WorldWideScience

Sample records for reduction assembly cra

  1. Assessment of Technology Readiness Level of a Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) for use on International Space Station

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murdoch, Karen; Smith, Fred; Perry, Jay; Green, Steve

    2004-01-01

    When technologies are traded for incorporation into vehicle systems to support a specific mission scenario, they are often assessed in terms of Technology Readiness Level (TRL). TRL is based on three major categories of Core Technology Components, Ancillary Hardware and System Maturity, and Control and Control Integration. This paper describes the Technology Readiness Level assessment of the Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) for use on the International Space Station. A team comprising of the NASA Johnson Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Southwest Research Institute and Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International have been working on various aspects of the CRA to bring its TRL from 4/5 up to 6. This paper describes the work currently being done in the three major categories. Specific details are given on technology development of the Core Technology Components including the reactor, phase separator and CO2 compressor.

  2. 7 CFR 4290.1640 - Secretary's access to records of the CRA, Brokers, Dealers and Pool or Trust assemblers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Secretary's access to records of the CRA, Brokers, Dealers and Pool or Trust assemblers. 4290.1640 Section 4290.1640 Agriculture Regulations of the... to records of the CRA, Brokers, Dealers and Pool or Trust assemblers. The CRA and any broker, dealer...

  3. 13 CFR 108.1640 - SBA access to records of the CRA, Brokers, Dealers and Pool or Trust assemblers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false SBA access to records of the CRA, Brokers, Dealers and Pool or Trust assemblers. 108.1640 Section 108.1640 Business Credit and Assistance....1640 SBA access to records of the CRA, Brokers, Dealers and Pool or Trust assemblers. The CRA and any...

  4. 13 CFR 107.1640 - SBA access to records of the CRA, Brokers, Dealers and Pool or Trust assemblers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false SBA access to records of the CRA, Brokers, Dealers and Pool or Trust assemblers. 107.1640 Section 107.1640 Business Credit and Assistance... records of the CRA, Brokers, Dealers and Pool or Trust assemblers. The CRA and any broker, dealer and Pool...

  5. CRA-1 uncovers a double-strand break-dependent pathway promoting the assembly of central region proteins on chromosome axes during C. elegans meiosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smolikov, Sarit; Schild-Prüfert, Kristina; Colaiácovo, Mónica P

    2008-06-06

    The synaptonemal complex (SC), a tripartite proteinaceous structure that forms between homologous chromosomes during meiosis, is crucial for faithful chromosome segregation. Here we identify CRA-1, a novel and conserved protein that is required for the assembly of the central region of the SC during C. elegans meiosis. In the absence of CRA-1, central region components fail to extensively localize onto chromosomes at early prophase and instead mostly surround the chromatin at this stage. Later in prophase, central region proteins polymerize along chromosome axes, but for the most part fail to connect the axes of paired homologous chromosomes. This defect results in an inability to stabilize homologous pairing interactions, altered double-strand break (DSB) repair progression, and a lack of chiasmata. Surprisingly, DSB formation and repair are required to promote the polymerization of the central region components along meiotic chromosome axes in cra-1 mutants. In the absence of both CRA-1 and any one of the C. elegans homologs of SPO11, MRE11, RAD51, or MSH5, the polymerization observed along chromosome axes is perturbed, resulting in the formation of aggregates of the SC central region proteins. While radiation-induced DSBs rescue this polymerization in cra-1; spo-11 mutants, they fail to do so in cra-1; mre-11, cra-1; rad-51, and cra-1; msh-5 mutants. Taken together, our studies place CRA-1 as a key component in promoting the assembly of a tripartite SC structure. Moreover, they reveal a scenario in which DSB formation and repair can drive the polymerization of SC components along chromosome axes in C. elegans.

  6. CRA Control Logic Realization for MARS 1-D/MASTER coupled Code System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Soonkyoo; Jeong, Sungsu; Lee, Suyong

    2013-01-01

    Both Multi-dimensional Analysis Reactor Safety (MARS) code and Multi-purpose Analyzer for Static and Transient Effects of Reactors (MASTER) code, developed by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), can be coupled for various simulations of nuclear reactor system. In the MARS 1-D/MASTER coupled code system, MARS is used for the thermal hydraulic calculations and MASTER is used for reactor core calculations. In case of using this coupled code system, the movements of control rod assembly (CRA) are controlled by MASTER. MASTER, however, has a CRA control function which is inputted by user as a form of time dependent table. When simulations related to sequential CRA insertion or withdrawal which are not ejection or drop are performed, this CRA control function is not sufficient to demonstrate the process of CRA movements. Therefore an alternative way is proposed for realization of CRA control logic in MASTER. In this study, the manually realized CRA control logic was applied by inputting the time dependent CRA positions into MASTER. And the points of CRA movements were decided by iterations. At the end of CRA movement, the reactor power difference and the average coolant temperature difference were not out of the range of their dead bands. Therefore it means that this manually realized CRA control logic works appropriately in the dead bands of the logic. Therefore the proper CRA movement points could be decided by using this manually realized CRA control logic. Based on these results, it is verified that the proper CRA movement points can be chosen by using the proposed CRA control logic in this article. In conclusion, it is expected that this proposed CRA control logic in MASTER can be used to properly demonstrate the process related to CRA sequential movements in the MARS 1-D/MASTER coupled code system

  7. Carbon Dioxide Reduction Post-Processing Sub-System Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abney, Morgan B.; Miller, Lee A.; Greenwood, Zachary; Barton, Katherine

    2012-01-01

    The state-of-the-art Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Reduction Assembly (CRA) on the International Space Station (ISS) facilitates the recovery of oxygen from metabolic CO2. The CRA utilizes the Sabatier process to produce water with methane as a byproduct. The methane is currently vented overboard as a waste product. Because the CRA relies on hydrogen for oxygen recovery, the loss of methane ultimately results in a loss of oxygen. For missions beyond low earth orbit, it will prove essential to maximize oxygen recovery. For this purpose, NASA is exploring an integrated post-processor system to recover hydrogen from CRA methane. The post-processor, called a Plasma Pyrolysis Assembly (PPA) partially pyrolyzes methane to recover hydrogen with acetylene as a byproduct. In-flight operation of post-processor will require a Methane Purification Assembly (MePA) and an Acetylene Separation Assembly (ASepA). Recent efforts have focused on the design, fabrication, and testing of these components. The results and conclusions of these efforts will be discussed as well as future plans.

  8. Quality of wooden chips produced by Claas Jaguar fitted with experimental CRA-ING rotor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pari, L.; Civitarese, V.; Del Giudice, A. [Council for Research in Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering Research Unit, Rome (Italy)

    2010-07-01

    This paper described a newly developed chipper device for mounting on Claas Jaguar chipper harvesters for short rotation forestry harvesting. It was designed by the Agriculture Engineering Research Unit of the Agricultural Research Council in Rome, Italy. The new rotor has a lower number of blades compared to standard rotors and has a different cutting angle and drum insertion. This study evaluated the particle-size distribution of wood chips produced by standard rotors compared to those with the experimental rotor. The objective was to distinguish the particle size distribution of chips produced using the two types of chippers in order to evaluate the influence of wooden species in the chip formation process. Tests were conducted using 860 and 890 Claas Jaguar chipper harvesters, both equipped with standard and CRA-ING rotors. The experiment was conducted on poplar cultivations on biennial shift and on arboreal cultivations. Compared to traditional rotors, CRA-ING rotors provide a considerable product increase within particle sizes ranging from 12.5 to 25 mm, and an equivalent product reduction within the finest particle size classes. The study showed that the new rotor tends to concentrate dimensional increments along the longitudinal section of the chip, regardless of the species used. In order to obtain a better quality chip in terms of particle size, a second rotor was devised to engrave a cleaner cut on the biomass introduced by the feeding rollers.

  9. CRA Grade Inflation

    OpenAIRE

    Kenneth H. Thomas

    2000-01-01

    Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) ratings and performance evaluations are the only bank and thrift exam findings disclosed by financial institution regulators. Inflation of CRA ratings has been alleged by community activists for two decades, but there has been no quantification or empirical investigation of grade inflation. Using a unique grade inflation methodology on actual ratings and evaluation data for 1,407 small banks and thrifts under the revised CRA regulations, this paper con...

  10. Final Report for the Restart of the Waste Characterization, Reduction and Repackaging Facility (WCRRF) Contractor Readiness Assessment (CRA)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stephens, Gregory Mark [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2017-02-22

    The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or Laboratory) Contractor Readiness Assessment (CRA) required for restart of the Technical Area (TA) 50 Waste Characterization, Reduction, and Repackaging Facility (WCRRF) for remediated nitrate salt (RNS) waste operations was performed in compliance with the requirements of Department of Energy (DOE) Order (O) 425.1D, Verification of Readiness to Start Up or Restart Nuclear Facilities, and LANL procedure FSD-115-001, Verification of Readiness to Start Up or Restart LANL Nuclear Facilities, Activities, and Operations.

  11. Performance Tests on the Electromagnet of Secondary CRA Gripper System of the PGSFR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jae Han; Kim, Sung Kyun

    2016-01-01

    The system automatically releases the control rod assembly (CRA) around the set temperature in an emergency condition of the reactor, and then drops the CRA by gravity without any external control signals and any actuating power. This paper describes the design of a passive shutdown system consisted of a thermal expansion device and an electromagnet. The electromagnet design concept for gripping and releasing the secondary control rod assembly is also suggested, and the several functional tests of the electromagnet are performed in the high temperature environment condition, and the test results are presented. The application feasibility of the electromagnet of a passive shutdown system was verified based on several test results in point of view of the electromagnetic force and the response time. In future, the thermal expansion device system integrated with this electromagnet will be verified. The electromagnet trigger-off time was tested for the several cases in Table 4 using the same method. The average response time is 0.184 seconds in the case of using SS410 material as an armature, while the 2.25Cr-1Mo material as an armature has a response time of 0.16 seconds as shown in Figure 6. The final acceptability of the electromagnetic response time data obtained by these tests will be evaluated with CRA drop test results because the control rod drop time should be within 1 - 2 seconds including the electromagnetic response time

  12. 12 CFR 35.3 - CRA communications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... market sends a general offering circular to financial institutions offering to sell or purchase a... adequacy of the performance under the CRA of the insured depository institution, any affiliated insured depository institution, or any CRA affiliate. (2) Any written comment submitted to the insured depository...

  13. Integrity Evaluation of Control Rod Assembly for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor due to Drop Impact

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Hyun Seung; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Kim, Hyung Kyu; Cheon, Jin Sik; Lee, Chan Bock [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-03-15

    The CA (Control Assembly) of an SFR has a CRA(Control Rod Assembly) with an inner duct and control rod. During an emergency situation, the CRA falls into the duct of the CA for a rapid shut-down. The drop time and impact velocity of the CRA are important parameters with respect to the reactivity insertion time and the structural integrity of the CRA. The objective of this study was to investigate the dynamic behavior and integrity of the CRA owing to a drop impact. The impact analysis of the CRA under normal/abnormal drop conditions was carried out using the commercial FEM code LS-DYNA. Results of the drop impact analysis demonstrated that the CRA maintained structural integrity, and could be safely inserted into the flow hole of the damper under abnormal conditions.

  14. Integrity Evaluation of Control Rod Assembly for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor due to Drop Impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Hyun Seung; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Kim, Hyung Kyu; Cheon, Jin Sik; Lee, Chan Bock

    2017-01-01

    The CA (Control Assembly) of an SFR has a CRA(Control Rod Assembly) with an inner duct and control rod. During an emergency situation, the CRA falls into the duct of the CA for a rapid shut-down. The drop time and impact velocity of the CRA are important parameters with respect to the reactivity insertion time and the structural integrity of the CRA. The objective of this study was to investigate the dynamic behavior and integrity of the CRA owing to a drop impact. The impact analysis of the CRA under normal/abnormal drop conditions was carried out using the commercial FEM code LS-DYNA. Results of the drop impact analysis demonstrated that the CRA maintained structural integrity, and could be safely inserted into the flow hole of the damper under abnormal conditions.

  15. MONITORING FIDELITY IN THE ADOLESCENT COMMUNITY REINFORCEMENT APPROACH (A-CRA): THE TRAINING PROCESS FOR A-CRA RATERS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garner, Bryan R; Barnes, Brandi; Godley, Susan H

    2009-01-01

    Ensuring evidence-based treatments are delivered with a high degree of fidelity is an important aspect of transporting these practices to community-based treatment providers. Just as training is critical for clinicians who plan to deliver the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA), a process of training and vetting individuals who assess sessions for fidelity also is critical. This article describes the training process for session raters who assess fidelity of A-CRA during the clinician training and certification process. A-CRA is currently being implemented in 32 independent community-based agencies as part of a large initiative funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

  16. CRA-026440: a potent, broad-spectrum, hydroxamic histone deacetylase inhibitor with antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activity in vitro and in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Z Alexander; Bass, Kathryn E; Balasubramanian, Sriram; Liu, Liang; Schultz, Brian; Verner, Erik; Dai, Yuqin; Molina, Rafael A; Davis, Jack R; Misialek, Shawn; Sendzik, Martin; Orr, Christine J; Leung, Ling; Callan, Ondine; Young, Peter; Dalrymple, Stacie A; Buggy, Joseph J

    2006-07-01

    CRA-026440 is a novel, broad-spectrum, hydroxamic acid-based inhibitor of histone deacetylase (HDAC) that shows antitumor and antiangiogenic activities in vitro and in vivo preclinically. CRA-026440 inhibited pure recombinant isozymes HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3/SMRT, HDAC6, HDAC8, and HDAC10 in the nanomolar range. Treatment of cultured tumor cell lines grown in vitro with CRA-026440 resulted in the accumulation of acetylated histone and acetylated tubulin, leading to an inhibition of tumor cell growth and the induction of apoptosis. CRA-026440 inhibited ex vivo angiogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. CRA-026440 parenterally given to mice harboring HCT116 or U937 human tumor xenografts resulted in a statistically significant reduction in tumor growth. CRA-026440, when used in combination with Avastin, achieved greater preclinical efficacy in HCT 116 colorectal tumor model. Inhibition of tumor growth was accompanied by an increase in the acetylation of alpha-tubulin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and an alteration in the expression of many genes in the tumors, including several involved in angiogenesis, apoptosis, and cell growth. These results reveal CRA-026440 to be a novel HDAC inhibitor with potent antitumor activity.

  17. Influence of Oxygenated Compounds on Reaction Products in a Microwave Plasma Methane Pyrolysis Assembly for Post-Processing of Sabatier Methane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansell, J. Matthew; Abney, Morgan B.

    2012-01-01

    The state-of-the-art Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) was delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) in April 2010. The system is designed to accept carbon dioxide from the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly and hydrogen from the Oxygen Generation Assembly. The two gases are reacted in the CRA in a Sabatier reactor to produce water and methane. Venting of methane results in an oxygen resupply requirement of about 378 lbs per crew member per year. If the oxygen is supplied as water, the total weight for resupply is about 476 lb per crew member per year. For long-term missions beyond low Earth orbit, during which resupply capabilities will be further limited, recovery of hydrogen from methane is highly desirable. For this purpose, NASA is pursuing development of a Plasma Pyrolysis Assembly (PPA) capable of recovering hydrogen from methane. Under certain conditions, water vapor and carbon dioxide (nominally intended to be separated from the CRA outlet stream) may be present in the PPA feed stream. Thus, testing was conducted in 2010 to determine the effect of these oxygenated compounds on PPA performance, particularly the effect of inlet carbon dioxide and water variations on the PPA product stream. This paper discusses the test set-up, analysis, and results of this testing.

  18. 12 CFR Appendix B to Part 345 - CRA Notice

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false CRA Notice B Appendix B to Part 345 Banks and... REINVESTMENT Pt. 345, App. B Appendix B to Part 345—CRA Notice (a) Notice for main offices and, if an... Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) evaluates our record of...

  19. 12 CFR Appendix B to Part 228 - CRA Notice

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false CRA Notice B Appendix B to Part 228 Banks and... REINVESTMENT (REGULATION BB) Pt. 228, App. B Appendix B to Part 228—CRA Notice (a) Notice for main offices and... Federal Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), the Federal Reserve Board (Board) evaluates our record of...

  20. 12 CFR Appendix B to Part 25 - CRA Notice

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false CRA Notice B Appendix B to Part 25 Banks and... DEPOSIT PRODUCTION REGULATIONS Pt. 25, App. B Appendix B to Part 25—CRA Notice (a) Notice for main offices... the Federal Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), the Comptroller of the Currency evaluates our record of...

  1. Involvement of the Cra global regulatory protein in the expression of the iscRSUA operon, revealed during studies of tricarballylate catabolism in Salmonella enterica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Jeffrey A; Boyd, Jeffrey M; Downs, Diana M; Escalante-Semerena, Jorge C

    2009-04-01

    In Salmonella enterica, tricarballylate (Tcb) catabolism requires function of TcuB, a membrane-bound protein that contains [4Fe-4S] clusters and heme. TcuB transfers electrons from reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide in the Tcb dehydrogenase (TcuA) to electron acceptors in the membrane. We recently showed that functions needed to assemble [Fe-S] clusters (i.e., the iscRSUA-hscBA-fdx operon) compensate for the lack of ApbC during growth of an apbC strain on Tcb. ApbC had been linked to [Fe-S] cluster metabolism, and we showed that an apbC strain had decreased TcuB activity. Here we report findings that expand our understanding of the regulation of expression of the iscRSUA genes in Salmonella enterica. We investigated why low levels of glucose or other saccharides restored growth of an apbC strain on Tcb. Here we report the following findings. (i) A Cra. (iv) Putative Cra binding sites are present in the regulatory region of the iscRSUA operon. (v) Cra protein binds to all three sites in the iscRSUA promoter region in a concentration-dependent fashion. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the involvement of Cra in [Fe-S] cluster assembly.

  2. Cra negatively regulates acid survival in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Yangbo; Lu, Pei; Zhang, Yong; Li, Yunlong; Li, Lamei; Huang, Li; Chen, Shiyun

    2011-04-01

    Survival in acidic environments is important for successful infection of gastrointestinal pathogens. Many bacteria have evolved elaborate mechanisms by inducing or repressing gene expression, which subsequently provide pH homeostasis and enable acid survival. In this study, we employed comparative proteomic analysis to identify the acid-responsive proteins of a food-borne enteric bacterium, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. The expression level of eight proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism was up- or downregulated over twofold at pH 4.5 compared with pH 7.0. The role of a global transcriptional regulator catabolite repressor/activator Cra was further studied in this acid survival process. lacZ-fusion analysis showed that expression of cra was repressed under acidic pH. Deletion of the cra gene increased acid survival by 10-fold, whereas complementation restored the wild-type phenotype. These results lead us to propose that, in response to acidic pH, the expression of cra gene is downregulated to increase acid survival. This is the first study to demonstrate the regulatory role of Cra in acid survival in an enteric bacterium. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Systematic search for the Cra-binding promoters using genomic SELEX system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimada, Tomohiro; Fujita, Nobuyuki; Maeda, Michihisa; Ishihama, Akira

    2005-09-01

    Cra (or FruR), a global transcription factor with both repression and activation activities, controls a large number of the genes for glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. To get insights into the entire network of transcription regulation of the E. coli genome by Cra, we isolated a set of Cra-binding sequences using an improved method of genomic SELEX. From the DNA sequences of 97 independently isolated DNA fragments by SELEX, the Cra-binding sequences were identified in a total of ten regions on the E. coli genome, including promoters of six known genes and four hitherto-unidentified genes. All six known promoters are repressed by Cra, but none of the activation-type promoters were cloned after two cyles of SELEX, because the Cra-binding affinity to the repression-type promoters is higher than the activation-type promoters, as determined by the quantitative gel shift assay. Of a total of four newly identified Cra-binding sequences, two are associated with promoter regions of the gapA (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase) and eno (enolase) genes, both involved in sugar metabolism. The regulation of newly identified genes by Cra was confirmed by the in vivo promoter strength assay using a newly developed TFP (two-fluorescent protein) vector for promoter assay or by in vitro transcription assay in the presence of Cra protein.

  4. Filtration of Carbon Particulate Emissions from a Plasma Pyrolysis Assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agui, Juan H.; Green, Robert; Vijayakumar, R.; Berger, Gordon; Greenwood, Zach; Abney, Morgan; Peterson, Elspeth

    2016-01-01

    NASA is investigating plasma pyrolysis as a candidate technology that will enable the recovery of hydrogen from the methane produced by the ISS Sabatier Reactor. The Plasma Pyrolysis Assembly (PPA) is the current prototype of this technology which converts the methane product from the Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) to acetylene and hydrogen with 90% or greater conversion efficiency. A small amount of solid carbon particulates are generated as a side product and must be filtered before the acetylene is removed and the hydrogen-rich gas stream is recycled back to the CRA. We discuss developmental work on several options for filtering out the carbon particulate emissions from the PPA exit gas stream. The filtration technologies and concepts investigated range from fibrous media to monolithic ceramic and sintered metal media. This paper describes the different developed filter prototypes and characterizes their performance from integrated testing at the Environmental Chamber (E-Chamber) at MSFC. In addition, characterization data on the generated carbon particulates, that help to define filter requirements, are also presented.

  5. R CrA Revisit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garmire, Gordon

    2016-09-01

    The star forming region R CRA has been studied in previous observations, but it has been ten years since the last observation. This observation is to look for long term time variability in the dark cloud.

  6. 12 CFR 207.4 - Fulfillment of the CRA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS (REGULATION G) § 207.4 Fulfillment of the CRA. (a) List of factors that... party to the agreement— (i) Home-purchase, home-improvement, small business, small farm, community... institution that is evaluated on the basis of a strategic plan, any element of the strategic plan, as...

  7. 12 CFR 346.4 - Fulfillment of the CRA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 346.4 Fulfillment of the CRA. (a) List of factors that... party to the agreement— (i) Home-purchase, home-improvement, small business, small farm, community... depository institution that is evaluated on the basis of a strategic plan, any element of the strategic plan...

  8. CRA-024781: a novel synthetic inhibitor of histone deacetylase enzymes with antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buggy, Joseph J; Cao, Z Alexander; Bass, Kathryn E; Verner, Erik; Balasubramanian, Sriram; Liu, Liang; Schultz, Brian E; Young, Peter R; Dalrymple, Stacie A

    2006-05-01

    CRA-024781 is a novel, broad spectrum hydroxamic acid-based inhibitor of histone deacetylase (HDAC) that shows antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo preclinically and is under evaluation in phase I clinical trials for cancer. CRA-024781 inhibited pure recombinant HDAC1 with a K(i) of 0.007 mumol/L, and also inhibited the other HDAC isozymes HDAC2, HDAC3/SMRT, HDAC6, HDAC8, and HDAC10 in the nanomolar range. Treatment of cultured tumor cell lines grown in vitro with CRA-024781 resulted in the accumulation of acetylated histone and acetylated tubulin, resulting in an inhibition of tumor cell growth and the induction of apoptosis. CRA-024781 parenterally administered to mice harboring HCT116 or DLD-1 colon tumor xenografts resulted in a statistically significant reduction in tumor growth at doses that were well tolerated as measured by body weight. Inhibition of tumor growth was accompanied by an increase in the acetylation of alpha-tubulin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and an alteration in the expression of many genes in the tumors, including several involved in apoptosis and cell growth. These results reveal CRA-024781 to be a novel HDAC inhibitor with potent antitumor activity.

  9. Extensive overproduction of the AdhE protein by rng mutations depends on mutations in the cra gene or in the Cra-box of the adhE promoter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaga, Naoko; Umitsuki, Genryou; Clark, David P; Nagai, Kazuo; Wachi, Masaaki

    2002-07-05

    Escherichia coli RNase G encoded by the rng gene is involved in degradation of adhE mRNA. Overproduction of the AdhE protein by rng mutants was found to depend on the genetic background of strains derived from DC272 (adhC81) or MC1061. We found that DC272 carried a point mutation in the Cra-binding site of the adhE promoter. The Cra protein encoded by the cra gene is known to act as a repressor of adhE. P1-phage-mediated transduction and lacZ fusion analysis with the mutant adhE promoter confirmed that this mutation is responsible for overproduction. On the other hand, Southern hybridization revealed that MC1061 had a 0.85-kb deletion of the cra gene. Overproduction of AdhE in the MC1061 background was reversed to the wild-type levels by introduction of a plasmid carrying the cra(+) gene. These results indicated that expression of the adhE gene was regulated transcriptionally by Cra and posttranscriptionally by RNase G. (c) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

  10. Novel members of the Cra regulon involved in carbon metabolism in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimada, Tomohiro; Yamamoto, Kaneyoshi; Ishihama, Akira

    2011-02-01

    Cra (catabolite repressor activator) is a global regulator of the genes for carbon metabolism in Escherichia coli. To gain insights into the regulatory roles of Cra, attempts were made to identify the whole set of regulation targets using an improved genomic SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) system. Surprisingly, a total of 164 binding sites were identified for Cra, 144 (88%) of which were newly identified. The majority of known targets were included in the SELEX chip pattern. The promoters examined by the lacZ reporter assay in vivo were all regulated by Cra. These two lines of evidence indicate that a total of as many as 178 promoters are under the control of Cra. The majority of Cra targets are the genes coding for the enzymes involved in central carbon metabolism, covering all the genes for the enzymes involved in glycolysis and metabolism downstream of glycolysis, including the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and aerobic respiration. Taken together, we propose that Cra plays a key role in balancing the levels of the enzymes for carbon metabolism.

  11. CO2 Reduction Assembly Prototype Using Microlith-Based Sabatier Reactor for Ground Demonstration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junaedi, Christian; Hawley, Kyle; Walsh, Dennis; Roychoudhury, Subir; Abney, Morgan B.; Perry, Jay L.

    2014-01-01

    The utilization of CO2 to produce life support consumables, such as O2 and H2O, via the Sabatier reaction is an important aspect of NASA's cabin Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) and In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) architectures for both low-earth orbit and long-term manned space missions. Carbon dioxide can be reacted with H2, obtained from the electrolysis of water, via Sabatier reaction to produce methane and H2O. Methane can be stored and utilized as propellant while H2O can be either stored or electrolyzed to produce oxygen and regain the hydrogen atoms. Depending on the application, O2 can be used to replenish the atmosphere in human-crewed missions or as an oxidant for robotic and return missions. Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI), with support from NASA, has previously developed an efficient and compact Sabatier reactor based on its Microlith® catalytic technology and demonstrated the capability to achieve high CO2 conversion and CH4 selectivity (i.e., =90% of the thermodynamic equilibrium values) at high space velocities and low operating temperatures. This was made possible through the use of high-heat-transfer and high-surface-area Microlith catalytic substrates. Using this Sabatier reactor, PCI designed, developed, and demonstrated a stand-alone CO2 Reduction Assembly (CRA) test system for ground demonstration and performance validation. The Sabatier reactor was integrated with the necessary balance-of-plant components and controls system, allowing an automated, single "push-button" start-up and shutdown. Additionally, the versatility of the test system prototype was demonstrated by operating it under H2-rich (H2/CO2 of >4), stoichiometric (ratio of 4), and CO2-rich conditions (ratio of <4) without affecting its performance and meeting the equilibrium-predicted water recovery rates. In this paper, the development of the CRA test system for ground demonstration will be discussed. Additionally, the performance results from testing the system at

  12. Implementing CRA with Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities in Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witzel, Bradley S.; Riccomini, Paul J.; Schneider, Elke

    2008-01-01

    Students with learning disabilities struggle to acquire essential mathematical concepts and skills, especially at the secondary level. One effective approach to improving secondary math performance supported by research is the concrete-to-representational-to-abstract (CRA) sequence of instruction. Although CRA is an evidenced-based instructional…

  13. Biofilm formation in Escherichia coli cra mutants is impaired due to down-regulation of curli biosynthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reshamwala, Shamlan M S; Noronha, Santosh B

    2011-10-01

    Cra is a pleiotropic regulatory protein that controls carbon and energy flux in enteric bacteria. Recent studies have shown that Cra also regulates other cell processes and influences biofilm formation. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of Cra in biofilm formation in Escherichia coli. Congo red-binding studies suggested that curli biosynthesis is impaired in cra mutants. Microarray analysis of wild-type and mutant E. coli cultivated in conditions promoting biofilm formation revealed that the curli biosynthesis genes, csgBAC and csgDEFG, are poorly expressed in the mutant, suggesting that transcription of genes required for curli production is regulated by Cra. Four putative Cra-binding sites were identified in the curli intergenic region, which were experimentally validated by performing electromobility shift assays. Site-directed mutagenesis of three Cra-binding sites in the promoter region of the csgDEFG operon suggests that Cra activates transcription of this operon upon binding to operator regions both downstream and upstream of the transcription start site. Based on the Cra-binding sites identified in this and other studies, the Cra consensus sequence is refined.

  14. Novel Members of the Cra Regulon Involved in Carbon Metabolism in Escherichia coli▿ †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimada, Tomohiro; Yamamoto, Kaneyoshi; Ishihama, Akira

    2011-01-01

    Cra (catabolite repressor activator) is a global regulator of the genes for carbon metabolism in Escherichia coli. To gain insights into the regulatory roles of Cra, attempts were made to identify the whole set of regulation targets using an improved genomic SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) system. Surprisingly, a total of 164 binding sites were identified for Cra, 144 (88%) of which were newly identified. The majority of known targets were included in the SELEX chip pattern. The promoters examined by the lacZ reporter assay in vivo were all regulated by Cra. These two lines of evidence indicate that a total of as many as 178 promoters are under the control of Cra. The majority of Cra targets are the genes coding for the enzymes involved in central carbon metabolism, covering all the genes for the enzymes involved in glycolysis and metabolism downstream of glycolysis, including the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and aerobic respiration. Taken together, we propose that Cra plays a key role in balancing the levels of the enzymes for carbon metabolism. PMID:21115656

  15. Systems assessment of transcriptional regulation on central carbon metabolism by Cra and CRP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Donghyuk; Seo, Sang Woo; Gao, Ye; Nam, Hojung; Guzman, Gabriela I; Cho, Byung-Kwan; Palsson, Bernhard O

    2018-04-06

    Two major transcriptional regulators of carbon metabolism in bacteria are Cra and CRP. CRP is considered to be the main mediator of catabolite repression. Unlike for CRP, in vivo DNA binding information of Cra is scarce. Here we generate and integrate ChIP-exo and RNA-seq data to identify 39 binding sites for Cra and 97 regulon genes that are regulated by Cra in Escherichia coli. An integrated metabolic-regulatory network was formed by including experimentally-derived regulatory information and a genome-scale metabolic network reconstruction. Applying analysis methods of systems biology to this integrated network showed that Cra enables optimal bacterial growth on poor carbon sources by redirecting and repressing glycolysis flux, by activating the glyoxylate shunt pathway, and by activating the respiratory pathway. In these regulatory mechanisms, the overriding regulatory activity of Cra over CRP is fundamental. Thus, elucidation of interacting transcriptional regulation of core carbon metabolism in bacteria by two key transcription factors was possible by combining genome-wide experimental measurement and simulation with a genome-scale metabolic model.

  16. 12 CFR 228.29 - Effect of CRA performance on applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Effect of CRA performance on applications. 228... account the record of performance under the CRA of: (1) Each applicant bank for the: (i) Establishment of... approval of application. A bank's record of performance may be the basis for denying or conditioning...

  17. 12 CFR 25.29 - Effect of CRA performance on applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Effect of CRA performance on applications. 25... takes into account the record of performance under the CRA of each applicant bank in considering an... application. A bank's record of performance may be the basis for denying or conditioning approval of an...

  18. 12 CFR Appendix B to Part 563e - CRA Notice

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false CRA Notice B Appendix B to Part 563e Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT Pt. 563e, App. B... Reinvestment Act (CRA), the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) evaluates our record of helping to meet the...

  19. Automatic ultrasonic inspection of pipeline girth weldswith a corrosive resistant alloy (Cra) layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ent, Jan Van Der; Portzgen, Niels; Findlay, Niele; Nupen, Oddbjorn; Endal, Geir; Forli, Olav

    2007-01-01

    There is very limited experience in the Offshore Pipeline industry regarding the Automated Ultrasonic Inspection of Austenitic Girth Welds with CRA layers. The AUT inspection technique to be used for Austenitic welds having CRA layers deviates from the standard approach, which is described within internationally available AUT inspection standards. Due to the coarse grain and anisotropic structure of the weld material, special designed ultrasonic probes and adapted AUT system inspection software were required for examination of the Nome Satellite CRA welds. The 'new' inspection approach was subject for qualification and validation in order to demonstrate that the proposed technique could fulfill stringent inspection requirements which are applicable for the reeling process. Experiences from former projects are difficult to find, since this was the first clad pipeline to be reeled. To determine the overall qualification program to be performed for the Nome Satellite project, reference has been made to the existing development experiences on CRA weld inspection from the Shell Bonga project. The available defect population was obtained out of real CRA pipeline production welds and were therefore of a naturally coarse. Representatives from Technip, Statoil and DNV performed an audit at RTD premises with the objective to draw up an inventory of the performed CRA qualification work and to judge whether this work could be used for the benefit of the Nome Satellite project. It has been concluded that the existing CRA qualification work could be used to complement the Nome Satellite scope of CRA qualification work. As a result the statistical uncertainties were reduced merging the both qualification program results (referenced qualification data and additional Nome Satellite Field qualification work)

  20. Cumulative Risk Assessment (CRA): transforming the way we assess health risks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Pamela R D; Dotson, G Scott; Maier, Andrew

    2012-10-16

    Human health risk assessments continue to evolve and now focus on the need for cumulative risk assessment (CRA). CRA involves assessing the combined risk from coexposure to multiple chemical and nonchemical stressors for varying health effects. CRAs are broader in scope than traditional chemical risk assessments because they allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of the interaction between different stressors and their combined impact on human health. Future directions of CRA include greater emphasis on local-level community-based assessments; integrating environmental, occupational, community, and individual risk factors; and identifying and implementing common frameworks and risk metrics for incorporating multiple stressors.

  1. Using the CRA-I Strategy to Develop Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge of Quadratic Expressions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strickland, Tricia K.

    2016-01-01

    Recent research has explored the efficacy of the CRA-I (concrete-representational-abstract) strategy with students with disabilities (Strickland & Maccini, 2012, 2013). The CRA-I strategy is a promising practice that special educators have used to teach algebra to students with high-incidence disabilities. The CRA-I strategy is a modification…

  2. 12 CFR 563e.29 - Effect of CRA performance on applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Effect of CRA performance on applications. 563e.29 Section 563e.29 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT Standards for Assessing Performance § 563e.29 Effect of CRA performance on...

  3. Regulation of crp gene expression by the catabolite repressor/activator, Cra, in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhongge; Aboulwafa, Mohammad; Saier, Milton H

    2014-01-01

    Growth of E. coli on several carbon sources is dependent on the catabolite repressor/activator (Cra) protein although a Cra consensus DNA-binding site is not present in the control regions of the relevant catabolic operons. We show that Cra regulates growth by activating expression of the crp gene. It thereby mediates catabolite repression of catabolic operons by an indirect mechanism. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. Virulence meets metabolism: Cra and KdpE gene regulation in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Njoroge, Jacqueline W; Nguyen, Y; Curtis, Meredith M; Moreira, Cristiano G; Sperandio, Vanessa

    2012-10-16

    Gastrointestinal (GI) bacteria sense diverse environmental signals as cues for differential gene regulation and niche adaptation. Pathogens such as enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), which causes bloody diarrhea, use these signals for the temporal and energy-efficient regulation of their virulence factors. One of the main virulence strategies employed by EHEC is the formation of attaching and effacing (AE) lesions on enterocytes. Most of the genes necessary for the formation of these lesions are grouped within a pathogenicity island, the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE), whose expression requires the LEE-encoded regulator Ler. Here we show that growth of EHEC in glycolytic environments inhibits the expression of ler and consequently all other LEE genes. Conversely, growth within a gluconeogenic environment activates expression of these genes. This sugar-dependent regulation is achieved through two transcription factors: KdpE and Cra. Both Cra and KdpE directly bind to the ler promoter, and Cra's affinity to this promoter is catabolite dependent. Moreover, we show that the Cra and KdpE proteins interact in vitro and that KdpE's ability to bind DNA is enhanced by the presence of Cra. Cra is important for AE lesion formation, and KdpE contributes to this Cra-dependent regulation. The deletion of cra and kdpE resulted in the ablation of AE lesions. One of the many challenges that bacteria face within the GI tract is to successfully compete for carbon sources. Linking carbon metabolism to the precise coordination of virulence expression is a key step in the adaptation of pathogens to the GI environment. IMPORTANCE An appropriate and prompt response to environmental cues is crucial for bacterial survival. Cra and KdpE are two proteins found in both nonpathogenic and pathogenic bacteria that regulate genes in response to differences in metabolite concentration. In this work, we show that, in the deadly pathogen enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7

  5. Enhancing succinic acid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli by engineering its global transcription factor, catabolite repressor/activator (Cra).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Li-Wen; Xia, Shi-Tao; Wei, Li-Na; Li, Hong-Mei; Yuan, Zhan-Peng; Tang, Ya-Jie

    2016-11-04

    This study was initiated to improve E. coli succinate production by engineering the E. coli global transcription factor, Cra (catabolite repressor/activator). Random mutagenesis libraries were generated through error-prone PCR of cra. After re-screening and mutation site integration, the best mutant strain was Tang1541, which provided a final succinate concentration of 79.8 ± 3.1 g/L: i.e., 22.8% greater than that obtained using an empty vector control. The genes and enzymes involved in phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylation and the glyoxylate pathway were activated, either directly or indirectly, through the mutation of Cra. The parameters for interaction of Cra and DNA indicated that the Cra mutant was bound to aceBAK, thereby activating the genes involved in glyoxylate pathway and further improving succinate production even in the presence of its effector fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP). It suggested that some of the negative effect of FBP on Cra might have been counteracted through the enhanced binding affinity of the Cra mutant for FBP or the change of Cra structure. This work provides useful information about understanding the transcriptional regulation of succinate biosynthesis.

  6. Fructose 1-phosphate is the preferred effector of the metabolic regulator Cra of Pseudomonas putida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavarría, Max; Santiago, César; Platero, Raúl; Krell, Tino; Casasnovas, José M; de Lorenzo, Víctor

    2011-03-18

    The catabolite repressor/activator (Cra) protein is a global sensor and regulator of carbon fluxes through the central metabolic pathways of gram-negative bacteria. To examine the nature of the effector (or effectors) that signal such fluxes to the protein of Pseudomonas putida, the Cra factor of this soil microorganism has been purified and characterized and its three-dimensional structure determined. Analytical ultracentrifugation, gel filtration, and mobility shift assays showed that the effector-free Cra is a dimer that binds an operator DNA sequence in the promoter region of the fruBKA cluster. Furthermore, fructose 1-phosphate (F1P) was found to most efficiently dissociate the Cra-DNA complex. Thermodynamic parameters of the F1P-Cra-DNA interaction calculated by isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that the factor associates tightly to the DNA sequence 5'-TTAAACGTTTCA-3' (K(D) = 26.3 ± 3.1 nM) and that F1P binds the protein with an apparent stoichiometry of 1.06 ± 0.06 molecules per Cra monomer and a K(D) of 209 ± 20 nM. Other possible effectors, like fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, did not display a significant affinity for the regulator under the assay conditions. Moreover, the structure of Cra and its co-crystal with F1P at a 2-Å resolution revealed that F1P fits optimally the geometry of the effector pocket. Our results thus single out F1P as the preferred metabolic effector of the Cra protein of P. putida.

  7. Fructose 1-Phosphate Is the Preferred Effector of the Metabolic Regulator Cra of Pseudomonas putida*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavarría, Max; Santiago, César; Platero, Raúl; Krell, Tino; Casasnovas, José M.; de Lorenzo, Víctor

    2011-01-01

    The catabolite repressor/activator (Cra) protein is a global sensor and regulator of carbon fluxes through the central metabolic pathways of Gram-negative bacteria. To examine the nature of the effector (or effectors) that signal such fluxes to the protein of Pseudomonas putida, the Cra factor of this soil microorganism has been purified and characterized and its three-dimensional structure determined. Analytical ultracentrifugation, gel filtration, and mobility shift assays showed that the effector-free Cra is a dimer that binds an operator DNA sequence in the promoter region of the fruBKA cluster. Furthermore, fructose 1-phosphate (F1P) was found to most efficiently dissociate the Cra-DNA complex. Thermodynamic parameters of the F1P-Cra-DNA interaction calculated by isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that the factor associates tightly to the DNA sequence 5′-TTAAACGTTTCA-3′ (KD = 26.3 ± 3.1 nm) and that F1P binds the protein with an apparent stoichiometry of 1.06 ± 0.06 molecules per Cra monomer and a KD of 209 ± 20 nm. Other possible effectors, like fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, did not display a significant affinity for the regulator under the assay conditions. Moreover, the structure of Cra and its co-crystal with F1P at a 2-Å resolution revealed that F1P fits optimally the geometry of the effector pocket. Our results thus single out F1P as the preferred metabolic effector of the Cra protein of P. putida. PMID:21239488

  8. Establishing a greenhouse gas inventory and reduction goal: case study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carli, G.A.; Richardson, S.L.

    2009-01-01

    'Full text:' Since 1976, Conestoga-Rovers & Associates (CRA) has grown from a small, regional engineering company, to one of the world's most sought-after, multi-disciplinary engineering and consulting firms with over 90 offices and more than 2,700 people working on projects worldwide. CRA is committed to helping its clients meet or exceed their environmental performance goals while achieving its own sustainability objectives. CRA is continuously striving to implement social and environmental performance improvements in each and every work place where CRA conducts business. CRA's Corporate Sustainability, Social Responsibility, and Environmental Policy reflects this commitment. CRA is working to reduce its environmental footprint and invest in the communities in which we live and conduct business. CRA undertook a corporate-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and set aggressive GHG reduction goals. This presentation provides an overview of the steps CRA has taken to quantify corporate GHG emissions, including establishing boundary conditions, data collection activities, calculation of GHG emissions, and development of and inventory management plant consistent with the U.S. EPA Climate Leaders program. The presentation discusses the primary challenges addressed in developing a GHG inventory for multiple facilities located throughout North America, including obtaining verifiable data, addressing corporate travel, and communicating climate change goals within the organization. The presentation concludes with an overview of the key considerations necessary to establish a credible reduction goal. (author)

  9. Anti-Cra: family study and survival of chromium-labeled incompatible red cells in a Spanish-American patient

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, K.J.; Coonce, L.S.; South, S.F.; Troup, G.M.

    1983-01-01

    A 22-year-old Spanish-American woman with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis developed anti-Cra after transfusion during colectomy. No Cra negative family members were found among 13 relatives, including four siblings and both parents. Chromium-labeled red cell survival studies showed a T1/2 of 14 days with Cra positive cells. Two units of Cra positive blood were transfused uneventfully for bleeding after ileorectal anastomosis

  10. Effect of cra gene knockout together with edd and iclR genes knockout on the metabolism in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkar, Dayanidhi; Siddiquee, Khandaker Al Zaid; Araúzo-Bravo, Marcos J; Oba, Takahiro; Shimizu, Kazuyuki

    2008-11-01

    To elucidate the physiological adaptation of Escherichia coli due to cra gene knockout, a total of 3,911 gene expressions were investigated by DNA microarray for continuous culture. About 50 genes were differentially regulated for the cra mutant. TCA cycle and glyoxylate shunt were down-regulated, while pentose phosphate (PP) pathway and Entner Doudoroff (ED) pathway were up-regulated in the cra mutant. The glucose uptake rate and the acetate production rate were increased with less acetate consumption for the cra mutant. To identify the genes controlled by Cra protein, the Cra recognition weight matrix from foot-printing data was developed and used to scan the whole genome. Several new Cra-binding sites were found, and some of the result was consistent with the DNA microarray data. The ED pathway was active in the cra mutant; we constructed cra.edd double genes knockout mutant to block this pathway, where the acetate overflowed due to the down-regulation of aceA,B and icd gene expressions. Then we further constructed cra.edd.iclR triple genes knockout mutant to direct the carbon flow through the glyoxylate pathway. The cra.edd.iclR mutant showed the least acetate production, resulting in the highest cell yield together with the activation of the glycolysis pathway, but the glucose consumption rate could not be improved.

  11. 12 CFR 207.3 - CRA communications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... communication. A CRA communication is any of the following— (1) Any written or oral comment or testimony... contacts with a Federal banking agency. An oral or written communication with a Federal banking agency is... communication; (ii) More than 3 years before the parties entered into the agreement, in the case of any oral...

  12. 12 CFR 346.3 - CRA communications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... communication. A CRA communication is any of the following— (1) Any written or oral comment or testimony... contacts with a Federal banking agency. An oral or written communication with a Federal banking agency is... communication; (ii) More than 3 years before the parties entered into the agreement, in the case of any oral...

  13. Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) for cocaine dependence in the Spanish public health system: 1 year outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Secades-Villa, Roberto; Sánchez-Hervás, Emilio; Zacarés-Romaguera, Francisco; García-Rodríguez, Olaya; Santonja-Gómez, Francisco J; García-Fernández, Gloria

    2011-11-01

    The development and dissemination of effective treatments for cocaine dependence is an important public health priority in Europe, and especially in Spain, given the increase in treatment demand over recent years. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) for cocaine dependents at an outpatient clinic within the Spanish public health system. A total of 82 cocaine-dependent patients were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: Standard Treatment (n = 35) or CRA (n = 47). Dependent variables were treatment retention, cocaine abstinence and composite scores from the European version of the Addiction Severity Index at 12 month follow up. Of the patients who received CRA, 55% completed 6 months of treatment, versus 40% who received Standard Treatment. At the 12 month follow up, patients assigned to the CRA condition achieved higher rates of abstinence (95.2%) by comparison with Standard Treatment (69.2%). In the CRA group, 27% of the patients achieved continuous cocaine abstinence, versus 21% in the Standard Treatment group. The CRA group also obtained lower scores than the Standard Treatment group in all Addiction Severity Index composite scores. This study showed that CRA is a feasible treatment for cocaine addiction in a public community setting in Spain. © 2010 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  14. Modular cathode assemblies and methods of using the same for electrochemical reduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiedmeyer, Stanley G.; Barnes, Laurel A.; Williamson, Mark A.; Willit, James L.

    2018-03-20

    Modular cathode assemblies are useable in electrolytic reduction systems and include a basket through which fluid electrolyte may pass and exchange charge with a material to be reduced in the basket. The basket can be divided into upper and lower sections to provide entry for the material. Example embodiment cathode assemblies may have any shape to permit modular placement at any position in reduction systems. Modular cathode assemblies include a cathode plate in the basket, to which unique and opposite electrical power may be supplied. Example embodiment modular cathode assemblies may have standardized electrical connectors. Modular cathode assemblies may be supported by a top plate of an electrolytic reduction system. Electrolytic oxide reduction systems are operated by positioning modular cathode and anode assemblies at desired positions, placing a material in the basket, and charging the modular assemblies to reduce the metal oxide.

  15. 12 CFR 533.3 - CRA communications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... officer of the bank holding company to discuss the adequacy of the performance under the CRA of the target... company at the time the NGEP met with the target institution. (See § 533.11(a) of this part.) Accordingly... affiliate. (v) Example 5. A NGEP engaged in the sale or purchase of loans in the secondary market sends a...

  16. Influence of the hot-fill water-spray-cooling process after continuous pasteurization on the number of decimal reductions and on Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris CRA 7152 growth in orange juice stored at 35 degrees C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinelli, Ana Cláudia N F; Sant'Ana, Anderson S; Pacheco-Sanchez, Cristiana P; Massaguer, Pilar R

    2010-02-28

    In this study, the influence of the hot-fill water-spray-cooling process after continuous pasteurization on the number of decimal reductions (gamma) and growth parameters (lag time; lambda, ratio N(f)/N(o); kappa, maximum growth rate; mu) of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris CRA 7152 in orange juice stored at 35 degrees C were investigated. Two different inoculum levels of A. acidoterrestris CRA 7152 (10(2) and 10(3) spores/mL) in orange juice (11(0)Brix, pH 3.7) and a Microthermics UHT-HTST pilot plant were used to simulate industrial conditions. Results have shown that regardless of the inoculum level (10(2) or 10(3) spores/mL), the pasteurization processes were unable to cause even 1 gamma. Predictive modeling using the Baranyi model showed that only kappa and time to reach 10(4)spores/mL (t10(4) - time to juice spoilage) were affected by the spore inoculum used (pspoil orange juice in 5-6 days when the final storage temperature was 35 degrees C. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Outflows in the star-formation region near R CrA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartigan, Patrick; Graham, J. A.

    1987-01-01

    Photographs, spectra, and velocities are presented for the Herbig-Haro objects and visible stars associated with the star-formation region near R CrA. The new data are used to discuss the gas outflows in the area. At least two flows are present; one is linked with the bright variable star R CrA, and the second with the IR source near HH 100. Special attention is given to HH 101. The velocity and spatial structures HH 101 are complex, but are consistent with condensations inside an expanding shell of material ejected from HH 100IR.

  18. The interacting Cra and KdpE regulators are involved in the expression of multiple virulence factors in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Njoroge, Jacqueline W; Gruber, Charley; Sperandio, Vanessa

    2013-06-01

    The human pathogen enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 codes for two interacting DNA binding proteins, Cra and KdpE, that coregulate expression of the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) genes in a metabolite-dependent manner. Cra is a transcription factor that uses fluctuations in the concentration of carbon metabolism intermediates to positively regulate virulence of EHEC. KdpE is a response regulator that activates the transcription of homeostasis genes in response to salt-induced osmolarity and virulence genes in response to changes in metabolite concentrations. Here, we probed the transcriptional profiles of the Δcra, ΔkdpE, and Δcra ΔkdpE mutant strains and show that Cra and KdpE share several targets besides the LEE, but both Cra and KdpE also have independent targets. Several genes within O-islands (genomic islands present in EHEC but absent from E. coli K-12), such as Z0639, Z0640, Z3388, Z4267, and espFu (encoding an effector necessary for formation of attaching and effacing lesions on epithelial cells), were directly regulated by both Cra and KdpE, while Z2077 was only regulated by Cra. These studies identified and confirmed new direct targets for Cra and KdpE that included putative virulence factors as well as characterized virulence factors, such as EspFu and EspG. These results map out the role of the two interacting regulators, Cra and KdpE, in EHEC pathogenesis and global gene regulation.

  19. Molecular characterization of the CRa gene conferring clubroot resistance in Brassica rapa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueno, Hiroki; Matsumoto, Etsuo; Aruga, Daisuke; Kitagawa, Satoshi; Matsumura, Hideo; Hayashida, Nobuaki

    2012-12-01

    Clubroot disease is one of the major diseases affecting Brassicaceae crops, and a number of these crops grown commercially, such as Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis), are known to be highly susceptible to clubroot disease. To provide protection from this disease, plant breeders have introduced genes for resistance to clubroot from the European turnip into susceptible lines. The CRa gene confers specific resistance to the clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae isolate M85. Fine mapping of the CRa locus using synteny to the Arabidopsis thaliana genome and partial genome sequences of B. rapa revealed a candidate gene encoding a TIR-NBS-LRR protein. Several structural differences in this candidate gene were found between susceptible and resistant lines, and CRa expression was observed only in the resistant line. Four mutant lines lacking clubroot resistance were obtained by the UV irradiation of pollen from a resistant line, and all of these mutant lines carried independent mutations in the candidate TIR-NBS-LRR gene. This genetic and molecular evidence strongly suggests that the identified gene is CRa. This is the first report on the molecular characterization of a clubroot Resistance gene in Brassicaceae and of the disease resistance gene in B. rapa.

  20. An Investigation of the Effects of CRA Instruction and Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stroizer, Shaunita; Hinton, Vanessa; Flores, Margaret; Terry, LaTonya

    2015-01-01

    Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have unique educational needs. The concrete representational abstract (CRA) instructional sequence has been shown effective in teaching students with mathematical difficulties. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the CRA sequence in teaching students with ASD. A multiple baseline…

  1. Observations and simulations of recurrent novae: U Sco and V394 CrA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Starrfield, S.; Sonneborn, G.; Sparks, Warren M.; Shaviv, G.; Williams, R. E.; Heathcote, S.; Ferland, Gary; Gehrz, Robert D.; Ney, Edward P.; Kenyon, Scott

    1988-01-01

    Observations and analysis of the Aug. 1987 outburst of the recurrent nova V394 CrA are presented. This nova is extremely fast and its outburst characteristics closely resemble those of the recurrent nova U Sco. Hydrodynamic simulations of the outbursts of recurrent novae were performed. Results as applied to the outbursts of V394 CrA and U Sco are summarized.

  2. Succinate production positively correlates with the affinity of the global transcription factor Cra for its effector FBP in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Li-Na; Zhu, Li-Wen; Tang, Ya-Jie

    2016-01-01

    Effector binding is important for transcription factors, affecting both the pattern and function of transcriptional regulation to alter cell phenotype. Our previous work suggested that the affinity of the global transcription factor catabolite repressor/activator (Cra) for its effector fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) may contribute to succinate biosynthesis. To support this hypothesis, single-point and three-point mutations were proposed through the semi-rational design of Cra to improve its affinity for FBP. For the first time, a positive correlation between succinate production and the affinity of Cra for FBP was revealed in Escherichia coli . Using the best-fit regression function, a cubic equation was used to examine and describe the relationship between succinate production and the affinity of Cra for FBP, demonstrating a significant positive correlation between the two factors (coefficient of determination R 2  = 0.894, P  = 0.000 Cra and DNA showed that Cra bound to the promoter regions of pck and aceB to activate the corresponding genes. Normally, Cra-regulated operons under positive control are deactivated in the presence of FBP. Therefore, theoretically, the enhanced affinity of Cra for FBP will inhibit the activation of pck and aceB . However, the activation of genes involved in CO 2 fixation and the glyoxylate pathway was further improved by the Cra mutant, ultimately contributing to succinate biosynthesis. Enhanced binding of Cra to FBP or active site mutations may eliminate the repressive effect caused by FBP, thus leading to increased activation of genes associated with succinate biosynthesis in the Cra mutant. This work demonstrates an important transcriptional regulation strategy in the metabolic engineering of succinate production and provides useful information for better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of transcription factors.

  3. CsrA and Cra influence Shigella flexneri pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gore, Aja L; Payne, Shelley M

    2010-11-01

    Shigella flexneri is a facultative intracellular pathogen that invades and disrupts the colonic epithelium. In order to thrive in the host, S. flexneri must adapt to environmental conditions in the gut and within the eukaryotic cytosol, including variability in the available carbon sources and other nutrients. We examined the roles of the carbon consumption regulators CsrA and Cra in a cell culture model of S. flexneri virulence. CsrA is an activator of glycolysis and a repressor of gluconeogenesis, and a csrA mutant had decreased attachment and invasion of cultured cells. Conversely, Cra represses glycolysis and activates gluconeogenesis, and the cra mutant had an increase in both attachment and invasion compared to the wild-type strain. Both mutants were defective in plaque formation. The importance of the glycolytic pathway in invasion and plaque formation was confirmed by testing the effect of a mutation in the glycolysis gene pfkA. The pfkA mutant was noninvasive and had cell surface alterations as indicated by decreased sensitivity to SDS and an altered lipopolysaccharide profile. The loss of invasion by the csrA and pfkA mutants was due to decreased expression of the S. flexneri virulence factor regulators virF and virB, resulting in decreased production of Shigella invasion plasmid antigens (Ipa). These data indicate that regulation of carbon metabolism and expression of the glycolysis gene pfkA are critical for synthesis of the virulence gene regulators VirF and VirB, and both the glycolytic and gluconeogenic pathways influence steps in S. flexneri invasion and plaque formation.

  4. Three-dimensional assemblies of graphene prepared by a novel chemical reduction-induced self-assembly method

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Lianbin; Chen, Guoying; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Zhang, Hongnan; Wang, Peng

    2012-01-01

    In this study, three-dimensional (3D) graphene assemblies are prepared from graphene oxide (GO) by a facile in situ reduction-assembly method, using a novel, low-cost, and environment-friendly reducing medium which is a combination of oxalic acid

  5. 12 CFR 35.4 - Fulfillment of the CRA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... and Banking COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA..., home-improvement, small business, small farm, community development, and consumer lending, as described... the case of an insured depository institution that is evaluated on the basis of a strategic plan, any...

  6. Fructose 1-phosphate is the one and only physiological effector of the Cra (FruR) regulator of Pseudomonas putida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavarría, Max; Durante-Rodríguez, Gonzalo; Krell, Tino; Santiago, César; Brezovsky, Jan; Damborsky, Jiri; de Lorenzo, Víctor

    2014-01-01

    Fructose-1-phosphate (F1P) is the preferred effector of the catabolite repressor/activator (Cra) protein of the soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida but its ability to bind other metabolic intermediates in vivo is unclear. The Cra protein of this microorganism (Cra(PP)) was submitted to mobility shift assays with target DNA sequences (the PfruB promoter) and candidate effectors fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP), glucose 6-phosphate (G6P), and fructose-6-phosphate (F6P). 1 mM F1P was sufficient to release most of the Cra protein from its operators but more than 10 mM of FBP or G6P was required to free the same complex. However, isothermal titration microcalorimetry failed to expose any specific interaction between Cra(PP) and FBP or G6P. To solve this paradox, transcriptional activity of a PfruB-lacZ fusion was measured in wild-type and ΔfruB cells growing on substrates that change the intracellular concentrations of F1P and FBP. The data indicated that PfruB activity was stimulated by fructose but not by glucose or succinate. This suggested that Cra(PP) represses expression in vivo of the cognate fruBKA operon in a fashion dependent just on F1P, ruling out any other physiological effector. Molecular docking and dynamic simulations of the Cra-agonist interaction indicated that both metabolites can bind the repressor, but the breach in the relative affinity of Cra(PP) for F1P vs FBP is three orders of magnitude larger than the equivalent distance in the Escherichia coli protein. This assigns the Cra protein of P. putida the sole role of transducing the presence of fructose in the medium into a variety of direct and indirect physiological responses.

  7. Chagas disease-specific antigens: characterization of epitopes in CRA/FRA by synthetic peptide mapping and evaluation by ELISA-peptide assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bottino, Carolina G; Gomes, Luciano P; Pereira, José B; Coura, José R; Provance, David William; De-Simone, Salvatore G

    2013-12-03

    The identification of epitopes in proteins recognized by medically relevant antibodies is useful for the development of peptide-based diagnostics and vaccines. In this study, epitopes in the cytoplasmic repetitive antigen (CRA) and flagellar repetitive antigen (FRA) proteins from Trypanosoma cruzi were identified using synthetic peptide techniques and pooled sera from Chagasic patients. The epitopes were further assayed with an ELISA assay based on synthetic peptides. Twenty-two overlapping synthetic peptides representing the coding sequence of the T. cruzi CRA and FRA proteins were assessed by a Spot-synthesis array analysis using sera donated by patients with Chagas disease. Shorter peptides were selected that represented the determined epitopes and synthesized by solid phase synthesis to evaluate the patterns of cross-reactivities and discrimination through an ELISA-diagnostic assay. The peptide Spot-synthesis array successfully identified two IgG antigenic determinants in the CRA protein and four in FRA. Bioinformatics suggested that the CRA antigens were unique to T. cruzi while the FRA antigen showed similarity with sequences present within various proteins from Leishmania sp. Subsequently, shorter peptides representing the CRA-1, CRA-2 and FRA-1 epitopes were synthesized by solid phase synthesis and assayed by an ELISA-diagnostic assay. The CRA antigens gave a high discrimination between Chagasic, Leishmaniasis and T. cruzi-uninfected serum. A sensitivity and specificity of 100% was calculated for CRA. While the FRA antigen showed a slightly lower sensitivity (91.6%), its specificity was only 60%. The epitopes recognized by human anti-T. cruzi antibodies have been precisely located in two biomarkers of T. cruzi, CRA and FRA. The results from screening a panel of patient sera through an ELISA assay based on peptides representing these epitopes strongly suggest that the sequences from CRA would be useful for the development of diagnostic reagents that could

  8. CRaTER: The Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation Experiment on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission

    OpenAIRE

    Spence, H. E.; Case, A. W.; Golightly, M. J.; Heine, T.; Larsen, B. A.; Blake, J. B.; Caranza, P.; Crain, W. R.; George, J.; Lalic, M.; Lin, A.; Looper, M. D.; Mazur, J. E.; Salvaggio, D.; Kasper, J. C.

    2009-01-01

    The Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) characterizes the radiation environment to be experienced by humans during future lunar missions. CRaTER measures the effects of ionizing energy loss in matter due to penetrating solar energetic protons (SEP) and galactic cosmic rays (GCR), specifically in silicon solid-state detectors and after interactions with tissue-equivalent plastic (TEP), a synthetic analog of human tissue. The CRaT...

  9. Adenosine triphosphate-based chemotherapy response assay (ATP-CRA)-guided platinum-based 2-drug chemotherapy for unresectable nonsmall-cell lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, Yong Wha; Choi, Sung Ho; Kim, Yong Tai; Sohn, Joo Hyuk; Chang, Joon; Kim, Se Kyu; Park, Moo Suk; Chung, Kyung Young; Lee, Hyoun Ju; Kim, Joo-Hang

    2007-05-01

    The study investigated correlations between adenosine triphosphate / chemotherapy response assay (ATP-CRA) and clinical outcomes after ATP-CRA-guided platinum-based chemotherapy for unresectable nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The authors performed an in vitro chemosensitivity test, ATP-CRA, to evaluate the chemosensitivities of anticancer drugs such as cisplatin, carboplatin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, gemcitabine, and vinorelbine for chemonaive, unresectable NSCLC. The cell death rate was determined by measuring the intracellular ATP levels of drug-exposed cells compared with untreated controls. A sensitive drug was defined as a drug producing 30% or more reduction in ATP compared with untreated controls. Assay-guided platinum-based 2-drug chemotherapy was given to patients with pathologically confirmed NSCLC. Thirty-four patients were enrolled. Thirty tumor specimens were obtained by bronchoscopic biopsies and 4 obtained surgically. The median age was 61 years and 27 patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1. The response rate was 43.8%. At a median follow-up period of 16.9 months, the median progression-free and overall survivals were 3.6 and 11.2 months, respectively. Patients were dichotomized into the platinum-sensitive (S; 20 patients) and resistant (R; 14 patients) groups. The positive/negative predictive values were 61.1% and 78.6% with a predictive accuracy of 68.8%. Although without significant differences in pretreatment parameters, the S-group showed better clinical response (P=.036), longer progression-free survival (P=.060), and longer overall survival (P=.025). Despite using bronchoscopic biopsied specimens, ATP-CRA and clinical outcomes correlated well after assay-guided platinum-based 2-drug chemotherapy for unresectable NSCLC. There was a favorable response and survival in the platinum-sensitive vs resistant groups. Copyright (c) 2007 American Cancer Society

  10. Three-dimensional assemblies of graphene prepared by a novel chemical reduction-induced self-assembly method

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Lianbin

    2012-01-01

    In this study, three-dimensional (3D) graphene assemblies are prepared from graphene oxide (GO) by a facile in situ reduction-assembly method, using a novel, low-cost, and environment-friendly reducing medium which is a combination of oxalic acid (OA) and sodium iodide (NaI). It is demonstrated that the combination of a reducing acid, OA, and NaI is indispensable for effective reduction of GO in the current study and this unique combination (1) allows for tunable control over the volume of the thus-prepared graphene assemblies and (2) enables 3D graphene assemblies to be prepared from the GO suspension with a wide range of concentrations (0.1 to 4.5 mg mL-1). To the best of our knowledge, the GO concentration of 0.1 mg mL-1 is the lowest GO concentration ever reported for preparation of 3D graphene assemblies. The thus-prepared 3D graphene assemblies exhibit low density, highly porous structures, and electrically conducting properties. As a proof of concept, we show that by infiltrating a responsive polymer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) into the as-resulted 3D conducting network of graphene, a conducting composite is obtained, which can be used as a sensing device for differentiating organic solvents with different polarity. © 2012 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  11. A feasibility study of adenosine triphosphate-based chemotherapy response assay (ATP-CRA) as a chemosensitivity test for lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Shin Myung; Park, Moo Suk; Chang, Joon; Kim, Se Kyu; Kim, Haeryoung; Shin, Dong-Hwan; Chung, Kyung Young; Kim, Dae Joon; Sohn, Joo Hyuk; Choi, Sung Ho; Kim, Jeongmi; Yoon, Eun Jin; Kim, Joo-Hang

    2005-08-01

    A chemosensitivity test can reflect the differences in responses of individual cancer patients to chemotherapeutic agents. The adenosine triphosphate-based chemotherapy response assay (ATP-CRA) is an accurate method, which does not require a large amount of tissue specimen. So far, no studies have evaluated the utility of the ATP-CRA in Korea. Therefore, we investigated the clinical usefulness of the ATP-CRA in 53 patients with lung cancer. Tumor tissues were obtained from bronchoscopic biopsies or surgical resections. The validity of ATP-CRA was assessed focusing on the success rate, experimental error level (intraassay mean coefficient of variation [CV]) and reproducibility. The overall success rate of ATP-CRA was 90.6% (48/53). Normal cells were effectively eliminated from the tumor tissues with the use of ficoll gradient centrifugation and immunomagnetic separation, which was confirmed using loss of heterozygosity analysis of the 3p deletion. The mean CV of ATP assays was 10.5+/-4.6%. The reproducibility of ATP assays was 94+/-3.8%. The results of the ATP assays were reported to physicians within 7 days of specimen collection. More than 6 anticancer drugs were tested on the tumor specimens obtained from bronchoscopic biopsies. The ATP-CRA is a stable, accurate and potentially practical chemosensitivity test in patients with lung cancer.

  12. Determination of mercury, lead and cadmium in water by the CRA-atomic absorption spectrophotometry with solvent extraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shim, Y.B.; Won, M.S.; Kim, C.J.

    1980-01-01

    The method of CRA-atomic absorption spectrophotometer with solvent extraction for the determination of mercury, lead and cadmium in water was studied. The optimum extracting conditions for CRA-atomic absorption spectrophotometry were the following: the complexes of mercury, lead and cadmium with dithizone were separated from the aqueous solution and concentrated into the 10 ml chloroform solution. Back extraction was performed; the concentrated mercury, lead and cadmium was extracted from the chloroform solution into the 10 ml 6-normal aqueous hydrochloric acid solution. In this case, recovery ratios were the following: mercury was 94.7%, lead 97.7% and cadmium 103.6%. The optimum operating conditions for the determination of mercury, lead and cadmium by the CRA-atomic absorption spectrophotometry also were investigated to test the dry step, ash step and atomization step for each metal. The experimental results of standard addition method were the following: the determination limit of each metal within 6% relative deviation was that lead was 0.04 ppb, and cadmium 0.01 ppb. Especially, mercury has been known impossible to determine by CRA-atomic absorption spectrophotometry until now. But in this study, mercury can be determined with CRA-atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Its determination limit was 4 ppb within 8% relative deviation. (author)

  13. 77 FR 37766 - Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-25

    ... regulator assembly (CRA). This AD requires an inspection to determine if a certain oxygen CRA is installed... regulator assembly (CRA) is installed and the replacement of affected oxygen CRAs. The SNPRM proposed to... pressure regulator body on the oxygen cylinder and regulator assembly (CRA). We are issuing this AD to...

  14. Cra regulates the cross-talk between the two branches of the phosphoenolpyruvate : phosphotransferase system of Pseudomonas putida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavarría, Max; Fuhrer, Tobias; Sauer, Uwe; Pflüger-Grau, Katharina; de Lorenzo, Víctor

    2013-01-01

    The gene that encodes the catabolite repressor/activator, Cra (FruR), of Pseudomonas putida is divergent from the fruBKA operon for the uptake of fructose via the phosphoenolpyruvate : carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS(Fru)). The expression of the fru cluster has been studied in cells growing on substrates that change the intracellular concentrations of fructose-1-P (F1P), the principal metabolic intermediate that counteracts the DNA-binding ability of Cra on an upstream operator. While the levels of the regulator were not affected by any of the growth conditions tested, the transcription of fruB was stimulated by fructose but not by the gluconeogenic substrate, succinate. The analysis of the P(fruB) promoter activity in a strain lacking the Cra protein and the determination of key metabolites revealed that this regulator represses the expression of PTS(Fru) in a fashion that is dependent on the endogenous concentrations of F1P. Because FruB (i.e. the EI-HPr-EIIA(Fru) polyprotein) can deliver a high-energy phosphate to the EIIA(Ntr) (PtsN) enzyme of the PTS(Ntr) branch, the cross-talk between the two phosphotransferase systems was examined under metabolic regimes that allowed for the high or low transcription of the fruBKA operon. While fructose caused cross-talk, succinate prevented it almost completely. Furthermore, PtsN phosphorylation by FruB occurred in a Δcra mutant regardless of growth conditions. These results traced the occurrence of the cross-talk to intracellular pools of Cra effectors, in particular F1P. The Cra/F1P duo seems to not only control the expression of the PTS(Fru) but also checks the activity of the PTS(Ntr) in vivo. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  15. Evaluation of the immune response to CRA and FRA recombinant antigens of Trypanosoma cruzi in C57BL/6 mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Valéria Rêgo Alves; de Lorena, Virginia Maria Barros; Nakazawa, Mineo; da Silva, Ana Paula Galvão; Montarroyos, Ulisses; Correa-Oliveira, Rodrigo; Gomes, Yara de Miranda

    2003-01-01

    Humoral and cellular immune responses were evaluated in 44 C57BL/6 mice immunized with the Trypanosoma cruzi recombinant antigens CRA and FRA. Both antigens induced cutaneous immediate-type hypersensitivity response. The levels of IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 were high in CRA immunized mice. IgG3 was the predominant isotype. Although no difference in antibody levels was observed in FRA-immunized mice when compared to control mice, both antigens were able to induce lymphoproliferation in immunized mice. Significant differences were observed between incorporation of [ H]- thymidine by spleen cell stimulated in vitro with CRA or FRA and the control group. These results suggest that CRA and FRA could be involved in mechanisms of resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

  16. MF-CRA: Multi-Function Cognitive Radio Architecture for Space Communications, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — EpiSys Science, Inc. and University of Arizona propose to develop, implement, and demonstrate Multi-Function Cognitive Radio Architecture (MF-CRA) for Space...

  17. Adenosine triphosphate-based chemotherapy response assay (ATP-CRA)-guided versus empirical chemotherapy in unresectable non-small cell lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, Yong Wha; Sohn, Joo Hyuk; Kim, Yong Tai; Chang, Hyun; Jeong, Jae Heon; Lee, Young Joo; Chang, Joon; Kim, Se Kyu; Jung, Minkyu; Hong, Soojung; Choi, Sung Ho; Kim, Joo-Hang

    2009-10-01

    We retrospectively compared adenosine triphosphate-based chemotherapy response assay (ATP-CRA)-guided and empirical chemotherapies for unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in this case-control study. Unresectable NSCLC patients receiving ATP-CRA-guided platinum-based doublets as first-line therapy were enrolled as cases (n=27; 14 platinum-sensitive and 13 platinum-resistant patients). Performance status, stage, and chemotherapeutic regimen-matched patients receiving empirical chemotherapy were selected from the retrospective database as controls (n=93) in a case to control ratio of approximately 1:3. Response rate and survival (progression-free; overall) in both groups were not significantly different. However, the platinum-sensitive subgroup by ATP-CRA showed a higher response rate than the empirical group (71 versus 38%; p=0.023) with a trend toward longer progression-free survival (8.7 versus 4.8 months for platinum-sensitive versus empirical; p=0.223) and overall survival (not reached versus 12.6 months for platinum-sensitive versus empirical for p=0.134). ATP-CRA may be helpful in selecting platinum-responsive patients in unresectable NSCLC. We consider that nonplatinum doublets in platinum-resistant patients by ATP-CRA may be a more adapted approach than platinum-based doublets in future clinical trials.

  18. Evaluation of the immune response to CRA and FRA recombinant antigens of Trypanosoma cruzi in C57BL/6 mice Avaliação da resposta imune em camundongos C57BL/6 imunizados com os antígenos recombinantes CRA e FRA de Trypanosoma cruzi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valéria Rêgo Alves Pereira

    2003-07-01

    Full Text Available Humoral and cellular immune responses were evaluated in 44 C57BL/6 mice immunized with the Trypanosoma cruzi recombinant antigens CRA and FRA. Both antigens induced cutaneous immediate-type hypersensitivity response. The levels of IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 were high in CRA immunized mice. IgG3 was the predominant isotype. Although no difference in antibody levels was observed in FRA-immunized mice when compared to control mice, both antigens were able to induce lymphoproliferation in immunized mice. Significant differences were observed between incorporation of [³H]- thymidine by spleen cell stimulated in vitro with CRA or FRA and the control group. These results suggest that CRA and FRA could be involved in mechanisms of resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi infection.As respostas imune humoral e celular foram avaliadas em 44 camundongos C57Bl/6 imunizados com os antígenos recombinantes CRA e FRA de Trypanosoma cruzi. Ambos antígenos induziram reação de hipersensibilidade do tipo imediato. Os níveis de IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b e IgG3 foram elevados nos camundongos imunizados com CRA. IgG3 foi o isotipo predominante. Nenhuma diferença nos níveis de anticorpos foi observada em camundongos imunizados com FRA em relação aos animais controle. No entanto, ambos antígenos foram capazes de induzir proliferação de linfócitos em camundongos imunizados. Diferenças significativas foram observadas entre a incorporação da timidina - [³H] pelas células esplênicas estimuladas com CRA ou FRA e o grupo controle. Esses resultados sugerem que CRA e FRA poderão estar envolvidos nos mecanismos de resistência à infecção pelo Trypanosoma cruzi.

  19. Measuring both negative and positive reactions to giving care to cancer patients : psychometric qualities of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nijboer, C; Triemstra, M; Sanderman, R.; van den Bos, G.A M

    The Caregiver Reaction Assessment Scale (CRA) is an instrument designed to assess specific aspects of the caregiving situation, including both negative and positive dimensions of caregiving reactions. This paper addresses the psychometric qualities of the CRA in a multicenter study among partners of

  20. Measuring both negative and positive reactions to giving care to cancer patients: psychometric qualities of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nijboer, C.; Triemstra, M.; Tempelaar, R.; Sanderman, R.; van den Bos, G. A.

    1999-01-01

    The Caregiver Reaction Assessment Scale (CRA) is an instrument designed to assess specific aspects of the caregiving situation, including both negative and positive dimensions of caregiving reactions. This paper addresses the psychometric qualities of the CRA in a multicenter study among partners of

  1. Coronal Activity in the R CrA T Association

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patten, Brian M.; Oliversen, Ronald J. (Technical Monitor)

    2005-01-01

    Brian Patten is the Principal Investigator of the NASA ROSS-ADP project Coronal Activity in the R CrA T Association. For this project we have extracted net counts and variability information for all of the X-ray sources found in 23 archival ROSAT PSPC and HRI images in the region of the R CrA T association. These data have been merged with an extensive database of optical and near-infrared photometry, optical spectroscopy, and parallax data. These data have been used to (1) identify new association members and clarify the membership status of a number of previously suspected members of the association, and (2) derive, for the first time, an accurate coronal luminosity function for the T Tauri members of this T association and make direct comparisons between the coronal luminosity functions for other T associations and those of large clusters. We have used our survey data to assess (a) the importance of the star-formation environment in initial coronal activity levels, (b) the effects of PMS evolution on dynamo activity as a function of mass and age, and (c) the level of contamination by field post-T Tauri stars on association membership surveys.

  2. An unbiased spectral line survey toward R CrA IRS7B in the 345 GHz window with ASTE

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Watanabe, Yoshimasa; Sakai, Nami; Lindberg, Johan

    2012-01-01

    We have conducted a spectral line survey in the 332-364 GHz region with the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment 10 m telescope toward R CrA IRS7B, a low-mass protostar in the Class 0 or Class 0/I transitional stage. We have also performed some supplementary observations in the 450 GHz band...... corino. These results suggest a weak hot corino activity in R CrA IRS7B. On the other hand, the carbon-chain related molecules, CCH and c-C3H2, are found to be abundant. However, this source cannot be classified as a WCCC source, since long carbon-chain molecules are not detected. If WCCC and hot corino...... chemistry represent the two extremes in chemical compositions of low-mass Class 0 sources, R CrA IRS7B would be a source with a mixture of these two chemical characteristics. The UV radiation from the nearby Herbig Ae star R CrA may also affect the chemical composition. The present line survey demonstrates...

  3. An Approach for Hydrogen Recycling in a Closed-loop Life Support Architecture to Increase Oxygen Recovery Beyond State-of-the-Art

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abney, Morgan B.; Miller, Lee; Greenwood, Zachary; Alvarez, Giraldo

    2014-01-01

    State-of-the-art atmosphere revitalization life support technology on the International Space Station is theoretically capable of recovering 50% of the oxygen from metabolic carbon dioxide via the Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA). When coupled with a Plasma Pyrolysis Assembly (PPA), oxygen recovery increases dramatically, thus drastically reducing the logistical challenges associated with oxygen resupply. The PPA decomposes methane to predominantly form hydrogen and acetylene. Because of the unstable nature of acetylene, a down-stream separation system is required to remove acetylene from the hydrogen stream before it is recycled to the CRA. A new closed-loop architecture that includes a PPA and downstream Hydrogen Purification Assembly (HyPA) is proposed and discussed. Additionally, initial results of separation material testing are reported.

  4. Sabatier Catalyst Poisoning Investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nallette, Tim; Perry, Jay; Abney, Morgan; Knox, Jim; Goldblatt, Loel

    2013-01-01

    The Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) on the International Space Station (ISS) has been operational since 2010. The CRA uses a Sabatier reactor to produce water and methane by reaction of the metabolic CO2 scrubbed from the cabin air and the hydrogen byproduct from the water electrolysis system used for metabolic oxygen generation. Incorporating the CRA into the overall air revitalization system has facilitated life support system loop closure on the ISS reducing resupply logistics and thereby enhancing longer term missions. The CRA utilizes CO2 which has been adsorbed in a 5A molecular sieve within the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly, CDRA. There is a potential of compounds with molecular dimensions similar to, or less than CO2 to also be adsorbed. In this fashion trace contaminants may be concentrated within the CDRA and subsequently desorbed with the CO2 to the CRA. Currently, there is no provision to remove contaminants prior to entering the Sabatier catalyst bed. The risk associated with this is potential catalyst degradation due to trace organic contaminants in the CRA carbon dioxide feed acting as catalyst poisons. To better understand this risk, United Technologies Aerospace System (UTAS) has teamed with MSFC to investigate the impact of various trace contaminants on the CRA catalyst performance at relative ISS cabin air concentrations and at about 200/400 times of ISS concentrations, representative of the potential concentrating effect of the CDRA molecular sieve. This paper summarizes our initial assessment results.

  5. The effects of CRA 1000, a non-peptide antagonist of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 1, on adaptive behaviour in the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harro, J; Tõnissaar, M; Eller, M

    2001-04-01

    Intracerebrally administered CRF has been demonstrated to elicit several behavioural deficits in novel and potentially stressful experimental paradigms, and to promote activity in familiar situations. This study examined the effect of CRA 1000, a novel non-peptide antagonist of CRF(1)receptors, on rat behaviour in tests of anxiolytic and antidepressant activity and novelty-oriented behaviour. CRA 1000 (1.25-10 mg/kg) had no major effect in elevated plus-maze and social interaction tests. However, CRA 1000 (5 mg/kg) significantly reduced immobility in the forced swimming test, suggesting an antidepressant-like effect. In the exploration box test, CRA 1000 (1.25 mg/kg) had an anxiolytic effect on rat exploratory behaviour both in intact rats and after lesioning of the projections of locus coeruleus by DSP-4 (50 mg/kg) treatment. A higher dose of CRA 1000 (5 mg/kg) tended to have anxiolytic-like effects in DSP-4 pretreated rats, but in intact animals this dose prevented the increase in exploration which develops with repeated exposure to initially anxiety-provoking situations. Taken together, these experiments demonstrate that CRF1 receptor blockade by CRA 1000 has antidepressant-like effects, does not have a robust anti-anxiety effect in non-stressed animals, but does have anxiolytic-like effects in more complex tasks, which can be observed also after denervation of the locus coeruleus projections. However, large doses of CRF1 receptor antagonists may reduce motivation of exploratory behaviour in familiar environments. Copyright 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

  6. The effect of increased CRA trip insertion times for TMI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Irani, A.; Link, J.; Trikouos, N.

    1996-01-01

    In recent years, testing of control rod assembly (CRA) drop times at TMI has resulted in a few rods that have failed to meet the Technical Specification (TS) acceptance criteria of 1.66 seconds to 3/4 inserted. Crud deposition was determined to be the cause of the slow rod insertion times. Corrective actions included increasing lithium concentration and increasing the frequency and extent of exercising the control rod drive mechanisms. However, after one cycle of operation, it was determined that these measures were not fully successful in retarding the crud buildup. Consequently, the safety significance of rods potentially having a longer drop time than the TS limit was evaluated. The analyses in Chapter 14 of the TMI FSAR demonstrate the ability of the plant to mitigate the consequences of postulated accidents without undue hazard to the health and safety of the public. To determine the safety consequences of the longer rod drop times, a reanalysis of some limiting accidents had to be done using the RETRAN, RELAP5 and TRAC computer codes. The safety evaluation concluded that a 3.0 second rod drop time would be acceptable because all of the event acceptance criteria were met. A permanent resolution of the problem is the replacement of the existing thermal barriers with new open flow path thermal barriers. Thermal barriers on half the CRAs at TMI have been replaced to date

  7. PENERAPAN PENDEKATAN CONCRETE-REPRESENTATIONAL-ABSTRACT (CRA BERBASIS INTUISI UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN KOMUNIKASI MATEMATIK SISWA SMP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Memen Permata Azmi

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available This research is a quasi-experimental with nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group design by using Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA based on intuition approach and Conventional Learning (CL conducted to investigate enhancement of students mathematical communication ability. Population of the research is seventh grade students in one of the Junior High School in Kampar district Riau Province, amounting to 175 students. The sampling research using purposive sampling techniques to choose two classes totaling 66 students who homogeneous characteristics. Before the experiment, the students are classified into high, medium, and low level of prior  mathematical ability. The instruments of research are daily test results and a mathematical communication ability test. The research found that the enhancement mathematical communication ability of students who received CRA based on intuition approach are better than those of students who recieved CL reviewed based on overall students, students of high level prior mathematical ability, students of medium level prior mathematical ability, and students of low level prior mathematical ability. Other findings, there are differences in enhancement mathematical communication ability of students between level of prior  mathematical ability (high, medium, and low who received CRA based on intuition approach

  8. Increased production of pyruvic acid by Escherichia coli RNase G mutants in combination with cra mutations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakai, Taro; Nakamura, Naoko; Umitsuki, Genryou; Nagai, Kazuo; Wachi, Masaaki

    2007-08-01

    The Escherichia coli RNase G is known as an endoribonuclease responsible for the 5'-end maturation of 16S rRNA and degradation of several specific mRNAs such as adhE and eno mRNAs. In this study, we found that an RNase G mutant derived from the MC1061 strain did not grow on a glucose minimal medium. Genetic analysis revealed that simultaneous defects of cra and ilvIH, encoding a transcriptional regulator of glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and one of isozymes of acetohydroxy acid synthase, respectively, were required for this phenomenon to occur. The results of additional experiments presented here indicate that the RNase G mutation, in combination with cra mutation, caused the increased production of pyruvic acid from glucose, which was then preferentially converted to valine due to the ilvIH mutation, resulting in depletion of isoleucine. In fact, the rng cra double mutant produced increased amount of pyruvate in the medium. These results suggest that the RNase G mutation could be applied in the breeding of producer strains of pyruvate and its derivatives such as valine.

  9. Cellular immune response from Chagasic patients to CRA or FRA recombinant antigens of Trypanosoma cruzi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorena, Virginia M B; Verçosa, Alinne F A; Machado, Raquel C A; Moitinho-Silva, Lucas; Cavalcanti, Maria G A; Silva, Edimilson D; Ferreira, Antonio G P; Correa-Oliveira, Rodrigo; Pereira, Valéria R A; Gomes, Yara M

    2008-01-01

    We propose to analyze the relation between the cellular immune response of Chagas' disease patients after in vitro stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with recombinant antigens cytoplasmatic repetitive antigen (CRA) or flagellar repetitive antigen (FRA) of T. cruzi and the chronic clinical forms of disease. Cells were stimulated using phytohemagglutinin, CRA, FRA, or a soluble antigen of Epimastigota (Ag-Epi) for 24 hr, 72 hr, or 6 days. The proliferation of cells was evaluated after 6 days of culture by quantification of incorporated 3H-thymidine. Cytokines were measured in the supernatants obtained after 24 hr (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha and interleukin [IL]-4), 72 hr (IL-10), and 6 days (interferon [IFN]-gamma) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cells of the Chagas patients stimulated with the recombinant antigens exhibited higher proliferation responses compared with that of non-Chagas (NC) individuals. However, when proliferation was compared between patients with the cardiac form (CF) or indeterminate form (IF), it was not possible to establish a difference in the response. So far as the cytokines secreted in the culture supernatants after stimulation in vitro with T. cruzi antigens were concerned, the results showed that CRA, as well as Epi-Ag, were able to stimulate the production of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in Chagas patients as compared with NC individuals. However, the cytokine levels after stimulation with the T. cruzi antigens were not different between the patients with CF and IF. CRA was capable of inducing a T helper type 1 (Th1) immune response, with elevated production of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in Chagas patients that are carriers of CF and IF clinical forms. (Copyright ) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  10. Plasma Methane Pyrolysis for Spacecraft Oxygen Loop Closure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenwood, Z. W.

    2018-01-01

    Life support is a critical function of any crewed space vehicle or habitat. Human life support systems on the International Space Station (ISS) include a number of atmosphere revitalization (AR) technologies to provide breathable air and a comfortable living environment to the crew. The Trace Contaminant Control System removes harmful volatile organic compounds and other trace contaminants from the circulating air. The Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) removes metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2) and returns air to the cabin. Humidity is kept at comfortable levels by a number of condensing heat exchangers. The Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) electrolyzes water to produce oxygen for the crew and hydrogen (H2) as a byproduct. A Sabatier reaction-based CO2 Reduction Assembly (CRA) was launched to the ISS in 2009 and became fully operational in June 2011.The CRA interfaces with both the OGA and CDRA. Carbon dioxide from the CDRA is compressed and stored in tanks until hydrogen is available from OGA water electrolysis. When the OGA is operational and there is CO2 available, the CRA is activated and produces methane and water via the Sabatier reaction shown in Equation 1... One approach to achieve these higher recovery rates builds upon the ISS AR architecture and includes adding a methane post-processor to recover H2 from CRA methane. NASA has been developing the Plasma Pyrolysis Assembly (PPA) to fill the role of a methane post-processor.

  11. Influence of Thermal Treatment on the Characteristics of Major Oyster Allergen Cra g 1 (Tropomyosin).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Lei; Li, Guoming; Gu, Ruizeng; Cai, Muyi; Lu, Jun

    2018-04-15

    Shellfish, including oysters, often cause allergic reactions in adults. Thermal treatment is one of the most common technologies to deal with seafood, which may affect biological properties. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of heating on conformation and potential allergenicity of oyster-derived tropomyosin (Cra g 1). SDS-PAGE showed that there was an apparent band at 35KD of raw tropomyosin after purification and more significant polymers appeared in heated protein. Interestingly, the obviously changes in the intensity of CD signal and ANS-binding fluorescence were observed especially in the case of roasted form, which was associated with an increase in antibody reactivity. The degree of IgE binding of this treatment was demonstrated in the order roasted>boiled > raw. Furthermore, sequence alignment and amino acid composition revealed that Cra g 1 shared relatively high homology to tropomyosins from other shellfish and was abundant in lysine that was apt to be modified by reducing sugars during heating. Heated Cra g 1 produces higher IgE reactivity than raw one, owing to denaturation and formation of polymers. These findings will benefit more diagnosis and management of potential allergenicity due to shellfish. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  12. CRC DEPLETION CALCULATIONS FOR THE NON-RODDED ASSEMBLIES IN BATCHES 8 AND 9 CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, Michael L.

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this design analysis is to document the SAS2H depletion calculations of certain non-rodded fuel assemblies from batches 8 and 9 of the Crystal River Unit 3 pressurized water reactor (PWR) that are required for Commercial Reactor Critical (CRC) evaluations to support the development of the disposal criticality methodology. A non-rodded assembly is one which never contains a control rod assembly (CRA) or an axial power shaping rod assembly (APSRA) during its irradiation history. The objective of this analysis is to provide SAS2H generated isotopic compositions for each fuel assembly's depleted fuel and depleted burnable poison materials. These SAS2H generated isotopic compositions are acceptable for use in CRC benchmark reactivity calculations containing the various fuel assemblies

  13. Immunoglobulin M antibodies against CRA and FRA recombinant antigens of Trypanosoma cruzi in chronic chagasic patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasconcelos, Romero H T; Azevedo, Elisa A N; Cavalcanti, Maria G A M; Silva, Edimilson D; Ferreira, Antonio G P; Morais, Clarice N L; Gomes, Yara M

    2011-05-01

    Previous works of our research group have demonstrated aspects of the humoral immune response of chronic Chagas disease using the cytoplasmatic repetitive antigen (CRA) and the flagellar repetitive antigen (FRA) of Trypanosoma cruzi. The aim of this work was to analyze the presence of specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies in chronic chagasic patients using these recombinant antigens of T. cruzi. The positivity of IgM in chronic chagasic patients against CRA and FRA antigens was determined by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We reported no statistical significant differences between the levels of IgM for both recombinant antigens and the different chronic clinical forms of Chagas disease. However, a small proportion of chronic chagasic patients analyzed in this study was positive for this antibody isotype. The findings of this study indicate that the IgM antibodies cannot be used to elucidate the differences in the profile of humoral immune response among chronic chagasic patients with different clinical forms using the CRA and FRA recombinant antigens of T. cruzi. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. CRC DEPLETION CALCULATIONS FOR THE NON-RODDED ASSEMBLIES IN BATCHES 4 AND 5 OF CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wright, Kenneth D.

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this design analysis is to document the SAS2H depletion calculations of certain non-rodded fuel assemblies from batches 4 and 5 of the Crystal River Unit 3 pressurized water reactor (PWR) that are required for commercial Reactor Critical (CRC) evaluations to support the development of the disposal criticality methodology. A non-rodded assembly is one which never contains a control rod assembly (CRA) or an axial power shaping rod assembly (APSRA) during its irradiation history. The objective of this analysis is to provide SAS2H generated isotopic compositions for each fuel assembly's depleted fuel and depleted burnable poison materials. These SAS2H generated isotopic compositions are acceptable for use in CRC benchmark reactivity calculations containing the various fuel assemblies

  15. Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment Scale (CRA-J) for community-dwelling cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misawa, Tomoyo; Miyashita, Mitsunori; Kawa, Masako; Abe, Koji; Abe, Mayumi; Nakayama, Yasuko; Given, Charles W

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this study was to validate the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA) among caregivers of community-dwelling advanced cancer patients in Japan. A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to advanced cancer patients and their caregivers who were cared for at day hospices and home palliative care services. We translated the CRA into Japanese, and then verified factor validity, reliability, construct validity, concurrent validity, and known groups' validity. To address construct and concurrent validity, we calculated Pearson's correlation coefficient between the Japanese version of the CRA and the Burden Index of Caregivers (BIC). To address known groups' validity, we used the t test or analysis of variance (ANOVA). A total of 57 caregivers participated in the study. Five factors were extracted (''impact on schedule,'' ''caregiver's self-esteem,'' ''lack of family support,'' ''impact on health,'' and ''impact on finances'') and reliability was good. Construct and concurrent validity among the subscales of the BIC were good. Regarding known groups validity, the subscale score of ''impact on schedule'' for the groups that cared 6 hours or more per day was higher than the other group (P = .04). The CRA-J is valid and reliable. This scale is useful for caregivers of cancer patients in Japan.

  16. CRA(Crosolic Acid) isolated from Actinidia valvata Dunn.Radix induces apoptosis of human gastric cancer cell line BGC823 in vitro via down-regulation of the NF-κB pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Qi-Lai; Li, Hong-Liang; Li, Ying-Chen; Liu, Zhao-Wen; Guo, Xiao-Hua; Cheng, Yi-Jian

    2017-07-01

    A natural ursolic compound, 2α,3β-dihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid (corosolic acid, CRA) was isolated from the root of Actinidia valvata Dunn. (A. valvata Radix). Since a large number of triterpenoid compound has marked anticancer effects toward various types of cancer cell lines in vitro, this study was carried out to investigate the anticancer effect of CRA in human gastric cancer cell line BGC823 cells and the underlying apoptotic mechanism of CRA was examined in BGC823 cell lines. The results showed that CRA significantly suppressed the viability of BGC823 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. CRA also significantly increased the sub G1 population by cell cycle analysis in a concentration dependent manner. Exposure to CRA decreased p65, bcl-2, Fas, smac mRNA and protein expression, and increased IκBα, bax, survivin mRNA and protein expression. Results of immunofluorescence staining and EMSA further indicated CRA induced apoptosis by inhibiting nuclear translocation of nuclear factor NF-κB subunit p65. Consistently overall, our findings suggest that CRA induces apoptosis via inhibition of NF-κB (p65) expression level and activation of IκBα in BGC cells as a potent anticancer candidate for gastric cancer treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. A low-cost multichannel analyzer with data reduction assembly for continuous air monitoring system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zoghi, B.; Lee, Y.; Nelson, D.C.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports on a microcontroller-based multichannel analyzer (MCA) with a data reduction assembly (DRA) for a plutonium continuous air monitor (CAM) system. The MCA is capable of detecting the airborne alpha emitters in the presence of radon daughter products. The pulse output from the preamplifier has been stretched to allow the peak detector sufficient time to capture the pulse height. The pulse amplitude conversion, the data acquisition, and the output functions are carried out fully by software. The DRA consists of a data reduction unit (DRU) and its operator interface panel. The data reduction assembly has the ability to be networked to a single PC with up to 332 different CAM's remotely connected to it

  18. The catabolite repressor/activator, Cra, bridges a connection between carbon metabolism and host colonization in the plant drought resistance-promoting bacterium Pantoea alhagi LTYR-11Z.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lei; Li, Muhang; Li, Qiqi; Chen, Chaoqiong; Qu, Meng; Li, Mengyun; Wang, Yao; Shen, Xihui

    2018-04-27

    Efficient root colonization is a prerequisite for application of plant growth promoting (PGP) bacteria in improving health and yield of agricultural crops. We have recently identified an endophytic bacterium Pantoea alhagi LTYR-11Z with multiple PGP properties that effectively colonizes the root system of wheat and improves its growth and drought tolerance. To identify novel regulatory genes required for wheat colonization, we screened a LTYR-11Z transposon (Tn) insertion library and found cra to be a colonization-related gene. By using RNA-seq analysis, we found that transcriptional levels of an eps operon, the ydiV gene encoding an anti-FlhD 4 C 2 factor and the yedQ gene encoding an enzyme for synthesis of cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) were significantly downregulated in the mutant Δ cra. Further studies demonstrated that Cra directly binds to the promoters of the eps operon, ydiV and yedQ and activates their expression, thus inhibiting motility and promoting exopolysaccharides (EPS) production and biofilm formation. Consistent with previous findings that Cra plays a role in transcriptional regulation in response to carbon source availability, the activating effects of Cra were much more pronounced when LTYR-11Z was grown within a gluconeogenic environment than when it was grown within a glycolytic environment. We further demonstrate that the ability of LTYR-11Z to colonize wheat roots is modulated by the availability of carbon sources. All together, these results uncover a novel strategy utilized by LTYR-11Z to achieve host colonization in response to carbon nutrition in the environment, in which Cra bridges a connection between carbon metabolism and colonization capacity of LTYR-11Z. IMPORTANCE Rapid and appropriate response to environmental signals is crucial for bacteria to adapt to competitive environments and to establish interactions with their hosts. Efficient colonization and persistence within the host is controlled by various regulatory factors that

  19. CRC DEPLETION CALCULATIONS FOR THE NON-RODDED ASSEMBLIES IN BATCHES 1, 2, AND 3 OF CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wright, Kenneth D.

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this design analysis is to document the SAS2H depletion calculations of certain non-rodded fuel assemblies from batches 1, 2, and 3 of the Crystal River Unit 3 pressurized water reactor (PWR) that are required for Commercial Reactor Critical (CRC) evaluations to support development of the disposal criticality methodology. A non-rodded assembly is one which never contains a control rod assembly (CRA) or an axial power shaping rod assembly (APSRA) during its irradiation history. The objective of this analysis is to provide SAS2H generated isotopic compositions for each fuel assembly's depleted fuel and depleted burnable poison materials. These SAS2H generated isotopic compositions are acceptable for use in CRC benchmark reactivity calculations containing the various fuel assemblies

  20. CRC DEPLETION CALCULATIONS FOR THE NON-RODDED ASSEMBLIES IN BATCHES 4 AND 5 OF CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT 3

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kenneth D. Wright

    1997-07-30

    The purpose of this design analysis is to document the SAS2H depletion calculations of certain non-rodded fuel assemblies from batches 4 and 5 of the Crystal River Unit 3 pressurized water reactor (PWR) that are required for commercial Reactor Critical (CRC) evaluations to support the development of the disposal criticality methodology. A non-rodded assembly is one which never contains a control rod assembly (CRA) or an axial power shaping rod assembly (APSRA) during its irradiation history. The objective of this analysis is to provide SAS2H generated isotopic compositions for each fuel assembly's depleted fuel and depleted burnable poison materials. These SAS2H generated isotopic compositions are acceptable for use in CRC benchmark reactivity calculations containing the various fuel assemblies.

  1. CRC DEPLETION CALCULATIONS FOR THE RODDED ASSEMBLIES IN BATCHES 1, 2, 3, AND 1X OF CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT 3

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kenneth D. Wright

    1997-09-03

    The purpose of this design analysis is to document the SAS2H depletion calculations of certain rodded fuel assemblies from batches 1, 2, 3, and 1X of the Crystal River Unit 3 pressurized water reactor (PWR) that are required for Commercial Reactor Critical (CRC) evaluations to support the development of the disposal criticality methodology. A rodded assembly is one that contains a control rod assembly (CRA) or an axial power shaping rod assembly (APSRA) for some period of time during its irradiation history. The objective of this analysis is to provide SAS2H calculated isotopic compositions of depleted fuel and depleted burnable poison for each fuel assembly to be used in subsequent CRC reactivity calculations containing the fuel assemblies.

  2. CRC DEPLETION CALCULATIONS FOR THE RODDED ASSEMBLIES IN BATCHES 1, 2, 3, AND 1X OF CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wright, Kenneth D.

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this design analysis is to document the SAS2H depletion calculations of certain rodded fuel assemblies from batches 1, 2, 3, and 1X of the Crystal River Unit 3 pressurized water reactor (PWR) that are required for Commercial Reactor Critical (CRC) evaluations to support the development of the disposal criticality methodology. A rodded assembly is one that contains a control rod assembly (CRA) or an axial power shaping rod assembly (APSRA) for some period of time during its irradiation history. The objective of this analysis is to provide SAS2H calculated isotopic compositions of depleted fuel and depleted burnable poison for each fuel assembly to be used in subsequent CRC reactivity calculations containing the fuel assemblies

  3. [Effect of the availability of a medicalized mobile ICU (MMICU) on the hospital admissions after an out-of-hospital cardiorespiratory arrest (OH-CRA)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez González, M; Cambronero Galache, J A; Nevado Losada, E; Trascasa Muñoz de la Peña, M; de la Fuente O'Connor, M E; Sánchez García, M

    2003-11-01

    Patients admitted in an ICU after OH-CRA before and after the implementation of a MMICU were evaluated. During a period of 11 years, divided into a pre-MMICU period (1988-1993) and a post-MMICU period (1994-1998), 39 patients were admitted in the pre period and 64 patients in the post period. The basal characteristics, the etiologies of OH-CRA and of death in ICU they were similar. The incidence of severe anoxic encephalopathy (SAE) it doubled in the post period. There were not significant differences both to the discharge from ICU and to the hospital discharge. We conclude that after implementing a MMICU more patients are admitted in ICU resuscitated after OH-CRA. The survival does not vary, but the incidence of SAE increases.

  4. University Faculty Value the CRA Designation--They Just Don't Realize It Yet!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, Kimberley W.

    2013-01-01

    The Certified Research Administrator (CRA) certification has enjoyed success and recognition among research administration professionals. However, this recognition is parochial and does not extend much past the walls of research administration. Results of a recent research study showed that Principal Investigators value and expect certain aspects…

  5. Instruments for assessing the burden of informal caregiving for stroke patients in clinical practice: a comparison of CSI, CRA, SCQ and self-rated burden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Exel, N Job A; Scholte op Reimer, Wilma J M; Brouwer, Werner B F; van den Berg, Bernard; Koopmanschap, Marc A; van den Bos, Geertrudis A M

    2004-03-01

    To compare the feasibility, convergent and clinical validity of three commonly used burden scales: Caregiver Strain Index (CSI), Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA) and Sense of Competence Questionnaire (SCQ), with a self-developed single question on self-rated burden (SRB). Stroke patients receiving support from an informal caregiver (n = 148) and their caregivers were followed up to six months after stroke. Feasibility was assessed with several measures of missing values. Convergent validity was assessed on the basis of the correlation patterns between the burden scales, and clinical validity through evaluation of expected associations between levels of burden and explanatory patients' and caregivers' characteristics. Missing values were less often observed on CSI and SRB than SCQ and CRA. Significant correlation coefficients (p CRA. Evidence for clinical validity was strongest for CSI and SRB, based on associations between higher burden scores and patients' disability, and patients' and caregivers' poor level of health-related quality of life (all p CRA. SRB could be used for quick screening of caregivers at risk. CSI is indicated for further diagnosis of the burden of informal caregivers.

  6. Identification of metabolites of the tryptase inhibitor CRA-9249: observation of a metabolite derived from an unexpected hydroxylation pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Walter; Dener, Jeffrey M; Dickman, Daniel A; Grothaus, Paul; Ling, Yun; Liu, Liang; Havel, Chris; Malesky, Kimberly; Mahajan, Tania; O'Brian, Colin; Shelton, Emma J; Sperandio, David; Tong, Zhiwei; Yee, Robert; Mordenti, Joyce J

    2006-08-01

    The metabolites of the tryptase inhibitor CRA-9249 were identified after exposure to liver microsomes. CRA-9249 was found to be degraded rapidly in liver microsomes from rabbit, dog, cynomolgus monkey, and human, and less rapidly in microsomes from rat. The key metabolites included cleavage of an aryl ether, in addition to an unexpected hydroxylation of the amide side chain adjacent to the amide nitrogen. The chemical structures of both metabolites were confirmed by synthesis and comparison to material isolated from the liver microsomes. Several suspected hydroxylated metabolites were also synthesized and analyzed as part of the structure identification process.

  7. Humoral and cellular immune responses in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice immunized with cytoplasmic (CRA) and flagellar (FRA) recombinant repetitive antigens, in acute experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Valéria R A; Lorena, Virginia M B; Nakazawa, Mineo; Luna, Carlos F; Silva, Edimilson D; Ferreira, Antonio G P; Krieger, Marco Aurélio; Goldenberg, Samuel; Soares, Milena B P; Coutinho, Eridan M; Correa-Oliveira, Rodrigo; Gomes, Yara M

    2005-06-01

    In previous studies, cytoplasmic repetitive antigen (CRA) and flagellar repetitive antigen (FRA) proteins induced specific humoral and cellular immune responses in susceptible and resistant mice in the absence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection with a significant induction of the Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production in those animals. In this follow-up paper, the immunostimulatory and protective effects of these proteins were evaluated by immunizing with CRA or FRA antigens, BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice and challenging with a T. cruzi (Y strain). Both proteins induced humoral response with high levels of IgG isotypes as well as cellular immunity with high levels of IFN-gamma when compared to controls. However, the lymphocyte proliferative response was minimal. The survival rate at 30 days post-infection was significant in CRA (60%) or FRA (50%)--immunized BALB/c mice and CRA (83.3%)--immunized C57BL/6 mice. Taken as a whole these findings indicate that CRA and FRA are immunogenic and potentially important for protective immunity.

  8. Photo-reduction on the rupture of disulfide bonds and the related protein assembling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei

    It has been found that many proteins can self-assemble into nanoscale assemblies when they unfold or partially unfold under harsh conditions, such as low pH, high temperature, or the presence of denaturants, and so on. These nanoscale assemblies can have some applications such as the drug-delivery systems (DDSs). Here we report a study that a very physical way, the UV illumination, can be used to facilitate the formation of protein fibrils and nanoparticles under native conditions by breaking disulfide bonds in some disulfide-containing proteins. By controlling the intensity of UV light and the illumination time, we realized the preparation of self-assembly nanoparticles which encapsulate the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) and can be used as the DDS for inhibiting the growth of tumor. The formation of fibrillary assemblies was also observed. The rupture of disulfide bonds through photo-reduction process due to the effect of tryptophan and tyrosine was studied, and the physical mechanism of the assembling of the related disulfide-containing proteins was also discussed. We thank the financial support from NSF of China and the 973 project.

  9. Enhancement of the synthesis of RpoN, Cra, and H-NS by polyamines at the level of translation in Escherichia coli cultured with glucose and glutamate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terui, Yusuke; Higashi, Kyohei; Taniguchi, Shiho; Shigemasa, Ai; Nishimura, Kazuhiro; Yamamoto, Kaneyoshi; Kashiwagi, Keiko; Ishihama, Akira; Igarashi, Kazuei

    2007-03-01

    Proteins whose synthesis is enhanced by polyamines at the level of translation were identified in a polyamine-requiring mutant cultured in the presence of 0.1% glucose and 0.02% glutamate instead of 0.4% glucose as an energy source. Under these conditions, enhancement of cell growth by polyamines was almost the same as that in the presence of 0.4% glucose. It was found that synthesis of RpoN, Cra, and H-NS was enhanced by polyamines at the level of translation at the early logarithmic phase of growth (A(540) of 0.15). The effects of polyamines on synthesis of RpoN, H-NS, and Cra were due to the existence of unusual Shine-Dalgarno sequences (RpoN and H-NS) and an inefficient GUG initiation codon (Cra) in their mRNAs. Thus, rpoN, cra, and hns genes were identified as new members of the polyamine modulon. Because most of the polyamine modulon genes thus far identified encode transcription factors (RpoS [sigma(38)], Cya, FecI [sigma(18)], Fis, RpoN [sigma(54)], Cra, and H-NS), DNA microarray analysis of mRNA expressed in cells was performed. At the early logarithmic phase of growth, a total of 97 species of mRNAs that were up-regulated by polyamines more than twofold were under the control of seven polyamine modulon genes mentioned above.

  10. Mentoring Literacy Professionals: Continuing the Spirit of CRA/ALER after 50 Years. The Thirty-First Yearbook: A Doubled Peer Reviewed Publication of the College Reading Association

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szabo, Susan, Ed.; Sampson, Mary Beth, Ed.; Foote, Martha M., Ed.; Falk-Ross, Francine, Ed.

    2010-01-01

    This volume is a milestone year for the Yearbook, the conference, and the College Reading Association (CRA). At this conference, CRA celebrated its 50th year. The title of this thirty-first yearbook mirrors the theme of the 2008 conference--"Mentoring Literacy Professionals for 50 Years." The title "Mentoring Literacy Professionals:…

  11. The role of Cra in regulating acetate excretion and osmotic tolerance in E. coli K-12 and E. coli B at high density growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Son, Young-Jin; Phue, Je-Nie; Trinh, Loc B; Lee, Sang Jun; Shiloach, Joseph

    2011-06-30

    E. coli B (BL21), unlike E.coli K-12 (JM109) is insensitive to glucose concentration and, therefore, grows faster and produces less acetate than E. coli K-12, especially when growing to high cell densities at high glucose concentration. By performing genomic analysis, it was demonstrated that the cause of this difference in sensitivity to the glucose concentration is the result of the differences in the central carbon metabolism activity. We hypothesized that the global transcription regulator Cra (FruR) is constitutively expressed in E. coli B and may be responsible for the different behaviour of the two strains. To investigate this possibility and better understand the function of Cra in the two strains, cra - negative E. coli B (BL21) and E. coli K-12 (JM109) were prepared and their growth behaviour and gene expression at high glucose were evaluated using microarray and real-time PCR. The deletion of the cra gene in E. coli B (BL21) minimally affected the growth and maximal acetate accumulation, while the deletion of the same gene in E.coli K-12 (JM109) caused the cells to stop growing as soon as acetate concentration reached 6.6 g/L and the media conductivity reached 21 mS/cm. ppsA (gluconeogenesis gene), aceBA (the glyoxylate shunt genes) and poxB (the acetate producing gene) were down-regulated in both strains, while acs (acetate uptake gene) was down-regulated only in E.coli B (BL21). These transcriptional differences had little effect on acetate and pyruvate production. Additionally, it was found that the lower growth of E. coli K-12 (JM109) strain was the result of transcription inhibition of the osmoprotectant producing bet operon (betABT). The transcriptional changes caused by the deletion of cra gene did not affect the activity of the central carbon metabolism, suggesting that Cra does not act alone; rather it interacts with other pleiotropic regulators to create a network of metabolic effects. An unexpected outcome of this work is the finding that cra

  12. Marcadores moleculares asociados a la Capacidad de Retención de Agua (CRA) en carne de Bos indicus y sus cruces

    OpenAIRE

    Leal Gutiérrez, Joel David

    2013-01-01

    La Capacidad de Retención de Agua (CRA) es una de las características de la carne con mayor efecto sobre la rentabilidad del sector, al estar asociada a las mermas y a la jugosidad. Los objetivos principales son: resaltar la importancia de la CRA de la carne de bovino, evaluar el desempeño de estos parámetros según los factores tiempo de maduración y cruce de los animales y establecer polimorfismos en genes candidatos asociados al parámetro evaluado. Varios genes y sus polimorfismos han sido ...

  13. Validity, reliability, and feasibility of the German version of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment scale (G-CRA): a validation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephan, Astrid; Mayer, Herbert; Renom Guiteras, Anna; Meyer, Gabriele

    2013-10-01

    Instruments measuring caregiver reactions usually disregard positive aspects, and focus predominately on home care. The Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA) scale is an exception. Until now, no German version has been available. We translated the instrument to German (G-CRA) and evaluated its psychometric properties and feasibility. Face-to-face interviews with 234 informal caregivers of persons with dementia were performed. Half of the persons with dementia (n = 118) had been recently admitted to institutional long-term care (iLTC); the remainder (n = 116) lived at home. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed. Subscales were intercorrelated and further correlated with the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and the EuroQuol (EQ-5D). Internal consistency was measured (Cronbach's α), and interviewers (n = 9) appraised feasibility. The time needed to apply the scale was measured in 20 interviews. The EFA yielded six factors (Kaiser criterion), but a scree plot supported the five dimensions of the original version that explained 56.2% of variance. Low-to-moderate subscales' inter-correlation was revealed. Highest correlation (r = 0.5) was found between impact on health and impact on daily schedule, indicating slight overlap. Criterion validity was supported by reasonable correlations between subscales and ZBI and GHQ-12 (r = -0.21-0.71). Subscale impact on health was negatively correlated with the EQ-5D. The internal consistency was sufficient (α = 0.67 − 0.78). Interviewers judged the G-CRA to be appropriate. Completion took 6.50 min (median value). Our results suggest that the G-CRA is sufficiently valid and internally reliable. The instrument is applicable in home care and iLTC as well as in the transitional phase.

  14. AN UNBIASED SPECTRAL LINE SURVEY TOWARD R CrA IRS7B IN THE 345 GHz WINDOW WITH ASTE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, Yoshimasa; Sakai, Nami; Yamamoto, Satoshi; Lindberg, Johan E.; Bisschop, Suzanne E.; Jørgensen, Jes K.

    2012-01-01

    We have conducted a spectral line survey in the 332-364 GHz region with the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment 10 m telescope toward R CrA IRS7B, a low-mass protostar in the Class 0 or Class 0/I transitional stage. We have also performed some supplementary observations in the 450 GHz band. In total, 16 molecular species are identified in the 332-364 GHz region. Strong emission lines of CN and CCH are observed, whereas complex organic molecules and long carbon-chain molecules, which are characteristics of hot corino and warm carbon-chain chemistry (WCCC) source, respectively, are not detected. The rotation temperature of CH 3 OH is evaluated to be 31 K, which is significantly lower than that reported for the prototypical hot corino IRAS 16293-2422 (∼85 K). The deuterium fractionation ratios for CCH and H 2 CO are obtained to be 0.038 and 0.050, respectively, which are much lower than those in the hot corino. These results suggest a weak hot corino activity in R CrA IRS7B. On the other hand, the carbon-chain related molecules, CCH and c-C 3 H 2 , are found to be abundant. However, this source cannot be classified as a WCCC source, since long carbon-chain molecules are not detected. If WCCC and hot corino chemistry represent the two extremes in chemical compositions of low-mass Class 0 sources, R CrA IRS7B would be a source with a mixture of these two chemical characteristics. The UV radiation from the nearby Herbig Ae star R CrA may also affect the chemical composition. The present line survey demonstrates further chemical diversity in low-mass star-forming regions.

  15. Efficacy of patient skin dose reduction by a compensating filter through of irradiation field overlaps on the area during percutaneous coronary intervention

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamasaki, Hiroyuki; Yamaguchi, Sadao; Yamamoto, Naomi; Miyagawa, Takashi; Hirose, Etsuko; Takenaka, Tatsuaki; Nakahara, Makoto

    2011-01-01

    Our study was involved with entrance surface dose reduction and irradiation field by the filter use of PCI, and insertion in place of an effective compensating filter to maximize entrance surface dose reduction, which we verified. The radiation dosimetry put a 6 cc ion chamber on the back side of the thorax phantom, and changed the filter of the four corners (a: upper left, b: upper right, c: lower right, d: lower left) of the monitor confirmed with fluoroscopy [(0) no filter, (1) one filter, (2) two filters]. The angle of C arm was assumed to be eight directions and 0 degrees adopted by this hospital. It was compared with a corrective rate of which one was no filter. Next, the presence of filter and irradiation field overlaps on the area in monitor in the angle of C arm was verified by this hospital's classic example. As for corrective rate, (1) becomes 0.41 and (2) become 0.25 at fluoroscopy, (1) becomes 0.26 and (2) become 0.16 at exposure. Irradiation field overlaps on the area (+) compensating filter (-) was many with d of right anterior oblique (RAO)/cranial (CAU), a of RAO and c of CAU at left coronary angiography (CAG), c of left anterior oblique (LAO) at right CAG, b of LAO/cranial (CRA) (left CAG), b of CRA (right CAG) and a and d of RAO (right CAG) at both CAG. Irradiation field overlaps on the area (+) compensating filter (+) was many with b of CRA at left CAG, a of LAO/CRA at right CAG, b of CRA (left CAG) and b of RAO (right CAG) at both CAG. When the compensating filter is used the entrance surface dose reduction effect was great. If automatic exposure control protects the part of irradiation field overlaps on the area in the range without operating excessively, the radiological risk can be reduced, and it is conceivable as useful clinical setting. (author)

  16. Study of the Electrolytic Reduction of Uranium Oxide in LiCl-Li2O Molten Salts with an Integrated Cathode Assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Sung Bin; Seo, Chung Seok; Kang, Dae Seung; Kwon, Seon Gil; Park, Seong Won

    2005-01-01

    The electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide in a LiCl-Li 2 O molten salt system has been studied in a 10 g U 3 O 3 /batch-scale experimental apparatus with an integrated cathode assembly at 650 .deg. C. The integrated cathode assembly consists of an electric conductor, the uranium oxide to be reduced and the membrane for loading the uranium oxide. From the cyclic voltammograms for the LiCl-3 wt% Li 3 O system and the U 3 O 3 -LiCl-3 wt% Li 2 O system according to the materials of the membrane in the cathode assembly, the mechanisms of the predominant reduction reactions in the electrolytic reactor cell were to be understood; direct and indirect electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide. Direct and indirect electrolytic reductions have been performed with the integrated cathode assembly. Using the 325-mesh stainless steel screen the uranium oxide failed to be reduced to uranium metal by a direct and indirect electrolytic reduction because of a low current efficiency and with the porous magnesia membrane the uranium oxide was reduced successfully to uranium metal by an indirect electrolytic reduction because of a high current efficiency.

  17. Orbital period changes in RW CrA, DX Vel and V0646 Cen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volkov, I. M.; Chochol, D.; Grygar, J.; Mašek, M.; Juryšek, J.

    2017-06-01

    We aim to determine the absolute parameters of the components of southern Algol-type binaries with deep eclipses RW CrA, DX Vel, V0646 Cen and interpret their orbital period changes. The data analysis is based on a high quality Walraven photoelectric photometry, obtained in the 1960-70s, our recent CCD photometry, ASAS (Pojmanski, 2002), and Hipparcos (Perryman et al., 1997) photometry of the objects. Their light curves were analyzed using the PHOEBE program with fixed effective temperatures of the primary components, found from disentangling the Walraven (B-U) and (V-B) colour indices. We found the absolute parameters of the components of all three objects. All reliable observed times of minimum light were used to construct and analyze the Eclipse Time Variation (ETV) diagrams. We interpreted the ETV diagrams of the detached binary RW CrA and the semi-detached binary DX Vel by a LIght-Time Effect (LITE), estimated parameters of their orbits and masses of their third bodies. We suggest a long term variation of the inclination angle of both eclipsing binaries, caused by a non-coplanar orientation of their third body orbits. We interpreted the detected orbital period increase in the semi-detached binary V0646 Cen by a mass transfer from the less to more massive component with the rate M⊙ = 6.08×10-9 M⊙/yr.

  18. Variable Stellar and Circumstellar Properties of the Young Binary VV CrA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avilez, Ian; Prato, Lisa A.; Allen, Thomas; Wright-Garba, Nuria Meilani Laure; Biddle, Lauren; Muzzio, Ryan

    2017-01-01

    VV CrA is a 2 arcsecond young binary system in the Corona Australis star forming region. The NE component, fainter in the near-infrared and invisible at optical wavelengths, dominates in the thermal infrared. The system has drawn attention because of its high degree of variability, significant cicrumstellar emission, and the mysterious nature of the infrared companion. Using high-resolution H- and K-band spectroscopy taken with the NIRSPEC spectrometer at the 10 m Keck II telescope, we have for the first time determined the spectral types of both components: the optically dominant primary is an M0 and the infrared compaion is an earlier K7 type star. Both components show significant and variable levels of H-band veiling, observed over 4 to 5 epochs during a period of 4 years; at times the veiling almost completely obscures the photospheric absorption lines. Hydrogen emission lines are observed at both H (Brackett 16) and K (Brackett gamma), consistent with the high rates of mass accretion described in previous studies. We determine values of Vsin(i), effective temperature, veiling, and radial velocity for both components and describe these results in the context of models of the nature and orientation of the system proposed by Smith et al. (2009) and Scicluna et al. (2016). The geometry of the VV CrA system may present a unique opportunity to study not only young star evolution in the binary environment but also to explore cirumstellar disk structure in high detail.Support for this research was provided by an REU supplement to NSF award AST-1313399.

  19. REDUCTION OF CYCLE TIME IN SCREW AIR COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY LINE USING KAIZEN SURVEY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Rajenthirakumar

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In this competitive world, any company has to fulfill its customer needs to survive in the market. Lean manufacturing is a technique that can be adopted in a company to improve the quality of its products, reduce the cost of the production and also deliver the products in less time. The goal of this work is to show the applicability of lean manufacturing’s body of knowledge in a screw air compressor manufacturing company. Here, the main objective is to evolve and test several methodologies to eliminate wastes in the assembly line as the company at present unable to meet the customer demand. A systematic approach is suggested for the implementation of lean principles to showcase that lean could be applied to the compressor assembly line to enhance the productivity thereby making the line more efficient. In the current assembly line there was no work standardization followed by absence of kaizen that has led to an increased assembly time. Thus with the help of lean tools and techniques such as 5S, kaizen, standardization, visual management, poke yoke and string diagram the total cycle time has been reduced from 236 to 209 minutes. This reduction has benefitted the company in meeting the customer demand, increased profit and work satisfaction.

  20. Hybrid CMS methods with model reduction for assembly of structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farhat, Charbel

    1991-01-01

    Future on-orbit structures will be designed and built in several stages, each with specific control requirements. Therefore there must be a methodology which can predict the dynamic characteristics of the assembled structure, based on the dynamic characteristics of the subassemblies and their interfaces. The methodology developed by CSC to address this issue is Hybrid Component Mode Synthesis (HCMS). HCMS distinguishes itself from standard component mode synthesis algorithms in the following features: (1) it does not require the subcomponents to have displacement compatible models, which makes it ideal for analyzing the deployment of heterogeneous flexible multibody systems, (2) it incorporates a second-level model reduction scheme at the interface, which makes it much faster than other algorithms and therefore suitable for control purposes, and (3) it does answer specific questions such as 'how does the global fundamental frequency vary if I change the physical parameters of substructure k by a specified amount?'. Because it is based on an energy principle rather than displacement compatibility, this methodology can also help the designer to define an assembly process. Current and future efforts are devoted to applying the HCMS method to design and analyze docking and berthing procedures in orbital construction.

  1. Characterization of the radiation environment of the inner heliosphere using LRO/CRaTER and EMMREM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joyce, Colin J.

    2016-08-01

    I provide a characterization of the radiation environment of the inner heliosphere from mid-2009 to present using measurements made by the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and modelling provided by the Earth-Moon-Mars Radiation Environment Module (EMMREM). In the course of this study, I analyze solar energetic particle (SEP) radiation in the form of four major solar events that occurred during this time range as well as the evolution of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) modulation over a period in which relatively calm solar conditions have resulted in the highest GCR fluxes measured in the space age. Using CRaTER measurements taken during three major solar events that occurred in 2012, I demonstrate a validation of the online PREDICCS system (Predictions of radiation from REleASE, EMMREM, and Data Incorporating CRaTER, COSTEP, and other SEP measurements), which uses EMMREM to provide near real-time radiation modelling at the Earth, Moon and Mars, finding PREDICCS to be quite accurate in modelling the peak dose rates and total accumulated doses for major solar events. Having demonstrated the accuracy of PREDICCS/EMMREM in modelling SEP events, EMMREM is used to provide an analysis of the potential radiation hazard of the extreme solar event observed by STEREO A on 23 July 2012, an event which has drawn comparisons to the historic Carrington event due to the exceptional size and record speed of the interplanetary coronal mass ejection associated with it. Such an event might be viewed as something like a worst case scenario in terms of the threat of SEP radiation to astronauts, however the evidence shown here suggests that, with the benefit of heavy protective shielding, astronauts would not have been exposed to levels of radiation that approach NASA's permissible exposure limits. These findings add to a mounting set of evidence which suggests that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the largest radiation

  2. Characteristics of an integrated cathode assembly for the electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide in a LiCl-Li2O molten salt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sung Bin Park; Byung Heung Park; Sang Mun Jeong; Jin Mok Hur; Chung Seok Seo; Seong Won Park; Seung-Hoon Choi

    2006-01-01

    Electrochemical behavior of the reduction of uranium oxide was studied in a LiCl-Li 2 O molten salt system with an integrated cathode assembly. The mechanism for the electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide was studied through cyclic voltammetry. By means of a chronopotentiometry, the effects of the thickness of the uranium oxide, the thickness of the MgO membrane and the material of the conductor of an integrated cathode assembly on the overpotential of the cathode were investigated. From the voltamograms, the reduction potential of the uranium oxide and Li 2 O was obtained and the two mechanisms of the electrolytic reduction were considered with regard to the applied cathode potential. From the chronopotentiograms, the exchange current, the transfer coefficient and the maximum allowable current based on the Tafel behavior were obtained with regard to the thickness of the uranium oxide, and of the MgO membrane and the material of the conductor of an integrated cathode assembly. (author)

  3. Competing Risk Approach (CRA) for Estimation of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY's) for Female Breast Cancer in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunnavil, Radhika; Thirthahalli, Chethana; Nooyi, Shalini Chandrashekar; Shivaraj, N S; Murthy, Nandagudi Srinivasa

    2015-10-01

    Competing Risk Approach (CRA) has been used to compute burden of disease in terms of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) based on a life table for an initially disease-free cohort over time. To compute Years of Life Lost (YLL) due to premature mortality, Years of life lost due to Disability (YLD), DALYs and loss in expectation of life (LEL) using competing risk approach for female breast cancer patients for the year 2008 in India. The published data on breast cancer by age & sex, incidence & mortality for the year 2006-2008 relating to six population based cancer registries (PBCR) under Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), general mortality rates of 2007 in India, published in national health profile 2010; based on Sample Registration System (SRS) were utilized for computations. Three life tables were constructed by applying attrition of factors: (i) risk of death from all causes ('a'; where a is the general death rate); (ii) risk of incidence and that of death from causes other than breast cancer ('b-a+c'; where 'b' is the incidence of breast cancer and 'c' is the mortality of breast cancer); and (iii) risk of death from all other causes after excluding cancer mortality ('a-c'). Taking the differences in Total Person Years Lived (TPYL), YLD and YLL were derived along with LEL. CRA revealed that the DALYs were 40209 per 100,000 females in the life time of 0-70+ years with a LEL of 0.11 years per person. Percentage of YLL to DALYs was 28.20% in the cohort. The method of calculation of DALYs based on the CRA is simple and this will help to identify the burden of diseases using minimal information in terms of YLL, YLD, DALYs and LEL.

  4. Effect of pulverization of the bulk powder on the hydration of creatine anhydrate tablets and their pharmaceutical properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakata, Yukoh; Shiraishi, Sumihiro; Otsuka, Makoto

    2005-12-10

    The hydration behavior and expansion properties of untreated and pulverized creatine anhydrate (CRA) tablets were studied under 60 and 75%RH at 25 degrees C by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The tablet hardness of untreated and pulverized CRA tablets was significantly decreased after hydration. There was a linear relationship between the degree of hydration and the tablet hardness of untreated CRA tablets compressed at 1000 kg/cm2. In contrast, the relationship between the degree of hydration and the tablet hardness of pulverized CRA tablets was nonlinear. These results suggest that the reduction in hardness of pulverized CRA tablets does not depend solely on the hydration level of crystal water. PXRD analysis indicated that the diffraction pattern of the pulverized CRA powder was similar to that of the untreated CRA powder. However, the diffraction intensity of the pulverized CRA powder was slightly lower than that of the untreated CRA powder at high angle. The micropore radius of both untreated and pulverized CRA tablets was significantly increased after hydration, but analysis of the relationship between micropore radius and fractional hydration of crystal water showed that untreated CRA tablets were more affected than pulverized CRA tablets. Therefore, the reduction in tablet hardness depends not only on the hydration behavior but also on the crystal orientation of the CRA powder.

  5. Final Report: Contractor Readiness Assessment (CRA) for TREAT Fuel Movement and Control Rod Drives Isolation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rowsell, David Leon [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2015-06-01

    This report documents the Contractor Readiness Assessment (CRA) for TREAT Fuel Movement and Control Rod Drives Isolation. The review followed the approved Plan of Action (POA) and Implementation Plan (IP) using the identified core requirements. The activity was limited scope focusing on the control rod drives functional isolation and fuel element movement. The purpose of this review is to ensure the facility's readiness to move fuel elements thus supporting inspection and functionally isolate the control rod drives to maintain the required shutdown margin.

  6. Nuclear fuel assembly seismic amplitude limiter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anthony, A.J.

    1977-01-01

    The ability of a nuclear reactor to withstand high seismic loading is enhanced by including, on each fuel assembly, at least one seismic grid which reduces the magnitude of the possible lateral deflection of the individual fuel elements and the entire fuel assembly. The reduction in possible deflection minimizes the possibility of impact of the spacer grids of one fuel assembly on those of an adjacent fuel assembly and reduces the magnitude of forces associated with any such impact thereby minimizing the possibility of fuel assembly damage as a result of high seismic loading. The seismic grid is mounted from the fuel assembly guide tubes, has greater external dimensions when compared to the fuel assembly spacer grids and normally does not support or otherwise contact the fuel elements. The reduction in possible deflection is achieved through reduction of the clearance between adjacent fuel assemblies made possible by the use in the seismic grid of a high strength material characterized by favorable thermal expansion characteristics and minimal irradiation induced expansion

  7. Instruments for assessing the burden of informal caregiving for stroke patients in clinical practice: a comparison of CSI, CRA, SCQ and self-rated burden

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Exel, N. Job A.; Scholte op Reimer, Wilma J. M.; Brouwer, Werner B. F.; van den Berg, Bernard; Koopmanschap, Marc A.; van den Bos, Geertrudis A. M.

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To compare the feasibility, convergent and clinical validity of three commonly used burden scales: Caregiver Strain Index (CSI), Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA) and Sense of Competence Questionnaire (SCQ), with a self-developed single question on self-rated burden (SRB). Subjects:

  8. Design improvement for fretting-wear reduction of HANARO fuel assembly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Yeong Garp; Chae, H. T.; Ryu, J. S.; Kim, H. R

    2000-06-01

    In the course of the visual inspection of the fuel assemblies un-loaded from the reactor core in December 1996, it was observed that many of fuel assemblies had mechanical damages on some components. The major damage was the freting-wear on spacer plates and endplates due to the flow induced vibration of the fuel assembly in the flow tube. Since the reactor is activated and the system modification for complete removal of the driving factors of the vibration of fuel assemblies is practically very difficult, the focus has been on the design change of the fuel assemblies. Consequently, various design changes were proposed to strengthen the wear resistance of the components based on the evaluation of the visual inspection results. The validity of the proposals was verified through the performance tests for the modified components, and the vibration test and endurance test for the fuel assemblies using the single-channel test rig(SCTR) in AECL.The subsequent design changes were additionally proposed based on the visual inspections for the fuel assemblies that had been fabricated according to the first design change and loaded in the core. As the effects of the first design change, the fretting-wear of spacer plates was remarkably reduced and the period until fretting-wear damage was extended by 60% for the first modified 36-rod fuel assembly. It is too early to say the endurance life time for the first modified 18-rod fuel assembly because of insufficient statistical data of only two bundles damaged, but the fretting-wear at the bottom endplate slot was reduced to about 50%. The second modified fuel assemblies, that were not loaded into the core yet, are expected to meet the design requirements for the core residence time due to strengthening the weak parts from the fretting-wear point of view. This report describes design changes and tests for fuel assemblies of HANARO to reduce the fretting-wear, and estimates the effects of design improvement quantitatively compared

  9. Design improvement for fretting-wear reduction of HANARO fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Yeong Garp; Chae, H. T.; Ryu, J. S.; Kim, H. R.

    2000-06-01

    In the course of the visual inspection of the fuel assemblies un-loaded from the reactor core in December 1996, it was observed that many of fuel assemblies had mechanical damages on some components. The major damage was the freting-wear on spacer plates and endplates due to the flow induced vibration of the fuel assembly in the flow tube. Since the reactor is activated and the system modification for complete removal of the driving factors of the vibration of fuel assemblies is practically very difficult, the focus has been on the design change of the fuel assemblies. Consequently, various design changes were proposed to strengthen the wear resistance of the components based on the evaluation of the visual inspection results. The validity of the proposals was verified through the performance tests for the modified components, and the vibration test and endurance test for the fuel assemblies using the single-channel test rig(SCTR) in AECL.The subsequent design changes were additionally proposed based on the visual inspections for the fuel assemblies that had been fabricated according to the first design change and loaded in the core. As the effects of the first design change, the fretting-wear of spacer plates was remarkably reduced and the period until fretting-wear damage was extended by 60% for the first modified 36-rod fuel assembly. It is too early to say the endurance life time for the first modified 18-rod fuel assembly because of insufficient statistical data of only two bundles damaged, but the fretting-wear at the bottom endplate slot was reduced to about 50%. The second modified fuel assemblies, that were not loaded into the core yet, are expected to meet the design requirements for the core residence time due to strengthening the weak parts from the fretting-wear point of view. This report describes design changes and tests for fuel assemblies of HANARO to reduce the fretting-wear, and estimates the effects of design improvement quantitatively compared

  10. Superlattice assembly of graphene oxide (GO) and titania nanosheets: fabrication, in situ photocatalytic reduction of GO and highly improved carrier transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Xingke; Ma, Renzhi; Ozawa, Tadashi C.; Sakai, Nobuyuki; Funatsu, Asami; Sasaki, Takayoshi

    2014-11-01

    Two different kinds of two-dimensional (2D) materials, graphene oxide (GO) and titanium oxide nanosheets (Ti0.87O20.52-), were self-assembled layer-by-layer using a polycation as a linker into a superlattice film. Successful construction of an alternate molecular assembly was confirmed by atomic force microscopy and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy as well as X-ray diffraction analysis. Exposure of the resulting film to UV light effectively promoted photocatalytic reduction of GO as well as decomposition of the polycation, which are due to their intimate molecular-level contact. The reduction completed within 3 hours, bringing about a decrease of the sheet resistance by ~106. This process provides a clean and mild route to reduced graphene oxide (rGO), showing advantages over other chemical and thermal reduction processes. A field-effect-transistor device was fabricated using the resulting superlattice assembly of rGO/Ti0.87O20.52- as a channel material. The rGO in the film was found to work as a unipolar n-type conductor, which is in contrast to ambipolar or unipolar p-type behavior mostly reported for rGO films. This unique property may be associated with the electron doping effect from Ti0.87O20.52- nanosheets. A significant improvement in the conductance and electron carrier mobility by more than one order of magnitude was revealed, which may be accounted for by the heteroassembly with Ti0.87O20.52- nanosheets with a high dielectric constant as well as the better 2D structure of rGO produced via the soft photocatalytic reduction.Two different kinds of two-dimensional (2D) materials, graphene oxide (GO) and titanium oxide nanosheets (Ti0.87O20.52-), were self-assembled layer-by-layer using a polycation as a linker into a superlattice film. Successful construction of an alternate molecular assembly was confirmed by atomic force microscopy and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy as well as X-ray diffraction analysis. Exposure of the resulting film to UV light

  11. The Culture Repopulation Ability (CRA) Assay and Incubation in Low Oxygen to Test Antileukemic Drugs on Imatinib-Resistant CML Stem-Like Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheloni, Giulia; Tanturli, Michele

    2016-01-01

    Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a stem cell-driven disorder caused by the BCR/Abl oncoprotein, a constitutively active tyrosine kinase (TK). Chronic-phase CML patients are treated with impressive efficacy with TK inhibitors (TKi) such as imatinib mesylate (IM). However, rather than definitively curing CML, TKi induces a state of minimal residual disease, due to the persistence of leukemia stem cells (LSC) which are insensitive to this class of drugs. LSC persistence may be due to different reasons, including the suppression of BCR/Abl oncoprotein. It has been shown that this suppression follows incubation in low oxygen under appropriate culture conditions and incubation times.Here we describe the culture repopulation ability (CRA) assay, a non-clonogenic assay capable - together with incubation in low oxygen - to reveal in vitro stem cells endowed with marrow repopulation ability (MRA) in vivo. The CRA assay can be used, before moving to animal tests, as a simple and reliable method for the prescreening of drugs potentially active on CML and other leukemias with respect to their activity on the more immature leukemia cell subsets.

  12. Inverted-conical light guide for crosstalk reduction in tightly-packed scintillator matrix and MAPMT assembly

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chang, Y.-Y.; Chen, P.; Huang, J.-J.

    2015-01-01

    In this paper we present the Inverted-Conical light guide designed for optical crosstalk reduction in the scintillator-MAPMT assemblies. The research was motivated by the 30% crosstalk observed in UFFO X-ray telescope, UBAT, during the preliminary calibration with MAPMTs of 64 2.88 × 2.88 mm2...... pixels and identically gridded YSO crystal matrices. We began the study with the energy and crosstalk calibrations of the detector, then we constructed a GEANT4 simulation with the customized metallic film model as the MAPMT photocathode. The simulation reproduced more than 70% of the crosstalk...... and explained it as a consequence of the total reflection produced by the photocathode. The result indicated that the crosstalk mechanism could be a common case in most of the contact-assembled scintillation detectors. The concept of the Inverted-Conical light guide was to suppress the total reflection...

  13. New amphiphilic glycopolypeptide conjugate capable of self-assembly in water into reduction-sensitive micelles for triggered drug release

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Hui-Kang [DSAPM Lab and PCFM Lab, Department of Polymer and Materials Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Zhang, Li-Ming, E-mail: ceszhlm@mail.sysu.edu.cn [DSAPM Lab and PCFM Lab, Department of Polymer and Materials Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

    2014-08-01

    For the development of biomimetic carriers for stimuli-sensitive delivery of anticancer drugs, a novel amphiphilic glycopolypeptide conjugate containing the disulfide bond was prepared for the first time by the ring-opening polymerization of benzyl glutamate N-carboxy anhydride in the presence of (propargyl carbamate)ethyl dithio ethylamine and then click conjugation with α-azido dextran. Its structure was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. Owing to its amphiphilic nature, such a conjugate could self assemble into nanosize micelles in aqueous medium, as confirmed by fluorometry, transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. For the resultant micelles, it was found to encapsulate poorly water-soluble anticancer drug (methotrexate, MTX) with the loading efficiency of 45.2%. By the in vitro drug release tests, the release rate of encapsulated MTX was observed to be accelerated significantly in the presence of 10 mM 1,4-dithio-DL-threitol (DTT), analogous to the intracellular redox potential. - Graphical abstract: New amphiphilic glycopolypeptide conjugate containing the disulfide bond could self-assemble in aqueous solution into reduction-sensitive micelles for triggered release of an anticancer drug (methotrexate, MTX) in the presence of 10 mM 1,4-dithio-DL-threitol (DTT). - Highlights: • Amphiphilic glycopolypeptide conjugate containing disulfide bond was prepared. • Such a conjugate self assembled in aqueous solution into nanosize micelles. • The resultant micelles could encapsulate effectively methotrexate drug. • The drug-loaded micelles showed a reduction-sensitive drug release behavior.

  14. New amphiphilic glycopolypeptide conjugate capable of self-assembly in water into reduction-sensitive micelles for triggered drug release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Hui-Kang; Zhang, Li-Ming

    2014-01-01

    For the development of biomimetic carriers for stimuli-sensitive delivery of anticancer drugs, a novel amphiphilic glycopolypeptide conjugate containing the disulfide bond was prepared for the first time by the ring-opening polymerization of benzyl glutamate N-carboxy anhydride in the presence of (propargyl carbamate)ethyl dithio ethylamine and then click conjugation with α-azido dextran. Its structure was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. Owing to its amphiphilic nature, such a conjugate could self assemble into nanosize micelles in aqueous medium, as confirmed by fluorometry, transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. For the resultant micelles, it was found to encapsulate poorly water-soluble anticancer drug (methotrexate, MTX) with the loading efficiency of 45.2%. By the in vitro drug release tests, the release rate of encapsulated MTX was observed to be accelerated significantly in the presence of 10 mM 1,4-dithio-DL-threitol (DTT), analogous to the intracellular redox potential. - Graphical abstract: New amphiphilic glycopolypeptide conjugate containing the disulfide bond could self-assemble in aqueous solution into reduction-sensitive micelles for triggered release of an anticancer drug (methotrexate, MTX) in the presence of 10 mM 1,4-dithio-DL-threitol (DTT). - Highlights: • Amphiphilic glycopolypeptide conjugate containing disulfide bond was prepared. • Such a conjugate self assembled in aqueous solution into nanosize micelles. • The resultant micelles could encapsulate effectively methotrexate drug. • The drug-loaded micelles showed a reduction-sensitive drug release behavior

  15. NatB domain-containing CRA-1 antagonizes hydrolase ACER-1 linking acetyl-CoA metabolism to the initiation of recombination during C. elegans meiosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Jinmin; Kim, Hyun-Min; Elia, Andrew E; Elledge, Stephen J; Colaiácovo, Monica P

    2015-03-01

    The formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) must take place during meiosis to ensure the formation of crossovers, which are required for accurate chromosome segregation, therefore avoiding aneuploidy. However, DSB formation must be tightly regulated to maintain genomic integrity. How this regulation operates in the context of different chromatin architectures and accessibility, and how it is linked to metabolic pathways, is not understood. We show here that global histone acetylation levels undergo changes throughout meiotic progression. Moreover, perturbations to global histone acetylation levels are accompanied by changes in the frequency of DSB formation in C. elegans. We provide evidence that the regulation of histone acetylation requires CRA-1, a NatB domain-containing protein homologous to human NAA25, which controls the levels of acetyl-Coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) by antagonizing ACER-1, a previously unknown and conserved acetyl-CoA hydrolase. CRA-1 is in turn negatively regulated by XND-1, an AT-hook containing protein. We propose that this newly defined protein network links acetyl-CoA metabolism to meiotic DSB formation via modulation of global histone acetylation.

  16. A study of integrated cathode assembly for electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide in LiCl-Li2O molten salt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Sung Bin; Seo, Jung Seok; Kang, Dae Seung; Kwon, Sun Kil; Park, Seong Won

    2004-01-01

    Interest of electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide is increasing in treatment of spent metal fuels. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has reported the experimental results of electrochemical reduction of uranium oxide fuel in bench-scale apparatus with cyclic voltammetry, and has designed high-capacity reduction (HCR) cells and conducted three kg-scale UO 2 reduction runs. From the cyclic voltammograms, the mechanism of electrolytic reduction of metal oxides is analyzed. The uranium oxide in LiCl-Li 2 O is converted to uranium metal according to the two mechanism; direct and indirect electrolytic reduction. In this study, cyclic voltammograms for LiCl-3wt% Li 2 O system and U 3 O 8 -LiCl-3wt% Li 2 O system using the 325-mesh stainless steel screen in cathode assembly have been obtained. Direct electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide in LiCl-3wt% Li 2 O molten salt has been conducted

  17. Reduction-sensitive micelles self-assembled from amphiphilic chondroitin sulfate A-deoxycholic acid conjugate for triggered release of doxorubicin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hongxia; Wu, Shuqin; Yu, Jingmou; Fan, Dun; Ren, Jin; Zhang, Lei; Zhao, Jianguo

    2017-06-01

    Reduction-sensitive chondroitin sulfate A (CSA)-based micelles were developed. CSA was conjugated with deoxycholic acid (DOCA) via a disulfide linkage. The bioreducible conjugate (CSA-ss-DOCA) can form self-assembled micelles in aqueous medium. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of CSA-ss-DOCA conjugate is 0.047mg/mL, and its mean diameter is 387nm. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was chosen as a model drug, and was effectively encapsulated into the micelles with high loading efficiency. Reduction-sensitive micelles and reduction-insensitive control micelles displayed similar DOX release behavior in phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH7.4). Notably, DOX release from the reduction-sensitive micelles in vitro was accelerated in the presence of 20mM glutathione-containing PBS environment. Moreover, DOX-loaded CSA-ss-DOCA (CSA-ss-DOCA/DOX) micelles exhibited intracellular reduction-responsive characteristics in human gastric cancer HGC-27 cells determined by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Furthermore, CSA-ss-DOCA/DOX micelles demonstrated higher antitumor efficacy than reduction-insensitive control micelles in HGC-27 cells. These results suggested that reduction-sensitive CSA-ss-DOCA micelles had the potential as intracellular targeted carriers of anticancer drugs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Impact of global transcriptional regulation by ArcA, ArcB, Cra, Crp, Cya, Fnr, and Mlc on glucose catabolism in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perrenoud, Annik; Sauer, Uwe

    2005-05-01

    Even though transcriptional regulation plays a key role in establishing the metabolic network, the extent to which it actually controls the in vivo distribution of metabolic fluxes through different pathways is essentially unknown. Based on metabolism-wide quantification of intracellular fluxes, we systematically elucidated the relevance of global transcriptional regulation by ArcA, ArcB, Cra, Crp, Cya, Fnr, and Mlc for aerobic glucose catabolism in batch cultures of Escherichia coli. Knockouts of ArcB, Cra, Fnr, and Mlc were phenotypically silent, while deletion of the catabolite repression regulators Crp and Cya resulted in a pronounced slow-growth phenotype but had only a nonspecific effect on the actual flux distribution. Knockout of ArcA-dependent redox regulation, however, increased the aerobic tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity by over 60%. Like aerobic conditions, anaerobic derepression of TCA cycle enzymes in an ArcA mutant significantly increased the in vivo TCA flux when nitrate was present as an electron acceptor. The in vivo and in vitro data demonstrate that ArcA-dependent transcriptional regulation directly or indirectly controls TCA cycle flux in both aerobic and anaerobic glucose batch cultures of E. coli. This control goes well beyond the previously known ArcA-dependent regulation of the TCA cycle during microaerobiosis.

  19. Effect of color removal agent on textiles waste water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khomsaton Abu Bakar; Selambakknu, Sarala; Jamaliah Shariff; Ting, Teo Ming; Khairul Zaman Dahlan

    2010-01-01

    The effect of color removal agent (CRA) on textile waste water has been studied. The aim of this work is to determine the optimum condition for CRA to react on the textile waste water and to see the effect of CRA on waste water with different Chemical Oxygen Demand. 8 ml CRA was used to treat 800 mls of sample with various COD ranging between 2500 mg/ l-500 mg/ l. The results showed that CRA totally remove the colour of textile waste water at pH ranging from 6 to 8. At an optimum condition CRA works efficiently on waste water with COD 2300 mg/ l for reduction of suspended solid and turbidity. It also observed, sludge accumulation was depended on COD concentration. Color removal curves for different initial COD concentration also obtained. (author)

  20. NatB domain-containing CRA-1 antagonizes hydrolase ACER-1 linking acetyl-CoA metabolism to the initiation of recombination during C. elegans meiosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinmin Gao

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs must take place during meiosis to ensure the formation of crossovers, which are required for accurate chromosome segregation, therefore avoiding aneuploidy. However, DSB formation must be tightly regulated to maintain genomic integrity. How this regulation operates in the context of different chromatin architectures and accessibility, and how it is linked to metabolic pathways, is not understood. We show here that global histone acetylation levels undergo changes throughout meiotic progression. Moreover, perturbations to global histone acetylation levels are accompanied by changes in the frequency of DSB formation in C. elegans. We provide evidence that the regulation of histone acetylation requires CRA-1, a NatB domain-containing protein homologous to human NAA25, which controls the levels of acetyl-Coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA by antagonizing ACER-1, a previously unknown and conserved acetyl-CoA hydrolase. CRA-1 is in turn negatively regulated by XND-1, an AT-hook containing protein. We propose that this newly defined protein network links acetyl-CoA metabolism to meiotic DSB formation via modulation of global histone acetylation.

  1. Assembly, alignment and test of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) optical assemblies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balonek, Gregory; Brown, Joshua J.; Andre, James E.; Chesbrough, Christian D.; Chrisp, Michael P.; Dalpiaz, Michael; Lennon, Joseph; Richards, B. C.; Clark, Kristin E.

    2017-08-01

    The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will carry four visible waveband, seven-element, refractive F/1.4 lenses, each with a 34 degree diagonal field of view. This paper describes the methods used for the assembly, alignment and test of the four flight optical assemblies. Prior to commencing the build of the four flight optical assemblies, a Risk Reduction Unit (RRU) was successfully assembled and tested [1]. The lessons learned from the RRU were applied to the build of the flight assemblies. The main modifications to the flight assemblies include the inking of the third lens element stray light mitigation, tighter alignment tolerances, and diamond turning for critical mechanical surfaces. Each of the optical assemblies was tested interferometrically and measured with a low coherence distance measuring interferometer (DMI) to predict the optimal shim thickness between the lens assembly and detector before -75°C environmental testing. In addition to individual test data, environmental test results from prior assemblies allow for the exploration of marginal performance differences between each of the optical assemblies.

  2. Corrosion caused by elevator and spider marks on CRA pipe: Comparison of conventional inserts and a new gripping system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-05-01

    Corrosion-resistant alloys (CRA) are used to reduce corrosion damage to casing and tubing strings and prolong the life span of the well pipe. An analysis of various corrosion mechanisms shows that surface integrity is an important factor in corrosion prevention. Surface damage caused by inappropriate handling or conventional slip markings contribute directly to the development and propagation of corrosion. A newly developed gripping system distributes the load equally onto a large number of small peaks, minimizing the indentation of each single peak. The new gripping system does not damage the surface integrity of the pipe, virtually eliminating the corrosion potential.

  3. The Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) as a model paradigm for the management of adolescents with substance use disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godley, Susan H; Smith, Jane Ellen; Passetti, Lora L; Subramaniam, Geetha

    2014-01-01

    Integrated treatment for youth with substance use disorders (SUDs) and co-occurring psychiatric disorders is recommended; however, there are few studies that have evaluated integrated treatment approaches. This paper includes a brief review of cognitive-behavioral and family therapies, since they have been demonstrated to be effective treatments for the disorders that commonly co-occur with substance use. It also describes how an integrated treatment paradigm has been implemented using one Empirically Supported Treatment, the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA). There is existing research that supports the use of several A-CRA procedures to treat substance use and commonly co-occurring psychiatric disorders. In the absence of further research, it is reasonable in the interim to train clinicians in treatments that incorporate components that have been found to be effective for both substance use and commonly co-occurring psychiatric disorders. These treatments can then be adapted as needed based on an individual youth's set of problems. Further research is needed to test treatments for various combinations of SUDs and psychiatric disorders (i.e., depression, trauma-related problems, conduct disorder/behavior problems, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]).

  4. SAGE: String-overlap Assembly of GEnomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ilie, Lucian; Haider, Bahlul; Molnar, Michael; Solis-Oba, Roberto

    2014-09-15

    De novo genome assembly of next-generation sequencing data is one of the most important current problems in bioinformatics, essential in many biological applications. In spite of significant amount of work in this area, better solutions are still very much needed. We present a new program, SAGE, for de novo genome assembly. As opposed to most assemblers, which are de Bruijn graph based, SAGE uses the string-overlap graph. SAGE builds upon great existing work on string-overlap graph and maximum likelihood assembly, bringing an important number of new ideas, such as the efficient computation of the transitive reduction of the string overlap graph, the use of (generalized) edge multiplicity statistics for more accurate estimation of read copy counts, and the improved use of mate pairs and min-cost flow for supporting edge merging. The assemblies produced by SAGE for several short and medium-size genomes compared favourably with those of existing leading assemblers. SAGE benefits from innovations in almost every aspect of the assembly process: error correction of input reads, string-overlap graph construction, read copy counts estimation, overlap graph analysis and reduction, contig extraction, and scaffolding. We hope that these new ideas will help advance the current state-of-the-art in an essential area of research in genomics.

  5. Nuclear fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Betten, P.R.

    1976-01-01

    Under the invention the fuel assembly is particularly suitable for liquid metal cooled fast neutron breeder reactors. Hence, according to the invention a fuel assembly cladding includes inward corrugations with respect to the remainder of the cladding according to a recurring pattern determined by the pitch of the metal wire helically wound round the fuel rods of the assembly. The parts of the cladding pressed inwards correspond to the areas in which the wire encircling the peripheral fuel rods is generally located apart from the cladding, thereby reducing the play between the cladding and the peripheral fuel rods situated in these areas. The reduction in the play in turn improves the coolant flow in the internal secondary channels of the fuel assembly to the detriment of the flow in the peripheral secondary channels and thereby establishes a better coolant fluid temperature profile [fr

  6. Assembly of Modified Ferritin Proteins on Carbon Nanotubes and its Electrocatalytic Activity for Oxygen Reduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jae-Woo; Lillehei, Peter T.; Park, Cheol

    2012-01-01

    Highly effective dispersions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be made using a commercially available buffer solution. Buffer solutions of 3-(N-morpholino)-propanesulfonic acid (MOPS), which consists of a cyclic ring with nitrogen and oxygen heteroatoms, a charged group, and an alkyl chain greatly enhance the dispersibility and stability of CNTs in aqueous solutions. Additionally, the ability of biomolecules, especially cationized Pt-cored ferritins, to adhere onto the well-dispersed CNTs in the aqueous buffer solution is also improved. This was accomplished without the use of surfactant molecules, which are detrimental to the electrical, mechanical, and other physical properties of the resulting products. The assembled Pt-cored ferritin proteins on the CNTs were used as an electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction

  7. Gold nanoparticle assemblies of controllable size obtained by hydroxylamine reduction at room temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tódor, István Sz.; Szabó, László; Marişca, Oana T.; Chiş, Vasile; Leopold, Nicolae

    2014-12-01

    Colloidal nanoparticle assemblies (NPAs) were obtained in a one-step procedure, by reduction of HAuCl4 by hydroxylamine hydrochloride, at room temperature, without the use of any additional nucleating agent. By changing the order of the reactants, NPAs with mean size of 20 and 120 nm were obtained. Because of their size and irregular popcorn like shape, the larger size NPAs show absorption in the NIR spectral region. The building blocks of the resulted nanoassemblies are spherical nanoparticles with diameters of 4-8 and 10-30 nm, respectively. Moreover, by stabilizing the colloid with bovine serum albumin at different time moments after synthesis, NPAs of controlled size between 20 and 120 nm, could be obtained. The NPAs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, TEM and SEM electron microscopies. In addition, the possibility of using the here proposed NPAs as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate was assessed and found to provide a higher enhancement compared to conventional citrate-reduced nanoparticles.

  8. A Case Study Application of the Aggregate Exposure Pathway (AEP) and Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) Frameworks to Facilitate the Integration of Human Health and Ecological End Points for Cumulative Risk Assessment (CRA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cumulative risk assessment (CRA) methods promote the use of a conceptual site model (CSM) to apportion exposures and integrate risk from multiple stressors. While CSMs may encompass multiple species, evaluating end points across taxa can be challenging due to data availability an...

  9. Inverted-conical light guide for crosstalk reduction in tightly-packed scintillator matrix and MAPMT assembly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, Y.-Y., E-mail: gixd@hep1.phys.ntu.edu.tw [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Leung Center for Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chen, C.R. [National Space Organization (NSPO), 8F., No. 9, Prosperity 1 s Rd., Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu 30078, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chen, P.; Huang, J.-J. [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Leung Center for Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Huang, M.A. [Leung Center for Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Energy Engineering, National United University, 1, Lienda, Miaoli 36003, Taiwan, ROC (China); Liu, T.-C. [Leung Center for Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Nam, J.W. [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Leung Center for Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wang, M.-Z., E-mail: mzwang@hep1.phys.ntu.edu.tw [Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Leung Center for Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Bogomolov, V. [Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 119234 (Russian Federation); Physics Department of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 119234 (Russian Federation); Brandt, S.; Budtz-Jørgensen, C. [National Space Institute, Astrophysics, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens, Lyngby (Denmark); and others

    2015-01-21

    In this paper we present the Inverted-Conical light guide designed for optical crosstalk reduction in the scintillator-MAPMT assemblies. The research was motivated by the 30% crosstalk observed in UFFO X-ray telescope, UBAT, during the preliminary calibration with MAPMTs of 64 2.88×2.88 mm{sup 2} pixels and identically gridded YSO crystal matrices. We began the study with the energy and crosstalk calibrations of the detector, then we constructed a GEANT4 simulation with the customized metallic film model as the MAPMT photocathode. The simulation reproduced more than 70% of the crosstalk and explained it as a consequence of the total reflection produced by the photocathode. The result indicated that the crosstalk mechanism could be a common case in most of the contact-assembled scintillation detectors. The concept of the Inverted-Conical light guide was to suppress the total reflection by contracting the incident angle of the scintillation. We optimized the design in the simulation and fabricated a test sample. The test sample reduced 52% crosstalk with a loss of 6% signal yield. The idea of the Inverted-Conical light guide can be adapted by scintillation detectors multi-pixel, imaging-purpose scintillation detectors such as the ultra-fast GRB observatory UFFO-UBAT, whose performances are sensitive to responding time, image resolution, and geometrical modifications.

  10. Inverted-conical light guide for crosstalk reduction in tightly-packed scintillator matrix and MAPMT assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Y.-Y.; Chen, C.R.; Chen, P.; Huang, J.-J.; Huang, M.A.; Liu, T.-C.; Nam, J.W.; Wang, M.-Z.; Bogomolov, V.; Brandt, S.; Budtz-Jørgensen, C.

    2015-01-01

    In this paper we present the Inverted-Conical light guide designed for optical crosstalk reduction in the scintillator-MAPMT assemblies. The research was motivated by the 30% crosstalk observed in UFFO X-ray telescope, UBAT, during the preliminary calibration with MAPMTs of 64 2.88×2.88 mm 2 pixels and identically gridded YSO crystal matrices. We began the study with the energy and crosstalk calibrations of the detector, then we constructed a GEANT4 simulation with the customized metallic film model as the MAPMT photocathode. The simulation reproduced more than 70% of the crosstalk and explained it as a consequence of the total reflection produced by the photocathode. The result indicated that the crosstalk mechanism could be a common case in most of the contact-assembled scintillation detectors. The concept of the Inverted-Conical light guide was to suppress the total reflection by contracting the incident angle of the scintillation. We optimized the design in the simulation and fabricated a test sample. The test sample reduced 52% crosstalk with a loss of 6% signal yield. The idea of the Inverted-Conical light guide can be adapted by scintillation detectors multi-pixel, imaging-purpose scintillation detectors such as the ultra-fast GRB observatory UFFO-UBAT, whose performances are sensitive to responding time, image resolution, and geometrical modifications

  11. Heterojunction nanowires having high activity and stability for the reduction of oxygen: Formation by self-assembly of iron phthalocyanine with single walled carbon nanotubes (FePc/SWNTs)

    KAUST Repository

    Zhu, Jia; Jia, Nana; Yang, Lijun; Su, Dong; Park, Jinseong; Choi, YongMan; Gong, Kuanping

    2014-01-01

    A self-assembly approach to preparing iron phthalocyanine/single-walled carbon nanotube (FePc/SWNT) heterojunction nanowires as a new oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst has been developed by virtue of water-adjusted dispersing in 1

  12. Gold nanoparticle assemblies of controllable size obtained by hydroxylamine reduction at room temperature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tódor, István Sz.; Szabó, László; Marişca, Oana T.; Chiş, Vasile; Leopold, Nicolae, E-mail: nicolae.leopold@phys.ubbcluj.ro [Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Physics (Romania)

    2014-12-15

    Colloidal nanoparticle assemblies (NPAs) were obtained in a one-step procedure, by reduction of HAuCl{sub 4} by hydroxylamine hydrochloride, at room temperature, without the use of any additional nucleating agent. By changing the order of the reactants, NPAs with mean size of ∼20 and ∼120 nm were obtained. Because of their size and irregular popcorn like shape, the larger size NPAs show absorption in the NIR spectral region. The building blocks of the resulted nanoassemblies are spherical nanoparticles with diameters of 4–8 and 10–30 nm, respectively. Moreover, by stabilizing the colloid with bovine serum albumin at different time moments after synthesis, NPAs of controlled size between 20 and 120 nm, could be obtained. The NPAs were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, TEM and SEM electron microscopies. In addition, the possibility of using the here proposed NPAs as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate was assessed and found to provide a higher enhancement compared to conventional citrate-reduced nanoparticles.

  13. Comparing Memory-Efficient Genome Assemblers on Stand-Alone and Cloud Infrastructures

    KAUST Repository

    Kleftogiannis, Dimitrios A.; Kalnis, Panos; Bajic, Vladimir B.

    2013-01-01

    methodologies, we propose two general assembly strategies that can improve short-read assembly approaches and result in reduction of the memory footprint. Finally, we discuss the possibility of utilizing cloud infrastructures for genome assembly and we comment

  14. A unique highly hydrophobic anticancer prodrug self-assembled nanomedicine for cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Guolian; Jiang, Mengjuan; Xue, Peng; Wang, Jing; Wang, Yongjun; Chen, Bo; He, Zhonggui

    2016-11-01

    In contrast with common thought, we generated highly hydrophobic anticancer prodrug self-assembled nanoparticles without the aid of surface active substances, based on the conjugation of docetaxel to d-α-tocopherol succinate. The reduction-sensitive prodrug was synthesized with a disulfide bond inserted into the linker and was compared with a control reduction-insensitive prodrug. The morphology and stability of self-assembled nanoparticles were investigated. Cytotoxicity and apoptosis assays showed that the reduction-sensitive nanoparticles had higher anticancer activity than the reduction-insensitive nanoparticles. The reduction-sensitive nanoparticles exhibited favorable in vivo antitumor activity and tolerance compared with docetaxel Tween80-containing formulation and the reduction-insensitive nanoparticles. Taken together, the unique nanomedicine demonstrated a number of advantages: (i) ease and reproducibility of preparation, (ii) high drug payload, (iii) superior stability, (iv) prolonged circulation, and (v) improved therapeutic effect. This highly reproducible molecular assembly strategy should motivate the development of new nanomedicines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. New self-assembled material based on Ru nanoparticles and 4-sulfocalix[4]arene as an efficient and recyclable catalyst for reduction of brilliant yellow azo dye in water: a new model catalytic reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rambabu, Darsi; Pradeep, Chullikkattil P.; Dhir, Abhimanew, E-mail: abhimanew@iitmandi.ac.in [Indian Institute of Technology (India)

    2016-12-15

    New self-assembled material (Ru@SC) with ruthenium nanoparticles (Ru NPs) and 4-sulfocalix[4]arene (SC) is synthesized in water at room temperature. Ru@SC is characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis, FT-IR, powder x-ray diffraction, TEM and SEM analysis. The size of Ru nanoparticles in the self-assembly is approximately 5 nm. The self-assembled material Ru@SC shows an efficient catalytic reduction of toxic ‘brilliant yellow’ (BY) azo dye. The reduced amine products were successfully separated and confirmed by single-crystal XRD, NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Ru@SC showed a better catalytic activity in comparison with commercial catalysts Ru/C (ruthenium on charcoal 5 %) and Pd/C (palladium on charcoal 5 and 10 %). The catalyst also showed a promising recyclability and heterogeneous nature as a catalyst for reduction of ‘BY’ azo dye.

  16. Simulation Of Assembly Processes With Technical Of Virtual Reality

    Science.gov (United States)

    García García, Manuel; Arenas Reina, José Manuel; Lite, Alberto Sánchez; Sebastián Pérez, Miguel Ángel

    2009-11-01

    Virtual reality techniques use at industrial processes provides a real approach to product life cycle. For components manual assembly, the use of virtual surroundings facilitates a simultaneous engineering in which variables such as human factors and productivity take a real act. On the other hand, in the actual phase of industrial competition it is required a rapid adjustment to client needs and to market situation. In this work it is analyzed the assembly of the front components of a vehicle using virtual reality tools and following up a product-process design methodology which includes every life service stage. This study is based on workstations design, taking into account productive and human factors from the ergonomic point of view implementing a postural study of every assembly operation, leaving the rest of stages for a later study. Design is optimized applying this methodology together with the use of virtual reality tools. It is also achieved a 15% reduction on time assembly and of 90% reduction in muscle—skeletal diseases at every assembly operation.

  17. Fuel Assembly Damping Summary

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Kanghee; Kang, Heungseok; Oh, Dongseok; Yoon, Kyungho; Kim, Hyungkyu; Kim, Jaeyong [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-10-15

    This paper summary the fuel assembly damping data in air/in still water/under flow, released from foreign fuel vendors, compared our data with the published data. Some technical issues in fuel assembly damping measurement testing are also briefly discussed. Understanding of each fuel assembly damping mechanisms according to the surrounding medium and flow velocity can support the fuel design improvement in fuel assembly dynamics and structural integrity aspect. Because the upgraded requirements of the newly-developed advanced reactor system will demands to minimize fuel design margin in integrity evaluation, reduction in conservatism of fuel assembly damping can contribute to alleviate the fuel design margin for sure. Damping is an energy dissipation mechanism in a vibrating mechanical structure and prevents a resonant structure from having infinite vibration amplitudes. The sources of fuel assembly damping are various from support friction to flow contribution, and it can be increased by the viscosity or drag of surrounding fluid medium or the average velocity of water flowing. Fuel licensing requires fuel design evaluation in transient or accidental condition. Dynamic response analysis of fuel assembly is to show fuel integrity and requires information on assembly-wise damping in dry condition and under wet or water flowing condition. However, damping measurement test for the full-scale fuel assembly prototype is not easy to carry out because of the scale (fuel prototype, test facility), unsteadiness of test data (scattering, random sampling and processing), instrumentation under water flowing (water-proof response measurement), and noise. LWR fuel technology division in KAERI is preparing the infra structure for damping measurement test of full-scale fuel assembly, to support fuel industries and related research activities. Here is a preliminary summary of fuel assembly damping, published in the literature. Some technical issues in fuel assembly damping

  18. Conceptual design of reactor assembly of prototype fast breeder reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Selvaraj, A.; Balasubramaniyan, V.; Raghupathy, S.; Elango, D.; Sodhi, B.S.; Chetal, S.C.; Bhoje, S.B.

    1996-01-01

    The conceptual design of Reactor Assembly of 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (as selected in 1985) was reviewed with the aim of 'simplification of design', 'Compactness of the reactor assembly' and 'ease in construction'. The reduction in size has been possible by incorporating concentric core arrangement, adoption of elastomer seals for Rotatable plugs, fuel handling with one transfer arm type mechanism, incorporation of mechanical sealing arrangement for IHX at the penetration in Inner vessel redan and reduction in number of components. The erection of the components has been made easier by adopting 'hanging' support for roof slab with associated changes in the safety vessel design. This paper presents the conceptual design of the reactor assembly components. (author). 8 figs, 2 tabs

  19. Intercalation assembly of Li{sub 3}VO{sub 4} nanoribbons/graphene sandwich-structured composites with enhanced oxygen reduction catalytic performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, K.; Ling, Q.N.; Huang, C.H.; Bi, K. [State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications & School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); Wang, W.J.; Yang, T.Z. [Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Lu, Y.K. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083 (China); Liu, J., E-mail: liujun4982004@csu.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083 (China); Zhang, R.; Fan, D.Y.; Wang, Y.G. [State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications & School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China); Lei, Ming, E-mail: mlei@bupt.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications & School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China)

    2015-10-15

    Novel sandwich-like nanocomposites of alternative stacked ultrathin Li{sub 3}VO{sub 4} nanoribbons and graphene sheets (LVO-G) were successfully developed by a facile intercalation assembly method with a post heating treatment. The characterization results demonstrate that the average size of the Li{sub 3}VO{sub 4} nanoribbons with a non-layered crystal structure is a few micrometers in length, 50–100 nm in width and a few atomic layers in height. The addition of graphene sheets can modify the preferred orientation of the Li{sub 3}VO{sub 4} nanoribbons from (110) to (011) plane and restrict the growth of impurity phase at the same time. In addition, EIS analysis has also verified the reduced resistance and thus the enhance conductivity of LVO-G nanocomposites compared with bare Li{sub 3}VO{sub 4} nanoribbons. What's more, the electrocatalytic performances of these novel LVO-G nanocomposites for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solution are further investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), rotating disk electrode (RDE) and chronoamperometry test. It is found that the enhanced activity and stability of LVO-G can be attributed to the synergistic effect between the Li{sub 3}VO{sub 4} nanoribbons and graphene sheets with a larger reduction current density and a smaller onset potential value for LVO-G25 compared with LVO-G50 due to the change of components. - Highlights: • Novel sandwich-structured LVO-G by a facile intercalation assembly method. • Addition of G sheets can modify the preferred orientation of Li{sub 3}VO{sub 4} nanoribbon. • Enhanced ORR activity and stability due to synergistic effect are demonstrated.

  20. CRA-W's committee of intervention: analyse of catchments polluted with pesticides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noel, S; Bah, B B; Collinet, G; Buffet, D; Sorel, A; Hallet, V

    2008-01-01

    In the Walloon Region of Belgium, a committee of intervention has been created to investigate problems of pesticide contamination of various catchments use for drinking water production. This committee involves the Agricultural Research centre--Wallonia (CRA-W, project coordinator) and some University experts. It is funded by the Société Publique de Gestion des Eaux (SPGE). The diagnosis method, base on the AQUAPLAINE method (Arvatis-France), consists of 4 steps. The first step is the preparation of diagnosis (at the office) that takes into account the paper risk of active ingredients. and their uses, the identification of the agricultural parcels, the collection of cartographic and numeric data, the description of the hydrogeological and pedological contexts and the study of the meteorological data in relation with the period of pollution. The second step consists of making a plot diagnosis (on the field) to identify the way of transfer inside the plot and collecting data. At the third step, the people who can apply PPP treatment close to the catchment are met (farmers and city services). Information are collected on treatments applied and on the state of parcels. Based on the hypothesis of pollution cause, the committee proposes solution to solve the problem. One of the catchment that has been investigated by the committee is located at Biesmerée, (Namur province, in Belgium). A temporally contamination was caused by 4 pesticides : chlortoluron, isoproturon, trifluralin and diflufenican. After investigations, it seems that the pollution was probably due to the hydrogeological context. As the river is locally perched over the aquifer, the presence of Poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) could be due to the infiltration of surface water inside the catchment or/and to the presence of a sinkhole temporally activated during river flood period. Infiltration rate has to be assessed and river bank impermeabilization is recommended.

  1. Comparing the performances of electrochemical sensors using p-aminophenol redox cycling by different reductants on gold electrodes modified with self-assembled monolayers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia, Ning; Ma, Fengji; Zhao, Feng; He, Qige; Du, Jimin; Li, Sujuan; Chen, Jing; Liu, Lin

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Performances of p-AP redox cycling using different reductants on gold surface are compared. • Background current decreases in order of hydrazine, Na 2 SO 3 , NaBH 4 , NADH, cysteamine, and TCEP. • Chemical reaction rate with QI increases in order of NADH, TCEP, and cysteamine. • NADH, TCEP and cysteamine are suitable for p-AP redox cycling on gold electrode. -- Abstract: p-Aminophenol (p-AP) redox cycling using chemical reductants is one strategy for developing sensitive electrochemical sensors. However, most of the reported reductants are only used on indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrodes but not gold electrodes due to the high background current caused by the oxidation reaction of the reductants on the highly electrocatalytic gold electrodes. Therefore, new strategies and/or reductants are in demand for expanding the application of p-AP redox cycling on gold electrodes. In this work, we compared the performances of several reductants in p-AP redox cycling on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs)-modified gold electrodes. Among the tested reagents, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) and cysteamine were demonstrated to be suitable for p-AP redox cycling on the alkanethiol-modified gold electrodes because of their low background current. The rate of chemical reaction between reductants and p-quinone imine (QI, the electrochemically oxidized product of p-AP) increases in the order of NADH −1 was achieved. We believe that our work will be valuable for the development of electrochemical sensors using p-AP redox cycling on gold electrodes

  2. Self-assembled hierarchical direct Z-scheme g-C3N4/ZnO microspheres with enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nie, Ning; Zhang, Liuyang; Fu, Junwei; Cheng, Bei; Yu, Jiaguo

    2018-05-01

    Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into hydrocarbon fuels has been regarded as a promising approach to ease the greenhouse effect and the energy shortage. Herein, an electrostatic self-assembly method was exploited to prepare g-C3N4/ZnO composite microsphere. This method simply utilized the opposite surface charge of each component, achieving a hierarchical structure with intimate contact between them. A much improved photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity was attained. The CH3OH production rate was 1.32 μmol h-1 g-1, which was 2.1 and 4.1 times more than that of the pristine ZnO and g-C3N4, respectively. This facile design bestowed the g-C3N4/ZnO composite an extended light adsorption caused by multi-light scattering effect. It also guaranteed the uniform distribution of g-C3N4 nanosheets on the surface of ZnO microspheres, maximizing their advantage and synergistic effect. Most importantly, the preeminent performance was proposed and validated based on the direct Z-scheme. The recombination rate was considerably suppressed. This work features the meliority of constructing hierarchical direct Z-scheme structures in photocatalytic CO2 reduction reactions.

  3. Advanced Technologies to Improve Closure of Life Support Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barta, Daniel J.

    2016-01-01

    As NASA looks beyond the International Space Station toward long-duration, deep space missions away from Earth, the current practice of supplying consumables and spares will not be practical nor affordable. New approaches are sought for life support and habitation systems that will reduce dependency on Earth and increase mission sustainability. To reduce launch mass, further closure of Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) beyond the current capability of the ISS will be required. Areas of particular interest include achieving higher degrees of recycling within Atmosphere Revitalization, Water Recovery and Waste Management Systems. NASA is currently investigating advanced carbon dioxide reduction processes that surpass the level of oxygen recovery available from the Sabatier Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) on the ISS. Candidate technologies will potentially improve the recovery of oxygen from about 50% (for the CRA) to as much as 100% for technologies who's end product is solid carbon. Improving the efficiency of water recycling and recovery can be achieved by the addition of advanced technologies to recover water from brines and solid wastes. Bioregenerative technologies may be utilized for water reclaimation and also for the production of food. Use of higher plants will simultaneously benefit atmosphere revitalization and water recovery through photosynthesis and transpiration. The level at which bioregenerative technologies are utilized will depend on their comparative requirements for spacecraft resources including mass, power, volume, heat rejection, crew time and reliability. Planetary protection requirements will need to be considered for missions to other solar system bodies.

  4. The effect of aging upon CE and B and W control rod drives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grove, E.; Gunther, W.

    1991-01-01

    Though mechanically different, the control rod drive (CRD) systems used at both Combustion Engineering (CE) and Babcock and Wilcox (B and W) plants position the control rod assemblies (CRA) in the core in response to automatic or manual reactivity control signals. Both systems are also designed to provide a rapid insertion of the CRAs upon a loss of AC power. The CRD system consists of the actual drive mechanisms, power and control, rod position indication, and cooling system components. This aging evaluation included the individual absorber rods, and the fuel assembly and upper internal guide tubes, since failure of these components could preclude the insertion of the control assemblies. Aging and environmental degradation have resulted in system and component failures. Many of these failures caused dropped or slipped rods which adversely affected plant operations by resulting in power reductions, scrams, and safety system actuation. No CRD system failure has ever resulted in the inability to shut down a reactor. However, unplanned, automatic trips challenge the operation of the plants safety systems. Consequently, their occurrence represents a potentially significant increase in plant risk. System and component failures have resulted in four Information Notices during the past decade

  5. Update on the Worsening Particle Radiation Environment Observed by CRaTER and Implications for Future Human Deep-Space Exploration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwadron, N. A.; Rahmanifard, F.; Wilson, J.; Jordan, A. P.; Spence, H. E.; Joyce, C. J.; Blake, J. B.; Case, A. W.; de Wet, W.; Farrell, W. M.; Kasper, J. C.; Looper, M. D.; Lugaz, N.; Mays, L.; Mazur, J. E.; Niehof, J.; Petro, N.; Smith, C. W.; Townsend, L. W.; Winslow, R.; Zeitlin, C.

    2018-03-01

    Over the last decade, the solar wind has exhibited low densities and magnetic field strengths, representing anomalous states that have never been observed during the space age. As discussed by Schwadron, Blake, et al. (2014, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014SW001084), the cycle 23-24 solar activity led to the longest solar minimum in more than 80 years and continued into the "mini" solar maximum of cycle 24. During this weak activity, we observed galactic cosmic ray fluxes that exceeded theERobserved small solar energetic particle events. Here we provide an update to the Schwadron, Blake, et al. (2014, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014SW001084) observations from the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The Schwadron, Blake, et al. (2014, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014SW001084) study examined the evolution of the interplanetary magnetic field and utilized a previously published study by Goelzer et al. (2013, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JA019404) projecting out the interplanetary magnetic field strength based on the evolution of sunspots as a proxy for the rate that the Sun releases coronal mass ejections. This led to a projection of dose rates from galactic cosmic rays on the lunar surface, which suggested a ˜20% increase of dose rates from one solar minimum to the next and indicated that the radiation environment in space may be a worsening factor important for consideration in future planning of human space exploration. We compare the predictions of Schwadron, Blake, et al. (2014, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014SW001084) with the actual dose rates observed by CRaTER in the last 4 years. The observed dose rates exceed the predictions by ˜10%, showing that the radiation environment is worsening more rapidly than previously estimated. Much of this increase is attributable to relatively low-energy ions, which can be effectively shielded. Despite the continued paucity of solar activity, one of the hardest solar events in

  6. Fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurihara, Kunitoshi; Azekura, Kazuo.

    1992-01-01

    In a reactor core of a heavy water moderated light water cooled pressure tube type reactor, no sufficient effects have been obtained for the transfer width to a negative side of void reactivity change in a region of a great void coefficient. Then, a moderation region divided into upper and lower two regions is disposed at the central portion of a fuel assembly. Coolants flown into the lower region can be discharged to the cooling region from an opening disposed at the upper end portion of the lower region. Light water flows from the lower region of the moderator region to the cooling region of the reactor core upper portion, to lower the void coefficient. As a result, the reactivity performance at low void coefficient, i.e., a void reaction rate is transferred to the negative side. Thus, this flattens the power distribution in the fuel assembly, increases the thermal margin and enables rapid operaiton and control of the reactor core, as well as contributes to the increase of fuel burnup ratio and reduction of the fuel cycle cost. (N.H.)

  7. Highly controllable and green reduction of graphene oxide to flexible graphene film with high strength

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wan, Wubo; Zhao, Zongbin; Hu, Han; Gogotsi, Yury; Qiu, Jieshan

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Highly controllable and green reduction of GO to chemical converted graphene (CCG) was achieved with sodium citrate as a facile reductant. Self-assembly of the as-made CCG sheets results in a flexible CCG film, of which the tensile strength strongly depends on the deoxygenation degree of graphene sheets. - Highlights: • Graphene was synthesized by an effective and environmentally friendly approach. • We introduced a facile X-ray diffraction analysis method to investigate the reduction process from graphene oxide to graphene. • Flexible graphene films were prepared by self-assembly of the graphene sheets. • The strength of the graphene films depends on the reduction degree of graphene. - Abstract: Graphene film with high strength was fabricated by the assembly of graphene sheets derived from graphene oxide (GO) in an effective and environmentally friendly approach. Highly controllable reduction of GO to chemical converted graphene (CCG) was achieved with sodium citrate as a facile reductant, in which the reduction process was monitored by XRD analysis and UV–vis absorption spectra. Self-assembly of the as-made CCG sheets results in a flexible CCG film. This method may open an avenue to the easy and scalable preparation of graphene film with high strength which has promising potentials in many fields where strong, flexible and electrically conductive films are highly demanded

  8. Model Reduction in Dynamic Finite Element Analysis of Lightweight Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Flodén, Ola; Persson, Kent; Sjöström, Anders

    2012-01-01

    models may be created by assembling models of floor and wall structures into large models of complete buildings. When assembling the floor and wall models, the number of degrees of freedom quickly increases to exceed the limits of computer capacity, at least in a reasonable amount of computational time...... Hz. Three different methods of model reduction were investigated; Guyan reduction, component mode synthesis and a third approach where a new finite element model was created with structural elements. Eigenvalue and steady-state analyses were performed in order to compare the errors...

  9. Comparing memory-efficient genome assemblers on stand-alone and cloud infrastructures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleftogiannis, Dimitrios; Kalnis, Panos; Bajic, Vladimir B

    2013-01-01

    A fundamental problem in bioinformatics is genome assembly. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies produce large volumes of fragmented genome reads, which require large amounts of memory to assemble the complete genome efficiently. With recent improvements in DNA sequencing technologies, it is expected that the memory footprint required for the assembly process will increase dramatically and will emerge as a limiting factor in processing widely available NGS-generated reads. In this report, we compare current memory-efficient techniques for genome assembly with respect to quality, memory consumption and execution time. Our experiments prove that it is possible to generate draft assemblies of reasonable quality on conventional multi-purpose computers with very limited available memory by choosing suitable assembly methods. Our study reveals the minimum memory requirements for different assembly programs even when data volume exceeds memory capacity by orders of magnitude. By combining existing methodologies, we propose two general assembly strategies that can improve short-read assembly approaches and result in reduction of the memory footprint. Finally, we discuss the possibility of utilizing cloud infrastructures for genome assembly and we comment on some findings regarding suitable computational resources for assembly.

  10. Comparing Memory-Efficient Genome Assemblers on Stand-Alone and Cloud Infrastructures

    KAUST Repository

    Kleftogiannis, Dimitrios A.

    2013-09-27

    A fundamental problem in bioinformatics is genome assembly. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies produce large volumes of fragmented genome reads, which require large amounts of memory to assemble the complete genome efficiently. With recent improvements in DNA sequencing technologies, it is expected that the memory footprint required for the assembly process will increase dramatically and will emerge as a limiting factor in processing widely available NGS-generated reads. In this report, we compare current memory-efficient techniques for genome assembly with respect to quality, memory consumption and execution time. Our experiments prove that it is possible to generate draft assemblies of reasonable quality on conventional multi-purpose computers with very limited available memory by choosing suitable assembly methods. Our study reveals the minimum memory requirements for different assembly programs even when data volume exceeds memory capacity by orders of magnitude. By combining existing methodologies, we propose two general assembly strategies that can improve short-read assembly approaches and result in reduction of the memory footprint. Finally, we discuss the possibility of utilizing cloud infrastructures for genome assembly and we comment on some findings regarding suitable computational resources for assembly.

  11. Republic of Korea: Design Study for Passive Shutdown System of the PGSFR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, J.H.

    2015-01-01

    There have been no experiences of implementing a passive shutdown system in operating or operated SFRs around the world. However, new SFRs are considered to adopt a self-actuated shutdown system (SASS) in the future to provide an alternate means of passively shutting down the reactor. The Prototype Gen-IV SFR (PGSFR) developed by KAERI also adopts this system for the same reason. This passive shutdown design concept is combined with a group of secondary control rod drive mechanisms (SCRDM). The system automatically releases the control rod assembly (CRA) around the set temperature, and then drops the CRA by gravity without any external control signals and any actuating power in an emergency of the reactor. This paper describes the parametric design study of a passive shutdown system, which consists of a thermal expansion device, an electromagnet, and a secondary control rod assembly head. The conceptual design values of each component are also suggested. Parametric calculations are performed to check the suitability of the performance requirements of the thermal expansion device and electromagnets

  12. Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase assembled on graphene and application to glucose detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Ping; Shao Qian; Hu Yaojuan; Jin Juan; Yin Yajing; Zhang Hui; Cai Chenxin

    2010-01-01

    The direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOx) integrated with graphene was investigated. The voltammetric results indicated that GOx assembled on graphene retained its native structure and bioactivity, exhibited a surface-confined process, and underwent effective direct electron transfer (DET) reaction with an apparent rate constant (k s ) of 2.68 s -1 . This work also developed a novel approach for glucose detection based on the electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen at the GOx-graphene/GC electrode. The assembled GOx could electrocatalyze the reduction of dissolved oxygen. Upon the addition of glucose, the reduction current decreased, which could be used for glucose detection with a high sensitivity (ca. 110 ± 3 μA mM -1 cm -2 ), a wide linear range (0.1-10 mM), and a low detection limit (10 ± 2 μM). The developed approach can efficiently exclude the interference of commonly coexisting electroactive species due to the use of a low detection potential (-470 mV, versus SCE). Therefore, this study has not only successfully achieved DET reaction of GOx assembled on graphene, but also established a novel approach for glucose detection and provided a general route for fabricating graphene-based biosensing platform via assembling enzymes/proteins on graphene surface.

  13. Selective catalyst reduction light-off strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonze, Eugene V [Pinckney, MI

    2011-10-18

    An emissions control system includes a temperature determination module and an emissions control module. The temperature determination module determines a first temperature of a heater element of a diesel particulate filter (DPF) assembly in an exhaust system and determines a second temperature of a catalyst of the DPF assembly. The emissions control module selectively activates the heater element, selectively initiates a predefined combustion process in an engine based upon the first temperature, and selectively starts a reductant injection process based upon the second temperature.

  14. The Gerda Phase II detector assembly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bode, Tobias; Schoenert, Stefan [Physik-Department E15, Technische Universitaet Muenchen (Germany); Schwingenheuer, Bernhard [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Collaboration: GERDA-Collaboration

    2013-07-01

    Phase II of the Gerda (Germanium Detector Array) experiment will continue the search for the neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) of {sup 76}Ge. Prerequisites for Phase II are an increased target mass and a reduced background index of < 10 {sup -3} cts/(keV.kg.yr). Major hardware upgrades to achieve these requirements are scheduled for 2013. They include the deployment of a new radio pure low mass detector assembly. The structural properties of available radio-pure materials and reduction of mass necessitate a change of the electrical contacting used to bias and read-out the detectors. The detector assembly design and the favored contacting solution are presented.

  15. IMPROVEMENT FOR AN ASSEMBLY FLOW FOR A GIVEN COMPONENT (1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ancuţa BĂLTEANU,

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This study is carried out in a line of assembly of a finite wiring product. The assembly of this finished product is done in two specific sections. For the analysis of the activities in the assembly section, the timing method of the work stations was used. On the basis of the work times obtained and their centralization, the Keizen method was subsequently applied to obtain an improvement in the installation flow. Finally, a reduction in working times was achieved, as well as a more ergonomic arrangement of jobs. This paper is the first in a series of 3 papers to deal with this subject.

  16. Logistic indicators measurement in two assembly operations feeded by supply-chains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thiago Morais Menezes

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a methodology for the measurement of logistic indicators. The methodology was applied in two cases: a shoewear assembling manufacture and a air conditioning assembling operation, both feeded by supply-chains. The study of the assembling operation can be useful in synchronizing the supply-chain and reducing variability in order arrivals by forming an assembly buffer. The methodology applies quantitative and graphic analysis to evaluate leadtime, inventory, performance and buffer. The first case was an exploration of the model, testing and refine its quantitative part. The second case, more extended, studied, in quantitative and graphically modes, two serial processes: standard assembling of items delivered by a supply-chain and customized services. The case was discussed and the implications analyzed. With the so calculated indicators, we suggest inventory reduction in assembling and increase in customization, so the total leadtime can also be reduced. Key words:, Logistic indicators, Queues in manufacture, Manufacturing Control; Variability in Supply Chains, Supply Chain management.

  17. Assembling of Steel Angle Headframe of Multifunctional Purpose

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassikhina, E. G.; Pershin, V. V.; Volkov, V. M.

    2017-10-01

    The article reviews new technical solution on equipment provision of vertical shaft utilizing steel headframe of multifunctional purpose. Practice of construction of coal and ore mines provides application of various designs for steel angle headframes which are divided into separate large assembly blocks and constructive elements during assembling operations. Design of these blocks and elements, their weight and dimensions effect the chose of the method of assembling on which economic and technological indicators, as well as duration of down-time, depend on during performance of construction operations in shaft. The technical solution on equipment provision for mine vertical shaft using headframe of multifunctional purpose will allow changing the management construction of vertical shaft. The proposed headframe combines the functions of sinking and operation that eliminates costs for assembling/dissembling of temporary headgear. The constructive design of the headgear allows application of the effective method of assembly and thus to provide improvement of the technical and economic indexes, and high calendar time rate of the shaft construction due to reduction of duration of works on equipment provision for the shaft and to refurbishment of the shaft in order to carry out horizontal mining.

  18. Industrialisation, Trade Policy and Poverty Reduction: Evidence from Asia

    OpenAIRE

    Peter Warr

    2003-01-01

    Over recent decades, most of the developing economies of Asia achieved reductions in absolute poverty incidence, but these reductions varied greatly in size. Differences in the rate of aggregate economic growth explain part, but not all of these differences. One factor that would be important is the sectoral composition of the growth. This paper examines the relationship between poverty reduction outcomes and the rate of growth in the agricultural, industrial and services sectors. It assemble...

  19. 2014 Update of the Canadian Rheumatology Association/spondyloarthritis research consortium of Canada treatment recommendations for the management of spondyloarthritis. Part I: principles of the management of spondyloarthritis in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohekar, Sherry; Chan, Jon; Tse, Shirley M L; Haroon, Nigil; Chandran, Vinod; Bessette, Louis; Mosher, Dianne; Flanagan, Cathy; Keen, Kevin J; Adams, Karen; Mallinson, Michael; Thorne, Carter; Rahman, Proton; Gladman, Dafna D; Inman, Robert D

    2015-04-01

    The Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) and the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) have collaborated to update the recommendations for the management of spondyloarthritis (SpA). A working group was assembled and consisted of the SPARCC executive committee, rheumatologist leaders from SPARCC collaborating sites, Canadian rheumatologists from across the country with an interest in SpA (both academic and community), a rheumatology trainee with an interest in SpA, an epidemiologist/health services researcher, a member of the CRA executive, a member of the CRA therapeutics committee, and a patient representative from the Canadian Spondylitis Association. An extensive review was conducted of literature published from 2007 to 2014 involving the management of SpA. The working group created draft recommendations using multiple rounds of Web-based surveys and an in-person conference. A survey was sent to the membership of the CRA to obtain an extended review that was used to finalize the recommendations. Guidelines for the management of SpA were created. Part I focuses on the principles of management of SpA in Canada and includes 6 general management principles, 5 ethical considerations, target groups for treatment recommendations, 2 wait time recommendations, and recommendations for disease monitoring. Also included are 6 modifications for application to juvenile SpA. These recommendations were developed based on current literature and applied to a Canadian healthcare context. It is hoped that the implementation of these recommendations will promote best practices in the treatment of SpA.

  20. Vibration reduction at the engine-pumps assembly of the main moderator system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holostencu, Adriana; Dinu, Marius

    2005-01-01

    vibrations, (solution efficiency checked using the calibrated model). In order to reduce the pump-motor assembly vibrations, the EUROTEST/ Stevenson recommendation was to install 6 viscous dampers VES- 100. The modifications were completed in Outage 2002. After dampers coupling a considerable reduction on motor vibration level was noticed. The value read in MCR decreased from 9 mm/s to 2,5 mm/s. The results were confirmed by independent local measurements perform in field by CNE- PROD, Stevenson and Bently- Nevada teams. At the same time a slight increase of the vibration on the discharge header was noticed. The vibration regime in the discharge header was analysed by Stevenson in order to asses the impact of increased vibration on the system pipes. The analysis was made in accordance with ASME OM -S/ G. The conclusion of this analysis is that the vibrations regime for the moderator system including pumps, motors and pipes induces loads below the endurance limits. The same solution was also implemented at Quinshan NPP and it will be applied at Cernavoda NPP Unit 2

  1. Microbial modeling of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris CRA 7152 growth in orange juice with nisin added.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peña, Wilmer Edgard Luera; de Massaguer, Pilar Rodriguez

    2006-08-01

    The adaptation time of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris CRA 7152 in orange juice was determined as a response to pH (3 to 5.8), temperature (20 to 54 degrees C), soluble solids concentration ((o)Brix; 11 to 19 (o)Brix), and nisin concentration (0 to 70 IU/ ml) effects. A four-factor central composite rotational design was used. Viable microorganisms were enumerated by plating on K medium (pH 3.7). Two primary models were used to represent growth and adaptation time. A second-order polynomial model was applied to analyze the effects of factors. Results showed that the Baranyi and Roberts model was better than the modified Gompertz model, considering the determination coefficient (R2) for experimental data description. Inhibition of bacteria can be obtained through several studied combinations for at least 47 days of storage. The shortest period of adaptation was observed between 37 to 45 degrees C, with pHs between 4 and 5, yet the longest periods of adaptation could be obtained around 20 degrees C with pHs close to 3.0. Statistical analysis of the quadratic model showed that the adaptation time increased as temperature or pH decreased, and as nisin concentration or soluble solids increased. The model showed that adaptation time has a minimum value for juice without nisin added, with 13.5% soluble solids, pH 5.0, and incubated at 43.8 degrees C. The statistical parameters that validated this model were an R2 of 0.816, a bias factor of 0.96, and an accuracy factor of 1.14. Manipulation of more than one factor, as well as the use of an antimicrobial agent, can be an alternative to preventing the development of A. acidoterrestris in orange juice, thus contributing to increased orange juice shelf life.

  2. Metabolic characteristics of 13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin) and anti-tumour activity of the 13-cis-retinoic acid metabolite 4-oxo-13-cis-retinoic acid in neuroblastoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonawane, Poonam; Cho, Hwang Eui; Tagde, Ashujit; Verlekar, Dattesh; Yu, Alice L; Reynolds, C Patrick; Kang, Min H

    2014-12-01

    Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid; 13-cRA) is a differentiation inducer used to treat minimal residual disease after myeloablative therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma. However, more than 40% of children develop recurrent disease during or after 13-cRA treatment. The plasma concentrations of 13-cRA in earlier studies were considered subtherapeutic while 4-oxo-13-cis-RA (4-oxo-13-cRA), a metabolite of 13-cRA considered by some investigators as inactive, were greater than threefold higher than 13-cRA. We sought to define the metabolic pathways of 13-cRA and investigated the anti-tumour activity of its major metabolite, 4-oxo-13-cRA. Effects of 13-cRA and 4-oxo-13-cRA on human neuroblastoma cell lines were assessed by DIMSCAN and flow cytometry for cell proliferation, MYCN down-regulation by reverse transcription PCR and immunoblotting, and neurite outgrowth by confocal microscopy. 13-cRA metabolism was determined using tandem MS in human liver microsomes and in patient samples. Six major metabolites of 13-cRA were identified in patient samples. Of these, 4-oxo-13-cRA was the most abundant, and 4-oxo-13-cRA glucuronide was also detected at a higher level in patients. CYP3A4 was shown to play a major role in catalysing 13-cRA to 4-oxo-13-cRA. In human neuroblastoma cell lines, 4-oxo-13-cRA and 13-cRA were equi-effective at inducing neurite outgrowth, inhibiting proliferation, decreasing MYCN mRNA and protein, and increasing the expression of retinoic acid receptor-β mRNA and protein levels. We showed that 4-oxo-13-cRA is as active as 13-cRA against neuroblastoma cell lines. Plasma levels of both 13-cRA and 4-oxo-13-cRA should be evaluated in pharmacokinetic studies of isotretinoin in neuroblastoma. © 2014 The British Pharmacological Society.

  3. Fiber Optic pH Sensor with Self-Assembled Polymer Multilayer Nanocoatings

    OpenAIRE

    Shao, Li-Yang; Yin, Ming-Jie; Tam, Hwa-Yaw; Albert, Jacques

    2013-01-01

    A fiber-optic pH sensor based on a tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) with electrostatic self-assembly multilayer sensing film is presented. The pH sensitive polymeric film, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) was deposited on the circumference of the TFBG with the layer-by-layer (LbL) electrostatic self-assembly technique. The PDDA/PAA film exhibits a reduction in refractive index by swelling in different pH solutions. This effect results in wavelength s...

  4. Diffusion welded nonconsumable electrode assembly and use thereof for electrolytic production of metals and silicon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrne, Stephen C.; Vasudevan, Asuri K.

    1984-01-01

    A nonconsumable electrode assembly suitable for use in the production of metal by electrolytic reduction of a metal compound dissolved in a molten salt, the assembly comprising a metal conductor diffusion welded to a portion of a ceramic electrode body having a level of free metal or metal alloy sufficient to effect a metal bond.

  5. Nonconsumable electrode assembly and use thereof for the electrolytic production of metals and silicon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrne, Stephen C.; Ray, Siba P.

    1984-01-01

    A nonconsumable electrode assembly suitable for use in the production of metal by electrolytic reduction of a metal compound dissolved in a molten salt, the assembly comprising a metal conductor attached to a ceramic electrode body by a metal bond on a portion of the body having a level of free metal or metal alloy sufficient to effect a metal bond.

  6. Benchmark calculations of power distribution within fuel assemblies. Phase 2: comparison of data reduction and power reconstruction methods in production codes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2000-01-01

    Systems loaded with plutonium in the form of mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel show somewhat different neutronic characteristics compared with those using conventional uranium fuels. In order to maintain adequate safety standards, it is essential to accurately predict the characteristics of MOX-fuelled systems and to further validate both the nuclear data and the computation methods used. A computation benchmark on power distribution within fuel assemblies to compare different techniques used in production codes for fine flux prediction in systems partially loaded with MOX fuel was carried out at an international level. It addressed first the numerical schemes for pin power reconstruction, then investigated the global performance including cross-section data reduction methods. This report provides the detailed results of this second phase of the benchmark. The analysis of the results revealed that basic data still need to be improved, primarily for higher plutonium isotopes and minor actinides. (author)

  7. Conceptual Design on Primary Control Rod Drive Mechanism of a Prototype Gen-IV SFR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jae Han; Koo, Gyeong Hoi

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes the key concept of the drive mechanism, and suggests a required motor power and reducer gears to meet the functional design requirements, and a seismic response analysis of CRDM housing is performed to check its structural integrity. An AC servo motor is selected as a CRA driving power because it uses permanent magnets and is brushless type while DC motor needs a brush and a coil rotates. The control shim motor size is constrained by a housing diameter of 250mm. The driving system has several design requirements. To calculate the motor power, the drive shaft torque is needed. One part of the drive shaft has a lead screw, driving by a ball-nut. The ball screw driver torque (Tr) is calculated by some equations as follow; A servo motor with a nominal power of 100W, a nominal torque of 0.32 N-m (max. 0.48N-m) is selected considering a safety margin. Its diameter is about 50mm. The fast drive-in motor needs a strong power to insert enforcedly the stuck CRA into core within a required time. The motor sizes are calculated by the same procedure. The diameters are in the range of 80mm to 110mm by the insertion time (10 ∼ 24 seconds). The prototype Gen-IV SFR (sodium-cooled Fast Reactor) is of 150MWe capacity. The reactor has six primary control rod assemblies(CRAs). The primary control rod is used for power control, burn-up compensation and reactor shutdown in response to demands from the plant control or protection systems. The control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) consists of the drive motor assembly, the driveline, and its housing. The driveline consists of three concentric members of a drive shaft, a tension tube, and a position indicator rod, and it connects the drive motor assembly to the CRA. Main issue is that these many driving parts shall be enclosed within a limited housing diameter because the available pitch of CRDMs is limited by 300mm

  8. Conceptual Design on Primary Control Rod Drive Mechanism of a Prototype Gen-IV SFR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Jae Han; Koo, Gyeong Hoi [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-10-15

    This paper describes the key concept of the drive mechanism, and suggests a required motor power and reducer gears to meet the functional design requirements, and a seismic response analysis of CRDM housing is performed to check its structural integrity. An AC servo motor is selected as a CRA driving power because it uses permanent magnets and is brushless type while DC motor needs a brush and a coil rotates. The control shim motor size is constrained by a housing diameter of 250mm. The driving system has several design requirements. To calculate the motor power, the drive shaft torque is needed. One part of the drive shaft has a lead screw, driving by a ball-nut. The ball screw driver torque (Tr) is calculated by some equations as follow; A servo motor with a nominal power of 100W, a nominal torque of 0.32 N-m (max. 0.48N-m) is selected considering a safety margin. Its diameter is about 50mm. The fast drive-in motor needs a strong power to insert enforcedly the stuck CRA into core within a required time. The motor sizes are calculated by the same procedure. The diameters are in the range of 80mm to 110mm by the insertion time (10 ∼ 24 seconds). The prototype Gen-IV SFR (sodium-cooled Fast Reactor) is of 150MWe capacity. The reactor has six primary control rod assemblies(CRAs). The primary control rod is used for power control, burn-up compensation and reactor shutdown in response to demands from the plant control or protection systems. The control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) consists of the drive motor assembly, the driveline, and its housing. The driveline consists of three concentric members of a drive shaft, a tension tube, and a position indicator rod, and it connects the drive motor assembly to the CRA. Main issue is that these many driving parts shall be enclosed within a limited housing diameter because the available pitch of CRDMs is limited by 300mm.

  9. Nondestructive examination of Oconee 1 fuel assemblies after three cycles of irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pyecha, T.D.; Davis, H.H.; Mayer, J.T.; Guthrie, B.A. III; Larson, J.G.

    1979-09-01

    The Babcock and Wilcox Company (B and W) in conjunction with Duke Power Company is participating in a Department of Energy sponsored research and development program to qualify current design pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel assemblies for extended burnup (>40,000 MWd/mtU). The information obtained from this program will provide a basis for future design improvements in PWR fuel assemblies culminating in an extended burnup assembly having a nominal operating limit of approximately 50,000 MWd/mtU. An extension of the current assembly design to higher burnups will result in the following benefits: (1) lower uranium ore requirements, (2) greater fuel cycle efficiency, (3) reduction in spent fuel storage requirements, and (4) increased flexibility in tailoring fuel batch sizes to better accommodate the varying energy requirements of the utilities

  10. Full scale tests on remote handled FFTF fuel assembly waste handling and packaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allen, C.R.; Cash, R.J.; Dawson, S.A.; Strode, J.N.

    1986-01-01

    Handling and packaging of remote handled, high activity solid waste fuel assembly hardware components from spent FFTF reactor fuel assemblies have been evaluated using full scale components. The demonstration was performed using FFTF fuel assembly components and simulated components which were handled remotely using electromechanical manipulators, shielding walls, master slave manipulators, specially designed grapples, and remote TV viewing. The testing and evaluation included handling, packaging for current and conceptual shipping containers, and the effects of volume reduction on packing efficiency and shielding requirements. Effects of waste segregation into transuranic (TRU) and non-transuranic fractions also are discussed

  11. Multispectral Thermal Imager Optical Assembly Performance and Integration of the Flight Focal Plane Assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blake, Dick; Byrd, Don; Christensen, Wynn; Henson, Tammy; Krumel, Les; Rappoport, William; Shen, Gon-Yen

    1999-01-01

    The Multispectral Thermal Imager Optical Assembly (OA) has been fabricated, assembled, successfully performance tested, and integrated into the flight payload structure with the flight Focal Plane Assembly (FPA) integrated and aligned to it. This represents a major milestone achieved towards completion of this earth observing E-O imaging sensor that is to be operated in low earth orbit. The OA consists of an off-axis three mirror anastigmatic (TMA) telescope with a 36 cm unobscured clear aperture, a wide-field-of-view (WFOV) of 1.82 along the direction of spacecraft motion and 1.38 across the direction of spacecraft motion. It also contains a comprehensive on-board radiometric calibration system. The OA is part of a multispectral pushbroom imaging sensor which employs a single mechanically cooled focal plane with 15 spectral bands covering a wavelength range from 0.45 to 10.7 m. The OA achieves near diffraction-limited performance from visible to the long-wave infrared (LWIR) wavelengths. The two major design drivers for the OA are 80% enpixeled energy in the visible bands and radiometric stability. Enpixeled energy in the visible bands also drove the alignment of the FPA detectors to the OA image plane to a requirement of less than 20 m over the entire visible detector field of view (FOV). Radiometric stability requirements mandated a cold Lyot stop for stray light rejection and thermal background reduction. The Lyot stop is part of the FPA assembly and acts as the aperture stop for the imaging system. The alignment of the Lyot stop to the OA drove the centering and to some extent the tilt alignment requirements of the FPA to the OA

  12. Evaluación del tratamiento "C.R.A." en pacientes que asisten al área de adicciones del Centro de Rehabilitación de Alcohólicos de Cuenca, período abril-septiembre de 2002

    OpenAIRE

    Cabrera Orellana, Patricio Eduardo; Pintado Sacaquirin, César Manuel

    2003-01-01

    Se evaluó la eficacia del "Modelo CRA" de tratamiento para adictos al alcohol que asistieron al Área de Adicciones del Centro de Reposo y Adicciones [Antiguo Centro de Rehabilitación del Alcohólicos]. De Cuenca, en el período Abril-Septiembre de 2002 y comparar con otros resultados que han utilizado similar metodología. La eficacia se midió en función de la capacidad del modelo para cambiar algunas actitudes, pensamientos y sentimientos, medidos al ingreso y después de un mes de intervención,...

  13. Anode-cathode power distribution systems and methods of using the same for electrochemical reduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koehl, Eugene R; Barnes, Laurel A; Wiedmeyer, Stanley G; Williamson, Mark A; Willit, James L

    2014-01-28

    Power distribution systems are useable in electrolytic reduction systems and include several cathode and anode assembly electrical contacts that permit flexible modular assembly numbers and placement in standardized connection configurations. Electrical contacts may be arranged at any position where assembly contact is desired. Electrical power may be provided via power cables attached to seating assemblies of the electrical contacts. Cathode and anode assembly electrical contacts may provide electrical power at any desired levels. Pairs of anode and cathode assembly electrical contacts may provide equal and opposite electrical power; different cathode assembly electrical contacts may provide different levels of electrical power to a same or different modular cathode assembly. Electrical systems may be used with an electrolyte container into which the modular cathode and anode assemblies extend and are supported above, with the modular cathode and anode assemblies mechanically and electrically connecting to the respective contacts in power distribution systems.

  14. Heterogeneous MEMS device assembly and integration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topart, Patrice; Picard, Francis; Ilias, Samir; Alain, Christine; Chevalier, Claude; Fisette, Bruno; Paultre, Jacques E.; Généreux, Francis; Legros, Mathieu; Lepage, Jean-François; Laverdière, Christian; Ngo Phong, Linh; Caron, Jean-Sol; Desroches, Yan

    2014-03-01

    In recent years, smart phone applications have both raised the pressure for cost and time to market reduction, and the need for high performance MEMS devices. This trend has led the MEMS community to develop multi-die packaging of different functionalities or multi-technology (i.e. wafer) approaches to fabricate and assemble devices respectively. This paper reports on the fabrication, assembly and packaging at INO of various MEMS devices using heterogeneous assembly at chip and package-level. First, the performance of a giant (e.g. about 3 mm in diameter), electrostatically actuated beam steering mirror is presented. It can be rotated about two perpendicular axes to steer an optical beam within an angular cone of up to 60° in vector scan mode with an angular resolution of 1 mrad and a response time of 300 ms. To achieve such angular performance relative to mirror size, the microassembly was performed from sub-components fabricated from 4 different wafers. To combine infrared detection with inertial sensing, an electroplated proof mass was flip-chipped onto a 256×1 pixel uncooled bolometric FPA and released using laser ablation. In addition to the microassembly technology, performance results of packaged devices are presented. Finally, to simulate a 3072×3 pixel uncooled detector for cloud and fire imaging in mid and long-wave IR, the staggered assembly of six 512×3 pixel FPAs with a less than 50 micron pixel co-registration is reported.

  15. Chagas' disease: IgG isotypes against cytoplasmic (CRA) and flagellar (FRA) recombinant repetitive antigens of Trypanosoma cruzi in chronic Chagasic patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verçosa, A F A; Lorena, V M B; Carvalho, C L; Melo, M F A D; Cavalcanti, M G A; Silva, E D; Ferreira, A G P; Pereira, V R A; Souza, W V; Gomes, Y M

    2007-01-01

    The wide range of clinical Chagas' disease manifestations, of which heart involvement is the most significant, because of its characteristics, frequency and consequences, and lack of treatment and cure, justify research in this area. Specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody subclasses have been associated with human Chagas' disease. Thus, in this study, the profile of IgG subclasses against cytoplasmic (CRA) and flagellar (FRA) recombinant repetitive T. cruzi-specific antigens was correlated with cardiac (CARD, n=33), cardiodigestive (CD, n=7), and indeterminate (IND, n=20) forms of Chagas' disease by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IgG subclasses were detected in almost all Chagas patients studied. Nevertheless, only specific IgG2 isotype FRA was found with a significant statistical difference in CARD patients when compared to IND patients. This result suggests the potential use of this isotype for prognostic purposes, for monitoring the progression of chronic Chagas' disease, and for predicting the risk of CARD damage. This is important information, as it could help physicians to evaluate and manage the treatment of their patients. However, a follow-up study is necessary to confirm our result. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  16. Tribology study of reduced graphene oxide sheets on silicon substrate synthesized via covalent assembly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ou, Junfei; Wang, Jinqing; Liu, Sheng; Mu, Bo; Ren, Junfang; Wang, Honggang; Yang, Shengrong

    2010-10-19

    Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets were covalently assembled onto silicon wafers via a multistep route based on the chemical adsorption and thermal reduction of graphene oxide (GO). The formation and microstructure of RGO were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. Characterization by atomic force microscopy (AFM) was performed to evaluate the morphology and microtribological behaviors of the samples. Macrotribological performance was tested on a ball-on-plate tribometer. Results show that the assembled RGO possesses good friction reduction and antiwear ability, properties ascribed to its intrinsic structure, that is, the covalent bonding to the substrate and self-lubricating property of RGO.

  17. Fuel assembly design for APR1400 with low CBC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hah, Chang Joo, E-mail: changhah@kings.ac.kr [Department of NPP Engineering, KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-04-29

    APR 1400 is a PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) with rated power of 3983 MWth and 241 assemblies. Recently, demand for extremely longer cycle up to 24 months is increasing with challenge of higher critical boron concentration (CBC). In this paper, assembly design method of selecting Gd-rods is introduced to reduce CBC. The purpose of the method is to lower the critical boron concentration of the preliminary core loading pattern (PLP), and consequently to achieve more negative or less positive moderator temperature coefficient (MTC). In this method, both the ratio of the number of low-Gd rod to the number of high-Gd rod (r) and assembly average Gd wt% (w) are the decision variables. The target function is the amount of soluble boron concentration reduction, which can be converted to Δk{sub TARGET}. A set of new designed fuel assembly satisfies an objective function, min [f=∑{sub i}(Δk{sub FA}−Δk{sub i})], and enables a final loading pattern to reach a target CBC. The constraints required to determine a set of Δk are physically realizable pair, (r,w), and the sum of Δk of new designed assemblies as close to Δk{sub TARGET} as possible. New Gd-bearing assemblies selected based on valid pairs of (r,w) are replaced with existing assemblies in a PLP. This design methodology is applied to Shin-Kori Unit 3 Cycle 1 used as a reference model. CASMO-3/MASTER code is used for depletion calculation. CASMO-3/MASTER calculations with new designed assemblies produce lower CBC than the expected CBC, proving that the proposed method works successful.

  18. Low-Cost Radon Reduction Pilot Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rose, William B. [Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit, Champaign, IL (United States); Francisco, Paul W. [Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit, Champaign, IL (United States); Merrin, Zachary [Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit, Champaign, IL (United States)

    2015-09-01

    The aim of the research was to conduct a primary scoping study on the impact of air sealing between the foundation and the living space on radon transport reduction across the foundation-living space floor assembly. Fifteen homes in the Champaign, Illinois area participated in the study. These homes were instrumented for hourly continuous radon measurements and simultaneous temperature and humidity the foundation was improved. However, this improved isolation did not lead to significant reductions in radon concentration in the living space. Other factors such as outdoor temperature were shown to have an impact on radon concentration.

  19. Engineering of automated assembly of beam-shaping optics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haag, Sebastian; Sinhoff, Volker; Müller, Tobias; Brecher, Christian

    2014-03-01

    Beam-shaping is essential for any kind of laser application. Assembly technologies for beam-shaping subassemblies are subject to intense research and development activities and their technical feasibility has been proven in recent years while economic viability requires more efficient engineering tools for process planning and production ramp up of complex assembly tasks for micro-optical systems. The work presented in this paper aims for significant reduction of process development and production ramp up times for the automated assembly of micro-optical subassemblies for beam-collimation and beam-tilting. The approach proposed bridges the gap between the product development phase and the realization of automation control through integration of established software tools such as optics simulation and CAD modeling as well as through introduction of novel software tools and methods to efficiently describe active alignment strategies. The focus of the paper is put on the methodological approach regarding the engineering of assembly processes for beam-shaping micro-optics and the formal representation of assembly objectives similar to representation in mechanical assemblies. Main topic of the paper is the engineering methodology for active alignment processes based on the classification of optical functions for beam-shaping optics and corresponding standardized measurement setups including adaptable alignment algorithms. The concepts are applied to industrial use-cases: (1) integrated collimation module for fast- and slow-axis and (2) beam-tilting subassembly consisting of a fast-axis collimator and micro-lens array. The paper concludes with an overview of current limitations as well as an outlook on the next development steps considering adhesive bonding processes.

  20. In-Space Assembly Capability Assessment for Potential Human Exploration and Science Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jefferies, Sharon A.; Jones, Christopher A.; Arney, Dale C.; Stillwagen, Frederic H.; Chai, Patrick R.; Hutchinson, Craig D.; Stafford, Matthew A.; Moses, Robert W.; Dempsey, James A.; Rodgers, Erica M.; hide

    2017-01-01

    Human missions to Mars present several major challenges that must be overcome, including delivering multiple large mass and volume elements, keeping the crew safe and productive, meeting cost constraints, and ensuring a sustainable campaign. Traditional methods for executing human Mars missions minimize or eliminate in-space assembly, which provides a narrow range of options for addressing these challenges and limits the types of missions that can be performed. This paper discusses recent work to evaluate how the inclusion of in-space assembly in space mission architectural concepts could provide novel solutions to address these challenges by increasing operational flexibility, robustness, risk reduction, crew health and safety, and sustainability. A hierarchical framework is presented to characterize assembly strategies, assembly tasks, and the required capabilities to assemble mission systems in space. The framework is used to identify general mission system design considerations and assembly system characteristics by assembly strategy. These general approaches are then applied to identify potential in-space assembly applications to address each challenge. Through this process, several focus areas were identified where applications of in-space assembly could affect multiple challenges. Each focus area was developed to identify functions, potential assembly solutions and operations, key architectural trades, and potential considerations and implications of implementation. This paper helps to identify key areas to investigate were potentially significant gains in addressing the challenges with human missions to Mars may be realized, and creates a foundation on which to further develop and analyze in-space assembly concepts and assembly-based architectures.

  1. Industrial-scale spray layer-by-layer assembly for production of biomimetic photonic systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krogman, K C; Cohen, R E; Hammond, P T; Rubner, M F; Wang, B N

    2013-12-01

    Layer-by-layer assembly is a powerful and flexible thin film process that has successfully reproduced biomimetic photonic systems such as structural colour. While most of the seminal work has been carried out using slow and ultimately unscalable immersion assembly, recent developments using spray layer-by-layer assembly provide a platform for addressing challenges to scale-up and manufacturability. A series of manufacturing systems has been developed to increase production throughput by orders of magnitude, making commercialized structural colour possible. Inspired by biomimetic photonic structures we developed and demonstrated a heat management system that relies on constructive reflection of near infrared radiation to bring about dramatic reductions in heat content.

  2. Robotically Assembled Aerospace Structures: Digital Material Assembly using a Gantry-Type Assembler

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trinh, Greenfield; Copplestone, Grace; O'Connor, Molly; Hu, Steven; Nowak, Sebastian; Cheung, Kenneth; Jenett, Benjamin; Cellucci, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    This paper evaluates the development of automated assembly techniques for discrete lattice structures using a multi-axis gantry type CNC machine. These lattices are made of discrete components called "digital materials." We present the development of a specialized end effector that works in conjunction with the CNC machine to assemble these lattices. With this configuration we are able to place voxels at a rate of 1.5 per minute. The scalability of digital material structures due to the incremental modular assembly is one of its key traits and an important metric of interest. We investigate the build times of a 5x5 beam structure on the scale of 1 meter (325 parts), 10 meters (3,250 parts), and 30 meters (9,750 parts). Utilizing the current configuration with a single end effector, performing serial assembly with a globally fixed feed station at the edge of the build volume, the build time increases according to a scaling law of n4, where n is the build scale. Build times can be reduced significantly by integrating feed systems into the gantry itself, resulting in a scaling law of n3. A completely serial assembly process will encounter time limitations as build scale increases. Automated assembly for digital materials can assemble high performance structures from discrete parts, and techniques such as built in feed systems, parallelization, and optimization of the fastening process will yield much higher throughput.

  3. Sequence assembly

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scheibye-Alsing, Karsten; Hoffmann, S.; Frankel, Annett Maria

    2009-01-01

    Despite the rapidly increasing number of sequenced and re-sequenced genomes, many issues regarding the computational assembly of large-scale sequencing data have remain unresolved. Computational assembly is crucial in large genome projects as well for the evolving high-throughput technologies and...... in genomic DNA, highly expressed genes and alternative transcripts in EST sequences. We summarize existing comparisons of different assemblers and provide a detailed descriptions and directions for download of assembly programs at: http://genome.ku.dk/resources/assembly/methods.html....

  4. BP volume reduction equipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitamura, Yoshinori; Muroo, Yoji; Hamanaka, Isao

    2003-01-01

    A new type of burnable poison (BP) volume reduction system is currently being developed. Many BP rods, a subcomponent of spent fuel assemblies are discharged from nuclear power reactors. This new system reduces the overall volume of BP rods. The main system consists of BP rod cutting equipment, equipment for the recovery of BP cut pieces, and special transport equipment for the cut rods. The equipment is all operated by hydraulic press cylinders in water to reduce operator exposure to radioactivity. (author)

  5. Redesign of an in-market food processor for manufacturing cost reduction using DFMA methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akshay Harlalka

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Reducing the time and cost involved in the product development is very important to stay competitive in the market. Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA is a cost-reduction framework for designers to evaluate manufacturing aspects of a product design. A case study on an in-market food processor, this paper aims to demonstrate the significance of DFMA implementation on an Indian consumer product. Even though many DFMA case studies have been published till date, very few have dealt with the Indian consumer durables category. In this paper, various cost-reduction opportunities are identified in the design of a food processor manufactured by a reputed company in India. Using the DFMA study, design ideas are developed with an objective of reducing the overall manufacturing cost of the product. As a result of DFMA implementation, significant improvement in terms of the product’s architecture, assembly time and design efficiency is identified. Overall cost reduction of 0.25 USD (United States Dollar was achieved and an improvement in the Design for Assembly (DFA index from 15.99 to 19.93 is reported. This procedure utilized in this paper can be adopted for any consumer durable products of similar type and design improvements and cost reduction can be achieved.

  6. Formation of novel assembled silver nanostructures from polyglycol solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Jie; Liu Ke; Dai Zhihui; Feng Yuying; Bao Jianchun; Mo Xiangyin

    2006-01-01

    This paper described a simple and mild chemical reduction approach to prepare novel silver nanostructures with different morphologies. Dendritic silver nanostructure was obtained by a fast reduction reaction using hydrazine as a reducing agent in aqueous solution of polyglycol, while both the zigzag and linear Ag nanostructures were slowly assembled using polyglycol as a reducing agent. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) were used to characterize the obtained silver nanostructures. Fourier transform infrared absorption (FT-IR) spectra were recorded to show that there exists a certain coordination of the oxygen atoms in the polyglycol with Ag + ions in aqueous solution of the AgNO 3 /polyglycol. Furthermore, the examination of the morphologies of the products obtained at different stages of the reaction of Ag + ions with polyglycol revealed that such a coordination is of utmost importance for the formation of the silver nanostructures, namely polyglycol provided lots of active sites for the coordination, nucleation, growth and serves as backbones for directing the assembly of the metal particles formed. The formation mechanism of the dendritic silver nanostructure was called a coordination-reduction-nucleation-growth-fractal growth process. The strong surface plasmon absorption bands at 470 nm for the zigzag silver and at 405 nm for the dendritic silver were found

  7. Bacteriophage Assembly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anastasia A. Aksyuk

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Bacteriophages have been a model system to study assembly processes for over half a century. Formation of infectious phage particles involves specific protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions, as well as large conformational changes of assembly precursors. The sequence and molecular mechanisms of phage assembly have been elucidated by a variety of methods. Differences and similarities of assembly processes in several different groups of bacteriophages are discussed in this review. The general principles of phage assembly are applicable to many macromolecular complexes.

  8. Improving Energy Efficiency for the Vehicle Assembly Industry: A Discrete Event Simulation Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oumer, Abduaziz; Mekbib Atnaw, Samson; Kie Cheng, Jack; Singh, Lakveer

    2016-11-01

    This paper presented a Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model for investigating and improving energy efficiency in vehicle assembly line. The car manufacturing industry is one of the highest energy consuming industries. Using Rockwell Arena DES package; a detailed model was constructed for an actual vehicle assembly plant. The sources of energy considered in this research are electricity and fuel; which are the two main types of energy sources used in a typical vehicle assembly plant. The model depicts the performance measurement for process- specific energy measures of painting, welding, and assembling processes. Sound energy efficiency model within this industry has two-fold advantage: reducing CO2 emission and cost reduction associated with fuel and electricity consumption. The paper starts with an overview of challenges in energy consumption within the facilities of automotive assembly line and highlights the parameters for energy efficiency. The results of the simulation model indicated improvements for energy saving objectives and reduced costs.

  9. Technical verification for SMART fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chun, K. R.; Eom, K. B.; Seo, J. M.

    2011-12-01

    ο 1st year (2009.8.10-2009.12.31) - Test plan for candidated models/ - Fabrication of test components/ - Selection test and evaluation of test results/ - Fabrication of spacer grids for CHF test ο 2nd year (2010.1.1-2010.12.31) - Fabrication of spacer grids for CHF test/ - Fabrication of spacer grids for 17x17 ITL/ - Feasibility test and evaluation of test results/ - Fabrication of test CRA/ - Planning for out-of-pile test and fabrication of test components ο 3rd year (2011.1.1-2011.12.31) - Fabrication of out-of-pile test components and assemblies/ - Planning of components/fuel assemblies out-of-pile test/ - Performing components/fuel assemblies out-of-pile test/ - Test reports for out-of-pile tests/ - Licensing support

  10. Stabilization of 2D assemblies of silver nanoparticles by spin-coating polymers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Longyu; Pfirman, Aubrie; Chumanov, George, E-mail: gchumak@clemson.edu

    2015-12-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Spin-coating of polymers onto 2D assemblies of Ag NPs was used to stabilize the assemblies against aggregation. • The polymer filled the space between the particles leaving the metal surface uncoated and accessible to various chemical reactions. • Etching nanoparticles produced crater-like structures. - Abstract: Silver nanoparticles self-assembled on poly(4-vinylpyridine) modified surfaces were spin-coated with poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(butyl methacrylate) and polystyrene from anisole and toluene solutions. The polymers filled the space between the particles thereby providing stabilization of the assemblies against particle aggregation when dried or chemically modified. The polymers did not coat the top surface of the nanoparticles offering the chemical accessibility to the metal surface. This was confirmed by converting the stabilized nanoparticles into silver sulfide and gold clusters. Etching the nanoparticles resulted in crater-like polymeric structures with the cavities extending down to the underlying substrate. Electrochemical reduction of silver inside the craters was performed. The approach can be extended to other nanoparticle assemblies and polymers.

  11. 12 CFR 925.17 - Rebuttable presumptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... (CRA) performance evaluation, or a “Needs to Improve” CRA rating on its most recent formal, or if unavailable, informal or preliminary, CRA performance evaluation and a CRA rating of “Needs to Improve” or better on any immediately preceding CRA performance evaluation, the applicant shall provide or the Bank...

  12. Optimizing Transcriptome Assemblies for Eleusine indica Leaf and Seedling by Combining Multiple Assemblies from Three De Novo Assemblers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shu Chen

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Due to rapid advances in sequencing technology, increasing amounts of genomic and transcriptomic data are available for plant species, presenting enormous challenges for biocomputing analysis. A crucial first step for a successful transcriptomics-based study is the building of a high-quality assembly. Here, we utilized three different de novo assemblers (Trinity, Velvet, and CLC and the EvidentialGene pipeline tr2aacds to assemble two optimized transcript sets for the notorious weed species, . Two RNA sequencing (RNA-seq datasets from leaf and aboveground seedlings were processed using three assemblers, which resulted in 20 assemblies for each dataset. The contig numbers and N50 values of each assembly were compared to study the effect of read number, k-mer size, and in silico normalization on assembly output. The 20 assemblies were then processed through the tr2aacds pipeline to remove redundant transcripts and to select the transcript set with the best coding potential. Each assembly contributed a considerable proportion to the final transcript combination with the exception of the CLC-k14. Thus each assembler and parameter set did assemble better contigs for certain transcripts. The redundancy, total contig number, N50, fully assembled contig number, and transcripts related to target-site herbicide resistance were evaluated for the EvidentialGene and Trinity assemblies. Comparing the EvidentialGene set with the Trinity assembly revealed improved quality and reduced redundancy in both leaf and seedling EvidentialGene sets. The optimized transcriptome references will be useful for studying herbicide resistance in and the evolutionary process in the three allotetraploid offspring.

  13. Self-Assembled Three-Dimensional Graphene Macrostructures: Synthesis and Applications in Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yuxi; Shi, Gaoquan; Duan, Xiangfeng

    2015-06-16

    Graphene and its derivatives are versatile building blocks for bottom-up assembly of advanced functional materials. In particular, with exceptionally large specific surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, and superior chemical/electrochemical stability, graphene represents the ideal material for various electrochemical energy storage devices including supercapacitors. However, due to the strong π-π interaction between graphene sheets, the graphene flakes tend to restack to form graphite-like powders when they are processed into practical electrode materials, which can greatly reduce the specific surface area and lead to inefficient utilization of the graphene layers for electrochemical energy storage. The self-assembly of two-dimensional graphene sheets into three-dimensional (3D) framework structures can largely retain the unique properties of individual graphene sheets and has recently garnered intense interest for fundamental investigations and potential applications in diverse technologies. In this Account, we review the recent advances in preparing 3D graphene macrostructures and exploring them as a unique platform for supercapacitor applications. We first describe the synthetic strategies, in which reduction of a graphene oxide dispersion above a certain critical concentration can induce the reduced graphene oxide sheets to cross-link with each other via partial π-π stacking interactions to form a 3D interconnected porous macrostructure. Multiple reduction strategies, including hydrothermal/solvothermal reduction, chemical reduction, and electrochemical reduction, have been developed for the preparation of 3D graphene macrostructures. The versatile synthetic strategies allow for easy incorporation of heteroatoms, carbon nanomaterials, functional polymers, and inorganic nanostructures into the macrostructures to yield diverse composites with tailored structures and properties. We then summarize the applications of the 3D graphene macrostructures

  14. Cluster-assembled overlayers and high-temperature superconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohno, T.R.; Yang, Y.; Kroll, G.H.; Krause, K.; Schmidt, L.D.; Weaver, J.H.; Kimachi, Y.; Hidaka, Y.; Pan, S.H.; de Lozanne, A.L.

    1991-01-01

    X-ray photoemission results for interfaces prepared by cluster assembly with nanometer-size clusters deposited on high-T c superconductors (HTS's) show a reduction in reactivity because atom interactions with the surface are replaced by cluster interactions. Results for conventional atom deposition show the formation of overlayer oxides that are related to oxygen depletion and disruption of the near-surface region of the HTS's. For cluster assembly of Cr and Cu, there is a very thin reacted region on single-crystal Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 . Reduced reactivity is observed for Cr cluster deposition on single-crystal YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 -based interfaces. There is no evidence of chemical modification of the surface for Ge and Au cluster assembly on Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 (100). The overlayer grown by Au cluster assembly on Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 covers the surface at low temperature but roughening occurs upon warming to 300 K. Scanning-tunneling-microscopy results for the Au(cluster)/Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 system warmed to 300 K shows individual clusters that have coalesced into large clusters. These results offer insight into the role of surface energies and cluster interactions in determining the overlayer morphology. Transmission-electron-microscopy results for Cu cluster assembly on silica show isolated irregularly shaped clusters that do not interact at low coverage. Sintering and labyrinth formation is observed at intermediate coverage and, ultimately, a continuous film is achieved at high coverage. Silica surface wetting by Cu clusters demonstrates that dispersive force are important for these small clusters

  15. Graphene-cyclodextrin-cytochrome c layered assembly with improved electron transfer rate and high supramolecular recognition capability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Cheng-Bin; Guo, Cong-Cong; Jiang, Dan; Tang, Qian; Liu, Chang-Hua; Ma, Xue-Bing

    2014-06-01

    This study aimed to develop a new graphene-based layered assembly, named graphene-cyclodextrin-cytochrome c with improved electron transfer rate. This assembly has combined high conductivity of graphene nanosheets (GNs), selectively binding properties and electronegativity of cyclodextrins (CDs), as well as electropositivity of cytochrome c (Cyt c). This assembly can also mimic the confined environments of the intermembrane space of mitochondria. A β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) functionalized GN (GN-CD) assembly was initially prepared by a simple wet-chemical strategy, i.e., in situ thermal reduction of graphene oxide with hydrazine hydrate in the presence of β-CD. Cyt c was then intercalated to the GN-CD assembly to form a layered self-assembled structure, GN-CD-Cyt c, through electrostatic interaction. Compared with GNs and GN-CD, GN-CD-Cyt c assembly displayed improved electron transfer rate and high supramolecular recognition capability toward six probe molecules. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Friction welded nonconsumable electrode assembly and use thereof for electrolytic production of metals and silicon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrne, Stephen C.; Ray, Siba P.; Rapp, Robert A.

    1984-01-01

    A nonconsumable electrode assembly suitable for use in the production of metal by electrolytic reduction of a metal compound dissolved in a molten salt, the assembly comprising a metal conductor and a ceramic electrode body connected by a friction weld between a portion of the body having a level of free metal or metal alloy sufficient to effect such a friction weld and a portion of the metal conductor.

  17. Fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakatsuka, Masafumi.

    1979-01-01

    Purpose: To prevent scattering of gaseous fission products released from fuel assemblies stored in an fbr type reactor. Constitution; A cap provided with means capable of storing gas is adapted to amount to the assembly handling head, for example, by way of threading in a storage rack of spent fuel assemblies consisting of a bottom plate, a top plate and an assembly support mechanism. By previously eliminating the gas inside of the assembly and the cap in the storage rack, gaseous fission products upon loading, if released from fuel rods during storage, are stored in the cap and do not scatter in the storage rack. (Horiuchi, T.)

  18. l-Glutamic acid assisted eco-friendly one-pot synthesis of sheet-assembled platinum-palladium alloy networks for methanol oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Ya-Cheng; Mei, Li-Ping; Wang, Ai-Jun; Yuan, Tao; Chen, Sai-Sai; Feng, Jiu-Ju

    2017-10-15

    In this work, bimetallic platinum-palladium sheet-assembled alloy networks (PtPd SAANs) were facilely synthesized by an eco-friendly one-pot aqueous approach under the guidance of l-glutamic acid at room temperature, without any additive, seed, toxic or organic solvent involved. l-Glutamic acid was served as the green shape-director and weak-stabilizing agent. A series of characterization techniques were employed to examine the morphology, structure and formation mechanism of the product. The architectures exhibited improved electrocatalytic activity and durable ability toward methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in contrast with commercial Pt black and Pd black catalysts. This is ascribed to the unique structures of the obtained PtPd SAANs and the synergistic effects of the bimetals. These results demonstrate the potential application of the prepared catalyst in fuel cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Trade Study: A Two- Versus Three-Soldier Crew for the Mounted Combat System (MCS) and Other Future Combat System Platforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    2003-09-01

    Powers, J.; Tillman, B.; Davilla, D.; Hutchins, C. Crew Reduction in Armored Vehicles Ergonomie Study (CRA VES); Report No. ARL-CR-80; U.S. Army...Rucker, AL, 1984. Nachreiner, F. Standards for Ergonomie Principles Relating to the Design of Work Systems and to Mental Workload. Applied Ergonomics

  20. Constructing Cd0.5Zn0.5S@ZIF-8 nanocomposites through self-assembly strategy to enhance Cr(VI) photocatalytic reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Jianhao; Zhang, Xiong-Fei; Zhang, Xingguang; Feng, Yi; Li, Yuxin; Yang, Lvye; Lu, Haiqiang; Yao, Jianfeng

    2018-05-05

    A novel and highly efficient photocatalyst of Cd 0.5 Zn 0.5 S@ZIF-8 nanocomposite has been developed by a facile self-assembly strategy. This is the first report on the application of Cd x Zn 1-x S and metal-organic framework (MOF) nanocomposite as photocatalysts for the reduction of Cr(VI). The resulting Cd 0.5 Zn 0.5 S@ZIF-8 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than that of pristine Cd 0.5 Zn 0.5 S and ZIF-8. Particularly, the CZS@Z60 composite with 60 wt% of ZIF-8 exhibited a photocatalytic activity that is about 1.6 times as high as that of Cd 0.5 Zn 0.5 S. The dominant reason for the improved photocatalytic reduction potential is proved to be the newly-formed interfacial SZn bonds that firmly connect Cd 0.5 Zn 0.5 S and ZIF-8 and substantially improve the separation efficiency of photo-excited electrons and holes. The newly-formed chemical bonds are confirmed by XPS analyses, and the prolonged lifetime of photo-excited electrons is evidenced by the electrochemical measurement of photocurrent, which shows that the photocurrent on Cd 0.5 Zn 0.5 S@ZIF-8 is much higher than that of Cd 0.5 Zn 0.5 S and ZIF-8. This study clearly demonstrates that the MOF-based composite nanomaterials hold great promises for applications in the field of environmental remediation and for design of novel photocatalytic materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. PEDOT:PSS self-assembled films to methanol crossover reduction in Nafion{sup ®} membranes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Almeida, Tiago P. [Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Sorocaba, SP (Brazil); Miyazaki, Celina M. [Universidade Estadual Paulista, POSMAT, SP (Brazil); Paganin, Valdecir A. [Universidade de São Paulo, IQSC, São Carlos, SP (Brazil); Ferreira, Marystela [Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Sorocaba, SP (Brazil); Saeki, Margarida J. [Universidade Estadual Paulista, Instituto de Biociências, Botucatu, SP (Brazil); Perez, Joelma [Universidade de São Paulo, IQSC, São Carlos, SP (Brazil); Riul, Antonio, E-mail: riul@ifi.unicamp.br [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, IFGW, Campinas (Brazil)

    2014-12-30

    Highlights: • PAH/PEDOT:PSS LbL films were regularly multilayered onto Nafion. • The LbL modified membranes were succesfully applied to reduce methanol crossover in Nafion. • PAH/PEDO:PSS films also decreased the proton conduction, reducing in 15% the DMFC performance. - Abstract: Alternative energy sources are on a global demand, with fuel cells as promising devices from mobile to stationary applications. Nafion{sup ®} is at the heart of many of these appliances, being mostly used due to its high proton conduction and good chemical stability at ambient temperature in proton exchange membranes (PEM). Therefore, methanol permeation throughout Nafion{sup ®} films reduces drastically the performance of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). We present here the deposition of layer-by-layer (LbL) nanostructured thin films of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) onto commercial Nafion{sup ®} 212 membranes. It was observed a good adherence of the LbL films onto Nafion{sup ®} 212, with UV–vis results displaying a linear characteristic growth, indicative that the same amount of material was deposited at each deposition step during the layer-by-layer assembly. In addition, the LbL films also act as a good barrier to avoid methanol crossover, with an observed reduction in the methanol permeation from 5.5 × 10{sup −6} cm{sup 2} s{sup −1} to 3.2 × 10{sup −6} cm{sup 2} s{sup −1}, respectively to pristine Nafion{sup ®} 212 and a 5-bilayer PAH/PEDOT:PSS LbL film deposited on Nafion{sup ®}212. The measured power density in a DMFC set-up was not significantly changed (∼12 mW cm{sup −2}) due to the LbL films, since the PAH/PEDOT:PSS nanostructure is impeding water and ion transport, consequently affecting the proton conduction throughout the membrane.

  2. 77 FR 46436 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-03

    ... Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) \\2\\ and record of lending to first-time homebuyers.\\3\\ \\1\\ See 12 U.S.C. 1430(g... questions the answers to which are used by FHFA to assess the responding member's compliance with the CRA... the CRA must record its current CRA rating and the date of its most recent CRA evaluation. Section II...

  3. Sensor mount assemblies and sensor assemblies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, David H [Redondo Beach, CA

    2012-04-10

    Sensor mount assemblies and sensor assemblies are provided. In an embodiment, by way of example only, a sensor mount assembly includes a busbar, a main body, a backing surface, and a first finger. The busbar has a first end and a second end. The main body is overmolded onto the busbar. The backing surface extends radially outwardly relative to the main body. The first finger extends axially from the backing surface, and the first finger has a first end, a second end, and a tooth. The first end of the first finger is disposed on the backing surface, and the tooth is formed on the second end of the first finger.

  4. Fuel assembly for use in BWR type reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inaba, Yuzo.

    1988-01-01

    Purpose: To attain the reduction of neutron irradiation amount to control rods by the improvement in the reactor shutdown margin and the improvement of the control rod worth, by enhancing the arrangement of burnable poisons. Constitution: The number of burnable poison-incorporated fuel rods present in the outer two rows along the sides in adjacent with a control rod among the square lattice arrangement in a fuel assembly is decreased to less than 1/4 for that of total burnable poison-incorporated fuel rods, while the remaining burnable posion-incorporated fuel rods are arranged in the region other than above (that is, those regions not nearer to the control rod). Thus, even if a sufficient number of burnable poison to prolong the controlling effect for the reactivity with the burnable contents as the fuel assembly are disposed, only the burnable poison -incorporated fuel rods by the number less than 1/4 for that of the total burnable poison-incorporated fuel rods are present near the control rod of the fuel assembly. Accordingly, the control rod worth at the initial stage of the burning is increased at both high and normal temperatures. (Kawakami, Y.)

  5. Developing An Effective Strategy to Configure Assembly Systems Using Lean Concepts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.Eswaramoorthi

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The manufacturing industry has been pushed to adopt more effective production strategies to meet the challenges of shorter life cycle, higher quality, lower cost and wider variety of customer demands. This increased emphasis on achieving highly adaptive manufacturing with reduction in manufacturing costs and better utilization of manufacturing resources force to implementing new and efficient management techniques in their manufacturing operations. Some of the established tools in this context are lean practices. In manufacturing, assembly is one of the major activities that combine the machined components into final product. Decision on appropriate facility layout and viable assembly sequence (line balancing adaptable to takt time requirement with cost benefit is a challenging task. This paper proposes an integrated cost model for a typical assembly process to determine cost per part more precisely by considering seven types of "contributing factors". This procedure is performed under different takt time conditions to configure the assembly system in terms of cost per piece and to decide the adaptable layout. A prototype assembly system is established in this research to demonstrate the effectiveness of the cost model. The results show that there are significant variations in cost per piece with respect to changes in layout configurations and takt time.

  6. Measurement of fast assembly spectra using time-of-flight method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duquesne, Henry; Rotival, Michel; Schmitt, Andre; Allard, Christian; De Keyser, Albert; Hortsmann, Henri

    1975-07-01

    Measurement of neutron spectra made in fast subcritical assemblies HUG 3 and PHUG 3 (uranium-graphite and plutonium-graphite) utilizing time-of-flight techniques are described. The matrix were excited by the pulsed neutron source from the BCMN Linac beam impinging on a target of natural uranium. Details of the experimental procedure, safety studies, detector calibration and data reduction are given [fr

  7. Spreadsheet tool for estimating noise reduction costs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frank, L.; Senden, V.; Leszczynski, Y.

    2009-01-01

    The Northeast Capital Industrial Association (NCIA) represents industry in Alberta's industrial heartland. The organization is in the process of developing a regional noise management plan (RNMP) for their member companies. The RNMP includes the development of a noise reduction cost spreadsheet tool to conduct reviews of practical noise control treatments available for individual plant equipment, inclusive of ranges of noise attenuation achievable, which produces a budgetary prediction of the installed cost of practical noise control treatments. This paper discussed the noise reduction cost spreadsheet tool, with particular reference to noise control best practices approaches and spreadsheet tool development such as prerequisite, assembling data required, approach, and unit pricing database. Use and optimization of the noise reduction cost spreadsheet tool was also discussed. It was concluded that the noise reduction cost spreadsheet tool is an easy interactive tool to estimate implementation costs related to different strategies and options of noise control mitigating measures and was very helpful in gaining insight for noise control planning purposes. 2 tabs.

  8. Graphene–cyclodextrin–cytochrome c layered assembly with improved electron transfer rate and high supramolecular recognition capability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gong, Cheng-Bin; Guo, Cong-Cong; Jiang, Dan; Tang, Qian, E-mail: qiantang@swu.edu.cn; Liu, Chang-Hua; Ma, Xue-Bing

    2014-06-01

    This study aimed to develop a new graphene-based layered assembly, named graphene–cyclodextrin–cytochrome c with improved electron transfer rate. This assembly has combined high conductivity of graphene nanosheets (GNs), selectively binding properties and electronegativity of cyclodextrins (CDs), as well as electropositivity of cytochrome c (Cyt c). This assembly can also mimic the confined environments of the intermembrane space of mitochondria. A β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) functionalized GN (GN–CD) assembly was initially prepared by a simple wet-chemical strategy, i.e., in situ thermal reduction of graphene oxide with hydrazine hydrate in the presence of β-CD. Cyt c was then intercalated to the GN–CD assembly to form a layered self-assembled structure, GN–CD–Cyt c, through electrostatic interaction. Compared with GNs and GN–CD, GN–CD–Cyt c assembly displayed improved electron transfer rate and high supramolecular recognition capability toward six probe molecules. - Highlights: • A new tertiary layered assembly named GN–CD–Cyt c was prepared. • Compared with GNs and GN–CD, GN–CD–Cyt c shows improved electron transfer rate. • GN–CD–Cyt c displays high supramolecular recognition capability.

  9. Graphene–cyclodextrin–cytochrome c layered assembly with improved electron transfer rate and high supramolecular recognition capability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gong, Cheng-Bin; Guo, Cong-Cong; Jiang, Dan; Tang, Qian; Liu, Chang-Hua; Ma, Xue-Bing

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to develop a new graphene-based layered assembly, named graphene–cyclodextrin–cytochrome c with improved electron transfer rate. This assembly has combined high conductivity of graphene nanosheets (GNs), selectively binding properties and electronegativity of cyclodextrins (CDs), as well as electropositivity of cytochrome c (Cyt c). This assembly can also mimic the confined environments of the intermembrane space of mitochondria. A β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) functionalized GN (GN–CD) assembly was initially prepared by a simple wet-chemical strategy, i.e., in situ thermal reduction of graphene oxide with hydrazine hydrate in the presence of β-CD. Cyt c was then intercalated to the GN–CD assembly to form a layered self-assembled structure, GN–CD–Cyt c, through electrostatic interaction. Compared with GNs and GN–CD, GN–CD–Cyt c assembly displayed improved electron transfer rate and high supramolecular recognition capability toward six probe molecules. - Highlights: • A new tertiary layered assembly named GN–CD–Cyt c was prepared. • Compared with GNs and GN–CD, GN–CD–Cyt c shows improved electron transfer rate. • GN–CD–Cyt c displays high supramolecular recognition capability

  10. A systematic review of the effectiveness of the community reinforcement approach in alcohol, cocaine and opioid addiction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roozen, H.G.; Boulogne, J.J.; Tulder, M.W. van; Brink, W. van den; Jong, C.A.J. de; Kerkhof, A.J.F.M.

    2004-01-01

    The community reinforcement approach (CRA) has been applied in the treatment of disorders resulting from alcohol, cocaine and opioid use. The objectives were to review the effectiveness of (1) CRA compared with usual care, and (2) CRA versus CRA plus contingency management. Studies were selected

  11. A systematic review of the effectiveness of the community reinforcement approach in alcohol, cocaine and opioid addiction.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roozen, H.G.; Boulogne, J.J.; van Tulder, M.; van den Brink, W.; de Jong, C.A.J.; Kerkhof, A.J.F.M.

    2004-01-01

    The community reinforcement approach (CRA) has been applied in the treatment of disorders resulting from alcohol, cocaine and opioid use. The objectives were to review the effectiveness of (1) CRA compared with usual care, and (2) CRA versus CRA plus contingency management. Studies were selected

  12. A systematic review of the effectiveness of the community reinforcement approach in alcohol, cocaine and opioid addiction.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roozen, H.G.; Boulogne, J.J.; Tulder, van M.; Brink, van den W.; Jong, de C.A.J.; Kerkhof, A.J.F.M.

    2004-01-01

    Abstract The community reinforcement approach (CRA) has been applied in the treatment of disorders resulting from alcohol, cocaine and opioid use. The objectives were to review the effectiveness of (1) CRA compared with usual care, and (2) CRA versus CRA plus contingency management. Studies were

  13. 76 FR 79529 - Community Reinvestment Act Regulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-22

    ... ``agencies'') are amending their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations to adjust the asset-size... ``intermediate small savings association.'' As required by the CRA regulations, the adjustment to the threshold... Description of the Joint Final Rule The agencies' CRA regulations establish CRA performance standards for...

  14. Human factors assessment of conflict resolution aid reliability and time pressure in future air traffic control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trapsilawati, Fitri; Qu, Xingda; Wickens, Chris D; Chen, Chun-Hsien

    2015-01-01

    Though it has been reported that air traffic controllers' (ATCos') performance improves with the aid of a conflict resolution aid (CRA), the effects of imperfect automation on CRA are so far unknown. The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of imperfect automation on conflict resolution. Twelve students with ATC knowledge were instructed to complete ATC tasks in four CRA conditions including reliable, unreliable and high time pressure, unreliable and low time pressure, and manual conditions. Participants were able to resolve the designated conflicts more accurately and faster in the reliable versus unreliable CRA conditions. When comparing the unreliable CRA and manual conditions, unreliable CRA led to better conflict resolution performance and higher situation awareness. Surprisingly, high time pressure triggered better conflict resolution performance as compared to the low time pressure condition. The findings from the present study highlight the importance of CRA in future ATC operations. Practitioner Summary: Conflict resolution aid (CRA) is a proposed automation decision aid in air traffic control (ATC). It was found in the present study that CRA was able to promote air traffic controllers' performance even when it was not perfectly reliable. These findings highlight the importance of CRA in future ATC operations.

  15. Robust forests of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes chemically assembled on carbon substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrett, David J; Flavel, Benjamin S; Shapter, Joseph G; Baronian, Keith H R; Downard, Alison J

    2010-02-02

    Forests of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) have been chemically assembled on carbon surfaces. The structures show excellent stability over a wide potential range and are resistant to degradation from sonication in acid, base, and organic solvent. Acid-treated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were assembled on amine-terminated tether layers covalently attached to pyrolyzed photoresist films. Tether layers were electrografted to the carbon substrate by reduction of the p-aminobenzenediazonium cation and oxidation of ethylenediamine. The amine-modified surfaces were incubated with cut SWCNTs in the presence of N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC), giving forests of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs). The SWCNT assemblies were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and electrochemistry. Under conditions where the tether layers slow electron transfer between solution-based redox probes and the underlying electrode, the assembly of VACNTs on the tether layer dramatically increases the electron-transfer rate at the surface. The grafting procedure, and hence the preparation of VACNTs, is applicable to a wide range of materials including metals and semiconductors.

  16. Mobius Assembly: A versatile Golden-Gate framework towards universal DNA assembly.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas I Andreou

    Full Text Available Synthetic biology builds upon the foundation of engineering principles, prompting innovation and improvement in biotechnology via a design-build-test-learn cycle. A community-wide standard in DNA assembly would enable bio-molecular engineering at the levels of predictivity and universality in design and construction that are comparable to other engineering fields. Golden Gate Assembly technology, with its robust capability to unidirectionally assemble numerous DNA fragments in a one-tube reaction, has the potential to deliver a universal standard framework for DNA assembly. While current Golden Gate Assembly frameworks (e.g. MoClo and Golden Braid render either high cloning capacity or vector toolkit simplicity, the technology can be made more versatile-simple, streamlined, and cost/labor-efficient, without compromising capacity. Here we report the development of a new Golden Gate Assembly framework named Mobius Assembly, which combines vector toolkit simplicity with high cloning capacity. It is based on a two-level, hierarchical approach and utilizes a low-frequency cutter to reduce domestication requirements. Mobius Assembly embraces the standard overhang designs designated by MoClo, Golden Braid, and Phytobricks and is largely compatible with already available Golden Gate part libraries. In addition, dropout cassettes encoding chromogenic proteins were implemented for cost-free visible cloning screening that color-code different cloning levels. As proofs of concept, we have successfully assembled up to 16 transcriptional units of various pigmentation genes in both operon and multigene arrangements. Taken together, Mobius Assembly delivers enhanced versatility and efficiency in DNA assembly, facilitating improved standardization and automation.

  17. Programmed Nanomaterial Assemblies in Large Scales: Applications of Synthetic and Genetically- Engineered Peptides to Bridge Nano-Assemblies and Macro-Assemblies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsui, Hiroshi

    2014-09-09

    Work is reported in these areas: Large-scale & reconfigurable 3D structures of precise nanoparticle assemblies in self-assembled collagen peptide grids; Binary QD-Au NP 3D superlattices assembled with collagen-like peptides and energy transfer between QD and Au NP in 3D peptide frameworks; Catalytic peptides discovered by new hydrogel-based combinatorial phage display approach and their enzyme-mimicking 2D assembly; New autonomous motors of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) powered by reorganization of self-assembled peptides at interfaces; Biomimetic assembly of proteins into microcapsules on oil-in-water droplets with structural reinforcement via biomolecular recognition-based cross-linking of surface peptides; and Biomimetic fabrication of strong freestanding genetically-engineered collagen peptide films reinforced by quantum dot joints. We gained the broad knowledge about biomimetic material assembly from nanoscale to microscale ranges by coassembling peptides and NPs via biomolecular recognition. We discovered: Genetically-engineered collagen-like peptides can be self-assembled with Au NPs to generate 3D superlattices in large volumes (> μm{sup 3}); The assembly of the 3D peptide-Au NP superstructures is dynamic and the interparticle distance changes with assembly time as the reconfiguration of structure is triggered by pH change; QDs/NPs can be assembled with the peptide frameworks to generate 3D superlattices and these QDs/NPs can be electronically coupled for the efficient energy transfer; The controlled assembly of catalytic peptides mimicking the catalytic pocket of enzymes can catalyze chemical reactions with high selectivity; and, For the bacteria-mimicking swimmer fabrication, peptide-MOF superlattices can power translational and propellant motions by the reconfiguration of peptide assembly at the MOF-liquid interface.

  18. [Utility of nickel-titanium shape memory alloys of vertebral body reduction fixator with assisted distraction bar].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Man, Yi; Zheng, Yue-huan; Cao, Peng; Chen, Bo; Zheng, Tao; Sun, Chang-hui; Lu, Jiong

    2011-06-07

    To test the nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) shape memory alloys of vertebral body reduction fixator with assisted distraction bar for the treatment of traumatic and osteoporotic vertebral body fracture. A Ni-Ti shape memory alloys of vertebral body reduction fixator with assisted distraction bar was implanted into the compressed fracture specimens through vertebral pedicle with the radiographic monitoring to reduce the collapsed endplate as well as distract the compressed vertebral fracture. Radiographic film and computed tomographic reconstruction technique were employed to evaluate the effects of reduction and distraction. A biomechanic test machine was used to measure the fatigue and the stability of deformation of fixation segments. Relying on the effect of temperature shape memory, such an assembly could basically reduce the collapsed endplate as well as distract the compressed vertebral fracture. And when unsatisfied results of reduction and distraction occurred, its super flexibility could provide additional distraction strength. A Ni-Ti shape memory alloys of vertebral body reduction fixator with assisted distraction bar may provide effective endplate reduction, restore the vertebral height and the immediate biomechanic spinal stability. So the above assembly is indicated for the treatment of traumatic and osteoporotic vertebral body fracture.

  19. Conceptual Design Study on Electromagnets of Control Rod Drive Mechanism of a SFR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jaehan; Koo, Gyeonghoi

    2013-01-01

    The prototype SFR has six primary control rod assemblies(CRAs) and three secondary shutdown assemblies. The primary control system is used for power control, burnup compensation and reactor shutdown in response to demands from the plant control or protection systems. This paper describes the design concept of primary control rod drive mechanism shortly, and performs the parametric design studies for the electromagnet device of the drive mechanism to maximize CRA gripping force. The electromagnetic core usually confines and guides the magnetic field. The major parameters influenced on the electromagnetic force are the geometry and arrangement of the electromagnet and armature for a given coil specification. A typical equation calculating the electromagnetic force for a solenoid type is represented in equation. The first one is the increasing of the flux cross section area (Α c , Α g ) in magnetic field connecting of air gap, armature and electromagnets. Secondly, the reducing of the path lengths (l c , l g ) of the armature and electromagnet makes the magnetic flux (Β) resistance to be low. An electromagnet field analyses are performed for the initial design values of the electromagnet device. The gripping force is about 3 times of CRA weight when one coil is power on. The parametric studies on air gap, core sizes configuring of the electromagnet cores are performed to maximize the electromagnetic force

  20. Self-assembly of self-assembled molecular triangles

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    While the solution state structure of 1 can be best described as a trinuclear complex, in the solidstate well-fashioned intermolecular - and CH- interactions are observed. Thus, in the solid-state further self-assembly of already self-assembled molecular triangle is witnessed. The triangular panels are arranged in a linear ...

  1. Evaluation of nine popular de novo assemblers in microbial genome assembly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forouzan, Esmaeil; Maleki, Masoumeh Sadat Mousavi; Karkhane, Ali Asghar; Yakhchali, Bagher

    2017-12-01

    Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are revolutionizing biology, with Illumina being the most popular NGS platform. Short read assembly is a critical part of most genome studies using NGS. Hence, in this study, the performance of nine well-known assemblers was evaluated in the assembly of seven different microbial genomes. Effect of different read coverage and k-mer parameters on the quality of the assembly were also evaluated on both simulated and actual read datasets. Our results show that the performance of assemblers on real and simulated datasets could be significantly different, mainly because of coverage bias. According to outputs on actual read datasets, for all studied read coverages (of 7×, 25× and 100×), SPAdes and IDBA-UD clearly outperformed other assemblers based on NGA50 and accuracy metrics. Velvet is the most conservative assembler with the lowest NGA50 and error rate. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Fabrication of self-assembled ultrathin photochromic films containing mixed-addenda polyoxometalates H5[PMo10V2O40] and 1,10-decanediamine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Zhongliang; Ma Ying; Zhang Ruili; Xu Da; Fu Hongbing; Yao Jiannian

    2009-01-01

    A layered phosphovanadomolybdate/1,10-decanediamine (1,10-DAD) self-assembled ultrathin film was fabricated by means of alternating adsorption of mixed-addenda polyoxometalates (POMs) (phosphovanadomolybdate, H 5 [PMo 10 V 2 O 40 ]) and 1,10-DAD, and its photochromic properties were investigated. It is found that the self-assembled multilayer (SAM) film shows high-photochromic response, excellent photochromic stability and reversibility. The photochromic behavior of the SAM is closely related to the reduction potentials of addenda atoms in mixed-addenda POMs. In the case of photo-reduced mixed-addenda POMs, the electron is localized on the more reducible atom, and the addenda atoms with higher reduction potentials show prior photochromism compared with those with lower reduction potentials. The coloration speed is improved after introduction of V into molybdenum POM. The well-ordered lamellar structure of the film was well maintained during the coloration. - Graphical abstract: An ordered H 5 [PMo 10 V 2 O 40 ]/1,10-decanediamine ultrathin film was fabricated by a self-assembled technique. The hybrid film displays good photochromism closely related to the reduction potentials of addenda atoms.

  3. A conceptual design of assembly strategy and dedicated tools for assembly of 40o sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, H.K.; Nam, K.O.; Kim, D.J.; Ahn, H.J.; Lee, J.H.; Im, K.; Shaw, R.

    2010-01-01

    The International Thermanuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) tokamak device is composed of 9 vacuum vessel (VV)/toroidal field coils (TFCs)/vacuum vessel thermal shields (VVTS) 40 o sectors. Each VV/TFCs/VVTS 40 o sector is made up of one 40 o VV, two 20 o TFCs and associated VVTS segments. The 40 o sectors are sub-assembled at assembly hall respectively and then nine 40 o sectors sub-assembled at assembly hall are finally assembled at tokamak in-pit hall. The assembly strategy and tools for the 40 o sector sub-assembly and final assembly should be developed to satisfy the basic assembly requirements of the ITER tokamak device. Accordingly, the purpose-built assembly tools should be designed and manufactured considering assembly plan, available space, cost, safety, easy operation, efficient maintenance, and so on. The 40 o sector assembly tools are classified into 2 groups. One group is the sub-assembly tools including upending tool, lifting tool, sub-assembly tool, VV supports and bracing tools used at assembly hall and the other group is the in-pit assembly tools including lifting tool, central column, radial beams and their supports. This paper describes the current status of the assembly strategy and major tools for the VV/TFCs/VVTS 40 o sector assembly at in-pit hall and assembly hall. The conceptual design of the major assembly tools and assembly process at assembly hall and tokamak in-pit hall are presented also.

  4. Industrializing Offshore Wind Power with Serial Assembly and Lower-cost Deployment - Final Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kempton, Willett [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)

    2017-12-11

    A team of engineers and contractors has developed a method to move offshore wind installation toward lower cost, faster deployment, and lower environmental impact. A combination of methods, some incremental and some breaks from past practice, interact to yield multiple improvements. Three designs were evaluated based on detailed engineering: 1) a 5 MW turbine on a jacket with pin piles (base case), 2) a 10 MW turbine on a conventional jacket with pin piles, assembled at sea, and 3) a 10 MW turbine on tripod jacket with suction buckets (caissons) and with complete turbine assembly on-shore. The larger turbine, assembly ashore, and the use of suction buckets together substantially reduce capital cost of offshore wind projects. Notable capital cost reductions are: changing from 5 MW to 10 MW turbine, a 31% capital cost reduction, and assembly on land then single-piece install at sea an additional 9% capital cost reduction. An estimated Design 4) estimates further cost reduction when equipment and processes of Design 3) are optimized, rather than adapted to existing equipment and process. Cost of energy for each of the four Designs are also calculated, yielding approximately the same percentage reductions. The methods of Design 3) analyzed here include accepted structures such as suction buckets used in new ways, innovations conceived but previously without engineering and economic validation, combined with new methods not previously proposed. Analysis of Designs 2) and 3) are based on extensive engineering calculations and detailed cost estimates. All design methods can be done with existing equipment, including lift equipment, ports and ships (except that design 4 assumes a more optimized ship). The design team consists of experienced offshore structure designers, heavy lift engineers, wind turbine designers, vessel operators, and marine construction contractors. Comparing the methods based on criteria of cost and deployment speed, the study selected the third design

  5. Fuel injection assembly for use in turbine engines and method of assembling same

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Jonathan Dwight; Johnson, Thomas Edward; York, William David; Uhm, Jong Ho

    2015-12-15

    A fuel injection assembly for use in a turbine engine is provided. The fuel injection assembly includes an end cover, an endcap assembly, a fluid supply chamber, and a plurality of tube assemblies positioned at the endcap assembly. Each of the tube assemblies includes housing having a fuel plenum and a cooling fluid plenum. The cooling fluid plenum is positioned downstream from the fuel plenum and separated from the fuel plenum by an intermediate wall. The plurality of tube assemblies also include a plurality of tubes that extends through the housing. Each of the plurality of tubes is coupled in flow communication with the fluid supply chamber and a combustion chamber positioned downstream from the tube assembly. The plurality of tube assemblies further includes an aft plate at a downstream end of the cooling fluid plenum. The plate includes at least one aperture.

  6. 12 CFR 944.3 - Community support standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ..., the Finance Board shall take into account a member's performance under the CRA if the member is subject to the requirements of the CRA, and the member's record of lending to first-time homebuyers. (b) CRA standard—(1) Adequate performance. A member that is subject to the requirements of the CRA shall...

  7. 12 CFR 303.11 - Decisions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... investigation or review; (ii) For filings subject to evaluation of CRA performance under § 303.5, a CRA protest... determines that the filing presents a significant CRA or compliance concern; (iii) For any filing, the... determines that other good cause exists for removal. (3) For purposes of this section, a significant CRA...

  8. AutoAssemblyD: a graphical user interface system for several genome assemblers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veras, Adonney Allan de Oliveira; de Sá, Pablo Henrique Caracciolo Gomes; Azevedo, Vasco; Silva, Artur; Ramos, Rommel Thiago Jucá

    2013-01-01

    Next-generation sequencing technologies have increased the amount of biological data generated. Thus, bioinformatics has become important because new methods and algorithms are necessary to manipulate and process such data. However, certain challenges have emerged, such as genome assembly using short reads and high-throughput platforms. In this context, several algorithms have been developed, such as Velvet, Abyss, Euler-SR, Mira, Edna, Maq, SHRiMP, Newbler, ALLPATHS, Bowtie and BWA. However, most such assemblers do not have a graphical interface, which makes their use difficult for users without computing experience given the complexity of the assembler syntax. Thus, to make the operation of such assemblers accessible to users without a computing background, we developed AutoAssemblyD, which is a graphical tool for genome assembly submission and remote management by multiple assemblers through XML templates. AssemblyD is freely available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/autoassemblyd. It requires Sun jdk 6 or higher.

  9. SWAP-Assembler: scalable and efficient genome assembly towards thousands of cores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Jintao; Wang, Bingqiang; Wei, Yanjie; Feng, Shengzhong; Balaji, Pavan

    2014-01-01

    There is a widening gap between the throughput of massive parallel sequencing machines and the ability to analyze these sequencing data. Traditional assembly methods requiring long execution time and large amount of memory on a single workstation limit their use on these massive data. This paper presents a highly scalable assembler named as SWAP-Assembler for processing massive sequencing data using thousands of cores, where SWAP is an acronym for Small World Asynchronous Parallel model. In the paper, a mathematical description of multi-step bi-directed graph (MSG) is provided to resolve the computational interdependence on merging edges, and a highly scalable computational framework for SWAP is developed to automatically preform the parallel computation of all operations. Graph cleaning and contig extension are also included for generating contigs with high quality. Experimental results show that SWAP-Assembler scales up to 2048 cores on Yanhuang dataset using only 26 minutes, which is better than several other parallel assemblers, such as ABySS, Ray, and PASHA. Results also show that SWAP-Assembler can generate high quality contigs with good N50 size and low error rate, especially it generated the longest N50 contig sizes for Fish and Yanhuang datasets. In this paper, we presented a highly scalable and efficient genome assembly software, SWAP-Assembler. Compared with several other assemblers, it showed very good performance in terms of scalability and contig quality. This software is available at: https://sourceforge.net/projects/swapassembler.

  10. Assembly tool design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanamori, Naokazu; Nakahira, Masataka; Ohkawa, Yoshinao; Tada, Eisuke; Seki, Masahiro

    1996-06-01

    The reactor core of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is assembled with a number of large and asymmetric components within a tight tolerance in order to assure the structural integrity for various loads and to provide the tritium confinement. In addition, the assembly procedure should be compatible with remote operation since the core structures will be activated by 14-MeV neutrons once it starts operation and thus personal access will be prohibited. Accordingly, the assembly procedure and tool design are quite essential and should be designed from the beginning to facilitate remote operation. According to the ITER Design Task Agreement, the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) has performed design study to develop the assembly procedures and associated tool design for the ITER tokamak assembly. This report describes outlines of the assembly tools and the remaining issues obtained in this design study. (author)

  11. Heterojunction nanowires having high activity and stability for the reduction of oxygen: Formation by self-assembly of iron phthalocyanine with single walled carbon nanotubes (FePc/SWNTs)

    KAUST Repository

    Zhu, Jia

    2014-04-01

    A self-assembly approach to preparing iron phthalocyanine/single-walled carbon nanotube (FePc/SWNT) heterojunction nanowires as a new oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst has been developed by virtue of water-adjusted dispersing in 1-cyclohexyl-pyrrolidone (CHP) of the two components. The FePc/SWNT nanowires have a higher Fermi level compared to pure FePc (d-band center, DFT. =. -0.69. eV versus -0.87. eV, respectively). Consequently, an efficient channel for transferring electron to the FePc surface is readily created, facilitating the interaction between FePc and oxygen, so enhancing the ORR kinetics. This heterojunction-determined activity in ORR illustrates a new stratagem to preparing non-noble ORR electrocatalysts of significant importance in constructing real-world fuel cells. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

  12. White-tailed deer are a biotic filter during community assembly, reducing species and phylogenetic diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Begley-Miller, Danielle R; Hipp, Andrew L; Brown, Bethany H; Hahn, Marlene; Rooney, Thomas P

    2014-06-09

    Community assembly entails a filtering process, where species found in a local community are those that can pass through environmental (abiotic) and biotic filters and successfully compete. Previous research has demonstrated the ability of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to reduce species diversity and favour browse-tolerant plant communities. In this study, we expand on our previous work by investigating deer as a possible biotic filter altering local plant community assembly. We used replicated 23-year-old deer exclosures to experimentally assess the effects of deer on species diversity (H'), richness (SR), phylogenetic community structure and phylogenetic diversity in paired browsed (control) and unbrowsed (exclosed) plots. Additionally, we developed a deer-browsing susceptibility index (DBSI) to assess the vulnerability of local species to deer. Deer browsing caused a 12 % reduction in H' and 17 % reduction in SR, consistent with previous studies. Furthermore, browsing reduced phylogenetic diversity by 63 %, causing significant phylogenetic clustering. Overall, graminoids were the least vulnerable to deer browsing based on DBSI calculations. These findings demonstrate that deer are a significant driver of plant community assembly due to their role as a selective browser, or more generally, as a biotic filter. This study highlights the importance of knowledge about the plant tree of life in assessing the effects of biotic filters on plant communities. Application of such knowledge has considerable potential to advance our understanding of plant community assembly. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

  13. Fluorescent cellulose nanocrystals via supramolecular assembly of terpyridine-modified cellulose nanocrystals and terpyridine-modified perylene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassan, Mohammad L.; Moorefield, Charles M.; Elbatal, Hany S.; Newkome, George R.; Modarelli, David A.; Romano, Natalie C.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Surfaces of cellulose nanocrystals were modified with terpyridine ligands. ► Fluorescent nanocrystals could be obtained via self-assembly of terpyridine-modified perylene dye onto the terpyridine-modified cellulose nanocrystals. ► Further self-assembly of azide-functionalized terpyridine onto the fluorescent cellulose nanocrystals was possible to obtain nanocellulosic material with expected use in bioimaging. - Abstract: Due to their natural origin, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity, cellulose nanocrystals are promising candidates for applications in nanomedicine. Highly fluorescent nanocellulosic material was prepared via surface modification of cellulose nanocrystals with 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine side chains followed by supramolecular assembly of terpyridine-modified perylene dye onto the terpyridine-modified cellulose nanocrystals (CTP) via Ru III /Ru II reduction. The prepared terpyridine-modified cellulose-Ru II -terpyridine-modified perylene (CTP-Ru II -PeryTP) fluorescent nanocrystals were characterized using cross-polarized/magic angle spin 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (CP/MAS 13 C NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV–visible, and fluorescence spectroscopy. In addition, further self-assembly of terpyridine units with azide functional groups onto CTP-Ru II -PeryTP was possible via repeating the Ru III /Ru II reduction protocol to prepare supramolecular fluorescent nanocrystals with azide functionality (CTP-Ru II -PeryTP-Ru II -AZTP). The prepared derivative may have potential application in bio-imaging since the terminal azide groups can be easily reacted with antigens via “Click” chemistry reaction.

  14. Drive piston assembly for a valve actuator assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Zongxuan

    2010-02-23

    A drive piston assembly is provided that is operable to selectively open a poppet valve. The drive piston assembly includes a cartridge defining a generally stepped bore. A drive piston is movable within the generally stepped bore and a boost sleeve is coaxially disposed with respect to the drive piston. A main fluid chamber is at least partially defined by the generally stepped bore, drive piston, and boost sleeve. First and second feedback chambers are at least partially defined by the drive piston and each are disposed at opposite ends of the drive piston. At least one of the drive piston and the boost sleeve is sufficiently configured to move within the generally stepped bore in response to fluid pressure within the main fluid chamber to selectively open the poppet valve. A valve actuator assembly and engine are also provided incorporating the disclosed drive piston assembly.

  15. Induction melting for volume reduction of metallic TRU wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Westsik, J.H. Jr.; Montgomery, D.R.; Katayama, Y.B.; Ross, W.A.

    1986-01-01

    Volume reduction of metallic transuranic wastes offers economic and safety incentives for treatment of wastes generated at a hypothetical commercial fuel reprocessing facility. Induction melting has been identified as the preferred process for volume reduction of spent fuel hulls, fuel assembly hardware, and failed equipment from a reprocessing plant. Bench-scale melting of Zircaloy and stainless steel mixtures has been successfully conducted in a graphite crucible inside a large vacuum chamber. A low-melting-temperature alloy forms that has demonstrated excellent leach resistance. The alloy can be used to encapsulate other metallic wastes that cannot be melted using the existing equipment design

  16. 77 FR 76419 - Health and Safety Data Reporting; Addition of Certain Chemicals; Withdrawal of Final Rule

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-28

    ..., February 16, 1994). III. Congressional Review Act (CRA) Pursuant to the CRA (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), EPA...). Section 808 of the CRA allows the issuing agency to make a rule effective sooner than otherwise provided by the CRA if the agency makes a good cause finding that notice and public procedure is impracticable...

  17. 12 CFR 35.11 - Other definitions and rules of construction used in this part.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... TREASURY DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 35.11 Other definitions and rules of... party to the agreement makes a CRA communication, as described in § 35.3. (b) Control. “Control” is defined in section 2(a) of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1841(a)). (c) CRA affiliate. A “CRA...

  18. Mechanical analysis of an assembly box with honeycomb structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herbell, Heiko; Himmel, Steffen; Schulenberg, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    Fuel assembly concepts for supercritical water cooled reactors have often been designed with assembly and moderator boxes to provide additional moderator water in the core in case of higher coolant temperatures. The fuel assembly considered here has been designed for the High Performance Light Water Reactor (HPLWR) with three succeeding heat up steps, one evaporator and two superheater steps. The high coolant pressure drop of such a core design causes, however, a higher pressure difference across the box walls than those typically occurring in boiling water reactors. Hot, superheated steam conditions, on the other hand, require thermally insulated box walls rather than solid box walls to reduce heating of the moderator water. In this paper an innovative design for moderator- and assembly boxes is investigated which consists of an alumina filled stainless steel honeycomb structure, built as a sandwich design between two stainless steel liners. The liners in contact with the colder moderator water are perforated to lower the pressure load on the honeycomb structure. As a consequence, the alumina will be soaked with supercritical water causing stagnant flow conditions in the honeycomb cells. In comparison to solid box walls, the use of the presented design can provide the same stiffness but with a drastic reduction of structural material and thus less neutron absorption. Finite Element Analyses are used to verify the required stiffness, to identify stress concentrations, and to optimize the design. (author)

  19. Self-assembled nanostructures

    CERN Document Server

    Zhang, Jin Z; Liu, Jun; Chen, Shaowei; Liu, Gang-yu

    2003-01-01

    Nanostructures refer to materials that have relevant dimensions on the nanometer length scales and reside in the mesoscopic regime between isolated atoms and molecules in bulk matter. These materials have unique physical properties that are distinctly different from bulk materials. Self-Assembled Nanostructures provides systematic coverage of basic nanomaterials science including materials assembly and synthesis, characterization, and application. Suitable for both beginners and experts, it balances the chemistry aspects of nanomaterials with physical principles. It also highlights nanomaterial-based architectures including assembled or self-assembled systems. Filled with in-depth discussion of important applications of nano-architectures as well as potential applications ranging from physical to chemical and biological systems, Self-Assembled Nanostructures is the essential reference or text for scientists involved with nanostructures.

  20. Irradiation-induced growth of zircaloy and its effects on the mechanical design of fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao Pu

    1991-01-01

    Zircaloy growth could be induced due to irradiation. The ammount of growth is described as a function of texture, irradiation temperature, fast neutron fluence and the reduction of cold work, and it should be given great attention in the mechanical design of fuel assemblies

  1. Newnes electronics assembly handbook

    CERN Document Server

    Brindley, Keith

    2013-01-01

    Newnes Electronics Assembly Handbook: Techniques, Standards and Quality Assurance focuses on the aspects of electronic assembling. The handbook first looks at the printed circuit board (PCB). Base materials, basic mechanical properties, cleaning of assemblies, design, and PCB manufacturing processes are then explained. The text also discusses surface mounted assemblies and packaging of electromechanical assemblies, as well as the soldering process. Requirements for the soldering process; solderability and protective coatings; cleaning of PCBs; and mass solder/component reflow soldering are des

  2. A Dynamic Combinatorial Approach for Identifying Side Groups that Stabilize DNA-Templated Supramolecular Self-Assemblies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Delphine Paolantoni

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available DNA-templated self-assembly is an emerging strategy for generating functional supramolecular systems, which requires the identification of potent multi-point binding ligands. In this line, we recently showed that bis-functionalized guanidinium compounds can interact with ssDNA and generate a supramolecular complex through the recognition of the phosphodiester backbone of DNA. In order to probe the importance of secondary interactions and to identify side groups that stabilize these DNA-templated self-assemblies, we report herein the implementation of a dynamic combinatorial approach. We used an in situ fragment assembly process based on reductive amination and tested various side groups, including amino acids. The results reveal that aromatic and cationic side groups participate in secondary supramolecular interactions that stabilize the complexes formed with ssDNA.

  3. 12 CFR 944.1 - Definitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... chapter. CRA means the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, as amended (12 U.S.C. 2901, et seq.). CRA evaluation means the public disclosure portion of the CRA performance evaluation provided by a member's...

  4. Fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abe, Hideaki; Sakai, Takao; Ishida, Tomio; Yokota, Norikatsu.

    1992-01-01

    The lower ends of a plurality of plate-like shape memory alloys are secured at the periphery of the upper inside of the handling head of a fuel assembly. As the shape memory alloy, a Cu-Zn alloy, a Ti-Pd alloy or a Fe-Ni alloy is used. When high temperature coolants flow out to the handling head, the shape memory alloy deforms by warping to the outer side more greatly toward the upper portion thereof with the temperature increase of the coolants. As the result, the shape of the flow channel of the coolants is changed so as to enlarge at the exit of the upper end of the fuel assembly. Then, the pressure loss of the coolants in the fuel assembly is decreased by the enlargement. Accordingly, the flow rate of the coolants in the fuel assembly is increased to lower the temperature of the coolants. Further, high temperature coolants and low temperature coolants are mixed sufficiently just above the fuel assembly. This can suppress the temperature fluctuation of the mixed coolants in the upper portion of the reactor core, thereby enabling to decrease a fatigue and failures of the structural components in the upper portion of the reactor core. (I.N.)

  5. Soldering in electronics assembly

    CERN Document Server

    Judd, Mike

    2013-01-01

    Soldering in Electronics Assembly discusses several concerns in soldering of electronic assemblies. The book is comprised of nine chapters that tackle different areas in electronic assembly soldering. Chapter 1 discusses the soldering process itself, while Chapter 2 covers the electronic assemblies. Chapter 3 talks about solders and Chapter 4 deals with flux. The text also tackles the CS and SC soldering process. The cleaning of soldered assemblies, solder quality, and standards and specifications are also discussed. The book will be of great use to professionals who deal with electronic assem

  6. [Expression of enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis and polyketide synthase gene-expressing Escherichia coli in colorectal adenoma patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, L L; Wu, N; Zhu, Y M; Qiu, X Y; Chen, G D; Zhang, L M; Liu, Y L

    2016-03-29

    To investigate the distribution of various bacteria in adenoma tissue of colorectal adenoma (T/CRA), normal colonic mucosa tissue adjacent to the adenoma (N/CRA), and healthy colonic mucosa tissue (N/H) by comparing the number of total bacteria, Bacteroides fragilis (BF), enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF), polyketide synthase (pks) gene-expressing Escherichia coli(E.coli)(pks(+) E. coli)among the above 3 types of tissues. A total of 36 patients diagnosed with colorectal adenoma by colonoscopy and pathology in Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University People's Hospital from September 2011 to September 2013 were selected into this study. T/CRA and N/CRA tissues from the 36 patients and N/H tissues from 18 healthy controls were collected for DNA extraction. The number of total bacteria, BF, ETBF, pks(+) E. coli was detected by quantitative real time PCR, and their correlation with colorectal adenoma was analyzed. (1) The number of total bacteria decreased gradually from N/H, N/CRA, to T/CRA, with the median values being 3.18×10(8,) 1.57×10(8,) and 7.91×10(7) copies/g, respectively, and with significant difference among the three groups and between each two groups (all PCRA, to T/CRA, the median values being 6.03×10(5,) 4.28×10(4,) and 5.48×10(3) copies/g, respectively, and with significant difference among the three groups and between each two groups (all PCRA, to T/CRA, the relative expression being 1.73±0.30, 6.15±1.52, and 8.54±1.80, respectively. Significant difference was found between the T/CRA and N/H tissue (P=0.003), but not between any other two groups. (4) The expression of clbB in pks(+) E.coli was highest in T/CRA colonic tissue (2.96±0.28), followed by the N/CRA (2.79±0.19) and N/H tissue (1.06±0.08). Significant difference was found between T/CRA and N/H tissues, as well as between N/CRA and N/H tissues (both PCRA and N/CRA tissues. The number of total bacteria is markedly reduced in the colonic mucosa of CRA patients

  7. Multivalent protein assembly using monovalent self-assembling building blocks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Petkau - Milroy, K.; Sonntag, M.H.; Colditz, A.; Brunsveld, L.

    2013-01-01

    Discotic molecules, which self-assemble in water into columnar supramolecular polymers, emerged as an alternative platform for the organization of proteins. Here, a monovalent discotic decorated with one single biotin was synthesized to study the self-assembling multivalency of this system in regard

  8. Induction melting for volume reduction of metallic TRU wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Westsik, J.H. Jr.; Montgomery, D.R.; Katayama, Y.B.; Ross, W.A.

    1986-02-01

    Volume reduction of metallic transuranic wastes offers economic and safety incentives for treatment of wastes generated at a hypothetical commercial fuel reprocessing facility. Induction melting has been identified as the preferred process for volume reduction of spent fuel hulls, fuel assembly hardware, and failed equipment from a reprocessing plant. Bench-scale melting of Zircaloy and stainless steel mixtures has been successfully conducted in a graphite crucible inside a large vacuum chamber. A low-melting-temperature alloy forms that has demonstrated excellent leach resistance. The alloy can be used to encapsulate other metallic wastes that cannot be melted using the existing equipment design. 18 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs

  9. Bearing assemblies, apparatuses, and motor assemblies using the same

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sexton, Timothy N.; Cooley, Craig H.; Knuteson, Cody W.

    2015-12-29

    Various embodiments of the invention relate to bearing assemblies, apparatuses and motor assemblies that include geometric features configured to impart a selected amount of heat transfer and/or hydrodynamic film formation. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly may include a plurality of superhard bearing pads distributed circumferentially about an axis. At least some of the plurality of superhard bearing pads may include a plurality of sub-superhard bearing elements defining a bearing surface. At least some of the plurality of sub-superhard bearing elements may be spaced from one another by one or more voids to impart a selected amount of heat transfer and hydrodynamic film formation thereon during operation. The bearing assembly may also include a support ring that carries the plurality of superhard bearing pads. In addition, at least a portion of the sub-superhard bearing elements may extend beyond the support ring.

  10. Cumulative Risk Assessment: Overview of Agency Guidance, Practice and Current Major Research Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powerpoint presentation that includes the EPA's definition of CRA, relevant publications already in existence, the CRA Guidelines effort, science issues where research is still needed, program office practices related to CRA, and EPA research activities.

  11. Fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gjertsen, R.K.; Bassler, E.A.; Huckestein, E.A.; Salton, R.B.; Tower, S.N.

    1988-01-01

    A fuel assembly adapted for use with a pressurized water nuclear reactor having capabilities for fluid moderator spectral shift control is described comprising: parallel arranged elongated nuclear fuel elements; means for providing for axial support of the fuel elements and for arranging the fuel elements in a spaced array; thimbles interspersed among the fuel elements adapted for insertion of a rod control cluster therewithin; means for structurally joining the fuel elements and the guide thimbles; fluid moderator control means for providing a volume of low neutron absorbing fluid within the fuel assembly and for removing a substantially equivalent volume of reactor coolant water therefrom, a first flow manifold at one end of the fuel assembly sealingly connected to a first end of the moderator control tubes whereby the first ends are commonly flow connected; and a second flow manifold, having an inlet passage and an outlet passage therein, sealingly connected to a second end of the moderator control tubes at a second end of the fuel assembly

  12. Self assembly of organic nanostructures and dielectrophoretic assembly of inorganic nanowires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dholakia, Geetha; Kuo, Steven; Allen, E. L.

    2007-03-01

    Self assembly techniques enable the organization of organic molecules into nanostructures. Currently engineering strategies for efficient assembly and routine integration of inorganic nanoscale objects into functional devices is very limited. AC Dielectrophoresis is an efficient technique to manipulate inorganic nanomaterials into higher dimensional structures. We used an alumina template based sol-gel synthesis method for the growth of various metal oxide nanowires with typical diameters of 100-150 nm, ranging in length from 3-10 μm. Here we report the dielectrophoretic assembly of TiO2 nanowires, an important material for photocatalysis and photovoltaics, onto interdigitated devices. Self assembly in organic nanostructures and its dependence on structure and stereochemistry of the molecule and dielectrophoretic field dependence in the assembly of inorganic nanowires will be compared and contrasted. Tunneling spectroscopy and DOS of these nanoscale systems will also be discussed.

  13. Fire resistant PV shingle assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenox, Carl J.

    2012-10-02

    A fire resistant PV shingle assembly includes a PV assembly, including PV body, a fire shield and a connection member connecting the fire shield below the PV body, and a support and inter-engagement assembly. The support and inter-engagement assembly is mounted to the PV assembly and comprises a vertical support element, supporting the PV assembly above a support surface, an upper interlock element, positioned towards the upper PV edge, and a lower interlock element, positioned towards the lower PV edge. The upper interlock element of one PV shingle assembly is inter-engageable with the lower interlock element of an adjacent PV shingle assembly. In some embodiments the PV shingle assembly may comprise a ventilation path below the PV body. The PV body may be slidably mounted to the connection member to facilitate removal of the PV body.

  14. Effect of blanket assembly shuffling on LMR neutronic performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalil, H.; Fujita, E.K.

    1987-01-01

    Neutronic analyses of advanced liquid-metal reactors (LMRs) have generally been performed with assemblies in different batches scatter-loaded but not shuffled among the core lattice positions between cycles. While this refueling approach minimizes refueling time, significant improvements in thermal performance are believed to be achievable by blanket assembly shuffling. These improvements, attributable to mitigation of the early-life overcooling of the blankets, include reductions in peak clad temperatures and in the temperature gradients responsible for thermal striping. Here the authors summarize results of a study performed to: (1) assess whether the anticipated gains in thermal performance can be realized without sacrificing core neutronic performance, particularly the burnup reactivity swing rho/sub bu/, which determines the rod ejection worth; (2) determine the effect of various blanket shuffling operations on reactor performance; and (3) determine whether shuffling strategies developed for an equilibrium (plutonium-fueled) core can be applied during the transition from an initial uranium-fueled core as is being considered in the US advanced LMR program

  15. An advanced draft genome assembly of a desi type chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parween, Sabiha; Nawaz, Kashif; Roy, Riti; Pole, Anil K; Venkata Suresh, B; Misra, Gopal; Jain, Mukesh; Yadav, Gitanjali; Parida, Swarup K; Tyagi, Akhilesh K; Bhatia, Sabhyata; Chattopadhyay, Debasis

    2015-08-11

    Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important pulse legume crop. We previously reported a draft genome assembly of the desi chickpea cultivar ICC 4958. Here we report an advanced version of the ICC 4958 genome assembly (version 2.0) generated using additional sequence data and an improved genetic map. This resulted in 2.7-fold increase in the length of the pseudomolecules and substantial reduction of sequence gaps. The genome assembly covered more than 94% of the estimated gene space and predicted the presence of 30,257 protein-coding genes including 2230 and 133 genes encoding potential transcription factors (TF) and resistance gene homologs, respectively. Gene expression analysis identified several TF and chickpea-specific genes with tissue-specific expression and displayed functional diversification of the paralogous genes. Pairwise comparison of pseudomolecules in the desi (ICC 4958) and the earlier reported kabuli (CDC Frontier) chickpea assemblies showed an extensive local collinearity with incongruity in the placement of large sequence blocks along the linkage groups, apparently due to use of different genetic maps. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based mining of intra-specific polymorphism identified more than four thousand SNPs differentiating a desi group and a kabuli group of chickpea genotypes.

  16. Nuclear reactor fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marmonier, Pierre; Mesnage, Bernard; Nervi, J.C.

    1975-01-01

    This invention refers to fuel assemblies for a liquid metal cooled fast neutron reactor. Each assembly is composed of a hollow vertical casing, of regular polygonal section, containing a bundle of clad pins filled with a fissile or fertile substance. The casing is open at its upper end and has a cylindrical foot at its lower end for positioning the assembly in a housing provided in the horizontal diagrid, on which the core assembly rests. A set of flat bars located on the external surface of the casing enables it to be correctly orientated in its housing among the other core assemblies [fr

  17. Fabrication and tribological properties of self-assembled monolayer of n-alkyltrimethoxysilane on silicon: Effect of SAM alkyl chain length

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huo, Lixia; Du, Pengcheng; Zhou, Hui; Zhang, Kaifeng; Liu, Peng

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • n-Alkyltrimethoxysilanes with various chain lengths were self-assembled on silicon. • Effect of alkyl chain lengths (C6, C12, or C18) on the SAMs was investigated. • Surface roughness of the SAMs decreased with increasing the alkyl chain lengths. • The C 12 -SAM possessed superior friction reduction and wear resistance. - Abstract: It is well known that the self-assembled organic molecules on a solid surface exhibit the friction-reducing performance. However, the effect of the molecular size of the self-assembled organic molecules has not been established. In the present work, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of n-alkyltrimethoxysilanes with different alkyl chain lengths (C 6 , C 12 , or C 18 ) were fabricated on silicon substrate. The water contact angles of the SAMs increased from 26.8° of the hydroxylated silicon substrate to near 60° after self-assembly. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis results showed that the mean roughness (R a ) of the SAMs decreased with increasing the alkyl chain length. The tribological properties of the SAMs sliding against Al 2 O 3 ball were evaluated on an UMT-2 tribometer, and the worn surfaces of the samples were analyzed by means of Nano Scratch Tester and surface profilometry. It was found that lowest friction coefficient and smallest width of wear were achieved with the SAMs of C 12 alkyl chain (C 12 -SAM). The superior friction reduction and wear resistance of the SAMs in comparison with the bare silicon substrate are attributed to good adhesion of the self-assembled films to the substrate, especially the C 12 -SAM with desirable alkyl chain length.

  18. Fabrication of textured SnO2 transparent conductive films using self-assembled Sn nanospheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukumoto, Michitaka; Nakao, Shoichiro; Hirose, Yasushi; Hasegawa, Tetsuya

    2018-06-01

    We present a novel method to fabricate textured surfaces on transparent conductive SnO2 films by processing substrates through a bottom-up technique with potential for industrially scalable production. The substrate processing consists of three steps: deposition of precursor Sn films on glass substrates, formation of a self-assembled Sn nanosphere layer with reductive annealing, and conversion of Sn to SnO2 by oxidative annealing. Ta-doped SnO2 films conformally deposited on the self-assembled nanospherical SnO2 templates exhibited attractive optical and electrical properties, namely, enhanced haze values and low sheet resistances, for applications as transparent electrodes in photovoltaics.

  19. Self-Assembled Asymmetric Block Copolymer Membranes: Bridging the Gap from Ultra- to Nanofiltration

    KAUST Repository

    Yu, Haizhou

    2015-09-21

    The self-assembly of block copolymers is an emerging strategy to produce isoporous ultrafiltration membranes. However, thus far, it has not been possible to bridge the gap from ultra- to nanofiltration and decrease the pore size of self-assembled block copolymer membranes to below 5 nm without post-treatment. It is now reported that the self-assembly of blends of two chemically interacting copolymers can lead to highly porous membranes with pore diameters as small as 1.5 nm. The membrane containing an ultraporous, 60 nm thin separation layer can fully reject solutes with molecular weights of 600 g mol−1 in aqueous solutions with a water flux that is more than one order of magnitude higher than the permeance of commercial nanofiltration membranes. Simulations of the membrane formation process by dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) were used to explain the dramatic observed pore size reduction combined with an increase in water flux.

  20. Itegrated Test and Evaluation of a 4-Bed Molecular Sieve (4BMS) Carbon Dioxide Removtal System (CDRA), Mechanical Compressor Engineering Development Unit (EDU), and Sabitier Engineering Development Unit (EDU)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knox, James C.; Campbell, Melissa; Murdoch, Karen; Miller, Lee A.; Jeng, Frank

    2005-01-01

    Currently on the International Space Station s (ISS) U.S. Segment, carbon dioxide (CO2) scrubbed from the cabin by a 4-Bed Molecular Sieve (4BMS) Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) is vented overboard as a waste product. Likewise, the product hydrogen (H2) that will be generated by the Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) planned for installation will also be vented. A flight experiment has been proposed that will take the waste CO2 removed from the cabin, and via the catalytic Sabatier process, reduce it with waste H2 to generate water and methane. The water produced may provide cost and logistics savings for ISS by reducing the amount of water periodically re-supplied to orbit. To make this concept viable, a mechanical piston compressor and accumulator were developed for collecting and storing the CO2 from the CDRA. The compressor, accumulator and Sabatier system would be packaged together as one unit and referred to as the Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA). Testing was required to evaluate the performance of a 4BMS CDRA, compressor, accumulator, and Sabatier performance along with their operating rules when integrated together. This had been numerically modeled and simulated; however, testing was necessary to verify the results from the engineering analyses. Testing also allowed a better understanding of the practical inefficiencies and control issues involved in a fully integrated system versus the theoretical ideals in the model. This paper presents and discusses the results of an integrated engineering development unit test.

  1. Atmospheric radiation modeling of galactic cosmic rays using LRO/CRaTER and the EMMREM model with comparisons to balloon and airline based measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joyce, C. J.; Schwadron, N. A.; Townsend, L. W.; deWet, W. C.; Wilson, J. K.; Spence, H. E.; Tobiska, W. K.; Shelton-Mur, K.; Yarborough, A.; Harvey, J.; Herbst, A.; Koske-Phillips, A.; Molina, F.; Omondi, S.; Reid, C.; Reid, D.; Shultz, J.; Stephenson, B.; McDevitt, M.; Phillips, T.

    2016-09-01

    We provide an analysis of the galactic cosmic ray radiation environment of Earth's atmosphere using measurements from the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) together with the Badhwar-O'Neil model and dose lookup tables generated by the Earth-Moon-Mars Radiation Environment Module (EMMREM). This study demonstrates an updated atmospheric radiation model that uses new dose tables to improve the accuracy of the modeled dose rates. Additionally, a method for computing geomagnetic cutoffs is incorporated into the model in order to account for location-dependent effects of the magnetosphere. Newly available measurements of atmospheric dose rates from instruments aboard commercial aircraft and high-altitude balloons enable us to evaluate the accuracy of the model in computing atmospheric dose rates. When compared to the available observations, the model seems to be reasonably accurate in modeling atmospheric radiation levels, overestimating airline dose rates by an average of 20%, which falls within the uncertainty limit recommended by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU). Additionally, measurements made aboard high-altitude balloons during simultaneous launches from New Hampshire and California provide an additional comparison to the model. We also find that the newly incorporated geomagnetic cutoff method enables the model to represent radiation variability as a function of location with sufficient accuracy.

  2. Self assembly of rectangular shapes on concentration programming and probabilistic tile assembly models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kundeti, Vamsi; Rajasekaran, Sanguthevar

    2012-06-01

    Efficient tile sets for self assembling rectilinear shapes is of critical importance in algorithmic self assembly. A lower bound on the tile complexity of any deterministic self assembly system for an n × n square is [Formula: see text] (inferred from the Kolmogrov complexity). Deterministic self assembly systems with an optimal tile complexity have been designed for squares and related shapes in the past. However designing [Formula: see text] unique tiles specific to a shape is still an intensive task in the laboratory. On the other hand copies of a tile can be made rapidly using PCR (polymerase chain reaction) experiments. This led to the study of self assembly on tile concentration programming models. We present two major results in this paper on the concentration programming model. First we show how to self assemble rectangles with a fixed aspect ratio ( α:β ), with high probability, using Θ( α + β ) tiles. This result is much stronger than the existing results by Kao et al. (Randomized self-assembly for approximate shapes, LNCS, vol 5125. Springer, Heidelberg, 2008) and Doty (Randomized self-assembly for exact shapes. In: proceedings of the 50th annual IEEE symposium on foundations of computer science (FOCS), IEEE, Atlanta. pp 85-94, 2009)-which can only self assembly squares and rely on tiles which perform binary arithmetic. On the other hand, our result is based on a technique called staircase sampling . This technique eliminates the need for sub-tiles which perform binary arithmetic, reduces the constant in the asymptotic bound, and eliminates the need for approximate frames (Kao et al. Randomized self-assembly for approximate shapes, LNCS, vol 5125. Springer, Heidelberg, 2008). Our second result applies staircase sampling on the equimolar concentration programming model (The tile complexity of linear assemblies. In: proceedings of the 36th international colloquium automata, languages and programming: Part I on ICALP '09, Springer-Verlag, pp 235

  3. Assembling large, complex environmental metagenomes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Howe, A. C. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences; Jansson, J. [USDOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Walnut Creek, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Division; Malfatti, S. A. [USDOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Walnut Creek, CA (United States); Tringe, S. G. [USDOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Walnut Creek, CA (United States); Tiedje, J. M. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences; Brown, C. T. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Computer Science and Engineering

    2012-12-28

    The large volumes of sequencing data required to sample complex environments deeply pose new challenges to sequence analysis approaches. De novo metagenomic assembly effectively reduces the total amount of data to be analyzed but requires significant computational resources. We apply two pre-assembly filtering approaches, digital normalization and partitioning, to make large metagenome assemblies more computationaly tractable. Using a human gut mock community dataset, we demonstrate that these methods result in assemblies nearly identical to assemblies from unprocessed data. We then assemble two large soil metagenomes from matched Iowa corn and native prairie soils. The predicted functional content and phylogenetic origin of the assembled contigs indicate significant taxonomic differences despite similar function. The assembly strategies presented are generic and can be extended to any metagenome; full source code is freely available under a BSD license.

  4. Health, environmental risks and externalities of nuclear and other energy systems of Russia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasiliev, A.P.; Demin, V.F.

    2000-01-01

    Due to different reasons the structure of electricity production systems of Russia should be reconsidered and changed. In this reconsideration the results of comparative risk assessment (CRA) and external cost assessment (ECA) are needed. CRA and ECA study has been carried out in the frame of the research program of International Center of Environmental Safety of Ministry of Atomic Energy of Russia. Main directions of this study are: 1) developing CRA and ECA methodology and data base ; 2) performing CRA and ECA for nuclear and other energy systems. Some tendencies in development of electricity production systems in Russia and preliminary results of CRA and ECA are described. (author)

  5. Methane Post-Processor Development to Increase Oxygen Recovery beyond State-of-the-Art Carbon Dioxide Reduction Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abney, Morgan B.; Greenwood, Zachary; Miller, Lee A.; Alvarez, Giraldo; Iannantuono, Michelle; Jones, Kenny

    2013-01-01

    State-of-the-art life support carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction technology, based on the Sabatier reaction, is theoretically capable of 50% recovery of oxygen from metabolic CO2. This recovery is constrained by the limited availability of reactant hydrogen. Post-processing of the methane byproduct from the Sabatier reactor results in hydrogen recycle and a subsequent increase in oxygen recovery. For this purpose, a Methane Post-Processor Assembly containing three sub-systems has been developed and tested. The assembly includes a Methane Purification Assembly (MePA) to remove residual CO2 and water vapor from the Sabatier product stream, a Plasma Pyrolysis Assembly (PPA) to partially pyrolyze methane into hydrogen and acetylene, and an Acetylene Separation Assembly (ASepA) to purify the hydrogen product for recycle. The results of partially integrated testing of the sub-systems are reported

  6. Nuclear fuel string assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ip, A.K.; Koyanagi, K.; Tarasuk, W.R.

    1976-01-01

    A method of fabricating rodded fuels suitable for use in pressure tube type reactors and in pressure vessel type reactors is described. Fuel rods are secured as an inner and an outer sub-assembly, each rod attached between mounting rings secured to the rod ends. The two sub-assemblies are telescoped together and positioned by spaced thimbles located between them to provide precise positioning while permittng differential axial movement between the sub-assemblies. Such sub-assemblies are particularly suited for mounting as bundle strings. The method provides particular advantages in the assembly of annular-section fuel pins, which includes booster fuel containing enriched fuel material. (LL)

  7. Fuel assembly reconstitution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morgado, Mario M.; Oliveira, Monica G.N.; Ferreira Junior, Decio B.M.; Santos, Barbara O. dos; Santos, Jorge E. dos

    2009-01-01

    Fuel failures have been happened in Nuclear Power Plants worldwide, without lost of integrity and safety, mainly for the public, environment and power plants workers. The most common causes of these events are corrosion (CRUD), fretting and pellet cladding interaction. These failures are identified by increasing the activity of fission products, verified by chemical analyses of reactor coolant. Through these analyses, during the fourth operation cycle of Angra 2 Nuclear Power Plant, was possible to observe fuel failure indication. This indication was confirmed in the end of the cycle during the unloading of reactor core through leakage tests of fuel assembly, using the equipment called 'In Mast Sipping' and 'Box Sipping'. After confirmed, the fuel assembly reconstitution was scheduled, and happened in April, 2007, where was identified the cause and the fuel rod failure, which was substitute by dummy rods (zircaloy). The cause was fretting by 'debris'. The actions to avoid and prevent fuel assemblies failures are important. The goals of this work are to describe the methodology of fuel assembly reconstitution using the FARE (Fuel Assembly Reconstitution Equipment) system, to describe the results of this task in economic and security factors of the company and show how the fuel assembly failures are identified during operation and during the outage. (author)

  8. Update on Risk Reduction Activities for a Liquid Advanced Booster for NASA's Space Launch System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crocker, Andrew M.; Greene, William D.

    2017-01-01

    The stated goals of NASA's Research Announcement for the Space Launch System (SLS) Advanced Booster Engineering Demonstration and/or Risk Reduction (ABEDRR) are to reduce risks leading to an affordable Advanced Booster that meets the evolved capabilities of SLS and enable competition by mitigating targeted Advanced Booster risks to enhance SLS affordability. Dynetics, Inc. and Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR) formed a team to offer a wide-ranging set of risk reduction activities and full-scale, system-level demonstrations that support NASA's ABEDRR goals. During the ABEDRR effort, the Dynetics Team has modified flight-proven Apollo-Saturn F-1 engine components and subsystems to improve affordability and reliability (e.g., reduce parts counts, touch labor, or use lower cost manufacturing processes and materials). The team has built hardware to validate production costs and completed tests to demonstrate it can meet performance requirements. State-of-the-art manufacturing and processing techniques have been applied to the heritage F-1, resulting in a low recurring cost engine while retaining the benefits of Apollo-era experience. NASA test facilities have been used to perform low-cost risk-reduction engine testing. In early 2014, NASA and the Dynetics Team agreed to move additional large liquid oxygen/kerosene engine work under Dynetics' ABEDRR contract. Also led by AR, the objectives of this work are to demonstrate combustion stability and measure performance of a 500,000 lbf class Oxidizer-Rich Staged Combustion (ORSC) cycle main injector. A trade study was completed to investigate the feasibility, cost effectiveness, and technical maturity of a domestically-produced engine that could potentially both replace the RD-180 on Atlas V and satisfy NASA SLS payload-to-orbit requirements via an advanced booster application. Engine physical dimensions and performance parameters resulting from this study provide the system level requirements for the ORSC risk reduction test article

  9. Topology optimization and digital assembly of advanced space-frame structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søndergaard, Asbjørn; Amir, Oded; Michael, Knauss

    2014-01-01

    this paper presents a novel method for integrated design, optimization and fabrication of optimized space-frame structures in an autonomous, digital process. Comparative numerical studies are presented, demonstrating achievable mass reduction by application of the method by comparison to equivalent...... to normative space truss designs and dimensions. As such, a principal digital fabrication and assembly scheme is developed, where an architectural design methodology relative to the described process is established, and the proposed process demonstrated through scaled digital fabrication experiments....

  10. Reflector-moderated critical assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paxton, H.C.; Jarvis, G.A.; Byers, C.C.

    1975-07-01

    Experiments with reflector-moderated critical assemblies were part of the Rover Program at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL). These assemblies were characterized by thick D 2 O or beryllium reflectors surrounding large cavities that contained highly enriched uranium at low average densities. Because interest in this type of system has been revived by LASL Plasma Cavity Assembly studies, more detailed descriptions of the early assemblies than had been available in the unclassified literature are provided. (U.S.)

  11. Micro-Membrane Electrode Assembly Design to Precisely Measure the in Situ Activity of Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalysts for PEMFC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, Zhi; Li, Yankai; Deng, Guangrong; Liu, Changpeng; Ge, Junjie; Ma, Shuhua; Xing, Wei

    2017-06-20

    An in situ micro-MEA technique, which could precisely measure the performance of ORR electrocatalyst using Nafion as electrolyte, was designed and compared with regular thin-film rotating-disk electrode (TFRDE) (0.1 M HClO 4 ) and normal in situ membrane electrode assembly (MEA) tests. Compared to the traditional TFRDE method, the micro-MEA technique makes the acquisition of catalysts' behavior at low potential values easily achieved without being limited by the solubility of O 2 in water. At the same time, it successfully mimics the structure of regular MEAs and obtains similar results to a regular MEA, thus providing a new technique to simply measure the electrode activity without being bothered by complicated fabrication of regular MEA. In order to further understand the importance of in situ measurement, Fe-N-C as a typical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) free-Pt catalyst was evaluated by TFRDE and micro-MEA. The results show that the half wave potential of Fe-N-C only shifted negatively by -135 mV in comparison with state-of-the-art Pt/C catalysts from TFRDE tests. However, the active site density, mass transfer of O 2 , and the proton transfer conductivity are found to strongly influence the catalyst activity in the micro-MEA, thereby resulting in a much lower limiting current density than Pt/C (8.7 times lower). Hence, it is suggested that the micro-MEA is better in evaluating the in situ ORR performance, where the catalysts are characterized more thoroughly in terms of intrinsic activity, active site density, proton transfer, and mass transfer properties.

  12. SWAP-Assembler 2: Optimization of De Novo Genome Assembler at Large Scale

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meng, Jintao; Seo, Sangmin; Balaji, Pavan; Wei, Yanjie; Wang, Bingqiang; Feng, Shengzhong

    2016-08-16

    In this paper, we analyze and optimize the most time-consuming steps of the SWAP-Assembler, a parallel genome assembler, so that it can scale to a large number of cores for huge genomes with the size of sequencing data ranging from terabyes to petabytes. According to the performance analysis results, the most time-consuming steps are input parallelization, k-mer graph construction, and graph simplification (edge merging). For the input parallelization, the input data is divided into virtual fragments with nearly equal size, and the start position and end position of each fragment are automatically separated at the beginning of the reads. In k-mer graph construction, in order to improve the communication efficiency, the message size is kept constant between any two processes by proportionally increasing the number of nucleotides to the number of processes in the input parallelization step for each round. The memory usage is also decreased because only a small part of the input data is processed in each round. With graph simplification, the communication protocol reduces the number of communication loops from four to two loops and decreases the idle communication time. The optimized assembler is denoted as SWAP-Assembler 2 (SWAP2). In our experiments using a 1000 Genomes project dataset of 4 terabytes (the largest dataset ever used for assembling) on the supercomputer Mira, the results show that SWAP2 scales to 131,072 cores with an efficiency of 40%. We also compared our work with both the HipMER assembler and the SWAP-Assembler. On the Yanhuang dataset of 300 gigabytes, SWAP2 shows a 3X speedup and 4X better scalability compared with the HipMer assembler and is 45 times faster than the SWAP-Assembler. The SWAP2 software is available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/swapassembler.

  13. Oxygen cathode based on a layer-by-layer self-assembled laccase and osmium redox mediator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szamocki, R.; Flexer, V. [INQUIMAE-DQIAyQF, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Levin, L.; Forchiasin, F. [Micologia Experimental, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biologia Experimental. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Calvo, E.J. [INQUIMAE-DQIAyQF, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina)], E-mail: calvo@qi.fcen.uba.ar

    2009-02-28

    Trametes trogii laccase has been studied as biocatalyst for the oxygen electro-reduction in three different systems: (i) soluble laccase was studied in solution; (ii) an enzyme monolayer was tethered to a gold surface by dithiobis N-succinimidyl propionate (DTSP), with a soluble osmium pyridine-bipyridine redox mediator in both cases. The third case (iii) consisted in the sequential immobilization of laccase and the osmium complex derivatized poly(allylamine) self-assembled layer-by-layer (LbL) on mercaptopropane sulfonate modified gold to produce an all integrated and wired enzymatic oxygen cathode. The polycation was the same osmium complex covalently bound to poly-(ally-lamine) backbone (PAH-Os), the polyanion was the enzyme adsorbed from a solution of a suitable pH so that the protein carries a net negative charge. The adsorption of laccase was studied by monitoring the mass uptake with a quartz crystal microbalance and the oxygen reduction electrocatalysis was studied by linear scan voltammetry. While for the three cases, oxygen electrocatalysis mediated by the osmium complex was observed, for tethered laccase direct electron transfer in the absence of redox mediator was also apparent but no electrocatalysis for the oxygen reduction was recorded in the absence of mediator in solution. For the fully integrated LbL self-assembled laccase and redox mediator (case iii) a catalytic reduction of oxygen could be recorded at different oxygen partial pressures and different electrolyte pH. The tolerance of the reaction to methanol and chloride was also investigated.

  14. Oxygen cathode based on a layer-by-layer self-assembled laccase and osmium redox mediator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szamocki, R.; Flexer, V.; Levin, L.; Forchiasin, F.; Calvo, E.J.

    2009-01-01

    Trametes trogii laccase has been studied as biocatalyst for the oxygen electro-reduction in three different systems: (i) soluble laccase was studied in solution; (ii) an enzyme monolayer was tethered to a gold surface by dithiobis N-succinimidyl propionate (DTSP), with a soluble osmium pyridine-bipyridine redox mediator in both cases. The third case (iii) consisted in the sequential immobilization of laccase and the osmium complex derivatized poly(allylamine) self-assembled layer-by-layer (LbL) on mercaptopropane sulfonate modified gold to produce an all integrated and wired enzymatic oxygen cathode. The polycation was the same osmium complex covalently bound to poly-(ally-lamine) backbone (PAH-Os), the polyanion was the enzyme adsorbed from a solution of a suitable pH so that the protein carries a net negative charge. The adsorption of laccase was studied by monitoring the mass uptake with a quartz crystal microbalance and the oxygen reduction electrocatalysis was studied by linear scan voltammetry. While for the three cases, oxygen electrocatalysis mediated by the osmium complex was observed, for tethered laccase direct electron transfer in the absence of redox mediator was also apparent but no electrocatalysis for the oxygen reduction was recorded in the absence of mediator in solution. For the fully integrated LbL self-assembled laccase and redox mediator (case iii) a catalytic reduction of oxygen could be recorded at different oxygen partial pressures and different electrolyte pH. The tolerance of the reaction to methanol and chloride was also investigated

  15. Synthesis of Fe nanoparticles on polyaniline covered carbon nanotubes for oxygen reduction reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Tian-Hang; Yin, Zhong-Shu; Guo, Jian-Wei; Wang, Cheng

    2014-12-01

    Fe nanoparticles immobilized on polyaniline-covered carbon nanotube (CNT) surfaces (Fe NPs-PANI/CNT) are prepared by reducing FeCl3 in the mixing solution of aniline and CNT. Significantly, the structure of such composites can be effectively optimized by pretreating FeCl3 with sodium citrate (CA). In the absence of CNTs, we found these two routes have large differences in reduction behaviors and different PANI states with varied conductivities. Therefore, the self-assembly mechanism in the preparation is proposed and the controlled self-assembly manner in the pretreating route is disclosed. Under acid condition, both catalysts demonstrate high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity with four-electron pathway, and high electrochemical durability, revealing a promising application in the proton exchange membrane fuel cells. However, the high Tafel slopes relating to the surface red-ox couple and porous conductivity are still the main obstacles to improve their ORR dynamic, and more efforts on these aspects are needed to drive non-noble catalyst application in future.

  16. Lifestyle and lifestyle-related comorbidities independently associated with colorectal adenoma recurrence in elderly Chinese people

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saiken A

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Adake Saiken, Fang Gu Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the lifestyle and lifestyle-related comorbidities independently associated with colorectal adenoma (CRA recurrence in elderly Chinese people. Methods: During the 5-year follow-up after the initial colonoscopy, participants aged >60 years with the diagnosis and removal of CRA underwent a complete surveillance colonoscopy, and 152 participants with CRA recurrence plus 152 participants free of recurrence were included in this analysis. Results: Participants with CRA recurrence were more likely to consume less vegetables and fruits, and more red meats compared with the control group (P<0.05 for all. Lifestyle-related comorbidities, including hypertension and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, were more common in participants with CRA recurrence than in the control group (P<0.05 for all. In the multivariate analysis, pack-years of smoking were independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence (odds ratio [OR]: 1.03; P<0.05. Eating less vegetables (OR: 099; P<0.05 and fruits (OR: 0.98; P<0.05 was identified as a statistically independent factor influencing CRA recurrence, as was eating more red meats (OR: 1.01; P<0.05. Hypertension was also found to be a factor independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence (OR: 2.44; P<0.05. NAFLD had an independent association, with an increased CRA recurrence (OR: 3.43; P<0.05. Conclusion: Smoking cigarettes, high consumption of red meats, low intake of fruits and vegetables, and the presence of hypertension and NAFLD were independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence in elderly Chinese people. This conclusion helps elderly Chinese people to make effective behavioral changes, such as smoking cessation, substitution of fruits and vegetables for red meats, and timely treatment of hypertension and NAFLD

  17. Development of a Microwave Regenerative Sorbent-Based Hydrogen Purifier

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheeler, Richard R., Jr.; Dewberry, Ross H.; McCurry, Bryan D.; Abney, Morgan B.; Greenwood, Zachary W.

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes the design and fabrication of a Microwave Regenerative Sorbent-based Hydrogen Purifier (MRSHP). This unique microwave powered technology was developed for the purification of a hydrogen stream produced by the Plasma Pyrolysis Assembly (PPA). The PPA is a hydrogen recovery (from methane) post processor for NASA's Sabatier-based carbon dioxide reduction process. Embodied in the Carbon dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA), currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Sabatier reaction employs hydrogen to catalytically recover oxygen, in the form of water, from respiratory carbon dioxide produced by the crew. This same approach is base-lined for future service in the Air Revitalization system on extended missions into deep space where resupply is not practical. Accordingly, manned exploration to Mars may only become feasible with further closure of the air loop as afforded by the greater hydrogen recovery permitted by the PPA with subsequent hydrogen purification. By utilizing the well-known high sorbate loading capacity of molecular sieve 13x, coupled with microwave dielectric heating phenomenon, MRSHP technology is employed as a regenerative filter for a contaminated hydrogen gas stream. By design, freshly regenerated molecular sieve 13x contained in the MRSHP will remove contaminants from the effluent of a 1-CM scale PPA for several hours prior to breakthrough. By reversing flow and pulling a relative vacuum the MRSHP prototype then uses 2.45 GHz microwave power, applied through a novel coaxial antenna array, to rapidly heat the sorbent bed and drive off the contaminants in a short duration vacuum/thermal contaminant desorption step. Finally, following rapid cooling via room temperature cold plates, the MRSHP is again ready to serve as a hydrogen filter.

  18. Polymer Directed Protein Assemblies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Rijn, Patrick

    2013-01-01

    Protein aggregation and protein self-assembly is an important occurrence in natural systems, and is in some form or other dictated by biopolymers. Very obvious influences of biopolymers on protein assemblies are, e. g., virus particles. Viruses are a multi-protein assembly of which the morphology is

  19. Chlamydomonas IFT25 is dispensable for flagellar assembly but required to export the BBSome from flagella

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Dong

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Intraflagellar transport (IFT particles are composed of polyprotein complexes IFT-A and IFT-B as well as cargo adaptors such as the BBSome. Two IFT-B subunits, IFT25 and IFT27 were found to form a heterodimer, which is essential in exporting the BBSome out of the cilium but not involved in flagellar assembly and cytokinesis in vertebrates. Controversial results were, however, recorded to show that defects in IFT, flagellar assembly and even cytokinesis were caused by IFT27 knockdown in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Using C. reinhardtii as a model organism, we report that depletion of IFT25 has no effect on flagellar assembly and does not affect the entry of the BBSome into the flagellum, but IFT25 depletion did impair BBSome movement out of the flagellum, clarifying the evolutionally conserved role of IFT25 in regulating the exit of the BBSome from the flagellum cross species. Interestingly, depletion of IFT25 causes dramatic reduction of IFT27 as expected, which does not cause defects in flagellar assembly and cytokinesis in C. reinhardtii. Our data thus support that Chlamydomonas IFT27, like its vertebrate homologues, is not involved in flagellar assembly and cytokinesis.

  20. Core/coil assembly for use in superconducting magnets and method for assembling the same

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassner, David A.

    1979-01-01

    A core/coil assembly for use in a superconducting magnet of the focusing or bending type used in syncronous particle accelerators comprising a coil assembly contained within an axial bore of the stacked, washer type, carbon steel laminations which comprise the magnet core assembly, and forming an interference fit with said laminations at the operating temperature of said magnet. Also a method for making such core/coil assemblies comprising the steps of cooling the coil assembly to cryogenic temperatures and drawing it rapidly upwards into the bore of said stacked laminations.

  1. Temperature rise of the mask-resist assembly during LIGA exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ting, Aili

    2004-01-01

    Deep X-ray lithography on PMMA resist is used in the LIGA process. The resist is exposed to synchrotron X-rays through a patterned mask and then is developed in a liquid developer to make high aspect ratio microstructures. The limitations in dimensional accuracies of the LIGA generated microstructure originate from many sources, including synchrotron and X-ray physics, thermal and mechanical properties of mask and resist, and from the kinetics of the developer. This work addresses the thermal analysis and temperature rise of the mask-resist assembly during exposure in air at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) synchrotron. The concern is that dimensional errors generated at the mask and the resist due to thermal expansion will lower the accuracy of the lithography. We have developed a three-dimensional finite-element model of the mask and resist assembly that includes a mask with absorber, a resist with substrate, three metal holders, and a water-cooling block. We employed the LIGA exposure-development software LEX-D to calculate volumetric heat sources generated in the assembly by X-ray absorption and the commercial software ABAQUS to calculate heat transfer including thermal conduction inside the assembly, natural and forced convection, and thermal radiation. at assembly outer and/or inner surfaces. The calculations of assembly maximum temperature. have been compared with temperature measurements conducted at ALS. In some of these experiments, additional cooling of the assembly was produced by forced nitrogen flow ('nitrogen jets') directed at the mask surface. The temperature rise in the silicon mask and the mask holder comes directly from the X-ray absorption, but nitrogen jets carry away a significant portion of heat energy from the mask surface, while natural convection carries away negligibly small amounts energy from the holder. The temperature rise in PMMA resist is mainly from heat conducted from the silicon substrate backward to the resist and from the inner

  2. The triterpenoid corosolic acid blocks transformation and epigenetically reactivates Nrf2 in TRAMP-C1 prostate cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jie; Wu, Renyi; Li, Wenji; Gao, Linbo; Yang, Yuqing; Li, Ping; Kong, Ah-Ng

    2018-04-01

    Corosolic acid (CRA) is found in various plants and has been used as a health food supplement worldwide. Although it has been reported that CRA exhibits significant anticancer activity, the effect of this compound on prostate cancer remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of CRA on cellular transformation and the reactivation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) through epigenetic regulation in TRAMP-C1 prostate cells. Specifically, we found that CRA inhibited anchorage-independent growth of prostate cancer TRAMP-C1 cells but not Nrf2 knockout prostate cancer TRAMP-C1 cells. Moreover, CRA induced mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). Bisulfite genomic sequencing and methylated DNA immunoprecipitation results revealed that CRA treatment decreased the level of methylation of the first five CpG sites of the Nrf2 promoter. Histone modification was analyzed using a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, which revealed that CRA treatment increased the acetylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27ac) while decreasing the trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) in the promoter region of Nrf2. Furthermore, CRA treatment attenuated the protein expression of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). These findings indicate that CRA has a significant anticancer effect in TRAMP-C1 cells, which could be partly attributed to epigenetics including its ability to epigenetically restore the expression of Nrf2. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Decreased dietary fiber intake and structural alteration of gut microbiota in patients with advanced colorectal adenoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hui-Min; Yu, Ya-Nan; Wang, Ji-Lin; Lin, Yan-Wei; Kong, Xuan; Yang, Chang-Qing; Yang, Li; Liu, Zhan-Ju; Yuan, Yao-Zong; Liu, Fei; Wu, Jian-Xin; Zhong, Liang; Fang, Dian-Chun; Zou, Weiping; Fang, Jing-Yuan

    2013-05-01

    Accumulating evidence indicates that diet is one of the most important environmental factors involved in the progression from advanced colorectal adenoma (A-CRA) to colorectal cancer. We evaluated the possible effects of dietary fiber on the fecal microbiota of patients with A-CRA. Patients with a diagnosis of A-CRA by pathological examination were enrolled in the A-CRA group. Patients with no obvious abnormalities or histopathological changes were enrolled in the healthy control (HC) group. Dietary fiber intake was assessed in all patients. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces were detected by gas chromatography. The fecal microbiota community was analyzed by 454 pyrosequencing based on 16S ribosomal RNA. Lower dietary fiber patterns and consistently lower SCFA production were observed in the A-CRA group (n = 344). Principal component analysis showed distinct differences in the fecal microbiota communities of the 2 groups. Clostridium, Roseburia, and Eubacterium spp. were significantly less prevalent in the A-CRA group (n = 47) than in the HC group (n = 47), whereas Enterococcus and Streptococcus spp. were more prevalent in the A-CRA group (n = 47) (all P < 0.05). Butyrate and butyrate-producing bacteria were more prevalent in a subgroup of HC subjects with a high fiber intake than in those in both the low-fiber HC subgroup and the high-fiber A-CRA subgroup (all P < 0.05). A high-fiber dietary pattern and subsequent consistent production of SCFAs and healthy gut microbiota are associated with a reduced risk of A-CRA. This trial was registered at www.chictr.org as ChiCTR-TRC-00000123.

  4. Bucket Brigades to Increase Productivity in a Luxury Assembly Line

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filippo De Carlo

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available One of the most challenging issues in manual assembly lines is to achieve the best balance of workloads. There are many analytic approaches to solve this problem, but they are often neglected, since they are time-consuming and require high level engineering skills. Fashion bags packaging lines must comply with a number of different products with low production volumes, while the organization of the line is often under the mere responsibility of the foreman, who balances workloads in an empirical way. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effectiveness of the arrangement of bucket brigades (BBs for an assembly line of luxury handbags. To do this, it was decided to perform a testing activity in a company producing fashion handbags in order to compare the self-made design with the BBs and with a simple assembly line balancing problem algorithm. The originality of this research lies in the fact that there are no studies in the literature on BBs applied to the packaging of highly variable small batches. The results were excellent, showing the advantages of BBs in terms of flexibility, the reduction of work in the process and the ability to handle small anomalies.

  5. Fabrication and tribological properties of self-assembled monolayer of n-alkyltrimethoxysilane on silicon: Effect of SAM alkyl chain length

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huo, Lixia [National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Vacuum Technology and Physics, Lanzhou Institute of Physics, Lanzhou, Gansu 730010 (China); Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Gansu 730000 (China); Du, Pengcheng [Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Gansu 730000 (China); Zhou, Hui; Zhang, Kaifeng [National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Vacuum Technology and Physics, Lanzhou Institute of Physics, Lanzhou, Gansu 730010 (China); Liu, Peng, E-mail: pliu@lzu.edu.cn [Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Gansu 730000 (China)

    2017-02-28

    Highlights: • n-Alkyltrimethoxysilanes with various chain lengths were self-assembled on silicon. • Effect of alkyl chain lengths (C6, C12, or C18) on the SAMs was investigated. • Surface roughness of the SAMs decreased with increasing the alkyl chain lengths. • The C{sub 12}-SAM possessed superior friction reduction and wear resistance. - Abstract: It is well known that the self-assembled organic molecules on a solid surface exhibit the friction-reducing performance. However, the effect of the molecular size of the self-assembled organic molecules has not been established. In the present work, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of n-alkyltrimethoxysilanes with different alkyl chain lengths (C{sub 6}, C{sub 12}, or C{sub 18}) were fabricated on silicon substrate. The water contact angles of the SAMs increased from 26.8° of the hydroxylated silicon substrate to near 60° after self-assembly. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis results showed that the mean roughness (R{sub a}) of the SAMs decreased with increasing the alkyl chain length. The tribological properties of the SAMs sliding against Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ball were evaluated on an UMT-2 tribometer, and the worn surfaces of the samples were analyzed by means of Nano Scratch Tester and surface profilometry. It was found that lowest friction coefficient and smallest width of wear were achieved with the SAMs of C{sub 12} alkyl chain (C{sub 12}-SAM). The superior friction reduction and wear resistance of the SAMs in comparison with the bare silicon substrate are attributed to good adhesion of the self-assembled films to the substrate, especially the C{sub 12}-SAM with desirable alkyl chain length.

  6. 75 FR 57330 - Community Reinvestment Act

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-20

    ... mergers, branches, and certain other corporate activities. Further, the CRA statute requires the Agencies to issue regulations to carry out its purposes. OTS uses the data collected under the CRA regulations... institution's CRA performance and to participate meaningfully in the application process. Type of Review...

  7. Greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with lower prevalence of colorectal adenomas in men of all races.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haslam, Alyson; Robb, Sara Wagner; Hébert, James R; Huang, Hanwen; Ebell, Mark H

    2017-12-01

    To examine potential racial differences in Mediterranean diet scores and whether these differences are associated with the prevalence of colorectal adenoma (CRA), a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial was performed. The authors hypothesize that people consuming a more Mediterranean-like diet have lower odds of CRA. Flexible sigmoidoscopy was used to determine the presence of colorectal adenoma. Mediterranean diet scores were calculated from food frequency questionnaire responses. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between Mediterranean diet scores and the odds of prevalent CRA, as well as the joint effects of race and diet. Asians, followed by blacks, had higher Mediterranean diet scores than whites. Generally, men with better Mediterranean diet scores (altMED) had lower odds of CRA, but black and Asian men had even lower odds of prevalent CRA with better altMED diet scores than did white men with higher altMED diet scores. In this study population, all men had lower odds of prevalent CRA, but black and Asian men, who had higher (more favorable) altMED diet scores than whites, had even lower odds of prevalent CRA compared with white men. An altMED diet prescription may be especially beneficial for certain subpopulations who may be at higher risk of CRA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Nuclear fuel assemblies and fuel pins usable in such assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jolly, R.

    1982-01-01

    A novel end cap for a nuclear fuel assembly is described in detail. It consists of a trisection arrangement which is received within a cell of a cellular grid. The cell contains abutment means with which the trisection comes into abutment. The grid also contains an abutment means for preventing the trisections from being inserted into the cell in an incorrect orientation. The present design allows fuel pins to be securely held in a hold-down grid of a sub-assembly. The design also allows easier dis-assembly of the swollen and embrittled fuel pins prior to reprocessing. (U.K.)

  9. Self-assembly of coiled coil peptides into nanoparticles vs 2-d plates: effects of assembly pathway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kyunghee; Pochan, Darrin

    Molecular solution assembly, or self-assembly, is a process by which ordered nanostructures or patterns are formed by non-covalent interactions during assembly. Biomimicry, the use of bioinspired molecules or biologically relevant materials, is an important area of self-assembly research with peptides serving a critical role as molecular tools. The morphology of peptide assemblies can be controlled by adjusting solution conditions such as the concentration of peptides, the temperature, and pH. Herein, spherical nanostructures, which have potential for creating an encapsulation system, are formed by self-assembly when coiled coil peptides are combined in solution. These peptides are homotrimeric and heterodimeric coiled-coil bundles and the homotrimer is connected with each of heterodimer through their external surfaces via disulfide bonds. The resultant covalent constructs could co-assemble into complementary trimeric hubs, respectively. The two peptide constructs are directly mixed and assembled in solution in order to produce either spherical particles or 2-d plates depending on the solution conditions and kinetic pathway of assembly. In particular, structural changes of the self-assembled peptides are explored by control of the thermal history of the assembly solution.

  10. Rapid centriole assembly in Naegleria reveals conserved roles for both de novo and mentored assembly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fritz-Laylin, Lillian K; Levy, Yaron Y; Levitan, Edward; Chen, Sean; Cande, W Zacheus; Lai, Elaine Y; Fulton, Chandler

    2016-03-01

    Centrioles are eukaryotic organelles whose number and position are critical for cilia formation and mitosis. Many cell types assemble new centrioles next to existing ones ("templated" or mentored assembly). Under certain conditions, centrioles also form without pre-existing centrioles (de novo). The synchronous differentiation of Naegleria amoebae to flagellates represents a unique opportunity to study centriole assembly, as nearly 100% of the population transitions from having no centrioles to having two within minutes. Here, we find that Naegleria forms its first centriole de novo, immediately followed by mentored assembly of the second. We also find both de novo and mentored assembly distributed among all major eukaryote lineages. We therefore propose that both modes are ancestral and have been conserved because they serve complementary roles, with de novo assembly as the default when no pre-existing centriole is available, and mentored assembly allowing precise regulation of number, timing, and location of centriole assembly. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Next-generation transcriptome assembly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martin, Jeffrey A.; Wang, Zhong

    2011-09-01

    Transcriptomics studies often rely on partial reference transcriptomes that fail to capture the full catalog of transcripts and their variations. Recent advances in sequencing technologies and assembly algorithms have facilitated the reconstruction of the entire transcriptome by deep RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), even without a reference genome. However, transcriptome assembly from billions of RNA-seq reads, which are often very short, poses a significant informatics challenge. This Review summarizes the recent developments in transcriptome assembly approaches - reference-based, de novo and combined strategies-along with some perspectives on transcriptome assembly in the near future.

  12. Characterization of self-assembled electrodes based on Au-Pt nanoparticles for PEMFC application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valenzuela, E. [Politecnica Univ. de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas (Mexico). Energia y Sustentabilidad; Sebastian, P.J. [Politecnica Univ. de Chiapas, Chiapas (Mexico). Energia y Sustentabilidad; Centro de Investigacion en Energia, UNAM, Morelos (Mexico); Gamboa, S.A. [Centro de Investigacion en Energia, UNAM, Morelos (Mexico); Pal, U. [Inst. de Fisica, Universidad Autonoma de Puebla Univ., Puebla (Mexico). Inst. de Fisica; Gonzalez, I. [Autonoma Metropolitana Univ. (Mexico). Dept. de Quimica

    2008-07-01

    This paper reported on a study in which membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) were fabricated by depositing Au, Pt and AuPt nanoparticles on Nafion 115 membrane for use in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A Rotating Disc Electrode (RDE) was used to measure the nanoparticle catalyst activity. After deposition of the nanoparticles on the membrane, the surface was studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The membrane proton conduction process was studied by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) with the 4 probe technique. The MEAs fabricated with Nafion/Metal membranes were evaluated in a PEMFC under standard conditions. Colloidal solutions were used to prepare self-assembled electrodes with nanoparticles deposited on Nafion membrane. The particles deposited on Nafion showed good stability and had homogeneous distribution along the membrane surface. The impedance results revealed an increase in the membrane proton resistance of the self-assembled electrodes compared to unmodified Nafion. The Au-Pt nanoparticles were obtained by chemical reduction. The nanoparticle size in the three systems was about 2 nm. The self-assembled electrodes performed well in standard conditions. The optimum colloidal concentration and immersion time must be determined in order to obtain good catalytic activity and high membrane conductance. The self-assembled Nafion/AuPt had the best open circuit potential (887 mV). The Au and Pt self-assemblies showed a similar performance in terms of maximum power and maximum current density. The performance of the Nafion/Au self-assembly was influenced more by ohmic losses, particularly in the membrane. The maximum power generation was obtained at 0.35 V. The mass transport losses increased after this value, thereby affecting the efficiency of the PEMFC. 2 figs.

  13. Self-assembled monolayers of a disulphide-derivatised cobalt-porphyrin on gold

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Viana, A.S.; Leupold, S.; Montforts, F.-P.; Abrantes, L.M.

    2005-01-01

    A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of a novel cobalt(II)porphyrin disulphide derivative was prepared on flat gold(1 1 1) electrode. Evidence for surface modification was provided by electrochemical reductive desorption of the monolayer and ellipsometry, consistent with a coverage of 2.5 x 10 -10 mol cm -2 and a thickness of 13 A, respectively. Both results support the presence of SAMs where the molecules share an intermediate position between perpendicular and flat orientation. Scanning tunnelling microscopy have also proven the formation of CoPSS SAMs, however high-resolution images could only be obtained when the CoPSS molecules were diluted in an hexanethiol SAM. The electrocatalytic activity of the surface confined Co-porphyrin was evaluated for the oxygen reduction. Voltammetric data indicate that reaction involves two electrons consistent with the formation of hydrogen peroxide. Under similar experimental conditions the data obtained for an iron-porphyrin analogue points for a full reduction of dioxygen to water

  14. Human Assisted Assembly Processes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    CALTON,TERRI L.; PETERS,RALPH R.

    2000-01-01

    Automatic assembly sequencing and visualization tools are valuable in determining the best assembly sequences, but without Human Factors and Figure Models (HFFMs) it is difficult to evaluate or visualize human interaction. In industry, accelerating technological advances and shorter market windows have forced companies to turn to an agile manufacturing paradigm. This trend has promoted computerized automation of product design and manufacturing processes, such as automated assembly planning. However, all automated assembly planning software tools assume that the individual components fly into their assembled configuration and generate what appear to be a perfectly valid operations, but in reality the operations cannot physically be carried out by a human. Similarly, human figure modeling algorithms may indicate that assembly operations are not feasible and consequently force design modifications; however, if they had the capability to quickly generate alternative assembly sequences, they might have identified a feasible solution. To solve this problem HFFMs must be integrated with automated assembly planning to allow engineers to verify that assembly operations are possible and to see ways to make the designs even better. Factories will very likely put humans and robots together in cooperative environments to meet the demands for customized products, for purposes including robotic and automated assembly. For robots to work harmoniously within an integrated environment with humans the robots must have cooperative operational skills. For example, in a human only environment, humans may tolerate collisions with one another if they did not cause much pain. This level of tolerance may or may not apply to robot-human environments. Humans expect that robots will be able to operate and navigate in their environments without collisions or interference. The ability to accomplish this is linked to the sensing capabilities available. Current work in the field of cooperative

  15. 12 CFR 207.5 - Related agreements considered a single agreement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... RESERVE SYSTEM DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS (REGULATION G) § 207.5 Related... of the CRA. (b) Substantively related contracts. All written contracts to which an insured depository... each such contract is in fulfillment of the CRA, if the contracts were negotiated in a coordinated...

  16. 12 CFR 533.6 - Disclosure of covered agreements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 533.6 Disclosure of covered agreements. (a) Applicability date. This... mailing the agreement. (7) Use of CRA public file by insured depository institution or affiliate. An... institution's CRA public file if the institution makes the agreement available in accordance with the...

  17. 78 FR 70904 - Periodic Reporting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-27

    ... ``Alternate CRA (Cost and Revenue Analysis Report)'' required by Commission rule 3050.14. 39 CFR 3050.14. The Postal Service proposes the Commission remove the requirement to prepare the Alternate CRA by striking... CRA Report, November 15, 2013 (Petition). Additionally, the Postal Service requests that if the...

  18. 12 CFR 207.6 - Disclosure of covered agreements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS (REGULATION G) § 207.6 Disclosure of covered agreements... CRA public file by insured depository institution or affiliate. An insured depository institution and...) by placing a copy of the covered agreement in the insured depository institution's CRA public file if...

  19. Self-Assembly of Infinite Structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott M. Summers

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available We review some recent results related to the self-assembly of infinite structures in the Tile Assembly Model. These results include impossibility results, as well as novel tile assembly systems in which shapes and patterns that represent various notions of computation self-assemble. Several open questions are also presented and motivated.

  20. Nuclear fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anthony, A.J.

    1980-01-01

    A bimetallic spacer means is cooperatively associated with a nuclear fuel assembly and operative to resist the occurrence of in-reactor bowing of the nuclear fuel assembly. The bimetallic spacer means in one embodiment of the invention includes a space grid formed, at least principally, of zircaloy to the external surface of which are attached a plurality of stainless steel strips. In another embodiment the strips are attached to fuel pins. In each of the embodiments, the stainless steel strips during power production expand outwardly to a greater extent than do the members to which the stainless steel strips are attached, thereby forming stiff springs which abut against like bimetallic spacer means with which the other nuclear fuel assemblies are provided in a given nuclear reactor core to thus prevent the occurrence of in-reactor bowing of the nuclear fuel assemblies. (author)

  1. Method and apparatus for assembling a permanent magnet pole assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carl, Jr., Ralph James; Bagepalli, Bharat Sampathkumaran [Niskayuna, NY; Jansen, Patrick Lee [Scotia, NY; Dawson, Richard Nils [Voorheesville, NY; Qu, Ronghai [Clifton Park, NY; Avanesov, Mikhail Avramovich [Moscow, RU

    2009-08-11

    A pole assembly for a rotor, the pole assembly includes a permanent magnet pole including at least one permanent magnet block, a plurality of laminations including a pole cap mechanically coupled to the pole, and a plurality of laminations including a base plate mechanically coupled to the pole.

  2. TPX assembly plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Knutson, D.

    1993-01-01

    The TPX machine will be assembled in the TFTR Test Cell at the Plasma Physics Laboratory, utilizing the existing TFTR machine foundation. Preparation of the area for assembly will begin after completion of the decontamination and decommissioning phase on TFTR and certification that the radiation levels remaining, if any, are consistent with the types of operations planned. Assembly operations begin with the arrival of the first components, and conclude, approximately 24 months later, with the successful completion of the integrated systems tests and the achievement of a first plasma

  3. Surface self-assembled hybrid nanocomposites with electroactive nanoparticles and enzymes confined in a polymer matrix for controlled electrocatalysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhu, Nan; Ulstrup, Jens; Chi, Qijin

    2015-01-01

    A three-dimensional network of highly branched poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) is designed and synthesized on gold electrode surfaces. A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate) (DTSP) on a gold electrode was first prepared, which is confirmed by the reductive desorption of ...

  4. LDRD report nonlinear model reduction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Segalman, D.; Heinstein, M.

    1997-09-01

    The very general problem of model reduction of nonlinear systems was made tractable by focusing on the very large subclass consisting of linear subsystems connected by nonlinear interfaces. Such problems constitute a large part of the nonlinear structural problems encountered in addressing the Sandia missions. A synthesis approach to this class of problems was developed consisting of: detailed modeling of the interface mechanics; collapsing the interface simulation results into simple nonlinear interface models; constructing system models by assembling model approximations of the linear subsystems and the nonlinear interface models. These system models, though nonlinear, would have very few degrees of freedom. A paradigm problem, that of machine tool vibration, was selected for application of the reduction approach outlined above. Research results achieved along the way as well as the overall modeling of a specific machine tool have been very encouraging. In order to confirm the interface models resulting from simulation, it was necessary to develop techniques to deduce interface mechanics from experimental data collected from the overall nonlinear structure. A program to develop such techniques was also pursued with good success.

  5. Assembly Modulated by Particle Position and Shape: A New Concept in Self-Assembly

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tavacoli, Joe W; Heuvingh, Julien; Du Roure, Olivia

    2017-01-01

    In this communication we outline how the bespoke arrangements and design of micron-sized superparamagnetic shapes provide levers to modulate their assembly under homogeneous magnetic fields. We label this new approach, 'assembly modulated by particle position and shape' (APPS). Specifically, using...... rectangular lattices of superparamagnetic micron-sized cuboids, we construct distinct microstructures by adjusting lattice pitch and angle of array with respect to a magnetic field. Broadly, we find two modes of assembly: (1) immediate 2D jamming of the cuboids as they rotate to align with the applied field...... (rotation-induced jamming) and (2) aggregation via translation after their full alignment (dipole-dipole assembly). The boundary between these two assembly pathways is independent on field strength being solely a function of the cuboid's dimensions, lattice pitch, and array angle with respect to field...

  6. 12 CFR 346.6 - Disclosure of covered agreements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... POLICY DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 346.6 Disclosure of covered agreements. (a... exceed the cost of copying and mailing the agreement. (7) Use of CRA public file by insured depository... the insured depository institution's CRA public file if the institution makes the agreement available...

  7. Is Insight Always the Same? A Protocol Analysis of Insight in Compound Remote Associate Problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cranford, Edward A.; Moss, Jarrod

    2012-01-01

    Compound Remote Associate (CRA) problems have been used to investigate insight problem solving using both behavioral and neuroimaging techniques. However, it is unclear to what extent CRA problems exhibit characteristics of insight such as impasses and restructuring. CRA problem-solving characteristics were examined in a study in which…

  8. Patchy Chorioretinal Atrophy Changes at the Posterior Pole After Ranibizumab for Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parravano, Mariacristina; Scarinci, Fabio; Gilardi, Marta; Querques, Lea; Varano, Monica; Oddone, Francesco; Bandello, Francesco; Querques, Giuseppe

    2017-12-01

    To investigate the potential role of ranibizumab treatment on the development or enlargement of chorioretinal atrophy (CRA) at the posterior pole in eyes with myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV). This observational case series included patients having high myopia spherical equivalent refractive error ≥ -6.00 diopters, axial length (AxL) ≥ 26.0 mm in both eyes, and mCNV treated with ranibizumab 0.5 mg in one eye, who were retrospectively enrolled. Areas of CRA in treated and fellow eyes were measured on fundus autofluorescence images at baseline, 12, and 24 months. The CRA hypoautofluorescent lesions were divided in two groups: perilesional atrophy, corresponding to area around the mCNV, and patchy extralesional atrophy, corresponding to CRA between the temporal vascular arcades. Thirty-six eyes of 18 patients were included. The mean perilesional CRA size significantly increased from baseline to 12 months (3.5 ± 10.6 mm2, P = 0.02) and 24 months (4.4 ± 11.7 mm2, P = 0.038) in the treated eye. In treated and not treated eyes, patchy extralesional CRA at the posterior pole increased significantly from baseline to 12 and 24 months follow-up. None of the fellow eyes developed mCNV. No significant relationship was found between the number of injections, AxL, age, and perilesional and patchy extralesional CRA in the treated and not treated eyes (P > 0.05). In eyes with pathologic myopia and mCNV, intravitreal injections of ranibizumab should not be considered as a contributing risk factor worsening the natural course of CRA, even though the risk of the perilesional CRA enlargement should be taken into account.

  9. Dynamic behaviour of diagnostic assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pecinka, L.

    1980-01-01

    The methodology is shown of calculating the frequency spectrum of a diagnostic assembly. The oscillations of the assembly as a whole, of a fuel rod bundle, the assembly jacket and of the individual rods in the bundle were considered. The manufacture is suggested of a model assembly which would be used for testing forced vibrations using an experimental water loop. (M.S.)

  10. Selecting Operations for Assembler Encoding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomasz Praczyk

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Assembler Encoding is a neuro-evolutionary method in which a neural network is represented in the form of a simple program called Assembler Encoding Program. The task of the program is to create the so-called Network Definition Matrix which maintains all the information necessary to construct the network. To generate Assembler Encoding Programs and the subsequent neural networks evolutionary techniques are used.
    The performance of Assembler Encoding strongly depends on operations used in Assembler Encoding Programs. To select the most effective operations, experiments in the optimization and the predator-prey problem were carried out. In the experiments, Assembler Encoding Programs equipped with different types of operations were tested. The results of the tests are presented at the end of the paper.

  11. Nanocomposite films containing Au nanoparticles formed by electrochemical reduction of metal ions in the multilayer films as electrocatalyst for dioxygen reduction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Minghua; Shen Yan; Cheng Wenlong; Shao Yong; Sun Xuping; Liu Baifeng; Dong Shaojun

    2005-01-01

    Through electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly, AuCl 4 - anions and [tetrakis(N-methylpyridyl)porphyrinato] cobalt (CoTMPyP) cations were alternately deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates, and 4-aminobenzoic acid modified glassy carbon electrode. Electrochemical reduction of AuCl 4 - anions sandwiched between CoTMPyP layers leads to the in situ formation of Au nanoparticles in the multilayer films. Regular growth of the multilayer films is monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy. UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry confirm the formation of Au nanoparticles in the multilayer films after electrochemical reduction of AuCl 4 - anions. Atomic force spectroscopy verifies that the as-prepared Au nanoparticles are uniformly distributed with average particles diameters of 20-25 nm. The resulting composite films containing Au nanoparticles with high stability exhibit high electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of dioxygen. Rotating disk electrode voltammetry and rotating ring-disk electrode voltammetry demonstrate the Au nanoparticles-containing films can catalyze two-electron reduction of O 2 to H 2 O 2 in O 2 -saturated 0.1 M H 2 SO 4 solution

  12. Flashback resistant pre-mixer assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laster, Walter R [Oviedo, FL; Gambacorta, Domenico [Oviedo, FL

    2012-02-14

    A pre-mixer assembly associated with a fuel supply system for mixing of air and fuel upstream from a main combustion zone in a gas turbine engine. The pre-mixer assembly includes a swirler assembly disposed about a fuel injector of the fuel supply system and a pre-mixer transition member. The swirler assembly includes a forward end defining an air inlet and an opposed aft end. The pre-mixer transition member has a forward end affixed to the aft end of the swirler assembly and an opposed aft end defining an outlet of the pre-mixer assembly. The aft end of the pre-mixer transition member is spaced from a base plate such that a gap is formed between the aft end of the pre-mixer transition member and the base plate for permitting a flow of purge air therethrough to increase a velocity of the air/fuel mixture exiting the pre-mixer assembly.

  13. Nuclear reactor fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasaki, Y.; Tashima, J.

    1975-01-01

    A description is given of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies arranged in the form of a lattice wherein there is attached to the interface of one of two adjacent fuel assemblies a plate spring having a concave portion curved toward said interface and to the interface of the other fuel assembly a plate spring having a convex portion curved away from said interface

  14. Design of the ITER Tokamak Assembly Tools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Hyunki; Her, Namil; Kim, Byungchul; Im, Kihak; Jung, Kijung; Lee, Jaehyuk; Im, Kisuk

    2006-01-01

    ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) Procurement allocation among the seven Parties, EU, JA, CN, IN , KO, RF and US had been decided in Dec. 2005. ITER Tokamak assembly tools is one of the nine components allocated to Korea for the construction of the ITER. Assembly tools except measurement and common tools are supplied to assemble the ITER Tokamak and classified into 9 groups according to components to be assembled. Among the 9 groups of assembly tools, large-sized Sector Sub-assembly Tools and Sector Assembly Tools are used at the first stage of ITER Tokamak construction and need to be designed faster than seven other assembly tools. ITER IT (International Team) proposed Korea to accomplish ITA (ITER Transitional Arrangements) Task on detailed design, manufacturing feasibility and contract specification of specific, large sized tools such as Upending Tool, Lifting Tool, Sector Sub-assembly Tool and Sector Assembly Tool in Oct. 2004. Based on the concept design by ITER IT, Korea carried out ITA Task on detailed design of large-sized and specific Sector Sub-assembly and Sector Assembly Tools until Mar. 2006. The Sector Sub-assembly Tools mainly consist of the Upending, Lifting, Vacuum Vessel Support and Bracing, and Sector Sub-assembly Tool, among which the design of three tools are herein. The Sector Assembly Tools mainly consist of the Toroidal Field (TF) Gravity Support Assembly, Sector In-pit Assembly, TF Coil Assembly, Vacuum Vessel (VV) Welding and Vacuum Vessel Thermal Shield (TS) Assembly Tool, among which the design of Sector In-pit Assembly Tool is described herein

  15. Judgement on the data for fuel assembly outlet temperatures of WWER fuel assemblies in power reactors based on measurements with experimental fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krause, F.

    1986-01-01

    In the period from 1980 to 1985, in the Rheinsberg nuclear power plant experimental fuel assemblies were used on lattices at the periphery of the core. These particular fuel assemblies dispose of an extensive in-core instrumentation with different sensors. Besides this, they are fit out with a device to systematically thottle the coolant flow. The large power gradient present at the core position of the experimental fuel assembly causes a temperature profile along the fuel assemblies which is well provable at the measuring points of the outlet temperature. Along the direction of flow this temperature profile in the coolant degrades only slowly. This effect is to be taken into account when measuring the fuel assembly outlet temperature of WWER fuel assemblies. Besides this, the results of the measurements hinted both at a γ-heating of the temperature measuring points and at tolerances in the calculation of the micro power density distribution. (author)

  16. Constrained relationship agency as the risk factor for intimate ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We used structural equation modelling to identify and measure constrained relationship agency (CRA) as a latent variable, and then tested the hypothesis that CRA plays a significant role in the pathway between IPV and transactional sex. After controlling for CRA, receiving more material goods from a sexual partner was ...

  17. Validação preliminar de uma versão do Caregiver Reaction Assessment em um contexto de pacientes oncológicos em internação

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzane Pereira Busatta

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo Adaptar para o Brasil uma versão portuguesa do Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA e gerar indicadores preliminares de validade e fidedignidade para sua aplicação em cuidadores de pacientes oncológicos internados. Métodos Participaram voluntariamente 53 cuidadores, que responderam a um questionário sociodemográfico, ao CRA e à Escala de Bem-Estar Psicológico (EBEP. A unidimensionalidade e a homogeneidade dos escores do CRA foram avaliadas por meio de análise de componentes principais e de consistência interna, respectivamente. Correlações de Pearson entre escores do CRA e EBEP foram examinadas e utilizadas como indicadores de validade divergente e de construto. Resultados As cinco escalas que compõem o CRA apresentaram bons níveis de unidimensionalidade e homogeneidade, porém as escalas de impacto nas finanças e impacto na saúde obtiveram alfas insuficientes (< 0,7. O escore total do CRA apresentou alfa elevado (0,886. Correlações entre o CRA e a EBEP produziram coeficientes teoricamente interpretáveis, com magnitudes variando entre nulas e moderadas. Conclusão O CRA apresentou bons indicadores de validade e fidedignidade. Algumas adaptações em relação ao conteúdo de determinados itens se mostram, todavia, necessárias, a fim de serem calibradas ao contexto de pessoas atendidas por serviços subsidiados pelo Sistema Único de Saúde.

  18. Fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagano, Mamoru; Yoshioka, Ritsuo

    1983-01-01

    Purpose: To effectively utilize nuclear fuels by increasing the reactivity of a fuel assembly and reduce the concentration at the central region thereof upon completion of the burning. Constitution: A fuel assembly is bisected into a central region and a peripheral region by disposing an inner channel box within a channel box. The flow rate of coolants passing through the central region is made greater than that in the peripheral region. The concentration of uranium 235 of the fuel rods in the central region is made higher. In such a structure, since the moderating effect in the central region is improved, the reactivity of the fuel assembly is increased and the uranium concentration in the central region upon completion of the burning can be reduced, fuel economy and effective utilization of uranium can be attained. (Kamimura, M.)

  19. Fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakatsuka, Masafumi; Matsuzuka, Ryuji.

    1976-01-01

    Object: To provide a fuel assembly which can decrease pressure loss of coolant to uniform temperature. Structure: A sectional area of a flow passage in the vicinity of an inner peripheral surface of a wrapper tube is limited over the entire length to prevent the temperature of a fuel element in the outermost peripheral portion from being excessively decreased to thereby flatten temperature distribution. To this end, a plurality of pincture-frame-like sheet metals constituting a spacer for supporting a fuel assembly, which has a plurality of fuel elements planted lengthwise and in given spaced relation within the wrapper tube, is disposed in longitudinal grooves and in stacked fashion to form a substantially honeycomb-like space in cross section. The fuel elements are inserted and supported in the space to form a fuel assembly. (Kamimura, M.)

  20. Welding facilities for NPP assembling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rojtenberg, S.S.

    1987-01-01

    Recommendations concerning the choice of equipment for welding in pre-assembling work shops, in the enlarging assembling shops and at the assembling site, are given. Advanced production automatic welders and semiautomatic machines, applied during the NPP equipment assembling as well as automatic machines specially produced for welding the main reactor components and pipelines are described. Automatic and semiautomatic machine and manual welding post supply sources are considered

  1. Composite turbine bucket assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liotta, Gary Charles; Garcia-Crespo, Andres

    2014-05-20

    A composite turbine blade assembly includes a ceramic blade including an airfoil portion, a shank portion and an attachment portion; and a transition assembly adapted to attach the ceramic blade to a turbine disk or rotor, the transition assembly including first and second transition components clamped together, trapping said ceramic airfoil therebetween. Interior surfaces of the first and second transition portions are formed to mate with the shank portion and the attachment portion of the ceramic blade, and exterior surfaces of said first and second transition components are formed to include an attachment feature enabling the transition assembly to be attached to the turbine rotor or disk.

  2. TOOL ASSEMBLY WITH BI-DIRECTIONAL BEARING

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longhurst, G.E.

    1961-07-11

    A two-direction motion bearing which is incorporated in a refueling nuclear fuel element trsnsfer tool assembly is described. A plurality of bi- directional bearing assembliesare fixed equi-distantly about the circumference of the transfer tool assembly to provide the tool assembly with a bearing surface- for both axial and rotational motion. Each bi-directional bearing assembly contains a plurality of circumferentially bulged rollers mounted in a unique arrangement which will provide a bearing surface for rotational movement of the tool assembly within a bore. The bi-direc tional bearing assembly itself is capable of rational motion and thus provides for longitudinal movement of the tool assembly.

  3. Relationship between lighting and noise levels and productivity of the occupants in automotive assembly industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akbari, Jafar; Dehghan, Habibollah; Azmoon, Hiva; Forouharmajd, Farhad

    2013-01-01

    Work environment affects human productivity and his performance. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of lighting and noise levels on human productivity in the automotive assembly industry. Subjects were 181 workers from different parts of an automobile assembly industry. Illuminance (Lx) at the height of 30 inches from the surface of work station and noise (dBA) were locally measured. Also human productivity by the Goldsmith and Hersey scale (1980) was measured. Data were analyzed by using SPSS v20 Pearson correlation coefficient. The results showed that the relationship between noise level and human productivity is negative and significant (P productivity (P > 0.05). Based on the results, in assembly tasks, noise has a negative impact on human productivity, and lighting does not affect this. So, in order to increase employee productivity, noise control and reduction to less than the standard values (less than 85 dB) is necessary.

  4. Relationship between Lighting and Noise Levels and Productivity of the Occupants in Automotive Assembly Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jafar Akbari

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Work environment affects human productivity and his performance. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of lighting and noise levels on human productivity in the automotive assembly industry. Method. Subjects were 181 workers from different parts of an automobile assembly industry. Illuminance (Lx at the height of 30 inches from the surface of work station and noise (dBA were locally measured. Also human productivity by the Goldsmith and Hersey scale (1980 was measured. Data were analyzed by using SPSS v20 Pearson correlation coefficient. Results. The results showed that the relationship between noise level and human productivity is negative and significant (, , but there was no significant relationship between lighting and human productivity (. Conclusion. Based on the results, in assembly tasks, noise has a negative impact on human productivity, and lighting does not affect this. So, in order to increase employee productivity, noise control and reduction to less than the standard values (less than 85 dB is necessary.

  5. Fuel assembly spacer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shirakawa, Ken-etsu.

    1988-01-01

    Purpose: To reduce the pressure loss of coolants by fuel assembly spacers. Constitution: Spacers for supporting a fuel assembly are attached by means of a plurality of wires to an outer frame. The outer frame is made of shape memory alloy such that the wires are caused to slacken at normal temperature and the slacking of the wires is eliminated in excess of the transition temperature. Since the wires slacken at the normal temperature, fuel rods can be inserted easily. After the insertion of the fuel rods, when the entire portion or the outer frame is heated by water or gas at a predetermined temperature, the outer frame resumes its previously memorized shape to tighten the wires and, accordingly, the fuel rods can be supported firmly. In this way, since the fuel rods are inserted in the slacken state of the wires and, after the assembling, the outer frame resumes its memorized shape, the assembling work can be conducted efficiently. (Kamimura, M.)

  6. Ordinary General Assembly

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2011-01-01

    Tuesday 12 April at 14.00 Council Chamber, Bldg 503 In conformity with the Statutes of the Staff Association, an ordinary General Assembly is organized once a year (article IV.2.1). Agenda   Adoption of the Agenda Approval of the Draft Minutes of the Ordinary General Assembly of 20 April 2010 Presentation and approval of the Activity Report 2010 Presentation and approval of the Financial Report 2010 Presentation and approval of the Auditors Report 2010 Programme for 2011 Presentation et and approval of the draft budget and subscription rate 2012 Election of the Election Committee Election of the Board of Auditors Miscellaneous We remind members of article IV.3.4 in the Statutes of the Association which reads: “After having dealt with all the items on the agenda, the members may, with the consent of the Assembly, have other matters discussed, but decisions may be taken only on the items listed on the agenda. Nevertheless, the Assembly ma...

  7. Ordinary General Assembly

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2011-01-01

    Tuesday 12 April at 14.00 Council Chamber, Bldg 503 In conformity with the Statutes of the Staff Association, an ordinary General Assembly is organized once a year (article IV.2.1). Agenda   Adoption of the Agenda Approval of the Draft Minutes of the Ordinary General Assembly of 20 April 2010 Presentation and approval of the Activity Report 2010 Presentation and approval of the Financial Report 2010 Presentation and approval of the Auditors Report 2010 Programme for 2011 Presentation and approval of the draft budget and subscription rate 2012 Election of the Election Committee Election of the Board of Auditors Miscellaneous We remind members of article IV.3.4 in the Statutes of the Association which reads: “After having dealt with all the items on the agenda, the members may, with the consent of the Assembly, have other matters discussed, but decisions may be taken only on the items listed on the agenda. Nevertheless, the Assembly may r...

  8. Ordinary General Assembly

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2010-01-01

    Tuesday 20 April at 10.00 Council Chamber, Bldg 503 In conformity with the Statutes of the Staff Association, an ordinary General Assembly is organized once a year (article IV.2.1). Agenda   Adoption of the Agenda Approval of the Draft Minutes of the Ordinary General Assembly of 12 May 2009 Presentation and approval of the Activity Report 2009 Presentation and approval of the Financial Report 2009 Presentation and approval of the Auditors Report 2009 Programme for 2010 Presentation et and approval of the draft budget and subscription rate 2010 Election of the Election Committee Election of the Board of Auditors Miscellaneous We remind members of article IV.3.4 in the Statutes of the Association which reads: “After having dealt with all the items on the agenda, the members may, with the consent of the Assembly, have other matters discussed, but decisions may be taken only on the items listed on the agenda. Nevertheless, the Assembly may require t...

  9. 77 FR 69843 - Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-21

    .... Report title: Disclosure and Reporting Requirements of CRA- Related Agreements. Agency form number: Reg G.... 552(b)(4). Abstract: Section 48 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act), entitled ``CRA... agreements must (1) be made in fulfillment of the CRA and (2) involve funds or other resources of an IDI or...

  10. 77 FR 65687 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-10-30

    ... account factors such as the Bank member's performance under the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA... are used by FHFA to assess the responding member's compliance with the CRA and first time homebuyer performance standards. In section I of the form, a member that is subject to the CRA must record its current...

  11. 12 CFR 533.1 - Purpose and scope of this part.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 533.1 Purpose and scope of this part. (a) General. This part... Community Reinvestment Act. This part does not affect in any way the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA... interpretations or administration of the CRA or Community Reinvestment rule. (d) Examples. (1) The examples in...

  12. 12 CFR 533.5 - Related agreements considered a single agreement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 533.5 Related agreements considered a single agreement... entered into within the same 12-month period; and (3) Are each in fulfillment of the CRA. (b... in fulfillment of the CRA, if the contracts were negotiated in a coordinated fashion and a NGEP is a...

  13. 12 CFR 35.5 - Related agreements considered a single agreement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 35.5 Related agreements considered a single agreement... into within the same 12-month period; and (3) Are each in fulfillment of the CRA. (b) Substantively... the CRA, if the contracts were negotiated in a coordinated fashion and a NGEP is a party to each...

  14. Device with Complex System for Heat Utilization and Reduction of Hazardous Air Emissions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. V. Kascheeva

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Investigations concern heat utilization and reduction of hazardous emissions occurring in residential buildings and accompanying operation of a great number of industrial enterprises in particular heat and power objects, and firstly, heat-generating units of small power located in densely populated residential areas without centralized heat supply.The investigation target is to reduce cost of heat produced by independent system of building heat supply, reduction of air pollution  due to hazardous gas emissions and reduction of heat pollution of the environment as a result of building ventilation system operation, ventilation of their internal and external sewerage network and higher reliability of their operation.The target is achieved because the device with complex system for heat utilization and reduction of hazardous air emissions has additionally an assembly tank for mixing flue gases, ventilation emissions and atmospheric air, heat pump. Evaporation zone of the pump is a condensator of the gas mixture and its condensate zone contains a heat supply line for a heat consumer. The line is equipped with assembling  and distributing collectors, pipeline connecting the heat supply line with the system of direct and return delivery water from a boiler house, a separator for division of liquid and gaseous mixture phases, neutralizing devices for separate reduction of concentrations of hazardous and odorous substances being released in gaseous and liquid portions of the mixture, a pipeline for periodic supply of air with higher concentration of hazardous and odorous substances in the boiler furnace. The supplied air is obtained as a result of its passing through gas filters at their regeneration when their exchange capacity is exhausted.

  15. Like a hotel, but boring: users' experience with short-time community-based residential aftercare.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roos, Eirik; Bjerkeset, Ottar; Svavarsdóttir, Margrét Hrönn; Steinsbekk, Aslak

    2017-12-16

    The discharge process from hospital to home for patients with severe mental illness (SMI) is often complex, and most are in need of tailored and coordinated community services at home. One solution is to discharge patients to inpatient short-stay community residential aftercare (CRA). The aim of this study was to explore how patients with SMI experience a stay in CRA established in a City in Central Norway. A descriptive qualitative study with individual interviews and a group interview with 13 persons. The CRA aims to improve the discharge process from hospital to independent supported living by facilitating the establishment of health and social services and preparing the patients. The philosophy is to help patients use community resources by e.g. not offering any organized in-house activities. The main question in the interviews was "How have you experienced the stay at the CRA?" The interviews were analyzed with a thematic approach using systematic text condensation. The participants experienced the stay at the CRA "Like a hotel" but also boring, due to the lack of organized in-house activities. The patients generally said they were not informed about the philosophy of the CRA before the stay. The participants had to come up with activities outside the CRA and said they got active help from the staff to do so; some experienced this as positive, whereas others wanted more organized in-house activities like they were used to from mental health hospital stays. Participants described the staff in the CRA to be helpful and forthcoming, but they did not notice the staff being active in organizing the aftercare. The stay at the CRA was experienced as different from other services, with more freedom and focus on self-care, and lack of in-house activities. This led to increased self-activity among the patients, but some wanted more in-house activities. To prepare the patients better for the stay at the CRA, more information about the philosophy is needed in the pre

  16. Shortened outage duration and increased safety with head assembly upgrade packages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leanne, M.; Lisien, P.E.; Plute, K.; Duran, J.

    2007-01-01

    To significantly reduce outage critical path duration and personnel radiation exposure, and to increase personnel safety, Westinghouse Electric Co., LLC has designed and installed upgrades to the existing head assemblies of operating pressurized water reactors. These upgrades are known as Head Assembly Upgrade Packages (HAUPs) or Simplified Head Assemblies (SHAs). Custom configurations are created from a set of standard elements to optimize the design for each unique containment, head assembly configuration, and licensing basis. Two primary options are available for implementation: a full HAUP or targeted component and system upgrades. Plants may achieve much of the outage savings, dose reduction, and safety improvements even with a more limited hardware scope. A range of improvements can be offered from integral missile shields, to redesigned duct work, radiation shields, and cable layout and connection optimization. The hardware changes are customized to target the scope that adds the most value for a given plant. While combining upgrades with a reactor vessel head (RVH) replacement adds some flexibility, it is not necessary. Some plants have chosen to implement targeted upgrades prior to a replacement RVH outage and then complete the remainder of the full HAUP during the replacement RVH outage. Three-dimensional computer aided design tools are used in the conceptual and detailed design phases to identify and avoid interferences between existing and replacement plant components. State-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics models for control drive mechanism (CDM) cooling systems are used to demonstrate the ability to maintain or improve the original design performance while greatly simplifying the disassembly/re-assembly activities. Likewise, state-of-the-art finite element analysis methods allow optimization of structural components while meeting code limits for design basis accident conditions. (authors)

  17. Preliminary High-Throughput Metagenome Assembly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dusheyko, Serge; Furman, Craig; Pangilinan, Jasmyn; Shapiro, Harris; Tu, Hank

    2007-03-26

    Metagenome data sets present a qualitatively different assembly problem than traditional single-organism whole-genome shotgun (WGS) assembly. The unique aspects of such projects include the presence of a potentially large number of distinct organisms and their representation in the data set at widely different fractions. In addition, multiple closely related strains could be present, which would be difficult to assemble separately. Failure to take these issues into account can result in poor assemblies that either jumble together different strains or which fail to yield useful results. The DOE Joint Genome Institute has sequenced a number of metagenomic projects and plans to considerably increase this number in the coming year. As a result, the JGI has a need for high-throughput tools and techniques for handling metagenome projects. We present the techniques developed to handle metagenome assemblies in a high-throughput environment. This includes a streamlined assembly wrapper, based on the JGI?s in-house WGS assembler, Jazz. It also includes the selection of sensible defaults targeted for metagenome data sets, as well as quality control automation for cleaning up the raw results. While analysis is ongoing, we will discuss preliminary assessments of the quality of the assembly results (http://fames.jgi-psf.org).

  18. Assembling Transgender Moments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greteman, Adam J.

    2017-01-01

    In this article, the author seeks to assemble moments--scholarly, popular, and aesthetic--in order to explore the possibilities that emerge as moments collect in education's encounters with the needs, struggles, and possibilities of transgender lives and practices. Assembling moments, the author argues, illustrates the value of "moments"…

  19. Centrioles: some self-assembly required.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Mi Hye; Miliaras, Nicholas B; Peel, Nina; O'Connell, Kevin F

    2008-12-01

    Centrioles play an important role in organizing microtubules and are precisely duplicated once per cell cycle. New (daughter) centrioles typically arise in association with existing (mother) centrioles (canonical assembly), suggesting that mother centrioles direct the formation of daughter centrioles. However, under certain circumstances, centrioles can also selfassemble free of an existing centriole (de novo assembly). Recent work indicates that the canonical and de novo pathways utilize a common mechanism and that a mother centriole spatially constrains the self-assembly process to occur within its immediate vicinity. Other recently identified mechanisms further regulate canonical assembly so that during each cell cycle, one and only one daughter centriole is assembled per mother centriole.

  20. Fuel assembly storage pool

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hiranuma, Hiroshi.

    1976-01-01

    Object: To remove limitation of the number of storage of fuel assemblies to increase the number of storage thereof so as to relatively reduce the water depth required for shielding radioactive rays. Structure: Fuel assembly storage rack containers for receiving a plurality of spent fuel assembly racks are stacked in multi-layer fashion within a storage pool filled with water for shielding radioactive rays and removing heat. (Furukawa, Y.)

  1. 9-Cis retinoic acid protects against methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity in nigrostriatal dopamine neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reiner, David J; Yu, Seong-Jin; Shen, Hui; He, Yi; Bae, Eunkyung; Wang, Yun

    2014-04-01

    Methamphetamine (MA) is a drug of abuse as well as a dopaminergic neurotoxin. 9-Cis retinoic acid (9cRA), a biologically active derivative of vitamin A, has protective effects against damage caused by H(2)O(2) and oxygen-glucose deprivation in vitro as well as infarction and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dNTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) labeling in ischemic brain. The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a protective role for 9cRA against MA toxicity in nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. Primary dopaminergic neurons, prepared from rat embryonic ventral mesencephalic tissue, were treated with MA. High doses of MA decreased tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity while increasing TUNEL labeling. These toxicities were significantly reduced by 9cRA. 9cRA also inhibited the export of Nur77 from nucleus to cytosol, a response that activates apoptosis. The interaction of 9cRA and MA in vivo was next examined in adult rats. 9cRA was delivered intracerebroventricularly; MA was given (5 mg/kg, 4×) one day later. Locomotor behavior was measured 2 days after surgery for a period of 48 h. High doses of MA significantly reduced locomotor activity and TH immunoreactivity in striatum. Administration of 9cRA antagonized these changes. Previous studies have shown that 9cRA can induce bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7) expression and that administration of BMP7 attenuates MA toxicity. We demonstrated that MA treatment significantly reduced BMP7 mRNA expression in nigra. Noggin (a BMP antagonist) antagonized 9cRA-induced behavioral recovery and 9cRA-induced normalization of striatal TH levels. Our data suggest that 9cRA has a protective effect against MA-mediated neurodegeneration in dopaminergic neurons via upregulation of BMP.

  2. Potential trajectories of the upcoming forest trading mechanism in Pará State, Brazilian Amazon.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brenda Brito

    Full Text Available In 2012, the Brazilian government revised the federal Forest Code that governs the use of forest resources on rural properties. The revisions included a forest trading mechanism whereby landowners who deforested more than what is legally allowed before 2008 could absolve their deforestation "debts" by purchasing Environmental Reserve Quotas (CRA from landowners who conserved more forest than legally required. CRA holds promise as a tool to complement command-and-control initiatives to reduce deforestation and incentivize restoration. However, the success of this instrument depends on how its implementation is governed. This study builds on a few recent assessments of the potential of the CRA in Brazil-but that are focused on biophysical potential-by assessing how a few key implementation decisions may influence the CRA market development. Specifically, this study estimates how decisions on who can participate will likely influence the potential forest surplus and forest debt for the CRA market, and takes into account governance characteristics relevant to the State of Pará, eastern Amazonia. In particular, the study evaluates the effects in the CRA market eligibility after simulating a validation of properties in the environmental rural registry (CAR and assessing different scenarios surrounding land tenure status of properties. Results show how regulatory decisions on CRA market eligibility will determine the extent to which CRA will serve as a tool to support forest conservation or as a low-cost path to help illegal deforesters to comply with legislation, but with limited additional environmental benefits. The study reviews regulatory options that would reduce the risk of forest oversupply, and thereby increase the additionality of the areas eligible for CRA. Overall, the study demonstrates the importance of including governance as well as biophysical characteristics in assessing the potential of forest trading tools to deliver additional

  3. Potential trajectories of the upcoming forest trading mechanism in Pará State, Brazilian Amazon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brito, Brenda

    2017-01-01

    In 2012, the Brazilian government revised the federal Forest Code that governs the use of forest resources on rural properties. The revisions included a forest trading mechanism whereby landowners who deforested more than what is legally allowed before 2008 could absolve their deforestation "debts" by purchasing Environmental Reserve Quotas (CRA) from landowners who conserved more forest than legally required. CRA holds promise as a tool to complement command-and-control initiatives to reduce deforestation and incentivize restoration. However, the success of this instrument depends on how its implementation is governed. This study builds on a few recent assessments of the potential of the CRA in Brazil-but that are focused on biophysical potential-by assessing how a few key implementation decisions may influence the CRA market development. Specifically, this study estimates how decisions on who can participate will likely influence the potential forest surplus and forest debt for the CRA market, and takes into account governance characteristics relevant to the State of Pará, eastern Amazonia. In particular, the study evaluates the effects in the CRA market eligibility after simulating a validation of properties in the environmental rural registry (CAR) and assessing different scenarios surrounding land tenure status of properties. Results show how regulatory decisions on CRA market eligibility will determine the extent to which CRA will serve as a tool to support forest conservation or as a low-cost path to help illegal deforesters to comply with legislation, but with limited additional environmental benefits. The study reviews regulatory options that would reduce the risk of forest oversupply, and thereby increase the additionality of the areas eligible for CRA. Overall, the study demonstrates the importance of including governance as well as biophysical characteristics in assessing the potential of forest trading tools to deliver additional environmental

  4. 12 CFR 346.5 - Related agreements considered a single agreement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... STATEMENTS OF GENERAL POLICY DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 346.5 Related agreements...; (2) Were entered into within the same 12-month period; and (3) Are each in fulfillment of the CRA. (b... in fulfillment of the CRA, if the contracts were negotiated in a coordinated fashion and a NGEP is a...

  5. Polymer Directed Protein Assemblies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick van Rijn

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Protein aggregation and protein self-assembly is an important occurrence in natural systems, and is in some form or other dictated by biopolymers. Very obvious influences of biopolymers on protein assemblies are, e.g., virus particles. Viruses are a multi-protein assembly of which the morphology is dictated by poly-nucleotides namely RNA or DNA. This “biopolymer” directs the proteins and imposes limitations on the structure like the length or diameter of the particle. Not only do these bionanoparticles use polymer-directed self-assembly, also processes like amyloid formation are in a way a result of directed protein assembly by partial unfolded/misfolded biopolymers namely, polypeptides. The combination of proteins and synthetic polymers, inspired by the natural processes, are therefore regarded as a highly promising area of research. Directed protein assembly is versatile with respect to the possible interactions which brings together the protein and polymer, e.g., electrostatic, v.d. Waals forces or covalent conjugation, and possible combinations are numerous due to the large amounts of different polymers and proteins available. The protein-polymer interacting behavior and overall morphology is envisioned to aid in clarifying protein-protein interactions and are thought to entail some interesting new functions and properties which will ultimately lead to novel bio-hybrid materials.

  6. Multi-scale coarse-graining for the study of assembly pathways in DNA-brick self-assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fonseca, Pedro; Romano, Flavio; Schreck, John S.; Ouldridge, Thomas E.; Doye, Jonathan P. K.; Louis, Ard A.

    2018-04-01

    Inspired by recent successes using single-stranded DNA tiles to produce complex structures, we develop a two-step coarse-graining approach that uses detailed thermodynamic calculations with oxDNA, a nucleotide-based model of DNA, to parametrize a coarser kinetic model that can reach the time and length scales needed to study the assembly mechanisms of these structures. We test the model by performing a detailed study of the assembly pathways for a two-dimensional target structure made up of 334 unique strands each of which are 42 nucleotides long. Without adjustable parameters, the model reproduces a critical temperature for the formation of the assembly that is close to the temperature at which assembly first occurs in experiments. Furthermore, the model allows us to investigate in detail the nucleation barriers and the distribution of critical nucleus shapes for the assembly of a single target structure. The assembly intermediates are compact and highly connected (although not maximally so), and classical nucleation theory provides a good fit to the height and shape of the nucleation barrier at temperatures close to where assembly first occurs.

  7. Dynamic Multi-Component Hemiaminal Assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    You, Lei; Long, S. Reid; Lynch, Vincent M.

    2012-01-01

    A simple approach to generating in situ metal templated tris-(2-picolyl)amine-like multi-component assemblies with potential applications in molecular recognition and sensing is reported. The assembly is based on the reversible covalent association between di-(2-picolyl)amine and aldehydes. Zinc ion is the best for inducing assembly among the metal salts investigated, while 2-picolinaldehyde is the best among the heterocyclic aldehydes studied. Although an equilibrium constant of 6.6 * 103 M-1 was measured for the assembly formed by 2-picolinaldehdye, di-(2-picolyl)amine, and zinc triflate, the equilibrium constants for other systems are in the 102 M-1 range. X-ray structural analysis revealed that zinc adopts a trigonal bipyramidal geometry within the assembled ligand. The diversity and equilibrium of the assemblies are readily altered by simply changing concentrations, varying components, or adding counter anions. PMID:21919095

  8. Advanced gray rod control assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drudy, Keith J; Carlson, William R; Conner, Michael E; Goldenfield, Mark; Hone, Michael J; Long, Jr., Carroll J; Parkinson, Jerod; Pomirleanu, Radu O

    2013-09-17

    An advanced gray rod control assembly (GRCA) for a nuclear reactor. The GRCA provides controlled insertion of gray rod assemblies into the reactor, thereby controlling the rate of power produced by the reactor and providing reactivity control at full power. Each gray rod assembly includes an elongated tubular member, a primary neutron-absorber disposed within the tubular member said neutron-absorber comprising an absorber material, preferably tungsten, having a 2200 m/s neutron absorption microscopic capture cross-section of from 10 to 30 barns. An internal support tube can be positioned between the primary absorber and the tubular member as a secondary absorber to enhance neutron absorption, absorber depletion, assembly weight, and assembly heat transfer characteristics.

  9. Multi-Robot Assembly Strategies and Metrics

    Science.gov (United States)

    MARVEL, JEREMY A.; BOSTELMAN, ROGER; FALCO, JOE

    2018-01-01

    We present a survey of multi-robot assembly applications and methods and describe trends and general insights into the multi-robot assembly problem for industrial applications. We focus on fixtureless assembly strategies featuring two or more robotic systems. Such robotic systems include industrial robot arms, dexterous robotic hands, and autonomous mobile platforms, such as automated guided vehicles. In this survey, we identify the types of assemblies that are enabled by utilizing multiple robots, the algorithms that synchronize the motions of the robots to complete the assembly operations, and the metrics used to assess the quality and performance of the assemblies. PMID:29497234

  10. Multi-Robot Assembly Strategies and Metrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marvel, Jeremy A; Bostelman, Roger; Falco, Joe

    2018-02-01

    We present a survey of multi-robot assembly applications and methods and describe trends and general insights into the multi-robot assembly problem for industrial applications. We focus on fixtureless assembly strategies featuring two or more robotic systems. Such robotic systems include industrial robot arms, dexterous robotic hands, and autonomous mobile platforms, such as automated guided vehicles. In this survey, we identify the types of assemblies that are enabled by utilizing multiple robots, the algorithms that synchronize the motions of the robots to complete the assembly operations, and the metrics used to assess the quality and performance of the assemblies.

  11. T1204 – Government services contract payments | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    In order to align with green initiatives, IDRC will no longer be providing a copy of the T1204 slip to contractors. In order to continue meeting the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requirements, IDRC will continue reporting the T1204 slip information to CRA. Please contact the CRA for any general questions about T1204 ...

  12. 12 CFR 533.11 - Other definitions and rules of construction used in this part.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... THE TREASURY DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 533.11 Other definitions and rules... party to the agreement makes a CRA communication, as described in § 533.3 of this part. (b) Control. Control is defined in section 2(a) of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1841(a)). (c) CRA affiliate...

  13. Benefits of Imperfect Conflict Resolution Advisory Aids for Future Air Traffic Control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trapsilawati, Fitri; Wickens, Christopher D; Qu, Xingda; Chen, Chun-Hsien

    2016-11-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the human-automation interaction issues and the interacting factors in the context of conflict detection and resolution advisory (CRA) systems. The issues of imperfect automation in air traffic control (ATC) have been well documented in previous studies, particularly in conflict-alerting systems. The extent to which the prior findings can be applied to an integrated conflict detection and resolution system in future ATC remains unknown. Twenty-four participants were evenly divided into two groups corresponding to a medium- and a high-traffic density condition, respectively. In each traffic density condition, participants were instructed to perform simulated ATC tasks under four automation conditions, including reliable, unreliable with short time allowance to secondary conflict (TAS), unreliable with long TAS, and manual conditions. Dependent variables accounted for conflict resolution performance, workload, situation awareness, and trust in and dependence on the CRA aid, respectively. Imposing the CRA automation did increase performance and reduce workload as compared with manual performance. The CRA aid did not decrease situation awareness. The benefits of the CRA aid were manifest even when it was imperfectly reliable and were apparent across traffic loads. In the unreliable blocks, trust in the CRA aid was degraded but dependence was not influenced, yet the performance was not adversely affected. The use of CRA aid would benefit ATC operations across traffic densities. CRA aid offers benefits across traffic densities, regardless of its imperfection, as long as its reliability level is set above the threshold of assistance, suggesting its application for future ATC. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

  14. ASSEMBLY TRANSFER SYSTEM DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorpani, B.

    2000-01-01

    The Assembly Transfer System (ATS) receives, cools, and opens rail and truck transportation casks from the Carrier/Cask Handling System (CCHS). The system unloads transportation casks consisting of bare Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) assemblies, single element canisters, and Dual Purpose Canisters (DPCs). For casks containing DPCs, the system opens the DPCs and unloads the SNF. The system stages the assemblies, transfer assemblies to and from fuel-blending inventory pools, loads them into Disposal Containers (DCs), temporarily seals and inerts the DC, decontaminates the DC and transfers it to the Disposal Container Handling System. The system also prepares empty casks and DPCs for off-site shipment. Two identical Assembly Transfer System lines are provided in the Waste Handling Building (WHB). Each line operates independently to handle the waste transfer throughput and to support maintenance operations. Each system line primarily consists of wet and dry handling areas. The wet handling area includes a cask transport system, cask and DPC preparation system, and a wet assembly handling system. The basket transport system forms the transition between the wet and dry handling areas. The dry handling area includes the dry assembly handling system, assembly drying system, DC preparation system, and DC transport system. Both the wet and dry handling areas are controlled by the control and tracking system. The system operating sequence begins with moving transportation casks to the cask preparation area. The cask preparation operations consist of cask cavity gas sampling, cask venting, cask cool-down, outer lid removal, and inner shield plug lifting fixture attachment. Casks containing bare SNF (no DPC) are filled with water and placed in the cask unloading pool. The inner shield plugs are removed underwater. For casks containing a DPC, the cask lid(s) is removed, and the DPC is penetrated, sampled, vented, and cooled. A DPC lifting fixture is attached and the cask is placed

  15. Storage method for spent fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tajiri, Hiroshi.

    1992-01-01

    In the present invention, spent fuel assemblies are arranged at a dense pitch in a storage rack by suppressing the reactivity of the assemblies, to increase storage capacity for the spent fuel assemblies. That is, neutron absorbers are filled in the cladding tube of an absorbing rod, and the diameter thereof is substantially equal with that of a fuel rod. A great amount of the absorbing rods are arranged at the outer circumference of the fuel assembly. Then, they are fixed integrally to the fuel assembly and stored in a storage rack. In this case, the storage rack may be constituted only with angle materials which are inexpensive and installed simply. With such a constitution, in the fuel assembly having absorbing rods wound therearound, neutrons are absorbed by absorbing rods and the reactivity is lowered. Accordingly, the assembly arrangement pitch in the storage rack can be made dense. As a result, the storage capacity for the assemblies is increased. (I.S.)

  16. Nuclear reactor fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vikhorev, Yu.V.; Biryukov, G.I.; Kirilyuk, N.A.; Lobanov, V.N.

    1977-01-01

    A fuel assembly is proposed for nuclear reactors allowing remote replacement of control rod bundles or their shifting from one assembly to another, i.e., their multipurpose use. This leads to a significant increase in fuel assembly usability. In the fuel assembly the control rod bundle is placed in guide tube channels to which baffles are attached for fuel element spacing. The remote handling of control rods is provided by a hollow cylinder with openings in its lower bottom through which the control rods pass. All control rods in a bundle are mounted to a cross beam which in turn is mounted in the cylinder and is designed for grasping the whole rod bundle by a remotely controlled telescopic mechanism in bundle replacement or shifting. (Z.M.)

  17. Enhancement of heat transfer in HPLWR fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bastron, A.; Hofmeister, J.; Meyer, L.; Schulenberg, T.

    2005-01-01

    A study on different methods for enhancement of heat transfer in fuel assemblies for a High Performance Light Water Reactor has been performed to indicate the potential for a further increase of core outlet temperature at given cladding temperatures, or for reduction of peak cladding temperatures at the envisaged core outlet temperature. As a result, the introduction of an artificial surface roughness or the use of a staircase type grid spacer should increase the heat transfer coefficient of the coolant at the cladding surface by more than a factor of two, which will reduce the peak cladding temperature by at least 50 degC. The paper provides further details for realization of these measures. (author)

  18. Nuclear fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delafosse, Jacques.

    1977-01-01

    This invention relates to a nuclear fuel assembly for a light or heavy water reactor, or for a fast reactor of the kind with a bundle of cladded pins, maintained parallel to each other in a regular network by an assembly of separate supporting grids, fitted with elastic bearing surfaces on these pins [fr

  19. Blade attachment assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Crespo, Andres Jose; Delvaux, John McConnell; Miller, Diane Patricia

    2016-05-03

    An assembly and method for affixing a turbomachine rotor blade to a rotor wheel are disclosed. In an embodiment, an adaptor member is provided disposed between the blade and the rotor wheel, the adaptor member including an adaptor attachment slot that is complementary to the blade attachment member, and an adaptor attachment member that is complementary to the rotor wheel attachment slot. A coverplate is provided, having a coverplate attachment member that is complementary to the rotor wheel attachment slot, and a hook for engaging the adaptor member. When assembled, the coverplate member matingly engages with the adaptor member, and retains the blade in the adaptor member, and the assembly in the rotor wheel.

  20. Magnetic nanoparticle assemblies

    CERN Document Server

    Trohidou, Kalliopi N

    2014-01-01

    Magnetic nanoparticles with diameters in the range of a few nanometers are today at the cutting edge of modern technology and innovation because of their use in numerous applications ranging from engineering to biomedicine. A great deal of scientific interest has been focused on the functionalization of magnetic nanoparticle assemblies. The understanding of interparticle interactions is necessary to clarify the physics of these assemblies and their use in the development of high-performance magnetic materials. This book reviews prominent research studies on the static and dynamic magnetic properties of nanoparticle assemblies, gathering together experimental and computational techniques in an effort to reveal their optimized magnetic properties for biomedical use and as ultra-high magnetic recording media.

  1. Nuclear fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Hiroshi; Watari, Yoshio; Hizahara, Hiroshi; Masuoka, Ryuzo.

    1970-01-01

    When exchanging nuclear fuel assemblies during the operation of a nuclear reactor, melting of fuel bodies, and severence of tubular claddings is halted at the time of insertion by furnishing a neutron absorbing material such as B 10 , Cd, Gd or the like at the forward end of the fuel assembly to thereby lower the power peak at the forward ends of the fuel elements to within tolerable levels and thus prevent both fuel liquification and excessive expansion. The neutron absorbing material may be attached in the form of a plate to the fuel assembly forward tie plate, or may be inserted as a pellet into the front end of the tubular cladding. (Owens, K.J.)

  2. Reactor fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anthony, A.J.; Groves, M.D.

    1980-01-01

    A nuclear reactor fuel assembly having a lower end fitting and actuating means interacting therewith for holding the assembly down on the core support stand against the upward flow of coolant. Locking means for interacting with projections on the support stand are carried by the lower end fitting and are actuated by the movement of an actuating rod operated from above the top of the assembly. In one embodiment of the invention the downward movement of the actuating rod forces a latched spring to move outward into locking engagement with a shoulder on the support stand projections. In another embodiment, the actuating rod is rotated to effect the locking between the end fitting and the projection. (author)

  3. Fuel assembly inspection device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yaginuma, Yoshitaka

    1998-01-01

    The present invention provides a device suitable to inspect appearance of fuel assemblies by photographing the appearance of fuel assemblies. Namely, the inspection device of the present invention measures bowing of fuel assembly or each of fuel rods or both of them based on the partially photographed images of fuel assembly. In this case, there is disposed a means which flashily projects images in the form of horizontal line from a direction intersecting obliquely relative to a horizontal cross section of the fuel assembly. A first image processing means separates the projected image pictures including projected images and calculates bowing. A second image processing means replaces the projected image pictures of the projected images based on projected images just before and after the photographing. Then, images for the measurement of bowing and images for inspection can be obtained simultaneously. As a result, the time required for the photographing can be shortened, the time for inspection can be shortened and an effect of preventing deterioration of photographing means by radiation rays can be provided. (I.S.)

  4. Vertical pump assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dohnal, M.; Rosel, J.; Skarka, V.

    1988-01-01

    The mounting is described of the drive assembly of a vertical pump for nuclear power plants in areas with seismic risk. The assembly is attached to the building floor using flexible and damping elements. The design allows producing seismically resistant pumps without major design changes in the existing types of vertical pumps. (E.S.). 1 fig

  5. Technology for assembling and welding of top and bottom nozzles in fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia Chenglie; Wan Longfu

    1989-10-01

    The construction character, technology and sequence of assembling and welding, assembling jig used for preventing from deformation, and acceptance test of welding technology for top and bottom nozzles are presented

  6. USNRC-OECD Halden Project fuel behavior test program: experiment data report for test assemblies IFA-226 and IFA 239

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laats, E.T.; MacDonald, P.E.; Quapp, W.J.

    1975-12-01

    The experimental data which were obtained from the IFA-226 and IFA-239 test assemblies during operation in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor are reported. Included are cladding elongation, fuel centerline temperature, internal gas pressure, and power history data from IFA-226 which were obtained from November 1971 through April 1974, and cladding elongation, diametral profile, and power history data from IFA-239 covering the period from March 1973 through April 1974. The data, presented in the form of composite graphs, have been analyzed only to the extent necessary to assure that they are reasonable and correct. A description of these mixed oxide fuel test assemblies and their instrumentation is presented. Test pin fabrication history, instrument calibration data, assembly power calibration methods, and the neutron detector data reduction technique are included as appendices

  7. Cost and schedule reduction for next-generation Candu

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hopwood, J.M.; Yu, S.; Pakan, M.; Soulard, M.

    2002-01-01

    AECL has developed a suite of technologies for Candu R reactors that enable the next step in the evolution of the Candu family of heavy-water-moderated fuel-channel reactors. These technologies have been combined in the design for the Advanced Candu Reactor TM1 (ACRTM), AECL's next generation Candu power plant. The ACR design builds extensively on the existing Candu experience base, but includes innovations, in design and in delivery technology, that provide very substantial reductions in capital cost and in project schedules. In this paper, main features of next generation design and delivery are summarized, to provide the background basis for the cost and schedule reductions that have been achieved. In particular the paper outlines the impact of the innovative design steps for ACR: - Selection of slightly enriched fuel bundle design; - Use of light water coolant in place of traditional Candu heavy water coolant; - Compact core design with unique reactor physics benefits; - Optimized coolant and turbine system conditions. In addition to the direct cost benefits arising from efficiency improvement, and from the reduction in heavy water, the next generation Candu configuration results in numerous additional indirect cost benefits, including: - Reduction in number and complexity of reactivity mechanisms; - Reduction in number of heavy water auxiliary systems; - Simplification in heat transport and its support systems; - Simplified human-machine interface. The paper also describes the ACR approach to design for constructability. The application of module assembly and open-top construction techniques, based on Candu and other worldwide experience, has been proven to generate savings in both schedule durations and overall project cost, by reducing premium on-site activities, and by improving efficiency of system and subsystem assembly. AECL's up-to-date experience in the use of 3-D CADDS and related engineering tools has also been proven to reduce both engineering and

  8. Doppler ultrasonographic measurement of short-term effects of valsalva maneuver on retrobulbar blood flow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimyon, Sabit; Mete, Ahmet; Mete, Alper; Mete, Duçem

    2017-11-12

    To investigate the effects of Valsalva maneuver (VM) on retrobulbar blood flow parameters in healthy subjects. Participants without any ophthalmologic or systemic pathology were examined in supine position with color and pulsed Doppler imaging for blood flow measurement, via a paraocular approach, in the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), central retinal vein (CRV), nasal posterior ciliary artery (NPCA), and temporal posterior ciliary artery (TPCA), 10 seconds after a 35- to 40-mm Hg expiratory pressure was reached. Peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), pulsatility index (PI), and resistivity index (RI) values were recorded for each artery. PSV and EDV values were recorded for CRV. There were significant differences between resting and VM values of PSV and EDV of CRA, RI of NPCA, and PI, RI, and EDV of TPCA. Resting CRA-EDV, CRV-PSV, and CRV-EDV were positively correlated whereas resting OA-PSV and CRA-PI, and OA-PSV, CRA-PSV, and CRA-EDV during VM, were negatively correlated with age. VM induces a short-term increase in CRA blood flow and a decrease in NPCA and TPCA RI. Additional studies with a longer Doppler recording during VM, in a larger population sample, are required to allow definitive interpretation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:551-555, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. X-Ray Assembler Data

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Federal regulations require that an assembler who installs one or more certified components of a diagnostic x-ray system submit a report of assembly. This database...

  10. Characterization of self-assembled redox polymer and antibody molecules on thiolated gold electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvo, E J; Danilowicz, C; Lagier, C M; Manrique, J; Otero, M

    2004-05-15

    Multilayer immobilization of antibody and redox polymer molecules on a gold electrode was achieved, as a strategy for the potential development of an amperometric immunosensor. The step-by-step assembly of antibiotin IgG on Os(bpy)(2)ClPyCH(2)NH poly(allylamine) redox polymer (PAH-Os) adsorbed on thiolated gold electrodes was proved by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments, confirming the electrochemical evidence. The increase of redox charge during the layer-by-layer deposition demonstrated that charge propagation within the layers is feasible. The multilayer structure proved to be effective for the molecular recognition of horseradish peroxidase-biotin conjugate (HRP-biotin), as confirmed by the QCM measurements and the electrocatalytic reduction current obtained upon H(2)O(2) addition. The catalytic current resulting from PAH-Os mediation was shown to increase with the number of assembled layers. Furthermore, the inventory of IgG molecules on the supramolecular self-assembled structure and the specific and non-specific binding of HRP-biotin conjugate were confirmed by the QCM transient studies, giving information on the kinetics of IgG deposition and HRP-biotin conjugate binding to the IgG.

  11. Click polymerization for the synthesis of reduction-responsive polymeric prodrug

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaojin; Wang, Hongquan; Dai, Yu

    2018-05-01

    Click polymerization is a powerful polymerization technique for the construction of new macromolecules with well-defined structures and multifaceted functionalities. Here, we synthesize reduction-responsive polymeric prodrug PEG- b-(PSS- g-MTX)- b-PEG containing disulfide bonds and pendant methotrexate (MTX) via two-step click polymerization followed by conjugating MTX to pendant hydroxyl. MTX content in polymeric prodrug is 13.5%. Polymeric prodrug is able to form polymeric micelles by self-assembly in aqueous solution. Polymeric micelles are spherical nanoparticles with tens of nanometers in size. Of note, polymeric micelles are reduction-responsive due to disulfide bonds in the backbone of PEG- b-(PSS- g-MTX)- b-PEG and could release pendant drugs in the presence of the reducing agents such as dl-dithiothreitol (DTT).

  12. In vitro radiosensitization of human cervical carcinoma cells by combined use of 13-cis-retinoic acid and interferon-α2a

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, Samuel; Kim, Ok Bae; Kim, Sang-Hie; He, Shao Quin; Kim, Jae Ho

    1998-01-01

    Background: Significant antitumor activity has been reported with the combined use of 13-cis-retinoic acid (cRA) and interferon-α2a (IFN-α) in the treatment of advanced-stage cervical cancers and skin cancers. Since IFN-α has been shown to be a modest radiation enhancer for selected malignant tumor cells and the cytotoxic activity is more enhanced by combining cRA and IFN-α, we hypothesized that the exposure of selected human carcinoma cells to combined cRA and IFN-α would render the cells highly radiosensitive. Methods and Materials: Two human cervical carcinoma cell lines, ME-180 and HeLa-S3, were chosen for the present study because of the different characteristics of the retinoic acid receptor status of the cell lines. To demonstrate the effects of combined cRA and IFN-α treatment on radiation response, we exposed the cells to cRA, IFN-α, or a combination of the drugs for 72 h before radiation. Experiments were carried out at minimally cytotoxic concentrations of the drug for radiation studies. End points of the study were cell growth inhibition and clonogenic ability of the single-plated cells. Effects of cRA and IFN-α on radiation response were quantitatively analyzed by constructing the radiation cell survival curves of ME-180 and HeLa cells. Results: ME-180 cells exhibited varying degrees of cytotoxicity with cRA and IFN-α, while HeLa cells showed no toxic effects with the same treatment. Combined treatment of cRA and IFN-α produced an additive cytotoxic effect in ME-180 cells. Radiosensitization was minimal when ME-180 cells were treated with either cRA or IFN-α before radiation. When ME-180 cells were exposed to 10 μM cRA for 48 h and 1000 U/ml IFN-α for 24 h prior to radiation, there was a significant enhancement in radiation-induced cell killing; the dose modification factor was 2.1 ± 0.9 at the 1% cell-survival level. On the other hand, HeLa-S3 cells exhibited no increased cytotoxicity or radiation enhancement under the same experimental

  13. Construction of multilayers of bare and Pd modified gold nanoclusters and their electrocatalytic properties for oxygen reduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Motoko Harada, Hidenori Noguchi, Nikolas Zanetakis, Satoru Takakusagi, Wenbo Song and Kohei Uosaki

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Multilayers of gold nanoclusters (GNCs coated with a thin Pd layer were constructed using GNCs modified with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs of mercaptoundecanoic acid and a polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH multilayer assembly, which has been reported to act as a three-dimensional electrode. SAMs were removed from GNCs by electrochemical anodic decomposition and then a small amount of Pd was electrochemically deposited on the GNCs. The kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR on the Pd modified GNC/PAH multilayer assembly was studied using a rotating disk electrode, and a significant increase in the ORR rate was observed after Pd deposition. Electrocatalytic activities in alkaline and acidic solutions were compared both for the GNC multilayer electrode and Pd modified GNC electrode.

  14. Chemical reactions directed Peptide self-assembly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasale, Dnyaneshwar B; Das, Apurba K

    2015-05-13

    Fabrication of self-assembled nanostructures is one of the important aspects in nanoscience and nanotechnology. The study of self-assembled soft materials remains an area of interest due to their potential applications in biomedicine. The versatile properties of soft materials can be tuned using a bottom up approach of small molecules. Peptide based self-assembly has significant impact in biology because of its unique features such as biocompatibility, straight peptide chain and the presence of different side chain functionality. These unique features explore peptides in various self-assembly process. In this review, we briefly introduce chemical reaction-mediated peptide self-assembly. Herein, we have emphasised enzymes, native chemical ligation and photochemical reactions in the exploration of peptide self-assembly.

  15. Benchmark assemblies of the Los Alamos critical assemblies facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dowdy, E.J.

    1986-01-01

    Several critical assemblies of precisely known materials composition and easily calculated and reproducible geometries have been constructed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Some of these machines, notably Jezebel, Flattop, Big Ten, and Godiva, have been used as benchmark assemblies for the comparison of the results of experimental measurements and computation of certain nuclear reaction parameters. These experiments are used to validate both the input nuclear data and the computational methods. The machines and the applications of these machines for integral nuclear data checks are described. (author)

  16. Benchmark assemblies of the Los Alamos Critical Assemblies Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dowdy, E.J.

    1985-01-01

    Several critical assemblies of precisely known materials composition and easily calculated and reproducible geometries have been constructed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Some of these machines, notably Jezebel, Flattop, Big Ten, and Godiva, have been used as benchmark assemblies for the comparison of the results of experimental measurements and computation of certain nuclear reaction parameters. These experiments are used to validate both the input nuclear data and the computational methods. The machines and the applications of these machines for integral nuclear data checks are described

  17. Benchmark assemblies of the Los Alamos critical assemblies facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dowdy, E.J.

    1985-01-01

    Several critical assemblies of precisely known materials composition and easily calculated and reproducible geometries have been constructed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Some of these machines, notably Jezebel, Flattop, Big Ten, and Godiva, have been used as benchmark assemblies for the comparison of the results of experimental measurements and computation of certain nuclear reaction parameters. These experiments are used to validate both the input nuclear data and the computational methods. The machines and the applications of these machines for integral nuclear data checks are described

  18. 12 CFR 207.11 - Other definitions and rules of construction used in this part.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS (REGULATION G) § 207.11... (ii) The NGEP that is a party to the agreement makes a CRA communication, as described in § 207.3. (b) Control. “Control” is defined in section 2(a) of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1841(a)). (c) CRA...

  19. 12 CFR 346.11 - Other definitions and rules of construction used in this part.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... REGULATIONS AND STATEMENTS OF GENERAL POLICY DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING OF CRA-RELATED AGREEMENTS § 346.11 Other... (ii) The NGEP that is a party to the agreement makes a CRA communication, as described in § 346.3. (b) Control. “Control” is defined in section 2(a) of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1841(a)). (c) CRA...

  20. Gene : CBRC-SARA-01-0604 [SEVENS

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available and polyadenylation specific factor 1, 160kDa, isoform CRA_a [Homo sapiens] gb|EAW82107.1| cleavage and poly...adenylation specific factor 1, 160kDa, isoform CRA_a [Homo sapiens] gb|EAW82108.1| cleavage and polyadenylat...ion specific factor 1, 160kDa, isoform CRA_a [Homo sapiens] 3e-16 77% MSTVPTVSCTS...TDRWGLVGTGRCYGSGRGGSMLASCGELSQAIALPKPVLSGHQAGSDPAGSSLYLVLPEGRCLPSVPAHVCPGTAEPAQHSQTPLQRELRISVLPAYLSYDAPWPVRKIPLRCTAHYVAYHVESKVCPWAGVPRAGRPGPQAQPALSFRCMQWPPAPIRHAPASHA ...

  1. Molecular self-assembly advances and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Dequan, Alex Li

    2012-01-01

    In the past several decades, molecular self-assembly has emerged as one of the main themes in chemistry, biology, and materials science. This book compiles and details cutting-edge research in molecular assemblies ranging from self-organized peptide nanostructures and DNA-chromophore foldamers to supramolecular systems and metal-directed assemblies, even to nanocrystal superparticles and self-assembled microdevices

  2. SP-100 nuclear assembly test: Test assembly functional requirements and system arrangement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fallas, T.T.; Gluck, R.; Motwani, K.; Clay, H.; O'Neill, G.

    1991-01-01

    This paper describes the functional requirements and the system that will be tested to validate the reactor, flight shield, and flight controller of the SP-100 Generic Flight System (GFS). The Nuclear Assembly Test (NAT) consists of the test article (SP-100 reactor with control devices and the flight shield) and its supporting systems. The NAT test assembly is being designed by GE. Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) is designing the test cell and vacuum vessel system that will contain the NAT test assembly (Renkey et al. 1989). Preliminary design reviews have been completed and the final design is under way

  3. Fuel assembly guide tube

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jabsen, F.S.

    1979-01-01

    This invention is directed toward a nuclear fuel assembly guide tube arrangement which restrains spacer grid movement due to coolant flow and which offers secondary means for supporting a fuel assembly during handling and transfer operations

  4. Magnetic self-assembly of small parts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shetye, Sheetal B.

    Modern society's propensity for miniaturized end-user products is compelling electronic manufacturers to assemble and package different micro-scale, multi-technology components in more efficient and cost-effective manners. As the size of the components gets smaller, issues such as part sticking and alignment precision create challenges that slow the throughput of conventional robotic pick-n-place systems. As an alternative, various self-assembly approaches have been proposed to manipulate micro to millimeter scale components in a parallel fashion without human or robotic intervention. In this dissertation, magnetic self-assembly (MSA) is demonstrated as a highly efficient, completely parallel process for assembly of millimeter scale components. MSA is achieved by integrating permanent micromagnets onto component bonding surfaces using wafer-level microfabrication processes. Embedded bonded powder methods are used for fabrication of the magnets. The magnets are then magnetized using pulse magnetization methods, and the wafers are then singulated to form individual components. When the components are randomly mixed together, self-assembly occurs when the intermagnetic forces overcome the mixing forces. Analytical and finite element methods (FEM) are used to study the force interactions between the micromagnets. The multifunctional aspects of MSA are presented through demonstration of part-to-part and part-to-substrate assembly of 1 mm x 1mm x 0.5 mm silicon components. Part-to-part assembly is demonstrated by batch assembly of free-floating parts in a liquid environment with the assembly yield of different magnetic patterns varying from 88% to 90% in 20 s. Part-to-substrate assembly is demonstrated by assembling an ordered array onto a fixed substrate in a dry environment with the assembly yield varying from 86% to 99%. In both cases, diverse magnetic shapes/patterns are used to control the alignment and angular orientation of the components. A mathematical model is

  5. Mechanical Self-Assembly Science and Applications

    CERN Document Server

    2013-01-01

    Mechanical Self-Assembly: Science and Applications introduces a novel category of self-assembly driven by mechanical forces. This book discusses self-assembly in various types of small material structures including thin films, surfaces, and micro- and nano-wires, as well as the practice's potential application in micro and nanoelectronics, MEMS/NEMS, and biomedical engineering. The mechanical self-assembly process is inherently quick, simple, and cost-effective, as well as accessible to a large number of materials, such as curved surfaces for forming three-dimensional small structures. Mechanical self-assembly is complementary to, and sometimes offer advantages over, the traditional micro- and nano-fabrication. This book also: Presents a highly original aspect of the science of self-assembly Describes the novel methods of mechanical assembly used to fabricate a variety of new three-dimensional material structures in simple and cost-effective ways Provides simple insights to a number of biological systems and ...

  6. Directed Self-Assembly of Nanodispersions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Furst, Eric M [University of Delaware

    2013-11-15

    Directed self-assembly promises to be the technologically and economically optimal approach to industrial-scale nanotechnology, and will enable the realization of inexpensive, reproducible and active nanostructured materials with tailored photonic, transport and mechanical properties. These new nanomaterials will play a critical role in meeting the 21st century grand challenges of the US, including energy diversity and sustainability, national security and economic competitiveness. The goal of this work was to develop and fundamentally validate methods of directed selfassembly of nanomaterials and nanodispersion processing. The specific aims were: 1. Nanocolloid self-assembly and interactions in AC electric fields. In an effort to reduce the particle sizes used in AC electric field self-assembly to lengthscales, we propose detailed characterizations of field-driven structures and studies of the fundamental underlying particle interactions. We will utilize microscopy and light scattering to assess order-disorder transitions and self-assembled structures under a variety of field and physicochemical conditions. Optical trapping will be used to measure particle interactions. These experiments will be synergetic with calculations of the particle polarizability, enabling us to both validate interactions and predict the order-disorder transition for nanocolloids. 2. Assembly of anisotropic nanocolloids. Particle shape has profound effects on structure and flow behavior of dispersions, and greatly complicates their processing and self-assembly. The methods developed to study the self-assembled structures and underlying particle interactions for dispersions of isotropic nanocolloids will be extended to systems composed of anisotropic particles. This report reviews several key advances that have been made during this project, including, (1) advances in the measurement of particle polarization mechanisms underlying field-directed self-assembly, and (2) progress in the

  7. Inverse Problem in Self-assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tkachenko, Alexei

    2012-02-01

    By decorating colloids and nanoparticles with DNA, one can introduce highly selective key-lock interactions between them. This leads to a new class of systems and problems in soft condensed matter physics. In particular, this opens a possibility to solve inverse problem in self-assembly: how to build an arbitrary desired structure with the bottom-up approach? I will present a theoretical and computational analysis of the hierarchical strategy in attacking this problem. It involves self-assembly of particular building blocks (``octopus particles''), that in turn would assemble into the target structure. On a conceptual level, our approach combines elements of three different brands of programmable self assembly: DNA nanotechnology, nanoparticle-DNA assemblies and patchy colloids. I will discuss the general design principles, theoretical and practical limitations of this approach, and illustrate them with our simulation results. Our crucial result is that not only it is possible to design a system that has a given nanostructure as a ground state, but one can also program and optimize the kinetic pathway for its self-assembly.

  8. Robust, directed assembly of fluorescent nanodiamonds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kianinia, Mehran; Shimoni, Olga; Bendavid, Avi; Schell, Andreas W; Randolph, Steven J; Toth, Milos; Aharonovich, Igor; Lobo, Charlene J

    2016-10-27

    Arrays of fluorescent nanoparticles are highly sought after for applications in sensing, nanophotonics and quantum communications. Here we present a simple and robust method of assembling fluorescent nanodiamonds into macroscopic arrays. Remarkably, the yield of this directed assembly process is greater than 90% and the assembled patterns withstand ultra-sonication for more than three hours. The assembly process is based on covalent bonding of carboxyl to amine functional carbon seeds and is applicable to any material, and to non-planar surfaces. Our results pave the way to directed assembly of sensors and nanophotonics devices.

  9. Tris(bipyridineMetal(II-Templated Assemblies of 3D Alkali-Ruthenium Oxalate Coordination Frameworks: Crystal Structures, Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity in Water Reduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alla Dikhtiarenko

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available A series of 3D oxalate-bridged ruthenium-based coordination polymers with the formula of {[ZII(bpy3][MIRu(C2O43]}n (ZII = Zn2+ (1, Cu2+ (3, 4, Ru2+ (5, 6, Os2+ (7, 8; MI = Li+, Na+; bpy = 2,2’-bipyridine and {[ZnII(bpy3](H2O[LiRu(C2O43]}n (2 has been synthesized at room temperature through a self-assembly reaction in aqueous media and characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, infrared and diffuse reflectance UV–Vis spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The crystal structures of all compounds comprise chiral 3D honeycomb-like polymeric nets of the srs-type, which possess triangular anionic cages where [ZII(bpy3]2+ cationic templates are selectively embedded. Structural analysis reveals that the electronic configuration of the cationic guests is affected by electrostatic interaction with the anionic framework. Moreover, the MLCT bands gaps values for 1–8 can be tuned in a rational way by judicious choice of [ZII(bpy3]2+ guests. The 3D host-guest polymeric architectures can be used as self-supported heterogeneous photocatalysts for the reductive splitting of water, exhibiting photocatalytic activity for the evolution of H2 under UV light irradiation.

  10. WHO: World Health Assembly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGregor, A

    1992-05-23

    1200 delegates from 175 member countries attended the 45th World Health Assembly in Geneva. Everyone at the Assembly ratified measures to prevent and control AIDS. 12 countries intended to do long term planning for community based care for AIDS patients. Further the Assembly denounced instances where countries and individuals denied the gravity of the AIDS pandemic. In fact, it expressed the importance for urgent and intensive action against HIV/AIDS. The assembly backed proposals to prevent and control sexually transmitted diseases that affect AIDS patients, especially hepatitis B. For example, in countries with hepatitis B prevalence 8% (many countries in Sub-Sahara Africa, Asia, the Pacific region, and South America), health officials should introduce hepatitis B vaccine into their existing immunization programs by 1995. By 1997, this vaccine should be part of all immunization programs. The Assembly was aware of the obstacles of establishing reliable cold chains for nationwide distribution, however. Delegates in Committee A objected to the fact that 50% of the populations of developing countries continued to have limited access to essential drugs. They also expressed disapproval in implementation of WHO's 1988 ethical criteria for promotion of drugs which WHO entrusted to the Council for International Organisations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS). CIOMS lacked WHO's status and thus could not effectively monitor drug advertising. In fact, the pharmaceutical industry as well as WHO provided the funds for a meeting of 25 experts to discuss principles included in the ethical criteria. At least 4 countries insisted that WHO have the ultimate authority in monitoring drug advertising. Delegates did adopt a compromise resolution on this topic which required that industry promotion methods be reported to the 1994 Assembly via the Executive Board. The Assembly requested WHO to establish an international advisory committee on nursing and midwifery and to improve the network of

  11. Family history of colorectal cancer in first-degree relatives and metachronous colorectal adenoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, Elizabeth T; Gupta, Samir; Baron, John A; Cross, Amanda J; Lieberman, David A; Murphy, Gwen; Martínez, María Elena

    2018-02-20

    Little is known about the relationship between having a first-degree relative (FDR) with colorectal cancer (CRC) and risk for metachronous colorectal adenoma (CRA) following polypectomy. We pooled data from seven prospective studies of 7697 patients with previously resected CRAs to quantify the relationship between having a FDR with CRC and risk for metachronous adenoma. Compared with having no family history of CRC, a positive family history in any FDR was significantly associated with increased odds of developing any metachronous CRA (OR = 1.14; 95% CI = 1.01-1.29). Higher odds of CRA were observed among individuals with an affected mother (OR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.05-1.53) or sibling (OR = 1.34; 95% CI = 1.11-1.62) as compared with those without, whereas no association was shown for individuals with an affected father. Odds of having a metachronous CRA increased with number of affected FDRs, with ORs (95% CIs) of 1.07 (0.93-1.23) for one relative and 1.39 (1.02-1.91) for two or more. Younger age of diagnosis of a sibling was associated with higher odds of metachronous CRA, with ORs (95% CIs) of 1.66 (1.08-2.56) for diagnosis at 65 years (p-trend = 0.008). Although limited by sample size, results for advanced metachronous CRA were similar to those for any metachronous CRA. A family history of CRC is related to a modestly increased odds of metachronous CRA. Future research should explore whether having a FDR with CRC, particularly at a young age, should have a role in risk stratification for surveillance colonoscopy.

  12. General Assembly

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2016-01-01

    5th April, 2016 – Ordinary General Assembly of the Staff Association! In the first semester of each year, the Staff Association (SA) invites its members to attend and participate in the Ordinary General Assembly (OGA). This year the OGA will be held on Tuesday, April 5th 2016 from 11:00 to 12:00 in BE Auditorium, Meyrin (6-2-024). During the Ordinary General Assembly, the activity and financial reports of the SA are presented and submitted for approval to the members. This is the occasion to get a global view on the activities of the SA, its financial management, and an opportunity to express one’s opinion, including taking part in the votes. Other points are listed on the agenda, as proposed by the Staff Council. Who can vote? Only “ordinary” members (MPE) of the SA can vote. Associated members (MPA) of the SA and/or affiliated pensioners have a right to vote on those topics that are of direct interest to them. Who can give his/her opinion? The Ordinary General Asse...

  13. Nuclear reactor control assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Negron, S.B.

    1991-01-01

    This patent describes an assembly for providing global power control in a nuclear reactor having the core split into two halves. It comprises a disk assembly formed from at least two disks each machined with an identical surface hole pattern such that rotation of one disk relative to the other causes the hole pattern to open or close, the disk assembly being positioned substantially at the longitudinal center of and coaxial with the core halves; and means for rotating at least one of the disks relative to the other

  14. Lifestyle and lifestyle-related comorbidities independently associated with colorectal adenoma recurrence in elderly Chinese people

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saiken, Adake; Gu, Fang

    2016-01-01

    Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the lifestyle and lifestyle-related comorbidities independently associated with colorectal adenoma (CRA) recurrence in elderly Chinese people. Methods During the 5-year follow-up after the initial colonoscopy, participants aged >60 years with the diagnosis and removal of CRA underwent a complete surveillance colonoscopy, and 152 participants with CRA recurrence plus 152 participants free of recurrence were included in this analysis. Results Participants with CRA recurrence were more likely to consume less vegetables and fruits, and more red meats compared with the control group (PCRA recurrence than in the control group (PCRA recurrence (odds ratio [OR]: 1.03; PCRA recurrence, as was eating more red meats (OR: 1.01; PCRA recurrence (OR: 2.44; PCRA recurrence (OR: 3.43; Pmeats, low intake of fruits and vegetables, and the presence of hypertension and NAFLD were independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence in elderly Chinese people. This conclusion helps elderly Chinese people to make effective behavioral changes, such as smoking cessation, substitution of fruits and vegetables for red meats, and timely treatment of hypertension and NAFLD, to reduce CRA recurrence and colorectal cancer risk. PMID:27382263

  15. Apparatus for lifting spent fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirasawa, Yoshinari; Sato, Isao; Yoneda, Yoshiyuki.

    1976-01-01

    Object: To increase the efficiency of cooling of a used fuel assembly being moved within a guide tube in the axial direction thereof by directly cooling the assembly with cooling gas fed into the guide tube, thus facilitating the handling of the spent fuel assembly. Structure: An end of a lock portion is inserted into the top portion of a spent fuel assembly, the assembly being hooked on the lock portion. The lock portion is provided on its outer periphery with a seal member and a centering member and at its tip with a pawl capable of being projected and retracted in the radial direction. Thus, when the lock portion is moved along the guide tube, the used fuel assembly can be moved along the guide tube by maintaining the concentric relation thereto. Meanwhile, when cooling gas is fed into the guide tube, it is blown into the used fuel assembly to directly cool the same. Thus, the cooling efficiency can be increased. (Moriyama, M.)

  16. Cooperative effects of fibronectin matrix assembly and initial cell-substrate adhesion strength in cellular self-assembly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brennan, James R; Hocking, Denise C

    2016-03-01

    The cell-dependent polymerization of intercellular fibronectin fibrils can stimulate cells to self-assemble into multicellular structures. The local physical cues that support fibronectin-mediated cellular self-assembly are largely unknown. Here, fibronectin matrix analogs were used as synthetic adhesive substrates to model cell-matrix fibronectin fibrils having different integrin-binding specificity, affinity, and/or density. We utilized this model to quantitatively assess the relationship between adhesive forces derived from cell-substrate interactions and the ability of fibronectin fibril assembly to induce cellular self-assembly. Results indicate that the strength of initial, rather than mature, cell-substrate attachments correlates with the ability of substrates to support fibronectin-mediated cellular self-assembly. The cellular response to soluble fibronectin was bimodal and independent of the integrin-binding specificity of the substrate; increasing soluble fibronectin levels above a critical threshold increased aggregate cohesion on permissive substrates. Once aggregates formed, continuous fibronectin polymerization was necessary to maintain cohesion. During self-assembly, soluble fibronectin decreased cell-substrate adhesion strength and induced aggregate cohesion via a Rho-dependent mechanism, suggesting that the balance of contractile forces derived from fibronectin fibrils within cell-cell versus cell-substrate adhesions controls self-assembly and aggregate cohesion. Thus, initial cell-substrate attachment strength may provide a quantitative basis with which to build predictive models of fibronectin-mediated microtissue fabrication on a variety of substrates. Cellular self-assembly is a process by which cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins spontaneously organize into three-dimensional (3D) tissues in the absence of external forces. Cellular self-assembly can be initiated in vitro, and represents a potential tool for tissue engineers to

  17. Biologic Constraints on Modelling Virus Assembly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert L. Garcea

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The mathematic modelling of icosahedral virus assembly has drawn increasing interest because of the symmetric geometry of the outer shell structures. Many models involve equilibrium expressions of subunit binding, with reversible subunit additions forming various intermediate structures. The underlying assumption is that a final lowest energy state drives the equilibrium toward assembly. In their simplest forms, these models have explained why high subunit protein concentrations and strong subunit association constants can result in kinetic traps forming off pathway partial and aberrant structures. However, the cell biology of virus assembly is exceedingly complex. The biochemistry and biology of polyoma and papillomavirus assembly described here illustrates many of these specific issues. Variables include the use of cellular ‘chaperone’ proteins as mediators of assembly fidelity, the coupling of assembly to encapsidation of a specific nucleic acid genome, the use of cellular structures as ‘workbenches’ upon which assembly occurs, and the underlying problem of making a capsid structure that is metastable and capable of rapid disassembly upon infection. Although formidable to model, incorporating these considerations could advance the relevance of mathematical models of virus assembly to the real world.

  18. Polo-like kinase phosphorylation determines Caenorhabditis elegans centrosome size and density by biasing SPD-5 toward an assembly-competent conformation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oliver Wueseke

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Centrosomes are major microtubule-organizing centers composed of centrioles surrounded by an extensive proteinacious layer called the pericentriolar material (PCM. In Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, the mitotic PCM expands by Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK-1 phosphorylation-accelerated assembly of SPD-5 molecules into supramolecular scaffolds. However, how PLK-1 phosphorylation regulates SPD-5 assembly is not known. We found that a mutant version of SPD-5 that is insensitive to PLK-1 phosphorylation (SPD-54A could localize to PCM but was unable to rescue the reduction in PCM size and density when wild-type SPD-5 levels were decreased. In vitro, purified SPD-54A self-assembled into functional supramolecular scaffolds over long time scales, suggesting that phosphorylation only controls the rate of SPD-5 scaffold assembly. Furthermore, the SPD-5 scaffold, once assembled, remained intact and supported microtubule nucleation in the absence of PLK-1 activity in vivo. We conclude that PLK-1 is required for rapid assembly of the PCM scaffold but not for scaffold maintenance or function. Based on this idea, we developed a theoretical model that adequately predicted PCM growth rates in different mutant conditions in vivo. We propose that PLK-1 phosphorylation-dependent conversion of SPD-5 into an assembly-competent form underlies PCM formation in vivo and that the rate of this conversion determines final PCM size and density.

  19. Self-assembled nanomaterials for photoacoustic imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lei; Yang, Pei-Pei; Zhao, Xiao-Xiao; Wang, Hao

    2016-01-01

    In recent years, extensive endeavors have been paid to construct functional self-assembled nanomaterials for various applications such as catalysis, separation, energy and biomedicines. To date, different strategies have been developed for preparing nanomaterials with diversified structures and functionalities via fine tuning of self-assembled building blocks. In terms of biomedical applications, bioimaging technologies are urgently calling for high-efficient probes/contrast agents for high-performance bioimaging. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging whole-body imaging modality offering high spatial resolution, deep penetration and high contrast in vivo. The self-assembled nanomaterials show high stability in vivo, specific tolerance to sterilization and prolonged half-life stability and desirable targeting properties, which is a kind of promising PA contrast agents for biomedical imaging. Herein, we focus on summarizing recent advances in smart self-assembled nanomaterials with NIR absorption as PA contrast agents for biomedical imaging. According to the preparation strategy of the contrast agents, the self-assembled nanomaterials are categorized into two groups, i.e., the ex situ and in situ self-assembled nanomaterials. The driving forces, assembly modes and regulation of PA properties of self-assembled nanomaterials and their applications for long-term imaging, enzyme activity detection and aggregation-induced retention (AIR) effect for diagnosis and therapy are emphasized. Finally, we conclude with an outlook towards future developments of self-assembled nanomaterials for PA imaging.

  20. Self-assembled nanomaterials for photoacoustic imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lei; Yang, Pei-Pei; Zhao, Xiao-Xiao; Wang, Hao

    2016-02-07

    In recent years, extensive endeavors have been paid to construct functional self-assembled nanomaterials for various applications such as catalysis, separation, energy and biomedicines. To date, different strategies have been developed for preparing nanomaterials with diversified structures and functionalities via fine tuning of self-assembled building blocks. In terms of biomedical applications, bioimaging technologies are urgently calling for high-efficient probes/contrast agents for high-performance bioimaging. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging whole-body imaging modality offering high spatial resolution, deep penetration and high contrast in vivo. The self-assembled nanomaterials show high stability in vivo, specific tolerance to sterilization and prolonged half-life stability and desirable targeting properties, which is a kind of promising PA contrast agents for biomedical imaging. Herein, we focus on summarizing recent advances in smart self-assembled nanomaterials with NIR absorption as PA contrast agents for biomedical imaging. According to the preparation strategy of the contrast agents, the self-assembled nanomaterials are categorized into two groups, i.e., the ex situ and in situ self-assembled nanomaterials. The driving forces, assembly modes and regulation of PA properties of self-assembled nanomaterials and their applications for long-term imaging, enzyme activity detection and aggregation-induced retention (AIR) effect for diagnosis and therapy are emphasized. Finally, we conclude with an outlook towards future developments of self-assembled nanomaterials for PA imaging.

  1. Fuel cell sub-assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chi, Chang V.

    1983-01-01

    A fuel cell sub-assembly comprising a plurality of fuel cells, a first section of a cooling means disposed at an end of the assembly and means for connecting the fuel cells and first section together to form a unitary structure.

  2. Stochastic modeling of virus capsid assembly pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, Russell

    2009-03-01

    Virus capsids have become a key model system for understanding self-assembly due to their high complexity, robust and efficient assembly processes, and experimental tractability. Our ability to directly examine and manipulate capsid assembly kinetics in detail nonetheless remains limited, creating a need for computer models that can infer experimentally inaccessible features of the assembly process and explore the effects of hypothetical manipulations on assembly trajectories. We have developed novel algorithms for stochastic simulation of capsid assembly [1,2] that allow us to model capsid assembly over broad parameter spaces [3]. We apply these methods to study the nature of assembly pathway control in virus capsids as well as their sensitivity to assembly conditions and possible experimental interventions. [4pt] [1] F. Jamalyaria, R. Rohlfs, and R. Schwartz. J Comp Phys 204, 100 (2005). [0pt] [2] N. Misra and R. Schwartz. J Chem Phys 129, in press (2008). [0pt] [3] B. Sweeney, T. Zhang, and R. Schwartz. Biophys J 94, 772 (2008).

  3. NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-CJAC-01-1133 [SEVENS

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available CBRC-CJAC-01-1133 ref|NP_068677.2| hairless protein [Mus musculus] sp|Q61645|HAIR_MOUSE Protein hair...less gb|AAH49182.1| Hairless [Mus musculus] gb|EDL35888.1| hairless, isoform CRA_a [Mus musculus] gb|EDL35889.1| hai...rless, isoform CRA_a [Mus musculus] gb|EDL35890.1| hairless, isoform CRA_a [Mus musculus] NP_068677.2 5.1 44% ...

  4. Dose rate estimates from irradiated light-water-reactor fuel assemblies in air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lloyd, W.R.; Sheaffer, M.K.; Sutcliffe, W.G.

    1994-01-01

    It is generally considered that irradiated spent fuel is so radioactive (self-protecting) that it can only be moved and processed with specialized equipment and facilities. However, a small, possibly subnational, group acting in secret with no concern for the environment (other than the reduction of signatures) and willing to incur substantial but not lethal radiation doses, could obtain plutonium by stealing and processing irradiated spent fuel that has cooled for several years. In this paper, we estimate the dose rate at various distances and directions from typical pressurized-water reactor (PWR) and boiling-water reactor (BWR) spent-fuel assemblies as a function of cooling time. Our results show that the dose rate is reduced rapidly for the first ten years after exposure in the reactor, and that it is reduced by a factor of ∼10 (from the one year dose rate) after 15 years. Even for fuel that has cooled for 15 years, a lethal dose (LD50) of 450 rem would be received at 1 m from the center of the fuel assembly after several minutes. However, moving from 1 to 5 m reduces the dose rate by over a factor of 10, and moving from 1 to 10 m reduces the dose rate by about a factor of 50. The dose rates 1 m from the top or bottom of the assembly are considerably less (about 10 and 22%, respectively) than 1 m from the center of the assembly, which is the direction of the maximum dose rate

  5. Faucet: streaming de novo assembly graph construction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozov, Roye; Goldshlager, Gil; Halperin, Eran; Shamir, Ron

    2018-01-01

    We present Faucet, a two-pass streaming algorithm for assembly graph construction. Faucet builds an assembly graph incrementally as each read is processed. Thus, reads need not be stored locally, as they can be processed while downloading data and then discarded. We demonstrate this functionality by performing streaming graph assembly of publicly available data, and observe that the ratio of disk use to raw data size decreases as coverage is increased. Faucet pairs the de Bruijn graph obtained from the reads with additional meta-data derived from them. We show these metadata-coverage counts collected at junction k-mers and connections bridging between junction pairs-contain most salient information needed for assembly, and demonstrate they enable cleaning of metagenome assembly graphs, greatly improving contiguity while maintaining accuracy. We compared Fauceted resource use and assembly quality to state of the art metagenome assemblers, as well as leading resource-efficient genome assemblers. Faucet used orders of magnitude less time and disk space than the specialized metagenome assemblers MetaSPAdes and Megahit, while also improving on their memory use; this broadly matched performance of other assemblers optimizing resource efficiency-namely, Minia and LightAssembler. However, on metagenomes tested, Faucet,o outputs had 14-110% higher mean NGA50 lengths compared with Minia, and 2- to 11-fold higher mean NGA50 lengths compared with LightAssembler, the only other streaming assembler available. Faucet is available at https://github.com/Shamir-Lab/Faucet. rshamir@tau.ac.il or eranhalperin@gmail.com. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

  6. Circulating levels of IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio and colorectal adenomas: A meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Yeong Sook; Keum, NaNa; Zhang, Xuehong; Cho, Eunyoung; Giovannucci, Edward L

    2015-12-01

    Insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1) promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis, and is thereby implicated in carcinogenesis. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) may antagonize IGF-1 action, leading to inhibition of the potential tumorigenicity of IGF-1. We conducted this meta-analysis to estimate the association between IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio and the risk of colorectal adenomas (CRAs). Further, we investigated whether this association was different between occurrent and recurrent CRA, by adjustment for obesity, and by advanced CRA. Pubmed and Embase were searched up to April, 2015 to identify relevant observational studies and summary odds ratio (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was estimated using a random-effects model. A total of 12 studies (11 studies including 3038 cases for IGF-1, 12 studies including 3208 cases for IGFBP-3, and 7 studies including 1867 cases for IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio) were included in this meta-analysis. The summary ORs of occurrent CRA for the highest versus lowest category of IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio were 1.13 (95% CI: 0.95-1.34), 0.99 (0.84-1.16), and 1.05 (0.86-1.29), respectively. Higher IGF-1 and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio were significantly associated with decreased risk of recurrent CRA (OR for IGF-1=0.60 [95% CI: 0.42-0.85]; IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio=0.65 [0.44-0.96]). A stratified analysis by advancement of occurrent CRA produced a significant summary OR of IGF-1 for advanced CRA (OR=2.21 [1.08-4.52]) but not for non-advanced CRA (OR=0.89 [0.55-1.45]). We did not find significant publication bias or heterogeneity. Circulating levels of IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and their molar ratio were not associated with the risk of occurrence of CRA, but IGF-1 was associated with the increased risk for occurrence of advanced CRA. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Double-blind, randomized phase 3 trial of low-dose 13-cis retinoic acid in the prevention of second primaries in head and neck cancer: Long-term follow-up of a trial of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (C0590).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhatia, Aarti K; Lee, Ju-Whei; Pinto, Harlan A; Jacobs, Charlotte D; Limburg, Paul J; Rubin, Philip; Arusell, Robert M; Dunphy, Eamonn P; Khandekar, Janardan D; Reiner, Seth A; Baez-Diaz, Luis; Celano, Paul; Li, Shuli; Li, Yi; Burtness, Barbara A; Adams, George L; Pandya, Kishan J

    2017-12-01

    13-Cis retinoic acid (13-CRA) is a synthetic vitamin A derivative. High-dose 13-CRA in patients with squamous cell cancers of the head and neck (SCCHNs) reduces the incidence of second primary tumors (SPTs). The authors report long-term results from a phase 3 randomized trial that compared treatment with low-dose 13-CRA versus placebo for patients who had early stage SCCHN, with a focus on the development of SPTs and overall survival (OS). In total, 176 patients who received treatment for stage I/II SCCHN were randomized to receive either low-dose 13-CRA (weight-based dose of 7.5 mg or 10 mg) or placebo for 2 years. A competing-risk approach and the log-rank test were used to compare the time to SPT and OS, respectively, between groups. 13-CRA neither significantly reduced the cumulative incidence of SPT (P = .61) nor improved the time to SPT (hazard ratio [HR] for 13-CRA/placebo; 0.86; P = .61). Despite limited power, there was a trend toward improved OS for the 13-CRA arm (HR, 0.75; P = .14), particularly among patients whose index tumor was surgically excised (N = 26; HR, 0.50; P = .057) and among women (N = 39; HR, 0.44; P = .065) and never/former smokers (N = 129; HR, 0.61; P = .055), with a median follow-up of 16 years. The main 13-CRA related toxicities were dry skin and cheilitis. Treatment with low-dose 13-CRA for 2 years did not decrease the incidence of SPT; subset analysis indicates a potential survival advantage among patients who are women and never/former smokers. More targeted interventions based on clinical risk factors and molecular characterization of tumors may yield greater success in future prevention trials. Cancer 2017;123:4653-4662. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

  8. Nuclear reactor fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakurai, Shungo; Ogiya, Shunsuke.

    1990-01-01

    In a fuel assembly, if the entire fuels comprise mixed oxide fuels, reactivity change in cold temperature-power operation is increased to worsen the reactor shutdown margin. The reactor shutdown margin has been improved by increasing the burnable poison concentration thereby reducing the reactivity of the fuel assembly. However, since unburnt poisons are present at the completion of the reactor operation, the reactivity can not be utilized effectively to bring about economical disadvantage. In view of the above, the reactivity change between lower temperature-power operations is reduced by providing a non-boiling range with more than 9.1% of cross sectional area at the inside of a channel at the central portion of the fuel assembly. As a result, the amount of the unburnt burnable poisons is decreased, the economy of fuel assembly is improved and the reactor shutdown margin can be increase. (N.H.)

  9. Communication: Programmable self-assembly of thin-shell mesostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halverson, Jonathan D.; Tkachenko, Alexei V.

    2017-10-01

    We study numerically the possibility of programmable self-assembly of various thin-shell architectures. They include clusters isomorphic to fullerenes C20 and C60, finite and infinite sheets, tube-shaped and toroidal mesostructures. Our approach is based on the recently introduced directionally functionalized nanoparticle platform, for which we employ a hybrid technique of Brownian dynamics with stochastic bond formation. By combining a number of strategies, we were able to achieve a near-perfect yield of the desired structures with a reduced "alphabet" of building blocks. Among those strategies are the following: the use of bending rigidity of the interparticle bond as a control parameter, programming the morphology with a seed architecture, use of chirality-preserving symmetries for reduction of the particle alphabet, and the hierarchic approach.

  10. Liquid-liquid interfacial nanoparticle assemblies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emrick, Todd S [South Deerfield, MA; Russell, Thomas P [Amherst, MA; Dinsmore, Anthony [Amherst, MA; Skaff, Habib [Amherst, MA; Lin, Yao [Amherst, MA

    2008-12-30

    Self-assembly of nanoparticles at the interface between two fluids, and methods to control such self-assembly process, e.g., the surface density of particles assembling at the interface; to utilize the assembled nanoparticles and their ligands in fabrication of capsules, where the elastic properties of the capsules can be varied from soft to tough; to develop capsules with well-defined porosities for ultimate use as delivery systems; and to develop chemistries whereby multiple ligands or ligands with multiple functionalities can be attached to the nanoparticles to promote the interfacial segregation and assembly of the nanoparticles. Certain embodiments use cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanoparticles, since the photoluminescence of the particles provides a convenient means by which the spatial location and organization of the particles can be probed. However, the systems and methodologies presented here are general and can, with suitable modification of the chemistries, be adapted to any type of nanoparticle.

  11. SolidWorks 2011 Assemblies Bible

    CERN Document Server

    Lombard, Matt

    2011-01-01

    A fan of the SolidWorks Bible, but want more detail on assemblies? Here you go. SolidWorks fans have long sought more detail on SolidWorks topics, and now you have it. We took our popular SolidWorks Bible, divided it into two books (SolidWorks 2011 Assemblies Bible and SolidWorks 2011 Parts Bible) and packed each new book with a host of items from your wish lists, such as more extensive coverage of the basics, additional tutorials, and expanded coverage of topics largely ignored by other books. This SolidWorks 2011 Assemblies Bible shows you how to organize parts data to create assemblies or s

  12. Seismic behaviour of fuel assembly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Heuy Gap; Jhung, Myung Jo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    1993-11-01

    A general approach for the dynamic time-history analysis of the reactor core is presented in this paper as a part of the fuel assembly qualification program. Several detailed core models are set up to reflect the placement of the fuel assemblies within the core shroud. Peak horizontal responses are obtained for each model for the motions induced from earthquake. The dynamic responses such as fuel assembly shear force, bending moment and displacement, and spacer grid impact loads are carefully investigated. Also, the sensitivity responses are obtained for the earthquake motions and the fuel assembly non-linear response characteristics are discussed. (Author) 9 refs., 24 figs., 1 tab.

  13. Airfoil nozzle and shroud assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaffer, J.E.; Norton, P.F.

    1997-06-03

    An airfoil and nozzle assembly are disclosed including an outer shroud having a plurality of vane members attached to an inner surface and having a cantilevered end. The assembly further includes a inner shroud being formed by a plurality of segments. Each of the segments having a first end and a second end and having a recess positioned in each of the ends. The cantilevered end of the vane member being positioned in the recess. The airfoil and nozzle assembly being made from a material having a lower rate of thermal expansion than that of the components to which the airfoil and nozzle assembly is attached. 5 figs.

  14. Capacitor assembly and related method of forming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lili; Tan, Daniel Qi; Sullivan, Jeffrey S.

    2017-12-19

    A capacitor assembly is disclosed. The capacitor assembly includes a housing. The capacitor assembly further includes a plurality of capacitors disposed within the housing. Furthermore, the capacitor assembly includes a thermally conductive article disposed about at least a portion of a capacitor body of the capacitors, and in thermal contact with the capacitor body. Moreover, the capacitor assembly also includes a heat sink disposed within the housing and in thermal contact with at least a portion of the housing and the thermally conductive article such that the heat sink is configured to remove heat from the capacitor in a radial direction of the capacitor assembly. Further, a method of forming the capacitor assembly is also presented.

  15. Gas separation membrane module assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wynn, Nicholas P [Palo Alto, CA; Fulton, Donald A [Fairfield, CA

    2009-03-31

    A gas-separation membrane module assembly and a gas-separation process using the assembly. The assembly includes a set of tubes, each containing gas-separation membranes, arranged within a housing. The housing contains a tube sheet that divides the space within the housing into two gas-tight spaces. A permeate collection system within the housing gathers permeate gas from the tubes for discharge from the housing.

  16. Comparing de novo assemblers for 454 transcriptome data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sujai; Blaxter, Mark L

    2010-10-16

    Roche 454 pyrosequencing has become a method of choice for generating transcriptome data from non-model organisms. Once the tens to hundreds of thousands of short (250-450 base) reads have been produced, it is important to correctly assemble these to estimate the sequence of all the transcripts. Most transcriptome assembly projects use only one program for assembling 454 pyrosequencing reads, but there is no evidence that the programs used to date are optimal. We have carried out a systematic comparison of five assemblers (CAP3, MIRA, Newbler, SeqMan and CLC) to establish best practices for transcriptome assemblies, using a new dataset from the parasitic nematode Litomosoides sigmodontis. Although no single assembler performed best on all our criteria, Newbler 2.5 gave longer contigs, better alignments to some reference sequences, and was fast and easy to use. SeqMan assemblies performed best on the criterion of recapitulating known transcripts, and had more novel sequence than the other assemblers, but generated an excess of small, redundant contigs. The remaining assemblers all performed almost as well, with the exception of Newbler 2.3 (the version currently used by most assembly projects), which generated assemblies that had significantly lower total length. As different assemblers use different underlying algorithms to generate contigs, we also explored merging of assemblies and found that the merged datasets not only aligned better to reference sequences than individual assemblies, but were also more consistent in the number and size of contigs. Transcriptome assemblies are smaller than genome assemblies and thus should be more computationally tractable, but are often harder because individual contigs can have highly variable read coverage. Comparing single assemblers, Newbler 2.5 performed best on our trial data set, but other assemblers were closely comparable. Combining differently optimal assemblies from different programs however gave a more credible

  17. 3D Programmable Micro Self Assembly

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bohringer, Karl F; Parviz, Babak A; Klavins, Eric

    2005-01-01

    .... We have developed a "self assembly tool box" consisting of a range of methods for micro-scale self-assembly in 2D and 3D We have shown physical demonstrations of simple 3D self-assemblies which lead...

  18. A comparative evaluation of genome assembly reconciliation tools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alhakami, Hind; Mirebrahim, Hamid; Lonardi, Stefano

    2017-05-18

    The majority of eukaryotic genomes are unfinished due to the algorithmic challenges of assembling them. A variety of assembly and scaffolding tools are available, but it is not always obvious which tool or parameters to use for a specific genome size and complexity. It is, therefore, common practice to produce multiple assemblies using different assemblers and parameters, then select the best one for public release. A more compelling approach would allow one to merge multiple assemblies with the intent of producing a higher quality consensus assembly, which is the objective of assembly reconciliation. Several assembly reconciliation tools have been proposed in the literature, but their strengths and weaknesses have never been compared on a common dataset. We fill this need with this work, in which we report on an extensive comparative evaluation of several tools. Specifically, we evaluate contiguity, correctness, coverage, and the duplication ratio of the merged assembly compared to the individual assemblies provided as input. None of the tools we tested consistently improved the quality of the input GAGE and synthetic assemblies. Our experiments show an increase in contiguity in the consensus assembly when the original assemblies already have high quality. In terms of correctness, the quality of the results depends on the specific tool, as well as on the quality and the ranking of the input assemblies. In general, the number of misassemblies ranges from being comparable to the best of the input assembly to being comparable to the worst of the input assembly.

  19. Magnetic scanning of LWR fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fiarman, S.; Moodenbaugh, A.

    1980-01-01

    Nondestructive assay (NDA) techniques are available both for fresh and spent fuel, but generally are too time consuming and do not uniquely identify an assembly. A new method is reported to obtain a signature from a magnetic scan of each assembly. This scan is an NDA technique that detects magnetic inclusions. It is potentially fast (5 min/assembly), and may provide a unique signature from the magnetic properties of each fuel assembly

  20. QUAST: quality assessment tool for genome assemblies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurevich, Alexey; Saveliev, Vladislav; Vyahhi, Nikolay; Tesler, Glenn

    2013-04-15

    Limitations of genome sequencing techniques have led to dozens of assembly algorithms, none of which is perfect. A number of methods for comparing assemblers have been developed, but none is yet a recognized benchmark. Further, most existing methods for comparing assemblies are only applicable to new assemblies of finished genomes; the problem of evaluating assemblies of previously unsequenced species has not been adequately considered. Here, we present QUAST-a quality assessment tool for evaluating and comparing genome assemblies. This tool improves on leading assembly comparison software with new ideas and quality metrics. QUAST can evaluate assemblies both with a reference genome, as well as without a reference. QUAST produces many reports, summary tables and plots to help scientists in their research and in their publications. In this study, we used QUAST to compare several genome assemblers on three datasets. QUAST tables and plots for all of them are available in the Supplementary Material, and interactive versions of these reports are on the QUAST website. http://bioinf.spbau.ru/quast . Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

  1. Power module assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Jeremy B [Torrance, CA; Newson, Steve [Redondo Beach, CA

    2011-11-15

    A power module assembly of the type suitable for deployment in a vehicular power inverter, wherein the power inverter has a grounded chassis, is provided. The power module assembly comprises a conductive base layer electrically coupled to the chassis, an insulating layer disposed on the conductive base layer, a first conductive node disposed on the insulating layer, a second conductive node disposed on the insulating layer, wherein the first and second conductive nodes are electrically isolated from each other. The power module assembly also comprises a first capacitor having a first electrode electrically connected to the conductive base layer, and a second electrode electrically connected to the first conductive node, and further comprises a second capacitor having a first electrode electrically connected to the conductive base layer, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second conductive node.

  2. Weight reductions for the airbus A380; postbuckling of the A380 VTP skin panels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kroese, R.

    2014-01-01

    The skin panels of the Vertical Tail Plane (VTP) are the largest single piece composite components assembled on the Airbus A380. By allowing postbuckling to these skin panels might result in severe weight reductions for the VTP of the A380. The goal of the study is to give an indication of possible

  3. Method of transporting fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okada, Katsutoshi.

    1979-01-01

    Purpose: To enable safety transportation of fuel assemblies for FBR type reactors by surrounding each of fuel elements in a wrapper tube by a rubbery, hollow cylindrical container and by sealing medium such as air to the inside of the container. Method: A fuel element is contained in a hollow cylindrical rubber-like tube. The fuel element has an upper end plug, a lower end plug and a wire spirally wound around the outer periphery. Upon transportation of the fuel assemblies, each of the fuel elements is covered with the container and arranged in the wrapper tube and then the fuel assemblies are assembled. Then, medium such as air is sealed for each of the fuel elements by way of an opening and then the opening is tightly closed. Before loading the transported fuel assemblies in the reactor, the medium is discharged through the opening and the container is completely extracted and removed from the inside of the wrapper tube. (Seki, T.)

  4. Modular fuel-cell stack assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Pinakin

    2010-07-13

    A fuel cell assembly having a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a stack. An end plate assembly abuts the fuel cell at an end of said stack. The end plate assembly has an inlet area adapted to receive an exhaust gas from the stack, an outlet area and a passage connecting the inlet area and outlet area and adapted to carry the exhaust gas received at the inlet area from the inlet area to the outlet area. A further end plate assembly abuts the fuel cell at a further opposing end of the stack. The further end plate assembly has a further inlet area adapted to receive a further exhaust gas from the stack, a further outlet area and a further passage connecting the further inlet area and further outlet area and adapted to carry the further exhaust gas received at the further inlet area from the further inlet area to the further outlet area.

  5. Nuclear reactor spacer assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anthony, A.J.; Groves, M.D.

    1979-01-01

    A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor is disclosed wherein the fuel element receiving and supporting grid is comprised of a first metal, the guide tubes which pass through the grid assembly are comprised of a second metal and the grid is supported on the guide tubes by means of expanded sleeves located intermediate the grid and guide tubes. The fuel assembly is fabricated by inserting the sleeves, of initial outer diameter commensurate with the guide tube outer diameters, through the holes in the grid assembly provided for the guide tubes and thereafter expanding the sleeves radially outwardly along their entire length such that the guide tubes can subsequently be passed through the sleeves. The step of radial expansion, as a result of windows provided in the sleeves having dimensions commensurate with the geometry of the grid, mechanically captures the grid and simultaneously preloads the sleeve against the grid whereby relative motion between the grid and guide tube will be precluded

  6. Automated ensemble assembly and validation of microbial genomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background The continued democratization of DNA sequencing has sparked a new wave of development of genome assembly and assembly validation methods. As individual research labs, rather than centralized centers, begin to sequence the majority of new genomes, it is important to establish best practices for genome assembly. However, recent evaluations such as GAGE and the Assemblathon have concluded that there is no single best approach to genome assembly. Instead, it is preferable to generate multiple assemblies and validate them to determine which is most useful for the desired analysis; this is a labor-intensive process that is often impossible or unfeasible. Results To encourage best practices supported by the community, we present iMetAMOS, an automated ensemble assembly pipeline; iMetAMOS encapsulates the process of running, validating, and selecting a single assembly from multiple assemblies. iMetAMOS packages several leading open-source tools into a single binary that automates parameter selection and execution of multiple assemblers, scores the resulting assemblies based on multiple validation metrics, and annotates the assemblies for genes and contaminants. We demonstrate the utility of the ensemble process on 225 previously unassembled Mycobacterium tuberculosis genomes as well as a Rhodobacter sphaeroides benchmark dataset. On these real data, iMetAMOS reliably produces validated assemblies and identifies potential contamination without user intervention. In addition, intelligent parameter selection produces assemblies of R. sphaeroides comparable to or exceeding the quality of those from the GAGE-B evaluation, affecting the relative ranking of some assemblers. Conclusions Ensemble assembly with iMetAMOS provides users with multiple, validated assemblies for each genome. Although computationally limited to small or mid-sized genomes, this approach is the most effective and reproducible means for generating high-quality assemblies and enables users to

  7. Storage arrangement for nuclear reactor fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wade, E.E.

    1977-01-01

    Said invention is intended for providing an arrangement of spent fuel assembly storage inside which the space is efficiently used without accumulating a critical mass. The storage is provided for long fuel assemblies having along their longitudinal axis an active part containing the fuel and an inactive part empty of fuel. Said storage arrangement comprises a framework constituting some long-shaped cells designed so as each of them can receive a fuel assembly. Means of axial positioning of said assembly in a cell make it possible to support the fuel assemblies inside the framework according to a spacing ratio, along the cell axis, such as the active part of an assembly is adjacent to the inactive part of the adjacent assemblies [fr

  8. Integral nuclear fuel element assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schluderberg, D. C.

    1985-01-01

    An integral nuclear fuel element assembly utilizes longitudinally finned fuel pins. The continuous or interrupted fins of the fuel pins are brazed to fins of juxtaposed fuel pins or directly to the juxtaposed fuel pins or both. The integrally brazed fuel assembly is designed to satisfy the thermal and hydraulic requirements of a fuel assembly lattice having moderator to fuel atom ratios required to achieve high conversion and breeding ratios

  9. Centrioles: Some Self-Assembly Required

    OpenAIRE

    Song, Mi Hye; Miliaras, Nicholas B.; Peel, Nina; O'Connell, Kevin F.

    2008-01-01

    Centrioles play an important role in organizing microtubules and are precisely duplicated once per cell cycle. New (daughter) centrioles typically arise in association with existing (mother) centrioles (canonical assembly), suggesting that mother centrioles direct the formation of daughter centrioles. However, under certain circumstances, centrioles can also self-assemble free of an existing centriole (de novo assembly). Recent work indicates that the canonical and de novo pathways utilize a ...

  10. Flip chip assembly of thinned chips for hybrid pixel detector applications

    CERN Document Server

    Fritzsch, T; Woehrmann, M; Rothermund, M; Huegging, F; Ehrmann, O; Oppermann, H; Lang, K.D

    2014-01-01

    There is a steady trend to ultra-thin microelectronic devices. Especially for future particle detector systems a reduced readout chip thickness is required to limit the loss of tracking precision due to scattering. The reduction of silicon thickness is performed at wafer level in a two-step thinning process. To minimize the risk of wafer breakage the thinned wafer needs to be handled by a carrier during the whole process chain of wafer bumping. Another key process is the flip chip assembly of thinned readout chips onto thin sensor tiles. Besides the prevention of silicon breakage the minimization of chip warpage is one additional task for a high yield and reliable flip chip process. A new technology using glass carrier wafer will be described in detail. The main advantage of this technology is the combination of a carrier support during wafer processing and the chip support during flip chip assembly. For that a glass wafer is glue-bonded onto the backside of the thinned readout chip wafer. After the bump depo...

  11. Turboprop Engine Nacelle Optimization for Flight Increased Safety and Pollution Reduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristian DOROBAT

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Commuter airplanes defined in CS-23 as being propeller driven, twin-engine, nineteen seats and maximum certified take-off weight of 8618 Kg had lately a special development due to advantages of turboprop engine compared with piston or jet engines. Nacelle optimization implies a sound and vibrations proof engine frame, engine fuel consumption reduction (through smaller nacelle drag and weight, better lift, better pressure recovery in air induction system, smaller drag of exhaust nozzles, engine cooling and nacelle ventilation more efficient, composite nacelle fairings with noise reduction properties, etc.. Nacelle aerodynamic experimental model, air induction experimental model and other nacelle experimental systems tested independently allow construction efficiency due to minimizing modifications on nacelle assembly and more safety in operation [1].

  12. Tailoring a family-based alcohol intervention for Aboriginal Australians, and the experiences and perceptions of health care providers trained in its delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calabria, Bianca; Clifford, Anton; Rose, Miranda; Shakeshaft, Anthony P

    2014-04-07

    Aboriginal Australians experience a disproportionately high burden of alcohol-related harm compared to the general Australian population. Alcohol treatment approaches that simultaneously target individuals and families offer considerable potential to reduce these harms if they can be successfully tailored for routine delivery to Aboriginal Australians. The Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) and Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) are two related interventions that are consistent with Aboriginal Australians' notions of health and wellbeing. This paper aims to describe the process of tailoring CRA and CRAFT for delivery to Aboriginal Australians, explore the perceptions of health care providers participating in the tailoring process, and their experiences of participating in CRA and CRAFT counsellor certification. Data sources included notes recorded from eight working group meetings with 22 health care providers of a drug and alcohol treatment agency and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (November 2009-February 2013), and transcripts of semi-structured interviews with seven health care providers participating in CRA and CRAFT counsellor certification (May 2012). Qualitative content analysis was used to categorise working group meeting notes and interview transcripts were into key themes. Modifying technical language, reducing the number of treatment sessions, and including an option for treatment of clients in groups, were key recommendations by health care providers for improving the feasibility and applicability of delivering CRA and CRAFT to Aboriginal Australians. Health care providers perceived counsellor certification to be beneficial for developing their skills and confidence in delivering CRA and CRAFT, but identified time constraints and competing tasks as key challenges. The tailoring process resulted in Aboriginal Australian-specific CRA and CRAFT resources. The process also resulted in the training and certification of

  13. Bipyridine based metallogels: an unprecedented difference in photochemical and chemical reduction in the in situ nanoparticle formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tatikonda, Rajendhraprasad; Bertula, Kia; Nonappa; Hietala, Sami; Rissanen, Kari; Haukka, Matti

    2017-02-28

    Metal co-ordination induced supramolecular gelation of low molecular weight organic ligands is a rapidly expanding area of research due to the potential in creating hierarchically self-assembled multi-stimuli responsive materials. In this context, structurally simple O-methylpyridine derivatives of 4,4'-dihydroxy-2,2'-bipyridine ligands are reported. Upon complexation with Ag(i) ions in aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solutions the ligands spontaneously form metallosupramolecular gels at concentrations as low as 0.6 w/v%. The metal ions induce the self-assembly of three dimensional (3D) fibrillar networks followed by the spontaneous in situ reduction of the Ag-centers to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) when exposed to daylight. Significant size and morphological differences of the AgNP's was observed between the standard chemical and photochemical reduction of the metallogels. The gelation ability, the nanoparticle formation and rheological properties were found to be depend on the ligand structure, while the strength of the gels is affected by the water content of the gels.

  14. Assembly of the PLT device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marino, R.

    1975-11-01

    The assembly of the PLT device began in June 1974 with a preassembly of the mechanical structure at a remote site. The preassembly sequence incorporated final fabrication procedures with an initial staging operation. This successful staging/fabrication procedure proved to be an invaluable asset when the final assembly was started in August 1974. The assembly continued with the initial reassembly of the previously tested structural components at the final machine site. Construction was interrupted at several points to allow for toroidal field coil, vacuum vessel, and poloidal coil installation. Two phases of toroidal field coil power tests were included in the assembly sequence prior to, and just after the vacuum vessel insertion

  15. CANDELS : THE COSMIC ASSEMBLY NEAR-INFRARED DEEP EXTRAGALACTIC LEGACY SURVEY-THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS, IMAGING DATA PRODUCTS, AND MOSAICS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koekemoer, Anton M.; Faber, S. M.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Grogin, Norman A.; Kocevski, Dale D.; Koo, David C.; Lai, Kamson; Lotz, Jennifer M.; Lucas, Ray A.; McGrath, Elizabeth J.; Ogaz, Sara; Rajan, Abhijith; Riess, Adam G.; Rodney, Steve A.; Strolger, Louis; Casertano, Stefano; Castellano, Marco; Dahlen, Tomas; Dickinson, Mark; Dolch, Timothy; Fontana, Adriano; Giavalisco, Mauro; Grazian, Andrea; Guo, Yicheng; Hathi, Nimish P.; Huang, Kuang-Han; van der Wel, Arjen; Yan, Hao-Jing; Acquaviva, Viviana; Alexander, David M.; Almaini, Omar; Ashby, Matthew L. N.; Barden, Marco; Bell, Eric F.; Bournaud, Frederic; Brown, Thomas M.; Caputi, Karina I.; Cassata, Paolo; Challis, Peter J.; Chary, Ranga-Ram; Cheung, Edmond; Cirasuolo, Michele; Conselice, Christopher J.; Cooray, Asantha Roshan; Croton, Darren J.; Daddi, Emanuele; Dave, Romeel; de Mello, Duilia F.; de Ravel, Loic; Dekel, Avishai; Donley, Jennifer L.; Dunlop, James S.; Dutton, Aaron A.; Elbaz, David; Fazio, Giovanni G.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Finkelstein, Steven L.; Frazer, Chris; Gardner, Jonathan P.; Garnavich, Peter M.; Gawiser, Eric; Gruetzbauch, Ruth; Hartley, Will G.; Haeussler, Boris; Herrington, Jessica; Hopkins, Philip F.; Huang, Jia-Sheng; Jha, Saurabh W.; Johnson, Andrew; Kartaltepe, Jeyhan S.; Khostovan, Ali A.; Kirshner, Robert P.; Lani, Caterina; Lee, Kyoung-Soo; Li, Weidong; Madau, Piero; McCarthy, Patrick J.; McIntosh, Daniel H.; McLure, Ross J.; McPartland, Conor; Mobasher, Bahram; Moreira, Heidi; Mortlock, Alice; Moustakas, Leonidas A.; Mozena, Mark; Nandra, Kirpal; Newman, Jeffrey A.; Nielsen, Jennifer L.; Niemi, Sami; Noeske, Kai G.; Papovich, Casey J.; Pentericci, Laura; Pope, Alexandra; Primack, Joel R.; Ravindranath, Swara; Reddy, Naveen A.; Renzini, Alvio; Rix, Hans-Walter; Robaina, Aday R.; Rosario, David J.; Rosati, Piero; Salimbeni, Sara; Scarlata, Claudia; Siana, Brian; Simard, Luc; Smidt, Joseph; Snyder, Diana; Somerville, Rachel S.; Spinrad, Hyron; Straughn, Amber N.; Telford, Olivia; Teplitz, Harry I.; Trump, Jonathan R.; Vargas, Carlos; Villforth, Carolin; Wagner, Cory R.; Wandro, Pat; Wechsler, Risa H.; Weiner, Benjamin J.; Wiklind, Tommy; Wild, Vivienne; Wilson, Grant; Wuyts, Stijn; Yun, Min S.

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes the Hubble Space Telescope imaging data products and data reduction procedures for the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS). This survey is designed to document the evolution of galaxies and black holes at z approximate to 1.5-8, and to study

  16. PAVE: Program for assembling and viewing ESTs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bomhoff Matthew

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background New sequencing technologies are rapidly emerging. Many laboratories are simultaneously working with the traditional Sanger ESTs and experimenting with ESTs generated by the 454 Life Science sequencers. Though Sanger ESTs have been used to generate contigs for many years, no program takes full advantage of the 5' and 3' mate-pair information, hence, many tentative transcripts are assembled into two separate contigs. The new 454 technology has the benefit of high-throughput expression profiling, but introduces time and space problems for assembling large contigs. Results The PAVE (Program for Assembling and Viewing ESTs assembler takes advantage of the 5' and 3' mate-pair information by requiring that the mate-pairs be assembled into the same contig and joined by n's if the two sub-contigs do not overlap. It handles the depth of 454 data sets by "burying" similar ESTs during assembly, which retains the expression level information while circumventing time and space problems. PAVE uses MegaBLAST for the clustering step and CAP3 for assembly, however it assembles incrementally to enforce the mate-pair constraint, bury ESTs, and reduce incorrect joins and splits. The PAVE data management system uses a MySQL database to store multiple libraries of ESTs along with their metadata; the management system allows multiple assemblies with variations on libraries and parameters. Analysis routines provide standard annotation for the contigs including a measure of differentially expressed genes across the libraries. A Java viewer program is provided for display and analysis of the results. Our results clearly show the benefit of using the PAVE assembler to explicitly use mate-pair information and bury ESTs for large contigs. Conclusion The PAVE assembler provides a software package for assembling Sanger and/or 454 ESTs. The assembly software, data management software, Java viewer and user's guide are freely available.

  17. PAVE: program for assembling and viewing ESTs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soderlund, Carol; Johnson, Eric; Bomhoff, Matthew; Descour, Anne

    2009-08-26

    New sequencing technologies are rapidly emerging. Many laboratories are simultaneously working with the traditional Sanger ESTs and experimenting with ESTs generated by the 454 Life Science sequencers. Though Sanger ESTs have been used to generate contigs for many years, no program takes full advantage of the 5' and 3' mate-pair information, hence, many tentative transcripts are assembled into two separate contigs. The new 454 technology has the benefit of high-throughput expression profiling, but introduces time and space problems for assembling large contigs. The PAVE (Program for Assembling and Viewing ESTs) assembler takes advantage of the 5' and 3' mate-pair information by requiring that the mate-pairs be assembled into the same contig and joined by n's if the two sub-contigs do not overlap. It handles the depth of 454 data sets by "burying" similar ESTs during assembly, which retains the expression level information while circumventing time and space problems. PAVE uses MegaBLAST for the clustering step and CAP3 for assembly, however it assembles incrementally to enforce the mate-pair constraint, bury ESTs, and reduce incorrect joins and splits. The PAVE data management system uses a MySQL database to store multiple libraries of ESTs along with their metadata; the management system allows multiple assemblies with variations on libraries and parameters. Analysis routines provide standard annotation for the contigs including a measure of differentially expressed genes across the libraries. A Java viewer program is provided for display and analysis of the results. Our results clearly show the benefit of using the PAVE assembler to explicitly use mate-pair information and bury ESTs for large contigs. The PAVE assembler provides a software package for assembling Sanger and/or 454 ESTs. The assembly software, data management software, Java viewer and user's guide are freely available.

  18. Technical operations procedure for assembly and emplacement of the soil temperature test--test assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weber, A.P.

    1978-01-01

    A description is given of the plan for assembly, instrumentation, emplacement, and operational checkout of the soil temperature test assembly and dry well liner. The activities described cover all operations necessary to accomplish the receiving inspection, instrumentation and pre-construction handling of the dry well liner, plus all operations performed with the test article. Actual details of construction work are not covered by this procedure. Each part and/or section of this procedure is a separate function to be accomplished as required by the nature of the operation. The organization of the procedure is not intended to imply a special operational sequence or schedular requirement. Specific procedure operational sections include: receiving inspection; liner assembly operations; construction operations (by others); prepare shield plug; test article assembly and installation; and operational checkout

  19. Comparing de novo assemblers for 454 transcriptome data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blaxter Mark L

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Roche 454 pyrosequencing has become a method of choice for generating transcriptome data from non-model organisms. Once the tens to hundreds of thousands of short (250-450 base reads have been produced, it is important to correctly assemble these to estimate the sequence of all the transcripts. Most transcriptome assembly projects use only one program for assembling 454 pyrosequencing reads, but there is no evidence that the programs used to date are optimal. We have carried out a systematic comparison of five assemblers (CAP3, MIRA, Newbler, SeqMan and CLC to establish best practices for transcriptome assemblies, using a new dataset from the parasitic nematode Litomosoides sigmodontis. Results Although no single assembler performed best on all our criteria, Newbler 2.5 gave longer contigs, better alignments to some reference sequences, and was fast and easy to use. SeqMan assemblies performed best on the criterion of recapitulating known transcripts, and had more novel sequence than the other assemblers, but generated an excess of small, redundant contigs. The remaining assemblers all performed almost as well, with the exception of Newbler 2.3 (the version currently used by most assembly projects, which generated assemblies that had significantly lower total length. As different assemblers use different underlying algorithms to generate contigs, we also explored merging of assemblies and found that the merged datasets not only aligned better to reference sequences than individual assemblies, but were also more consistent in the number and size of contigs. Conclusions Transcriptome assemblies are smaller than genome assemblies and thus should be more computationally tractable, but are often harder because individual contigs can have highly variable read coverage. Comparing single assemblers, Newbler 2.5 performed best on our trial data set, but other assemblers were closely comparable. Combining differently optimal assemblies

  20. Transfer of fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vuckovich, M.; Burkett, J. P.; Sallustio, J.

    1984-01-01

    Fuel assemblies of a nuclear reactor are transferred during fueling or refueling or the like by a crane. The work-engaging fixture of the crane picks up an assembly, removes it from this slot, transfers it to the deposit site and deposits it in its slot at the deposit site. The control for the crane includes a strain gauge connected to the crane line which raises and lowers the load. The strain gauge senses the load on the crane. The signal from the strain gauge is compared with setpoints; a high-level setpoint, a low-level setpoint and a slack-line setpoint. If the strain gauge signal exceeds the high-level setpoint, the line drive is disabled. This event may occur during raising of a fuel assembly which encounters resistance. The high-level setpoint may be overridden under proper precautions. The line drive is also disabled if the strain gauge signal is less than the low-level setpoint. This event occurs when a fuel assembly being deposited contacts the bottom of its slot or an obstruction in, or at the entry to the slot. To preclude lateral movement and possible damage to a fuel assembly suspended from the crane line, the traverse drive of the crane is disabled once the strain-gauge exceets the lov-level setpoint. The traverse drive can only be enabled after the strain-gauge signal is less than the slack-line set-point. This occurs when the lines has been set in slack-line setting. When the line is tensioned after slack-li ne setting, the traverse drive remains enabled only if the line has been disconnected from the fuel assembly

  1. Improvements in nuclear fuel assembly sleeves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eaton, C.W.; Seeley, T.A.; Ince, G.; Speakman, W.T.

    1986-01-01

    The graphite sleeve of a nuclear fuel assembly or reflector element for a stringer mounts a number of grids via mounting assemblies installed in grooves formed in the interior wall surface of the sleeve. The bore of the sleeve is of reduced cross-section between two successive grooves such that the internal diameter of the sleeve is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the radially innermost extremity of the mounting assemblies whereby the coolant pressure loss at each transition between the reduced diameter bore section and the mounting assemblies is reduced. Each mounting assembly may be of radially contractable split ring construction to permit its placement in the groove and may carry burnable poison material. (author)

  2. Improvements in nuclear fuel assembly sleeves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eaton, C.W.; Seeley, T.A.; Ince, G.; Speakman, W.T.

    1986-02-26

    The graphite sleeve of a nuclear fuel assembly or reflector element for a stringer mounts a number of grids via mounting assemblies installed in grooves formed in the interior wall surface of the sleeve. The bore of the sleeve is of reduced cross-section between two successive grooves such that the internal diameter of the sleeve is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the radially innermost extremity of the mounting assemblies whereby the coolant pressure loss at each transition between the reduced diameter bore section and the mounting assemblies is reduced. Each mounting assembly may be of radially contractable split ring construction to permit its placement in the groove and may carry burnable poison material.

  3. Physical principles for DNA tile self-assembly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Constantine G; Winfree, Erik

    2017-06-19

    DNA tiles provide a promising technique for assembling structures with nanoscale resolution through self-assembly by basic interactions rather than top-down assembly of individual structures. Tile systems can be programmed to grow based on logical rules, allowing for a small number of tile types to assemble large, complex assemblies that can retain nanoscale resolution. Such algorithmic systems can even assemble different structures using the same tiles, based on inputs that seed the growth. While programming and theoretical analysis of tile self-assembly often makes use of abstract logical models of growth, experimentally implemented systems are governed by nanoscale physical processes that can lead to very different behavior, more accurately modeled by taking into account the thermodynamics and kinetics of tile attachment and detachment in solution. This review discusses the relationships between more abstract and more physically realistic tile assembly models. A central concern is how consideration of model differences enables the design of tile systems that robustly exhibit the desired abstract behavior in realistic physical models and in experimental implementations. Conversely, we identify situations where self-assembly in abstract models can not be well-approximated by physically realistic models, putting constraints on physical relevance of the abstract models. To facilitate the discussion, we introduce a unified model of tile self-assembly that clarifies the relationships between several well-studied models in the literature. Throughout, we highlight open questions regarding the physical principles for DNA tile self-assembly.

  4. System for assembling nuclear fuel elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-01-01

    An automatic system is described for assembling nuclear fuel elements, in particular those employing mixed oxide fuels. The system includes a sealing mechanism which allows movement during the assembling of the fuel element along the assembly stations without excessive release of contaminants. (U.K.)

  5. Assembly study for JT-60SA tokamak

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shibanuma, K., E-mail: shibanuma.kiyoshi@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka, Ibaraki-ken 311-0193 (Japan); Arai, T.; Hasegawa, K.; Hoshi, R.; Kamiya, K.; Kawashima, H.; Kubo, H.; Masaki, K.; Saeki, H.; Sakurai, S.; Sakata, S.; Sakasai, A.; Sawai, H.; Shibama, Y.K.; Tsuchiya, K.; Tsukao, N.; Yagyu, J.; Yoshida, K.; Kamada, Y. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka, Ibaraki-ken 311-0193 (Japan); Mizumaki, S. [Toshiba Corporation, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8001 (Japan); and others

    2013-10-15

    The assembly scenarios and assembly tools of the major tokamak components for JT-60SA are studied in the following. (1) The assembly frame (with a dedicated 30-tonne crane), which is located around the JT-60SA tokamak, is adopted for effective assembly works in the torus hall and the temporary support of the components during assembly. (2) Metrology for precise positioning of the components is also studied by defining the metrology points on the components. (3) The sector segmentation for weld joints and positioning of the vacuum vessel (VV), the assembly scenario and tools for VV thermal shield (TS), the connection of the outer intercoil structure (OIS) and the installation of the final toroidal field coil (TFC) are studied, as typical examples of the assembly scenarios and tools for JT-60SA.

  6. Assemble-to-order systems: a review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Atan, Z.; Ahmadi, T.; Stegehuis, C.; de Kok, A.G.; Adan, I.J.B.F.

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we review the recent literature on assemble-to-order systems. Each assemble-to-order system consists of multiple components and end-products. The components are assembled into the end-products after information on customer demand is received but the decision on what components to

  7. Small-scale structure in the diffuse interstellar medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, D.M.

    1990-01-01

    The initial results of a study to probe the small-scale structure in the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) through IUE and optical observations of interstellar absorption lines toward both components of resolvable binary stars is reported. The binaries (Kappa CrA, 57 Aql, 59 And, HR 1609/10, 19 Lyn, and Theta Ser) observed with IUE have projected linear separations ranging from 5700 to 700 Au. Except for Kappa CrA, the strengths of the interstellar absorption lines toward both components of these binaries agree to within 10 percent. In the case of Kappa CrA, the optically thin interstellar Mg I and Mn II lines are about 50 percent stronger toward Kappa-2 CrA than Kappa-1 CrA. Higher resolution observations of interstellar Ca II show that this difference is concentrated in the main interstellar component at V(LSR) = 9 + or - 2 km/s. Interestingly, this velocity corresponds to an intervening cloud that may be associated with the prominent Loop I shell in the local ISM. Given the separation (23 arcsec) and distance (120 pc) of Kappa CrA, the line strength variations indicate that this cloud has structure on scales of 2800 AU or less. 21 refs

  8. A conceptual design and structural stabilities of in-pit assembly tools for the completion of final sector assembly at tokamak hall

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nam, K.O.; Park, H.K.; Kim, D.J.; Ahn, H.J.; Kim, K.K.; Im, K.; Shaw, R.

    2010-01-01

    The final assembly of main components of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) tokamak, Vacuum Vessel (VV) and Toroidal Field Coils (TFCs), is achieved by the sequential assembly of the nine sub-assembled 40 o sectors in tokamak pit. Each sub-assembled 40 o sector is composed of one VV 40 o sector, two TFCs, and in-between Vacuum Vessel Thermal Shield (VVTS) segments. Sub-assembly is carried out in the assembly building and then the sub-assembled sectors are transferred into tokamak pit, in sequence, to complete sector assembly. The role of in-pit assembly tool is to support and align the sub-assembled sectors in tokamak pit. It also plays the role of reference datum during assembly until the completion of main components assembly. Korea Domestic Agency (KO DA) has developed the conceptual design of most ITER purpose-built assembly tools under the collaboration with the ITER Organization. Among the conceptual designs carried out, this paper describes the function, the structure, the selected material and the design results of the in-pit assembly tools comprising central column, radial beams and their supports, TF inner supports and in-pit working floor. The results of structural analysis using ANSYS for the various loading cases are given as well. The resultant stresses and deflections turned out to fall within the allowable ranges.

  9. Quantifying quality in DNA self-assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagenbauer, Klaus F.; Wachauf, Christian H.; Dietz, Hendrik

    2014-01-01

    Molecular self-assembly with DNA is an attractive route for building nanoscale devices. The development of sophisticated and precise objects with this technique requires detailed experimental feedback on the structure and composition of assembled objects. Here we report a sensitive assay for the quality of assembly. The method relies on measuring the content of unpaired DNA bases in self-assembled DNA objects using a fluorescent de-Bruijn probe for three-base ‘codons’, which enables a comparison with the designed content of unpaired DNA. We use the assay to measure the quality of assembly of several multilayer DNA origami objects and illustrate the use of the assay for the rational refinement of assembly protocols. Our data suggests that large and complex objects like multilayer DNA origami can be made with high strand integration quality up to 99%. Beyond DNA nanotechnology, we speculate that the ability to discriminate unpaired from paired nucleic acids in the same macromolecule may also be useful for analysing cellular nucleic acids. PMID:24751596

  10. The MARVEL assembly for neutron multiplication

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    David L. Chichester; Mathew T. Kinlaw

    2013-10-01

    A new multiplying test assembly is under development at Idaho National Laboratory to support research, validation, evaluation, and learning. The item is comprised of three stacked, highly-enriched uranium (HEU) cylinders, each 11.4 cm in diameter and having a combined height of up to 11.7 cm. The combined mass of all three cylinders is 20.3 kg of HEU. Calculations for the bare configuration of the assembly indicate a multiplication level of >3.5 (keff=0.72). Reflected configurations of the assembly, using either polyethylene or tungsten, are possible and have the capability of raising the assembly's multiplication level to greater than 10. This paper describes simulations performed to assess the assembly's multiplication level under different conditions and describes the resources available at INL to support the use of these materials. We also describe some preliminary calculations and test activities using the assembly to study neutron multiplication.

  11. The MARVEL assembly for neutron multiplication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chichester, David L; Kinlaw, Mathew T

    2013-10-01

    A new multiplying test assembly is under development at Idaho National Laboratory to support research, validation, evaluation, and learning. The item is comprised of three stacked, highly-enriched uranium (HEU) cylinders, each 11.4 cm in diameter and having a combined height of up to 11.7 cm. The combined mass of all three cylinders is 20.3 kg of HEU. Calculations for the bare configuration of the assembly indicate a multiplication level of >3.5 (k(eff)=0.72). Reflected configurations of the assembly, using either polyethylene or tungsten, are possible and have the capability of raising the assembly's multiplication level to greater than 10. This paper describes simulations performed to assess the assembly's multiplication level under different conditions and describes the resources available at INL to support the use of these materials. We also describe some preliminary calculations and test activities using the assembly to study neutron multiplication. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Fabrication and tribological properties of self-assembled monolayer of n-alkyltrimethoxysilane on silicon: Effect of SAM alkyl chain length

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huo, Lixia; Du, Pengcheng; Zhou, Hui; Zhang, Kaifeng; Liu, Peng

    2017-02-01

    It is well known that the self-assembled organic molecules on a solid surface exhibit the friction-reducing performance. However, the effect of the molecular size of the self-assembled organic molecules has not been established. In the present work, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of n-alkyltrimethoxysilanes with different alkyl chain lengths (C6, C12, or C18) were fabricated on silicon substrate. The water contact angles of the SAMs increased from 26.8° of the hydroxylated silicon substrate to near 60° after self-assembly. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis results showed that the mean roughness (Ra) of the SAMs decreased with increasing the alkyl chain length. The tribological properties of the SAMs sliding against Al2O3 ball were evaluated on an UMT-2 tribometer, and the worn surfaces of the samples were analyzed by means of Nano Scratch Tester and surface profilometry. It was found that lowest friction coefficient and smallest width of wear were achieved with the SAMs of C12 alkyl chain (C12-SAM). The superior friction reduction and wear resistance of the SAMs in comparison with the bare silicon substrate are attributed to good adhesion of the self-assembled films to the substrate, especially the C12-SAM with desirable alkyl chain length.

  13. School Assemblies: The Lost Art.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beach, Daniel R.

    1979-01-01

    Guidelines and suggestions are offered for successful school assemblies. The school assembly should be a positive event; an occasion for developing unity, group loyalty, and desirable audience habits. (Author/MLF)

  14. Analysis of PWR assembly bow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fetterman, Robert J.; Franceschini, Fausto

    2008-01-01

    Excessive out of core assembly bow has been observed during refueling outages of certain PWRs. Assembly bow can take on a rather complex S-shape, and in other cases C-shape bow is prevalent. Concerns have been raised regarding the impact of the observed assembly bow on the in-core power distribution and the safety analyses supporting the plant operations. In response to these concerns, Westinghouse has developed a comprehensive analysis process for determining the effects of assembly bow on core power distributions and plant operating margins. This methodology has been applied to a particular reactor as part of an overall safety reanalysis completed in support of plant modifications. This paper provides a brief description of the methods used and a summary of the pertinent results. (authors)

  15. Analysis of PWR assembly bow

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fetterman, Robert J.; Franceschini, Fausto [Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

    2008-07-01

    Excessive out of core assembly bow has been observed during refueling outages of certain PWRs. Assembly bow can take on a rather complex S-shape, and in other cases C-shape bow is prevalent. Concerns have been raised regarding the impact of the observed assembly bow on the in-core power distribution and the safety analyses supporting the plant operations. In response to these concerns, Westinghouse has developed a comprehensive analysis process for determining the effects of assembly bow on core power distributions and plant operating margins. This methodology has been applied to a particular reactor as part of an overall safety reanalysis completed in support of plant modifications. This paper provides a brief description of the methods used and a summary of the pertinent results. (authors)

  16. Flip chip assembly of thinned chips for hybrid pixel detector applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fritzsch, T; Zoschke, K; Rothermund, M; Oppermann, H; Woehrmann, M; Ehrmann, O; Lang, K D; Huegging, F

    2014-01-01

    There is a steady trend to ultra-thin microelectronic devices. Especially for future particle detector systems a reduced readout chip thickness is required to limit the loss of tracking precision due to scattering. The reduction of silicon thickness is performed at wafer level in a two-step thinning process. To minimize the risk of wafer breakage the thinned wafer needs to be handled by a carrier during the whole process chain of wafer bumping. Another key process is the flip chip assembly of thinned readout chips onto thin sensor tiles. Besides the prevention of silicon breakage the minimization of chip warpage is one additional task for a high yield and reliable flip chip process. A new technology using glass carrier wafer will be described in detail. The main advantage of this technology is the combination of a carrier support during wafer processing and the chip support during flip chip assembly. For that a glass wafer is glue-bonded onto the backside of the thinned readout chip wafer. After the bump deposition process the glass-readout chip stack is diced in one step. Finally the glass carrier chip is released by laser illumination after flip chip assembly of the readout chip onto sensor tile. The results of the flip chip assembly process development for the ATLAS IBL upgrade are described more in detail. The new ATLAS FEI4B chip with a size of 20 × 19 mm 2 is flip chip bonded with a thickness of only 150 μm, but the capability of this technology has been demonstrated on hybrid modules with a reduced readout chip thickness of down to 50 μm which is a major step for ultra-thin electronic systems

  17. Impact analysis of spent fuel jacket assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aramayo, G.A.

    1994-01-01

    As part of the analyses performed in support of the reracking of the High Flux Isotope Reactor pool, it became necessary to prove the structural integrity of the spent fuel jacket assemblies subjected to gravity drop that result from postulated accidents associated with the handling of these assemblies while submerged in the pool. The spent fuel jacket assemblies are an integral part of the reracking project, and serve to house fuel assemblies. The structure integrity of the jacket assemblies from loads that result from impact from a height of 10 feet onto specified targets has been performed analytically using the computer program LS-DYNA3D. Nine attitudes of the assembly at the time of impact have been considered. Results of the analyses show that there is no failure of the assemblies as a result of the impact scenarios considered

  18. Analysis of irradiation temperature in fuel rods of OGL-1 fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukuda, Kousaku; Kobayashi, Fumiaki; Minato, Kazuo; Ikawa, Katsuichi; Iwamoto, Kazumi

    1984-10-01

    Irradiation temperature in the fuel rods of 5th OGL-1 fuel assembly was analysed by the system composed by STPDSP2 and TRUMP codes. As the measured input-data, following parameters were allowed for; circumferential heating distribution around the fuel rod, which was measured in the JMTR critical assembly, axial heating distribution through the fuel rod, ratio of peak heatings of three fuel rods, and pre- and post-irradiation outer radii of the fuel compacts and inner radii of the graphite sleeves, which had been measured in PIE of the 5th OGL-1 fuel assembly. In computation the axial distributions of helium coolant temperature through the fuel rod and the heating value of each fuel rod were, firstly, calculated as input data for TRUMP. The TRUMP calculation yielded the temperatures which were fitted in those measured by all of the thermo-couples installed in the fuel rods, by adjusting only the value of the surface heat transfer coefficient, and consequently, the temperatures in all portions of the fuel rod were obtained. The apparent heat transfer coefficient changed to 60% of the initial values in the middle period of irradiation. For this reduction it was deduced that shoot had covered the surface of the fuel rod during irradiation, which was confirmed in PIE. Beside it, several things were found in this analysis. (author)

  19. Genome Sequence Databases (Overview): Sequencing and Assembly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lapidus, Alla L.

    2009-01-01

    From the date its role in heredity was discovered, DNA has been generating interest among scientists from different fields of knowledge: physicists have studied the three dimensional structure of the DNA molecule, biologists tried to decode the secrets of life hidden within these long molecules, and technologists invent and improve methods of DNA analysis. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of DNA occupies a special place among the methods developed. Thanks to the variety of sequencing technologies available, the process of decoding the sequence of genomic DNA (or whole genome sequencing) has become robust and inexpensive. Meanwhile the assembly of whole genome sequences remains a challenging task. In addition to the need to assemble millions of DNA fragments of different length (from 35 bp (Solexa) to 800 bp (Sanger)), great interest in analysis of microbial communities (metagenomes) of different complexities raises new problems and pushes some new requirements for sequence assembly tools to the forefront. The genome assembly process can be divided into two steps: draft assembly and assembly improvement (finishing). Despite the fact that automatically performed assembly (or draft assembly) is capable of covering up to 98% of the genome, in most cases, it still contains incorrectly assembled reads. The error rate of the consensus sequence produced at this stage is about 1/2000 bp. A finished genome represents the genome assembly of much higher accuracy (with no gaps or incorrectly assembled areas) and quality ({approx}1 error/10,000 bp), validated through a number of computer and laboratory experiments.

  20. Human Contamination in Public Genome Assemblies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kryukov, Kirill; Imanishi, Tadashi

    2016-01-01

    Contamination in genome assembly can lead to wrong or confusing results when using such genome as reference in sequence comparison. Although bacterial contamination is well known, the problem of human-originated contamination received little attention. In this study we surveyed 45,735 available genome assemblies for evidence of human contamination. We used lineage specificity to distinguish between contamination and conservation. We found that 154 genome assemblies contain fragments that with high confidence originate as contamination from human DNA. Majority of contaminating human sequences were present in the reference human genome assembly for over a decade. We recommend that existing contaminated genomes should be revised to remove contaminated sequence, and that new assemblies should be thoroughly checked for presence of human DNA before submitting them to public databases.

  1. A divide-and-conquer algorithm for large-scale de novo transcriptome assembly through combining small assemblies from existing algorithms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sze, Sing-Hoi; Parrott, Jonathan J; Tarone, Aaron M

    2017-12-06

    While the continued development of high-throughput sequencing has facilitated studies of entire transcriptomes in non-model organisms, the incorporation of an increasing amount of RNA-Seq libraries has made de novo transcriptome assembly difficult. Although algorithms that can assemble a large amount of RNA-Seq data are available, they are generally very memory-intensive and can only be used to construct small assemblies. We develop a divide-and-conquer strategy that allows these algorithms to be utilized, by subdividing a large RNA-Seq data set into small libraries. Each individual library is assembled independently by an existing algorithm, and a merging algorithm is developed to combine these assemblies by picking a subset of high quality transcripts to form a large transcriptome. When compared to existing algorithms that return a single assembly directly, this strategy achieves comparable or increased accuracy as memory-efficient algorithms that can be used to process a large amount of RNA-Seq data, and comparable or decreased accuracy as memory-intensive algorithms that can only be used to construct small assemblies. Our divide-and-conquer strategy allows memory-intensive de novo transcriptome assembly algorithms to be utilized to construct large assemblies.

  2. Cycling performance of lithium polymer cells assembled by in situ polymerization of a non-flammable ionic liquid monomer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Yoon-Sung; Kim, Dong-Won

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Gel polymer electrolytes were synthesized by in situ polymerization of ionic liquid in the lithium polymer cells. • Flammability of the electrolyte was significantly reduced by polymerizing electrolyte containing a non-flammable ionic liquid monomer. • The cells assembled with polymeric ionic liquid-based electrolytes exhibited reversible cycling behavior with good capacity retention. -- Abstract: Lithium polymer cells composed of a lithium negative electrode and a LiCoO 2 positive electrode were assembled with a gel polymer electrolyte obtained by in situ polymerization of an electrolyte solution containing an ionic liquid monomer with vinyl groups. The polymerization of the electrolyte solution containing the non-flammable ionic liquid monomer resulted in a significant reduction of the flammability of the gel polymer electrolytes. The lithium polymer cell assembled with the stable gel polymer electrolyte delivered a discharge capacity of 134.3 mAh g −1 at ambient temperature and exhibited good capacity retention

  3. Fuel assembly and reactor core

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aoyama, Motoo; Koyama, Jun-ichi; Uchikawa, Sadao; Bessho, Yasunori; Nakajima, Akiyoshi; Maruyama, Hiromi; Ozawa, Michihiro; Nakamura, Mitsuya.

    1990-01-01

    The present invention concerns fuel assemblies charged in a BWR type reactor and the reactor core. The fuel assembly comprises fuel rods containing burnable poisons and fuel rods not containing burnable poisons. Both of the highest and the lowest gadolinia concentrations of the fuel rods containing gadolinia as burnable poisons are present in the lower region of the fuel assembly. This can increase the spectral shift effect without increasing the maximum linear power density. (I.N.)

  4. Prion protein inhibits microtubule assembly by inducing tubulin oligomerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nieznanski, Krzysztof; Podlubnaya, Zoya A.; Nieznanska, Hanna

    2006-01-01

    A growing body of evidence points to an association of prion protein (PrP) with microtubular cytoskeleton. Recently, direct binding of PrP to tubulin has also been found. In this work, using standard light scattering measurements, sedimentation experiments, and electron microscopy, we show for First time the effect of a direct interaction between these proteins on tubulin polymerization. We demonstrate that full-length recombinant PrP induces a rapid increase in the turbidity of tubulin diluted below the critical concentration for microtubule assembly. This effect requires magnesium ions and is weakened by NaCl. Moreover, the PrP-induced light scattering structures of tubulin are cold-stable. In preparations of diluted tubulin incubated with PrP, electron microscopy revealed the presence of ∼50 nm disc-shaped structures not reported so far. These unique tubulin oligomers may form large aggregates. The effect of PrP is more pronounced under the conditions promoting microtubule formation. In these tubulin samples, PrP induces formation of the above oligomers associated with short protofilaments and sheets of protofilaments into aggregates. Noticeably, this is accompanied by a significant reduction of the number and length of microtubules. Hence, we postulate that prion protein may act as an inhibitor of microtubule assembly by inducing formation of stable tubulin oligomers

  5. GIT1 enhances neurite outgrowth by stimulating microtubule assembly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-sheng Li

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available GIT1, a G-protein-coupled receptor kinase interacting protein, has been reported to be involved in neurite outgrowth. However, the neurobiological functions of the protein remain unclear. In this study, we found that GIT1 was highly expressed in the nervous system, and its expression was maintained throughout all stages of neuritogenesis in the brain. In primary cultured mouse hippocampal neurons from GIT1 knockout mice, there was a significant reduction in total neurite length per neuron, as well as in the average length of axon-like structures, which could not be prevented by nerve growth factor treatment. Overexpression of GIT1 significantly promoted axon growth and fully rescued the axon outgrowth defect in the primary hippocampal neuron cultures from GIT1 knockout mice. The GIT1 N terminal region, including the ADP ribosylation factor-GTPase activating protein domain, the ankyrin domains and the Spa2 homology domain, were sufficient to enhance axonal extension. Importantly, GIT1 bound to many tubulin proteins and microtubule-associated proteins, and it accelerated microtubule assembly in vitro. Collectively, our findings suggest that GIT1 promotes neurite outgrowth, at least partially by stimulating microtubule assembly. This study provides new insight into the cellular and molecular pathogenesis of GIT1-associated neurological diseases.

  6. A general mixed boundary model reduction method for component mode synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voormeeren, S N; Van der Valk, P L C; Rixen, D J

    2010-01-01

    A classic issue in component mode synthesis (CMS) methods is the choice for fixed or free boundary conditions at the interface degrees of freedom (DoF) and the associated vibration modes in the components reduction base. In this paper, a novel mixed boundary CMS method called the 'Mixed Craig-Bampton' method is proposed. The method is derived by dividing the substructure DoF into a set of internal DoF, free interface DoF and fixed interface DoF. To this end a simple but effective scheme is introduced that, for every pair of interface DoF, selects a free or fixed boundary condition for each DoF individually. Based on this selection a reduction basis is computed consisting of vibration modes, static constraint modes and static residual flexibility modes. In order to assemble the reduced substructures a novel mixed assembly procedure is developed. It is shown that this approach leads to relatively sparse reduced matrices, whereas other mixed boundary methods often lead to full matrices. As such, the Mixed Craig-Bampton method forms a natural generalization of the classic Craig-Bampton and more recent Dual Craig-Bampton methods. Finally, the method is applied to a finite element test model. Analysis reveals that the proposed method has comparable or better accuracy and superior versatility with respect to the existing methods.

  7. Health and environmental impacts of electricity generation systems: procedures for comparative assessments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demin, V.F.

    2002-01-01

    The IAEA technical report involving description of the Manual for procedure of comparison risk assessment (CRA) and external cost (ECA) of environmental and public health effect from nuclear energetics and other power generation is treated. CRA and ECA results depend on national and regional social-economic, geographic, medical and demographic, and other features. When using CRA and ECA procedures developed in concrete countries their adaptation is necessary for conditions of other countries [ru

  8. Cleaning device for fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kita, Kaoru.

    1986-01-01

    Purpose: To completely remove obstacles deposited to the lower sides of supporting lattices for fuel assemblies by utilizing water within a pit before reloading of the fuel assemblies. Constitution: A cylindrical can, to which a fuel assembly is inserted through the upper end opening thereof, is vertically disposed within water of a pit and the bottom of the can is communicated with a pump by way of a suction pipe and a filter device disposed out of the pit. While on the other hand, a fuel assembly is suspended downwardly by a crane and inserted to the inside of the can through the upper end of the opening thereof and supported therein followed by starting the pump. As a result, water in the pit is circulated through the inside of the can, suction pipe, filtering device, pump, discharge pipe and to the inside of the pit thereby enabling to completely eliminate obstacles deposited to the lower surface, etc. of supporting lattices for the fuel assembly supported within the can. (Takahashi, M.)

  9. Inverse design of multicomponent assemblies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piñeros, William D.; Lindquist, Beth A.; Jadrich, Ryan B.; Truskett, Thomas M.

    2018-03-01

    Inverse design can be a useful strategy for discovering interactions that drive particles to spontaneously self-assemble into a desired structure. Here, we extend an inverse design methodology—relative entropy optimization—to determine isotropic interactions that promote assembly of targeted multicomponent phases, and we apply this extension to design interactions for a variety of binary crystals ranging from compact triangular and square architectures to highly open structures with dodecagonal and octadecagonal motifs. We compare the resulting optimized (self- and cross) interactions for the binary assemblies to those obtained from optimization of analogous single-component systems. This comparison reveals that self-interactions act as a "primer" to position particles at approximately correct coordination shell distances, while cross interactions act as the "binder" that refines and locks the system into the desired configuration. For simpler binary targets, it is possible to successfully design self-assembling systems while restricting one of these interaction types to be a hard-core-like potential. However, optimization of both self- and cross interaction types appears necessary to design for assembly of more complex or open structures.

  10. Structural analysis of ITER sub-assembly tools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nam, K.O.; Park, H.K.; Kim, D.J.; Ahn, H.J.; Lee, J.H.; Kim, K.K.; Im, K.; Shaw, R.

    2011-01-01

    The ITER Tokamak assembly tools are purpose-built assembly tools to complete the ITER Tokamak machine which includes the cryostat and the components contained therein. The sector sub-assembly tools descried in this paper are main assembly tools to assemble vacuum vessel, thermal shield and toroidal filed coils into a complete 40 o sector. The 40 o sector sub-assembly tools are composed of sector sub-assembly tool, including radial beam, vacuum vessel supports and mid-plane brace tools. These tools shall have sufficient strength to transport and handle heavy weight of the ITER Tokamak machine reached several hundred tons. Therefore these tools should be designed and analyzed to confirm both the strength and structural stability even in the case of conservative assumptions. To verify structural stabilities of the sector sub-assembly tools in terms of strength and deflection, ANSYS code was used for linear static analysis. The results of the analysis show that these tools are designed with sufficient strength and stiffness. The conceptual designs of these tools are briefly described in this paper also.

  11. Shock buffer for nuclear control assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bevilacqua, F.

    1977-01-01

    A shock buffer is provided for the gradual deceleration of a rapidly descending control element assembly in a nuclear reactor. The interactive buffer components are associated respectively with the movable control element assembly and part of the upper guide structure independent of and spaced from the fuel assemblies of the reactor

  12. Preparation and Investigation of the Microtribological Properties of Graphene Oxide and Graphene Films via Electrostatic Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongshou Hu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Graphene oxide (GO films with controlled layers, deposited on single-crystal silicon substrates, were prepared by electrostatic self-assembly of negatively charged GO sheets. Afterward, graphene films were prepared by liquid-phase reduction of as-prepared GO films using hydrazine hydrate. The microstructures and microtribological properties of the samples were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, water contact angle measurement, and atomic force microscopy. It is found that, whether GO films or graphene films, the adhesion force and the coefficients of friction both show strong dependence on the number of self-assembled layers, which both allow a downward trend as the number of self-assembled layers increases due to the interlayer sliding and the puckering effect when the tip slipped across the top surface of the films. Moreover, in comparison with the GO films with the same self-assembled layers, the graphene films possess lower adhesion force and coefficient of friction attributed to the difference of surface functional groups.

  13. The perception of children of elementary education about cardiorespiratory arrest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariélli Terassi

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Cardiorespiratory arrest (CRA is a serious situation that occurs frequently in public environments, which makes assistance training of the general population of great importance. The objective was to understand the perception of children on CRA. Qualitative research conducted with children 8-10 years old enrolled in a private elementary school with a constructive proposal. Data collection occurred between the months of October and November 2013 in a recorded collective interview. As a criterion for inclusion students should be enrolled in the institution and accept to participate in the research with the consent of a guardian. Thirty children participated in the study. The students were divided into four groups: 5th year, 4th year, 3rd year A and 3rd year B, with an average of 08 students per group. The interviews were analyzed using the Bardin content analysis methodology. From the speeches, two categories emerged: Child's prior knowledge on CRA and how to act on the event of a CRA. Children associate the event of sudden CRA to a condition in which the heart and/or lungs suddenly stop acting. Seeking emergency assistance was reported as one of the main actions to be taken if a person is unconscious. It was observed that the 5th graders had best prior knowledge about the topic CRA when compared to students in the 3rd year. The thematic approach of CRA in schools contributes to the exchange of experiences, awareness of children and building new knowledge-oriented health education.

  14. WHY DO YOU NEED TO USE A CARIES RISK ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL TO PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE CARIES PREVENTIVE REGIME?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afuakwah, Charles; Welbury, Richard

    2015-11-01

    Clinical guidelines recommend an individual is given a caries risk status based on analysis of defined clinical and social criteria before implementing a tailored preventive plan. Improve documentation of caries risk assessment (CRA) in a general dental practice setting, using a systems-based approach to quality improvement methods. Investigate the impact of quality improvement efforts on subsequent design and delivery of preventive care. Identify barriers to delivery of CRA and provision of preventive care. Data for patients aged 0-16 years was collected over two cycles using standard audit methodology. The first cycle was a retrospective analysis (n = 400) using random sampling. The second cycle a prospective analysis (n = 513) using consecutive sampling over a 15-week period. Five staff meetings with feedback occurred between cycles. In cycle one, no specific CRA system was identified. CRA status was not stated widely, risk factors were not analysed and there was variation with respect to the prescription and delivery of preventive strategies. These discrepancies were demonstrable for all four participating dentists and at all ages. In cycle two, 100% recorded CRA. All risk factors were analysed and individual caries risk was correctly annotated. There was 100% compliance with the protocol for preventive plans. The use of CRA improved documentation of caries risk status. This has improved subsequent prescription of age specific evidence-based preventive care appropriate to the risk status of that individual. Barriers were identified to the delivery of CRA and the provision of comprehensive preventive care by the dentists and other healthcare professionals.

  15. Implementing systematic review techniques in chemical risk assessment: Challenges, opportunities and recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whaley, Paul; Halsall, Crispin; Ågerstrand, Marlene; Aiassa, Elisa; Benford, Diane; Bilotta, Gary; Coggon, David; Collins, Chris; Dempsey, Ciara; Duarte-Davidson, Raquel; FitzGerald, Rex; Galay-Burgos, Malyka; Gee, David; Hoffmann, Sebastian; Lam, Juleen; Lasserson, Toby; Levy, Len; Lipworth, Steven; Ross, Sarah Mackenzie; Martin, Olwenn; Meads, Catherine; Meyer-Baron, Monika; Miller, James; Pease, Camilla; Rooney, Andrew; Sapiets, Alison; Stewart, Gavin; Taylor, David

    2016-01-01

    Systematic review (SR) is a rigorous, protocol-driven approach designed to minimise error and bias when summarising the body of research evidence relevant to a specific scientific question. Taking as a comparator the use of SR in synthesising research in healthcare, we argue that SR methods could also pave the way for a "step change" in the transparency, objectivity and communication of chemical risk assessments (CRA) in Europe and elsewhere. We suggest that current controversies around the safety of certain chemicals are partly due to limitations in current CRA procedures which have contributed to ambiguity about the health risks posed by these substances. We present an overview of how SR methods can be applied to the assessment of risks from chemicals, and indicate how challenges in adapting SR methods from healthcare research to the CRA context might be overcome. Regarding the latter, we report the outcomes from a workshop exploring how to increase uptake of SR methods, attended by experts representing a wide range of fields related to chemical toxicology, risk analysis and SR. Priorities which were identified include: the conduct of CRA-focused prototype SRs; the development of a recognised standard of reporting and conduct for SRs in toxicology and CRA; and establishing a network to facilitate research, communication and training in SR methods. We see this paper as a milestone in the creation of a research climate that fosters communication between experts in CRA and SR and facilitates wider uptake of SR methods into CRA. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  16. Bola-amphiphile self-assembly

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svaneborg, Carsten

    2012-01-01

    Bola-amphiphiles are rod-like molecules where both ends of the molecule likes contact with water, while the central part of the molecule dislikes contact with water. What do such molecules do when they are dissolved in water? They self-assemble into micelles. This is a Dissipartive particle...... dynamics simulation of this self-assembly behaviour....

  17. Assembling RNA Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Shou-Jun

    2017-01-01

    RNA nanoparticles are designed and self-assembled according to noncanonical interactions of naturally conserved RNA motifs and/or canonical Watson-Crick base-pairing interactions, which have potential applications in gene therapy and nanomedicine. These artificially engineered nanoparticles are mainly synthesized from in vitro transcribed RNAs, purified by denaturing and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), and characterized with native PAGE, AFM, and TEM technologies. The protocols of in vitro transcription, denaturing and native PAGE, and RNA nanoparticle self-assembly are described in detail.

  18. The impact of intraocular pressure reduction on retrobulbar hemodynamic parameters in patients with open-angle glaucoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marjanovic, Ivan; Milic, Natasa; Martinez, Antonio

    2012-01-01

    To assess the retrobulbar hemodynamic parameters in the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), and short posterior ciliary arteries (PCA) after decreasing elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) by using color Doppler imaging. A total of 46 eyes from 46 patients with OAG, with elevated IOP, were consecutively included in this prospective study. Peak-systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, and Pourcelot resistivity index were assessed in the OA, CRA, and PCA. The IOP was measured with Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) and the dynamic contour tonometer (DCT), 3 times respectively. Ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) appeared during the DCT measurement. After decreasing the elevated IOP, measured with both GAT and DCT, the retrobulbar parameters showed no differences as compared with baseline measurements. After Bonferroni correction (p ≤ 0.0042, alpha/12), statistical significance appeared in retrobulbar hemodynamics only in DCT (29.3 ± 6.4 vs 15.5 ± 4.2 mmHg), GAT (33.0 ± 8.3 vs 15.8 ± 7.0 mmHg), and OPA measurements (4.1 ± 1.3 vs 2.7 ± 1.4 mmHg), in comparison to baseline. There was no correlation between the changes in IOP measured with either DCT or GAT and the changes in the retrobulbar hemodynamic parameters (p>0.05 for all). The results of our study suggested a lack of correlation between the changes in IOP, measured with either DCT or GAT, and the changes in the retrobulbar hemodynamic parameters. The results of our study might suggest that the blood flow disturbances found in glaucoma patients are independent of the IOP.

  19. A consensus approach to vertebrate de novo transcriptome assembly from RNA-seq data: Assembly of the duck (Anas platyrhynchos transcriptome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna eMoreton

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available For vertebrate organisms where a reference genome is not available, de novo transcriptome assembly enables a cost effective insight into the identification of tissue specific or differentially expressed genes and variation of the coding part of the genome. However, since there are a number of different tools and parameters that can be used to reconstruct transcripts, it is difficult to determine an optimal method. Here we suggest a pipeline based on (1 assessing the performance of three different assembly tools (2 using both single and multiple k-mer approaches (3 examining the influence of the number of reads used in the assembly (4 merging assemblies from different tools. We use an example dataset from the vertebrate Anas platyrhynchos domestica (Pekin duck. We find that taking a subset of data enables a robust assembly to be produced by multiple methods without the need for very high memory capacity. The use of reads mapped back to transcripts (RMBT and CEGMA (Core Eukaryotic Genes Mapping Approach provides useful metrics to determine the completeness of assembly obtained. For this dataset the use of multiple k-mers in the assembly generated a more complete assembly as measured by greater number of RMBT and CEGMA score. Merged single k-mer assemblies are generally smaller but consist of longer transcripts, suggesting an assembly consisting of fewer fragmented transcripts. We suggest that the use of a subset of reads during assembly allows the relatively rapid investigation of assembly characteristics and can guide the user to the most appropriate transcriptome for particular downstream use. Transcriptomes generated by the compared assembly methods and the final merged assembly are freely available for download at http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1032613.

  20. Design of the ITER tokamak assembly tools

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Hyunki [National Fusion Research Institute, 52 Eoeun-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: hkpark@nfri.re.kr; Lee, Jaehyuk; Kim, Taehyung [SFA Engineering Corp., 42-7 Palyong-dong, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 641-847 (Korea, Republic of); Song, Yunju [National Fusion Research Institute, 52 Eoeun-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of); Im, Kihak [ITER Organization, CEA Cadarasche, 13108 Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France); Kim, Byungchul; Lee, Hyeongon; Jung, Ki-Jung [National Fusion Research Institute, 52 Eoeun-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of)

    2008-12-15

    ITER tokamak assembly is mainly composed of lower cryostat activities, sector sub-assembly, sector assembly, in-vessel activities and ex-vessel activities. The main tools for sector sub-assembly procedures consists of upending tool, sector lifting tool, vacuum vessel support and bracing tool and sector sub-assembly tool. Conceptual design of assembly tools for sector sub-assembly procedures is described herein. The basic structure for upending tool has been developed under the assumption that upending is performed with crane which will be installed in Tokamak building. Sector lifting tool is designed to adjust the position of a sector to minimize the difference between the center of the tokamak building crane and the center of gravity of the sector. Sector sub-assembly tool is composed of special frame for the fine adjustment of position control with 6 degrees of freedom. The design of VV support and bracing tool for four kinds of VV 40 deg. sectors has been developed. Also, structural analysis for upending tool, sector sub-assembly tool has been studied using ANSYS for the situation of an applied load with the same dead weight multiplied by 3/4. The results of structural analyses for these tools were below the allowable values.