Random close packing in protein cores.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaines, Jennifer C; Smith, W Wendell; Regan, Lynne; O'Hern, Corey S

2016-03-01

Shortly after the determination of the first protein x-ray crystal structures, researchers analyzed their cores and reported packing fractions ϕ ≈ 0.75, a value that is similar to close packing of equal-sized spheres. A limitation of these analyses was the use of extended atom models, rather than the more physically accurate explicit hydrogen model. The validity of the explicit hydrogen model was proved in our previous studies by its ability to predict the side chain dihedral angle distributions observed in proteins. In contrast, the extended atom model is not able to recapitulate the side chain dihedral angle distributions, and gives rise to large atomic clashes at side chain dihedral angle combinations that are highly probable in protein crystal structures. Here, we employ the explicit hydrogen model to calculate the packing fraction of the cores of over 200 high-resolution protein structures. We find that these protein cores have ϕ ≈ 0.56, which is similar to results obtained from simulations of random packings of individual amino acids. This result provides a deeper understanding of the physical basis of protein structure that will enable predictions of the effects of amino acid mutations to protein cores and interfaces of known structure.

Dynamic Simulation of Random Packing of Polydispersive Fine Particles

Science.gov (United States)

Ferraz, Carlos Handrey Araujo; Marques, Samuel Apolinário

2018-02-01

In this paper, we perform molecular dynamic (MD) simulations to study the two-dimensional packing process of both monosized and random size particles with radii ranging from 1.0 to 7.0 μm. The initial positions as well as the radii of five thousand fine particles were defined inside a rectangular box by using a random number generator. Both the translational and rotational movements of each particle were considered in the simulations. In order to deal with interacting fine particles, we take into account both the contact forces and the long-range dispersive forces. We account for normal and static/sliding tangential friction forces between particles and between particle and wall by means of a linear model approach, while the long-range dispersive forces are computed by using a Lennard-Jones-like potential. The packing processes were studied assuming different long-range interaction strengths. We carry out statistical calculations of the different quantities studied such as packing density, mean coordination number, kinetic energy, and radial distribution function as the system evolves over time. We find that the long-range dispersive forces can strongly influence the packing process dynamics as they might form large particle clusters, depending on the intensity of the long-range interaction strength.

Photons in dense nuclear matter: Random-phase approximation

Science.gov (United States)

Stetina, Stephan; Rrapaj, Ermal; Reddy, Sanjay

2018-04-01

We present a comprehensive and pedagogic discussion of the properties of photons in cold and dense nuclear matter based on the resummed one-loop photon self-energy. Correlations among electrons, muons, protons, and neutrons in β equilibrium that arise as a result of electromagnetic and strong interactions are consistently taken into account within the random phase approximation. Screening effects, damping, and collective excitations are systematically studied in a fully relativistic setup. Our study is relevant to the linear response theory of dense nuclear matter, calculations of transport properties of cold dense matter, and investigations of the production and propagation of hypothetical vector bosons such as the dark photons.

Wave propagation through a dielectric layer containing densely packed fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Siu-Chun

2011-01-01

This paper presents the theoretical formulation for the propagation of electromagnetic wave through a dielectric layer containing a random dense distribution of fibers. The diameter of the fibers is comparable to the inter-fiber spacing and wavelength of the incident radiation, but is much smaller than the thickness of the layer. Discontinuity of refractive index across the boundaries of the dielectric layer resulted in multiple internal reflection of both the primary source wave and the scattered waves. As a result the incident waves on the fibers consist of the multiply-reflected primary waves, scattered waves from other fibers, and scattered-reflected waves from the boundaries. The effective propagation constant of the dielectric fiber layer was developed by utilizing the Effective field-Quasicrystalline approximation. The influence of the refractive index of the dielectric medium on the radiative properties of a dense fiber layer was examined by means of numerical analyses.

Effects of hydrodynamic interaction on random adhesive loose packings of micron-sized particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Wenwei

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Random loose packings of monodisperse spherical micron-sized particles under a uniform flow field are investigated via an adhesive discrete-element method with the two-way coupling between the particles and the fluid. Characterized by a dimensionless adhesion parameter, the packing fraction follows the similar law to that without fluid, but results in larger values due to the hydrodynamic compression. The total pressure drop through the packed bed shows a critical behaviour at the packing fraction of ϕ ≈ 0.22 in the present study. The normalized permeability of the packed bed for different parameters increases with the increase of porosities and is also in consistent with the Kozeny-Carman equation.

Stabilized copper plating method by programmed electroplated current: Accumulation of densely packed copper grains in the interconnect

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kao, Li-Chi; Hsu, Li-Hsuan; Brahma, Sanjaya; Huang, Bo-Chia; Liu, Chun-Chu; Lo, Kuang-Yao, E-mail: kuanglo@mail.ncku.edu.tw

2016-12-01

Highlights: • Actual Cu interconnect experiences many times of annealing and then cause the stress. • Stack Cu grains with varying grain size successively to enhance packed density. • XRD and PBR analyze the residual stress of local and average area of plated Cu film. • High packed Cu grain with stable stress proved by texture of Cu(1 1 1) and Cu(2 0 0). - Abstract: In this work, we programmed the plating current to stack the different size of copper (Cu) grain and analyzed the relation between the sequence of different Cu grain size and the stability of the residual stress. The residual stress was measured with varying times of annealing process in order to reach the purpose of simulating the actual Cu interconnect process. We found that varied plating strategy will make different stabilization condition of residual stress through the proof of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical parallel beams reflection (PBR) method. The accumulation of Cu grains, formed by Cu grain with successive variation in grain size, would enhance the packing density better than only single grain size in the finite space. The high density of the grain boundary in the electroplated Cu film will be eliminated through annealing process and it will help to suppress the void formation in further interconnect process. The electroplated Cu film with the plating current of saw tooth wave can soon reach a stable tensile stress through annealing since the Cu grains with high packing density will be quickly eliminated to approach the minimum of the strain energy which reflects to variation in the texture of Cu (2 0 0). The result of this work illustrates the importance of how to stack different size of Cu grain, for achieving a densely packed Cu film which close to the Cu bulk.

Injectable and microporous scaffold of densely-packed, growth factor-encapsulating chitosan microgels.

Science.gov (United States)

Riederer, Michael S; Requist, Brennan D; Payne, Karin A; Way, J Douglas; Krebs, Melissa D

2016-11-05

In this work, an emulsion crosslinking method was developed to produce chitosan-genipin microgels which acted as an injectable and microporous scaffold. Chitosan was characterized with respect to pH by light scattering and aqueous titration. Microgels were characterized with swelling, light scattering, and rheometry of densely-packed microgel solutions. The results suggest that as chitosan becomes increasingly deprotonated above the pKa, repulsive forces diminish and intermolecular attractions cause pH-responsive chain aggregation; leading to microgel-microgel aggregation as well. The microgels with the most chitosan and least cross-linker showed the highest yield stress and a storage modulus of 16kPa when condensed as a microgel paste at pH 7.4. Two oppositely-charged growth factors could be encapsulated into the microgels and endothelial cells were able to proliferate into the 3D microgel scaffold. This work motivates further research on the applications of the chitosan microgel scaffold as an injectable and microporous scaffold in regenerative medicine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polyatomic Trilobite Rydberg Molecules in a Dense Random Gas.

Science.gov (United States)

Luukko, Perttu J J; Rost, Jan-Michael

2017-11-17

Trilobites are exotic giant dimers with enormous dipole moments. They consist of a Rydberg atom and a distant ground-state atom bound together by short-range electron-neutral attraction. We show that highly polar, polyatomic trilobite states unexpectedly persist and thrive in a dense ultracold gas of randomly positioned atoms. This is caused by perturbation-induced quantum scarring and the localization of electron density on randomly occurring atom clusters. At certain densities these states also mix with an s state, overcoming selection rules that hinder the photoassociation of ordinary trilobites.

Magnetic behaviour of densely packed hexagonal arrays of Ni nanowires: Influence of geometric characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vazquez, M.; Pirota, K.; Torrejon, J.; Navas, D.; Hernandez-Velez, M.

2005-01-01

Densely packed arrays of magnetic nanowires with hexagonal symmetry have been prepared by electrodeposition filling of the nanopores in alumina membranes previously formed by self-assembling induced by anodization. The influence of geometrical characteristics of arrays of Ni nanowires on their hysteresis loops have been studied. These characteristics are controlled by suitable choosing of preparation parameters: nanowires diameter ranges between 18 and 80 nm for lattice parameter of hexagonal symmetry of 65 and 105 nm, while length of nanowires is taken between 500 and 2000 nm. Additionally, the temperature dependence of coercivity when applying the field parallel to the nanowires or in-plane of the membrane has been measured. All these results allows us to conclude that magnetic behaviour is determined by the balance between different energy contributions, namely, the shape anisotropy of individual nanowires, the magnetostatic interaction among nanowires (confirmed to play a decisive role), and seemingly the magnetoelastic anisotropy induced in the nanowires by the alumina matrix through temperature changes as a consequence of their different thermal expansion coefficients

Ray tracing method for simulation of laser beam interaction with random packings of powders

Science.gov (United States)

Kovalev, O. B.; Kovaleva, I. O.; Belyaev, V. V.

2018-03-01

Selective laser sintering is a technology of rapid manufacturing of a free form that is created as a solid object by selectively fusing successive layers of powder using a laser. The motivation of this study is due to the currently insufficient understanding of the processes and phenomena of selective laser melting of powders whose time scales differ by orders of magnitude. To construct random packings from mono- and polydispersed solid spheres, the algorithm of their generation based on the discrete element method is used. A numerical method of ray tracing is proposed that is used to simulate the interaction of laser radiation with a random bulk packing of spherical particles and to predict the optical properties of the granular layer, the extinction and absorption coefficients, depending on the optical properties of a powder material.

Nasal packing with ventilated nasal packs; a comparison with traditional vaseline nasal pack

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alam, J.; Siddiqui, M.W.; Abbas, A.; Sami, M.; Ayub, Z.

2017-01-01

To compare the benefits of ventilated nasal packing with traditional vaseline guaze nasal packing. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at CMH Multan, from Jun 2014 to Dec 2014. Material and Methods: In this study, sample size of 80 patients was calculated using WHO calculator. Patients were divided in two groups using lottery method endotracheal tube and piece of surgical glove filled with ribbon guaze was utilized for fabricated ventilated nasal pack and compared with traditional nasal packs. Nasal obstruction and sleep disturbance were studied at eight hours and twenty-four hours following surgery using visual analog scale. Results: Mean nasal obstruction with ventilated nasal pack was 45.62 +- 6.17 and with Vaseline nasal pack was 77.67 +- 4.85 which was statistically significant (p=0.001) in both the groups. Mean sleep disturbance in both the groups was 46.32 +- 5.23 and 68.75 +- 2.70 respectively which was statistically significant (p=0.001) in both the groups. Conclusion: Patients with ventilated nasal packs were found to have better tolerance to nasal packs due to less nasal obstruction and sleep disturbance

Demagnetization factor for a powder of randomly packed spherical particles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjørk, Rasmus; Bahl, Christian R.H.

2013-01-01

The demagnetization factors for randomly packed spherical particle powders with different porosities, sample aspect ratios, and monodisperse, normal, and log-normal particle size distributions have been calculated using a numerical model. For a relative permeability of 2, comparable to room...... temperature Gd, the calculated demagnetization factor is close to the theoretical value. The normalized standard deviation of the magnetization in the powder was 6.0%-6.7%. The demagnetization factor decreased significantly, while the standard deviation of the magnetization increased, for increasing relative...

Stereoscopic motion analysis in densely packed clusters: 3D analysis of the shimmering behaviour in Giant honey bees.

Science.gov (United States)

Kastberger, Gerald; Maurer, Michael; Weihmann, Frank; Ruether, Matthias; Hoetzl, Thomas; Kranner, Ilse; Bischof, Horst

2011-02-08

The detailed interpretation of mass phenomena such as human escape panic or swarm behaviour in birds, fish and insects requires detailed analysis of the 3D movements of individual participants. Here, we describe the adaptation of a 3D stereoscopic imaging method to measure the positional coordinates of individual agents in densely packed clusters. The method was applied to study behavioural aspects of shimmering in Giant honeybees, a collective defence behaviour that deters predatory wasps by visual cues, whereby individual bees flip their abdomen upwards in a split second, producing Mexican wave-like patterns. Stereoscopic imaging provided non-invasive, automated, simultaneous, in-situ 3D measurements of hundreds of bees on the nest surface regarding their thoracic position and orientation of the body length axis. Segmentation was the basis for the stereo matching, which defined correspondences of individual bees in pairs of stereo images. Stereo-matched "agent bees" were re-identified in subsequent frames by the tracking procedure and triangulated into real-world coordinates. These algorithms were required to calculate the three spatial motion components (dx: horizontal, dy: vertical and dz: towards and from the comb) of individual bees over time. The method enables the assessment of the 3D positions of individual Giant honeybees, which is not possible with single-view cameras. The method can be applied to distinguish at the individual bee level active movements of the thoraces produced by abdominal flipping from passive motions generated by the moving bee curtain. The data provide evidence that the z-deflections of thoraces are potential cues for colony-intrinsic communication. The method helps to understand the phenomenon of collective decision-making through mechanoceptive synchronization and to associate shimmering with the principles of wave propagation. With further, minor modifications, the method could be used to study aspects of other mass phenomena that

Stereoscopic motion analysis in densely packed clusters: 3D analysis of the shimmering behaviour in Giant honey bees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoetzl Thomas

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The detailed interpretation of mass phenomena such as human escape panic or swarm behaviour in birds, fish and insects requires detailed analysis of the 3D movements of individual participants. Here, we describe the adaptation of a 3D stereoscopic imaging method to measure the positional coordinates of individual agents in densely packed clusters. The method was applied to study behavioural aspects of shimmering in Giant honeybees, a collective defence behaviour that deters predatory wasps by visual cues, whereby individual bees flip their abdomen upwards in a split second, producing Mexican wave-like patterns. Results Stereoscopic imaging provided non-invasive, automated, simultaneous, in-situ 3D measurements of hundreds of bees on the nest surface regarding their thoracic position and orientation of the body length axis. Segmentation was the basis for the stereo matching, which defined correspondences of individual bees in pairs of stereo images. Stereo-matched "agent bees" were re-identified in subsequent frames by the tracking procedure and triangulated into real-world coordinates. These algorithms were required to calculate the three spatial motion components (dx: horizontal, dy: vertical and dz: towards and from the comb of individual bees over time. Conclusions The method enables the assessment of the 3D positions of individual Giant honeybees, which is not possible with single-view cameras. The method can be applied to distinguish at the individual bee level active movements of the thoraces produced by abdominal flipping from passive motions generated by the moving bee curtain. The data provide evidence that the z-deflections of thoraces are potential cues for colony-intrinsic communication. The method helps to understand the phenomenon of collective decision-making through mechanoceptive synchronization and to associate shimmering with the principles of wave propagation. With further, minor modifications, the method

Random close packing in protein cores

OpenAIRE

Gaines, Jennifer C.; Smith, W. Wendell; Regan, Lynne; O'Hern, Corey S.

2015-01-01

Shortly after the determination of the first protein x-ray crystal structures, researchers analyzed their cores and reported packing fractions $\\phi \\approx 0.75$, a value that is similar to close packing equal-sized spheres. A limitation of these analyses was the use of `extended atom' models, rather than the more physically accurate `explicit hydrogen' model. The validity of using the explicit hydrogen model is proved by its ability to predict the side chain dihedral angle distributions obs...

Densely Packed, Ultra Small SnO Nanoparticles for Enhanced Activity and Selectivity in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Jun; Héroguel, Florent; Luterbacher, Jeremy; Hu, Xile

2018-03-05

Controlling the selectivity in electrochemical CO 2 reduction is an unsolved challenge. While tin (Sn) has emerged as a promising non-precious catalyst for CO 2 electroreduction, most Sn-based catalysts produce formate as the major product, which is less desirable than CO in terms of separation and further use. Tin monoxide (SnO) nanoparticles supported on carbon black were synthesized and assembled and their application in CO 2 reduction was studied. Remarkably high selectivity and partial current densities for CO formation were obtained using these SnO nanoparticles compared to other Sn catalysts. The high activity is attributed to the ultra-small size of the nanoparticles (2.6 nm), while the high selectivity is attributed to a local pH effect arising from the dense packing of nanoparticles in the conductive carbon black matrix. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preparation and characterization of nanostructured ZrO2 coatings on dense and porous substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Jingyu; Verweij, Henk

2008-01-01

Nanostructured ZrO 2 coatings are prepared on both dense and porous substrates by wet-chemical deposition of non-agglomerated 5 nm precursor particle dispersions, followed by thermal processing. The precursor particle dispersions are made by modified emulsion precipitation and a purification treatment to remove reaction products and additives. The coatings are formed by depositing the precursor nanoparticle dispersion directly onto the substrate, followed by drying and heating at 600 deg. C. Scanning electron microscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy observations of the heat-treated coatings indicate that the ZrO 2 coating on dense Si wafer substrate has a homogeneous, dense particle packing structure with shallow meniscus-shaped depressions in the surface, and microcracks below the meniscus surface. On the other hand, coatings formed on a meso-porous γ-alumina membrane substrate are free of defects, but with a lower packing density. The mechanism of the substrate effect on the particle packing behavior and defect formation during coating deposition is discussed. It is expected that by using a thin porous substrate with reduced capillary force, a defect-free, homogenously dense-packed coating structure can be achieved

Pressure solution creep of random packs of spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Bernabé, Y.; Evans, B.

2014-05-01

We performed numerical calculations of compaction in aggregates of spherical grains, using Lehner and Leroy's (2004, hereinafter LL) constitutive model of pressure solution at grain contacts. That model is founded on a local definition of the thermodynamic driving force and leads to a fully coupled formulation of elastic deformation, dissolution, and diffusive transport along the grain boundaries. The initial geometry of the aggregate was generated by random packing of spheres with a small standard deviation of the diameters. During the simulations, isostatic loading was applied. The elastic displacements at the contacts were calculated according to Digby's (1981) nonlinear contact force model, and deformation by dissolution was evaluated using the LL formulation. The aggregate strain and porosity were tracked as a function of time for fixed temperature, applied effective pressure, and grain size. We also monitored values of the average and standard deviation of total load at each contact, the coordination number for packing, and the statistics of the contact dimensions. Because the simulations explicitly exclude processes such as fracturing, plastic flow, and transport owing to surface curvature, they can be used to test the influence of relative changes in the kinetics of dissolution and diffusion processes caused by contact growth and packing rearrangements. We found that the simulated strain data could be empirically fitted by two successive power laws of the form, ɛx ∝ tξ, where ξ was equal to 1 at very early times, but dropped to as low as 0.3 at longer times. The apparent sensitivity of strain rate to stress found in the simulations was much lower than predicted from constitutive laws that assume a single dominant process driven by average macroscopic loads. Likewise, the apparent activation enthalpy obtained from the simulated data was intermediate between that assumed for dissolution and diffusion, and, further, tended to decrease with time. These

Maternal Dietary Counseling Reduces Consumption of Energy-Dense Foods among Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Vitolo, Marcia Regina; Bortolini, Gisele Ane; Campagnolo, Paula Dal Bo; Hoffman, Daniel J.

2012-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a dietary counseling in reducing the intake of energy-dense foods by infants. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Setting and Participants: Sao Leopoldo, Brazil. Mothers and infants of a low-income-group population were randomized into intervention (n = 163) and received dietary counseling during 10 home…

High-performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors based on densely-packed graphene/polypyrrole nanoparticle papers

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chao; Zhang, Liling; Hu, Nantao; Yang, Zhi; Wei, Hao; Wang, Yanyan; Zhang, Yafei

2016-11-01

Graphene-based all-solid-state supercapacitors (ASSSCs) have received increasing attention. It's a great challenge to fabricate high-performance flexible solid-state supercapacitors with high areal and volumetric energy storage capability, superior electron and ion conductivity, robust mechanical flexibility, as well as long term stability. Herein, we report a facile method to fabricate flexible ASSSCs based on densely-packed reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/polypyrrole nanoparticle (PPy NP) hybrid papers with a sandwich framework, which consists of well-separated and continuously-aligned rGO sheets. The incorporation of PPy NPs not only provides pseudocapacitance but also facilitates the infiltration of gel electrolyte. The assembled ASSSCs possess maximum areal and volumetric specific capacitances of 477 mF/cm2 and 94.9 F/cm3 at 0.5 mA/cm2. They also exhibit little capacitance deviation under different bending states, excellent cycling stability, small leakage current and low self-discharge characteristics. Additionally, the maximum areal and volumetric energy densities of 132.5 μWh/cm2 and 26.4 mWh/cm3 are achieved, which indicate that this hybrid paper is a promising candidate for high-performance flexible energy storage devices.

Modelling heat transfer during flow through a random packed bed of spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Burström, Per E. C.; Frishfelds, Vilnis; Ljung, Anna-Lena; Lundström, T. Staffan; Marjavaara, B. Daniel

2018-04-01

Heat transfer in a random packed bed of monosized iron ore pellets is modelled with both a discrete three-dimensional system of spheres and a continuous Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model. Results show a good agreement between the two models for average values over a cross section of the bed for an even temperature profiles at the inlet. The advantage with the discrete model is that it captures local effects such as decreased heat transfer in sections with low speed. The disadvantage is that it is computationally heavy for larger systems of pellets. If averaged values are sufficient, the CFD model is an attractive alternative that is easy to couple to the physics up- and downstream the packed bed. The good agreement between the discrete and continuous model furthermore indicates that the discrete model may be used also on non-Stokian flow in the transitional region between laminar and turbulent flow, as turbulent effects show little influence of the overall heat transfer rates in the continuous model.

Forced Convection Heat Transfer of a sphere in Packed Bed Arrangement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Dong-Young; Chung, Bum-Jin

2016-01-01

This paper analysis and discuss the forced convective heat transfer from heated single sphere, which is buried in unheated packed bed, depending on Re d with porosity. The present work determines the test matrix for the packed bed experiment. And this study discuss difference of heat transfer according to the location of heated sphere and compared heated bed with heated sphere in packed bed and compared FCC (Face Centered Cubic), HCP (Hexagonal Closed Packed) structured packed bed with random packed. This paper is to discuss and make the plan to experiment the heat transfer for depending on location of heated single sphere in unheated packed bed, to compare single sphere in packed bed with heated packed bed and to compare the structured packed bed with random packed bed. The Nu d increase as heated single sphere is close to the wall and bottom because of increasing porosity and enhancing eddy motion respectively. The existing experiment of heated sphere in packed bed do not consider the preheating effect which decrease heat transfer on downstream. The heat transfer rate of structured packed bed is different from random packed bed because of unsteady flow in random packed bed. In this study, mass transfer experiments will replace heat transfer experiments based on analogy concept. An electroplating system is adopted using limiting current technique

Forced Convection Heat Transfer of a sphere in Packed Bed Arrangement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Dong-Young; Chung, Bum-Jin [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

This paper analysis and discuss the forced convective heat transfer from heated single sphere, which is buried in unheated packed bed, depending on Re{sub d} with porosity. The present work determines the test matrix for the packed bed experiment. And this study discuss difference of heat transfer according to the location of heated sphere and compared heated bed with heated sphere in packed bed and compared FCC (Face Centered Cubic), HCP (Hexagonal Closed Packed) structured packed bed with random packed. This paper is to discuss and make the plan to experiment the heat transfer for depending on location of heated single sphere in unheated packed bed, to compare single sphere in packed bed with heated packed bed and to compare the structured packed bed with random packed bed. The Nu{sub d} increase as heated single sphere is close to the wall and bottom because of increasing porosity and enhancing eddy motion respectively. The existing experiment of heated sphere in packed bed do not consider the preheating effect which decrease heat transfer on downstream. The heat transfer rate of structured packed bed is different from random packed bed because of unsteady flow in random packed bed. In this study, mass transfer experiments will replace heat transfer experiments based on analogy concept. An electroplating system is adopted using limiting current technique.

Comparing the efficacy of mature mud pack and hot pack treatments for knee osteoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarsan, Ayşe; Akkaya, Nuray; Ozgen, Merih; Yildiz, Necmettin; Atalay, Nilgun Simsir; Ardic, Fusun

2012-01-01

The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of mature mud pack and hot pack therapies on patients with knee osteoarthritis. This study was designed as a prospective, randomized-controlled, and single-blinded clinical trial. Twenty-seven patients with clinical and radiologic evidence of knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned into two groups and were treated with mature mud packs (n 15) or hot packs (n=12). Patients were evaluated for pain [based on the visual analog scale (VAS)], function (WOMAC, 6 min walking distance), quality of life [Short Form-36 (SF-36)], and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) at baseline, post-treatment, and 3 and 6~months after treatment. The mud pack group shows a significant improvement in VAS, pain, stifness, and physical function domains of WOMAC. The difference between groups of pain and physical activity domains is significant at post-treatment in favor of mud pack. For a 6 min walking distance, mud pack shows significant improvement, and the difference is significant between groups in favor of mud pack at post-treatment and 3 and 6 months after treatment. Mud pack shows significant improvement in the pain subscale of SF-36 at the third month continuing until the sixth month after the treatment. Significant improvements are found for the social function, vitality/energy, physical role disability, and general health subscales of SF-36 in favor of the mud pack compared with the hot pack group at post-treatment. A significant increase is detected for IGF-1 in the mud pack group 3 months after treatment compared with the baseline, and the difference is significant between groups 3 months after the treatment. Mud pack is a favorable option compared with hotpack for pain relief and for the improvement of functional conditions in treating patients with knee osteoarthritis.

AFM topographies of densely packed nanoparticles: a quick way to determine the lateral size distribution by autocorrelation function analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fekete, L.; Kůsová, K.; Petrák, V.; Kratochvílová, I.

2012-01-01

The distribution of sizes is one of the basic characteristics of nanoparticles. Here, we propose a novel way to determine the lateral distribution of sizes from AFM topographies. Our algorithm is based on the autocorrelation function and can be applied both on topographies containing spatially separated and densely packed nanoparticles as well as on topographies of polycrystalline films. As no manual treatment is required, this algorithm can be easily automatable for batch processing. The algorithm works in principle with any kind of spatially mapped information (AFM current maps, optical microscope images, etc.), and as such has no size limitations. However, in the case of AFM topographies, the tip/sample convolution effects will be the factor limiting the smallest size to which the algorithm is applicable. Here, we demonstrate the usefulness of this algorithm on objects with sizes ranging between 20 nm and 1.5 μm.

Endoscopic outcomes of resorbable nasal packing after functional endoscopic sinus surgery: a multicenter prospective randomized controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Berlucchi, Marco; Castelnuovo, Paolo; Vincenzi, Andrea; Morra, Bruno; Pasquini, Ernesto

2009-06-01

Nasal packings can aid in control of postoperative bleeding and healing following functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), but traditional non-resorbable stents have several inherent drawbacks. We performed a randomized, controlled, multicenter clinical trial to assess efficacy of resorbable nasal packing in patients undergoing FESS for chronic rhinosinusitis. A total of 66 patients for 88 nasal cavities were randomized to receive either hyaluronan resorbable packing (MeroGel) or standard non-resorbable nasal dressing after FESS. All underwent preoperative rhinoscopy, CT of sinuses, and, after surgery, were reassessed by rhinoscopy at 2, 4, and 12 weeks in blinded fashion. A total of 44 nasal cavities (MeroGel-group) received resorbable packing, whereas the remaining 44 were packed with non-resorbable nasal dressing. At follow-up endoscopic visit, the presence of nasal synechia was evaluated as primary outcome. Moreover, the tolerability and surgical handling properties of MeroGel and its comfort were assessed by surgeons and patients. Preoperative severity of rhinosinusitis was similar in both groups. No significant adverse events were observed in all patients. Follow-up endoscopy showed a lower proportion of nasal adhesions in MeroGel-group at both 4 (P = 0.041) and 12 weeks (P appearance of nasal mucosa of nasal cavities after FESS was observed in the MeroGel-group. Tolerability and surgical handling properties of MeroGel were positively rated by clinicians and the overall patient judged comfort of MeroGel was favorable. In conclusion, MeroGel can be considered a valid alternative to standard non-resorbable nasal dressings. It is safe, well-accepted, well-tolerated, and has significant advantage of being resorbable. Moreover, it may favor improved healing in patients undergoing FESS and reduce formation of adhesions.

New Structured Packing CUB for Purification of Exhaust Gases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Novikova

2016-10-01

Full Text Available New structured packing for heat and mass transfer processes named CUB is presented in our article. The packing can be applied in packed towers for exhaust gas cleaning instead random packing, for example, rings type that are the most used in such processes. The advantages of the new packing over random packing are lower pressure drop, capability of purification and as a consequence long-term service of the packing. The researches of intensity of liquid-phase mass-transfer in packed bed depending on liquid spray rate and gas velocity were carried out. Obtained data show that packing CUB is more effective than the most popular type of structured packing under all other conditions being equal. As experimental data shown heat transfer coefficient was up by 17% and mass transfer coefficient was up by 51%. We found out optimal geometry of cross section of the new packing, namely, number of elements and parameters of one element. The new construction of structured packing is applicable for both type of column cross-section round and square.

Porous structure analysis of large-scale randomly packed pebble bed in high temperature gas-cooled reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ren, Cheng; Yang, Xingtuan; Liu, Zhiyong; Sun, Yanfei; Jiang, Shengyao [Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China). Key Laboratory of Advanced Reactor Engineering and Safety; Li, Congxin [Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People' s Republic of China, Beijing (China). Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center

2015-02-15

A three-dimensional pebble bed corresponding to the randomly packed bed in the heat transfer test facility built for the High Temperature Reactor Pebble bed Modules (HTR-PM) in Shandong Shidaowan is simulated via discrete element method. Based on the simulation, we make a detailed analysis on the packing structure of the pebble bed from several aspects, such as transverse section image, longitudinal section image, radial and axial porosity distributions, two-dimensional porosity distribution and coordination number distribution. The calculation results show that radial distribution of porosity is uniform in the center and oscillates near the wall; axial distribution of porosity oscillates near the bottom and linearly varies along height due to effect of gravity; the average coordination number is about seven and equals to the maximum coordination number frequency. The fully established three-dimensional packing structure analysis of the pebble bed in this work is of fundamental significance to understand the flow and heat transfer characteristics throughout the pebble-bed type structure.

Characterization of maximally random jammed sphere packings. III. Transport and electromagnetic properties via correlation functions

Science.gov (United States)

Klatt, Michael A.; Torquato, Salvatore

2018-01-01

In the first two papers of this series, we characterized the structure of maximally random jammed (MRJ) sphere packings across length scales by computing a variety of different correlation functions, spectral functions, hole probabilities, and local density fluctuations. From the remarkable structural features of the MRJ packings, especially its disordered hyperuniformity, exceptional physical properties can be expected. Here we employ these structural descriptors to estimate effective transport and electromagnetic properties via rigorous bounds, exact expansions, and accurate analytical approximation formulas. These property formulas include interfacial bounds as well as universal scaling laws for the mean survival time and the fluid permeability. We also estimate the principal relaxation time associated with Brownian motion among perfectly absorbing traps. For the propagation of electromagnetic waves in the long-wavelength limit, we show that a dispersion of dielectric MRJ spheres within a matrix of another dielectric material forms, to a very good approximation, a dissipationless disordered and isotropic two-phase medium for any phase dielectric contrast ratio. We compare the effective properties of the MRJ sphere packings to those of overlapping spheres, equilibrium hard-sphere packings, and lattices of hard spheres. Moreover, we generalize results to micro- and macroscopically anisotropic packings of spheroids with tensorial effective properties. The analytic bounds predict the qualitative trend in the physical properties associated with these structures, which provides guidance to more time-consuming simulations and experiments. They especially provide impetus for experiments to design materials with unique bulk properties resulting from hyperuniformity, including structural-color and color-sensing applications.

Growth temperature dependent surface plasmon resonances of densely packed gold nanoparticles’ films and their role in surface enhanced Raman scattering of Rhodamine6G

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, Shweta; Rao, B. Tirumala; Bhartiya, S.; Sathe, V.; Kukreja, L.M.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Growth temperature produces and tunes the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of gold films. • Optimum thickness and growth temperature combination results narrow SPR band. • Alumina capping red-shifted the SPR band and showed marginal re-sputtering of films. • Densely packed gold nanoparticles of varying sizes can be realized by pulsed laser deposition. • High SERS intensity of dye from gold films of large SPR strength at excitation wavelength. - Abstract: Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) characteristics of gold nanoparticles films grown at different substrate temperatures and mass thicknesses with and without alumina capping were studied. At different film mass thicknesses, the LSPR response was observed mainly in the films grown at high substrate temperatures. About 300 °C substrate temperature was found to be optimum for producing narrow and strong LSPR band in both uncapped and alumina capped gold nanoparticles films. The LSPR wavelength could be tuned in the range of 600–750 nm by changing either number of ablation pulses or decreasing target to substrate distance (TSD) and alumina layer capping. Though the alumina capping re-sputtered the gold films still these films exhibited stronger LSPR response compared to the uncapped films. Atomic force microscopic analysis revealed formation of densely packed nanoparticles films exhibiting strong LSPR response which is consistent with the package density of the nanoparticles predicted by the theoretical calculations. The average size of nanoparticles increased with substrate temperature, number of ablation pulses and decreasing the TSD. For the same mass thickness of gold films grown at different substrate temperatures the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) intensity of Rhodamine6G dye was found to be significantly different which had direct correlation with the LSPR strength of the films at the excitation wavelength

An Analysis of Spherical Particles Distribution Randomly Packed in a Medium for the Monte Carlo Implicit Modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jae Yong; Kim, Song Hyun; Shin, Chang Ho; Kim, Jong Kyung [Hanyang Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-05-15

In this study, as a preliminary study to develop an implicit method having high accuracy, the distribution characteristics of spherical particles were evaluated by using explicit modeling techniques in various volume packing fractions. This study was performed to evaluate implicitly simulated distribution of randomly packed spheres in a medium. At first, an explicit modeling method to simulate random packed spheres in a hexahedron medium was proposed. The distributed characteristics of l{sub p} and r{sub p}, which are used in the particle position sampling, was estimated. It is analyzed that the use of the direct exponential distribution, which is generally used in the implicit modeling, can cause the distribution bias of the spheres. It is expected that the findings in this study can be utilized for improving the accuracy in using the implicit method. Spherical particles, which are randomly distributed in medium, are utilized for the radiation shields, fusion reactor blanket, fuels of VHTR reactors. Due to the difficulty on the simulation of the stochastic distribution, Monte Carlo (MC) method has been mainly considered as the tool for the analysis of the particle transport. For the MC modeling of the spherical particles, three methods are known; repeated structure, explicit modeling, and implicit modeling. Implicit method (called as the track length sampling method) is a modeling method that is the sampling based modeling technique of each spherical geometry (or track length of the sphere) during the MC simulation. Implicit modeling method has advantages in high computational efficiency and user convenience. However, it is noted that the implicit method has lower modeling accuracy in various finite mediums.

Hyperuniformity, quasi-long-range correlations, and void-space constraints in maximally random jammed particle packings. I. Polydisperse spheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Zachary, Chase E; Jiao, Yang; Torquato, Salvatore

2011-05-01

Hyperuniform many-particle distributions possess a local number variance that grows more slowly than the volume of an observation window, implying that the local density is effectively homogeneous beyond a few characteristic length scales. Previous work on maximally random strictly jammed sphere packings in three dimensions has shown that these systems are hyperuniform and possess unusual quasi-long-range pair correlations decaying as r(-4), resulting in anomalous logarithmic growth in the number variance. However, recent work on maximally random jammed sphere packings with a size distribution has suggested that such quasi-long-range correlations and hyperuniformity are not universal among jammed hard-particle systems. In this paper, we show that such systems are indeed hyperuniform with signature quasi-long-range correlations by characterizing the more general local-volume-fraction fluctuations. We argue that the regularity of the void space induced by the constraints of saturation and strict jamming overcomes the local inhomogeneity of the disk centers to induce hyperuniformity in the medium with a linear small-wave-number nonanalytic behavior in the spectral density, resulting in quasi-long-range spatial correlations scaling with r(-(d+1)) in d Euclidean space dimensions. A numerical and analytical analysis of the pore-size distribution for a binary maximally random jammed system in addition to a local characterization of the n-particle loops governing the void space surrounding the inclusions is presented in support of our argument. This paper is the first part of a series of two papers considering the relationships among hyperuniformity, jamming, and regularity of the void space in hard-particle packings.

High-performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors based on densely-packed graphene/polypyrrole nanoparticle papers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Chao; Zhang, Liling [Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronics, Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dong Chuan Road No. 800, Shanghai, 200240 (China); Hu, Nantao, E-mail: hunantao@sjtu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronics, Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dong Chuan Road No. 800, Shanghai, 200240 (China); Yang, Zhi; Wei, Hao [Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronics, Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dong Chuan Road No. 800, Shanghai, 200240 (China); Wang, Yanyan, E-mail: yywang@suda.edu.cn [College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006 (China); Zhang, Yafei, E-mail: yfzhang@sjtu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronics, Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dong Chuan Road No. 800, Shanghai, 200240 (China)

2016-11-30

Highlights: • The addition of methyl orange can affect the size of polypyrrole nanoparticles. • The flexible hybrid paper has a highly-interconnected sandwich framework. • The hybrid paper shows a high areal and volumetric specific capacitance. • Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor exhibits excellent capacitive performances. - Abstract: Graphene-based all-solid-state supercapacitors (ASSSCs) have received increasing attention. It’s a great challenge to fabricate high-performance flexible solid-state supercapacitors with high areal and volumetric energy storage capability, superior electron and ion conductivity, robust mechanical flexibility, as well as long term stability. Herein, we report a facile method to fabricate flexible ASSSCs based on densely-packed reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/polypyrrole nanoparticle (PPy NP) hybrid papers with a sandwich framework, which consists of well-separated and continuously-aligned rGO sheets. The incorporation of PPy NPs not only provides pseudocapacitance but also facilitates the infiltration of gel electrolyte. The assembled ASSSCs possess maximum areal and volumetric specific capacitances of 477 mF/cm{sup 2} and 94.9 F/cm{sup 3} at 0.5 mA/cm{sup 2}. They also exhibit little capacitance deviation under different bending states, excellent cycling stability, small leakage current and low self-discharge characteristics. Additionally, the maximum areal and volumetric energy densities of 132.5 μWh/cm{sup 2} and 26.4 mWh/cm{sup 3} are achieved, which indicate that this hybrid paper is a promising candidate for high-performance flexible energy storage devices.

Deterministic indexing for packed strings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bille, Philip; Gørtz, Inge Li; Skjoldjensen, Frederik Rye

2017-01-01

Given a string S of length n, the classic string indexing problem is to preprocess S into a compact data structure that supports efficient subsequent pattern queries. In the deterministic variant the goal is to solve the string indexing problem without any randomization (at preprocessing time...... or query time). In the packed variant the strings are stored with several character in a single word, giving us the opportunity to read multiple characters simultaneously. Our main result is a new string index in the deterministic and packed setting. Given a packed string S of length n over an alphabet σ...

Heuristics for Multidimensional Packing Problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Egeblad, Jens

for a minimum height container required for the items. The main contributions of the thesis are three new heuristics for strip-packing and knapsack packing problems where items are both rectangular and irregular. In the two first papers we describe a heuristic for the multidimensional strip-packing problem...... that is based on a relaxed placement principle. The heuristic starts with a random overlapping placement of items and large container dimensions. From the overlapping placement overlap is reduced iteratively until a non-overlapping placement is found and a new problem is solved with a smaller container size...... of this heuristic are among the best published in the literature both for two- and three-dimensional strip-packing problems for irregular shapes. In the third paper, we introduce a heuristic for two- and three-dimensional rectangular knapsack packing problems. The two-dimensional heuristic uses the sequence pair...

Internal reflection of interstitial atoms from close-packed tungsten faces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dranova, Zh.I.; Mikhajlovskij, I.M.

1981-01-01

Use of field-ion microscopy methods has shown that changes in microtopography of tungsten specimens irradiated with 2-5 keV helium atoms are mainly related to the liberation of interstitial atoms on the surface. It is established that the atom liberation on the surface is considerably anisotropic: maximum quantity of atoms is observed in the vicinity of faces (100), (111) and (211) along the sections of zone lines (110) oriented along the edge of the first Brillouin zone. The atom liberation on plane sections of the most dense-packed face (110) was not observed as a rule; atomic steps of the face are interstitial atom sinks. It is concluded on the basis of the results obtained that there is the predominant inner reflection of interstitial atoms from the dense-packed faces and a possible contribution of inner reflection to the surface migration processes activated with the ion bombardment as well as material swelling have been analyzed [ru

A multiple scattering theory for EM wave propagation in a dense random medium

Science.gov (United States)

Karam, M. A.; Fung, A. K.; Wong, K. W.

1985-01-01

For a dense medium of randomly distributed scatterers an integral formulation for the total coherent field has been developed. This formulation accounts for the multiple scattering of electromagnetic waves including both the twoand three-particle terms. It is shown that under the Markovian assumption the total coherent field and the effective field have the same effective wave number. As an illustration of this theory, the effective wave number and the extinction coefficient are derived in terms of the polarizability tensor and the pair distribution function for randomly distributed small spherical scatterers. It is found that the contribution of the three-particle term increases with the particle size, the volume fraction, the frequency and the permittivity of the particle. This increase is more significant with frequency and particle size than with other parameters.

Granular packing as model glass formers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yujie

2017-01-01

Static granular packings are model hard-sphere glass formers. The nature of glass transition has remained a hotly debated issue. We review recent experimental progresses in using granular materials to study glass transitions. We focus on the growth of glass order with five-fold symmetry in granular packings and relate the findings to both geometric frustration and random first-order phase transition theories. (paper)

Quasi-human seniority-order algorithm for unequal circles packing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Dingju

2016-01-01

In the existing methods for solving unequal circles packing problems, the initial configuration is given arbitrarily or randomly, but the impact of different initial configurations for existing packing algorithm to the speed of existing packing algorithm solving unequal circles packing problems is very large. The quasi-human seniority-order algorithm proposed in this paper can generate a better initial configuration for existing packing algorithm to accelerate the speed of existing packing algorithm solving unequal circles packing problems. In experiments, the quasi-human seniority-order algorithm is applied to generate better initial configurations for quasi-physical elasticity methods to solve the unequal circles packing problems, and the experimental results show that the proposed quasi-human seniority-order algorithm can greatly improve the speed of solving the problem.

Spherical shock-wave propagation in three-dimensional granular packings.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Kun; Bai, Chun-Hua

2011-02-01

We investigate numerically the spherical shock-wave propagation in an open dense granular packing perturbed by the sudden expansion of a spherical intruder in the interior of the pack, focusing on the correlation between geometrical fabrics and propagating properties. The measurements of the temporal and spatial variations in a variety of propagating properties define a consistent serrated wave substructure with characteristic length on the orders of particle diameters. Further inspection of particle packing reveals a well-defined particle layering that persists several particle diameters away from the intruder, although its dominant effects are only within one to two diameters. This interface-induced layering not only exactly coincides with the serrated wave profile, but also highlights the competition between two energy transmission mechanisms involving distinct transport speeds. The alternating dominances between these two mechanisms contribute to the nonlinear wave propagation on the particle scale. Moreover, the proliferation of intricate three-dimensional contact force networks suggests the anisotropic stress transmission, which is found to also arise from the localized packing structure in the vicinity of the intruder.

Enabling Microliquid Chromatography by Microbead Packing of Microchannels

Science.gov (United States)

Balvin, Manuel; Zheng, Yun

2014-01-01

The microbead packing is the critical element required in the success of on-chip microfabrication of critical microfluidic components for in-situ analysis and detection of chiral amino acids. In order for microliquid chromatography to occur, there must be a stationary phase medium within the microchannel that interacts with the analytes present within flowing fluid. The stationary phase media are the microbeads packed by the process discussed in this work. The purpose of the microliquid chromatography is to provide a lightweight, low-volume, and low-power element to separate amino acids and their chiral partners efficiently to understand better the origin of life. In order to densely pack microbeads into the microchannels, a liquid slurry of microbeads was created. Microbeads were extracted from a commercially available high-performance liquid chromatography column. The silica beads extracted were 5 microns in diameter, and had surface coating of phenyl-hexyl. These microbeads were mixed with a 200- proof ethanol solution to create a microbead slurry with the right viscosity for packing. A microfilter is placed at the outlet via of the microchannel and the slurry is injected, then withdrawn across a filter using modified syringes. After each injection, the channel is flushed with ethanol to enhance packing. This cycle is repeated numerous times to allow for a tightly packed channel of microbeads. Typical microbead packing occurs in the macroscale into tubes or channels by using highly pressurized systems. Moreover, these channels are typically long and straight without any turns or curves. On the other hand, this method of microbead packing is completed within a microchannel 75 micrometers in diameter. Moreover, the microbead packing is completed into a serpentine type microchannel, such that it maximizes microchannel length within a microchip. Doing so enhances the interactions of the analytes with the microbeads to separate efficiently amino acids and amino acid

Impact of Different Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labels on Consumer Purchasing Intentions: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Ducrot, Pauline; Julia, Chantal; Méjean, Caroline; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Touvier, Mathilde; Fezeu, Léopold K; Hercberg, Serge; Péneau, Sandrine

2016-05-01

Despite growing evidence supporting the utility of front-of-pack nutrition labels in enabling consumer evaluation of food product healthiness, research on food choices is scarce. This study aims at comparing the impact of front-of-pack nutrition labels on consumers' purchasing intentions. Five-arm, open-label RCT. The study setting was a virtual web-based supermarket, with participants from the French NutriNet-Santé study. The eligibility requirement was grocery shopping involvement. The intervention was to simulate one shopping situation with front-of-pack nutrition labels affixed on food products (December 2014 to March 2015). Participants were randomly assigned to one of five exposure conditions using a central computer system: Guideline Daily Amounts, Multiple Traffic Lights, Five-Color Nutrition Label, Green Tick, or control (no front-of-pack exposure). Given the nature of the intervention, masking of participants was not performed. The primary outcome was the overall nutritional quality of the contents of the shopping cart, estimated using the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system. Secondary outcomes included energy and nutrient content of the shopping cart. Impact of the front-of-pack labels was also evaluated across sociodemographic subgroups based on age, educational level, income, and nutrition knowledge. A total of 11,981 participants were included in the analyses (April 2015). The Five-Color Nutrition Label significantly led to the highest overall nutritional quality of the shopping cart, as reflected by lower Food Standards Agency scores (M=8.72; SD=2.75), followed by Multiple Traffic Lights (M=8.97; SD=2.68) and Green Tick (M=8.99; SD=2.71), compared with the control (M=9.34; SD=2.57) (p<0.0001). The Five-Color Nutrition Label was the only front-of-pack format that led to a lower content in lipids, saturated fatty acids, and sodium of the shopping cart (all p<0.05). The impact of the different front-of-pack labels was similar

Dynamic aerofracture or hydrofracture of dense granular packing: pressure and viscosity control of the fracture patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Niebling, Michael J.; Toussaint, Renaud; Flekkøy, Eirik G.; Jørgen Måløy, Knut

2013-04-01

øy and K.J. Måløy, Dynamic aerofracture of dense granular packings, Phys. Rev. E 86, 061315 (2012). [4] Niebling, M., R. Toussaint, E.G. Flekkøy and K.J. Måløy, Estudios numéricos de Aerofractures en medios poros / Numerical Studies of Aerofractures in Porous Media, Revista Cubana de Fisica, 29, 1E, 1E66, 2012.

Packing Nonspherical Particles: All Shapes Are Not Created Equal

Science.gov (United States)

Torquato, Salvatore

2012-02-01

Over the past decade there has been increasing interest in the effects of particle shape on the characteristics of dense particle packings, since deviations from sphericity can lead to more realistic models of granular media, nanostructured materials, and tissue architecture. It is clear the that the broken rotational symmetry of a nonspherical particle is a crucial aspect in determining its resulting packing characteristics, but given the infinite variety of possible shapes (ellipsoids, superballs, regular and irregular polyhedra, etc.) it is desirable to formulate packing organizing principles based the particle shape. Such principles are beginning to be elucidated; see Refs. 1 and 2 and references therein. Depending upon whether the particle has central symmetry, inequivalent principle axes, and smooth or flat surfaces, we can describe the nature of its densest packing (which is typically periodic) as well as its disordered jammed states (which may or may not be isostatic). Changing the shape of a particle can dramatically alter its packing attributes. This tunability capability via particle shape could be used to tailor many-particle systems (e.g., colloids and granular media) to have designed crystal, liquid and glassy states. [4pt] [1] S. Torquato and F. H. Stillinger, ``Jammed Hard-Particle Packings: From Kepler to Bernal and Beyond," Rev. Modern Phys. 82, 2633 (2010). [0pt] [2] Y. Jiao and S. Torquato, Communication: ``A Packing of Truncated Tetrahedra That Nearly Fills All of Space and its Melting Properties," J. Chem. Phys. 135, 151101 (2011).

A linear programming algorithm to test for jamming in hard-sphere packings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donev, Aleksandar; Torquato, Salvatore.; Stillinger, Frank H.; Connelly, Robert

2004-01-01

Jamming in hard-particle packings has been the subject of considerable interest in recent years. In a paper by Torquato and Stillinger [J. Phys. Chem. B 105 (2001)], a classification scheme of jammed packings into hierarchical categories of locally, collectively and strictly jammed configurations has been proposed. They suggest that these jamming categories can be tested using numerical algorithms that analyze an equivalent contact network of the packing under applied displacements, but leave the design of such algorithms as a future task. In this work, we present a rigorous and practical algorithm to assess whether an ideal hard-sphere packing in two or three dimensions is jammed according to the aforementioned categories. The algorithm is based on linear programming and is applicable to regular as well as random packings of finite size with hard-wall and periodic boundary conditions. If the packing is not jammed, the algorithm yields representative multi-particle unjamming motions. Furthermore, we extend the jamming categories and the testing algorithm to packings with significant interparticle gaps. We describe in detail two variants of the proposed randomized linear programming approach to test for jamming in hard-sphere packings. The first algorithm treats ideal packings in which particles form perfect contacts. Another algorithm treats the case of jamming in packings with significant interparticle gaps. This extended algorithm allows one to explore more fully the nature of the feasible particle displacements. We have implemented the algorithms and applied them to ordered as well as random packings of circular disks and spheres with periodic boundary conditions. Some representative results for large disordered disk and sphere packings are given, but more robust and efficient implementations as well as further applications (e.g., non-spherical particles) are anticipated for the future

Hyperuniformity, quasi-long-range correlations, and void-space constraints in maximally random jammed particle packings. II. Anisotropy in particle shape.

Science.gov (United States)

Zachary, Chase E; Jiao, Yang; Torquato, Salvatore

2011-05-01

We extend the results from the first part of this series of two papers by examining hyperuniformity in heterogeneous media composed of impenetrable anisotropic inclusions. Specifically, we consider maximally random jammed (MRJ) packings of hard ellipses and superdisks and show that these systems both possess vanishing infinite-wavelength local-volume-fraction fluctuations and quasi-long-range pair correlations scaling as r(-(d+1)) in d Euclidean dimensions. Our results suggest a strong generalization of a conjecture by Torquato and Stillinger [Phys. Rev. E 68, 041113 (2003)], namely, that all strictly jammed saturated packings of hard particles, including those with size and shape distributions, are hyperuniform with signature quasi-long-range correlations. We show that our arguments concerning the constrained distribution of the void space in MRJ packings directly extend to hard-ellipse and superdisk packings, thereby providing a direct structural explanation for the appearance of hyperuniformity and quasi-long-range correlations in these systems. Additionally, we examine general heterogeneous media with anisotropic inclusions and show unexpectedly that one can decorate a periodic point pattern to obtain a hard-particle system that is not hyperuniform with respect to local-volume-fraction fluctuations. This apparent discrepancy can also be rationalized by appealing to the irregular distribution of the void space arising from the anisotropic shapes of the particles. Our work suggests the intriguing possibility that the MRJ states of hard particles share certain universal features independent of the local properties of the packings, including the packing fraction and average contact number per particle.

To compare efficacy & discomfort in posterior nasal packing with foley's catheters versus bipp gauze packing in cases of posterior epistaxis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, M.A.; Ahmed, A.

2015-01-01

To compare efficacy and discomfort in posterior nasal packing with Foley's catheters versus BIPP gauze packing in cases of posterior epistaxis. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Kharian from October 2011 to October 2013. Material and Methods: A total of 206 patients of posterior epistaxis were included in the study through non-probability convenience sampling and randomly divided in two groups of 103 each. In group A patients were treated by posterior nasal packing with Foley's catheter and in group B patients were treated by posterior nasal packing with BIPP gauze and results in terms of control of epistaxis and discomfort during pack insertion, while the packs were in situ and pack removal, based on VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) were observed. Results: Average age in group A was 52.64 years (SD=9.57) and in group B it was 50.27 years (SD ± 10.13). There were 71 (68.9%) males in group A while 67 (65%) males in group B. During posterior nasal pack insertion, the mean pain score in Group A was 6.21 (SD ± I.13) and in Group B was 7.43 (SD ± 1.19). The mean pain score with the pack in situ was 4.27 (SD ± 0.08) in Group A versus 4.76 (SD ± 0.09) Group B. Similarly pack removal was also more painful in group B than group A (6.14 ± 0.91 vs 6.89 ± 1.09) (p =0.000). In the group A, 31 (30.1%) patients had rebleeding after pack removal, out of which 9 (8.7%) had significant bleeding requiring repacking. In 22 (21.4%) cases there was mild bleeding which settled without repacking. In group B 22 (21.4%) patients had rebleeding after pack removal, out of which 5 (4.7%) had significant bleeding requiring repacking. Conclusion: It is concluded that posterior nasal packing with BIPP gauze pack is effective for controlling posterior epistaxis but causes more discomfort to the patients as compared to Foley's catheter packing. (author)

A dense Pd/Ag membrane reactor for methanol steam reforming: Experimental study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Basile, A.; Gallucci, F.; Paturzo, L.

2005-01-01

This paper focuses on an experimental study of the methanol steam reforming (MSR) reaction. A dense Pd/Ag membrane reactor (MR) has been used, and its behaviour has been compared to the performance of a traditional reactor (TR) packed with the same catalyst type and amount. The parameters

Microstructure Reconstruction of Sheet Molding Composite Using a Random Chips Packing Algorithm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Tianyu; Xu, Hongyi; Chen, Wei

2017-04-06

Fiber-reinforced polymer composites are strong candidates for structural materials to replace steel and light alloys in lightweight vehicle design because of their low density and relatively high strength. In the integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) development of carbon fiber composites, microstructure reconstruction algorithms are needed to generate material microstructure representative volume element (RVE) based on the material processing information. The microstructure RVE reconstruction enables the material property prediction by finite element analysis (FEA)This paper presents an algorithm to reconstruct the microstructure of a chopped carbon fiber/epoxy laminate material system produced by compression molding, normally known as sheet molding compounds (SMC). The algorithm takes the result from material’s manufacturing process as inputs, such as the orientation tensor of fibers, the chopped fiber sheet geometry, and the fiber volume fraction. The chopped fiber sheets are treated as deformable rectangle chips and a random packing algorithm is developed to pack these chips into a square plate. The RVE is built in a layer-by-layer fashion until the desired number of lamina is reached, then a fine tuning process is applied to finalize the reconstruction. Compared to the previous methods, this new approach has the ability to model bended fibers by allowing limited amount of overlaps of rectangle chips. Furthermore, the method does not need SMC microstructure images, for which the image-based characterization techniques have not been mature enough, as inputs. Case studies are performed and the results show that the statistics of the reconstructed microstructures generated by the algorithm matches well with the target input parameters from processing.

Comparing side chain packing in soluble proteins, protein-protein interfaces, and transmembrane proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaines, J C; Acebes, S; Virrueta, A; Butler, M; Regan, L; O'Hern, C S

2018-05-01

We compare side chain prediction and packing of core and non-core regions of soluble proteins, protein-protein interfaces, and transmembrane proteins. We first identified or created comparable databases of high-resolution crystal structures of these 3 protein classes. We show that the solvent-inaccessible cores of the 3 classes of proteins are equally densely packed. As a result, the side chains of core residues at protein-protein interfaces and in the membrane-exposed regions of transmembrane proteins can be predicted by the hard-sphere plus stereochemical constraint model with the same high prediction accuracies (>90%) as core residues in soluble proteins. We also find that for all 3 classes of proteins, as one moves away from the solvent-inaccessible core, the packing fraction decreases as the solvent accessibility increases. However, the side chain predictability remains high (80% within 30°) up to a relative solvent accessibility, rSASA≲0.3, for all 3 protein classes. Our results show that ≈40% of the interface regions in protein complexes are "core", that is, densely packed with side chain conformations that can be accurately predicted using the hard-sphere model. We propose packing fraction as a metric that can be used to distinguish real protein-protein interactions from designed, non-binding, decoys. Our results also show that cores of membrane proteins are the same as cores of soluble proteins. Thus, the computational methods we are developing for the analysis of the effect of hydrophobic core mutations in soluble proteins will be equally applicable to analyses of mutations in membrane proteins. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Granular flow through an aperture: Influence of the packing fraction

Science.gov (United States)

Aguirre, M. A.; De Schant, R.; Géminard, J.-C.

2014-07-01

For the last 50 years, the flow of a granular material through an aperture has been intensely studied in gravity-driven vertical systems (e.g., silos and hoppers). Nevertheless, in many industrial applications, grains are horizontally transported at constant velocity, lying on conveyor belts or floating on the surface of flowing liquids. Unlike fluid flows, that are controlled by the pressure, granular flow is not sensitive to the local pressure but rather to the local velocity of the grains at the outlet. We can also expect the flow rate to depend on the local density of the grains. Indeed, vertical systems are packed in dense configurations by gravity, but, in contrast, in horizontal systems the density can take a large range of values, potentially very small, which may significantly alter the flow rate. In the present article, we study, for different initial packing fractions, the discharge through an orifice of monodisperse grains driven at constant velocity by a horizontal conveyor belt. We report how, during the discharge, the packing fraction is modified by the presence of the outlet, and we analyze how changes in the packing fraction induce variations in the flow rate. We observe that variations of packing fraction do not affect the velocity of the grains at the outlet, and, therefore, we establish that flow-rate variations are directly related to changes in the packing fraction.

Structural characterization of the packings of granular regular polygons.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chuncheng; Dong, Kejun; Yu, Aibing

2015-12-01

By using a recently developed method for discrete modeling of nonspherical particles, we simulate the random packings of granular regular polygons with three to 11 edges under gravity. The effects of shape and friction on the packing structures are investigated by various structural parameters, including packing fraction, the radial distribution function, coordination number, Voronoi tessellation, and bond-orientational order. We find that packing fraction is generally higher for geometrically nonfrustrated regular polygons, and can be increased by the increase of edge number and decrease of friction. The changes of packing fraction are linked with those of the microstructures, such as the variations of the translational and orientational orders and local configurations. In particular, the free areas of Voronoi tessellations (which are related to local packing fractions) can be described by log-normal distributions for all polygons. The quantitative analyses establish a clearer picture for the packings of regular polygons.

Effect of packing fraction variations on reactivity in pebble-bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snoj, L.; Ravnik, M.

2004-01-01

The pebble-bed reactor (PBR) core consists of large number of randomly packed spherical fuel elements. The effect of fuel element packing density variations on multiplication factor in a typical PBR is studied using WIMS code. It is observed that at normal conditions the k-eff increases with packing fraction. Effects of secondary coolant ingress (water or molten lead) in the core at accidental conditions are studied at various packing densities. The effect of water ingress on reactivity depends strongly on water density and packing fraction and is prevailingly positive, while the lead ingress reduces multiplication factor regardless of lead effective density and packing fraction. Both effects are stronger at lower packing fractions. (author)

Efficiently dense hierarchical graphene based aerogel electrode for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xin; Lu, Chengxing; Peng, Huifen; Zhang, Xin; Wang, Zhenkun; Wang, Gongkai

2016-08-01

Boosting gravimetric and volumetric capacitances simultaneously at a high rate is still a discrepancy in development of graphene based supercapacitors. We report the preparation of dense hierarchical graphene/activated carbon composite aerogels via a reduction induced self-assembly process coupled with a drying post treatment. The compact and porous structures of composite aerogels could be maintained. The drying post treatment has significant effects on increasing the packing density of aerogels. The introduced activated carbons play the key roles of spacers and bridges, mitigating the restacking of adjacent graphene nanosheets and connecting lateral and vertical graphene nanosheets, respectively. The optimized aerogel with a packing density of 0.67 g cm-3 could deliver maximum gravimetric and volumetric capacitances of 128.2 F g-1 and 85.9 F cm-3, respectively, at a current density of 1 A g-1 in aqueous electrolyte, showing no apparent degradation to the specific capacitance at a current density of 10 A g-1 after 20000 cycles. The corresponding gravimetric and volumetric capacitances of 116.6 F g-1 and 78.1 cm-3 with an acceptable cyclic stability are also achieved in ionic liquid electrolyte. The results show a feasible strategy of designing dense hierarchical graphene based aerogels for supercapacitors.

Goddard rattler-jamming mechanism for quantifying pressure dependence of elastic moduli of grain packs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pride, Steven R.; Berryman, James G.

2009-01-05

An analysis is presented to show how it is possible for unconsolidated granular packings to obey overall non-Hertzian pressure dependence due to the imperfect and random spatial arrangements of the grains in these packs. With imperfect arrangement, some gaps that remain between grains can be closed by strains applied to the grain packing. As these gaps are closed, former rattler grains become jammed and new stress-bearing contacts are created that increase the elastic stiffness of the packing. By allowing for such a mechanism, detailed analytical expressions are obtained for increases in bulk modulus of a random packing of grains with increasing stress and strain. Only isotropic stress and strain are considered in this analysis. The model is shown to give a favorable fit to laboratory data on variations in bulk modulus due to variations in applied pressure for bead packs.

Effect of Fentanyl Nasal Packing Treatment on Patients With Acute Postoperative Pain After Nasal Operation: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kwan-Sub; Yeo, Nam-Kyung; Kim, Seong-Su; Park, Woong-Sub; Kwak, Su-Hyun; Cho, Sang-Hyeon; Sung, Gyu-Wan; Kim, Hae-Sook; Yi, Sang-Wook; Cho, Hae Jun

2018-05-01

Nasal packing is an option for bleeding control after endoscopic sinus surgery and septoplasty. Although new packing materials have been developed, patients still suffer from pain and require additional analgesics treatments. In this study, a prospective, randomized, and double-blind controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effect of fentanyl-soaked packing on pain after endoscopic sinus surgery and septoplasty. One hundred fifty-two patients who underwent nasal surgeries due to chronic rhinosinusitis or nasal septal deviation were enrolled in this study. At the end of operation, 50 mcg fentanyl-soaked biodegradable synthetic polyurethane foams packing Nasopore or Merocel were applied to a group of 79 patients, and saline-soaked ones were applied to another group of 73 patients. To evaluate the influence of fentanyl on postoperative nasal pain, patients' conditions were assessed via means of Numeric Rating Scale, patient satisfaction, and Ramsay Sedation Scale. In addition, symptoms of headache or sore throat and any signs of cardiopulmonary-relevant indicators were monitored. The fentanyl group had significantly decreased Numeric Rating Scale and increased patient satisfaction in every operation type for the majority of postoperative time periods ( P fentanyl group showed a higher score on Ramsay Sedation Scale than the control group ( P .05). Fentanyl group showed significantly reduced postoperative pain without serious adverse effects. We suggest that topical fentanyl application to nasal packs can be a useful method to reduce pain during the early postoperative period after endoscopic sinus surgery and septoplasty.

Natural Deposition Strategy for Interfacial, Self-Assembled, Large-Scale, Densely Packed, Monolayer Film with Ligand-Exchanged Gold Nanorods for In Situ Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Drug Detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Mei; Zhou, Binbin; Tang, Xianghu; Chen, Cheng; Ge, Meihong; Li, Pan; Huang, Xingjiu; Yang, Liangbao; Liu, Jinhuai

2018-03-15

Liquid interfacial self-assembly of metal nanoparticles holds great promise for its various applications, such as in tunable optical devices, plasmonics, sensors, and catalysis. However, the construction of large-area, ordered, anisotropic, nanoparticle monolayers and the acquisition of self-assembled interface films are still significant challenges. Herein, a rapid, validated method to fabricate large-scale, close-packed nanomaterials at the cyclohexane/water interface, in which hydrophilic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide coated nanoparticles and gold nanorods (AuNRs) self-assemble into densely packed 2D arrays by regulating the surface ligand and suitable inducer, is reported. Decorating AuNRs with polyvinylpyrrolidone not only extensively decreases the charge of AuNRs, but also diminishes repulsive forces. More importantly, a general, facile, novel technique to transfer an interfacial monolayer through a designed in situ reaction cell linked to a microfluidic chip is revealed. The self-assembled nanofilm can then automatically settle on the substrate and be directly detected in the reaction cell in situ by means of a portable Raman spectrometer. Moreover, a close-packed monolayer of self-assembled AuNRs provides massive, efficient hotspots to create great surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement, which provides high sensitivity and reproducibility as the SERS-active substrate. Furthermore, this strategy was exploited to detect drug molecules in human urine for cyclohexane-extracted targets acting as the oil phase to form an oil/water interface. A portable Raman spectrometer was employed to detect methamphetamine down to 100 ppb levels in human urine, exhibiting excellent practicability. As a universal platform, handy tool, and fast pretreatment method with a good capability for drug detection in biological systems, this technique shows great promise for rapid, credible, and on-spot drug detection. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Random sequential adsorption of cubes

Science.gov (United States)

Cieśla, Michał; Kubala, Piotr

2018-01-01

Random packings built of cubes are studied numerically using a random sequential adsorption algorithm. To compare the obtained results with previous reports, three different models of cube orientation sampling were used. Also, three different cube-cube intersection algorithms were tested to find the most efficient one. The study focuses on the mean saturated packing fraction as well as kinetics of packing growth. Microstructural properties of packings were analyzed using density autocorrelation function.

Universal medium-range order of amorphous metal oxides.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishio, Kengo; Miyazaki, Takehide; Nakamura, Hisao

2013-10-11

We propose that the structure of amorphous metal oxides can be regarded as a dual-dense-random-packing structure, which is a superposition of the dense random packing of metal atoms and that of oxygen atoms. Our ab initio molecular dynamics simulations show that the medium-range order of amorphous HfO2, ZrO2, TiO2, In2O3, Ga2O3, Al2O3, and Cu2O is characterized by the pentagonal-bipyramid arrangement of metal atoms and that of oxygen atoms, and prove the validity of our dual-random-sphere-packing model. In other words, we find that the pentagonal medium-range order is universal independent of type of metal oxide.

Dual-affinity peptides to generate dense surface coverages of nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Del Re, Julia; Blum, Amy Szuchmacher

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Stable nanoparticles were created with the Flg-A3 fusion peptide as a ligand. • Interactions of transition metal ions with Flg control aggregation of the nanoparticles in solution. • The QBP1-A3 fusion peptide improves surface attachment of gold nanoparticles. • Solution pre-aggregation of nanoparticles results in dense surface coverage. - Abstract: Depositing gold nanoparticles is of great interest because of the many potential applications of nanoparticle films; however, generating dense surface nanoparticle coverage remains a difficult challenge. Using dual-affinity peptides we have synthesized gold nanoparticles and then pre-aggregated the particles in solution via interactions with metal ions. These nanoparticle aggregates were then deposited onto silicon dioxide surfaces using another dual-affinity peptide to control binding to the substrate. The results demonstrate that when divalent ions like Zn 2+ or Ni 2+ are used, densely packed gold nanoparticle monolayers are formed on the silicon dioxide substrate, which may have applications in fields like molecular electronics

Stability and convergence analysis of the quasi-dynamics method for the initial pebble packing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y.; Ji, W.

2012-01-01

The simulation for the pebble flow recirculation within Pebble Bed Reactors (PBRs) requires an efficient algorithm to generate an initial overlap-free pebble configuration within the reactor core. In the previous work, a dynamics-based approach, the Quasi-Dynamics Method (QDM), has been proposed to generate densely distributed pebbles in PBRs with cylindrical and annular core geometries. However, the stability and the efficiency of the QDM were not fully addressed. In this work, the algorithm is reformulated with two control parameters and the impact of these parameters on the algorithm performance is investigated. Firstly, the theoretical analysis for a 1-D packing system is conducted and the range of the parameter in which the algorithm is convergent is estimated. Then, this estimation is verified numerically for a 3-D packing system. Finally, the algorithm is applied to modeling the PBR fuel loading configuration and the convergence performance at different packing fractions is presented. Results show that the QDM is efficient in packing pebbles within the realistic range of the packing fraction in PBRs, and it is capable in handling cylindrical geometry with packing fractions up to 63.5%. (authors)

The influence of bamboo-packed configuration to mixing characteristics in a fixed-bed reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Detalina, M.; Pradanawati, S. A.; Widyarani; Mamat; Nilawati, D.; Sintawardani, N.

2018-03-01

Fixed-bed reactors are commonly used as bioreactors for various applications, including chemicals production and organic wastewater treatment. Bioreactors are fixed with packing materials for attaching microorganisms. Packing materials should have high surface area and enable sufficient fluid flow in the reactor. Natural materials e.g. rocks and fibres are often used as packing materials. Commercially, packing materials are also produced from polymer with the advantage of customizable shapes. The objective of this research was to study the mixing pattern in a packed-bed reactor using bamboo as packing material. Bamboo was selected for its pipe-like and porous form, as well as its abundant availability in Indonesia. The cut bamboo sticks were installed in a reactor in different configurations namely vertical, horizontal, and random. Textile dye was used as a tracer. Our results show that the vertical configuration gave the least liquid resistant flow. Yet, the random configuration was the best configuration during mixing process.

Automatic determination of 3D orientations of fossilized oyster shells from a densely packed Miocene shell bed

Science.gov (United States)

Puttonen, Ana; Harzhauser, Mathias; Puttonen, Eetu; Mandic, Oleg; Székely, Balázs; Molnár, Gábor; Pfeifer, Norbert

2018-02-01

Shell beds represent a useful source of information on various physical processes that cause the depositional condition. We present an automated method to calculate the 3D orientations of a large number of elongate and platy objects (fossilized oyster shells) on a sedimentary bedding plane, developed to support the interpretation of possible depositional patterns, imbrications, or impact of local faults. The study focusses on more than 1900 fossil oyster shells exposed in a densely packed Miocene shell bed. 3D data were acquired by terrestrial laser scanning on an area of 459 m2 with a resolution of 1 mm. Bivalve shells were manually defined as 3D-point clouds of a digital surface model and stored in an ArcGIS database. An individual shell coordinate system (ISCS) was virtually embedded into each shell and its orientation was determined relative to the coordinate system of the entire, tectonically tilted shell bed. Orientation is described by the rotation angles roll, pitch, and yaw in a Cartesian coordinate system. This method allows an efficient measurement and analysis of the orientation of thousands of specimens and is a major advantage compared to the traditional 2D approach, which measures only the azimuth (yaw) angles. The resulting data can variously be utilized for taphonomic analyses and the reconstruction of prevailing hydrodynamic regimes and depositional environments. For the first time, the influence of possible post-sedimentary vertical displacements can be quantified with high accuracy. Here, the effect of nearby fault lines—present in the reef—was tested on strongly tilted oyster shells, but it was found out that the fault lines did not have a statistically significant effect on the large tilt angles. Aside from the high reproducibility, a further advantage of the method is its non-destructive nature, which is especially suitable for geoparks and protected sites such as the studied shell bed.

The benefits of hypopharyngeal packing in nasal surgery: a pilot study.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Fennessy, B G

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: Hypopharyngeal packs are used in nasal surgery to reduce the risk of aspiration and postoperative nausea and vomiting. Side effects associated with their use range from throat pain to retained packs postoperatively. AIM: To evaluate, as a pilot study, postoperative nausea\\/vomiting and throat pain scores for patients undergoing nasal surgery in whom a wet or dry hypopharyngeal pack was placed compared with patients who received no packing. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind prospective trial in a general ENT unit. RESULTS: The study failed to show a statistically significant difference between the three groups in terms of their postoperative nausea\\/vomiting and throat pain scores at 2 and 6 h postoperatively. This is the first study in which dry packs have been compared with wet and absent packs. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, the authors recommend against placing hypopharyngeal packs for the purpose of preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting.

Does addition of `mud-pack and hot pool treatment' to patient education make a difference in fibromyalgia patients? A randomized controlled single blind study

Science.gov (United States)

Bağdatlı, Ali Osman; Donmez, Arif; Eröksüz, Rıza; Bahadır, Güler; Turan, Mustafa; Erdoğan, Nergis

2015-12-01

The aim of this randomized controlled single-blind study is to explore whether addition of mud-pack and hot pool treatments to patient education make a significant difference in short and mild term outcomes of the patients with fibromyalgia. Seventy women with fibromyalgia syndrome were randomly assigned to either balneotherapy with mud-pack and hot pool treatments (35) or control (35) groups. After randomization, five patients from balneotherapy group and five patients from control group were dropped out from the study with different excuses. All patients had 6-h patient education programme about fibromyalgia syndrome and were given a home exercise programme. The patients in balneotherapy group had heated pool treatment at 38 °C for 20 min a day, and mud-pack treatment afterwards on back region at 45 °C. Balneotherapy was applied on weekdays for 2 weeks. All patients continued to take their medical treatment. An investigator who was blinded to the intervention assessed all the patients before and after the treatment, at the first and the third months of follow-up. Outcome measures were FIQ, BDI and both patient's and physician's global assessments. Balneotherapy group was significantly better than control group at after the treatment and at the end of the first month follow-up assessments in terms of patient's and physician's global assessment, total FIQ score, and pain intensity, fatigue, non-refreshed awaking, stiffness, anxiety and depression subscales of FIQ. No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of BDI scores. It is concluded that patient education combined with 2 weeks balneotherapy application has more beneficial effects in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome as compared to patient education alone.

Does addition of 'mud-pack and hot pool treatment' to patient education make a difference in fibromyalgia patients? A randomized controlled single blind study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bağdatlı, Ali Osman; Donmez, Arif; Eröksüz, Rıza; Bahadır, Güler; Turan, Mustafa; Erdoğan, Nergis

2015-12-01

The aim of this randomized controlled single-blind study is to explore whether addition of mud-pack and hot pool treatments to patient education make a significant difference in short and mild term outcomes of the patients with fibromyalgia. Seventy women with fibromyalgia syndrome were randomly assigned to either balneotherapy with mud-pack and hot pool treatments (35) or control (35) groups. After randomization, five patients from balneotherapy group and five patients from control group were dropped out from the study with different excuses. All patients had 6-h patient education programme about fibromyalgia syndrome and were given a home exercise programme. The patients in balneotherapy group had heated pool treatment at 38 °C for 20 min a day, and mud-pack treatment afterwards on back region at 45 °C. Balneotherapy was applied on weekdays for 2 weeks. All patients continued to take their medical treatment. An investigator who was blinded to the intervention assessed all the patients before and after the treatment, at the first and the third months of follow-up. Outcome measures were FIQ, BDI and both patient's and physician's global assessments. Balneotherapy group was significantly better than control group at after the treatment and at the end of the first month follow-up assessments in terms of patient's and physician's global assessment, total FIQ score, and pain intensity, fatigue, non-refreshed awaking, stiffness, anxiety and depression subscales of FIQ. No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of BDI scores. It is concluded that patient education combined with 2 weeks balneotherapy application has more beneficial effects in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome as compared to patient education alone.

Computational study of fluid flow and heat transfer in composite packed beds of spheres with low tube to particle diameter ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jian; Wu, Jiangquan; Zhou, Lang; Wang, Qiuwang

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Flow and heat transfer in composite packed beds with low d_t/d_p_e are investigated. • The wall effect would be restrained with radially layered composite packing (RLM). • Heat flux and overall heat transfer efficiency can be improved with RLM packing. - Abstract: The effect of the tube wall on the fluid flow and heat transfer would be important in the packed bed with low tube to particle diameter ratio, which may lead to flow and temperature maldistributions inside, and the heat transfer performance may be lowered. In the present paper, the flow and heat transfer performances in both the composite and uniform packed beds of spheres with low tube to particle diameter were numerically investigated, where the composite packing means randomly packing with non-uniform spheres and the uniform packing means randomly packing with uniform spheres, including radially layered composite packing (RLM), axially layered composite packing (ALM), randomly composite packing (RCM) and randomly uniform packing (RPM). Both the composite and uniform packings were generated with discrete element method (DEM), and the influence of the wall effect on the flow and heat transfer in the packed beds were carefully studied and compared with each other. Firstly, it is found that, the wall effect on the velocity and temperature distributions in the randomly packed bed of uniform spheres (RPM) with low tube to particle diameter ratio were obvious. The average velocity of the near-tube-wall region is higher than that of the inner-tube region in the bed. When the tube wall is adiabatic, the average temperature of the near-tube-wall region is lower. With radially layered composite packing method (RLM), smaller pores would be formed close to the tube wall and big flow channels would be formed in the inner-tube region of the bed, which would be benefit to restrain the wall effect and improve heat transfer in the bed with low tube to particle diameter ratio. Furthermore, it is also

Computational study of fluid flow and heat transfer in composite packed beds of spheres with low tube to particle diameter ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jian, E-mail: yangjian81@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049 (China); Wu, Jiangquan [CSR Research of Electrical Technology and Material Engineering, Zhuzhou, Hunan 412001 (China); Zhou, Lang; Wang, Qiuwang [Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049 (China)

2016-04-15

Highlights: • Flow and heat transfer in composite packed beds with low d{sub t}/d{sub pe} are investigated. • The wall effect would be restrained with radially layered composite packing (RLM). • Heat flux and overall heat transfer efficiency can be improved with RLM packing. - Abstract: The effect of the tube wall on the fluid flow and heat transfer would be important in the packed bed with low tube to particle diameter ratio, which may lead to flow and temperature maldistributions inside, and the heat transfer performance may be lowered. In the present paper, the flow and heat transfer performances in both the composite and uniform packed beds of spheres with low tube to particle diameter were numerically investigated, where the composite packing means randomly packing with non-uniform spheres and the uniform packing means randomly packing with uniform spheres, including radially layered composite packing (RLM), axially layered composite packing (ALM), randomly composite packing (RCM) and randomly uniform packing (RPM). Both the composite and uniform packings were generated with discrete element method (DEM), and the influence of the wall effect on the flow and heat transfer in the packed beds were carefully studied and compared with each other. Firstly, it is found that, the wall effect on the velocity and temperature distributions in the randomly packed bed of uniform spheres (RPM) with low tube to particle diameter ratio were obvious. The average velocity of the near-tube-wall region is higher than that of the inner-tube region in the bed. When the tube wall is adiabatic, the average temperature of the near-tube-wall region is lower. With radially layered composite packing method (RLM), smaller pores would be formed close to the tube wall and big flow channels would be formed in the inner-tube region of the bed, which would be benefit to restrain the wall effect and improve heat transfer in the bed with low tube to particle diameter ratio. Furthermore, it

Influence of molecular packing on the corrosion inhibition properties of self-assembled octadecyltrichlorosilane monolayers on silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsieh, Shuchen; Chao, Wei-Jay; Lin, Pei-Ying; Hsieh, Chiung-Wen

2014-01-01

Highlights: •Molecular packing plays an important role in determining SAM film properties. •Loose-packed OTS monolayers on silicon were corroded by exposure to KMnO 4 . •Dense-packed OTS SAM films exhibited excellent corrosion protection efficacy. -- Abstract: The corrosion inhibition properties of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on silicon were investigated. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle (CA), and lateral force microscopy (LFM) were used to determine the OTS film formation time, packing density, and corrosion protection efficacy. The OTS films reached adsorption saturation after 15 s; however, the molecular density continued to increase up to 24 h. The films were exposed to the strong oxidant KMnO 4 , and while 15-s film samples exhibited corrosion after a 1 min exposure, samples with films grown for 24 h were protected even after 24 h

Packing simulation code to calculate distribution function of hard spheres by Monte Carlo method : MCRDF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murata, Isao; Mori, Takamasa; Nakagawa, Masayuki; Shirai, Hiroshi.

1996-03-01

High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs) employ spherical fuels named coated fuel particles (CFPs) consisting of a microsphere of low enriched UO 2 with coating layers in order to prevent FP release. There exist many spherical fuels distributed randomly in the cores. Therefore, the nuclear design of HTGRs is generally performed on the basis of the multigroup approximation using a diffusion code, S N transport code or group-wise Monte Carlo code. This report summarizes a Monte Carlo hard sphere packing simulation code to simulate the packing of equal hard spheres and evaluate the necessary probability distribution of them, which is used for the application of the new Monte Carlo calculation method developed to treat randomly distributed spherical fuels with the continuous energy Monte Carlo method. By using this code, obtained are the various statistical values, namely Radial Distribution Function (RDF), Nearest Neighbor Distribution (NND), 2-dimensional RDF and so on, for random packing as well as ordered close packing of FCC and BCC. (author)

HTR-proteus pebble bed experimental program core 4: random packing with a 1:1 moderator-to-fuel pebble ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bess, John D. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Montierth, Leland M. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Sterbentz, James W. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Briggs, J. Blair [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Gougar, Hans D. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Snoj, Luka [Jozef Stefan Inst. (IJS), Ljubljana (Slovenia); Lengar, Igor [Jozef Stefan Inst. (IJS), Ljubljana (Slovenia); Koberl, Oliver [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

2014-03-01

In its deployment as a pebble bed reactor (PBR) critical facility from 1992 to 1996, the PROTEUS facility was designated as HTR-PROTEUS. This experimental program was performed as part of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on the Validation of Safety Related Physics Calculations for Low Enriched HTGRs. Within this project, critical experiments were conducted for graphite moderated LEU systems to determine core reactivity, flux and power profiles, reaction-rate ratios, the worth of control rods, both in-core and reflector based, the worth of burnable poisons, kinetic parameters, and the effects of moisture ingress on these parameters. One benchmark experiment was evaluated in this report: Core 4. Core 4 represents the only configuration with random pebble packing in the HTR-PROTEUS series of experiments, and has a moderator-to-fuel pebble ratio of 1:1. Three random configurations were performed. The initial configuration, Core 4.1, was rejected because the method for pebble loading, separate delivery tubes for the moderator and fuel pebbles, may not have been completely random; this core loading was rejected by the experimenters. Cores 4.2 and 4.3 were loaded using a single delivery tube, eliminating the possibility for systematic ordering effects. The second and third cores differed slightly in the quantity of pebbles loaded (40 each of moderator and fuel pebbles), stacked height of the pebbles in the core cavity (0.02 m), withdrawn distance of the stainless steel control rods (20 mm), and withdrawn distance of the autorod (30 mm). The 34 coolant channels in the upper axial reflector and the 33 coolant channels in the lower axial reflector were open. Additionally, the axial graphite fillers used in all other HTR-PROTEUS configurations to create a 12-sided core cavity were not used in the randomly packed cores. Instead, graphite fillers were placed on the cavity floor, creating a funnel-like base, to discourage ordering

HTR-PROTEUS PEBBLE BED EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM CORE 4: RANDOM PACKING WITH A 1:1 MODERATOR-TO-FUEL PEBBLE RATIO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John D. Bess; Leland M. Montierth

2013-03-01

In its deployment as a pebble bed reactor (PBR) critical facility from 1992 to 1996, the PROTEUS facility was designated as HTR-PROTEUS. This experimental program was performed as part of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on the Validation of Safety Related Physics Calculations for Low Enriched HTGRs. Within this project, critical experiments were conducted for graphite moderated LEU systems to determine core reactivity, flux and power profiles, reaction-rate ratios, the worth of control rods, both in-core and reflector based, the worth of burnable poisons, kinetic parameters, and the effects of moisture ingress on these parameters. One benchmark experiment was evaluated in this report: Core 4. Core 4 represents the only configuration with random pebble packing in the HTR-PROTEUS series of experiments, and has a moderator-to-fuel pebble ratio of 1:1. Three random configurations were performed. The initial configuration, Core 4.1, was rejected because the method for pebble loading, separate delivery tubes for the moderator and fuel pebbles, may not have been completely random; this core loading was rejected by the experimenters. Cores 4.2 and 4.3 were loaded using a single delivery tube, eliminating the possibility for systematic ordering effects. The second and third cores differed slightly in the quantity of pebbles loaded (40 each of moderator and fuel pebbles), stacked height of the pebbles in the core cavity (0.02 m), withdrawn distance of the stainless steel control rods (20 mm), and withdrawn distance of the autorod (30 mm). The 34 coolant channels in the upper axial reflector and the 33 coolant channels in the lower axial reflector were open. Additionally, the axial graphite fillers used in all other HTR-PROTEUS configurations to create a 12-sided core cavity were not used in the randomly packed cores. Instead, graphite fillers were placed on the cavity floor, creating a funnel-like base, to discourage ordering

Boundary conditions in random sequential adsorption

Science.gov (United States)

Cieśla, Michał; Ziff, Robert M.

2018-04-01

The influence of different boundary conditions on the density of random packings of disks is studied. Packings are generated using the random sequential adsorption algorithm with three different types of boundary conditions: periodic, open, and wall. It is found that the finite size effects are smallest for periodic boundary conditions, as expected. On the other hand, in the case of open and wall boundaries it is possible to introduce an effective packing size and a constant correction term to significantly improve the packing densities.

Peculiarities of the statistics of spectrally selected fluorescence radiation in laser-pumped dye-doped random media

Science.gov (United States)

Yuvchenko, S. A.; Ushakova, E. V.; Pavlova, M. V.; Alonova, M. V.; Zimnyakov, D. A.

2018-04-01

We consider the practical realization of a new optical probe method of the random media which is defined as the reference-free path length interferometry with the intensity moments analysis. A peculiarity in the statistics of the spectrally selected fluorescence radiation in laser-pumped dye-doped random medium is discussed. Previously established correlations between the second- and the third-order moments of the intensity fluctuations in the random interference patterns, the coherence function of the probe radiation, and the path difference probability density for the interfering partial waves in the medium are confirmed. The correlations were verified using the statistical analysis of the spectrally selected fluorescence radiation emitted by a laser-pumped dye-doped random medium. Water solution of Rhodamine 6G was applied as the doping fluorescent agent for the ensembles of the densely packed silica grains, which were pumped by the 532 nm radiation of a solid state laser. The spectrum of the mean path length for a random medium was reconstructed.

Low-temperature plasma etching of high aspect-ratio densely packed 15 to sub-10 nm silicon features derived from PS-PDMS block copolymer patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Zuwei; Sassolini, Simone; Olynick, Deirdre L; Gu, Xiaodan; Hwu, Justin

2014-01-01

The combination of block copolymer (BCP) lithography and plasma etching offers a gateway to densely packed sub-10 nm features for advanced nanotechnology. Despite the advances in BCP lithography, plasma pattern transfer remains a major challenge. We use controlled and low substrate temperatures during plasma etching of a chromium hard mask and then the underlying substrate as a route to high aspect ratio sub-10 nm silicon features derived from BCP lithography. Siloxane masks were fabricated using poly(styrene-b-siloxane) (PS-PDMS) BCP to create either line-type masks or, with the addition of low molecular weight PS-OH homopolymer, dot-type masks. Temperature control was essential for preventing mask migration and controlling the etched feature’s shape. Vertical silicon wire features (15 nm with feature-to-feature spacing of 26 nm) were etched with aspect ratios up to 17 : 1; higher aspect ratios were limited by the collapse of nanoscale silicon structures. Sub-10 nm fin structures were etched with aspect ratios greater than 10 : 1. Transmission electron microscopy images of the wires reveal a crystalline silicon core with an amorphous surface layer, just slightly thicker than a native oxide. (paper)

Dense Fe cluster-assembled films by energetic cluster deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, D.L.; Yamada, H.; Hihara, T.; Uchida, T.; Sumiyama, K.

2004-01-01

High-density Fe cluster-assembled films were produced at room temperature by an energetic cluster deposition. Though cluster-assemblies are usually sooty and porous, the present Fe cluster-assembled films are lustrous and dense, revealing a soft magnetic behavior. Size-monodispersed Fe clusters with the mean cluster size d=9 nm were synthesized using a plasma-gas-condensation technique. Ionized clusters are accelerated electrically and deposited onto the substrate together with neutral clusters from the same cluster source. Packing fraction and saturation magnetic flux density increase rapidly and magnetic coercivity decreases remarkably with increasing acceleration voltage. The Fe cluster-assembled film obtained at the acceleration voltage of -20 kV has a packing fraction of 0.86±0.03, saturation magnetic flux density of 1.78±0.05 Wb/m 2 , and coercivity value smaller than 80 A/m. The resistivity at room temperature is ten times larger than that of bulk Fe metal

Flexible fiber in interaction with a dense granular flow close to the jamming transition

Science.gov (United States)

Algarra, Nicolas; Leang, Marguerite; Lazarus, Arnaud; Vandembroucq, Damien; Kolb, Evelyne

2017-06-01

We propose a new fluid/structure interaction in the unusual case of a dense granular medium flowing against an elastic fiber acting as a flexible intruder. We study experimentally the reconfiguration and the forces exerted on the flexible fiber produced by the flow at a constant and low velocity of a two-dimensional disordered packing of grains close but below the jamming transition.

Matching and Compression of Strings with Automata and Word Packing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skjoldjensen, Frederik Rye; Gørtz, Inge Li; Thomassen, Carsten

pattern queries. In the deterministic variant the goal is to solve the string indexing problem without any randomization (at preprocessing time or query time). In the packed variant the strings are stored with several character in a single word, giving us the opportunity to read multiple characters...... in (deterministic) time O (m= + logm + log log ) ; where = w= log is the number of characters packed in a word of size w = (log n). Our query time is always at least as good as the previous best known bounds and whenever several characters are packed in a word, i.e., log w, the query times are faster. Dynamic...

Reorganization of a dense granular assembly: The unjamming response function

Science.gov (United States)

Kolb, Évelyne; Cviklinski, Jean; Lanuza, José; Claudin, Philippe; Clément, Éric

2004-03-01

We investigate the mechanical properties of a static dense granular assembly in response to a local forcing. To this end, a small cyclic displacement is applied on a grain in the bulk of a two-dimensional disordered packing under gravity and the displacement fields are monitored. We evidence a dominant long range radial response in the upper half part above the solicitation and after a large number of cycles the response is “quasireversible” with a remanent dissipation field exhibiting long range streams and vortexlike symmetry.

Transistor memory devices with large memory windows, using multi-stacking of densely packed, hydrophobic charge trapping metal nanoparticle array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Ikjun; Cho, Jinhan; Kim, Beom Joon; Cho, Jeong Ho; Ryu, Sook Won

2014-01-01

Organic field-effect transistor (OFET) memories have rapidly evolved from low-cost and flexible electronics with relatively low-memory capacities to memory devices that require high-capacity memory such as smart memory cards or solid-state hard drives. Here, we report the high-capacity OFET memories based on the multilayer stacking of densely packed hydrophobic metal NP layers in place of the traditional transistor memory systems based on a single charge trapping layer. We demonstrated that the memory performances of devices could be significantly enhanced by controlling the adsorption isotherm behavior, multilayer stacking structure and hydrophobicity of the metal NPs. For this study, tetraoctylammonium (TOA)-stabilized Au nanoparticles (TOA-Au NPs ) were consecutively layer-by-layer (LbL) assembled with an amine-functionalized poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (PAD). The formed (PAD/TOA-Au NP ) n films were used as a multilayer stacked charge trapping layer at the interface between the tunneling dielectric layer and the SiO 2 gate dielectric layer. For a single Au NP layer (i.e. PAD/TOA-Au NP ) 1 ) with a number density of 1.82 × 10 12 cm −2 , the memory window of the OFET memory device was measured to be approximately 97 V. The multilayer stacked OFET memory devices prepared with four Au NP layers exhibited excellent programmable memory properties (i.e. a large memory window (ΔV th ) exceeding 145 V, a fast switching speed (1 μs), a high program/erase (P/E) current ratio (greater than 10 6 ) and good electrical reliability) during writing and erasing over a relatively short time scale under an operation voltage of 100 V applied at the gate. (paper)

Generation of dense plume fingers in saturated-unsaturated homogeneous porous media

Science.gov (United States)

Cremer, Clemens J. M.; Graf, Thomas

2015-02-01

Flow under variable-density conditions is widespread, occurring in geothermal reservoirs, at waste disposal sites or due to saltwater intrusion. The migration of dense plumes typically results in the formation of vertical plume fingers which are known to be triggered by material heterogeneity or by variations in source concentration that causes the density variation. Using a numerical groundwater model, six perturbation methods are tested under saturated and unsaturated flow conditions to mimic heterogeneity and concentration variations on the pore scale in order to realistically generate dense fingers. A laboratory-scale sand tank experiment is numerically simulated, and the perturbation methods are evaluated by comparing plume fingers obtained from the laboratory experiment with numerically simulated fingers. Dense plume fingering for saturated flow can best be reproduced with a spatially random, time-constant perturbation of the solute source. For unsaturated flow, a spatially and temporally random noise of solute concentration or a random conductivity field adequately simulate plume fingering.

Impact of Australia's introduction of tobacco plain packs on adult smokers’ pack-related perceptions and responses: results from a continuous tracking survey

Science.gov (United States)

Dunlop, Sally M; Dobbins, Timothy; Young, Jane M; Perez, Donna; Currow, David C

2014-01-01

Objectives To investigate the impact of Australia's plain tobacco packaging policy on two stated purposes of the legislation—increasing the impact of health warnings and decreasing the promotional appeal of packaging—among adult smokers. Design Serial cross-sectional study with weekly telephone surveys (April 2006–May 2013). Interrupted time-series analyses using ARIMA modelling and linear regression models were used to investigate intervention effects. Participants 15 745 adult smokers (aged 18 years and above) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Random selection of participants involved recruiting households using random digit dialling and selecting the nth oldest smoker for interview. Intervention The introduction of the legislation on 1 October 2012. Outcomes Salience of tobacco pack health warnings, cognitive and emotional responses to warnings, avoidance of warnings, perceptions regarding one's cigarette pack. Results Adjusting for background trends, seasonality, antismoking advertising activity and cigarette costliness, results from ARIMA modelling showed that, 2–3 months after the introduction of the new packs, there was a significant increase in the absolute proportion of smokers having strong cognitive (9.8% increase, p=0.005), emotional (8.6% increase, p=0.01) and avoidant (9.8% increase, p=0.0005) responses to on-pack health warnings. Similarly, there was a significant increase in the proportion of smokers strongly disagreeing that the look of their cigarette pack is attractive (57.5% increase, pbrand they buy (40.6% increase, p<0.0001), makes their pack stand out (55.6% increase, p<0.0001), is fashionable (44.7% increase, p<0.0001) and matches their style (48.1% increase, p<0.0001). Changes in these outcomes were maintained 6 months postintervention. Conclusions The introductory effects of the plain packaging legislation among adult smokers are consistent with the specific objectives of the legislation in regard to reducing promotional

Effect of Tailored Dose-Dense Chemotherapy vs Standard 3-Weekly Adjuvant Chemotherapy on Recurrence-Free Survival Among Women With High-Risk Early Breast Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Foukakis, Theodoros; von Minckwitz, Gunter; Bengtsson, Nils-Olof; Brandberg, Yvonne; Wallberg, Birgitta; Fornander, Tommy; Mlineritsch, Brigitte; Schmatloch, Sabine; Singer, Christian F; Steger, Günther; Egle, Daniel; Karlsson, Eva; Carlsson, Lena; Loibl, Sibylle; Untch, Michael; Hellström, Mats; Johansson, Hemming; Anderson, Harald; Malmström, Per; Gnant, Michael; Greil, Richard; Möbus, Volker; Bergh, Jonas

2016-11-08

Standard dosing of chemotherapy based on body surface area results in marked interpatient variation in pharmacokinetics, toxic effects, and efficacy. Whether tailored dosing can improve outcomes is unknown, as is the role of dose-dense adjuvant chemotherapy. To determine whether tailored dose-dense adjuvant chemotherapy improves the outcomes of early breast cancer compared with a standard 3-weekly chemotherapy schedule. A randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial of women aged 65 years and younger who had surgery for nonmetastatic node-positive or high-risk node-negative breast cancer at 86 sites in Sweden, Germany, and Austria between February 20, 2007, and September 14, 2011. Patients were randomized 1:1 either to 4 cycles of leukocyte nadir-based tailored and dose-dense adjuvant epirubicin and cyclophosphamide every 2 weeks followed by 4 cycles of tailored dose-dense docetaxel every 2 weeks, or to standard-interval chemotherapy with 3 cycles of fluorouracil and epirubicin-cyclophosphamide every 3 weeks followed by 3 cycles of docetaxel every 3 weeks. The primary end point was breast cancer recurrence-free survival (BCRFS). Secondary end points included 5-year event-free survival (EFS), distant disease-free survival (DDFS), overall survival (OS), and rates of grade 3 or 4 toxic effects. Among 2017 randomized patients (1006 in the tailored dose-dense group and 1011 in the control group; median [IQR] age, 51 [45-58] years; 80% with hormone receptor-positive tumors; 97% with node-positive disease), 2000 received study treatment (≥1 cycle of chemotherapy; 1001 in the tailored dose-dense group and 999 in the control group). After a median follow-up of 5.3 years (IQR, 4.5-6.1 years), 269 BCRFS events were reported, 118 in the tailored dose-dense group and 151 in the control group (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.61-1.01; log-rank P = .06; 5-year BCRFS, 88.7% vs 85.0%). The tailored dose-dense group had significantly better EFS than the control group (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0

Identifying the adaptive mechanism in globular proteins: Fluctuations in densely packed regions manipulate flexible parts

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz, Lutfu Safak; Atilgan, Ali Rana

2000-09-01

A low-resolution structural model based on the packing geometry of α-carbons is utilized to establish a connection between the flexible and rigid parts of a folded protein. The former commonly recognizes a complementing molecule for making a complex, while the latter manipulates the necessary conformational change for binding. We attempt analytically to distinguish this control architecture that intrinsically exists in globular proteins. First with two-dimensional simple models, then for a native protein, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, we explicitly demonstrate that inserting fluctuations in tertiary contacts supported by the stable core, one can regulate the displacement of residues on loop regions. The positional fluctuations of the flexible regions are annihilated by the rest of the protein in conformity with the Le Chatelier-Braun principle. The results indicate that the distortion of the principal nonbonded contacts between highly packed residues is accompanied by that of the slavery fluctuations that are widely distributed over the native structure. These positional arrangements do not appear in a reciprocal relation between a perturbation and the associated response; the effect of a movement of residue i on residue j is not equal to that of the same movement of residue j on residue i.

Safety and effectiveness evaluation of a domestic peritoneal dialysis fluid packed in non-PVC bags: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Jianhui; Cao, Xueying; Lin, Hongli; Ni, Zhaohui; He, Yani; Chen, Menghua; Zheng, Hongguang; Chen, Xiangmei

2015-12-29

Peritoneal dialysis is an important type of renal replacement therapy for uremic patients. In peritoneal dialysis, fluids fill in and flow out of the abdominal cavity three to five times per day. Usually, the fluid is packed in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bag. Safety concerns have arisen over di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, which is essential in the formation of PVC materials. In 2011, the National Development and Reform Commission of China released a catalog of industrial structural adjustments, mandating the elimination of PVC bags for intravenous infusion and food containers. Although bags for peritoneal dialysis fluid were not included in the elimination list, several manufacturers began to develop new materials for fluid bags. HUAREN peritoneal dialysis fluid consists of the same electrolytes and buffer agent as in Baxter fluid, but is packed in bags that do not contain PVC. This multicenter randomized controlled trial was designed to compare peritoneal dialysis fluid packed in non-PVC-containing and PVC-containing bags. Further, the study sought to determine the proper dose of peritoneal dialysis fluid and the actual survival rates of Chinese patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. The study participants are adults undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis for 30 days to 6 months. All eligible patients are randomized (1:1) to peritoneal dialysis with Baxter and HUAREN dialysis fluids (initial dose, 6 l/day), with dosages adjusted according to a unified protocol. The primary outcomes are the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year overall survival rates. Secondary outcome measures include technique survival rates, reductions in estimated glomerular filtration rate, nutritional status, quality of life, cardiovascular events, medical costs and drop-out rates. Safety outcome measures include adverse events, changes in vital signs and laboratory parameters, peritonitis, allergies, and quality of products. This study is the first to evaluate the long-term safety and

Flexible fiber in interaction with a dense granular flow close to the jamming transition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Algarra Nicolas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We propose a new fluid/structure interaction in the unusual case of a dense granular medium flowing against an elastic fiber acting as a flexible intruder. We study experimentally the reconfiguration and the forces exerted on the flexible fiber produced by the flow at a constant and low velocity of a two-dimensional disordered packing of grains close but below the jamming transition.

Dense cranial electroacupuncture stimulation for major depressive disorder--a single-blind, randomized, controlled study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang-Jin Zhang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that electroacupuncture possesses therapeutic benefits for depressive disorders. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dense cranial electroacupuncture stimulation (DCEAS could enhance the antidepressant efficacy in the early phase of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD. METHODS: In this single-blind, randomized, controlled study, patients with MDD were randomly assigned to 9-session DCEAS or noninvasive electroacupuncture (n-EA control procedure in combination with fluoxetine (FLX for 3 weeks. Clinical outcomes were measured using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17, Clinical Global Impression-severity (CGI-S, and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS as well as the response and remission rates. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients were randomly assigned to n-EA (n = 35 and DCEAS (n = 38, of whom 34 in n-EA and 36 in DCEAS group were analyzed. DCEAS-treated patients displayed a significantly greater reduction from baseline in HAMD-17 scores at Day 3 through Day 21 and in SDS scores at Day 3 and Day 21 compared to patients receiving n-EA. DCEAS intervention also produced a higher rate of clinically significant response compared to n-EA procedure (19.4% (7/36 vs. 8.8% (3/34. The incidence of adverse events was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: DCEAS is a safe and effective intervention that augments the antidepressant efficacy. It can be considered as an additional therapy in the early phase of SSRI treatment of depressed patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN88008690.

Random three-dimensional jammed packings of elastic shells acting as force sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Jose, Jissy; van Blaaderen, Alfons; Imhof, Arnout

2016-06-01

In a jammed solid of granular particles, the applied stress is in-homogeneously distributed within the packing. A full experimental characterization requires measurement of all the interparticle forces, but so far such measurements are limited to a few systems in two and even fewer in three dimensions. Particles with the topology of (elastic) shells are good local force sensors as relatively large deformations of the shells result from relatively small forces. We recently introduced such fluorescent shells as a model granular system in which force distributions can be determined in three dimensions using confocal microscopy and quantitative image analysis. An interesting aspect about these shells that differentiates them from other soft deformable particles is their buckling behavior at higher compression. This leads to deformations that do not conserve the inner volume of the particle. Here we use this system to accurately measure the contact forces in a three-dimensional packing of shells subjected to a static anisotropic compression and to shear. At small deformations forces are linear, however, for a buckled contact, the restoring force is related to the amount of deformation by a square root law, as follows from the theory of elasticity of shells. Near the unjamming-jamming transition (point J ), we found the probability distribution of the interparticle forces P (f ) to decay nearly exponentially at large forces, with little evidence of long-range force chains in the packings. As the packing density is increased, the tail of the distribution was found to crossover to a Gaussian, in line with other experimental and simulation studies. Under a small shear strain, up to 0.216, applied at an extremely low shear rate, we observed a shear-induced anisotropy in both the pair correlation function and contact force network; however, no appreciable change was seen in the number of contacts per particle.

Effects of kinesio taping and hot packs on premenstrual syndrome in females.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jung-Hyun

2017-09-01

[Purpose] This study aimed to evaluate the effects of taping and hot packs on premenstrual syndrome, in an attempt to generate basic data for physical therapy intervention for premenstrual syndrome. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-two females in their 20s with premenstrual syndrome were randomly assigned to a taping group (n=10), hot pack group (n=11), and taping with hot pack group (n=11). Premenstrual syndrome was assessed using the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire in each participant prior to intervention and was re-assessed after applying kinesio taping and/or hot pack from 10 days before the estimated date of menstruation until the first day of menstruation. [Results] Data revealed that the taping and taping with hot pack groups showed significantly reduced premenstrual syndrome following intervention. In terms of the differences in the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire total score among the groups, the taping with hot pack and hot pack groups showed a significant difference. [Conclusion] These findings indicate that kinesio taping is an easy, non-drug intervention for female college students with premenstrual syndrome.

Understanding the effects of packing and chemical terminations on the optical excitations of azobenzene-functionalized self-assembled monolayers

Science.gov (United States)

Cocchi, Caterina; Draxl, Claudia

2017-10-01

In a first-principles study based on many-body perturbation theory, we analyze the optical excitations of azobenzene-functionalized self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with increasing packing density and different terminations, considering for comparison the corresponding gas-phase molecules and dimers. Intermolecular coupling increases with the density of the chromophores independently of the functional groups. The intense π → π* resonance that triggers photo-isomerization is present in the spectra of isolated dimers and diluted SAMs, but it is almost completely washed out in tightly packed architectures. Intermolecular coupling is partially inhibited by mixing differently functionalized azobenzene derivatives, in particular when large groups are involved. In this way, the excitation band inducing the photo-isomerization process is partially preserved and the effects of dense packing partly counterbalanced. Our results suggest that a tailored design of azobenzene-functionalized SAMs which optimizes the interplay between the packing density of the chromophores and their termination can lead to significant improvements in the photo-switching efficiency of these systems.

Development of a mathematical model of a packed column for benzene removal from salt solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgeton, G.K.

1989-01-01

A mathematical model of a packed column was developed to describe the removal of benzene from radioactive salt solutions at the Savannah River Site. The model was developed from existing, generalized mass transfer correlations for randomly dumped packing, and the correlations were adapted for structured packing. Thermophysical data specific to the solutions of interest were incorporated into the model. Verification of the code was completed using operating data from stripping columns at other locations

Impact of Australia's introduction of tobacco plain packs on adult smokers' pack-related perceptions and responses: results from a continuous tracking survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunlop, Sally M; Dobbins, Timothy; Young, Jane M; Perez, Donna; Currow, David C

2014-12-18

To investigate the impact of Australia's plain tobacco packaging policy on two stated purposes of the legislation--increasing the impact of health warnings and decreasing the promotional appeal of packaging--among adult smokers. Serial cross-sectional study with weekly telephone surveys (April 2006-May 2013). Interrupted time-series analyses using ARIMA modelling and linear regression models were used to investigate intervention effects. 15,745 adult smokers (aged 18 years and above) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Random selection of participants involved recruiting households using random digit dialling and selecting the nth oldest smoker for interview. The introduction of the legislation on 1 October 2012. Salience of tobacco pack health warnings, cognitive and emotional responses to warnings, avoidance of warnings, perceptions regarding one's cigarette pack. Adjusting for background trends, seasonality, antismoking advertising activity and cigarette costliness, results from ARIMA modelling showed that, 2-3 months after the introduction of the new packs, there was a significant increase in the absolute proportion of smokers having strong cognitive (9.8% increase, p=0.005), emotional (8.6% increase, p=0.01) and avoidant (9.8% increase, p=0.0005) responses to on-pack health warnings. Similarly, there was a significant increase in the proportion of smokers strongly disagreeing that the look of their cigarette pack is attractive (57.5% increase, p<0.0001), says something good about them (54.5% increase, p<0.0001), influences the brand they buy (40.6% increase, p<0.0001), makes their pack stand out (55.6% increase, p<0.0001), is fashionable (44.7% increase, p<0.0001) and matches their style (48.1% increase, p<0.0001). Changes in these outcomes were maintained 6 months postintervention. The introductory effects of the plain packaging legislation among adult smokers are consistent with the specific objectives of the legislation in regard to reducing

An experimental comparison of some heuristics for cardinality constrained bin packing problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maja Remic

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Bin packing is an NPhard optimization problem of packing items of given sizes into minimum number of capacitylimited bins. Besides the basic problem, numerous other variants of bin packing exist. The cardinality constrained bin packing adds an additional constraint that the number of items in a bin must not exceed a given limit Nmax. Objectives: Goal of the paper is to present a preliminary experimental study which demostrates adaptations of the new algorithms to the general cardinality constrained bin packing problem. Methods/Approach: Straightforward modifications of First Fit Decreasing (FFD, Refined First Fit (RFF and the algorithm by Zhang et al. for the bin packing problem are compared to four cardinality constrained bin packing problem specific algorithms on random lists of items with 0%, 10%, 30% and 50% of large items. The behaviour of all algorithms when cardinality constraint Nmax increases is also studied. Results: Results show that all specific algorithms outperform the general algorithms on lists with low percentage of big items. Conclusions: One of the specific algorithms performs better or equally well even on lists with high percentage of big items and is therefore of significant interest. The behaviour when Nmax increases shows that specific algorithms can be used for solving the general bin packing problem as well.

Application of a model to investigate the effective thermal conductivity of randomly packed fusion pebble beds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xiaoliang; Zheng, Jie; Chen, Hongli, E-mail: hlchen1@ustc.edu.cn

2016-05-15

In our precious study, a prediction model, which calculates the effective thermal conductivity k{sub eff} of mono-sized pebble beds, has been developed and validated. Based on this model, here the effects of these influencing factors such as pebble size, thermal radiation, contact area, filling gas, gas flow, gas pressure, etc. on the k{sub eff} of randomly packed fusion pebble beds are studied and analyzed. The pebble beds investigated include Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4}, Li{sub 2}ZrO{sub 3}, Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}, Li{sub 2}O, Be and BeO pebble beds. In the current study, many important and meaningful conclusions are derived and some of them are similar to the existing research results. Particularly, some critters that under which conditions the effect of some influencing factors can be neglected or should be considered are also presented.

Hyperons in dense matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dapo, Haris

2009-01-01

density-dependent interaction is fitted to the saturation properties of nuclear matter and used together with the V low k potential. The study of in-medium properties with these interactions is accomplished with a combination of Fermi liquid theory and random phase approximation(RPA). The Fermi liquid theory is then used to obtain the strength of the particle-hole interactions. The medium's response to neutrinos is represented via changes of the polarization function in the random phase approximation. The properties of neutrinos in dense matter are studied in both, Hartree-Fock and random phase, approximation. To understand how the changes in the mediums response alter the behavior of neutrinos in dense matter, we calculate the neutrino cross section and the neutrino mean free path. The neutrinos interact with baryons and leptons through the weak interaction, hence we calculate these for both neutral and charged currents. (orig.)

Lower sintering temperature of nanostructured dense ceramics compacted from dry nanopowders using powerful ultrasonic action

Science.gov (United States)

Khasanov, O.; Reichel, U.; Dvilis, E.; Khasanov, A.

2011-10-01

Nanostructured high dense zirconia ceramics have been sintered from dry nanopowders compacted by uniaxial pressing with simultaneous powerful ultrasonic action (PUA). Powerful ultrasound with frequency of 21 kHz was supplied from ultrasonic generator to the mold, which was the ultrasonic wave-guide. Previously the mold was filled by non-agglomerated zirconia nanopowder having average particle size of 40 nm. Any binders or plasticizers were excluded at nanopowder processing. Compaction pressure was 240 MPa, power of ultrasonic generator at PUA was 1 kW and 3 kW. The fully dense zirconia ceramics has been sintered at 1345°C and high-dense ceramics with a density of 99.1%, the most grains of which had the sizes Dgr <= 200 nm, has been sintered at low sintering temperature (1325°C). Applied approach prevents essential grain growth owing to uniform packing of nanoparticles under vibrating PU-action at pressing, which provides the friction forces control during dry nanopowder compaction without contaminating binders or plasticizers.

Particles size distribution effect on 3D packing of nanoparticles in to a bounded region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farzalipour Tabriz, M.; Salehpoor, P.; Esmaielzadeh Kandjani, A.; Vaezi, M. R.; Sadrnezhaad, S. K.

2007-01-01

In this paper, the effects of two different Particle Size Distributions on packing behavior of ideal rigid spherical nanoparticles using a novel packing model based on parallel algorithms have been reported. A mersenne twister algorithm was used to generate pseudo random numbers for the particles initial coordinates. Also, for this purpose a nano sized tetragonal confined container with a square floor (300 * 300 nm) were used in this work. The Andreasen and the Lognormal Particle Size Distributions were chosen to investigate the packing behavior in a 3D bounded region. The effects of particle numbers on packing behavior of these two Particle Size Distributions have been investigated. Also the reproducibility and the distribution of packing factor of these Particle Size Distributions were compared

Simulation of turbulent flow in a packed bed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, B.; Yu, A. [Centre for Simulation and Modelling of Particulate Systems and School of Material Science and Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052 (Australia); Wright, B.; Zulli, P. [BlueScope Steel Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 202, Port Kembla, NSW 2505 (Australia)

2006-05-15

Numerous models for simulating the flow and transport in packed beds have been proposed in the literature with few reported applications. In this paper, several turbulence models for porous media are applied to the gas flow through a randomly packed bed and are examined by means of a parametric study against some published experimental data. These models predict widely different turbulent eddy viscosity. The analysis also indicates that deficiencies exist in the formulation of some model equations and selection of a suitable turbulence model is important. With this realization, residence time distribution and velocity distribution are then simulated by considering a radial profile of porosity and turbulence induced dispersion, and the results are in good agreement with the available experimental data. (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Qualitative Observations Concerning Packing Densities for Liquids, Solutions, and Random Assemblies of Spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Duer, W. C.; And Others

1977-01-01

Discusses comparisons of packing densities derived from known molar volume data of liquids and solutions. Suggests further studies for using assemblies of spheres as models for simple liquids and solutions. (MLH)

Evaluation of the filler packing structures in dental resin composites: From theory to practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ruili; Habib, Eric; Zhu, X X

2018-07-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the packing properties of uniform silica particles and their mixture with secondary particles yielding maximally loaded dental composites. We intend to verify the difference between the idealized models (the close-packed structures and the random-packed structures) and the actual experimental results, in order to provide guidance for the preparation of dental composites. The influence of secondary particle size and the resin composition on the physical-mechanical properties and the rheological properties of the experimental dental composites was also investigated. Silica particles (S-920, S-360, and S-195) with average diameters of 920, 360, and 195nm were synthesized via the Stöber process. Their morphology and size distribution were determined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and laser particle sizer. A series of silica fillers, S-920, S-920+195, S-920+360, and S-920+360+195, were then formulated with two Bis-GMA/TEGDMA resins (weight ratios of 70:30 and 50:50). For these experimental dental composites, their maximum filler loadings were assessed and compared to the theory. The mechanical properties, degree of conversion, depth of cure, and polymerization shrinkage of these composites were then evaluated. Their rheological behaviors were measured with a rheometer. Unimodal S-920 had the maximally filler loading of 70.80wt% with the 5B5T resin, close to the theoretical estimation of the random loose packing (71.92wt%). The maximum loading of the S-920+360+195 filled composite was 72.92wt% for the same resin, compared to the theoretical estimation of 89.29wt% obtained for the close-packed structures. These findings indicate that random loose packing matches more closely to the real packing state for the filler formulations used. When maximally loaded, the composite with S-920+360+195 produced the best mechanical properties and the lowest polymerization shrinkage. The degree of conversion and depth of cure were

Modeling and Simulation of the Hydrogenation of α-Methylstyrene on Catalytically Active Metal Foams as Tubular Reactor Packing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farzad Lali

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This work presents a one-dimensional reactor model for a tubular reactor packed with a catalytically active foam packing with a pore density of 30 PPI in cocurrent upward flow in the example of hydrogenation reaction of α-methylstyrene to cumene. This model includes material, enthalpy, and momentum balances as well as continuity equations. The model was solved within the parameter space applied for experimental studies under assumption of a bubbly flow. The method of orthogonal collocation on finite elements was applied. For isothermal and polytropic processes and steady state conditions, axial profiles for concentration, temperature, fluid velocities, pressure, and liquid holdup were computed and the conversions for various gas and liquid flow rates were validated with experimental results. The obtained results were also compared in terms of space time yield and catalytic activity with experimental results and stirred tank and also with random packed bed reactor. The comparison shows that the application of solid foams as reactor packing is advantageous compared to the monolithic honeycombs and random packed beds.

Hyperons in dense matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dapo, Haris

2009-01-28

-body force with a density-dependent interaction. This density-dependent interaction is fitted to the saturation properties of nuclear matter and used together with the V{sub low} {sub k} potential. The study of in-medium properties with these interactions is accomplished with a combination of Fermi liquid theory and random phase approximation(RPA). The Fermi liquid theory is then used to obtain the strength of the particle-hole interactions. The medium's response to neutrinos is represented via changes of the polarization function in the random phase approximation. The properties of neutrinos in dense matter are studied in both, Hartree-Fock and random phase, approximation. To understand how the changes in the mediums response alter the behavior of neutrinos in dense matter, we calculate the neutrino cross section and the neutrino mean free path. The neutrinos interact with baryons and leptons through the weak interaction, hence we calculate these for both neutral and charged currents. (orig.)

Disordered strictly jammed binary sphere packings attain an anomalously large range of densities

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, Adam B.; Stillinger, Frank H.; Torquato, Salvatore

2013-08-01

Previous attempts to simulate disordered binary sphere packings have been limited in producing mechanically stable, isostatic packings across a broad spectrum of packing fractions. Here we report that disordered strictly jammed binary packings (packings that remain mechanically stable under general shear deformations and compressions) can be produced with an anomalously large range of average packing fractions 0.634≤ϕ≤0.829 for small to large sphere radius ratios α restricted to α≥0.100. Surprisingly, this range of average packing fractions is obtained for packings containing a subset of spheres (called the backbone) that are exactly strictly jammed, exactly isostatic, and also generated from random initial conditions. Additionally, the average packing fractions of these packings at certain α and small sphere relative number concentrations x approach those of the corresponding densest known ordered packings. These findings suggest for entropic reasons that these high-density disordered packings should be good glass formers and that they may be easy to prepare experimentally. We also identify an unusual feature of the packing fraction of jammed backbones (packings with rattlers excluded). The backbone packing fraction is about 0.624 over the majority of the α-x plane, even when large numbers of small spheres are present in the backbone. Over the (relatively small) area of the α-x plane where the backbone is not roughly constant, we find that backbone packing fractions range from about 0.606 to 0.829, with the volume of rattler spheres comprising between 1.6% and 26.9% of total sphere volume. To generate isostatic strictly jammed packings, we use an implementation of the Torquato-Jiao sequential linear programming algorithm [Phys. Rev. EPLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.82.061302 82, 061302 (2010)], which is an efficient producer of inherent structures (mechanically stable configurations at the local maxima in the density landscape). The identification and

THE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF A PACKED COLUMN : CALIBRATION OF AN ORIFICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aynur ŞENOL

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Investigations to develop data for this study were made using a pilot scale glass column of 9 cm inside diameter randomly filled to a depth of 1.90 cm with a Raschig type ring at a slightly modified geometry. The geometrical characteristics of packing are: the total area of a single particle ad = 2.3 cm2; specific area ap = 10.37 cm2/cm3; voidage ? = 0.545 m3/m3. The efficiency tests were run using trichloroethylene/n-heptane system under total reflux conditions. Using the modified versions of the Eckert flooding model and the Bravo effective area (ae approach, as well as the Onda wetted area (aw and individual mass transfer coefficient models, it has been attempted to estimate the packing efficiency theoretically. This article also deals with the design strategies attributed to a randomly packed column. Emphasis is mainly placed on the way to formulate an algorithm of designing a pilot scale column through the models being attributed to the film theory. Using the column dry pressure drop properties based on the air flowing it has been achieved a generalized flow rate approach for calibrating of an orifice through which the air passes.

Single crystalline cylindrical nanowires – toward dense 3D arrays of magnetic vortices

KAUST Repository

Ivanov, Yurii P.

2016-03-31

Magnetic vortex-based media have recently been proposed for several applications of nanotechnology; however, because lithography is typically used for their preparation, their low-cost, large-scale fabrication is a challenge. One solution may be to use arrays of densely packed cobalt nanowires that have been efficiently fabricated by electrodeposition. In this work, we present this type of nanoscale magnetic structures that can hold multiple stable magnetic vortex domains at remanence with different chiralities. The stable vortex state is observed in arrays of monocrystalline cobalt nanowires with diameters as small as 45 nm and lengths longer than 200 nm with vanishing magnetic cross talk between closely packed neighboring wires in the array. Lorentz microscopy, electron holography and magnetic force microscopy, supported by micromagnetic simulations, show that the structure of the vortex state can be adjusted by varying the aspect ratio of the nanowires. The data we present here introduce a route toward the concept of 3-dimensional vortex-based magnetic memories.

Single crystalline cylindrical nanowires – toward dense 3D arrays of magnetic vortices

KAUST Repository

Ivanov, Yurii P.; Chuvilin, Andrey; Vivas, Laura G.; Kosel, Jü rgen; Chubykalo-Fesenko, Oksana; Vá zquez, Manuel

2016-01-01

Magnetic vortex-based media have recently been proposed for several applications of nanotechnology; however, because lithography is typically used for their preparation, their low-cost, large-scale fabrication is a challenge. One solution may be to use arrays of densely packed cobalt nanowires that have been efficiently fabricated by electrodeposition. In this work, we present this type of nanoscale magnetic structures that can hold multiple stable magnetic vortex domains at remanence with different chiralities. The stable vortex state is observed in arrays of monocrystalline cobalt nanowires with diameters as small as 45 nm and lengths longer than 200 nm with vanishing magnetic cross talk between closely packed neighboring wires in the array. Lorentz microscopy, electron holography and magnetic force microscopy, supported by micromagnetic simulations, show that the structure of the vortex state can be adjusted by varying the aspect ratio of the nanowires. The data we present here introduce a route toward the concept of 3-dimensional vortex-based magnetic memories.

The Knot Spectrum of Confined Random Equilateral Polygons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diao Y.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available It is well known that genomic materials (long DNA chains of living organisms are often packed compactly under extreme confining conditions using macromolecular self-assembly processes but the general DNA packing mechanism remains an unsolved problem. It has been proposed that the topology of the packed DNA may be used to study the DNA packing mechanism. For example, in the case of (mutant bacteriophage P4, DNA molecules packed inside the bacteriophage head are considered to be circular since the two sticky ends of the DNA are close to each other. The DNAs extracted from the capsid without separating the two ends can thus preserve the topology of the (circular DNAs. It turns out that the circular DNAs extracted from bacteriophage P4 are non-trivially knotted with very high probability and with a bias toward chiral knots. In order to study this problem using a systematic approach based on mathematical modeling, one needs to introduce a DNA packing model under extreme volume confinement condition and test whether such a model can produce the kind of knot spectrum observed in the experiments. In this paper we introduce and study a model of equilateral random polygons con_ned in a sphere. This model is not meant to generate polygons that model DNA packed in a virus head directly. Instead, the average topological characteristics of this model may serve as benchmark data for totally randomly packed circular DNAs. The difference between the biologically observed topological characteristics and our benchmark data might reveal the bias of DNA packed in the viral capsids and possibly lead to a better understanding of the DNA packing mechanism, at least for the bacteriophage DNA. The purpose of this paper is to provide information about the knot spectrum of equilateral random polygons under such a spherical confinement with length and confinement ratios in a range comparable to circular DNAs packed inside bacteriophage heads.

Conformation, molecular packing and field effect mobility of regioregular beta,beta'-dihexylsexithiophiophene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiriy, N.; Kiriy, A.; Bocharova, V.

2004-01-01

by the pulse-radiolysis time-resolved microwave conductivity (PR-TRMC) technique was found to be Sigmamu(min) = 3.9 x 10(-3) cm(2) V-1 s(-1), which is comparable with the PR-TRMC mobility found for alpha,omega-DH6T. The field-effect mobility (FEM) of beta,beta'-DH6T was found to be on the order of 10(-5) cm(2......) V-1 s(-1), which is considerably less than the FEM of alpha,omega-DH6T. To understand the reason for such poor macroscopic electrical properties, the conformation and the molecular packing of beta,beta'-DH6T were systematically studied by means of UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy...... less dense crystalline packing than alpha,omega-DH6T. In contrast to the almost upright orientation of alpha,omega-DH6T molecules against the substrate (tilt angle about 68), the long axis of beta,beta'-DH6T molecules and the surface plane form an angle of similar to20degrees. Thus, the crystalline...

Cliques in dense inhomogenous random graphs

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Doležal, Martin; Hladký, Jan; Máthé, A.

2017-01-01

Roč. 51, č. 2 (2017), s. 275-314 ISSN 1042-9832 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA16-07378S EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 628974 - PAECIDM Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : inhomogeneous random graphs * clique number Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Pure mathematics Impact factor: 1.243, year: 2016 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ rsa .20715/abstract

Cliques in dense inhomogenous random graphs

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Doležal, Martin; Hladký, Jan; Máthé, A.

2017-01-01

Roč. 51, č. 2 (2017), s. 275-314 ISSN 1042-9832 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA16-07378S EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 628974 - PAECIDM Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : inhomogeneous random graphs * clique number Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Pure mathematics Impact factor: 1.243, year: 2016 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rsa.20715/abstract

Argo packing friction research update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

VanTassell, D.M.

1994-01-01

This paper focuses on the issue of valve packing friction and its affect on the operability of motor- and air-operated valves (MOVs and AOVs). At this time, most nuclear power plants are required to perform postmaintenance testing following a packing adjustment or replacement. In many cases, the friction generated by the packing does not impact the operability window of a valve. However, to date there has not been a concerted effort to substantiate this claim. To quantify the effects of packing friction, it has become necessary to develop a formula to predict the friction effects accurately. This formula provides a much more accurate method of predicting packing friction than previously used factors based strictly on stem diameter. Over the past 5 years, Argo Packing Company has been developing and testing improved graphite packing systems at research facilities, such as AECL Chalk River and Wyle Laboratories. Much of this testing has centered around reducing and predicting friction that is related to packing. In addition, diagnostic testing for Generic Letter 89-10 MOVs and AOVs has created a significant data base. In July 1992 Argo asked several utilities to provide running load data that could be used to quantify packing friction repeatability and predictability. This technical paper provides the basis to predict packing friction, which will improve calculations for thrust requirements for Generic Leter 89-10 and future AOV programs. In addition, having an accurate packing friction formula will improve packing performance when low running loads are identified that would indicate insufficient sealing force

Chicken Meat Submitted to Gamma Radiation and Packed with or without Oxygen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Pelicia

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects on gamma radiation levels on the physical and microbiological characteristics of chicken breast meat. A completely randomized experimental design in a 4x2x3 factorial arrangement was adopted. Treatments consisted of four radiation concentrations (0, 2, 4, or 8kGy, two package sealing methods (with or without vacuum, and three storage times (01, 07, or 14 days, with ten replicates each, totaling 240 chicken breast fillets. Packaging and radiation had no influence (p>0.05 on chicken breast meat pH, water retention capacity, or presence of Salmonella spp. Breast fillets not submitted to radiation and vacuum packed presented higher water retention capacity (p<0.05 than those radiated at 4kGy and vacuum packed. Drip loss in fillets radiated at 8kGy and not vacuum packed was higher (p<0.05 than in non-radiated and non-vacuum packed fillets; however, both were not different from the other treatments. Coliform presence increased with storage time in non-radiated samples; however, when these were vacuum-packed, their development was slower. The results of the present experiment suggest that the use of a low radiation dose (2kGy, combined with vacuum packing, may minimize the harmful effects of storage on chicken breast fillets.

Topical thermal therapy with hot packs suppresses physical inactivity-induced mechanical hyperalgesia and up-regulation of NGF.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagawa, Tatsuki; Hiraga, Shin-Ichiro; Mizumura, Kazue; Hori, Kiyomi; Ozaki, Noriyuki; Koeda, Tomoko

2017-10-12

We focused on the analgesic effect of hot packs for mechanical hyperalgesia in physically inactive rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, physical inactivity (PI), PI + sham treatment (PI + sham), and PI + hot pack treatment (PI + hot pack) groups. Physical inactivity rats wore casts on both hind limbs in full plantar flexed position for 4 weeks. Hot pack treatment was performed for 20 min a day, 5 days a week. Although mechanical hyperalgesia and the up-regulation of NGF in the plantar skin and gastrocnemius muscle were observed in the PI and the PI + sham groups, these changes were significantly suppressed in the PI + hot pack group. The present results clearly demonstrated that hot pack treatment was effective in reducing physical inactivity-induced mechanical hyperalgesia and up-regulation of NGF in plantar skin and gastrocnemius muscle.

Column-to-column packing variation of disposable pre-packed columns for protein chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweiger, Susanne; Hinterberger, Stephan; Jungbauer, Alois

2017-12-08

In the biopharmaceutical industry, pre-packed columns are the standard for process development, but they must be qualified before use in experimental studies to confirm the required performance of the packed bed. Column qualification is commonly done by pulse response experiments and depends highly on the experimental testing conditions. Additionally, the peak analysis method, the variation in the 3D packing structure of the bed, and the measurement precision of the workstation influence the outcome of qualification runs. While a full body of literature on these factors is available for HPLC columns, no comparable studies exist for preparative columns for protein chromatography. We quantified the influence of these parameters for commercially available pre-packed and self-packed columns of disposable and non-disposable design. Pulse response experiments were performed on 105 preparative chromatography columns with volumes of 0.2-20ml. The analyte acetone was studied at six different superficial velocities (30, 60, 100, 150, 250 and 500cm/h). The column-to-column packing variation between disposable pre-packed columns of different diameter-length combinations varied by 10-15%, which was acceptable for the intended use. The column-to-column variation cannot be explained by the packing density, but is interpreted as a difference in particle arrangement in the column. Since it was possible to determine differences in the column-to-column performance, we concluded that the columns were well-packed. The measurement precision of the chromatography workstation was independent of the column volume and was in a range of±0.01ml for the first peak moment and±0.007 ml 2 for the second moment. The measurement precision must be considered for small columns in the range of 2ml or less. The efficiency of disposable pre-packed columns was equal or better than that of self-packed columns. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of particle size distribution on permeability in the randomly packed porous media

Science.gov (United States)

Markicevic, Bojan

2017-11-01

An answer of how porous medium heterogeneity influences the medium permeability is still inconclusive, where both increase and decrease in the permeability value are reported. A numerical procedure is used to generate a randomly packed porous material consisting of spherical particles. Six different particle size distributions are used including mono-, bi- and three-disperse particles, as well as uniform, normal and log-normal particle size distribution with the maximum to minimum particle size ratio ranging from three to eight for different distributions. In all six cases, the average particle size is kept the same. For all media generated, the stochastic homogeneity is checked from distribution of three coordinates of particle centers, where uniform distribution of x-, y- and z- positions is found. The medium surface area remains essentially constant except for bi-modal distribution in which medium area decreases, while no changes in the porosity are observed (around 0.36). The fluid flow is solved in such domain, and after checking for the pressure axial linearity, the permeability is calculated from the Darcy law. The permeability comparison reveals that the permeability of the mono-disperse medium is smallest, and the permeability of all poly-disperse samples is less than ten percent higher. For bi-modal particles, the permeability is for a quarter higher compared to the other media which can be explained by volumetric contribution of larger particles and larger passages for fluid flow to take place.

Packing force data correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heiman, S.M.

1994-01-01

One of the issues facing valve maintenance personnel today deals with an appropriate methodology for installing and setting valve packing that will minimize leak rates, yet ensure functionality of the the valve under all anticipated operating conditions. Several variables can affect a valve packing's ability to seal, such as packing bolt torque, stem finish, and lubrication. Stem frictional force can be an excellent overall indicator of some of the underlying conditions that affect the sealing characteristics of the packing and the best parameter to use when adjusting the packing. This paper addresses stem friction forces, analytically derives the equations related to these forces, presents a methodology for measuring these forces on valve stems, and attempts to correlate the data directly to the underlying variables

Simulating the pervasive fracture and fragmentation of materials and structures using randomly close-packed Voronoi tessellations.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bishop, Joseph E.

2008-09-01

Under extreme loading conditions most often the extent of material and structural fracture is pervasive in the sense that a multitude of cracks are nucleating, propagating in arbitrary directions, coalescing, and branching. Pervasive fracture is a highly nonlinear process involving complex material constitutive behavior, material softening, localization, surface generation, and ubiquitous contact. Two primary applications in which pervasive fracture is encountered are (1) weapons effects on structures and (2) geomechanics of highly jointed and faulted reservoirs. A pure Lagrangian computational method based on randomly close-packed Voronoi tessellations is proposed as a rational approach for simulating the pervasive fracture of materials and structures. Each Voronoi cell is formulated as a finite element using the reproducing kernel method. Fracture surfaces are allowed to nucleate only at the intercell faces. The randomly seeded Voronoi cells provide an unbiased network for representing cracks. In this initial study two approaches for allowing the new surfaces to initiate are studied: (1) dynamic mesh connectivity and the instantaneous insertion of a cohesive traction when localization is detected, and (2) a discontinuous Galerkin approach in which the interelement tractions are an integral part of the variational formulation, but only become active once localization is detected. Pervasive fracture problems are extremely sensitive to initial conditions and system parameters. Dynamic problems exhibit a form of transient chaos. The primary numerical challenge for this class of problems is the demonstration of model objectivity and, in particular, the identification and demonstration of a measure of convergence for engineering quantities of interest.

Surface Characterization of Some Novel Bonded Phase Packing Materials for HPLC Columns Using MAS-NMR Spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jude Abia

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Information on the surface properties of three novel chemically bonded phase packing materials for High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC were obtained using spectra obtained by solid state cross-polarization (CP magic-angle spinning (MAS nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR spectroscopic experiments for the 29Si, and 13C nuclei. These packing materials were: Cogent bidentate C18 bonded to type-C silica, hybrid packing materials XTerra MS C18, and XBridge Prep. C18. The spectra obtained using cross-polarization magic angle spinning (CP-MAS on the Cogent bidentate C18 bonded to type-C silica show the surface to be densely populated with hydride groups (Si-H, with a relative surface coverage exceeding 80%. The hybrid packing materials XTerra and XBridge gave spectra that reveal the silicon atoms to be bonded to organic moieties embedded in the molecular structure of these materials with over 90% of the alkyl silicon atoms found within the completely condensed silicon environments. The hydrolytic stability of these materials were investigated in acidic aqueous solutions at pHs of 7.0 and 3.0, and it was found that while the samples of XTerra and XBridge were not affected by hydrolysis at this pH range, the sample of Cogent lost a significant proportion of its Si-H groups after five days of treatment in acidic aqueous solution.

Geometrical optics of dense aerosols: forming dense plasma slabs.

Science.gov (United States)

Hay, Michael J; Valeo, Ernest J; Fisch, Nathaniel J

2013-11-01

Assembling a freestanding, sharp-edged slab of homogeneous material that is much denser than gas, but much more rarefied than a solid, is an outstanding technological challenge. The solution may lie in focusing a dense aerosol to assume this geometry. However, whereas the geometrical optics of dilute aerosols is a well-developed field, the dense aerosol limit is mostly unexplored. Yet controlling the geometrical optics of dense aerosols is necessary in preparing such a material slab. Focusing dense aerosols is shown here to be possible, but the finite particle density reduces the effective Stokes number of the flow, a critical result for controlled focusing.

Flow of Dense Granular Suspensions on an Inclined Plane

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnoit, C.; Lanuza, J.; Lindner, A.; Clément, E.

2008-07-01

We investigate the flow behavior of dense granular suspensions, by the use of an inclined plane. The suspensions are prepared at high packing fractions and consist of spherical non-Brownian particles density matched with the suspending fluid. On the inclined plane, we perform a systematic study of the surface velocity as a function of the layer thickness for various flow rates and tilt angles. We perform measurements on a classical rheometer (parallel-plate rheometer) that is shown to be in good agreement with existing models, up to a volume fraction of 50%. Comparing these results, we show that the flow on an inclined plane can, up to a volume fraction of 50%, indeed be described by a purely viscous model in agreement with the results from classical rheometry.

American Spirit Pack Descriptors and Perceptions of Harm: A Crowdsourced Comparison of Modified Packs.

Science.gov (United States)

Pearson, Jennifer L; Richardson, Amanda; Feirman, Shari P; Villanti, Andrea C; Cantrell, Jennifer; Cohn, Amy; Tacelosky, Michael; Kirchner, Thomas R

2016-08-01

In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration issued warnings to three tobacco manufacturers who label their cigarettes as "additive-free" and/or "natural" on the grounds that they make unauthorized reduced risk claims. The goal of this study was to examine US adults' perceptions of three American Spirit (AS) pack descriptors ("Made with Organic Tobacco," "100% Additive-Free," and "100% US Grown Tobacco") to assess if they communicate reduced risk. In September 2012, three cross-sectional surveys were posted on Amazon Mechanical Turk. Adult participants evaluated the relative harm of a Marlboro Red pack versus three different AS packs with the descriptors "Made with Organic Tobacco," "100% Additive-Free," or "100% US Grown Tobacco" (Survey 1; n = 461); a Marlboro Red pack versus these AS packs modified to exclude descriptors (Survey 2; n = 857); and unmodified versus modified AS pack images (Survey 3; n = 1001). The majority of Survey 1 participants rated the unmodified AS packs as less harmful than the Marlboro Red pack; 35.4%-58.8% of Survey 2 participants also rated the modified (no claims) packs as less harmful than Marlboro Red. In these surveys, prior use of AS cigarettes was associated with reduced perceptions of risk (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.59-2.40). "Made with Organic Tobacco" and "100% Additive-Free" were associated with reduced perceptions of risk when comparing the modified versus the unmodified AS packs (Survey 3). Data suggest that these AS pack descriptors communicate reduced harm messages to consumers. Findings have implications for regulatory actions related to product labeling and packaging. These findings provide additional evidence that the "Made with Organic Tobacco," "100% Additive-Free," and "100% US Grown" descriptors, as well as other aspects of the AS pack design, communicate reduced harm to non-, current, and former smokers. Additionally, they provide support for the importance of FDA's 2015 warning to Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company on

Super-resolving random-Gaussian apodized photon sieve.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabatyan, Arash; Roshaninejad, Parisa

2012-09-10

A novel apodized photon sieve is presented in which random dense Gaussian distribution is implemented to modulate the pinhole density in each zone. The random distribution in dense Gaussian distribution causes intrazone discontinuities. Also, the dense Gaussian distribution generates a substantial number of pinholes in order to form a large degree of overlap between the holes in a few innermost zones of the photon sieve; thereby, clear zones are formed. The role of the discontinuities on the focusing properties of the photon sieve is examined as well. Analysis shows that secondary maxima have evidently been suppressed, transmission has increased enormously, and the central maxima width is approximately unchanged in comparison to the dense Gaussian distribution. Theoretical results have been completely verified by experiment.

Dense neuron clustering explains connectivity statistics in cortical microcircuits.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir V Klinshov

Full Text Available Local cortical circuits appear highly non-random, but the underlying connectivity rule remains elusive. Here, we analyze experimental data observed in layer 5 of rat neocortex and suggest a model for connectivity from which emerge essential observed non-random features of both wiring and weighting. These features include lognormal distributions of synaptic connection strength, anatomical clustering, and strong correlations between clustering and connection strength. Our model predicts that cortical microcircuits contain large groups of densely connected neurons which we call clusters. We show that such a cluster contains about one fifth of all excitatory neurons of a circuit which are very densely connected with stronger than average synapses. We demonstrate that such clustering plays an important role in the network dynamics, namely, it creates bistable neural spiking in small cortical circuits. Furthermore, introducing local clustering in large-scale networks leads to the emergence of various patterns of persistent local activity in an ongoing network activity. Thus, our results may bridge a gap between anatomical structure and persistent activity observed during working memory and other cognitive processes.

High-resolution of particle contacts via fluorophore exclusion in deep-imaging of jammed colloidal packings

Science.gov (United States)

Kyeyune-Nyombi, Eru; Morone, Flaviano; Liu, Wenwei; Li, Shuiqing; Gilchrist, M. Lane; Makse, Hernán A.

2018-01-01

Understanding the structural properties of random packings of jammed colloids requires an unprecedented high-resolution determination of the contact network providing mechanical stability to the packing. Here, we address the determination of the contact network by a novel strategy based on fluorophore signal exclusion of quantum dot nanoparticles from the contact points. We use fluorescence labeling schemes on particles inspired by biology and biointerface science in conjunction with fluorophore exclusion at the contact region. The method provides high-resolution contact network data that allows us to measure structural properties of the colloidal packing near marginal stability. We determine scaling laws of force distributions, soft modes, correlation functions, coordination number and free volume that define the universality class of jammed colloidal packings and can be compared with theoretical predictions. The contact detection method opens up further experimental testing at the interface of jamming and glass physics.

Hardness of approximation for strip packing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adamaszek, Anna Maria; Kociumaka, Tomasz; Pilipczuk, Marcin

2017-01-01

Strip packing is a classical packing problem, where the goal is to pack a set of rectangular objects into a strip of a given width, while minimizing the total height of the packing. The problem has multiple applications, for example, in scheduling and stock-cutting, and has been studied extensively......)-approximation by two independent research groups [FSTTCS 2016,WALCOM 2017]. This raises a questionwhether strip packing with polynomially bounded input data admits a quasi-polynomial time approximation scheme, as is the case for related twodimensional packing problems like maximum independent set of rectangles or two...

Modified strip packing heuristics for the rectangular variable-sized bin packing problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FG Ortmann

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Two packing problems are considered in this paper, namely the well-known strip packing problem (SPP and the variable-sized bin packing problem (VSBPP. A total of 252 strip packing heuristics (and variations thereof from the literature, as well as novel heuristics proposed by the authors, are compared statistically by means of 1170 SPP benchmark instances in order to identify the best heuristics in various classes. A combination of new heuristics with a new sorting method yields the best results. These heuristics are combined with a previous heuristic for the VSBPP by the authors to find good feasible solutions to 1357 VSBPP benchmark instances. This is the largest statistical comparison of algorithms for the SPP and the VSBPP to the best knowledge of the authors.

Random Access Frames (RAF): Alternative to Rack and Standoff for Deep Space Habitat Outfitting

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, A. Scott; Polit-Casillas, Raul

2014-01-01

A modular Random Access Frame (RAF) system is proposed as an alternative to the International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR) for internal module layout and outfitting in a Deep Space Habitat (DSH). The ISPR approach was designed to allow for efficient interchangeability of payload and experiments for the International Space Station (ISS) when frequent resupply missions were available (particularly the now-retired Space Shuttle). Though the standard interface approach to the ISPR system allowed integration of subsystems and hardware from a variety of sources and manufacturers, the heavy rack and standoff approach may not be appropriate when resupply or swap-out capabilities are not available, such as on deep space, long-duration missions. The lightweight RAF concept can allow a more dense packing of stowage and equipment, and may be easily broken down for repurposing or reuse. Several example layouts and workstations are presented.

Flooding characteristics of Goodloe packing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begovich, J.M.; Watson, J.S.

1976-08-01

Experimental flooding data for the countercurrent flow of air and water in a 7.62-cm-diam glass column filled with Goodloe packing were compared with a correlation reported by the packing manufacturer. Flooding rates observed in this study were as low as one-half those predicted by the correlation. Rearranging the packing by inverting the column and removing some packing segments yielded results similar to the correlation for liquid-to-gas (L/G) mass flow rate ratios greater than 10, but the experimental flooding curve fell significantly below the correlation at lower L/G ratios. When the column was repacked with new packing, the results were essentially the same as those obtained in the inverted column. Thus, it is believed that a carefully packed column is more likely to yield flooding rates similar to those obtained in the new or inverted columns rather than rates predicted by the original correlation

The advantages of hydraulic packing extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, R.S.

1991-01-01

Today's competitive environment, coupled with industry's desire to improve the efficiency of plant maintenance and operations, has management continually seeking ways to save time, money, and, at nuclear plants, radiation exposure. One area where a tremendous improvement in efficiency can be realized is valve packing removal. For example, industry experience indicates that up to 70% of the time it takes to repack a valve can be spent just removing the old packing. In some case, the bonnets of small valves are removed to facilitate packing removal and prevent stem and stuffing box damage that can occur when using packing removal picks. In other cases, small valves are simply removed and discarded because it costs less to replace the valves than to remove the packing using conventional methods. Hydraulic packing extraction greatly reduces packing removal time and will not damage the stem nor stuffing box, thus eliminating the need for bonnet removal or valve replacement. This paper will review some of the more common problems associated with manual packing extraction techniques. It will explain how hydraulic packing extraction eliminates or greatly reduces the impact of each of the problem areas. A discussion will be provided of some actual industry operating experiences related to success stories using hydraulic packing extraction. The paper will also briefly describe the operating parameters associated with hydraulic packing extraction tools. Throughout the paper, actual operating experiences from the nuclear power, fossil power, petrochemical, and refinery industries will be used to support the conclusion that hydraulic packing extraction is an alternative that can save time, money, and exposure

Robust and automated three-dimensional segmentation of densely packed cell nuclei in different biological specimens with Lines-of-Sight decomposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathew, B; Schmitz, A; Muñoz-Descalzo, S; Ansari, N; Pampaloni, F; Stelzer, E H K; Fischer, S C

2015-06-08

Due to the large amount of data produced by advanced microscopy, automated image analysis is crucial in modern biology. Most applications require reliable cell nuclei segmentation. However, in many biological specimens cell nuclei are densely packed and appear to touch one another in the images. Therefore, a major difficulty of three-dimensional cell nuclei segmentation is the decomposition of cell nuclei that apparently touch each other. Current methods are highly adapted to a certain biological specimen or a specific microscope. They do not ensure similarly accurate segmentation performance, i.e. their robustness for different datasets is not guaranteed. Hence, these methods require elaborate adjustments to each dataset. We present an advanced three-dimensional cell nuclei segmentation algorithm that is accurate and robust. Our approach combines local adaptive pre-processing with decomposition based on Lines-of-Sight (LoS) to separate apparently touching cell nuclei into approximately convex parts. We demonstrate the superior performance of our algorithm using data from different specimens recorded with different microscopes. The three-dimensional images were recorded with confocal and light sheet-based fluorescence microscopes. The specimens are an early mouse embryo and two different cellular spheroids. We compared the segmentation accuracy of our algorithm with ground truth data for the test images and results from state-of-the-art methods. The analysis shows that our method is accurate throughout all test datasets (mean F-measure: 91%) whereas the other methods each failed for at least one dataset (F-measure≤69%). Furthermore, nuclei volume measurements are improved for LoS decomposition. The state-of-the-art methods required laborious adjustments of parameter values to achieve these results. Our LoS algorithm did not require parameter value adjustments. The accurate performance was achieved with one fixed set of parameter values. We developed a novel and

The Maximum Resource Bin Packing Problem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boyar, J.; Epstein, L.; Favrholdt, L.M.

2006-01-01

Usually, for bin packing problems, we try to minimize the number of bins used or in the case of the dual bin packing problem, maximize the number or total size of accepted items. This paper presents results for the opposite problems, where we would like to maximize the number of bins used...... algorithms, First-Fit-Increasing and First-Fit-Decreasing for the maximum resource variant of classical bin packing. For the on-line variant, we define maximum resource variants of classical and dual bin packing. For dual bin packing, no on-line algorithm is competitive. For classical bin packing, we find...

Experimental investigation into a packed bed thermal storage solution for solar gas turbine systems

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Klein, P

2013-09-01

Full Text Available High temperature thermal storage in randomly packed beds of ceramic particles is proposed as an effective storage solution for Solar Gas Turbine (SGT) cycles in the near term. Numerical modelling of these systems allows for optimised thermal storage...

Valve packing manual. A maintenance application guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aikin, J.A.; McCutcheon, R.G.; Cumming, D.

1997-01-01

Since 1970, AECL Chalk River Mechanical Equipment Development (MED) branch has invested over 175 person years in testing related to improving valve packing performance. Successful developments, including, 'live-loading', reduced packing heights, and performance-based packing qualification testing have been implemented. Since 1986, MED and the Integrated Valve Actuator Program Task Force - Valve Packing Steering Committee (IVAP-VPSC) have been involved in the development of combination die-formed graphite packing for use in CANDU plants. Many reports, articles, and specifications have been issued. Due to the large amount of test data and reports, a more user-friendly document has been prepared for everyday use. The Valve Packing Manual is based on many years of MED research and testing, as well as operating experience from CANDU nuclear generating stations (NGS). Since 1986, packing research and testing has been funded by the CANDU Owners Group (COG), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and participating valve packing manufacturers. The Valve Packing Manual (VPM) provides topical summaries of all work related to valve packing done since 1985. It includes advances in configuration design, stem packing friction, materials specifications, and installation procedures. This paper provides an overview on the application of the VPM with a focus on qualification testing, packing configuration, and stem packing friction. (author)

Efficacy of fresh packed red blood transfusion in organophosphate poisoning.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Hang-Xing; Tong, Pei-Jian; Li, Cai-Xia; Du, Jing; Chen, Bing-Yu; Huang, Zhi-Hui; Wang, Ying

2017-03-01

The mortality rate caused by organophosphate (OP) poisoning is still high, even the standard treatment such as atropine and oxime improves a lot. To search for alternative therapies, this study was aimed to investigate the effects of packed red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in acute OP poisoning, and compare the therapeutic effects of RBCs at different storage times.Patients diagnosed with OP poisoning were included in this prospective study. Fresh RBCs (packed RBCs stored less than 10 days) and longer-storage RBCs (stored more than 10 days but less than 35 days) were randomly transfused or not into OP poisoning patients. Cholinesterase (ChE) levels in blood, atropine usage and durations, pralidoxime durations were measured.We found that both fresh and longer-storage RBCs (200-400 mL) significantly increased blood ChE levels 6 hours after transfusion, shortened the duration for ChE recovery and length of hospital stay, and reduced the usage of atropine and pralidoxime. In addition, fresh RBCs demonstrated stronger therapeutic effects than longer-storage RBCs.Packed RBCs might be an alternative approach in patients with OP poisoning, especially during early stages.

Experimental studies on the coolability of packed beds. Flooding of hot dry packed beds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leininger, S.; Kulenovic, R.; Laurien, E.

2013-01-01

In case of a severe accident in a nuclear power plant meltdown of the reactor core can occur and form a packed bed in the lower plenum of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) after solidification due to contact with water. The removal of after-heat and the long-term coolability is of essential interest. The efficient injection of cooling water into the packed bed has to be assured without endangering the structural integrity of the reactor pressure vessel. The experiments performed aimed to study the dry-out and the quenching (flooding) of hot dry packed beds. Two different inflow variants, bottom- and top-flooding including the variation of the starting temperature of the packed bed and the injection rate were studied. In case of bottom flooding the quenching time increases with increasing packed bed temperature and decreasing injection rate. In case of top flooding the flow pattern is more complex, in a first phase the water flows preferentially toward the RPV wall, the flow paths conduct the water downwards. The flow resistance of the packed bed increases with increasing bed temperatures. The quenching temperatures increase significantly above average.

Pictorial cigarette pack warnings: a meta-analysis of experimental studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Noar, Seth M; Hall, Marissa G; Francis, Diane B; Ribisl, Kurt M; Pepper, Jessica K; Brewer, Noel T

2016-05-01

To inform international research and policy, we conducted a meta-analysis of the experimental literature on pictorial cigarette pack warnings. We systematically searched 7 computerised databases in April 2013 using several search terms. We also searched reference lists of relevant articles. We included studies that used an experimental protocol to test cigarette pack warnings and reported data on both pictorial and text-only conditions. 37 studies with data on 48 independent samples (N=33,613) met criteria. Two independent coders coded all study characteristics. Effect sizes were computed from data extracted from study reports and were combined using random effects meta-analytic procedures. Pictorial warnings were more effective than text-only warnings for 12 of 17 effectiveness outcomes (all pnegative pack attitudes and negative smoking attitudes and (4) more effectively increased intentions to not start smoking and to quit smoking. Participants also perceived pictorial warnings as being more effective than text-only warnings across all 8 perceived effectiveness outcomes. The evidence from this international body of literature supports pictorial cigarette pack warnings as more effective than text-only warnings. Gaps in the literature include a lack of assessment of smoking behaviour and a dearth of theory-based research on how warnings exert their effects. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Optimized packings with applications

CERN Document Server

Pintér, János

2015-01-01

This volume presents a selection of case studies that address a substantial range of optimized object packings (OOP) and their applications. The contributing authors are well-recognized researchers and practitioners. The mathematical modelling and numerical solution aspects of each application case study are presented in sufficient detail. A broad range of OOP problems are discussed: these include various specific and non-standard container loading and object packing problems, as well as the stowing of hazardous and other materials on container ships, data centre resource management, automotive engineering design, space station logistic support, cutting and packing problems with placement constraints, the optimal design of LED street lighting, robust sensor deployment strategies, spatial scheduling problems, and graph coloring models and metaheuristics for packing applications. Novel points of view related to model development and to computational nonlinear, global, mixed integer optimization and heuristic st...

An on-line estimation of battery pack parameters and state-of-charge using dual filters based on pack model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xu; Wang, Yujie; Yang, Duo; Chen, Zonghai

2016-01-01

Accurate estimation of battery pack state-of-charge plays a very important role for electric vehicles, which directly reflects the behavior of battery pack usage. However, the inconsistency of battery makes the estimation of battery pack state-of-charge different from single cell. In this paper, to estimate the battery pack state-of-charge on-line, the definition of battery pack is proposed, and the relationship between the total available capacity of battery pack and single cell is put forward to analyze the energy efficiency influenced by battery inconsistency, then a lumped parameter battery model is built up to describe the dynamic behavior of battery pack. Furthermore, the extend Kalman filter-unscented Kalman filter algorithm is developed to identify the parameters of battery pack and forecast state-of-charge concurrently. The extend Kalman filter is applied to update the battery pack parameters by real-time measured data, while the unscented Kalman filter is employed to estimate the battery pack state-of-charge. Finally, the proposed approach is verified by experiments operated on the lithium-ion battery under constant current condition and the dynamic stress test profiles. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method can estimate the battery pack state-of-charge with high accuracy. - Highlights: • A novel space state equation is built to describe the pack dynamic behavior. • The dual filters method is used to estimate the pack state-of-charge. • Battery inconsistency is considered to analyze the pack usage efficiency. • The accuracy of the proposed method is verified under different conditions.

Packing Degenerate Graphs Greedily

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Allen, P.; Böttcher, J.; Hladký, J.; Piguet, Diana

2017-01-01

Roč. 61, August (2017), s. 45-51 ISSN 1571-0653 R&D Projects: GA ČR GJ16-07822Y Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : tree packing conjecture * graph packing * graph processes Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Pure mathematics

Udder health in a Danish compost bedded pack barn

OpenAIRE

Svennesen, Line; Enevoldsen, Carsten; Bjerg, Bjarne Schmidt; Klaas, Ilka Christine

2014-01-01

Besides welfare advantages of the compost bedded pack system (CBP) there could be a negative effect of the organic bedding on udder health. Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of a CBP on udder health compared to a free stall system (FS) with sand bedded cubicles. Within the same Danish organic farm, 330 multiparous cows were randomly allocated to CBP or FS. During the experimental period (EP), December 2012 to May 2013, proportions of cows with blinded teats were registered monthly a...

Solution Coating of Superior Large-Area Flexible Perovskite Thin Films with Controlled Crystal Packing

KAUST Repository

Li, Jianbo

2017-05-08

Solution coating of organohalide lead perovskites offers great potential for achieving low-cost manufacturing of large-area flexible optoelectronics. However, the rapid coating speed needed for industrial-scale production poses challenges to the control of crystal packing. Herein, this study reports using solution shearing to confine crystal nucleation and growth in large-area printed MAPbI3 thin films. Near single-crystalline perovskite microarrays are demonstrated with a high degree of controlled macroscopic alignment and crystal orientation, which exhibit significant improvements in optical and optoelectronic properties comparing with their random counterparts, spherulitic, and nanograined films. In particular, photodetectors based on the confined films showing intense anisotropy in charge transport are fabricated, and the device exhibits significantly improved performance in all aspects by one more orders of magnitude relative to their random counterparts. It is anticipated that perovskite films with controlled crystal packing may find applications in high-performance, large-area printed optoelectronics, and solar cells.

Solution Coating of Superior Large-Area Flexible Perovskite Thin Films with Controlled Crystal Packing

KAUST Repository

Li, Jianbo; Liu, Yucheng; Ren, Xiaodong; Yang, Zhou; Li, Ruipeng; Su, Hang; Yang, Xiaoming; Xu, Junzhuo; Xu, Hua; Hu, Jian-Yong; Amassian, Aram; Zhao, Kui; Liu, Shengzhong Frank

2017-01-01

Solution coating of organohalide lead perovskites offers great potential for achieving low-cost manufacturing of large-area flexible optoelectronics. However, the rapid coating speed needed for industrial-scale production poses challenges to the control of crystal packing. Herein, this study reports using solution shearing to confine crystal nucleation and growth in large-area printed MAPbI3 thin films. Near single-crystalline perovskite microarrays are demonstrated with a high degree of controlled macroscopic alignment and crystal orientation, which exhibit significant improvements in optical and optoelectronic properties comparing with their random counterparts, spherulitic, and nanograined films. In particular, photodetectors based on the confined films showing intense anisotropy in charge transport are fabricated, and the device exhibits significantly improved performance in all aspects by one more orders of magnitude relative to their random counterparts. It is anticipated that perovskite films with controlled crystal packing may find applications in high-performance, large-area printed optoelectronics, and solar cells.

Valve-stem-packing improvement study. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adey, C.W.; Klein, J.J.

1982-08-01

By employing questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with valve and valve packing manufacturers, as well as nuclear plant personnel, an understanding of valve stem packing leakage problems from each of the three viewpoints was developed. This information, in-house experience, and available technical literature were used to develop specific recommendations for valve manufacturers, valve packing manufacturers, and nuclear plant valve users. It was generally recommended that each these groups make better use of graphite packing. The questionnaires and interviews indicated that increased usage of graphite packing over the last few years has reduced the incidence of valve packing problems. To confirm this, a survey of Licensee Event Reports (LERs) from 1972 to 1980 was undertaken using the keywords Valve and Packing. A statistical analysis of the LER data confirms that the adoption of graphite packing has significantly reduced valve stem leakage

Numerical modelling for the effective thermal conductivity of lithium meta titanate pebble bed with different packing structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Panchal, Maulik, E-mail: maulikpanchal@ipr.res.in [Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar-382428 (India); Chaudhuri, Paritosh [Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar-382428 (India); Van Lew, Jon T; Ying, Alice [UCLA, MAE Department, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1597 (United States)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • The effective thermal conductivity (k{sub eff}) of lithium meta-titanate (Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}) pebble beds is an important parameter for the design and analysis of TBM in ITER. • The k{sub eff} of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble beds under stagnant helium gas have been determined numerically using different uniform packing structures and random close packing (RCP) structures. • k{sub eff} of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble beds with different packing fractions have been reported as function of temperature; k{sub eff} of the RCP Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble bed is compared with reported experimental results. • The numerically-determined k{sub eff} of the RCP Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble bed agrees reasonably well with the experimental data and Zehner-Schlunder correlation. - Abstract: The effective thermal conductivity (k{sub eff}) of lithium meta-titanate (Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}) pebble beds is an important parameter for the design and analysis of IN LLCB TBM (Indian Lead Lithium Ceramic Breeder Test Blanket Module). The k{sub eff} of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble beds under stagnant helium gas have been determined numerically using different uniform packing structures and random close packing (RCP) structures. The uniform packing structures of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble bed are modelled by using the simple cubic, body centered cubic and face centered cubic arrangement. The packing structure of the RCP bed of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebbles is generated with the discrete element method (DEM) code. k{sub eff} of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble beds with different packing fractions have been reported as function of temperature; k{sub eff} of the RCP Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble bed is compared with reported experimental results from literature. The numerically determined k{sub eff} of the Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble bed agrees reasonably well with the experimental data.

Bond-orientational analysis of hard-disk and hard-sphere structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Senthil Kumar, V; Kumaran, V

2006-05-28

We report the bond-orientational analysis results for the thermodynamic, random, and homogeneously sheared inelastic structures of hard-disks and hard-spheres. The thermodynamic structures show a sharp rise in the order across the freezing transition. The random structures show the absence of crystallization. The homogeneously sheared structures get ordered at a packing fraction higher than the thermodynamic freezing packing fraction, due to the suppression of crystal nucleation. On shear ordering, strings of close-packed hard-disks in two dimensions and close-packed layers of hard-spheres in three dimensions, oriented along the velocity direction, slide past each other. Such a flow creates a considerable amount of fourfold order in two dimensions and body-centered-tetragonal (bct) structure in three dimensions. These transitions are the flow analogs of the martensitic transformations occurring in metals due to the stresses induced by a rapid quench. In hard-disk structures, using the bond-orientational analysis we show the presence of fourfold order. In sheared inelastic hard-sphere structures, even though the global bond-orientational analysis shows that the system is highly ordered, a third-order rotational invariant analysis shows that only about 40% of the spheres have face-centered-cubic (fcc) order, even in the dense and near-elastic limits, clearly indicating the coexistence of multiple crystalline orders. When layers of close-packed spheres slide past each other, in addition to the bct structure, the hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) structure is formed due to the random stacking faults. Using the Honeycutt-Andersen pair analysis and an analysis based on the 14-faceted polyhedra having six quadrilateral and eight hexagonal faces, we show the presence of bct and hcp signatures in shear ordered inelastic hard-spheres. Thus, our analysis shows that the dense sheared inelastic hard-spheres have a mixture of fcc, bct, and hcp structures.

Complications of balloon packing in epistaxis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vermeeren, Lenka; Derks, Wynia; Fokkens, Wytske; Menger, Dirk Jan

2015-01-01

Although balloon packing appears to be efficient to control epistaxis, severe local complications can occur. We describe four patients with local lesions after balloon packing. Prolonged balloon packing can cause damage to nasal mucosa, septum and alar skin (nasal mucosa, the cartilaginous skeleton

Radiative Transfer of Solar Light in Dense Complex Media : Theoretical and Experimental Achievements by the Planetary Community

Science.gov (United States)

Doute, S.; Schmitt, B.

2004-05-01

Visible and near infrared imaging spectroscopy is one of the key techniques to detect, map and characterize mineral and volatile species existing at the surface of the planets. Indeed the chemical composition, granularity, texture, physical state, etc, of the materials determine the existence and morphology of the absorption bands. However the development of quantitative methods to analyze reflectance spectra requires mastering of a very challenging physics: the reflection of solar light by densely packed, absorbent and highly scattering materials that usually present a fantastic structural complexity at different spatial scales. Volume scattering of photons depends on many parameters like the intrinsic optical properties, the shapes, sizes and the packing density of the mineral or icy grains forming the natural media. Their discontinuous and stochastic nature plays a great role especially for reflection and shading by the top few grains of the surface. Over several decades, the planetary community has developed increasingly sophisticated tools to handle this problem of radiative transfer in dense complex media in order to fulfill its needs. Analytical functions with a small number of non physical adjusting parameters were first proposed to reproduce the photometry of the planets and satellites. Then reflectance models were built by implementing methods of radiative transfer in continuously absorbent and scattering medium. A number of very restricting hypothesis forms the basis of these methods, e.g. low particles density, scattering treated in the far field approximation. A majority of these assumptions does not stand when treating planetary regoliths or volatile deposits. In addition, the classical methods completely bypass effects due to the constructive interference of scattered waves for backscattering or specular geometries (e.g. the opposition effect). Different, sometimes competing, approaches have been proposed to overcome some of these limitations. In

Hypostatic jammed packings of frictionless nonspherical particles

Science.gov (United States)

VanderWerf, Kyle; Jin, Weiwei; Shattuck, Mark D.; O'Hern, Corey S.

2018-01-01

We perform computational studies of static packings of a variety of nonspherical particles including circulo-lines, circulo-polygons, ellipses, asymmetric dimers, dumbbells, and others to determine which shapes form packings with fewer contacts than degrees of freedom (hypostatic packings) and which have equal numbers of contacts and degrees of freedom (isostatic packings), and to understand why hypostatic packings of nonspherical particles can be mechanically stable despite having fewer contacts than that predicted from naive constraint counting. To generate highly accurate force- and torque-balanced packings of circulo-lines and cir-polygons, we developed an interparticle potential that gives continuous forces and torques as a function of the particle coordinates. We show that the packing fraction and coordination number at jamming onset obey a masterlike form for all of the nonspherical particle packings we studied when plotted versus the particle asphericity A , which is proportional to the ratio of the squared perimeter to the area of the particle. Further, the eigenvalue spectra of the dynamical matrix for packings of different particle shapes collapse when plotted at the same A . For hypostatic packings of nonspherical particles, we verify that the number of "quartic" modes along which the potential energy increases as the fourth power of the perturbation amplitude matches the number of missing contacts relative to the isostatic value. We show that the fourth derivatives of the total potential energy in the directions of the quartic modes remain nonzero as the pressure of the packings is decreased to zero. In addition, we calculate the principal curvatures of the inequality constraints for each contact in circulo-line packings and identify specific types of contacts with inequality constraints that possess convex curvature. These contacts can constrain multiple degrees of freedom and allow hypostatic packings of nonspherical particles to be mechanically

The structural origin of the hard-sphere glass transition in granular packing.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Chengjie; Li, Jindong; Cao, Yixin; Kou, Binquan; Xiao, Xianghui; Fezzaa, Kamel; Xiao, Tiqiao; Wang, Yujie

2015-09-28

Glass transition is accompanied by a rapid growth of the structural relaxation time and a concomitant decrease of configurational entropy. It remains unclear whether the transition has a thermodynamic origin, and whether the dynamic arrest is associated with the growth of a certain static order. Using granular packing as a model hard-sphere glass, we show the glass transition as a thermodynamic phase transition with a 'hidden' polytetrahedral order. This polytetrahedral order is spatially correlated with the slow dynamics. It is geometrically frustrated and has a peculiar fractal dimension. Additionally, as the packing fraction increases, its growth follows an entropy-driven nucleation process, similar to that of the random first-order transition theory. Our study essentially identifies a long-sought-after structural glass order in hard-sphere glasses.

WARM EXTENDED DENSE GAS AT THE HEART OF A COLD COLLAPSING DENSE CORE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinnaga, Hiroko; Phillips, Thomas G.; Furuya, Ray S.; Kitamura, Yoshimi

2009-01-01

In order to investigate when and how the birth of a protostellar core occurs, we made survey observations of four well-studied dense cores in the Taurus molecular cloud using CO transitions in submillimeter bands. We report here the detection of unexpectedly warm (∼30-70 K), extended (radius of ∼2400 AU), dense (a few times 10 5 cm -3 ) gas at the heart of one of the dense cores, L1521F (MC27), within the cold dynamically collapsing components. We argue that the detected warm, extended, dense gas may originate from shock regions caused by collisions between the dynamically collapsing components and outflowing/rotating components within the dense core. We propose a new stage of star formation, 'warm-in-cold core stage (WICCS)', i.e., the cold collapsing envelope encases the warm extended dense gas at the center due to the formation of a protostellar core. WICCS would constitute a missing link in evolution between a cold quiescent starless core and a young protostar in class 0 stage that has a large-scale bipolar outflow.

Development of a leadership resource pack

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

The pack contains notes and presentation material for OSD inspectors to help them prepare for health and safety discussions with senior managers. The successful application of the leadership resource pack depends on an inspector gaining familiarity with the contents of the pack. Flexibility and adaptability were considered crucial factors in developing the contents. The pack is not considered a substitute for an inspector's own experience, knowledge or substitute for prior research. The leadership resource pack is intended as a source of knowledge and good practice that demonstrates how positive leadership can drive a health and safety agenda alongside business considerations. The benefits of the leadership resource pack include: the creation of a flexible tool that inspectors can use to highlight key leadership messages in health and safety; the development of a seven-stage model for characterising senior management commitment; practical examples of how leadership in health and safety management was felt throughout nine organisations; ideas for devising an aide memoire for specific discussions with senior managers. (author)

Residual Defect Density in Random Disks Deposits.

Science.gov (United States)

Topic, Nikola; Pöschel, Thorsten; Gallas, Jason A C

2015-08-03

We investigate the residual distribution of structural defects in very tall packings of disks deposited randomly in large channels. By performing simulations involving the sedimentation of up to 50 × 10(9) particles we find all deposits to consistently show a non-zero residual density of defects obeying a characteristic power-law as a function of the channel width. This remarkable finding corrects the widespread belief that the density of defects should vanish algebraically with growing height. A non-zero residual density of defects implies a type of long-range spatial order in the packing, as opposed to only local ordering. In addition, we find deposits of particles to involve considerably less randomness than generally presumed.

Force-chain evolution in a two-dimensional granular packing compacted by vertical tappings

Science.gov (United States)

Iikawa, Naoki; Bandi, M. M.; Katsuragi, Hiroaki

2018-03-01

We experimentally study the statistics of force-chain evolution in a vertically-tapped two-dimensional granular packing by using photoelastic disks. In this experiment, the tapped granular packing is gradually compacted. During the compaction, the isotropy of grain configurations is quantified by measuring the deviator anisotropy derived from fabric tensor, and then the evolution of force-chain structure is quantified by measuring the interparticle forces and force-chain orientational order parameter. As packing fraction increases, the interparticle force increases and finally saturates to an asymptotic value. Moreover, the grain configurations and force-chain structures become isotropically random as the tapping-induced compaction proceeds. In contrast, the total length of force chains remains unchanged. From the correlations of those parameters, we find two relations: (i) a positive correlation between the isotropy of grain configurations and the disordering of force-chain orientations, and (ii) a negative correlation between the increasing of interparticle forces and the disordering of force-chain orientations. These relations are universally held regardless of the mode of particle motions with or without convection.

Mechanised packing for longwall coal faces. Monolithic packing and powered supports for the packhole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carr, F; Kitching, F

1978-11-01

If full advantage is to be taken of the great advances that have taken place in power loading and powered support at the coalface, other operations in that vicinity must be similarly mechanised and automated. The gateside packing is one of the most important of these ancillary operations on the longwall face, and in previous articles F. Carr and F. Kitching, National Coal Board Headquarters, Coalface Operations Mining Engineers have given a very comprehensive resume of the present situation. Subjects covered include the requirements of mechanised packing, the parameters involved, the various working arrangements, the different systems of gate-ends, the types of equipment that are being used, their characteristics, the spread of their application, and the results obtained from them. In this article the authors conclude their survey by dealing with dirt/cement and anhydrite packing, by taking a hard look at powered supports for the packhole, and by expressing their views on the way mechanised packing may be expected to develop in the future.

Hypostatic jammed packings of frictionless nonspherical particles

OpenAIRE

VanderWerf, Kyle; Jin, Weiwei; Shattuck, Mark D.; O'Hern, Corey S.

2017-01-01

We perform computational studies of static packings of a variety of nonspherical particles including circulo-lines, circulo-polygons, ellipses, asymmetric dimers, and dumbbells to determine which shapes form hypostatic versus isostatic packings and to understand why hypostatic packings of nonspherical particles can be mechanically stable despite having fewer contacts than that predicted from na\\"ive constraint counting. To generate highly accurate force- and torque-balanced packings of circul...

Development of an effective valve packing program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hart, K.A.

1996-12-01

Current data now shows that graphite valve packing installed within the guidance of a controlled program produces not only reliable stem sealing but predictable running loads. By utilizing recent technological developments in valve performance monitoring for both MOV`s and AOV`s, valve packing performance can be enhanced while reducing maintenance costs. Once known, values are established for acceptable valve packing loads, the measurement of actual valve running loads via the current MOV/AOV diagnostic techniques can provide indication of future valve stem sealing problems, improper valve packing installation or identify the opportunity for valve packing program improvements. At times the full benefit of these advances in material and predictive technology remain under utilized due to simple past misconceptions associated with valve packing. This paper will explore the basis for these misconceptions, provide general insight into the current understanding of valve packing and demonstrate how with this new understanding and current valve diagnostic equipment the key aspects required to develop an effective, quality valve packing program fit together. The cost and operational benefits provided by this approach can be significant impact by the: elimination of periodic valve repacking, reduction of maintenance costs, benefits of leak-free valve operation, justification for reduced Post Maintenance Test Requirements, reduced radiation exposure, improved plant appearance.

BNGS B valve packing program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cumming, D.

1995-01-01

The Bruce B Valve Packing Program began in 1987. The early history and development were presented at the 1992 International CANDU Maintenance conference. This presentation covers the evolution of the Bruce B Valve Packing Program over the period 1992 to 1995. (author)

The pursuit of perfect packing

CERN Document Server

Weaire, Denis

2008-01-01

Coauthored by one of the creators of the most efficient space packing solution, the Weaire-Phelan structure, The Pursuit of Perfect Packing, Second Edition explores a problem of importance in physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, and engineering: the packing of structures. Maintaining its mathematical core, this edition continues and revises some of the stories from its predecessor while adding several new examples and applications. The book focuses on both scientific and everyday problems ranging from atoms to honeycombs. It describes packing models, such as the Kepler conjecture, Voronoï decomposition, and Delaunay decomposition, as well as actual structure models, such as the Kelvin cell and the Weaire-Phelan structure. The authors discuss numerous historical aspects and provide biographical details on influential contributors to the field, including emails from Thomas Hales and Ken Brakke. With examples from physics, crystallography, engineering, and biology, this accessible and whimsical bo...

Battery Pack Thermal Design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pesaran, Ahmad

2016-06-14

This presentation describes the thermal design of battery packs at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. A battery thermal management system essential for xEVs for both normal operation during daily driving (achieving life and performance) and off-normal operation during abuse conditions (achieving safety). The battery thermal management system needs to be optimized with the right tools for the lowest cost. Experimental tools such as NREL's isothermal battery calorimeter, thermal imaging, and heat transfer setups are needed. Thermal models and computer-aided engineering tools are useful for robust designs. During abuse conditions, designs should prevent cell-to-cell propagation in a module/pack (i.e., keep the fire small and manageable). NREL's battery ISC device can be used for evaluating the robustness of a module/pack to cell-to-cell propagation.

7 CFR 982.11 - Pack.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... according to size, internal quality, and external appearance and condition of hazelnuts packed in accordance... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Pack. 982.11 Section 982.11 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and...

Packing circles and spheres on surfaces

KAUST Repository

Schiftner, Alexander; Hö binger, Mathias; Wallner, Johannes; Pottmann, Helmut

2009-01-01

Inspired by freeform designs in architecture which involve circles and spheres, we introduce a new kind of triangle mesh whose faces' incircles form a packing. As it turns out, such meshes have a rich geometry and allow us to cover surfaces with circle patterns, sphere packings, approximate circle packings, hexagonal meshes which carry a torsion-free support structure, hybrid tri-hex meshes, and others. We show how triangle meshes can be optimized so as to have the incircle packing property. We explain their relation to conformal geometry and implications on solvability of optimization. The examples we give confirm that this kind of meshes is a rich source of geometric structures relevant to architectural geometry. © 2009 ACM.

Packing circles and spheres on surfaces

KAUST Repository

Schiftner, Alexander

2009-12-01

Inspired by freeform designs in architecture which involve circles and spheres, we introduce a new kind of triangle mesh whose faces\\' incircles form a packing. As it turns out, such meshes have a rich geometry and allow us to cover surfaces with circle patterns, sphere packings, approximate circle packings, hexagonal meshes which carry a torsion-free support structure, hybrid tri-hex meshes, and others. We show how triangle meshes can be optimized so as to have the incircle packing property. We explain their relation to conformal geometry and implications on solvability of optimization. The examples we give confirm that this kind of meshes is a rich source of geometric structures relevant to architectural geometry.

Packing circles and spheres on surfaces

KAUST Repository

Schiftner, Alexander

2009-01-01

Inspired by freeform designs in architecture which involve circles and spheres, we introduce a new kind of triangle mesh whose faces\\' incircles form a packing. As it turns out, such meshes have a rich geometry and allow us to cover surfaces with circle patterns, sphere packings, approximate circle packings, hexagonal meshes which carry a torsion-free support structure, hybrid tri-hex meshes, and others. We show how triangle meshes can be optimized so as to have the incircle packing property. We explain their relation to conformal geometry and implications on solvability of optimization. The examples we give confirm that this kind of meshes is a rich source of geometric structures relevant to architectural geometry. © 2009 ACM.

Packing circles and spheres on surfaces

KAUST Repository

Schiftner, Alexander; Hö binger, Mathias; Wallner, Johannes; Pottmann, Helmut

2009-01-01

Inspired by freeform designs in architecture which involve circles and spheres, we introduce a new kind of triangle mesh whose faces' incircles form a packing. As it turns out, such meshes have a rich geometry and allow us to cover surfaces with circle patterns, sphere packings, approximate circle packings, hexagonal meshes which carry a torsion-free support structure, hybrid tri-hex meshes, and others. We show how triangle meshes can be optimized so as to have the incircle packing property. We explain their relation to conformal geometry and implications on solvability of optimization. The examples we give confirm that this kind of meshes is a rich source of geometric structures relevant to architectural geometry.

Packing configuration performance for small stem diameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aikin, J.A.; Spence, C.G.; Cumming, D.

1997-01-01

The extensive use of graphite packing and its excellent track record for large isolating valves in CANDU, Primary Heat Transfer (PHT) systems has resulted in an increased application of graphite packing on the conventional side. Many of these applications are in air operated valves (AOVs) where the packing sets are used on small stem diameters (<1 inch) with frequent short-cycling strokes (± 10% of full stroke). The direct application of the proven packing configurations for large isolated valves to control valve application has generated problems such as stiction, packing wear and, in isolated cases, stem stall. To address this issue, a test program was conducted at AECL, CRL by MED branch. The testing showed that by reconfiguring the packing sets and using PTFE wafers reductions in stem friction of 50% at ambient conditions, a 3 fold at hot conditions are achievable. The test program also demonstrated benefits gained in packing wear with different stem roughness finishes and the potential need to exercise small stems valves that see less than full stroke cycling. The paper describes the tests results and provides field support experience. (author)

Bidispersed Sphere Packing on Spherical Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Atherton, Timothy; Mascioli, Andrew; Burke, Christopher

Packing problems on spherical surfaces have a long history, originating in the classic Thompson problem of finding the ground state configuration of charges on a sphere. Such packings contain a minimal number of defects needed to accommodate the curvature; this is predictable using the Gauss-Bonnet theorem from knowledge of the topology of the surface and the local symmetry of the ordering. Famously, the packing of spherical particles on a sphere contains a 'scar' transition, where additional defects over those required by topology appear above a certain critical number of particles and self-organize into chains or scars. In this work, we study the packing of bidispersed packings on a sphere, and hence determine the interaction of bidispersity and curvature. The resultant configurations are nearly crystalline for low values of bidispersity and retain scar-like structures; these rapidly become disordered for intermediate values and approach a so-called Appollonian limit at the point where smaller particles can be entirely accommodated within the voids left by the larger particles. We connect our results with studies of bidispersed packings in the bulk and on flat surfaces from the literature on glassy systems and jamming. Supported by a Cottrell Award from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement.

Influence of γ-ray radiation on mechanical character of packing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tashiro, Hisao; Sakuma, Toshio

1989-01-01

This paper describes the results of investigation on coefficient of friction, normal to axial pressure-ratio and compressed strain of packings influenced by γ-ray irradiation, which are necessary to evaluate the mechanical characteristics of packing, using packings made of seven kinds of new materials and conventional asbestos packing A. It resulted that graphite packing was less influenced by the γ-ray exposure, whereas carbon-fiber (pitch) packing, tefron-fiber packing and alamid-fiber packing were much influenced as compared with the graphite packing. (author)

Effects of Odd–Even Side Chain Length of Alkyl-Substituted Diphenylbithiophenes on First Monolayer Thin Film Packing Structure

KAUST Repository

Akkerman, Hylke B.

2013-07-31

Because of their preferential two-dimensional layer-by-layer growth in thin films, 5,5′bis(4-alkylphenyl)-2,2′-bithiophenes (P2TPs) are model compounds for studying the effects of systematic chemical structure variations on thin-film structure and morphology, which in turn, impact the charge transport in organic field-effect transistors. For the first time, we observed, by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD), a strong change in molecular tilt angle in a monolayer of P2TP, depending on whether the alkyl chain on the P2TP molecules was of odd or even length. The monolayers were deposited on densely packed ultrasmooth self-assembled alkane silane modified SiO2 surfaces. Our work shows that a subtle change in molecular structure can have a significant impact on the molecular packing structure in thin film, which in turn, will have a strong impact on charge transport of organic semiconductors. This was verified by quantum-chemical calculations that predict a corresponding odd-even effect in the strength of the intermolecular electronic coupling. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Effects of Odd–Even Side Chain Length of Alkyl-Substituted Diphenylbithiophenes on First Monolayer Thin Film Packing Structure

KAUST Repository

Akkerman, Hylke B.; Mannsfeld, Stefan C. B.; Kaushik, Ananth P.; Verploegen, Eric; Burnier, Luc; Zoombelt, Arjan P.; Saathoff, Jonathan D.; Hong, Sanghyun; Atahan-Evrenk, Sule; Liu, Xueliang; Aspuru-Guzik, Alá n; Toney, Michael F.; Clancy, Paulette; Bao, Zhenan

2013-01-01

Because of their preferential two-dimensional layer-by-layer growth in thin films, 5,5′bis(4-alkylphenyl)-2,2′-bithiophenes (P2TPs) are model compounds for studying the effects of systematic chemical structure variations on thin-film structure and morphology, which in turn, impact the charge transport in organic field-effect transistors. For the first time, we observed, by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD), a strong change in molecular tilt angle in a monolayer of P2TP, depending on whether the alkyl chain on the P2TP molecules was of odd or even length. The monolayers were deposited on densely packed ultrasmooth self-assembled alkane silane modified SiO2 surfaces. Our work shows that a subtle change in molecular structure can have a significant impact on the molecular packing structure in thin film, which in turn, will have a strong impact on charge transport of organic semiconductors. This was verified by quantum-chemical calculations that predict a corresponding odd-even effect in the strength of the intermolecular electronic coupling. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Reconfiguration of a flexible fiber immersed in a 2D dense granular flow close to the jamming transition

Science.gov (United States)

Kolb, Evelyne; Algarra, Nicolas; Vandembroucq, Damien; Lazarus, Arnaud

2015-11-01

We propose a new fluid/structure interaction in the unusual case of a dense granular medium flowing against an elastic fibre acting as a flexible intruder. We experimentally studied the deflection of a mylar flexible beam clamped at one side, the other free side facing a 2D granular flow in a horizontal cell moving at a constant velocity. We investigated the reconfiguration of the fibre as a function of the fibre's rigidity and of the granular packing fraction close but below the jamming in 2D. Imposing the fibre geometry like its length or thickness sets the critical buckling force the fibre is able to resist if it was not supported by lateral grains, while increasing the granular packing fraction might laterally consolidate the fibre and prevent it from buckling. But on the other side, the approach to jamming transition by increasing the granular packing fraction will be characterized by a dramatically increasing size of the cluster of connected grains forming a solid block acting against the fibre, which might promote the fibre's deflection. Thus, we investigated the granular flow fields, the fibre's deflexion as well as the forces experienced by the fibre and compared them with theoretical predictions from elastica for different loadings along the fibre. PMMH, CNRS UMR 7636, UPMC, ESPCI-ParisTech, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France.

48 CFR 552.211-87 - Export packing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Export packing. 552.211-87... FORMS SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 552.211-87 Export packing. As prescribed in 511.204(b)(7), insert the following clause: Export Packing (JAN 2010) (a...

Shelving 6 pack crisps

OpenAIRE

Garriga Torrecillas, Núria; Otrubova, Natalie; Worm, Robert; Larroque, Thibaut

2017-01-01

6-Pack crisps are one of the main products sold by PepsiCo using the standard shelf storage options offered by Tesco PLC. While presenting specific packaging involves a multitude of variables. This report focusses on cognitive recognition, brand confusion and product attractiveness. PepsiCo asked the research team to investigate innovative ways of presenting the crisp 6-pack variant on instore displays. research shows that attraction is crucial in the form of expected rewards. The combination...

Does Post Septoplasty Nasal Packing Reduce Complications?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bijan Naghibzadeh

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The main issues in nasal surgery are to stabilize the nose in the good position after surgery and preserve the cartilages and bones in the favorable situation and reduce the risk of deviation recurrence. Also it is necessary to avoid the synechia formation, nasal valve narrowing, hematoma and bleeding. Due to the above mentioned problems and in order to solve and minimize them nasal packing, nasal splint and nasal mold have been advised. Patients for whom the nasal packing used may faced to some problems like naso-pulmonary reflex, intractable pain, sleep disorder, post operation infection and very dangerous complication like toxic shock syndrome. We have two groups of patients and three surgeons (one of the surgeons used post operative nasal packing in his patients and the two others surgeons did not.Complications and morbidities were compared in these two groups. Comparing the two groups showed that the rate of complication and morbidities between these two groups were same and the differences were not valuable, except the pain and discomfort post operatively and at the time of its removal. Nasal packing has several risks for the patients while its effects are not studied. Septoplasty can be safely performed without postoperative nasal packing. Nasal packing had no main findings that compensated its usage. Septal suture is one of the procedures that can be used as alternative method to nasal packing. Therefore the nasal packing after septoplasty should be reserved for the patients with increased risk of bleeding.

Tuneabilities of localized electromagnetic modes in random nanostructures for random lasing

Science.gov (United States)

Takeda, S.; Obara, M.

2010-02-01

The modal characteristics of localized electromagnetic waves inside random nanostructures are theoretically presented. It is crucial to know the tuneabilities of the localized modes systematically for demonstrating a specific random lasing application. By use of FDTD (Finite-Difference Time-Domain) method, we investigated the impulse response of two-dimensional random nanostructures consisting of closely packed cylindrical dielectric columns, and precisely analyzed the localized modes. We revealed the tuneability of the frequency of the localized modes by controlling the medium configurations: diameter, spatial density, and refractive index of the cylinders. Furthermore, it is found to be able to tune the Q (quality) factors of the localized modes dramatically by controlling simply the system size of the entire medium. The observed Q factors of approximately 1.6×104 were exhibited in our random disordered structures.

Quantum steganography with a large payload based on dense coding and entanglement swapping of Greenberger—Horne—Zeilinger states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Tian-Yu; Jiang Li-Zhen

2013-01-01

A quantum steganography protocol with a large payload is proposed based on the dense coding and the entanglement swapping of the Greenberger—Horne—Zeilinger (GHZ) states. Its super quantum channel is formed by building up a hidden channel within the original quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) scheme. Based on the original QSDC, secret messages are transmitted by integrating the dense coding and the entanglement swapping of the GHZ states. The capacity of the super quantum channel achieves six bits per round covert communication, much higher than the previous quantum steganography protocols. Its imperceptibility is good, since the information and the secret messages can be regarded to be random or pseudo-random. Moreover, its security is proved to be reliable. (general)

A Quantitative Study on Packing Density and Pozzolanic Activity of Cementitious Materials Based on the Compaction Packing Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong, Jianqing; Chou, Kai; Huang, Zheng Yu; Zhao, Minghua

2014-01-01

A brief introduction to the theoretical basis of compaction packing model (CPM) and an over-view of the principle of the specific strength method provided the starting point of this study. Then, research on quantitative relations was carried out to find the correlation between the contribution rate of the pozzolanic activity and the contribution value of packing density when CPM was applied to fine powder mixture systems. The concept of the contribution value of the packing density being in direct correspondence with the contribution rate was proved by the compressive strength results and SEM images. The results indicated that the variation rule of the contribution rate of the pozzolanic activity is similar to that of the contribution value of packing density as calculated by CPM. This means the contribution value of the packing density could approximately simulate the change tendency of the contribution rate of the pozzolanic activity, which is of significant value for the future of mix designs for high and ultra-high performance concrete

Power Packing

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2011-08-16

In this podcast for kids, the Kidtastics talk about how to pack a lunch safely, to help keep you from getting sick.  Created: 8/16/2011 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 8/16/2011.

MITIGATION SCENARIOS FOR RESIDENTIAL FIRES IN DENSELY POPULATED URBAN SETTLEMENTS IN SUKAHAJI VILLAGE, BANDUNG CITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saut Aritua Hasiholan Sagala

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Residential fires are a form of disaster that often occurs in urban areas especially in densely populated settlements. This study looks at possible mitigation scenarios for this kind of disaster. A case study was conducted in Babakan Ciparay Sub-District in Bandung City, among the densely populated settlements, and was focused especially on Sukahaji Village, a sub-unit of Babakan Ciparay, which is the most densely populated village in Bandung City with up to 234.14 people/ha. There have been six structural fires recorded from 2007 until 2010 occurring in Sukahaji. This study applied stratified random sampling as the preferred sampling technique and data collection method from a total population of 3,227 buildings. The data was then examined using risk analysis. The results have led to two intervention measures suggested as mitigation scenarios for residential fires that can be applied within the Sukahaji Village. The study concludes that mitigation measures through strengthening community capacity can be the principal option in reducing risk to fires in densely populated urban settlements.

Decontamination of pesticide packing using ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duarte, C.L.; Mori, M.N.; Kodama, Yasko; Oikawa, H.; Sampa, M.H.O.

2007-01-01

The Brazilian agriculture activities have consumed about 288,000 tons of pesticides per year conditioned in about 107,000,000 packing with weight of approximately 23,000 tons. The discharge of empty plastic packing of pesticides can be an environmental concern causing problems to human health, animals, and plants if done without inspection and monitoring. The objective of this work is to study the ionizing radiation effect in the main pesticides used in Brazil for plastic packing decontamination. Among the commercial pesticides, chlorpyrifos has significant importance because of its wide distribution and extensive use and persistence. The radiation-induced degradation of chlorpyrifos in liquid samples and in polyethylene pack was studied by gamma radiolysis. Packing of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) three layer coextruded, named COEX, contaminated with chlorpyrifos, were irradiated using both a multipurpose Co-60 gamma irradiator and a gamma source with 5000 Ci total activity Gamma cell type. The chemical analysis of the chlorpyrifos was made using a gas chromatography associated to the Mass Spectrometry-GCMS from Shimadzu Model QP 5000. Gamma radiation was efficient for removing chlorpyrifos from the plastic packing, in all studied cases

Decontamination of pesticide packing using ionizing radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duarte, C.L. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares-IPEN-CNEN/SP Av. Lineu Prestes 2.242, 05508-900, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)], E-mail: clduarte@ipen.br; Mori, M.N.; Kodama, Yasko; Oikawa, H.; Sampa, M.H.O. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares-IPEN-CNEN/SP Av. Lineu Prestes 2.242, 05508-900, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2007-11-15

The Brazilian agriculture activities have consumed about 288,000 tons of pesticides per year conditioned in about 107,000,000 packing with weight of approximately 23,000 tons. The discharge of empty plastic packing of pesticides can be an environmental concern causing problems to human health, animals, and plants if done without inspection and monitoring. The objective of this work is to study the ionizing radiation effect in the main pesticides used in Brazil for plastic packing decontamination. Among the commercial pesticides, chlorpyrifos has significant importance because of its wide distribution and extensive use and persistence. The radiation-induced degradation of chlorpyrifos in liquid samples and in polyethylene pack was studied by gamma radiolysis. Packing of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) three layer coextruded, named COEX, contaminated with chlorpyrifos, were irradiated using both a multipurpose Co-60 gamma irradiator and a gamma source with 5000 Ci total activity Gamma cell type. The chemical analysis of the chlorpyrifos was made using a gas chromatography associated to the Mass Spectrometry-GCMS from Shimadzu Model QP 5000. Gamma radiation was efficient for removing chlorpyrifos from the plastic packing, in all studied cases.

Structured packing: an opportunity for energy savings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chavez T, R.H.; Guadarrama G, J.J.

1996-01-01

This work emphasizes the advantages about the use of structured packing. This type of packings allows by its geometry to reduce the processing time giving energy savings and throw down the production costs in several industries such as heavy water production plants, petrochemical industry and all industries involved with separation processes. There is a comparative results of energy consumption utilizing the structured vs. Raschig packings. (Author)

27 CFR 24.308 - Bottled or packed wine record.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Bottled or packed wine... BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS WINE Records and Reports § 24.308 Bottled or packed wine record. A proprietor who bottles, packs, or receives bottled or packed beverage wine in bond shall...

Agglomeration techniques for the production of spheres for packed beds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, J.D.

1988-03-01

One attractive fusion-breeder-blanket design features a lithium bearing ceramic in the form of spheres packed into a random array. The spheres have diameters of 3 mm and 0.3 mm. This report surveys techniques used to produce ceramic spheres on an industrial scale. The methods examined include tumbling and mixing granulation, extrusion, briquetting and pelletizing. It is concluded that the required quantities of 0.3 mm diameter spheres can be produced by the tumbling agglomeration of a feed powder. The 3 mm diameter spheres will be made using a process of extrusion, chopping and rolling

Economic feasibility of products from inland West small-diameter timber

Science.gov (United States)

Spelter Henry; Rong Wang; Peter Ince

1996-01-01

A large part of the forests located in the Rocky Mountain region of the U.S. West (inland West) is characterized by densely packed, small-diameter stands. The purpose of this study was to examine the economic feasibility of using small-diameter material from this resource to manufacture various wood products: oriented strandboard (OSB), stud lumber, random-length...

Atoms in dense plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

More, R.M.

1986-01-01

Recent experiments with high-power pulsed lasers have strongly encouraged the development of improved theoretical understanding of highly charged ions in a dense plasma environment. This work examines the theory of dense plasmas with emphasis on general rules which govern matter at extreme high temperature and density. 106 refs., 23 figs

Atoms in dense plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

More, R.M.

1986-01-01

Recent experiments with high-power pulsed lasers have strongly encouraged the development of improved theoretical understanding of highly charged ions in a dense plasma environment. This work examines the theory of dense plasmas with emphasis on general rules which govern matter at extreme high temperature and density. 106 refs., 23 figs.

Hashish Body Packing: A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Jesus Soriano-Perez

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A 42-year-old African male was brought by the police to the emergency department under suspicion of drug smuggling by body-packing. Plain abdominal radiograph showed multiple foreign bodies within the gastrointestinal tract. Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT confirmed the findings, and the patient admitted to have swallowed “balls” of hashish. Body-packing is a recognized method of smuggling drugs across international borders. Body packers may present to the emergency department because of drug toxicity, intestinal obstruction, or more commonly, requested by law-enforcement officers for medical confirmation or exclusion of suspected body packing.

36 CFR 34.10 - Saddle and pack animals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Saddle and pack animals. 34... INTERIOR EL PORTAL ADMINISTRATIVE SITE REGULATIONS § 34.10 Saddle and pack animals. The use of saddle and pack animals is prohibited without a permit from the Superintendent. ...

CoolPack – Simulation tools for refrigeration systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Arne; Rasmussen, Bjarne D.; Andersen, Simon Engedal

1999-01-01

CoolPack is a collection of programs used for energy analysis and optimisation of refrigeration systems. CoolPack is developed at the Department of Energy Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark. The Danish Energy Agency finances the project. CoolPack is freeware and can be downloaded...

Simulation of abuse tolerance of lithium-ion battery packs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spotnitz, Robert M.; Weaver, James; Yeduvaka, Gowri [Battery Design LLC, 2277 DeLucchi Drive, Pleasanton, CA 94588 (United States); Doughty, D.H.; Roth, E.P. [Lithium Battery Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States)

2007-01-01

A simple approach for using accelerating rate calorimetry data to simulate the thermal abuse resistance of battery packs is described. The thermal abuse tolerance of battery packs is estimated based on the exothermic behavior of a single cell and an energy balance than accounts for radiative, conductive, and convective heat transfer modes of the pack. For the specific example of a notebook computer pack containing eight 18650-size cells, the effects of cell position, heat of reaction, and heat-transfer coefficient are explored. Thermal runaway of the pack is more likely to be induced by thermal runaway of a single cell when that cell is in good contact with other cells and is close to the pack wall. (author)

Hardfacing and packings for improved valve performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aikin, J.A.; Patrick, J.N.F.; Inglis, I.

2003-01-01

The CANDU Owners Group (COG), Chemistry, Materials and Components (CMC) Program has supported an ongoing program on valve maintenance and performance for several years. An overview is presented of recent work on iron-based hardfacing, packing qualification, friction testing of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) packings, and an investigation of re-torquing valve packing. Based on this program, two new valve-packing materials have been qualified for use in CANDU stations. By doing this, CANDU maintenance can avoid having only one packing qualified for station use, as well as assess the potential impact of the industry trend towards using lower gland loads. The results from corrosion tests by AECL and the coefficient of friction studies at Battelle' s tribology testing facilities on Delcrome 910, an iron-based hardfacing alloy, indicate it is an acceptable replacement for Stellite 6 under certain conditions. This information can be used to update in-line valve purchasing specifications. The renewed interest in friction characteristics, and environmental qualification (EQ) of packing containing PTFE has resulted in a new test program in these areas. The COG-funded valve programs have resulted in modifications to design specifications for nuclear station in-line valves and have led to better maintenance practices and valve reliability. In the end, this means lower costs and cheaper electricity. (author)

Dense-gas dispersion advection-diffusion model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ermak, D.L.

1992-07-01

A dense-gas version of the ADPIC particle-in-cell, advection- diffusion model was developed to simulate the atmospheric dispersion of denser-than-air releases. In developing the model, it was assumed that the dense-gas effects could be described in terms of the vertically-averaged thermodynamic properties and the local height of the cloud. The dense-gas effects were treated as a perturbation to the ambient thermodynamic properties (density and temperature), ground level heat flux, turbulence level (diffusivity), and windfield (gravity flow) within the local region of the dense-gas cloud. These perturbations were calculated from conservation of energy and conservation of momentum principles along with the ideal gas law equation of state for a mixture of gases. ADPIC, which is generally run in conjunction with a mass-conserving wind flow model to provide the advection field, contains all the dense-gas modifications within it. This feature provides the versatility of coupling the new dense-gas ADPIC with alternative wind flow models. The new dense-gas ADPIC has been used to simulate the atmospheric dispersion of ground-level, colder-than-ambient, denser-than-air releases and has compared favorably with the results of field-scale experiments

The effect of a nutrient dense drink on mental and physical function in institutionalized elderly people

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Manders, M.; Groot, de C.P.G.M.; Hoefnagels, W.H.L.; Dhonukshe-Rutten, R.A.M.; Wouters-Wesseling, W.; Mulders, A.J.M.J.; Staveren, van W.A.

2009-01-01

Objectives To determine whether in the current study the supply of a nutrient dense drink has a positive effect on mental and physical function of institutionalized elderly people. Design A 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, intervention trial. Setting Homes for

Max–min Bin Packing Algorithm and its application in nano-particles filling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Dingju

2016-01-01

With regard to existing bin packing algorithms, higher packing efficiency often leads to lower packing speed while higher packing speed leads to lower packing efficiency. Packing speed and packing efficiency of existing bin packing algorithms including NFD, NF, FF, FFD, BF and BFD correlates negatively with each other, thus resulting in the failure of existing bin packing algorithms to satisfy the demand of nano-particles filling for both high speed and high efficiency. The paper provides a new bin packing algorithm, Max–min Bin Packing Algorithm (MM), which realizes both high packing speed and high packing efficiency. MM has the same packing speed as NFD (whose packing speed ranks no. 1 among existing bin packing algorithms); in case that the size repetition rate of objects to be packed is over 5, MM can realize almost the same packing efficiency as BFD (whose packing efficiency ranks No. 1 among existing bin packing algorithms), and in case that the size repetition rate of objects to be packed is over 500, MM can achieve exactly the same packing efficiency as BFD. With respect to application of nano-particles filling, the size repetition rate of nano particles to be packed is usually in thousands or ten thousands, far higher than 5 or 500. Consequently, in application of nano-particles filling, the packing efficiency of MM is exactly equal to that of BFD. Thus the irreconcilable conflict between packing speed and packing efficiency is successfully removed by MM, which leads to MM having better packing effect than any existing bin packing algorithm. In practice, there are few cases when the size repetition of objects to be packed is lower than 5. Therefore the MM is not necessarily limited to nano-particles filling, and can also be widely used in other applications besides nano-particles filling. Especially, MM has significant value in application of nano-particles filling such as nano printing and nano tooth filling.

En route to controlled catalytic CVD synthesis of densely packed and vertically aligned nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube arrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slawomir Boncel

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The catalytic chemical vapour deposition (c-CVD technique was applied in the synthesis of vertically aligned arrays of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs. A mixture of toluene (main carbon source, pyrazine (1,4-diazine, nitrogen source and ferrocene (catalyst precursor was used as the injection feedstock. To optimize conditions for growing the most dense and aligned N-CNT arrays, we investigated the influence of key parameters, i.e., growth temperature (660, 760 and 860 °C, composition of the feedstock and time of growth, on morphology and properties of N-CNTs. The presence of nitrogen species in the hot zone of the quartz reactor decreased the growth rate of N-CNTs down to about one twentieth compared to the growth rate of multi-wall CNTs (MWCNTs. As revealed by electron microscopy studies (SEM, TEM, the individual N-CNTs (half as thick as MWCNTs grown under the optimal conditions were characterized by a superior straightness of the outer walls, which translated into a high alignment of dense nanotube arrays, i.e., 5 × 108 nanotubes per mm2 (100 times more than for MWCNTs grown in the absence of nitrogen precursor. In turn, the internal crystallographic order of the N-CNTs was found to be of a ‘bamboo’-like or ‘membrane’-like (multi-compartmental structure morphology. The nitrogen content in the nanotube products, which ranged from 0.0 to 3.0 wt %, was controlled through the concentration of pyrazine in the feedstock. Moreover, as revealed by Raman/FT-IR spectroscopy, the incorporation of nitrogen atoms into the nanotube walls was found to be proportional to the number of deviations from the sp2-hybridisation of graphene C-atoms. As studied by XRD, the temperature and the [pyrazine]/[ferrocene] ratio in the feedstock affected the composition of the catalyst particles, and hence changed the growth mechanism of individual N-CNTs into a ‘mixed base-and-tip’ (primarily of the base-type type as compared to the purely �

En route to controlled catalytic CVD synthesis of densely packed and vertically aligned nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube arrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Boncel, Slawomir; Pattinson, Sebastian W; Geiser, Valérie; Shaffer, Milo S P; Koziol, Krzysztof K K

2014-01-01

The catalytic chemical vapour deposition (c-CVD) technique was applied in the synthesis of vertically aligned arrays of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs). A mixture of toluene (main carbon source), pyrazine (1,4-diazine, nitrogen source) and ferrocene (catalyst precursor) was used as the injection feedstock. To optimize conditions for growing the most dense and aligned N-CNT arrays, we investigated the influence of key parameters, i.e., growth temperature (660, 760 and 860 °C), composition of the feedstock and time of growth, on morphology and properties of N-CNTs. The presence of nitrogen species in the hot zone of the quartz reactor decreased the growth rate of N-CNTs down to about one twentieth compared to the growth rate of multi-wall CNTs (MWCNTs). As revealed by electron microscopy studies (SEM, TEM), the individual N-CNTs (half as thick as MWCNTs) grown under the optimal conditions were characterized by a superior straightness of the outer walls, which translated into a high alignment of dense nanotube arrays, i.e., 5 × 10(8) nanotubes per mm(2) (100 times more than for MWCNTs grown in the absence of nitrogen precursor). In turn, the internal crystallographic order of the N-CNTs was found to be of a 'bamboo'-like or 'membrane'-like (multi-compartmental structure) morphology. The nitrogen content in the nanotube products, which ranged from 0.0 to 3.0 wt %, was controlled through the concentration of pyrazine in the feedstock. Moreover, as revealed by Raman/FT-IR spectroscopy, the incorporation of nitrogen atoms into the nanotube walls was found to be proportional to the number of deviations from the sp(2)-hybridisation of graphene C-atoms. As studied by XRD, the temperature and the [pyrazine]/[ferrocene] ratio in the feedstock affected the composition of the catalyst particles, and hence changed the growth mechanism of individual N-CNTs into a 'mixed base-and-tip' (primarily of the base-type) type as compared to the purely 'base'-type for undoped

Prolonged storage of packed red blood cells for blood transfusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Martí-Carvajal, Arturo J; Simancas-Racines, Daniel; Peña-González, Barbra S

2015-07-14

A blood transfusion is an acute intervention, used to address life- and health-threatening conditions on a short-term basis. Packed red blood cells are most often used for blood transfusion. Sometimes blood is transfused after prolonged storage but there is continuing debate as to whether transfusion of 'older' blood is as beneficial as transfusion of 'fresher' blood. To assess the clinical benefits and harms of prolonged storage of packed red blood cells, in comparison with fresh, on recipients of blood transfusion. We ran the search on 1st May 2014. We searched the Cochrane Injuries Group Specialized Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE (OvidSP), Embase (OvidSP), CINAHL (EBSCO Host) and two other databases. We also searched clinical trials registers and screened reference lists of the retrieved publications and reviews. We updated this search in June 2015 but these results have not yet been incorporated. Randomised clinical trials including participants assessed as requiring red blood cell transfusion were eligible for inclusion. Prolonged storage was defined as red blood cells stored for ≥ 21 days in a blood bank. We did not apply limits regarding the duration of follow-up, or country where the study took place. We excluded trials where patients received a combination of short- and long-stored blood products, and also trials without a clear definition of prolonged storage. We independently performed study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction by at least two review authors. The major outcomes were death from any cause, transfusion-related acute lung injury, and adverse events. We estimated relative risk for dichotomous outcomes. We measured statistical heterogeneity using I(2). We used a random-effects model to synthesise the findings. We identified three randomised clinical trials, involving a total of 120 participants, comparing packed red blood cells with ≥ 21 days storage

Prevention and suppression of metal packing fires.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Mark; Rogers, William J; Sam Mannan, M; Ostrowski, Scott W

2003-11-14

Structured packing has been widely used because of large surface area that makes possible columns with high capacity and efficiency. The large surface area also contributes to fire hazards because of hydrocarbon deposits that can easily combust and promote combustion of the thin metal packing materials. Materials of high surface area that can fuel fires include reactive metals, such as titanium, and materials that are not considered combustible, such as stainless steel. Column design and material selection for packing construction is discussed together with employee training and practices for safe column maintenance and operations. Presented also are methods and agents for suppression of metal fires. Guidance for prevention and suppression of metal fires is related to incidents involving packing fires in columns.

On the conductive properties of MgO films grown on ultrathin hexagonal close-packed Co(0001) layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gladczuk, L.; Aleszkiewicz, M.

2013-01-01

Here we present a scanning tunneling microscopy study of electrical conductivity of (110)-oriented MgO ultrathin films grown on hexagonal close-packed Co(0001) surface by molecular beam epitaxy, being a good candidate for tunneling barrier for future-generation spintronic devices. Three-dimensional growth of the tunneling barrier, expected for compressive strains emerging at the Co/MgO interface, is demonstrated by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The 5 eV height of the full barrier of MgO is reached at a layer thickness of 4 nm. Thinner MgO layers exhibit randomly distributed spots of the high conductance on the tunneling current map. The current–voltage curves indicate the existence of vacancies in MgO crystal lattice, lowering the resistivity of the tunneling barrier. - Highlights: • Conductivity of MgO barrier in MgO/hexagonal close-packed-Co bilayer • Conductivity strongly varies with MgO thickness • MgO barrier exhibits randomly distributed spots of particularly high conductance • Tunneling current–voltage curves indicate the existence of vacancies in MgO lattice

Domain Discretization and Circle Packings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dias, Kealey

A circle packing is a configuration of circles which are tangent with one another in a prescribed pattern determined by a combinatorial triangulation, where the configuration fills a planar domain or a two-dimensional surface. The vertices in the triangulation correspond to centers of circles...... to domain discretization problems such as triangulation and unstructured mesh generation techniques. We wish to ask ourselves the question: given a cloud of points in the plane (we restrict ourselves to planar domains), is it possible to construct a circle packing preserving the positions of the vertices...... and constrained meshes having predefined vertices as constraints. A standard method of two-dimensional mesh generation involves conformal mapping of the surface or domain to standardized shapes, such as a disk. Since circle packing is a new technique for constructing discrete conformal mappings, it is possible...

The pursuit of perfect packing

CERN Document Server

Weaire, Denis

2000-01-01

In 1998 Thomas Hales dramatically announced the solution of a problem that has long teased eminent mathematicians: what is the densest possible arrangement of identical spheres? The Pursuit of Perfect Packing recounts the story of this problem and many others that have to do with packing things together. The examples are taken from mathematics, physics, biology, and engineering, including the arrangement of soap bubbles in foam, atoms in a crystal, the architecture of the bee''s honeycomb, and the structure of the Giant''s Causeway. Using an informal style and with key references, the book also includes brief accounts of the lives of many of the scientists who devoted themselves to problems of packing over many centuries, together with wry comments on their efforts. It is an entertaining introduction to the field for both specialists and the more general public.

New iodine filter pack design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackbee, B.A.

1977-10-01

To enable Naval Emergency Monitoring Teams to fulfil their role in the field it was necessary to locate or design a replacement filter pack for the collection of radioactive iodine air samples. Collaboration with the Berkeley Laboratories of the Central Electricity Generating Board provided the necessary starting point for a suitable type of package. Further development by NGTE (West Drayton) yielded the improved filter pack which is the subject of this memorandum. (author)

36 CFR 1002.16 - Horses and pack animals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Horses and pack animals. 1002... AND RECREATION § 1002.16 Horses and pack animals. The following are prohibited: (a) The use of animals other than those designated as “pack animals” for purposes of transporting equipment. (b) The use of...

36 CFR 2.16 - Horses and pack animals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Horses and pack animals. 2.16... RESOURCE PROTECTION, PUBLIC USE AND RECREATION § 2.16 Horses and pack animals. The following are prohibited: (a) The use of animals other than those designated as “pack animals” for purposes of transporting...

6-PACK programme to decrease fall injuries in acute hospitals: cluster randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Anna L; Morello, Renata T; Wolfe, Rory; Brand, Caroline A; Haines, Terry P; Hill, Keith D; Brauer, Sandra G; Botti, Mari; Cumming, Robert G; Livingston, Patricia M; Sherrington, Catherine; Zavarsek, Silva; Lindley, Richard I; Kamar, Jeannette

2016-01-26

To evaluate the effect of the 6-PACK programme on falls and fall injuries in acute wards. Cluster randomised controlled trial. Six Australian hospitals. All patients admitted to 24 acute wards during the trial period. Participating wards were randomly assigned to receive either the nurse led 6-PACK programme or usual care over 12 months. The 6-PACK programme included a fall risk tool and individualised use of one or more of six interventions: "falls alert" sign, supervision of patients in the bathroom, ensuring patients' walking aids are within reach, a toileting regimen, use of a low-low bed, and use of a bed/chair alarm. The co-primary outcomes were falls and fall injuries per 1000 occupied bed days. During the trial, 46 245 admissions to 16 medical and eight surgical wards occurred. As many people were admitted more than once, this represented 31 411 individual patients. Patients' characteristics and length of stay were similar for intervention and control wards. Use of 6-PACK programme components was higher on intervention wards than on control wards (incidence rate ratio 3.05, 95% confidence interval 2.14 to 4.34; Pcontrol wards. Positive changes in falls prevention practice occurred following the introduction of the 6-PACK programme. However, no difference was seen in falls or fall injuries between groups. High quality evidence showing the effectiveness of falls prevention interventions in acute wards remains absent. Novel solutions to the problem of in-hospital falls are urgently needed. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12611000332921. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Spoilage-related activity of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum strains in air-stored and vacuum-packed meat.

Science.gov (United States)

Casaburi, Annalisa; Nasi, Antonella; Ferrocino, Ilario; Di Monaco, Rossella; Mauriello, Gianluigi; Villani, Francesco; Ercolini, Danilo

2011-10-01

One hundred three isolates of Carnobacterium spp. from raw meat were analyzed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and PCR and were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Forty-five strains of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum were characterized for their growth capabilities at different temperatures, NaCl concentrations, and pH values and for in vitro lipolytic and proteolytic activities. Moreover, their spoilage potential in meat was investigated by analyzing the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in meat stored in air or vacuum packs. Almost all the strains were able to grow at 4, 10, and 20°C, at pH values of 6 to 9, and in the presence of 2.5% NaCl. The release of VOCs by each strain in beef stored at 4°C in air and vacuum packs was evaluated by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. All the meat samples inoculated and stored in air showed higher numbers of VOCs than the vacuum-packed meat samples. Acetoin, 1-octen-3-ol, and butanoic acid were the compounds most frequently found under both storage conditions. The contaminated meat samples were evaluated by a sensory panel; the results indicated that for all sensory odors, no effect of strain was significant (P > 0.05). The storage conditions significantly affected (P meat, and mozzarella cheese odors, which were more intense in meat stored in air than in vacuum packs but were never very intense. In conclusion, different strains of C. maltaromaticum can grow efficiently in meat stored at low temperatures both in air and in vacuum packs, producing volatile molecules with low sensory impacts, with a negligible contribution to meat spoilage overall.

Packing Smart

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2011-08-22

In this podcast for kids, the Kidtastics talk about packing a lunch that's not boring and is full of the power and energy kids need to make it through the day.  Created: 8/22/2011 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 8/22/2011.

21 CFR 133.124 - Cold-pack cheese food.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Cold-pack cheese food. 133.124 Section 133.124 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD... Cheese and Related Products § 133.124 Cold-pack cheese food. (a)(1) Cold-pack cheese food is the food...

PENGARUH POROSITAS PACKING STEEL WOOL TERHADAP PRESSURE DROP DIDALAM PACKED BED COLUMN PADA DISTILASI CAMPURAN ETANOL-AMIL-ALKOHOL-AIR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trisna Kumala Dhaniswara

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Inventories of petroleum fuels are increasingly depleted and will someday run out. These shortcomings can be overcome by using alternative fuels, such as ethanol. Based on this, it is necessary to research and development of ethanol as a fuel. One way is with a separation in a packed distillation column. This study aims to assess the mass transfer phenomena that occur in the process of distilling a mixture of ethanol-water-amyl alcohol packed in column. In addition, this study aims to optimize temperature and reflux to obtain the highest levels of ethanol. This research method uses packed bed distillation system with the batch process. Feed used is synthetic ethanol, water, and solvent. Solvent used were amyl alcohol. Doing distillation with heating temperature is maintained. Distillation is done in the packing of stainless steel wool. Research carried out in a batch process with a variable temperature of  79°C; 84°C; 91°C; and porosity packing 20%; 30%; 40%; 50%; 60%; 70%; 80%.

FttC-Based Fronthaul for 5G Dense/Ultra-Dense Access Network: Performance and Costs in Realistic Scenarios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franco Mazzenga

2017-10-01

Full Text Available One distinctive feature of the next 5G systems is the presence of a dense/ultra-dense wireless access network with a large number of access points (or nodes at short distances from each other. Dense/ultra-dense access networks allow for providing very high transmission capacity to terminals. However, the deployment of dense/ultra-dense networks is slowed down by the cost of the fiber-based infrastructure required to connect radio nodes to the central processing units and then to the core network. In this paper, we investigate the possibility for existing FttC access networks to provide fronthaul capabilities for dense/ultra-dense 5G wireless networks. The analysis is realistic in that it is carried out considering an actual access network scenario, i.e., the Italian FttC deployment. It is assumed that access nodes are connected to the Cabinets and to the corresponding distributors by a number of copper pairs. Different types of cities grouped in terms of population have been considered. Results focus on fronthaul transport capacity provided by the FttC network and have been expressed in terms of the available fronthaul bit rate per node and of the achievable coverage.

Aerobic desulfurization of biogas by acidic biotrickling filtration in a randomly packed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montebello, Andrea M.; Mora, Mabel; López, Luis R.; Bezerra, Tercia; Gamisans, Xavier; Lafuente, Javier; Baeza, Mireia; Gabriel, David

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Desulfurization of high loads of H 2 S is feasible by acidic biotrickling filtration. • Robustness of the process is demonstrated in the long-term (550 d). • Biosulfur to sulfate oxidation under H 2 S starvation was successfully performed. • Lower sulfate production found at acidic pH compared to that at neutral pH. • Plastic material is recommended for long-term acidic biotrickling filtration. - Abstract: Biotrickling filters for biogas desulfurization still must prove their stability and robustness in the long run under extreme conditions. Long-term desulfurization of high loads of H 2 S under acidic pH was studied in a lab-scale aerobic biotrickling filter packed with metallic Pall rings. Reference operating conditions at steady-state corresponded to an empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 130 s, H 2 S loading rate of 52 g S–H 2 S m −3 h −1 and pH 2.50–2.75. The EBRT reduction showed that the critical EBRT was 75 s and the maximum EC 100 g S–H 2 S m −3 h −1 . Stepwise increases of the inlet H 2 S concentration up to 10,000 ppm v lead to a maximum EC of 220 g S–H 2 S m −3 h −1 . The H 2 S removal profile along the filter bed indicated that the first third of the filter bed was responsible for 70–80% of the total H 2 S removal. The oxidation rate of solid sulfur accumulated inside the bioreactor during periodical H 2 S starvation episodes was verified under acidic operating conditions. The performance under acidic pH was comparable to that under neutral pH in terms of H 2 S removal capacity. However, bioleaching of the metallic packing used as support and chemical precipitation of sulfide/sulfur salts occurred

Aerobic desulfurization of biogas by acidic biotrickling filtration in a randomly packed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montebello, Andrea M.; Mora, Mabel; López, Luis R.; Bezerra, Tercia [Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Gamisans, Xavier [Department of Mining Engineering and Natural Resources, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Bases de Manresa 61-73, 08240 Manresa (Spain); Lafuente, Javier [Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Baeza, Mireia [Department of Chemistry, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Gabriel, David, E-mail: david.gabriel@uab.cat [Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain)

2014-09-15

Highlights: • Desulfurization of high loads of H{sub 2}S is feasible by acidic biotrickling filtration. • Robustness of the process is demonstrated in the long-term (550 d). • Biosulfur to sulfate oxidation under H{sub 2}S starvation was successfully performed. • Lower sulfate production found at acidic pH compared to that at neutral pH. • Plastic material is recommended for long-term acidic biotrickling filtration. - Abstract: Biotrickling filters for biogas desulfurization still must prove their stability and robustness in the long run under extreme conditions. Long-term desulfurization of high loads of H{sub 2}S under acidic pH was studied in a lab-scale aerobic biotrickling filter packed with metallic Pall rings. Reference operating conditions at steady-state corresponded to an empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 130 s, H{sub 2}S loading rate of 52 g S–H{sub 2}S m{sup −3} h{sup −1} and pH 2.50–2.75. The EBRT reduction showed that the critical EBRT was 75 s and the maximum EC 100 g S–H{sub 2}S m{sup −3} h{sup −1}. Stepwise increases of the inlet H{sub 2}S concentration up to 10,000 ppm{sub v} lead to a maximum EC of 220 g S–H{sub 2}S m{sup −3} h{sup −1}. The H{sub 2}S removal profile along the filter bed indicated that the first third of the filter bed was responsible for 70–80% of the total H{sub 2}S removal. The oxidation rate of solid sulfur accumulated inside the bioreactor during periodical H{sub 2}S starvation episodes was verified under acidic operating conditions. The performance under acidic pH was comparable to that under neutral pH in terms of H{sub 2}S removal capacity. However, bioleaching of the metallic packing used as support and chemical precipitation of sulfide/sulfur salts occurred.

Cell packing structures

KAUST Repository

Pottmann, Helmut; Jiang, Caigui; Hö binger, Mathias; Wang, Jun; Bompas, Philippe; Wallner, Johannes

2015-01-01

optimization schemes for the computation of quad-based support structures. Hex-dominant structures may be designed via Voronoi tessellations, power diagrams, sphere packings and various extensions of these concepts. Apart from the obvious application as load

Lung Cancer Risk and Demographic Characteristics of Current 20-29 Pack-year Smokers: Implications for Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinsky, Paul F; Kramer, Barnett S

2015-11-01

Based on current recommendations, 30+ pack-years of smoking are required for eligibility for low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening; former smokers must have quit within 15 years. We investigated whether current smokers with 20 to 29 pack-years have similar lung cancer risks as eligible former smokers and also whether they have a different demographic profile. The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) was a randomly assigned screening trial of subjects age 55 to 74 years with chest radiographs (CXR) used for lung cancer. Subjects completed a baseline questionnaire containing smoking history questions. Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age and sex, were utilized to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for various smoking history groups. Next, we utilized the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which inquired about smoking history and race/ethnicity, to analyze the demographic profiles of various high-risk smoking history categories. All statistical tests were two-sided. The PLCO cohort included 18 114 former and 12 243 current LDCT-eligible smokers, plus 2283 20- to 29-pack-year current smokers. The hazard ratio for 20- to 29-pack-year current smokers compared with eligible (30+ pack-year) former smokers was 1.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.75 to 1.5). Based on the NHIS, 10 million persons in the United States are currently LDCT eligible; an additional 1.6 million (16%, 95% CI = 13.6% to 19.0%) are 20- to 29-pack-year current smokers. The percentage increase in eligibles if 20- to 29-pack-year current smokers were included was substantially greater for women than men (22.2%, 95% CI = 17.9% to 26.7%; vs 12.2%, 95% CI = 9.3% to 15.3%, P non-Hispanic whites (30.0%, 95% CI = 24.2% to 36.0%; vs 14.1%, 95% CI = 11.1% to 17.0%, P smokers should be assessed. Published by Oxford University Press 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

SEPTOPLASTY WITH AND WITHOUT NASAL PACKING: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitta

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Septoplasty is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in rhinology to relieve nasal obstruction of patients with distortion in the midline cartilage or septum of the nose to relieve nasal obstruction of patient and findings consistent with nasal endoscopy. The anterior nasal packing routinely done following septoplasty is usually conventional and not evidence based. The purpose of nasal packing is to obtain haemostasis, enhance opposition of septal flaps, avoid septal haematoma formation, close the dead space, avoid synechiae formation, provide support to septal cartilage and prevent its displacement. OBJECTIVE This study intends to evaluate the effects of nasal packing on surgical success and related complications in septoplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present clinical prospective and randomised study was carried out on patients attending Otorhinolaryngology Department of Santhiram Medical College & General Hospital between March 2012 and March 2015. Patients undergoing septoplasty were randomised either to receive anterior nasal packing or to not receive nasal packing postoperatively. RESULTS Levels of pain experienced by patients with nasal packing postoperatively during the initial 24 hours postoperatively and during the removal of the pack were significantly more. Post-operative headache, epiphora, swallowing discomfort and sleep disturbance were more in patients with nasal packing and statistically (p.05. Septal haematoma, adhesions and local infections in both groups were statistically insignificant (p>.05. CONCLUSION Septoplasty enhances the standard of living of patients with septal deviation and nasal obstruction. Our study results suggest that nasal packing after septoplasty is not obligatory. Nasal packing causes considerably more pain and complications, and it should be reserved only for those who have bleeding predisposition.

Characterization of metallic surfaces in phosphorous-bronze ordered packings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandru, Claudia; Titescu, Gh.

1997-01-01

Copper and its alloys, particularly the phosphorous bronze, are characterized by a high water wettability as compared with other materials. This feature led to utilization of phosphorous bronze in fabrication of contact elements, a packing type equipping the distillation columns. For heavy water separation by isotopic distillation under vacuum, ordered packings of phosphorous bronze networks were fabricated. The superior performances of these packings are determined by the material and also by the geometrical form and the state of the metallic surface. Thus, a procedure of evaluating the wettability has been developed, based on tests of the network material. The results of the tests constitute a criterion of rating the functional performances of packings, particularly of their efficiencies. Also, investigation techniques of the chemical composition and of the thickness of superficial layer on the packing were developed. It was found that the packing surface presents a layer of about 5-20 μm formed mainly by oxides of copper, tin, and, depending on the packing treatment, of oxides of other elements coming from the treatment agent. The paper presents characterization of phosphorous bronze treated with potassium permanganate, a specific treatment for improving the functional performances of the packings used in the heavy water concentration and re-concentration installations

Fast charge implications: Pack and cell analysis and comparison

Science.gov (United States)

Tanim, Tanvir R.; Shirk, Matthew G.; Bewley, Randy L.; Dufek, Eric J.; Liaw, Bor Yann

2018-03-01

This study investigates the effect of 50-kW (about 2C) direct current fast charging on a full-size battery electric vehicle's battery pack in comparison to a pack exclusively charged at 3.3 kW, which is the common alternating current Level 2 charging power level. Comparable scaled charging protocols are also independently applied to individual cells at three different temperatures, 20 °C, 30 °C, and 40 °C, to perform a comparative analysis with the packs. Dominant cell-level aging modes were identified through incremental capacity analysis and compared with full packs to gain a clear understanding of additional key factors that affect pack aging. While the cell-level study showed a minor impact on performance due to direct current fast charging, the packs showed a significantly higher rate of capacity fade under similar charging protocols. This indicates that pack-level aging cannot be directly extrapolated from cell evaluation. Delayed fast charging, completing shortly before discharge, was found to have less of an impact on battery degradation than conventional alternating current Level 2 charging.

Quantum dense key distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Degiovanni, I.P.; Ruo Berchera, I.; Castelletto, S.; Rastello, M.L.; Bovino, F.A.; Colla, A.M.; Castagnoli, G.

2004-01-01

This paper proposes a protocol for quantum dense key distribution. This protocol embeds the benefits of a quantum dense coding and a quantum key distribution and is able to generate shared secret keys four times more efficiently than the Bennet-Brassard 1984 protocol. We hereinafter prove the security of this scheme against individual eavesdropping attacks, and we present preliminary experimental results, showing its feasibility

SPH Modelling of Sea-ice Pack Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Staroszczyk, Ryszard

2017-12-01

The paper is concerned with the problem of sea-ice pack motion and deformation under the action of wind and water currents. Differential equations describing the dynamics of ice, with its very distinct mateFfigrial responses in converging and diverging flows, express the mass and linear momentum balances on the horizontal plane (the free surface of the ocean). These equations are solved by the fully Lagrangian method of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). Assuming that the ice behaviour can be approximated by a non-linearly viscous rheology, the proposed SPH model has been used to simulate the evolution of a sea-ice pack driven by wind drag stresses. The results of numerical simulations illustrate the evolution of an ice pack, including variations in ice thickness and ice area fraction in space and time. The effects of different initial ice pack configurations and of different conditions assumed at the coast-ice interface are examined. In particular, the SPH model is applied to a pack flow driven by a vortex wind to demonstrate how well the Lagrangian formulation can capture large deformations and displacements of sea ice.

Direct contact condensation in packed beds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yi; Klausner, James F.; Mei, Renwei; Knight, Jessica [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States)

2006-12-15

A diffusion driven desalination process was recently described where a very effective direct contact condenser with a packed bed is used to condense water vapor out of an air/vapor mixture. A laboratory scale direct contact condenser has been fabricated as a twin tower structure with two stages, co-current and countercurrent. Experiments have been operated in each stage with respective saturated air inlet temperatures of 36, 40 and 43{sup o}C. The temperature and humidity data have been collected at the inlet and exit of the packed bed for different water to air mass flow ratios that vary between 0 and 2.5. A one-dimensional model based on conservation principles has been developed, which predicts the variation of temperature, humidity, and condensation rate through the condenser stages. Agreement between the model and experiments is very good. It is observed that the countercurrent flow stage condensation effectiveness is significantly higher than that for the co-current stage. The condensation heat and mass transfer rates were found to decrease when water blockages occur within the packed bed. Using high-speed digital cinematography, it was observed that this problem can occur at any operating condition, and is dependent on the packing surface wetting characteristics. This observation is used to explain the requirement for two different empirical constants, depending on packing diameter, suggested by Onda for the air side mass transfer coefficient correlation. (author)

Modi ed strip packing heuristics for the rectangular variable-sized ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Two packing problems are considered in this paper, namely the well-known strip packing problem (SPP) and the variable-sized bin packing problem (VSBPP). A total of 252 strip packing heuristics (and variations thereof) from the literature, as well as novel heuristics proposed by the authors, are compared statistically by ...

Theoretical model of x-ray scattering as a dense matter probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregori, G; Glenzer, S H; Rozmus, W; Lee, R W; Landen, O L

2003-02-01

We present analytical expressions for the dynamic structure factor, or form factor S(k,omega), which is the quantity describing the x-ray cross section from a dense plasma or a simple liquid. Our results, based on the random phase approximation for the treatment on the charged particle coupling, can be applied to describe scattering from either weakly coupled classical plasmas or degenerate electron liquids. Our form factor correctly reproduces the Compton energy down-shift and the known Fermi-Dirac electron velocity distribution for S(k,omega) in the case of a cold degenerate plasma. The usual concept of scattering parameter is also reinterpreted for the degenerate case in order to include the effect of the Thomas-Fermi screening. The results shown in this work can be applied to interpreting x-ray scattering in warm dense plasmas occurring in inertial confinement fusion experiments or for the modeling of solid density matter found in the interior of planets.

Reference book for design of valve packings, sealing high temperature water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doubt, G.L.

1976-01-01

Mockups of stuffing boxes for valves in the 1/4 to 1 in. (0.6-2.54cm) pipe size range and ASA 900 and up pressure class were tested to determine how temperature, stuffing box dimensions, packing compressive stress and stem surface finish affect water leak rate, packing friction torque and packing volume loss (creep). One brand of wire-reinforced asbestos braid on graphite-and-asbestos core packing was used in all tests. The theory of leakage through porous media was reviewed with emphasis on application to packed stuffing boxes, and a mathematical framework for relating leakage and packing friction to stuffing box dimensions and compressive stress was developed. The tests gave empirical relationships (1) for leak rate vs temperature, packing compressive stress, stem diameter and packing size, (2) for packing friction torque vs the above variables and (3) for packing creep vs temperature and stress. Packing stress affected leakage far more than any other variable, the leak rate being inversely proportional to stress to the 7.3 power at a packing temperature of 350 deg F (175 deg C). Factors which increase packing compression (density) have a strong reducing effect on leakage and a moderate to zero effect on packing friction torque. Surface finish had no visible effect on leakage, torque or creep. Empirical results and theory have been combined to show how stuffing boxes can be designed for a given leakage rate. Suggestions for decreasing leakage from existing high temperature stuffing boxes are included. (author)

Dense image correspondences for computer vision

CERN Document Server

Liu, Ce

2016-01-01

This book describes the fundamental building-block of many new computer vision systems: dense and robust correspondence estimation. Dense correspondence estimation techniques are now successfully being used to solve a wide range of computer vision problems, very different from the traditional applications such techniques were originally developed to solve. This book introduces the techniques used for establishing correspondences between challenging image pairs, the novel features used to make these techniques robust, and the many problems dense correspondences are now being used to solve. The book provides information to anyone attempting to utilize dense correspondences in order to solve new or existing computer vision problems. The editors describe how to solve many computer vision problems by using dense correspondence estimation. Finally, it surveys resources, code, and data necessary for expediting the development of effective correspondence-based computer vision systems.   ·         Provides i...

Dense module enumeration in biological networks

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuda, Koji; Georgii, Elisabeth

2009-12-01

Analysis of large networks is a central topic in various research fields including biology, sociology, and web mining. Detection of dense modules (a.k.a. clusters) is an important step to analyze the networks. Though numerous methods have been proposed to this aim, they often lack mathematical rigorousness. Namely, there is no guarantee that all dense modules are detected. Here, we present a novel reverse-search-based method for enumerating all dense modules. Furthermore, constraints from additional data sources such as gene expression profiles or customer profiles can be integrated, so that we can systematically detect dense modules with interesting profiles. We report successful applications in human protein interaction network analyses.

Dense module enumeration in biological networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuda, Koji; Georgii, Elisabeth

2009-01-01

Analysis of large networks is a central topic in various research fields including biology, sociology, and web mining. Detection of dense modules (a.k.a. clusters) is an important step to analyze the networks. Though numerous methods have been proposed to this aim, they often lack mathematical rigorousness. Namely, there is no guarantee that all dense modules are detected. Here, we present a novel reverse-search-based method for enumerating all dense modules. Furthermore, constraints from additional data sources such as gene expression profiles or customer profiles can be integrated, so that we can systematically detect dense modules with interesting profiles. We report successful applications in human protein interaction network analyses.

Pack stability in dip faces fitted with scraper conveyors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schwartzmann, R

1978-01-01

This paper presents an account of an investigation conducted by CERCHAR, at the request of HBNPC, into the problems of goafside pack stability. Winning method and support and stowing techniques are described. Sets out the study methods used: systematic measurement (by direct or remote means) using an instrument developed by CERCHAR to investigate all aspects of in situ pack behaviour: settling, stresses, pressure on supports, etc. Gives the results of the investigation (tables and graphs) load-bearing capacity of the supports, deformation of the surrounding rock, convergence and stresses in the pack (figures, graphs), resistance of support-timber screen, model of in situ pack behaviour. Detailed conclusions (potential techniques, detailed study, practical improvements in packing techniques) are presented.

Scandinavian consumer preference for beef steaks packed with or without oxygen.

Science.gov (United States)

Aaslyng, M D; Tørngren, M A; Madsen, N T

2010-07-01

Beef steaks retail-packed with (80% O(2), 20% CO(2)) or without oxygen (either skin-packed or gas-packed (69.6% N(2), 30% CO(2), 0.04% CO or 70% N(2), 30% CO(2))) were compared by consumers in Denmark (n=382), Norway (n=316) and Sweden (n=374). Two pairs of two steaks - one steak packed in a high oxygen atmosphere and one packed without oxygen - were given to the consumers. They were instructed to prepare the steaks at home on two consecutive days, and two persons had to taste each steak. In Denmark, the oxygen-free packing was either gas packing with CO (69.6% N(2), 30% CO(2), 0.04% CO) or without CO (70% N(2), 30% CO(2)), in Norway it was either gas packing with CO (69.6% N(2), 30% CO(2), 0.04% CO) or skin packing, and in Sweden it was either skin packing or gas packing without CO (70% N(2), 30% CO(2)). The meat represented animals that were between 17 and 80 months old (Denmark) and young bulls (Norway and Sweden). Consumers in all three countries clearly preferred steaks packed without oxygen, in terms of overall liking, willingness to pay and their preferred choice of one steak. Furthermore, they preferred the oxygen-free steaks in terms of both overall liking and liking of tenderness, juiciness and flavour. In Sweden, many consumers would pay more than usual for the skin-packed steak, and it was more often chosen as the preferred steak out of the four compared with gas-packed without oxygen. No difference was seen between the two oxygen-free packing methods in Denmark and Norway. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanoparticle packing within block copolymer micelles prepared by the interfacial instability method.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabar, Gauri M; Winter, Jessica O; Wyslouzil, Barbara E

2018-05-02

The interfacial instability method has emerged as a viable approach for encapsulating high concentrations of nanoparticles (NPs) within morphologically diverse micelles. In this method, transient interfacial instabilities at the surface of an emulsion droplet guide self-assembly of block co-polymers and NP encapsulants. Although used by many groups, there are no systematic investigations exploring the relationship between NP properties and micelle morphology. Here, the effect of quantum dot (QD) and superparamagnetic iron oxide NP (SPION) concentration on the shape, size, and surface deformation of initially spherical poly(styrene-b-ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) micelles was examined. Multi-NP encapsulation and uniform dispersion within micelles was obtained even at low NP concentrations. Increasing NP concentration initially resulted in larger numbers of elongated micelles and cylinders with tightly-controlled diameters smaller than those of spherical micelles. Beyond a critical NP concentration, micelle formation was suppressed; the dominant morphology became densely-loaded NP structures that were coated with polymer and exhibited increased polydispersity. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed that NPs in densely-loaded structures can be well-ordered, with packing volume fractions of up to 24%. These effects were enhanced in magnetic composites, possibly by dipole interactions. Mechanisms governing phase transitions triggered by NP loading in the interfacial instability process were proposed. The current study helps establish and elucidate the active role played by NPs in directing block copolymer assembly in the interfacial instability process, and provides important guiding principles for the use of this approach in generating NP-loaded block copolymer composites.

Unified approach to dense matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Byung-Yoon; Lee, Hee-Jung; Vento, Vicente; Kim, Joon-Il; Min, Dong-Pil; Rho, Mannque

2005-01-01

We apply the Skyrme model to dense hadronic matter, which provides a unified approach to high density, valid in the large N c limit. In our picture, dense hadronic matter is described by the classical soliton configuration with minimum energy for the given baryon number density. By incorporating the meson fluctuations on such ground state we obtain an effective Lagrangian for meson dynamics in a dense medium. Our starting point has been the Skyrme model defined in terms of pions, thereafter we have extended and improved the model by incorporating other degrees of freedom such as dilaton, kaons and vector mesons

Packing of ganglioside-phospholipid monolayers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Majewski, J.; Kuhl, T.L.; Kjær, K.

2001-01-01

Using synchrotron grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXD) and reflectivity, the in-plane and out-of-plane structure of mixed ganglioside-phospholipid monolayers was investigated at the air-water interface. Mixed monolayers of 0, 5, 10, 20, and 100 mol% ganglioside GM, and the phospholipid...... monolayers did not affect hydrocarbon tail packing (fluidization or condensation of the hydrocarbon region). This is in contrast to previous investigations of lipopolymer-lipid mixtures, where the packing structure of phospholipid monolayers was greatly altered by the inclusion of lipids bearing hydrophilic...

Direct observation of impact propagation and absorption in dense colloidal monolayers

Science.gov (United States)

Buttinoni, Ivo; Cha, Jinwoong; Lin, Wei-Hsun; Job, Stéphane; Daraio, Chiara; Isa, Lucio

2017-11-01

Dense colloidal suspensions can propagate and absorb large mechanical stresses, including impacts and shocks. The wave transport stems from the delicate interplay between the spatial arrangement of the structural units and solvent-mediated effects. For dynamic microscopic systems, elastic deformations of the colloids are usually disregarded due to the damping imposed by the surrounding fluid. Here, we study the propagation of localized mechanical pulses in aqueous monolayers of micron-sized particles of controlled microstructure. We generate extreme localized deformation rates by exciting a target particle via pulsed-laser ablation. In crystalline monolayers, stress propagation fronts take place, where fast-moving particles (V approximately a few meters per second) are aligned along the symmetry axes of the lattice. Conversely, more viscous solvents and disordered structures lead to faster and isotropic energy absorption. Our results demonstrate the accessibility of a regime where elastic collisions also become relevant for suspensions of microscopic particles, behaving as “billiard balls” in a liquid, in analogy with regular packings of macroscopic spheres. We furthermore quantify the scattering of an impact as a function of the local structural disorder.

Flow in Random Microstructures: a Multilevel Monte Carlo Approach

KAUST Repository

Icardi, Matteo

2016-01-06

In this work we are interested in the fast estimation of effective parameters of random heterogeneous materials using Multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC). MLMC is an efficient and flexible solution for the propagation of uncertainties in complex models, where an explicit parametrisation of the input randomness is not available or too expensive. We propose a general-purpose algorithm and computational code for the solution of Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) on random heterogeneous materials. We make use of the key idea of MLMC, based on different discretization levels, extending it in a more general context, making use of a hierarchy of physical resolution scales, solvers, models and other numerical/geometrical discretisation parameters. Modifications of the classical MLMC estimators are proposed to further reduce variance in cases where analytical convergence rates and asymptotic regimes are not available. Spheres, ellipsoids and general convex-shaped grains are placed randomly in the domain with different placing/packing algorithms and the effective properties of the heterogeneous medium are computed. These are, for example, effective diffusivities, conductivities, and reaction rates. The implementation of the Monte-Carlo estimators, the statistical samples and each single solver is done efficiently in parallel. The method is tested and applied for pore-scale simulations of random sphere packings.

Importance of Ion Packing on the Dynamics of Ionic Liquids during Micropore Charging.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yadong; Qiao, Rui; Vatamanu, Jenel; Borodin, Oleg; Bedrov, Dmitry; Huang, Jingsong; Sumpter, Bobby G

2016-01-07

Molecular simulations of the diffusion of EMIM(+) and TFSI(-) ions in slit-shaped micropores under conditions similar to those during charging show that in pores that accommodate only a single layer of ions, ions diffuse increasingly faster as the pore becomes charged (with diffusion coefficients even reaching ∼5 × 10(-9) m(2)/s), unless the pore becomes very highly charged. In pores wide enough to fit more than one layer of ions, ion diffusion is slower than in the bulk and changes modestly as the pore becomes charged. Analysis of these results revealed that the fast (or slow) diffusion of ions inside a micropore during charging is correlated most strongly with the dense (or loose) ion packing inside the pore. The molecular details of the ions and the precise width of the pores modify these trends weakly, except when the pore is so narrow that the ion conformation relaxation is strongly constrained by the pore walls.

The Effect of Pharyngeal Packing during Nasal Surgery on the Incidence of Post Operative Nausea, Vomiting, and Sore Throat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Karbasfrushan

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Nausea and vomiting after ear, nose and throat (ENT surgery is one of the most common and notable problems facing anesthesiologists in this area. This study was conducted to determine the effect of a pharyngeal pack on the severity of nausea, vomiting, and sore throat among patients after ear, pharynx, and throat surgeries.   Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical study was performed in 140 patients (61 men and 79 women; age range, 20–40 years who had undergone nasal surgery in 2010. Patients were divided into two groups: the first group were treated using a pharyngeal pack (case group and the second group were managed without a pharyngeal pack (control group. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U test. SPSS software was used for data analysis.   Results: The mean severity of nausea and vomiting in the two groups was 2.057, 1.371 and 1.100, respectively, with no significant differences between groups. However, the mean severity of sore throat was 1.714 in the group with the pharyngeal pack and 1.385 in the group without pharyngeal pack (P=0.010.   Conclusion:  Not only does a pharyngeal pack in ENT surgery not reduce the extent and severity of nausea and vomiting, but it also increases the severity of sore throat in patients when leaving the recovery room and discharging hospital.

TEXTURE-AWARE DENSE IMAGE MATCHING USING TERNARY CENSUS TRANSFORM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Hu

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Textureless and geometric discontinuities are major problems in state-of-the-art dense image matching methods, as they can cause visually significant noise and the loss of sharp features. Binary census transform is one of the best matching cost methods but in textureless areas, where the intensity values are similar, it suffers from small random noises. Global optimization for disparity computation is inherently sensitive to parameter tuning in complex urban scenes, and must compromise between smoothness and discontinuities. The aim of this study is to provide a method to overcome these issues in dense image matching, by extending the industry proven Semi-Global Matching through 1 developing a ternary census transform, which takes three outputs in a single order comparison and encodes the results in two bits rather than one, and also 2 by using texture-information to self-tune the parameters, which both preserves sharp edges and enforces smoothness when necessary. Experimental results using various datasets from different platforms have shown that the visual qualities of the triangulated point clouds in urban areas can be largely improved by these proposed methods.

Multilayer DNA Origami Packed on Hexagonal and Hybrid Lattices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ke, Yonggang; Voigt, Niels Vinther; Shih, William M.

2012-01-01

“Scaffolded DNA origami” has been proven to be a powerful and efficient approach to construct two-dimensional or three-dimensional objects with great complexity. Multilayer DNA origami has been demonstrated with helices packing along either honeycomb-lattice geometry or square-lattice geometry....... Here we report successful folding of multilayer DNA origami with helices arranged on a close-packed hexagonal lattice. This arrangement yields a higher density of helical packing and therefore higher resolution of spatial addressing than has been shown previously. We also demonstrate hybrid multilayer...... DNA origami with honeycomb-lattice, square-lattice, and hexagonal-lattice packing of helices all in one design. The availability of hexagonal close-packing of helices extends our ability to build complex structures using DNA nanotechnology....

Multilayer DNA origami packed on hexagonal and hybrid lattices.

Science.gov (United States)

Ke, Yonggang; Voigt, Niels V; Gothelf, Kurt V; Shih, William M

2012-01-25

"Scaffolded DNA origami" has been proven to be a powerful and efficient approach to construct two-dimensional or three-dimensional objects with great complexity. Multilayer DNA origami has been demonstrated with helices packing along either honeycomb-lattice geometry or square-lattice geometry. Here we report successful folding of multilayer DNA origami with helices arranged on a close-packed hexagonal lattice. This arrangement yields a higher density of helical packing and therefore higher resolution of spatial addressing than has been shown previously. We also demonstrate hybrid multilayer DNA origami with honeycomb-lattice, square-lattice, and hexagonal-lattice packing of helices all in one design. The availability of hexagonal close-packing of helices extends our ability to build complex structures using DNA nanotechnology. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Dense 3D Map Construction for Indoor Search and Rescue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellekilde, Lars-Peter; Huang, Shoudong; Miró, Jaime Valls

2007-01-01

The main contribution of this paper is a new simultaneous localization and mapping  SLAM algorithm for building dense three-dimensional maps using information ac- quired from a range imager and a conventional camera, for robotic search and rescue in unstructured indoor environments. A key challen...... invariant feature transformation SIFT feature detection and matching, random sampling consensus RANSAC , and least square 3D point sets ?tting. Experimental results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the techniques developed....

The effect of playing advergames that promote energy-dense snacks or fruit on actual food intake among children.

Science.gov (United States)

Folkvord, Frans; Anschütz, Doeschka J; Buijzen, Moniek; Valkenburg, Patti M

2013-02-01

Previous studies have focused on the effects of television advertising on the energy intake of children. However, the rapidly changing food-marketing landscape requires research to measure the effects of nontraditional forms of marketing on the health-related behaviors of children. The main aim of this study was to examine the effect of advergames that promote energy-dense snacks or fruit on children's ad libitum snack and fruit consumption and to examine whether this consumption differed according to brand and product type (energy-dense snacks and fruit). The second aim was to examine whether advergames can stimulate fruit intake. We used a randomized between-subject design with 270 children (age: 8-10 y) who played an advergame that promoted energy-dense snacks (n = 69), fruit (n = 67), or nonfood products (n = 65) or were in the control condition (n = 69). Subsequently, we measured the free intake of energy-dense snacks and fruit. The children then completed questionnaire measures, and we weighed and measured them. The main finding was that playing an advergame containing food cues increased general energy intake, regardless of the advertised brand or product type (energy-dense snacks or fruit), and this activity particularly increased the intake of energy-dense snack foods. Children who played the fruit version of the advergame did not eat significantly more fruit than did those in the other groups. The findings suggest that playing advergames that promote food, including either energy-dense snacks or fruit, increases energy intake in children.

Generating equilateral random polygons in confinement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diao, Y; Ernst, C; Montemayor, A; Ziegler, U

2011-01-01

One challenging problem in biology is to understand the mechanism of DNA packing in a confined volume such as a cell. It is known that confined circular DNA is often knotted and hence the topology of the extracted (and relaxed) circular DNA can be used as a probe of the DNA packing mechanism. However, in order to properly estimate the topological properties of the confined circular DNA structures using mathematical models, it is necessary to generate large ensembles of simulated closed chains (i.e. polygons) of equal edge lengths that are confined in a volume such as a sphere of certain fixed radius. Finding efficient algorithms that properly sample the space of such confined equilateral random polygons is a difficult problem. In this paper, we propose a method that generates confined equilateral random polygons based on their probability distribution. This method requires the creation of a large database initially. However, once the database has been created, a confined equilateral random polygon of length n can be generated in linear time in terms of n. The errors introduced by the method can be controlled and reduced by the refinement of the database. Furthermore, our numerical simulations indicate that these errors are unbiased and tend to cancel each other in a long polygon. (paper)

A Harmonic Algorithm for the 3D Strip Packing Problem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

N. Bansal (Nikhil); X. Han; K. Iwama; M. Sviridenko; G. Zhang (Guochuan)

2013-01-01

htmlabstractIn the three-dimensional (3D) strip packing problem, we are given a set of 3D rectangular items and a 3D box $B$. The goal is to pack all the items in $B$ such that the height of the packing is minimized. We consider the most basic version of the problem, where the items must be packed

Evaluation of Packed Distillation Columns I - Atmospheric Pressure

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Reynolds, Thaine

1951-01-01

.... Four column-packing combinations of the glass columns and four column-packing combinations of the steel columns were investigated at atmospheric pressure using a test mixture of methylcyclohexane...

Implementation fidelity of a nurse-led falls prevention program in acute hospitals during the 6-PACK trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Morello, Renata T; Barker, Anna L; Ayton, Darshini R; Landgren, Fiona; Kamar, Jeannette; Hill, Keith D; Brand, Caroline A; Sherrington, Catherine; Wolfe, Rory; Rifat, Sheral; Stoelwinder, Johannes

2017-06-02

When tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 31,411 patients, the nurse-led 6-PACK falls prevention program did not reduce falls. Poor implementation fidelity (i.e., program not implemented as intended) may explain this result. Despite repeated calls for the examination of implementation fidelity as an essential component of evaluating interventions designed to improve the delivery of care, it has been neglected in prior falls prevention studies. This study examined implementation fidelity of the 6-PACK program during a large multi-site RCT. Based on the 6-PACK implementation framework and intervention description, implementation fidelity was examined by quantifying adherence to program components and organizational support. Adherence indicators were: 1) falls-risk tool completion; and for patients classified as high-risk, provision of 2) a 'Falls alert' sign; and 3) at least one additional 6-PACK intervention. Organizational support indicators were: 1) provision of resources (executive sponsorship, site clinical leaders and equipment); 2) implementation activities (modification of patient care plans; training; implementation tailoring; audits, reminders and feedback; and provision of data); and 3) program acceptability. Data were collected from daily bedside observation, medical records, resource utilization diaries and nurse surveys. All seven intervention components were delivered on the 12 intervention wards. Program adherence data were collected from 103,398 observations and medical record audits. The falls-risk tool was completed each day for 75% of patients. Of the 38% of patients classified as high-risk, 79% had a 'Falls alert' sign and 63% were provided with at least one additional 6-PACK intervention, as recommended. All hospitals provided the recommended resources and undertook the nine outlined program implementation activities. Most of the nurses surveyed considered program components important for falls prevention. While implementation

Duration of Nasal Packs in the Management of Epistaxis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kundi, N. A.; Raza, M.

2015-01-01

Objective:To compare the efficacy of nasal packs for 12 and 24 hours in the management of epistaxis. Study Design: Quasi experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Nowshera and Heavy Industries Taxilla Hospital, from October 2012 to April 2013. Methodology: A total of 60 patients presenting with epistaxis were selected and were divided into two groups of 30 patients each. Patients in both the groups were managed by nasal packs. In group-A packs were removed after 12 hours while in group-B after 24 hours. Symptoms of headache, lacrimation and recurrence of bleeding were recorded. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis and p-value less than 0.01 was considered significant. Results: There was significant difference for headache between removal of nasal packs after 12 hours and 24 hours (p < 0.001). There was significant difference for excessive lacrimation at 12 and 24 hours (p = 0.001). No significant difference was observed for recurrence of bleed when nasal packs were removed at 12 and 24 hours (p = 0.317). Conclusion: Duration in removal of nasal packs after 12 or 24 hours made a difference in the management of epistaxis. Symptoms of headache and excessive lacrimation were significantly higher when nasal packs were removed after 24 hours. It is recommended that patient could be managed with lesser duration of packs after episode of epistaxis to avoid inconvenience. (author)

Analysis of foliage effects on mobile propagation in dense urban environments

Science.gov (United States)

Bronshtein, Alexander; Mazar, Reuven; Lu, I.-Tai

2000-07-01

Attempts to reduce the interference level and to increase the spectral efficiency of cellular radio communication systems operating in dense urban and suburban areas lead to the microcellular approach with a consequent requirement to lower antenna heights. In large metropolitan areas having high buildings this requirement causes a situation where the transmitting and receiving antennas are both located below the rooftops, and the city street acts as a type of a waveguiding channel for the propagating signal. In this work, the city street is modeled as a random multislit waveguide with randomly distributed regions of foliage parallel to the building boundaries. The statistical propagation characteristics are expressed in terms of multiple ray-fields approaching the observer. Algorithms for predicting the path-loss along the waveguide and for computing the transverse field structure are presented.

Input energy measurement toward warm dense matter generation using intense pulsed power generator

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, R.; Ito, T.; Ishitani, T.; Tamura, F.; Kudo, T.; Takakura, N.; Kashine, K.; Takahashi, K.; Sasaki, T.; Kikuchi, T.; Harada, Nob.; Jiang, W.; Tokuchi, A.

2016-05-01

In order to investigate properties of warm dense matter (WDM) in inertial confinement fusion (ICF), evaluation method for the WDM with isochoric heating on the implosion time-scale using an intense pulsed power generator ETIGO-II (∼1 TW, ∼50 ns) has been considered. In this study, the history of input energy into the sample is measured from the voltage and the current waveforms. To achieve isochoric heating, a foamed aluminum with pore sizes 600 μm and with 90% porosity was packed into a hollow glass capillary (ø 5 mm × 10 mm). The temperature of the sample is calculated from the numerical calculation using the measured input power. According to the above measurements, the input energy into a sample and the achievable temperature are estimated to be 300 J and 6000 K. It indicates that the WDM state is generated using the proposed method with ICF implosion time-scale.

Cylinder valve packing nut studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blue, S.C. [Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Paducah, KY (United States)

1991-12-31

The design, manufacture, and use of cylinder valve packing nuts have been studied to improve their resistance to failure from stress corrosion cracking. Stress frozen photoelastic models have been analyzed to measure the stress concentrations at observed points of failure. The load effects induced by assembly torque and thermal expansion of stem packing were observed by strain gaging nuts. The effects of finishing operations and heat treatment were studied by the strain gage hole boring and X-ray methods. Modifications of manufacturing and operation practices are reducing the frequency of stress corrosion failures.

Association of nutrient-dense snack combinations with calories and vegetable intake.

Science.gov (United States)

Wansink, Brian; Shimizu, Mitsuru; Brumberg, Adam

2013-01-01

With other factors such as general diet and insufficient exercise, eating non-nutrient dense snack foods such as potato chips contributes to childhood obesity. We examined whether children consumed fewer calories when offered high-nutrient dense snacks consisting of cheese and vegetables than children who were offered non-nutrient dense snacks (ie, potato chips). Two hundred one children (115 girls) entering the third to sixth grades were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 snacking conditions: (1) potato chips only, (2) cheese-only, (3) vegetables only, and (4) cheese and vegetables. Children were allowed to eat snacks freely provided while watching 45-minute TV programs. Satiety was measured before they started eating snacks, in the middle of the study, and 20 minutes after they finished eating the snacks. Parents completed a questionnaire regarding their family environment. Children consumed 72% fewer calories when eating a combined snack compared with when they were served potato chips, P snack needed significantly fewer calories to achieve satiety than those who ate potato chips, P snack conditions on caloric intake were more pronounced among overweight or obese children (P = .02) and those from low-involvement families (P = .049) The combination snack of vegetables and cheese can be an effective means for children to reduce caloric intake while snacking. The effect was more pronounced among children who were overweight or obese and children from low-involvement families.

The general packed column : an analytical solution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gielen, J.L.W.

2000-01-01

The transient behaviour of a packed column is considered. The column, uniformly packed on a macroscopic scale, is multi-structured on the microscopic level: the solid phase consists of particles, which may differ in incidence, shape or size, and other relevant physical properties. Transport in the

Characteristics of illegal and legal cigarette packs sold in Guatemala.

Science.gov (United States)

Arevalo, Rodrigo; Corral, Juan E; Monzon, Diego; Yoon, Mira; Barnoya, Joaquin

2016-11-25

Guatemala, as a party to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), is required to regulate cigarette packaging and labeling and eliminate illicit tobacco trade. Current packaging and labeling characteristics (of legal and illegal cigarettes) and their compliance with the FCTC is unknown. We sought to analyze package and label characteristics of illegal and legal cigarettes sold in Guatemala. We visited the 22 largest traditional markets in the country to purchase illegal cigarettes. All brands registered on tobacco industry websites were purchased as legal cigarettes. Analysis compared labeling characteristics of illegal and legal packs. Most (95%) markets and street vendors sold illegal cigarettes; 104 packs were purchased (79 illegal and 25 legal). Ten percent of illegal and none of the legal packs had misleading terms. Half of the illegal packs had a warning label covering 26 to 50% of the pack surface. All legal packs had a label covering 25% of the surface. Illegal packs were more likely to have information on constituents and emissions (85% vs. 45%, p Guatemala, neither illegal nor legal cigarette packs comply with FCTC labeling mandates. Urgent implementation and enforcement of the FCTC is necessary to halt the tobacco epidemic.

Generalized network improvement and packing problems

CERN Document Server

Holzhauser, Michael

2016-01-01

Michael Holzhauser discusses generalizations of well-known network flow and packing problems by additional or modified side constraints. By exploiting the inherent connection between the two problem classes, the author investigates the complexity and approximability of several novel network flow and packing problems and presents combinatorial solution and approximation algorithms. Contents Fractional Packing and Parametric Search Frameworks Budget-Constrained Minimum Cost Flows: The Continuous Case Budget-Constrained Minimum Cost Flows: The Discrete Case Generalized Processing Networks Convex Generalized Flows Target Groups Researchers and students in the fields of mathematics, computer science, and economics Practitioners in operations research and logistics The Author Dr. Michael Holzhauser studied computer science at the University of Kaiserslautern and is now a research fellow in the Optimization Research Group at the Department of Mathematics of the University of Kaiserslautern.

Multi-Node Thermal System Model for Lithium-Ion Battery Packs: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, Ying; Smith, Kandler; Wood, Eric; Pesaran, Ahmad

2015-09-14

Temperature is one of the main factors that controls the degradation in lithium ion batteries. Accurate knowledge and control of cell temperatures in a pack helps the battery management system (BMS) to maximize cell utilization and ensure pack safety and service life. In a pack with arrays of cells, a cells temperature is not only affected by its own thermal characteristics but also by its neighbors, the cooling system and pack configuration, which increase the noise level and the complexity of cell temperatures prediction. This work proposes to model lithium ion packs thermal behavior using a multi-node thermal network model, which predicts the cell temperatures by zones. The model was parametrized and validated using commercial lithium-ion battery packs. neighbors, the cooling system and pack configuration, which increase the noise level and the complexity of cell temperatures prediction. This work proposes to model lithium ion packs thermal behavior using a multi-node thermal network model, which predicts the cell temperatures by zones. The model was parametrized and validated using commercial lithium-ion battery packs.

Glottotecnologie didattiche per i migranti L’italiano fra le altre lingue nel progetto L-Pack (Citizenship Language Pack for Migrants in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pierangela Diadori

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Teaching languages to migrants through ICT L-Pack Project for Italian and other languages (Citizenship Language Pack for Migrants in EuropeThe most recent trends in technology and the internet, commonly called Web 2.0., have determined new concepts in teaching and learning that involve autonomy, multimodality and flexibility. New approaches to ‘knowledge by technology’ are changing both teachers’ and learners’ roles, responding to their different aims and needs. At the same time, nearly 4 million people are presently involved in massive migration processes all over Europe, coming either from outside Europe or from another EU member state. The EU policies on migrants state the importance of a basic knowledge of the host country’s language, history and institutions for an effective integration process, and EU governments are expected to contribute to this aim. This paper describes the European Project ‘L-PACK: Citizenship Language Pack For Migrants in Europe’ (2011-2016, whose main aim consisted in developing a series of internet video texts, accompanied with materials and resources to lead adult migrants to A2 level (according to QCER levels scale in different EU languages. The project has been developed in two main stages. In the first part of the programme, called L-Pack 1, from 2011 to 2013, the languages were Italian, Spanish, German, Lithuanian, Greek and Czech. In the second part, called L-Pack 2 extended, from 2014 to 2016, the project added English and French and was integrated with new resources and tools. The L-PACK course, which consists of 60 short video dialogues from everyday life, supported by comprehension activities and linguistic explanation and rules, is totally free and available through Youtube, Wikibooks and Soundcloud. The dedicated website http://www.l-pack.eu was visited by 120.000 users from 146 countries in the period 2011-2016. L-Pack teaching materials have also been used by teachers in classroom

Acceptability of the 6-PACK falls prevention program: A pre-implementation study in hospitals participating in a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna L Barker

Full Text Available There is limited evidence to support the effectiveness of falls prevention interventions in the acute hospital setting. The 6-PACK falls prevention program includes a fall-risk tool; 'falls alert' signs; supervision of patients in the bathroom; ensuring patients' walking aids are within reach; toileting regimes; low-low beds; and bed/chair alarms. This study explored the acceptability of the 6-PACK program from the perspective of nurses and senior staff prior to its implementation in a randomised controlled trial. A mixed-methods approach was applied involving 24 acute wards from six Australian hospitals. Participants were nurses working on participating wards and senior hospital staff including: Nurse Unit Managers; senior physicians; Directors of Nursing; and senior personnel involved in quality and safety or falls prevention. Information on program acceptability (suitability, practicality and benefits was obtained by surveys, focus groups and interviews. Survey data were analysed descriptively, and focus group and interview data thematically. The survey response rate was 60%. Twelve focus groups (n = 96 nurses and 24 interviews with senior staff were conducted. Falls were identified as a priority patient safety issue and nurses as key players in falls prevention. The 6-PACK program was perceived to offer practical benefits compared to current practice. Nurses agreed fall-risk tools, low-low beds and alert signs were useful for preventing falls (>70%. Views were mixed regarding positioning patients' walking aid within reach. Practical issues raised included access to equipment; and risk of staff injury with low-low bed use. Bathroom supervision was seen to be beneficial, however not always practical. Views on the program appropriateness and benefits were consistent across nurses and senior staff. Staff perceived the 6-PACK program as suitable, practical and beneficial, and were open to adopting the program. Some practical concerns were raised

Microbiological Quality of Blister Pack Tablets in Community ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Keywords: Blister pack, Community pharmacy, Good Manufacturing Practice, Microbial contamination,. Quality control ... High levels of microbial contamination in blister-packed tablets ... and their drugs approved by the Jordan Food and Drug ...

Constructing Dense Graphs with Unique Hamiltonian Cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Lynch, Mark A. M.

2012-01-01

It is not difficult to construct dense graphs containing Hamiltonian cycles, but it is difficult to generate dense graphs that are guaranteed to contain a unique Hamiltonian cycle. This article presents an algorithm for generating arbitrarily large simple graphs containing "unique" Hamiltonian cycles. These graphs can be turned into dense graphs…

Improved Taxation Rate for Bin Packing Games

Science.gov (United States)

Kern, Walter; Qiu, Xian

A cooperative bin packing game is a N-person game, where the player set N consists of k bins of capacity 1 each and n items of sizes a 1, ⋯ ,a n . The value of a coalition of players is defined to be the maximum total size of items in the coalition that can be packed into the bins of the coalition. We present an alternative proof for the non-emptiness of the 1/3-core for all bin packing games and show how to improve this bound ɛ= 1/3 (slightly). We conjecture that the true best possible value is ɛ= 1/7.

Does a balanced transfusion ratio of plasma to packed red blood cells improve outcomes in both trauma and surgical patients? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahouma, Mohamed; Kamel, Mohamed; Jodeh, Diana; Kelley, Thomas; Ohmes, Lucas B; de Biasi, Andreas R; Abouarab, Ahmed A; Benedetto, Umberto; Guy, T Sloane; Lau, Christopher; Lee, Paul C; Girardi, Leonard N; Gaudino, Mario

2017-09-23

The effect of high transfusion ratios of fresh frozen plasma (FFP): packed red blood cell (RBC) on mortality is still controversial. Observational evidence contradicts a recent randomized controlled trial regarding mortality benefit. This is an updated meta-analysis, including a non-trauma cohort. Patients were grouped into high vs. low based on FFP:RBC ratio. Primary outcomes were 24-h and 30-day/in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung injury rates. Random model and leave-one-out-analyses were used. In 36 studies, lower ratio showed poorer 24-h and 30-day survival (p ratio was associated with worse 24-h and 30-day mortality (P ratio of 1:1.5 provided the largest 24-h and 30-day survival benefit (p ratio was not associated with ARDS or ALI. High FFP:RBC ratio confers survival benefits in trauma and non-trauma settings, with the highest survival benefit at 1:1.5. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New series of paper pack vending machines; Paper pack jido hanbaiki no shin series

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohashi, M. [Fuji Denki Reiki Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Umino, S. [Fuji Electric Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-07-10

This paper presents series of paper pack vending machines. These machines may be broadly classified into those of cold drinks and of hot and cold drinks depending on the storage temperature of products. The former is the machine for cooling dairy products at 10{degree}C with a combined stacking by direct-stacked racks and chain-multiracks. The latter is provided with divided storing chambers with each chamber selectively cooled or heated. Products in the hot chamber are canned coffee and the like set at 55{degree}C. The temperature control is performed by a microcomputer. The chain-multiracks are provided with advantages such as capability of handling various kinds of container shapes, storing drinks and foods vertically, replacing products by the change of a shelf attachment with one operation, and storing one liter packs by setting pair columns. The direct-stacked racks are provided with advantages such as versatility of handling various kinds of containers and miniaturization of the mechanism other than the storage part. The installation space was reduced by devising the opening and closing of the door. The control part is capable of setting temperatures differently for cans and paper packs. 7 figs., 1 tab.

Hadrons in dense matter. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buballa, M.; Noerenberg, W.; Schaefer, B.J.; Wambach, J.

2000-03-01

The following topics were dealt with: Elementary hadronic reactions, Delta dynamics in nuclei, in-medium s-wave ππ-correlations, strangeness in hot and dense matter, medium modifications of vector mesons and dilepton production, medium modifications of charmonium, thermal properties of hot and dense hadronic matter, nuclear matter, spectral functions and QCD sum rules

Minimal packing duration in close reduction for nasal bone fracture treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Dong Sik; Lee, Jeong Woo; Yang, Jung Dug; Chung, Ho Yun; Cho, Byung Chae; Choi, Kang Young

2015-04-15

Nasal bone fracture is the most common type of facial bone fracture. The optimal duration of the packing after closed reduction has been a controversial issue. The packing has several disadvantages such as blocking the nasal airway, causing infection and a headache, which is the most common immediate complication. The present study investigated the minimal and optimal duration of the nasal packing following reduction surgery of nasal bone fracture. A prospective study was performed for the patients undergoing reduction surgery following nasal bone fracture between July 2010 and June 2012. The patients were categorised into three groups according to the duration of nasal packing. For the patients treated between July 2010 and June 2011, nasal packing was maintained for 5 days. For those between July 2011 and December 2011, packing was maintained for 3 days. For those between January 2012 and June 2012, the packing was removed after 1 day. The computed tomography scan and the cephalolateral X-ray were checked at immediate postoperative period after packing removal and 6 months postoperatively. The alteration of heights, deviations, and nasal bone contours with time passage were compared among three groups. The patient satisfaction survey was also performed and compared. A total of 530 patients including 322 of the 5-days packing group, 102 of the 3-days group, and 106 of the 1-day group were enrolled. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of heights, deviations, and nasal bone contours (p-value ≥ 0.05). In the patient satisfaction survey, the 1-day packing group complained of discomfort related to nasal packing and headache symptoms much less, compared to the other two groups. The present study demonstrated that 1-day packing had comparable postoperative outcome with reducing the patients' discomfort. As such, a longer packing duration was not needed to achieve stable results one day is a reasonable packing time for most

Economics Action Pack.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald's Corp., Oak Brook, IL.

One of five McDonald's Action Packs, this learning package introduces intermediate grade students to basic economic concepts. The fourteen activities include the topics of consumption (4 activities), production (5), the market system (3), a pretest, and a posttest. Specific titles under consumption include The Wonderful Treasure Tree (introduction…

Internal states of model isotropic granular packings. I. Assembling process, geometry, and contact networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Agnolin, Ivana; Roux, Jean-Noël

2007-12-01

This is the first paper of a series of three, in which we report on numerical simulation studies of geometric and mechanical properties of static assemblies of spherical beads under an isotropic pressure. The influence of various assembling processes on packing microstructures is investigated. It is accurately checked that frictionless systems assemble in the unique random close packing (RCP) state in the low pressure limit if the compression process is fast enough, higher solid fractions corresponding to more ordered configurations with traces of crystallization. Specific properties directly related to isostaticity of the force-carrying structure in the rigid limit are discussed. With frictional grains, different preparation procedures result in quite different inner structures that cannot be classified by the sole density. If partly or completely lubricated they will assemble like frictionless ones, approaching the RCP solid fraction Phi_{RCP} approximately 0.639 with a high coordination number: z* approximately =6 on the force-carrying backbone. If compressed with a realistic coefficient of friction mu=0.3 packings stabilize in a loose state with Phi approximately 0.593 and z* approximately =4.5 . And, more surprisingly, an idealized "vibration" procedure, which maintains an agitated, collisional regime up to high densities results in equally small values of z* while Phi is close to the maximum value Phi_{RCP}. Low coordination packings have a large proportion (>10%) of rattlers--grains carrying no force--the effect of which should be accounted for on studying position correlations, and also contain a small proportion of localized "floppy modes" associated with divalent grains. Low-pressure states of frictional packings retain a finite level of force indeterminacy even when assembled with the slowest compression rates simulated, except in the case when the friction coefficient tends to infinity. Different microstructures are characterized in terms of near

Synthesis and characterization of α-MoO3 microspheres packed with nanoflakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Rabindar K; Reddy, G B

2014-01-01

In this paper, we report the fabrication of three-dimensional molybdenum oxide (α-MoO 3 ) microspheres (MSs) packed with nanoflakes by facile and eco-friendly physical vapour deposition processes. Synthesis processes include sequences of plasma-assisted sublimation and thermal evaporation routes on a nickel-coated glass substrate in three individual stages. It is observed that nanostructured films deposited in the first and second stages function as seed layers for the growth of MoO 3 MSs. The structural study divulged that the MoO 3 MSs are polycrystalline in nature with pure orthorhombic phase. The morphological study endorses the uniform growth of MSs on a large area scale having diameters in the range of 0.7–2 µm with the finely packed single crystalline nanoflakes with mean thicknesses of nearly 60 nm. These single crystalline flakes are not individual but in the form of randomly distributed bunches embedded on the surface of MSs. Vibrational study of molybdenum and oxygen atoms in the MSs is carried out by Raman and Fourier transform infrared analysis, which further assured the existence of a pure orthorhombic crystal phase of MoO 3 MSs and also justified the x-ray diffractogram findings. The MoO 3 MSs show intense photoluminescence emission at room temperature with the five prominent peaks located at 424, 457, 486, 521 and 536 nm in accordance with the improvement in the degree of crystallinity. The possible growth strategy of α-MoO 3 MSs packed with nanoflakes is proposed in this paper briefly. (paper)

Packing parameters effect on injection molding of polypropylene nanostructured surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Calaon, Matteo; Tosello, Guido; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard

2012-01-01

having a diameter of 500 nm was employed. The tool insert surface was produced using chemical-based-batch techniques such aluminum anodization and nickel electroplating. During the injection molding process, polypropylene (PP) was employed as material and packing phase parameters (packing time, packing...

Performance of high-rate gravel-packed oil wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Unneland, Trond

2001-05-01

Improved methods for the prediction, evaluation, and monitoring of performance in high-rate cased-hole gravel-packed oil wells are presented in this thesis. The ability to predict well performance prior to the gravel-pack operations, evaluate the results after the operation, and monitor well performance over time has been improved. This lifetime approach to performance analysis of gravel-packed oil wells contributes to increase oil production and field profitability. First, analytical models available for prediction of performance in gravel-packed oil wells are reviewed, with particular emphasis on high-velocity flow effects. From the analysis of field data from three North Sea oil fields, improved and calibrated cased-hole gravel-pack performance prediction models are presented. The recommended model is based on serial flow through formation sand and gravel in the perforation tunnels. In addition, new correlations for high-velocity flow in high-rate gravel-packed oil wells are introduced. Combined, this improves the performance prediction for gravel-packed oil wells, and specific areas can be targeted for optimized well design. Next, limitations in the current methods and alternative methods for evaluation and comparison of well performance are presented. The most widely used parameter, the skin factor, remains a convenient and important parameter. However, using the skin concept in direct comparisons between wells with different reservoir properties may result in misleading or even invalid conclusions. A discussion of the parameters affecting the skin value, with a clarification of limitations, is included. A methodology for evaluation and comparison of gravel-packed well performance is presented, and this includes the use of results from production logs and the use of effective perforation tunnel permeability as a parameter. This contributes to optimized operational procedures from well to well and from field to field. Finally, the data sources available for

Spoilage-Related Activity of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum Strains in Air-Stored and Vacuum-Packed Meat ▿ †

Science.gov (United States)

Casaburi, Annalisa; Nasi, Antonella; Ferrocino, Ilario; Di Monaco, Rossella; Mauriello, Gianluigi; Villani, Francesco; Ercolini, Danilo

2011-01-01

One hundred three isolates of Carnobacterium spp. from raw meat were analyzed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and PCR and were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Forty-five strains of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum were characterized for their growth capabilities at different temperatures, NaCl concentrations, and pH values and for in vitro lipolytic and proteolytic activities. Moreover, their spoilage potential in meat was investigated by analyzing the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in meat stored in air or vacuum packs. Almost all the strains were able to grow at 4, 10, and 20°C, at pH values of 6 to 9, and in the presence of 2.5% NaCl. The release of VOCs by each strain in beef stored at 4°C in air and vacuum packs was evaluated by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. All the meat samples inoculated and stored in air showed higher numbers of VOCs than the vacuum-packed meat samples. Acetoin, 1-octen-3-ol, and butanoic acid were the compounds most frequently found under both storage conditions. The contaminated meat samples were evaluated by a sensory panel; the results indicated that for all sensory odors, no effect of strain was significant (P > 0.05). The storage conditions significantly affected (P meat, and mozzarella cheese odors, which were more intense in meat stored in air than in vacuum packs but were never very intense. In conclusion, different strains of C. maltaromaticum can grow efficiently in meat stored at low temperatures both in air and in vacuum packs, producing volatile molecules with low sensory impacts, with a negligible contribution to meat spoilage overall. PMID:21784913

Packing Density Approach for Sustainable Development of Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudarshan Dattatraya KORE

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the details of optimized mix design for normal strength concrete using particle packing density method. Also the concrete mixes were designed as per BIS: 10262-2009. Different water-cement ratios were used and kept same in both design methods. An attempt has been made to obtain sustainable and cost effective concrete product by use of particle packing density method. The parameters such as workability, compressive strength, cost analysis and carbon di oxide emission were discussed. The results of the study showed that, the compressive strength of the concrete produced by packing density method are closer to that of design compressive strength of BIS code method. By adopting the packing density method for design of concrete mixes, resulted in 11% cost saving with 12% reduction in carbon di oxide emission.

Systematic Onset of Periodic Patterns in Random Disk Packings

Science.gov (United States)

Topic, Nikola; Pöschel, Thorsten; Gallas, Jason A. C.

2018-04-01

We report evidence of a surprising systematic onset of periodic patterns in very tall piles of disks deposited randomly between rigid walls. Independently of the pile width, periodic structures are always observed in monodisperse deposits containing up to 1 07 disks. The probability density function of the lengths of disordered transient phases that precede the onset of periodicity displays an approximately exponential tail. These disordered transients may become very large when the channel width grows without bound. For narrow channels, the probability density of finding periodic patterns of a given period displays a series of discrete peaks, which, however, are washed out completely when the channel width grows.

Interference Coordination for Dense Wireless Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Soret, Beatriz; Pedersen, Klaus I.; Jørgensen, Niels T.K.

2015-01-01

and dense deployment in Tokyo are compared. Evolution to DenseNets offers new opportunities for further development of downlink interference cooperation techniques. Various mechanisms in LTE and LTE-Advanced are revisited. Some techniques try to anticipate the future in a proactive way, whereas others......The promise of ubiquitous and super-fast connectivity for the upcoming years will be in large part fulfilled by the addition of base stations and spectral aggregation. The resulting very dense networks (DenseNets) will face a number of technical challenges. Among others, the interference emerges...... as an old acquaintance with new significance. As a matter of fact, the interference conditions and the role of aggressor and victim depend to a large extent on the density and the scenario. To illustrate this, downlink interference statistics for different 3GPP simulation scenarios and a more irregular...

Granular packings with moving side walls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landry, James W.; Grest, Gary Stephen

2004-01-01

The effects of movement of the side walls of a confined granular packing are studied by discrete element, molecular dynamics simulations. The dynamical evolution of the stress is studied as a function of wall movement both in the direction of gravity as well as opposite to it. For all wall velocities explored, the stress in the final state of the system after wall movement is fundamentally different from the original state obtained by pouring particles into the container and letting them settle under the influence of gravity. The original packing possesses a hydrostaticlike region at the top of the container which crosses over to a depth-independent stress. As the walls are moved in the direction opposite to gravity, the saturation stress first reaches a minimum value independent of the wall velocity, then increases to a steady-state value dependent on the wall velocity. After wall movement ceases and the packing reaches equilibrium, the stress profile fits the classic Janssen form for high wall velocities, while some deviations remain for low wall velocities. The wall movement greatly increases the number of particle-wall and particle-particle forces at the Coulomb criterion. Varying the wall velocity has only small effects on the particle structure of the final packing so long as the walls travel a similar distance.

7 CFR 906.340 - Container, pack, and container marking regulations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Container, pack, and container marking regulations... AGRICULTURE ORANGES AND GRAPEFRUIT GROWN IN LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY IN TEXAS Container and Pack Requirements § 906.340 Container, pack, and container marking regulations. (a) No handler shall handle any variety of...

cellPACK: a virtual mesoscope to model and visualize structural systems biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Graham T; Autin, Ludovic; Al-Alusi, Mostafa; Goodsell, David S; Sanner, Michel F; Olson, Arthur J

2015-01-01

cellPACK assembles computational models of the biological mesoscale, an intermediate scale (10-100 nm) between molecular and cellular biology scales. cellPACK's modular architecture unites existing and novel packing algorithms to generate, visualize and analyze comprehensive three-dimensional models of complex biological environments that integrate data from multiple experimental systems biology and structural biology sources. cellPACK is available as open-source code, with tools for validation of models and with 'recipes' and models for five biological systems: blood plasma, cytoplasm, synaptic vesicles, HIV and a mycoplasma cell. We have applied cellPACK to model distributions of HIV envelope protein to test several hypotheses for consistency with experimental observations. Biologists, educators and outreach specialists can interact with cellPACK models, develop new recipes and perform packing experiments through scripting and graphical user interfaces at http://cellPACK.org/.

Homometrism in close-packed structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mardix, S.

1990-01-01

Homometric structures are non-congruent structures having identical X-ray intensity distributions. It has so far been assumed that such structures, while theoretically interesting, would not be realized in practice. Homometrism in close-packed structures is shown to be a realistic possibility. Some general rules applicable to homometric pairs are presented; it is shown that an infinite number of them can be derived from one-dimensional homometric pairs. An exhaustive search of close-packed structures with periods of up to 26 reveals that the smallest period of a homometric pair is 15 and that their number increases rapidly with the period. Homometrism in polytypic structures is further discussed. (orig.)

Avoidance of cigarette pack health warnings among regular cigarette smokers.

Science.gov (United States)

Maynard, Olivia M; Attwood, Angela; O'Brien, Laura; Brooks, Sabrina; Hedge, Craig; Leonards, Ute; Munafò, Marcus R

2014-03-01

Previous research with adults and adolescents indicates that plain cigarette packs increase visual attention to health warnings among non-smokers and non-regular smokers, but not among regular smokers. This may be because regular smokers: (1) are familiar with the health warnings, (2) preferentially attend to branding, or (3) actively avoid health warnings. We sought to distinguish between these explanations using eye-tracking technology. A convenience sample of 30 adult dependent smokers participated in an eye-tracking study. Participants viewed branded, plain and blank packs of cigarettes with familiar and unfamiliar health warnings. The number of fixations to health warnings and branding on the different pack types were recorded. Analysis of variance indicated that regular smokers were biased towards fixating the branding rather than the health warning on all three pack types. This bias was smaller, but still evident, for blank packs, where smokers preferentially attended the blank region over the health warnings. Time-course analysis showed that for branded and plain packs, attention was preferentially directed to the branding location for the entire 10s of the stimulus presentation, while for blank packs this occurred for the last 8s of the stimulus presentation. Familiarity with health warnings had no effect on eye gaze location. Smokers actively avoid cigarette pack health warnings, and this remains the case even in the absence of salient branding information. Smokers may have learned to divert their attention away from cigarette pack health warnings. These findings have implications for cigarette packaging and health warning policy. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The investigation of cooling tower packing in various arrangements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golshayshi, H.R.; Missenden, J.F.

1998-01-01

The effect of form with corrugated packing on heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics in atmospheric cooling towers has been studied experimentally. The results showed that the heat transfer coefficient decreased with increase in packing pitch and increase in the ratio of rib pitch to rib height. Friction factors were expressed by a dimensional equation which included pitch and distance between the packings, for both smooth and rough surface. From these results, the relationship between packing heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop was deduced. The correlations were verified with additional experimental data taken with 1.1,P/D p /e 5 . This provides a useful semi experimental relation, in the area generally lacking in design and performance data. (author)

Integrality gap analysis for bin packing games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kern, Walter; Qui, X.

A cooperative bin packing game is an $N$-person game, where the player set $N$ consists of $k$ bins of capacity 1 each and $n$ items of sizes $a_1,\\dots,a_n$. The value $v(S)$ of a coalition $S$ of players is defined to be the maximum total size of items in $S$ that can be packed into the bins of

School lunches v. packed lunches: a comparison of secondary schools in England following the introduction of compulsory school food standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Lesley; Nicholas, Jo; Wood, Lesley; Nelson, Michael

2013-06-01

To compare food choices and nutrient intakes of pupils taking a school lunch or a packed lunch in eighty secondary schools in England, following the introduction of the food-based and nutrient-based standards for school food. Cross-sectional data collected between October 2010 and April 2011. Pupils' lunchtime food choices were recorded over five consecutive days. Secondary schools, England. A random selection of 5925 pupils having school lunches and 1805 pupils having a packed lunch in a nationally representative sample of eighty secondary schools in England. The differences in the specific types of food and drink consumed by the two groups of pupils are typical of differences between a hot and cold meal. On average, school lunches as eaten contained significantly more energy, carbohydrate, protein, fibre, vitamin A, folate, Fe and Zn than packed lunches, and 8 % less Na. Although neither school lunches nor packed lunches provided the balance of nutrients required to meet the nutrient-based standards (based on about one-third of daily energy and nutrient requirements), school lunches generally had a healthier nutrient profile, with lower Na and percentage of energy from fat, and higher fibre and micronutrient content. These differences were greater than those reported prior to the introduction of compulsory standards for school lunches. In order to ensure more pupils have a healthy lunch, schools could introduce and enforce a packed lunch policy or make school meals the only option at lunchtime.

Gravel packing dual zones in one trip reduces offshore completion time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brannon, D.H.; Harrison, D.T.; van Sickle, E.W.

1991-01-01

A single trip, dual-zone gravel pack system was used to successfully gravel pack two wells on Green Canyon platform 52 A in the Gulf of Mexico. An average 56 hours was saved on each well, representing reductions of about 25% in completion time and 26% in completion cost per well. Time-sensitive costs had the largest impact on Green Canyon 52 A final well completion cost; therefore, new technology or more efficient operations were required to minimize completion time. One way to enhance project economics was to gravel pack two separate zones in one trip. In this paper, four objectives are addressed during development of a single trip tool to gravel pack the stacked zones of the Marquette project. These were time and cost reduction, removal of loss circulation material (LCM) prior to gravel packing, zone isolation during gravel packing and use of conventional gravel placement techniques. The design requirement that all LCM (salt and/or viscous polymer pills), perforation debris and formation sand be removed from the wellbore prior to gravel packing was accomplished by incorporating a washdown feature that allows circulation at the bottom of the gravel pack assembly prior to landing in the sump packer

Random covering of the circle: the configuration-space of the free deposition process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huillet, Thierry [Laboratoire de Physique Theorique et Modelisation, CNRS-UMR 8089 et Universite de Cergy-Pontoise, 5 mail Gay-Lussac, 95031, Neuville sur Oise (France)

2003-12-12

Consider a circle of circumference 1. Throw at random n points, sequentially, on this circle and append clockwise an arc (or rod) of length s to each such point. The resulting random set (the free gas of rods) is a collection of a random number of clusters with random sizes. It models a free deposition process on a 1D substrate. For such processes, we shall consider the occurrence times (number of rods) and probabilities, as n grows, of the following configurations: those avoiding rod overlap (the hard-rod gas), those for which the largest gap is smaller than rod length s (the packing gas), those (parking configurations) for which hard rod and packing constraints are both fulfilled and covering configurations. Special attention is paid to the statistical properties of each such (rare) configuration in the asymptotic density domain when ns = {rho}, for some finite density {rho} of points. Using results from spacings in the random division of the circle, explicit large deviation rate functions can be computed in each case from state equations. Lastly, a process consisting in selecting at random one of these specific equilibrium configurations (called the observable) can be modelled. When particularized to the parking model, this system produces parking configurations differently from Renyi's random sequential adsorption model.

SimPackJ/S: a web-oriented toolkit for discrete event simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Minho; Fishwick, Paul A.

2002-07-01

SimPackJ/S is the JavaScript and Java version of SimPack, which means SimPackJ/S is a collection of JavaScript and Java libraries and executable programs for computer simulations. The main purpose of creating SimPackJ/S is that we allow existing SimPack users to expand simulation areas and provide future users with a freeware simulation toolkit to simulate and model a system in web environments. One of the goals for this paper is to introduce SimPackJ/S. The other goal is to propose translation rules for converting C to JavaScript and Java. Most parts demonstrate the translation rules with examples. In addition, we discuss a 3D dynamic system model and overview an approach to 3D dynamic systems using SimPackJ/S. We explain an interface between SimPackJ/S and the 3D language--Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML). This paper documents how to translate C to JavaScript and Java and how to utilize SimPackJ/S within a 3D web environment.

Multilayer DNA Origami Packed on Hexagonal and Hybrid Lattices

OpenAIRE

Ke, Yonggang; Voigt, Niels V.; Gothelf, Kurt V.; Shih, William M.

2012-01-01

“Scaffolded DNA origami” has been proven to be a powerful and efficient approach to construct two-dimensional or three-dimensional objects with great complexity. Multilayer DNA origami has been demonstrated with helices packing along either honeycomb-lattice geometry or square-lattice geometry. Here we report successful folding of multilayer DNA origami with helices arranged on a close-packed hexagonal lattice. This arrangement yields a higher density of helical packing and therefore higher r...

Asymmetric polymeric membranes containing a metal-rich dense layer with a controlled thickness and method of making same

KAUST Repository

Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor; Villalobos, Vazquez De La Parra Luis Francisco

2016-01-01

A structure, and methods of making the structure are provided in which the structure can include: a membrane having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer comprising polymer chains formed with coordination complexes with metal ions, and the second layer consisting of a porous support layer formed of polymer chains substantially, if not completely, lacking the presence of metal ions. The structure can be an asymmetric polymeric membrane containing a metal-rich layer as the first layer. In various embodiments the first layer can be a metal-rich dense layer. The first layer can include pores. The polymer chains of the first layer can be closely packed. The second layer can include a plurality of macro voids and can have an absence of the metal ions of the first layer.

Asymmetric polymeric membranes containing a metal-rich dense layer with a controlled thickness and method of making same

KAUST Repository

Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

2016-01-21

A structure, and methods of making the structure are provided in which the structure can include: a membrane having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer comprising polymer chains formed with coordination complexes with metal ions, and the second layer consisting of a porous support layer formed of polymer chains substantially, if not completely, lacking the presence of metal ions. The structure can be an asymmetric polymeric membrane containing a metal-rich layer as the first layer. In various embodiments the first layer can be a metal-rich dense layer. The first layer can include pores. The polymer chains of the first layer can be closely packed. The second layer can include a plurality of macro voids and can have an absence of the metal ions of the first layer.

Improved Erythrocyte Osmotic Fragility and Packed Cell Volume ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Improved Erythrocyte Osmotic Fragility and Packed Cell Volume following administration of Aloe barbadensis Juice Extract in Rats. ... Abstract. Aloe barbadensis is a popular house plant that has a long history of a multipurpose folk remedy. ... Keywords: osmotic fragility, packed cell volume, haemoglobin, Aloe vera ...

Dynamical theory of dense groups of galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Mamon, Gary A.

1990-01-01

It is well known that galaxies associate in groups and clusters. Perhaps 40% of all galaxies are found in groups of 4 to 20 galaxies (e.g., Tully 1987). Although most groups appear to be so loose that the galaxy interactions within them ought to be insignificant, the apparently densest groups, known as compact groups appear so dense when seen in projection onto the plane of the sky that their members often overlap. These groups thus appear as dense as the cores of rich clusters. The most popular catalog of compact groups, compiled by Hickson (1982), includes isolation among its selection critera. Therefore, in comparison with the cores of rich clusters, Hickson's compact groups (HCGs) appear to be the densest isolated regions in the Universe (in galaxies per unit volume), and thus provide in principle a clean laboratory for studying the competition of very strong gravitational interactions. The $64,000 question here is then: Are compact groups really bound systems as dense as they appear? If dense groups indeed exist, then one expects that each of the dynamical processes leading to the interaction of their member galaxies should be greatly enhanced. This leads us to the questions: How stable are dense groups? How do they form? And the related question, fascinating to any theorist: What dynamical processes predominate in dense groups of galaxies? If HCGs are not bound dense systems, but instead 1D change alignments (Mamon 1986, 1987; Walke & Mamon 1989) or 3D transient cores (Rose 1979) within larger looser systems of galaxies, then the relevant question is: How frequent are chance configurations within loose groups? Here, the author answers these last four questions after comparing in some detail the methods used and the results obtained in the different studies of dense groups.

Dense Output for Strong Stability Preserving Runge–Kutta Methods

KAUST Repository

Ketcheson, David I.

2016-12-10

We investigate dense output formulae (also known as continuous extensions) for strong stability preserving (SSP) Runge–Kutta methods. We require that the dense output formula also possess the SSP property, ideally under the same step-size restriction as the method itself. A general recipe for first-order SSP dense output formulae for SSP methods is given, and second-order dense output formulae for several optimal SSP methods are developed. It is shown that SSP dense output formulae of order three and higher do not exist, and that in any method possessing a second-order SSP dense output, the coefficient matrix A has a zero row.

The Tobacco Pack Surveillance System: A Protocol for Assessing Health Warning Compliance, Design Features, and Appeals of Tobacco Packs Sold in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Katherine; Washington, Carmen; Brown, Jennifer; Vadnais, Alison; Kroart, Laura; Ferguson, Jacqueline; Cohen, Joanna

2015-01-01

Tobacco remains the world's leading preventable cause of death, with the majority of tobacco-caused deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The first global health treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), outlines a set of policy initiatives that have been demonstrated as effective in reducing tobacco use. Article 11 of the FCTC focuses on using the tobacco package to communicate tobacco-caused harms; it also seeks to restrict the delivery of misleading information about the product on the pack. The objective of this study was to establish a surveillance system for tobacco packs in the 14 low- and middle-income countries with the greatest number of smokers. The Tobacco Pack Surveillance System (TPackSS) monitors whether required health warnings on tobacco packages are being implemented as intended, and identifies pack designs and appeals that might violate or detract from the communication of harm-related information and undermine the impact of a country's tobacco packaging laws. The protocol outlined is intended to be applicable or adaptable for surveillance efforts in other countries. Tobacco packs were collected in 14 countries during 2013. The intention was, to the extent possible, to construct a census of "unique" pack presentations available for purchase in each country. The TPackSS team partnered with in-country field staff to implement a standardized protocol for acquiring packs from 36 diverse neighborhoods across three cities in each country. At the time of purchase, data on price and place of acquisition of each pack was recorded. The field staff, according to a standardized protocol, then photographed packs before they were shipped to the United States for coding and archiving. Each pack was coded for compliance with the country-specific health warning label laws, as well as for key design features of the pack and appeals of the branding elements. The coding protocols were developed based upon prior research, expert

Scottish young people's perceptions of standardised packs - a qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andy Macgregor

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background Standardised cigarette packs were introduced into the UK in May 2016. Retailers could sell old stock until May 2017 after which only the sale of cigarettes and tobacco in standardised packs was allowed. As in Australia, pack shape, colour, opening mechanism and font are regulated, together with the size and position of health warnings and number of cigarettes in a pack. This paper explores Scottish young people's awareness of and views about standardised packs in Spring 2017. Methods The DISPLAY study is a five year study established to evaluate the national tobacco point-of sale (POS promotions ban in four communities in Scotland. This paper is based on the qualitative component, annual focus groups carried out with Secondary 2 (13 year olds and Secondary 4 (15 year olds students in four secondary schools. 16 groups (82 students convened in February - March 2017 explored students' perceptions of standardised packaging. Results There was a high level of awareness of standardised packs prior to their full implementation. Smokers had bought them, and they and other participants had seen them in possession of friends and family members, and in litter. Participants' views of the new packaging were generally negative, described as unappealing and depressing, particularly the pictorial health warnings. Packs were compared unfavourably with previous non-standardised versions. However, there was no consensus on their likely impact. Some participants argued that their impact would be widespread, while others thought that any impact would be confined to young non/occasional smokers and that established smokers would be unaffected. Conclusions In early 2017 young people in Scotland had high awareness and knowledge of standardised tobacco packs before their full implementation. Despite differing views about their likely impact on youth smoking, participants irrespective of smoking status overwhelmingly regarded them as unattractive and less

Daily exposure to either a high- or low-energy-dense snack food reduces its reinforcing value in adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Temple, Jennifer L; Van der Kloet, Erika; Atkins, Amanda M; Crandall, Amanda K; Ziegler, Amanda M

2017-02-01

To examine the impact of daily exposure to a low-energy-dense (LED) or a high-energy-dense (HED) snack food on its reinforcing value (RRV) in adolescents with healthy weight, overweight, or obesity. A parallel-group, randomized trial was used to assess RRV of LED or HED snack food at baseline and again after exposure to that snack food daily for 2 weeks in 77 adolescents, aged 13 to 17 years. Information on eating-related subject characteristics was also collected at baseline. After 2 weeks of daily exposure, the RRV of the snack foods was significantly reduced in all participants, regardless of energy density or participant weight status. Among individuals who were high in dietary restraint only, those randomized to LED food found their snack food less reinforcing at baseline than those who were randomized to HED food. Baseline eating-related variables also differed as a function of weight status. Daily exposure to snack food in adolescents reduces the RRV of that food regardless of snack food energy density or weight status of the adolescent. This finding differs from adults, suggesting that increases in RRV of HED food after repeated exposure may develop after adolescence. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

Metallic witness packs for behind-armour debris characterization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verolme, J.L.; Szymczak, M.; Broos, J.P.F.

1999-01-01

For the experimental characterization of behind-armour debris so-called metallic witness packs can be used. A metallic witness pack consists of an array of metallic plates interspaced by polystyrene foam sheets. To quantify the fragment mass and velocity from the corresponding hole area and position

Consistency Check for the Bin Packing Constraint Revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Dupuis, Julien; Schaus, Pierre; Deville, Yves

The bin packing problem (BP) consists in finding the minimum number of bins necessary to pack a set of items so that the total size of the items in each bin does not exceed the bin capacity C. The bin capacity is common for all the bins.

Degradation of nitrobenzene in simulated wastewater by iron-carbon micro-electrolysis packing.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Meng; Zou, Donglei; Zou, Haochen; Fan, Dongyan

2011-12-01

The reductive degradation of nitrobenzene (NB) by iron-carbon micro-electrolysis packing was investigated. The influence of initial NB concentration, pH value and packing amount on the removal rate of NB were studied. The results showed that the reaction with packing followed the pseudo-first-order reaction. The optimum pH was 3.0 for the degradation of NB in the tested pH ranges of 3-9 and the optimum packing amount was 40 g/200 ml. The flow-through column packed with packing was designed to remove NB from simulated wastewater for approximately 68 days. The removal rate was over 90% within initial periods. It could be seen that after running for 68 days, the packing still had good performance after the long-term column experiment. In addition, the changes of the packing surfaces morphologies and matters before, during and after the column experiment were analysed by scanning electron microscopy in conjunction with energy-dispersion spectroscopy (EDS).

Chemotaxis in densely populated tissue determines germinal center anatomy and cell motility: a new paradigm for the development of complex tissues.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jared B Hawkins

Full Text Available Germinal centers (GCs are complex dynamic structures that form within lymph nodes as an essential process in the humoral immune response. They represent a paradigm for studying the regulation of cell movement in the development of complex anatomical structures. We have developed a simulation of a modified cyclic re-entry model of GC dynamics which successfully employs chemotaxis to recapitulate the anatomy of the primary follicle and the development of a mature GC, including correctly structured mantle, dark and light zones. We then show that correct single cell movement dynamics (including persistent random walk and inter-zonal crossing arise from this simulation as purely emergent properties. The major insight of our study is that chemotaxis can only achieve this when constrained by the known biological properties that cells are incompressible, exist in a densely packed environment, and must therefore compete for space. It is this interplay of chemotaxis and competition for limited space that generates all the complex and biologically accurate behaviors described here. Thus, from a single simple mechanism that is well documented in the biological literature, we can explain both higher level structure and single cell movement behaviors. To our knowledge this is the first GC model that is able to recapitulate both correctly detailed anatomy and single cell movement. This mechanism may have wide application for modeling other biological systems where cells undergo complex patterns of movement to produce defined anatomical structures with sharp tissue boundaries.

Chemotaxis in densely populated tissue determines germinal center anatomy and cell motility: a new paradigm for the development of complex tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, Jared B; Jones, Mark T; Plassmann, Paul E; Thorley-Lawson, David A

2011-01-01

Germinal centers (GCs) are complex dynamic structures that form within lymph nodes as an essential process in the humoral immune response. They represent a paradigm for studying the regulation of cell movement in the development of complex anatomical structures. We have developed a simulation of a modified cyclic re-entry model of GC dynamics which successfully employs chemotaxis to recapitulate the anatomy of the primary follicle and the development of a mature GC, including correctly structured mantle, dark and light zones. We then show that correct single cell movement dynamics (including persistent random walk and inter-zonal crossing) arise from this simulation as purely emergent properties. The major insight of our study is that chemotaxis can only achieve this when constrained by the known biological properties that cells are incompressible, exist in a densely packed environment, and must therefore compete for space. It is this interplay of chemotaxis and competition for limited space that generates all the complex and biologically accurate behaviors described here. Thus, from a single simple mechanism that is well documented in the biological literature, we can explain both higher level structure and single cell movement behaviors. To our knowledge this is the first GC model that is able to recapitulate both correctly detailed anatomy and single cell movement. This mechanism may have wide application for modeling other biological systems where cells undergo complex patterns of movement to produce defined anatomical structures with sharp tissue boundaries.

Optimal super dense coding over memory channels

OpenAIRE

Shadman, Zahra; Kampermann, Hermann; Macchiavello, Chiara; Bruß, Dagmar

2011-01-01

We study the super dense coding capacity in the presence of quantum channels with correlated noise. We investigate both the cases of unitary and non-unitary encoding. Pauli channels for arbitrary dimensions are treated explicitly. The super dense coding capacity for some special channels and resource states is derived for unitary encoding. We also provide an example of a memory channel where non-unitary encoding leads to an improvement in the super dense coding capacity.

Evaluation of Type II Fast Packs for Electrostatic Discharge Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-08-01

34 x 8" x 1 3/4") consisting of a reclosable cushioned carrier which mates into an outer fiberboard sleeve. A cushioning insert is used consisting of a... RECLOSABLE CUSHIONED CARRIER TEST LOAD FIGURE 1: Cancel Caddy Pack * CONVOLUTED 4* CUSHIONED I FIGURE 2: Type II Fast Pack (PPP-B-1672) TYPE II FAST PACK

Important notice for Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 computers

CERN Multimedia

The NICE Team

2005-01-01

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, which was introduced in 2002. As a consequence, computers running Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (or older versions1)) must be updated. It is recommended that Windows 2000 computers be re-installed with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (see http://cern.ch/Win/Services/Installation/Diane). If this is not possible for compatibility reasons, Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 must be installed to ensure the computers continue to receive security patches (see http://cern.ch/Win/Docs/2000SP4). In the next few days, NICE 2000 computers requiring an update will receive a pop-up window with instructions. Users requiring help with the update can contact Helpdesk@cern.ch or call 78888. If your computer needs to be updated you are recommended to read the additional information available at http://cern.ch/Win/Docs/2000SP3. The NICE Team 1) To determine your Windows service pack version, use the ‘Start' button and select ‘Run'. In the new window that open...

Important notice for Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 computers

CERN Multimedia

The NICE Team

2005-01-01

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, which was introduced in 2002. As a consequence, computers running Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (or older versions1) ) must be updated. It is recommended that Windows 2000 computers be re-installed with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (see http://cern.ch/Win/Services/Installation/Diane). If this is not possible for compatibility reasons, Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 must be installed to ensure the computers continue to receive security patches (see http://cern.ch/Win/Docs/2000SP4). In the next few days, NICE 2000 computers requiring an update will receive a pop-up window with instructions. Users requiring help with the update can contact Helpdesk@cern.ch or call 78888. If your computer needs to be updated you are recommended to read the additional information available at http://cern.ch/Win/Docs/2000SP3. The NICE Team 1) To determine your Windows service pack version, use the ‘Start' button and select ‘Run'. In the new window that opens, type ‘wi...

Quasi-Dual-Packed-Kerneled Au49 (2,4-DMBT)27 Nanoclusters and the Influence of Kernel Packing on the Electrochemical Gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Lingwen; Zhuang, Shengli; Wang, Pu; Xu, Yanan; Yan, Nan; Dong, Hongwei; Wang, Chengming; Zhao, Yan; Xia, Nan; Li, Jin; Deng, Haiteng; Pei, Yong; Tian, Shi-Kai; Wu, Zhikun

2017-10-02

Although face-centered cubic (fcc), body-centered cubic (bcc), hexagonal close-packed (hcp), and other structured gold nanoclusters have been reported, it was unclear whether gold nanoclusters with mix-packed (fcc and non-fcc) kernels exist, and the correlation between kernel packing and the properties of gold nanoclusters is unknown. A Au 49 (2,4-DMBT) 27 nanocluster with a shell electron count of 22 has now been been synthesized and structurally resolved by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, which revealed that Au 49 (2,4-DMBT) 27 contains a unique Au 34 kernel consisting of one quasi-fcc-structured Au 21 and one non-fcc-structured Au 13 unit (where 2,4-DMBTH=2,4-dimethylbenzenethiol). Further experiments revealed that the kernel packing greatly influences the electrochemical gap (EG) and the fcc structure has a larger EG than the investigated non-fcc structure. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Packing of equal discs on a parabolic spiral lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xudong, F.; Bursill, L.A.; Julin, P.

1989-01-01

A contact disc model is investigated to determine the most closely-packed parabolic spiral lattice. The most space-efficient packings have divergence angles in agreement with the priority ranking of natural spiral structures

Hydrodynamics of multi-phase packed bed micro-reactors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Márquez Luzardo, N.M.

2010-01-01

Why to use packed bed micro-reactors for catalyst testing? Miniaturized packed bed reactors have a large surface-to-volume ratio at the reactor and particle level that favors the heat- and mass-transfer processes at all scales (intra-particle, inter-phase and inter-particle or reactor level). If the

27 CFR 24.255 - Bottling or packing wine.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... in the same tax class when that wine is removed from bond, without benefit of tolerance, when the... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Bottling or packing wine..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS WINE Storage, Treatment and Finishing of Wine Bottling, Packing, and...

Bending transition in the penetration of a flexible intruder in a two-dimensional dense granular medium.

Science.gov (United States)

Algarra, Nicolas; Karagiannopoulos, Panagiotis G; Lazarus, Arnaud; Vandembroucq, Damien; Kolb, Evelyne

2018-02-01

We study the quasistatic penetration of a flexible beam into a two-dimensional dense granular medium lying on a horizontal plate. Rather than a buckling-like behavior we observe a transition between a regime of crack-like penetration in which the fiber only shows small fluctuations around a stable straight geometry and a bending regime in which the fiber fully bends and advances through series of loading and unloading steps. We show that the shape reconfiguration of the fiber is controlled by a single nondimensional parameter L/L_{c}, which is the ratio of the length of the flexible beam L to L_{c}, a bending elastogranular length scale that depends on the rigidity of the fiber and on the departure from the jamming packing fraction of the granular medium. We show, moreover, that the dynamics of the bending transition in the course of the penetration experiment is gradual and is accompanied by a symmetry breaking of the granular packing fraction in the vicinity of the fiber. Together with the progressive bending of the fiber, a cavity grows downstream of the fiber and the accumulation of grains upstream of the fiber leads to the development of a jammed cluster of grains. We discuss our experimental results in the framework of a simple model of bending-induced compaction and we show that the rate of the bending transition only depends on the control parameter L/L_{c}.

Bending transition in the penetration of a flexible intruder in a two-dimensional dense granular medium

Science.gov (United States)

Algarra, Nicolas; Karagiannopoulos, Panagiotis G.; Lazarus, Arnaud; Vandembroucq, Damien; Kolb, Evelyne

2018-02-01

We study the quasistatic penetration of a flexible beam into a two-dimensional dense granular medium lying on a horizontal plate. Rather than a buckling-like behavior we observe a transition between a regime of crack-like penetration in which the fiber only shows small fluctuations around a stable straight geometry and a bending regime in which the fiber fully bends and advances through series of loading and unloading steps. We show that the shape reconfiguration of the fiber is controlled by a single nondimensional parameter L /Lc , which is the ratio of the length of the flexible beam L to Lc, a bending elastogranular length scale that depends on the rigidity of the fiber and on the departure from the jamming packing fraction of the granular medium. We show, moreover, that the dynamics of the bending transition in the course of the penetration experiment is gradual and is accompanied by a symmetry breaking of the granular packing fraction in the vicinity of the fiber. Together with the progressive bending of the fiber, a cavity grows downstream of the fiber and the accumulation of grains upstream of the fiber leads to the development of a jammed cluster of grains. We discuss our experimental results in the framework of a simple model of bending-induced compaction and we show that the rate of the bending transition only depends on the control parameter L /Lc .

A Capillary Electrochromatographic Microchip Packed with Self-Assembly Colloidal Carboxylic Silica Beads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeon, In Sun; Kim, Shin Seon; Park, Jong Man [Konkuk University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2012-04-15

An electrochromatographic microchip with carboxyl-group-derivatized mono-disperse silica packing was prepared from the corresponding colloidal silica solution by utilizing capillary action and self-assembly behavior. The silica beads in water were primed by the capillary action toward the ends of cross-patterned microchannel on a cyclic olefinic copolymer (COC) substrate. Slow evaporation of water at the front of packing promoted the self-assembled packing of the beads. After thermally binding a cover plate on the chip substrate, reservoirs for sample solutions were fabricated at the ends of the microchannel. The packing at the entrances of the microchannel was silver coated to fix utilizing an electroless silver-plating technique to prevent the erosion of the packed structure caused by the sudden switching of a high voltage DC power source. The electrochromatographic behavior of the microchip was explored and compared to that of the microchip with bare silica packing in basic borate buffer. Electrophoretic migration of Rhodamine B was dominant in the microchip with the carboxyl-derivatized silica packing that resulted in a migration approximated twice as fast, while the reversible adsorption was dominant in the bare silica-packed microchip. Not only the faster migration rates of the negatively charged FITC-derivatives of amino acids but also the different migration due to the charge interaction at the packing surface were observed. The electrochromatographic characteristics were studied in detail and compared with those of the bare silica packed microchip in terms of the packing material, the separation potential, pH of the running buffer, and also the separation channel length

49 CFR 173.121 - Class 3-Assignment of packing group.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... packing group shall be determined by applying the following criteria: Packing group Flash point (closed-cup) Initial boiling point I ≤35°C (95 °F) II 35 °C (95 °F) III ≥23 °C, ≤60 °C (≥73 °F, ≤140 °F) >35...-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS Definitions Classification, Packing Group Assignments...

Precise algorithm to generate random sequential adsorption of hard polygons at saturation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, G.

2018-04-01

Random sequential adsorption (RSA) is a time-dependent packing process, in which particles of certain shapes are randomly and sequentially placed into an empty space without overlap. In the infinite-time limit, the density approaches a "saturation" limit. Although this limit has attracted particular research interest, the majority of past studies could only probe this limit by extrapolation. We have previously found an algorithm to reach this limit using finite computational time for spherical particles and could thus determine the saturation density of spheres with high accuracy. In this paper, we generalize this algorithm to generate saturated RSA packings of two-dimensional polygons. We also calculate the saturation density for regular polygons of three to ten sides and obtain results that are consistent with previous, extrapolation-based studies.

The pack size effect: Influence on consumer perceptions of portion sizes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hieke, Sophie; Palascha, Aikaterini; Jola, Corinne; Wills, Josephine; Raats, Monique M.

2016-01-01

Larger portions as well as larger packs can lead to larger prospective consumption estimates, larger servings and increased consumption, described as 'portion-size effects' and 'pack size effects'. Although related, the effects of pack sizes on portion estimates have received less attention. While

Thermal conductivity model of vibro-packed fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeon Soo, Kim

2001-01-01

In an effort to dispose of excess weapons grade plutonium accumulated in the cold war era in the United States and the Russian Federation, one method currently under investigation is the conversion of the plutonium into mixed oxide (MOX) reactor fuel for LWRs and fast reactors in the Russian Federation. A fuel option already partly developed at the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (RIAR) in Dimitrovgrad is that of vibro-packed MOX. Fuel rod fabrication using powder vibro-packing is attractive because it includes neither a process too complex to operate in glove boxes (or remotely), nor a waste-producing step necessary for the conventional pellet rod fabrication. However, because of its loose bonding between fuel particles at the beginning of life, vibro-packed MOX fuel has a somewhat less effective thermal conductivity than fully sintered pellet fuel, and undergoes more restructuring. Helium would also likely be pressurized in vibro-packed MOX fuel rods for LWRs to enhance initial fuel thermal conductivity. The combination of these two factors complicates development of an accurate thermal conductivity model. But clearly in order to predict fuel thermomechanical responses during irradiation of vibro-packed MOX fuel, fuel thermal conductivity must be known. The Vibropac fuel of interest in this study refers the fuel that is compacted with irregular fragments of mixed oxide fuel. In this paper, the thermal-conductivity models in the literature that dealt with relatively similar situations to the present case are examined. Then, the best model is selected based on accuracy of prediction and applicability. Then, the selected model is expanded to fit the various situations of interest. (author)

The art and science of forming packed analytical high-performance liquid chromatography columns.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkland, J J; Destefano, J J

2006-09-08

Columns of packed particles still are the most popular devices for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separations because of their great utility, excellent performance and wide variety. However, the forming of packed beds for efficient, stable columns traditionally has been an art where the basics of how to form optimum beds generally was not well understood. The recent development of monolith rods was introduced in part to overcome the difficulty of producing stable beds of packing particles. However, these materials are less versatile than packed particle columns. Technology developments in recent years have produced a better understanding among those skilled in the practice of how to form optimized packed beds, and this has led to widely available, high-quality commercial columns. This presentation discusses the developments that led to the present state of column packing technology. Important steps in the packing of efficient, stable beds are described. The key step of selecting the best solvent for the slurry packing method is emphasized. Factors affecting the mechanical stability of packed columns also are discussed. The early art of packing columns now has evolved into a more scientific approach that allows the packing of good columns with a minimum of effort and time.

Mining connected global and local dense subgraphs for bigdata

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Bo; Shen, Haiying

2016-01-01

The problem of discovering connected dense subgraphs of natural graphs is important in data analysis. Discovering dense subgraphs that do not contain denser subgraphs or are not contained in denser subgraphs (called significant dense subgraphs) is also critical for wide-ranging applications. In spite of many works on discovering dense subgraphs, there are no algorithms that can guarantee the connectivity of the returned subgraphs or discover significant dense subgraphs. Hence, in this paper, we define two subgraph discovery problems to discover connected and significant dense subgraphs, propose polynomial-time algorithms and theoretically prove their validity. We also propose an algorithm to further improve the time and space efficiency of our basic algorithm for discovering significant dense subgraphs in big data by taking advantage of the unique features of large natural graphs. In the experiments, we use massive natural graphs to evaluate our algorithms in comparison with previous algorithms. The experimental results show the effectiveness of our algorithms for the two problems and their efficiency. This work is also the first that reveals the physical significance of significant dense subgraphs in natural graphs from different domains.

Transport properties of dense matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, Naoki; Mitake, Shinichi; Iyetomi, Hiroshi; Ichimaru, Setsuo

1983-01-01

Transport coefficients, electrical and thermal conductivities in particular, are essential physical quantities for the theories of stellar structure. Since the discoveries of pulsars and X-ray stars, an accurate evaluation of the transport coefficients in the dense matter has become indispensable to the quantitative understanding of the observed neutron stars. The authors present improved calculations of the electrical and thermal conductivities of the dense matter in the liquid metal phase, appropriate to white dwarfs and neutron stars. (Auth.)

ExactPack Documentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singleton, Robert Jr. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Israel, Daniel M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Doebling, Scott William [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Woods, Charles Nathan [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Kaul, Ann [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Walter, John William Jr [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Rogers, Michael Lloyd [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2016-05-09

For code verification, one compares the code output against known exact solutions. There are many standard test problems used in this capacity, such as the Noh and Sedov problems. ExactPack is a utility that integrates many of these exact solution codes into a common API (application program interface), and can be used as a stand-alone code or as a python package. ExactPack consists of python driver scripts that access a library of exact solutions written in Fortran or Python. The spatial profiles of the relevant physical quantities, such as the density, fluid velocity, sound speed, or internal energy, are returned at a time specified by the user. The solution profiles can be viewed and examined by a command line interface or a graphical user interface, and a number of analysis tools and unit tests are also provided. We have documented the physics of each problem in the solution library, and provided complete documentation on how to extend the library to include additional exact solutions. ExactPack’s code architecture makes it easy to extend the solution-code library to include additional exact solutions in a robust, reliable, and maintainable manner.

Cell packing structures

KAUST Repository

Pottmann, Helmut

2015-03-03

This paper is an overview of architectural structures which are either composed of polyhedral cells or closely related to them. We introduce the concept of a support structure of such a polyhedral cell packing. It is formed by planar quads and obtained by connecting corresponding vertices in two combinatorially equivalent meshes whose corresponding edges are coplanar and thus determine planar quads. Since corresponding triangle meshes only yield trivial structures, we focus on support structures associated with quad meshes or hex-dominant meshes. For the quadrilateral case, we provide a short survey of recent research which reveals beautiful relations to discrete differential geometry. Those are essential for successfully initializing numerical optimization schemes for the computation of quad-based support structures. Hex-dominant structures may be designed via Voronoi tessellations, power diagrams, sphere packings and various extensions of these concepts. Apart from the obvious application as load-bearing structures, we illustrate here a new application to shading and indirect lighting. On a higher level, our work emphasizes the interplay between geometry, optimization, statics, and manufacturing, with the overall aim of combining form, function and fabrication into novel integrated design tools.

Schedulability-Driven Frame Packing for Multi-Cluster Distributed Embedded Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pop, Paul; Eles, Petru; Peng, Zebo

2003-01-01

We present an approach to frame packing for multi-cluster distributed embedded systems consisting of time-triggered and event-triggered clusters, interconnected via gateways. In our approach, the application messages are packed into frames such that the application is schedulable. Thus, we have...... also proposed a schedulability analysis for applications consisting of mixed event-triggered and time-triggered processes and messages, and a worst case queuing delay analysis for the gateways, responsible for routing inter-cluster traffic. Optimization heuristics for frame packing aiming at producing...... a schedulable system have been proposed. Extensive experiments and a real-life example show the efficiency of our frame-packing approach....

Abbreviated Breast MRI and Digital Tomosynthesis Mammography in Screening Women With Dense Breasts | Division of Cancer Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

This randomized phase II trial studies how well abbreviated breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and digital tomosynthesis mammography work in detecting cancer in women with dense breasts. Abbreviated breast MRI is a low cost procedure in which radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer and used to create detailed pictures of the breast in less than 10 minutes.

PARENTERAL IRON SUCROSE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PACKED CELLS/BLOOD TRANSFUSION IN MODERATE-TO-SEVERE ANAEMIA IN PREGNANCY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rama Sarala

2016-03-01

Full Text Available AIM This case study focuses on the efficacy of iron sucrose in moderate-to-severe anaemia in pregnancy and to compare the efficacy of iron sucrose with packed cell transfusion and based on the study to establish whether iron sucrose could be an alternative to packed cells transfusion for the management of moderate-to-severe anaemia complicating pregnancy remote from the term gestation. MATERIALS AND METHODS It is a case control study for a period of 2 years. Women were randomly selected where for the study group 50 patients intravenous iron sucrose was given and for control group 50 patients packed cells transfusion was given. RESULTS The study group and the control group had 50 subjects each. On an average 80% were in the age group of 15-24 yrs. in both groups. In both groups, on an average 85% were with moderate anaemia (6-8 g/dL and 15% were with severe anaemia (<6 g/dL. Mean requirement of iron sucrose for moderate anaemia was 1100 mg and for severe anaemia it was 1300 mg. Mean requirement of packed cells for moderate anaemia was 3 units and for severe anaemia 4-5 units. In iron sucrose group, mean haemoglobin% at baseline 7.1±0.8 g/dL, after 1 week 7.9±0.6, after 4 weeks 11±0.5 g/dL and at delivery 11.7±0.6 g/dL. In packed cells group, mean haemoglobin% at baseline 7.0±0.7 g/dL, after 1 week 10.2±0.5 g/dL, after 4 weeks 10.3±0.5 g/dL and at delivery 10.4±0.4 g/dL. The mean haematocrit values in iron sucrose group at baseline 20.9±2.5%, after 1 week 25.3±2.2% and after 4 weeks 33.6±2.0%. The mean haematocrit values in packed cells group at baseline 20.8±2.3%, after 1 week 30.0±1.9% and after 4 weeks 30.2±2.0%. Mean rise of haematocrit from baseline to 1 week in iron sucrose and packed cells group were 4.4±1.3% and 9.1±2.0% respectively. Mean rise of haematocrit from baseline to 4 weeks in iron sucrose and packed cell group were 12.7±2.1% and 9.3±2.3 respectively. The mean ferritin values in iron sucrose group at baseline

Finding dense locations in indoor tracking data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Tanvir; Pedersen, Torben Bach; Lu, Hua

2014-01-01

for semi-constrained indoor movement, and then uses this to map raw tracking records into mapping records representing object entry and exit times in particular locations. Then, an efficient indexing structure, the Dense Location Time Index (DLT-Index) is proposed for indexing the time intervals...... of the mapping table, along with associated construction, query processing, and pruning techniques. The DLT-Index supports very efficient aggregate point queries, interval queries, and dense location queries. A comprehensive experimental study with real data shows that the proposed techniques can efficiently......Finding the dense locations in large indoor spaces is very useful for getting overloaded locations, security, crowd management, indoor navigation, and guidance. Indoor tracking data can be very large and are not readily available for finding dense locations. This paper presents a graph-based model...

Optimization analysis of thermal management system for electric vehicle battery pack

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Huiqi; Zheng, Minxin; Jin, Peng; Feng, Dong

2018-04-01

Electric vehicle battery pack can increase the temperature to affect the power battery system cycle life, charge-ability, power, energy, security and reliability. The Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation and experiment of the charging and discharging process of the battery pack were carried out for the thermal management system of the battery pack under the continuous charging of the battery. The simulation result and the experimental data were used to verify the rationality of the Computational Fluid Dynamics calculation model. In view of the large temperature difference of the battery module in high temperature environment, three optimization methods of the existing thermal management system of the battery pack were put forward: adjusting the installation position of the fan, optimizing the arrangement of the battery pack and reducing the fan opening temperature threshold. The feasibility of the optimization method is proved by simulation and experiment of the thermal management system of the optimized battery pack.

Two-stage energy storage equalization system for lithium-ion battery pack

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, W.; Yang, Z. X.; Dong, G. Q.; Li, Y. B.; He, Q. Y.

2017-11-01

How to raise the efficiency of energy storage and maximize storage capacity is a core problem in current energy storage management. For that, two-stage energy storage equalization system which contains two-stage equalization topology and control strategy based on a symmetric multi-winding transformer and DC-DC (direct current-direct current) converter is proposed with bidirectional active equalization theory, in order to realize the objectives of consistent lithium-ion battery packs voltages and cells voltages inside packs by using a method of the Range. Modeling analysis demonstrates that the voltage dispersion of lithium-ion battery packs and cells inside packs can be kept within 2 percent during charging and discharging. Equalization time was 0.5 ms, which shortened equalization time of 33.3 percent compared with DC-DC converter. Therefore, the proposed two-stage lithium-ion battery equalization system can achieve maximum storage capacity between lithium-ion battery packs and cells inside packs, meanwhile efficiency of energy storage is significantly improved.

Molecular packing and area compressibility of lipid bilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, S.H.; King, G.I.

1985-01-01

Knowledge of the molecular packing of lipids and water in lipid bilayers is important for understanding bilayer mechanics and thermodynamics. Information on packing is most often obtained from x-ray or neutron diffraction measurements. Given the d spacing, composition, and partial specific volumes of the lipid and water, it is a simple matter to calculate the area per lipid molecule, bilayer thickness, and bilayer mass density. The partial specific volumes are commonly assumed to be those of bulk water and of lipid in excess water regardless of the degree of bilayer hydration. The authors present evidence here that these assumptions should be seriously questioned. At low hydrations, they find the head groups of egg and dioleoyl lecithin to be much less tightly packed than previously thought and the partial specific volume of water to be considerably smaller than 1 ml/g. Because the molecular packing affects the mechanical properties of bilayers, they use the results to reevaluate published experiments concerning the elastic area compressibility modulus of egg lecithin bilayers and the repulsive hydration force between bilayers

Dead Sea mud packs for chronic low back pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Shakra, Mahmoud; Mayer, Amit; Friger, Michael; Harari, Marco

2014-09-01

Low back pain (LBP) is chronic disease without a curative therapy. Alternative and complementary therapies are widely used in the management of this condition. To evaluate the efficacy of home application of Dead Sea mud compresses to the back of patients with chronic LBP. Forty-six consecutive patients suffering from chronic LBP were recruited. All patients were followed at the Soroka University Rheumatic Diseases Unit. The patients were randomized into two groups: one group was treated with mineral-rich mud compresses, and the other with mineral-depleted compresses. Mud compresses were applied five times a week for 3 consecutive weeks. The primary outcome was the patient's assessment of the overall back pain severity. The score of the Ronald & Morris questionnaire served as a secondary outcome. Forty-four patients completed the therapy and the follow-up assessments: 32 were treated with real mud packs and 12 used the mineral-depleted packs. A significant decrease in intensity of pain, as described by the patients, was observed only in the treatment group. In this group, clinical improvement was clearly seen at completion of therapy and was sustained a month later. Significant improvement in the scores of the Roland & Morris questionnaire was observed in both groups. The data suggest that pain severity was reduced in patients treated with mineral-rich mud compresses compared with those treated with mineral-depleted compresses. Whether this modest effect is the result of a "true" mud effect or other causes can not be determined in this study.

Multi-dimensional Bin Packing Problems with Guillotine Constraints

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Amossen, Rasmus Resen; Pisinger, David

2010-01-01

The problem addressed in this paper is the decision problem of determining if a set of multi-dimensional rectangular boxes can be orthogonally packed into a rectangular bin while satisfying the requirement that the packing should be guillotine cuttable. That is, there should exist a series of face...... parallel straight cuts that can recursively cut the bin into pieces so that each piece contains a box and no box has been intersected by a cut. The unrestricted problem is known to be NP-hard. In this paper we present a generalization of a constructive algorithm for the multi-dimensional bin packing...... problem, with and without the guillotine constraint, based on constraint programming....

Heavy metals in the snow pack of Semey town

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panin, M.S.; Esenzholova, A.Zh.; Toropov, A.S.

2008-01-01

The data about the maintenance of heavy metals in the snow pack in various zones of Semey and biogeochemical operation factors of snow pack in Semey are presented in this work. Also the correlation connection between elements is calculated.

The “Theoreticals” Pack

CERN Multimedia

CERN Bulletin

2011-01-01

The Particle Zoo is a colourful set of hand-made soft toys representing the particles in the Standard Model and beyond. It includes a “theoreticals” pack where you can find yet undiscovered particles: the best-selling Higgs boson, the graviton, the tachyon, and dark matter. Supersymmetric particle soft toys are also available on demand. But what would happen to the zoo if Nature had prepared some unexpected surprises? Julie Peasley, the zookeeper, is ready to sew new smiling faces…   The "Theoreticals" pack in the Particle Zoo. There is only one place in the world where you can buy a smiling Higgs boson and it’s not at CERN, although this is where scientists hope to observe it. The blue star-shaped particle is the best seller of Julie Peasley’s Particle Zoo – a collection of tens of soft toys representing all sorts of particles, including composite and decaying particles.  Over the years Julie’s zoo ...

Model of the saltation transport by Discrete Element Method coupled with wind interaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oger Luc

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We study the Aeolian saltation transport problem by analysing the collision of incident energetic beads with granular packing. We investigate the collision process for the case where the incident bead and those from the packing have identical mechanical properties. We analyse the features of the consecutive collision process. We used a molecular dynamics method known as DEM (soft Discrete Element Method with 20000 particles (2D. The grains were displayed randomly in a box (250X60. A few incident disks are launched with a constant velocity and angle with high random position to initiate the flow. A wind velocity profile is applied on the flowing zone of the saltation. The velocity profile is obtained by the calculi of the counter-flow due to the local packing fraction induced by the granular flow. We analyse the evolution of the upper surface of the disk packing. In the beginning, the saltation process can be seen as the classical “splash function” in which one bead hits a fully static dense packing. Then, the quasi-fluidized upper layer of the packing creates a completely different behaviour of the “animated splash function”. The dilation of the upper surface due to the previous collisions is responsible for a need of less input energy for launching new ejected disks. This phenomenon permits to maintain a constant granular flow with a “small” wind velocity on the surface of the disk bed.

Dense Breasts: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions

Science.gov (United States)

... Cancer Prevention Genetics of Breast & Gynecologic Cancers Breast Cancer Screening Research Dense Breasts: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions What are dense breasts? Breasts contain glandular, connective, and fat tissue. Breast density is a term that describes the ...

A summary of the Chalk River valve packing evaluation program 1985 - 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aikin, J.A.; Doubt, G.L.; Lade, C.R.

1990-12-01

The move away from asbestos-based valve packing products has generated concern among valve manufacturers, packing manufacturers and user groups about the reliability and safety of non-asbestos based products for long-term use. AECL Research, Chalk River, has been actively evaluating these new valve packing products since 1985. This report describes the work done at Chalk River from 1985 to 1990. The report includes both Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and CANDU Owners Group (COG) funded studies. A description of the test programs and a brief summary of the functional performance of the more successful materials (die-formed graphite, braided asbestos and braided non-asbestos) on friction, stem leakage and consolidation are provided. At this time, Chalk River and Ontario Hydro have approved the following packing arrangements: for non-live-loaded valves, the recommended replacements packing for braided asbestos is combination flexible graphite packing sets; and, for heavy water valves originally designed with JC187I, the recommended replacement packing is approved braided-asbestos products

The sintering behavior of close-packed spheres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjørk, Rasmus; Tikare, V.; Frandsen, Henrik Lund

2012-01-01

The sintering behavior of close-packed spheres is investigated using a numerical model. The investigated systems are the body-centered cubic (bcc), face-centered cubic (fcc) and hexagonal close-packed spheres (hcp). The sintering behavior is found to be ideal, with no grain growth until full dens...... density is reached for all systems. During sintering, the grains change shape from spherical to tetrakaidecahedron, similar to the geometry analyzed by Coble [R.L. Coble, J. Appl. Phys. 32 (1961) 787]....

The Performance of Structured Packings in Trickle-Bed Reactors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frank, M.J.W.; Kuipers, J.A.M.; Versteeg, G.F.; Swaaij, W.P.M. van

1999-01-01

An experimental study was carried out to investigate whether the use of structured packings might improve the mass transfer characteristics and the catalyst effectiveness of a trickle-bed reactor. Therefore, the performances of a structured packing, consisting of KATAPAK elements, and a dumped

Effective therapy to reduce edema after total knee arthroplasty Multi-layer compression therapy or standard therapy with cool pack - a randomized controlled pilot trial

Science.gov (United States)

Stocker, Brigitta; Babendererde, Christine; Rohner-Spengler, Manuela; Müller, Urs W; Meichtry, André; Luomajoki, Hannu

2018-02-01

Background: After total knee arthroplasty (TKA) efficient control and reduction of postoperative edema is of great importance. Aim: The aim of this pilot study (EKNZ 2014 – 225 DRKS00006271) was to investigate the effectiveness of multi-layer compression therapy (MLCT) to reduce edema in the early period after surgery compared to the standard treatment with Cool Pack. Methods: In this randomized controlled pilot trial, sixteen patients after TKA were randomized into an intervention group (IG) or a control group (CG). Circumferential measurements were used to assess edema. Secondary outcomes were range of motion (ROM), pain (numeric rating scale, NRS) and function as measured with the fast Self Paced Walking Test (fSPWT). Results: Clinically relevant differences in edema reduction between the two groups were found in the early postoperative period and at the six weeks follow up. Six days postoperatively the group time interaction (IE) in favor of the IG were −3.8 cm (95 % CI: −5.1; −2.4) when measured 10 cm proximal to the joint space and −2.7 cm (CI: −4.1; −1.3) when measured 5 cm proximally. We further observed differences in secondary outcomes in favor of the CG. Six days postoperatively the IE for knee flexion was –8.3 ° (CI: −22.0; 5.4) and for the fSPWT it was 12.8 seconds (CI: −16.4; 41.3). Six weeks postoperatively these differences diminished. Conclusions: The findings suggest that MLCT could be an alternative treatment to reduce postoperative edema in patients after total knee arthroplasty. Eventually possible negative effects on early knee flexion and function must be considered.

Radiation sterilization of plastic packing materials and aseptic packaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokuoka, Keiko

1986-01-01

In the present day of 'satiation', quality, not quantity, is emphasized for foods, the consumers being oriented toward raw and healthy foodstuff. Aseptic Packaging is excellent means of conservation. While conventionally chemicals have been used for sterilization of packing materials for aseptic packaging, the sterilization by radiation is used in part recently. The following are described : history of aseptic packaging and its features, sterilization by radiation, γ-ray sterilization of large-sized containers, the development of an aseptic packaging system using electron rays, the occurrence of offensive odors from packing materials (comparison of odors from various materials, volatile substances occurring in irradiated polyethylene, influence of film grade upon the formation of carboxylic acid, influence of the irradiation conditions upon the occurrences of volatile substances, volatile substances occurring in the irradiation of bag-in-box packing materials), changes in properties of the packing materials. (Mori, K.)

Effects of Noise and Vibration on the Solid to Liquid Fluidization Transition in Small Dense Granular Systems Under Shear

Science.gov (United States)

Melhus, Martin Frederic

2011-07-01

Granular materials exhibit bulk properties that are distinct from conventional solids, liq- uids, and gases, due to the dissipative nature of the inter-granular forces. Understanding the fundamentals of granular materials draws upon and gives insight into many fields at the current frontiers of physics, such as plasticity of solids, fracture and friction, com- plex systems such as colloids, foams and suspensions, and a variety of biological systems. Particulate flows are widespread in geophysics, and are also essential to many industries. Despite the importance of these phenomena, we lack a theoretical model that explains most behaviors of granular materials. Since granular assemblies are highly dissipative, they are often far from mechanical equilibrium, making most classical analyses inappli- cable. A theory for dilute granular systems exists, but for dense granular systems (by far the majority of granular systems in the real world) no comparable theory is accepted. We approach this problem by examining the fluidization, or transition from solid to liquid, in dense granular systems. In this study, the separate effects of random noise and vibration on the static to flowing transition of a dense granular assembly under planar shear is studied numerically using soft contact particle dynamics simulations in two dimensions. We focus on small systems in a thin planar Couette cell, examining the bistable region while increasing shear, with varying amounts of random noise or vibration, and determine the statistics of the shear required for the onset of flow. We find that the applied power is the key parameter in determining the magnitude of the effects of the noise or vibration, with vibration frequency also having an influence. Similarities and differences between noise and vibration are determined, and the results compare favorably with a two phase model for dense granular flow.

Warm Dense Matter: An Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalantar, D H; Lee, R W; Molitoris, J D

2004-01-01

This document provides a summary of the ''LLNL Workshop on Extreme States of Materials: Warm Dense Matter to NIF'' which was held on 20, 21, and 22 February 2002 at the Wente Conference Center in Livermore, CA. The warm dense matter regime, the transitional phase space region between cold material and hot plasma, is presently poorly understood. The drive to understand the nature of matter in this regime is sparking scientific activity worldwide. In addition to pure scientific interest, finite temperature dense matter occurs in the regimes of interest to the SSMP (Stockpile Stewardship Materials Program). So that obtaining a better understanding of WDM is important to performing effective experiments at, e.g., NIF, a primary mission of LLNL. At this workshop we examined current experimental and theoretical work performed at, and in conjunction with, LLNL to focus future activities and define our role in this rapidly emerging research area. On the experimental front LLNL plays a leading role in three of the five relevant areas and has the opportunity to become a major player in the other two. Discussion at the workshop indicated that the path forward for the experimental efforts at LLNL were two fold: First, we are doing reasonable baseline work at SPLs, HE, and High Energy Lasers with more effort encouraged. Second, we need to plan effectively for the next evolution in large scale facilities, both laser (NIF) and Light/Beam sources (LCLS/TESLA and GSI) Theoretically, LLNL has major research advantages in areas as diverse as the thermochemical approach to warm dense matter equations of state to first principles molecular dynamics simulations. However, it was clear that there is much work to be done theoretically to understand warm dense matter. Further, there is a need for a close collaboration between the generation of verifiable experimental data that can provide benchmarks of both the experimental techniques and the theoretical capabilities. The conclusion of this

Ultratight crystal packing of a 10 kDa protein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trillo-Muyo, Sergio [Molecular Biology Institute of Barcelona, Spanish Research Council CSIC, Barcelona Science Park, c/Baldiri Reixac 15-21, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Jasilionis, Andrius [Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio 21/27, 03101 Vilnius (Lithuania); Domagalski, Marcin J. [University of Virginia, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0736 (United States); Chruszcz, Maksymilian [University of South Carolina, 631 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208 (United States); Minor, Wladek [University of Virginia, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0736 (United States); Kuisiene, Nomeda [Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio 21/27, 03101 Vilnius (Lithuania); Arolas, Joan L.; Solà, Maria; Gomis-Rüth, F. Xavier, E-mail: xgrcri@ibmb.csic.es [Molecular Biology Institute of Barcelona, Spanish Research Council CSIC, Barcelona Science Park, c/Baldiri Reixac 15-21, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2013-03-01

The crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of a putative U32 peptidase from G. thermoleovorans is reported; it is one of the most tightly packed protein structures reported to date. While small organic molecules generally crystallize forming tightly packed lattices with little solvent content, proteins form air-sensitive high-solvent-content crystals. Here, the crystallization and full structure analysis of a novel recombinant 10 kDa protein corresponding to the C-terminal domain of a putative U32 peptidase are reported. The orthorhombic crystal contained only 24.5% solvent and is therefore among the most tightly packed protein lattices ever reported.

Survival of density subpopulations of rabbit platelets: use of 51Cr-or 111In-labeled platelets to measure survival of least dense and most dense platelets concurrently

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rand, M.L.; Packham, M.A.; Mustard, J.F.

1983-01-01

The origin of the density heterogeneity of platelets was studied by measuring the survival of density subpopulations of rabbit platelets separated by discontinuous Stractan density gradient centrifugation. When a total population of 51 Cr-labelled platelets was injected into recipient rabbits, the relative specific radioactivity of the most dense platelets decreased rapidly. In contrast, that of the least dense platelets had not changed 24 hr after injection, and then decreased slowly. To distinguish between the possibilities that most dense platelets are cleared from the circulation more quickly than least dense platelets or that platelets decrease in density as they age in the circulation, the concurrent survival of least dense and most dense platelets, labelled with either 51 Cr or 111 In-labelled total platelet populations, determined concurrently in the same rabbits, are identical, calculated from 1 hr values as 100%. However, the 1-hr recovery of 111 In-labelled platelets was slightly but significantly less than that of 51 Cr-labelled platelets. Therefore, researchers studied the survival of 51 Cr-labelled least dense and 111 In-labelled most dense platelets as well as that of 111 In-labelled least dense and 51 Cr-labelled most dense platelets. Mean 1-hr recovery of least dense platelets, labelled with either isotope (78% +/- 7%, SD) was similar to that of most dense platelets, labelled with either isotope (77% +/- 8%; SD). Mean survival of least dense platelets was 47.3 +/- 18.7 hr (SD), which was significantly less than that of most dense platelets (76.1 +/- 21.6 hr; SD) (p less than 0.0025). These results indicate that platelets decrease in buoyant density as they age in the circulation and that most dense platelets are enriched in young platelets, and least dense in old

Mass transfer models analysis for the structured packings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suastegui R, A.O.

1997-01-01

The models that have been developing, to understand the mechanism of the mass transfer through the structured packings, present limitations for their application, existing then uncertainty in order to use them in the chemical industrial processes. In this study the main parameters used in the mass transfer are: the hydrodynamic of the bed of the column, the geometry of the bed, physical-chemical properties of the mixture and the flow regime of the operation between the flows liquid-gas. The sensibility of each one of these parameters generate an arduous work to develop right proposals and good interpretation of the phenomenon. With the purpose of showing the importance of these parameters mentioned in the mass transfer, this work is analyzed the process of absorption for the system water-air, using the models to the structured packings in packed columns. The models selected were developed by Bravo and collaborators in 1985 and 1992, in order to determine the parameters previous mentioned for the system water-air, using a structured packing built in the National Institute of Nuclear Research. In this work is showed the results of the models application and their discussion. (Author)

Packing and Cohesive Properties of Some Locally Extracted Starches

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... properties of the particles affect the packing and cohesive properties of the starches, and are important in predicting the behaviour of the starches during handling and use in pharmaceutical preparations. These properties need to be closely controlled in pre-formulation studies. Keywords: Packing and cohesive properties, ...

Energy footprint of advanced dense numerical linear algebra using tile algorithms on multicore architectures

KAUST Repository

Dongarra, Jack

2012-11-01

We propose to study the impact on the energy footprint of two advanced algorithmic strategies in the context of high performance dense linear algebra libraries: (1) mixed precision algorithms with iterative refinement allow to run at the peak performance of single precision floating-point arithmetic while achieving double precision accuracy and (2) tree reduction technique exposes more parallelism when factorizing tall and skinny matrices for solving over determined systems of linear equations or calculating the singular value decomposition. Integrated within the PLASMA library using tile algorithms, which will eventually supersede the block algorithms from LAPACK, both strategies further excel in performance in the presence of a dynamic task scheduler while targeting multicore architecture. Energy consumption measurements are reported along with parallel performance numbers on a dual-socket quad-core Intel Xeon as well as a quad-socket quad-core Intel Sandy Bridge chip, both providing component-based energy monitoring at all levels of the system, through the Power Pack framework and the Running Average Power Limit model, respectively. © 2012 IEEE.

Energy footprint of advanced dense numerical linear algebra using tile algorithms on multicore architectures

KAUST Repository

Dongarra, Jack; Ltaief, Hatem; Luszczek, Piotr R.; Weaver, Vincent M.

2012-01-01

We propose to study the impact on the energy footprint of two advanced algorithmic strategies in the context of high performance dense linear algebra libraries: (1) mixed precision algorithms with iterative refinement allow to run at the peak performance of single precision floating-point arithmetic while achieving double precision accuracy and (2) tree reduction technique exposes more parallelism when factorizing tall and skinny matrices for solving over determined systems of linear equations or calculating the singular value decomposition. Integrated within the PLASMA library using tile algorithms, which will eventually supersede the block algorithms from LAPACK, both strategies further excel in performance in the presence of a dynamic task scheduler while targeting multicore architecture. Energy consumption measurements are reported along with parallel performance numbers on a dual-socket quad-core Intel Xeon as well as a quad-socket quad-core Intel Sandy Bridge chip, both providing component-based energy monitoring at all levels of the system, through the Power Pack framework and the Running Average Power Limit model, respectively. © 2012 IEEE.

Dense Deposit Disease Mimicking a Renal Small Vessel Vasculitis

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Lavleen; Bhardwaj, Swati; Sinha, Aditi; Bagga, Arvind; Dinda, Amit

2016-01-01

Dense deposit disease is caused by fluid-phase dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway and frequently deviates from the classic membranoproliferative pattern of injury on light microscopy. Other patterns of injury described for dense deposit disease include mesangioproliferative, acute proliferative/exudative, and crescentic GN. Regardless of the histologic pattern, C3 glomerulopathy, which includes dense deposit disease and C3 GN, is defined by immunofluorescence intensity of C3c two or more orders of magnitude greater than any other immune reactant (on a 0–3 scale). Ultrastructural appearances distinguish dense deposit disease and C3 GN. Focal and segmental necrotizing glomerular lesions with crescents, mimicking a small vessel vasculitis such as ANCA-associated GN, are a very rare manifestation of dense deposit disease. We describe our experience with this unusual histologic presentation and distinct clinical course of dense deposit disease, discuss the pitfalls in diagnosis, examine differential diagnoses, and review the relevant literature. PMID:26361799

Optimal Packed String Matching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ben-Kiki, Oren; Bille, Philip; Breslauer, Dany

2011-01-01

In the packed string matching problem, each machine word accommodates – characters, thus an n-character text occupies n/– memory words. We extend the Crochemore-Perrin constantspace O(n)-time string matching algorithm to run in optimal O(n/–) time and even in real-time, achieving a factor – speed...

EFFECT OF SHOULDER SIDE PACK ON DYNAMIC POSTURAL STABILITY IN YOUNG HEALTHY FEMALE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enas ELsayed Mohamed Abutaleb

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Control of balance is a complex motor skill that involves integration of sensory inputs and the planning and execution of flexible movement patterns. Carrying side packs is famous in our society especially shoulder side packs. Most students carry shoulder side packs and they don't care about the way to carry them to be more balanced. The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of carrying shoulder side pack on dynamic postural stability and to determine the best way of carrying a shoulder side pack either on the dominant side or non-dominant side that doesn’t affect dynamic postural stability in young healthy female. Methods: Sixty female volunteers aged from 18 to 25 years old participated in the study. Biodex balance system was used to measure the dynamic postural stability in three different occasions (without carrying a shoulder side pack, with carrying a shoulder side pack on the dominant side, and on the non-dominant side with a rest period in between. Results: Repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc test were used to compare dynamic posture balance without carrying and during carrying a shoulder side pack on dominant and non-dominant sides. Analysis revealed that overall, anteroposterior and mediolateral stability indexes reduced significantly (P<0.0001 when carrying shoulder side pack on dominant side in comparison with when carrying shoulder side pack on non-dominant side and without carrying bag. Conclusion: It was concluded that carrying a shoulder side pack on the non-dominant side didn't disturb the postural stability when compared to carrying on the dominant side so, we recommend the students to carry shoulder side packs on the non-dominant side.

Gas suspension flows of a moderately dense binary mixture of solid particles in vertical tubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zamankhan, P.; Huotari, J. [VTT Energy, Jyvaeskylae (Finland). Combustion and Conversion Lab.

1996-12-01

The turbulent, steady, fully-developed flow of a moderately dense (solid volume faction >>0.001) binary mixture of spherical particles in a gaseous carrier is investigated for the case of flow in a vertical riser. The suspended particles are considered to be in turbulent motion, driven by random aerodynamic forces acting between the particle and the gaseous carrier as well as particle-particle interactive forces. A model is constructed based on the combination of the time-averaged after volume-averaged conservation equations of mass, momentum and mechanical energy of the gas phase in the continuum theory and the corresponding equations for the solid particles obtained using the recently developed Enskog theory for dense multi-component mixtures of slightly inelastic spherical particles. The model properly takes into account the contributions of particle-particle collisions, as well as the fluid-dynamic fluctuating forces on individual particles. To demonstrate the validity of this approach, the fully-developed steady-state mean velocity and concentration distributions of a moderately dense binary mixture of solid particles in a turbulent vertical flow calculated by the present model are compared with available experimental measurements. The results provide a qualitative description of the experimentally observed motion of coarse particles in a fast bed of fine solids. (author)

demonstrating close-packing of atoms using spherical bubble gums

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chemistry and junior inorganic chemistry courses. However, the subject of three dimen- sional close-packing of atoms has always been difficult for students to understand. In particular, students find it difficult to visualize the packing of atoms in different layers. They cannot clearly identify tetrahedral and octahedral holes, and.

Random walks and diffusion on networks

Science.gov (United States)

Masuda, Naoki; Porter, Mason A.; Lambiotte, Renaud

2017-11-01

Random walks are ubiquitous in the sciences, and they are interesting from both theoretical and practical perspectives. They are one of the most fundamental types of stochastic processes; can be used to model numerous phenomena, including diffusion, interactions, and opinions among humans and animals; and can be used to extract information about important entities or dense groups of entities in a network. Random walks have been studied for many decades on both regular lattices and (especially in the last couple of decades) on networks with a variety of structures. In the present article, we survey the theory and applications of random walks on networks, restricting ourselves to simple cases of single and non-adaptive random walkers. We distinguish three main types of random walks: discrete-time random walks, node-centric continuous-time random walks, and edge-centric continuous-time random walks. We first briefly survey random walks on a line, and then we consider random walks on various types of networks. We extensively discuss applications of random walks, including ranking of nodes (e.g., PageRank), community detection, respondent-driven sampling, and opinion models such as voter models.

Effect of Promoter Concentration on CO2 Separation Using K2CO3 With Reactive Absorption Method in Reactor Packed Column

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monde Junety

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The presence of carbon dioxide (CO2 in the gas is not expected because CO2 can reduce heating value and CO2 is the major emission contributor into the atmosphere. Various separation technologies can be used to reduce CO2 content and improve quality of gas. Chemical or reactive absorption is most widely used because it provides higher removal rate. This paper will study the effect of the addition di ethanolamine (DEA concentration into aqueous 30wt.% potassium carbonate(K2CO3 with reactive absorption method in a reactor packed column at temperature from 40°C to 80°C, DEA concentration range of (1% - 3% and absorbent flow rate (0.5, 0.75 and 1 L. min1. Contacting the gas and absorbent are countercurrent flow in packed column with 1.5 m high and 50 mm in diameter. The absorption column was randomly packed with a packing material raschig rings 5 mm in diameter. The CO2 loading in the liquid samples was determined by titration. It is found that the best result of CO2 loading is 0.065594 mole/mole K2CO3 and CO2 removal 28%. The result show that the loading capacity (mole CO2/mole K2CO3 and CO2 removal increased with the increase of DEA concentration.

Improvising a Posterior Nasal Pack with Equipment in a Basic First Aid Kit.

Science.gov (United States)

Royer, Allison K; Royer, Mark C

2016-09-01

Posterior epistaxis is a serious condition that can be difficult to treat in a wilderness setting. The initial standard of care involves packing the affected nostril with a 7 to 9 cm nasal pack to tamponade the bleed. These packs are often unavailable outside of the emergency or operating room. This study set out to determine whether a posterior nasal pack could be constructed from the supplies present in a basic first aid kit in order to control massive nasal hemorrhage in a wilderness setting. A basic first aid kit was utilized to construct a posterior nasal pack that was inserted into an anatomical model and visibly compared with the Rapid Rhino (Posterior, 7.5 cm; Smith & Nephew, Austin, TX) nasal packing. The shape, size, and anatomical areas of compression (ie, into nasopharynx and posterior aspect of inferior turbinate) of this pack was similar to the commercially available posterior nasal pack. Placement in an anatomical model appears to provide similar compression as the commercially available posterior pack. This technique may provide short-term hemorrhage control in cases of serious posterior nasal hemorrhage where standard treatment options are not available. Copyright © 2016 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fast Searching in Packed Strings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bille, Philip

2009-01-01

Given strings P and Q the (exact) string matching problem is to find all positions of substrings in Q matching P. The classical Knuth-Morris-Pratt algorithm [SIAM J. Comput., 1977] solves the string matching problem in linear time which is optimal if we can only read one character at the time....... However, most strings are stored in a computer in a packed representation with several characters in a single word, giving us the opportunity to read multiple characters simultaneously. In this paper we study the worst-case complexity of string matching on strings given in packed representation. Let m...... word-RAM with logarithmic word size we present an algorithm using time O(n/log(sigma) n + m + occ) Here occ is the number of occurrences of P in Q. For m = o(n) this improves the O(n) bound...

Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage with packed bed thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbour, Edward; Mignard, Dimitri; Ding, Yulong; Li, Yongliang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The paper presents a thermodynamic analysis of A-CAES using packed bed regenerators. • The packed beds are used to store the compression heat. • A numerical model is developed, validated and used to simulate system operation. • The simulated efficiencies are between 70.5% and 71.1% for continuous operation. • Heat build-up in the beds reduces continuous cycle efficiency slightly. - Abstract: The majority of articles on Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) so far have focussed on the use of indirect-contact heat exchangers and a thermal fluid in which to store the compression heat. While packed beds have been suggested, a detailed analysis of A-CAES with packed beds is lacking in the available literature. This paper presents such an analysis. We develop a numerical model of an A-CAES system with packed beds and validate it against analytical solutions. Our results suggest that an efficiency in excess of 70% should be achievable, which is higher than many of the previous estimates for A-CAES systems using indirect-contact heat exchangers. We carry out an exergy analysis for a single charge–storage–discharge cycle to see where the main losses are likely to transpire and we find that the main losses occur in the compressors and expanders (accounting for nearly 20% of the work input) rather than in the packed beds. The system is then simulated for continuous cycling and it is found that the build-up of leftover heat from previous cycles in the packed beds results in higher steady state temperature profiles of the packed beds. This leads to a small reduction (<0.5%) in efficiency for continuous operation

Rectangular Full Packed Format for Cholesky's Algorithm: Factorization, Solution, and Inversion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gustavson, Fred G.; Wasniewski, Jerzy; Dongarra, Jack J

2010-01-01

of the storage space but provide high performance via the use of Level 3 BLAS. Standard packed format arrays fully utilize storage (array space) but provide low performance as there is no Level 3 packed BLAS. We combine the good features of packed and full storage using RFPF to obtain high performance via using...... Level 3 BLAS as RFPF is a standard full-format representation. Also, RFPF requires exactly the same minimal storage as packed the format. Each LAPACK full and/or packed triangular, symmetric, and Hermitian routine becomes a single new RFPF routine based on eight possible data layouts of RFPF. This new...... RFPF routine usually consists of two calls to the corresponding LAPACK full-format routine and two calls to Level 3 BLAS routines. This means no new software is required. As examples, we present LAPACK routines for Cholesky factorization, Cholesky solution, and Cholesky inverse computation in RFPF...

Decontamination of Chlorpyrifos packing using ionizing radiation: processing optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Manoel Nunes; Sampa, Maria Helena de Oliveira; Duarte, Celina Lopes

2007-01-01

The discharge of empty plastic packing of pesticide can be an environmental concern causing problems to human health, animals and plants if done without inspection and monitoring. Among the commercial pesticides, chlorpyrifos, o, o- Diethyl - o- (3,5,6 - trichloro - 2 - pyridyl) phosphorothioate, has significant importance because of its wide distribution, extensive use and persistence. The most commonly used formulations include the emulsified concentrate, granule, wet powder and dispersible granule has significant importance because of its wide distribution and extensive use and persistence. The hydroxyl .OH attack is the most efficient process of chemical oxidation. The degradation-induced of chlorpyrifos by gamma radiolysis was studied in packaging of high-density polyethylene tree layer coextruded, named COEX, irradiated intact and fragments. The intact packing was irradiated with water and the fragmented packing was irradiated with water and with a solution of 50% of water and 50% of acetonitrile. An AECL 'Gammacell 2201 60 Co source and a multipurpose gamma irradiator were used in the processing. The chemical analysis of the chlorpyrifos and by-products were made using a gas chromatography associated to the mass spectrometry (MSGC-Shimadzu QP5000. Radiation processing of packing in pieces showed higher efficiency in removing chlorpyrifos than whole packing. The presence of water showed fundamental to promote the formation of frees radicals and acetonitrile facilitate the dissolution of chlorpyrifos and consequently its removal. (author)

Decontamination of Chlorpyrifos packing using ionizing radiation: processing optimization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mori, Manoel Nunes; Sampa, Maria Helena de Oliveira; Duarte, Celina Lopes [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)]. E-mails: mnmori@ipen.br; mhosampa@ipen.br; clduarte@ipen.br

2007-07-01

The discharge of empty plastic packing of pesticide can be an environmental concern causing problems to human health, animals and plants if done without inspection and monitoring. Among the commercial pesticides, chlorpyrifos, o, o- Diethyl - o- (3,5,6 - trichloro - 2 - pyridyl) phosphorothioate, has significant importance because of its wide distribution, extensive use and persistence. The most commonly used formulations include the emulsified concentrate, granule, wet powder and dispersible granule has significant importance because of its wide distribution and extensive use and persistence. The hydroxyl .OH attack is the most efficient process of chemical oxidation. The degradation-induced of chlorpyrifos by gamma radiolysis was studied in packaging of high-density polyethylene tree layer coextruded, named COEX, irradiated intact and fragments. The intact packing was irradiated with water and the fragmented packing was irradiated with water and with a solution of 50% of water and 50% of acetonitrile. An AECL 'Gammacell 2201 {sup 60}Co source and a multipurpose gamma irradiator were used in the processing. The chemical analysis of the chlorpyrifos and by-products were made using a gas chromatography associated to the mass spectrometry (MSGC-Shimadzu QP5000. Radiation processing of packing in pieces showed higher efficiency in removing chlorpyrifos than whole packing. The presence of water showed fundamental to promote the formation of frees radicals and acetonitrile facilitate the dissolution of chlorpyrifos and consequently its removal. (author)

Territoriality and inter-pack aggression in gray wolves: shaping a social carnivore's life history

Science.gov (United States)

Cassidy, Kira A.; Smith, Douglas W.; Mech, L. David; MacNulty, Daniel R.; Stahler, Daniel R.; Metz, Matthew C.

2016-01-01

When Rudyard Kipling wrote The Jungle Book in 1894 and included the famous line "For the strength of the Wolf is the Pack, and the strength of the Pack is the Wolf," he would have had no idea that over a century later, scientific research would back up his poetic phrase. Recent studies in Yellowstone have found that both the individual wolf and the collective pack rely on each other and play important roles in territoriality. At a time when most fairy tales and fables were portraying wolves as demonic killers or, at best, slapstick gluttons, Kipling seemed to have a respect or even reverence for the wolf. Wolves in The Jungle Book raise and mentor the main character Mowgli, with the pack's leader eventually dying to save the "man-cub" from a pack of wolves. Kipling may have extended intra- pack benevolence to a human boy for literary sake, but he was clearly enthralled with how pack members treat each other. As wolf packs are almost always family units, most commonly comprised of a breeding pair and their offspring from several years, amiable behavior within the pack is unsurprising. By contrast, wolf packs are fiercely intolerant of their neighbors, their rivals. And this competition is proving to be an important facet in the life of a wolf and its pack.

Composite systems of dilute and dense couplings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raymond, J R; Saad, D

2008-01-01

Composite systems, where couplings are of two types, a combination of strong dilute and weak dense couplings of Ising spins, are examined through the replica method. The dilute and dense parts are considered to have independent canonical disordered or uniform bond distributions; mixing the models by variation of a parameter γ alongside inverse temperature β we analyse the respective thermodynamic solutions. We describe the variation in high temperature transitions as mixing occurs; in the vicinity of these transitions we exactly analyse the competing effects of the dense and sparse models. By using the replica symmetric ansatz and population dynamics we described the low temperature behaviour of mixed systems

Cigarette pack labelling in 12 countries at different levels of economic development.

Science.gov (United States)

Mir, Hassan; Buchanan, Daniel; Gilmore, Anna; McKee, Martin; Yusuf, Salim; Chow, Clara K

2011-05-01

With increasing restrictions on cigarette marketing, the cigarette pack itself has become a main means of marketing. We describe a method to examine cigarette labelling and use it to evaluate packs collected from 12 countries at different stages of economic development. Health warnings were present on all 115 packs of cigarettes examined, but were on the front and back panels of only 68 per cent. Promotional labels were widespread, found on packs from all countries and more numerous (although not necessarily larger) than health warning labels in 10 of the 12 countries. Deceptive terms such as 'light' and 'mild' were observed on 42 per cent of all packs examined. The simple method described here can be used to compare cigarette labelling and potentially evaluate and track the implementation of cigarette labelling policy. We found health warning legislation poorly enforced and cigarette packs widely used to promote smoking and deceive smokers about health risks. The findings underline the need for generic (plain) packaging.

Constitutive law of dense granular matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatano, Takahiro

2010-01-01

The frictional properties of dense granular matter under steady shear flow are investigated using numerical simulation. Shear flow tends to localize near the driving boundary unless the coefficient of restitution is close to zero and the driving velocity is small. The bulk friction coefficient is independent of shear rate in dense and slow flow, whereas it is an increasing function of shear rate in rapid flow. The coefficient of restitution affects the friction coefficient only in such rapid flow. Contrastingly, in dense and slow regime, the friction coefficient is independent of the coefficient of restitution and mainly determined by the elementary friction coefficient and the rotation of grains. It is found that the mismatch between the vorticity of flow and the angular frequency of grains plays a key role to the frictional properties of sheared granular matter.

Hamiltonian Cycles on a Random Three-coordinate Lattice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eynard, B.; Guitter, E.; Kristjansen, C.

1998-01-01

Consider a random three-coordinate lattice of spherical topology having 2v vertices and being densely covered by a single closed, self-avoiding walk, i.e. being equipped with a Hamiltonian cycle. We determine the number of such objects as a function of v. Furthermore we express the partition...

Internal friction and absence of dilatancy of packings of frictionless polygons.

Science.gov (United States)

Azéma, Émilien; Radjaï, Farhang; Roux, Jean-Noël

2015-01-01

By means of numerical simulations, we show that assemblies of frictionless rigid pentagons in slow shear flow possess an internal friction coefficient (equal to 0.183±0.008 with our choice of moderately polydisperse grains) but no macroscopic dilatancy. In other words, despite side-side contacts tending to hinder relative particle rotations, the solid fraction under quasistatic shear coincides with that of isotropic random close packings of pentagonal particles. Properties of polygonal grains are thus similar to those of disks in that respect. We argue that continuous reshuffling of the force-bearing network leads to frequent collapsing events at the microscale, thereby causing the macroscopic dilatancy to vanish. Despite such rearrangements, the shear flow favors an anisotropic structure that is at the origin of the ability of the system to sustain shear stress.

Do gray wolves (Canis lupus) support pack mates during aggressive inter-pack interactions?

Science.gov (United States)

Cassidy, Kira A; McIntyre, Richard T

2016-09-01

For group-living mammals, social coordination increases success in everything from hunting and foraging (Crofoot and Wrangham in Mind the Gap, Springer, Berlin, 2010; Bailey et al. in Behav Ecol Sociobiol 67:1-17, 2013) to agonism (Mosser and Packer in Anim Behav 78:359-370, 2009; Wilson et al. in Anim Behav 83:277-291, 2012; Cassidy et al. in Behav Ecol 26:1352-1360, 2015). Cooperation is found in many species and, due to its low costs, likely is a determining factor in the evolution of living in social groups (Smith in Anim Behav 92:291-304, 2014). Beyond cooperation, many mammals perform costly behaviors for the benefit of group mates (e.g., parental care, food sharing, grooming). Altruism is considered the most extreme case of cooperation where the altruist increases the fitness of the recipient while decreasing its own fitness (Bell in Selection: the mechanism of evolution. Oxford University Press, Oxford 2008). Gray wolf life history requires intra-pack familiarity, communication, and cooperation in order to succeed in hunting (MacNulty et al. in Behav Ecol doi: 10.1093/beheco/arr159 2011) and protecting group resources (Stahler et al. in J Anim Ecol 82: 222-234, 2013; Cassidy et al. in Behav Ecol 26:1352-1360, 2015). Here, we report 121 territorial aggressive inter-pack interactions in Yellowstone National Park between 1 April 1995 and 1 April 2011 (>5300 days of observation) and examine each interaction where one wolf interferes when its pack mate is being attacked by a rival group. This behavior was recorded six times (17.6 % of interactions involving an attack) and often occurred between dyads of closely related individuals. We discuss this behavior as it relates to the evolution of cooperation, sociality, and altruism.

Dynamics of dense particle disks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araki, S.; Tremaine, S.; Toronto Univ., Canada)

1986-01-01

The present investigation of mechanical equilibrium and collisional transport processes in dense, differentially rotating particle disks is based on the Enskog (1922) theory of dense, hard sphere gases, with the single exception that the spheres are inelastic. The viscous instability suggested as a source of Saturn B ring structure does not arise in the models presented, although the ring may be subject to a phase transition analogous to the liquid-solid transition observed in molecular dynamics simulations of elastic hard spheres. In such a case, the ring would alternately exhibit zero-shear, or solid, and high shear, or liquid, zones. 29 references

Cigarette pack design and perceptions of risk among UK adults and youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammond, David; Dockrell, Martin; Arnott, Deborah; Lee, Alex; McNeill, Ann

2009-12-01

It is illegal in the EU for tobacco packaging to suggest that some cigarettes are safer than others. This study examined consumer perceptions of cigarette packs in the UK, including perceptions of 'plain packaging', in which colour and other design elements are removed, whilst retaining the brand name. 516 adult smokers and 806 youth aged 11-17 participated in an online survey. Participants were asked to compare pairs of cigarette packs on five measures: taste, tar delivery, health risk, attractiveness and either ease of quitting (adult smokers) or brand they would choose if trying smoking (youth). Adults and youth were significantly more likely to rate packs with the terms 'smooth', 'silver' and 'gold' as lower tar, lower health risk and either easier to quit smoking (adults) or their choice of pack if trying smoking (youth). For example, more than half of adults and youth reported that brands labelled as 'smooth' were less harmful compared with the 'regular' variety. The colour of packs was also associated with perceptions of risk and brand appeal: compared with Marlboro packs with a red logo, Marlboro packs with a gold logo were rated as lower health risk by 53% and easier to quit by 31% of adult smokers. Plain packs significantly reduced false beliefs about health risk and ease of quitting, and were rated as significantly less attractive and appealing to youth for trying smoking. Current regulations have failed to remove potentially misleading information from tobacco packaging. Removing colours from packs (plain packaging), as well as terms such as 'smooth' 'gold' and 'silver' would significantly reduce false beliefs and increase compliance with existing legislation.

Effect of long-range repulsive Coulomb interactions on packing structure of adhesive particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sheng; Li, Shuiqing; Liu, Wenwei; Makse, Hernán A

2016-02-14

The packing of charged micron-sized particles is investigated using discrete element simulations based on adhesive contact dynamic model. The formation process and the final obtained structures of ballistic packings are studied to show the effect of interparticle Coulomb force. It is found that increasing the charge on particles causes a remarkable decrease of the packing volume fraction ϕ and the average coordination number 〈Z〉, indicating a looser and chainlike structure. Force-scaling analysis shows that the long-range Coulomb interaction changes packing structures through its influence on particle inertia before they are bonded into the force networks. Once contact networks are formed, the expansion effect caused by repulsive Coulomb forces are dominated by short-range adhesion. Based on abundant results from simulations, a dimensionless adhesion parameter Ad*, which combines the effects of the particle inertia, the short-range adhesion and the long-range Coulomb interaction, is proposed and successfully scales the packing results for micron-sized particles within the latest derived adhesive loose packing (ALP) regime. The structural properties of our packings follow well the recent theoretical prediction which is described by an ensemble approach based on a coarse-grained volume function, indicating some kind of universality in the low packing density regime of the phase diagram regardless of adhesion or particle charge. Based on the comprehensive consideration of the complicated inter-particle interactions, our findings provide insight into the roles of short-range adhesion and repulsive Coulomb force during packing formation and should be useful for further design of packings.

Cardiac arrest due to hyperkalemia following irradiated packed red cells transfusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyazawa, Kazuharu [Yamamoto-kumiai General Hospital, Noshiro, Akita (Japan); Ohta, Sukejuurou; Kojima, Yukiko; Mizunuma, Takahide; Nishikawa, Toshiaki

1998-11-01

We describe two cases of cardiac arrest due to hyperkalemia following transfusion of irradiated packed red cells. Case 1: Because sudden, rapid and massive hemorrage occurred in a 69-year-old male patient undergoing the left lobectomy of the liver, 8 units of irradiated packed red cells were rapidly transfused, the patient developed cardiac arrest. Serum kalium concentration after transfusion was 7.6 mEq/l. Case 2: A 7-month-old girl scheduled for closure of a ventricular septal defect, developed cardiac arrest due to hyperkalemia at the start of cardiopulmonary bypass. The extracorporeal circuit was primed with 6 units of irradiated packed red blood cells. Serum kalium concentration immediately after the start of cardiopulmonary bypass was 10.6 mEq/l. Analysis of kalium concentration in the pilot tubes of the same packs revealed 56-61 mEq/l. These case reports suggest that fresh irradiated packed red cells should be transfused during massive bleeding and for pediatric patients to prevent severe hyperkalemia. (author)

Investigation of hydrodynamic behaviour of a pilot-scale trickle bed reactor packed with hydrophobic and hydrophilic packings using radiotracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajesh Kumar; Sadhana Mohan; Pant, H.J.; Sharma, V.K.; Mahajani, S.M.

2012-01-01

A radiotracer study was carried out in a trickle bed reactor (TBR) independently filled with two different types of packing i.e., hydrophobic and hydrophilic. The study was aimed at to estimate liquid holdup and investigate the dispersion characteristics of liquid phase with both types of packing at different operating conditions. Water and H2 gas were used as aqueous and gas phase, respectively. The liquid and gas flow rates used ranged from 0.83 x 10 -7 -16.67 x 10 -7 m 3 /s and 0-3.33 x 10 -4 m 3 (std)/s, respectively. Residence time distribution (RTD) of liquid phase was measured using 82 Br as radiotracer and about 10 MBq activity was used in each run. Mean residence time (MRT) and holdup of liquid phase were estimated from the measured RTD data. An axial dispersion with exchange model was used to simulate the measured RTD curves and model parameters (Peclet number and MRT) were obtained. At higher liquid flow rates, the TBR behaves as a plug flow reactor, whereas at lower liquid flow rates, the flow was found to be highly dispersed. The results of investigation indicated that the dispersion of liquid phase is higher in case of hydrophobic packing, whereas holdup is higher in case of hydrophilic packing. (author)

Measured Black Carbon Deposition on the Sierra Nevada Snow Pack and Implication for Snow Pack Retreat

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hadley, O.L.; Corrigan, C.E.; Kirchstetter, T.W.; Cliff, S.S.; Ramanathan, V.

2010-01-12

Modeling studies show that the darkening of snow and ice by black carbon deposition is a major factor for the rapid disappearance of arctic sea ice, mountain glaciers and snow packs. This study provides one of the first direct measurements for the efficient removal of black carbon from the atmosphere by snow and its subsequent deposition to the snow packs of California. The early melting of the snow packs in the Sierras is one of the contributing factors to the severe water problems in California. BC concentrations in falling snow were measured at two mountain locations and in rain at a coastal site. All three stations reveal large BC concentrations in precipitation, ranging from 1.7 ng/g to 12.9 ng/g. The BC concentrations in the air after the snow fall were negligible suggesting an extremely efficient removal of BC by snow. The data suggest that below cloud scavenging, rather than ice nuclei, was the dominant source of BC in the snow. A five-year comparison of BC, dust, and total fine aerosol mass concentrations at multiple sites reveals that the measurements made at the sampling sites were representative of large scale deposition in the Sierra Nevada. The relative concentration of iron and calcium in the mountain aerosol indicates that one-quarter to one-third of the BC may have been transported from Asia.

Finding dense locations in symbolic indoor tracking data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Tanvir; Pedersen, Torben Bach; Lu, Hua

2017-01-01

presents two graph-based models for constrained and semi-constrained indoor movement, respectively, and then uses the models to map raw tracking records into mapping records that represent object entry and exit times in particular locations. Subsequently, an efficient indexing structure called Hierarchical...... Dense Location Time Index (HDLT-Index) is proposed for indexing the time intervals of the mapping table, along with index construction, query processing, and pruning techniques. The HDLT-Index supports very efficient aggregate point, interval, and duration queries as well as dense location queries......Finding the dense locations in large indoor spaces is very useful for many applications such as overloaded area detection, security control, crowd management, indoor navigation, and so on. Indoor tracking data can be enormous and are not immediately ready for finding dense locations. This paper...

Hemato-biochemical responses to packing in donkeys administered ascorbic acid during the harmattan season.

Science.gov (United States)

Olaifa, Folashade; Ayo, Joseph Olusegun; Ambali, Suleiman Folorunsho; Rekwot, Peter Ibrahim

2015-02-01

Experiments were performed to investigate the effect of ascorbic acid (AA) in reducing hemato-biochemical changes in pack donkeys during the cold-dry (harmattan) season. Six experimental donkeys administered orally AA (200 mg/kg) and six control donkeys not administered ascorbic acid were subjected to packing. Blood samples were collected from all donkeys for hematological and biochemical analyses. In the control donkeys, packed cell volume (PCV), erythrocyte count and hemoglobin concentration (Hb) decreased significantly (Pdonkeys, there was no significant difference between the pre- and post-packing values of PCV, erythrocyte count and Hb. In the control donkeys, the neutrophil and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio increased significantly (Pdonkeys, the pre- and post-packing values were not significantly different. The eosinophil count increased significantly (Pdonkeys post packing. In conclusion, packing exerted significant adverse effects on the hematological parameters ameliorated by AA administration. AA may modulate neutrophilia and induce a considerable alteration of erythroid markers in donkeys subjected to packing during the harmattan season.

Towards optimal packed string matching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ben-Kiki, Oren; Bille, Philip; Breslauer, Dany

2014-01-01

-size string-matching instruction wssm is available in contemporary commodity processors. The other word-size maximum-suffix instruction wslm is only required during the pattern pre-processing. Benchmarks show that our solution can be efficiently implemented, unlike some prior theoretical packed string...

Self-diffusion in dense granular shear flows.

Science.gov (United States)

Utter, Brian; Behringer, R P

2004-03-01

Diffusivity is a key quantity in describing velocity fluctuations in granular materials. These fluctuations are the basis of many thermodynamic and hydrodynamic models which aim to provide a statistical description of granular systems. We present experimental results on diffusivity in dense, granular shear flows in a two-dimensional Couette geometry. We find that self-diffusivities D are proportional to the local shear rate gamma; with diffusivities along the direction of the mean flow approximately twice as large as those in the perpendicular direction. The magnitude of the diffusivity is D approximately gamma;a(2), where a is the particle radius. However, the gradient in shear rate, coupling to the mean flow, and strong drag at the moving boundary lead to particle displacements that can appear subdiffusive or superdiffusive. In particular, diffusion appears to be superdiffusive along the mean flow direction due to Taylor dispersion effects and subdiffusive along the perpendicular direction due to the gradient in shear rate. The anisotropic force network leads to an additional anisotropy in the diffusivity that is a property of dense systems and has no obvious analog in rapid flows. Specifically, the diffusivity is suppressed along the direction of the strong force network. A simple random walk simulation reproduces the key features of the data, such as the apparent superdiffusive and subdiffusive behavior arising from the mean velocity field, confirming the underlying diffusive motion. The additional anisotropy is not observed in the simulation since the strong force network is not included. Examples of correlated motion, such as transient vortices, and Lévy flights are also observed. Although correlated motion creates velocity fields which are qualitatively different from collisional Brownian motion and can introduce nondiffusive effects, on average the system appears simply diffusive.

The generic geometry of helices and their close-packed structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Kasper; Bohr, Jakob

2010-01-01

The formation of helices is an ubiquitous phenomenon for molecular structures whether they are biological, organic, or inorganic, in nature. Helical structures have geometrical constraints analogous to close packing of three-dimensional crystal structures. For helical packing the geometrical cons...

Safer v. Estate of Pack.

Science.gov (United States)

1996-07-11

The Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, recognized "a physician's duty to warn those known to be at risk of avoidable harm from a genetically transmissible condition." During the 1950s, Dr. George Pack treated Donna Shafer's father for a cancerous blockage of the colon and multiple polyposis. In 1990, Safer was diagnosed with the same condition, which she claims is inherited, and, if not diagnosed and treated, invariably will lead to metastic colorectal cancer. Safer alleged that Dr. Pack knew the hereditary nature of the disease, yet failed to warn the immediate family, thus breaching his professional duty to warn. The court did not follow the analysis of the trial court, that a physician has no legal duty to warn the child of a patient of the genetic risk of disease because no physician and patient relationship exists between the doctor and the child.

Interaction between Proppant Packing, Reservoir Depletion, and Fluid Flow in Pore Space

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, M.; McClure, J. E.; Han, Y.; Chen, C.

2016-12-01

In the oil and gas industry, the performance of proppant pack in hydraulically created fractures has a significant influence on fracture conductivity. A better understanding of proppant transport and deposition pattern in a hydraulic fracture is vital for effective and economical production within oil and gas reservoirs. In this research, a numerical modeling approach, combining Particle Flow Code (PFC) and GPU-enhanced lattice Boltzmann simulator (GELBS), is adopted to advance the understanding of the interaction between proppant particle packing, depletion of reservoir formation, and transport of reservoir flow through the pore space. In this numerical work flow, PFC is used to simulate effective stress increase and proppant particle movement and rearrangement under increasing mechanical loading. The pore structure of the proppant pack evolves subsequently and the geometrical data are output for lattice Boltzmann (LB) simulation of proppant pack permeability. Three different proppant packs with fixed particle concentration and 12/18, 16/30, and 20/40 mesh sizes are generated. These proppant packs are compressed with specified loading stress and their subsequent geometries are used for fluid flow simulations. The simulation results are in good agreement with experimental observations, e.g., the conductivity of proppant packs decreases with increasing effective stress. Three proppant packs with the same average diameter were generated using different coefficients of variation (COVs) for the proppant diameter (namely cov5%, cov20%, and cov30%). By using the coupled PFC-LBM work flow, the proppant pack permeability as functions of effective stress and porosity is investigated. The results show that the proppant pack with a higher proppant diameter COV has lower permeability and porosity under the same effective stress, because smaller particles fill in the pore space between bigger particles. The relationship between porosity and permeability is also consistent with

Kinetic chemistry of dense interstellar clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graedel, T.E.; Langer, W.D.; Frerking, M.A.

1982-01-01

A detailed model of the time-dependent chemistry of dense interstellar clouds has been developed to study the dominant chemical processes in carbon and oxygen isotope fractionation, formation of nitrogen-containing molecules, evolution of product molecules as a function of cloud density and temperature, and other topics of interest. The full computation involves 328 individual reactions (expanded to 1067 to study carbon and oxygen isotope chemistry); photodegradation processes are unimportant in these dense clouds and are excluded

3D Numerical Study of Multiphase Counter-Current Flow within a Packed Bed for Post Combustion Carbon Dioxide Capture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Yang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The hydrodynamics within counter-current flow packed beds is of vital importance to provide insight into the design and operational parameters that may impact reactor and reaction efficiencies in processes used for post combustion CO2 capture. However, the multiphase counter-current flows in random packing used in these processes are complicated to visualize. Hence, this work aimed at developing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD model to study more precisely the complex details of flow inside a packed bed. The simulation results clearly demonstrated the development of, and changes in, liquid distributions, wetted areas, and film thickness under various gas and liquid flow rates. An increase in values of the We number led to a more uniform liquid distribution, and the flow patterns changed from droplet flow to film flow and trickle flow as the We number was increased. In contrast, an increase in gas flow rate had no significant effect on the wetted areas and liquid holdup. It was also determined that the number of liquid inlets affected flow behavior, and the liquid surface tension had an insignificant influence on pressure drop or liquid holdup; however, lower surface tension provided a larger wetted area and a thinner film. An experimental study, performed to enable comparisons between experimentally measured pressure drops and simulation-determined pressure drops, showed close correspondence and similar trends between the experimental data and the simulation data; hence, it was concluded that the simulation model was validated and could reasonably predict flow dynamics within a counter-current flow packed bed.

A Heuristic Algorithm for Solving Triangle Packing Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruimin Wang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The research on the triangle packing problem has important theoretic significance, which has broad application prospects in material processing, network resource optimization, and so forth. Generally speaking, the orientation of the triangle should be limited in advance, since the triangle packing problem is NP-hard and has continuous properties. For example, the polygon is not allowed to rotate; then, the approximate solution can be obtained by optimization method. This paper studies the triangle packing problem by a new kind of method. Such concepts as angle region, corner-occupying action, corner-occupying strategy, and edge-conjoining strategy are presented in this paper. In addition, an edge-conjoining and corner-occupying algorithm is designed, which is to obtain an approximate solution. It is demonstrated that the proposed algorithm is highly efficient, and by the time complexity analysis and the analogue experiment result is found.

How changes in top water bother big turning packs of up-going wet air

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, K.

2017-12-01

Big turning packs of up-going wet air form near areas of warm water at the top of big bodies of water. After these turning packs form, they usually get stronger if the top water stays warm. If the top water becomes less warm, the turning packs usually get less strong. Other things can change how strong a turning pack gets, like how wet the air around it is and if that air moves faster higher up than lower down. When these turning packs hit land, their rain and winds can hurt people and the stuff they own, especially if the turning pack is really strong. But it's hard to know how much stronger or less strong it will become before it hits land. Warm top water gives a turning pack of up-going wet air a lot of power, but cool top water doesn't, so we need to know how warm the top water is. Because I can't go into every turning pack myself, flying computers in outer space tell me what the top water is doing. I look at the top water near turning packs that get strong and see how it's different from the top water near those that get less strong. Top water that changes from warm to cool in a small area bothers a turning pack of up-going wet air, which then gets less strong. If we see these top water changes ahead of time, that might help us know what a turning pack will do before it gets close to land.

Consumer preferences for front-of-pack calories labelling.

Science.gov (United States)

van Kleef, Ellen; van Trijp, Hans; Paeps, Frederic; Fernández-Celemín, Laura

2008-02-01

In light of the emerging obesity pandemic, front-of-pack calories labels may be an important tool to assist consumers in making informed healthier food choices. However, there is little prior research to guide key decisions on whether caloric content should be expressed in absolute terms or relative to recommended daily intake, whether it should be expressed in per serving or per 100 g and whether the information should be further brought alive for consumers in terms of what the extra calorie intake implies in relation to activity levels. The present study aimed at providing more insight into consumers' appreciation of front-of-pack labelling of caloric content of food products and their specific preferences for alternative execution formats for such information in Europe. For this purpose, eight executions of front-of-pack calorie flags were designed and their appeal and information value were extensively discussed with consumers through qualitative research in four different countries (Germany, The Netherlands, France and the UK). The results show that calories are well-understood and that participants were generally positive about front-of-pack flags, particularly when flags are uniform across products. The most liked flags are the simpler flags depicting only the number of calories per serving or per 100 g, while more complex flags including references to daily needs or exercise and the flag including a phrase referring to balanced lifestyle were least preferred. Some relevant differences between countries were observed. Although participants seem to be familiar with the notion of calories, they do not seem to fully understand how to apply them. From the results, managerial implications for the design and implementation of front-of-pack calorie labelling as well as important directions for future research are discussed.

Consumer preferences for front-of-pack calories labelling

Science.gov (United States)

van Kleef, Ellen; van Trijp, Hans; Paeps, Frederic; Fernández-Celemín, Laura

2008-01-01

Objective In light of the emerging obesity pandemic, front-of-pack calories labels may be an important tool to assist consumers in making informed healthier food choices. However, there is little prior research to guide key decisions on whether caloric content should be expressed in absolute terms or relative to recommended daily intake, whether it should be expressed in per serving or per 100 g and whether the information should be further brought alive for consumers in terms of what the extra calorie intake implies in relation to activity levels. The present study aimed at providing more insight into consumers’ appreciation of front-of-pack labelling of caloric content of food products and their specific preferences for alternative execution formats for such information in Europe. Design For this purpose, eight executions of front-of-pack calorie flags were designed and their appeal and information value were extensively discussed with consumers through qualitative research in four different countries (Germany, The Netherlands, France and the UK). Results The results show that calories are well-understood and that participants were generally positive about front-of-pack flags, particularly when flags are uniform across products. The most liked flags are the simpler flags depicting only the number of calories per serving or per 100 g, while more complex flags including references to daily needs or exercise and the flag including a phrase referring to balanced lifestyle were least preferred. Some relevant differences between countries were observed. Although participants seem to be familiar with the notion of calories, they do not seem to fully understand how to apply them. Conclusion From the results, managerial implications for the design and implementation of front-of-pack calorie labelling as well as important directions for future research are discussed. PMID:17601362

Centrifugal sedimentation for selectively packing channels with silica microbeads in three-dimensional micro/nanofluidic devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Maojun; Bohn, Paul W; Sweedler, Jonathan V

2009-03-01

Incorporation of nanofluidic elements into microfluidic channels is one approach for adding filtration and partition functionality to planar microfluidic devices, as well as providing enhanced biomolecular separations. Here we introduce a strategy to pack microfluidic channels with silica nanoparticles and microbeads, thereby indirectly producing functional nanostructures; the method allows selected channels to be packed, here demonstrated so that a separation channel is packed while keeping an injection channel unpacked. A nanocapillary array membrane is integrated between two patterned microfluidic channels that cross each other in vertically separated layers. The membrane serves both as a frit for bead packing and as a fluid communication conduit between microfluidic channels. Centrifugal force-assisted sedimentation is then used to selectively pack the microfluidic channels using an aqueous silica bead suspension loaded into the appropriate inlet reservoirs. This packing approach may be used to simultaneously pack multiple channels with silica microbeads having different sizes and surface properties. The chip design and packing method introduced here are suitable for packing silica particles in sizes ranging from nanometers to micrometers and allow rapid (approximately 10 min) packing with high quality. The liquid/analyte transport characteristics of these packed micro/nanofluidic devices have potential utility in a wide range of applications, including electroosmotic pumping, liquid chromatographic separations, and electrochromatography.

Heterogeneous packing and hydraulic stability of cube and cubipod armor units

OpenAIRE

GÓMEZ-MARTÍN, M. ESTHER; Medina, Josep R.

2014-01-01

This paper describes the heterogeneous packing (HEP) failure mode of breakwater armor. HEP reduces packing density in the armor layer near and above the mean water level and increases packing density below it. With HEP, armor units may move in the armor layer, although they are not actually extracted from it. Thus, when HEP occurs, armor-layer porosity is not constant, and measurements obtained with conventional methods may underestimate armor damage. In this paper, the Virtual Net method ...

Prediction of a Densely Loaded Particle-Laden Jet using a Euler-Lagrange Dense Spray Model

Science.gov (United States)

Pakseresht, Pedram; Apte, Sourabh V.

2017-11-01

Modeling of a dense spray regime using an Euler-Lagrange discrete-element approach is challenging because of local high volume loading. A subgrid cluster of droplets can lead to locally high void fractions for the disperse phase. Under these conditions, spatio-temporal changes in the carrier phase volume fractions, which are commonly neglected in spray simulations in an Euler-Lagrange two-way coupling model, could become important. Accounting for the carrier phase volume fraction variations, leads to zero-Mach number, variable density governing equations. Using pressure-based solvers, this gives rise to a source term in the pressure Poisson equation and a non-divergence free velocity field. To test the validity and predictive capability of such an approach, a round jet laden with solid particles is investigated using Direct Numerical Simulation and compared with available experimental data for different loadings. Various volume fractions spanning from dilute to dense regimes are investigated with and without taking into account the volume displacement effects. The predictions of the two approaches are compared and analyzed to investigate the effectiveness of the dense spray model. Financial support was provided by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Toxoplasma gondii: Biochemical and biophysical characterization of recombinant soluble dense granule proteins GRA2 and GRA6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bittame, Amina; Effantin, Grégory; Pètre, Graciane; Ruffiot, Pauline; Travier, Laetitia; Schoehn, Guy; Weissenhorn, Winfried; Cesbron-Delauw, Marie-France; Gagnon, Jean; Mercier, Corinne

2015-01-01

The most prominent structural feature of the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) in which the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii proliferates is a membranous nanotubular network (MNN), which interconnects the parasites and the PV membrane. The MNN function remains unclear. The GRA2 and GRA6 proteins secreted from the parasite dense granules into the PV have been implicated in the MNN biogenesis. Amphipathic alpha-helices (AAHs) predicted in GRA2 and an alpha-helical hydrophobic domain predicted in GRA6 have been proposed to be responsible for their membrane association, thereby potentially molding the MMN in its structure. Here we report an analysis of the recombinant proteins (expressed in detergent-free conditions) by circular dichroism, which showed that full length GRA2 displays an alpha-helical secondary structure while recombinant GRA6 and GRA2 truncated of its AAHs are mainly random coiled. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy showed that recombinant GRA6 and truncated GRA2 constitute a homogenous population of small particles (6–8 nm in diameter) while recombinant GRA2 corresponds to 2 populations of particles (∼8–15 nm and up to 40 nm in diameter, respectively). The unusual properties of GRA2 due to its AAHs are discussed. - Highlights: • Toxoplasma gondii: soluble GRA2 forms 2 populations of particles. • T. gondii: the dense granule protein GRA2 folds intrinsically as an alpha-helix. • T. gondii: monomeric soluble GRA6 forms particles of 6–8 nm in diameter. • T. gondii: monomeric soluble GRA6 is random coiled. • Unusual biophysical properties of the dense granule protein GRA2 from T. gondii

Toxoplasma gondii: Biochemical and biophysical characterization of recombinant soluble dense granule proteins GRA2 and GRA6

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bittame, Amina [CNRS, UMR 5163, 38042 Grenoble (France); Université Grenoble Alpes, 38042 Grenoble (France); Effantin, Grégory [Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), 38044 Grenoble (France); CNRS, IBS, 38044 Grenoble (France); CEA, IBS, 38044 Grenoble (France); Unit for Virus Host-Cell Interactions (UVHCI), UMI 3265 (UJF-EMBL-CNRS), 38027 Grenoble (France); Pètre, Graciane; Ruffiot, Pauline; Travier, Laetitia [CNRS, UMR 5163, 38042 Grenoble (France); Université Grenoble Alpes, 38042 Grenoble (France); Schoehn, Guy; Weissenhorn, Winfried [Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), 38044 Grenoble (France); CNRS, IBS, 38044 Grenoble (France); CEA, IBS, 38044 Grenoble (France); Unit for Virus Host-Cell Interactions (UVHCI), UMI 3265 (UJF-EMBL-CNRS), 38027 Grenoble (France); Cesbron-Delauw, Marie-France; Gagnon, Jean [CNRS, UMR 5163, 38042 Grenoble (France); Université Grenoble Alpes, 38042 Grenoble (France); Mercier, Corinne, E-mail: corinne.mercier@ujf-grenoble.fr [CNRS, UMR 5163, 38042 Grenoble (France); Université Grenoble Alpes, 38042 Grenoble (France)

2015-03-27

The most prominent structural feature of the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) in which the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii proliferates is a membranous nanotubular network (MNN), which interconnects the parasites and the PV membrane. The MNN function remains unclear. The GRA2 and GRA6 proteins secreted from the parasite dense granules into the PV have been implicated in the MNN biogenesis. Amphipathic alpha-helices (AAHs) predicted in GRA2 and an alpha-helical hydrophobic domain predicted in GRA6 have been proposed to be responsible for their membrane association, thereby potentially molding the MMN in its structure. Here we report an analysis of the recombinant proteins (expressed in detergent-free conditions) by circular dichroism, which showed that full length GRA2 displays an alpha-helical secondary structure while recombinant GRA6 and GRA2 truncated of its AAHs are mainly random coiled. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy showed that recombinant GRA6 and truncated GRA2 constitute a homogenous population of small particles (6–8 nm in diameter) while recombinant GRA2 corresponds to 2 populations of particles (∼8–15 nm and up to 40 nm in diameter, respectively). The unusual properties of GRA2 due to its AAHs are discussed. - Highlights: • Toxoplasma gondii: soluble GRA2 forms 2 populations of particles. • T. gondii: the dense granule protein GRA2 folds intrinsically as an alpha-helix. • T. gondii: monomeric soluble GRA6 forms particles of 6–8 nm in diameter. • T. gondii: monomeric soluble GRA6 is random coiled. • Unusual biophysical properties of the dense granule protein GRA2 from T. gondii.

Material selection and assembly method of battery pack for compact electric vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Lewchalermwong, N.; Masomtob, M.; Lailuck, V.; Charoenphonphanich, C.

2018-01-01

Battery packs become the key component in electric vehicles (EVs). The main costs of which are battery cells and assembling processes. The battery cell is indeed priced from battery manufacturers while the assembling cost is dependent on battery pack designs. Battery pack designers need overall cost as cheap as possible, but it still requires high performance and more safety. Material selection and assembly method as well as component design are very important to determine the cost-effectiveness of battery modules and battery packs. Therefore, this work presents Decision Matrix, which can aid in the decision-making process of component materials and assembly methods for a battery module design and a battery pack design. The aim of this study is to take the advantage of incorporating Architecture Analysis method into decision matrix methods by capturing best practices for conducting design architecture analysis in full account of key design components critical to ensure efficient and effective development of the designs. The methodology also considers the impacts of choice-alternatives along multiple dimensions. Various alternatives for materials and assembly techniques of battery pack are evaluated, and some sample costs are presented. Due to many components in the battery pack, only seven components which are positive busbar and Z busbar are represented in this paper for using decision matrix methods.

Ultra High Intensity laser produced fast electron transport in under-dense and over-dense matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manclossi, Mauro

2006-01-01

This thesis is related to inertial fusion research, and particularly concerns the approach to fast ignition, which is based on the use of ultra-intense laser pulses to ignite the thermonuclear fuel. Until now, the feasibility of this scheme has not been proven and depends on many fundamental aspects of the underlying physics, which are not yet fully understood and which are also very far from controls. The main purpose of this thesis is the experimental study of transport processes in the material over-dense (solid) and under-dense (gas jet) of a beam of fast electrons produced by pulse laser at a intensity of some 10 19 Wcm -2 . (author)

The Use of Sports Imagery and Terminology on Cigarette Packs from Fourteen Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleb, Cerise; Welding, Kevin; Cohen, Joanna E; Smith, Katherine C

2018-04-16

Tobacco companies have historically associated their products with sports through event sponsorship and sports-themed advertising campaigns. Such linkages serve to enhance brand image by connecting cigarette brands to ideals associated with sports such as strength, individual accomplishment, and a healthy body. Public health policy progress has created restrictions for tobacco sponsorship and restricted traditional advertising avenues for tobacco products. Nonetheless, the pack itself remains as a mechanism by which to link cigarettes to sports and sporting prowess. Thus, we analyze depictions of sport and references to sports terminology on cigarette packs. To describe the sports-related marketing appeals on cigarette packages purchased in 14 low and middle income countries. In 2013, we collected and coded cigarette packs from 14 low and middle income countries and we returned to four of these countries for further data collection in 2015. Packs from both years were assessed for sports-related appeals (text and imagery) and sports-related brand names to identify sports appeals on cigarette packs. The analysis yielded 36 brands with distinct depictions of sport or sporting terminology on the pack. Text-based appeals were found on 24 of the 36 distinct "sports appeal" packs (e.g., "Polo," "Olympic," "Win," "iScore"). Sporting imagery was present on 22 packs (e.g., soccer ball, race car, wrestling match, trophy). The pack is a powerful medium through which tobacco companies continue to associate their products with idealized concepts associated with sports. These are potentially problematic associations that could be restricted through plain and standardized packaging policy initiatives.

Influence of galactic arm scale dynamics on the molecular composition of the cold and dense ISM. I. Observed abundance gradients in dense clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Ruaud, M.; Wakelam, V.; Gratier, P.; Bonnell, I. A.

2018-04-01

Aim. We study the effect of large scale dynamics on the molecular composition of the dense interstellar medium during the transition between diffuse to dense clouds. Methods: We followed the formation of dense clouds (on sub-parsec scales) through the dynamics of the interstellar medium at galactic scales. We used results from smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations from which we extracted physical parameters that are used as inputs for our full gas-grain chemical model. In these simulations, the evolution of the interstellar matter is followed for 50 Myr. The warm low-density interstellar medium gas flows into spiral arms where orbit crowding produces the shock formation of dense clouds, which are held together temporarily by the external pressure. Results: We show that depending on the physical history of each SPH particle, the molecular composition of the modeled dense clouds presents a high dispersion in the computed abundances even if the local physical properties are similar. We find that carbon chains are the most affected species and show that these differences are directly connected to differences in (1) the electronic fraction, (2) the C/O ratio, and (3) the local physical conditions. We argue that differences in the dynamical evolution of the gas that formed dense clouds could account for the molecular diversity observed between and within these clouds. Conclusions: This study shows the importance of past physical conditions in establishing the chemical composition of the dense medium.

Effectiveness of a nursing intervention during transfusion of packed red cells on the patient´s anxiety state receiver

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Fernando Martín Díaz

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The transfusion provokes anxiety and this one compromises the improvement of the patient. Objetive: The study aims to evaluate whether a nursing intervention protocol-through oral and written submissions previous to the transfusion of packed red blood cells decreases anxiety levels in pretransfusion and postransfusion recipient patients through a randomized clinical trial. Methodology: Be conducted in patients over 18 years admitted in the Hospitable complex of Toledo, prescription transfusion of packed red blood cells. For an alpha error 0.05, beta error of 0.90, with an expected effect of 10%, need 70 subjects in each group. The allocation to the intervention group and the control group was randomly made simple. The performance in the normal control group will be done in the hospital, patients receiving transfusion. As dependent variables evaluated:- The anxiety level pretransfusion and postransfusion. Using the questionnaire was validated by Spielberger (STAI. - The level of satisfaction perceived by the user on the information received prior to transfusion. By design developed for this study. Also recorded other control variables: sex, age, socio-cultural level, marital status, reason for transfusion, or no knowledge of the prescription of transfusion, incidents during transfusion.Scientific and sociosanitary relevancy of the study: The results will allow to know if the transfusion increases the anxiety and if an educational intervention nurse can diminish it; and to do the intervention before every transfusion.

Polymorphism of terthiophene with surface confinement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roland Resel

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The origin of unknown polymorphic phases within thin films is still not well understood. This work reports on crystals of the molecule terthiophene which were grown by thermal gradient crystallization using glass-plate substrates. The crystalline domains displayed a plate-like morphology with an extended lateral size of about 100 µm, but a thickness of only a few µm. Specular X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the presence of a new polymorph of terthiophene. Crystal structure solution from a single crystal peeled from the film revealed a structure with an extremely large unit-cell volume containing 42 independent molecules. In contrast to the previously determined crystal structure of terthiophene, a herringbone packing motif was observed where the terminal ends of the molecules are arranged within one plane (i.e. the molecular packing conforms to the flat substrate surface. This type of molecular packing is obtained by 180° flipped molecules combined with partially random (disordered occupation. A densely packed interface between terthiophene crystallites and the substrate surface is obtained, this confirms that the new packing motif has adapted to the flat substrate surface.

New raw materials improve packing sealing efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Igel, B.; McKeague, L.

2012-01-01

End-users and OEM's using or manufacturing on/off and control valves expect a permanent and effective increase in service life together with an increased sealing capability while at the same time minimizing maintenance concerns. Developing materials which provide consistency and repeatability are essential characteristics to optimizing valve performance. “New Generation” materials and yarn allow us to meet this growing demand while complying with the requirements related to chemical purity and an increased level of safety to both plant workers and equipment in the nuclear environment. Through R&D initiatives and developments in new and improved raw materials; a new mechanical packing generation which optimizes friction coefficients and extended life cycle has been introduced to the industry. Lower friction values drastically optimize actuator effort and size improving efficiency for stem operation with significant improvements in flow control of fluids. Combined with new and improved procedures (installation, torque levels and consolidation recommendations), this new packing generation has provided significant improvement in the mechanical behavior of packing materials (independent tests carried out in collaboration with AECL and CETIM) this has provided the opportunity to develop successful Valve Enhancement Programs which offer improved efficiency, valve operation and repeatability. These NEW generation yarns are available with or without wire reinforcement depending on specific operating parameters and conditions. The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate that new generation material(s). Which are available to the industry for AOV, MOV and Manual valves? - To highlight the steps taken in R&D and manufacturing contributing to the much improved yarns and finished packing products. - Comply and are designed to meet the stringent requirements in the nuclear industry - Simplify valve maintenance without risk to safety or performance - Increase service

On the perfect hexagonal packing of rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Starostin, E L

2006-01-01

In most cases the hexagonal packing of fibrous structures or rods extremizes the energy of interaction between strands. If the strands are not straight, then it is still possible to form a perfect hexatic bundle. Conditions under which the perfect hexagonal packing of curved tubular structures may exist are formulated. Particular attention is given to closed or cycled arrangements of the rods like in the DNA toroids and spools. The closure or return constraints of the bundle result in an allowable group of automorphisms of the cross-sectional hexagonal lattice. The structure of this group is explored. Examples of open helical-like and closed toroidal-like bundles are presented. An expression for the elastic energy of a perfectly packed bundle of thin elastic rods is derived. The energy accounts for both the bending and torsional stiffnesses of the rods. It is shown that equilibria of the bundle correspond to solutions of a variational problem formulated for the curve representing the axis of the bundle. The functional involves a function of the squared curvature under the constraints on the total torsion and the length. The Euler-Lagrange equations are obtained in terms of curvature and torsion and due to the existence of the first integrals the problem is reduced to the quadrature. The three-dimensional shape of the bundle may be readily reconstructed by integration of the Ilyukhin-type equations in special cylindrical coordinates. The results are of universal nature and are applicable to various fibrous structures, in particular, to intramolecular liquid crystals formed by DNA condensed in toroids or packed inside the viral capsids

Interactions between two beta-sheets. Energetics of beta/beta packing in proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, K C; Némethy, G; Rumsey, S; Tuttle, R W; Scheraga, H A

1986-04-20

The analysis of the interactions between regularly folded segments of the polypeptide chain contributes to an understanding of the energetics of protein folding. Conformational energy-minimization calculations have been carried out to determine the favorable ways of packing two right-twisted beta-sheets. The packing of two five-stranded beta-sheets was investigated, with the strands having the composition CH3CO-(L-Ile)6-NHCH3 in one beta-sheet and CH3CO-(L-Val)6-NHCH3 in the other. Two distinct classes of low-energy packing arrangements were found. In the class with lowest energies, the strands of the two beta-sheets are aligned nearly parallel (or antiparallel) with each other, with a preference for a negative orientation angle, because this arrangement corresponds to the best complementary packing of the two twisted saddle-shaped beta-sheets. In the second class, with higher interaction energies, the strands of the two beta-sheets are oriented nearly perpendicular to each other. While the surfaces of the two beta-sheets are not complementary in this arrangement, there is good packing between the corner of one beta-sheet and the interior part of the surface of the other, resulting in a favorable energy of packing. Both classes correspond to frequently observed orientations of beta-sheets in proteins. In proteins, the second class of packing is usually observed when the two beta-sheets are covalently linked, i.e. when a polypeptide strand passes from one beta-sheet to the other, but we have shown here that a large contribution to the stabilization of this packing arrangement arises from noncovalent interactions.

Dense chlorinated solvents and other DNAPLs in groundwater

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broholm, K.

1996-01-01

Anmeldelse af Pankow,J.F. & Cherry,J.A.: Dense chlorinated solvents and other DNAPLs in groundwater. Waterloo Press, Portland, Oregon, USA, 1996......Anmeldelse af Pankow,J.F. & Cherry,J.A.: Dense chlorinated solvents and other DNAPLs in groundwater. Waterloo Press, Portland, Oregon, USA, 1996...

Experimental Study of a Pack of Supercapacitors Used in Electric Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed Hedi, Chabchoub

2017-01-01

Electric vehicles have recently attracted research interest. An electric vehicle is composed of two energy sources, such as fuel cells and ultracapacitors, which are employed to provide, respectively, the steady-state and transient power demanded by the vehicle. A bidirectional DC-DC converter is needed to interface the ultracapacitor to a DC bus. The pack of ultracapacitor consists of many cells in series and possibly also in parallel. In this regard, this paper introduces a comparative study between two packs of supercapacitors. The first supercapacitor pack is composed of ten cells in series but the second supercapacitor pack is composed of five cells in series and two parallel circuits. Each cell is characterized by 2.5 V and 100 F. A number of practical tests are presented. PMID:28894785

Experimental Study of a Pack of Supercapacitors Used in Electric Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amari Mansour

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Electric vehicles have recently attracted research interest. An electric vehicle is composed of two energy sources, such as fuel cells and ultracapacitors, which are employed to provide, respectively, the steady-state and transient power demanded by the vehicle. A bidirectional DC-DC converter is needed to interface the ultracapacitor to a DC bus. The pack of ultracapacitor consists of many cells in series and possibly also in parallel. In this regard, this paper introduces a comparative study between two packs of supercapacitors. The first supercapacitor pack is composed of ten cells in series but the second supercapacitor pack is composed of five cells in series and two parallel circuits. Each cell is characterized by 2.5 V and 100 F. A number of practical tests are presented.

Experimental Study of a Pack of Supercapacitors Used in Electric Vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansour, Amari; Mohamed Hedi, Chabchoub; Faouzi, Bacha

2017-01-01

Electric vehicles have recently attracted research interest. An electric vehicle is composed of two energy sources, such as fuel cells and ultracapacitors, which are employed to provide, respectively, the steady-state and transient power demanded by the vehicle. A bidirectional DC-DC converter is needed to interface the ultracapacitor to a DC bus. The pack of ultracapacitor consists of many cells in series and possibly also in parallel. In this regard, this paper introduces a comparative study between two packs of supercapacitors. The first supercapacitor pack is composed of ten cells in series but the second supercapacitor pack is composed of five cells in series and two parallel circuits. Each cell is characterized by 2.5 V and 100 F. A number of practical tests are presented.

Viscoelastic gravel-pack carrier fluid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nehmer, W.L.

1988-01-01

The ability of a fluid to flow adequately into the formation during gravel-pack treatments is critical to achieving a good pack. Recent studies have indicated ''fish-eyes'' and/or ''microgels'' present in many polymer gelled carrier fluids will plug pore throats, leading to impaired leakoff and causing formation damage. Intensive manipulation of the polymer gelled fluid using shear and filter devices will help remove the particles, but it adds to the cost of the treatment in terms of equipment and manpower. Excessive shear will degrade the polymer leading to poor gravel suspension, while too little shear will cause filtration problems. A gelled carried fluid using a viscoelastic surfactant system has been found to leak off very efficiently to the formation, and cause no formation damage, without the use of shear/filter devices. Viscoelastic surfactant-base gelled fluids develop viscosity because of the association of surfactant moloecules into large rod-shaped aggregates. There is no hydration of polymer involved, so fish-eyes and microgels will not be formed in the viscoelastic fluid. A surfactant-base system having a yield point allows the gravel carrying properties to be much better than fluids gelled with conventional polymer systems (hydroxyethylcellulose [HEC]). For example, a gravel carried fluid gelled with 80 lb HEC/1,000 gal has a viscosity of about 400 cp at 170 sec/sup -1/; a viscoelastic surfactant-base system having only one-half the viscosity still flows into cores about four times more efficiently than the HEC-base fluid. The rheology, leakoff, formation damage and mixing properties of a viscoelastic, surfactant-base, gravel-pack carrier fluid are discussed

The mechanical behaviour of packed particulates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutton, R.

1998-01-01

Within the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management program, the central concept is to package used fuel in containers that would be deposited in an underground vault in a plutonic rock formation. To provide internal mechanical support for the container, the reference design specifies it to be filled with a matrix of compacted particulate material (called 'packed particulate'), such as quartz sand granules. The focus of this report is on the mechanical properties of the packed-particulate material, based on information drawn from the extant literature. We first consider the packing density of particulate matrices to minimize the remnant porosity and maximize mechanical stability under conditions of external pressure. Practical methods, involving vibratory packing, are reviewed and recommendations made to select techniques to achieve optimum packing density. The behaviour of particulates under compressive loading has been of interest to the powder metallurgy industry (i.e., the manufacture of products from pressed/sintered metal and ceramic powders) since the early decades of this century. We review the evidence showing that in short timescales, stress induced compaction occurs by particle shuffling and rearrangement, elastic distortion, plastic yielding and microfracturing. Analytical expressions are available to describe these processes in a semiquantitative fashion. Time-dependent compaction, mainly via creep mechanisms, is more complex. Much of the theoretical and experimental information is confined to higher temperatures (> 500 degrees C), where deformation rates are more rapid. Thus, for the relatively low ambient temperatures of the waste container (∼100 degrees C), we require analytical techniques to extrapolate the collective particulate creep behaviour. This is largely accomplished by employing current theories of creep deformation, particularly in the form of Deformation Mechanism Maps, which allow estimation of creep rates over a wide range of stress

The mechanical behaviour of packed particulates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutton, R

1998-01-01

Within the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management program, the central concept is to package used fuel in containers that would be deposited in an underground vault in a plutonic rock formation. To provide internal mechanical support for the container, the reference design specifies it to be filled with a matrix of compacted particulate material (called 'packed particulate'), such as quartz sand granules. The focus of this report is on the mechanical properties of the packed-particulate material, based on information drawn from the extant literature. We first consider the packing density of particulate matrices to minimize the remnant porosity and maximize mechanical stability under conditions of external pressure. Practical methods, involving vibratory packing, are reviewed and recommendations made to select techniques to achieve optimum packing density. The behaviour of particulates under compressive loading has been of interest to the powder metallurgy industry (i.e., the manufacture of products from pressed/sintered metal and ceramic powders) since the early decades of this century. We review the evidence showing that in short timescales, stress induced compaction occurs by particle shuffling and rearrangement, elastic distortion, plastic yielding and microfracturing. Analytical expressions are available to describe these processes in a semiquantitative fashion. Time-dependent compaction, mainly via creep mechanisms, is more complex. Much of the theoretical and experimental information is confined to higher temperatures (> 500 degrees C), where deformation rates are more rapid. Thus, for the relatively low ambient temperatures of the waste container ({approx}100 degrees C), we require analytical techniques to extrapolate the collective particulate creep behaviour. This is largely accomplished by employing current theories of creep deformation, particularly in the form of Deformation Mechanism Maps, which allow estimation of creep rates over a wide

An improved theoretical electrochemical-thermal modelling of lithium-ion battery packs in electric vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Amiribavandpour, Parisa; Shen, Weixiang; Mu, Daobin; Kapoor, Ajay

2015-06-01

A theoretical electrochemical thermal model combined with a thermal resistive network is proposed to investigate thermal behaviours of a battery pack. The combined model is used to study heat generation and heat dissipation as well as their influences on the temperatures of the battery pack with and without a fan under constant current discharge and variable current discharge based on electric vehicle (EV) driving cycles. The comparison results indicate that the proposed model improves the accuracy in the temperature predication of the battery pack by 2.6 times. Furthermore, a large battery pack with four of the investigated battery packs in series is simulated in the presence of different ambient temperatures. The simulation results show that the temperature of the large battery pack at the end of EV driving cycles can reach to 50 °C or 60 °C in high ambient temperatures. Therefore, thermal management system in EVs is required to maintain the battery pack within the safe temperature range.

Is dense codeswitching complex?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dorleijn, M.

In this paper the question is raised to what extent dense code switching can be considered complex. Psycholinguistic experiments indicate that code switching involves cognitive costs, both in production and comprehension, a conclusion that could indicate that code switching is indeed complex. In

Smaller Cigarette Pack as a Commitment to Smoke Less? Insights from Behavioral Economics

Science.gov (United States)

Marti, Joachim; Sindelar, Jody

2015-01-01

Cigarettes are commonly sold in packs of 20 units and therefore little is known about the potential impact of pack size on consumption. Using insights from behavioral economics, we suggest that cigarette packs smaller than the standard size may help some smokers cut back and/or quit, consistent with their long-term goals. Results from an online hypothetical purchase experiment conducted in a sample of US smokers reveal that over a third of smokers are willing to pay a price premium to purchase in smaller quantities. Further, a desire to quit smoking and high self-control is associated with preference for a smaller pack. While we provide some preliminary evidence that smaller packs may be beneficial to certain types of smokers, further research should be conducted to assess whether the smaller pack size should be considered in the arsenal of tobacco control policies to help current smokers quit (JEL: I18; I12; D12) PMID:26356844

A novel BEV concept based on fixed and swappable li-ion battery packs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barreras, Jorge Varela; Pinto, C.; de Castro, R.

2015-01-01

-based ownership models to distribute the cost of the large battery pack over the vehicle lifetime. A methodology is proposed for the analysis and evaluation of the proposed concept in comparison with a direct owned non swappable single pack BEV, proving that significant improvements on city fuel economy (up to 20......In this paper a novel battery electric vehicle (BEV) concept based on a small fixed and a big swappable li-ion battery pack is proposed in order to achieve: longer range, lower initial purchase price and lower energy consumption at short ranges. For short ranges the BEV is only powered...... by the relatively small fixed battery pack, without the large swappable battery pack. In this way the mass of the vehicle is reduced and therefore the energy consumed per unit distance is improved. For higher ranges the BEV is powered by both battery packs. This concept allows the introduction of subscription...

Smaller Cigarette Pack as a Commitment to Smoke Less? Insights from Behavioral Economics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joachim Marti

Full Text Available Cigarettes are commonly sold in packs of 20 units and therefore little is known about the potential impact of pack size on consumption. Using insights from behavioral economics, we suggest that cigarette packs smaller than the standard size may help some smokers cut back and/or quit, consistent with their long-term goals. Results from an online hypothetical purchase experiment conducted in a sample of US smokers reveal that over a third of smokers are willing to pay a price premium to purchase in smaller quantities. Further, a desire to quit smoking and high self-control is associated with preference for a smaller pack. While we provide some preliminary evidence that smaller packs may be beneficial to certain types of smokers, further research should be conducted to assess whether the smaller pack size should be considered in the arsenal of tobacco control policies to help current smokers quit (JEL: I18; I12; D12.

1991 US-Japan workshop on Nuclear Fusion in Dense Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichimaru, S.; Tajima, T.

1991-10-01

The scientific areas covered at the Workshop may be classified into the following subfields: (1) basic theory of dense plasma physics and its interface with atomic physics and nuclear physics; (2) physics of dense z-pinches, ICF plasmas etc; (3) stellar interior plasmas; (4) cold fusion; and (5) other dense plasmas

Used fuel packing plant for CANDU fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menzies, I.; Thayer, B.; Bains, N., E-mail: imenzies@atsautomation.com [ATS Automation, Cambridge, ON (Canada); Murchison, A., E-mail: amurchison@nwmo.ca [NWMO, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2015-07-01

Large forgings have been selected to containerize Light Water Reactor used nuclear fuel. CANDU fuel, which is significantly smaller in size, allows novel approaches for containerization. For example, by utilizing commercially available extruded ASME pipe a conceptual design of a Used Fuel Packing Plant for containerization of used CANDU fuel in a long lived metallic container has been developed. The design adopts a modular approach with multiple independent work cells to transfer and containerize the used fuel. Based on current technologies and concepts from proven industrial systems, the Used Fuel Packing Plant can assemble twelve used fuel containers per day considering conservative levels of process availability. (author)

Visual nesting system for irregular cutting-stock problem based on rubber band packing algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoping Liao

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This article deals with the packing problem of irregular items allocated into a rectangular sheet to minimize the waste. Conventional solution is not visual during the packing process. It obtains a reasonable and relatively satisfactory solution between the nesting time and nesting solution. This article adopts a physical method that uses rubber band packing algorithm to simulate a rubber band wrapping those packing irregular items. The simulation shows a visual and fast packing process. The resultant rubber band force is applied in the packing items to translate, rotate, and slide them to make the area decrease and obtain a high packing density. An improved analogy QuickHull algorithm is presented to obtain extreme points of rubber band convex hull. An adaptive module could set a variable rubber band force and a variable time step to make a proper convergence and no intersection. A quick convex decomposition method is used to solve the problem of concave polygon. A plural vector expression approach is adopted to calculate the resultant vector of the rubber band force. Several cases are compared with the benchmark problems to prove rubber band packing algorithm performance.

Finding Hierarchical and Overlapping Dense Subgraphs using Nucleus Decompositions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seshadhri, Comandur [The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States); Pinar, Ali [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Sariyuce, Ahmet Erdem [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Catalyurek, Umit [The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)

2014-11-01

Finding dense substructures in a graph is a fundamental graph mining operation, with applications in bioinformatics, social networks, and visualization to name a few. Yet most standard formulations of this problem (like clique, quasiclique, k-densest subgraph) are NP-hard. Furthermore, the goal is rarely to nd the \\true optimum", but to identify many (if not all) dense substructures, understand their distribution in the graph, and ideally determine a hierarchical structure among them. Current dense subgraph nding algorithms usually optimize some objective, and only nd a few such subgraphs without providing any hierarchy. It is also not clear how to account for overlaps in dense substructures. We de ne the nucleus decomposition of a graph, which represents the graph as a forest of nuclei. Each nucleus is a subgraph where smaller cliques are present in many larger cliques. The forest of nuclei is a hierarchy by containment, where the edge density increases as we proceed towards leaf nuclei. Sibling nuclei can have limited intersections, which allows for discovery of overlapping dense subgraphs. With the right parameters, the nuclear decomposition generalizes the classic notions of k-cores and k-trusses. We give provable e cient algorithms for nuclear decompositions, and empirically evaluate their behavior in a variety of real graphs. The tree of nuclei consistently gives a global, hierarchical snapshot of dense substructures, and outputs dense subgraphs of higher quality than other state-of-theart solutions. Our algorithm can process graphs with tens of millions of edges in less than an hour.

Packing and deploying Soft Origami to and from cylindrical volumes with application to automotive airbags.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruton, Jared T; Nelson, Todd G; Zimmerman, Trent K; Fernelius, Janette D; Magleby, Spencer P; Howell, Larry L

2016-09-01

Packing soft-sheet materials of approximately zero bending stiffness using Soft Origami (origami patterns applied to soft-sheet materials) into cylindrical volumes and their deployment via mechanisms or internal pressure (inflation) is of interest in fields including automobile airbags, deployable heart stents, inflatable space habitats, and dirigible and parachute packing. This paper explores twofold patterns, the 'flasher' and the 'inverted-cone fold', for packing soft-sheet materials into cylindrical volumes. Two initial packing methods and mechanisms are examined for each of the flasher and inverted-cone fold patterns. An application to driver's side automobile airbags is performed, and deployment tests are completed to compare the influence of packing method and origami pattern on deployment performance. Following deployment tests, two additional packing methods for the inverted-cone fold pattern are explored and applied to automobile airbags. It is shown that modifying the packing method (using different methods to impose the same base pattern on the soft-sheet material) can lead to different deployment performance. In total, two origami patterns and six packing methods are examined, and the benefits of using Soft Origami patterns and packing methods are discussed. Soft Origami is presented as a viable method for efficiently packing soft-sheet materials into cylindrical volumes.

Valve stem packing seal test results for primary heat transport system conditions in Canadian nuclear generating stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixon, D.F.; Farrell, J.M.; Coutinho, R.F.

1978-06-01

Valve stem packing tests were done to obtain performance data on packing already in CANDU-PHW reactor service and on alternative packings. Most of the tests were replicated. Results are presented for ten packings tested under two stem cycle modes; leakage, packing consolidation and packing friction were the main responses. Packing tests were performed with water at close to CANDU-PHW reactor primary heat transport (PHT) system conditions (288 deg C and 10 MPa), but without ionizing radiation. The test rigs had rising, rotating stems. Stuffing box dimensions were typical of a standard Velan valve; packings were spring loaded to control applied packing stress

FY-87 packing fabrication techniques (commercial waste form) results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werry, E.V.; Gates, T.E.; Cabbage, K.S.; Eklund, J.D.

1988-04-01

This report covers the investigation of fabrication techniques associated with the development of suitable materials and methods to provide a prefabricated packing for waste packages for the Basalt Waste Isolation Project (BWIP). The principal functions of the packing are to minimize container corrosion during the 300 to 1000 years following repository closure and provide long-term control of the release of radionuclides from the waste package. The investigative work, discussed in this report, was specifically conceived to develop the design criteria for production of full-scale prototypical packing rings. The investigative work included the preparation of procedures, the preparation of fabrication materials, physical properties, and the determination of the engineering properties. The principal activities were the preparation of the materials and the determination of the physical properties. 21 refs., 20 figs., 14 tabs

Experimental performance evaluation of sintered Gd spheres packed beds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tura, A.; Nielsen, Klaus K.; Van Nong, Ngo

2016-01-01

Research in magnetic refrigeration heavily relies on the use of packed spheres in regenerators, however little investigation to verify that such non-monolithic arrangements guarantee a sufficiently constrained structure has yet been performed. This work presents a preliminary comparison of the pe......Research in magnetic refrigeration heavily relies on the use of packed spheres in regenerators, however little investigation to verify that such non-monolithic arrangements guarantee a sufficiently constrained structure has yet been performed. This work presents a preliminary comparison...... of the performance of AMRs consisting of Gd spheres with diameters ranging from 450-550 microns partially sintered by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) to similar spheres, sorted in the same size range and from the same batch, but merely packed. Pressure drop is compared at uniform temperature and at a range of heat...

Potential environmental effects of pack stock on meadow ecosystems of the Sierra Nevada, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Ostoja, Steven M.; Brooks, Matthew L.; Moore, Peggy E.; Berlow, Eric L.; Robert Blank,; Roche, Jim; Chase, Jennifer T.; Sylvia Haultain,

2014-01-01

Pack and saddle stock, including, but not limited to domesticated horses, mules, and burros, are used to support commercial, private and administrative activities in the Sierra Nevada. The use of pack stock has become a contentious and litigious issue for land management agencies in the region inter alia due to concerns over effects on the environment. The potential environmental effects of pack stock on Sierra Nevada meadow ecosystems are reviewed and it is concluded that the use of pack stock has the potential to influence the following: (1) water nutrient dynamics, sedimentation, temperature, and microbial pathogen content; (2) soil chemistry, nutrient cycling, soil compaction and hydrology; (3) plant individuals, populations and community dynamics, non-native invasive species, and encroachment of woody species; and (4) wildlife individuals, populations and communities. It is considered from currently available information that management objectives of pack stock should include the following: minimise bare ground, maximise plant cover, maintain species composition of native plants, minimise trampling, especially on wet soils and stream banks, and minimise direct urination and defecation by pack stock into water. However, incomplete documentation of patterns of pack stock use and limited past research limits current understanding of the effects of pack stock, especially their effects on water, soils and wildlife. To improve management of pack stock in this region, research is needed on linking measurable monitoring variables (e.g. plant cover) with environmental relevancy (e.g. soil erosion processes, wildlife habitat use), and identifying specific environmental thresholds of degradation along gradients of pack stock use in Sierra Nevada meadows.

Coupled electrochemical thermal modelling of a novel Li-ion battery pack thermal management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basu, Suman; Hariharan, Krishnan S.; Kolake, Subramanya Mayya; Song, Taewon; Sohn, Dong Kee; Yeo, Taejung

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Three-dimensional electrochemical thermal model of Li-ion battery pack using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). • Novel pack design for compact liquid cooling based thermal management system. • Simple temperature estimation algorithm for the cells in the pack using the results from the model. • Sensitivity of the thermal performance to contact resistance has been investigated. - Abstract: Thermal management system is of critical importance for a Li-ion battery pack, as high performance and long battery pack life can be simultaneously achieved when operated within a narrow range of temperature around the room temperature. An efficient thermal management system is required to keep the battery temperature in this range, despite widely varying operating conditions. A novel liquid coolant based thermal management system, for 18,650 battery pack has been introduced herein. This system is designed to be compact and economical without compromising safety. A coupled three-dimensional (3D) electrochemical thermal model is constructed for the proposed Li-ion battery pack. The model is used to evaluate the effects of different operating conditions like coolant flow-rate and discharge current on the pack temperature. Contact resistance is found to have the strongest impact on the thermal performance of the pack. From the numerical solution, a simple and novel temperature correlation of predicting the temperatures of all the individual cells given the temperature measurement of one cell is devised and validated with experimental results. Such coefficients have great potential of reducing the sensor requirement and complexity in a large Li-ion battery pack, typical of an electric vehicle.

19 CFR 10.602 - Packing materials and containers for shipment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Rules of Origin § 10.602 Packing materials and... regional value content calculation. Packing materials and containers for shipment, as defined in § 10.593(m) of this subpart, are to be disregarded in determining the regional value content of a good imported...

Densely Aligned Graphene Nanoribbon Arrays and Bandgap Engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Su, Justin [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Chen, Changxin [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Gong, Ming [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Kenney, Michael [Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

2017-01-04

Graphene has attracted great interest for future electronics due to its high mobility and high thermal conductivity. However, a two-dimensional graphene sheet behaves like a metal, lacking a bandgap needed for the key devices components such as field effect transistors (FETs) in digital electronics. It has been shown that, partly due to quantum confinement, graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with ~2 nm width can open up sufficient bandgaps and evolve into semiconductors to exhibit high on/off ratios useful for FETs. However, a challenging problem has been that, such ultra-narrow GNRs (~2 nm) are difficult to fabricate, especially for GNRs with smooth edges throughout the ribbon length. Despite high on/off ratios, these GNRs show very low mobility and low on-state conductance due to dominant scattering effects by imperfections and disorders at the edges. Wider GNRs (>5 nm) show higher mobility, higher conductance but smaller bandgaps and low on/off ratios undesirable for FET applications. It is highly desirable to open up bandgaps in graphene or increase the bandgaps in wide GNRs to afford graphene based semiconductors for high performance (high on-state current and high on/off ratio) electronics. Large scale ordering and dense packing of such GNRs in parallel are also needed for device integration but have also been challenging thus far. It has been shown theoretically that uniaxial strains can be applied to a GNR to engineer its bandgap. The underlying physics is that under uniaxial strain, the Dirac point moves due to stretched C-C bonds, leading to an increase in the bandgap of armchair GNRs by up to 50% of its original bandgap (i.e. bandgap at zero strain). For zigzag GNRs, due to the existence of the edge states, changes of bandgap are smaller under uniaxial strain and can be increased by ~30%. This work proposes a novel approach to the fabrication of densely aligned graphene nanoribbons with highly smooth edges afforded by anisotropic etching and uniaxial strain for

A Low Collision and High Throughput Data Collection Mechanism for Large-Scale Super Dense Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunyang Lei

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Super dense wireless sensor networks (WSNs have become popular with the development of Internet of Things (IoT, Machine-to-Machine (M2M communications and Vehicular-to-Vehicular (V2V networks. While highly-dense wireless networks provide efficient and sustainable solutions to collect precise environmental information, a new channel access scheme is needed to solve the channel collision problem caused by the large number of competing nodes accessing the channel simultaneously. In this paper, we propose a space-time random access method based on a directional data transmission strategy, by which collisions in the wireless channel are significantly decreased and channel utility efficiency is greatly enhanced. Simulation results show that our proposed method can decrease the packet loss rate to less than 2 % in large scale WSNs and in comparison with other channel access schemes for WSNs, the average network throughput can be doubled.

A Low Collision and High Throughput Data Collection Mechanism for Large-Scale Super Dense Wireless Sensor Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Chunyang; Bie, Hongxia; Fang, Gengfa; Gaura, Elena; Brusey, James; Zhang, Xuekun; Dutkiewicz, Eryk

2016-07-18

Super dense wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have become popular with the development of Internet of Things (IoT), Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications and Vehicular-to-Vehicular (V2V) networks. While highly-dense wireless networks provide efficient and sustainable solutions to collect precise environmental information, a new channel access scheme is needed to solve the channel collision problem caused by the large number of competing nodes accessing the channel simultaneously. In this paper, we propose a space-time random access method based on a directional data transmission strategy, by which collisions in the wireless channel are significantly decreased and channel utility efficiency is greatly enhanced. Simulation results show that our proposed method can decrease the packet loss rate to less than 2 % in large scale WSNs and in comparison with other channel access schemes for WSNs, the average network throughput can be doubled.

Using atomic layer deposited tungsten to increase thermal conductivity of a packed bed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Norman, Staci A.; Falconer, John L.; Weimer, Alan W., E-mail: alan.weimer@colorado.edu [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, UCB 596, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0596 (United States); Tringe, Joseph W.; Sain, John D. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Yang, Ronggui [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, UCB 427, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0427 (United States)

2015-04-13

This study investigated the effective thermal conductivity (k{sub eff}) of packed-beds that contained porous particles with nanoscale tungsten (W) films of different thicknesses formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD). A continuous film on the particles is vital towards increasing k{sub eff} of the packed beds. For example, the k{sub eff} of an alumina packed bed was increased by three times after an ∼8-nm continuous W film with 20 cycles of W ALD, whereas k{sub eff} was decreased on a polymer packed bed with discontinuous, evenly dispersed W-islands due to nanoparticle scattering of phonons. For catalysts, understanding the thermal properties of these packed beds is essential for developing thermally conductive supports as alternatives to structured supports.

Dense ceramic articles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cockbain, A.G.

1976-01-01

A method is described for the manufacture of articles of substantially pure dense ceramic materials, for use in severe environments. Si N is very suitable for use in such environments, but suffers from the disadvantage that it is not amenable to sintering. Some disadvantages of the methods normally used for making articles of Si N are mentioned. The method described comprises mixing a powder of the substantially pure ceramic material with an additive that promotes densification, and which is capable of nuclear transmutation into a gas when exposed to radiation, and hot pressing the mixture to form a billet. The billet is then irradiated to convert the additive into a gas which is held captive in the billet, and it is then subjected to a hot forging operation, during which the captive gas escapes and an article of substantially pure dense ceramic material is forged. The method is intended primarily for use for Si N, but may be applied to other ceramic materials. The additive may be Li or Be or their compounds, to the extent of at least 5 ppm and not more than 5% by weight. Irradiation is effected by proton or neutron bombardment. (UK)

Rayleigh-Taylor/gravitational instability in dense magnetoplasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ali, S., E-mail: shahid.ali@ncp.edu.p [National Centre for Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University Campus, Islamabad (Pakistan); IPFN, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Ahmed, Z. [COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Department of Physics, Wah Campus (Pakistan); Mirza, Arshad M. [Theoretical Plasma Physics Group, Physics Department, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320 (Pakistan); Ahmad, I. [COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Department of Physics, Islamabad Campus (Pakistan)

2009-08-10

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is investigated in a nonuniform dense quantum magnetoplasma. For this purpose, a quantum hydrodynamical model is used for the electrons whereas the ions are assumed to be cold and classical. The dispersion relation for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability becomes modified with the quantum corrections associated with the Fermi pressure law and the quantum Bohm potential force. Numerically, it is found that the quantum speed and density gradient significantly modify the growth rate of RT instability. In a dense quantum magnetoplasma case, the linear growth rate of RT instability becomes significantly higher than its classical value and the modes are found to be highly localized. The present investigation should be useful in the studies of dense astrophysical magnetoplasmas as well as in laser-produced plasmas.

Rayleigh-Taylor/gravitational instability in dense magnetoplasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, S.; Ahmed, Z.; Mirza, Arshad M.; Ahmad, I.

2009-01-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is investigated in a nonuniform dense quantum magnetoplasma. For this purpose, a quantum hydrodynamical model is used for the electrons whereas the ions are assumed to be cold and classical. The dispersion relation for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability becomes modified with the quantum corrections associated with the Fermi pressure law and the quantum Bohm potential force. Numerically, it is found that the quantum speed and density gradient significantly modify the growth rate of RT instability. In a dense quantum magnetoplasma case, the linear growth rate of RT instability becomes significantly higher than its classical value and the modes are found to be highly localized. The present investigation should be useful in the studies of dense astrophysical magnetoplasmas as well as in laser-produced plasmas.

Fast Solvers for Dense Linear Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kauers, Manuel [Research Institute for Symbolic Computation (RISC), Altenbergerstrasse 69, A4040 Linz (Austria)

2008-10-15

It appears that large scale calculations in particle physics often require to solve systems of linear equations with rational number coefficients exactly. If classical Gaussian elimination is applied to a dense system, the time needed to solve such a system grows exponentially in the size of the system. In this tutorial paper, we present a standard technique from computer algebra that avoids this exponential growth: homomorphic images. Using this technique, big dense linear systems can be solved in a much more reasonable time than using Gaussian elimination over the rationals.

OH megamasers: dense gas & the infrared radiation field

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yong; Zhang, JiangShui; Liu, Wei; Xu, Jie

2018-06-01

To investigate possible factors related to OH megamaser formation (OH MM, L_{H2O}>10L_{⊙}), we compiled a large HCN sample from all well-sampled HCN measurements so far in local galaxies and identified with the OH MM, OH kilomasers (L_{H2O}gas and the dense gas, respectively), we found that OH MM galaxies tend to have stronger HCN emission and no obvious difference on CO luminosity exists between OH MM and non-OH MM. This implies that OH MM formation should be related to the dense molecular gas, instead of the low-density molecular gas. It can be also supported by other facts: (1) OH MMs are confirmed to have higher mean molecular gas density and higher dense gas fraction (L_{HCN}/L_{CO}) than non-OH MMs. (2) After taking the distance effect into account, the apparent maser luminosity is still correlated with the HCN luminosity, while no significant correlation can be found at all between the maser luminosity and the CO luminosity. (3) The OH kMs tend to have lower values than those of OH MMs, including the dense gas luminosity and the dense gas fraction. (4) From analysis of known data of another dense gas tracer HCO^+, similar results can also be obtained. However, from our analysis, the infrared radiation field can not be ruled out for the OH MM trigger, which was proposed by previous works on one small sample (Darling in ApJ 669:L9, 2007). On the contrary, the infrared radiation field should play one more important role. The dense gas (good tracers of the star formation) and its surrounding dust are heated by the ultra-violet (UV) radiation generated by the star formation and the heating of the high-density gas raises the emission of the molecules. The infrared radiation field produced by the re-radiation of the heated dust in turn serves for the pumping of the OH MM.

Automated Motion Estimation for 2D Cine DENSE MRI

Science.gov (United States)

Gilliam, Andrew D.; Epstein, Frederick H.

2013-01-01

Cine displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) is a magnetic resonance (MR) method that directly encodes tissue displacement into MR phase images. This technique has successfully interrogated many forms of tissue motion, but is most commonly used to evaluate cardiac mechanics. Currently, motion analysis from cine DENSE images requires manually delineated anatomical structures. An automated analysis would improve measurement throughput, simplify data interpretation, and potentially access important physiological information during the MR exam. In this article, we present the first fully automated solution for the estimation of tissue motion and strain from 2D cine DENSE data. Results using both simulated and human cardiac cine DENSE data indicate good agreement between the automated algorithm and the standard semi-manual analysis method. PMID:22575669

Quantum Dense Coding About a Two-Qubit Heisenberg XYZ Model

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Hui-Yun; Yang, Guo-Hui

2017-09-01

By taking into account the nonuniform magnetic field, the quantum dense coding with thermal entangled states of a two-qubit anisotropic Heisenberg XYZ chain are investigated in detail. We mainly show the different properties about the dense coding capacity ( χ) with the changes of different parameters. It is found that dense coding capacity χ can be enhanced by decreasing the magnetic field B, the degree of inhomogeneity b and temperature T, or increasing the coupling constant along z-axis J z . In addition, we also find χ remains the stable value as the change of the anisotropy of the XY plane Δ in a certain temperature condition. Through studying different parameters effect on χ, it presents that we can properly turn the values of B, b, J z , Δ or adjust the temperature T to obtain a valid dense coding capacity ( χ satisfies χ > 1). Moreover, the temperature plays a key role in adjusting the value of dense coding capacity χ. The valid dense coding capacity could be always obtained in the lower temperature-limit case.

Field investigation into the influene of anhydrite packing on longwall gate road stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dudley, W R

1977-01-01

Strata movements around a number of longwall roadways at Easington Colliery (UK), together with pack load, convergence, and area losses were determined. The influence of relatively incompressible anhydrite packs on roadway stability was particularly studied. Closures between roadways using this type of pack were compared with those using dirt filled wood chocks. The effectiveness of a Webster packer in controlling roadway convergence was assessed at Horden Colliery. The physical properties of anhydrite/accelerator mixtures likely to influence their use as a roadside packing material was also investigated. (91 refs.)

Mathematical modeling of high-rate Anammox UASB reactor based on granular packing patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Chong-Jian; He, Rui; Zheng, Ping; Chai, Li-Yuan; Min, Xiao-Bo

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A novel model was conducted to estimate volumetric nitrogen conversion rates. ► The packing patterns of the granules in Anammox reactor are investigated. ► The simple cubic packing pattern was simulated in high-rate Anammox UASB reactor. ► Operational strategies concerning sludge concentration were proposed by the modeling. -- Abstract: A novel mathematical model was developed to estimate the volumetric nitrogen conversion rates of a high-rate Anammox UASB reactor based on the packing patterns of granular sludge. A series of relationships among granular packing density, sludge concentration, hydraulic retention time and volumetric conversion rate were constructed to correlate Anammox reactor performance with granular packing patterns. It was suggested that the Anammox granules packed as the equivalent simple cubic pattern in high-rate UASB reactor with packing density of 50–55%, which not only accommodated a high concentration of sludge inside the reactor, but also provided large pore volume, thus prolonging the actual substrate conversion time. Results also indicated that it was necessary to improve Anammox reactor performance by enhancing substrate loading when sludge concentration was higher than 37.8 gVSS/L. The established model was carefully calibrated and verified, and it well simulated the performance of granule-based high-rate Anammox UASB reactor

Mathematical modeling of high-rate Anammox UASB reactor based on granular packing patterns

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Chong-Jian, E-mail: chjtangzju@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha 410083 (China); He, Rui; Zheng, Ping [Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Chai, Li-Yuan; Min, Xiao-Bo [Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha 410083 (China)

2013-04-15

Highlights: ► A novel model was conducted to estimate volumetric nitrogen conversion rates. ► The packing patterns of the granules in Anammox reactor are investigated. ► The simple cubic packing pattern was simulated in high-rate Anammox UASB reactor. ► Operational strategies concerning sludge concentration were proposed by the modeling. -- Abstract: A novel mathematical model was developed to estimate the volumetric nitrogen conversion rates of a high-rate Anammox UASB reactor based on the packing patterns of granular sludge. A series of relationships among granular packing density, sludge concentration, hydraulic retention time and volumetric conversion rate were constructed to correlate Anammox reactor performance with granular packing patterns. It was suggested that the Anammox granules packed as the equivalent simple cubic pattern in high-rate UASB reactor with packing density of 50–55%, which not only accommodated a high concentration of sludge inside the reactor, but also provided large pore volume, thus prolonging the actual substrate conversion time. Results also indicated that it was necessary to improve Anammox reactor performance by enhancing substrate loading when sludge concentration was higher than 37.8 gVSS/L. The established model was carefully calibrated and verified, and it well simulated the performance of granule-based high-rate Anammox UASB reactor.

Life Prediction of Large Lithium-Ion Battery Packs with Active and Passive Balancing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, Ying [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Smith, Kandler A [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Zane, Regan [Utah State University; Anderson, Dyche [Ford Motor Company

2017-07-03

Lithium-ion battery packs take a major part of large-scale stationary energy storage systems. One challenge in reducing battery pack cost is to reduce pack size without compromising pack service performance and lifespan. Prognostic life model can be a powerful tool to handle the state of health (SOH) estimate and enable active life balancing strategy to reduce cell imbalance and extend pack life. This work proposed a life model using both empirical and physical-based approaches. The life model described the compounding effect of different degradations on the entire cell with an empirical model. Then its lower-level submodels considered the complex physical links between testing statistics (state of charge level, C-rate level, duty cycles, etc.) and the degradation reaction rates with respect to specific aging mechanisms. The hybrid approach made the life model generic, robust and stable regardless of battery chemistry and application usage. The model was validated with a custom pack with both passive and active balancing systems implemented, which created four different aging paths in the pack. The life model successfully captured the aging trajectories of all four paths. The life model prediction errors on capacity fade and resistance growth were within +/-3% and +/-5% of the experiment measurements.

Assessment of pack injection cells and the relationship between hematocrit of pack cells and the increase in hematocrit in patients with thalassemia

OpenAIRE

Fekri K; Kasiri K; Jalil T; Ganji F

2017-01-01

Background and aims: The amount of injected blood in patients with thalassemia is of particular importance and the blood amount is calculated based on the exact volume of pack cell as well as their hematocrit. The aim of this study was to evaluate pack cells and the factors affecting on the amount of their hematocrit and their association with increase in hematocrit after blood injection. Methods: This is descriptive-analytical study. Characteristics including age, size, type of anticoagu...

Collective dynamics in dense fluid mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinha, S.

1992-01-01

This thesis deals with the short wavelength collective dynamics of dense binary fluid mixtures. The analysis shows that at the level of linearized generalized hydrodynamics, the longitudinal modes of the system separates essentially into two parts - one involves the coupling of partial density fluctuations of the two species and the other involves coupling of longitudinal momentum and temperature fluctuations. The authors have shown that the coupling of longitudinal momentum and temperature fluctuations leads to an adequate description of sound propagation in such systems. In particular, they show that structural disorder controls the trapping of sound waves in dense mixtures. The coupling of the partial density fluctuations of the two species leads to a simple description of the partial dynamic structure factors. The results are in agreement with the molecular dynamics simulations of soft sphere mixtures. The partial density fluctuations are the slowest decaying fluctuations on molecular length scales and it turns out that nonlinear coupling of these slow modes leads to important corrections to the long time behavior of the time correlation functions determining the shear viscosity in dense mixtures

Simulation of dense colloids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herrmann, H.J.; Harting, J.D.R.; Hecht, M.; Ben-Naim, E.

2008-01-01

We present in this proceeding recent large scale simulations of dense colloids. On one hand we simulate model clay consisting of nanometric aluminum oxide spheres in water using realistic DLVO potentials and a combination of MD and SRD. We find pronounced cluster formation and retrieve the shear

Computational fluid dynamic and thermal analysis of Lithium-ion battery pack with air cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saw, Lip Huat; Ye, Yonghuang; Tay, Andrew A.O.; Chong, Wen Tong; Kuan, Seng How; Yew, Ming Chian

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We designed and analyzed the thermal behavior of the Li-ion battery pack. • We analyzed the heat generation of 38,120 Li-ion cell using ARC. • We validated the simulation results with experimental studies. • We developed the correlations of Nu and Re for the air cooling battery pack. - Abstract: A battery pack is produced by connecting the cells in series and/or in parallel to provide the necessary power for electric vehicles (EVs). Those parameters affecting cost and reliability of the EVs, including cycle life, capacity, durability and warranty are highly dependent on the thermal management system. In this work, computational fluid dynamic analysis is performed to investigate the air cooling system for a 38,120 cell battery pack. The battery pack contained 24 pieces of 38,120 cells, copper bus bars, intake and exhaust plenum and holding plates with venting holes. Heat generated by the cell during charging is measured using an accelerating rate calorimeter. Thermal performances of the battery pack were analyzed with various mass flow rates of cooling air using steady state simulation. The correlation between Nu number and Re number were deduced from the numerical modeling results and compared with literature. Additionally, an experimental testing of the battery pack at different charging rates is conducted to validate the correlation. This method provides a simple way to estimate thermal performance of the battery pack when the battery pack is large and full transient simulation is not viable.

Social Interactions Sparked by Pictorial Warnings on Cigarette Packs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marissa G. Hall

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The Message Impact Framework suggests that social interactions may offer smokers the opportunity to process pictorial warnings on cigarette packs more deeply. We aimed to describe adult smokers’ social interactions about pictorial cigarette pack warnings in two longitudinal pilot studies. In Pilot Study 1, 30 smokers used cigarette packs with one of nine pictorial warnings for two weeks. In Pilot Study 2, 46 smokers used cigarette packs with one of five pictorial warnings for four weeks. Nearly all smokers (97%/96% in Pilot Study 1/2 talked about the warnings with other people, with the most common people being friends (67%/87% and spouses/significant others (34%/42%. Pilot Study 2 found that 26% of smokers talked about the warnings with strangers. Discussions about the health effects of smoking and quitting smoking were more frequent during the first week of exposure to pictorial warnings than in the week prior to beginning the study (both p < 0.05. Pictorial warnings sparked social interactions about the warnings, the health effects of smoking, and quitting smoking, indicating that pictorial warnings may act as a social intervention reaching beyond the individual. Future research should examine social interactions as a potential mediator of the impact of pictorial warnings on smoking behavior.

Packing in Two and Three Dimensions

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Martins, Gustavo H

2003-01-01

...), the Multidimensional Knapsack Problem (MD-KP), and the Multidimensional Bin Packing Problem (MD-BPP). In these problems, there is a set of items, with rectangular dimensions, and a set of large containers, or bins, also with rectangular dimensions...

Atoms in dense plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

More, R.M.

1987-01-01

This paper covers some aspects of the theory of atomic processes in dense plasmas. Because the topic is very broad, a few general rules which give useful guidance about the typical behavior of dense plasmas have been selected. These rules are illustrated by semiclassical estimates, scaling laws and appeals to more elaborate calculations. Included in the paper are several previously unpublished results including a new mechanism for electron-ion heat exchange (section II), and an approximate expression for oscillator-strengths of highly charged ions (section V). However the main emphasis is not upon practical formulas but rather on questions of fundamental theory, the structural ingredients which must be used in building a model for plasma events. What are the density effects and how does one represent them? Which are most important? How does one identify an incorrect theory? The general rules help to answer these questions. 106 references, 23 figures, 2 tables