 fast-casual restaurants included in the analysis (n=3,193 entrées). Fast-casual entrées had significantly more calories per entrée (760±301 kcal) than fast-food entrées (561±268; Prestaurants to determine whether the energy content or nutrient density of full meals (ie, entrées with sides and drinks) differs between fast-casual restaurants and fast-food restaurants. Calorie-conscious consumers should consider the calorie content of entrée items before purchase, regardless of restaurant type. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a very fast spectral response measurement system for analysis of hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells and modules

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez, J.A., E-mail: jose.rodriguez@tsolar.eu [Dept. Technology, Development and Innovation, T-Solar Global S.A., Parque Tecnologico de Galicia, Avda. de Vigo 5, E-32900 San Cibrao das Vinas (Ourense) (Spain); Fortes, M. [Departamento de Electronica e Computacion, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Alberte, C.; Vetter, M.; Andreu, J. [Dept. Technology, Development and Innovation, T-Solar Global S.A., Parque Tecnologico de Galicia, Avda. de Vigo 5, E-32900 San Cibrao das Vinas (Ourense) (Spain)

2013-01-01

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Spectral response equipment for measuring a-Si:H solar cells in a few seconds. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Equipment based on 16 LEDs with simultaneous illumination of the solar cell. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The current generated by each LED is analyzed by a Fast Fourier Transform. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cheap equipment without lock-in technology for the current measurement. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Measurement error vs. conventional measurement less than 1% in J{sub sc}. - Abstract: An important requirement for a very fast spectral response measurement system is the simultaneous illumination of the solar cell at multiple well defined wavelengths. Nowadays this can be done by means of light emitting diodes (LEDs) available for a multitude of wavelengths. For the purpose to measure the spectral response (SR) of amorphous silicon solar cells a detailed characterization of LEDs emitting in the wavelength range from 300 nm to 800 nm was performed. In the here developed equipment the LED illumination is modulated in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 200 Hz and the current generated by each LED is analyzed by a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to determine the current component corresponding to each wavelength. The equipment provides a signal to noise ratio of 2-4 orders of magnitude for individual wavelengths resulting in a precise measurement of the SR over the whole wavelength range. The difference of the short circuit current determined from the SR is less than 1% in comparison to a conventional system with monochromator.

Economic evaluation of fast reactor fuel cycling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Ping; Zhao Fuyu; Yan Zhou; Li Chong

2012-01-01

Economic calculation and analysis of two kinds of nuclear fuel cycle are conducted by check off method, based on the nuclear fuel cycling process and model for fast reactor power plant, and comparison is carried out for the economy of fast reactor fuel cycle and PWR once-through fuel cycle. Calculated based on the current price level, the economy of PWR one-through fuel cycle is better than that of the fast reactor fuel cycle. However, in the long term considering the rising of the natural uranium's price and the development of the post treatment technology for nuclear fuels, the cost of the fast reactor fuel cycle is expected to match or lower than that of the PWR once-through fuel cycle. (authors)

A Cheap Linear Attention Mechanism with Fast Lookups and Fixed-Size Representations

OpenAIRE

de Brébisson, Alexandre; Vincent, Pascal

2016-01-01

The softmax content-based attention mechanism has proven to be very beneficial in many applications of recurrent neural networks. Nevertheless it suffers from two major computational limitations. First, its computations for an attention lookup scale linearly in the size of the attended sequence. Second, it does not encode the sequence into a fixed-size representation but instead requires to memorize all the hidden states. These two limitations restrict the use of the softmax attention mechani...

CheapStat: an open-source, "do-it-yourself" potentiostat for analytical and educational applications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aaron A Rowe

Full Text Available Although potentiostats are the foundation of modern electrochemical research, they have seen relatively little application in resource poor settings, such as undergraduate laboratory courses and the developing world. One reason for the low penetration of potentiostats is their cost, as even the least expensive commercially available laboratory potentiostats sell for more than one thousand dollars. An inexpensive electrochemical workstation could thus prove useful in educational labs, and increase access to electrochemistry-based analytical techniques for food, drug and environmental monitoring. With these motivations in mind, we describe here the CheapStat, an inexpensive (<$80, open-source (software and hardware, hand-held potentiostat that can be constructed by anyone who is proficient at assembling circuits. This device supports a number of potential waveforms necessary to perform cyclic, square wave, linear sweep and anodic stripping voltammetry. As we demonstrate, it is suitable for a wide range of applications ranging from food- and drug-quality testing to environmental monitoring, rapid DNA detection, and educational exercises. The device's schematics, parts lists, circuit board layout files, sample experiments, and detailed assembly instructions are available in the supporting information and are released under an open hardware license.

How cheap is soaring flight in raptors? A preliminary investigation in freely-flying vultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Duriez, Olivier; Kato, Akiko; Tromp, Clara; Dell'Omo, Giacomo; Vyssotski, Alexei L; Sarrazin, François; Ropert-Coudert, Yan

2014-01-01

Measuring the costs of soaring, gliding and flapping flight in raptors is challenging, but essential for understanding their ecology. Among raptors, vultures are scavengers that have evolved highly efficient soaring-gliding flight techniques to minimize energy costs to find unpredictable food resources. Using electrocardiogram, GPS and accelerometer bio-loggers, we report the heart rate (HR) of captive griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus and G. himalayensis) trained for freely-flying. HR increased three-fold at take-off (characterized by prolonged flapping flight) and landing (>300 beats-per-minute, (bpm)) compared to baseline levels (80-100 bpm). However, within 10 minutes after the initial flapping phase, HR in soaring/gliding flight dropped to values similar to baseline levels, i.e. slightly lower than theoretically expected. However, the extremely rapid decrease in HR was unexpected, when compared with other marine gliders, such as albatrosses. Weather conditions influenced flight performance and HR was noticeably higher during cloudy compared to sunny conditions when prolonged soaring flight is made easier by thermal ascending air currents. Soaring as a cheap locomotory mode is a crucial adaptation for vultures who spend so long on the wing for wide-ranging movements to find food.

A fast network solution by the decoupled procedure during short-term dynamic processes in power systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Popovic, D P; Stefanovic, M D [Nikola Tesla Inst., Belgrade (YU). Power System Dept.

1990-01-01

A simple, fast and reliable decoupled procedure for solving the network problems during short-term dynamic processes in power systems is presented. It is based on the Newton-Raphson method applied to the power balance equations, which include the effects of generator saliency and non-impedance loads, with further modifications resulting from the physical properties of the phenomena under study. The good convergence characteristics of the developed procedure are demonstrated, and a comparison is made with the traditional method based on the current equation and the triangularized admittance matrix, using the example of stability analysis of the Yugoslav power grid. (author).

Innovative technologies on fuel assemblies cleaning for sodium fast reactors: First considerations on cleaning process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, N.; Lorcet, H.; Beauchamp, F.; Guigues, E.; Lovera, P.; Fleche, J. L.; Lacroix, M.; Carra, O.; Dechelette, F.; Prele, G.; Rodriguez, G.

2012-01-01

Within the framework of Sodium Fast Reactor development, innovative fuel assembly cleaning operations are investigated to meet the GEN IV goals of safety and of process development. One of the challenges is to mitigate the Sodium Water Reaction currently used in these processes. The potential applications of aqueous solutions of mineral salts (including the possibility of using redox chemical reactions) to mitigate the Sodium Water Reaction are considered in a first part and a new experimental bench, dedicated to this study, is described. Anhydrous alternative options based on Na/CO 2 interaction are also presented. Then, in a second part, a functional study conducted on the cleaning pit is proposed. Based on experimental feedback, some calculations are carried out to estimate the sodium inventory on the fuel elements, and physical methods like hot inert gas sweeping to reduce this inventory are also presented. Finally, the implementation of these innovative solutions in cleaning pits is studied in regard to the expected performances. (authors)

Innovative technologies on fuel assemblies cleaning for sodium fast reactors: First considerations on cleaning process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simon, N.; Lorcet, H.; Beauchamp, F.; Guigues, E. [CEA, DEN, DTN Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Lovera, P.; Fleche, J. L. [CEA, DEN, DPC Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Lacroix, M. [CEA, DEN, DTN Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Carra, O. [AREVA / NP, 10 Rue Juliette Recamier, 69003 Lyon (France); Dechelette, F. [CEA, DEN, DTN Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Prele, G. [EDF/SEPTEN, 12-14 avenue Dutrievoz, 69628 Villeurbane Cedex (France); Rodriguez, G. [CEA, DEN, DTN Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

2012-07-01

Within the framework of Sodium Fast Reactor development, innovative fuel assembly cleaning operations are investigated to meet the GEN IV goals of safety and of process development. One of the challenges is to mitigate the Sodium Water Reaction currently used in these processes. The potential applications of aqueous solutions of mineral salts (including the possibility of using redox chemical reactions) to mitigate the Sodium Water Reaction are considered in a first part and a new experimental bench, dedicated to this study, is described. Anhydrous alternative options based on Na/CO{sub 2} interaction are also presented. Then, in a second part, a functional study conducted on the cleaning pit is proposed. Based on experimental feedback, some calculations are carried out to estimate the sodium inventory on the fuel elements, and physical methods like hot inert gas sweeping to reduce this inventory are also presented. Finally, the implementation of these innovative solutions in cleaning pits is studied in regard to the expected performances. (authors)

The ATLAS Fast Tracker Processing Units - input and output data preparation

CERN Document Server

Bolz, Arthur; Adelman, Jahred; Anderson, John Thomas; Armbruster, Aaron James; Asbah, Nedaa; Blair, Robert; Brost, Elizabeth; Drake, Gary; Gkaitatzis, Stamatios; Iizawa, Tomoya; Ilic, Nikolina; Jiang, Zihao; Kawaguchi, Yoshimasa; Kimura, Naoki; Kordas, Kostantinos; Sotiropoulou, Calliope Louisa; Love, Jeremy; Mitani, Takashi; Nikolaidis, Spyridon; Okumura, Yasuyuki; Proudfoot, James; Thayil, Steffie Ann; Tompkins, Lauren; Wang, Rui; Watari, Ryutaro; Webster, Jordan S; Yorita, Kohei; Zhang, Jinlong

2017-01-01

The ATLAS Fast TracKer(FTK) is a custom hardware system for fast, associative memory based track reconstruction. It will provide tracking information within the full acceptance of the inner tracking detectors to the high level trigger at a rate of up to 100 kHz. %, thus allowing for a refined and more efficient event selection at the trigger level. At the first stage of the FTK the Data Formatter subsystem clusters inner detector hits and organizes them into 64 $\\eta$-$\\phi$ trigger regions. At the last stage, the FTK to Level-2 Interface Cards repackage track records and send them to the high level trigger computing farm. This report aims to give an overview over the functionality of the two systems, their hardware implementation in the Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture standard, and the status of their integration into ATLAS.

The ATLAS Fast Tracker Processing Units - input and output data preparation

CERN Document Server

Bolz, Arthur; Adelman, Jahred; Anderson, John Thomas; Armbruster, Aaron James; Asbah, Nedaa; Blair, Robert; Brost, Elizabeth; Drake, Gary; Gkaitatzis, Stamatios; Iizawa, Tomoya; Ilic, Nikolina; Jiang, Zihao; Kawaguchi, Yoshimasa; Kimura, Naoki; Kordas, Kostantinos; Sotiropoulou, Calliope Louisa; Love, Jeremy; Mitani, Takashi; Nikolaidis, Spyridon; Okumura, Yasuyuki; Proudfoot, James; Thayil, Steffie Ann; Tompkins, Lauren; Wang, Rui; Watari, Ryutaro; Webster, Jordan S; Yorita, Kohei; Zhang, Jinlong

2016-01-01

The ATLAS Fast TracKer(FTK) is a custom hardware system for fast, associative memory based track reconstruction. It will provide tracking information within the full acceptance of the inner tracking detectors to the high level trigger at a rate of up to 100 kHz. %, thus allowing for a refined and more efficient event selection at the trigger level. At the first stage of the FTK the Data Formatter subsystem clusters inner detector hits and organizes them into 64 $\\eta$-$\\phi$ trigger regions. At the last stage, the FTK to Level-2 Interface Cards repackage track records and send them to the high level trigger computing farm. This report aims to give an overview over the functionality of the two systems, their hardware implementation in the Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture standard, and the status of their integration into ATLAS.

Collisional destruction of fast hydrogen Rydberg atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, M.R.

1984-01-01

A new modulated electric field technique was developed to study Rydberg atom destruction processes in a fast beam. The process of destruction of a band of Rydberg atom destruction of a band of Rydberg atoms through the combined processes of ionization, excitation, and deexcitation was studied for collisions with gas targets. Rydberg atoms of hydrogen were formed by electron capture, and detected by field ionization. The modulated field technique described proved to be an effective technique for producing a large signal for accurate cross section measurements. The independent particle model for Rydberg atom destruction processes was found to hold well for collisions with molecular nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide. The resonances in the cross sections for the free electron scattering with these targets were found to also occur in Rydberg destruction. Suggestions for future investigations of Rydberg atom collision processes in the fast beam regime are given

Process and sensor diagnostic: Data reconciliation for a flue gas channel; Process- och sensordiagnostik: Dataaaterfoerening foer ett roekgastaag

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karlsson, Christer; Dahlquist, Erik [Maelardalen Univ., Vaesteraas (Sweden). Dept. of Public Technology

2003-10-01

The project has shown that model-based data reconciliation can be used in heat and power plants, but it needs support of soft sensors. Generally power plants are not equipped with more sensors than required by control systems, environment and financial reports. Soft sensors are needed to compensate for lack of redundancy in mass-flow sensors. Redundancy makes it possible to isolate gross errors. The smallest error needed to be determined sets the requirement on the process model accuracy. Tools available today from this project are; classification of different process sections with redundancy analysis and gross error detection. Quantification of the errors with the mass balance model has not been successful and this part needs further development. Theoretical comparison of the three different methods presented resulted in favour of data reconciliation based on a mass balance model. The mass balance model has a structure based on physical reality. The searches for gross errors are transparent to the user. It can handle sensor failure. The statistical linear model is preferred for smaller process sections when transparency is not needed and focus is on fast, simple and cheap implementation. Data reconciliation based on steady-state energy balance has the same origin as the mass balance model. Data reconciliation based on energy balance is harder to compute and its sensors difficult to classify. The drawback is complexity, but the strength is that the large number of temperature sensors can be used in the data reconciliation. Large gross errors are detected and quantified for most process mass flows with acceptable accuracy. Performances for small errors are not as good. Performance of the data reconciliation is strongly dependent on precision in the process models. This conclusion is drawn from comparison with other studies that show good performance for laboratory simulations. There are still many parts to develop further as: Soft sensors, tests for identification

Image processing for grazing incidence fast atom diffraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Debiossac, Maxime; Roncin, Philippe, E-mail: philippe.roncin@u-psud.fr

2016-09-01

Grazing incidence fast atom diffraction (GIFAD, or FAD) has developed as a surface sensitive technique. Compared with thermal energies helium diffraction (TEAS or HAS), GIFAD is less sensitive to thermal decoherence but also more demanding in terms of surface coherence, the mean distance between defects. Such high quality surfaces can be obtained from freshly cleaved crystals or in a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) chamber where a GIFAD setup has been installed allowing in situ operation. Based on recent publications by Atkinson et al. (2014) and Debiossac et al. (2014), the paper describes in detail the basic steps needed to measure the relative intensities of the diffraction spots. Care is taken to outline the underlying physical assumptions.

Using Perturbed Physics Ensembles and Machine Learning to Select Parameters for Reducing Regional Biases in a Global Climate Model

Science.gov (United States)

Li, S.; Rupp, D. E.; Hawkins, L.; Mote, P.; McNeall, D. J.; Sarah, S.; Wallom, D.; Betts, R. A.

2017-12-01

This study investigates the potential to reduce known summer hot/dry biases over Pacific Northwest in the UK Met Office's atmospheric model (HadAM3P) by simultaneously varying multiple model parameters. The bias-reduction process is done through a series of steps: 1) Generation of perturbed physics ensemble (PPE) through the volunteer computing network weather@home; 2) Using machine learning to train "cheap" and fast statistical emulators of climate model, to rule out regions of parameter spaces that lead to model variants that do not satisfy observational constraints, where the observational constraints (e.g., top-of-atmosphere energy flux, magnitude of annual temperature cycle, summer/winter temperature and precipitation) are introduced sequentially; 3) Designing a new PPE by "pre-filtering" using the emulator results. Steps 1) through 3) are repeated until results are considered to be satisfactory (3 times in our case). The process includes a sensitivity analysis to find dominant parameters for various model output metrics, which reduces the number of parameters to be perturbed with each new PPE. Relative to observational uncertainty, we achieve regional improvements without introducing large biases in other parts of the globe. Our results illustrate the potential of using machine learning to train cheap and fast statistical emulators of climate model, in combination with PPEs in systematic model improvement.

ATLAS fast physics monitoring

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The ATLAS Collaboration has set up a framework to automatically process the rapidly growing dataset and produce performance and physics plots for the most interesting analyses. The system is designed to give fast feedback. The histograms are produced within hours of data reconstruction (2–3 days after data taking).

FastBit: an efficient indexing technology for accelerating data-intensive science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Kesheng

2005-01-01

FastBit is a software tool for searching large read-only datasets. It organizes user data in a column-oriented structure which is efficient for on-line analytical processing (OLAP), and utilizes compressed bitmap indices to further speed up query processing. Analyses have proven the compressed bitmap index used in FastBit to be theoretically optimal for onedimensional queries. Compared with other optimal indexing methods, bitmap indices are superior because they can be efficiently combined to answer multi-dimensional queries whereas other optimal methods can not. In this paper, we first describe the searching capability of FastBit, then briefly highlight two applications that make extensive use of FastBit, namely Grid Collector and DEX

FastBit: An Efficient Indexing Technology For AcceleratingData-Intensive Science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Kesheng

2005-06-27

FastBit is a software tool for searching large read-only data sets. It organizes user data in a column-oriented structure which is efficient for on-line analytical processing (OLAP), and utilizes compressed bitmap indices to further speed up query processing. Analyses have proven the compressed bitmap index used in FastBit to be theoretically optimal for one-dimensional queries. Compared with other optimal indexing methods, bitmap indices are superior because they can be efficiently combined to answer multi-dimensional queries whereas other optimal methods cannot. In this paper, we first describe the searching capability of FastBit, then briefly highlight two applications that make extensive use of FastBit, namely Grid Collector and DEX.

FastBit: an efficient indexing technology for accelerating data-intensive science

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Kesheng

2005-01-01

FastBit is a software tool for searching large read-only datasets. It organizes user data in a column-oriented structure which is efficient for on-line analytical processing (OLAP), and utilizes compressed bitmap indices to further speed up query processing. Analyses have proven the compressed bitmap index used in FastBit to be theoretically optimal for onedimensional queries. Compared with other optimal indexing methods, bitmap indices are superior because they can be efficiently combined to answer multi-dimensional queries whereas other optimal methods can not. In this paper, we first describe the searching capability of FastBit, then briefly highlight two applications that make extensive use of FastBit, namely Grid Collector and DEX.

Automated Measurement of Fast Mitochondrial Transport in Neurons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyle eMiller

2015-11-01

Full Text Available There is a growing recognition that fast mitochondrial transport in neurons is disrupted in multiple neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. However a major constraint in identifying novel therapeutics based on mitochondrial transport is that the large-scale analysis of fast transport is time consuming. Here we describe methodologies for the automated analysis of fast mitochondrial transport from data acquired using a robotic microscope. We focused on addressing questions of measurement precision, speed, reliably, workflow ease, statistical processing and presentation. We used optical flow and particle tracking algorithms, implemented in ImageJ, to measure mitochondrial movement in primary cultured cortical and hippocampal neurons. With it, we are able to generate complete descriptions of movement profiles in an automated fashion of hundred of thousands of mitochondria with a processing time of approximately one hour. We describe the calibration of the parameters of the tracking algorithms and demonstrate that they are capable of measuring the fast transport of a single mitochondrion. We then show that the methods are capable of reliably measuring the inhibition of fast mitochondria transport induced by the disruption of microtubules with the drug nocodazole in both hippocampal and cortical neurons. This work lays the foundation for future large-scale screens designed to identify compounds that modulate mitochondrial motility.

Development of a biocatalytic process for the production of c6-aldehydes from vegetable oils by soybean lipoxygenase and recombinant hydroperoxide lyase

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noordermeer, M.A.; Goot, van der W.; Kooij, van A.J.; Veldsink, J.W.; Veldink, G.A.; Vliegenthart, J.F.G.

2002-01-01

Volatile C6- and C9-aldehydes and alcohols are widely used as food flavors to reconstitute the "fresh green" odor of fruits and vegetables lost during processing. To meet the high demand for natural flavors, an efficient, cheap, and versatile biocatalytic process was developed to produce

Effects of sex, age, and fasting conditions on plasma lipidomic profiles of fasted Sprague-Dawley rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kosuke Saito

Full Text Available Circulating lipid molecules reflect biological processes in the body and, thus, are useful tools for preclinical estimation of the efficacy and safety of newly developed drugs. However, background information on profiles of circulating lipid molecules in preclinical animal models is limited. Therefore, we examined the effects of multiple factors such as sex (fasted male vs. female, age (fasted 10 vs. 30 weeks old, and feeding conditions (feeding vs. fasting, 16 vs. 22 hr fasting, 10 AM vs. 4 PM blood collection, on the global profiles of lipid molecules in plasma from Sprague-Dawley rats by using a lipidomic approach. Our assay platform determined 262 lipid molecules (68 phospholipids, 20 sphingolipids, 138 neutral lipids, and 36 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites in rat plasma. Multivariate discriminant analysis (orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis and heat maps of statistically significant lipid molecules revealed that the plasma lipid profiles in rats are predominantly influenced by feeding conditions, followed by sex and age. In addition, the fasting duration (16 vs. 22 hr fasting or the time of blood collection (10 AM vs. 4 PM blood collection has limited or no contribution on the profiles of lipid molecules in rat plasma. Our results provide useful, fundamental information for exploring and validating biomarkers in future preclinical studies and may help to establish regulatory standards for such studies.

Fast Convolution Module (Fast Convolution Module)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Bierens, L

1997-01-01

This report describes the design and realisation of a real-time range azimuth compression module, the so-called 'Fast Convolution Module', based on the fast convolution algorithm developed at TNO-FEL...

The development of fast simulation program for marine reactor parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Zhiyun; Hao Jianli; Chen Wenzhen

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The simplified physical and mathematical models are proposed for a marine reactor system. ► A program is developed with Simulink module and Matlab file. ► The program developed has the merit of easy input preparation, output processing and fast running. ► The program can be used for the fast simulation of marine reactor parameters on the operating field. - Abstract: The fast simulation program for marine reactor parameters is developed based on the Simulink simulating software according to the characteristics of marine reactor with requirement of maneuverability and acute and fast response. The simplified core physical and thermal model, pressurizer model, steam generator model, control rod model, reactivity model and the corresponding Simulink modules are established. The whole program is developed by coupling all the Simulink modules. Two typical transient processes of marine reactor with fast load increase at low power level and load rejection at high power level are adopted to verify the program. The results are compared with those of Relap5/Mod3.2 with good consistency, and the program runs very fast. It is shown that the program is correct and suitable for the fast and accurate simulation of marine reactor parameters on the operating field, which is significant to the marine reactor safe operation.

Gamma-ray multiplicity measurements for the determination of the initial angular momentum ranges in normal and fast fission processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Masri, Y.; Steckmeyer, J.C.; Martin, V.; Bizard, G.; Brou, R.; Laville, J.L.; Regimbart, R.; Tamain, B.; Peter, J.

1990-01-01

Gamma-ray multiplicities (first and second moments) have been measured, in the 220 MeV 20 Ne+ nat Re and 315 meV 40 Ar+ 165 Ho reactions, as a function of fission fragment masses and centre-of-mass total kinetic energies. The two reactions lead to the same fusion nucleus, 205 At, at the same excitation energy (167 MeV). The experimental critical angular momentum for the fission process in the Ne+Re system (91±3) ℎ is close to I Bf=0 (∝80 ℎ) while in the Ar+Ho reaction this critical angular momentum (136±4) ℎ is much larger than I Bf=0 value, favoring the occurrence of the fast fission process. The observed widths of the fission fragment mass distribution: (42±2) u in the Ne+Re system and (56±4) u in the Ar+Ho reaction strengthen this hypothesis. For both compound nucleus fission and fast fission components in Ar+Ho, the total spin values obtained in absolute magnitude and in their dependence on the mass asymmetry are well described by assuming rigid rotation of the fissioning complex and statistical excitation of some collective rotational modes such as 'Bending' and 'Wriggling' according to the Schmitt-Pacheco model. These modes, however, are not all fully excited, their degrees of excitation are approximately the same for both fission components. From theoretical estimates of equilibration times, one anticipates the 'Tilting' mode to be by far the last to be excited, and from its non-excitation in the present data together with the excitation of bending and wriggling, a time interval of about 10 -21 s to 2x10 -20 s can be derived for the reaction time of both normal fission and fast fission. (orig./HSI)

Fast timing discriminator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lo, C.C.

1977-01-01

The processing of pulses with very fast risetimes for timing purposes involves many problems because of the large equivalent bandwidths involved. For pulses with risetimes in the 150 ps range (and full widths at half maximum (FWHM) of 400 ps) bandwidths in excess of 1GHz are required. Furthermore, these very narrow pulses with current amplitudes as small as 1 mA carry very small charges ( -12 coulomb), therefore, requiring very sensitive trigger circuits. The difficulty increases when timing characteristics in the picosecond range are sought especially when a wide input signal amplitude range causes a time-walk problem. The fast timing discriminator described has a time-walk of approximately +-75 ps over the input signal range from 80 mV to 3V. A schematic of the discriminator is included, and operation and performance are discussed

Formation of fast exotic atoms by radiative Coulomb capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chatterjee, L.; Das, G.; Chakravorty, A.; Goswami, R.; Mondal, S.K.

1993-01-01

Interesting surprises in some exotic atom kinetics have been reported recently. These involve muonic atom transfer cross sections, nuclear pion capture and the q 1s effect in μCF. These can be explained if the exotic atom population contains a contributing fast component. Such fast atoms can be formed by radiative continuum to bound transitions of fast (keV) muons or pions. Cross sections for formation of such fast pionic and muonic atoms and their velocity distributions are reported. The possibility of these processes competing with the thermalisation channels and contributing effectively to the exotic atom population discussed. (orig.)

Uranium, Plutonium and Neptunium Co-recovery with Irradiated Fast Reactor MOX Fuel by Single Cycle Extraction Process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masaumi Nakahara; Yuichi Sano; Kazunori Nomura; Tadahiro Washiya; Jun Komaki [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4-33 Muramatsu, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki, 319-1194 (Japan)

2008-07-01

The behavior of Np in single cycle extraction processes using tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP) as an extractant for U, Pu and Np co-recovery was investigated as a part of NEXT (New Extraction System for Transuranium) process. Two approaches for Np co-recovery with U and Pu were carried out with irradiated MOX fuel from fast reactor 'JOYO'; one was the counter current experiment using a feed solution with a high HNO{sub 3} concentration and the other used a scrubbing solution with a high HNO{sub 3} concentration. Experimental results showed that the leakage of Np to the raffinate were 0.986 % and 5.96 % under the condition of high HNO{sub 3} concentration in the feed solution and scrubbing solution, respectively. The simulation results based on these experiments indicated that most of Np could be extracted and co-recovered with U and Pu, just by increasing HNO{sub 3} concentrations in the feed and scrubbing solution on the single cycle extraction process. (authors)

r-Process Nucleosynthesis in the Early Universe Through Fast Mergers of Compact Binaries in Triple Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Bonetti, Matteo; Perego, Albino; Capelo, Pedro R.; Dotti, Massimo; Miller, M. Coleman

2018-05-01

Surface abundance observations of halo stars hint at the occurrence of r-process nucleosynthesis at low metallicity ([Fe/H] scale of the inner compact object binaries. Our results are highly sensitive to the assumed initial distribution of the inner binary semi-major axes. Distributions with mostly wide compact object binaries are most affected by the third object, resulting in a strong increase (by more than a factor of 2) in the fraction of fast coalescences. If instead the distribution preferentially populates very close compact binaries, general relativistic precession prevents the third body from increasing the inner binary eccentricity to very high values. In this last case, the fraction of coalescing binaries is increased much less by tertiaries, but the fraction of binaries that would coalesce within 108 yr even without a third object is already high. Our results provide additional support to the compact-binary merger scenario for r-process nucleosynthesis.

A validated fast difference spectrophotometric method for 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF) determination in corn syrups.

Science.gov (United States)

de Andrade, Jucimara Kulek; de Andrade, Camila Kulek; Komatsu, Emy; Perreault, Hélène; Torres, Yohandra Reyes; da Rosa, Marcos Roberto; Felsner, Maria Lurdes

2017-08-01

Corn syrups, important ingredients used in food and beverage industries, often contain high levels of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF), a toxic contaminant. In this work, an in house validation of a difference spectrophotometric method for HMF analysis in corn syrups was developed using sophisticated statistical tools by the first time. The methodology showed excellent analytical performance with good selectivity, linearity (R 2 =99.9%, r>0.99), accuracy and low limits (LOD=0.10mgL -1 and LOQ=0.34mgL -1 ). An excellent precision was confirmed by repeatability (RSD (%)=0.30) and intermediate precision (RSD (%)=0.36) estimates and by Horrat value (0.07). A detailed study of method precision using a nested design demonstrated that variation sources such as instruments, operators and time did not interfere in the variability of results within laboratory and consequently in its intermediate precision. The developed method is environmentally friendly, fast, cheap and easy to implement resulting in an attractive alternative for corn syrups quality control in industries and official laboratories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast and Scalable Gaussian Process Modeling with Applications to Astronomical Time Series

Science.gov (United States)

Foreman-Mackey, Daniel; Agol, Eric; Ambikasaran, Sivaram; Angus, Ruth

2017-12-01

The growing field of large-scale time domain astronomy requires methods for probabilistic data analysis that are computationally tractable, even with large data sets. Gaussian processes (GPs) are a popular class of models used for this purpose, but since the computational cost scales, in general, as the cube of the number of data points, their application has been limited to small data sets. In this paper, we present a novel method for GPs modeling in one dimension where the computational requirements scale linearly with the size of the data set. We demonstrate the method by applying it to simulated and real astronomical time series data sets. These demonstrations are examples of probabilistic inference of stellar rotation periods, asteroseismic oscillation spectra, and transiting planet parameters. The method exploits structure in the problem when the covariance function is expressed as a mixture of complex exponentials, without requiring evenly spaced observations or uniform noise. This form of covariance arises naturally when the process is a mixture of stochastically driven damped harmonic oscillators—providing a physical motivation for and interpretation of this choice—but we also demonstrate that it can be a useful effective model in some other cases. We present a mathematical description of the method and compare it to existing scalable GP methods. The method is fast and interpretable, with a range of potential applications within astronomical data analysis and beyond. We provide well-tested and documented open-source implementations of this method in C++, Python, and Julia.

Fast-ignition heavy-ion fusion target by jet impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velarde, P.; Ogando, F.; Eliezer, S.; Martinez-Val, J.M.

2005-01-01

A new target design for HIF, based on the fast-ignition principles, is proposed. Unlike the previous designs proposed so far, in this case just one energy source is needed to drive the whole process to ignition. The ultra-fast deposition of energy onto the compressed core is produced in this case by hypervelocity jets generated during the process. The collision of jets converts their kinetic energy into thermal energy of the nuclear fuel, which is expected to produce ignition under proper design. The process is studied in this paper, describing its most relevant features like jet production and later collision

The integral fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.E.

1987-01-01

On April 3rd, 1986, two dramatic demonstrations of the inherent capability of sodium-cooled fast reactors to survive unprotected loss of cooling accidents were carried out on the experimental sodium-cooled power reactor, EBR-II, on the Idaho site of Argonne National Laboratory. Transients potentially of the most serious kind, one an unprotected loss of flow, the other an unprotected loss of heat sink, both initiated from full power. In both cases the reactor quietly shut itself down, without damage of any kind. These tests were a part of the on-going development program at Argonne to develop an advanced reactor with significant new inherent safety characteristics. Called the Integral Fast Reactor, or IFR, the basic thrust is to develop everything that is needed for a complete nuclear power system - reactor, closed fuel cycle, and waste processing - as a single optimized entity, and, for simplicity in concept, as an integral part of a single plant. The particular selection of reactor materials emphasizes inherent safety characteristics and also makes possible a simplified closed fuel cycle and waste process improvements

Bioinformatics: Cheap and robust method to explore biomaterial from Indonesia biodiversity

Science.gov (United States)

Widodo

2015-02-01

Indonesia has a huge amount of biodiversity, which may contain many biomaterials for pharmaceutical application. These resources potency should be explored to discover new drugs for human wealth. However, the bioactive screening using conventional methods is very expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, we developed a methodology for screening the potential of natural resources based on bioinformatics. The method is developed based on the fact that organisms in the same taxon will have similar genes, metabolism and secondary metabolites product. Then we employ bioinformatics to explore the potency of biomaterial from Indonesia biodiversity by comparing species with the well-known taxon containing the active compound through published paper or chemical database. Then we analyze drug-likeness, bioactivity and the target proteins of the active compound based on their molecular structure. The target protein was examined their interaction with other proteins in the cell to determine action mechanism of the active compounds in the cellular level, as well as to predict its side effects and toxicity. By using this method, we succeeded to screen anti-cancer, immunomodulators and anti-inflammation from Indonesia biodiversity. For example, we found anticancer from marine invertebrate by employing the method. The anti-cancer was explore based on the isolated compounds of marine invertebrate from published article and database, and then identified the protein target, followed by molecular pathway analysis. The data suggested that the active compound of the invertebrate able to kill cancer cell. Further, we collect and extract the active compound from the invertebrate, and then examined the activity on cancer cell (MCF7). The MTT result showed that the methanol extract of marine invertebrate was highly potent in killing MCF7 cells. Therefore, we concluded that bioinformatics is cheap and robust way to explore bioactive from Indonesia biodiversity for source of drug and another

Fast electrochemical actuator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uvarov, I V; Postnikov, A V; Svetovoy, V B

2016-01-01

Lack of fast and strong microactuators is a well-recognized problem in MEMS community. Electrochemical actuators can develop high pressure but they are notoriously slow. Water electrolysis produced by short voltage pulses of alternating polarity can overcome the problem of slow gas termination. Here we demonstrate an actuation regime, for which the gas pressure is relaxed just for 10 μs or so. The actuator consists of a microchamber filled with the electrolyte and covered with a flexible membrane. The membrane bends outward when the pressure in the chamber increases. Fast termination of gas and high pressure developed in the chamber are related to a high density of nanobubbles in the chamber. The physical processes happening in the chamber are discussed so as problems that have to be resolved for practical applications of this actuation regime. The actuator can be used as a driving engine for microfluidics. (paper)

A fast dynamic mode in rare earth based glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, L. Z.; Xue, R. J.; Zhu, Z. G.; Wang, W. H.; Bai, H. Y., E-mail: hybai@iphy.ac.cn [Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Ngai, K. L. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pisa, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa (Italy)

2016-05-28

Metallic glasses (MGs) usually exhibit only slow β-relaxation peak, and the signature of the fast dynamic is challenging to be observed experimentally in MGs. We report a general and unusual fast dynamic mode in a series of rare earth based MGs manifested as a distinct fast β′-relaxation peak in addition to slow β-relaxation and α-relaxation peaks. We show that the activation energy of the fast β′-relaxation is about 12RT{sub g} and is equivalent to the activation of localized flow event. The coupling of these dynamic processes as well as their relationship with glass transition and structural heterogeneity is discussed.

The parallel processing system for fast 3D-CT image reconstruction by circular shifting float memory architecture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Shi; Kang Kejun; Wang Jingjin

1996-01-01

Computerized Tomography (CT) is expected to become an inevitable diagnostic technique in the future. However, the long time required to reconstruct an image has been one of the major drawbacks associated with this technique. Parallel process is one of the best way to solve this problem. This paper gives the architecture, hardware and software design of PIRS-4 (4-processor Parallel Image Reconstruction System), which is a parallel processing system for fast 3D-CT image reconstruction by circular shifting float memory architecture. It includes the structure and components of the system, the design of crossbar switch and details of control model, the description of RPBP image reconstruction, the choice of OS (Operate System) and language, the principle of imitating EMS, direct memory R/W of float and programming in the protect model. Finally, the test results are given

Mass spectrometric studies of fast pyrolysis of cellulose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Degenstein, John; Hurt, Matt; Murria, Priya; Easton, McKay; Choudhari, Harshavardhan; Yang, Linan; Riedeman, James; Carlsen, Mark; Nash, John; Agrawal, Rakesh; Delgass, W.; Ribeiro, Fabio; Kenttämaa, Hilkka

2015-01-01

A fast pyrolysis probe/linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer combination was used to study the primary fast pyrolysis products (those that first leave the hot pyrolysis surface) of cellulose, cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, cellopentaose, and cellohexaose, as well as of cellobiosan, cellotriosan, and cellopentosan, at 600°C. Similar products with different branching ratios were found for the oligosaccharides and cellulose, as reported previously. However, identical products (with the exception of two) with similar branching ratios were measured for cellotriosan (and cellopentosan) and cellulose. This result demonstrates that cellotriosan is an excellent small-molecule surrogate for studies of the fast pyrolysis of cellulose and also that most fast pyrolysis products of cellulose do not originate from the reducing end. Based on several observations, the fast pyrolysis of cellulose is suggested to initiate predominantly via two competing processes: the formation of anhydro-oligosaccharides, such as cellobiosan, cellotriosan, and cellopentosan (major route), and the elimination of glycolaldehyde (or isomeric) units from the reducing end of oligosaccharides formed from cellulose during fast pyrolysis.

Usability Testing: Too Early? Too Much Talking? Too Many Problems?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hertzum, Morten

2016-01-01

Usability testing has evolved in response to a search for tests that are cheap, early, easy, and fast. In addition, it accords with a situational definition of usability, such as the one propounded by ISO. By approaching usability from an organizational perspective, this author argues that usabil......Usability testing has evolved in response to a search for tests that are cheap, early, easy, and fast. In addition, it accords with a situational definition of usability, such as the one propounded by ISO. By approaching usability from an organizational perspective, this author argues...... that usability should (also) be evaluated late, that usability professionals should be wary of thinking aloud, and that they should focus more on effects achievement than problem detection....

Fast decoding algorithms for geometric coded apertures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byard, Kevin

2015-01-01

Fast decoding algorithms are described for the class of coded aperture designs known as geometric coded apertures which were introduced by Gourlay and Stephen. When compared to the direct decoding method, the algorithms significantly reduce the number of calculations required when performing the decoding for these apertures and hence speed up the decoding process. Experimental tests confirm the efficacy of these fast algorithms, demonstrating a speed up of approximately two to three orders of magnitude over direct decoding.

Pyrolytic oil of banana (Musa spp.) pseudo-stem via fast process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdullah, Nurhayati; Sulaiman, Fauziah; Taib, Rahmad Mohd [School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang (Malaysia); Miskam, Muhamad Azman [Science and Engineering Research Centre, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang (Malaysia)

2015-04-24

This study was an attempt to produce bio-oil from banana pseudo-stem, a waste of banana cultivation, using fast pyrolysis technology. The compositions were determined and the thermal degradation behaviour of the raw material was analyzed using Perkin-Elmer Simultaneous Thermal Analyzer (STA) 6000. A 300 g/h fluidized bed bench scale fast pyrolysis unit, assembled with double screw feeders and cyclones, operating at atmospheric pressure, was used to obtain the pyrolysis liquid. The study involves the impact of the following key variables; the reactor temperature in the range of 450–650 °C, and the residence time in the range of 1.00–3.00 s. The particle size was set at 224-400 µm. The properties of the liquid product were analyzed for calorific heating value, pH value, conductivity, water and char content. The basic functional groups of the compositions were also determined using FTIR. The properties of the liquid product were compared with other wood derived bio-oil. The pyrolysis liquids derived from banana pseudo-stem were found to be in an aqueous phase.

A biorefinery approach based on fractionation with a cheap industrial by-product for getting value from an invasive woody species.

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez, Elena; Romaní, Aloia; Alonso, José Luis; Parajó, Juan Carlos; Yáñez, Remedios

2014-12-01

Acacia dealbata wood (an invasive species) was subjected to fractionation with glycerol (a cheap industrial by-product), and the resulting solid phase was used as a substrate for enzymatic hydrolysis. Glycerol fractionation allowed an extensive delignification while preserving cellulose in solid phase. The solids from the fractionation stage showed high susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis. Solids obtained under selected fractionation conditions (glycerol content of media, 80 wt%; duration, 1h; liquid to solid ratio, 6 g/g; alkaline and neutral washing stages) were subjected to enzymatic saccharification to achieve glucose concentrations up to 85.40 g/L, with almost complete cellulose conversion into glucose. The results confirmed the potential of glycerol as a fractionation agent for biorefineries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast maximum likelihood estimation of mutation rates using a birth-death process.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaowei; Zhu, Hongxiao

2015-02-07

Since fluctuation analysis was first introduced by Luria and Delbrück in 1943, it has been widely used to make inference about spontaneous mutation rates in cultured cells. Under certain model assumptions, the probability distribution of the number of mutants that appear in a fluctuation experiment can be derived explicitly, which provides the basis of mutation rate estimation. It has been shown that, among various existing estimators, the maximum likelihood estimator usually demonstrates some desirable properties such as consistency and lower mean squared error. However, its application in real experimental data is often hindered by slow computation of likelihood due to the recursive form of the mutant-count distribution. We propose a fast maximum likelihood estimator of mutation rates, MLE-BD, based on a birth-death process model with non-differential growth assumption. Simulation studies demonstrate that, compared with the conventional maximum likelihood estimator derived from the Luria-Delbrück distribution, MLE-BD achieves substantial improvement on computational speed and is applicable to arbitrarily large number of mutants. In addition, it still retains good accuracy on point estimation. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Plastic Trash goes Biohybrid"-Rapid and Selective Functionalization of Inert Plastic Surfaces with Biomolecules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schiller, Stefan M; Kambhampati, Dev; Stengel, Gudrun

2010-01-01

The covalent functionalization of "inert" polymers such as polypropylene with biomolecules for biocompatible or biosensor surfaces is challenging. Here we present a powerful approach to covalently modify "inert" macromolecular surfaces with biomacromolecules reusing old plastic material. A special...... emphasis was placed on easily accessible materials and a process which is easy, fast, efficient, cheap, and reliable. "Plastic trash" (lids from Eppendorf® pipet tip containers) was used as a polymer substrate to demonstrate the use/reuse of commercial packing material to covalently modify this material...

BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING AS THE METHOD OF PROCESS MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Honcharova

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the analysis of process management approach. The main understanding of process management approach has been researched in the article. The definition of process and process management has been given. Also the methods of business process improvement has been analyzed, among them are fast-analysis solution technology (FAST, benchmarking, reprojecting and reengineering. The main results of using business process improvement have been described in figures of reducing cycle time, costs and errors. Also the tasks of business process reengineering have been noticed. The main stages of business process reengineering have been noticed. The main efficiency results of business process reengineering and its success factors have been determined.

Fast and repetitive in-capillary production of [{sup 18}F]FDG

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wester, Hans-Juergen; Schoultz, Bent Wilhelm; Hultsch, Christina; Henriksen, Gjermund [Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich (Germany)

2009-04-15

The increasing demand for radiopharmaceuticals to be provided reproducibly and flexibly with high frequency for clinical application and animal imaging would be better met by improved or even new strategies for automated tracer production. Radiosynthesis in microfluidic systems, i.e. narrow tubing with a diameter of approximately 50-500 {mu}m, holds promise for providing the means for repetitive multidose and multitracer production. In this study, the performance of a conceptually simple microfluidic device integrated into a fully automated synthesis procedure for in-capillary radiosynthesis (ICR) of clinical grade [{sup 18}F]FDG was evaluated. The instrumental set-up consisted of pumps for reagent and solvent delivery into small mixing chambers, {mu}-fluidic capillaries, in-process radioactivity monitoring, solid-phase extraction and on-column deprotection of the {sup 18}F-labelled intermediate followed by on-line formulation of [{sup 18}F]FDG. In-capillary{sup 18}F-fluorination of 2.1 {mu}mol 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-O-trifluoromethanesulphonyl-beta-d-mannopyranose (TATM; precursor for [{sup 18}F]FDG) in acetonitrile (MeCN) at a flow rate of 0.3 ml/min within 40 s and subsequent on-line hydrolysis of the intermediate by treatment with 0.3 M NaOH for 1 min at 40 C resulted in a radiochemical yield of 88 {+-} 4% within <7 min. Reproducibility, robustness and suitability as a fast and efficient radiopharmaceutical research tool for {sup 18}F-fluorination was demonstrated by eight independent, sequentially performed ICRs which provided identical tracer quality (radiochemical purity >97%, MeCN <5 {mu}g/ml) and similar absolute yields (approximately 1.4 GBq). The described ICR process is a simple and efficient alternative to classic radiotracer production systems and provides a comparatively cheap instrumental methodology for the repetitive production of [{sup 18}F]FDG with remarkably high efficiency and high yield under fully automated conditions. Although the results

Modeling study on the flow patterns of gas-liquid flow for fast decarburization during the RH process

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yi-hong; Bao, Yan-ping; Wang, Rui; Ma, Li-feng; Liu, Jian-sheng

2018-02-01

A water model and a high-speed video camera were utilized in the 300-t RH equipment to study the effect of steel flow patterns in a vacuum chamber on fast decarburization and a superior flow-pattern map was obtained during the practical RH process. There are three flow patterns with different bubbling characteristics and steel surface states in the vacuum chamber: boiling pattern (BP), transition pattern (TP), and wave pattern (WP). The effect of the liquid-steel level and the residence time of the steel in the chamber on flow patterns and decarburization reaction were investigated, respectively. The liquid-steel level significantly affected the flow-pattern transition from BP to WP, and the residence time and reaction area were crucial to evaluate the whole decarburization process rather than the circulation flow rate and mixing time. A superior flow-pattern map during the practical RH process showed that the steel flow pattern changed from BP to TP quickly, and then remained as TP until the end of decarburization.

Report on the benchmark of products & processes and ranking of cruciality and criticity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Islam, Aminul

The objective of this deliverables is to present the results of benchmarking activities for each COTECH demonstrator and their planned production process. Each section is dedicated to a demonstrator mentioned below: Section 1 Innovative accommodable intra-ocular lens (BI) Section 2 Cheap substrat...... Micro socket for signal carriage of a hearing aid instruments (SONION) Section 8 Micro-cooling of electronic components (ATHERM)...

Fast nanostructured carbon microparticle synthesis by one-step high-flux plasma processing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aussems, D. U. B.; Bystrov, K.; Dogan, I.; Arnas, C.; Cabié, M.; Neisius, T.; Rasinski, M.; Zoethout, E.; Lipman, P.; van de Sanden, M. C. M.; Morgan, T. W.

2017-01-01

This study demonstrates a fast one-step synthesis method for nanostructured carbon microparticles on graphite samples using high-flux plasma exposure. These structures are considered as potential candidates for energy applications such as Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors. The samples were

Fast nanostructured carbon microparticle synthesis by one-step high-flux plasma processing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aussems, D.U.B.; Bystrov, K.E.; Doǧan, I.; Arnas, C.; Cabié, M.; Neisius, T.; Rasinski, M.; Lipman, P.J.L.; van de Sanden, M.C.M.; Morgan, T.W.

This study demonstrates a fast one-step synthesis method for nanostructured carbon microparticles on graphite samples using high-flux plasma exposure. These structures are considered as potential candidates for energy applications such as Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors. The samples were

High rate resistive plate chambers: An inexpensive, fast, large area detector of energetic charged particles for accelerator and non-accelerator applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wuest, C.R.; Ables, E.; Bionta, R.M.; Clamp, O.; Haro, M.; Mauger, G.J.; Miller, K.; Olson, H.; Ramsey, P.

1993-05-01

Resistive Plate Chambers, or RPCs, have been used until recently as large detectors of cosmic ray muons. They are now finding use as fast large-area trigger and muon detection systems for different high energy physics detectors such the L3 Detector at LEP and future detectors to be built at the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) and at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. RPC systems at these accelerators must operate with high efficiency, providing nanosecond timing resolution in particle fluences up to a few tens of kHz/cm 2 -- with thousands of square meters of active area. RPCs are simple and cheap to construct. The authors report here recent work on RPCs using new materials that exhibit a combination of desirable RPC features such as low bulk resistivity, high dielectric strength, low mass, and low cost. These new materials were originally developed for use in electronics assembly areas and other applications, where static electric charge buildup can damage sensitive electrical systems

Fast radiographic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domanus, J.C.

1984-08-01

Industrial radiography can be performed with shorter exposure times, when instead of X-ray film with lead intensifying screens the radiographic paper with fluorescent screen is used. With paper radiography one can obtain lower material, equipment, and labor costs, shorter exposure and processing times, and easier radiation protection. The speed of the radiographic inspection can also be increased by the use of fluorometallic intensifying screens together with a special brand of X-ray film. Before accepting either of the two fast radiographic systems one must be sure that they can produce radiographs of adequate image quality. Therefore an investigation was performed on that subject using ISO wire IQI's and ASTM penetrameters. The radiographic image quality was tested for aluminium and steel up to 30 mm thick using various brands of radiographic paper and X-ray film with fluorometallic screens and comparing them with fast X-ray films with lead screens. Both systems give satisfactory results. (author)

Fast reactor fuel reprocessing. An Indian perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natarajan, R.; Raj, Baldev

2005-01-01

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) envisioned the introduction of Plutonium fuelled fast reactors as the intermediate stage, between Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors and Thorium-Uranium-233 based reactors for the Indian Nuclear Power Programme. This necessitated the closing of the fast reactor fuel cycle with Plutonium rich fuel. Aiming to develop a Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing (FRFR) technology with low out of pile inventory, the DAE, with over four decades of operating experience in Thermal Reactor Fuel Reprocessing (TRFR), had set up at the India Gandhi Center for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, R and D facilities for fast reactor fuel reprocessing. After two decades of R and D in all the facets, a Pilot Plant for demonstrating FRFR had been set up for reprocessing the FBTR (Fast Breeder Test Reactor) spent mixed carbide fuel. Recently in this plant, mixed carbide fuel with 100 GWd/t burnup fuel with short cooling period had been successfully reprocessed for the first time in the world. All the challenging problems encountered had been successfully overcome. This experience helped in fine tuning the designs of various equipments and processes for the future plants which are under construction and design, namely, the DFRP (Demonstration Fast reactor fuel Reprocessing Plant) and the FRP (Fast reactor fuel Reprocessing Plant). In this paper, a comprehensive review of the experiences in reprocessing the fast reactor fuel of different burnup is presented. Also a brief account of the various developmental activities and strategies for the DFRP and FRP are given. (author)

Bio-inspired digital signal processing for fast radionuclide mixture identification

Science.gov (United States)

Thevenin, M.; Bichler, O.; Thiam, C.; Bobin, C.; Lourenço, V.

2015-05-01

Countries are trying to equip their public transportation infrastructure with fixed radiation portals and detectors to detect radiological threat. Current works usually focus on neutron detection, which could be useless in the case of dirty bomb that would not use fissile material. Another approach, such as gamma dose rate variation monitoring is a good indication of the presence of radionuclide. However, some legitimate products emit large quantities of natural gamma rays; environment also emits gamma rays naturally. They can lead to false detections. Moreover, such radio-activity could be used to hide a threat such as material to make a dirty bomb. Consequently, radionuclide identification is a requirement and is traditionally performed by gamma spectrometry using unique spectral signature of each radionuclide. These approaches require high-resolution detectors, sufficient integration time to get enough statistics and large computing capacities for data analysis. High-resolution detectors are fragile and costly, making them bad candidates for large scale homeland security applications. Plastic scintillator and NaI detectors fit with such applications but their resolution makes identification difficult, especially radionuclides mixes. This paper proposes an original signal processing strategy based on artificial spiking neural networks to enable fast radionuclide identification at low count rate and for mixture. It presents results obtained for different challenging mixtures of radionuclides using a NaI scintillator. Results show that a correct identification is performed with less than hundred counts and no false identification is reported, enabling quick identification of a moving threat in a public transportation. Further work will focus on using plastic scintillators.

Concept of the plant for the BN-800 fast reactor fuel recycling with application of pyro-process and vibro-packing technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bychkov, A.V.; Skiba, O.V.; Mayorshin, A.A.; Demidova, L.S.; Kormilitzyna, L.A.; Ishunin, V.S.

2000-01-01

The conception of Plant was developed for MOX-fuel recycle at two BN-800 type fast reactors by pyrochemical reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel (INF) and production of vibro-pac fuel pins and SA. INF production process and stages of pyrochemical reprocessing were analyzed. Starting materials were chosen. Characteristics of irradiated SA and requirements for finished products were defined. Volumes of production were estimated. Procedure of waste management was defined. The following description was made: (1) general flow sheet of fuel recycling and partial schemes of single reprocessing; (2) composition of production process equipment; (3) arrangement of production process equipment; (4) lay out of Plant building and engineering communications. Principle economical assessments were made for production under design. (authors)

Advanced design of fast reactor-membrane reformer (FR-MR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tashimo, M.; Hori, I.; Yasuda, I.; Shirasaki, Y.; Kobayashi, K.

2004-01-01

A new plant concept of nuclear-produced hydrogen is being studied using a Fast Reactor-Membrane Reformer (FR-MR). The conventional steam methane reforming (SMR) system is a three-stage process. The first stage includes the reforming, the second contains a shift reaction and the third is the separation process. The reforming process requires high temperatures of 800 ∼ 900 deg C. The shift process generates heat and is performed at around 200 deg C. The membrane reforming has only one process stage under a nonequilibrium condition by removing H2 selectively through a membrane tube. The steam reforming temperature can be decreased from 800 deg C to 550 deg C, which is a remarkable benefit offered by the non-equilibrium condition. With this new technology, the reactor type can be changed from a High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) to a Fast Reactor (FR). A Fast Reactor-Membrane Reformer (FR-MR) is composed of a nuclear plant and a hydrogen plant. The nuclear plant is a sodium-cooled Fast Reactor with mixed oxide fuel and with a power of 240 MWt. The heat transport system contains two circuits, the primary circuit and the secondary circuit. The membrane reformer units are set in the secondary circuit. The heat, supplied by the sodium, can produce 200 000 Nm 3 /h by 2 units. There are two types of membranes. One is made of Pd another one (advanced) is made of, for example V, or Nb. The technology for the Pd membrane is already established in a small scale. The non-Pd type is expected to improve the performance. (author)

Why are idioms recognized fast?

Science.gov (United States)

Tabossi, Patrizia; Fanari, Rachele; Wolf, Kinou

2009-06-01

It is an established fact that idiomatic expressions are fast to process. However, the explanation of the phenomenon is controversial. Using a semantic judgment paradigm, where people decide whether a string is meaningful or not, the present experiment tested the predictions deriving from the three main theories of idiom recognition-the lexical representation hypothesis, the idiom decomposition hypothesis, and the configuration hypothesis. Participants were faster at judging decomposable idioms, nondecomposable idioms, and clichés than at judging their matched controls. The effect was comparable for all conventional expressions. The results were interpreted as suggesting that, as posited by the configuration hypothesis, the fact that they are known expressions, rather than idiomaticity, explains their fast recognition.

Fast light in atomic media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akulshin, Alexander M; McLean, Russell J

2010-01-01

Atomic media have played a major role in studies of fast light. One of their attractive features is the ability to manipulate experimental parameters to control the dispersive properties that determine the group velocity of a propagating light pulse. We give an overview of the experimental methods, based on both linear and nonlinear atom–light interaction, that have produced superluminal propagation in atomic media, and discuss some of the significant theoretical contributions to the issues of pulse preservation and reconciling faster-than-light propagation and the principle of causality. The comparison of storage of light, enhanced Kerr nonlinearity and efficient wave mixing processes in slow and fast light atomic media illustrates their common and distinct features. (review article)

The effect of Ramadan fasting on spatial attention through emotional stimuli

Science.gov (United States)

Molavi, Maziyar; Yunus, Jasmy; Utama, Nugraha P

2016-01-01

Fasting can influence psychological and mental states. In the current study, the effect of periodical fasting on the process of emotion through gazed facial expression as a realistic multisource of social information was investigated for the first time. The dynamic cue-target task was applied via behavior and event-related potential measurements for 40 participants to reveal the temporal and spatial brain activities – before, during, and after fasting periods. The significance of fasting included several effects. The amplitude of the N1 component decreased over the centroparietal scalp during fasting. Furthermore, the reaction time during the fasting period decreased. The self-measurement of deficit arousal as well as the mood increased during the fasting period. There was a significant contralateral alteration of P1 over occipital area for the happy facial expression stimuli. The significant effect of gazed expression and its interaction with the emotional stimuli was indicated by the amplitude of N1. Furthermore, the findings of the study approved the validity effect as a congruency between gaze and target position, as indicated by the increment of P3 amplitude over centroparietal area as well as slower reaction time from behavioral response data during incongruency or invalid condition between gaze and target position compared with those during valid condition. Results of this study proved that attention to facial expression stimuli as a kind of communicative social signal was affected by fasting. Also, fasting improved the mood of practitioners. Moreover, findings from the behavioral and event-related potential data analyses indicated that the neural dynamics of facial emotion are processed faster than that of gazing, as the participants tended to react faster and prefer to relay on the type of facial emotions than to gaze direction while doing the task. Because of happy facial expression stimuli, right hemisphere activation was more than that of the left

Neighborhood fast food restaurants and fast food consumption: a national study.

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Andrea S; Boone-Heinonen, Janne; Popkin, Barry M; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2011-07-08

Recent studies suggest that neighborhood fast food restaurant availability is related to greater obesity, yet few studies have investigated whether neighborhood fast food restaurant availability promotes fast food consumption. Our aim was to estimate the effect of neighborhood fast food availability on frequency of fast food consumption in a national sample of young adults, a population at high risk for obesity. We used national data from U.S. young adults enrolled in wave III (2001-02; ages 18-28) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 13,150). Urbanicity-stratified multivariate negative binomial regression models were used to examine cross-sectional associations between neighborhood fast food availability and individual-level self-reported fast food consumption frequency, controlling for individual and neighborhood characteristics. In adjusted analysis, fast food availability was not associated with weekly frequency of fast food consumption in non-urban or low- or high-density urban areas. Policies aiming to reduce neighborhood availability as a means to reduce fast food consumption among young adults may be unsuccessful. Consideration of fast food outlets near school or workplace locations, factors specific to more or less urban settings, and the role of individual lifestyle attitudes and preferences are needed in future research.

Neighborhood fast food restaurants and fast food consumption: A national study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gordon-Larsen Penny

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent studies suggest that neighborhood fast food restaurant availability is related to greater obesity, yet few studies have investigated whether neighborhood fast food restaurant availability promotes fast food consumption. Our aim was to estimate the effect of neighborhood fast food availability on frequency of fast food consumption in a national sample of young adults, a population at high risk for obesity. Methods We used national data from U.S. young adults enrolled in wave III (2001-02; ages 18-28 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 13,150. Urbanicity-stratified multivariate negative binomial regression models were used to examine cross-sectional associations between neighborhood fast food availability and individual-level self-reported fast food consumption frequency, controlling for individual and neighborhood characteristics. Results In adjusted analysis, fast food availability was not associated with weekly frequency of fast food consumption in non-urban or low- or high-density urban areas. Conclusions Policies aiming to reduce neighborhood availability as a means to reduce fast food consumption among young adults may be unsuccessful. Consideration of fast food outlets near school or workplace locations, factors specific to more or less urban settings, and the role of individual lifestyle attitudes and preferences are needed in future research.

The integral fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.E.

1987-01-01

On April 3rd, 1986, two demonstrations of the inherent capability of sodium-cooled fast reactors to survive unprotected loss of cooling accidents were carried out on the experimental sodium-cooled power reactor, EBR-II, on the Idaho site of Argonne National Laboratory. Transients potentially of the most serious kind, one an unprotected loss of flow, the other an unprotected loss of heat sink, both initiated from full power. In both cases the reactor quietly shut itself down, without damage of any kind. These tests were a part of the on-going development program at Argonne to develop an advanced reactor with significant new inherent safety characteristics. Called the integral fast reactor, or IFR, the basic thrust is to develop everything that is needed for a complete nuclear power system - reactor, closed fuel cycle, and waste processing - as a single optimized entity, and, for simplicity in concept, as an integral part of a single plant. The particular selection of reactor materials emphasizes inherent safety characteristics also makes possible a simplified close fuel cycle and waste process improvements. The paper describes the IFR concept, the inherent safety, tests, and status of IFR development today

System of Modelling and Calculation Analysis of Neutron- Physical Experiments at Fast Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moiseyev, A.V.

2008-01-01

There is an actual task on storage, processing and analysis of the unique experimental data received on power fast reactors for their subsequent use in projects of fast reactors of new (4.) generation. For modeling and carrying out analysis of experiments the integrated computing system MODEXSYS has been developed. In this system the mechanism for consecutive calculation of a fast reactor states with the detailed description of its components is created. The system includes the database describing fast reactor states, results of neutron-physical characteristics measurements at fast reactor, calculation and benchmark models of experiments and calculation results. In system convenient search means and the special graphics shell are provided. It has Interfaces for processing of calculation results and their analysis. MODEXSYS system has been applied for analysis of three types of experiments at fast reactor: k eff , control rod worth and energy release distribution. The most important results of this analysis are described. Application of MODEXSYS system will raise accuracy and reliability of forecasting of fast reactors neutron-physical characteristics; for BN-600 reactor recommended level of accuracy is resulted. (authors)

System of Modelling and Calculation Analysis of Neutron- Physical Experiments at Fast Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moiseyev, A.V. [SSC RF - IPPE, 1 Bondarenko Square, Obninsk, Kaluga Region 249033 (Russian Federation)

2008-07-01

There is an actual task on storage, processing and analysis of the unique experimental data received on power fast reactors for their subsequent use in projects of fast reactors of new (4.) generation. For modeling and carrying out analysis of experiments the integrated computing system MODEXSYS has been developed. In this system the mechanism for consecutive calculation of a fast reactor states with the detailed description of its components is created. The system includes the database describing fast reactor states, results of neutron-physical characteristics measurements at fast reactor, calculation and benchmark models of experiments and calculation results. In system convenient search means and the special graphics shell are provided. It has Interfaces for processing of calculation results and their analysis. MODEXSYS system has been applied for analysis of three types of experiments at fast reactor: k{sub eff}, control rod worth and energy release distribution. The most important results of this analysis are described. Application of MODEXSYS system will raise accuracy and reliability of forecasting of fast reactors neutron-physical characteristics; for BN-600 reactor recommended level of accuracy is resulted. (authors)

Effects of Cheap Antidotes; Sodium Bicarbonate and Magnesium Sulfate in Organophosphorous Poisoning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balali-Mood, M.; Afshari, R.

2007-01-01

Organophosphorous (OP) compounds have been used as pesticides and chemical warfare nerve agents. Despite administration of well known antidotes (atropine and oximes), morbidity and mortality of OP poisoning were still high. Besides, oximes are very expensive and not available in most developing countries. It was thus aimed to study the effects of cheap available antidotes; sodium bicarbonate and magnesium sulfate in OP poisoning. In addition to the standard antidotal treatment, out of 117 patients (63M, 47F) aged 25.2 ± 9.5 years with moderate to severe acute OP pesticide poisoning 59 were given sodium bicarbonate 5 mEq/kg in 60 min. followed by 5-6 mEq/kg/day to obtain arterial blood pH of 7.45 to 7.55. Arterial blood pH increased significantly (p less than 0.01) to 7.48 ± 0.05 compared to the controls (7.32 ± 0.06). Morbidity based on hospitalization days reduced significantly (p less than 0.05) from 5.62 ± 3.4 in the controls to 3.1 ± 2.6 days in the sodium bicarbonate group. Total atropine dose was also significantly (p less than 0.05) lower in the test group. Mortality was lower, but not significantly due to the low numbers (5 and 2 of the controls and test group, respectively). Sodium bicarbonate appeared to be effective and could be added to the treatment regime of OP poisoning. Magnesium sulfate was administered four gram intravenously only for the first 24 hr of hospitalization day for the patients with moderate to severe OP poisoning in a pilot study. The results were promising and thus further investigations are continued.(author)

Detection of fast neutrons in a plastic scintillator using digital pulse processing to reject gammas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reeder, P.L.; Peurrung, A.J.; Hansen, R.R.; Stromswold, D.C.; Hensley, W.K.; Hubbard, C.W.

1999-01-01

We report on neutron-gamma discrimination in a plastic scintillator based on the time delay inherent in second and third chance neutron scattering. Because of the time delay (∼3 ns) between the first and second scattering of a neutron, calculations of gammas and neutrons in a plastic scintillator predict that a neutron signal should be significantly broader than a pulse from a gamma event. Experimentally, we have used a fast digital oscilloscope coupled to a computer to examine individual pulses from neutron or gamma induced signals in fast scintillators coupled to a fast PMT. Individual neutron-induced signals were consistent with the predictions of our model, but gamma pulses were broader than expected. We present various tests to understand this phenomenon and discuss a way to overcome this problem

FAST: framework for heterogeneous medical image computing and visualization.

Science.gov (United States)

Smistad, Erik; Bozorgi, Mohammadmehdi; Lindseth, Frank

2015-11-01

Computer systems are becoming increasingly heterogeneous in the sense that they consist of different processors, such as multi-core CPUs and graphic processing units. As the amount of medical image data increases, it is crucial to exploit the computational power of these processors. However, this is currently difficult due to several factors, such as driver errors, processor differences, and the need for low-level memory handling. This paper presents a novel FrAmework for heterogeneouS medical image compuTing and visualization (FAST). The framework aims to make it easier to simultaneously process and visualize medical images efficiently on heterogeneous systems. FAST uses common image processing programming paradigms and hides the details of memory handling from the user, while enabling the use of all processors and cores on a system. The framework is open-source, cross-platform and available online. Code examples and performance measurements are presented to show the simplicity and efficiency of FAST. The results are compared to the insight toolkit (ITK) and the visualization toolkit (VTK) and show that the presented framework is faster with up to 20 times speedup on several common medical imaging algorithms. FAST enables efficient medical image computing and visualization on heterogeneous systems. Code examples and performance evaluations have demonstrated that the toolkit is both easy to use and performs better than existing frameworks, such as ITK and VTK.

Fundamentals of fast reduction of ultrafine iron ore at low temperature

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Pei Zhao; Peimin Guo

2008-01-01

Fundamentals on the fast reduction of ultrafine iron ore at low temperature, including characterization of ultrafine ore, de- oxidation thermodynamics of stored-energy ultrafine ore, kinetics of iron ore deoxidation, and deoxidation mechanism, etc., and a new ironmaking process are presented in this article. Ultrafine ore concentrate with a high amount of stored energy can be produced by mechanical milling, and can be dcoxidated fast below 700℃ by either the coal-based or gas-based process. This novel process has some advantages over others: high productivity, low energy consumption, and environmental friendliness.

FastChem: An ultra-fast equilibrium chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Kitzmann, Daniel; Stock, Joachim

2018-04-01

FastChem is an equilibrium chemistry code that calculates the chemical composition of the gas phase for given temperatures and pressures. Written in C++, it is based on a semi-analytic approach, and is optimized for extremely fast and accurate calculations.

The effect of Ramadan fasting on spatial attention through emotional stimuli

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Molavi M

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Maziyar Molavi, Jasmy Yunus, Nugraha P Utama Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences and Medical Engineering (FBME, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM, Johor Bahru, Johor, MalaysiaAbstract: Fasting can influence psychological and mental states. In the current study, the effect of periodical fasting on the process of emotion through gazed facial expression as a realistic multisource of social information was investigated for the first time. The dynamic cue-target task was applied via behavior and event-related potential measurements for 40 participants to reveal the temporal and spatial brain activities – before, during, and after fasting periods. The significance of fasting included several effects. The amplitude of the N1 component decreased over the centroparietal scalp during fasting. Furthermore, the reaction time during the fasting period decreased. The self-measurement of deficit arousal as well as the mood increased during the fasting period. There was a significant contralateral alteration of P1 over occipital area for the happy facial expression stimuli. The significant effect of gazed expression and its interaction with the emotional stimuli was indicated by the amplitude of N1. Furthermore, the findings of the study approved the validity effect as a congruency between gaze and target position, as indicated by the increment of P3 amplitude over centroparietal area as well as slower reaction time from behavioral response data during incongruency or invalid condition between gaze and target position compared with those during valid condition. Results of this study proved that attention to facial expression stimuli as a kind of communicative social signal was affected by fasting. Also, fasting improved the mood of practitioners. Moreover, findings from the behavioral and event-related potential data analyses indicated that the neural dynamics of facial emotion are processed faster than that of gazing, as the participants

Fast-dissolving core-shell composite microparticles of quercetin fabricated using a coaxial electrospray process.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Li

Full Text Available This study reports on novel fast-dissolving core-shell composite microparticles of quercetin fabricated using coaxial electrospraying. A PVC-coated concentric spinneret was developed to conduct the electrospray process. A series of analyses were undertaken to characterize the resultant particles in terms of their morphology, the physical form of their components, and their functional performance. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies revealed that the microparticles had spherical morphologies with clear core-shell structure visible. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction verified that the quercetin active ingredient in the core and sucralose and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS excipients in the shell existed in the amorphous state. This is believed to be a result of second-order interactions between the components; these could be observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In vitro dissolution and permeation studies showed that the microparticles rapidly released the incorporated quercetin within one minute, and had permeation rates across the sublingual mucosa around 10 times faster than raw quercetin.

Process Design and Economics for the Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Hydrocarbon Fuels: Fast Pyrolysis and Hydrotreating Bio-oil Pathway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, Susanne [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Meyer, Pimphan [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Snowden-Swan, Lesley [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Padmaperuma, Asanga [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Tan, Eric [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Dutta, Abhijit [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Jacobson, Jacob [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Cafferty, Kara [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2013-11-01

This report describes a proposed thermochemical process for converting biomass into liquid transportation fuels via fast pyrolysis followed by hydroprocessing of the condensed pyrolysis oil. As such, the analysis does not reflect the current state of commercially-available technology but includes advancements that are likely, and targeted to be achieved by 2017. The purpose of this study is to quantify the economic impact of individual conversion targets to allow a focused effort towards achieving cost reductions.

Process Design and Economics for the Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Hydrocarbon Fuels: Fast Pyrolysis and Hydrotreating Bio-Oil Pathway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, Susanne B. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Meyer, Pimphan A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Snowden-Swan, Lesley J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Padmaperuma, Asanga B. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Tan, Eric [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Dutta, Abhijit [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Jacobson, Jacob [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Cafferty, Kara [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2013-11-01

This report describes a proposed thermochemical process for converting biomass into liquid transportation fuels via fast pyrolysis followed by hydroprocessing of the condensed pyrolysis oil. As such, the analysis does not reflect the current state of commercially-available technology but includes advancements that are likely, and targeted to be achieved by 2017. The purpose of this study is to quantify the economic impact of individual conversion targets to allow a focused effort towards achieving cost reductions.

Probing Photoinduced Structural Phase Transitions by Fast or Ultra-Fast Time-Resolved X-Ray Diffraction

Science.gov (United States)

Cailleau, Hervé Collet, Eric; Buron-Le Cointe, Marylise; Lemée-Cailleau, Marie-Hélène Koshihara, Shin-Ya

A new frontier in the field of structural science is the emergence of the fast and ultra-fast X-ray science. Recent developments in time-resolved X-ray diffraction promise direct access to the dynamics of electronic, atomic and molecular motions in condensed matter triggered by a pulsed laser irradiation, i.e. to record "molecular movies" during the transformation of matter initiated by light pulse. These laser pump and X-ray probe techniques now provide an outstanding opportunity for the direct observation of a photoinduced structural phase transition as it takes place. The use of X-ray short-pulse of about 100ps around third-generation synchrotron sources allows structural investigations of fast photoinduced processes. Other new X-ray sources, such as laser-produced plasma ones, generate ultra-short pulses down to 100 fs. This opens the way to femtosecond X-ray crystallography, but with rather low X-ray intensities and more limited experimental possibilities at present. However this new ultra-fast science rapidly progresses around these sources and new large-scale projects exist. It is the aim of this contribution to overview the state of art and the perspectives of fast and ultra-fast X-ray scattering techniques to study photoinduced phase transitions (here, the word ultra-fast is used for sub-picosecond time resolution). In particular we would like to largely present the contribution of crystallographic methods in comparison with optical methods, such as pump-probe reflectivity measurements, the reader being not necessary familiar with X-ray scattering. Thus we want to present which type of physical information can be obtained from the positions of the Bragg peaks, their intensity and their shape, as well as from the diffuse scattering beyond Bragg peaks. An important physical feature is to take into consideration the difference in nature between a photoinduced phase transition and conventional homogeneous photoinduced chemical or biochemical processes where

The AMchip04 and the processing unit prototype for the FastTracker

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreani, A; Alberti, F; Stabile, A; Annovi, A; Beretta, M; Volpi, G; Bogdan, M; Shochet, M; Tang, J; Tompkins, L; Citterio, M; Giannetti, P; Lanza, A; Magalotti, D; Piendibene, M

2012-01-01

Modern experiments search for extremely rare processes hidden in much larger background levels. As the experiment's complexity, the accelerator backgrounds and luminosity increase we need increasingly complex and exclusive event selection. We present the first prototype of a new Processing Unit (PU), the core of the FastTracker processor (FTK). FTK is a real time tracking device for the ATLAS experiment's trigger upgrade. The computing power of the PU is such that a few hundred of them will be able to reconstruct all the tracks with transverse momentum above 1 GeV/c in ATLAS events up to Phase II instantaneous luminosities (3 × 10 34 cm −2 s −1 ) with an event input rate of 100 kHz and a latency below a hundred microseconds. The PU provides massive computing power to minimize the online execution time of complex tracking algorithms. The time consuming pattern recognition problem, generally referred to as the ''combinatorial challenge'', is solved by the Associative Memory (AM) technology exploiting parallelism to the maximum extent; it compares the event to all pre-calculated ''expectations'' or ''patterns'' (pattern matching) simultaneously, looking for candidate tracks called ''roads''. This approach reduces to a linear behavior the typical exponential complexity of the CPU based algorithms. Pattern recognition is completed by the time data are loaded into the AM devices. We report on the design of the first Processing Unit prototypes. The design had to address the most challenging aspects of this technology: a huge number of detector clusters (''hits'') must be distributed at high rate with very large fan-out to all patterns (10 Million patterns will be located on 128 chips placed on a single board) and a huge number of roads must be collected and sent back to the FTK post-pattern-recognition functions. A network of high speed serial links is used to solve the data distribution problem.

Pyro-electrochemical reprocessing of irradiated MOX fast reactor fuel, testing of the reprocessing process with direct MOX fuel production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kormilitzyn, M.V.; Vavilov, S.K.; Bychkov, A.V.; Skiba, O.V.; Chistyakov, V.M.; Tselichshev, I.V

2000-07-01

One of the advanced technologies for fast reactor fuel recycle is pyro-electrochemical molten salt technology. In 1998 we began to study the next phase of the irradiated oxide fuel reprocessing new process MOX {yields} MOX. This process involves the following steps: - Dissolution of irradiated fuel in molten alkaline metal chlorides, - Purification of melt from fission products that are co-deposited with uranium and plutonium oxides, - Electrochemical co-deposition of uranium and plutonium oxides under the controlled cathode potential, - Production of granulated MOX (crushing,salt separation and sizing), and - Purification of melt from fission products by phosphate precipitation. In 1998 a series of experiments were prepared and carried out in order to validate this process. It was shown that the proposed reprocessing flowsheet of irradiated MOX fuel verified the feasibility of its decontamination from most of its fission products (rare earths, cesium) and minor-actinides (americium, curium)

Pyro-electrochemical reprocessing of irradiated MOX fast reactor fuel, testing of the reprocessing process with direct MOX fuel production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kormilitzyn, M.V.; Vavilov, S.K.; Bychkov, A.V.; Skiba, O.V.; Chistyakov, V.M.; Tselichshev, I.V.

2000-01-01

One of the advanced technologies for fast reactor fuel recycle is pyro-electrochemical molten salt technology. In 1998 we began to study the next phase of the irradiated oxide fuel reprocessing new process MOX → MOX. This process involves the following steps: - Dissolution of irradiated fuel in molten alkaline metal chlorides, - Purification of melt from fission products that are co-deposited with uranium and plutonium oxides, - Electrochemical co-deposition of uranium and plutonium oxides under the controlled cathode potential, - Production of granulated MOX (crushing,salt separation and sizing), and - Purification of melt from fission products by phosphate precipitation. In 1998 a series of experiments were prepared and carried out in order to validate this process. It was shown that the proposed reprocessing flowsheet of irradiated MOX fuel verified the feasibility of its decontamination from most of its fission products (rare earths, cesium) and minor-actinides (americium, curium)

Medical radiography with fast neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duehmke, E.

1980-01-01

Neutron radiography is important in medicine for two reasons. On the one hand, macroradiographical findings are different from X-ray findings, i.e. new information may be gained on the morphology of humans and animals. On the other hand, there is a direct practical application in the radiotherapy of malignant tumours if one considers the assessment of the growth of malignant processes. Fast neutrons are required for neutron radiographies of biological objects with a diameter of more than 2 cm. In addition sensitive, two-dimensional detectors must be used which are selective for fast neutrons. The book describes the optimisation and sensitisation of a detector using the example of cellulose nitrate foil for fast reactor neutrons. Images of human spinal chords with tumours proved by pathological and anatomical examinations give a better picture of the dimensions of the tumour than comparative X-ray pictures. For examinations of living patients, neutron radiography should be applied only in those tumour-bearing parts of the bodies in which radiation treatment is required for therapeutical purposes anyway. (orig./MG) [de

Modeling of Hydrodynamic Processes at a Large Leak of Water into Sodium in the Fast Reactor Coolant Circuit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey Perevoznikov

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we describe a physicomathematical model of the processes that occur in a sodium circuit with a variable flow cross-section in the case of a water leak into sodium. The application area for this technique includes the possibility of analyzing consequences of this leak as applied to sodium–water steam generators in fast neutron reactors. Hydrodynamic processes that occur in sodium circuits in the event of a water leak are described within the framework of a one-dimensional thermally nonequilibrium three-component gas–liquid flow model (sodium–hydrogen–sodium hydroxide. Consideration is given to the results of a mathematical modeling of experiments involving steam injection into the sodium loop of a circulation test facility. That was done by means of the computer code in which the proposed model had been implemented.

Neighborhood fast food restaurants and fast food consumption: A national study

OpenAIRE

Richardson, Andrea S; Boone-Heinonen, Janne; Popkin, Barry M; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2011-01-01

Abstract Background Recent studies suggest that neighborhood fast food restaurant availability is related to greater obesity, yet few studies have investigated whether neighborhood fast food restaurant availability promotes fast food consumption. Our aim was to estimate the effect of neighborhood fast food availability on frequency of fast food consumption in a national sample of young adults, a population at high risk for obesity. Methods We used national data from U.S. young adults enrolled...

Novel applications of fast neutron interrogation methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gozani, Tsahi

1994-01-01

The development of non-intrusive inspection methods for contraband consisting primarily of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen requires the use of fast neutrons. While most elements can be sufficiently well detected by the thermal neutron capture process, some important ones, e.g., carbon and in particular oxygen, cannot be detected by this process. Fortunately, fast neutrons, with energies above the threshold for inelastic scattering, stimulate relatively strong and specific gamma ray lines from these elements. The main lines are: 6.13 for O, 4.43 for C, and 5.11, 2.31 and 1.64 MeV for N. Accelerator-generated neutrons in the energy range of 7 to 15 MeV are being considered as interrogating radiations in a variety of non-intrusive inspection systems for contraband, from explosives to drugs and from coal to smuggled, dutiable goods. In some applications, mostly for inspection of small items such as luggage, the decision process involves a rudimentary imaging, akin to emission tomography, to obtain the localized concentration of various elements. This technique is called FNA - Fast Neutron Analysis. While this approach offers improvements over the TNA (Thermal Neutron Analysis), it is not applicable to large objects such as shipping containers and trucks. For these challenging applications, a collimated beam of neutrons is rastered along the height of the moving object. In addition, the neutrons are generated in very narrow nanosecond pulses. The point of their interaction inside the object is determined by the time of flight (TOF) method, that is measuring the time elapsed from the neutron generation to the time of detection of the stimulated gamma rays. This technique, called PFNA (Pulsed Fast Neutron Analysis), thus directly provides the elemental, and by inference, the chemical composition of the material at every volume element (voxel) of the object. The various neutron-based techniques are briefly described below. ((orig.))

Application of fast procedures for the real-time processing of multi-parameter events in the γ-spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanewinkel, H.

1984-01-01

The construction of a new structurated data acquisition system at the Cologne tandem accelerator should contribute to the further development of the experimental methods in nuclear physics. For this fast procedures for the real-time processing and on-line data reduction of multi-parameter events were development and applied. These procedures allowed in connection with the whole analyzer system an effective processing of the occurring many-parametric data. By this work an important condition for the experimental application of the high-resolution γγ anti-Compton coincidence spectrometer OSIRIS, which is constructed in an collaboration with goups in Berlin, Bonn, and Julich, was created at the Cologne accelerator. The ensued analyzer system offers however also to all other users an extension of their experimental possibilities. The requirements and the structure of the analyzer system as well as the procedures developed and applied for this are described and compared with other procedures proposed in literature. (orig./HSI) [de

On Fast Post-Processing of Global Positioning System Simulator Truth Data and Receiver Measurements and Solutions Data

Science.gov (United States)

Kizhner, Semion; Day, John H. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Post-Processing of data related to a Global Positioning System (GPS) simulation is an important activity in qualification of a GPS receiver for space flight. Because a GPS simulator is a critical resource it is desirable to move off the pertinent simulation data from the simulator as soon as a test is completed. The simulator data files are usually moved to a Personal Computer (PC), where the post-processing of the receiver logged measurements and solutions data and simulated data is performed. Typically post-processing is accomplished using PC-based commercial software languages and tools. Because of commercial software systems generality their general-purpose functions are notoriously slow and more than often are the bottleneck problem even for short duration experiments. For example, it may take 8 hours to post-process data from a 6-hour simulation. There is a need to do post-processing faster, especially in order to use the previous test results as feedback for a next simulation setup. This paper demonstrates that a fast software linear interpolation algorithm is applicable to a large class of engineering problems, like GPS simulation data post-processing, where computational time is a critical resource and is one of the most important considerations. An approach is developed that allows to speed-up post-processing by an order of magnitude. It is based on improving the post-processing bottleneck interpolation algorithm using apriori information that is specific to the GPS simulation application. The presented post-processing scheme was used in support of a few successful space flight missions carrying GPS receivers. A future approach to solving the post-processing performance problem using Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology is described.

Comparison of Fast-Food and Non-Fast-Food Children's Menu Items

Science.gov (United States)

Serrano, Elena L.; Jedda, Virginia B.

2009-01-01

Objective: Compare the macronutrient content of children's meals sold by fast-food restaurants (FFR) and non-fast-food restaurants (NFF). Design: All restaurants within the designated city limits were surveyed. Non-fast-food children's meals were purchased, weighed, and analyzed using nutrition software. All fast-food children's meals were…

Medical use of fast neutrons in radiotherapy and radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bewley, D.K.

1975-01-01

Over 400 patients have been treated with fast neutrons from a cyclotron at Hammersmith Hospital, London, using 16 MeV deuterons on beryllium. A large variety of malignant disease is included in this trial. A randomized trial of fast neutron therapy for cancer of the mouth and throat is in progress and preliminary results will be given. Fast neutron radiographs are often taken to check the positions of the fields used on the patients. These show no contrast from bone, but demonstrate only the presence of gas-filled cavities. As a diagnostic method, fast neutron radiography suffers from a number of disadvantages, the main ones being lack of sensitivity of the image-forming system and the hazard to the patient due to a large Quality Factor. Estimation of the absorbed dose given to different types of tissue is an important factor in the medical use of fast neutrons. More data are needed on the processes whereby fast neutrons impart energy to matter, particularly for neutrons above 15 MeV

Ions and electrons thermal effects on the fast-slow mode conversion process in a three components plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fidone, I.; Gomberoff, L.

1977-07-01

Fast-slow mode conversion in a deuterium plasma with a small amount of hydrogen impurity, for frequencies close to the two-ion hybrid frequency, is investigated. It is shown that while electron thermal effects tend to inhibit the wave conversion process, ion thermal effects tend to restore, qualitatively, the cold plasma properties, favouring therefore, the energy exchange between the two modes. The aforementioned effects are competitive for zetasub(o)sup(e)=1/nsub(parall).vsub(e)>=1. For zetasub(o)sup(e)<=1, electron thermal effects, in particular Landau damping, dominate over ion Larmor radius effects, drastically diminishing the wave conversion efficacy. For zetasub(o)sup(e)<<1, the coupling between the modes disappears altogether

Spectrotemporal processing drives fast access to memory traces for spoken words.

Science.gov (United States)

Tavano, A; Grimm, S; Costa-Faidella, J; Slabu, L; Schröger, E; Escera, C

2012-05-01

The Mismatch Negativity (MMN) component of the event-related potentials is generated when a detectable spectrotemporal feature of the incoming sound does not match the sensory model set up by preceding repeated stimuli. MMN is enhanced at frontocentral scalp sites for deviant words when compared to acoustically similar deviant pseudowords, suggesting that automatic access to long-term memory traces for spoken words contributes to MMN generation. Does spectrotemporal feature matching also drive automatic lexical access? To test this, we recorded human auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) to disyllabic spoken words and pseudowords within a passive oddball paradigm. We first aimed at replicating the word-related MMN enhancement effect for Spanish, thereby adding to the available cross-linguistic evidence (e.g., Finnish, English). We then probed its resilience to spectrotemporal perturbation by inserting short (20 ms) and long (120 ms) silent gaps between first and second syllables of deviant and standard stimuli. A significantly enhanced, frontocentrally distributed MMN to deviant words was found for stimuli with no gap. The long gap yielded no deviant word MMN, showing that prior expectations of word form limits in a given language influence deviance detection processes. Crucially, the insertion of a short gap suppressed deviant word MMN enhancement at frontocentral sites. We propose that spectrotemporal point-wise matching constitutes a core mechanism for fast serial computations in audition and language, bridging sensory and long-term memory systems. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fast Food Jobs. National Study of Fast Food Employment.

Science.gov (United States)

Charner, Ivan; Fraser, Bryna Shore

A study examined employment in the fast-food industry. The national survey collected data from employees at 279 fast-food restaurants from seven companies. Female employees outnumbered males by two to one. The ages of those fast-food employees in the survey sample ranged from 14 to 71, with fully 70 percent being in the 16- to 20-year-old age…

A fast photo-counter with multi-level buffers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Hu; Zhou Peiling; Yao Kun; Guo Guangcan

1992-01-01

Digital Photon Correlator (DPC) is composed of a Photo-counter and a data processing unit. The performance of Photo-counter in data acquisition system has a direct influence on data processing. The Photo-counter with fast carry designed here has multi-level buffers. Photon pulses can be correctly and dynamically recorded by the Photo-counter and processed by a single chip computer

Development of a relatively cheap and simple automated separation system for a routine separation procedure based on extraction chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petro Zoriy; Reinhold Flucht; Mechthild Burow; Peter Ostapczuk; Reinhard Lennartz; Myroslav Zoriy

2010-01-01

A robust analytical method has been developed in our laboratory for the separation of radionuclides by means of extraction chromatography using an automated separation system. The proposed method is both cheap and simple and provides the advantageous, rapid and accurate separation of the element of interest. The automated separation system enables a shorter separation time by maintaining a constant flow rate of solution and by avoiding clogging or bubbling in the chromatographic column. The present separation method was tested with two types of samples (water and urine) using UTEVA-, TRU- and Sr-specific resins for the separation of U, Th, Am, Pu and Sr. The total separation time for one radionuclide ranged from 60 to 100 min with the separation yield ranging from 68 to 98% depending on the elements separated. We used ICP-QMS, multi-low-level counter and alpha spectroscopy to measure the corresponding elements. (author)

Fast mutual-information-based contrast enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Gang; Yu, Lifang; Tian, Huawei; Huang, Xianglin; Wang, Yongbin

2017-07-01

Recently, T. Celik proposed an effective image contrast enhancement (CE) method based on spatial mutual information and PageRank (SMIRANK). According to the state-of-the-art evaluation criteria, it achieves the best visual enhancement quality among existing global CE methods. However, SMIRANK runs much slower than the other counterparts, such as histogram equalization (HE) and adaptive gamma correction. Low computational complexity is also required for good CE algorithms. In this paper, we novelly propose a fast SMIRANK algorithm, called FastSMIRANK. It integrates both spatial and gray-level downsampling into the generation of pixel value mapping function. Moreover, the computation of rank vectors is speeded up by replacing PageRank with a simple yet efficient row-based operation of mutual information matrix. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed FastSMIRANK could accelerate the processing speed of SMIRANK by about 20 times, and is even faster than HE. Comparable enhancement quality is preserved simultaneously.

siMacro: A Fast and Easy Data Processing Tool for Cell-Based Genomewide siRNA Screens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nitin Kumar Singh

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Growing numbers of studies employ cell line-based systematic short interfering RNA (siRNA screens to study gene functions and to identify drug targets. As multiple sources of variations that are unique to siRNA screens exist, there is a growing demand for a computational tool that generates normalized values and standardized scores. However, only a few tools have been available so far with limited usability. Here, we present siMacro, a fast and easy-to-use Microsoft Office Excel-based tool with a graphic user interface, designed to process single-condition or two-condition synthetic screen datasets. siMacro normalizes position and batch effects, censors outlier samples, and calculates Z-scores and robust Z-scores, with a spreadsheet output of >120,000 samples in under 1 minute.

Fast-reactor-data testing of ENDF/B-V at ORNL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, R.Q.; Ford, W.E. III; Lucius, J.L.; Webster, C.C.; Marable, J.H.

1982-01-01

The Cross Section Evaluation Working Group (CSEWG) is coordinating a program to assess the adequacy of ENDF/B-V cross sections for both fast- and thermal-reactor design applications. A secondary goal is to evaluate cross-section processing codes, cross-section libraries, and radiation-transport codes. Fast reactor data testing (FRDT) goals are accomplished, in part, by comparison of calculated results with documented performance parameters of CSEWG fast reactor benchmarks and with results obtained by other data testers. The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of FRDT at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Image processing and resolution restoration of fast-neutron hodoscope data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhodes, E.A.; DeVolpi, A.

1982-01-01

The fast-neutron hodoscope is a cineradiographic device that monitors fuel motion within thick opaque test capsules during radiation transients at the Transient Reactor Test Facility reactor which simulate accident conditions in power reactors. By means of a collimator and detector array, emissive neutron radiographic digital data is collected in time-resolved and static (scan) modes. Data is digitally reconstructed into raidographic images and used directly for quantitative analysis. Spatial resolution is adequate in most cases, but is marginal for a few experiments. Collimator repositioning, scan increment size-reduction, and deconvolution algorithms are being applied to improve resolution of existing collimators

Fast processing the film data file

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abramov, B.M.; Avdeev, N.F.; Artemov, A.V.

1978-01-01

The problems of processing images obtained from three-meter magnetic spectrometer on a new PSP-2 automatic device are considered. A detailed description of the filtration program, which controls the correctness of operation connection line, as well as of scanning parameters and technical quality of information. The filtration process can be subdivided into the following main stages: search of fiducial marks binding of track to fiducial marks; plotting from sparks of track fragments in chambers. For filtration purposes the BESM-6 computer has been chosen. The complex of filtration programs is shaped as a RAM-file, the required version of the program is collected by the PATCHY program. The subprograms, performing the greater part of the calculations are written in the autocode MADLEN, the rest of the subprograms - in FORTRAN and ALGOL. The filtration time for one image makes 1,2-2 s of the calculation. The BESM-6 computer processes up to 12 thousand images a day

mrsFAST-Ultra: a compact, SNP-aware mapper for high performance sequencing applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Hach, Faraz; Sarrafi, Iman; Hormozdiari, Farhad; Alkan, Can; Eichler, Evan E; Sahinalp, S Cenk

2014-07-01

High throughput sequencing (HTS) platforms generate unprecedented amounts of data that introduce challenges for processing and downstream analysis. While tools that report the 'best' mapping location of each read provide a fast way to process HTS data, they are not suitable for many types of downstream analysis such as structural variation detection, where it is important to report multiple mapping loci for each read. For this purpose we introduce mrsFAST-Ultra, a fast, cache oblivious, SNP-aware aligner that can handle the multi-mapping of HTS reads very efficiently. mrsFAST-Ultra improves mrsFAST, our first cache oblivious read aligner capable of handling multi-mapping reads, through new and compact index structures that reduce not only the overall memory usage but also the number of CPU operations per alignment. In fact the size of the index generated by mrsFAST-Ultra is 10 times smaller than that of mrsFAST. As importantly, mrsFAST-Ultra introduces new features such as being able to (i) obtain the best mapping loci for each read, and (ii) return all reads that have at most n mapping loci (within an error threshold), together with these loci, for any user specified n. Furthermore, mrsFAST-Ultra is SNP-aware, i.e. it can map reads to reference genome while discounting the mismatches that occur at common SNP locations provided by db-SNP; this significantly increases the number of reads that can be mapped to the reference genome. Notice that all of the above features are implemented within the index structure and are not simple post-processing steps and thus are performed highly efficiently. Finally, mrsFAST-Ultra utilizes multiple available cores and processors and can be tuned for various memory settings. Our results show that mrsFAST-Ultra is roughly five times faster than its predecessor mrsFAST. In comparison to newly enhanced popular tools such as Bowtie2, it is more sensitive (it can report 10 times or more mappings per read) and much faster (six times or

Identification of irradiation treatment in processed food. Pt. 2. Evaluation of a SPE-method for analyzing irradiation induced hydrocarbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartmann, M.; Ammon, J.; Berg, H.

1996-01-01

This paper deals with a solid phase extraction (SPE) method for the isolation of irradiation induced hydrocarbons which can replace the column chromatography described in the paragraph 35 LMBG (German Food Law) procedure L06.00-37. Using this new method, only a tenth of solvents and column material is necessary. The SPE method was a good as LC-LC-GC/FID or LC-LC-GC/MS in analyzing new or complex matrices like paprika or salmon. Additionally, it is fast, cheap and easy to perform. As far as we know, the detection of irradiation traetment in paprika powder by analyzing irradiation induced hydrocarbons has not been described before. The new method is a good alternative for the commonly used thermoluminescence procedure. (orig.) [de

Dosimetry for radiation processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, A.; Reddy, A.R.

1994-01-01

The last few years have seen a significant increase in the use of ionising radiation in industrial processes and also international trade in irradiated products. With this, the demand for internationally accepted dosimetric techniques, accredited to international standards has also increased which is further stimulated by the emergence of ISO-9000 series of standards in industries. The present paper describes some of the important dosimetric techniques used in radiation processing, the role of IAEA in evolving internationally accepted standards and work carried out at the Defence Laboratories, Jodhpur in the development of a cheap, broad dose range and simple dosimeter for routine dosimetry. For this polyhydroxy alcohols viz., mannitol, sorbitol and inositol were studied using the spectrophotometric read out method. Out of the alcohols studied mannitol was found to be most promising covering a dose range of 0.01 kGy - 100 kGy. (author). 26 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Book reviews: Daniel Kahneman - Thinking, Fast and Slow

OpenAIRE

Cristian Uta

2016-01-01

Although he has won the Nobel Prize for Economy (for his works on the decision theory), Daniel Kahneman is, surprisingly, a psychologist. Thinking, Fast and Slow presents us ideas and theories regarding the way in which the mind works and how this thing affects us when making a decision. In his opinion, the human thinking is a dual process, duality presented from three different perspec-tives. First (as the title suggests it), there are highlighted the differences between the fast and the slo...

Fast compact algorithms and software for spline smoothing

CERN Document Server

Weinert, Howard L

2012-01-01

Fast Compact Algorithms and Software for Spline Smoothing investigates algorithmic alternatives for computing cubic smoothing splines when the amount of smoothing is determined automatically by minimizing the generalized cross-validation score. These algorithms are based on Cholesky factorization, QR factorization, or the fast Fourier transform. All algorithms are implemented in MATLAB and are compared based on speed, memory use, and accuracy. An overall best algorithm is identified, which allows very large data sets to be processed quickly on a personal computer.

Fast fourier algorithms in spectral computation and analysis of vibrating machines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farooq, U.; Hafeez, T.; Khan, M.Z.; Amir, M.

2001-01-01

In this work we have discussed Fourier and its history series, relationships among various Fourier mappings, Fourier coefficients, transforms, inverse transforms, integrals, analyses, discrete and fast algorithms for data processing and analysis of vibrating systems. The evaluation of magnitude of the source signal at transmission time, related coefficient matrix, intensity, and magnitude at the receiving end (stations). Matrix computation of Fourier transform has been explained, and applications are presented. The fast Fourier transforms, new computational scheme. have been tested with an example. The work also includes digital programs for obtaining the frequency contents of time function. It has been explained that how the fast Fourier algorithms (FFT) has decreased computational work by several order of magnitudes and split the spectrum of a signal into two (even and odd modes) at every successive step. That fast quantitative processing for discrete Fourier transforms' computations as well as signal splitting and combination provides an efficient. and reliable tool for spectral analyses. Fourier series decompose the given variable into a sum of oscillatory functions each having a specific frequency. These frequencies, with their corresponding amplitude and phase angles, constitute the frequency contents of the original time functions. These fast processing achievements, signals decomposition and combination may be carried out by the principle of superposition and convolution for, even, signals of different frequencies. Considerable information about a machine or a structure can be derived from variable speed and frequency tests. (author)

Fast processing of digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) metadata using multiseries DICOM format.

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, Mahmoud; Philbin, James

2015-04-01

The digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) information model combines pixel data and its metadata in a single object. There are user scenarios that only need metadata manipulation, such as deidentification and study migration. Most picture archiving and communication system use a database to store and update the metadata rather than updating the raw DICOM files themselves. The multiseries DICOM (MSD) format separates metadata from pixel data and eliminates duplicate attributes. This work promotes storing DICOM studies in MSD format to reduce the metadata processing time. A set of experiments are performed that update the metadata of a set of DICOM studies for deidentification and migration. The studies are stored in both the traditional single frame DICOM (SFD) format and the MSD format. The results show that it is faster to update studies' metadata in MSD format than in SFD format because the bulk data is separated in MSD and is not retrieved from the storage system. In addition, it is space efficient to store the deidentified studies in MSD format as it shares the same bulk data object with the original study. In summary, separation of metadata from pixel data using the MSD format provides fast metadata access and speeds up applications that process only the metadata.

The Adaptive Organization and Fast-slow Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Torben Juul; Hallin, Carina Antonia

2016-01-01

Contemporary organizations operate under turbulent business conditions and must adapt their strategies to ongoing changes. This article argues that sustainable organizational performance is achieved when top management directs and coordinates interactive processes anchored in emerging...... organizational opportunities and forward-looking analytics. The fast and emergent processes performed by local managers at the frontline observe and respond to environmental stimuli and the slow processes initiated by decision makers interpret events and reasons about updated strategic actions. Current...

Experimental study of fast electron transport in the framework of fast ignition for inertial fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vauzour, B.

2012-01-01

The framework of this PhD thesis is the validation of the fast ignition scheme for the nuclear fusion by inertial confinement. It consists in the experimental study of the various processes involved in fast electron beams propagation, produced by intense laser pulses (10 19 W.cm -2 ), through dense matter either solid or compressed. In this work we present the results of three experiments carried out on different laser facilities in order to generate fast electron beams in various conditions and study their propagation in different states of matter, from the cold solid to the warm and dense plasma.The first experiment was performed with a high intensity contrast on the UHI100 laser facility (CEA Saclay). The study of fast electron energy deposition inside thin aluminium targets highlights a strong target heating at shallow depths, where the collective effects are predominant, thus producing a steep temperature profile between front (300 eV) and rear (20 eV) sides over 20μm thickness. A numerical simulation of the experiment shows that this temperature gradient induces the formation of a shock wave, breaking through the rear side of the target and thus leading to increase the thermal emission. The experimental chronometry of the shock breakthrough allowed validating the model of the collective transport of electrons.Two other experiments were dedicated to the study of fast electron beam propagation inside compressed targets. In the first experiment on the LULI2000 laser facility, the plane compression geometry allowed to precisely dissociate the energy losses due to resistive effects from those due to the collisional ones. By comparing our experimental results with simulations, we observed a significative increase of the fast electron beam energy losses with the compression and the target heating to temperatures close to the Fermi temperature. The second experiment, performed in a cylindrical geometry, demonstrated a fast electron beam guiding phenomenon due to

Accelerated dynamic EPR imaging using fast acquisition and compressive recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Rizwan; Samouilov, Alexandre; Zweier, Jay L

2016-12-01

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) allows quantitative imaging of tissue redox status, which provides important information about ischemic syndromes, cancer and other pathologies. For continuous wave EPR imaging, however, poor signal-to-noise ratio and low acquisition efficiency limit its ability to image dynamic processes in vivo including tissue redox, where conditions can change rapidly. Here, we present a data acquisition and processing framework that couples fast acquisition with compressive sensing-inspired image recovery to enable EPR-based redox imaging with high spatial and temporal resolutions. The fast acquisition (FA) allows collecting more, albeit noisier, projections in a given scan time. The composite regularization based processing method, called spatio-temporal adaptive recovery (STAR), not only exploits sparsity in multiple representations of the spatio-temporal image but also adaptively adjusts the regularization strength for each representation based on its inherent level of the sparsity. As a result, STAR adjusts to the disparity in the level of sparsity across multiple representations, without introducing any tuning parameter. Our simulation and phantom imaging studies indicate that a combination of fast acquisition and STAR (FASTAR) enables high-fidelity recovery of volumetric image series, with each volumetric image employing less than 10 s of scan. In addition to image fidelity, the time constants derived from FASTAR also match closely to the ground truth even when a small number of projections are used for recovery. This development will enhance the capability of EPR to study fast dynamic processes that cannot be investigated using existing EPR imaging techniques. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stem Cells Matter in Response to Fasting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Badi Sri Sailaja

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The molecular processes underlying intestinal adaptation to fasting and re-feeding remain largely uncharacterized. In this issue of Cell Reports, Richmond et al. report that dormant intestinal stem cells are regulated by PTEN and nutritional status.

Seminar on Heat-transfer fluids for fast neutron reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brechet, Yves; Dautray, Robert; Friedel, Jacques; Brezin, Edouard; Martin, Georges; Pineau, Andre; Carre, Francois; Gauche, Francois; Rodriguez, Guillaume; Latge, Christian; Cabet, Celine; Garnier, Jean-Claude; Bamberger, Yves; Sauvage, Jean-Francois; Buisine, Denis; Agostini, Pietro; Ulyanov, Vladimir; Auger, Thierry; Heuer, Daniel; Ghetta, Veronique; Bubelis, Evaldas; Charlaix, Elisabeth; Barrat, Jean-Louis; Boquet, Lyderic; Glickman, Evgueny; Escaravage, Claude

2014-03-01

This book reports the content of a two-day meeting held by the Academy of Sciences on the use of heat-transfer fluids in fast neutron reactors. After a first part which proposes an overview of scientific and technical problems related to these heat-transfer fluids (heat transfer process, nuclear properties, chemistry, materials, risks), a contribution proposes a return on experience on the use of heat-transfer fluids in the different design options of reactors of fourth generation: from mercury to NaK in the first fast neutron reactor projects, specific assets and constraints of sodium used as heat-transfer fluid, concepts of fast neutron reactors cooled by something else than sodium, perspectives for projects and research in fast neutron reactors. The next contribution discusses the specifications of future fast-neutron reactors: expectations for fourth-generation reactors, expectations in terms of performance and of safety, specific challenges. The last contribution addresses actions to be undertaken in the field of research and development: actions regarding all reactor types or specific types as sodium-cooled reactors, lead cooled reactors, molten salt reactors, and gas-cooled fast reactors

Payoff Information Biases a Fast Guess Process in Perceptual Decision Making under Deadline Pressure: Evidence from Behavior, Evoked Potentials, and Quantitative Model Comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Noorbaloochi, Sharareh; Sharon, Dahlia; McClelland, James L

2015-08-05

We used electroencephalography (EEG) and behavior to examine the role of payoff bias in a difficult two-alternative perceptual decision under deadline pressure in humans. The findings suggest that a fast guess process, biased by payoff and triggered by stimulus onset, occurred on a subset of trials and raced with an evidence accumulation process informed by stimulus information. On each trial, the participant judged whether a rectangle was shifted to the right or left and responded by squeezing a right- or left-hand dynamometer. The payoff for each alternative (which could be biased or unbiased) was signaled 1.5 s before stimulus onset. The choice response was assigned to the first hand reaching a squeeze force criterion and reaction time was defined as time to criterion. Consistent with a fast guess account, fast responses were strongly biased toward the higher-paying alternative and the EEG exhibited an abrupt rise in the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) on a subset of biased payoff trials contralateral to the higher-paying alternative ∼ 150 ms after stimulus onset and 50 ms before stimulus information influenced the LRP. This rise was associated with poststimulus dynamometer activity favoring the higher-paying alternative and predicted choice and response time. Quantitative modeling supported the fast guess account over accounts of payoff effects supported in other studies. Our findings, taken with previous studies, support the idea that payoff and prior probability manipulations produce flexible adaptations to task structure and do not reflect a fixed policy for the integration of payoff and stimulus information. Humans and other animals often face situations in which they must make choices based on uncertain sensory information together with information about expected outcomes (gains or losses) about each choice. We investigated how differences in payoffs between available alternatives affect neural activity, overt choice, and the timing of choice

The last season of cheap electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcan, P.; Mucka, F.

2007-01-01

The former 'Mr. SuperCEZ', as the Czech media often used to call Jaroslav Mil, claims he is not a nuclear fundamentalist. But in his opinion without the use of nuclear energy, Europe must expect an increase in the electricity price. The experience of the former director of CEZ caught the attention of the Italian directors of Enel and so he is now a member of the Board of Directors of Slovenske elektrarne. He criticises EU measures that do not offer a solution for either the energy sector or environment protection but make investments in the replacement of decommissioned European power stations uncertain. He says he is not an uncritical advocate of nuclear power, but in his opinion we do not have much choice. Energy consumption is growing fast and resources are being depleted. And if Europe does not want to become dependent on Russia there is no other option. Unless we want Putin's vision to come true: coal and nuclear resources will be kept by Russia for internal use and gas is for export. In the opinion of J. Mil, politicians are often populists and are only doing their jobs. They think in terms of 4-year election periods and then only in the better cases. He recalls that in 2000 politicians seriously considered the possibility of closing down the Temelin nuclear power station in the Czech Republic. As long as there is electricity in the sockets and the bulbs are glowing there is no crisis. The crisis will come when there is no electricity. He stresses that there will always be electricity but for a different price. He mentioned emission permits as an example of the attitude politicians have. This is a useless measure that only supports big business available to a narrow circle which does not help the environment at all. The Kyoto protocol without China, Brazil, India and the USA is a nightmare and does not solve anything in his opinion. (authors)

ProbFAST: Probabilistic Functional Analysis System Tool

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oliveira Thiago YK

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The post-genomic era has brought new challenges regarding the understanding of the organization and function of the human genome. Many of these challenges are centered on the meaning of differential gene regulation under distinct biological conditions and can be performed by analyzing the Multiple Differential Expression (MDE of genes associated with normal and abnormal biological processes. Currently MDE analyses are limited to usual methods of differential expression initially designed for paired analysis. Results We proposed a web platform named ProbFAST for MDE analysis which uses Bayesian inference to identify key genes that are intuitively prioritized by means of probabilities. A simulated study revealed that our method gives a better performance when compared to other approaches and when applied to public expression data, we demonstrated its flexibility to obtain relevant genes biologically associated with normal and abnormal biological processes. Conclusions ProbFAST is a free accessible web-based application that enables MDE analysis on a global scale. It offers an efficient methodological approach for MDE analysis of a set of genes that are turned on and off related to functional information during the evolution of a tumor or tissue differentiation. ProbFAST server can be accessed at http://gdm.fmrp.usp.br/probfast.

ProbFAST: Probabilistic functional analysis system tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Israel T; Vêncio, Ricardo Z N; Oliveira, Thiago Y K; Molfetta, Greice A; Silva, Wilson A

2010-03-30

The post-genomic era has brought new challenges regarding the understanding of the organization and function of the human genome. Many of these challenges are centered on the meaning of differential gene regulation under distinct biological conditions and can be performed by analyzing the Multiple Differential Expression (MDE) of genes associated with normal and abnormal biological processes. Currently MDE analyses are limited to usual methods of differential expression initially designed for paired analysis. We proposed a web platform named ProbFAST for MDE analysis which uses Bayesian inference to identify key genes that are intuitively prioritized by means of probabilities. A simulated study revealed that our method gives a better performance when compared to other approaches and when applied to public expression data, we demonstrated its flexibility to obtain relevant genes biologically associated with normal and abnormal biological processes. ProbFAST is a free accessible web-based application that enables MDE analysis on a global scale. It offers an efficient methodological approach for MDE analysis of a set of genes that are turned on and off related to functional information during the evolution of a tumor or tissue differentiation. ProbFAST server can be accessed at http://gdm.fmrp.usp.br/probfast.

Fast TPC Online Tracking on GPUs and Asynchronous Data Processing in the ALICE HLT to facilitate Online Calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rohr, David; Gorbunov, Sergey; Krzewicki, Mikolaj; Breitner, Timo; Kretz, Matthias; Lindenstruth, Volker

2015-01-01

ALICE (A Large Heavy Ion Experiment) is one of the four major experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, which is today the most powerful particle accelerator worldwide. The High Level Trigger (HLT) is an online compute farm of about 200 nodes, which reconstructs events measured by the ALICE detector in real-time. The HLT uses a custom online data-transport framework to distribute data and workload among the compute nodes.ALICE employs several calibration-sensitive subdetectors, e.g. the TPC (Time Projection Chamber). For a precise reconstruction, the HLT has to perform the calibration online. Online- calibration can make certain Offline calibration steps obsolete and can thus speed up Offline analysis. Looking forward to ALICE Run III starting in 2020, online calibration becomes a necessity.The main detector used for track reconstruction is the TPC. Reconstructing the trajectories in the TPC is the most compute-intense step during event reconstruction. Therefore, a fast tracking implementation is of great importance. Reconstructed TPC tracks build the basis for the calibration making a fast online-tracking mandatory.We present several components developed for the ALICE High Level Trigger to perform fast event reconstruction and to provide features required for online calibration.As first topic, we present our TPC tracker, which employs GPUs to speed up the processing, and which bases on a Cellular Automaton and on the Kalman filter. Our TPC tracking algorithm has been successfully used in 2011 and 2012 in the lead-lead and the proton-lead runs. We have improved it to leverage features of newer GPUs and we have ported it to support OpenCL, CUDA, and CPUs with a single common source code. This makes us vendor independent.As second topic, we present framework extensions required for online calibration. The extensions, however, are generic and can be used for other purposes as well. We have extended the framework to support asynchronous compute chains

The Associative Memory Serial Link Processor of the ALTAS Fast TracKer Processing System

CERN Document Server

Sotiropoulou, Calliope Louisa; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

The upgraded Trigger and Data Acquisition (TDAQ) system of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC will improve the capability of the detector to select the events with the greatest scientific potential. The Fast TracKer (FTK) is one of the ATLAS TDAQ upgrades that is presently under commissioning. FTK is a custom hardware system that feeds the High Level Trigger (HLT) with charged particle tracks reconstructed from hits in silicon detectors at the rate of 105 events per second. The main processing element of FTK is the Associative Memory (AM) system that is used to perform pattern matching with a high degree of parallelism. Its implementation is called the AM Board Serial Link Processor (AMBSLP) and it is a very efficient pattern matching machine that handles in parallel massive data samples. The AMBSLP consists of two types of boards: the Little Associative Memory Board (LAMB), a mezzanine where the AM chips are mounted, and the Associative Memory Board (AMB), a 9U VME motherboard that hosts four LAMB daughter-boar...

The fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-02-01

The subject is discussed as follows: brief description of fast reactors; advantage in conserving uranium resources; experience, in UK and elsewhere, in fast reactor design, construction and operation; safety; production of plutonium, security aspects; consideration of future UK fast reactor programme. (U.K.)

Distinct slow and fast cortical theta dynamics in episodic memory retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Pastötter, Bernhard; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T

2014-07-01

Brain oscillations in the theta frequency band (3-8 Hz) have been shown to be critically involved in human episodic memory retrieval. In prior work, both positive and negative relationships between cortical theta power and retrieval success have been reported. This study examined the hypothesis that slow and fast cortical theta oscillations at the edges of the traditional theta frequency band are differentially related to retrieval success. Scalp EEG was recorded in healthy human participants as they performed a cued-recall episodic memory task. Slow (~3 Hz) and fast (~7 Hz) theta oscillations at retrieval were examined as a function of whether an item was recalled or not and as a function of the items' output position at test. Recall success typically declines with output position, due to increases in interference level. The results showed that slow theta power was positively related but fast theta power was negatively related to retrieval success. Concurrent positive and negative episodic memory effects for slow and fast theta oscillations were dissociable in time and space, showing different time courses and different spatial locations on the scalp. Moreover, fast theta power increased from early to late output positions, whereas slow theta power was unaffected by items' output position. Together with prior work, the results suggest that slow and fast theta oscillations have distinct functional roles in episodic memory retrieval, with slow theta oscillations being related to processes of recollection and conscious awareness, and fast theta oscillations being linked to processes of interference and interference resolution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Schiff base transition metal complexes for Suzuki–Miyaura cross ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

RASHEEDA M ANSARI

2017-08-19

Aug 19, 2017 ... simple, fast, cheap and more efficient methodologies for different .... then refluxed for 3 h followed by filtration of obtained product, washing with diethyl ..... C–C cross-coupling of aryl iodides with terminal alkynes. Tetrahedron ...

Inorganic component of saliva during fasting and after fast break

OpenAIRE

Samad, Rasmidar

2016-01-01

Oral health is closely related to salivary components. Saliva consists of water, inorganic and organic materials. Fasting changes one???s meal and drinking time that in turn can affect the environment in oral cavity, including inorganic componenet of saliva. The purpose of this study is to determine the inorganic component of saliva during fasting and after fast break.

Proximity to Fast-Food Outlets and Supermarkets as Predictors of Fast-Food Dining Frequency.

Science.gov (United States)

Athens, Jessica K; Duncan, Dustin T; Elbel, Brian

2016-08-01

This study used cross-sectional data to test the independent relationship of proximity to chain fast-food outlets and proximity to full-service supermarkets on the frequency of mealtime dining at fast-food outlets in two major urban areas, using three approaches to define access. Interactions between presence of a supermarket and presence of fast-food outlets as predictors of fast-food dining were also tested. Residential intersections for respondents in point-of-purchase and random-digit-dial telephone surveys of adults in Philadelphia, PA, and Baltimore, MD, were geocoded. The count of fast-food outlets and supermarkets within quarter-mile, half-mile, and 1-mile street network buffers around each respondent's intersection was calculated, as well as distance to the nearest fast-food outlet and supermarket. These variables were regressed on weekly fast-food dining frequency to determine whether proximity to fast food and supermarkets had independent and joint effects on fast-food dining. The effect of access to supermarkets and chain fast-food outlets varied by study population. Among telephone survey respondents, supermarket access was the only significant predictor of fast-food dining frequency. Point-of-purchase respondents were generally unaffected by proximity to either supermarkets or fast-food outlets. However, ≥1 fast-food outlet within a 1-mile buffer was an independent predictor of consuming more fast-food meals among point-of-purchase respondents. At the quarter-mile distance, ≥1 supermarket was predictive of fewer fast-food meals. Supermarket access was associated with less fast-food dining among telephone respondents, whereas access to fast-food outlets were associated with more fast-food visits among survey respondents identified at point-of-purchase. This study adds to the existing literature on geographic determinants of fast-food dining behavior among urban adults in the general population and those who regularly consume fast food. Copyright �

Preliminary framework for Familiar Auditory Sensory Training (FAST) provided during coma recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Pape, Theresa Louise-Bender; Rosenow, Joshua M; Harton, Brett; Patil, Vijaya; Guernon, Ann; Parrish, Todd; Froehlich, Kathleen; Burress, Catherine; McNamee, Shane; Herrold, Amy A; Weiss, Bessie; Wang, Xue

2012-01-01

Since there remains a need to examine the nature of the neural effect and therapeutic efficacy/effectiveness of sensory stimulation provided to persons in states of seriously impaired consciousness, a passive sensory stimulation intervention, referred to as the Familiar Auditory Sensory Training (FAST) protocol, was developed for examination in an ongoing, double-blind, randomized clinical trial (RCT). The FAST protocol is described in this article according to the preliminary framework, which is a synthesis of knowledge regarding principles of plasticity and capabilities of the human brain to automatically and covertly process sensory input. Feasibility issues considered during the development of the intervention are also described. To enable replication of this intervention, we describe procedures to create the intervention and lessons learned regarding the creation process. The potential effect of the intervention is illustrated using functional brain imaging of nondisabled subjects. This illustration also demonstrates the relevance of the rationale for designing the FAST protocol. To put the intervention within the context of the scientific development process, the article culminates with a description of the study design for the ongoing RCT examining the efficacy of the FAST protocol.

Online Analytical Processing (OLAP: A Fast and Effective Data Mining Tool for Gene Expression Databases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alkharouf Nadim W.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Gene expression databases contain a wealth of information, but current data mining tools are limited in their speed and effectiveness in extracting meaningful biological knowledge from them. Online analytical processing (OLAP can be used as a supplement to cluster analysis for fast and effective data mining of gene expression databases. We used Analysis Services 2000, a product that ships with SQLServer2000, to construct an OLAP cube that was used to mine a time series experiment designed to identify genes associated with resistance of soybean to the soybean cyst nematode, a devastating pest of soybean. The data for these experiments is stored in the soybean genomics and microarray database (SGMD. A number of candidate resistance genes and pathways were found. Compared to traditional cluster analysis of gene expression data, OLAP was more effective and faster in finding biologically meaningful information. OLAP is available from a number of vendors and can work with any relational database management system through OLE DB.

Online analytical processing (OLAP): a fast and effective data mining tool for gene expression databases.

Science.gov (United States)

Alkharouf, Nadim W; Jamison, D Curtis; Matthews, Benjamin F

2005-06-30

Gene expression databases contain a wealth of information, but current data mining tools are limited in their speed and effectiveness in extracting meaningful biological knowledge from them. Online analytical processing (OLAP) can be used as a supplement to cluster analysis for fast and effective data mining of gene expression databases. We used Analysis Services 2000, a product that ships with SQLServer2000, to construct an OLAP cube that was used to mine a time series experiment designed to identify genes associated with resistance of soybean to the soybean cyst nematode, a devastating pest of soybean. The data for these experiments is stored in the soybean genomics and microarray database (SGMD). A number of candidate resistance genes and pathways were found. Compared to traditional cluster analysis of gene expression data, OLAP was more effective and faster in finding biologically meaningful information. OLAP is available from a number of vendors and can work with any relational database management system through OLE DB.

Fast-ion Dα measurements of the fast-ion distribution (invited)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heidbrink, W. W.

2010-01-01

The fast-ion Dα (FIDA) diagnostic is an application of charge-exchange recombination spectroscopy. Fast ions that neutralize in an injected neutral beam emit Balmer-α light with a large Doppler shift. The spectral shift is exploited to distinguish the FIDA emission from other bright sources of Dα light. Background subtraction is the main technical challenge. A spectroscopic diagnostic typically achieves temporal, energy, and transverse spatial resolution of ∼1 ms, ∼10 keV, and ∼2 cm, respectively. Installations that use narrow-band filters achieve high spatial and temporal resolution at the expense of spectral information. For high temporal resolution, the bandpass-filtered light goes directly to a photomultiplier, allowing detection of ∼50 kHz oscillations in FIDA signal. For two-dimensional spatial profiles, the bandpass-filtered light goes to a charge-coupled device camera; detailed images of fast-ion redistribution at instabilities are obtained. Qualitative and quantitative models relate the measured FIDA signals to the fast-ion distribution function. The first quantitative comparisons between theory and experiment found excellent agreement in beam-heated magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)-quiescent plasmas. FIDA diagnostics are now in operation at magnetic-fusion facilities worldwide. They are used to study fast-ion acceleration by ion cyclotron heating, to detect fast-ion transport by MHD modes and microturbulence, and to study fast-ion driven instabilities.

Fast Breakdown as Coronal/Ionization Waves?

Science.gov (United States)

Krehbiel, P. R.; Petersen, D.; da Silva, C. L.

2017-12-01

Studies of high-power narrow bipolar events (NBEs) have shown they are produced by a newly-recognized breakdown process called fast positive breakdown (FPB, Rison et al., 2016, doi:10.1038/ncomms10721). The breakdown was inferred to be produced by a system of positive streamers that propagate at high speed ( ˜3-6 x 107 m/s) due to occurring in a localized region of strong electric field. The polarity of the breakdown was determined from broadband interferometer (INTF) observations of the propagation direction of its VHF radiation, which was downward into the main negative charge region of a normally-electrified storm. Subsequent INTF observations being conducted in at Kennedy Space Center in Florida have shown a much greater incidence of NBEs than in New Mexico. Among the larger dataset have been clear-cut instances of some NBEs being produced by upward breakdown that would be of negative polarity. The speed and behavior of the negative breakdown is the same as that of the fast positive, leading to it being termed fast negative breakdown (FNB). The similarity (not too mention its occurrence) is surprising, given the fact that negative streamers and breakdown develops much differently than that of positive breakdown. The question is how this happens. In this study, we compare fast breakdown characteristics to well-known streamer properties as inferred from laboratory experiments and theoretical analysis. Additionally, we begin to explore the possibility that both polarities of fast breakdown are produced by what may be called coronal or ionization waves, in which the enhanced electric field produced by streamer or coronal breakdown of either polarity propagates away from the advancing front at the speed of light into a medium that is in a metastable condition of being at the threshold of hydrometeor-mediated corona onset or other ionization processes. The wave would develop at a faster speed than the streamer breakdown that gives rise to it, and thus would be

Fasts, feasts and festivals in diabetes-1: Glycemic management during Hindu fasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjay Kalra

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This communication is the first of a series on South Asian fasts, festivals, and diabetes, designed to spread awareness and stimulate research on this aspect of diabetes and metabolic care. It describes the various fasts observed as part of Hindu religion and offers a classification scheme for them, labeling them as infrequent and frequent. The infrequent fasts are further sub-classified as brief and prolonged, to facilitate a scientific approach to glycemic management during these fasts. Pre-fast counseling, non-pharmacological therapy, pharmacological modification, and post-fast debriefing are discussed in detail. All available drug classes and molecules are covered in this article, which provides guidance about necessary changes in dosage and timing of administration. While in no way exhaustive, the brief review offers a basic framework which diabetes care professionals can use to counsel and manage persons in their care who wish to observe various Hindu fasts.

Preoperative fasting times: Prescribed and actual fasting times at ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The current international guidelines for preoperative fasting for elective surgery are 6 ... to determine whether this policy was being followed and patients were being starved ..... recommended fasting time, so that autonomous patients take care.

The integral fast reactor - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.E.; Chang, Y.I.; Hannum, W.H.

1997-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is a system that consists of a fast-spectrum nuclear reactor that uses metallic fuel and liquid-metal (sodium) cooling, coupled with technology for high-temperature electrochemical recycling, and with processes for preparing wastes for disposition. The concept is based on decades of experience with fast reactors, adapted to priorities that have evolved markedly from those of the early days of nuclear power. It has four essential, distinguishing features: efficient use of natural resources, inherent safety characteristics, reduced burdens of nuclear waste, and unique proliferation resistance. These fundamental characteristics offer benefits in economics and environmental protection. The fuel cycle never involves separated plutonium, immediately simplifying the safeguarding task. Initiated in 1984 in response to proliferation concerns identified in the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation (INFCE, 1980), the project has made substantial technical progress, with new potential applications coming to light as nuclear weapons stockpiles are reduced and concerns about waste disposal increase. A breakthrough technology, the IFR has the characteristics necessary for the next nuclear age. (author)

A fast butterfly algorithm for generalized Radon transforms

KAUST Repository

Hu, Jingwei; Fomel, Sergey; Demanet, Laurent; Ying, Lexing

2013-01-01

Generalized Radon transforms, such as the hyperbolic Radon transform, cannot be implemented as efficiently in the frequency domain as convolutions, thus limiting their use in seismic data processing. We have devised a fast butterfly algorithm

Fast Approximate Joint Diagonalization Incorporating Weight Matrices

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Tichavský, Petr; Yeredor, A.

2009-01-01

Roč. 57, č. 3 (2009), s. 878-891 ISSN 1053-587X R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0572 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : autoregressive processes * blind source separation * nonstationary random processes Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research Impact factor: 2.212, year: 2009 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2009/SI/tichavsky-fast approximate joint diagonalization incorporating weight matrices.pdf

Fast SPT-Term Allocation and Efficient FPGA Implementation of FIR Filters for Software Defined Radio Applications

OpenAIRE

Bae, Choonghoon; Moteki, Takayuki; Kim, Minseok; Ichige, Koichi; Arai, Hiroyuki

2009-01-01

This paper presents a fast SPT-term allocation scheme and an efficient FPGA implementation of FIR filters for Software Defined Radio (SDR) applications. Direct conversion method based on RF direct sampling is nowadays widely used in SDR applications. Fast and accurate digital filters are required for RF direct sampling and processing in direct conversion, however such filters often require large digital circuit area. Signed-Power-of-Two (SPT) terms will be suitable for fast processing and eff...

IslandFAST: A Semi-numerical Tool for Simulating the Late Epoch of Reionization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Yidong; Chen, Xuelei [Key Laboratory for Computational Astrophysics, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); Yue, Bin [National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China)

2017-08-01

We present the algorithm and main results of our semi-numerical simulation, islandFAST, which was developed from 21cmFAST and designed for the late stage of reionization. The islandFAST simulation predicts the evolution and size distribution of the large-scale underdense neutral regions (neutral islands), and we find that the late Epoch of Reionization proceeds very fast, showing a characteristic scale of the neutral islands at each redshift. Using islandFAST, we compare the impact of two types of absorption systems, i.e., the large-scale underdense neutral islands versus small-scale overdense absorbers, in regulating the reionization process. The neutral islands dominate the morphology of the ionization field, while the small-scale absorbers dominate the mean-free path of ionizing photons, and also delay and prolong the reionization process. With our semi-numerical simulation, the evolution of the ionizing background can be derived self-consistently given a model for the small absorbers. The hydrogen ionization rate of the ionizing background is reduced by an order of magnitude in the presence of dense absorbers.

Association between proximity to and coverage of traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets and fast-food consumption among rural adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Horel Scott A

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between residential exposure to fast-food entrées, using two measures of potential spatial access: proximity (distance to the nearest location and coverage (number of different locations, and weekly consumption of fast-food meals. Methods Traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets, such as convenience stores, supermarkets, and grocery stores, from the 2006 Brazos Valley Food Environment Project were linked with individual participants (n = 1409 who completed the nutrition module in the 2006 Brazos Valley Community Health Assessment. Results Increased age, poverty, increased distance to the nearest fast food, and increased number of different traditional fast-food restaurants, non-traditional fast-food outlets, or fast-food opportunities were associated with less frequent weekly consumption of fast-food meals. The interaction of gender and proximity (distance or coverage (number indicated that the association of proximity to or coverage of fast-food locations on fast-food consumption was greater among women and opposite of independent effects. Conclusions Results provide impetus for identifying and understanding the complex relationship between access to all fast-food opportunities, rather than to traditional fast-food restaurants alone, and fast-food consumption. The results indicate the importance of further examining the complex interaction of gender and distance in rural areas and particularly in fast-food consumption. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the need for health promotion and policy efforts to consider all sources of fast-food as part of promoting healthful food choices.

Association between proximity to and coverage of traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets and fast-food consumption among rural adults

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Objective The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between residential exposure to fast-food entrées, using two measures of potential spatial access: proximity (distance to the nearest location) and coverage (number of different locations), and weekly consumption of fast-food meals. Methods Traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets, such as convenience stores, supermarkets, and grocery stores, from the 2006 Brazos Valley Food Environment Project were linked with individual participants (n = 1409) who completed the nutrition module in the 2006 Brazos Valley Community Health Assessment. Results Increased age, poverty, increased distance to the nearest fast food, and increased number of different traditional fast-food restaurants, non-traditional fast-food outlets, or fast-food opportunities were associated with less frequent weekly consumption of fast-food meals. The interaction of gender and proximity (distance) or coverage (number) indicated that the association of proximity to or coverage of fast-food locations on fast-food consumption was greater among women and opposite of independent effects. Conclusions Results provide impetus for identifying and understanding the complex relationship between access to all fast-food opportunities, rather than to traditional fast-food restaurants alone, and fast-food consumption. The results indicate the importance of further examining the complex interaction of gender and distance in rural areas and particularly in fast-food consumption. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the need for health promotion and policy efforts to consider all sources of fast-food as part of promoting healthful food choices. PMID:21599955

An interpretive study of food, snack and beverage advertisements in rural and urban El Salvador.

Science.gov (United States)

Amanzadeh, Baharak; Sokal-Gutierrez, Karen; Barker, Judith C

2015-05-30

Globalization and increased marketing of non-nutritious foods and beverages are driving a nutrition transition in developing countries, adversely affecting the health of vulnerable populations. This is a visual interpretive study of food, snack, and beverage advertisements (ads) in rural and urban El Salvador to discern the strategies and messages used to promote consumption of highly processed, commercialized products. Digital photographs of billboard and wall advertisements recorded a convenience sample of 100 advertisements, including 53 from rural areas and 47 from urban areas in El Salvador. Advertisements were coded for location, type of product, visual details, placement and context. Qualitative methods were used to identify common themes used to appeal to consumers. Advertisements depicted "modern" fast foods, processed snacks and sugary beverages. Overall, the most prominent themes were: Cheap Price, Fast, Large Size, and Modern. Other themes used frequently in combination with these were Refreshment, Sports/Nationalism, Sex and Gender Roles, Fun/Happy Feelings, Family, Friendship and Community, and Health. In rural areas, beverage and snack food ads with the themes of cheap price, fast, and large size tended to predominate; in urban areas, ads for fast food restaurants and the theme of modernity tended to be more prominent. The advertisements represented a pervasive bombardment of the public with both explicit and subliminal messages to increase consumerism and shift dietary patterns to processed foods and beverages that are low in micronutrients and high in carbohydrates, sugar, fat and salt--dietary changes that are increasing rates of child and adult diseases including tooth decay, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Global food and beverage industries must be held accountable for the adverse public health effects of their products, especially in low-middle income countries where there are fewer resources to prevent and treat the health

Autofluorescence imaging system to discriminate and quantify the distribution of benthic cyanobacteria and diatoms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carreira, Cátia; Staal, Marc Jaap; Middelboe, Mathias

2015-01-01

successfully to (mixed) laboratory cultures as well as natural photosynthetic microbial mats. Cultures of the diatom Nitzschia capitellata and the cyanobacterium Geitlerinema sp. showed close correlation between autofluorescence and cell abundance. This simple and cheap imaging system allows fast observations...

Fast ejendom III

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munk-Hansen, Carsten

Bogen er det tredje bind af tre planlagte bind om fast ejendom: I Overdragelsen, II Bolighandlen og III Ejerbeføjelsen. Fremstillingens giver et grundigt overblik over centrale områder af en omfattende regulering af fast ejendom, med angivelse af litteratur, hvor læseren kan søge yderligere...... oplysning. En ejer af fast ejendom er på særdeles mange områder begrænset i sin råden sammenlignet med ejeren af et formuegode i almindelighed. Fremstillingen tager udgangspunkt i ejerens perspektiv (fremfor samfundets eller myndighedernes). Både den privatretlige og offentligretlige regulering behandles......, eksempelvis ejendomsdannelsen, servitutter, naboretten, hævd, zoneinddelingen, den fysiske planlægning, beskyttelse af natur, beskyttelse af kultur, forurening fra fast ejendom, erstatning for forurening, jordforurening, ekspropriation, byggeri og adgang til fast ejendom....

Fasting and rheumatic diseases

OpenAIRE

Mohammad Hassan Jokar

2015-01-01

Fasting is one of the important religious practices of Muslims, in which the individuals abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset. Fasting is not obligatory or even not allowed, in case it causes health problems to the fasting individual. Rheumatic diseases are a major group of chronic diseases which can bring about numerous problems while fasting. The aim of this article is to review the impact of Islamic fasting on rheumatic patients, based on the scientific evidences.

Fast Reactor Knowledge Management at IGCAR, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuriakose, K.K.

2013-01-01

The Process Architecture: → Acquire: Solicitation; Voluntary submission; Mandatory requirements; Interview/Observation; → Quality Control: Review/Editing; Certification; Quality index; → Disseminate: Publish through the Technology architecture; Formal/Informal Meetings; COPs; → Utilize: Projects; Day-to-day activities; → Maintenance; → Retirement. Mission: To conduct a broad based multidisciplinary programme of scientific research and advanced engineering development, directed towards the establishment of the technology of Sodium Cooled Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR) and associated fuel cycle facilities in the Country. The mission includes the development and applications of new and improved materials, techniques, equipment and systems for FBRs, pursue basic research to achieve breakthroughs in Fast Reactor technology

Environmental applications of the centrifugal fast analyzer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldstein, G.; Strain, J.E.; Bowling, J.L.

1975-12-01

The centrifugal fast analyzer (GeMSAEC Fast Analyzer) was applied to the analysis of pollutants in air and water. Since data acquisition and processing are computer controlled, considerable effort went into devising appropriate software. A modified version of the standard FOCAL interpreter was developed which includes special machine language functions for data timing, acquisition, and storage, and also permits chaining together of programs stored on a disk. Programs were written and experimental procedures developed to implement spectrophotometric, turbidimetric, kinetic (including initial-rate, fixed-time, and variable-time techniques), and chemiluminescence methods of analysis. Analytical methods were developed for the following elements and compounds: SO 2 , O 3 , Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Se(IV), Zn, Cl - , I - , NO 2 - , PO 4 -3 , S -2 , and SO 4 -2 . In many cases, standard methods could be adapted to the centrifugal analyzer, in others new methods were employed. In general, analyses performed with the centrifugal fast analyzer were faster, more precise, and more accurate than with conventional instrumentation

Mathematical modelling of the laser processing of compose materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gromyko, G.F.; Matsuka, N.P.

2009-01-01

Expansion of the protective coating scope led to the necessity to work out lower priced methods of treatment of machine elements. Making of an adequate, agreed with process features, mathematical model and development of effective methods of its solving are promising directions in this fields. In this paper the mathematical model of high-temperature laser treatment via moving source of pre-sprayed with composite powder padding is developed. Presented model describes accurately enough the heat processes taking place by laser processing of machine elements. Varying input parameters of model (laser power, temperature and composition of environment, characteristics and quantitative composition of using materials, etc.) one can get a cheap tool of preliminary estimates for wide range of similar problems. Difference method, based on process physical features and taking into account main process-dependent parameters had been developed for solving of the built system of nonlinear equations. (authors)

NJOY processed multigroup library for fast reactor applications and point data library for MCNP - Experience and validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim Jung-Do; Gil Choong-Sup

1996-01-01

JEF-1-based 50-group cross section library for fast reactor applications and point data library for continuous-energy Monte Carlo code MCNP have been generated using NJOY91.38 system. They have been examined by analyzing measured integral quantities such as criticality and central reaction rate ratios for 8 small fast critical assemblies. (author). 9 refs, 2 figs, 10 tabs

Real‑time, fast neutron detection for stimulated safeguards assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joyce, Malcolm J.; Adamczyk, Justyna; Plenteda, Romano; Aspinall, Michael D.; Cave, Francis D.

2015-01-01

The advent of low‑hazard organic liquid scintillation detectors and real‑time pulse‑shape discrimination (PSD) processing has suggested a variety of modalities by which fast neutrons, as opposed to neutrons moderated prior to detection, can be used directly to benefit safeguards needs. In this paper we describe a development of a fast‑neutron based safeguards assay system designed for the assessment of 235 U content in fresh fuel. The system benefits from real‑time pulse‑shape discrimination processing and auto‑calibration of the detector system parameters to ensure a rapid and effective set‑up protocol. These requirements are essential in optimising the speed and limit of detection of the fast neutron technique, whilst minimising the intervention needed to perform the assay.

Technical feasibility of an Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) as a future option for fast reactor cycles. Integrate a small metal-fueled fast reactor and pyroprocessing facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Nobuo

2017-01-01

Integral Fast Reactor that integrated fast reactor and pyrorocessing facilities developed by Argonne National Laboratory in the U.S. is an excellent nuclear fuel cycle system for passive safety, nuclear non-proliferation, and reduction in radioactive waste. In addition, this system can be considered as a technology applicable to the treatment of the fuel debris caused by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident. This study assessed the time required for debris processing, safety of the facilities, and construction cost when using this technology, and examined technological possibility including future technological issues. In a small metal-fueled reactor, it is important to design the core that achieves both of reduction in combustion reactivity and reduction in coolant reactivity. In system design, calorimetric analysis, structure soundness assessment, seismic feasibility establishment study, etc. are important. Regarding safety, research and testing are necessary on the capabilities of passive reactor shutdown and reactor core cooling as well as measures for avoiding re-criticality, even when emergency stop has failed. In dry reprocessing system, studies on electrolytic reduction and electrolytic refining process for treating the debris with compositions different from those of normal fuel are necessary. (A.O.)

Secret Sharing over Fast-Fading MIMO Wiretap Channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bloch Matthieu

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Secret sharing over the fast-fading MIMO wiretap channel is considered. A source and a destination try to share secret information over a fast-fading MIMO channel in the presence of an eavesdropper who also makes channel observations that are different from but correlated to those made by the destination. An interactive, authenticated public channel with unlimited capacity is available to the source and destination for the secret sharing process. This situation is a special case of the "channel model with wiretapper" considered by Ahlswede and Csiszár. An extension of their result to continuous channel alphabets is employed to evaluate the key capacity of the fast-fading MIMO wiretap channel. The effects of spatial dimensionality provided by the use of multiple antennas at the source, destination, and eavesdropper are then investigated.

Formation of double-strand breaks in DNA of γ-irradiated bacteria depending on the function of fast repair processes of DNA single-strand breaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrov, S.I.; Gaziev, A.I.

1980-01-01

The formation of double-strand breaks in DNA of γ-irradiated ( 60 Co)Ex coli bacteria depending on the function of fast repair processes of DNA single-strand breaks, is investigated. The profiles of sedimentation of DNA Ex coli cells, irradiated at 0-2 deg C in the salt medium and in EDTA-borate buffer, are presented. It is shown that when irradiating cells in EDTA-borate buffer, the output of single- and double strand breaks in DNA is much higher than in the case of their irradiation in the minimum salt medium. The dependence of output of single-strand and double-strand breaks depending on the radiatier doze of E coli cells in the salt medium and EDTA-borate buffer, is studied. The supposition is made on the presence of a regulative interaction between the accumulation of DNA single-breaks and their repair with the formation of double-strand breaks. The functionating of fast and superfast repair processes considerably affects the formation of double-strand breaks in DNA of a bacterium cell. A considerable amount of double-breaks registered immediately after irradiation forms due to a close position of single-strand breaks on the opposite DNA strands

Identification of important phenomena under sodium fire accidents based on PIRT process with factor analysis in sodium-cooled fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoyagi, Mitsuhiro; Uchibori, Akihiro; Kikuchi, Shin; Takata, Takashi; Ohno, Shuji; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

2016-01-01

The PIRT (Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table) process is an effective method to identify key phenomena involved in safety issues in nuclear power plants. The present PIRT process is aimed to validate sodium fire analysis codes. Because a sodium fire accident in sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) involves complex phenomena, various figures of merit (FOMs) could exist in this PIRT process. In addition, importance evaluation of phenomena for each FOM should be implemented in an objective manner under the PIRT process. This paper describes the methodology for specification of FOMs, identification of associated phenomena and importance evaluation of each associated phenomenon in order to complete a ranking table of important phenomena involved in a sodium fire accident in an SFR. The FOMs were specified through factor analysis in this PIRT process. Physical parameters to be quantified by a sodium fire analysis code were identified by considering concerns resulting from sodium fire in the factor analysis. Associated phenomena were identified through the element- and sequence-based phenomena analyses as is often conducted in PIRT processes. Importance of each associated phenomenon was evaluated by considering the sequence-based analysis of associated phenomena correlated with the FOMs. Then, we complete the ranking table through the factor and phenomenon analyses. (author)

Methods for performing fast discrete curvelet transforms of data

Science.gov (United States)

Candes, Emmanuel; Donoho, David; Demanet, Laurent

2010-11-23

Fast digital implementations of the second generation curvelet transform for use in data processing are disclosed. One such digital transformation is based on unequally-spaced fast Fourier transforms (USFFT) while another is based on the wrapping of specially selected Fourier samples. Both digital transformations return a table of digital curvelet coefficients indexed by a scale parameter, an orientation parameter, and a spatial location parameter. Both implementations are fast in the sense that they run in about O(n.sup.2 log n) flops for n by n Cartesian arrays or about O(N log N) flops for Cartesian arrays of size N=n.sup.3; in addition, they are also invertible, with rapid inversion algorithms of about the same complexity.

Fasting levels of ghrelin covary with the brain response to food pictures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kroemer, Nils B; Krebs, Lena; Kobiella, Andrea; Grimm, Oliver; Pilhatsch, Maximilian; Bidlingmaier, Martin; Zimmermann, Ulrich S; Smolka, Michael N

2013-09-01

Ghrelin figures prominently in the regulation of appetite in normal-weighed individuals. The apparent failure of this mechanism in eating disorders and the connection to addictive behavior in general demand a deeper understanding of the endogenous central-nervous processes related to ghrelin. Thus, we investigated processing of pictures showing palatable food after overnight fasting and following a standardized caloric intake (i.e. a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test) using functional magnetic resonance imaging and correlated it with blood plasma levels of ghrelin. Twenty-six healthy female and male volunteers viewed food and control pictures in a block design and rated their appetite after each block. Fasting levels of ghrelin correlated positively with food-cue reactivity in a bilateral network of visual processing-, reward- and taste-related regions, including limbic and paralimbic regions. Notably, among those regions were the hypothalamus and the midbrain where ghrelin receptors are densely concentrated. In addition, high fasting ghrelin levels were associated with stronger increases of subjective appetite during the food-cue-reactivity task. In conclusion, brain activation and subjective appetite ratings suggest that ghrelin elevates the hedonic effects of food pictures. Thereby, fasting ghrelin levels may generally enhance subjective craving when confronted with reward cues. © 2012 The Authors, Addiction Biology © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Torrefied biomass as feed for fast pyrolysis : An experimental study and chain analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Louwes, Alexander Charnchai; Basile, Lucia; Yukananto, Riza; Bhagwandas, Jina; Bramer, Eduard A.; Brem, Gerrit

2017-01-01

A torrefaction pre-treatment could enhance the fast pyrolysis process to produce bio-oil by decreasing the required energy for grinding biomass particles and by improving bio-oil characteristics so they resemble more those of fossil fuels. To evaluate this hypothesis, this work compares fast

Fast FIB-milled Electron-transparent Microchips for in situ TEM Investigations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lei, Anders; Petersen, Dirch Hjorth; Kallesøe, Christian

In this work we present a fast approach to 50 nm resolution structures defined in a generic TEM-chip template in few minutes. While creating complex electrical and NEMS circuits for a specific insitu TEM experiment can be a cumbersome process, microchips with 100 nm thin flakes of single crystall......In this work we present a fast approach to 50 nm resolution structures defined in a generic TEM-chip template in few minutes. While creating complex electrical and NEMS circuits for a specific insitu TEM experiment can be a cumbersome process, microchips with 100 nm thin flakes of single...

Seasonal and interannual variability of fast ice extent in the southeastern Laptev Sea between 1999 and 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Selyuzhenok, V.; Krumpen, T.; Mahoney, A.; Janout, M.; Gerdes, R.

2015-12-01

Along with changes in sea ice extent, thickness, and drift speed, Arctic sea ice regime is characterized by a decrease of fast ice season and reduction of fast ice extent. The most extensive fast ice cover in the Arctic develops in the southeastern Laptev Sea. Using weekly operational sea ice charts produced by Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI, Russia) from 1999 to 2013, we identified five main key events that characterize the annual evolution of fast ice in the southeastern Laptev Sea. Linking the occurrence of the key events with the atmospheric forcing, bathymetry, freezeup, and melt onset, we examined the processes driving annual fast ice cycle. The analysis revealed that fast ice in the region is sensitive to thermodynamic processes throughout a season, while the wind has a strong influence only on the first stages of fast ice development. The maximal fast ice extent is closely linked to the bathymetry and local topography and is primarily defined by the location of shoals, where fast ice is likely grounded. The annual fast ice cycle shows significant changes over the period of investigation, with tendencies toward later fast ice formation and earlier breakup. These tendencies result in an overall decrease of the fast ice season by 2.8 d/yr, which is significantly higher than previously reported trends.

Fast Spectrum Reactors

CERN Document Server

Todd, Donald; Tsvetkov, Pavel

2012-01-01

Fast Spectrum Reactors presents a detailed overview of world-wide technology contributing to the development of fast spectrum reactors. With a unique focus on the capabilities of fast spectrum reactors to address nuclear waste transmutation issues, in addition to the well-known capabilities of breeding new fuel, this volume describes how fast spectrum reactors contribute to the wide application of nuclear power systems to serve the global nuclear renaissance while minimizing nuclear proliferation concerns. Readers will find an introduction to the sustainable development of nuclear energy and the role of fast reactors, in addition to an economic analysis of nuclear reactors. A section devoted to neutronics offers the current trends in nuclear design, such as performance parameters and the optimization of advanced power systems. The latest findings on fuel management, partitioning and transmutation include the physics, efficiency and strategies of transmutation, homogeneous and heterogeneous recycling, in addit...

Memory effect and fast spinodal decomposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koide, T.; Krein, G.; Ramos, Rudnei O.

2007-01-01

We consider the modification of the Cahn-Hilliard equation when a time delay process through a memory function is taken into account. We then study the process of spinodal decomposition in fast phase transitions associated with a conserved order parameter. The introduced memory effect plays an important role to obtain a finite group velocity. Then, we discuss the constraint for the parameters to satisfy causality. The memory effect is seen to affect the dynamics of phase transition at short times and have the effect of delaying, in a significant way, the process of rapid growth of the order parameter that follows a quench into the spinodal region. (author)

Fast Food Pattern and Cardiometabolic Disorders: A Review of Current Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahadoran, Zahra; Mirmiran, Parvin; Azizi, Fereidoun

2015-01-01

There are growing concern globally regarding the alarming trend of fast food consumption and its related cardiometabolic outcomes including overweight and obesity. This study aimed to review the current evidences available in relation to adverse effects of fast food pattern on cardiometa-bolic risk factors. Relevant articles including epidemiological and clinical studies with appropriate design and good quality were obtained through searches of the Medline, PubMed, Scopus databases and Google scholar with related key words including "fast foods", "processed foods", "obesity", "overweight", "insulin resistance", "diabetes", "cardiovascular disease", "metabolic syndrome", "dyslipidemia" and "hypertension". Fast food consumption and out-of-home eating behavior is a main risk factor for lower diet quality, higher calorie and fat intake and lower micronutrients density of diet. Frequent consumption of fast foods was accompanied with overweight and abdominal fat gain, impaired insulin and glucose homeostasis, lipid and lipoprotein disorders, induction of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. Higher fast food consumption also increases the risk of developmental diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. This review provides further evidence warning us against the irreparable effects of fast food consumption on public health especially the increasing global burden of obesity and cardiovascu-lar diseases.

Rock Core Tests, Proposed Duplicate Lock-Phase 2, Starved Rock Lock and Dam, Illinois River, Illinois

Science.gov (United States)

1975-06-01

defined as being rlppable to marginally rippable by Caterpillar Tractor Company. A cheap, fast seismic refraction survey could verify that this is an...Ore RIPPABLE MARGINAL NGN RIPPABLE Figure 4. Rippability ranges for typical rock types - D9G caterpillar (from performance manual

When fast logic meets slow belief: Evidence for a parallel-processing model of belief bias.

Science.gov (United States)

Trippas, Dries; Thompson, Valerie A; Handley, Simon J

2017-05-01

Two experiments pitted the default-interventionist account of belief bias against a parallel-processing model. According to the former, belief bias occurs because a fast, belief-based evaluation of the conclusion pre-empts a working-memory demanding logical analysis. In contrast, according to the latter both belief-based and logic-based responding occur in parallel. Participants were given deductive reasoning problems of variable complexity and instructed to decide whether the conclusion was valid on half the trials or to decide whether the conclusion was believable on the other half. When belief and logic conflict, the default-interventionist view predicts that it should take less time to respond on the basis of belief than logic, and that the believability of a conclusion should interfere with judgments of validity, but not the reverse. The parallel-processing view predicts that beliefs should interfere with logic judgments only if the processing required to evaluate the logical structure exceeds that required to evaluate the knowledge necessary to make a belief-based judgment, and vice versa otherwise. Consistent with this latter view, for the simplest reasoning problems (modus ponens), judgments of belief resulted in lower accuracy than judgments of validity, and believability interfered more with judgments of validity than the converse. For problems of moderate complexity (modus tollens and single-model syllogisms), the interference was symmetrical, in that validity interfered with belief judgments to the same degree that believability interfered with validity judgments. For the most complex (three-term multiple-model syllogisms), conclusion believability interfered more with judgments of validity than vice versa, in spite of the significant interference from conclusion validity on judgments of belief.

Research on Fast-Doppler-Broadening of neutron cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, S.; Wang, K.; Yu, G.

2012-01-01

A Fast-Doppler-Broadening method is developed in this work to broaden Continuous Energy neutron cross-sections for Monte Carlo calculations. Gauss integration algorithm and parallel computing are implemented in this method, which is unprecedented in the history of cross section processing. Compared to the traditional code (NJOY, SIGMA1, etc.), the new Fast-Doppler-Broadening method shows a remarkable speedup with keeping accuracy. The purpose of using Gauss integration is to avoid complex derivation of traditional broadening formula and heavy load of computing complementary error function that slows down the Doppler broadening process. The OpenMP environment is utilized in parallel computing which can take full advantage of modern multi-processor computers. Combination of the two can reduce processing time of main actinides (such as 238 U, 235 U) to an order of magnitude of 1∼2 seconds. This new method is fast enough to be applied to Online Doppler broadening. It can be combined or coupled with Monte Carlo transport code to solve temperature dependent problems and neutronics-thermal hydraulics coupled scheme which is a big challenge for the conventional NJOY-MCNP system. Examples are shown to determine the efficiency and relative errors compared with the NJOY results. A Godiva Benchmark is also used in order to test the ACE libraries produced by the new method. (authors)

Decoherence recuperating fast environmental dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cetinbas, Murat

2010-01-01

We examine the exact internal decoherence dynamics of a qubit in an isolated Josephson charge-qubit quantum computer in the presence of one- and two-body static internal imperfections. By help of open system dynamics quantifiers, i.e. purity, fidelity, covariance and Loschmidt echo, we distinguish between non-unitary and unitary components of internal decoherence dynamics and show that the non-unitary component consists of two processes: system-environment entanglement and incoherence. Our results indicate that the incoherence process is the major source of internal decoherence rather than system-environment entanglement. We find that strong one-body intra-environmental interactions, which generate fast environmental dynamics, result in a rapid suppression of decoherence induced by both system-environment entanglement and incoherence processes. We explain the mechanisms of suppression of decoherence for these two processes and discuss our results.

Ideas for fast accelerator model calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corbett, J.

1997-05-01

With the advent of a simple matrix inversion technique, measurement-based storage ring modeling has made rapid progress in recent years. Using fast computers with large memory, the matrix inversion procedure typically adjusts up to 10 3 model variables to fit the order of 10 5 measurements. The results have been surprisingly accurate. Physics aside, one of the next frontiers is to simplify the process and to reduce computation time. In this paper, the authors discuss two approaches to speed up the model calibration process: recursive least-squares fitting and a piecewise fitting approach

Franchising and the internationalization of businesses: the case of fast food chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fadil Alnassar

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to investigate the role of franchising in the process of internationalization of the fast food industry. The paper hypothesizes that franchising is an effective means of internationalization in the fast food industry that increases the revenues of the company. The hypothesis of the paper will be tested using the linear regression analysis. This analysis studies the relationship between revenues (dependent variable and the number of outlets and the number of employees (independent variables. The sample includes 15 fast food chains from the list of 100 top franchises of 2017. The study of the annual reports of these 15 fast food chains revealed a correlation between the company’s decision to go global through franchising and the growth of its revenues. It is necessary to build a literature on the role of franchising in the internationalization of business. The originality of this paper lies in the way it seeks to illuminate future academic research on the impact of franchising as an internationalization process on business revenues.

Ramadan, fasting and pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Urfan Zahoor; Lykke, Jacob Alexander

2014-01-01

In Islam, the month of Ramadan is a period of fasting lasting 29 or 30 days. Epidemiological studies among Muslims in Denmark have not been conducted, but studies show, that fasting among pregnant Muslim women is common. Fasting does not increase the risk of growth restriction or preterm delivery......, but there are reports of decreased foetal movements. Furthermore, the fasting may have long-term health consequences for the offspring, especially when they reach their middle age. According to Islam and the interpretation, pregnant and breast-feeding women are allowed to postpone the fasting of the month of Ramadan...

Ramadan, faste og graviditet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Urfan Zahoor; Lykke, Jacob Alexander

2014-01-01

In Islam, the month of Ramadan is a period of fasting lasting 29 or 30 days. Epidemiological studies among Muslims in Denmark have not been conducted, but studies show, that fasting among pregnant Muslim women is common. Fasting does not increase the risk of growth restriction or preterm delivery......, but there are reports of decreased foetal movements. Furthermore, the fasting may have long-term health consequences for the offspring, especially when they reach their middle age. According to Islam and the interpretation, pregnant and breast-feeding women are allowed to postpone the fasting of the month of Ramadan...

The integral fast reactor fuels reprocessing laboratory at Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolson, R.D.; Tomczuk, Z.; Fischer, D.F.; Slawecki, M.A.; Miller, W.E.

1986-09-01

The processing of Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) metal fuel utilizes pyrochemical fuel reprocessing steps. These steps include separation of the fission products from uranium and plutonium by electrorefining in a fused salt, subsequent concentration of uranium and plutonium for reuse, removal, concentration, and packaging of the waste material. Approximately two years ago a facility became operational at Argonne National Laboratory-Illinois to establish the chemical feasibility of proposed reprocessing and consolidation processes. Sensitivity of the pyroprocessing melts to air oxidation necessitated operation in atmosphere-controlled enclosures. The Integral Fast Reactor Fuels Reprocessing Laboratory is described

Fast global sequence alignment technique

KAUST Repository

Bonny, Mohamed Talal

2011-11-01

Bioinformatics database is growing exponentially in size. Processing these large amount of data may take hours of time even if super computers are used. One of the most important processing tool in Bioinformatics is sequence alignment. We introduce fast alignment algorithm, called \\'Alignment By Scanning\\' (ABS), to provide an approximate alignment of two DNA sequences. We compare our algorithm with the wellknown sequence alignment algorithms, the \\'GAP\\' (which is heuristic) and the \\'Needleman-Wunsch\\' (which is optimal). The proposed algorithm achieves up to 51% enhancement in alignment score when it is compared with the GAP Algorithm. The evaluations are conducted using different lengths of DNA sequences. © 2011 IEEE.

A Fast Algorithm of Cartographic Sounding Selection

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

SUI Haigang; HUA Li; ZHAO Haitao; ZHANG Yongli

2005-01-01

An effective strategy and framework that adequately integrate the automated and manual processes for fast cartographic sounding selection is presented. The important submarine topographic features are extracted for important soundings selection, and an improved "influence circle" algorithm is introduced for sounding selection. For automatic configuration of soundings distribution pattern, a special algorithm considering multi-factors is employed. A semi-automatic method for solving the ambiguous conflicts is described. On the basis of the algorithms and strategies a system named HGIS for fast cartographic sounding selection is developed and applied in Chinese Marine Safety Administration Bureau (CMSAB). The application experiments show that the system is effective and reliable. At last some conclusions and the future work are given.

FTK: a Fast Track Trigger for ATLAS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, J; Auerbach, B; Blair, R; Andreani, A; Andreazza, A; Citterio, M; Annovi, A; Beretta, M; Castegnaro, A; Atkinson, M; Cavaliere, V; Chang, P; Bevacqua, V; Crescioli, F; Blazey, G; Bogdan, M; Boveia, A; Canelli, F; Cheng, Y; Cervigni, F

2012-01-01

We describe the design and expected performance of a the Fast Tracker Trigger (FTK) system for the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The FTK is a highly parallel hardware system designed to operate at the Level 1 trigger output rate. It is designed to provide global tracks reconstructed in the inner detector with resolution comparable to the full offline reconstruction as input of the Level 2 trigger processing. The hardware system is based on associative memories for pattern recognition and fast FPGAs for track reconstruction. The FTK is expected to dramatically improve the performance of track based isolation and b-tagging with little to no dependencies of pile-up interactions.

The digital backend of FAST

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xinying; Zhang, Xia; Duan, Ran; li, di; Hao, Jie

2015-08-01

The receiver system is an important part of FAST (Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope) and plays a key role in determining the performance of the telescope.This research covers three major aspects: establishment of system synchronization and timestamps, field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based data transmission and analysis, and the rear receiver monitoring system. We intend to combine the use of GPS and a frequency standard instrument with network access to Unix timestamps to form actual timestamps. The data are stored with timestamps that contain integer and fractional seconds to be precise and headers, which are primarily intended to distinguish the data from each other.The data analysis procedures includes converting the timestamp information to real-time information, and merging the 8 channels’ data conversion results into frequency and energy data using corresponding conversion formulae. We must develop tailored monitoring software for the FAST receiver to customize the data format and perform data transmission. Signals on the front-end and back-end of the receiver can be monitored and controlled by adjusting the parameters on the software to increase the flexibility of the receiver.Most operations are performed on FPGA board, which can be shown from the figure, including the analog-to-digital conversion (ADC), fast Fourier transform (FFT), and pulse per second (1PPS) and Unix timestamp access operations.When analog data arrive, we initialize two ADCs at a sampling rate of 3Gsps, following by 8-channel FFT parallel processing.In collaboration with the Institute of Automation, we have developed a custom FPGA board which we call "FDB"("FAST Digital Backend"). The board is integrated with two Virtex-6 and one Virtex-5 high-speed Xilinx chips. The main function of the two Virtex-6 devices is to run the FFT and PFB programs, whereas the main function of Virtex-5 is configuration of the board.This research is indispensable for realizing the

Rhythms of EEG and cognitive processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Novikova S.I.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The study of cognitive processes is regarded to be more effective if it combines a psychological approach with a neurophysiological one. This approach makes it possible to come closer to understanding of the basic mechanisms of different cognitive processes, to describe the patterns of forming these mechanisms in ontogenesis, to investigate the origin of cognitive impairments, and to develop intervention techniques. The promising way of investigating the mechanisms of cognitive functions is the electroencephalography (EEG. This is a non-invasive, safe, and relatively cheap method of research of the functional condition of the brain. The characteristics of EEG rhythms, recorded with different cognitive loads, reflect the processes of functional modulation of neural network activity of the cortex, which serves the neurophysiologic basis for attention, memory and other cognitive processes. The article provides an overview of works containing the analysis of the alpha and theta rhythms’ dynamics in various states of wakefulness. It also introduces the substantiation of methodology of functional regulatory approach to the interpretation of behaviors of EEG rhythms.

SAD PROCESSOR FOR MULTIPLE MACROBLOCK MATCHING IN FAST SEARCH VIDEO MOTION ESTIMATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nehal N. Shah

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Motion estimation is a very important but computationally complex task in video coding. Process of determining motion vectors based on the temporal correlation of consecutive frame is used for video compression. In order to reduce the computational complexity of motion estimation and maintain the quality of encoding during motion compensation, different fast search techniques are available. These block based motion estimation algorithms use the sum of absolute difference (SAD between corresponding macroblock in current frame and all the candidate macroblocks in the reference frame to identify best match. Existing implementations can perform SAD between two blocks using sequential or pipeline approach but performing multi operand SAD in single clock cycle with optimized recourses is state of art. In this paper various parallel architectures for computation of the fixed block size SAD is evaluated and fast parallel SAD architecture is proposed with optimized resources. Further SAD processor is described with 9 processing elements which can be configured for any existing fast search block matching algorithm. Proposed SAD processor consumes 7% fewer adders compared to existing implementation for one processing elements. Using nine PE it can process 84 HD frames per second in worse case which is good outcome for real time implementation. In average case architecture process 325 HD frames per second.

Status of fast reactors and ADS programmes in France in 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astegiano, J.C.; Tailland, C.; Grenet, P.; Frith, R.; Fiorini, J.L.; Louvet, J.

2001-01-01

Two of the 4 N4 units (Chooz B1 et 2) were declared to be in commercial operation during 2000. The EDF owns 58 PWRs, for a total capacity of 63 GWe. The availability factor was 80.8 %, the new N4s run well. No particular incident occurred, 469 incidents were declared, 134 of which were rated 'level 1' and 2 incidents, 'level 2'. These incidents were often attributed to human factors originally and lasting generic problems. France, thanks to its large infrastructure of existing nuclear power stations which provides it with cheap energy, also finds itself in a strong position in the battle against 'The Greenhouse Effect'. The General Administrator of the CEA, Mr. Pascal Colombani, has called for a general restructuration of the nuclear industry in order to meet the challenges of deregulation and globalisation. The French Government has confirmed a process due to be completed in autumn of this year. Two main conclusions emerge dealing with the Long-Term Options for a French energy policy: Existing nuclear plants should retain their cost advantage over combined-cycle gas plants - the only serious economic challenge in terms of meeting the bulk of future electricity demand; Unless gas prices remain stable over the period as a whole, nuclear energy is also likely to retain its economic edge when the time comes to build new generating capacity. Renovation and inspection works have been actively pursued on the PHENIX plant, a large part of the work has been completed, mainly reinforcement against earthquakes, inspection of the internal structures and general maintenance. Maintenance work revealed cracks in the SGU and it has been decided to replace the potentially affected zones of SGU 1 and 3. Decommissioning work is underway at SUPERPHENIX, core unloading has proceeded normally, an increasing number of systems and components have been removed from service. A new decree will have to be issued for the final disposal of both the primary and secondary sodium; it will include

Waste management in IFR [Integral Fast Reactor] fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, T.R.; Battles, J.E.

1991-01-01

The fuel cycle of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) has important potential advantage for the management of high-level wastes. This sodium-cooled, fast reactor will use metal fuels that are reprocessed by pyrochemical methods to recover uranium, plutonium, and the minor actinides from spent core and blanket fuel. More than 99% of all transuranic (TRU) elements will be recovered and returned to the reactor, where they are efficiently burned. The pyrochemical processes being developed to treat the high-level process wastes are capable of producing waste forms with low TRU contents, which should be easier to dispose of. However, the IFR waste forms present new licensing issues because they will contain chloride salts and metal alloys rather than glass or ceramic. These fuel processing and waste treatment methods can also handle TRU-rich materials recovered from light-water reactors and offer the possibility of efficiently and productively consuming these fuel materials in future power reactors

Marketing fast food: impact of fast food restaurants in children's hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahud, Hannah B; Binns, Helen J; Meadow, William L; Tanz, Robert R

2006-12-01

The objectives of this study were (1) to determine fast food restaurant prevalence in hospitals with pediatric residencies and (2) to evaluate how hospital environment affects purchase and perception of fast food. We first surveyed pediatric residency programs regarding fast food restaurants in their hospitals to determine the prevalence of fast food restaurants in these hospitals. We then surveyed adults with children after pediatric outpatient visits at 3 hospitals: hospital M with an on-site McDonald's restaurant, hospital R without McDonald's on site but with McDonald's branding, and hospital X with neither on-site McDonald's nor branding. We sought to determine attitudes toward, consumption of, and influences on purchase of fast food and McDonald's food. Fifty-nine of 200 hospitals with pediatric residencies had fast food restaurants. A total of 386 outpatient surveys were analyzed. Fast food consumption on the survey day was most common among hospital M respondents (56%; hospital R: 29%; hospital X: 33%), as was the purchase of McDonald's food (hospital M: 53%; hospital R: 14%; hospital X: 22%). McDonald's accounted for 95% of fast food consumed by hospital M respondents, and 83% of them bought their food at the on-site McDonald's. Using logistic regression analysis, hospital M respondents were 4 times more likely than respondents at the other hospitals to have purchased McDonald's food on the survey day. Visitors to hospitals M and R were more likely than those at hospital X to believe that McDonald's supported the hospital financially. Respondents at hospital M rated McDonald's food healthier than did respondents at the other hospitals. Fast food restaurants are fairly common in hospitals that sponsor pediatric residency programs. A McDonald's restaurant in a children's hospital was associated with significantly increased purchase of McDonald's food by outpatients, belief that the McDonald's Corporation supported the hospital financially, and higher rating

Crystal plastic earthquakes in dolostones: from slow to fast ruptures.

Science.gov (United States)

Passelegue, F. X.; Aubry, J.; Nicolas, A.; Fondriest, M.; Schubnel, A.; Di Toro, G.

2017-12-01

Dolostone is the most dominant lithology of the seismogenic upper crust around the Mediterranean Sea. Understanding the internal mechanisms controlling fault friction is crucial for understanding seismicity along active faults. Displacement in such fault zones is frequently highlighted by highly reflective (mirror-like) slip surfaces, created by thin films of nanogranular fault rock. Using saw-cut dolostone samples coming from natural fault zones, we conducted stick-slip experiments under triaxial loading conditions at 30, 60 and 90 MPa confining pressure and temperature ranging from 30 to 100 degrees C. At 30 and 65 degrees C, only slow rupture was observed and the experimental fault exhibits frictional behaviour, i.e. a dependence of normal stress on peak shear stress. At 65 degrees C, a strengthening behaviour is observed after the main rupture, leading to a succession of slow rupture. At 100 degrees C, the macroscopic behaviour of the fault becomes ductile, and no dependence of pressure on the peak shear stress is observed. In addition, the increase of the confining pressure up to 60 and 90 MPa allow the transition from slow to fast rupture, highlighted by the records of acoustic activity and by dynamic stress drop occurring in a few tens of microseconds. Using strain gages located along the fault surface and acoustic transducers, we were able to measure the rupture velocities during slow and fast rupture. Slow ruptures propagated around 0.1 m/s, in agreement with natural observations. Fast ruptures propagated up to supershear velocities, i.e. faster than the shear wave speed (>3500 m/s). A complete study of the microstructures was realized before and after ruptures. Slow ruptures lead to the production of mirror-like surface driven by the production of nanograins due to dislocation processes. Fast ruptures induce the production of amorphous material along the fault surface, which may come from decarbonation and melting processes. We demonstrate that the

Fabrication of Cheap Optical Transducers (CHOTs) on film carriers for in-situ application and generation of surface acoustic waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ageeva, V; Stratoudaki, T; Clark, M; Somekh, M G

2015-01-01

Cheap optical transducers (CHOTs) are patterns on the surface of a component activated by lasers to generate and detect ultrasound. Excited optically, with minimal surface impact, and fully customizable, CHOTs provide a simple alternative to conventional piezoelectric transducers, offering wireless, remote operation. Of particular interest is application of CHOTs for in-situ ultrasonic inspection of hard-to reach and complex-geometry components such as those of aero-engines. A suitable fabrication method has been developed to allow in-situ application of CHOTs onto large size and curved components, as well as those already in service, challenging for current laboratory-based micro-patterning methods. This work describes the fabrication of a transferable g-CHOT for generation of ultrasound. The g- CHOT has been made on an SU8 carrier film using a sacrificial polystyrene layer, allowing the transducer to be transferred from the substrate and subsequently delivered and applied to the surface of the sample in-situ. The functionality of the fabricated transducer is demonstrated by detection of the Surface Acoustic Waves (SAW) generated by the g-CHOT transferred onto glass and aluminium samples

Lysine Acetylation of CREBH Regulates Fasting-Induced Hepatic Lipid Metabolism

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyunbae; Mendez, Roberto; Chen, Xuequn; Fang, Deyu

2015-01-01

Cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein 3-like 3, hepatocyte specific (CREBH), is a hepatic transcription factor that functions as a key regulator of energy homeostasis. Here, we defined a regulatory CREBH posttranslational modification process, namely, lysine-specific acetylation, and its functional involvement in fasting-induced hepatic lipid metabolism. Fasting induces CREBH acetylation in mouse livers in a time-dependent manner, and this event is critical for CREBH transcriptional activity in regulating hepatic lipid homeostasis. The histone acetyltransferase PCAF-mediated acetylation and the deacetylase sirtuin-1-mediated deacetylation coexist to maintain CREBH acetylation states under fasting conditions. Site-directed mutagenesis and functional analyses revealed that the lysine (K) residue at position 294 (K294) within the bZIP domain of the CREBH protein is the site where fasting-induced acetylation/deacetylation occurs. Introduction of the acetylation-deficient (K294R) or acetylation-mimicking (K294Q) mutation inhibited or enhanced CREBH transcriptional activity, respectively. Importantly, CREBH acetylation at lysine 294 was required for the interaction and synergy between CREBH and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) in activating their target genes upon fasting or glucagon stimulation. Introduction of the CREBH lysine 294 mutation in the liver leads to hepatic steatosis and hyperlipidemia in animals under prolonged fasting. In summary, our study reveals a molecular mechanism by which fasting or glucagon stimulation modulates lipid homeostasis through acetylation of CREBH. PMID:26438600

Towards commercialization of fast gaseous nitrocarburising stainless steel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hummelshøj, Thomas Strabo; Christiansen, Thomas; Somers, Marcel A. J.

2010-01-01

A novel method for fast and versatile low temperature nitrocarburising of stainless steel has recently been invented by the present authors. Selected results obtained with this new surface hardening process are presented. It is shown that it is possible to obtain a case thickness of 20 μm...... on austenitic AISI 316 within a process cycle time of 90 minutes, and a case thickness of 35 μm on martensitic AISI 420 within a process cycle time of 75 minutes....

Fast-ion losses induced by ACs and TAEs in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

GarcIa-Munoz, M.; Hicks, N.; Classen, I.G.J.; Bilato, R.; Bobkov, V.; Brambilla, M.; Bruedgam, M.; Fahrbach, H.-U.; Igochine, V.; Maraschek, M.; Sassenberg, K.; Van Voornveld, R.; Jaemsae, S.

2010-01-01

The phase-space of convective and diffusive fast-ion losses induced by shear Alfven eigenmodes has been characterized in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. Time-resolved energy and pitch-angle measurements of fast-ion losses correlated in frequency and phase with toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) and Alfven cascades (ACs) have allowed to identify both loss mechanisms. While single ACs and TAEs eject resonant fast-ions in a convective process, the overlapping of AC and TAE spatial structures leads to a large fast-ion diffusion and loss. The threshold for diffusive fast-ion losses depends on the ion energy (gyroradius). Diffusive fast-ion losses with gyroradius ∼70 mm have been observed with a single TAE for local radial displacements of the magnetic field lines larger than ∼2 mm. Multiple frequency chirping ACs cause an enhancement of the diffusive losses. The ACs and TAEs radial structures have been reconstructed by means of cross-correlation techniques between the fast-ion loss detector and the electron cyclotron emission radiometer.

Spectroscopic vector analysis for fast pattern quality monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Sohn, Younghoon; Ryu, Sungyoon; Lee, Chihoon; Yang, Yusin

2018-03-01

In semiconductor industry, fast and effective measurement of pattern variation has been key challenge for assuring massproduct quality. Pattern measurement techniques such as conventional CD-SEMs or Optical CDs have been extensively used, but these techniques are increasingly limited in terms of measurement throughput and time spent in modeling. In this paper we propose time effective pattern monitoring method through the direct spectrum-based approach. In this technique, a wavelength band sensitive to a specific pattern change is selected from spectroscopic ellipsometry signal scattered by pattern to be measured, and the amplitude and phase variation in the wavelength band are analyzed as a measurement index of the pattern change. This pattern change measurement technique is applied to several process steps and verified its applicability. Due to its fast and simple analysis, the methods can be adapted to the massive process variation monitoring maximizing measurement throughput.

Fast Burst Synchronization for Power Line Communication Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lampe Lutz

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Fast burst synchronization is an important requirement in asynchronous communication networks, where devices transmit short data packets in an unscheduled fashion. Such a synchronization is typically achieved by means of a preamble sent in front of the data packet. In this paper, we study fast burst synchronization for power line communication (PLC systems operating below 500 kHz and transmitting data rates of up to about 500 kbps as it is typical in various PLC network applications. In particular, we are concerned with the receiver processing of the preamble signal and the actual design of preambles suitable for fast burst synchronization in such PLC systems. Our approach is comprehensive in that it takes into account the most distinctive characteristics of the power line channel, which are multipath propagation, highly varying path loss, and disturbance by impulse noise, as well as important practical constraints, especially the need for spectral shaping of the preamble signal and fast adjustment of the automatic gain control (AGC. In fact, we regard the explicit incorporation of these various requirements into the preamble design as the main contribution of this work. We devise an optimization criterion and a stochastic algorithm to search for suitable preamble sequences. A comprehensive performance comparison of a designed and two conventional preambles shows that the designed sequence is superior in terms of (a fast burst synchronization in various transmission environments, (b fast AGC adjustment, and (c compliance of its spectrum with the spectral mask applied to the data transmit signal.

Transforming spatial point processes into Poisson processes using random superposition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Jesper; Berthelsen, Kasper Klitgaaard

with a complementary spatial point process Y  to obtain a Poisson process X∪Y  with intensity function β. Underlying this is a bivariate spatial birth-death process (Xt,Yt) which converges towards the distribution of (X,Y). We study the joint distribution of X and Y, and their marginal and conditional distributions....... In particular, we introduce a fast and easy simulation procedure for Y conditional on X. This may be used for model checking: given a model for the Papangelou intensity of the original spatial point process, this model is used to generate the complementary process, and the resulting superposition is a Poisson...... process with intensity function β if and only if the true Papangelou intensity is used. Whether the superposition is actually such a Poisson process can easily be examined using well known results and fast simulation procedures for Poisson processes. We illustrate this approach to model checking...

Fast photomultiplier ELUP 151

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreeva, L.I.; Belokon', V.A.; Krasin, E.V.

1992-01-01

High-velocity photomultiplier is described. The latter is recommended to be used in nuclear physics, plasma physics, nuclear medical diagnostics and at measurement of fast-occurring process parameters. Main specifications are as follows: range of spectral sensitivity - 0.2-0.7 μm; limit of dinamic characteristic linearity - up to 5A; dark current at +20 deg C ambient temperature - maximum 10-8A, time of anode pulse growth - maximum 8 ns; photocathode quantum yield in the maximum of spectral characteristic (λ max =380-420 nm) - 24-26%; supply voltage - 4-5 kV

Anaerobic modeling for improving synergy and robustness of a manure co-digestion process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lima, D. M. F.; Rodrigues, J. A. D.; Boe, Kanokwan

2016-01-01

Biogas production is becoming increasingly important in the environmental area because, besides treating wastewaters, it also generates energy. Co-digestion has become more and more powerful since it is possible, with the use of abundant and cheap substrates, to dilute the inhibitory effects...... of various other substrates, making the process of anaerobic digestion more efficient and stable. Biogas process modelling describes the kinetics and stoichiometry of different steps in the anaerobic digestion process. This mathematical modelling provides an understanding of the processes and interactions...... occurring inside the biogas system. The present work investigated the interactions between different simple co-substrates (carbohydrate, lipid and protein) and real co-substrates (corn silage, fodder beet, grass and wheat straw) under co-digestion with manure, in order to verify synergetic effects...

Physiology of Ramadan fasting

OpenAIRE

Shokoufeh Bonakdaran

2016-01-01

Considering the emphasis of Islam on the importance of fasting, Muslims attempt to fast from dawn until sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. Fasting is associated with several benefits for normal and healthy individuals. However, it could pose high risks to the health of diabetic patients due to certain physiological changes. This study aimed to compare the physiological changes associated with fasting in healthy individuals and diabetic patients during Ramadan. Furthermore, we reviewed t...

How fast is famous face recognition?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gladys eBarragan-Jason

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The rapid recognition of familiar faces is crucial for social interactions. However the actual speed with which recognition can be achieved remains largely unknown as most studies have been carried out without any speed constraints. Different paradigms have been used, leading to conflicting results, and although many authors suggest that face recognition is fast, the speed of face recognition has not been directly compared to fast visual tasks. In this study, we sought to overcome these limitations. Subjects performed three tasks, a familiarity categorization task (famous faces among unknown faces, a superordinate categorization task (human faces among animal ones and a gender categorization task. All tasks were performed under speed constraints. The results show that, despite the use of speed constraints, subjects were slow when they had to categorize famous faces: minimum reaction time was 467 ms, which is 180 ms more than during superordinate categorization and 160 ms more than in the gender condition. Our results are compatible with a hierarchy of face processing from the superordinate level to the familiarity level. The processes taking place between detection and recognition need to be investigated in detail.

High-throughput screening for gene libraries expressing carbohydrate hydrolase activity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leemhuis, Hans; Euverink, Gert-Jan W.; Dijkhuizen, Lubbert

2003-01-01

A simple and fast method is described allowing screening of large number of Escherichia coli clones (4000 per day) for the presence of functional or improved carbohydrate hydrolase enzymes. The procedure is relatively cheap and has the advantage that carbohydrate degrading activity can be directly

Graphene nanodevices for DNA sequencing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heerema, S.J.; Dekker, C.

2016-01-01

Fast, cheap, and reliable DNA sequencing could be one of the most disruptive innovations of this decade, as it will pave the way for personalized medicine. In pursuit of such technology, a variety of nanotechnology-based approaches have been explored and established, including sequencing with

A New Cuffless Device for Measuring Blood Pressure: A Real-Life Validation Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoot, T.S.; Weenk, M.; Belt, T.H. van de; Engelen, L.J.L.P.G.; Goor, H. van; Bredie, S.J.H.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Cuffless blood pressure (BP) monitoring devices, based on pulse transit time, are being developed as an easy-to-use, more convenient, fast, and relatively cheap alternative to conventional BP measuring devices based on cuff occlusion. Thereby they may provide a great alternative to BP

Renovation of CPF (Chemical Processing Facility) for Development of Advanced Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinichi Aose; Takafumi Kitajima; Kouji Ogasawara; Kazunori Nomura; Shigehiko Miyachi; Yoshiaki Ichige; Tadahiro Shinozaki; Shinichi Ohuchi

2008-01-01

CPF (Chemical Processing Facility) was constructed at Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy Agency) in 1980 as a basic research field where spent fuel pins from fast reactor (FR) and high level liquid waste can be dealt with. The renovation consists of remodeling of the CA-3 cell and the laboratory A, installation of globe boxes, hoods and analytical equipments to the laboratory C and the analytical laboratory. Also maintenance equipments in the CA-5 cell which had been out of order were repaired. The CA-3 cell is the main cell in which important equipments such as a dissolver, a clarifier and extractors are installed for carrying out the hot test using the irradiated FR fuel. Since the CPF had specialized originally in the research function for the Purex process, it was desired to execute the research and development of such new, various reprocessing processes. Formerly, equipments were arranged in wide space and connected with not only each other but also with utility supply system mainly by fixed stainless steel pipes. It caused shortage of operation space in flexibility for basic experimental study. Old equipments in the CA-3 cell including vessels and pipes were removed after successful decontamination, and new equipments were installed conformably to the new design. For the purpose of easy installation and rearranging the experimental equipments, equipments are basically connected by flexible pipes. Since dissolver is able to be easily replaced, various dissolution experiments is conducted. Insoluble residue generated by dissolution of spent fuel is clarified by centrifugal. This small apparatus is effective to space-saving. Mini mixer settlers or centrifugal contactors are put on to the prescribed limited space in front of the backside wall. Fresh reagents such as solvent, scrubbing and stripping solution are continuously fed from the laboratory A to the extractor by the reagent supply system with semi-automatic observation

A review of the UK fast reactor programme, March 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R.D.

1981-01-01

steam cycle, a re-evaluation of various boiler design styles have been undertaken. The types being studied cover straight tube, U and J tube, hockey stick and helical coil designs. A final choice of steam generator for CDFR has not yet been made. Key features in design selection are overall integrity to ensure high availability, ease of maintenance and repair following minor tube leaks, resistance to escalation of minor leaks to more major sodium/water reaction incidents. inspectability, relevance of previous experience and capital cost. Operation of the PFR was interrupted by a series of small leaks in the tube-to-tube plate welds in the three evaporator units. The key areas have now been shot-peened to remove tensile stresses in the surface material. the units have been repaired and operation at high power should be restarted during March 1981. The performance of the core and primary circuits has continued to be excellent. A major step forward was taken when the first 16 sub-assemblies were reprocessed in the PFR reprocessing plant. During the year a system economic study has been completed to assist in providing a sound technical basis for a fast reactor inquiry. This study was based on a set of programme assumptions and economic ground rules developed and agreed in 1978 within the UK nuclear industry and updated in 1979. Broadly, it was concluded that the introduction of the fast reactor as soon and as rapidly as feasible also leads, even on conservative uranium price assumptions. to economic benefits, the benefits being greatest when electrical demand and raw fuel prices are at their highest. The benefits are little affected by 25% increases in costs, except for an increase in fast reactor capital cost when uranium stays cheap; in this case the benefit virtually disappears if it is assumed that all other capital costs stay constant. Use of the fast reactor also produces a dramatic fall (almost three-fold) in the need uranium imports and, if market forces are

A review of the UK fast reactor programme, March 1981

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, R D [Risley Nuclear Power Development Establishment, Risley, Warrington (United Kingdom)

1981-05-01

steam cycle, a re-evaluation of various boiler design styles have been undertaken. The types being studied cover straight tube, U and J tube, hockey stick and helical coil designs. A final choice of steam generator for CDFR has not yet been made. Key features in design selection are overall integrity to ensure high availability, ease of maintenance and repair following minor tube leaks, resistance to escalation of minor leaks to more major sodium/water reaction incidents. inspectability, relevance of previous experience and capital cost. Operation of the PFR was interrupted by a series of small leaks in the tube-to-tube plate welds in the three evaporator units. The key areas have now been shot-peened to remove tensile stresses in the surface material. the units have been repaired and operation at high power should be restarted during March 1981. The performance of the core and primary circuits has continued to be excellent. A major step forward was taken when the first 16 sub-assemblies were reprocessed in the PFR reprocessing plant. During the year a system economic study has been completed to assist in providing a sound technical basis for a fast reactor inquiry. This study was based on a set of programme assumptions and economic ground rules developed and agreed in 1978 within the UK nuclear industry and updated in 1979. Broadly, it was concluded that the introduction of the fast reactor as soon and as rapidly as feasible also leads, even on conservative uranium price assumptions. to economic benefits, the benefits being greatest when electrical demand and raw fuel prices are at their highest. The benefits are little affected by 25% increases in costs, except for an increase in fast reactor capital cost when uranium stays cheap; in this case the benefit virtually disappears if it is assumed that all other capital costs stay constant. Use of the fast reactor also produces a dramatic fall (almost three-fold) in the need uranium imports and, if market forces are

Dose rate analyses for fast reactor fuel manufacturers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R.C.; Strode, J.N.; Brackenbush, L.W.; Faust, L.G.

1976-01-01

An early appraisal of the radiation exposure situation in the fabrication of plutonium enriched mixed-oxide fuels for fast reactors is presented. Radiation data are presented on fuel process operations measured under actual operating conditions using plutonium containing up to 19 wt percent 240 Pu

Fast pion production in exclusive neutrino processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gershtein, S.S.; Komachenko, Yu.Ya.; Khlopov, M.Yu.

1980-01-01

Single pion production in exclusive neutrino reactions with small momentum transfer to nucleon, induced by neutrino scattering on virtual mesons (reggeons), is considered. The estimation of the contributions to process νA → μπA where A is a nucleon or the target nucleus made by various virtual mesons is presented. In the experimental investigation of such processes the contributions of different mesons may be singled out, thus providing information on the weak; meson-pion (reggeon-pion) transitions

Actinides burnup in a sodium fast reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramirez S, J. R.; Pineda A, R.; Martinez C, E.; Alonso, G., E-mail: ramon.ramirez@inin.gob.mx [ININ, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

2017-09-15

The burnup of actinides in a nuclear reactor is been proposed as part of an advanced nuclear fuel cycle, this process would close the fuel cycle recycling some of the radioactive material produced in the open nuclear fuel cycle. These actinides are found in the spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power reactors at the end of their burnup in the reactor. Previous studies of actinides recycling in thermal reactors show that would be possible reduce the amounts of actinides at least in 50% of the recycled amounts. in this work, the amounts of actinides that can be burned in a fast reactor is calculated, very interesting results surge from the calculations, first, the amounts of actinides generated by the fuel is higher than for thermal fuel and the composition of the actinides vector is different as in fuel for thermal reactor the main isotope is the {sup 237}Np in the fuel for fast reactor the main isotope is the {sup 241}Am, finally it is concluded that the fast reactor, also generates important amounts of waste. (Author)

Fast reactors worldwide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, R.S.; Vignon, D.

1985-01-01

The paper concerns the evolution of fast reactors over the past 30 years, and their present status. Fast reactor development in different countries is described, and the present position, with emphasis on cost reduction and collaboration, is examined. The French development of the fast breeder type reactor is reviewed, and includes: the acquisition of technical skills, the search for competitive costs and the spx2 project, and more advanced designs. Future prospects are also discussed. (U.K.)

Fast food (image)

Science.gov (United States)

Fast foods are quick, reasonably priced, and readily available alternatives to home cooking. While convenient and economical for a busy lifestyle, fast foods are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, ...

Reprocessing of ''fast'' fuel in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauteron, J.; Bourgeois, M.; Le Bouhellec, J.; Miquel, P.

1976-05-01

The results of laboratory studies as well as pilot testing (AT-I La Hague, Marcoule, Fontenay-aux-Roses) in reprocessing of fast breeder reactor fuels are described. The paper covers all steps: head end, aqueous and fluoride volatility processes, and waste treatment. In conclusion, it is demonstrated why it is still too early to define a strategy of industrial reprocessing for this reactor type

Fast neutron damage in germanium detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraner, H.W.

1979-10-01

The effects of fast neutron radiation damage on the performance of both Ge(Li) and Ge(HP) detectors have been studied during the past decade and will be summarized. A review of the interaction processes leading to the defect structures causing trapping will be made. The neutron energy dependence of observable damage effects will be considered in terms of interaction and defect production cross sections

TMS320C25 Digital Signal Processor For 2-Dimensional Fast Fourier Transform Computation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ardisasmita, M. Syamsa

1996-01-01

The Fourier transform is one of the most important mathematical tool in signal processing and analysis, which converts information from the time/spatial domain into the frequency domain. Even with implementation of the Fast Fourier Transform algorithms in imaging data, the discrete Fourier transform execution consume a lot of time. Digital signal processors are designed specifically to perform computation intensive digital signal processing algorithms. By taking advantage of the advanced architecture. parallel processing, and dedicated digital signal processing (DSP) instruction sets. This device can execute million of DSP operations per second. The device architecture, characteristics and feature suitable for fast Fourier transform application and speed-up are discussed

Islamic Fasting and Diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fereidoun Azizi

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to review health-related aspects of Ramadan fasting in normal individuals and diabetics. During fasting days of Ramadan, glucose homeostasis is maintained by meal taken bepore dawn and by liver glycogen stores. Changes in serum lipids are variable and defend on the quality and quantity of food consumption and changes in weight. Compliant, well controlled type 2 diabetics may observe Ramadan fasting; but fasting is not recommended for type 1, non complaint, poorly controlled and pregnant diabetics. Although Ramadan fasting is safe for all healthy individuals and well controlled diabetics, those with uncontrolled diabetics and diabetics with complications should consult physicians and follow scientific recommendations.

Fast reactor programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plakman, J.C.

1982-01-01

This progress report summarizes the fast reactor research carried out by ECN during the period covering the year 1980. This research is mainly concerned with the cores of sodium-cooled breeders, in particular the SNR-300, and its related safety aspects. It comprises six items: A programme to determine relevant nuclear data of fission- and corrosion-products; A fuel performance programme comprising in-pile cladding failure experiments and a study of the consequences of loss-of-cooling and overpower; Basic research on fuel; Investigation of the changes in the mechanical properties of austenitic stainless steel DIN 1.4948 due to fast neutron doses, this material has been used in the manufacture of the reactor vessel and its internal components; Study of aerosols which could be formed at the time of a fast reactor accident and their progressive behaviour on leaking through cracks in the concrete containment; Studies on heat transfer in a sodium-cooled fast reactor core. As fast breeders operate at high power densities, an accurate knowledge of the heat transfer phenomena under single-phase and two-phase conditions is sought. (Auth.)

Fast Food Pattern and Cardiometabolic Disorders: A Review of Current Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahra Bahadoran

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: There are growing concern globally regarding the alarming trend of fast food consump­tion and its related cardiometabolic outcomes including overweight and obesity. This study aimed to review the current evidences available in relation to adverse effects of fast food pattern on cardiometa­bolic risk factors. Methods: Relevant articles including epidemiological and clinical studies with appropriate design and good quality were obtained through searches of the Medline, PubMed, Scopus databases and Google scholar with related key words including "fast foods", "processed foods", "obesity", "overweight", "insulin resistance", "diabetes", "cardiovascular disease", "metabolic syndrome", "dyslipidemia" and "hypertension". Results: Fast food consumption and out-of-home eating behavior is a main risk factor for lower diet quality, higher calorie and fat intake and lower micronutrients density of diet. Frequent consumption of fast foods was accompanied with overweight and abdominal fat gain, impaired insulin and glucose homeostasis, lipid and lipoprotein disorders, induction of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. Higher fast food consumption also increases the risk of developmental diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: This review provides further evidence warning us against the irreparable effects of fast food consumption on public health especially the increasing global burden of obesity and cardiovascu­lar diseases.

HCUP Fast Stats

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — HCUP Fast Stats provides easy access to the latest HCUP-based statistics for health information topics. HCUP Fast Stats uses visual statistical displays in...

Formation of fast shocks by magnetic reconnection in the solar corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsieh, M. H.; Tsai, C. L.; Ma, Z. W.; Lee, L. C.

2009-01-01

Reconnections of magnetic fields over the solar surface are expected to generate abundant magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) discontinuities and shocks, including slow shocks and rotational discontinuities. However, the generation of fast shocks by magnetic reconnection process is relatively not well studied. In this paper, magnetic reconnection in a current sheet is studied based on two-dimensional resistive MHD numerical simulations. Magnetic reconnections in the current sheet lead to the formation of plasma jets and plasma bulges. It is further found that the plasma bulges, the leading part of plasma jets, in turn lead to the generation of fast shocks on flanks of the bulges. The simulation results show that during the magnetic reconnection process, the plasma forms a series of structures: plasma jets, plasma bulges, and fast shocks. As time increases, the bulges spread out along the current sheet (±z direction) and the fast shocks move just ahead of the bulges. The effects of initial parameters ρ s /ρ m , β ∞ , and t rec on the fast shock generation are also examined, where ρ s /ρ m is the ratio of plasma densities on two sides of the initial current sheet, β ∞ =P ∞ /(B ∞ 2 /2μ 0 ), P ∞ is the plasma pressure and B ∞ is the magnetic field magnitude far from the current sheet, and t rec is the reconnection duration. In the asymmetric case with ρ s /ρ m =2, β ∞ =0.01 and t rec =1000, the maximum Alfven Mach number of fast shocks (M A1max ) is M A1max congruent with 1.1, where M A1 =V n1 /V A1 , and V n1 and V A1 are, respectively, the normal upstream fluid velocity and the upstream Alfven speed in the fast shocks frame. As the density ratio ρ s /ρ m (=1-8) and plasma beta β ∞ (=0.0001-1) increase, M A1max varies slightly. For the case with a large plasma beta β ∞ (=5), the fast shock is very weak. As the reconnection duration t rec increases, the bulges lead to generation of fast shocks with a higher M A1max . The present results can be

Fast analysis of spectral data using neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roach, C.M.

1992-01-01

Fast analysis techniques are highly desirable in experiments where measurements are recorded at high rates. In fusion experiments the processing required to obtain plasma parameters is usually orders of magnitude slower than the data acquisition. Spectroscopic diagnostics suffer greatly from this problem. The extraction of plasma parameters from a measured spectrum typically corresponds to a nonlinear mapping between distinct multi-dimensional spaces. Where no analytic expression for the mapping exists, conventional analysis methods (e.g. least squares) are usually iterative and therefore slow. With this concern in mind a fast spectral analysis method involving neural networks has been investigated. (author) 6 refs., 3 figs

Fast-prototyping of VLSI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saucier, G.; Read, E.

1987-01-01

Fast-prototyping will be a reality in the very near future if both straightforward design methods and fast manufacturing facilities are available. This book focuses, first, on the motivation for fast-prototyping. Economic aspects and market considerations are analysed by European and Japanese companies. In the second chapter, new design methods are identified, mainly for full custom circuits. Of course, silicon compilers play a key role and the introduction of artificial intelligence techniques sheds a new light on the subject. At present, fast-prototyping on gate arrays or on standard cells is the most conventional technique and the third chapter updates the state-of-the art in this area. The fourth chapter concentrates specifically on the e-beam direct-writing for submicron IC technologies. In the fifth chapter, a strategic point in fast-prototyping, namely the test problem is addressed. The design for testability and the interface to the test equipment are mandatory to fulfill the test requirement for fast-prototyping. Finally, the last chapter deals with the subject of education when many people complain about the lack of use of fast-prototyping in higher education for VLSI

A prospective audit of preprocedural fasting practices on a transplant ward: when fasting becomes starving.

Science.gov (United States)

Vidot, Helen; Teevan, Kate; Carey, Sharon; Strasser, Simone; Shackel, Nicholas

2016-03-01

To investigate the prevalence and duration of preprocedural medically ordered fasting during a period of hospitalisation in an Australian population of patients with hepatic cirrhosis or following liver transplantation and to identify potential solutions to reduce fasting times. Protein-energy malnutrition is a common finding in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and can impact significantly on survival and quality of life. Protein and energy requirements in patients with cirrhosis are higher than those of healthy individuals. A significant feature of cirrhosis is the induction of starvation metabolism following seven to eight hours of food deprivation. Many investigative and interventional procedures for patients with cirrhosis necessitate a period of fasting to comply with anaesthesia guidelines. An observational study of the fasting episodes for 34 hospitalised patients with hepatic cirrhosis or following liver transplantation. Nutritional status was estimated using subjective global assessment and handgrip strength. The prevalence and duration of fasting practices for diagnostic or investigational procedures were estimated using electronic records and patient notes. Thirty-three patients (97%) were malnourished. Twenty-two patients (65%) were fasted during the observation period. There were 43 occasions of fasting with a median fasting time of 13·5 hours. On 40 occasions fasting times exceeded the maximum six-hour guideline recommended prior to the administration of anaesthesia by the majority of Anaesthesiology Societies. The majority of procedures (77%) requiring fasting occurred after midday. Eating breakfast on the day of the procedure reduced fasting time by 45%. Medically ordered preprocedural fasting times almost always exceed existing guidelines in this nutritionally compromised group. Adherence to fasting guidelines and eating breakfast before the procedure can reduce fasting times significantly and avoid the potential induction of starvation metabolism

aMCfast: automation of fast NLO computations for PDF fits

CERN Document Server

Bertone, Valerio; Frixione, Stefano; Rojo, Juan; Sutton, Mark

2014-01-01

We present the interface between MadGraph5_aMC@NLO, a self-contained program that calculates cross sections up to next-to-leading order accuracy in an automated manner, and APPLgrid, a code that parametrises such cross sections in the form of look-up tables which can be used for the fast computations needed in the context of PDF fits. The main characteristic of this interface, which we dub aMCfast, is its being fully automated as well, which removes the need to extract manually the process-specific information for additional physics processes, as is the case with other matrix element calculators, and renders it straightforward to include any new process in the PDF fits. We demonstrate this by studying several cases which are easily measured at the LHC, have a good constraining power on PDFs, and some of which were previously unavailable in the form of a fast interface.

High-speed spectral domain optical coherence tomography using non-uniform fast Fourier transform

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Kenny K. H.; Tang, Shuo

2010-01-01

The useful imaging range in spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) is often limited by the depth dependent sensitivity fall-off. Processing SD-OCT data with the non-uniform fast Fourier transform (NFFT) can improve the sensitivity fall-off at maximum depth by greater than 5dB concurrently with a 30 fold decrease in processing time compared to the fast Fourier transform with cubic spline interpolation method. NFFT can also improve local signal to noise ratio (SNR) and reduce image artifacts introduced in post-processing. Combined with parallel processing, NFFT is shown to have the ability to process up to 90k A-lines per second. High-speed SD-OCT imaging is demonstrated at camera-limited 100 frames per second on an ex-vivo squid eye. PMID:21258551

Influence of maize straw content with sewage sludge on composting process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Czekała Wojciech

2016-09-01

Full Text Available After entrance to EU in 2004, the management of sewage sludge has become more and more important problem for the new members. In Poland, one of the most promising technologies is composting process of sewage sludge with carbonaceous materials. However, the high price of typically used cereal straw forces the specialists to look for new and cheap materials used as donor of carbon and substrates creating good, porous structure of composted heap. This work presents the results of sewage sludge composting mixed with sawdust and maize straw used to create structure favorable for air exchange. The results show dynamic thermophilic phase of composting process in all cases where maize straw was used.

The fast breeder reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collier, J.

1990-01-01

The arguments for and against the fast breeder reactor are debated. The case for the fast reactor is that the world energy demand will increase due to increasing population over the next forty years and that the damage to the global environment from burning fossil fuels which contribute to the greenhouse effect. Nuclear fission is the only large scale energy source which can achieve a cut in the use of carbon based fuels although energy conservation and renewable sources will also be important. Fast reactors produce more energy from uranium than other types of (thermal) reactors such as AGRs and PWRs. Fast reactors would be important from about 2020 onwards especially as by then many thermal reactors will need to be replaced. Fast reactors are also safer than normal reactors. The arguments against fast reactors are largely economic. The cost, especially the capital cost is very high. The viability of the technology is also questioned. (UK)

The fast breeder reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, D.A.; Baker, M.A.W.; Hall, R.S.

1990-01-01

Following submission of written evidence, the Energy Committee members asked questions of three witnesses from the Central Electricity Generating Board and Nuclear Electric (which will be the government owned company running nuclear power stations after privatisation). Both questions and answers are reported verbatim. The points raised include where the responsibility for the future fast reactor programme should lie, with government only or with private enterprise or both and the viability of fast breeder reactors in the future. The case for the fast reactor was stated as essentially strategic not economic. This raised the issue of nuclear cost which has both a construction and a decommissioning element. There was considerable discussion as to the cost of building a European Fast reactor and the cost of the electricity it would generate compared with PWR type reactors. The likely demand for fast reactors will not arrive for 20-30 years and the need to build a fast reactor now is questioned. (UK)

The Adverse Effects and Treatment Results of Smoking Cessation Pharmacotherapy During Fasting/Non-Fasting State.

Science.gov (United States)

Iliaz, Sinem; Tural Onur, Seda; Uysal, Mehmet Atilla; Chousein, Efsun Gonca Uğur; Tanriverdi, Elif; Bagci, Belma Akbaba; Bahadir, Ayse; Hattatoglu, Didem Gorgun; Ortakoylu, Mediha Gonenc; Yurt, Sibel

2017-07-03

Cigarette smoking is one of the most common addictions worldwide. Muslim smokers reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke during Ramadan due to the long fasting hours. We aimed to share our experience in a smoking cessation clinic during Ramadan by analyzing the efficacy and adverse effects of once-daily dosing of bupropion or varenicline in a fasting group compared with conventional dosing in a non-fasting group. We analyzed 57 patients who attended our smoking cessation clinic during Ramadan of 2014 and 2015, and at least one follow-up visit. For the fasting patients, we prescribed bupropion or varenicline after dinner (once daily) as the maintenance therapy. We recorded demographic characteristics of the patients, fasting state, drugs taken for smoking cessation, and the dosage of the medication. At the first follow-up visit, adverse effects seen with the treatment were recorded. We conducted telephone interviews 6 months after the first visits of the patients to learn the current smoking status of the groups. Of the total 57 patients, 20 (35.1%) were fasting and 37 (64.9%) were not fasting. Fasting and non-fasting patients were similar for sex, age, smoking pack-years, marital status, educational status, and mean Fagerström scores (p >.05). Adverse effects and quit rates after 6 months of follow-up were similar between the fasting and non-fasting groups (p >.05). Although our sample size was small, we found no difference in the rates of adverse effects or smoking cessation using a single daily oral dose of bupropion or varenicline between a fasting group and a non-fasting group that received conventional dosing.

Ramadan, fasting and pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Urfan Zahoor; Lykke, Jacob Alexander

2014-01-01

In Islam, the month of Ramadan is a period of fasting lasting 29 or 30 days. Epidemiological studies among Muslims in Denmark have not been conducted, but studies show, that fasting among pregnant Muslim women is common. Fasting does not increase the risk of growth restriction or preterm delivery...

Fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasile, A.

2001-01-01

Fast reactors have capacities to spare uranium natural resources by their breeding property and to propose solutions to the management of radioactive wastes by limiting the inventory of heavy nuclei. This article highlights the role that fast reactors could play for reducing the radiotoxicity of wastes. The conversion of 238 U into 239 Pu by neutron capture is more efficient in fast reactors than in light water reactors. In fast reactors multi-recycling of U + Pu leads to fissioning up to 95% of the initial fuel ( 238 U + 235 U). 2 strategies have been studied to burn actinides: - the multi-recycling of heavy nuclei is made inside the fuel element (homogeneous option); - the unique recycling is made in special irradiation targets placed inside the core or at its surroundings (heterogeneous option). Simulations have shown that, for the same amount of energy produced (400 TWhe), the mass of transuranium elements (Pu + Np + Am + Cm) sent to waste disposal is 60,9 Kg in the homogeneous option and 204.4 Kg in the heterogeneous option. Experimental programs are carried out in Phenix and BOR60 reactors in order to study the feasibility of such strategies. (A.C.)

FFTF gas processing systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halverson, T.G.

1977-01-01

The design and operation of the two radioactive gas processing systems at the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) exemplifies the concept that will be used in the first generation of Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors (LMFBR's). The two systems, the Radioactive Argon Processing System (RAPS) and the Cell Atmosphere Processing System (CAPS), process the argon and nitrogen used in the FFTF for cover gas on liquid metal systems and as inert atmospheres in steel lined cells housing sodium equipment. The RAPS specifically processes the argon cover gas from the reactor coolant system, providing for decontamination and eventual reuse. The CAPS processes radioactive gasses from inerted cells and other liquid metal cover gas systems, providing for decontamination and ultimate discharge to the atmosphere. The cryogenic processing of waste gas by both systems is described

Fast wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goree, J.; Ono, M.; Colestock, P.; Horton, R.; McNeill, D.; Park, H.

1985-07-01

Fast wave current drive is demonstrated in the Princeton ACT-I toroidal device. The fast Alfven wave, in the range of high ion-cyclotron harmonics, produced 40 A of current from 1 kW of rf power coupled into the plasma by fast wave loop antenna. This wave excites a steady current by damping on the energetic tail of the electron distribution function in the same way as lower-hybrid current drive, except that fast wave current drive is appropriate for higher plasma densities

The ATLAS Fast Monte Carlo Production Chain Project

CERN Document Server

Jansky, Roland Wolfgang; The ATLAS collaboration

2015-01-01

During the last years ATLAS has successfully deployed a new integrated simulation framework (ISF) which allows a flexible mixture of full and fast detector simulation techniques within the processing of one event. With the ISF, the simulation execution speed could be increased up to a factor 100, which makes subsequent digitisation and reconstruction processing the dominant contributions to the MC production CPU cost. The slowest components of both digitisation and reconstruction are within the Inner Detector due to the complex signal modelling needed in the emulation of the detector readout and in reconstruction due to the combinatorial nature of the problem to solve, respectively. Alternative fast approaches have been developed for these components: for the silicon based detectors a simpler geometrical clustering approach has been deployed replacing the charge drift emulation in the standard digitisation modules, and achieves a very high accuracy in describing the standard output. For the Inner Detector tra...

Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Ruth E; Sears, Dorothy D

2017-08-21

The objective of this review is to provide an overview of intermittent fasting regimens, summarize the evidence on the health benefits of intermittent fasting, and discuss physiological mechanisms by which intermittent fasting might lead to improved health outcomes. A MEDLINE search was performed using PubMed and the terms "intermittent fasting," "fasting," "time-restricted feeding," and "food timing." Modified fasting regimens appear to promote weight loss and may improve metabolic health. Several lines of evidence also support the hypothesis that eating patterns that reduce or eliminate nighttime eating and prolong nightly fasting intervals may result in sustained improvements in human health. Intermittent fasting regimens are hypothesized to influence metabolic regulation via effects on (a) circadian biology, (b) the gut microbiome, and (c) modifiable lifestyle behaviors, such as sleep. If proven to be efficacious, these eating regimens offer promising nonpharmacological approaches to improving health at the population level, with multiple public health benefits.

Applicability of product-driven process synthesis to separation processes in food

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jankowiak, L.; Goot, van der A.J.; Trifunovic, O.; Bongers, P.; Boom, R.M.

2012-01-01

The demand for more sustainable processing in the food industry is rising but requires structured methodologies to support the fast implementation of new economic and sustainable processes. Product-driven process synthesis (PDPS) is a recently established methodology facilitating the rapid

Evaluation of a fast PLC module in prospect of the LHC beam interlock system

CERN Document Server

Zaera-Sanz, Manuel

2005-01-01

The LHC Beam Interlock system requires a controller performing a simple matrix function to collect the different beam dump requests. To satisfy the expected safety level of the Interlock, the system should be robust and reliable. The PLC is a promising candidate to fulfil both aspects but too slow to meet the expected response time which is of the order of mseconds. Siemens has introduced a “so called” fast module (FM352-5 Boolean Processor) that provides independent and extremely fast control of a process within a larger control system using an onboard processor, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), to execute code in parallel which results in extremely fast scan times. It is interesting to investigate its features and to evaluate it as a possible candidate for the beam interlock system. This note publishes the results of this study. As well, this note could be useful for other applications requiring fast processing using a PLC.

Effects of glucose doping on the MgB{sub 2} superconductors using cheap crystalline boron

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parakkandy, Jafar Meethale [Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, PO Box 2455, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451,Saudi Arabia (Saudi Arabia); Shahabuddin, Mohammed, E-mail: mshahab@ksu.edu.sa [Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, PO Box 2455, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451,Saudi Arabia (Saudi Arabia); Shah, M. Shahabuddin; Alzayed, Nasser S.; Qaid, Salem A.S.; Madhar, Niyaz Ahmad; Ramay, Shahid M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, PO Box 2455, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451,Saudi Arabia (Saudi Arabia); Shar, Muhammad Ali [Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, P.O. Box 800, King Saud University, Riyadh 11421 (Saudi Arabia)

2015-12-15

Highlights: • First report on glucose doped MgB{sub 2} superconductor by single step dry mixing approach. • Cheap crystalline boron used for the sample preparation. • Microstructure and superconducting properties of the superconductors are discussed. • Less degradation in low field critical current density observed. • MgB{sub 2} with 2 at. % glucose doped showed the highest J{sub c}, ≈ 2 × 10{sup 4}A/cm{sup 2} for 20 K at 3 T. - Abstract: We report the effect of glucose (C{sub 6}H{sub 12}O{sub 6}) doping on the structural and electromagnetic properties of MgB{sub 2} superconductor fabricated by dry mixing using planetary ball milling. Herein, as-prepared bulk polycrystalline Mg (B{sub 1–x}C{sub x}) {sub 2} samples with different doping levels (x = 0, 2, 4, and 6 at. %) were systematically studied by X-ray diffraction, magnetic and resistivity measurements, and microstructure analysis. When carbon doped, the reduction in critical transition temperature and shrinkage in a-lattice were obviously observed. This resulted in structural distortion of the MgB{sub 2} lattice, and thereby, enhanced an impurity scattering. In addition to these, upper critical field and high-field critical current densities were also enhanced. On the other hand, both pinning force and low-field critical current density are decreased. The high field enhancement and low field degradation are due to increase in impurity scattering and decrease in pinning force respectively.

Fast track pathway for perforated appendicitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Frazee, Richard; Abernathy, Stephen; Davis, Matthew; Isbell, Travis; Regner, Justin; Smith, Randall

2017-04-01

Perforated appendicitis is associated with an increased morbidity and length of stay. "Fast track" protocols have demonstrated success in shortening hospitalization without increasing morbidity for a variety of surgical processes. This study evaluates a fast track pathway for perforated appendicitis. In 2013, a treatment pathway for perforated appendicitis was adopted by the Acute Care Surgery Service for patients having surgical management of perforated appendicitis. Interval appendectomy was excluded. Patients were treated initially with intravenous antibiotics and transitioned to oral antibiotics and dismissed when medically stable and tolerating oral intake. A retrospective review of patients managed on the fast track pathway was undertaken to analyze length of stay, morbidity, and readmissions. Thirty-four males and twenty-one females with an average age of 46.8 years underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for perforated appendicitis between January 2013 and December 2014. Pre-existing comorbidities included hypertension 42%, diabetes mellitus 11%, COPD 5% and heart disease 2%. No patient had conversion to open appendectomy. Average length of stay was 2.67 days and ranged from 1 to 12 days (median 2 days). Postoperative morbidity was 20% and included abscess (6 patients), prolonged ileus (3 patients), pneumonia (1 patient), and congestive heart failure (1 patient). Five patients were readmitted for abscess (3 patients), congestive heart failure (1 patient), and pneumonia (1 patient). A fast track pathway for perforated appendicitis produced shorter length of stay and acceptable postoperative morbidity and readmission. This offers the potential for significant cost savings over current national practice patterns. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fast track-hoftealloplastik

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Torben Bæk; Gromov, Kirill; Kristensen, Billy B

2017-01-01

Fast-track surgery implies a coordinated perioperative approach aimed at reducing surgical stress and facilitating post-operative recovery. The fast-track programme has reduced post-operative length of stay and has led to shorter convalescence with more rapid functional recovery and decreased...... morbidity and mortality in total hip arthroplasty. It should now be a standard total hip arthroplasty patient pathway, but fine tuning of the multiple factors in the fast-track pathway is still needed in patients with special needs or high comorbidity burden....

ultrasound reflecting the morphological properties in soft tissue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lorentzen, Torben; Larsen, Torben; Court-Payen, Michel

2014-01-01

Ultrasound (US) is an image modality providing the examiner with real-time images which reflect the morphological properties in soft tissue. Different types of transducers are used for different kind of exams. US is cheap, fast, and safe. US is widely used in abdominal imaging including obstetrics...

Design of Flexible RF Building Blocks : A Method for Implementing Configurable RF Transceiver Architectures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vidojkovic - Andjelovic, M.; Tang, van der J.D.; Baltus, P.G.M.; Roermund, van A.H.M.

2005-01-01

In today's world, new communication standards evolve fast, putting a significant burden on set makers and RFIC designer houses to bring integrated and cheap solutions quickly into the market place. The shift towards flexible RF systems that can support a range of applications via adjustability and

The use of cyanoacrylate in surgical anastomosis: An alternative to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

To present anastomosis with cyanoacrylate as a cheap, simple, fast, and available technique for anastomosis in urological, vascular, gynecological, and general surgical procedures. This method may in the future be a good alternative to microsurgery, particularly in centers where facilities are unavailable and the financial ...

Stress Measurement by Geometrical Optics

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, R. S.; Rossnagel, S. M.

1986-01-01

Fast, simple technique measures stresses in thin films. Sample disk bowed by stress into approximately spherical shape. Reflected image of disk magnified by amount related to curvature and, therefore, stress. Method requires sample substrate, such as cheap microscope cover slide, two mirrors, laser light beam, and screen.

Fast Flux Watch: A mechanism for online detection of fast flux networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Basheer N. Al-Duwairi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Fast flux networks represent a special type of botnets that are used to provide highly available web services to a backend server, which usually hosts malicious content. Detection of fast flux networks continues to be a challenging issue because of the similar behavior between these networks and other legitimate infrastructures, such as CDNs and server farms. This paper proposes Fast Flux Watch (FF-Watch, a mechanism for online detection of fast flux agents. FF-Watch is envisioned to exist as a software agent at leaf routers that connect stub networks to the Internet. The core mechanism of FF-Watch is based on the inherent feature of fast flux networks: flux agents within stub networks take the role of relaying client requests to point-of-sale websites of spam campaigns. The main idea of FF-Watch is to correlate incoming TCP connection requests to flux agents within a stub network with outgoing TCP connection requests from the same agents to the point-of-sale website. Theoretical and traffic trace driven analysis shows that the proposed mechanism can be utilized to efficiently detect fast flux agents within a stub network.

Fast ultrasonic visualisation under sodium. Application to the fast neutron reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imbert, Ch.

1997-01-01

The fast ultrasonic visualization under sodium is in the programme of research and development on the inspection inside the fast neutron reactors. This work is about the development of a such system of fast ultrasonic imaging under sodium, in order to improve the existing visualization systems. This system is based on the principle of orthogonal imaging, it uses two linear antennas with an important dephasing having 128 piezo-composite elements of central frequency equal to 1.6 MHz. (N.C.)

Proposed University of California Berkeley fast pulsar search machine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulkarni, S.R.; Backer, D.C.; Werthimer, D.; Heiles, C.

1984-01-01

With the discovery of 1937+21 by Backer et al. (1982) there is much renewed interest in an all sky survey for fast pulsars. University of California Berkeley has designed and is in the process of building an innovative and powerful, stand-alone, real-time, digital signal-processor to conduct an all sky survey for pulsars with rotation rates as high as 2000 Hz and dispersion measures less than 120 cm -3 pc at 800 MHz. The machine is anticipated to be completed in the Fall of 1985. The search technique consists of obtaining a 2-dimensional Fourier transform of the microwave signal. The transform is effected in two stages: a 64-channel, 3-level digital autocorrelator provides the radio frequency to delay transform and a fast 128K-point array processor effects the time to intensity fluctuation frequency transform. The use of a digital correlator allows flexibility in the choice of the observing radio frequency. Besides, the bandwidth is not fixed as in a multi-channel filter bank. In the machine, bandwidths can range from less than a MHz to 40 MHz. In the transform plane, the signature of a pulsar consists of harmonically related peaks which lie on a straight line which passes through the origin. The increased computational demand of a fast pulsar survey will be met by a combination of multi-CPU processing and pipeline design which involves a fast array processor and five commercial 68,000-based micro-processors. 6 references, 3 figures

Intercomparison of six fast-response sensors for the eddy-covariance flux measurement of nitrous oxide over agricultural grassland

Science.gov (United States)

Nemitz, Eiko; Famulari, Daniela; Ibrom, Andreas; Vermeulen, Alex; Hensen, Arjan; van den Bulk, Pim; Loubet, Benjamin; Laville, Patricia; Mammarella, Ivan; Haapanala, Sami; Lohila, Annalea; Laurila, Tuomas; Eva, Rabot; Laborde, Marie; Cowan, Nicholas; Anderson, Margaret; Helfter, Carole

2015-04-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the third most important greenhouse gas and its terrestrial budget remains poorly constraint, with bottom up and top down estimates of country emissions often disagreeing by more than a factor of two. Whilst the measurements of the biosphere / atmosphere exchange of CO2 with micrometeorological methods is commonplace, emissions of CH4 and N2O are more commonly measured with enclosure techniques due to limitations in fast-response sensors with good signal-to-noise characteristics. Recent years have seen the development of a range of instruments based on optical spectroscopy. This started in the early 1990s with instruments based on lead salt lasers, which had temperamental long-term characteristics. More recent developments in quantum cascade lasers has lead to increasingly stable instruments, initially based on pulsed, later on continuous wave lasers. Within the context of the European FP7 Infrastructure Project InGOS ('Integrated non-CO2 Greenhouse gas Observing System'), we conducted an intercomparison of six fast response sensors for N2O: three more or less identical instruments based on off-axis Integrated Cavity Optical Spectrocopy (ICOS) (Los Gatos Research Inc.) and three instruments based on quantum cascade laser absorption spectrometry (Aerodyne Research Inc.): one older generation pulsed instrument (p-QCL) and two of the latest generation of compact continuous wave instruments (cw-QCL), operating at two different wavelengths. One of the ICOS instruments was operated with an inlet drier. In addition, the campaign was joined by a relaxed eddy-accumulation system linked to a FTIR spectrometer (Ecotech), a gradient system based on a home-built slower QCL (INRA Orleans) and a fast chamber system. Here we present the results of the study and a detailed examination of the various corrections and errors of the different instruments. Overall, with the exception of the older generation QCL, the average fluxes based on the different fast

Fast-to-Alfvén Mode Conversion in the Presence of Ambipolar Diffusion

Science.gov (United States)

Cally, Paul S.; Khomenko, Elena

2018-03-01

It is known that fast magnetohydrodynamic waves partially convert to upward and/or downward propagating Alfvén waves in a stratified atmosphere where Alfvén speed increases with height. This happens around the fast wave reflection height, where the fast wave’s horizontal phase speed equals the Alfvén speed (in a low-β plasma). Typically, this takes place in the mid to upper solar chromosphere for low-frequency waves in the few-millihertz band. However, this region is weakly ionized and thus susceptible to nonideal MHD processes. In this article, we explore how ambipolar diffusion in a zero-β plasma affects fast waves injected from below. Classical ambipolar diffusion is far too weak to have any significant influence at these low frequencies, but if enhanced by turbulence (in the quiet-Sun chromosphere but not in sunspot umbrae) or the production of sufficiently small-scale structure, can substantially absorb waves for turbulent ambipolar Reynolds numbers of around 20 or less. In that case, it is found that the mode conversion process is not qualitatively altered from the ideal case, though conversion to Alfvén waves is reduced because the fast wave flux reaching the conversion region is degraded. It is also found that any upward propagating Alfvén waves generated in this process are almost immune to further ambipolar attenuation, thereby reducing local ambipolar heating compared to cases without mode conversion. In that sense, mode conversion provides a form of “Alfvén cooling.”

Study of the fast inversion recovery pulse sequence. With reference to fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery and fast short TI inversion recovery pulse sequence