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Sample records for repeated ag measurements

  1. Repeated absolute gravity measurements for monitoring slow intraplate vertical deformation in Western Europe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Camp, M. J.; de Viron, O.; Scherneck, H.; Hinzen, K. G.; Williams, S. D.; Lecocq, T.; Quinif, Y.; Camelbeeck, T.

    2011-12-01

    In continental plate interiors, ground surface movements are at the limit of the noise level and close to or below the accuracy of current geodetic techniques. Absolute gravity measurements are valuable to quantify slow vertical movements, as this instrument is drift free and, unlike GPS, independent of the terrestrial reference frame. Repeated absolute gravity (AG) measurements have been performed in Oostende (Belgian coastline) and at 8 stations along a southwest-northeast profile across the Belgian Ardennes and the Roer Valley Graben (Germany), in order to estimate the tectonic deformation in the area. The AG measurements, repeated once or twice a year, can resolve elusive gravity changes with a precision better than 3.7 nm/s2/yr (95% confidence interval) after 11 years, even in difficult conditions. After 8-15 years (depending on the station), we find that the gravity rates of change lie in the [-3.1, 8.1] nm/s2/yr interval and result from a combination of anthropogenic, climatic, tectonic, and Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) effects. After correcting for the GIA, the inferred gravity rates and consequently, the vertical land movements, reduce to zero within the uncertainty level at all stations except Jülich (due to man-induced subsidence) and Sohier (possibly, an artefact due to the shortness of the time series at that station).

  2. Repeatability of visual acuity measurement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raasch, T W; Bailey, I L; Bullimore, M A

    1998-05-01

    This study investigates features of visual acuity chart design and acuity testing scoring methods which affect the validity and repeatability of visual acuity measurements. Visual acuity was measured using the Sloan and British Standard letter series, and Landolt rings. Identifiability of the different letters as a function of size was estimated, and expressed in the form of frequency-of-seeing curves. These functions were then used to simulate acuity measurements with a variety of chart designs and scoring criteria. Systematic relationships exist between chart design parameters and acuity score, and acuity score repeatability. In particular, an important feature of a chart, that largely determines the repeatability of visual acuity measurement, is the amount of size change attributed to each letter. The methods used to score visual acuity performance also affect repeatability. It is possible to evaluate acuity score validity and repeatability using the statistical principles discussed here.

  3. Tectonic, Climatic and Anthropogenic Vertical Land Movements in Western Europe by Repeated Absolute Gravity Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Camp, M. J.; de Viron, O.; Lecocq, T.; Hinzen, K. G.; Quinif, Y.; Williams, S. D.; Camelbeeck, T.

    2010-12-01

    In continental plate interiors, tectonic deformations are small and the associated ground surface movements remain close to or below the accuracy of current geodetic techniques, and at the limit of the noise level. An absolute gravimeter is an appropriate tool to quantify slow vertical movements, as this instrument, based on length and time standards, is drift free and does not depend on any terrestrial reference frame. Repeated absolute gravity (AG) measurements have been performed in Oostende (Belgian coastline) and at 8 stations along a southwest-northeast profile across the Belgian Ardennes and the Roer Valley Graben (Germany), in order to estimate the tectonic deformations in the area. After 7-13 years (depending on the station), we find evidence that the movements are no larger than a few millimeter per year and result from a combination of anthropogenic, climatic, tectonic, and Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) effects. This demonstrates the importance of precisely modeling the GIA effects in order to investigate intraplate tectonic deformations at the sub-millimeter level. This study also shows that AG measurements, repeated once or twice a year, can resolve vertical velocities at the 1.0 mm/yr level after 10 years, even in difficult conditions, provided that the gravimeter is carefully maintained.

  4. Analysis of repeated measures data

    CERN Document Server

    Islam, M Ataharul

    2017-01-01

    This book presents a broad range of statistical techniques to address emerging needs in the field of repeated measures. It also provides a comprehensive overview of extensions of generalized linear models for the bivariate exponential family of distributions, which represent a new development in analysing repeated measures data. The demand for statistical models for correlated outcomes has grown rapidly recently, mainly due to presence of two types of underlying associations: associations between outcomes, and associations between explanatory variables and outcomes. The book systematically addresses key problems arising in the modelling of repeated measures data, bearing in mind those factors that play a major role in estimating the underlying relationships between covariates and outcome variables for correlated outcome data. In addition, it presents new approaches to addressing current challenges in the field of repeated measures and models based on conditional and joint probabilities. Markov models of first...

  5. AGS vertical beta function measurements for Run 15

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harper, C. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Ahrens, L. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Huang, H. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Schoefer, V. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

    2016-10-07

    One key parameter for running the AGS efficiently is by maintaining a low emittance. To measure emittance, one needs to measure the beta function throughout the cycle. This can be done by measuring the beta function at the ionization profile monitors (IPM) in the AGS. This tech note delves into the motivation, the measurement, and some strides that were made throughout Run15.

  6. The fast cyclic neutron activation technique at the Karlsruhe 3.75 MV Van de Graaff accelerator and the measurement of the 107,109Ag(n, γ)108,110Ag cross sections at kT = 25 keV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beer, H.; Rupp, G.; Walter, G.; Voss, F.; Kaeppeler, F.

    1994-01-01

    The neuton activation technique is studied for product nuclides with half-lives more than a year down to a few seconds. A new system for the measurement of Maxwellian averaged capture cross sections with this technique was developed especially for isotopes with induced activities with half-lives of only a few seconds. In order to collect sufficient capture events the two phases of an activation, irradiation and activity counting, are repeated periodically. This fast cyclic activation method is described and activation measurements on 107,109 Ag are reported. The Maxwellian averaged capture cross sections of 107 Ag, and 109 Ag at kT = 25 keV were found to be 786±60 mb and 887±75 mb, respectively. The abilities of the activation method to measure cross sections of only a few μbarns are discussed. (orig.)

  7. Characterization Ag/AgCl reference electrode by U/U3+ equilibrium potential measurements in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Fumiaki; Kitawaki, Shinichi; Amamoto, Ippei; Igarashi, Miyuki

    1999-02-01

    The Ag/ AgCl reference electrode is often used in electrochemical measurements of molten chloride system. By measuring the U/U 3+ equilibrium potential in the cell, U(s) | UCl 3 , LiCl-KCl parallel LiCl-KCl, Ag + | Ag (s), the characterization of the Ag/AgCl reference electrode was made. The behavior of two types of reference electrode having either a mullite or a Pyrex-glass membrane bridge was examined. It was confirmed that the two types of reference electrode can be regarded as almost equivalent. The reproducibility of the reading from the electrodes having the identical construction was showing to be within 0.003 V. (author)

  8. Nonparametric additive regression for repeatedly measured data

    KAUST Repository

    Carroll, R. J.; Maity, A.; Mammen, E.; Yu, K.

    2009-01-01

    We develop an easily computed smooth backfitting algorithm for additive model fitting in repeated measures problems. Our methodology easily copes with various settings, such as when some covariates are the same over repeated response measurements

  9. On balanced minimal repeated measurements designs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shakeel Ahmad Mir

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Repeated Measurements designs are concerned with scientific experiments in which each experimental unit is assigned more than once to a treatment either different or identical. This class of designs has the property that the unbiased estimators for elementary contrasts among direct and residual effects are obtainable. Afsarinejad (1983 provided a method of constructing balanced Minimal Repeated Measurements designs p < t , when t is an odd or prime power, one or more than one treatment may occur more than once in some sequences and  designs so constructed no longer remain uniform in periods. In this paper an attempt has been made to provide a new method to overcome this drawback. Specifically, two cases have been considered                RM[t,n=t(t-t/(p-1,p], λ2=1 for balanced minimal repeated measurements designs and  RM[t,n=2t(t-t/(p-1,p], λ2=2 for balanced  repeated measurements designs. In addition , a method has been provided for constructing              extra-balanced minimal designs for special case RM[t,n=t2/(p-1,p], λ2=1.

  10. Validity and repeatability of inertial measurement units for measuring gait parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Washabaugh, Edward P; Kalyanaraman, Tarun; Adamczyk, Peter G; Claflin, Edward S; Krishnan, Chandramouli

    2017-06-01

    Inertial measurement units (IMUs) are small wearable sensors that have tremendous potential to be applied to clinical gait analysis. They allow objective evaluation of gait and movement disorders outside the clinic and research laboratory, and permit evaluation on large numbers of steps. However, repeatability and validity data of these systems are sparse for gait metrics. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and between-day repeatability of spatiotemporal metrics (gait speed, stance percent, swing percent, gait cycle time, stride length, cadence, and step duration) as measured with the APDM Opal IMUs and Mobility Lab system. We collected data on 39 healthy subjects. Subjects were tested over two days while walking on a standard treadmill, split-belt treadmill, or overground, with IMUs placed in two locations: both feet and both ankles. The spatiotemporal measurements taken with the IMU system were validated against data from an instrumented treadmill, or using standard clinical procedures. Repeatability and minimally detectable change (MDC) of the system was calculated between days. IMUs displayed high to moderate validity when measuring most of the gait metrics tested. Additionally, these measurements appear to be repeatable when used on the treadmill and overground. The foot configuration of the IMUs appeared to better measure gait parameters; however, both the foot and ankle configurations demonstrated good repeatability. In conclusion, the IMU system in this study appears to be both accurate and repeatable for measuring spatiotemporal gait parameters in healthy young adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Speciation analysis of 129I in seawater by carrier-free AgI-AgCl coprecipitation and accelerator mass spectrometric measurement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Luo, Maoyi; Hou, Xiaolin; He, Chaohui

    2013-01-01

    A rapid and simple method was developed for speciation analysis of 129I in seawater by selective coprecipitation of carrier-free iodide and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurement of 129I. Iodide was separated from seawater and other species of iodine by coprecipitation of AgI with Ag2SO3......, AgCl, and AgBr by addition of only 100 mg/L Ag+ and 0.3 mmol/L NaHSO3 at pH 4.2-5.5. The separation efficiency of iodide was more than 95%, and crossover between 129IO3- and 129I- fractions is less than 3%. Iodate and total inorganic iodine were converted to iodide by use of NaHSO3 at pH 1......-2 and then separated by the same method as for iodide. Ag2SO3 in the coprecipitate was removed by washing with 3 mol/L HNO3 and the excess AgCl and AgBr was removed by use of diluted NH3, and finally a 1-3 mg precipitate was obtained for AMS measurement of 129I. The recovery of iodine species in the entire procedure...

  12. Methods for analysing cardiovascular studies with repeated measures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cleophas, T. J.; Zwinderman, A. H.; van Ouwerkerk, B. M.

    2009-01-01

    Background. Repeated measurements in a single subject are generally more similar than unrepeated measurements in different subjects. Unrepeated analyses of repeated data cause underestimation of the treatment effects. Objective. To review methods adequate for the analysis of cardiovascular studies

  13. Assessment of the repeatability and border-plate effects of the B158/B60 enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay for the detection of circulating antigens (Ag-ELISA) of Taenia saginata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jansen, Famke; Dorny, Pierre; Berkvens, Dirk; Van Hul, Anke; Van den Broeck, Nick; Makay, Caroline; Praet, Nicolas; Gabriël, Sarah

    2016-08-30

    The monoclonal antibody-based circulating antigen detecting ELISA (B158/B60 Ag-ELISA) has been used elaborately in several studies for the diagnosis of human, bovine and porcine cysticercosis. Interpretation of test results requires a good knowledge of the test characteristics, including the repeatability and the effect of the borders of the ELISA plates. Repeatability was tested for 4 antigen-negative and 5 antigen-positive reference bovine serum samples by calculating the Percentage Coefficient of Variation (%CV) within and between plates, within and between runs, overall, for two batches of monoclonal antibodies and by 2 laboratory technicians. All CV values obtained were below 20% (except one: 24.45%), which indicates a good repeatability and a negligible technician error. The value of 24.45% for indicating the variability between batches of monoclonal antibodies for one positive sample is still acceptable for repeatability measures. Border effects were determined by calculating the %CV values between the inner and outer wells of one plate for 2 positive serum samples. Variability is a little more present in the outer wells but this effect is very small and no significant border effect was found. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Measurement of 107Ag(α,γ)111In cross sections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baglin, Coral M.; Norman, Eric B.; Larimer, Ruth-Mary; Rech, Gregory A.

    2004-01-01

    Cross sections have been measured for the 107 Ag(α,γ) 111 In reaction at several α-particle energies between 7.8 MeV and 11.9 MeV. This reaction is of interest because it can provide a check on calculations of low-energy (α,γ) cross sections required for stellar nucleosynthesis predictions. Stacks of natural Ag foils of 1 (micro)m thickness and 99.97% purity were bombarded with 4 He + beams. Following irradiation, the yields of the 171-keV and 245-keV photons produced in the 2.805 day electron-capture decay of the 111 In product nucleus were measured off-line. The Ag foils were interleaved with 99.6% purity, 6 (micro)m thick natural Ti foils so that known cross sections for the 48 Ti(α,n) reaction could be used to check the accuracy of the beam current integration. For any given beam energy, beam energy degradation in the foils resulted in lower effective bombarding energies for successive foils in the stack, enabling measurements to be made for several energies per irradiation. The measured cross sections are compared with published statistical-model calculations

  15. Intra-examiner repeatability and agreement in accommodative response measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antona, B; Sanchez, I; Barrio, A; Barra, F; Gonzalez, E

    2009-11-01

    Clinical measurement of the accommodative response (AR) identifies the focusing plane of a subject with respect to the accommodative target. To establish whether a significant change in AR has occurred, it is important to determine the repeatability of this measurement. This study had two aims: First, to determine the intraexaminer repeatability of AR measurements using four clinical methods: Nott retinoscopy, monocular estimate method (MEM) retinoscopy, binocular crossed cylinder test (BCC) and near autorefractometry. Second, to study the level of agreement between AR measurements obtained with the different methods. The AR of the right eye at one accommodative demand of 2.50 D (40 cm) was measured on two separate occasions in 61 visually normal subjects of mean age 19.7 years (range 18-32 years). The intraexaminer repeatability of the tests, and agreement between them, were estimated by the Bland-Altman method. We determined mean differences (MD) and the 95% limits of agreement [coefficient of repeatability (COR) and coefficient of agreement (COA)]. Nott retinoscopy and BCC offered the best repeatability, showing the lowest MD and narrowest 95% interval of agreement (Nott: -0.10 +/- 0.66 D, BCC: -0.05 +/- 0.75 D). The 95% limits of agreement for the four techniques were similar (COA = +/- 0.92 to +/-1.00 D) yet clinically significant, according to the expected values of the AR. The two dynamic retinoscopy techniques (Nott and MEM) had a better agreement (COA = +/-0.64 D) although this COA must be interpreted in the context of the low MEM repeatability (COR = +/-0.98 D). The best method of assessing AR was Nott retinoscopy. The BCC technique was also repeatable, and both are recommended as suitable methods for clinical use. Despite better agreement between MEM and Nott, agreement among the remaining methods was poor such that their interchangeable use in clinical practice is not recommended.

  16. Measuring Repeatability of the Focus-variable Lenses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Řezníček

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In the field of photogrammetry, the optical system, usually represented by the glass lens, is used for metric purposes. Therefore, the aberration characteristics of such a lens, inducing deviations from projective imaging, has to be well known. However, the most important property of the metric lens is the stability of its glass and mechanical elements, ensuring long-term reliability of the measured parameters. In case of a focus-variable lens, the repeatability of the lens setup is important as well. Lenses with a fixed focal length are usually considered as “fixed” though, in fact, most of them contain one or more movable glass elements, providing the focusing function. In cases where the lens is not equipped with fixing screws, the repeatability of the calibration parameters should be known. This paper derives simple mathematical formulas that can be used for measuring the repeatability of the focus-variable lenses, and gives a demonstrative example of such measuring. The given procedure has the advantage that only demanded parameters are estimated, hence, no unwanted correlations with the additional parameters exist. The test arrangement enables us to measure each demanded magnification of the optical system, which is important in close-range photogrammetry.

  17. Conservative Sample Size Determination for Repeated Measures Analysis of Covariance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Timothy M; Case, L Douglas

    2013-07-05

    In the design of a randomized clinical trial with one pre and multiple post randomized assessments of the outcome variable, one needs to account for the repeated measures in determining the appropriate sample size. Unfortunately, one seldom has a good estimate of the variance of the outcome measure, let alone the correlations among the measurements over time. We show how sample sizes can be calculated by making conservative assumptions regarding the correlations for a variety of covariance structures. The most conservative choice for the correlation depends on the covariance structure and the number of repeated measures. In the absence of good estimates of the correlations, the sample size is often based on a two-sample t-test, making the 'ultra' conservative and unrealistic assumption that there are zero correlations between the baseline and follow-up measures while at the same time assuming there are perfect correlations between the follow-up measures. Compared to the case of taking a single measurement, substantial savings in sample size can be realized by accounting for the repeated measures, even with very conservative assumptions regarding the parameters of the assumed correlation matrix. Assuming compound symmetry, the sample size from the two-sample t-test calculation can be reduced at least 44%, 56%, and 61% for repeated measures analysis of covariance by taking 2, 3, and 4 follow-up measures, respectively. The results offer a rational basis for determining a fairly conservative, yet efficient, sample size for clinical trials with repeated measures and a baseline value.

  18. Nonparametric additive regression for repeatedly measured data

    KAUST Repository

    Carroll, R. J.

    2009-05-20

    We develop an easily computed smooth backfitting algorithm for additive model fitting in repeated measures problems. Our methodology easily copes with various settings, such as when some covariates are the same over repeated response measurements. We allow for a working covariance matrix for the regression errors, showing that our method is most efficient when the correct covariance matrix is used. The component functions achieve the known asymptotic variance lower bound for the scalar argument case. Smooth backfitting also leads directly to design-independent biases in the local linear case. Simulations show our estimator has smaller variance than the usual kernel estimator. This is also illustrated by an example from nutritional epidemiology. © 2009 Biometrika Trust.

  19. [Analysis of variance of repeated data measured by water maze with SPSS].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Hong; Jin, Guo-qin; Jin, Ru-feng; Zhao, Wei-kang

    2007-01-01

    To introduce the method of analyzing repeated data measured by water maze with SPSS 11.0, and offer a reference statistical method to clinical and basic medicine researchers who take the design of repeated measures. Using repeated measures and multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) process of the general linear model in SPSS and giving comparison among different groups and different measure time pairwise. Firstly, Mauchly's test of sphericity should be used to judge whether there were relations among the repeatedly measured data. If any (PSPSS statistical package is available to fulfil this process.

  20. Analysis of the residual strain change of Bi2212, Ag alloy and Ag during the heating and cooling process in Bi2212/Ag/Ag alloy composite wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, J K; Ochiai, S; Okuda, H; Mukai, Y; Sugano, M; Sato, M; Oh, S S; Ha, D W; Kim, S C

    2008-01-01

    The residual strain change of Bi2212 and Ag during the cooling and heating process in the Bi2212/Ag/Ag alloy composite superconductor was studied. First, the residual strain of Bi2212 filaments at room temperature was measured by the x-ray diffraction method. Then, the Young's moduli of the constituents (Bi2212 filaments, Ag and Ag alloy) and yield strains of Ag and Ag alloy were estimated from the analysis of the measured stress-strain curve, based on the rule of mixtures. Also, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the Bi2212 filaments was estimated from the analysis of the measured thermal expansion curve of the composite wire. From the modeling analysis using the estimated property values and the residual strain of Bi2212 filaments, the changes of residual strain of Bi2212, Ag alloy and Ag with temperature during the cooling and heating process were revealed

  1. Intraplate Vertical Land Movements Constrained by Absolute Gravity Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Camp, M.; Williams, S. D.; Hinzen, K. G.; Camelbeeck, T.

    2007-12-01

    We have conducted repeated absolute gravity (AG) measurements across the tectonically active intraplate regions in Northwest Europe: the Ardenne and the Roer Graben. At most of the stations measurements were undertaken since 2000 and repeated twice a year. Our analysis of these measurements, performed in Belgium and Germany, show that at all stations except Jülich, there is no detectable gravity variation higher than 10 nm s-2 at the 95% confidence level. This is equivalent to vertical movements of 5 mm/yr. Although not yet significant, the observed rates do not contradict the subsidence predicted by glacial isostatic adjustment models and provide an upper limit on the possible uplift of the Ardennes. In Jülich, a gravity rate of change of 36.7 nm s-2/year equivalent to 18.4 mm/yr is due to anthropogenic subsidence. The amplitudes of the seasonal variations range from 18±0.8 nms-2 to 43±29 nms-2, depending on the location. These variations should have a negligible effect on the long-term trend, but at the Membach reference station, were a longer time series is available, differences in the rates observed since 1996 and 1999 indicate that long-term environmental effects may influence the inferred trend. The observed seasonal effects also demonstrate the repeatability of AG measurements. In Ostend, the AG time series agrees with tide gauge data, global mean sea level and altimeter measurements but disagrees with the CGPS. This study indicates that, even in difficult conditions, AG measurements repeated once a year can resolve vertical land movements at a few mm level after 5 years. This also confirms the need to measure for decades, using accurate and stable geodetic techniques like AG, in order to constrain slow deformation processes in an intraplate context.

  2. Does Dry Eye Affect Repeatability of Corneal Topography Measurements?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aysun Şanal Doğan

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the repeatability of corneal topography measurements in dry eye patients and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: Participants underwent consecutive corneal topography measurements (Sirius; Costruzione Strumenti Oftalmici, Florence, Italy. Two images with acquisition quality higher than 90% were accepted. The following parameters were evaluated: minimum and central corneal thickness, aqueous depth, apex curvature, anterior chamber volume, horizontal anterior chamber diameter, iridocorneal angle, cornea volume, and average simulated keratometry. Repeatability was assessed by calculating intra-class correlation coefficient. Results: Thirty-three patients with dry eye syndrome and 40 healthy controls were enrolled to the study. The groups were similar in terms of age (39 [18-65] vs. 30.5 [18-65] years, p=0.198 and gender (M/F: 4/29 vs. 8/32, p=0.366. Intra-class correlation coefficients among all topography parameters within both groups showed excellent repeatability (>0.90. Conclusion: The anterior segment measurements provided by the Sirius corneal topography system were highly repeatable for dry eye patients and are sufficiently reliable for clinical practice and research.

  3. Does Dry Eye Affect Repeatability of Corneal Topography Measurements?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doğan, Aysun Şanal; Gürdal, Canan; Köylü, Mehmet Talay

    2018-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the repeatability of corneal topography measurements in dry eye patients and healthy controls. Participants underwent consecutive corneal topography measurements (Sirius; Costruzione Strumenti Oftalmici, Florence, Italy). Two images with acquisition quality higher than 90% were accepted. The following parameters were evaluated: minimum and central corneal thickness, aqueous depth, apex curvature, anterior chamber volume, horizontal anterior chamber diameter, iridocorneal angle, cornea volume, and average simulated keratometry. Repeatability was assessed by calculating intra-class correlation coefficient. Thirty-three patients with dry eye syndrome and 40 healthy controls were enrolled to the study. The groups were similar in terms of age (39 [18-65] vs. 30.5 [18-65] years, p=0.198) and gender (M/F: 4/29 vs. 8/32, p=0.366). Intra-class correlation coefficients among all topography parameters within both groups showed excellent repeatability (>0.90). The anterior segment measurements provided by the Sirius corneal topography system were highly repeatable for dry eye patients and are sufficiently reliable for clinical practice and research.

  4. Direct measurement of time dependent diffusion for Ag and Au under ambient conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoo, Pil Sun; Jo, Han Yeol; Kim, Tae Kyeong [Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-12-15

    Time-dependent diffusion for Ag and Au metal atoms was measured using the scanning tunneling microscope break-junction technique in ambient conditions. We observed that Ag contacts do not form long single-atomic chains compared to Au contacts during the elongation of each metal electrode, and Ag atoms diffuse more quickly than Au atoms after metal contact rupture. This is consistent with previous results of molecular dynamic simulations. Further, we found a correlation between diffusion length and the evolution time on an atomic scale to reveal the time-dependent diffusion for Ag and Au metal atoms.

  5. Operation of the AGS polarized beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahrens, L.A.

    1988-01-01

    A polarized proton physics run took place during January, 1988, at the Brookhaven AGS. It is the purpose of this paper to review the tune-up period preceding that run. This was the third such run at the AGS; the others occurred in June of 1984 and February of 1986. Some comparisons will be drawn among these. A thorough review of the history and hardware associated with the acceleration of polarized protons at the AGS can be found in the proceedings of the last meeting of this group at Protvino and will not be repeated here. 2 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

  6. Vertical Land Movements Constrained by Absolute Gravity Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Camp, M.; Williams, S. D.; Hinzen, K.; Camelbeeck, T.

    2009-05-01

    Repeated absolute gravity (AG) measurements have been performed across the tectonically active intraplate regions in Northwest Europe: the Ardenne and the Roer Graben. At most of the stations measurements were undertaken in 2000 and repeated twice a year. Analysis of these measurements, performed in Belgium and Germany, show that at all stations except Jülich, there is no detectable gravity variation higher than 10 nm s-2 at the 95% confidence level. This is equivalent to vertical movements of 5 mm/yr. Although not yet significant, the observed rates do not contradict the subsidence predicted by glacial isostatic adjustment models and provide an upper limit on the possible uplift of the Ardennes. In Jülich, a gravity rate of change of 36 nm -2/year, equivalent to 18 mm/yr, is at least in parts due to anthropogenic subsidence. The amplitudes of the seasonal variations range from 18±0.8 nm s-2 to 43±29 nm s-2, depending on the location. These variations should have a negligible effect on the long-term trend, but at the Membach reference station, were a longer time series is available, differences in the rates observed since 1996 and 1999 indicate that long-term environmental effects may influence the inferred trend. The observed seasonal effects also demonstrate the repeatability of AG measurements. This study indicates that, even in difficult conditions, AG measurements repeated once a year can resolve vertical land movements at a few mm level after 5 years. This also confirms the need to measure for decades, using accurate and stable geodetic techniques like AG, in order to constrain slow deformation processes.

  7. Sn-In-Ag phase equilibria and Sn-In-(Ag)/Ag interfacial reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Sinnwen; Lee Wanyu; Hsu Chiaming; Yang Chingfeng; Hsu Hsinyun; Wu Hsinjay

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Thermodynamic models of Sn-In and Sn-In-Ag are developed using the CALPHAD approach. → Reaction layer in the Sn-In-(Ag)/Ag couples at 100 deg. C is thinner than those at 25 deg. C, 50 deg. C, and 75 deg. C. → Reactions in the Sn-20 wt%In-2.8 wt%Ag/Ag couples are faster than those in the Sn-20 wt%In/Ag couples. - Abstract: Experimental verifications of the Sn-In and Sn-In-Ag phase equilibria have been conducted. The experimental measurements of phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties are used for thermodynamic modeling by the CALPHAD approach. The calculated results are in good agreement with experimental results. Interfacial reactions in the Sn-In-(Ag)/Ag couples have been examined. Both Ag 2 In and AgIn 2 phases are formed in the Sn-51.0 wt%In/Ag couples reacted at 100 and 150 deg. C, and only the Ag 2 In phase is formed when reacted at 25, 50 and 75 deg. C. Due to the different growth rates of different reaction phases, the reaction layer at 100 deg. C is thinner than those at 25 deg. C, 50 deg. C, and 75 deg. C. In the Sn-20.0 wt%In/Ag couples, the ζ phase is formed at 250 deg. C and ζ/AgIn 2 phases are formed at 125 deg. C. Compared with the Sn-20 wt%In/Ag couples, faster interfacial reactions are observed in the Sn-20.0 wt%In-2.8 wt%Ag/Ag couples, and minor Ag addition to Sn-20 wt%In solder increases the growth rates of the reaction phases.

  8. Discrepancy variation of dinucleotide microsatellite repeats in eukaryotic genomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HUAN GAO

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available To address whether there are differences of variation among repeat motif types and among taxonomic groups, we present here an analysis of variation and correlation of dinucleotide microsatellite repeats in eukaryotic genomes. Ten taxonomic groups were compared, those being primates, mammalia (excluding primates and rodentia, rodentia, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles, insects, molluscs, plants and fungi, respectively. The data used in the analysis is from the literature published in the Journal of Molecular Ecology Notes. Analysis of variation reveals that there are no significant differences between AC and AG repeat motif types. Moreover, the number of alleles correlates positively with the copy number in both AG and AC repeats. Similar conclusions can be obtained from each taxonomic group. These results strongly suggest that the increase of SSR variation is almost linear with the increase of the copy number of each repeat motif. As well, the results suggest that the variability of SSR in the genomes of low-ranking species seem to be more than that of high-ranking species, excluding primates and fungi.

  9. The effect of repeated applanation on subsequent IOP measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    AlMubrad, Turki M; Ogbuehi, Kelechi C

    2008-11-01

    In studies aimed at assessing the accuracy and repeatability of non-contact tonometers, the order in which these tonometers and the Goldmann tonometer are used is usually randomised despite studies in the literature that demonstrate an ocular massage effect that occurs post-applanation but not after non-contact tonometry. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of repeated corneal applanation on subsequent assessments of IOP. Data were obtained from 65 left eyes of 65 young, oculovisual normals. Three sets of IOP measurements were obtained, one set with the Goldmann applanation tonometer and two with the Topcon CT80 non-contact tonometer (one set each before and after applanation with the Goldmann tonometer), in each one of two separate measurement sessions, one week apart. The average (and SD) IOP measured with the Goldmann tonometer in the first session (14.8+/-2.9 mmHg) did not vary significantly from the IOP measured with the non-contact tonometer (pre-applanation) in both sessions or with the average Goldmann IOP in the second session. The bias (mean difference +/- SD) between methods was 0.3+/-1.4 mmHg and 0.4+/-1.4 mmHg, respectively, for the first and second sessions, with the CT80 (pre-applanation) recording the higher IOP in both sessions. The within-session repeatability coefficients were +/-2.3 mmHg, +/-2.6 mmHg, +/-2.1 mmHg and +/-2.0 mmHg for the CT80 (pre-applanation) in the first and second sessions, and the Goldmann tonometer in the first and second sessions, respectively. Test-retest repeatability coefficients were +/-2.8 mmHg and +/-2.5 mmHg for the CT80 (pre-applanation) and the Goldmann tonometer respectively. Post-applanation with the Goldmann tonometer, there was a statistically significant (pcontact tonometer in both sessions. These results suggest that repeated corneal applanation leads to a statistically significant reduction in IOP on subsequent measurements.

  10. Repeatability of Lucas chamber measurements; Powtarzalnosc pomiarow za pomoca komory Lucasa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Machaj, B.

    1997-12-31

    Results of investigations concerning the repeatability of the measurements carried out with Lucas chamber are presented in the report. The Lucas chamber is used for determination of radon concentration in air, and the Lucas chamber itself is measured in a laboratory stand. The repeatability of measurements is {+-}5.4% relative. The error due to instability of measuring channel gain is estimated to be 2-3% relative. (author). 5 refs, 17 figs, 5 tabs.

  11. Ag K- and L3-edge XAFS study on Ag species in Ag/Ga2O3 photocatalysts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamamoto, M; Yamamoto, N; Yoshida, T; Nomoto, T; Yamamoto, A; Yoshida, H; Yagi, S

    2016-01-01

    Ag loaded Ga 2 O 3 (Ag/Ga 2 O 3 ) shows photocatalytic activity for reduction of CO 2 with water. Ag L 3 -edge XANES and K-edge EXAFS spectra were measured for various Ag/Ga 2 O 3 samples, which suggested that structural and chemical states of Ag species varied with the loading amount of Ag and the preparation method. The Ag species were metallic Ag particles with an AgGaO 2 -like interface structure in the sample with high loading amount of Ag while predominantly Ag metal clusters in the sample with low loading amount of Ag. The XANES feature just above the edge represented the interaction between the Ag species and the Ga 2 O 3 surface, showing that the Ag metal clusters had more electrons in the d -orbitals by interacting with the Ga 2 O 3 surface, which would contribute the high photocatalytic activity. (paper)

  12. Interbunch extinction measurement at the BNL AGS for the KOPIO experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahrens, L. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States); Artamonov, A. [Institute for High Energy Physics, Protvino (Russian Federation); Atoian, G. [Yale University (United States); Brown, K. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States); Cantley, C. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States); Cartiglia, N. [Stony Brook University (United States); Christidi, I.A. [Stony Brook University (United States); Glenn, J.W. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States); Hatzikoutelis, A. [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universtiy (United States)]. E-mail: athans@phys.vt.edu; Jaffe, D.E. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States); Koscielniak, S. [TRIUMF (Canada); Lazarus, D.M. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States); Mabanta, J. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States); Marx, M. [Stony Brook University (United States); Pile, P. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States); Redlinger, G. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States); Scarlett, C. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States); Sivertz, M. [Brookhaven National Laboratory (United States)

    2006-05-10

    The KOPIO experiment at the BNL AGS required an extracted proton beam in which a debunched, coasting beam is forced between empty longitudinal RF buckets to form microbunches. The goal of the measurement described here was to obtain a low background determination of the fraction of protons coming from the AGS slowly extracted beam at times between microbunches (interbunch extinction). The effect on interbunch extinction of variations in the RF cavity voltage, the momentum dispersion of the beam and the main guide field voltage-ripple was studied. It was found that there exists a broad range of operating parameters that could allow the AGS to produce microbunches with the interbunch extinction better than the KOPIO experiment requirement. Results obtained in this study gave interbunch extinctions better than 10{sup -5} (1%) of KOPIO's upper limit.

  13. Photocatalytic activity of Ag3PO4 nanoparticle/TiO2 nanobelt heterostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ruoyu; Hu, Peiguang; Chen, Shaowei

    2012-10-01

    Heterostructures based on Ag3PO4 nanoparticles and TiO2 nanobelts were prepared by a coprecipitation method. The crystalline structures were characterized by X-ray diffraction measurements. Electron microscopic studies showed that the Ag3PO4 nanoparticles and TiO2 nanobelts were in intimate contact which might be exploited to facilitate charge transfer between the two semiconductor materials. In fact, the heterostructures exhibited markedly enhanced photocatalytic activity as compared with unmodified TiO2 nanobelts or commercial TiO2 colloids in the photodegradation of methyl orange under UV irradiation. This was accounted for by the improved efficiency of interfacial charge separation thanks to the unique alignments of their band structures. Remarkably, whereas the photocatalytic activity of the heterostructure was comparable to that of Ag3PO4 nanoparticles alone, the heterostructures exhibited significantly better stability and reusability in repeated tests than the Ag3PO4 nanoparticles.

  14. On the ternary Ag – Cu – Ga system: Electromotive force measurement and thermodynamic modeling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gierlotka, Wojciech; Jendrzejczyk-Handzlik, Dominika; Fitzner, Krzysztof; Handzlik, Piotr

    2015-01-01

    The ternary silver–copper–gallium system found application as a solder material in jewel crafting and electronics, thus a phase diagram of this system seems to be important tool, which is necessary for a proper application of different alloys. The activity of gallium in liquid phase was determined by electromotive measurement technique and after that the equilibrium diagram of Ag – Cu – Ga was modeled based on available experimental data using Calphad approach. A set of Gibbs energies was found and used for calculation a phase diagram and thermodynamic properties of liquid phase. The experimental data was reproduced well by calculation. - Highlights: • For the first time activity of Ga in liquid Ag – Cu – Ga alloys was measured. • For the first time the ternary Ag – Cu – Ga system was thermodynamically modeled. • Modeled Ag – Cu – Ga system reproduces experimental data well

  15. [Analysis of binary classification repeated measurement data with GEE and GLMMs using SPSS software].

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Shengli; Zhang, Yanhong; Chen, Zheng

    2012-12-01

    To analyze binary classification repeated measurement data with generalized estimating equations (GEE) and generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) using SPSS19.0. GEE and GLMMs models were tested using binary classification repeated measurement data sample using SPSS19.0. Compared with SAS, SPSS19.0 allowed convenient analysis of categorical repeated measurement data using GEE and GLMMs.

  16. High precision measurement of the micro-imaging system to check repeatability of precision

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Lin; Song Li; Ma Chuntao; Luo Hongxin; Wang Jie

    2010-01-01

    The beamlines slits of Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) are required to have a repeatability of better than 1 μm. Before the slits installation, the off-line and/or on-line repeatability measurements must be conducted. A machine vision measuring system based on high resolution CCD and adjustable high magnification lens was used in this regard. A multi-level filtering method was used to treat the imaging data. After image binarization, the imaging noises were depressed effectively by using of algebraic mean filtering, statistics median filtering,and the least square filtering. Using the subtracted image between the images before and after slit movement, an average displacement of slit blades could be obtained, and the repeatability of slit could be measured, with a resolution of 0.3 μm of the measurement system. The experimental results show that this measurement system meets the requirements for non-contact measurements to the repeatability of slits. (authors)

  17. Transverse impedance measurement in RHIC and the AGS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Biancacci, Nicolo [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland); Blaskiewicz, M. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Collider-Accelerator Dept.; Dutheil, Y. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Collider-Accelerator Dept.; Liu, C. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Collider-Accelerator Dept.; Mernick, M. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Collider-Accelerator Dept.; Minty, M. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Collider-Accelerator Dept.; White, S. M. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Collider-Accelerator Dept.

    2014-05-12

    The RHIC luminosity upgrade program aims for an increase of the polarized proton luminosity by a factor 2. To achieve this goal a significant increase in the beam intensity is foreseen. The beam coupling impedance could therefore represent a source of detrimental effects for beam quality and stability at high bunch intensities. For this reason it is essential to quantify the accelerator impedance budget and the major impedance sources, and possibly cure them. In this MD note we summarize the results of the 2013 transverse impedance measurements in the AGS and RHIC. The studies have been performed measuring the tune shift as a function of bunch intensity and deriving the total accelerator machine transverse impedance. For RHIC, we could obtain first promising results of impedance localization measurements as well.

  18. Plasmonic Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}/AgBr/Ag composite: Excellent photocatalytic performance and possible photocatalytic mechanism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Zhongliao [College of Physics and Electronic Information, Anhui Key Laboratory of Energetic Materials, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000 (China); Zhang, Jinfeng, E-mail: zjf_y2004@126.com [College of Physics and Electronic Information, Anhui Key Laboratory of Energetic Materials, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000 (China); Lv, Jiali [College of Physics and Electronic Information, Anhui Key Laboratory of Energetic Materials, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000 (China); Dai, Kai, E-mail: daikai940@chnu.edu.cn [College of Physics and Electronic Information, Anhui Key Laboratory of Energetic Materials, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000 (China); Liang, Changhao [College of Physics and Electronic Information, Anhui Key Laboratory of Energetic Materials, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000 (China); Key Laboratory of Materials Physics and Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031 (China)

    2017-02-28

    Highlights: • Novel Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}/AgBr/Ag photocatalyst was prepared. • Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}/AgBr/Ag showed high photocatalytic activity. • Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}/AgBr/Ag showed long reusable life. - Abstract: Plasmonic Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}/AgBr/Ag composite is fabricated by in-situ ion exchange and reduction methods at room temperature. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance (DRS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The results show that butterfly-like Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4} nanosheets served as the precursor, and Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}/AgBr/Ag is formed in phase transformation with MoO{sub 4}{sup 2−} displaced by Br{sup −}. The ternary Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}/AgBr/Ag composite photocatalysts show greatly enhanced photocatalytic activity in photodegrading methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation compared with AgBr and Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}. The pseudo-first-order rate constant k{sub app} of Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}/AgBr/Ag is 0.602 min{sup −1}, which is 11.6 and 18.3 times as high as that of AgBr and Ag{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}, respectively. Meanwhile, the efficiency of degradation still kept 90% after ten times cyclic experiments. Eventually, possible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed.

  19. Repeatability of Objective Measurements of Linear Udder and Body ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The objective of this study was to estimates the repeatability of objective measurements on linear udder and body conformation traits and to evaluate the objectivity of the measurements in Friesian x Bunaji cows. Data from 50 (F1) Frisian X Bunaji cows collected between 2007 and 2008 at the Dairy Research Farm of the ...

  20. A Network-Based Algorithm for Clustering Multivariate Repeated Measures Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koslovsky, Matthew; Arellano, John; Schaefer, Caroline; Feiveson, Alan; Young, Millennia; Lee, Stuart

    2017-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Astronaut Corps is a unique occupational cohort for which vast amounts of measures data have been collected repeatedly in research or operational studies pre-, in-, and post-flight, as well as during multiple clinical care visits. In exploratory analyses aimed at generating hypotheses regarding physiological changes associated with spaceflight exposure, such as impaired vision, it is of interest to identify anomalies and trends across these expansive datasets. Multivariate clustering algorithms for repeated measures data may help parse the data to identify homogeneous groups of astronauts that have higher risks for a particular physiological change. However, available clustering methods may not be able to accommodate the complex data structures found in NASA data, since the methods often rely on strict model assumptions, require equally-spaced and balanced assessment times, cannot accommodate missing data or differing time scales across variables, and cannot process continuous and discrete data simultaneously. To fill this gap, we propose a network-based, multivariate clustering algorithm for repeated measures data that can be tailored to fit various research settings. Using simulated data, we demonstrate how our method can be used to identify patterns in complex data structures found in practice.

  1. RRR and thermal conductivity of Ag and Ag0.2wt%Mg alloy in Ag/Bi-2212 wires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Pei [Fermilab; Ye, L. [North Carolina State U.; Jiang. J., Jiang. J. [Natl. High Mag. Field Lab.; Shen, T. [Fermilab

    2015-08-19

    The residual resistivity ratio (RRR) and thermal conductivity of metal matrix in metal/superconductor composite wires are important parameters for designing superconducting magnets. However, the resistivity of silver in reacted Ag/Bi-2212 wires has yet to be determined over temperature range from 4.2 K to 80 K because Bi-2212 filaments have a critical transition temperature Tc of ~ 80 K, and because it is unknown whether the RRR of Ag/Bi-2212 degrades with Cu diffusing from Bi-2212 filaments into silver sheathes at elevated temperatures and to what degree it varies with heat treatment. We measured the resistivity of stand-alone Ag and AgMg (Ag-0.2wt%Mg) wires as well as the resistivity of Ag and Ag- 0.2wt%Mg in the state-of-the-art Ag/Bi-2212 round wires reacted in 1 bar oxygen at 890 °C for 1, 8, 24 and 48 hours and quickly cooled to room temperature. The heat treatment was designed to reduce the critical current Ic of Bi-2212 wires to nearly zero while allowing Cu loss to fully manifest itself. We determined that pure silver exhibits a RRR of ~ 220 while the oxide-dispersion strengthened AgMg exhibits a RRR of ~ 5 in stand-alone samples. A surprising result is that the RRR of silver in the composite round wires doesn’t degrade with extended time at 890 °C for up to 48 hours. This surprising result may be explained by our observation that the Cu that diffuses into the silver tends to form Cu2O precipitates in oxidizing atmosphere, instead of forming Ag-Cu solution alloy. We also measured the thermal conductivity and the magneto-resistivity of pure Ag and Ag-0.2 wt%Mg from 4.2 K to 300 K in magnetic fields up to 14.8 T and summarized them using a Kohler plot.

  2. Bench measurements of coupling impedance of AGS Booster components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ratti, A.; Shea, T.J.

    1991-01-01

    Quantifying instability thresholds for modern synchrotrons and storage rings requires some knowledge of the accelerator's coupling impedance. To this end, the wire technique has been implemented to measure the longitudinal coupling impedance of AGS Booster devices. The techniques are being refined to allow measurement of RHIC devices at higher frequencies. All the measurements are performed using an HP 8753 Network Analyzer controlled via GPIB by a Macintosh computer. The computer provides an environment for automated data acquisition, data analysis, and report generation. Resistive matches between the 50ω analyzer cables and the 300ω pipe-and-wire structure allow the use of a simple response calibration in the measurement of S21 to 400MHz. Results from ferrite loaded rf cavities, position monitors and kickers are presented. 4 refs., 4 figs

  3. Evaluation of the Repeatability and the Reproducibility of AL-Scan Measurements Obtained by Residents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehmet Kola

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. To assess the repeatability and reproducibility of ocular biometry and intraocular lens (IOL power measurements obtained by ophthalmology residents using an AL-Scan device, a novel optical biometer. Methods. Two ophthalmology residents were instructed regarding the AL-Scan device. Both performed ocular biometry and IOL power measurements using AL-Scan, three times on each of 128 eyes, independently of one another. Corneal keratometry readings, horizontal iris width, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, pupil size, and axial length values measured by both residents were recorded together with IOL power values calculated on the basis of four different IOL calculation formulas (SRK/T, Holladay, and HofferQ. Repeatability and reproducibility of the measurements obtained were analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC. Results. Repeatability (ICC, 0.872-0.999 for resident 1 versus 0.905-0.999 for resident 2 and reproducibility (ICC, 0.916-0.999 were high for all biometric measurements. Repeatability (ICC, 0.981-0.983 for resident 1 versus 0.995-0.996 for resident 2 and reproducibility were also high for all IOL power measurements (ICC, 0.996 for all. Conclusions. The AL-Scan device exhibits good repeatability and reproducibility in all biometric measurements and IOL power calculations, independent of the operator concerned.

  4. 2π absolute measurement research for α-electroplating source covering ZnS(Ag)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Tianxia

    1999-01-01

    2π absolute measurement can be completed after the quantitative deposit (5 +- 1) mg/cm 2 with ZnS(Ag) on surface of the alpha electroplating source. The measuring efficiency is 100%. This method is suitable for both of electroplating ordinary sample and electroplating standard (of reference) source

  5. High-Dimensional Multivariate Repeated Measures Analysis with Unequal Covariance Matrices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrar, Solomon W.; Kong, Xiaoli

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, test statistics for repeated measures design are introduced when the dimension is large. By large dimension is meant the number of repeated measures and the total sample size grow together but either one could be larger than the other. Asymptotic distribution of the statistics are derived for the equal as well as unequal covariance cases in the balanced as well as unbalanced cases. The asymptotic framework considered requires proportional growth of the sample sizes and the dimension of the repeated measures in the unequal covariance case. In the equal covariance case, one can grow at much faster rate than the other. The derivations of the asymptotic distributions mimic that of Central Limit Theorem with some important peculiarities addressed with sufficient rigor. Consistent and unbiased estimators of the asymptotic variances, which make efficient use of all the observations, are also derived. Simulation study provides favorable evidence for the accuracy of the asymptotic approximation under the null hypothesis. Power simulations have shown that the new methods have comparable power with a popular method known to work well in low-dimensional situation but the new methods have shown enormous advantage when the dimension is large. Data from Electroencephalograph (EEG) experiment is analyzed to illustrate the application of the results. PMID:26778861

  6. Preparation and Characterization of γ-AgI in Superionic Composite Glasses (AgIx(AgPO31-x

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Suminta

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available The γ-AgI phase was stabilized at room temperature in the composites glasses (AgIx(AgPO31-x with x = 0.6 and 0.7 via rapid quenching of their molten mixture. The measurement of the crystal structure has been carried out using an X-ray Difractometer at the Physics Departement of Ibaraki University, Japan. The micro strain and crystal size are derived from Hall’s equation. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows some Bragg peaks that correspond to the crystalline γ-AgI. By increasing the concentration of AgI, the peak width becomes more narrow and the position shifts to the higher angle. This indicates that the crystalline size and microstrain are increasing. The increase of micro strain (η, and particle size (D will increase the ionic mobility, thus increasing the ionic conductivity. It is concluded that solidification process on melt AgI into glass matrix AgPO3 not only decreases the micro strain and the particle size, but it also increases the ionic conductivity.

  7. Repeatability in Color Measurements of a Spectrophotometer using Different Positioning Devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemming, Michael; Kwon, So Ran; Qian, Fang

    2015-12-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the repeatability of color measurements of an intraoral spectrophotometer with the use of three different methods by two operators. A total of 60 teeth were obtained, comprising 30 human maxillary teeth [central incisors (n = 10); canines (n = 10); molars (n = 10)] and 30 artificial teeth [lateral incisors (n = 10); premolar (n = 20)]. Multiple repeated color measurements were obtained from each tooth using three measuring methods by each of the two operators. Five typodonts with alternating artificial and human teeth were made. Measurements were taken by two operators with the Vita EasyShade spectrophotometer using the custom tray (CT), custom jig (CJ) and free hand (FH) method, twice, at an interval of 2 to 7 days. Friedman test was used to detect difference among the three color measuring methods. Post hoc Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction applied was used for pair-wise comparison of color measurements among the three methods. Additionally, a paired-sample t-test was used to assess a significant difference between the two duplicated measurements made on the same tooth by the same operator for each color parameter and measuring method. For operator A, mean (SD) overall color change-ΔE* (SD) perceived for FH, CT and CJ were 2.21(2.00), 2.39 (1.58) and 2.86 (1.92), respectively. There was statistically significant difference in perceived ΔE* in FH vs CJ (p = 0.0107). However, there were no significant differences between FH and CT (p = 0.2829) or between CT and CJ (p = 0.1159). For operator B mean ΔE* (SD) for FH, CT and CJ were 3.24 (3.46), 1.95 (1.19) and 2.45 (1.56), respectively. There was a significant difference between FH and CT (p = 0.0031). However, there were no statistically significant differences in ΔE* in FH vs CJ (p = 0.3696) or CT vs CJ (p = 0.0809). The repeatability of color measurements was different among the three measuring methods by operators. Overall, the CT method worked well for both

  8. Flexible IZO/Ag/IZO/Ag multilayer electrode grown on a polyethylene terephthalate substrate using roll-to-roll sputtering

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    We investigated the optical, electrical, structural, and surface properties of roll-to-roll [R2R] sputter-grown flexible IZO/Ag/IZO/Ag [IAIA] multilayer films on polyethylene terephthalate substrates as a function of the top indium zinc oxide [IZO] thickness. It was found that the optical transmittance of the IAIA multilayer was significantly influenced by the top IZO layer thickness, which was grown on identical AIA multilayers. However, the sheet resistance of the IAIA multilayer was maintained between the range 5.01 to 5.1 Ω/square regardless of the top IZO thickness because the sheet resistance of the IAIA multilayer was mainly dependent on the thickness of the Ag layers. Notably, the optimized IAIA multilayer had a constant resistance change (ΔR/R0) under repeated outer bending tests with a radius of 10 mm. The mechanical integrity of the R2R-sputtered IAIA multilayer indicated that hybridization of an IZO and Ag metal layer is a promising flexible electrode scheme for the next-generation flexible optoelectronics. PMID:22222144

  9. Maintaining confidentiality in prospective studies: anonymous repeated measurements via email (ARME) procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carli, Vladimir; Hadlaczky, Gergö; Wasserman, Camilla; Stingelin-Giles, Nicola; Reiter-Theil, Stella; Wasserman, Danuta

    2012-02-01

    Respecting and protecting the confidentiality of data and the privacy of individuals regarding the information that they have given as participants in a research project is a cornerstone of complying with accepted research standards. However, in longitudinal studies, establishing and maintaining privacy is often challenging because of the necessity of repeated contact with participants. A novel internet-based solution is introduced here, which maintains privacy while at the same time ensures linkage of data to individual participants in a repeated measures design. With the use of the anonymous repeated measurements via email (ARME) procedure, two separate one-way communication systems are established through ad hoc email accounts and a secure study website. Strengths and limitations of the approach are discussed.

  10. Synthesis and characterizations of AgSCN nanospheres using AgCl as the precursor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Ming; Ma Jing

    2009-01-01

    Nanospheres of AgSCN with an average radius of 30-80 nm have been prepared by a simple reaction between AgCl suspension and KSCN in the presence of gelatin. Gelatin played a decisive role as an inhibitor of the direct attack of SCN - ions to AgCl surfaces and coagulation of the growing AgSCN in producing the spherical AgSCN nanoparticles. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectra techniques. The electrical conductivity of thin films of as-prepared AgSCN nanoparticles and polyethylene oxide (PEO) at room temperature was measured. The maximum value of electrical conductivity of as-prepared AgSCN-PEO was 1.53 x 10 -5 S cm -1 .

  11. Thermal diffusivity measurement for p-Si and Ag/p-Si by photoacoustic technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hussein, Mohammed Jabbar; Yunus, W. Mahmood Mat; Kamari, Halimah Mohamed; Zakaria, Azmi, E-mail: mohammed55865@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti PutraMalaysia (UPM), Serdang (Malaysia)

    2015-10-15

    Thermal diffusivity (TD) of p-Si and Ag/p-Si samples were measured by photoacoustic technique using open photoacoustic cell (OPC). The samples were annealed by heating them at 960, 1050, 1200, and 1300 °C for 3 h in air. The thermal diffusivity of Ag-coated samples was obtained by fitting the photoacoustic experimental data to the thermally thick equation for Rosencwaig and Gersho (RG) theory. For the single layer samples, the thermal diffusivity can be obtained by fitting as well as by obtaining the critical frequency f{sub c.} In this study, the thermal diffusivity of the p-Si samples increased with increasing the annealing temperature. The thermal diffusivity of the Ag/p-Si samples, after reaching the maximum value of about 2.73 cm{sup 2}/s at a temperature of 1200 °C, decreased due to the silver complete melt in the surface of the silicon. (author)

  12. Thermal Diffusivity Measurement for p-Si and Ag/p-Si by Photoacoustic Technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussein, Mohammed Jabbar; Yunus, W. Mahmood Mat; Kamari, Halimah Mohamed; Zakaria, Azmi

    2015-10-01

    Thermal diffusivity (TD) of p-Si and Ag/p-Si samples were measured by photoacoustic technique using open photoacoustic cell (OPC). The samples were annealed by heating them at 960, 1050, 1200, and 1300 °C for 3 h in air. The thermal diffusivity of Ag-coated samples was obtained by fitting the photoacoustic experimental data to the thermally thick equation for Rosencwaig and Gersho (RG) theory. For the single layer samples, the thermal diffusivity can be obtained by fitting as well as by obtaining the critical frequency f c . In this study, the thermal diffusivity of the p-Si samples increased with increasing the annealing temperature. The thermal diffusivity of the Ag/p-Si samples, after reaching the maximum value of about 2.73 cm2/s at a temperature of 1200 °C, decreased due to the silver complete melt in the surface of the silicon.

  13. Photoinduced formation of Ag nanoparticles on the surface of As2S3/Ag thin bilayer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Binu, S; Khan, Pritam; Barik, A R; Sharma, Rituraj; Adarsh, K V; Golovchak, R; Jain, H

    2014-01-01

    In this article, we demonstrate the combined effect of photodoping and photoinduced-surface deposition in a bilayer of chalcogenide glass (ChG) and Ag as an alternative method to optically synthesize Ag nanoparticles (AgNP) on the surface of ChG. In our experiment, AgNP formation occurs through two distinct stages: In the first stage, Ag is transported through the As 2 S 3 layer as Ag + ions, and in the second stage Ag + ions are photo-deposited as AgNP. The ex situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements and AFM observations show photoinduced Ag mass transport and the formation of AgNP. (paper)

  14. Repeatability of central corneal thickness measurement with the Pentacam HR system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruiz Simonato Alonso

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To assess the repeatability of central corneal thickness measurement at the geometrical center (Central Corneal Thickness - CCT given by the Pentacam High Resolution (HR Comprehensive Eye Scanner (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany over time. METHODS: Prospective, single center, observational study. Two separate CCT measurements were taken by the Pentacam corneal tomography exam (CTm 3 to 12 months apart, and compared. RESULTS: One hundred and sixteen eyes (n=116 of 62 health patients were included in this study. Average CCT in first and last visits was 541.6±37 µm and 543.6±36.9 µm respectively. Mean difference between both measurements was 9.2±6.4 µm, and there was no statistically significant difference in CCT measurement between visits, with good correlation between them (P = 0.057, r² = 0,9209. CONCLUSION: Pentacam (HR CTm gives repeatable CCT measurements over time.

  15. Convergence of repeated quantum nondemolition measurements and wave-function collapse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bauer, Michel; Bernard, Denis

    2011-01-01

    Motivated by recent experiments on quantum trapped fields, we give a rigorous proof that repeated indirect quantum nondemolition (QND) measurements converge to the collapse of the wave function as predicted by the postulates of quantum mechanics for direct measurements. We also relate the rate of convergence toward the collapsed wave function to the relative entropy of each indirect measurement, a result which makes contact with information theory.

  16. Some TPC measurements in an oxygen beam at the AGS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Love, W.A.; Etkin, A.; Foley, K.J.; Hackenburg, R.W.; Longacre, R.S.; Morris, T.W.; Platner, E.D.; Saulys, A.C.; Bonner, B.E.; Buchanan, J.A.; Chiou, C.N.; Clement, J.M.; Corcoran, M.D.; Krishna, N.; Kruk, J.W.; Miettinen, H.E.; Mutchler, G.S.; Nessi-Tedaldi, F.; Nessi, M.; Phillips, G.C.; Roberts, J.B.; Chan, C.S.; Kramer, M.A.; Hallman, T.J.; Madansky, L.; Lindenbaum, S.J.

    1989-01-01

    The principal detector for AGS Experiment 810 is a Time Projection Chamber (TPC) in which it is intended to measure momenta and angles of a major fraction of the charged particles from each light ion collision. This report describes the results of a test of a prototype of the TPC in a beam of (14.6x16=233.6 GeV/c) oxygen ions run in June of this year. (orig.)

  17. Multivariate linear models and repeated measurements revisited

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dalgaard, Peter

    2009-01-01

    Methods for generalized analysis of variance based on multivariate normal theory have been known for many years. In a repeated measurements context, it is most often of interest to consider transformed responses, typically within-subject contrasts or averages. Efficiency considerations leads...... to sphericity assumptions, use of F tests and the Greenhouse-Geisser and Huynh-Feldt adjustments to compensate for deviations from sphericity. During a recent implementation of such methods in the R language, the general structure of such transformations was reconsidered, leading to a flexible specification...

  18. Modelling and measurement of ac loss in BSCCO/Ag-tape windings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oomen, M P; Nanke, R; Leghissa, M

    2003-01-01

    High-temperature superconducting (HTS) transformers promise decreased weight and volume and higher efficiency. A 1 MVA HTS railway transformer was built and tested at Siemens AG. This paper deals with the prediction of ac loss in the BSCCO/Ag-tape windings. In a railway transformer the tape carries ac current in alternating field, the temperature differs from 77 K, tapes are stacked or cabled and overcurrents and higher harmonics occur. In ac-loss literature these issues are treated separately, if at all. We have developed a model that predicts the ac loss in sets of BSCCO/Ag-tape coils, and deals with the above-mentioned issues. The effect of higher harmonics on the loss in HTS tapes is considered for the first time. The paper gives a complete overview of the model equations and required input parameters. The model is validated over a wide range of the input parameters, using the measured critical current and ac loss of single tapes, single coils and sets of coils in the 1 MVA transformer. An accuracy of around 25% is achieved in all relevant cases. Presently the model is developed further, in order to describe other HTS materials and other types of applications

  19. Analysis of magnetic field measurement results for the AGS Booster magnets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bleser, E.; Thern, R.

    1991-01-01

    Magnetic field measurements have been made on nearly 200 conventional magnets that have been installed in the AGS Booster and its associated transfer lines. The measurements were intended to monitor the quality of the magnets being produced and to check the performance of each magnet before installation. The magnetic measurements effort led to certain improvements in the manufacturing process, which ten subsequently produced very good, very uniform magnets. The integrated dipole fields of the 36 booster dipoles are uniform to 1.5 parts in ten thousand. The magnetic measurements indicate that the quadrupoles were manufactured to an accuracy of 3 ten thousandths of an inch, which is better than we can physically measure. 3 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs

  20. Study of Ag+/PAA (polyacrylic acid) and Ag0/PAA aqueous system at equilibrium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keghouche, N.; Mostafavi, M.; Delcourt, M.O.

    1991-01-01

    When submitted to gamma radiation the system Ag + -PAA-water leads to clusters Ag 0 n /PAA (3 420 nm) interacting with the clusters. Potentiometric measurements carried out on Ag + solutions in the presence of PAA at various pH show that the deprotonated form (polyacrylate anion) is strongly bonded to Ag + , on the opposite of the protonated form of PAA. One of the oligomer clusters can be stabilized for more than one year. Studying it by infra-red spectrometry reveals important modifications in the vibration bands of the COO - group circa 1400 and 1600 cm -1 according to the bonding of PAA with Ag + or Ag 0 [fr

  1. Analysis of oligonucleotide array experiments with repeated measures using mixed models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Getchell Thomas V

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Two or more factor mixed factorial experiments are becoming increasingly common in microarray data analysis. In this case study, the two factors are presence (Patients with Alzheimer's disease or absence (Control of the disease, and brain regions including olfactory bulb (OB or cerebellum (CER. In the design considered in this manuscript, OB and CER are repeated measurements from the same subject and, hence, are correlated. It is critical to identify sources of variability in the analysis of oligonucleotide array experiments with repeated measures and correlations among data points have to be considered. In addition, multiple testing problems are more complicated in experiments with multi-level treatments or treatment combinations. Results In this study we adopted a linear mixed model to analyze oligonucleotide array experiments with repeated measures. We first construct a generalized F test to select differentially expressed genes. The Benjamini and Hochberg (BH procedure of controlling false discovery rate (FDR at 5% was applied to the P values of the generalized F test. For those genes with significant generalized F test, we then categorize them based on whether the interaction terms were significant or not at the α-level (αnew = 0.0033 determined by the FDR procedure. Since simple effects may be examined for the genes with significant interaction effect, we adopt the protected Fisher's least significant difference test (LSD procedure at the level of αnew to control the family-wise error rate (FWER for each gene examined. Conclusions A linear mixed model is appropriate for analysis of oligonucleotide array experiments with repeated measures. We constructed a generalized F test to select differentially expressed genes, and then applied a specific sequence of tests to identify factorial effects. This sequence of tests applied was designed to control for gene based FWER.

  2. Measurements of L shell X-ray yields of thick Ag target by 6–29 keV electron impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, J.L.; Tian, L.X.; Li, X.L.; An, Z.; Zhu, J.J.; Liu, M.T.

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, the L shell X-ray yields for a thick Ag target have been measured at incident electron energies of 6–29 keV. The experimental values are compared with the Monte Carlo simulation results that are obtained by using the PENELOPE code, in which the inner-shell ionization cross sections by electron impact calculated in the theoretical frame of distorted wave Born approximation are used. The experimental and simulation values are in agreement with ∼10% difference. Meanwhile, the L shell X-ray production cross sections are also obtained based on the measured L shell X-ray yields for a thick Ag target in this paper, and are compared with other experimental Ag L shell X-ray production cross section data by electron and positron impact measured previously and some theoretical models. Some factors that could affect these comparisons are also discussed in this paper. - Highlights: • We measured L shell X-ray yields of thick Ag target by 6–29 keV electrons. • Our measured X-ray yields are in good agreement with the MC results with ∼10%. • L shell production cross sections are obtained based on the measured X-ray yields. • L shell production cross sections obtained are in good agreement with theories

  3. Joint modelling of repeated measurement and time-to-event data: an introductory tutorial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asar, Özgür; Ritchie, James; Kalra, Philip A; Diggle, Peter J

    2015-02-01

    The term 'joint modelling' is used in the statistical literature to refer to methods for simultaneously analysing longitudinal measurement outcomes, also called repeated measurement data, and time-to-event outcomes, also called survival data. A typical example from nephrology is a study in which the data from each participant consist of repeated estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) measurements and time to initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT). Joint models typically combine linear mixed effects models for repeated measurements and Cox models for censored survival outcomes. Our aim in this paper is to present an introductory tutorial on joint modelling methods, with a case study in nephrology. We describe the development of the joint modelling framework and compare the results with those obtained by the more widely used approaches of conducting separate analyses of the repeated measurements and survival times based on a linear mixed effects model and a Cox model, respectively. Our case study concerns a data set from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Standards Implementation Study (CRISIS). We also provide details of our open-source software implementation to allow others to replicate and/or modify our analysis. The results for the conventional linear mixed effects model and the longitudinal component of the joint models were found to be similar. However, there were considerable differences between the results for the Cox model with time-varying covariate and the time-to-event component of the joint model. For example, the relationship between kidney function as measured by eGFR and the hazard for initiation of RRT was significantly underestimated by the Cox model that treats eGFR as a time-varying covariate, because the Cox model does not take measurement error in eGFR into account. Joint models should be preferred for simultaneous analyses of repeated measurement and survival data, especially when the former is measured with error and the association

  4. Optical properties of silicene, Si/Ag(111), and Si/Ag(110)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogan, C.; Pulci, O.; Gori, P.; Bechstedt, F.; Martin, D. S.; Barritt, E. E.; Curcella, A.; Prevot, G.; Borensztein, Y.

    2018-05-01

    We present a state-of-the-art study of the optical properties of free-standing silicene and of single-layer Si one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) nanostructures supported on Ag(110) and Ag(111) substrates. Ab initio simulations of reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) and surface differential reflectivity spectroscopy (SDRS) applied to the clean Ag surface and Si/Ag interfaces are compared with new measurements. For Si/Ag(110), we confirm a pentagonal nanoribbon geometry, strongly bonded to the substrate, and rule out competing zigzag chain and silicenelike models. For Si/Ag(111), we reproduce the main experimental features and isolate the optical signal of the epitaxial silicene overlayer. The absorption spectrum of a silicene sheet computed including excitonic and local field effects is found to be quite similar to that calculated within an independent particle approximation and shows strong modifications when adsorbed on a Ag substrate. Important details of the computational approach are examined and the origins of the RAS and SDRS signals are explained in terms of the interface and substrate response functions. Our study does not find any evidence for Si adlayers that retain the properties of freestanding silicene.

  5. The fourth outburst during the present active stage of symbiotic binary AG Dra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galis, R.; Merc, J.; Vrastak, M.; Teyssier, F.; Lester, T.; Boyd, D.; Sims, W.; Leedjarv, L.

    2018-04-01

    The symbiotic system AG Dra regularly undergoes quiescent and active stages which consist of several outbursts repeating at about 360d interval (Galis et al. 2017, OEJV 180, 24). After seven years of flat quiescence following the 2006-08 major outbursts, in the late spring of 2015, AG Dra began rising again in brightness toward what appeared to be a new minor outburst (ATel #7582).

  6. Facile synthesis of Ag nanoparticles supported on TiO2 inverse opal with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Yongxun; Yang Beifang; Xu Jiao; Fu Zhengping; Wu Min; Li Feng

    2012-01-01

    TiO 2 inverse opal films loaded with silver nanoparticles (ATIO) were synthesized on glass substrates. TiO 2 inverse opal (TIO) films were prepared via a sol–gel process using self-assembly of SiO 2 colloidal crystal template and a facile wet chemical route featuring an AgNO 3 precursor solution to fabricate silver nanoparticles on the TIO films. The inverse opal structure and Ag deposition physically and chemically modify titania, respectively. The catalysts were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV–vis absorption spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The HRTEM results show that Ag nanoparticles measuring 5–10 nm were evenly distributed on TIO. Both the UV- and visible-light photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated by analyzing the degradation of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution. The results reveal that the apparent reaction rate constant (k app ) of MB degradation of the sample ATIO under UV-light irradiation is approximately 1.5 times that of the conventional Ag-loaded TiO 2 film (ATF) without an ordered porous structure at an AgNO 3 concentration of 5 mM in the precursor solution. At an AgNO 3 concentration of 10 mM, the sample exhibits a k app value approximately 4.2 times that of ATF under visible-light irradiation. This enhanced visible-light photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of optimized Ag nanoparticle deposition and an ordered macroporous TIO structure. Repeated cycling tests revealed that the samples showed stable photocatalytic activity, even after six repeated cycles. - Highlights: ►TiO 2 inverse opal films loaded with silver nanoparticles were synthesized. ►Physical and chemical modifications of TiO 2 were achieved simultaneously. ►The catalysts exhibited enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity. ►The mechanism for enhanced

  7. A new method to assess skin treatments for lowering the impedance and noise of individual gelled Ag-AgCl electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piervirgili, G; Petracca, F; Merletti, R

    2014-10-01

    A model-based new procedure for measuring the single electrode-gel-skin impedance (ZEGS) is presented. The method is suitable for monitoring the contact impedance of the electrodes of a large array with limited modifications of the hardware and without removing or disconnecting the array from the amplifier. The procedure is based on multiple measurements between electrode pairs and is particularly suitable for electrode arrays. It has been applied to study the effectiveness of three skin treatments, with respect to no treatment, for reducing the electrode-gel-skin impedance (ZEGS) and noise: (i) rubbing with alcohol; (ii) rubbing with abrasive conductive paste; (iii) stripping with adhesive tape. The complex impedances ZEGS of the individual electrodes were measured by applying this procedure to disposable commercial Ag-AgCl gelled electrode arrays (4  ×  1) with a 5 mm(2) contact area. The impedance unbalance ΔZ = ZEGS1 - ZEGS2 and the RMS noise (VRMS) were measured between pairs of electrodes. The tissue impedance ZT was also obtained, as a collateral result. Measurements were repeated at t0 = 0 min and at t30 = 30 min from the electrode application. Mixed linear models and linear regression analysis applied to ZEGS, ΔZ and noise VRMS for the skin treatment factor demonstrated (a) that skin rubbing with abrasive conductive paste is more effective in lowering ZEGS, ΔZ and VRMS (p decrement (p < 0.01), between t0 and t30, of magnitude and phase of ZEGS.Rubbing with abrasive conductive paste significantly decreased the noise VRMS with respect to other treatments or no treatment.

  8. Intelligence Is in the Eye of the Beholder: Investigating Repeated IQ Measurements in Forensic Psychiatry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habets, Petra; Jeandarme, Inge; Uzieblo, Kasia; Oei, Karel; Bogaerts, Stefan

    2015-01-01

    Background: A stable assessment of cognition is of paramount importance for forensic psychiatric patients (FPP). The purpose of this study was to compare repeated measures of IQ scores in FPPs with and without intellectual disability. Methods: Repeated measurements of IQ scores in FPPs (n = 176) were collected. Differences between tests were…

  9. Thermal stability of substitutional ag in CdTe

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jahn, SG; Hofsass, H; Restle, M; Ronning, C; Quintel, H; BharuthRam, K; Wahl, U

    The thermal stability of substitutional Ag in CdTe was deduced from lattice location measurements at different temperatures. Substitutional Ag probe atoms were generated via transmutation doping from radioactive Cd isotopes. The lattice sites of Ag isotopes were determined by measuring the

  10. Measuring the homogeneity of Bi(2223)/Ag tapes by four-probe method and a Hall probe array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kovac, P.

    1999-01-01

    The nature of the BSCCO compound and application of the powder-in-tube technique usually lead to non-uniform quality across and/or along the ceramic fibres and finally to variations in the critical current and its irregular distribution in the Bi(2223)/Ag tape. Therefore, the gliding four-probe method and contactless field monitoring measurements have been used for homogeneity studies. The gliding potential contacts moved along the tape surface and a sensitive system based on an integrated Hall probe array containing 16 or 19 in-line probes supported by PC-compatible electronics with software allowed us to make a comparison of contact and contactless measurements at any elements of Bi(2223)/Ag sample. The results of both methods show very good correlation and the possibility of using a sensitive Hall probe array for monitoring the final quality of Bi(2223)/Ag tapes. (author)

  11. Analysis of repeated measurement data in the clinical trials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Vineeta; Rana, Rakesh Kumar; Singhal, Richa

    2013-01-01

    Statistics is an integral part of Clinical Trials. Elements of statistics span Clinical Trial design, data monitoring, analyses and reporting. A solid understanding of statistical concepts by clinicians improves the comprehension and the resulting quality of Clinical Trials. In biomedical research it has been seen that researcher frequently use t-test and ANOVA to compare means between the groups of interest irrespective of the nature of the data. In Clinical Trials we record the data on the patients more than two times. In such a situation using the standard ANOVA procedures is not appropriate as it does not consider dependencies between observations within subjects in the analysis. To deal with such types of study data Repeated Measure ANOVA should be used. In this article the application of One-way Repeated Measure ANOVA has been demonstrated by using the software SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) Version 15.0 on the data collected at four time points 0 day, 15th day, 30th day, and 45th day of multicentre clinical trial conducted on Pandu Roga (~Iron Deficiency Anemia) with an Ayurvedic formulation Dhatrilauha. PMID:23930038

  12. Photodegradation properties and optics of Ag/TiO{sub 2} films; Propiedades de fotodegradacion y opticas de peliculas Ag/TiO{sub 2}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tirado G, S. [IPN, Escuela Superior de Fisica y Matematicas, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07738 Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico); Valenzuela Z, M. A., E-mail: tirado@esfm.ipn.mx [IPN, Escuela Superior de Ingenieria Quimica e Industrias Extractivas, Laboratorio de Catalisis y Materiales, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07738 Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico)

    2016-10-15

    In the thin semiconductor films of Ag/TiO{sub 2} the topographic properties were recorded by atomic force microscopy and the main parameters of roughness were determined; the optical properties were also recorded when determining their transmittance degree, their refractive indexes, their thickness and the bandwidth of the semiconductor Eg, both for pure TiO{sub 2} films and the modified Ag/TiO{sub 2} films with various layers of the Ag catalyst. The Ag/TiO{sub 2} films that were grown by sol-gel and repeated immersion, chemical technique that has been used in the development of thin film technology, were carried out in photo catalysis, when are used in photo degradation of methyl orange at an aqueous concentration of 14 ppm, once they are characterized with several techniques required to be able to explain the possible photo catalytic reactions at the solid-aqueous interface, when irradiated with UV; with the possible application in water treatment. The photoluminescence spectra of the prepared Ag/TiO{sub 2} samples are reported, which resulted in a green emission, characteristic of the visible, in addition to emissions in the UV range. (Author)

  13. Tunneling-recombination luminescence between Ag0 and Ag2+ in KCl:AgCl

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delbecq, C.J.; Dexter, D.L.; Yuster, P.H.

    1978-01-01

    Appropriate treatment of a KCl:AgCl crystal results in the trapping of electrons as silver atoms, Ag 0 , and positive holes as AgCl 4 2- , Ag 2+ , centers. Optical excitation of Ag 0 in such a crystal at T 0 and Ag 2+ pairs, similar to the Ag 0 -Cl 2 - tunneling-recombination studies we previously reported. We have shown that Ag 2+ centers are involved in the emission process by preferentially orienting the anisotropic Ag 2+ at 6 K by excitation with polarized light and observing that the afterglow is polarized. Upon warming to 50 K, where the preferentially oriented Ag 2+ can change orientation, a strong reversal in the degree of polarization occurs which finally decays to zero. The characteristics of this luminescence can be understood if we assume: (i) a tunneling-recombination mechanism in which the orientation of the electric vector of the emitted radiation depends on the position of the Ag 0 relative to the Ag 2+ and (ii) the tunneling is anisotropic and depends on the location of the Ag 0 relative to the anisotropic Ag 2+ . The latter assumption is based on the tetragonal (d-like) symmetry of the Ag 2+ complex. Good quantitative agreement between theory and experiment has been obtained on the decay kinetics, the degree of polarization, and the polarization reversal

  14. Medium-range correlation of Ag ions in superionic melts of Ag{sub 2}Se and AgI by reverse Monte Carlo structural modelling-connectivity and void distribution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tahara, Shuta; Ohno, Satoru [Faculty of Pharmacy, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences, 265-1 Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata 956-8603 (Japan); Ueno, Hiroki; Takeda, Shin' ichi [Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan); Ohara, Koji; Kohara, Shinji [Research and Utilization Division, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI, SPring-8), 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan); Kawakita, Yukinobu [J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata Shirane, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan)

    2011-06-15

    High-energy x-ray diffraction measurements on molten Ag{sub 2}Se were performed. Partial structure factors and radial distribution functions were deduced by reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) structural modelling on the basis of our new x-ray and earlier published neutron diffraction data. These partial functions were compared with those of molten AgI. Both AgI and Ag{sub 2}Se have a superionic solid phase prior to melting. New RMC structural modelling for molten AgI was performed to revise our previous model with a bond-angle restriction to reduce the number of unphysical Ag triangles. The refined model of molten AgI revealed that isolated unbranched chains formed by Ag ions are the cause of the medium-range order of Ag. In contrast with molten AgI, molten Ag{sub 2}Se has 'cage-like' structures with approximately seven Ag ions surrounding a Se ion. Connectivity analysis revealed that most of the Ag ions in molten Ag{sub 2}Se are located within 2.9 A of each other and only small voids are found, which is in contrast to the wide distribution of Ag-void radii in molten AgI. It is conjectured that the collective motion of Ag ions through small voids is required to realize the well-known fast diffusion of Ag ions in molten Ag{sub 2}Se, which is comparable to that in molten AgI.

  15. Nature of the precipitate in (AgI)0.7(AgPO3)0.3 glass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kartini, E.; Collins, M.F.

    1999-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. Interest of this material arises from its superionic conducting properties, i.e. the conductivity at ambient temperature is a few order of magnitudes larger than in the pure AgI. On quenching the molten miacture from 600 deg C into liquid nitrogen, β-AgI crystal precipitates in the glassy matrix. Neutron powder diffraction studies on (AgI) 0.7 (AgPO 3 ) 0.3 are presented and the powder pattern from the crystalline precipitate is compared with that of pure AgI. The measurements show identical diffraction patterns from the precipitate and from β-AgI with the same lattice parameters. On heating, the precipitate shows a β→α phase transformation at 435 K while AgI shows this transformation at 438 K. At higher temperature in the α phase the powder pattern of the precipitate is again the same as that of pure α-AgI. On cooling the reverse transformation takes place at 415 K and 410 K, respectively. It is concluded that the precipitate is more-or-less pure AgI. (author)

  16. Repeated homotypic stress elevates 2-arachidonoylglycerol levels and enhances short-term endocannabinoid signaling at inhibitory synapses in basolateral amygdala.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Sachin; Kingsley, Philip J; Mackie, Ken; Marnett, Lawrence J; Winder, Danny G

    2009-12-01

    Psychosocial stress is a risk factor for development and exacerbation of neuropsychiatric illness. Repeated stress causes biochemical adaptations in endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling that contribute to stress-response habituation, however, the synaptic correlates of these adaptations have not been examined. Here, we show that the synthetic enzyme for the eCB 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), diacylglycerol (DAG) lipase alpha, is heterogeneously expressed in the amygdala, and that levels of 2-AG and precursor DAGs are increased in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) after 10 days, but not 1 day, of restraint stress. In contrast, arachidonic acid was decreased after both 1 and 10 days of restraint stress. To examine the synaptic correlates of these alterations in 2-AG metabolism, we used whole-cell electrophysiology to determine the effects of restraint stress on depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI) in the BLA. A single restraint stress exposure did not alter DSI compared with control mice. However, after 10 days of restraint stress, DSI duration, but not magnitude, was significantly prolonged. Inhibition of 2-AG degradation with MAFP also prolonged DSI duration; the effects of repeated restraint stress and MAFP were mutually occlusive. These data indicate that exposure to repeated, but not acute, stress produces neuroadaptations that confer BLA neurons with an enhanced capacity to elevate 2-AG content and engage in 2-AG-mediated short-term retrograde synaptic signaling. We suggest stress-induced enhancement of eCB-mediated suppression of inhibitory transmission in the BLA could contribute to affective dysregulation associated with chronic stress.

  17. Rational design and evaluation of HBsAg polymeric nanoparticles as antigen delivery carriers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dewangan, Hitesh Kumar; Pandey, Tarun; Maurya, Lakshmi; Singh, Sanjay

    2018-05-01

    The present work is focused on the development and evaluation of single dose sustained-release Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loaded nanovaccine for Hepatitis B. The conventional treatment suffers from repeated administration and hence requires a booster dose. Therefore, polymeric nanovaccine of HBsAg was developed by double emulsion solvent evaporation technique, utilizing central composite design for formulation optimization. The effects of independent variables (like polymer amount, stabilizer concentration, aqueous/organic phase ratio and homogenizer speed) were also studied on critical quality attributes like particle size and entrapment efficiency. Nanovaccine was characterized in terms of physicochemical parameters, release, internalization and in vivo immunological evaluation in BALB/c mice after administration by different routes such as oral, sub-cutaneous, nasal and intramuscular. The designed nanovaccine demonstrated nanometric size with smooth surface, negative zeta potential, maximum entrapment, sustained release and better internalization in macrophage and MRC-5 cell line. The immune-stimulating activity of nanovaccine administered by different routes was evaluated by measuring anti-HBsAg titre like specific immunoglobulin IgG and IgA response and cytokine level (interleukin-2, interferon-Y) measurement. The results indicated that the nanovaccine administered by intramuscular route produced better humoral as well as cellular responses and potential carriers for antigen delivery at single dose administration via intramuscular route. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Near-Peer Teaching in Paramedic Education: A Repeated Measures Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Brett; Nguyen, David

    2017-01-01

    The transition of the Australian paramedic discipline from vocation education and training to the higher education sector has seen a sharp rise in interest in near-peer teaching (NPT). The objective of this study was to examine satisfaction levels of NPT over one academic semester among undergraduate paramedic students. A repeated measured design…

  19. Improved galvanic replacement growth of Ag microstructures on Cu micro-grid for enhanced SERS detection of organic molecules

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, Tian-Long [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials, School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Advanced Materials Processing Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1–1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Li, Ji-Guang, E-mail: LI.Jiguang@nims.go.jp [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials, School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Advanced Materials Processing Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1–1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Sun, Xudong, E-mail: xdsun@mail.neu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials, School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Sakka, Yoshio [Advanced Materials Processing Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1–1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan)

    2016-04-01

    Galvanic growth of Ag nano/micro-structures on Cu micro-grid was systematically studied for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications. Detailed characterizations via FE-SEM and HR-TEM showed that processing parameters, (reaction time, Ag{sup +} concentration, and PVP addition) all substantially affect thermodynamics/kinetics of the replacement reaction to yield substrates of significantly different microstructures/homogeneities and thus varied SERS performances (sensitivity, enhancement factor, and reproducibility) of the Ag substrates in the detection of R6G analyte. PVP as an additive was shown to notably alter nucleation/growth behaviors of the Ag crystals and promote the deposition of dense and uniform Ag films of nearly monodisperse polyhedrons/nanoplates through suppressing dendrites crystallization. Under optimized synthesis (50 mM of Ag{sup +}, 30 s of reaction, and 700 wt.% of PVP), Ag substrates exhibiting a high Raman signal enhancement factor of ~ 1.1 × 10{sup 6} and a low relative standard deviation of ~ 0.13 in the repeated detection of 10 μM R6G were obtained. The facile deposition and excellent performance reported in this work may allow the Ag microstructures to find wider SERS applications. Moreover, growth mechanisms of the different Ag nano/micro-structures were discussed based on extensive FE-SEM and HR-TEM analysis. - Highlights: • A facile synthetic technique of growing SERS active Ag substrates onto Cu micro-grid has been systematically studied. • Changing processing parameters has yielded Ag crystals of various morphologies and SERS performances. • PVP additive was observed to suppress Ag dendrite crystallization for nearly monodispersed Ag polyhedrons/nanoplates. • PVP modified SERS substrate exhibits excellent EF and RSD values in the repeated detection of 10 μM R6G analyte.

  20. Cross-trimester repeated measures testing for Down's syndrome screening: an assessment.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Wright, D

    2010-07-01

    To provide estimates and confidence intervals for the performance (detection and false-positive rates) of screening for Down\\'s syndrome using repeated measures of biochemical markers from first and second trimester maternal serum samples taken from the same woman.

  1. Parameter optimization for Ag-coated TiO2 nanotube arrays as recyclable SERS substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Yuyang; Yang, Lulu; Liao, Fan; Dang, Qian; Shao, Mingwang

    2018-06-01

    The Ag-coated titanium dioxide nanotube arrays (Ag-coated TNTs) are obtained via the deposition of Ag nanoparticles on the two-step anodized TNTs. The wall thickness of TNTs is modulated via finite difference time domain simulation to get the favorable electromagnetic field for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Ag-coated TNTs with optimal wall thickness of 20 nm were employed as the SERS substrates to detect 2-mercaptobenzoxazole, which show superior detection sensitivity and uniformity. In addition, due to the photocatalysis of TNTs, the SERS substrates could clean themselves and be repeatedly used by photo-degradation of target molecules under the ultra-violet irradiation. The Ag-coated TNTs are a kind of bifunctional SERS substrates which can produce high-quality SERS signals and reuse to reduce the cost.

  2. Energy loss of 107Ag, 109Ag and 150Sm in Ni and Au

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ribas, R.V.; Seale, W.A.; Roney, W.M.; Szanto, E.M.

    1979-01-01

    The stopping power of 107 Ag, 109 Ag and 150 Sm in nickel and gold was measured as a preliminary test of a new technique for measuring energy loss based on the γ-ray Dopppler shift. The analysis of the data was based on the theories of Lindhard, Scharff and Schiott for nuclear and electronic stopping. The results are compared with the semi-empirical predictions of Northcliffe and Schilling. (author) [pt

  3. Construction of Ag/AgCl nanostructures from Ag nanoparticles as high-performance visible-light photocatalysts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Fan; Liu, Dongzhi; Wang, Tianyang; Li, Wei [Tianjin University, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology (China); Hu, Wenping [Tianjin University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (China); Zhou, Xueqin, E-mail: zhouxueqin@tju.edu.cn [Tianjin University, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology (China)

    2016-11-15

    A combined strategy of in situ oxidation and assembly is developed to prepare Ag/AgCl nanospheres and nanocubes from Ag nanoparticles under room temperature. It is a new facile way to fabricate Ag/AgCl with small sizes and defined morphologies. Ag/AgCl nanospheres with an average size of 80 nm were achieved without any surfactants, while Ag/AgCl nanocubes with a mean edge length of 150 nm were obtained by introduction of N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethyl-2-ammonio-acetate. The possible formation mechanism involves the self-assembly of AgCl nanoparticles, Ostwald ripening and photoreduction of Ag{sup +} into Ag{sup 0} by the room light. The as-prepared Ag/AgCl nanospheres and nanocubes exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity and stability toward degradation of organic pollutants under visible-light irradiation. It is demonstrated that Ag/AgCl nanocubes display enhanced photocatalytic activity in comparison with Ag/AgCl nanospheres due to the more efficient charge transfer. This work may pave an avenue to construct various functional materials via the assembly strategy using nanoparticles as versatile building blocks.

  4. Synthesis and characterizations of spherical hollow composed of AgI nanoparticle using AgBr as the precursor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Ming; Zhou Kui

    2011-01-01

    Hollow spheres of AgI with an average radius of 100-200 nm have been prepared by a simple reaction between AgBr suspension and KI in the presence of gelatin. Gelatin played a decisive role as an inhibitor of the direct attack of I - ions to AgBr surfaces and coagulation of the growing AgI in producing the spherical AgI particles. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectra techniques. The band gaps are estimated to be 2.95 eV according to the results of optical measurements of the hollow spheres of AgI.

  5. Measuring environmental change in forest ecosystems by repeated soil sampling: A North American perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregory B. Lawrence; Ivan J. Fernandez; Daniel D. Richter; Donald S. Ross; Paul W. Hazlett; Scott W. Bailey; Rock Ouimet; Richard A. F. Warby; Arthur H. Johnson; Henry Lin; James M. Kaste; Andrew G. Lapenis; Timothy J. Sullivan

    2013-01-01

    Environmental change is monitored in North America through repeated measurements of weather, stream and river flow, air and water quality, and most recently, soil properties. Some skepticism remains, however, about whether repeated soil sampling can effectively distinguish between temporal and spatial variability, and efforts to document soil change in forest...

  6. Antarctic Ice Sheet Slope and Aspect Based on Icesat's Repeat Orbit Measurement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, L.; Li, F.; Zhang, S.; Xie, S.; Xiao, F.; Zhu, T.; Zhang, Y.

    2017-09-01

    Accurate information of ice sheet surface slope is essential for estimating elevation change by satellite altimetry measurement. A study is carried out to recover surface slope of Antarctic ice sheet from Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) elevation measurements based on repeat orbits. ICESat provides repeat ground tracks within 200 meters in cross-track direction and 170 meters in along-track direction for most areas of Antarctic ice sheet. Both cross-track and along-track surface slopes could be obtained by adjacent repeat ground tracks. Combining those measurements yields a surface slope model with resolution of approximately 200 meters. An algorithm considering elevation change is developed to estimate the surface slope of Antarctic ice sheet. Three Antarctic Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) were used to calculate surface slopes. The surface slopes from DEMs are compared with estimates by using in situ GPS data in Dome A, the summit of Antarctic ice sheet. Our results reveal an average surface slope difference of 0.02 degree in Dome A. High resolution remote sensing images are also used in comparing the results derived from other DEMs and this paper. The comparison implies that our results have a slightly better coherence with GPS observation than results from DEMs, but our results provide more details and perform higher accuracy in coastal areas because of the higher resolution for ICESat measurements. Ice divides are estimated based on the aspect, and are weakly consistent with ice divides from other method in coastal regions.

  7. The effect of repeated measurements and working memory on the most comfortable level in the ANL test

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brännström, K Jonas; Olsen, Steen Østergaard; Holm, Lucas

    2014-01-01

    interleaved methodology during one session using a non-semantic version. Phonological (PWM) and visuospatial working memory (VSWM) was measured. STUDY SAMPLE: Thirty-two normal-hearing adults. RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA, intraclass correlations, and the coefficient of repeatability (CR) were used...

  8. Photodegradation properties and optics of Ag/TiO2 films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tirado G, S.; Valenzuela Z, M. A.

    2016-10-01

    In the thin semiconductor films of Ag/TiO 2 the topographic properties were recorded by atomic force microscopy and the main parameters of roughness were determined; the optical properties were also recorded when determining their transmittance degree, their refractive indexes, their thickness and the bandwidth of the semiconductor Eg, both for pure TiO 2 films and the modified Ag/TiO 2 films with various layers of the Ag catalyst. The Ag/TiO 2 films that were grown by sol-gel and repeated immersion, chemical technique that has been used in the development of thin film technology, were carried out in photo catalysis, when are used in photo degradation of methyl orange at an aqueous concentration of 14 ppm, once they are characterized with several techniques required to be able to explain the possible photo catalytic reactions at the solid-aqueous interface, when irradiated with UV; with the possible application in water treatment. The photoluminescence spectra of the prepared Ag/TiO 2 samples are reported, which resulted in a green emission, characteristic of the visible, in addition to emissions in the UV range. (Author)

  9. In situ photoactivated plasmonic Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}@silver as a stable catalyst with enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Dongfang; Wang, Jiaxun, E-mail: zdfbb66@aliyun.com [College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan (China)

    2017-05-15

    Silver orthophosphate (Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}) had been reported as an excellent candidate to split water or decompose pollutants with high efficiency in visible light region, yet is not stable due to the reduction of silver ion. In this work, an easy-fabricated method (in situ photoinduced reduction) was provided to enhance the stability of Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} for its possible application as a visible-light sensitive photocatalyst. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra, photoluminescence spectra (PL) and Photoelectrochemical measurements. The Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/Ag photocatalysts showed strong photocatalytic activity for decomposition of RhB dye or phenol-X-3B mixture under visible light irradiation (λ> 420 nm) and can be used repeatedly. The possible mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic properties of the Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} /Ag hybrid was also discussed. It was found that •OH and holes take priority over •O{sub 2}{sup -} radicals in serving as the main oxidant in the Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/Ag photocatalytic system. Especially, the experimental results indicate that the surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles and a large negative charge of PO{sub 4}{sup 3-} ions as well as high separation efficiency of {sup e-} --h{sup +} pairs, facilitated the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of the Ag{sub 3} PO{sub 4} /Ag composite. The results indicated that Ag{sub 3} PO{sub 4} /Ag is an efficient and stable visible-light-driven photocatalyst. (author)

  10. Measurement System Analyses - Gauge Repeatability and Reproducibility Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cepova, Lenka; Kovacikova, Andrea; Cep, Robert; Klaput, Pavel; Mizera, Ondrej

    2018-02-01

    The submitted article focuses on a detailed explanation of the average and range method (Automotive Industry Action Group, Measurement System Analysis approach) and of the honest Gauge Repeatability and Reproducibility method (Evaluating the Measurement Process approach). The measured data (thickness of plastic parts) were evaluated by both methods and their results were compared on the basis of numerical evaluation. Both methods were additionally compared and their advantages and disadvantages were discussed. One difference between both methods is the calculation of variation components. The AIAG method calculates the variation components based on standard deviation (then a sum of variation components does not give 100 %) and the honest GRR study calculates the variation components based on variance, where the sum of all variation components (part to part variation, EV & AV) gives the total variation of 100 %. Acceptance of both methods among the professional society, future use, and acceptance by manufacturing industry were also discussed. Nowadays, the AIAG is the leading method in the industry.

  11. Fabrication, characterization and screen printing of conductive ink based on carbon@Ag core-shell nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wei; Yang, Shuanglei; Zhang, Shaofeng; Zhang, Hongbo; Jiang, Changzhong

    2014-08-01

    The large-scale synthesis and characterization of carbon-core/Ag-shell (C@Ag) nanoparticles by the successive reduction of silver ammonia are described. The resultant C@Ag nanoparticles had a mean core diameter of 360 nm and a controllable shell thickness from 10 to 40 nm by simple adjustments of repeat coating times. Various analysis techniques confirmed that the carbon cores were fully covered by Ag nanoshells. The results also show that C/Ag composite nanomaterials-based conductive inks, which can be easily produced on a large scale and possess outstanding electronic properties, have great potential for the convenient fabrication of flexible and low-cost carbon-based electronic devices and replace the traditional pure silver paste, by using a simple screen printing technique. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Quantitative HBsAg and HBeAg predict hepatitis B seroconversion after initiation of HAART in HIV-HBV coinfected individuals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gail V Matthews

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Anti-HBe seroconversion and HBsAg loss are important therapeutic endpoints in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV infection. Quantitative measures of hepatitis B surface antigen (qHBsAg and e antigen (qHBeAg have been identified as potentially useful indicators of therapeutic response in HBV monoinfection. The aim of this study was to examine serological change including quantitative biomarkers in HIV-HBV coinfected patients initiating HBV active antiretroviral therapy (ART. METHODS: HIV-HBV coinfected individuals from Thailand were followed for up to 168 weeks post ART. Rates and associations of qualitative serological change were determined. Longitudinal changes in qHBsAg and qHBeAg were measured and their utility as predictors of response examined. RESULTS: Forty seven patients were included of whom 27 (57% were HBeAg positive at baseline. Median CD4 count was 48 cells/mm(3. Over a median follow-up of 108 weeks 48% (13/27 lost HBeAg, 12/27 (44% achieved anti-HBe seroconversion and 13% (6/47 HBsAg loss. Anti-HBe seroconversion was associated with higher baseline ALT (p = 0.034, lower qHBsAg (p = 0.015, lower qHBeAg (p = 0.031 and greater HBV DNA decline to week 24 (p = 0.045. Sensitivity and specificity for qHBsAg and qHBeAg decline of >0.5 log at week 12 and >1.0 log at week 24 were high for both anti-HBe seroconversion and HBsAg loss. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of serological change in these HIV-HBV coinfected individuals with advanced immunodeficiency initiating HBV-active ART were high. Baseline and on treatment factors were identified that were associated with a greater likelihood of subsequent anti-HBe seroconversion, including both quantitative HBsAg and HBeAg, suggesting these biomarkers may have utility in this clinical setting.

  13. Unitarity, Feedback, Interactions - Dynamics Emergent from Repeated Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corona Ugalde, Paulina; Altamirano, Natacha; Mann, Robert; Zych, Magdalena

    Modern measurement theory dispenses with the description of a measurement as a projection. Rather, the measurement is understood as an operation, whereby the system's final state is determined by an action of a completely positive trace non-increasing map and the outcomes are described by linear operators on the system, distributed according to a positive-operator valued measure (POVM). The POVM approach unifies the theory of measurements with a general description of dynamics, the theory of open quantum systems. Engineering a particular measurement and engineering a particular dynamics for the system are thus two complementary aspects of the same conceptual framework. This correspondence is directly applied in quantum simulations and quantum control theory . With this motivation, we study what types of dynamics can emerge from a model of repeated short interactions of a system with a set of ancillae. We show that contingent on the model parameters the resulting dynamics ranges from exact unitarity to arbitrary fast decoherence. For a series of measurements the effective dynamics includes feedback-control, which for a composite system yields effective interactions between the subsystems. We quantify the amount of decoherence accompanying such induced interactions. The simple framework used in the present study can find applications in devising novel quantum control protocols, or quantum simulations.

  14. Development of heat resistant Pb-free joints by TLPS process of Ag and Sn-Bi-Ag alloy powders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ohnuma I.

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available TLPS (Transient Liquid Phase Sintering process is a candidate method of heat-resistant bonding, which makes use of the reaction between low-melting temperature powder of Sn-Bi base alloys and reactive powder of Ag. During heat treatment above the melting temperature of a Sn-Bi base alloy, the molten Sn-Bi reacts rapidly with solid Ag particles, which results in the formation of heat-resistant intermetallic compound (IMC. In this study, the TLPS properties between Sn-17Bi-1Ag (at.% powder with its liquidus temperature of 200°C and pure Ag powder were investigated. During differential scanning calorimetry (DSC measurement, an exothermic reaction and an endothermic reaction occurred, which correspond to the formation of the e-Ag3Sn IMC phase and the melting of the Sn-17Bi-1Ag alloy, respectively. After the overall measurement, the obtained reactant consists of the Ag3Sn-IMC and Bi-rich phases, both of which start melting above 250°C, with a small amount of the residual Sn-Bi eutectic phase. These results suggest that the TLPS process can be applied for Pb-free heatresistant bonding.

  15. Comparability and repeatability of three commonly used methods for measuring endurance capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baxter-Gilbert, James; Mühlenhaupt, Max; Whiting, Martin J

    2017-12-01

    Measures of endurance (time to exhaustion) have been used to address a wide range of questions in ecomorphological and physiological research, as well as being used as a proxy for survival and fitness. Swimming, stationary (circular) track running, and treadmill running are all commonly used methods for measuring endurance. Despite the use of these methods across a broad range of taxa, how comparable these methods are to one another, and whether they are biologically relevant, is rarely examined. We used Australian water dragons (Intellagama lesueurii), a species that is morphologically adept at climbing, swimming, and running, to compare these three methods of endurance and examined if there is repeatability within and between trial methods. We found that time to exhaustion was not highly repeatable within a method, suggesting that single measures or a mean time to exhaustion across trials are not appropriate. Furthermore, we compared mean maximal endurance times among the three methods, and found that the two running methods (i.e., stationary track and treadmill) were similar, but swimming was distinctly different, resulting in lower mean maximal endurance times. Finally, an individual's endurance rank was not repeatable across methods, suggesting that the three endurance trial methods are not providing similar information about an individual's performance capacity. Overall, these results highlight the need to carefully match a measure of performance capacity with the study species and the research questions being asked so that the methods being used are behaviorally, ecologically, and physiologically relevant. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Surface characterization of Ag/Titania adsorbents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samokhvalov, Alexander; Nair, Sachin; Duin, Evert C.; Tatarchuk, Bruce J.

    2010-01-01

    The Ag/Titania adsorbent for selective removal of the desulfurization-refractive polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs) from liquid hydrocarbon fuels was prepared, its total and the Ag specific surface area were determined and the surface reaction sites in the sorbent that may be active in the adsorptive selective desulfurization were characterized by several spectroscopic and surface science techniques. The sorbent contains Ag, Ti, O and spurious C on its surface, as by the XPS measurements. Silver is present as an oxide, as judged by the XPS Auger parameter (AP). The complementary electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy confirms that the majority of Ag is present in the diamagnetic Ag 1+ form, with the minor concentration (∼0.1% of total Ag) present as Ag 2+ . The findings by XPS and ESR are confirmed by the XRD, UV-vis spectroscopy and thermodynamic considerations. The supported Ag is highly dispersed on the surface of the titania support, with the particle size of ∼30-60 A depending on Ag content, with an Ag specific surface area of ∼7-14 m 2 /g, vs. the total surface area of ∼114-58 m 2 /g.

  17. Distribution of silver in rats following 28 days of repeated oral exposure to silver nanoparticles or silver acetate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Löschner, Katrin; Hadrup, Niels; Qvortrup, Klaus

    2011-01-01

    Background: The study investigated the distribution of silver after 28 days repeated oral administration of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver acetate (AgAc) to rats. Oral administration is a relevant route of exposure because of the use of silver nanoparticles in products related to food...... and food contact materials. Results: AgNPs were synthesized with a size distribution of 14 ± 4 nm in diameter (90% of the nanoparticle volume) and stabilized in aqueous suspension by the polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The AgNPs remained stable throughout the duration of the 28-day oral toxicity study...... in rats. The organ distribution pattern of silver following administration of AgNPs and AgAc was similar. However the absolute silver concentrations in tissues were lower following oral exposure to AgNPs. This was in agreement with an indication of a higher fecal excretion following administration of Ag...

  18. Repeatability of junctional zone measurements using three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound in healthy, fertile women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Christina Kjærgaard; Glavind, Julie; Madsen, Lene Duch

    2016-01-01

    -observer repeatability was evaluated according to the Bland-Altman method and expressed as coefficient of repeatability (CoR). Results: Using 3D-TVS we visualised a thin and regular JZ in most women. The posterior uterine wall had the largest median (interquartile range; iqr) value of JZmax (5.2 (iqr 3.8-6.5)mm. Ten out....... Correlations between measurements were poor in the narrow range of JZ thickness. Conclusions: The JZ has an indistinct outline by 3D-TVS resulting in an error of JZ measurement within a broad range of ±2-4 mm, but reduced by average measurements. The thickness of JZ varied within a narrow range of this healthy......, fertile population and reliability measurements of JZ thickness has to be evaluated in women with a wider range of JZ thickness....

  19. Half-lives of isomeric levels of 107mAg, 109mAg and 103mRh photoactivated by 60Co γ-ray irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, Eiji; Kobayashi, Takashige; Kojima, Yasuaki; Shizuma, Kiyoshi

    2000-01-01

    Photoactivation by γ-rays from 60 Co of 10 kCi has been performed for isomers of 107m Ag, 109m Ag and 103m Rh and half-lives of these isomers were determined. Gamma-rays emitted from 107m Ag and 109m Ag were measured with a low-background Ge detector and internal conversion electrons from 103m Rh were measured with a 2π gas flow counter. The half-lives obtained are: 107m Ag: 44.5±0.8 s, 109m Ag: 38.0±1.2 s and 103m Rh: 54.8±3.8 min. The results are in agreement with previous values obtained by different excitation methods

  20. Visible light driven photocatalysis and antibacterial activity of AgVO3 and Ag/AgVO3 nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Anamika; Dutta, Dimple P.; Ballal, A.; Tyagi, A.K.; Fulekar, M.H.

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Ag/AgVO 3 and pure AgVO 3 nanowires synthesized by sonochemical process. • Characterization done using XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX and BET analysis. • Visible light degradation of RhB by Ag/AgVO 3 within 45 min. • Antibacterial activity of Ag/AgVO 3 demonstrated. - Abstract: Ag/AgVO 3 nanowires and AgVO 3 nanorods were synthesized in aqueous media via a facile sonochemical route. The as-synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy together with an energy dispersion X-ray spectrum analysis, transmission electron microscopy and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The results revealed that inert atmosphere promotes the formation of Ag/AgVO 3 nanowires. The photocatalytic studies revealed that the Ag/AgVO 3 nanowires exhibited complete photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B within 45 min under visible light irradiation. The antibacterial activity of Ag/AgVO 3 nanowires was tested against Escherechia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The minimum growth inhibitory concentration value was found to be 50 and 10 folds lower than for the antibiotic ciprofloxacin for E. coli and B. subtilis, respectively. The antibacterial properties of the β-AgVO 3 nanorods prove that in case of the Ag dispersed Ag/AgVO 3 nanowires, the enhanced antibacterial action is also due to contribution from the AgVO 3 support

  1. A Spectral Active Material Interference in the Electrical Conductivity of the Internal Electrolyte and the Potential Shift of the Ag/AgCl Electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yun, Myung Hee; Yeon, Jei Won; Hwang, Jae Sik; Song, Kyu Seok

    2009-01-01

    The Ag/AgCl electrode is a type of reference electrode, commonly used in electrochemical measurements, because it is simple and stable. For these reasons, the Ag/AgCl electrode has long been used to provide a reliable potential monitoring of ions in a solution. However, when a reference electrode is used in an aqueous solution containing a very low electrolyte for a long period of time, this could cause a considerable potential shift of the reference electrode due to a dilution of the internal electrolyte. If the potential of the reference electrode shifts, undesirable conditions may occur. Therefore, many studies have been applied to improve the long-term performance of the reference electrode. However, these attempts have not completely resolved the problem of an electrolyte dilution by the test solution. In the present study, we developed a creative technique to correct the concentration change of the internal electrolyte by a long-term exposure of the Ag/AgCl electrode in very dilute solutions. We measured the electrical conductivity and UV/VIS absorbance of the internal electrolyte. From these measurements, we observed the linear relationship between KCl concentration and the potential of the Ag/AgCl electrode. In order to accelerate the diffusion of the internal electrolyte into the test solution, an Ag/AgCl electrode with a tiny perforation was used. We confirmed the feasibility of the creative calibration technique

  2. REPEATABILITY AND ACCURACY OF EXOPLANET ECLIPSE DEPTHS MEASURED WITH POST-CRYOGENIC SPITZER

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ingalls, James G.; Krick, J. E.; Carey, S. J.; Stauffer, John R.; Lowrance, Patrick J.; Grillmair, Carl J.; Capak, Peter; Glaccum, William; Laine, Seppo; Surace, Jason; Storrie-Lombardi, Lisa [Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Boulevard, Mail Code 314-6, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Buzasi, Derek [Department of Chemistry and Physics, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL 33965 (United States); Deming, Drake [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2421 (United States); Diamond-Lowe, Hannah; Stevenson, Kevin B. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, 5640 S Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Evans, Thomas M. [School of Physics, University of Exeter, EX4 4QL Exeter (United Kingdom); Morello, G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, WC1 E6BT (United Kingdom); Wong, Ian, E-mail: ingalls@ipac.caltech.edu [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

    2016-08-01

    We examine the repeatability, reliability, and accuracy of differential exoplanet eclipse depth measurements made using the InfraRed Array Camera (IRAC) on the Spitzer Space Telescope during the post-cryogenic mission. We have re-analyzed an existing 4.5 μ m data set, consisting of 10 observations of the XO-3b system during secondary eclipse, using seven different techniques for removing correlated noise. We find that, on average, for a given technique, the eclipse depth estimate is repeatable from epoch to epoch to within 156 parts per million (ppm). Most techniques derive eclipse depths that do not vary by more than a factor 3 of the photon noise limit. All methods but one accurately assess their own errors: for these methods, the individual measurement uncertainties are comparable to the scatter in eclipse depths over the 10 epoch sample. To assess the accuracy of the techniques as well as to clarify the difference between instrumental and other sources of measurement error, we have also analyzed a simulated data set of 10 visits to XO-3b, for which the eclipse depth is known. We find that three of the methods (BLISS mapping, Pixel Level Decorrelation, and Independent Component Analysis) obtain results that are within three times the photon limit of the true eclipse depth. When averaged over the 10 epoch ensemble,  5 out of 7 techniques come within 60 ppm of the true value. Spitzer exoplanet data, if obtained following current best practices and reduced using methods such as those described here, can measure repeatable and accurate single eclipse depths, with close to photon-limited results.

  3. Excitation functions and isomeric ratios for the isomeric pair sup(106m)Ag and sup(106g)Ag in the 107Ag (d,t) reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lalli, M.E.; Wasilevsky de Lammirato, C.; Herreros, O.R.; Nassiff, S.J.

    1976-09-01

    Excitation functions and isomeric cross section ratios have been measured for the 107 Ag (d,t), reaction in which the isomeric pair sup(106m/106g)Ag is produced. Thick-target yields have been determined for different irradiation times and as a function of deuteron energy. Stacked silver foils with aluminium foils as monitors were bombarded with deuterons up to 27 MeV and the activities of products measured with a calibrated Ge(Li) counter. (author) [es

  4. A multi-wire beam profile monitor in the AGS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, H.; Buxton, W.; Castillo, V.; Glenn, J.W. [and others

    1997-07-01

    A multi-wire beam profile monitor which can be used to directly monitor and control the optical matching between the Booster and AGS rings has been installed and tested in the AGS. Placement of a multi-wire monitor directly in the AGS provides profile measurements taken upon injection and the first two or more revolutions of the beam. The data from such measurements can be used to determine the optical properties of the beam transport line leading into the AGS.

  5. Repeatability of Computerized Tomography-Based Anthropomorphic Measurements of Frailty in Patients With Pulmonary Fibrosis Undergoing Lung Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClellan, Taylor; Allen, Brian C; Kappus, Matthew; Bhatti, Lubna; Dafalla, Randa A; Snyder, Laurie D; Bashir, Mustafa R

    To determine interreader and intrareader repeatability and correlations among measurements of computerized tomography-based anthropomorphic measurements in patients with pulmonary fibrosis undergoing lung transplantation. This was an institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant retrospective study of 23 randomly selected subjects (19 male and 4 female; median age = 69 years; range: 66-77 years) with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis undergoing pulmonary transplantation, who had also undergone preoperative thoracoabdominal computerized tomography. Five readers of varying imaging experience independently performed the following cross-sectional area measurements at the inferior endplate of the L3 vertebral body: right and left psoas muscles, right and left paraspinal muscles, total abdominal musculature, and visceral and subcutaneous fat. The following measurements were obtained at the inferior endplate of T6: right and left paraspinal muscles with and without including the trapezius muscles and subcutaneous fat. Three readers repeated all measurements to assess intrareader repeatability. Intrareader repeatability was nearly perfect (interclass correlation coefficients = 0.99, P < 0.001). Interreader agreement was excellent across all 5 readers (interclass correlation coefficients: 0.71-0.99, P < 0.001). Coefficients of variance between measures ranged from 3.2%-6.8% for abdominal measurements, but were higher for thoracic measurements, up to 23.9%. Correlation between total paraspinal and total psoas muscle area was strong (r 2 = 0.67, P < 0.001). Thoracic and abdominal musculature had a weaker correlation (r 2 = 0.35-0.38, P < 0.001). Measures of thoracic and abdominal muscle and fat area are highly repeatable in patients with pulmonary fibrosis undergoing lung transplantation. Measures of muscle area are strongly correlated among abdominal locations, but inversely correlated between abdominal and thoracic locations

  6. Some TPC [Time Projection Chamber] measurements in an oxygen beam at the AGS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Love, W.A.; Bonner, B.E.; Buchanan, J.A.

    1988-01-01

    The principal detector for AGS Experiment 810 is a Time Projection Chamber (TPC) in which it is intended to measure momenta and angles of a major fraction of the charged particles from each light ion collision. This report describes the results of a test of a prototype of the TPC in a beam of (14.6 /times/ 16 = 233.6 GeV/c) oxygen ions run in June of this year

  7. Effect of repeated contact on adhesion measurements involving polydimethylsiloxane structural material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kroner, E; Arzt, E; Maboudian, R

    2009-01-01

    During the last few years several research groups have focused on the fabrication of artificial gecko inspired adhesives. For mimicking these structures, different polymers are used as structure material, such as polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS), polyurethanes (PU), and polypropylene (PP). While these polymers can be structured easily and used for artificial adhesion systems, the effects of repeated adhesion testing have never been investigated closely. In this paper we report on the effect of repeated adhesion measurements on the commercially available poly(dimethylsiloxane) polymer kit Sylgard 184 (Dow Corning). We show that the adhesion force decreases as a function of contact cycles. The rate of change and the final value of adhesion are found to depend on the details of the PDMS synthesis and structuring.

  8. Speciation of silver nanoparticles and Ag(I) species using cloud point extraction followed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    López-García, Ignacio; Vicente-Martínez, Yesica; Hernández-Córdoba, Manuel

    2014-01-01

    Silver nanoparticles in the presence of Triton-X114 were extracted into a micellar phase obtained after incubation at 40 °C for 10 min followed by centrifugation. After injection of an aliquot (30 μL) of the surfactant-rich phase into the electrothermal atomizer, the enrichment effect due to cloud point extraction allowed a detection limit of 2 ng L −1 silver to be achieved. The preconcentration factor was 242, and the repeatability for ten measurements at a 50 ng L −1 silver level was 4.6%. Ag(I) species were adsorbed onto the silver nanoparticles and were also extracted in the micellar phase. The incorporation of 0.01 mol L −1 ammonium thiocyanate to the sample solution prevented the extraction of Ag(I) species. Speciation was carried out using two extractions, one in the absence and the other in the presence of thiocyanate, the concentration of Ag(I) species being obtained by difference. The procedure was applied to the determination of silver nanoparticles and Ag(I) species in waters and in lixiviates obtained from sticking plasters and cleaning cloths. - Highlights: • Silver nanoparticles and Ag(I) species are separated into a surfactant-rich phase. • The Ag(I) species are not extracted in the presence of thiocyanate. • The cloud point extraction of two aliquots allows speciation to be carried out. • Extreme sensitivity (detection limit 2 ng L −1 ) is achieved

  9. Speciation of silver nanoparticles and Ag(I) species using cloud point extraction followed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    López-García, Ignacio; Vicente-Martínez, Yesica; Hernández-Córdoba, Manuel, E-mail: hcordoba@um.es

    2014-11-01

    Silver nanoparticles in the presence of Triton-X114 were extracted into a micellar phase obtained after incubation at 40 °C for 10 min followed by centrifugation. After injection of an aliquot (30 μL) of the surfactant-rich phase into the electrothermal atomizer, the enrichment effect due to cloud point extraction allowed a detection limit of 2 ng L{sup −1} silver to be achieved. The preconcentration factor was 242, and the repeatability for ten measurements at a 50 ng L{sup −1} silver level was 4.6%. Ag(I) species were adsorbed onto the silver nanoparticles and were also extracted in the micellar phase. The incorporation of 0.01 mol L{sup −1} ammonium thiocyanate to the sample solution prevented the extraction of Ag(I) species. Speciation was carried out using two extractions, one in the absence and the other in the presence of thiocyanate, the concentration of Ag(I) species being obtained by difference. The procedure was applied to the determination of silver nanoparticles and Ag(I) species in waters and in lixiviates obtained from sticking plasters and cleaning cloths. - Highlights: • Silver nanoparticles and Ag(I) species are separated into a surfactant-rich phase. • The Ag(I) species are not extracted in the presence of thiocyanate. • The cloud point extraction of two aliquots allows speciation to be carried out. • Extreme sensitivity (detection limit 2 ng L{sup −1}) is achieved.

  10. Dispersion Measure Variation of Repeating Fast Radio Burst Sources

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Yuan-Pei; Zhang, Bing, E-mail: yypspore@gmail.com, E-mail: zhang@physics.unlv.edu [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

    2017-09-20

    The repeating fast radio burst (FRB) 121102 was recently localized in a dwarf galaxy at a cosmological distance. The dispersion measure (DM) derived for each burst from FRB 121102 so far has not shown significant evolution, even though an apparent increase was recently seen with newly detected VLA bursts. It is expected that more repeating FRB sources may be detected in the future. In this work, we investigate a list of possible astrophysical processes that might cause DM variation of a particular FRB source. The processes include (1) cosmological scale effects such as Hubble expansion and large-scale structure fluctuations; (2) FRB local effects such as gas density fluctuation, expansion of a supernova remnant (SNR), a pulsar wind nebula, and an H ii region; and (3) the propagation effect due to plasma lensing. We find that the DM variations contributed by the large-scale structure are extremely small, and any observable DM variation is likely caused by the plasma local to the FRB source. In addition to mechanisms that decrease DM over time, we suggest that an FRB source in an expanding SNR around a nearly neutral ambient medium during the deceleration (Sedov–Taylor and snowplow) phases or in a growing H ii region can increase DM. Some effects (e.g., an FRB source moving in an H ii region or plasma lensing) can produce either positive or negative DM variations. Future observations of DM variations of FRB 121102 and other repeating FRB sources can provide important clues regarding the physical origin of these sources.

  11. Dispersion Measure Variation of Repeating Fast Radio Burst Sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Yuan-Pei; Zhang, Bing

    2017-01-01

    The repeating fast radio burst (FRB) 121102 was recently localized in a dwarf galaxy at a cosmological distance. The dispersion measure (DM) derived for each burst from FRB 121102 so far has not shown significant evolution, even though an apparent increase was recently seen with newly detected VLA bursts. It is expected that more repeating FRB sources may be detected in the future. In this work, we investigate a list of possible astrophysical processes that might cause DM variation of a particular FRB source. The processes include (1) cosmological scale effects such as Hubble expansion and large-scale structure fluctuations; (2) FRB local effects such as gas density fluctuation, expansion of a supernova remnant (SNR), a pulsar wind nebula, and an H ii region; and (3) the propagation effect due to plasma lensing. We find that the DM variations contributed by the large-scale structure are extremely small, and any observable DM variation is likely caused by the plasma local to the FRB source. In addition to mechanisms that decrease DM over time, we suggest that an FRB source in an expanding SNR around a nearly neutral ambient medium during the deceleration (Sedov–Taylor and snowplow) phases or in a growing H ii region can increase DM. Some effects (e.g., an FRB source moving in an H ii region or plasma lensing) can produce either positive or negative DM variations. Future observations of DM variations of FRB 121102 and other repeating FRB sources can provide important clues regarding the physical origin of these sources.

  12. On summary measure analysis of linear trend repeated measures data: performance comparison with two competing methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vossoughi, Mehrdad; Ayatollahi, S M T; Towhidi, Mina; Ketabchi, Farzaneh

    2012-03-22

    The summary measure approach (SMA) is sometimes the only applicable tool for the analysis of repeated measurements in medical research, especially when the number of measurements is relatively large. This study aimed to describe techniques based on summary measures for the analysis of linear trend repeated measures data and then to compare performances of SMA, linear mixed model (LMM), and unstructured multivariate approach (UMA). Practical guidelines based on the least squares regression slope and mean of response over time for each subject were provided to test time, group, and interaction effects. Through Monte Carlo simulation studies, the efficacy of SMA vs. LMM and traditional UMA, under different types of covariance structures, was illustrated. All the methods were also employed to analyze two real data examples. Based on the simulation and example results, it was found that the SMA completely dominated the traditional UMA and performed convincingly close to the best-fitting LMM in testing all the effects. However, the LMM was not often robust and led to non-sensible results when the covariance structure for errors was misspecified. The results emphasized discarding the UMA which often yielded extremely conservative inferences as to such data. It was shown that summary measure is a simple, safe and powerful approach in which the loss of efficiency compared to the best-fitting LMM was generally negligible. The SMA is recommended as the first choice to reliably analyze the linear trend data with a moderate to large number of measurements and/or small to moderate sample sizes.

  13. Enhanced photo-stability and photocatalytic activity of Ag3PO4 via modification with BiPO4 and polypyrrole

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Li; Jiang, Hui; Wang, Luxi

    2017-10-01

    Ag3PO4 photocatalysts modified with BiPO4 and polypyrrole (PPy) were successfully synthesized via a combination of co-precipitation hydrothermal technique and oxidative polymerization method. Their morphologies, structures and optical and electronic properties were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas, X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflection spectra (UV-vis DRS), photocurrent technique and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS). The typical triphenylmethane dye (malachite green) was chosen as a target organic contaminants to estimate the photocatalytic activities and photo-stabilities of Ag3PO4-BiPO4-PPy heterostructures under visible light irradiation. The results indicated that the existence of BiPO4 and PPy not only showed great influences on the photocatalytic activity, but also significantly enhanced photo-stability of Ag3PO4 in repeated and long-term applications. The degradation conversion of Ag3PO4-BiPO4-PPy heterostructures (ABP-3) was 1.58 times of that of pure Ag3PO4. The photo-corrosion phenomenon of Ag3PO4 was effectively avoided. The photocatalytic activity of up to 87% in the Ag3PO4-BiPO4-PPy heterostructures (ABP-3) can be remained after five repeated cycles, while only about 33% of the degradation efficiency can be reserved in pure Ag3PO4. The possible mechanism of enhanced photo-stability and photocatalytic activity of Ag3PO4-BiPO4-PPy heterostructures was also discussed in this work.

  14. In situ growth of Ag nanoparticles on α-Ag2WO4 under electron irradiation: probing the physical principles

    Science.gov (United States)

    San-Miguel, Miguel A.; da Silva, Edison Z.; Zannetti, Sonia M.; Cilense, Mario; Fabbro, Maria T.; Gracia, Lourdes; Andrés, Juan; Longo, Elson

    2016-06-01

    Exploiting the plasmonic behavior of Ag nanoparticles grown on α-Ag2WO4 is a widely employed strategy to produce efficient photocatalysts, ozone sensors, and bactericides. However, a description of the atomic and electronic structure of the semiconductor sites irradiated by electrons is still not available. Such a description is of great importance to understand the mechanisms underlying these physical processes and to improve the design of silver nanoparticles to enhance their activities. Motivated by this, we studied the growth of silver nanoparticles to investigate this novel class of phenomena using both transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. A theoretical framework based on density functional theory calculations (DFT), together with experimental analysis and measurements, were developed to examine the changes in the local geometrical and electronic structure of the materials. The physical principles for the formation of Ag nanoparticles on α-Ag2WO4 by electron beam irradiation are described. Quantum mechanical calculations based on DFT show that the (001) of α-Ag2WO4 displays Ag atoms with different coordination numbers. Some of them are able to diffuse out of the surface with a very low energy barrier (less than 0.1 eV), thus, initiating the growth of metallic Ag nanostructures and leaving Ag vacancies in the bulk material. These processes increase the structural disorder of α-Ag2WO4 as well as its electrical resistance as observed in the experimental measurements.

  15. Preparation and antibacterial activities of Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticle composites made by pomegranate (Punica granatum rind extract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Yang

    Full Text Available Nano-silver and its composite materials are widely used in medicine, food and other industries due to their strong conductivity, size effect and other special performances. So far, more microbial researches have been applied, but a plant method is rarely reported. In order to open up a new way to prepare AgNP composites, pomegranate peel extract was used in this work to reduce Ag+ to prepare Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticle composites. UV–Vis was employed to detect and track the reduction of Ag+ and the forming process of AgNPs. The composition, structure and size of the crystal were analyzed by XRD and TEM. Results showed that, under mild conditions, pomegranate peel extract reacted with dilute AgNO3 solution to produce Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticle composites. At pH = 8 and 10 mmol/L of AgNO3 concentration, the size of the achieved composites ranged between 15 and 35 nm with spherical shapes and good crystallinity. The bactericidal experiment indicated that the prepared Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticles had strong antibacterial activity against gram positive bacteria and gram negative bacteria. FTIR analysis revealed that biological macromolecules with groups of NH2, OH, and others were distributed on the surface of the newly synthesized Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticles. This provided a useful clue to further study the AgNP biosynthesis mechanism. Keywords: Pomegranate rind, Biosynthesis, Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticle composites, Antibacterial activity

  16. Progress report on the analytical determination of Ag2+

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Alsenoy, V.

    1997-01-01

    The strong oxidising properties of Ag 2+ have been used in the chemical and nuclear industry to destroy organic waste. We aim to apply the process on radioactive graphite, organic resins and effluents. The reaction mechanisms have been studied, taking into account the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of the different reactions involved. For the experimental analysis of these reactions, the accurate analytical determination of all species involved, including Ag 2+ , is needed. The results of a systematic study of the volumetric quantification of Ag 2+ using Tl + and BrO 3 - , and of the spectrophotometric and polarographic quantification of Ag + and Ag 2+ are described. The influence of the nitric acid during the quantification of Tl + by titration with KBrO 3 is investigated and the optimal analytical conditions for our purposes were determined. The best analytical results were obtained when the titration was carried out with maximum 3 M HNO 3 and 0.5 M NaCl. When those conditions are used, the determination is accurate and reproducible. The prepared Ag 2+ solutions were analysed for Ag + using polarography with a platinum electrode. The benefits and the limitation of the polarographic measurement of Ag + using a platinum electrode are described. An indirect measurement was performed by the determination of Ce 4+ after reaction with Ce 3+ . The produced Ce 4+ was measured by direct spectrophotometry. In the future, the quantification of Ag 2+ by measuring the Ce 4+ concentration produced by the reaction with Ce 3+ , will also be verified using potentiometric titration with Fe 2+ . Ag 2+ can also be determined by the direct spectrophotometry. There is a region in which the absorbance of Ag 2+ changes linearly with the concentration. Further evaluation of the titrimetric, spectrophotometric and polarographic methods will continue, until two methods give comparable Ag 2+ concentrations, beginning with the potentiometric titration of Ce 4+ with Fe 2+

  17. The role of Ag precipitates in Cu-12 wt% Ag

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yao, D.W.; Song, L.N. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Zheda Road No.38, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027 (China); Dong, A.P.; Wang, L.T. [China Railway Construction Electrification Bureau Group Co.,Ltd., Beijing 100036 (China); Zhang, L. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Meng, L., E-mail: mengliang@zju.edu.cn [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Zheda Road No.38, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027 (China)

    2012-12-15

    The Cu-12 wt% Ag was prepared to investigate the role of Ag precipitates on the properties of the alloy. Two kinds of heat treatment procedures were adopted to produce different amount of Ag precipitates in the Cu-12 wt% Ag. The microstructure of Ag precipitates was systematically observed by optical microscopy and electron microscopy. The Cu-12 wt% Ag with more Ag precipitates exhibits higher strength and lower electrical conductivity. More Ag precipitates results in more phase interface and less Ag atoms dissolved in Cu matrix. By comparing the strengthening effect and electron scattering effect of phase interface and dissolved Ag atoms, it is conclude that the interface between Cu matrix and Ag precipitates could significantly block dislocation movement and enhance electron scattering in Cu-Ag alloys.

  18. Bullet Optical Fiber Humidity Sensor Based on Ag Nanoparticles Dispersed in Leaf Extract of Alstonia Scholaris

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anu VIJAYAN

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available An optical fiber with a clad of Ag nanoparticles dispersed in leaf extract of Alstonia Scholaris is used as an optical humidity sensor. The fabricated sensor showed response to humidity in the range of 40-95%. The specialty of this sensor is that it can be used when stored at room temperature (25 oC up to a maximum of 25 days with 90% retention of original sensitivity. These humidity sensing bio-films showed good operational efficiency for 5 cycles. The plastic optical fiber is versatile and can be used easily for humidity measurement with high sensitivity. The sensor exhibited a short response time of 4-5 sec. and recovery time of 45 sec with repeatability, reproducibility and low hysteresis effect. This Ag dispersed in leaf extract of Alstonia Scholaris showed higher humidity response compared to response shown by the leaf extract alone.

  19. Measurement of repeat effects in Chicago’s criminal social network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul Kump

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The “near-repeat” effect is a well-known criminological phenomenon in which the occurrence of a crime incident gives rise to a temporary elevation of crime risk within close physical proximity to an initial incident. Adopting a social network perspective, we instead define a near repeat in terms of geodesic distance within a criminal social network, rather than spatial distance. Specifically, we report a statistical analysis of repeat effects in arrest data for Chicago during the years 2003–2012. We divide the arrest data into two sets (violent crimes and other crimes and, for each set, we compare the distributions of time intervals between repeat incidents to theoretical distributions in which repeat incidents occur only by chance. We first consider the case of the same arrestee participating in repeat incidents (“exact repeats” and then extend the analysis to evaluate repeat risks of those arrestees near one another in the social network. We observe repeat effects that diminish as a function of geodesic distance and time interval, and we estimate typical time scales for repeat crimes in Chicago.

  20. AgSbSe2 and AgSb(S,Se)2 thin films for photovoltaic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garza, J.G.; Shaji, S.; Rodriguez, A.C.; Das Roy, T.K.; Krishnan, B.

    2011-01-01

    Silver antimony selenide (AgSbSe 2 ) thin films were prepared by heating sequentially deposited multilayers of antimony sulphide (Sb 2 S 3 ), silver selenide (Ag 2 Se), selenium (Se) and silver (Ag). Sb 2 S 3 thin film was prepared from a chemical bath containing SbCl 3 and Na 2 S 2 O 3 , Ag 2 Se from a solution containing AgNO 3 and Na 2 SeSO 3 and Se thin films from an acidified solution of Na 2 SeSO 3 , at room temperature on glass substrates. Ag thin film was deposited by thermal evaporation. The annealing temperature was 350 deg. C in vacuum (10 -3 Torr) for 1 h. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the thin films formed were polycrystalline AgSbSe 2 or AgSb(S,Se) 2 depending on selenium content in the precursor films. Morphology and elemental analysis of these films were done using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Optical band gap was evaluated from the UV-visible absorption spectra of these films. Electrical characterizations were done using Hall effect and photocurrent measurements. A photovoltaic structure: glass/ITO/CdS/AgSbSe 2 /Al was formed, in which CdS was deposited by chemical bath deposition. J-V characteristics of this structure showed V oc = 435 mV and J sc = 0.08 mA/cm 2 under illumination using a tungsten halogen lamp. Preparation of a photovoltaic structure using AgSbSe 2 as an absorber material by a non-toxic selenization process is achieved.

  1. Accuracy and repeatability of anthropometric facial measurements using cone beam computed tomography

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fourie, Zacharias; Damstra, Janalt; Gerrits, Peter O.; Ren, Yijin

    Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy and repeatability of linear anthropometric measurements on the soft tissue surface model generated from cone beam computed tomography scans. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of seven cadaver heads. The accuracy and

  2. Formatting data files for repeated-measures analyses in SPSS: Using the Aggregate and Restructure procedures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gyslain Giguère

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available In this tutorial, we demonstrate how to use the Aggregate and Restructure procedures available in SPSS (versions 11 and up to prepare data files for repeated-measures analyses. In the first two sections of the tutorial, we briefly describe the Aggregate and Restructure procedures. In the final section, we present an example in which the data from a fictional lexical decision task are prepared for analysis using a mixed-design ANOVA. The tutorial demonstrates that the presented method is the most efficient way to prepare data for repeated-measures analyses in SPSS.

  3. Muon spin relaxation measurements of the fluctuation modes in spin-glass AgNm

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heffner, R.H.; Leon, M.; Schillaci, M.E.; MacLaughlin, D.E.; Dodds, S.A.

    1983-01-01

    Recently reported zero-field ..mu..SR measurements below the spin-glass transition temperature in AgMn (1.6 at%) show a temperature dependent inhomogeneous width. The authors discuss these data in terms of a model in which the local field undergoes limited-amplitude fluctuations. The authors find that both very slow (approx. = 0.3 ..mu..s/sup -1/) and rapid (approx. = 3000 ..mu..s/sup -1/) fluctuations are required. 10 references, 1 figure, 1 table.

  4. Preparation and antibacterial activities of Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticle composites made by pomegranate (Punica granatum) rind extract

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Hui; Ren, Yan-yu; Wang, Tao; Wang, Chuang

    Nano-silver and its composite materials are widely used in medicine, food and other industries due to their strong conductivity, size effect and other special performances. So far, more microbial researches have been applied, but a plant method is rarely reported. In order to open up a new way to prepare AgNP composites, pomegranate peel extract was used in this work to reduce Ag+ to prepare Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticle composites. UV-Vis was employed to detect and track the reduction of Ag+ and the forming process of AgNPs. The composition, structure and size of the crystal were analyzed by XRD and TEM. Results showed that, under mild conditions, pomegranate peel extract reacted with dilute AgNO3 solution to produce Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticle composites. At pH = 8 and 10 mmol/L of AgNO3 concentration, the size of the achieved composites ranged between 15 and 35 nm with spherical shapes and good crystallinity. The bactericidal experiment indicated that the prepared Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticles had strong antibacterial activity against gram positive bacteria and gram negative bacteria. FTIR analysis revealed that biological macromolecules with groups of sbnd NH2, sbnd OH, and others were distributed on the surface of the newly synthesized Ag/Ag+/Ag3+ nanoparticles. This provided a useful clue to further study the AgNP biosynthesis mechanism.

  5. Statistical Validation for Clinical Measures: Repeatability and Agreement of Kinect™-Based Software.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, Natalia; Perez, Elisa; Tello, Emanuel; Rodrigo, Alejandro; Valentinuzzi, Max E

    2018-01-01

    The rehabilitation process is a fundamental stage for recovery of people's capabilities. However, the evaluation of the process is performed by physiatrists and medical doctors, mostly based on their observations, that is, a subjective appreciation of the patient's evolution. This paper proposes a tracking platform of the movement made by an individual's upper limb using Kinect sensor(s) to be applied for the patient during the rehabilitation process. The main contribution is the development of quantifying software and the statistical validation of its performance, repeatability, and clinical use in the rehabilitation process. The software determines joint angles and upper limb trajectories for the construction of a specific rehabilitation protocol and quantifies the treatment evolution. In turn, the information is presented via a graphical interface that allows the recording, storage, and report of the patient's data. For clinical purposes, the software information is statistically validated with three different methodologies, comparing the measures with a goniometer in terms of agreement and repeatability. The agreement of joint angles measured with the proposed software and goniometer is evaluated with Bland-Altman plots; all measurements fell well within the limits of agreement, meaning interchangeability of both techniques. Additionally, the results of Bland-Altman analysis of repeatability show 95% confidence. Finally, the physiotherapists' qualitative assessment shows encouraging results for the clinical use. The main conclusion is that the software is capable of offering a clinical history of the patient and is useful for quantification of the rehabilitation success. The simplicity, low cost, and visualization possibilities enhance the use of the software Kinect for rehabilitation and other applications, and the expert's opinion endorses the choice of our approach for clinical practice. Comparison of the new measurement technique with established

  6. Determination of the X-ray mass absorption coefficient by measurement of the intensity of AgKα Compton scattered radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franzini, M.; Leoni, L.; Saitta, M.

    1976-01-01

    By utilizing a reflection geometry, an accurate mass absorption coefficient of a sample can be determined by measuring the Ag Kα Compton intensity. Intensities of Ag Kα Compton scattered radiation have been collected by using either the usual reflection geometry of a Philips PW 1450 automatic x-ray spectrometer or a more refined reflection geometry, achieved on a Philips PW 1540/10A manual x-ray spectrometer. The experimental results have shown that the relationship between the Ag Kα Compton intensity and the mass absorption is a logarithmic function. The experimental results are not in agreement with those reported in literature, but a theoretical explanation to account for this fact has not been achieved as yet. (author)

  7. Power analysis for multivariate and repeated measurements designs via SPSS: correction and extension of D'Amico, Neilands, and Zambarano (2001).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborne, Jason W

    2006-05-01

    D'Amico, Neilands, and Zambarano (2001) published SPSS syntax to perform power analyses for three complex procedures: ANCOVA, MANOVA, and repeated measures ANOVA. Unfortunately, the published SPSS syntax for performing the repeated measures analysis needed some minor revision in order to perform the analysis correctly. This article presents the corrected syntax that will successfully perform the repeated measures analysis and provides some guidance on modifying the syntax to customize the analysis.

  8. Research Progress on AgSbTe2-based Thermoelectric Materials

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    CAO Qigao; MA Guang; JIA Zhihua; ZHENG Jing; LI Jin

    2012-01-01

    Thermoelectric power generation represents a class of energy conversion technology,which has been used in power supply of aeronautic and astronautic exploring missions,now showing notable advantages to harvest the widely distributed waste heat and convert the abundant solar energy into electricity at lower cost than Si-based photovoltaic technology.Thermoelectric dimensionless figure of merit ZT plays a key role in the conversion efficiency from thermal to electrical energy.Low thermal conductivity and large Seebeck coefficient make the AgSbTe2 compound a very promising candidate for high efficiency p-type thermoelectric applications.The AgSbTe2-based thermoelectric system has been repeatedly studied as prospective thermoelectric materials.In this review,we firstly clarify some fundamental tradeoffs dictating the ZT value through the relationship ZT =S2σT/κ.We also pay special attentions to the recent advances in AgSbTe2-based thermoelectric materials.Finally,we provide an outlook of new directions in this filed.

  9. A Flying Wire System in the AGS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, H.; Buxton, W.; Mahler, G.; Marusic, A.; Roser, T.; Smith, G.; Syphers, M.; Williams, N.; Witkover, R.

    1999-01-01

    As the AGS prepares to serve as the injector for RHIC, monitoring and control of the beam transverse emittance become a major and important topic. Before the installation of the flying wire system, the emittance was measured with ionization profile monitors in the AGS, which require correction for space charge effects. It is desirable to have a second means of measuring profile that is less dependent on intensity. A flying wire system has been installed in the AGS recently to perform this task. This paper discusses the hardware and software setup and the capabilities of the system

  10. Multiwire secondary-emission monitor and the emittance measurement of the AGS beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weng, W.T.; Chiang, I.H.; Smith, G.A.; Soukas, A.

    1983-01-01

    For CBA injection the transverse emittances and the Twiss parameters of the AGS beam have to be well defined to minimize the phase space dilution in CBA. Althoug there exists a profile monitor device at U165, there are three reasons why construction of multiwire profile monitor system at three locations from U500 to U168 is required: (1) the dispersion function is not zero at U165 which makes it harder to interpret the measurement; (2) the original single wire device takes five minutes to traverse the whole beam; (3) a three station multiwire system can provide the profile information at all locations in one pulse which makes on-line analysis possible. In summary, a set of three stations of Multiwire Secondary Emission Monitor (MSEM) has been built and installed in the fast external beam line for the measurement of beam profiles. Each unit consists of two planes each with 30 nickel wires having a diameter of 5 mils. The signal is linear within the range of 10 10 to 10 13 incident protons on the wire and the resolution of the signal is well within a few percent. A least-square fitting routine has been used to extract the emittance and phase space parameters of the beam. The emittances obtained at various intensities will help us to understand the AGS acceleration process and to choose the optimal injection scheme for CBA

  11. Validation of Repeated Endothelial Function Measurements Using EndoPAT in Stroke

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Aina S; Butt, Jawad H; Holm-Yildiz, Sonja

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Decreased endothelial function (EF) may be a prognostic marker for stroke. Measuring pharmacological effects on EF may be of interest in the development of personalized medicine for stroke prevention. In this study, we assessed the reliability of repeated EF measurements using a pulse......%, mean age 35.85 ± 3.47 years) and 21 stroke patients (men 52%, mean age 66.38 ± 2.85 years, and mean NIHSS 4.09 ± 0.53) under standardized conditions. EF was measured as the reactive hyperemia index (RHI), logarithm of RHI (lnRHI), and Framingham RHI (fRHI). Measurements were separated by 1.5 and 24 h...

  12. The effect of repeated measurements and working memory on the most comfortable level in the ANL test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brännström, K Jonas; Olsen, Steen Østergaard; Holm, Lucas; Kastberg, Tobias; Ibertsson, Tina

    2014-11-01

    To study the effect of a large number of repetitions on the most comfortable level (MCL) when doing the acceptable noise level (ANL) test, and explore if MCL variability is related to central cognitive processes. Twelve MCL repetitions were measured within the ANL test using interleaved methodology during one session using a non-semantic version. Phonological (PWM) and visuospatial working memory (VSWM) was measured. Thirty-two normal-hearing adults. Repeated measures ANOVA, intraclass correlations, and the coefficient of repeatability (CR) were used to assess the repeatability. Repeated measures ANOVA and CR indicated poor agreement between the two first repetitions. After excluding the first repetition, analyses showed that the MCL in the ANL test is reliable. A negative association was found between PWM and MCL variability indicating that subjects with higher PWM show less variability. The findings suggest that, after excluding the first repetition, the MCL in the ANL test is reliable. A single repetition of the MCL in the ANL test should be avoided. If an interleaved methodology is used, a single ANL repetition should be added prior to the actual testing. The findings also suggest that MCL variability is associated to PWM but not VSWM.

  13. Pressure measurements in the AGS Booster ultra-high vacuum system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gabusi, J.; Geller, J.; Hseuh, H.C.; Mapes, M.; Stattel, P.

    1992-01-01

    An average pressure of mid 10 -11 Torr has been achieved and maintained in the AGS Booster ring vacuum system during its first year of operation. This ultra-high vacuum system is monitored through remote controlled Bayard-Alpert Gauges (BAGs). The characteristics of the pressure measurements with BAGs over the long cable lengths (up to 200 m) and under various accelerator operating conditions will be described. Two types of noise in the pressure readouts have been identified; the electromagnetic interference (EMI) associated with the acceleration cycles of the Booster and the environment noise associated with the temperature of the collector cables. The magnitude of the noise pickup depends on the routing of the collector cables and reaches the equivalent pressure of low 10 -9 Torr

  14. Silicon ion interactions measured in the E-810 TPC at the AGS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Love, W.A.; Eiseman, S.E.; Etkin, A.; Foley, K.J.; Hackenburg, R.W.; Longacre, R.S.; Morris, T.W.; Platner, E.D.; Saulys, A.C.; Bonner, B.E.; Buchanan, J.A.; Chiou, C.N.; Clement, J.M.; Corcoran, M.D.; Kruk, J.W.; Mutchler, G.S.; Nessi, M.; Nessi-Tedaldi, F.; Roberts, J.B.; Chan, C.S.; Kramer, M.A.; Zhao, K.; Hallman, T.J.; Madansky, L.; Lindenbaum, S.J.

    1991-01-01

    The tracking detector of AGS Experiment 810 is a three-piece Time Projection Chamber (TPC) which measures all charged tracks in the forward hemisphere of the nucleon-nucleon center of mass system, i.e. forward of 20 degrees in the lab. A cut at multiplicity 50 was used to select more central collisions, yielding 2291 events from the gold sample, 2170 from the copper. This corresponds to cross sections of 0.59 and 0.20 barns, respectively, defining the 'central' sample for the charged particle distributions presented here. (orig./HSI)

  15. Neutron capture cross section measurements of 109Ag, 186W and 158Gd on filtered neutron beams of 55 and 144 keV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vuong Huu Tan; Nguyen Canh Hai; Pham Ngoc Son; Tran Tuan Anh

    2004-12-01

    The neutron capture cross sections of the 109 Ag(n, γ) 110 mAg, 186 W(n, γ) 187 W and 158 Gd(n, γ) 159 Gd have been measured at 55 and 144 keV by the activation method with filtered neutron beams of the Dalat nuclear research reactor. The cross sections were determined relative to the standard capture cross sections of 197 Au using highly purity metallic foils of Ag, W, Gd and Au. The high efficient HPGe detector was used for the gamma rays measurement from the samples, and absolute efficiency calibration was performed by using a set of standard radioisotope sources and a multi-nuclides standard solution. The present results were compared with the previous measurements listed in EXFOR-CINDA, and the evaluated data of ENDF/B-VI. (author)

  16. A comparative study about electronic structures at rubrene/Ag and Ag/rubrene interfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sumona Sinha

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The contact between the electrode and the organic semiconductor is one of the most crucial factors in determining the organic device performance. The development and production technology of different organic devices require the understanding of different types of metal/organic semiconducting thin film interfaces. Comparisons about the electronic structures at Rubrene/Ag and Ag/Rubrene interfaces have been studied using photoemission spectroscopy. The Ag on rubrene interfaces is found to show more interesting and complex natures than its counterpart. The vacuum level (VL was shifted about 0.51 eV from push back effect for deposition of 5 Å rubrene onto Ag film whereas the electronic features of silver was only suppressed and no energy shift was resulted. While the deposition of 5 Å Ag onto rubrene film leads to the diffusion of the Ag atoms, as a cluster with quantum size effect, inside the film. Angle dependent XPS measurement indicates that diffused metal clusters were present at entire probed depth of the film. Moreover these clusters dope the uppermost surface of the rubrene film which consequences a shift of the electronic states of thick organic film towards higher binding energy. The VL was found to shift about 0.31 eV toward higher binding energy whereas the shift was around 0.21 eV for the electronic states of rubrene layer.

  17. A comparative study about electronic structures at rubrene/Ag and Ag/rubrene interfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sinha, Sumona, E-mail: sumona.net.09@gmail.com; Mukherjee, M. [Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata 700064 (India)

    2015-10-15

    The contact between the electrode and the organic semiconductor is one of the most crucial factors in determining the organic device performance. The development and production technology of different organic devices require the understanding of different types of metal/organic semiconducting thin film interfaces. Comparisons about the electronic structures at Rubrene/Ag and Ag/Rubrene interfaces have been studied using photoemission spectroscopy. The Ag on rubrene interfaces is found to show more interesting and complex natures than its counterpart. The vacuum level (VL) was shifted about 0.51 eV from push back effect for deposition of 5 Å rubrene onto Ag film whereas the electronic features of silver was only suppressed and no energy shift was resulted. While the deposition of 5 Å Ag onto rubrene film leads to the diffusion of the Ag atoms, as a cluster with quantum size effect, inside the film. Angle dependent XPS measurement indicates that diffused metal clusters were present at entire probed depth of the film. Moreover these clusters dope the uppermost surface of the rubrene film which consequences a shift of the electronic states of thick organic film towards higher binding energy. The VL was found to shift about 0.31 eV toward higher binding energy whereas the shift was around 0.21 eV for the electronic states of rubrene layer.

  18. Polarimeters for the AGS polarized-proton beam

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crabb, D.G.; Bonner, B.; Buchanan, J.

    1983-01-01

    This report describes the three polarimeters which will be used to measure the beam polarization at the AGS polarized beam facility. The beam polarization will be measured before injection into the AGS, during acceleration, and after extraction from the AGS. The 200-MeV polarimeter uses scintillation-counter telescopes to measure the asymmetry in p-carbon inclusive scattering. The internal polarimeter can measure the beam polarization at up to five selected times during acceleration. A continuously spooled nylon filament is swung into the beam at the appropriate time and the asymmetry in pp elastic scattering measured by two scintillation-counter telescopes. This is a relative polarimeter which can be calibrated by the absolute external polarimeter located in the D extracted-beam line. This polarimeter uses scintillation counters in two double-arm magnetic spectrometers to measure clearly the asymmetry in pp elastic scattering from a liquid hydrogen target. The specific features and operation of each polarimeter will be discussed.

  19. Polarimeters for the AGS polarized-proton beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crabb, D.G.; Bonner, B.; Buchanan, J.

    1983-01-01

    This report describes the three polarimeters which will be used to measure the beam polarization at the AGS polarized beam facility. The beam polarization will be measured before injection into the AGS, during acceleration, and after extraction from the AGS. The 200-MeV polarimeter uses scintillation-counter telescopes to measure the asymmetry in p-carbon inclusive scattering. The internal polarimeter can measure the beam polarization at up to five selected times during acceleration. A continuously spooled nylon filament is swung into the beam at the appropriate time and the asymmetry in pp elastic scattering measured by two scintillation-counter telescopes. This is a relative polarimeter which can be calibrated by the absolute external polarimeter located in the D extracted-beam line. This polarimeter uses scintillation counters in two double-arm magnetic spectrometers to measure clearly the asymmetry in pp elastic scattering from a liquid hydrogen target. The specific features and operation of each polarimeter will be discussed

  20. Visible light driven photocatalysis and antibacterial activity of AgVO{sub 3} and Ag/AgVO{sub 3} nanowires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, Anamika [Department of Life Sciences, University of Mumbai, Santacruz (E), Mumbai 400 098 (India); Dutta, Dimple P., E-mail: dimpled@barc.gov.in [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Ballal, A. [Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Tyagi, A.K. [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Fulekar, M.H. [School of Environment and Sustainable Development, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar 382 030, Gujarat (India)

    2014-03-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Ag/AgVO{sub 3} and pure AgVO{sub 3} nanowires synthesized by sonochemical process. • Characterization done using XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX and BET analysis. • Visible light degradation of RhB by Ag/AgVO{sub 3} within 45 min. • Antibacterial activity of Ag/AgVO{sub 3} demonstrated. - Abstract: Ag/AgVO{sub 3} nanowires and AgVO{sub 3} nanorods were synthesized in aqueous media via a facile sonochemical route. The as-synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy together with an energy dispersion X-ray spectrum analysis, transmission electron microscopy and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The results revealed that inert atmosphere promotes the formation of Ag/AgVO{sub 3} nanowires. The photocatalytic studies revealed that the Ag/AgVO{sub 3} nanowires exhibited complete photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B within 45 min under visible light irradiation. The antibacterial activity of Ag/AgVO{sub 3} nanowires was tested against Escherechia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The minimum growth inhibitory concentration value was found to be 50 and 10 folds lower than for the antibiotic ciprofloxacin for E. coli and B. subtilis, respectively. The antibacterial properties of the β-AgVO{sub 3} nanorods prove that in case of the Ag dispersed Ag/AgVO{sub 3} nanowires, the enhanced antibacterial action is also due to contribution from the AgVO{sub 3} support.

  1. Spatial cluster detection for repeatedly measured outcomes while accounting for residential history.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Andrea J; Gold, Diane R; Li, Yi

    2009-10-01

    Spatial cluster detection has become an important methodology in quantifying the effect of hazardous exposures. Previous methods have focused on cross-sectional outcomes that are binary or continuous. There are virtually no spatial cluster detection methods proposed for longitudinal outcomes. This paper proposes a new spatial cluster detection method for repeated outcomes using cumulative geographic residuals. A major advantage of this method is its ability to readily incorporate information on study participants relocation, which most cluster detection statistics cannot. Application of these methods will be illustrated by the Home Allergens and Asthma prospective cohort study analyzing the relationship between environmental exposures and repeated measured outcome, occurrence of wheeze in the last 6 months, while taking into account mobile locations.

  2. Thermochemical properties of silver tellurides including empressite (AgTe) and phase diagrams for Ag-Te and Ag-Te-O

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voronin, Mikhail V.; Osadchii, Evgeniy G.; Brichkina, Ekaterina A.

    2017-10-01

    This study compiles original experimental and literature data on the thermodynamic properties (ΔfG°, S°, ΔfH°) of silver tellurides (α-Ag2Te, β-Ag2Te, Ag1.9Te, Ag5Te3, AgTe) obtained by the method of solid-state galvanic cell with the RbAg4I5 and AgI solid electrolytes. The thermodynamic data for empressite (AgTe, pure fraction from Empress Josephine Mine, Colorado USA) have been obtained for the first time by the electrochemical experiment with the virtual reaction Ag + Te = AgTe. The Ag-Te phase diagrams in the T - x and log fTe2 (gas) - 1/ T coordinates have been refined, and the ternary Ag-Te-O diagrams with Ag-Te-TeO2 (paratellurite) composition range have been calculated.

  3. Mg-controlled formation of Mg–Ag co-clusters in initial aged Al–Cu–Mg–Ag alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bai, Song; Liu, Zhiyi; Zhou, Xuanwei; Xia, Peng; Zeng, Sumin

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The strongest age-hardening response was found in 0.81Mg alloy. • Quantitative APT study showed strong dependence of Mg–Ag co-clustering on Mg content. • A critical Mg content related to the greatest Mg–Ag co-clustering was revealed. • The evolution from Mg–Ag co-clusters to Ω phase was accelerated in 1.18Mg alloy. - Abstract: The effect of Mg variations on the number density, solute concentrations and sizes of Mg–Ag co-clusters at the early aging stage, as well as the age-hardening response of different Al–Cu–Mg–Ag alloys, was well investigated by a combination of Vickers hardness measurement, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atom probe tomography (APT). The strongest age-hardening response at 165 °C was found in 0.81Mg alloy, accompanied by the highest nucleation rate of Mg–Ag co-clusters after aging for 0.5 h. However, the least response was revealed in 0.39Mg alloy. By quantitative APT analysis, the observed trend in the total number density of Mg–Ag co-clusters suggested the following order: 0.81Mg alloy > 0.39Mg alloy > 1.18Mg alloy. This parabolic change in the total number density of Mg–Ag co-clusters with increasing Mg highlighted the existence of a critical Mg content, which contributed to the greatest nucleation kinetics of Mg–Ag co-clusters. As Mg increased from 0.39 to 0.81, the formation of small Mg–Ag co-clusters was significantly promoted, whereas the number density of large Mg–Ag co-clusters almost remained constant. Moreover, the remarkable enrichment of Cu within Mg–Ag co-clusters indicated that the accelerated evolution from Mg–Ag co-clusters to Ω phase was responsible for the lowest number density of Mg–Ag co-clusters in 1.18Mg alloy after aging at 165 °C for 0.5 h

  4. One-pot synthesis of Ag-SiO2-Ag sandwich nanostructures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Chaorong; Mei Jie; Li Shuwen; Lu Nianpeng; Wang Lina; Chen Benyong; Dong Wenjun

    2010-01-01

    Ag-SiO 2 -Ag sandwich nanostructures were prepared by a facile one-pot synthesis method. The Ag core, SiO 2 shell and Ag nanoparticle shell were all synthesized with polyvinylpyrrolidone, catalysed by ammonia, in the one-pot reaction. The polyvinylpyrrolidone, acting as a smart reducing agent, reduced the Ag + to Ag cores and Ag shells separately. Furthermore, the polyvinylpyrrolidone served as a protective agent to prevent the silver cores from aggregating. The SiO 2 shell and outer layer Ag nanoparticles were obtained when tetraethyl orthosilicate and ammonia were added to the silver core solution. Ammonia, acting as the catalyst, accelerated the hydrolysis of the tetraethyl orthosilicate to SiO 2 , which coated the silver cores. Furthermore, Ag(NH 3 ) 2 + ions were formed when aqueous ammonia was added to the solution, which increased the reduction capability. Then the polyvinylpyrrolidone reduced the Ag(NH 3 ) 2 + ions to small Ag nanoparticles on the surface of the Ag-SiO 2 and formed Ag-SiO 2 -Ag sandwich structures with a standard deviation of less than 4%. This structure effectively prevented the Ag nanoparticles on the silica surface from aggregating. Furthermore, the Ag-SiO 2 -Ag sandwich structures showed good catalysis properties due to the large surface area/volume value and activity of surface atoms of Ag particles.

  5. Flower-like Ag/AgCl microcrystals: Synthesis and photocatalytic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daupor, Hasan; Wongnawa, Sumpun

    2015-01-01

    Silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) composites with a novel flower-like morphology were prepared via a hot precipitation assisted by the vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) route. An aqueous solution of AlCl 3 was mixed with the vinyl acetate monomer and acetic acid before adding a AgNO 3 solution at a temperature of 100 °C. The octapod shaped flower-like Ag/AgCl particles (or “flower-like Ag/AgCl” hereinafter) has eight petals each of which was about 7–11 μm in length. The flower-like octapods were formed by preferential overgrowth along the <111> directions of the cubic seeds. Detailed studies of the growth process at different AlCl 3 concentrations revealed that the concave cube developed into a Rubik's cube where eight corners grew further into the flower-like structures. The VAM and acetic acid concentration strongly affected the growth of the Ag/AgCl to the flower-like structure and their optimum concentrations were determined. The morphologies of these particles were carefully examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The crystal structures and orientation relationship were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–visible diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The flower-like Ag/AgCl microcrystals were tested for their photocatalytic degradation of orange G dye (OG) catalyzed by visible light. From comparative test runs, the flower-like Ag/AgCl exhibited better photocatalytic activity than simple and commercial Ag/AgCl particles. - Highlights: • Interesting transformation of microcrystals Ag/AgCl from concave cube via Rubik's cube to flower-like shape. • The first to use VAM as morphology control reagent. • High photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

  6. RHIC FY15 pp Run RHIC and AGS polarization analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, H. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Adams, P. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

    2016-02-20

    The polarization information is important for the spin physics program in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). There are discrepancies between AGS and RHIC polarization measurements. First, the face value of AGS polarization is higher than RHIC ones in general. Second, the measured polarization profile (described by the profile ratio R) is stronger in AGS than in RHIC. This note analyzes the polarization data from FY15 pp run period. The results show that the differences between AGS and RHIC polarization measurements are reasonable, but the R value difference is puzzling. The difference between blue and yellow ring is worth of spin simulation to explain.

  7. Characterization of isolated Ag cations in homoionic Ag-Y zeolites: A combined anomalous XRPD and EXAFS study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamberti, C.; Prestipino, C.; Bordiga, S.; Fitch, A.N.; Marra, G.L.

    2003-01-01

    In this contribution we report a structural characterization of a homoionic Ag-Y zeolite (Si/Al=2.63) on both short (EXAFS) and long range (XRD) scales. Our study shows that the zeolite is a near-100% exchanged silver faujasite, showing almost isolated Ag + counterions (EXAFS estimates that clustered species represent less than 2% of the whole silver). Synchrotron radiation XRPD measurements (ESRF, BM16), performed at the Ag-K edge (λ=0.486103(2) A), just before (λ=0.486093(2) A) and far away (λ=0.491153(2) A), allowed us to locate the near totality of the expected Ag + counterions: 51.9(4) out of 52.9 per unit cell, located in five different sites. The output of the Rietveld refinement has been used successfully to simulate the Ag-K edge EXAFS spectra (ESRF, BM29)

  8. Measurement of the energetics of metal film growth on a semiconductor: Ag/ Si(100)-2x1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Starr, D.E.; Ranney, J.T.; Larsen, Jane Hvolbæk

    2001-01-01

    The first direct calorimetric measurements of the energetics of metal film growth on a semiconductor surface are presented. The heat of adsorption of Ag on Si(100)-(2 x 1) at 300 K decreases from similar to 347 to 246 kJ/mol with coverage in the first monolayer (ML) due to overlap of substrate...... strain from nearby Ag islands. It then rises quickly toward the bulk sublimation enthalpy (285 kJ/mol) as 3D particles grow. A wetting layer grows to 1.0 ML, but is metastable above similar to0.55 ML and dewets when kinetics permit. This may be common when adsorbate islands induce a large strain...

  9. Exploring the Optical and Morphological Properties of Ag and Ag/TiO2 Nanocomposites Grown by Supersonic Cluster Beam Deposition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emanuele Cavaliere

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Nanocomposite systems and nanoparticle (NP films are crucial for many applications and research fields. The structure-properties correlation raises complex questions due to the collective structure of these systems, often granular and porous, a crucial factor impacting their effectiveness and performance. In this framework, we investigate the optical and morphological properties of Ag nanoparticles (NPs films and of Ag NPs/TiO2 porous matrix films, one-step grown by supersonic cluster beam deposition. Morphology and structure of the Ag NPs film and of the Ag/TiO2 (Ag/Ti 50-50 nanocomposite are related to the optical properties of the film employing spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE. We employ a simple Bruggeman effective medium approximation model, corrected by finite size effects of the nano-objects in the film structure to gather information on the structure and morphology of the nanocomposites, in particular porosity and average NPs size for the Ag/TiO2 NP film. Our results suggest that SE is a simple, quick and effective method to measure porosity of nanoscale films and systems, where standard methods for measuring pore sizes might not be applicable.

  10. MEASUREMENTS AND MODELING OF EDDY CURRENT EFFECTS IN BNL'S AGS BOOSTER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    BROWN, K.A.; AHRENS, L.; GARDNER, C.; GLENN, J.W.; HARVEY, M.; MENG, W.; ZENO, K.

    2006-01-01

    Recent beam experiments at BNL's AGS Booster have enabled us to study in more detail the effects of eddy currents on the lattice structure and our control over the betatron tune. The Booster is capable of operating at ramp rates as high as 9 T/sec. At these ramp rates eddy currents in the vacuum chambers significantly alter the fields and gradients seen by the beam as it is accelerated. The Booster was designed with these effects in mind and to help control the field uniformity and linearity in the Booster Dipoles special vacuum chambers were designed with current windings to negate the affect of the induced eddy currents. In this report results from betatron tune measurements and eddy current simulations will be presented. We will then present results from modeling the accelerator using the results of the magnetic field simulations and compare these to the measurements

  11. Thermodynamic assessments of the Ag-Gd and Ag-Nd systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, S.L.; Wang, C.P.; Liu, X.J.; Ishida, K.

    2009-01-01

    The phase diagrams and thermodynamic properties in the Ag-Re (Re: Gd, Nd) binary systems have been assessed by using the CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagrams) method on the basis of the experimental data including the thermodynamic properties and phase equilibria. The Gibbs free energies of the liquid, bcc, fcc, dhcp and hcp phases were described by the subregular solution model with the Redlich-Kister equation, and those of the intermetallic compounds (Ag 51 Gd 14 , Ag 2 Gd, AgGd, Ag 51 Nd 14 , αAg 2 Nd, βAg 2 Nd and AgNd phases) in these two binary systems were described by the sublattice model. The thermodynamic parameters of each phase in the Ag-Re (Re: Gd, Nd) binary systems were obtained, and an agreement between the calculated results and experimental data was obtained in each binary system.

  12. Synthesis and characterization of the superonic-based secondary battery cell Ag/RbAg4I5/RbI3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Effendi Nurdin; Jahja, A.K.; Purnama, S.

    2000-01-01

    The solid electrolyte material silver based, RbAg 4 I 5 had been used as electrolyte in making a secondary rechargeable battery cell with silver (Ag) as the anode and rubidium tri-iodide (RbI 3 ) as the cathode.The charge-discharge characteristics measurements and the battery polarization in normal atmospheric pressure, at ambient temperature had been carried out. It can be deduced that the cell configuration Ag/RbAg 4I5/ RbI 3 has performed as a secondary battery. The cell performed well with current density up to 230 μA/cm 2

  13. Measurement repeatability of tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove offset distance in red fox (Vulpes vulpes) cadavers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Miles, J.E.; Jensen, B.R.; Kirpensteijn, J.; Svalastoga, E.L.; Eriksen, T.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract OBJECTIVE: To describe CT image reconstruction criteria for measurement of the tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove (TT-TG) offset distance, evaluate intra- and inter-reconstruction repeatability, and identify key sources of error in the measurement technique, as determined in vulpine hind

  14. Identification, characterization, and utilization of genome-wide simple sequence repeats to identify a QTL for acidity in apple

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Apple is an economically important fruit crop worldwide. Developing a genetic linkage map is a critical step towards mapping and cloning of genes responsible for important horticultural traits in apple. To facilitate linkage map construction, we surveyed and characterized the distribution and frequency of perfect microsatellites in assembled contig sequences of the apple genome. Results A total of 28,538 SSRs have been identified in the apple genome, with an overall density of 40.8 SSRs per Mb. Di-nucleotide repeats are the most frequent microsatellites in the apple genome, accounting for 71.9% of all microsatellites. AT/TA repeats are the most frequent in genomic regions, accounting for 38.3% of all the G-SSRs, while AG/GA dimers prevail in transcribed sequences, and account for 59.4% of all EST-SSRs. A total set of 310 SSRs is selected to amplify eight apple genotypes. Of these, 245 (79.0%) are found to be polymorphic among cultivars and wild species tested. AG/GA motifs in genomic regions have detected more alleles and higher PIC values than AT/TA or AC/CA motifs. Moreover, AG/GA repeats are more variable than any other dimers in apple, and should be preferentially selected for studies, such as genetic diversity and linkage map construction. A total of 54 newly developed apple SSRs have been genetically mapped. Interestingly, clustering of markers with distorted segregation is observed on linkage groups 1, 2, 10, 15, and 16. A QTL responsible for malic acid content of apple fruits is detected on linkage group 8, and accounts for ~13.5% of the observed phenotypic variation. Conclusions This study demonstrates that di-nucleotide repeats are prevalent in the apple genome and that AT/TA and AG/GA repeats are the most frequent in genomic and transcribed sequences of apple, respectively. All SSR motifs identified in this study as well as those newly mapped SSRs will serve as valuable resources for pursuing apple genetic studies, aiding the apple breeding

  15. Repeatability and Reproducibility of Compression Strength Measurements Conducted According to ASTM E9

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luecke, William E.; Ma, Li; Graham, Stephen M.; Adler, Matthew A.

    2010-01-01

    Ten commercial laboratories participated in an interlaboratory study to establish the repeatability and reproducibility of compression strength tests conducted according to ASTM International Standard Test Method E9. The test employed a cylindrical aluminum AA2024-T351 test specimen. Participants measured elastic modulus and 0.2 % offset yield strength, YS(0.2 % offset), using an extensometer attached to the specimen. The repeatability and reproducibility of the yield strength measurement, expressed as coefficient of variations were cv(sub r)= 0.011 and cv(sub R)= 0.020 The reproducibility of the test across the laboratories was among the best that has been reported for uniaxial tests. The reported data indicated that using diametrically opposed extensometers, instead of a single extensometer doubled the precision of the test method. Laboratories that did not lubricate the ends of the specimen measured yield stresses and elastic moduli that were smaller than those measured in laboratories that lubricated the specimen ends. A finite element analysis of the test specimen deformation for frictionless and perfect friction could not explain the discrepancy, however. The modulus measured from stress-strain data were reanalyzed using a technique that finds the optimal fit range, and applies several quality checks to the data. The error in modulus measurements from stress-strain curves generally increased as the fit range decreased to less than 40 % of the stress range.

  16. Characterization of the peripheral blood transcriptome in a repeated measures design using a panel of healthy individuals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    De Boever, Patrick; Wens, Britt; Forcheh, Anyiawung Chiara

    2014-01-01

    A repeated measures microarray design with 22 healthy, non-smoking volunteers (aging 32. ±. 5. years) was set up to study transcriptome profiles in whole blood samples. The results indicate that repeatable data can be obtained with high within-subject correlation. Probes that could discriminate b...

  17. The high-temperature modification of LuAgSn and high-pressure high-temperature experiments on DyAgSn, HoAgSn, and YbAgSn

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heying, B.; Rodewald, U.C.; Hermes, W.; Schappacher, F.M.; Riecken, J.F.; Poettgen, R. [Muenster Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Anorganische und Analytische Chemie; Heymann, G.; Huppertz, H. [Muenchen Univ. (Germany). Dept. fuer Chemie und Biochemie; Sebastian, C.P. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Chemische Physik Fester Stoffe, Dresden (Germany)

    2008-02-15

    The high-temperature modification of LuAgSn was obtained by arc-melting an equiatomic mixture of the elements followed by quenching the melt on a water-cooled copper crucible. HT-LuAgSn crystallizes with the NdPtSb-type structure, space group P6{sub 3}mc: a = 463.5(1), c = 723.2(1) pm, wR2 = 0.0270, 151 F{sup 2}, and 11 variables. The silver and tin atoms build up two-dimensional, puckered [Ag{sub 3}Sn{sub 3}] networks (276 pm Ag-Sn) that are charge-balanced and separated by the lutetium atoms. The Ag-Sn distances between the [Ag{sub 3}Sn{sub 3}] layers of 294 pm are much longer. Single crystals of isotypic DyAgSn (a = 468.3(1), c = 734.4(1) pm, wR2 = 0.0343, 411 F{sup 2}, and 11 variables) and HoAgSn (a = 467.2(1), c = 731.7(2) pm, wR2 = 0.0318, 330 F{sup 2}, and 11 variables) were obtained from arc-melted samples. Under high-pressure (up to 12.2 GPa) and high-temperature (up to 1470 K) conditions, no transitions to a ZrNiAl-related phase have been observed for DyAgSn, HoAgSn, and YbAgSn. HT-TmAgSn shows Curie-Weiss paramagnetism with {mu}{sub eff} = 7.53(1) {mu}{sub B}/Tm atom and {theta}P = -15.0(5) K. No magnetic ordering was evident down to 3 K. HT-LuAgSn is a Pauli paramagnet. Room-temperature {sup 119}Sn Moessbauer spectra of HT-TmAgSn and HT-LuAgSn show singlet resonances with isomer shifts of 1.78(1) and 1.72(1) mm/s, respectively. (orig.)

  18. Flexible Textile-Based Organic Transistors Using Graphene/Ag Nanoparticle Electrode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Youn; Kwon, Yeon Ju; Lee, Kang Eun; Oh, Youngseok; Um, Moon-Kwang; Seong, Dong Gi; Lee, Jea Uk

    2016-01-01

    Highly flexible and electrically-conductive multifunctional textiles are desirable for use in wearable electronic applications. In this study, we fabricated multifunctional textile composites by vacuum filtration and wet-transfer of graphene oxide films on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) textile in association with embedding Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) to improve the electrical conductivity. A flexible organic transistor can be developed by direct transfer of a dielectric/semiconducting double layer on the graphene/AgNP textile composite, where the textile composite was used as both flexible substrate and conductive gate electrode. The thermal treatment of a textile-based transistor enhanced the electrical performance (mobility = 7.2 cm2·V−1·s−1, on/off current ratio = 4 × 105, and threshold voltage = −1.1 V) due to the improvement of interfacial properties between the conductive textile electrode and the ion-gel dielectric layer. Furthermore, the textile transistors exhibited highly stable device performance under extended bending conditions (with a bending radius down to 3 mm and repeated tests over 1000 cycles). We believe that our simple methods for the fabrication of graphene/AgNP textile composite for use in textile-type transistors can potentially be applied to the development of flexible large-area electronic clothes. PMID:28335276

  19. Photoconductive properties of organic-inorganic Ag/p-CuPc/n-GaAs/Ag cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karimov, Khasan Sanginovich; Saeed, Muhammad Tariq; Khalid, Fazal Ahmad [GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Top 23640, Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan); Karieva, Zioda Mirzoevna, E-mail: tariqchani@hotmail.com [Tajik Technical University, Rajabov St.10, Dushanbe, 734000 (Tajikistan)

    2011-07-15

    A thin film of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc), a p-type semiconductor, was deposited by thermal evaporation in vacuum on an n-type gallium arsenide (GaAs) single-crystal semiconductor substrate. Then semi-transparent Ag thin film was deposited onto the CuPc film also by thermal evaporation to fabricate the Ag/p-CuPc/n-GaAs/Ag cell. Photoconduction of the cell was measured in photoresistive and photodiode modes of operation. It was observed that with an increase in illumination, the photoresistance decreased in reverse bias while it increased in forward bias. The photocurrent was increased in reverse bias operation. In forward bias operation with an increase in illumination, the photocurrent showed a different behavior depending on the voltage applied. (semiconductor physics)

  20. Analyzing Repeated Measures Marginal Models on Sample Surveys with Resampling Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James D. Knoke

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Packaged statistical software for analyzing categorical, repeated measures marginal models on sample survey data with binary covariates does not appear to be available. Consequently, this report describes a customized SAS program which accomplishes such an analysis on survey data with jackknifed replicate weights for which the primary sampling unit information has been suppressed for respondent confidentiality. First, the program employs the Macro Language and the Output Delivery System (ODS to estimate the means and covariances of indicator variables for the response variables, taking the design into account. Then, it uses PROC CATMOD and ODS, ignoring the survey design, to obtain the design matrix and hypothesis test specifications. Finally, it enters these results into another run of CATMOD, which performs automated direct input of the survey design specifications and accomplishes the appropriate analysis. This customized SAS program can be employed, with minor editing, to analyze general categorical, repeated measures marginal models on sample surveys with replicate weights. Finally, the results of our analysis accounting for the survey design are compared to the results of two alternate analyses of the same data. This comparison confirms that such alternate analyses, which do not properly account for the design, do not produce useful results.

  1. In situ solid-state fabrication of hybrid AgCl/AgI/AgIO3 with improved UV-to-visible photocatalytic performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Jing; Cao, Yali; Jia, Dianzeng; Li, Yizhao; Wang, Kun; Xu, Hui

    2017-09-28

    The AgCl/AgI/AgIO 3 composites were synthesized through a one-pot room-temperature in situ solid-state approach with the feature of convenient and eco-friendly. The as-prepared composites exhibit superior photocatalytic performance than pure AgIO 3 for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under both UV and visible light irradiation. The photodegradation rate toward MO of the AgCl/AgI/AgIO 3 photocatalyst can reach 100% after 12 min irradiation under UV light, or 85.4% after 50 min irradiation under visible light, being significantly higher than AgCl, AgI, AgIO 3 and AgI/AgIO 3 . In addition, the AgCl/AgI/AgIO 3 photocatalyst possesses strong photooxidation ability for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB), phenol, bisphenol A (BPA) and tetracycline hydrochloride under visible light irradiation. The reactive species capture experiments confirmed that the h + and •O 2- play an essential role during the photocatalytic process under UV light or visible light irradiation. The enhanced effect may be beneficial from the enhanced light adsorption in full spectrum and increased separation efficiency of photogenerated hole-electron pairs, which can be ascribed to the synergistic effect among AgCl, AgI and AgIO 3 nanoplates in AgCl/AgI/AgIO 3 composites.

  2. 111Ag in the Chernobyl fallout

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Winkler, R.; Rosner, G.; Hoetzl, H.

    1989-01-01

    In the course of a re-evalution of the gamma-ray spectra of air filter samples collected immediately after Chernobyl accident at Munich-Neuherberg 111 Ag has been found to contribute significantly to the total activity within the first days of the Chernobyl fallout. The maximum air concentration was measured on 1 May 1986 to be 5.4 Bq/m 3 compared with 9.7 Bq 137 Cs per m 3 . Referred to this date the total activity deposition to ground was 12±3 kBq 111 Ag per m 2 . Referred to 26 April 1986 the 111 Ag to 110m Ag ratio was found to be 53±3 and the 111 Ag to 137 Cs ratio was 1.0±0.1. It is estimated that the cesium isotopes were depleted during release and atmospheric transport by a factor of about 2 compared with the silver isotopes. (orig.)

  3. Ion beam mixing in Ag-Pd alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klatt, J.L.; Averback, R.S.; Peak, D.

    1989-01-01

    Ion beam mixing during 750 keV Kr + irradiation at 80 K was measured on a series of Ag-Pd alloys using Au marker atoms. The mixing in pure Ag was the greatest and it decreased monotonically with increasing Pd content, being a factor of 10 higher in pure Ag than in pure Pd. This large difference in mixing cannot be explained by the difference in cohesion energy between Ag and Pd in the thermodynamic model of ion beam mixing proposed by Johnson et al. [W. L. Johnson, Y. T. Cheng, M. Van Rossum, and M-A. Nicolet, Nucl. Instrum. Methods B 7/8, 657 (1985)]. An alternative model based on local melting in the cascade is shown to account for the ion beam mixing results in Ag and Pd

  4. Modeling intraindividual variability with repeated measures data methods and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Hershberger, Scott L

    2013-01-01

    This book examines how individuals behave across time and to what degree that behavior changes, fluctuates, or remains stable.It features the most current methods on modeling repeated measures data as reported by a distinguished group of experts in the field. The goal is to make the latest techniques used to assess intraindividual variability accessible to a wide range of researchers. Each chapter is written in a ""user-friendly"" style such that even the ""novice"" data analyst can easily apply the techniques.Each chapter features:a minimum discussion of mathematical detail;an empirical examp

  5. Micro-PIXE study of Ag in digestive glands of a nano-Ag fed arthropod (Porcellio scaber, Isopoda, Crustacea)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tkalec, Ziva Pipan; Drobne, Damjana; Vogel-Mikus, Katarina; Pongrac, Paula; Regvar, Marjana; Strus, Jasna; Pelicon, Primoz; Vavpetic, Primoz; Grlj, Natasa; Remskar, Maja

    2011-01-01

    Micro-proton induced X-ray emission (micro-PIXE) method was applied to study the micro-localization of silver (Ag) in digestive glands of a terrestrial arthropod (Porcellio scaber) after feeding on silver nanoparticles (nano-Ag) dosed food. The aim of our work was to assess whether feeding on nano-Ag results in the assimilation of silver (Ag) in digestive gland cells. To study micro-localization and elemental distribution of Ag, the animals were fed on food dosed with nanoparticles for 14 days under controlled laboratory conditions. At the end of the feeding exposure, the animals were dissected and digestive glands prepared for micro-PIXE analyses and TEM investigation. The results obtained by micro-PIXE documented high amounts of Ag inside S-cells of the digestive gland epithelium; however, TEM investigation did not show particle aggregates inside digestive gland cells. Also no adverse effect on feeding behavior was recorded what is a measure of toxic effects. We explain the presence of Ag inside the cells as a result of the assimilation of dissoluted Ag ions from ingested nano-Ag particles. Assimilation of excessive amounts of ingested metal ions in S-cells is a well known metal detoxification mechanism in isopods. We discuss the advantages of using micro-PIXE for the micro-localization of elements in biological tissue in studies of interactions between nanoparticles and biological systems.

  6. Toxicological evaluation of silver nanoparticles and silver nitrate in rats following 28 days of repeated oral exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Guangqiu; Tang, Song; Li, Shibin; Lu, Haoliang; Wang, Yanwu; Zhao, Peng; Li, Bin; Zhang, Jiehong; Peng, Liang

    2017-02-01

    The increasing application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been raising concerns about their potential adverse effects to human and the environment. However, the knowledge on the systemic toxicity of AgNPs in mammalian systems is still limited. The present study investigated the toxicity of PVP-coated AgNPs in rats treated with repeated oral administration, and compared that with equivalent dose of AgNO 3 . Specifically, one hundred male and female rats were orally administrated with particulate or ionic forms of silver (Ag) separately at doses of 0.5 and 1 mg kg -1 body weight daily for 28 days. The results reveal no significant toxic effects of AgNPs and AgNO 3 up to 1 mg kg -1 body weight, with respect to the body weight, organ weight, food intake, and histopathological examination. Ag distribution pattern in organs of rats treated with AgNPs was similar to that of AgNO 3 treated rats, showing liver and kidneys are the main target organs followed by testis and spleen. The total Ag contents in organs were significantly lower in the AgNPs treated rats than those in the AgNO 3 treated rats. However, the comparisons between AgNPs and AgNO 3 treatments further indicated more potent of AgNPs in biochemical and hematological parameters in rats, including red blood cell count (RBC), platelet count (PLT), white blood cell count (WBC) and aspartate transaminase (AST). Results of this study suggested that particulate Ag at least partially contributed to the observed toxicity of AgNPs, and both ionic and particulate Ag should be taken into consideration in toxicological evaluation of AgNPs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 609-618, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Hierarchical Ag mesostructures for single particle SERS substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Minwei, E-mail: xuminwei@xjtu.edu.cn; Zhang, Yin

    2017-01-30

    Highlights: • Hierarchical Ag mesostructures with the size of 250, 360 and 500 nm are synthesized via a seed-mediated approach. • The Ag mesostructures present the tailorable size and highly roughened surfaces. • The average enhancement factors for individual Ag mesostructures were estimated to be as high as 10{sup 6}. - Abstract: Hierarchical Ag mesostructures with highly rough surface morphology have been synthesized at room temperature through a simple seed-mediated approach. Electron microscopy characterizations indicate that the obtained Ag mesostructures exhibit a textured surface morphology with the flower-like architecture. Moreover, the particle size can be tailored easily in the range of 250–500 nm. For the growth process of the hierarchical Ag mesostructures, it is believed that the self-assembly mechanism is more reasonable rather than the epitaxial overgrowth of Ag seed. The oriented attachment of nanoparticles is revealed during the formation of Ag mesostructures. Single particle surface enhanced Raman spectra (sp-SERS) of crystal violet adsorbed on the hierarchical Ag mesostructures were measured. Results reveal that the hierarchical Ag mesostructures can be highly sensitive sp-SERS substrates with good reproducibility. The average enhancement factors for individual Ag mesostructures are estimated to be about 10{sup 6}.

  8. Photoreduction of Ag{sup +} in Ag/Ag{sub 2}S/Au memristor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mou, N.I.; Tabib-Azar, M., E-mail: azar.m@utah.edu

    2015-06-15

    Highlights: • The effect of illumination on the operating voltages and switching speed of Ag/Ag{sub 2}S/Au memristors is studied • Illumination decreased the average switching time from high to low resistance states by ∼19% and decreased the turn-off voltages dramatically from −0.8 V to −0.25 V. • Photo-induced reduction of silver in Ag{sub 2}S may be used in three dimensional optical memories that can be electronically read and reset. • Illumination changed sulfur's valency and modified its oxidation/reduction potential. - Abstract: Silver halides and chalcogenides are excellent memristor materials that have been extensively used in the past as photosensitive layers in photography. Here we examine the effect of illumination on the operating voltages and switching speed of Ag/Ag{sub 2}S/Au memristors using a green laser (473–523 nm). Our results indicate that illumination decreases the average switching time from high to low resistance states by ∼19% and decreases the turn-off voltages dramatically from −0.8 V to −0.25 V that we attribute to the change in sulfur valency and a photo-induced change in its oxidation/reduction potential. Photo-induced reduction of silver in Ag{sub 2}S may be used in three dimensional optical memories that can be electronically read and reset.

  9. Power analysis for multivariate and repeated measures designs: a flexible approach using the SPSS MANOVA procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Amico, E J; Neilands, T B; Zambarano, R

    2001-11-01

    Although power analysis is an important component in the planning and implementation of research designs, it is often ignored. Computer programs for performing power analysis are available, but most have limitations, particularly for complex multivariate designs. An SPSS procedure is presented that can be used for calculating power for univariate, multivariate, and repeated measures models with and without time-varying and time-constant covariates. Three examples provide a framework for calculating power via this method: an ANCOVA, a MANOVA, and a repeated measures ANOVA with two or more groups. The benefits and limitations of this procedure are discussed.

  10. Repeated assessment of orthotopic glioma pO2 by multi-site EPR oximetry: A technique with the potential to guide therapeutic optimization by repeated measurements of oxygen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Nadeem; Mupparaju, Sriram; Hou, Huagang; Williams, Benjamin B.; Swartz, Harold

    2011-01-01

    Tumor hypoxia plays a vital role in therapeutic resistance. Consequently, measurements of tumor pO2 could be used to optimize the outcome of oxygen-dependent therapies, such as, chemoradiation. However, the potential optimizations are restricted by the lack of methods to repeatedly and quantitatively assess tumor pO2 during therapies, particularly in gliomas. We describe the procedures for repeated measurements of orthotopic glioma pO2 by multi-site electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry. This oximetry approach provides simultaneous measurements of pO2 at more than one site in the glioma and contralateral cerebral tissue. The pO2 of intracerebral 9L, C6, F98 and U251 tumors, as well as contralateral brain, were measured repeatedly for five consecutive days. The 9L glioma was well oxygenated with pO2 of 27 - 36 mm Hg, while C6, F98 and U251 glioma were hypoxic with pO2 of 7 - 12 mm Hg. The potential of multi-site EPR oximetry to assess temporal changes in tissue pO2 was investigated in rats breathing 100% O2. A significant increase in F98 tumor and contralateral brain pO2 was observed on day 1 and day 2, however, glioma oxygenation declined on subsequent days. In conclusion, EPR oximetry provides the capability to repeatedly assess temporal changes in orthotopic glioma pO2. This information could be used to test and optimize the methods being developed to modulate tumor hypoxia. Furthermore, EPR oximetry could be potentially used to enhance the outcome of chemoradiation by scheduling treatments at times of increase in glioma pO2. PMID:22079559

  11. Plasmonic properties of Ag nanoclusters in various polymer matrices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takele, H; Greve, H; Pochstein, C; Zaporojtchenko, V; Faupel, F

    2006-01-01

    Nanocomposite films containing Ag nanoparticles embedded in a polymer matrix of Teflon AF, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and Nylon 6 were prepared by vapour phase co-deposition in high vacuum. A large variation of the particle plasmon resonance frequency in the visible region was obtained by increasing the Ag volume fraction from 4-80%. The metal volume fraction was measured by energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDX) and the film thickness was measured by surface profilometry. The position, width and strength of the plasmon resonance depend strongly on the metal filling factor, cluster size and interparticle distance. The microstructure of the nanocomposites (shape, size, size distribution and interparticle separation of metal clusters) was determined by transmission electron microscopy. The effect of the surrounding dielectric medium on the optical properties of nanocomposites was investigated by comparing the Teflon AF/Ag, PMMA/Ag and Nylon/Ag composites

  12. Counterbalancing and Other Uses of Repeated-Measures Latin-Square Designs: Analyses and Interpretations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reese, Hayne W.

    1997-01-01

    Recommends that when repeated-measures Latin-square designs are used to counterbalance treatments across a procedural variable or to reduce the number of treatment combinations given to each participant, effects be analyzed statistically, and that in all uses, researchers consider alternative interpretations of the variance associated with the…

  13. UK 2009-2010 repeat station report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas J.G. Shanahan

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The British Geological Survey is responsible for conducting the UK geomagnetic repeat station programme. Measurements made at the UK repeat station sites are used in conjunction with the three UK magnetic observatories: Hartland, Eskdalemuir and Lerwick, to produce a regional model of the local field each year. The UK network of repeat stations comprises 41 stations which are occupied at approximately 3-4 year intervals. Practices for conducting repeat station measurements continue to evolve as advances are made in survey instrumentation and as the usage of the data continues to change. Here, a summary of the 2009 and 2010 UK repeat station surveys is presented, highlighting the measurement process and techniques, density of network, reduction process and recent results.

  14. W18O49 nanorods decorated with Ag/AgCl nanoparticles as highly-sensitive gas-sensing material and visible-light-driven photocatalyst

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Shibin; Chang Xueting; Dong Lihua; Zhang Yidong; Li Zhenjiang; Qiu Yanyan

    2011-01-01

    A novel gas-sensing material and photocatalyst was successfully obtained by decorating Ag/AgCl nanoparticles on the W 18 O 49 nanorods through a clean photochemical route. The as-prepared samples were characterized using combined techniques of X-ray diffractometry, electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Gas-sensing measurements indicate that the Ag/AgCl/W 18 O 49 NRs sensors exhibit superior reducing gas-sensing properties to those of bare W 18 O 49 NRs, and they are highly selective and sensitive to NH 3 , acetone, and H 2 S with short response and recovery times. The Ag/AgCl/W 18 O 49 NRs photocatlysts also possess higher photocatalytic performance than bare W 18 O 49 NRs for degradation of methyl orange under simulated sunlight irradiation. Possible mechanisms concerning the enhancement of gas-sensing and photocatalytic activities of the Ag/AgCl/W 18 O 49 NRs composite were proposed. - Graphical Abstract: The Ag/AgCl nanoparticles adhered well to the W 18 O 49 nanorod. The Ag could act as transfer center of the photoexcited carriers, prohibiting their recombinations in both W 18 O 49 and AgCl. Highlights: → Ag/AgCl/W 18 O 49 NRs were successfully obtained via a clean photochemical route. → The Ag/AgCl nanoparticles decorated on the W 18 O 49 NRs possessed cladding structure. → The Ag/AgCl/W 18 O 49 NRs exhibited excellent gas-sensing and photocatalytic properties.

  15. Polypyrrole-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-Ag (PPy-PEDOT-Ag) nanocomposite films for label-free electrochemical DNA sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radhakrishnan, S; Sumathi, C; Umar, Ahmad; Jae Kim, Sang; Wilson, J; Dharuman, V

    2013-09-15

    The electrochemical DNA hybridization sensing of bipolymer polypyrrole and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PPy-PEDOT) nanotubes functionalized with Ag nanoparticles has been investigated. The bipolymer nanotubes are prepared by simple chemical route and silver nanoparticles (Ag) further deposited over the PPy-PEDOT nanotubes to form PPy-PEDOT-Ag nanocomposite films. DNA labeled at 5'end using 6-mercapto-1-hexhane (HS-ssDNA) is immobilized on the PPy-PEDOT-Ag surface to form PPy-PEDOT-Ag-S-ssDNA and hybridization sensing is done in phosphate buffer. The presence of Ag nanoparticles (~28±5nm) well dispersed in the polymer composite with high surface area, high electrical conductivity and catalytic activity provides desirable microenvironment for the immobilization of probe DNA with controlled orientation leading to increased hybridization efficiency with target DNA. The morphological and structural characterizations by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirm the nanotube structure of composite polymer while Raman measurements indicate the efficient interactions between the PPy, PEDOT, Ag and HS-ssDNA. The sensor effectively discriminates different target DNA sequences with PPy-PEDOT-Ag-S-ssDNA substrate. The observed dynamic detection range is found between 1×10(-11)M and 1×10(-14)M with the lowest detection limit (3 σ/b) of 5.4×10(-15)M. This observed value is of higher sensitivity than that for MWCNT-Ag, PANi-Au, MWCNT-PPy-Au and PPy-PANi-Au composites reported previously. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Measuring environmental change in forest ecosystems by repeated soil sampling: a North American perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawrence, Gregory B.; Fernandez, Ivan J.; Richter, Daniel D.; Ross, Donald S.; Hazlett, Paul W.; Bailey, Scott W.; Oiumet, Rock; Warby, Richard A.F.; Johnson, Arthur H.; Lin, Henry; Kaste, James M.; Lapenis, Andrew G.; Sullivan, Timothy J.

    2013-01-01

    Environmental change is monitored in North America through repeated measurements of weather, stream and river flow, air and water quality, and most recently, soil properties. Some skepticism remains, however, about whether repeated soil sampling can effectively distinguish between temporal and spatial variability, and efforts to document soil change in forest ecosystems through repeated measurements are largely nascent and uncoordinated. In eastern North America, repeated soil sampling has begun to provide valuable information on environmental problems such as air pollution. This review synthesizes the current state of the science to further the development and use of soil resampling as an integral method for recording and understanding environmental change in forested settings. The origins of soil resampling reach back to the 19th century in England and Russia. The concepts and methodologies involved in forest soil resampling are reviewed and evaluated through a discussion of how temporal and spatial variability can be addressed with a variety of sampling approaches. Key resampling studies demonstrate the type of results that can be obtained through differing approaches. Ongoing, large-scale issues such as recovery from acidification, long-term N deposition, C sequestration, effects of climate change, impacts from invasive species, and the increasing intensification of soil management all warrant the use of soil resampling as an essential tool for environmental monitoring and assessment. Furthermore, with better awareness of the value of soil resampling, studies can be designed with a long-term perspective so that information can be efficiently obtained well into the future to address problems that have not yet surfaced.

  17. Facile synthesis, structure, and properties of Ag{sub 2}S/Ag heteronanostructure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sadovnikov, S. I., E-mail: sadovnikov@ihim.uran.ru; Gusev, A. I. [Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Solid State Chemistry (Russian Federation)

    2016-09-15

    Ag{sub 2}S/Ag heteronanostructure has been produced by a simple one-stage chemical deposition from aqueous solutions of silver nitrate, sodium sulfide, and sodium citrate with the use of monochromatic light irradiation. For simultaneous synthesis of Ag{sub 2}S and Ag nanoparticles, deposition has been performed from reaction mixtures with reduced sodium sulfide concentration. The size of Ag{sub 2}S and Ag nanoparticles is 45–50 and 15–20 nm, respectively. It is established that in the contact layer between silver sulfide and silver, nonconducting α-Ag{sub 2}S acanthite transforms into superionic β-Ag{sub 2}S argentite under the action of external electric field. The scheme of the operation of a resistive switch based on an Ag{sub 2}S/Ag heteronanostructure is proposed. The UV–Vis optical absorption spectra of colloidal solutions of Ag{sub 2}S/Ag heteronanostructures have been studied.Graphical Abstract.

  18. Bag3-induced autophagy is associated with degradation of JCV oncoprotein, T-Ag.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilker Kudret Sariyer

    Full Text Available JC virus, JCV, is a human neurotropic polyomavirus whose replication in glial cells causes the fatal demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML. In addition, JCV possesses oncogenic activity and expression of its transforming protein, large T-antigen (T-Ag, in several experimental animals induces tumors of neural origin. Further, the presence of JCV DNA and T-Ag have been repeatedly observed in several human malignant tissues including primitive neuroectodermal tumors and glioblastomas. Earlier studies have demonstrated that Bag3, a member of the Bcl-2-associated athanogene (Bag family of proteins, which is implicated in autophagy and apoptosis, is downregulated upon JCV infection of glial cells and that JCV T-Ag is responsible for suppressing the activity of the BAG3 promoter. Here, we investigated the possible impact of Bag3 on T-Ag expression in JCV-infected human primary glial cells as well as in cells derived from T-Ag-induced medulloblastoma in transgenic animals. Results from these studies revealed that overexpression of Bag3 drastically decreases the level of T-Ag expression by inducing the autophagic degradation of the viral protein. Interestingly, this event leads to the inhibition of JCV infection of glial cells, suggesting that the reduced levels of T-antigen seen upon the overexpression of Bag3 has a biological impact on the viral lytic cycle. Results from protein-protein interaction studies showed that T-Ag and Bag3 physically interact with each other through the zinc-finger of T-Ag and the proline rich domains of Bag3, and this interaction is important for the autophagic degradation of T-Ag. Our observations open a new avenue of research for better understanding of virus-host interaction by investigating the interplay between T-Ag and Bag3, and their impact on the development of JCV-associated diseases.

  19. Bag3-induced autophagy is associated with degradation of JCV oncoprotein, T-Ag.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sariyer, Ilker Kudret; Merabova, Nana; Patel, Prem Kumer; Knezevic, Tijana; Rosati, Alessandra; Turco, Maria C; Khalili, Kamel

    2012-01-01

    JC virus, JCV, is a human neurotropic polyomavirus whose replication in glial cells causes the fatal demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). In addition, JCV possesses oncogenic activity and expression of its transforming protein, large T-antigen (T-Ag), in several experimental animals induces tumors of neural origin. Further, the presence of JCV DNA and T-Ag have been repeatedly observed in several human malignant tissues including primitive neuroectodermal tumors and glioblastomas. Earlier studies have demonstrated that Bag3, a member of the Bcl-2-associated athanogene (Bag) family of proteins, which is implicated in autophagy and apoptosis, is downregulated upon JCV infection of glial cells and that JCV T-Ag is responsible for suppressing the activity of the BAG3 promoter. Here, we investigated the possible impact of Bag3 on T-Ag expression in JCV-infected human primary glial cells as well as in cells derived from T-Ag-induced medulloblastoma in transgenic animals. Results from these studies revealed that overexpression of Bag3 drastically decreases the level of T-Ag expression by inducing the autophagic degradation of the viral protein. Interestingly, this event leads to the inhibition of JCV infection of glial cells, suggesting that the reduced levels of T-antigen seen upon the overexpression of Bag3 has a biological impact on the viral lytic cycle. Results from protein-protein interaction studies showed that T-Ag and Bag3 physically interact with each other through the zinc-finger of T-Ag and the proline rich domains of Bag3, and this interaction is important for the autophagic degradation of T-Ag. Our observations open a new avenue of research for better understanding of virus-host interaction by investigating the interplay between T-Ag and Bag3, and their impact on the development of JCV-associated diseases.

  20. Temperature dependence of the electric field gradient in AgPd and AgPt alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krolas, K.

    1977-07-01

    The measurements of temperature dependence of the electric field gradient (EFG) on 111 Cd nuclei in AgPd and AgPt alloys were performed using the time dependent perturbed angular correlation method. The EFG caused by impurities distributed in further coordination shells decrease stronaer with increasing temperature than the EFG due to single impurity being the nearest neighbour of the probe atom. These results were explained assuming different modes of thermal vibrations of single impurity atoms and impurity complexes in silver host lattice. (author)

  1. Antibacterial Ag/a-C nanocomposite coatings: The influence of nano-galvanic a-C and Ag couples on Ag ionization rates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Manninen, N.K., E-mail: nora.sousa@dem.uc.pt [SEG-CEMUC, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra (Portugal); GRF-CFUM, Physics Department, University of Minho, Campus of Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães (Portugal); Calderon, S. [SEG-CEMUC, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra (Portugal); GRF-CFUM, Physics Department, University of Minho, Campus of Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães (Portugal); Carvalho, I. [GRF-CFUM, Physics Department, University of Minho, Campus of Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães (Portugal); CEB—Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); Henriques, M. [CEB—Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); Cavaleiro, A. [SEG-CEMUC, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra (Portugal); Carvalho, S. [SEG-CEMUC, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra (Portugal); GRF-CFUM, Physics Department, University of Minho, Campus of Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães (Portugal)

    2016-07-30

    Highlights: • Amorphous carbon (a-C), Ag/a-C and Ag coatings were deposited by magnetron sputtering. • a-C/Ag coating shows antibacterial activity against S. epidermidis. • The formation of nano-galvanic couples in a-C/Ag enhances the Ag{sup +} ionization rate. • The Ag{sup +} ionization occurs along with Ag nanoparticles agglomeration in 0.9% NaCl. - Abstract: Biofilm formation has been pointed as a major concern in different industrial applications, namely on biomedical implants and surgical instruments, which has prompted the development of new strategies for production of efficient antimicrobial surfaces. In this work, nano-galvanic couples were created to enhance the antibacterial properties of silver, by embedding it into amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix. The developed Ag/a-C nanocomposite coatings, deposited by magnetron sputtering, revealed an outstanding antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis, promoting a total reduction in biofilm formation with no bacteria counts in all dilution. The open circuit potential (OCP) tests in 0.9% NaCl confirmed that a-C shows a positive OCP value, in contrast to Ag coating, thus enhancing the ionization of biocidal Ag{sup +} due to the nano-galvanic couple activation. This result was confirmed by the inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), which revealed a higher Ag ionization rate in the nanocomposite coating in comparison with the Ag coating. The surface of Ag/a-C and Ag coatings immersed in 0.9% NaCl were monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) over a period of 24 h, being found that the Ag ionization determined by ICP-OES was accompanied by an Ag nanoparticles coalescence and agglomeration in Ag/a-C coating.

  2. Optimally Repeatable Kinetic Model Variant for Myocardial Blood Flow Measurements with 82Rb PET

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrian F. Ocneanu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Myocardial blood flow (MBF quantification with Rb82 positron emission tomography (PET is gaining clinical adoption, but improvements in precision are desired. This study aims to identify analysis variants producing the most repeatable MBF measures. Methods. 12 volunteers underwent same-day test-retest rest and dipyridamole stress imaging with dynamic Rb82 PET, from which MBF was quantified using 1-tissue-compartment kinetic model variants: (1 blood-pool versus uptake region sampled input function (Blood/Uptake-ROI, (2 dual spillover correction (SOC-On/Off, (3 right blood correction (RBC-On/Off, (4 arterial blood transit delay (Delay-On/Off, and (5 distribution volume (DV constraint (Global/Regional-DV. Repeatability of MBF, stress/rest myocardial flow reserve (MFR, and stress/rest MBF difference (ΔMBF was assessed using nonparametric reproducibility coefficients (RPCnp = 1.45 × interquartile range. Results. MBF using SOC-On, RVBC-Off, Blood-ROI, Global-DV, and Delay-Off was most repeatable for combined rest and stress: RPCnp = 0.21 mL/min/g (15.8%. Corresponding MFR and ΔMBF RPCnp were 0.42 (20.2% and 0.24 mL/min/g (23.5%. MBF repeatability improved with SOC-On at stress (p<0.001 and tended to improve with RBC-Off at both rest and stress (p<0.08. DV and ROI did not significantly influence repeatability. The Delay-On model was overdetermined and did not reliably converge. Conclusion. MBF and MFR test-retest repeatability were the best with dual spillover correction, left atrium blood input function, and global DV.

  3. The negative temperature coefficient resistivities of Ag2S-Ag core–shell structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Mingming; Liu, Dongzhi; Li, Wei; Zhou, Xueqin

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, the conductivity of silver nanoparticle films protected by 3-mercaptopropionic acid (Ag/MPA) has been investigated. When the nanoparticles were annealed in air at 200 °C, they converted to stable Ag 2 S-Ag core–shell structures. The mechanism for the formation of the Ag 2 S-Ag core–shell structures along with the compositional changes and the microstructural evolution of the Ag/MPA nanoparticles during the annealing process are discussed. It is proposed that the Ag 2 S-Ag core–shell structure was formed through a solid-state reduction reaction, in which the Ag + ions coming from Ag 2 S were reduced by sulfonate species and sulfur ions. The final Ag 2 S-Ag films display an exponentially decreased resistivity with increasing temperature from 25 to 170 °C. The negative temperature coefficient resistivity of Ag 2 S-Ag films can be adjusted by changing the S/Ag molar ratio used for the synthesis of the Ag/MPA nanoparticles, paving the way for the preparation of negative temperature-coefficient thermistors via printing technology for use in the electronics.

  4. Experimental study of the Ag-Sn-In phase diagram

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vassilev, Gueorgui P.; Dobrev, Evgueni S.; Tedenac, Jean-Claude

    2005-01-01

    Combined metallographic, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray and scanning electron microscopy studies have been performed using 27 ternary alloys. The microhardness of the α(Ag), ε(Ag 3 Sn) and ζ(Ag 4 Sn,Ag 3 In) phases has been measured. The ternary extension of the phase φ(Ag x In y Sn z , where x ∼ 0.36, y ∼ 0.61, z ∼ 0.03) has been revealed in some specimens, although the binary compound (AgIn 2 ) melts at 166 deg. C. This finding is attributed to the limited cooling rate. The solubility ranges of the solid solution and the intermetallic phases have been determined. The tin and the indium show approximately equal mutual solubility (around 2 at.%) in the ternary extensions of their Ag-Sn or Ag-In phases. The experimental data have been compared with a calculated isothermal section at 280 deg. C and with a vertical section at 2.5 at.% Ag. The thermal analyses have confirmed, in general, the temperatures of the invariant reactions in the Ag-Sn-In system as calculated by literature data

  5. Nano Ag@AgBr surface-sensitized Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} photocatalyst: oil-in-water synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic degradation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Shuanglong; Liu, Li; Hu, Jinshan; Liang, Yinghua, E-mail: liangyh@heuu.edu.cn; Cui, Wenquan, E-mail: wkcui@163.com

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The plasmatic Ag@AgBr surface-sensitized Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} composite photocatalysts. • Ag@AgBr greatly increased visible-light absorption for Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}. • The plasmonic photocatalysts exhibited enhanced activity for the degradation of MB, phenol and salicylic acid. - Abstract: Nano Ag@AgBr decorated on the surface of flower-like Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} (hereafter designated Ag@AgBr/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}) were prepared via a facile oil-in-water self-assembly method. The photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), etc. The characterization results indicated that nano Ag@AgBr was observed to be evenly dispersed on the surface of Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}, and was approximately 20 nm in size. Ag@AgBr/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} composites exhibited excellent UV–vis absorption, due to quantum dimension effect of Ag@AgBr, the surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) of Ag nanoparticles and the special flower-like structure of Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}. The photoelectrochemical measurement verified that the suitable band potential of Ag@AgBr and Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} and the existence of metal Ag resulted in the high efficiency in charge separation of the composite. The photocatalytic activities of the Ag@AgBr/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} samples were examined under visible-light irradiation for the degradation of methylene blue (MB). The composite presented excellent photocatalytic activity due to the synergetic effect of Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}, AgBr, and Ag nanoparticles. The Ag@AgBr(20 wt.%)/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} sample exhibited the best photocatalytic activity, degrading 95.03% MB after irradiation for 2 h, which was respectively 1.29 times and 1.28 times higher than that of Ag@AgBr and Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} photocatalyst. Meanwhile, phenol and salicylic acid were degraded to further prove the degradation ability of Ag@AgBr/Bi{sub 2

  6. Transformation of Ag nanocubes into Ag-Au hollow nanostructures with enriched Ag contents to improve SERS activity and chemical stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yin; Zhang, Qiang; Fu, Zheng-Wen; Qin, Dong

    2014-03-12

    We report a strategy to complement the galvanic replacement reaction between Ag nanocubes and HAuCl4 with co-reduction by ascorbic acid (AA) for the formation of Ag-Au hollow nanostructures with greatly enhanced SERS activity. Specifically, in the early stage of synthesis, the Ag nanocubes are sharpened at corners and edges because of the selective deposition of Au and Ag atoms at these sites. In the following steps, the pure Ag in the nanocubes is constantly converted into Ag(+) ions to generate voids owing to the galvanic reaction with HAuCl4, but these released Ag(+) ions are immediately reduced back to Ag atoms and are co-deposited with Au atoms onto the nanocube templates. We observe distinctive SERS properties for the Ag-Au hollow nanostructures at visible and near-infrared excitation wavelengths. When plasmon damping is eliminated by using an excitation wavelength of 785 nm, the SERS activity of the Ag-Au hollow nanostructures is 15- and 33-fold stronger than those of the original Ag nanocubes and the Ag-Au nanocages prepared by galvanic replacement without co-reduction, respectively. Additionally, Ag-Au hollow nanostructures embrace considerably improved stability in an oxidizing environment such as aqueous H2O2 solution. Collectively, our work suggests that the Ag-Au hollow nanostructures will find applications in SERS detection and imaging.

  7. AgSbSe{sub 2} and AgSb(S,Se){sub 2} thin films for photovoltaic applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garza, J.G. [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon (Mexico); Shaji, S. [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon (Mexico); Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, CIIDIT - Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon (Mexico); Rodriguez, A.C.; Das Roy, T.K. [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon (Mexico); Krishnan, B., E-mail: kbindu_k@yahoo.com [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon (Mexico); Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, CIIDIT - Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon (Mexico)

    2011-10-01

    Silver antimony selenide (AgSbSe{sub 2}) thin films were prepared by heating sequentially deposited multilayers of antimony sulphide (Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3}), silver selenide (Ag{sub 2}Se), selenium (Se) and silver (Ag). Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin film was prepared from a chemical bath containing SbCl{sub 3} and Na{sub 2}S{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Ag{sub 2}Se from a solution containing AgNO{sub 3} and Na{sub 2}SeSO{sub 3} and Se thin films from an acidified solution of Na{sub 2}SeSO{sub 3}, at room temperature on glass substrates. Ag thin film was deposited by thermal evaporation. The annealing temperature was 350 deg. C in vacuum (10{sup -3} Torr) for 1 h. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the thin films formed were polycrystalline AgSbSe{sub 2} or AgSb(S,Se){sub 2} depending on selenium content in the precursor films. Morphology and elemental analysis of these films were done using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Optical band gap was evaluated from the UV-visible absorption spectra of these films. Electrical characterizations were done using Hall effect and photocurrent measurements. A photovoltaic structure: glass/ITO/CdS/AgSbSe{sub 2}/Al was formed, in which CdS was deposited by chemical bath deposition. J-V characteristics of this structure showed V{sub oc} = 435 mV and J{sub sc} = 0.08 mA/cm{sup 2} under illumination using a tungsten halogen lamp. Preparation of a photovoltaic structure using AgSbSe{sub 2} as an absorber material by a non-toxic selenization process is achieved.

  8. Comparative Study of Antimicrobial Activity of AgBr and Ag Nanoparticles (NPs)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suchomel, Petr; Kvitek, Libor; Panacek, Ales; Prucek, Robert; Hrbac, Jan; Vecerova, Renata; Zboril, Radek

    2015-01-01

    The diverse mechanism of antimicrobial activity of Ag and AgBr nanoparticles against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and also against several strains of candida was explored in this study. The AgBr nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by simple precipitation of silver nitrate by potassium bromide in the presence of stabilizing polymers. The used polymers (PEG, PVP, PVA, and HEC) influence significantly the size of the prepared AgBr NPs dependently on the mode of interaction of polymer with Ag+ ions. Small NPs (diameter of about 60–70 nm) were formed in the presence of the polymer with low interaction as are PEG and HEC, the polymers which interact with Ag+ strongly produce nearly two times bigger NPs (120–130 nm). The prepared AgBr NPs were transformed to Ag NPs by the reduction using NaBH4. The sizes of the produced Ag NPs followed the same trends – the smallest NPs were produced in the presence of PEG and HEC polymers. Prepared AgBr and Ag NPs dispersions were tested for their biological activity. The obtained results of antimicrobial activity of AgBr and Ag NPs are discussed in terms of possible mechanism of the action of these NPs against tested microbial strains. The AgBr NPs are more effective against gram-negative bacteria and tested yeast strains while Ag NPs show the best antibacterial action against gram-positive bacteria strains. PMID:25781988

  9. Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial study on the chitosan-functionalized Ag nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biao, Linhai; Tan, Shengnan; Wang, Yuanlin; Guo, Ximin; Fu, Yujie; Xu, Fengjie; Zu, Yuangang; Liu, Zhiguo

    2017-07-01

    This study provided a facile, one-step hydrothermal method to synthesize stable Ag colloid in aqueous solution by utilizing chitosan as both reductant and stabilizer. The formation of chitosan-functionalized Ag nanoparticles was verified by UV-Vis, FTIR, TEM, AFM and XRD measurements. FTIR results revealed that the primary amine groups and amide groups of chitosan have specific interactions with the surface of Ag nanoparticles. The average diameter of the Ag nanoparticles is 10.0±5.4nm as determined by TEM. Ag nanoparticles are highly crystalline as revealed by HR-TEM and XRD measurements. The size and shape of Ag nanoparticles are also found to depend on the pH condition in the synthesis. Ag nanoparticles were the main products at pH5.0 whereas large Ag nanotriangle and truncated triangular nanoplate were dominant at pH4.0 in the synthesis. Due to its monodispersity and good stability, the chitosan-functionalized Ag colloid synthesized at pH5.0 was further tested for its antibacterial activities against gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria and fungus. The results of zone of inhibition, inhibition ratio and SEM characterization revealed that chitosan-functionalized Ag nanoparticles have great bactericidal efficiency against both bacteria and fungus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Some features and results of thermal neutron background measurements with the [ZnS(Ag)+{sup 6}LiF] scintillation detector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuzminov, V.V.; Alekseenko, V.V.; Barabanov, I.R.; Etezov, R.A.; Gangapshev, A.M.; Gavrilyuk, Yu.M.; Gezhaev, A.M.; Kazalov, V.V. [Institute for Nuclear Research, 117312 Moscow (Russian Federation); Khokonov, A.Kh. [Kh.M. Berbekov Kabardino-Balkarian State University, 360004 (Russian Federation); Panasenko, S.I. [V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, 61022 Kharkiv (Ukraine); Ratkevich, S.S., E-mail: ssratk@gmail.com [V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, 61022 Kharkiv (Ukraine)

    2017-01-01

    Features of a thermal neutron test detector with thin scintillator [ZnS(Ag)+{sup 6}LiF] are described. Background of the detector and its registration efficiency were defined as a result of measurements. The thermal neutron flux at different locations, and for different conditions around the Baksan Neutrino Observatory are reported. - Highlights: • This paper describes tests of a thermal neutron detector based on a thin scintillator ZnS(Ag) with {sup 6}LiF. • The results are a measurement of the background neutron flux from the detector and the detector's efficiency. • The thermal neutron flux at different locations, and for different conditions around the Baksan Neutrino Observatory are reported.

  11. Measuring Starlight Deflection during the 2017 Eclipse: Repeating the Experiment that made Einstein Famous

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruns, Donald

    2016-05-01

    In 1919, astronomers performed an experiment during a solar eclipse, attempting to measure the deflection of stars near the sun, in order to verify Einstein's theory of general relativity. The experiment was very difficult and the results were marginal, but the success made Albert Einstein famous around the world. Astronomers last repeated the experiment in 1973, achieving an error of 11%. In 2017, using amateur equipment and modern technology, I plan to repeat the experiment and achieve a 1% error. The best available star catalog will be used for star positions. Corrections for optical distortion and atmospheric refraction are better than 0.01 arcsec. During totality, I expect 7 or 8 measurable stars down to magnitude 9.5, based on analysis of previous eclipse measurements taken by amateurs. Reference images, taken near the sun during totality, will be used for precise calibration. Preliminary test runs performed during twilight in April 2016 and April 2017 can accurately simulate the sky conditions during totality, providing an accurate estimate of the final uncertainty.

  12. [Clinical evaluation of a novel HBsAg quantitative assay].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takagi, Kazumi; Tanaka, Yasuhito; Naganuma, Hatsue; Hiramatsu, Kumiko; Iida, Takayasu; Takasaka, Yoshimitsu; Mizokami, Masashi

    2007-07-01

    The clinical implication of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) concentrations in HBV-infected individuals remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate a novel fully automated Chemiluminescence Enzyme Immunoassay (Sysmex HBsAg quantitative assay) by comparative measurements of the reference serum samples versus two independent commercial assays (Lumipulse f or Architect HBsAg QT). Furthermore, clinical usefulness was assessed for monitoring of the serum HBsAg levels during antiviral therapy. A dilution test using 5 reference-serum samples showed linear correlation curve in range from 0.03 to 2,360 IU/ml. The HBsAg was measured in total of 400 serum samples and 99.8% had consistent results between Sysmex and Lumipulse f. Additionally, a positive linear correlation was observed between Sysmex and Architect. To compare the Architect and Sysmex, both methods were applied to quantify the HBsAg in serum samples with different HBV genotypes/subgenotypes, as well as in serum contained HBV vaccine escape mutants (126S, 145R). Correlation between the methods was observed in results for escape mutants and common genotypes (A, B, C) in Japan. Observed during lamivudine therapy, an increase in HBsAg and HBV DNA concentrations preceded the aminotransferase (ALT) elevation associated with drug-resistant HBV variant emergence (breakthrough hepatitis). In conclusion, reliability of the Sysmex HBsAg quantitative assay was confirmed for all HBV genetic variants common in Japan. Monitoring of serum HBsAg concentrations in addition to HBV DNA quantification, is helpful in evaluation of the response to lamivudine treatment and diagnosis of the breakthrough hepatitis.

  13. Correlation of beam loss to residual activation in the AGS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, K.A.

    1991-01-01

    Studies of beam loss and activation at the AGS have provided a better understanding of measurements of beam loss and how they may be used to predict activation. Studies have been done in which first order correlations have been made between measured beam losses on the distributed ionization chamber system in the AGS and the health physics recorded residual activation. These studies have provided important insight into the ionization chamber system, its limitations, and its usefulness in the prediction of activation based on monitored beam loss. In recent years the AGS has run high intensity protons primarily for rare kaon decay experiments. In this mode of running the AGS typically accelerates beam from an injection momentum of 0.644 GeV/c up to a slow extracted beam (SEB) momentum of 24.2 GeV/c. The beam intensities are on the order of 4.5 x 10 13 protons per AGS cycle at injection to as high as 1.9 x 10 13 protons per AGS cycle at extraction. Residual activation varies around the AGS ring from the order of 5 mR/hour to levels of the order at 5 R/hour. The highest levels occur around the AGS beam catcher and the extraction equipment

  14. Potential risk of acute toxicity induced by AgI cloud seeding on soil and freshwater biota.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fajardo, C; Costa, G; Ortiz, L T; Nande, M; Rodríguez-Membibre, M L; Martín, M; Sánchez-Fortún, S

    2016-11-01

    Silver iodide is one of the most common nucleating materials used in cloud seeding. Previous cloud seeding studies have concluded that AgI is not practically bioavailable in the environment but instead remains in soils and sediments such that the free Ag amounts are likely too low to induce a toxicological effect. However, none of these studies has considered the continued use of this practice on the same geographical areas and thus the potential cumulative effect of environmental AgI. The aim of this study is to assess the risk of acute toxicity caused by AgI exposure under laboratory conditions at the concentration expected in the environment after repeated treatments on selected soil and aquatic biota. To achieve the aims, the viability of soil bacteria Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas stutzeri and the survival of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to different silver iodide concentrations have been evaluated. Freshwater green algae Dictyosphaerium chlorelloides and cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa were exposed to silver iodide in culture medium, and their cell viability and photosynthetic activity were evaluated. Additionally, BOD5 exertion and the Microtox® toxicity test were included in the battery of toxicological assays. Both tests exhibited a moderate AgI adverse effect at the highest concentration (12.5µM) tested. However, AgI concentrations below 2.5µM increased BOD5. Although no impact on the growth and survival endpoints in the soil worm C. elegans was recorded after AgI exposures, a moderate decrease in cell viability was found for both of the assessed soil bacterial strains at the studied concentrations. Comparison between the studied species showed that the cyanobacteria were more sensitive than green algae. Exposure to AgI at 0.43μM, the reference value used in monitoring environmental impact, induced a significant decrease in photosynthetic activity that is primarily associated with the respiration (80% inhibition) and, to a lesser

  15. Cu induced reactions on 110Cd-108Cd-106Cd, 109Ag-107Ag and 110Pd. New rhenium, osmium and iridium isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cabot, C.; Della Negra, S.; Deprun, C.; Gauvin, H.; Le Beyec, Y.

    1978-01-01

    By 63 Cu induced reactions on 110 Cd, 108 Cd, 106 Cd, 109 Ag, 107 Ag and 110 Pd targets, new isotopes were searched in the Ir, Os, Re region. Cross bombardments and excitation function measurements were used to identify new α emitting isotopes. The α-decay measurements are compared to the Qα values obtained from different mass predictions

  16. Repeated swim stress alters brain benzodiazepine receptors measured in vivo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weizman, R.; Weizman, A.; Kook, K.A.; Vocci, F.; Deutsch, S.I.; Paul, S.M.

    1989-01-01

    The effects of repeated swim stress on brain benzodiazepine receptors were examined in the mouse using both an in vivo and in vitro binding method. Specific in vivo binding of [ 3 H]Ro15-1788 to benzodiazepine receptors was decreased in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, midbrain and striatum after repeated swim stress (7 consecutive days of daily swim stress) when compared to nonstressed mice. In vivo benzodiazepine receptor binding was unaltered after repeated swim stress in the cerebellum and pons medulla. The stress-induced reduction in in vivo benzodiazepine receptor binding did not appear to be due to altered cerebral blood flow or to an alteration in benzodiazepine metabolism or biodistribution because there was no difference in [14C]iodoantipyrine distribution or whole brain concentrations of clonazepam after repeated swim stress. Saturation binding experiments revealed a change in both apparent maximal binding capacity and affinity after repeated swim stress. Moreover, a reduction in clonazepam's anticonvulsant potency was also observed after repeated swim stress [an increase in the ED50 dose for protection against pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures], although there was no difference in pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure threshold between the two groups. In contrast to the results obtained in vivo, no change in benzodiazepine receptor binding kinetics was observed using the in vitro binding method. These data suggest that environmental stress can alter the binding parameters of the benzodiazepine receptor and that the in vivo and in vitro binding methods can yield substantially different results

  17. Repeated swim stress alters brain benzodiazepine receptors measured in vivo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weizman, R.; Weizman, A.; Kook, K.A.; Vocci, F.; Deutsch, S.I.; Paul, S.M.

    1989-06-01

    The effects of repeated swim stress on brain benzodiazepine receptors were examined in the mouse using both an in vivo and in vitro binding method. Specific in vivo binding of (/sup 3/H)Ro15-1788 to benzodiazepine receptors was decreased in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, midbrain and striatum after repeated swim stress (7 consecutive days of daily swim stress) when compared to nonstressed mice. In vivo benzodiazepine receptor binding was unaltered after repeated swim stress in the cerebellum and pons medulla. The stress-induced reduction in in vivo benzodiazepine receptor binding did not appear to be due to altered cerebral blood flow or to an alteration in benzodiazepine metabolism or biodistribution because there was no difference in (14C)iodoantipyrine distribution or whole brain concentrations of clonazepam after repeated swim stress. Saturation binding experiments revealed a change in both apparent maximal binding capacity and affinity after repeated swim stress. Moreover, a reduction in clonazepam's anticonvulsant potency was also observed after repeated swim stress (an increase in the ED50 dose for protection against pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures), although there was no difference in pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure threshold between the two groups. In contrast to the results obtained in vivo, no change in benzodiazepine receptor binding kinetics was observed using the in vitro binding method. These data suggest that environmental stress can alter the binding parameters of the benzodiazepine receptor and that the in vivo and in vitro binding methods can yield substantially different results.

  18. Use of Repeated Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Measurements to Improve Cardiovascular Disease Risk Prediction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paige, Ellie; Barrett, Jessica; Pennells, Lisa

    2017-01-01

    The added value of incorporating information from repeated blood pressure and cholesterol measurements to predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk has not been rigorously assessed. We used data on 191,445 adults from the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration (38 cohorts from 17 countries with data...

  19. AgI/Ag3PO4 hybrids with highly efficient visible-light driven photocatalytic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katsumata, Hideyuki; Hayashi, Takahiro; Taniguchi, Masanao; Suzuki, Tohru; Kaneco, Satoshi

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 hybrid was prepared via an in situ anion-exchange method. • AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 displays the excellent photocatalytic activity under visible light. • AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 readily transforms to be Ag@AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 system. • h + and O 2 ·− play the major role in the AO 7 decolorization over AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 . • The activity enhancement is ascribed to a Z-scheme system composed of Ag 3 PO 4 , Ag and AgI. - Abstract: Highly efficient visible-light-driven AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 hybrid photocatalysts with different mole ratios of AgI were prepared via an in situ anion-exchange method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) technique. Under visible light irradiation (>420 nm), the AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 photocatalysts displayed the higher photocatalytic activity than pure Ag 3 PO 4 and AgI for the decolorization of acid orange 7 (AO 7). Among the hybrid photocatalysts, AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 with 80% of AgI exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity for the decolorization of AO 7. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results revealed that AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 readily transformed to be Ag@AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 system while the photocatalytic activity of AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 remained after 5 recycling runs. In addition, the quenching effects of different scavengers displayed that the reactive h + and O 2 ·− play the major role in the AO 7 decolorization. The photocatalytic activity enhancement of AgI/Ag 3 PO 4 hybrids can be ascribed to the efficient separation of electron–hole pairs through a Z-scheme system composed of Ag 3 PO 4 , Ag and AgI, in which Ag nanoparticles act as the charge separation center

  20. Comparison of Repeated Measurement Design and Mixed Models in Evaluation of the Entonox Effect on Labor Pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nasim Karimi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: In many medical studies, the response variable is measured repeatedly over time to evaluate the treatment effect that is known as longitudinal study. The analysis method for this type of data is repeated measures ANOVA that uses only one correlation structure and the results are not valid with inappropriate correlation structure. To avoid this problem, a convenient alternative is mixed models. So, the aim of this study was to compare of mixed and repeated measurement models for examination of the Entonox effect on the labor pain. Methods: This experimental study was designed to compare the effect of Entonox and oxygen inhalation on pain relief between two groups. Data were analyzed using repeated measurement and mixed models with different correlation structures. Selection and comparison of proper correlation structures performed using Akaike information criterion, Bayesian information criterion and restricted log-likelihood. Data were analyzed using SPSS-22. Results: Results of our study showed that all variables containing analgesia methods, labor duration of the first and second stages, and time were significant in these tests. In mixed model, heterogeneous first-order autoregressive, first-order autoregressive, heterogeneous Toeplitz and unstructured correlation structures were recognized as the best structures. Also, all variables were significant in these structures. Unstructured variance covariance matrix was recognized as the worst structure and labor duration of the first and second stages was not significant in this structure. Conclusions: This study showed that the Entonox inhalation has a significant effect on pain relief in primiparous and it is confirmed by all of the models.

  1. On model selections for repeated measurement data in clinical studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Baiming; Jin, Bo; Koch, Gary G; Zhou, Haibo; Borst, Stephen E; Menon, Sandeep; Shuster, Jonathan J

    2015-05-10

    Repeated measurement designs have been widely used in various randomized controlled trials for evaluating long-term intervention efficacies. For some clinical trials, the primary research question is how to compare two treatments at a fixed time, using a t-test. Although simple, robust, and convenient, this type of analysis fails to utilize a large amount of collected information. Alternatively, the mixed-effects model is commonly used for repeated measurement data. It models all available data jointly and allows explicit assessment of the overall treatment effects across the entire time spectrum. In this paper, we propose an analytic strategy for longitudinal clinical trial data where the mixed-effects model is coupled with a model selection scheme. The proposed test statistics not only make full use of all available data but also utilize the information from the optimal model deemed for the data. The performance of the proposed method under various setups, including different data missing mechanisms, is evaluated via extensive Monte Carlo simulations. Our numerical results demonstrate that the proposed analytic procedure is more powerful than the t-test when the primary interest is to test for the treatment effect at the last time point. Simulations also reveal that the proposed method outperforms the usual mixed-effects model for testing the overall treatment effects across time. In addition, the proposed framework is more robust and flexible in dealing with missing data compared with several competing methods. The utility of the proposed method is demonstrated by analyzing a clinical trial on the cognitive effect of testosterone in geriatric men with low baseline testosterone levels. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. sup 111 Ag in the Chernobyl fallout

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Winkler, R.; Rosner, G.; Hoetzl, H. (Gesellschaft fuer Strahlen- und Umweltforschung mbH Muenchen, Neuherberg (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Strahlenschutz)

    1989-01-01

    In the course of a re-evalution of the gamma-ray spectra of air filter samples collected immediately after Chernobyl accident at Munich-Neuherberg {sup 111}Ag has been found to contribute significantly to the total activity within the first days of the Chernobyl fallout. The maximum air concentration was measured on 1 May 1986 to be 5.4 Bq/m{sup 3} compared with 9.7 Bq {sup 137}Cs per m{sup 3}. Referred to this date the total activity deposition to ground was 12{plus minus}3 kBq {sup 111}Ag per m{sup 2}. Referred to 26 April 1986 the {sup 111}Ag to {sup 110m}Ag ratio was found to be 53{plus minus}3 and the {sup 111}Ag to {sup 137}Cs ratio was 1.0{plus minus}0.1. It is estimated that the cesium isotopes were depleted during release and atmospheric transport by a factor of about 2 compared with the silver isotopes. (orig.).

  3. Coating stainless steel plates with Ag/TiO2 for chlorpyrifos decontamination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdel Fattah, Wafa I.; Gobara, Mohammed M.; El-Hotaby, Walid; Mostafa, Sherif F. M.; Ali, Ghareib W.

    2016-05-01

    Spray coatings of either nanosilver (Ag), titanium (TiO2) or nanosilver titanium (Ag/TiO2) on stainless steel substrates prepared by sol-gel process were successfully achieved. The efficiency of the Ag/TiO2 coat onto 316 stainless steel surface towards cloropyrifos degradation as a chemical warfare agent (CWA) was proved. The crystalline structure and morphological characterization, as well as surface roughness measurements, were assessed. X-ray diffraction results proved the crystalline TiO2 anatase phase. The uniform distribution of Ag along with TiO2 nanoparticles was evidenced through transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy mapping. The hydrophilic nature of individual Ag, TiO2 and Ag/TiO2 coats was proved by contact angle measurements. The loading of Ag nanoparticles influenced positively the Ag/TiO2 coats surface roughness. The photocatalytic cloropyrifos degradation achieved about 50% within one-hour post UV treatment proving, therefore, the promising Ag/TiO2 continued decontamination efficiency. In conclusion, tuning the physical and morphological properties of TiO2 coated on stainless steel surface could be significantly enhanced by Ag nanoparticles incorporation. The developed Ag/TiO2 coat could be conveniently applied as CWA decontaminant.

  4. Effect of thermal annealing on the microstructures and photocatalytic performance of silver orthophosphate: The synergistic mechanism of Ag vacancies and metallic Ag

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Tingjiang; Guan, Wenfei; Xiao, Ying; Tian, Jun; Qiao, Zheng; Zhai, Huishan; Li, Wenjuan; You, Jinmao

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Ag_3PO_4 was initially prepared via ion-exchange reaction and then annealed in air. • Thermal annealing also resulted in the formation of metallic Ag and Ag vacancies. • The annealed samples exhibited superior activity to the pristine sample. • Both Ag vacancies and metallic Ag contributed to the high activity. - Abstract: In this work, a simple thermal annealing route has been developed to improve the photocatalytic performance of silver orthophosphate (Ag_3PO_4) photocatalyst toward organic pollutants degradation under visible light irradiation. The experimental results indicated that thermal treatment of Ag_3PO_4 led to an obvious lattice shift towards right and significantly narrowed band gap energies due to the formation of Ag vacancies and metallic Ag during Ag_3PO_4 decomposition. These structural variations notably affected the photocatalytic performance of Ag_3PO_4 photocatalysts. The activity of the annealed samples was found to be significantly enhanced toward the degradation of MO dye. The highest activity was observed over the sample annealed at 400 °C, which exceeded that of pristine Ag_3PO_4 by a factor of about 21 times. By means of photoluminescence spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical measurements, we propose that the enormous enhancement in activity was mainly attributed to the efficient separation of photogenerated electrons and holes driven by the synergistic effect of Ag vacancies and metallic Ag. The strong interaction between annealed particles also inhibited the dissolution of Ag"+ from Ag_3PO_4 into aqueous solution, contributing to an improved photocatalytic stability. The strategy presented here provides an ideal platform for the design of other highly efficient and stable Ag-based photocatalysts for broad applications in the field of photocatalysis.

  5. Ocular surface sensitivity repeatability with Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Cecilia; Stapleton, Fiona; Badarudin, Ezailina; Golebiowski, Blanka

    2015-02-01

    To determine the repeatability of ocular surface threshold measurements using the Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer on the same day and 3 months apart. Two separate studies were conducted to determine the repeatability of ocular surface threshold measurements made on the same day (n = 20 subjects) and 3 months apart (n = 29 subjects). The Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer was used to measure corneal and inferior conjunctival thresholds using the ascending method of limits. The pressure exerted by the Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer was determined using an analytical balance, for both the 0.08- and 0.12-mm-diameter filaments. This calibration was then used to convert filament length measurements to pressure. Repeatability was determined using a Bland and Altman analysis. The pressure exerted at each filament length differed between the two filament diameters. The measured pressure also differed from values provided by the manufacturer. Repeatability of threshold measurements at the central cornea was shown to be good, with better repeatability for same-day measurements (coefficient of repeatability [CoR] = ±0.23 g/mm²) than for those 3 months apart (CoR = ±0.52 g/mm²). Threshold measurements at the inferior conjunctiva, in contrast, were poorly repeatable (CoR = ±12.78 g/mm²). Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometry is repeatable when performed on the central cornea on the same day and 3 months apart, but this instrument is not recommended for conjunctival threshold measurements.

  6. Photocatalytic oxidation removal of Hg"0 using ternary Ag/AgI-Ag_2CO_3 hybrids in wet scrubbing process under fluorescent light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Anchao; Zhang, Lixiang; Chen, Xiaozhuan; Zhu, Qifeng; Liu, Zhichao; Xiang, Jun

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Ag/AgI-Ag_2CO_3 hybrids were employed for Hg"0 removal under fluorescent light. • Superoxide radical (·O_2"−) played a key role in Hg"0 removal. • NO exhibited a significant effect on Hg"0 removal in comparison to SO_2. • The mechanism for enhanced Hg"0 removal over Ag/AgI-Ag_2CO_3 was proposed. - Abstract: A series of ternary Ag/AgI-Ag_2CO_3 photocatalysts synthesized using a facile coprecipitation method were employed to investigate their performances of Hg"0 removal in a wet scrubbing reactor. The hybrids were characterized by N_2 adsorption-desorption, XRD, SEM-EDS, HRTEM, XPS, DRS and ESR. The photocatalytic activities of Hg"0 removal were evaluated under fluorescent light. The results showed that AgI content, fluorescent light irradiation, reaction temperature all showed significant influences on Hg"0 removal. NO exhibited significant effect on Hg"0 removal in comparison to SO_2. Among these ternary Ag/AgI-Ag_2CO_3 hybrids, Ag/AgI(0.1)-Ag_2CO_3 showed the highest Hg"0 removal efficiency, which could be ascribed to the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs between AgI and Ag_2CO_3 and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect in the visible region by metallic silver nanoparticles (Ag"0 NPs). The trapping studies of reactive radicals showed that the superoxide radicals (·O_2"−) may play a key role in Hg"0 removal under fluorescent light. According to the experimental and characterization results, a possible photocatalytic oxidation mechanism for enhanced Hg"0 removal over Ag/AgI(0.1)-Ag_2CO_3 hybrid under fluorescent light was proposed.

  7. Positron annihilation studies of vacancies in Ag-Zn alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chabik, S.

    1982-01-01

    The temperature dependence of annihilation rate, F(T), at the peak of angular correlation curve has been measured for Ag-29.2%at Zn and Ag-50%at Zn alloys. By applying the trapping model the vacancy formation energy for Ag-29.2%at Zn alloy has been found to be equal to 0.94+-0.06 eV. It has been found that the course of the F(T) curve for Ag-50%at Zn depends on the phase composition and thermal history of the investigated sample. For alloys containing not more than 50%at Zn, the concentration dependence of the vacancy formation energy for Ag-Zn alloys is very similar to that for Cu-Zn alloys. (Auth.)

  8. Xe/Kr Selectivity Measurements using AgZ-PAN at Various Temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garn, Troy Gerry; Greenhalgh, Mitchell Randy; Watson, Tony Leroy

    2015-01-01

    In preparation for planned FY-15 Xe/Kr multi-column testing, a series of experiments were performed to determine the selectivity of Xe over Kr using the silver converted mordenite-polyacrylonitrile (AgZ-PAN) sorbent. Results from these experiments will be used for parameter selection guidelines to define test conditions for Kr gas capture purity evaluations later this year. The currently configured experimental test bed was modified by installing a new cooling apparatus to permit future multi-column testing with independent column temperature control. The modified test bed will allow for multi-column testing to facilitate a Xe separation followed by a Kr separation using engineered form sorbents. Selectivity experiments were run at temperatures of 295, 250 and 220 K. Two feed gas compositions of 1000 ppmv Xe, 150 ppmv Kr in either a He or an air balance were used. AgZ-PAN sorbent selectivity was calculated using Xe and Kr capacity determinations. AgZ-PAN sorbent selectivities for Xe over Kr of 72 were calculated at room temperature (295 K) using the feed gas with a He balance and 34 using the feed gas with an air balance. As the test temperatures were decreased the selectivity of Xe over Kr also decreased due to an increase in both Xe and Kr capacities. At 220 K, the sorbent selectivities for Xe over Kr were 22 using the feed gas with a He balance and 28 using the feed gas with an air balance. The selectivity results indicate that AgZ-PAN used in the first column of a multi-column configuration will provide adequate partitioning of Xe from Kr in the tested temperature range to produce a more pure Kr end product for collection.

  9. An oil-in-water self-assembly synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic properties of nano Ag@AgCl surface-sensitized K2Ti4O9

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liang, Yinghua; Lin, Shuanglong; Liu, Li; Hu, Jinshan; Cui, Wenquan

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The plasmatic Ag@AgCl surface-sensitized K 2 Ti 4 O 9 composite photocatalysts. • Ag@AgCl greatly increased visible light absorption for K 2 Ti 4 O 9 . • The photocatalysts exhibited enhanced photocatalytic dye degradation. - Abstract: Nano-sized plasmonic Ag@AgCl surface-sensitized K 2 Ti 4 O 9 composite photocatalysts (hereafter designated as Ag@AgCl/K 2 Ti 4 O 9 ) was synthesized via a facile oil-in-water self-assembly method. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared materials for RhB (Rhodamine B) degradation was examined under visible light irradiation. The results reveal that the size of Ag@AgCl, which evenly dispersed on the surface of K 2 Ti 4 O 9 , distributes about 20–50 nm. The UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra indicate that Ag@AgCl/K 2 Ti 4 O 9 samples have a significantly enhanced optical absorption in 380–700 nm. The photocatalytic activities of the Ag@AgCl/K 2 Ti 4 O 9 samples increase first and then decrease with increasing amount of loading Ag@AgCl and the Ag@AgCl(20 wt.%)/K 2 Ti 4 O 9 sample exhibits the best photocatalytic activity and 94.47% RhB was degraded after irradiation for 2 h. Additionally, studies performed using radical scavengers indicated that O 2 · − and Cl 0 acted as the main reactive species. The electronic interaction was systematically studied and confirmed by the photo-electrochemical measurements

  10. Migration of Sn and Pb from Solder Ribbon onto Ag Fingers in Field-Aged Silicon Photovoltaic Modules

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wonwook Oh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the migration of Sn and Pb onto the Ag fingers of crystalline Si solar cells in photovoltaic modules aged in field for 6 years. Layers of Sn and Pb were found on the Ag fingers down to the edge of the solar cells. This phenomenon is not observed in a standard acceleration test condition for PV modules. In contrast to the acceleration test conditions, field aging subjects the PV modules to solar irradiation and moisture condensation at the interface between the solar cells and the encapsulant. The solder ribbon releases Sn and Pb via repeated galvanic corrosion and the Sn and Pb precipitate on Ag fingers due to the light-induced plating under solar irradiation.

  11. REPEATED MEASURES ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN PHOTOSYNTHETIC EFFICIENCY IN SOUR CHERRY DURING WATER DEFICIT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marija Viljevac

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate changes in photosynthetic efficiency applying repeated measures ANOVA using the photosynthetic performance index (PIABS of the JIP-test as a vitality parameter in seven genotypes of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus, L. during 10 days of continuous water deficit. Both univariate and multivariate ANOVA repeated measures revealed highly significant time effect (Days and its subsequent interactions with genotype and water deficit. However, the multivariate Pillai’s trace test detected the interaction Time × Genotype × Water deficit as not significant. According to the Tukey’s Studentized Range (HSD test, differences between the control and genotypes exposed to water stress became significant on the fourth day of the experiment, indicating that the plants on the average, began to lose their photosynthetic efficiency four days after being exposed to water shortage. It corroborates previous findings in other species that PIABS is very sensitive tool for detecting drought stress.

  12. The AGS Booster Beam Position Monitor system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ciardullo, D.J.; Abola, A.; Beadle, E.R.; Smith, G.A.; Thomas, R.; Van Zwienen, W.; Warkentien, R.; Witkover, R.L.

    1991-01-01

    To accelerate both protons and heavy ions, the AGS Booster requires a broadband (multi-octave) beam position monitoring system with a dynamic range spanning several orders of magnitude (2 x 10 10 to 1.5 x 10 13 particles per pulse). System requirements include the ability to acquire single turn trajectory and average orbit information with ± 0.1 mm resolution. The design goal of ± 0.5 mm corrected accuracy requires that the detectors have repeatable linear performance after periodic bakeout at 300 degree C. The system design and capabilities of the Booster Beam Position Monitor will be described, and initial results presented. 7 refs., 5 figs

  13. Plasticity and microstructure of epitaxial Ag/Ni multilayers; Mechanische Eigenschaften und Mikrostruktur epitaktischer Ag/Ni-Multilagenschichten

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schmidt, Tobias K.

    2007-10-15

    To meet the still increasing technical demands of new materials, it is required to improve basic knowledge of thin films and multilayers. This thesis describes the microstructure and mechanical behaviour of thin epitaxial Ag/Ni-multilayers. Former investigations were only done on polycrystalline multilayers or epitaxial single layers. The manufacture of epitaxial Ag/Ni-multilayers on (111) orientated Si-substrates was performed by a magnetron sputtering technique under ultra high vacuum (UHV). The thickness of the alternating Ag- and Ni-layers varies between 100 and 400 nm, the thickness of the whole film varies between 200 and 800 nm. Hardness and flow stress of Ag/Ni-multilayers were measured with a nanoindentation technique, a substrate curvature method and by X-ray diffraction. The hardness of these multilayers varies between 1.5 and 2.0 GPa. The Ag single film hardness is 0.5 GPa and Ni film 1.8 GPa. The flow stress of the Ag/Ni-multilayers varies between 350 and 800 MPa. The Ag single layer shows a flow stress of 100 MPa and Ni of 450 MPa. Both hardness and flow stress increase with decreasing layer thickness. In situ TEM and HRTEM experiments showed a semicoherent Ag/Ni-interface. It was observed that these interfaces act as sources and sinks. Dislocation loops formed at the interface expand and shrink according to the stress state. They combine with loops from the opposite interface or with the interface itself and form threading dislocations. Dislocation loops penetrating an interface were not observed. Results were compared with various models which simulate flow stress in thin films and multilayers. The most important models are calculated by Nix-Freund, the Source-model after von Blanckenhagen and the Hall-Petch-model. (orig.)

  14. Accuracy and repeatability of quantitative fluoroscopy for the measurement of sagittal plane translation and finite centre of rotation in the lumbar spine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breen, Alexander; Breen, Alan

    2016-07-01

    Quantitative fluoroscopy (QF) was developed to measure intervertebral mechanics in vivo and has been found to have high repeatability and accuracy for the measurement of intervertebral rotations. However, sagittal plane translation and finite centre of rotation (FCR) are potential measures of stability but have not yet been fully validated for current QF. This study investigated the repeatability and accuracy of QF for measuring these variables. Repeatability was assessed from L2-S1 in 20 human volunteers. Accuracy was investigated using 10 consecutive measurements from each of two pairs of linked and instrumented dry human vertebrae as reference; one which tilted without translation and one which translated without tilt. The results found intra- and inter-observer repeatability for translation to be 1.1mm or less (SEM) with fair to substantial reliability (ICC 0.533-0.998). Intra-observer repeatability of FCR location for inter-vertebral rotations of 5° and above ranged from 1.5mm to 1.8mm (SEM) with moderate to substantial reliability (ICC 0.626-0.988). Inter-observer repeatability for FCR ranged from 1.2mm to 5.7mm, also with moderate to substantial reliability (ICC 0.621-0.878). Reliability was substantial (ICC>0.81) for 10/16 measures for translation and 5/8 for FCR location. Accuracy for translation was 0.1mm (fixed centre) and 2.2mm (moveable centre), with an FCR error of 0.3mm(x) and 0.4mm(y) (fixed centre). This technology was found to have a high level of accuracy and with a few exceptions, moderate to substantial repeatability for the measurement of translation and FCR from fluoroscopic motion sequences. Copyright © 2016 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Optical properties of Ag nanoclusters formed by irradiation and annealing of SiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}:Ag thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Güner, S., E-mail: sguner@fatih.edu.tr [Department of Physics, Fatih University, 34500 Büyükçekmece, İstanbul (Turkey); Budak, S. [Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Alabama A and M University, Huntsville, AL 35810 (United States); Gibson, B. [Department of Physics, UAH, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States); Ila, D. [Department of Chemistry and Physics, Fayetteville St. University, Fayetteville, NC 28301 (United States)

    2014-08-15

    Highlights: • Fabrication of films through the Reactive Electron Beam deposition technique. • Perfect and reproducible Ag nanoclustered host matrix. • Potential technological applicability in thermoelectric devices. - Abstract: We have deposited five periodic SiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} + Ag multi-nano-layered films on fused silica substrates using physical vapor deposition technique. The co-deposited SiO{sub 2}:Ag layers were 2.7–5 nm and SiO{sub 2} buffer layers were 1–15 nm thick. Total thickness was between 30 and 105 nm. Different concentrations of Ag, ranging from 1.5 to 50 molecular% with respect to SiO{sub 2} were deposited to determine relevant rates of nanocluster formation and occurrence of interaction between nanoclusters. Using interferometry as well as in situ thickness monitoring, we measured the thickness of the layers. The concentration of Ag in SiO{sub 2} was measured with Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS). To nucleate Ag nanoclusters, 5 MeV cross plane Si ion bombardments were performed with fluence varying between 5 × 10{sup 14} and 1 × 10{sup 16} ions/cm{sup 2} values. Optical absorption spectra were recorded in the range of 200–900 nm in order to monitor the Ag nanocluster formation in the thin films. Thermal annealing treatment at different temperatures was applied as second method to form varying size of nanoclusters. The physical properties of formed super lattice were criticized for thermoelectric applications.

  16. Synthesis, morphological control, and antibacterial properties of hollow/solid Ag2S/Ag heterodimers

    KAUST Repository

    Pang, Maolin

    2010-08-11

    Ag2S and Ag are important functional materials that have received considerable research interest in recent years. In this work, we develop a solution-based synthetic method to combine these two materials into hollow/solid Ag2S/Ag heterodimers at room temperature. Starting from monodisperse Cu2O solid spheres, CuS hollow spheres can be converted from Cu2O through a modified Kirkendall process, and the obtained CuS can then be used as a solid precursor for preparation of the Ag2S/Ag heterodimers through ion exchange and photo-assisted reduction. We have found that formation of the Ag2S/Ag heterodimers is instantaneous, and the size of Ag nanocrystals on the hollow spheres of Ag2S can be controlled by changing the concentration and power of reducing agents in the synthesis. The growth of Ag nanoparticles on hollow spheres of Ag2S in the dimers is along the [111] direction of the silver crystal; the light absorption properties have also been investigated. Furthermore, coupling or tripling of Ag2S/Ag heterodimers into dumbbell-like trimers ((Ag 2S)2/Ag, linear) and triangular tetramers ((Ag 2S)3/Ag, coplanar) can also be attained at 60°C by adding the bidentate ligand ethylenediamine as a cross-linking agent. To test the applicability of this highly asymmetric dipolar composite, photocatalytic inactivation of Escherichia coli K-12 in the presence of the as-prepared Ag 2S/Ag heterodimers has been carried out under UV irradiation. The added Ag2S/Ag heterodimers show good chemical stability under prolonged UV irradiation, and no appreciable solid dissolution is found. Possible mechanisms regarding the enhanced antibacterial activity have also been addressed. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

  17. Transformation from Ag@Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} to Ag@Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 4} hybrid at room temperature: preparation and its visible light photocatalytic activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wei, Ting; Gao, Shanmin, E-mail: gaosm@ustc.edu; Wang, Qingyao; Xu, Hui [Ludong University, College of Chemistry and Materials Science (China); Wang, Zeyan; Huang, Baibiao, E-mail: bbhuang@sdu.edu.cn; Dai, Ying [Shandong University, State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials (China)

    2017-02-15

    In the present study, Ag/Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 4} hybrid photocatalysts were obtained via a facile redox–precipitation reaction approach by using Ag@Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} nanocomposite as the precursor and KMnO{sub 4} as the oxidant. Multiple techniques, such as X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), photocurrent and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), were applied to investigate the structures, morphologies, optical, and electronic properties of as-prepared samples. The photocatalytic activities were evaluated by photodegradation of organic rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation. It was found that pure Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 4} can partially transform into metallic Ag during the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants, but the Ag/Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 4} hybrids can maintain its structure stability and show enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity because of the surface plasma resonance effect of the metallic Ag.

  18. Measurement of antiproton annihilation on Cu, Ag and Au with emulsion films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aghion, S.; Consolati, G.; Evans, C.; Ferragut, R.; Amsler, C.; Ariga, A.; Ariga, T.; Ereditato, A.; Bonomi, G.; Bräunig, P.; Demetrio, A.; Brusa, R.S.; Cabaret, L.; Comparat, D.; Caccia, M.; Castelli, F.; Caravita, R.; Noto, L. Di; Cerchiari, G.; Doser, M.

    2017-01-01

    The characteristics of low energy antiproton annihilations on nuclei (e.g. hadronization and product multiplicities) are not well known, and Monte Carlo simulation packages that use different models provide different descriptions of the annihilation events. In this study, we measured the particle multiplicities resulting from antiproton annihilations on nuclei. The results were compared with predictions obtained using different models in the simulation tools GEANT4 and FLUKA. For this study, we exposed thin targets (Cu, Ag and Au) to a very low energy antiproton beam from CERN's Antiproton Decelerator, exploiting the secondary beamline available in the AEgIS experimental zone. The antiproton annihilation products were detected using emulsion films developed at the Laboratory of High Energy Physics in Bern, where they were analysed at the automatic microscope facility. The fragment multiplicity measured in this study is in good agreement with results obtained with FLUKA simulations for both minimally and heavily ionizing particles.

  19. Measurement of antiproton annihilation on Cu, Ag and Au with emulsion films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghion, S.; Amsler, C.; Ariga, A.; Ariga, T.; Bonomi, G.; Bräunig, P.; Brusa, R. S.; Cabaret, L.; Caccia, M.; Caravita, R.; Castelli, F.; Cerchiari, G.; Comparat, D.; Consolati, G.; Demetrio, A.; Di Noto, L.; Doser, M.; Ereditato, A.; Evans, C.; Ferragut, R.; Fesel, J.; Fontana, A.; Gerber, S.; Giammarchi, M.; Gligorova, A.; Guatieri, F.; Haider, S.; Hinterberger, A.; Holmestad, H.; Huse, T.; Kawada, J.; Kellerbauer, A.; Kimura, M.; Krasnický, D.; Lagomarsino, V.; Lansonneur, P.; Lebrun, P.; Malbrunot, C.; Mariazzi, S.; Matveev, V.; Mazzotta, Z.; Müller, S. R.; Nebbia, G.; Nedelec, P.; Oberthaler, M.; Pacifico, N.; Pagano, D.; Penasa, L.; Petracek, V.; Pistillo, C.; Prelz, F.; Prevedelli, M.; Ravelli, L.; Rienaecker, B.; RØhne, O. M.; Rotondi, A.; Sacerdoti, M.; Sandaker, H.; Santoro, R.; Scampoli, P.; Simon, M.; Smestad, L.; Sorrentino, F.; Testera, G.; Tietje, I. C.; Vamosi, S.; Vladymyrov, M.; Widmann, E.; Yzombard, P.; Zimmer, C.; Zmeskal, J.; Zurlo, N.

    2017-04-01

    The characteristics of low energy antiproton annihilations on nuclei (e.g. hadronization and product multiplicities) are not well known, and Monte Carlo simulation packages that use different models provide different descriptions of the annihilation events. In this study, we measured the particle multiplicities resulting from antiproton annihilations on nuclei. The results were compared with predictions obtained using different models in the simulation tools GEANT4 and FLUKA. For this study, we exposed thin targets (Cu, Ag and Au) to a very low energy antiproton beam from CERN's Antiproton Decelerator, exploiting the secondary beamline available in the AEgIS experimental zone. The antiproton annihilation products were detected using emulsion films developed at the Laboratory of High Energy Physics in Bern, where they were analysed at the automatic microscope facility. The fragment multiplicity measured in this study is in good agreement with results obtained with FLUKA simulations for both minimally and heavily ionizing particles.

  20. HBsAg level and hepatitis B viral load correlation with focus on pregnancy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belopolskaya, Maria; Avrutin, Viktor; Firsov, Sergey; Yakovlev, Alexey

    2015-01-01

    Background Viral load measurement is necessary to estimate mother-to-child transmission risk for women with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), however, it is expensive. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between HBsAg and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels, and to determine potential applications of HBsAg level monitoring for estimating viral load. Methods 85 patients with CHB (31 pregnant women, 26 non-pregnant women, 28 men) were included in the study. HBV DNA level was measured by real-time PCR, and HBsAg level by chemiluminescent immunoassay method. Dependency between viral load and HBsAg level was determined by Spearman correlation coefficient ρ. Results The correlation between HBsAg and HBV DNA levels was significant for all patients [ρ=0.3762 (P<0.0005; n=85)]. In the group of pregnant women, a low (unmeasurable) HBV DNA level led to a decrease in the Spearman coefficient ρ. In almost all cases a low level of the HBsAg corresponded to a low HBV DNA level. Only 2 patients had a low level of HBsAg and a relatively high viral load. By contrast, a high HBsAg level was observed in patients both with high and low viral load. Conclusions Correlation between HBsAg and HBV DNA levels is significant. In most cases, a low level of HBsAg indicates a low HBV DNA level, whereas a high HBsAg level does not always correspond to a high viral load. The measurement of HBV DNA level is necessary for pregnant women with a high HBsAg level. PMID:26127004

  1. Repeatability and Comparison of Keratometry Values Measured with Potec PRK-6000 Autorefractometer, IOLMaster, and Pentacam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adem Türk

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To research the repeatability and intercompatibility of keratometry values measured with Potec PRK-6000 autorefractometer, IOL Master, and Pentacam. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, consecutive measurements were performed in two different sessions with the mentioned three devices on 110 eyes of 55 subjects who had no additional ocular pathology except for refraction error. The consistency of flat and steep keratometry, average keratometry, and corneal astigmatism values obtained in both sessions was compared by using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC. The measurement differences between the devices were statistically compared as well. Results: The mean age of the study subjects was 23.05±3.01 (18-30 years. ICC values of average keratometry measurements obtained in the sessions were 0.996 for Potec PRK-6000 autorefractometer, 0.997 for IOL Master, and 0.999 for Pentacam. There was high compatibility between the three devices in terms of average keratometry values in Bland-Altman analysis. However, there were statistically significant differences between the devices in terms of parameters other than corneal astigmatism. Conclusion: The repeatability of the three devices was found considerably high in keratometry measurements. However, it is not appropriate for these devices to be substituted for each other in keratometry measurements. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2014; 44: 179-83

  2. Electronic transport behavior of diameter-graded Ag nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Xuewei; Yuan Zhihao

    2010-01-01

    Ag nanowires with a graded diameter in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes were fabricated by the direct-current electrodeposition. The Ag nanowires have a graded-change in diameter from 8 to 32 nm, which is matched with the graded-change of the AAO pore diameter. Electronic transport measurements show that there is a transport behavior similar to that of a metal-semiconductor junction along the axial direction in the diameter-graded Ag nanowires. Such a novel homogeneous nanojunction will be of great fundamental and practical significance.

  3. Electronic transport behavior of diameter-graded Ag nanowires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xue Wei; Yuan, Zhi Hao

    2010-05-01

    Ag nanowires with a graded diameter in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes were fabricated by the direct-current electrodeposition. The Ag nanowires have a graded-change in diameter from 8 to 32 nm, which is matched with the graded-change of the AAO pore diameter. Electronic transport measurements show that there is a transport behavior similar to that of a metal-semiconductor junction along the axial direction in the diameter-graded Ag nanowires. Such a novel homogeneous nanojunction will be of great fundamental and practical significance.

  4. Improved galvanic replacement growth of Ag microstructures on Cu micro-grid for enhanced SERS detection of organic molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Tian-Long; Li, Ji-Guang; Sun, Xudong; Sakka, Yoshio

    2016-04-01

    Galvanic growth of Ag nano/micro-structures on Cu micro-grid was systematically studied for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications. Detailed characterizations via FE-SEM and HR-TEM showed that processing parameters, (reaction time, Ag(+) concentration, and PVP addition) all substantially affect thermodynamics/kinetics of the replacement reaction to yield substrates of significantly different microstructures/homogeneities and thus varied SERS performances (sensitivity, enhancement factor, and reproducibility) of the Ag substrates in the detection of R6G analyte. PVP as an additive was shown to notably alter nucleation/growth behaviors of the Ag crystals and promote the deposition of dense and uniform Ag films of nearly monodisperse polyhedrons/nanoplates through suppressing dendrites crystallization. Under optimized synthesis (50mM of Ag(+), 30s of reaction, and 700 wt.% of PVP), Ag substrates exhibiting a high Raman signal enhancement factor of ~1.1 × 10(6) and a low relative standard deviation of ~0.13 in the repeated detection of 10 μM R6G were obtained. The facile deposition and excellent performance reported in this work may allow the Ag microstructures to find wider SERS applications. Moreover, growth mechanisms of the different Ag nano/micro-structures were discussed based on extensive FE-SEM and HR-TEM analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Intra- and Intersession Repeatability of an Optical Quality and Intraocular Scattering Measurement System in Children.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mi Tian

    Full Text Available To evaluate intra- and intersession repeatability of objective optical quality and intraocular scattering measurements with a double-pass system in children.Forty-two eyes of 42 children were included in the study. An optical quality analysis system (OQAS was used to measure optical quality parameters, including modulation transfer function cutoff frequency (MTFcutoff, Strehl ratio (SR, OQAS values (OV at 3 different contrasts and objective scatter index (OSI. Three measurement sessions with 10-min intervals were operated by the same technician, and in each session four consecutive measurements were obtained.Mean values for MTFcutoff, SR and OSI were 46.85 ± 7.45cpd, 0.27 ± 0.06 and 0.34 ± 0.22 respectively. 1 The intraclass correlation coefficients were ranged from 0.89 to 0.97 and coefficients of variation from 0.06 to 0.16 for all the parameters in the first session; the relative repeatability were 11.1% (MTFcutoff, 22.5% (SR, 10.9% (OV100%, 16.6% (OV2%, 22.4% (OV9% and 56.3% (OSI. Similar results were found in the second and third sessions. 2 Bland-Altman analysis showed that narrow 95% confidence intervals (compared between the first and second sessions ranged from -5.42 to 5.28 (MTFcutoff, -0.05 to 0.07 (SR, -0.18 to 0.18 (OV100%, -0.26 to 0.29 (OV20%, -0.33 to 0.39 (OV9% and -0.11 to 0.09 (OSI; the comparison between any two of the three sessions showed similar results.Measurements of optical quality and intraocular scattering in children by the double-pass system showed good intra- and intersession repeatability. Retinal image quality is high and intraocular scattering is low in children.

  6. Amorphous Fe-B alloys in B-Fe-Ag multilayers studied by magnetization and Mössbauer measurements

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiss, L. F.; Balogh, J.; Bujdoso, L.

    2011-01-01

    Bulk and local magnetic properties were studied in [1 nm B + 1 nm 57Fe + x nm Ag]5, x = 1, 2, 4, 5 and 10, multilayer samples. Although Ag does not mix with either of the other two elements the magnetic properties of the multilayers are strongly influenced by the Ag thickness below x = 5, whereas...

  7. Measuring the surface-enhanced Raman scattering enhancement factors of hot spots formed between an individual Ag nanowire and a single Ag nanocube

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Camargo, Pedro H C; Cobley, Claire M; Rycenga, Matthew; Xia Younan

    2009-01-01

    This paper describes a systematic study of the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of hot spots formed between a Ag nanowire and a Ag nanocube with sharp corners. We investigated two distinct dimer structures: (i) a nanocube having one side face nearly touching the side face of a nanowire, and (ii) a nanocube having one edge nearly touching the side face of a nanowire. The field enhancements for the dimers displayed a strong dependence on laser polarization, and the strongest SERS intensities were observed for polarization along the hot-spot axis. Moreover, the detected SERS intensities were dependent on the hot-spot structure, i.e., the relative orientation of the Ag nanocube with respect to the nanowire's side face. When the dimer had a face-to-face configuration, the enhancement factor EF dimer was 1.4 x 10 7 . This corresponds to 22-fold and 24-fold increases compared to those for individual Ag nanowires and nanocubes, respectively. Conversely, when the dimer had an edge-to-face configuration, EF dimer was 4.3 x 10 6 . These results demonstrated that the number of probe molecules adsorbed at the hot spot played an important role in determining the detected SERS intensities. EF dimer was maximized when the dimer configuration allowed for a larger number of probe molecules to be trapped within the hot-spot region.

  8. Reliability and Repeatability of Cone Density Measurements in Patients With Stargardt Disease and RPGR-Associated Retinopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanna, Preena; Kasilian, Melissa; Strauss, Rupert; Tee, James; Kalitzeos, Angelos; Tarima, Sergey; Visotcky, Alexis; Dubra, Alfredo; Carroll, Joseph; Michaelides, Michel

    2017-07-01

    To assess reliability and repeatability of cone density measurements by using confocal and (nonconfocal) split-detector adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) imaging. It will be determined whether cone density values are significantly different between modalities in Stargardt disease (STGD) and retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR)-associated retinopathy. Twelve patients with STGD (aged 9-52 years) and eight with RPGR-associated retinopathy (aged 11-31 years) were imaged using both confocal and split-detector AOSLO simultaneously. Four graders manually identified cone locations in each image that were used to calculate local densities. Each imaging modality was evaluated independently. The data set consisted of 1584 assessments of 99 STGD images (each image in two modalities and four graders who graded each image twice) and 928 RPGR assessments of 58 images (each image in two modalities and four graders who graded each image twice). For STGD assessments the reliability for confocal and split-detector AOSLO was 67.9% and 95.9%, respectively, and the repeatability was 71.2% and 97.3%, respectively. The differences in the measured cone density values between modalities were statistically significant for one grader. For RPGR assessments the reliability for confocal and split-detector AOSLO was 22.1% and 88.5%, respectively, and repeatability was 63.2% and 94.5%, respectively. The differences in cone density between modalities were statistically significant for all graders. Split-detector AOSLO greatly improved the reliability and repeatability of cone density measurements in both disorders and will be valuable for natural history studies and clinical trials using AOSLO. However, it appears that these indices may be disease dependent, implying the need for similar investigations in other conditions.

  9. Spectroscopic observations of AG Dra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang-Chun, H.

    1982-01-01

    During summer 1981, spectroscopic observations of AG Dra were performed at the Haute-Provence Observatory using the Marly spectrograph with a dispersion of 80 A mm -1 at the 120 cm telescope and using the Coude spectrograph of the 193 cm telescope with a dispersion of 40 A mm -1 . The actual outlook of the spectrum of AG Dra is very different from what it was in 1966 in the sense that only a few intense absorption lines remain, the heavy emission continuum masking the absorption spectrum, while on the 1966 plate, about 140 absorption lines have been measured. Numerous emission lines have been measured, most of them, present in 1981, could also be detected in 1966. They are due to H, HeI and HeII. (Auth.)

  10. Core/shell AgNi/PtAgNi nanoparticles as methanol-tolerant oxygen reduction electrocatalysts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Dengfeng; Cheng, Daojian

    2015-01-01

    A core/shell AgNi/PtAgNi nanoparticle (NP) was synthesized via a new seed-mediated growth method in organic solvent medium. The as-synthesized AgNi/PtAgNiNP exhibits an AgNi core coated with PtAgNi shell, which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The AgNi/PtAgNiNPs/C catalyst possesses higher oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and better durability compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst. It is found that the ORR polarization curve of the AgNi/PtAgNiNPs/C catalyst shows an onset potential of 0.91 V vs. RHE, which is superior to the commercial Pt/C (0.88 V vs. RHE). In addition, the AgNi/PtAgNiNPs/C catalyst shows much better durability than the commercial Pt/C catalyst. More interestingly, the AgNi/PtAgNiNPs/C catalyst displays much higher methanol tolerance than the commercial Pt/C catalyst in 0.1 M KOH solution in the presence of 0.5 M methanol. Our results show that core/shell AgNi/PtAgNiNPs possess selective activity for ORR even in the presence of methanol, showing potential application as methanol-tolerant cathode catalysts in direct methanol fuel cells.

  11. Development of a Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IB Specific Gene Model Enables Comparative Genome Analyses between Phytopathogenic R. solani AG1-IA, AG1-IB, AG3 and AG8 Isolates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Wibberg

    Full Text Available Rhizoctonia solani, a soil-born plant pathogenic basidiomycetous fungus, affects various economically important agricultural and horticultural crops. The draft genome sequence for the R. solani AG1-IB isolate 7/3/14 as well as a corresponding transcriptome dataset (Expressed Sequence Tags--ESTs were established previously. Development of a specific R. solani AG1-IB gene model based on GMAP transcript mapping within the eukaryotic gene prediction platform AUGUSTUS allowed detection of new genes and provided insights into the gene structure of this fungus. In total, 12,616 genes were recognized in the genome of the AG1-IB isolate. Analysis of predicted genes by means of different bioinformatics tools revealed new genes whose products potentially are involved in degradation of plant cell wall components, melanin formation and synthesis of secondary metabolites. Comparative genome analyses between members of different R. solani anastomosis groups, namely AG1-IA, AG3 and AG8 and the newly annotated R. solani AG1-IB genome were performed within the comparative genomics platform EDGAR. It appeared that only 21 to 28% of all genes encoded in the draft genomes of the different strains were identified as core genes. Based on Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI and Average Amino-acid Identity (AAI analyses, considerable sequence differences between isolates representing different anastomosis groups were identified. However, R. solani isolates form a distinct cluster in relation to other fungi of the phylum Basidiomycota. The isolate representing AG1-IB encodes significant more genes featuring predictable functions in secondary metabolite production compared to other completely sequenced R. solani strains. The newly established R. solani AG1-IB 7/3/14 gene layout now provides a reliable basis for post-genomics studies.

  12. AGS experiments - 1994, 1995, 1996

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Depken, J.C.

    1997-01-01

    This report contains the following information on the Brookhaven AGS Accelerator complex: FY 1996 AGS schedule as run; FY 1997 AGS schedule (working copy); AGS beams 1997; AGS experimental area FY 1994 physics program; AGS experimental area FY 1995 physics program; AGS experimental area FY 1996 physics program; AGS experimental area FY 1997 physics program (in progress); a listing of experiments by number; two-phage summaries of each experiment begin here, also ordered by number; listing of publications of AGS experiments begins here; and listing of AGS experimenters begins here.

  13. AGS experiments - 1994, 1995, 1996

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Depken, J.C.

    1997-01-01

    This report contains the following information on the Brookhaven AGS Accelerator complex: FY 1996 AGS schedule as run; FY 1997 AGS schedule (working copy); AGS beams 1997; AGS experimental area FY 1994 physics program; AGS experimental area FY 1995 physics program; AGS experimental area FY 1996 physics program; AGS experimental area FY 1997 physics program (in progress); a listing of experiments by number; two-phage summaries of each experiment begin here, also ordered by number; listing of publications of AGS experiments begins here; and listing of AGS experimenters begins here

  14. AGS experiments -- 1991, 1992, 1993

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Depken, J.C.

    1994-04-01

    This report contains: (1) FY 1993 AGS schedule as run; (2) FY 1994--95 AGS schedule; (3) AGS experiments ≥ FY 1993 (as of 30 March 1994); (4) AGS beams 1993; (5) AGS experimental area FY 1991 physics program; (6) AGS experimental area FY 1992 physics program; (7) AGS experimental area FY 1993 physics program; (8) AGS experimental area FY 1994 physics program (planned); (9) a listing of experiments by number; (10) two-page summaries of each experiment; (11) listing of publications of AGS experiments; and (12) listing of AGS experiments

  15. Asymmetric interfaces in Fe/Ag and Ag/Fe bilayers prepared by molecular beam evaporation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tunyogi, A. [KFKI Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary)]. E-mail: tunyogi@rmki.kfki.hu; Paszti, F. [KFKI Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Osvath, Z. [MTA Research Institute for Technical Physics and Materials Science, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Tancziko, F. [KFKI Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Major, M. [KFKI Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Szilagyi, E. [KFKI Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary)

    2006-08-15

    Single layers of Fe and Ag, as well as Fe/Ag (iron deposited first) and Ag/Fe bilayers were prepared by molecular beam evaporation onto Si. The samples were investigated with backscattering spectrometry (BS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). BS spectra of Fe/Ag and Ag/Fe indicate a significant difference at the interface. In the case of Fe/Ag the Ag peak has a long tail at the interface, while for Ag/Fe the interface is abrupt. The tail in the Fe/Ag spectrum is too large to be caused by double or plural scattering. According to AFM, the effect of surface roughness is also negligible. In spite of the fact that Fe and Ag are completely immiscible in equilibrium, this tail, however, suggests that some Ag is located in the Fe layer. After annealing, both samples show mixing between the two layers; this is much larger again for Fe/Ag.

  16. Interaction between impurities in Ag dilute alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krolas, K.; Wodniecka, B.; Wodniecki, P.; Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, Krakow

    1977-01-01

    Time dependent perturbed angular correlation measurements of gamma radiation in 111 Cd after 111 In decay were performed in AgPd and AgPt alloys. The concentration of Pd or Pt atoms being the nearest neighbours to the probe atoms is much higher than that one deduced from random impurity distribution. This effect results from the attractive interaction between the In probe atoms and Pt or Pd impurity atoms in silver host lattice. The binding energy of InPd and InPt complexes was measured as 135 +- 9 meV and 171 +- 9 meV, respectively. (author)

  17. The AGS Ggamma Meter and Calibrating the Gauss Clock

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahrens, Leif [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Collider-Accelerator Dept.

    2014-03-31

    During AGS Polarized Proton acceleration periods, one output from the AGS Ggamma Meter, namely the energy (or Ggamma) calculated from the magnetic field in the AGS main magnets and the beam radius- both measured in particular instant, is used to figure out the times in the AGS magnet acceleration cycle when the beam passes through a particular set of depolarizing resonances. The resonance set occur whenever a particle’s Ggamma (energy*(G/m) becomes nearly equal to n*Qx (i.e. any integer multiplied by the horizontal betatron tune). This deliverable is why the machinery is referred to as the ''Ggamma Meter'' rather than the AGS energy meter. The Ggamma Meter takes as inputs a set of measurements of frequency (F(t)), radius (r(t)), and gauss clock counts (GCC(t)). The other energy (GgammaBr) assumes the field when the gauss clock starts counting is known. The change in field to time t is given by the measured accumulated gauss clock counts multiplied by the gauss clock calibration (gauss/GCC). In order to deal with experimental data, this calibration factor gets an added ad hoc complication, namely a correction dependent on the rate of change the counting rate. The Ggamma meter takes GCC(t) and together with the past history for this cycle calculates B(t).

  18. The AGS Ggamma Meter and Calibrating the Gauss Clock

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahrens, Leif

    2014-01-01

    During AGS Polarized Proton acceleration periods, one output from the AGS Ggamma Meter, namely the energy (or Ggamma) calculated from the magnetic field in the AGS main magnets and the beam radius- both measured in particular instant, is used to figure out the times in the AGS magnet acceleration cycle when the beam passes through a particular set of depolarizing resonances. The resonance set occur whenever a particle's Ggamma (energy*(G/m) becomes nearly equal to n*Qx (i.e. any integer multiplied by the horizontal betatron tune). This deliverable is why the machinery is referred to as the ''Ggamma Meter'' rather than the AGS energy meter. The Ggamma Meter takes as inputs a set of measurements of frequency (F(t)), radius (r(t)), and gauss clock counts (GCC(t)). The other energy (GgammaBr) assumes the field when the gauss clock starts counting is known. The change in field to time t is given by the measured accumulated gauss clock counts multiplied by the gauss clock calibration (gauss/GCC). In order to deal with experimental data, this calibration factor gets an added ad hoc complication, namely a correction dependent on the rate of change the counting rate. The Ggamma meter takes GCC(t) and together with the past history for this cycle calculates B(t).

  19. Thermodynamic properties of solid solutions in the system Ag2S–Ag2Se

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pal’yanova, G.A.; Chudnenko, K.V.; Zhuravkova, T.V.

    2014-01-01

    We have summarized experimental data on the phase diagram of the system Ag 2 S–Ag 2 Se. Standard thermodynamic functions of four solid solutions in this system have been calculated using the model of regular and subregular solutions: a restricted fcc solid solution γ-Ag 2 S-Ag 2 S 1−x Se x (x 2 S–Ag 2 Se, monoclinic solid solution (α) from Ag 2 S to Ag 2 S 0.4 Se 0.6 , and orthorhombic solid solution (α) from Ag 2 S 0.3 Se 0.7 to the Ag 2 Se. G mix and S mix have been evaluated using the subregular model for asymmetric solution for the region Ag 2 S 0.4 Se 0.6 –Ag 2 S 0.3 Se 0.7 . The thermodynamic data can be used for modeling in complex natural systems and in matters of semiconductor materials

  20. Effect of variation in the glass-former network structure on the relaxation properties of conductive Ag+ ions in AgI-based fast ion conducting glasses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanaya, Minoru; Nakayama, Michiko; Hatate, Atsuo; Oguni, Masaharu

    1995-08-01

    Heat capacities and ac conductivities of AgI-based fast ion conducting glasses of AgI-Ag2O-P2O5 and AgI-Ag2O-B2O3 systems with different P-O or B-O network structures but with the same AgI concentration of 1.55×104 mol m-3 were measured in the temperature range 14-400 K and in the temperature and frequency ranges 100-200 K and 10 Hz-1 MHz, respectively. The β-glass transition due to a freezing-in of the rearrangement of Ag+ ions was observed by adiabatic calorimetry for the glasses in the liquid-nitrogen temperature region, and the conductometry was suggested to see the same mode of Ag+-ion motion as the calorimetry. It was found that the development of the network structure of the glass former at constant AgI concentration resulted in the decrease of the β-glass transition temperature and the activation energy for the diffusional motion of Ag+ ions and in the increase of the heat-capacity jump associated with the glass transition. The results support the amorphous AgI aggregate model for the structure of the conductive region in the glasses with relatively high AgI compositions, indicating that Ag+-ion conductivity is mainly dominated by the degree of development of the AgI aggregate region dependent on the glass-former network structure as well as the AgI composition.

  1. Electron spectroscopy studies of surface In-Ag alloy formation on the tungsten surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bukaluk, A.; Trzcinski, M.; Okulewicz, K.

    2008-01-01

    XPS and UPS investigations of ultrathin films of In/Ag and Ag/In, deposited onto the W(1 1 0) surface in the ultrahigh vacuum conditions have been performed. Indium and silver films were formed by 'in-situ' evaporation on W(1 1 0) substrate. XPS and UPS studies have been performed by means of SCIENTA ESCA200 instrument. The changes of In4d core-level and Ag4d valence band emissions with increasing Ag and In coverage were monitored to observe the energy shift and shape of the spin-orbit doublet of In4d and Ag4d lines in the Ag/In/W and In/Ag/W systems. UPS (HeI and HeII) measurements were supported by XPS AlK α measurements of In3d and W4p levels, as well as by investigations of Ag3d levels. XPS and UPS data allowed to evaluate the coverage and make conclusions concerning intermixing and surface alloying in the In/Ag/W and Ag/In/W systems. W(1 1 0) substrate can be cleaned after each deposition by thermal desorption and no alloying in the In/W and Ag/W systems is observed

  2. Decay kinetics study of Ag0 in silver doped barium aluminoborate glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pontuschka, W.M.; Santos, J.T. dos; Isotani, S.; Rabbani, S.R.

    1989-12-01

    EPR measurements of 30BaO.50B 2 O 3 .20Al 2 O 3 at. % glasses containing different amounts of silver impurity, X-and γ-irradiated at room temperature, showed the presence of Ag 0 and Ag ++ centers. Decay kinetics of Ag 0 was determined for different temperatures in glass containing 0.1% of silver. We show that our model of stabilization energy of H 0 in B-O rings through van der Waals forces is not applicable to Ag 0 . Thus, we propose the model of reduction of Ag 0 to Ag + as the mechanism of the Ag 0 decay kinetics. (author) [pt

  3. Immobilization of Ag nanoparticles/FGF-2 on a modified titanium implant surface and improved human gingival fibroblasts behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Qianli; Mei, Shenglin; Ji, Kun; Zhang, Yumei; Chu, Paul K

    2011-08-01

    The objective of this study was to form a rapid and firm soft tissue sealing around dental implants that resists bacterial invasion. We present a novel approach to modify Ti surface by immobilizing Ag nanoparticles/FGF-2 compound bioactive factors onto a titania nanotubular surface. The titanium samples were anodized to form vertically organized TiO(2) nanotube arrays and Ag nanoparticles were electrodeposited onto the nanotubular surface, on which FGF-2 was immobilized with repeated lyophilization. A uniform distribution of Ag nanoparticles/FGF-2 was observed on the TiO(2) nanotubular surface. The L929 cell line was used for cytotoxicity assessment. Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) were cultured on the modified surface for cytocompatibility determination. The Ag/FGF-2 immobilized samples displayed excellent cytocompatibility, negligible cytotoxicity, and enhanced HGF functions such as cell attachment, proliferation, and ECM-related gene expression. The Ag nanoparticles also exhibit some bioactivity. In conclusion, this modified TiO(2) nanotubular surface has a large potential for use in dental implant abutment. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Education for patients with chronic kidney disease in Taiwan: a prospective repeated measures study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yen, Miaofen; Huang, Jeng-Jong; Teng, Hsiu-Lan

    2008-11-01

    To investigate the physical, knowledge and quality of life outcomes of an educational intervention for patients with early stage chronic kidney disease. A comprehensive predialysis education care team can be effective in slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease. A single group repeated measures design was used to evaluate the effects of the intervention. Participants were recruited through health department community health screen data banks. A predialysis, team-delivered educational intervention covering renal function health care, dietary management of renal function and the effects of Chinese herb medication on renal function was designed and implemented. Data were collected at baseline, six and 12 months. Study outcomes included physical indicators, knowledge (renal function protection, use of Chinese herbs and renal function and diet) and quality of life. Data were analysed using repeated measure anova to test for change over time in outcome variables. Sixty-six persons participated in this study. The predialysis educational intervention showed significant differences at the three time points in overall knowledge scores, waist-hip ratio, body mass index and global health status. Knowledge measures increased at month 6 and decreased at month 12. The primary indicator of renal function, glomerular filtration rate, remained stable throughout the 12 months of follow-up, despite the relatively older mean age of study participants. A predialysis education care team can provide effective disease-specific knowledge and may help retard deterioration of renal function in persons with early-stage chronic kidney disease. The intervention dose may need to be repeated every six months to maintain knowledge effects. A predialysis educational program with disease-specific knowledge and information is feasible and may provide positive outcomes for patients. Topics on the uses of Chinese herbs should be included for people who are likely to use alternative therapies.

  5. Reliability of near-infrared spectroscopy for measuring biceps brachii oxygenation during sustained and repeated isometric contractions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthalib, Makii; Millet, Guillaume Y; Quaresima, Valentina; Nosaka, Kazunori

    2010-01-01

    We examine the test-retest reliability of biceps brachii tissue oxygenation index (TOI) parameters measured by near-infrared spectroscopy during a 10-s sustained and a 30-repeated (1-s contraction, 1-s relaxation) isometric contraction task at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (30% MVC) and maximal (100% MVC) intensities. Eight healthy men (23 to 33 yr) were tested on three sessions separated by 3 h and 24 h, and the within-subject reliability of torque and each TOI parameter were determined by Bland-Altman+/-2 SD limits of agreement plots and coefficient of variation (CV). No significant (P>0.05) differences between the three sessions were found for mean values of torque and TOI parameters during the sustained and repeated tasks at both contraction intensities. All TOI parameters were within+/-2 SD limits of agreement. The CVs for torque integral were similar between the sustained and repeated task at both intensities (4 to 7%); however, the CVs for TOI parameters during the sustained and repeated task were lower for 100% MVC (7 to 11%) than for 30% MVC (22 to 36%). It is concluded that the reliability of the biceps brachii NIRS parameters during both sustained and repeated isometric contraction tasks is acceptable.

  6. Reliability and Repeatability of Cone Density Measurements in Patients With Stargardt Disease and RPGR-Associated Retinopathy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanna, Preena; Kasilian, Melissa; Strauss, Rupert; Tee, James; Kalitzeos, Angelos; Tarima, Sergey; Visotcky, Alexis; Dubra, Alfredo; Carroll, Joseph; Michaelides, Michel

    2017-01-01

    Purpose To assess reliability and repeatability of cone density measurements by using confocal and (nonconfocal) split-detector adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) imaging. It will be determined whether cone density values are significantly different between modalities in Stargardt disease (STGD) and retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR)–associated retinopathy. Methods Twelve patients with STGD (aged 9–52 years) and eight with RPGR-associated retinopathy (aged 11–31 years) were imaged using both confocal and split-detector AOSLO simultaneously. Four graders manually identified cone locations in each image that were used to calculate local densities. Each imaging modality was evaluated independently. The data set consisted of 1584 assessments of 99 STGD images (each image in two modalities and four graders who graded each image twice) and 928 RPGR assessments of 58 images (each image in two modalities and four graders who graded each image twice). Results For STGD assessments the reliability for confocal and split-detector AOSLO was 67.9% and 95.9%, respectively, and the repeatability was 71.2% and 97.3%, respectively. The differences in the measured cone density values between modalities were statistically significant for one grader. For RPGR assessments the reliability for confocal and split-detector AOSLO was 22.1% and 88.5%, respectively, and repeatability was 63.2% and 94.5%, respectively. The differences in cone density between modalities were statistically significant for all graders. Conclusions Split-detector AOSLO greatly improved the reliability and repeatability of cone density measurements in both disorders and will be valuable for natural history studies and clinical trials using AOSLO. However, it appears that these indices may be disease dependent, implying the need for similar investigations in other conditions. PMID:28738413

  7. Analyzing repeated measures data on individuals nested within groups: accounting for dynamic group effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, Daniel J; Gottfredson, Nisha C; Dean, Danielle; Zucker, Robert A

    2013-03-01

    Researchers commonly collect repeated measures on individuals nested within groups such as students within schools, patients within treatment groups, or siblings within families. Often, it is most appropriate to conceptualize such groups as dynamic entities, potentially undergoing stochastic structural and/or functional changes over time. For instance, as a student progresses through school, more senior students matriculate while more junior students enroll, administrators and teachers may turn over, and curricular changes may be introduced. What it means to be a student within that school may thus differ from 1 year to the next. This article demonstrates how to use multilevel linear models to recover time-varying group effects when analyzing repeated measures data on individuals nested within groups that evolve over time. Two examples are provided. The 1st example examines school effects on the science achievement trajectories of students, allowing for changes in school effects over time. The 2nd example concerns dynamic family effects on individual trajectories of externalizing behavior and depression. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  8. Accuracy of a new partial coherence interferometry analyser for biometric measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holzer, M P; Mamusa, M; Auffarth, G U

    2009-06-01

    Precise biometry is an essential preoperative measurement for refractive surgery as well as cataract surgery. A new device based on partial coherence interferometry technology was tested and evaluated for accuracy of measurements. In a prospective study 200 eyes of 100 healthy phakic volunteers were examined with a functional prototype of the new ALLEGRO BioGraph (Wavelight AG)/LENSTAR LS 900 (Haag Streit AG) biometer and with the IOLMaster V.5 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG). As recommended by the manufacturers, repeated measurements were performed with both devices and the results compared using Spearman correlation calculations (WinSTAT). Spearman correlation showed high correlations for axial length and keratometry measurements between the two devices tested. Anterior chamber depth, however, had a lower correlation between the two biometry devices. In addition, the mean values of the anterior chamber depth differed (IOLMaster 3.48 (SD 0.42) mm versus BioGraph/LENSTAR 3.64 (SD 0.26) mm); however, this difference was not statistically different (p>0.05, t test). The new biometer provided results that correlated very well with those of the IOLMaster. The ALLEGRO BioGraph/LENSTAR LS 900 is a precise device containing additional features that will be helpful tools for any cataract or refractive surgeon.

  9. Electronic transport in heavily doped Ag/n-Si composite films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clayton W. Bates Jr.

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Hall measurements characterized Ag/n-Si composite films 1 micron thick produced by magnetron co-sputtering onto high resistivity Si (111 substrates at 550°C. The targets were Ag and n-type Si doped with 3 × 1019/cm3 of antimony. Films were prepared with 13, 16 and 22 at. % Ag and measured over a temperature range 77–500°K. Conduction takes place at low temperatures by variable rang hopping in localized states at the Fermi level and by thermal activation over grain boundaries at higher temperatures. The Log Resistivity vs 1/kT curves for the three Ag concentrations vary in a similar manner, but decrease in magnitude with increasing Ag due to the smaller number of grain boundaries between Ag nanoparticles occurring with increasing Ag concentration. At low temperatures Hall mobilities are essentially independent of temperature as the carrier densities for the three Ag concentrations are constant from 77 to slightly under 300°K with resistivities varying by small amounts. The mobilities at all Ag concentrations increase with temperature and approach each other as the effects of grain boundaries become less important. This work presents for the first time the effects of metal particles embedded in a semiconductor on the transport properties of carriers in the semiconductor. Though these effects are for a given average particle size most of the results are expected to hold over a range of particle sizes. Free electrons produced in films containing 13 and 16 at. % Ag result in concentrations of 1.5 × 1019/cm3, one half the antimony doping, while those with 22 at. % Ag, the carrier concentrations are three orders of magnitude higher. These constant carrier concentrations are due to the metal-insulator transition that occurs in doped crystalline and polycrystalline silicon for carrier densities nc >3.9 × 1018/cm3. The three orders of magnitude higher carrier concentration produced in films with 22 at. % Ag is argued to be due to doping of the Si

  10. AGS silicon gold collisions measured in the E-810 TPC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Love, W.A.; Etkin, A.; Foley, K.J.; Hackenburg, R.W.; Longacre, R.S.; Morris, T.W.; Platner, E.D.; Saulys, A.C.; Bonner, B.E.; Buchanan, J.A.; Chiou, C.N.; Clement, J.M.; Corcoran, M.D.; Kruk, J.W.; Miettinen, H.E.; Mutchler, G.S.; Nessi, M.; Nessi-Tedaldi, F.; Roberts, J.B.; Chan, C.S.; Kramer, M.A.; Hallman, T.J.; Madansky, L.; Lindenbaum, S.J.

    1990-01-01

    The tracking detector of AGS Experiment 810 is a three-piece Time Projection Chamber (TPC) intended to measure all charged tracks in the forward hemisphere of the nucleon-nucleon center of mass system, i.e. forward of an angle of about 20 degrees in the lab. Each module of the TPC contains twelve rows of short anode wires which give 3-D space points on each track, but no dE/dx information useable for particle identification. The TPC was operated in a beam of silicon ions at the end of June 1989 and this talk reports the results of analysis of the data taken with a thin gold target in that run. The authors have gathered a similar amount of data from thin copper and silicon targets, the analysis of which is in a less advanced state. The results of the investigation of the neutral strange particle decays appear in a separate contribution by Al Saulys. This paper presents the current state of the analysis of the charged tracks from the silicon gold collisions

  11. AGS experiments: 1993 - 1994 - 1995

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Depken, J.C.

    1996-04-01

    This report contains: FY 1995 AGS Schedule as Run; FY 1996-97 AGE Schedule (working copy); AGS Beams 1995; AGS Experimental Area FY 1993 Physics Program; AGS Experimental Area FY 1994 Physics Program; AGS Experimental Area FY 1995 Physics Program; AGS Experimental Area FY 1996 Physics Program (In progress); A listing of experiments by number; Two-page summaries of each experiment begin here, also ordered by number; Listing of publications of AGS experiments begins here; and Listing of AGS experimenters begins here. This is the twelfth edition.

  12. AGS experiments: 1993 - 1994 - 1995

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Depken, J.C.

    1996-04-01

    This report contains: FY 1995 AGS Schedule as Run; FY 1996-97 AGE Schedule (working copy); AGS Beams 1995; AGS Experimental Area FY 1993 Physics Program; AGS Experimental Area FY 1994 Physics Program; AGS Experimental Area FY 1995 Physics Program; AGS Experimental Area FY 1996 Physics Program (In progress); A listing of experiments by number; Two-page summaries of each experiment begin here, also ordered by number; Listing of publications of AGS experiments begins here; and Listing of AGS experimenters begins here. This is the twelfth edition

  13. Sonochemical synthesis of Ag/AgCl nanocubes and their efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Deliang; Yoo, Seung Hwa; Huang, Qingsong; Ali, Ghafar; Cho, Sung Oh

    2012-04-23

    A novel one-step sonochemical approach to synthesize a plasmonic photocatalyst of AgCl nanocubes (ca. 115 nm in edge length) with a small amount of Ag metal species is presented. The nanoscale Ag/AgCl hybrid photocatalysts with cubic morphology are readily formed under ambient ultrasonic conditions and neither external heat treatment nor reducing agents are required. The size of the Ag/AgCl photocatalysts could be controlled by changing the concentrations of Ag(+) ions and polyvinylpyrrolidone molecules in precursor solutions. The compositions, microstructures, influencing factors, and possible growth mechanism of the Ag/AgCl hybrid nanocubes were systematically investigated. The Ag/AgCl photocatalysts show excellent photocatalytic performance for degradation of various dye molecules under visible light. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. E3-transitions in sup(105, 107, 109, 111)Ag

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shevelev, G.A.; Troitskaya, A.G.; Kartashov, V.M.

    1978-01-01

    Electron radiation of the isomeric transitions of the sup(105-111)Ag odd nuclei was studied using an iron magnetic πsup(√2) beta spectrometer. For most isomeric transitions, relative intensities of the K, L, M, and N lines have been measured; for sup(105-111)Ag and 111 Cd they were measured for the first time. Energy of gamma transitions, relative intensities of internal conversion electrons (ICE) compared with the theoretical ICE values for the E3 transitions are presented. The observations for all the shells are in a fairly gool agreement with the calculations. Systematics of low-lying excited states of the silver nuclei involved is proposed. It has been established that spins and parities of the first excited states of the sup(105-111)Ag odd nuclei are 7/2 + . Multipolarities of isomeric transitions from these staes are pure E3. Spin and parity 9/2 + of the second excited states may be uniquely determined unly for 109 Ag from direct measurements of the ICE transition at 45.8 keV

  15. Introduction to the determination of the Ag(NO3)+ complex

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petitfour, B.; Rahier, A.

    1996-08-01

    The Ag(NO 3 ) + species is particularly useful to mineralize organic nuclear wastes at room temperature. The process produces no ashes and allows to confine the contaminants in a nitric acid solution. A successful analytical method for the determination of the speciation of silver in nitric acid solutions was studied. Since no suitable analytical standard for Ag 2+ is available, an indirect method was used. First, Ag(NO 3 ) + was reduced by an excess of Ce 3+ . Next, the resulting Ce 4+ was measured spectrophotometricaly at 343 nm. Finally, Ag(NO 3 ) + was determined directly by spectrophotometry by measuring the absorbance at 390 nm and by associating the latter to the concentrations obtained by the cerium method. The stability of the Ce 4+ solutions in nitric acid has also been studied as a function of time. It was observed that the absorbance measured for these solutions decrease with time when the solutions are exposed to light. Conserving the standards in a dark environment allows to maintain a long term reproducibility

  16. Intelligence is in the eye of the beholder: investigating repeated IQ measurements in forensic psychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habets, Petra; Jeandarme, Inge; Uzieblo, Kasia; Oei, Karel; Bogaerts, Stefan

    2015-05-01

    A stable assessment of cognition is of paramount importance for forensic psychiatric patients (FPP). The purpose of this study was to compare repeated measures of IQ scores in FPPs with and without intellectual disability. Repeated measurements of IQ scores in FPPs (n = 176) were collected. Differences between tests were computed, and each IQ score was categorized. Additionally, t-tests and regression analyses were performed. Differences of 10 points or more were found in 66% of the cases comparing WAIS-III with RAVEN scores. Fisher's exact test revealed differences between two WAIS-III scores and the WAIS categories. The WAIS-III did not predict other IQs (WAIS or RAVEN) in participants with intellectual disability. This study showed that stability or interchangeability of scores is lacking, especially in individuals with intellectual disability. Caution in interpreting IQ scores is therefore recommended, and the use of the unitary concept of IQ should be discouraged. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Evaluation of colloidal Ag and Ag-alloys as anode electrocatalysts for direct borohydride fuel cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Atwan, Mohammed H.; Northwood, Derek O. [Mechanical, Auto, and Materials Engineering, University of Windsor, Windsor, N9B 3P4 (Canada); Gyenge, Elod L. [Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Colombia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 (Canada)

    2007-10-15

    In this study, colloidal silver and silver-alloys (Ag-Pt, Ag-Au, Ag-Ir, and Ag-Pd) prepared by the Boenneman technique were evaluated as anode catalysts for sodium borohydride oxidation using cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), chronopotentiometry (CP) and rotating disk electrode (RDE) voltammetry. The CV results show that the colloidal Ag-alloys were electrochemically active towards borohydride oxidation with oxidation potentials ranging between -0.7 and 0.4 V vs. Hg/HgO (MOE). The most negative oxidation potential was recorded on Ag-Pt. CA results show that the steady state current density was highest on Ag-Pt, followed by Ag-Ir, Ag-Au, and Ag-Pd. The lowest overpotential was recorded on Ag-Ir for a current step change of 10mAcm{sup -2}. A significant temperature effect and a small rotation speed effect were found in the rotating disc voltammetry for all the investigated colloids. The highest peak current was recorded on Ag-Au, while the most negative peak potential was recorded on Ag-Ir. (author)

  18. Structure determination of AgPO3 and (AgPO3)0.5(AgI)0.5 glasses by neutron diffraction and small angle neutron scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tachez, M.; Mercier, R.; Malugani, J.P.; Chieux, P.

    1987-01-01

    Neutron diffraction and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) were performed on AgPO 3 and (AgPO 3 ) 0.5 (AgI) 0.5 glasses. AgPO 3 glass is made up of long chains of PO 4 tetrahedra joined together by Ag atoms. When silver iodide is added, the radial distribution function shows a large peak at 2.83 A, due to Ag-I interactions. AgI does not modify the network forming unit. The existence of small clusters is confirmed by analysing the coordination number of Ag-I pairs obtained by subtracting the experimental structure function of the AgPO 3 glass from that of the corresponding AgI-doped glasses. A rough estimation of their size is given by SANS experiments. Not all the AgI pairs are involved in AgI cluster units. The compatibility of the results obtained with recent structural investigations by non diffractometric techniques is examined. 23 refs.; 5 figs.; 3 tabs

  19. Radiation hardness of LuAG:Ce and LuAG:Pr scintillator crystals

    CERN Document Server

    Derdzyan, M V; Belsky, A; Dujardin, C; Lecoq, P; Lucchini, M; Ovanesyan, K L; Pauwels, K; Pedrini, C; Petrosyan, A G

    2012-01-01

    Single crystals of LuAG:Ce, LuAG:Pr and un-doped LuAG were grown by the vertical Bridgman method and studied for radiation hardness under gamma-rays with doses in the range 10-10(5) Gy (Co-60). A wide absorption band peaking at around 600 nm springs up in all three types of crystals after the irradiations. The second band peaking at around 375 nm appears in both LuAG:Pr and un-doped LuAG. Compositional variations have been done to reveal the spectral behavior of induced color centers in more detail and to understand their origin. Similarities in behavior of Yb2+ centers in as-grown garnets are found, indicating that radiation induced color centers can be associated with residual trace amounts of Yb present in the raw materials. Un-doped LuAG and LuAG:Ce demonstrate moderate radiation hardness (the induced absorption coefficients being equal to 0.05-0.08 cm(-1) for accumulated doses of 10(3)-10(4) Gy), while LuAG:Pr is less radiation hard. The ways to improve the radiation hardness are discussed.

  20. Thermal expansion properties of Bi-2212 in Ag or an Ag-alloy matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tenbrink, J.; Krauth, H.

    1994-01-01

    The thermal expansion properties of polycrystalline Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8+x melt-processed bulk specimens, and Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8+x monocore as well as multifilamentary round wires in Ag or Ag-alloy matrix have been investigated over the temperature range from -150 to 800 degrees C. Although the thermal expansion of Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8+x is distinctly lower compared with Ag, the thermal expansion properties of the Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8+x -Ag or AgNiMg-alloy composite conductors are essentially governed by the matrix material. The thermal expansion of the encountered oxide-dispersion-strengthened AgNiMg alloys is only slightly lower compared with that of pure Ag. Therefore the thermal expansion of all investigated Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8+x -Ag or Ag-alloy composite wires was found to be close to that of pure Ag. The reason for this striking behaviour is shown to be related to a surprisingly low elastic modulus of the polycrystalline Bi-2212 wire cores of the order of 10 to a maximum 40 GPa. (author)

  1. Enhanced ionic conductivity of AgI nanowires/AAO composites fabricated by a simple approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Lifeng; Alexe, Marin; Lee, Woo; Goesele, Ulrich; Lee, Seung-Woo; Li Jingbo; Rao Guanghui; Zhou Weiya; Lee, Jae-Jong

    2008-01-01

    AgI nanowires/anodic aluminum oxide (AgI NWs/AAO) composites have been fabricated by a simple approach, which involves the thermal melting of AgI powders on the surface of the AAO membrane, followed by the infiltration of the molten AgI inside the nanochannels. As-prepared AgI nanowires have corrugated outer surfaces and are polycrystalline according to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that a considerable amount of 7H polytype AgI exists in the composites, which is supposed to arise from the interfacial interactions between the embedded AgI and the alumina. AC conductivity measurements for the AgI nanowires/AAO composites exhibit a notable conductivity enhancement by three orders of magnitude at room temperature compared with that of pristine bulk AgI. Furthermore, a large conductivity hysteresis and abnormal conductivity transitions were observed in the temperature-dependent conductivity measurements, from which an ionic conductivity as high as 8.0 x 10 2 Ω -1 cm -1 was obtained at around 70 deg. C upon cooling. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) result demonstrates a similar phase transition behavior as that found in the AC conductivity measurements. The enhanced ionic conductivity, as well as the abnormal phase transitions, can be explained in terms of the existence of the highly conducting 7H polytype AgI and the formation of well-defined conduction paths in the composites.

  2. Enhanced ionic conductivity of AgI nanowires/AAO composites fabricated by a simple approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Li-Feng; Lee, Seung-Woo; Li, Jing-Bo; Alexe, Marin; Rao, Guang-Hui; Zhou, Wei-Ya; Lee, Jae-Jong; Lee, Woo; Gösele, Ulrich

    2008-12-10

    AgI nanowires/anodic aluminum oxide (AgI NWs/AAO) composites have been fabricated by a simple approach, which involves the thermal melting of AgI powders on the surface of the AAO membrane, followed by the infiltration of the molten AgI inside the nanochannels. As-prepared AgI nanowires have corrugated outer surfaces and are polycrystalline according to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that a considerable amount of 7H polytype AgI exists in the composites, which is supposed to arise from the interfacial interactions between the embedded AgI and the alumina. AC conductivity measurements for the AgI nanowires/AAO composites exhibit a notable conductivity enhancement by three orders of magnitude at room temperature compared with that of pristine bulk AgI. Furthermore, a large conductivity hysteresis and abnormal conductivity transitions were observed in the temperature-dependent conductivity measurements, from which an ionic conductivity as high as 8.0 × 10(2) Ω(-1) cm(-1) was obtained at around 70 °C upon cooling. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) result demonstrates a similar phase transition behavior as that found in the AC conductivity measurements. The enhanced ionic conductivity, as well as the abnormal phase transitions, can be explained in terms of the existence of the highly conducting 7H polytype AgI and the formation of well-defined conduction paths in the composites.

  3. A novel rat genomic simple repeat DNA with RNA-homology shows triplex (H-DNA)-like structure and tissue-specific RNA expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dey, Indranil; Rath, Pramod C.

    2005-01-01

    Mammalian genome contains a wide variety of repetitive DNA sequences of relatively unknown function. We report a novel 227 bp simple repeat DNA (3.3 DNA) with a d {(GA) 7 A (AG) 7 } dinucleotide mirror repeat from the rat (Rattus norvegicus) genome. 3.3 DNA showed 75-85% homology with several eukaryotic mRNAs due to (GA/CU) n dinucleotide repeats by nBlast search and a dispersed distribution in the rat genome by Southern blot hybridization with [ 32 P]3.3 DNA. The d {(GA) 7 A (AG) 7 } mirror repeat formed a triplex (H-DNA)-like structure in vitro. Two large RNAs of 9.1 and 7.5 kb were detected by [ 32 P]3.3 DNA in rat brain by Northern blot hybridization indicating expression of such simple sequence repeats at RNA level in vivo. Further, several cDNAs were isolated from a rat cDNA library by [ 32 P]3.3 DNA probe. Three such cDNAs showed tissue-specific RNA expression in rat. pRT 4.1 cDNA showed strong expression of a 2.39 kb RNA in brain and spleen, pRT 5.5 cDNA showed strong expression of a 2.8 kb RNA in brain and a 3.9 kb RNA in lungs, and pRT 11.4 cDNA showed weak expression of a 2.4 kb RNA in lungs. Thus, genomic simple sequence repeats containing d (GA/CT) n dinucleotides are transcriptionally expressed and regulated in rat tissues. Such d (GA/CT) n dinucleotide repeats may form structural elements (e.g., triplex) which may be sites for functional regulation of genomic coding sequences as well as RNAs. This may be a general function of such transcriptionally active simple sequence repeats widely dispersed in mammalian genome

  4. Recommendations for analysis of repeated-measures designs: testing and correcting for sphericity and use of manova and mixed model analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armstrong, Richard A

    2017-09-01

    A common experimental design in ophthalmic research is the repeated-measures design in which at least one variable is a within-subject factor. This design is vulnerable to lack of 'sphericity' which assumes that the variances of the differences among all possible pairs of within-subject means are equal. Traditionally, this design has been analysed using a repeated-measures analysis of variance (RM-anova) but increasingly more complex methods such as multivariate anova (manova) and mixed model analysis (MMA) are being used. This article surveys current practice in the analysis of designs incorporating different factors in research articles published in three optometric journals, namely Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics (OPO), Optometry and Vision Science (OVS), and Clinical and Experimental Optometry (CXO), and provides advice to authors regarding the analysis of repeated-measures designs. Of the total sample of articles, 66% used a repeated-measures design. Of those articles using a repeated-measures design, 59% and 8% analysed the data using RM-anova or manova respectively and 33% used MMA. The use of MMA relative to RM-anova has increased significantly since 2009/10. A further search using terms to select those papers testing and correcting for sphericity ('Mauchly's test', 'Greenhouse-Geisser', 'Huynh and Feld') identified 66 articles, 62% of which were published from 2012 to the present. If the design is balanced without missing data then manova should be used rather than RM-anova as it gives better protection against lack of sphericity. If the design is unbalanced or with missing data then MMA is the method of choice. However, MMA is a more complex analysis and can be difficult to set up and run, and care should be taken first, to define appropriate models to be tested and second, to ensure that sample sizes are adequate. © 2017 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2017 The College of Optometrists.

  5. Low resistance and transparent Ag/AZO ohmic contact to p-GaN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, T.; Wang, T.; Gan, X. W.; Wu, H.; Shi, Y.; Liu, C.

    2014-01-01

    Silver (Ag)/ aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films were deposited on p-GaN by using electron beam evaporation. After the annealing process, current -voltage (I-V) measurements were carried out to determine the characteristic of the contacts. The Ag/AZO films annealed at 600 .deg. C were found to present an ohmic contact behavior. The specific contact resistance was calculated to be 9.76 x 10 -4 Ωcm 2 and the transmittance was over 80% for visibly light. The atomic force microscope was used to measure the aggregation of Ag grains which may have been the main factor in the formation of the Ag/AZO ohmic contact to p-GaN.

  6. Molecular identification and characterization of Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 isolates causing black scurf of potato

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaidy, M.E.; Othman, M.R.; Mahmoud, M.

    2018-01-01

    Twenty-six isolates of Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 were collected from four potato growing area of Saudi Arabia. Yield damages due to this infection is reported to range from 7-64% (average of 35%), depending on many factors. Molecular identification of R. solani AG-3 isolates by ITS-regions and characterization was done by inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Twenty-six isolates of R. solani used in the current study were isolated from potato fields in four major potato-producing regions of Saudi Arabia. All isolates were inoculated on potato and observations on the percentage of disease incidence were recorded. Genomic DNA extraction of R. solani AG-3 isolates was used by A specific and sensitive PCR and ISSR primers. A single splinter of nearly 500 bp was only amplified once genomic DNA from R. solani AG-3 isolates. Amplicon size of three ISSR primers ranged from 0.3 to 2.8 Kb in isolates. Using the three primers, the tested isolates were separated on the basis of genetic similarity coefficients (GSC). The range of the GSC was beginning at 0.62 and ending at 1.00. In unweighted pair-group method arithmetic averages (UPGMA) analysis, the R. solani isolates grouped into five clusters. The present method provided rapid and reliable detection of R. solani AG-3 isolates. Molecular characterization have great genetic variation in the R. solani AG-3 population, without any correlation between aggressiveness, geographical regions and genetic variation based on ISSR markers. (author)

  7. Characterisation and measurement of signals generated by DVB-H 'gap-filler' repeaters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baldini, M.; Barellini, A.; Bogi, L.; Licitra, G.; Silvi, A. M.; Zari, A.

    2009-01-01

    DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting Hand-held) is the standard developed by DVB Project and approved by ETSI with the aim of providing the reception of DVB signals even in mobility but also data transfers and multimedia services. The introduction and development of the DVB-H system is still ongoing. In this context, this work focuses on the temporal trend of electromagnetic impact of an urban DVB-H repeater (called 'gap-filler') for exposure assessment purposes; it also describes a method for its measurement by means of narrow band instrumental chains. (authors)

  8. thermal, electrical and structural characterization of fast ion conducting glasses (Ag Br)x(AgPO)1-x

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kartini, E.; Yufus, S.; Priyanto, T; Indayaningsih, N; Collins, M F

    2001-01-01

    Fast ion conducting glasses are of considerable technological interest because of their possible application in batteries, sensors, and displays. One of the main scientific challenges is to explain how the disordered structure of the glass is related to the high ionic conductivity that can be achieved at ambient temperature. Fast ion conducting glasses (AgBr) x (AgPO3) 1- x with x=0.0; 0.2; 0.3; 0.4; 0.5; 0.7; and 0.85 were prepared by rapid quenching. The studies of structure, thermal property and electrical conductivity have been made. The X-ray diffraction patterns of this system show that the sample are glasses for x 0.5. The neutron diffraction data shows that all AgBr doped glasses exhibit a strong and relatively sharp diffraction peak at anomalously low momentum transfer value, Q∼ 0.7 Α - 1. The low Q-peak is not observed in AgPO 3 glass, and in the X-ray data. The results of electrical conductivity show that the conduction is essentially ionic and due to silver ions alone. The logarithm of the ionic conductivity increases with increasing AgBr mole fraction, and reaches maximum for x = 0.5. The thermal property results measured by differential scanning calorimetric show that the temperatures of the glass transition, the crystallization and the melt reach minimum for the glass with composition x 0.5. We conclude that there appears to be a relation between higher conductivity at ambient temperature, and the low Q-peak. Based on this investigation a better fast ion conducting glass proposed is (AgBr) 0 .5(AgPO 3 ) 0 .5 with the conductivity of 8 x 10 - 5 S/cm

  9. Microcomputer-based tests for repeated-measures: Metric properties and predictive validities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Robert S.; Baltzley, Dennis R.; Dunlap, William P.; Wilkes, Robert L.; Kuntz, Lois-Ann

    1989-01-01

    A menu of psychomotor and mental acuity tests were refined. Field applications of such a battery are, for example, a study of the effects of toxic agents or exotic environments on performance readiness, or the determination of fitness for duty. The key requirement of these tasks is that they be suitable for repeated-measures applications, and so questions of stability and reliability are a continuing, central focus of this work. After the initial (practice) session, seven replications of 14 microcomputer-based performance tests (32 measures) were completed by 37 subjects. Each test in the battery had previously been shown to stabilize in less than five 90-second administrations and to possess retest reliabilities greater than r = 0.707 for three minutes of testing. However, all the tests had never been administered together as a battery and they had never been self-administered. In order to provide predictive validity for intelligence measurement, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised and the Wonderlic Personnel Test were obtained on the same subjects.

  10. Facile synthesis of silver/silver thiocyanate (Ag@AgSCN plasmonic nanostructures with enhanced photocatalytic performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinfu Zhao

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available A nanostructured plasmonic photocatalyst, silver/silver thiocyanate (Ag@AgSCN, has been prepared by a simple precipitation method followed by UV-light-induced reduction. The ratio of Ag to silver thiocyanate (AgSCN can be controlled by simply adjusting the photo-induced reduction time. The formation mechanism of the product was investigated based on the time-dependent experiments. Further experiments indicated that the prepared Ag@AgSCN nanostructures with an atomic ratio of Ag/AgSCN = 0.0463 exhibited high photocatalytic activity and long-term stability for the degradation of oxytetracycline (84% under visible-light irradiation. In addition to the microstructure and high specific surface area, the enhanced photocatalytic activity was mainly caused by the surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles, and the high stability of AgSCN resulted in the long-term stability of the photocatalyst product.

  11. Photocatalytic oxidation removal of Hg{sup 0} using ternary Ag/AgI-Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} hybrids in wet scrubbing process under fluorescent light

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Anchao, E-mail: aczhang@qq.com [School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000 (China); Zhang, Lixiang; Chen, Xiaozhuan; Zhu, Qifeng; Liu, Zhichao [School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000 (China); Xiang, Jun, E-mail: xiangjun@mail.hust.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 (China)

    2017-01-15

    Highlights: • Ag/AgI-Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} hybrids were employed for Hg{sup 0} removal under fluorescent light. • Superoxide radical (·O{sub 2}{sup −}) played a key role in Hg{sup 0} removal. • NO exhibited a significant effect on Hg{sup 0} removal in comparison to SO{sub 2}. • The mechanism for enhanced Hg{sup 0} removal over Ag/AgI-Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} was proposed. - Abstract: A series of ternary Ag/AgI-Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} photocatalysts synthesized using a facile coprecipitation method were employed to investigate their performances of Hg{sup 0} removal in a wet scrubbing reactor. The hybrids were characterized by N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption, XRD, SEM-EDS, HRTEM, XPS, DRS and ESR. The photocatalytic activities of Hg{sup 0} removal were evaluated under fluorescent light. The results showed that AgI content, fluorescent light irradiation, reaction temperature all showed significant influences on Hg{sup 0} removal. NO exhibited significant effect on Hg{sup 0} removal in comparison to SO{sub 2}. Among these ternary Ag/AgI-Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} hybrids, Ag/AgI(0.1)-Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} showed the highest Hg{sup 0} removal efficiency, which could be ascribed to the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs between AgI and Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect in the visible region by metallic silver nanoparticles (Ag{sup 0} NPs). The trapping studies of reactive radicals showed that the superoxide radicals (·O{sub 2}{sup −}) may play a key role in Hg{sup 0} removal under fluorescent light. According to the experimental and characterization results, a possible photocatalytic oxidation mechanism for enhanced Hg{sup 0} removal over Ag/AgI(0.1)-Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} hybrid under fluorescent light was proposed.

  12. Ag-related alloy formation and magnetic phases for Ag/Co/Ir(111) ultrathin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsay, Jyh-Shen; Tsai, Du-Cheng; Chang, Cheng-Hsun-Tony; Chen, Wei-Hsiang

    2013-01-01

    The Kerr intensity versus the Ag thickness for Ag grown on the top of Co/Ir(111) exhibits an oscillating behavior with a period around one monolayer which should be due to the morphological change related electronic structure differences of the Ag layer. From systematical investigations of Ag/Co/Ir(111) films with the Co layer thinner than 4 monolayers at temperatures below 900 K, a magnetic phase diagram has been established. As the annealing temperature increases for Ag/Co/Ir(111) films, enhancements of the coercive force occur in both the polar and longitudinal configurations due to the intermixing of Ag and Co at the interface and the formation of Co–Ir alloy. The disappearance of ferromagnetism is mainly attributed to the reduced atomic percent of cobalt in Co–Ir alloy, the lowered Curie temperature by a reduction of the thickness of magnetic layers, and the intermixing of Ag and Co at the Ag/Co interface. - Highlights: • An oscillating behavior occurs due to the morphological change for Ag on Co/Ir(111). • A magnetic phase diagram has been established for Ag/Co/Ir(111). • Some Ag atoms intermix with the underlying Co layer at high temperatures. • Polar coercive force is enhanced due to the compositional change

  13. All-photonic quantum repeaters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azuma, Koji; Tamaki, Kiyoshi; Lo, Hoi-Kwong

    2015-01-01

    Quantum communication holds promise for unconditionally secure transmission of secret messages and faithful transfer of unknown quantum states. Photons appear to be the medium of choice for quantum communication. Owing to photon losses, robust quantum communication over long lossy channels requires quantum repeaters. It is widely believed that a necessary and highly demanding requirement for quantum repeaters is the existence of matter quantum memories. Here we show that such a requirement is, in fact, unnecessary by introducing the concept of all-photonic quantum repeaters based on flying qubits. In particular, we present a protocol based on photonic cluster-state machine guns and a loss-tolerant measurement equipped with local high-speed active feedforwards. We show that, with such all-photonic quantum repeaters, the communication efficiency scales polynomially with the channel distance. Our result paves a new route towards quantum repeaters with efficient single-photon sources rather than matter quantum memories. PMID:25873153

  14. Measurements of activation reaction rate distributions on a mercury target bombarded with high-energy protons at AGS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takada, Hiroshi; Kasugai, Yoshimi; Nakashima, Hiroshi; Ikeda, Yujiro; Jerde, Eric; Glasgow, David

    2000-02-01

    A neutronics experiment was carried out using a thick mercury target at the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS) facility of Brookhaven National Laboratory in a framework of the ASTE (AGS Spallation Target Experiment) collaboration. Reaction rate distributions around the target were measured by the activation technique at incident proton energies of 1.6, 12 and 24 GeV. Various activation detectors such as the 115 In(n,n') 115m In, 93 Nb(n,2n) 92m Nb, and 209 Bi(n,xn) reactions with threshold energies ranging from 0.3 to 70.5 MeV were employed to obtain the reaction rate data for estimating spallation source neutron characteristics of the mercury target. It was found from the measured 115 In(n,n') 115m In reaction rate distribution that the number of leakage neutrons becomes maximum at about 11 cm from the top of hemisphere of the mercury target for the 1.6-GeV proton incidence and the peak position moves towards forward direction with increase of the incident proton energy. The similar result was observed in the reaction rate distributions of other activation detectors. The experimental procedures and a full set of experimental data in numerical form are summarized in this report. (author)

  15. Experimental and theoretical investigation on photocatalytic activities of 1D Ag/Ag2WO4 nanostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Danqing; Huang, Weicheng; Li, Long; Liu, Lu; Sun, Xiaojun; Liu, Bo; Yang, Bin; Guo, Chongshen

    2017-09-01

    Ag2WO4 is a significant photocatalyst that responds to UV light irradiation only, which greatly hinders it for further practical application for solar light. To address this problem, herein, 1D plasmonic Ag/Ag2WO4 photocatalysts have been fabricated by a successive process including hydrothermal synthesis to obtain Ag2WO4 followed by an additional in situ chemical-reduction process for Ag decoration. Then, the structural features, optical properties, and electronic structures of Ag2WO4 and Ag/Ag2WO4 nanowires were systematically investigated via a combination of theoretical calculations and experimental evidence. The plasmon-enhanced Ag/Ag2WO4 nanowires exhibited higher visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity, which performed a desired photodestruction ratio of 91.2% on methylene blue within 60 min and good stability in five cycles. The Ag decoration greatly facilitates visible-light harvesting and thus promotes photogenerated radical oxidation to dye, which is evidenced by the higher hydroxyl radical level of Ag/Ag2WO4 detected in the ESR test during the photocatalytic process. The theoretical calculation based on density functional theory indicates that Ag nanoparticles formed on the surface of Ag2WO4 could narrow the band gap of Ag2WO4. In addition, the surface plasmon resonance absorption effect and fast charge transfer effect in the metal-semiconductor system contribute to the photocatalytic performance of Ag/Ag2WO4.

  16. Reducing strength prevailing at root surface of plants promotes reduction of Ag+ and generation of Ag(0/Ag2O nanoparticles exogenously in aqueous phase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peddisetty Pardha-Saradhi

    Full Text Available Potential of root system of plants from wide range of families to effectively reduce membrane impermeable ferricyanide to ferrocyanide and blue coloured 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP to colourless DCPIPH2 both under non-sterile and sterile conditions, revealed prevalence of immense reducing strength at root surface. As generation of silver nanoparticles (NPs from Ag+ involves reduction, present investigations were carried to evaluate if reducing strength prevailing at surface of root system can be exploited for reduction of Ag+ and exogenous generation of silver-NPs. Root system of intact plants of 16 species from 11 diverse families of angiosperms turned clear colorless AgNO3 solutions, turbid brown. Absorption spectra of these turbid brown solutions showed silver-NPs specific surface plasmon resonance peak. Transmission electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive X-ray confirmed the presence of distinct NPs in the range of 5-50 nm containing Ag. Selected area electron diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction patterns of the silver NPs showed Bragg reflections, characteristic of crystalline face-centered cubic structure of Ag(0 and cubic structure of Ag2O. Root system of intact plants raised under sterile conditions also generated Ag(0/Ag2O-NPs under strict sterile conditions in a manner similar to that recorded under non-sterile conditions. This revealed the inbuilt potential of root system to generate Ag(0/Ag2O-NPs independent of any microorganism. Roots of intact plants reduced triphenyltetrazolium to triphenylformazon and impermeable ferricyanide to ferrocyanide, suggesting involvement of plasma membrane bound dehydrogenases in reduction of Ag+ and formation of Ag(0/Ag2O-NPs. Root enzyme extract reduced triphenyltetrazolium to triphenylformazon and Ag+ to Ag(0 in presence of NADH, clearly establishing potential of dehydrogenases to reduce Ag+ to Ag(0, which generate Ag(0/Ag2O-NPs. Findings presented in this manuscript put

  17. Glass formation in AgI:Ag2O:V2O5 and AgI:Ag2O:(V2O5+B2O3) systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaushik, R.; Hariharan, K.

    1988-01-01

    Transport properties of glasses in the system AgI:Ag 2 O: V 2 O 5 and AgI:Ag 2 O: (V 2 O 5 +B 2 O 3 ) have ben investigated. It was found that, at high AgI concentrations, the addition of another glass former (B 2 O 3 ) did not improve the conduction characteristics of the pure vanadate glasses, the best conducting composition of which had ambient temperature, ionic conductivity comparable to that of conventional liquid electrolytes. The highest conducting composition was used as an electrolyte in the study of silver solid state cells. The discharge characteristics of different cells fabricated with the glassy electrolyte, have been compared with those having the best conducting polycrystalline ompositions as electrolytes. 11 refs.; 4 figs.; 1 table

  18. Effect of Substrates on the Dynamic Properties of Inkjet-Printed Ag Thin Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deokman Kim

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The dynamic properties of inkjet-printed Ag thin films on flexible substrates were measured using flexural wave propagation. The Ag nanoparticle suspension was inkjet-printed on polyimide (PI, silicon wafer, and glass. The effects of flexible substrates on the dynamic properties of the films were investigated. Beam-shaped Ag-printed substrates were fabricated by pico-second laser pulse cutting. The wave approach was presented to analyze the vibrations of the thin film on the substrates. The Young’s modulus and loss factor of the Ag thin films with the substrates were represented by the combined bending stiffness of the bilayer beam. The vibration response of the base-excited cantilever was measured using an accelerometer and laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV. Vibration transfers were analyzed to obtain dynamic characteristics of the Ag-printed bilayer beam. The substrate affects the reduction of the Ag thin film thickness during the sintering process and surface roughness of the film. The proposed method based on the wave approach allows measurement of the dynamic properties regardless of the ratio of the modulus between the thin film and substrate.

  19. Partial structures in molten AgBr

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ueno, Hiroki [Department of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, 4-2-1 Ropponmatsu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-8560 (Japan)], E-mail: ueno@gemini.rc.kyushu-u.ac.jp; Tahara, Shuta [Faculty of Pharmacy, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Science, Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata 956-8603 (Japan); Kawakita, Yukinobu [Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, 4-2-1 Ropponmatsu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-8560 (Japan); Kohara, Shinji [Research and Utilization Division, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI, SPring-8), 1-1-1 Koto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan); Takeda, Shin' ichi [Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, 4-2-1 Ropponmatsu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-8560 (Japan)

    2009-02-21

    The structure of molten AgBr has been studied by means of neutron and X-ray diffractions with the aid of structural modeling. It is confirmed that the Ag-Ag correlation has a small but well-defined first peak in the partial pair distribution function whose tail penetrates into the Ag-Br nearest neighbor distribution. This feature on the Ag-Ag correlation is intermediate between that of molten AgCl (non-superionic melt) and that of molten AgI (superionic melt). The analysis of Br-Ag-Br bond angle reveals that molten AgBr preserves a rocksalt type local ordering in the solid phase, suggesting that molten AgBr is clarified as non-superionic melt like molten AgCl.

  20. Translocation, accumulation and distribution of 110mAg in carp

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Chuanzhao; Zhao Wenhu; Xu Shiming

    1995-01-01

    The experimental carp were raised in the water with 110m Ag specific activity of 3.7 x 10 2 Bq/L, 3.7 x 10 3 Bq/L, 3.7 x 10 4 Bq/L respectively. The carp were sampled after raising 1,2,3,5,7,9,12,15,18,21 and 23 days, and separated into scale, bone, muscle, gill, alimentary canal, heart and heptapancreas for measuring the radioactivity. The results showed that 110m Ag was absorbed rapidly by carp via gill and alimentary canal from water, and distributed into all parts of the body, mainly in soft tissue with blood circulation. 110m Ag accumulation of the body increased with the 110m Ag specific activity in the water in the same raising time. The accumulation of 110m Ag in gill, alimentary canal, heart, muscle and bone appeared mono-peak curves with raising time. There was a linear relationship between the specific activity of 110m Ag in heptapancreas and the carp's raising time in 110m Ag water. The concentration abilities for 110m Ag in all organs were in the order of heptapancreas>gill>alimentary>canal>heart>muscle>bone

  1. AGS experiments -- 1995, 1996 and 1997

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Depken, J.C.; Presti, P.L.

    1997-12-01

    This report contains (1) FY 1995 AGS schedule as run; (2) FY 1996 AGS schedule as run; (3) FY 1997 AGS schedule as run; (4) FY 1998--1999 AGS schedule (proposed); (5) AGS beams 1997; (6) AGS experimental area FY 1995 physics program; (7) AGS experimental area FY 1996 physics program; (8) AGS experimental area FY 1997 physics program; (9) AGS experimental area FY 1998--1999 physics program (proposed); (10) a listing of experiments by number; (11) two-page summaries of each experiment, in order by number; and (12) listing of publications of AGS experiments.

  2. AGS experiments - 1995, 1996 and 1997

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Depken, J.C.; Presti, P.L.

    1997-12-01

    This report contains (1) FY 1995 AGS schedule as run; (2) FY 1996 AGS schedule as run; (3) FY 1997 AGS schedule as run; (4) FY 1998--1999 AGS schedule (proposed); (5) AGS beams 1997; (6) AGS experimental area FY 1995 physics program; (7) AGS experimental area FY 1996 physics program; (8) AGS experimental area FY 1997 physics program; (9) AGS experimental area FY 1998--1999 physics program (proposed); (10) a listing of experiments by number; (11) two-page summaries of each experiment, in order by number; and (12) listing of publications of AGS experiments

  3. Ag induced electromagnetic interference shielding of Ag-graphite/PVDF flexible nanocomposites thinfilms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumaran, R.; Alagar, M.; Dinesh Kumar, S.; Subramanian, V.; Dinakaran, K.

    2015-09-01

    We report Ag nanoparticle induced Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) shielding in a flexible composite films of Ag nanoparticles incorporated graphite/poly-vinylidene difluoride (PVDF). PVDF nanocomposite thin-films were synthesized by intercalating Ag in Graphite (GIC) followed by dispersing GIC in PVDF. The X-ray diffraction analysis and the high-resolution transmission electron microscope clearly dictate the microstructure of silver nanoparticles in graphite intercalated composite of PVDF matrix. The conductivity values of nanocomposites are increased upto 2.5 times when compared to neat PVDF having a value of 2.70 S/cm at 1 MHz. The presence of Ag broadly enhanced the dielectric constant and lowers the dielectric loss of PVDF matrix proportional to Ag content. The EMI shielding effectiveness of the composites is 29.1 dB at 12.4 GHz for the sample having 5 wt. % Ag and 10 wt. % graphite in PVDF.

  4. A study on the correlation between the dewetting temperature of Ag film and SERS intensity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quan, Jiamin; Zhang, Jie; Qi, Xueqiang; Li, Junying; Wang, Ning; Zhu, Yong

    2017-11-07

    The thermally dewetted metal nano-islands have been actively investigated as cost-effective SERS-active substrates with a large area, good reproducibility and repeatability via simple fabrication process. However, the correlation between the dewetting temperature of metal film and SERS intensity hasn't been systematically studied. In this work, taking Ag nano-islands (AgNIs) as an example, we reported a strategy to investigate the correlation between the dewetting temperature of metal film and SERS intensity. We described the morphology evolution of AgNIs on the SiO 2 planar substrate in different temperatures and got the quantitative information in surface-limited diffusion process (SLDP) as a function of annealing temperature via classical mean-field nucleation theory. Those functions were further used in the simulation of electromagnetic field to obtain the correlation between the dewetting temperature of Ag film and theoretical analysis. In addition, Raman mapping was done on samples annealed at different temperatures, with R6G as an analyte, to accomplish the analysis of the correlation between the dewetting temperature of Ag film and SERS intensity, which is consistent with the theoretical analysis. For SLDP, we used the morphological characterization of five samples prepared by different annealing temperatures to successfully illustrate the change in SERS intensity with the temperature fluctuation, obtaining a small deviation between the experimental results and theoretic prediction.

  5. Factors Predicting HBsAg Seroclearance and Alanine Transaminase Elevation in HBeAg-Negative Hepatitis B Virus-Infected Patients with Persistently Normal Liver Function.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tai-Long Chien

    Full Text Available A certain proportion of hepatitis B virus (HBV-infected patients with persistently normal alanine transaminase (ALT levels have significant fibrosis. Using liver stiffness measurements (Fibroscan® and laboratory data, including serum ALT, quantitative HBsAg (qHBsAg, and HBV DNA, we attempted to predict the natural histories of these patients.Non-cirrhotic HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients with persistently normal ALT were followed up prospectively with the end points of HBsAg seroclearance and ALT elevation above the upper limit of normal. The factors that were predictive of the end points were identified.A total of 235 patients with an average age of 48.1 +/- 10.7 years were followed up for 7 years. Eight patients (3.4% lost HBsAg, and 15 patients (6.4% experienced ALT elevation. The overall cumulative HBsAg seroclearances were 0.4%, 1.3% and 2.3% at years 1, 3 and 5, respectively. Regarding HBsAg seroclearance, the qHBsAg (< 30 IU/ml cutoff resulted in a hazard ratio (HR of 19.6 with a 95% confidence interval (CI of 2.2-166.7 (P = 0.008. The baseline ALT level (odd ratio (OR 1.075, 95% CI 1.020-1.132, P = 0.006 and a qHBsAg above 1000 IU/ml (3.7, 1.1-12.4, P = 0.032 were associated with ALT elevation. Limited to men, the baseline liver stiffness (1.6, 1.0-2.5, P = 0.031 and a qHBsAg above 1000 IU/ml (10.4, 2.1-52.4, P = 0.004 were factors that were independently associated with ALT elevation.A low qHBsAg level predicted HBsAg clearance. Baseline ALT and a qHBsAg above 1000 IU/ml were independent predictive factors for ALT elevation. Among the men, the independent predictive factors for ALT elevation were qHBsAg and liver stiffness.

  6. Predicting seed yield in perennial ryegrass using repeated canopy reflectance measurements and PLSR

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gislum, René; Deleuran, Lise Christina; Boelt, Birte

    2009-01-01

    with first year seed crops using three sowing rates and three spring nitrogen (N) application rates. PLSR models were developed for each year and showed correlation coefficients of 0.71, 0.76, and 0.92, respectively. Regression coefficients showed in these experiments that the optimum time for canopy...... reflectance measurements was from approximately 600 cumulative growing degree-days (CGDD) to approximately 900 CGDD. This is the period just before and at heading of the seed crop. Furthermore, regression coefficients showed that information about N and water is important. The results support the development......Repeated canopy reflectance measurements together with partial least-squares regression (PLSR) were used to predict seed yield in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). The measurements were performed during the spring and summer growing seasons of 2001 to 2003 in three field experiments...

  7. Influence of fabrication procedure on the electrochemical performance of Ag/AgCl reference electrodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stoica, Daniela [Department of Biomedical and Inorganic Chemistry, Laboratoire National de Metrologie et d' Essais, 1 Rue Gaston Boissier, 75015 Paris (France); Brewer, Paul J., E-mail: paul.brewer@npl.co.uk [Analytical Science Division, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW (United Kingdom); Brown, Richard J.C. [Analytical Science Division, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW (United Kingdom); Fisicaro, Paola [Department of Biomedical and Inorganic Chemistry, Laboratoire National de Metrologie et d' Essais, 1 Rue Gaston Boissier, 75015 Paris (France)

    2011-11-30

    The influence of several parameters in the preparation procedure of thermal-electrolytic Ag/AgCl electrodes on the resulting electrode performance has been studied. In particular, we report the effect on electrode performance of subtle variations in the preparation of silver oxide paste used for electrode manufacture, in thermal annealing conditions employed and in the procedure for electrochemically converting a fraction of the electrode from silver to silver chloride. Scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have been used to study the characteristics of the electrodes produced. This work reveals a correlation between the electrochemical behaviour and surface physical characteristics - in particular electrode porosity. The outputs of this study have positive implications for improving the accuracy and comparability of primary pH measurement.

  8. Synthesis, morphological control, and antibacterial properties of hollow/solid Ag2S/Ag heterodimers

    KAUST Repository

    Pang, Maolin; Hu, Jiangyong; Zeng, Huachun

    2010-01-01

    of this highly asymmetric dipolar composite, photocatalytic inactivation of Escherichia coli K-12 in the presence of the as-prepared Ag 2S/Ag heterodimers has been carried out under UV irradiation. The added Ag2S/Ag heterodimers show good chemical stability under

  9. 108mAg and 110mAg in crassostrea gigas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishikawa, Y.; Sato, N.; Nakamura, E.; Sekine, T.; Yoshihara, K.

    1992-01-01

    Accumulation of radiosilver 108m Ag and 110m Ag in oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and their behavior in marine environments has been studied in the northeast Pacific coast in Japan. Enrichment of radiosilver in oysters depends on topographical conditions; significant bioaccumulation occurred in open bays, while it was hardly observed in bays with narrow shaped entrances. From these observations difference of the behavior of radiosilver between open and nearly closed bays is suggested. 110m Ag in oysters decayed with an effective half-life of about 150 days for both the Chinese nuclear weapon test and the Chernobyl accident. In contrast to radiosilver, the fission product nuclide 137 Cs was almost independent of topographical conditions, and its concentration was constant. 110m Ag bioaccumulation in oysters after the Chernobyl accident in 1986 was found in both open and nearly closed bays, the lattershowing much lower concentration of radiosilver than the former. Specific activity of 108m Ag in oysters was determined in bays open to the Pacific Oceans. (author) 13 refs.; 4 figs.; 3 tabs

  10. Structural mechanical and antibacterial properties of HPMC/SF-AgNPs nanocomposite films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harish, K. V.; Rao, B. Lakshmeesha; Asha, S.; Vipin, C.; Sangappa, Y.

    2018-04-01

    In the present study, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) pure and HPMC/SF-AgNPs biopolymer nanocomposite films were prepared by simple solution casting method. The prepared nanocomposite films were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy(UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The mechanical properties of HPMC/SF-AgNPs nanocomposites were found to be decrease with increase in the AgNP's concentrations. The HPMC/SF-AgNPs nanocomposites showed very good antibacterial activity against human pathogens P. aeruginosa, E.coli, and S.aureus.

  11. Facile synthesis of AgCl/polydopamine/Ag nanoparticles with in-situ laser improving Raman scattering effect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Yan; Zhang, Wenqi; Wang, Lin; Wang, Feng, E-mail: wangfeng@shnu.edu.cn; Yang, Haifeng

    2017-01-15

    Highlights: • AgCl/PDA/AgNPs (polydopamine (PDA) adlayer covered cubic AgCl core inlaid with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs)) was fabricated for in-situ SERS detection. • Such SERS substrate shows in-situ laser improving Raman scattering effect due to the generation of more AgNPs. • Enhancement factor could reach 10{sup 7}. • Such SERS substrate shows good reproducibility and long term stability. - Abstract: We reported a simple and fast method to prepare a composite material of polydopamine (PDA) adlayer covered cubic AgCl core, which was inlaid with Ag nanoparticles (NPs), shortly named as AgCl/PDA/AgNPs. The resultant AgCl/PDA/AgNPs could be employed as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate for in-situ detection and the SERS activity could be further greatly improved due to the production of more AgNPs upon laser irradiation. With 4-mercaptopyridine (4-Mpy) as the probe molecule, the enhancement factor could reach 10{sup 7}. Additionally, such SERS substrate shows good reproducibility with relative standard deviation of 7.32% and long term stability (after storage for 100 days under ambient condition, SERS intensity decay is less than 25%). In-situ elevating SERS activity of AgCl/PDA/AgNPs induced by laser may be beneficial to sensitive analysis in practical fields.

  12. Precipitation of Ag2Te in the thermoelectric material AgSbTe2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugar, Joshua D.; Medlin, Douglas L.

    2009-01-01

    The microstructure of AgSbTe 2 , prepared by solidification, is investigated using electron microscopy. During solidification and thermal treatment, the material separates into a two-phase mixture of a rocksalt phase, which is Ag 22 Sb 28 Te 50 , and silver telluride, Ag 2 Te. Ag 2 Te formation results either from eutectic solidification (large lamellar structures), or by solid-state precipitation (fine-scale particles). The crystal structure of the AgSbTe 2 phase determined by electron diffraction is consistent with a rocksalt structure that has a disordered cation sublattice. A preferred crystallographic orientation relationship at the interface between the matrix and the low-temperature monoclinic Ag 2 Te phase is defined and discussed. This orientation relationship is observed for both second-phase morphologies. In both cases, the orientation relationship originates from a topotactic (cube-on-cube) alignment of the Te sublattices in the initially cubic Ag 2 Te and the matrix at elevated temperature. This Te sublattice alignment is retained as the Ag 2 Te undergoes a cubic-to-monoclinic transformation during cooling. This orientation relationship is observed for both second-phase morphologies.

  13. A facile method for electrospinning of Ag nanoparticles/poly (vinyl alcohol)/carboxymethyl-chitosan nanofibers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Yinghui; Zhou, Ying; Wu, Xiaomian; Wang, Lu; Xu, Ling; Wei, Shicheng

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► AgNPs/PVA/CM-chitosan nanofibers were prepared via electrospinning method. ► AgNPs were in situ synthesized in electrospinning solution via a facile method. ► AgNPs distributed homogeneously on the surface of nanofibers. ► The prepared nanofibers possessed certain antibacterial ability against Escherichia coli. ► The AgNPs containing nanofibers had potential as antibacterial biomaterial. - Abstract: A facile method to prepare silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) containing nanofibers via electrospinning has been demonstrated. AgNPs were in situ synthesized in poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/carboxymethyl-chitosan (CM-chitosan) blend aqueous solution before electrospinning. UV–vis spectra, viscosity and conductivity of the electrospinning solution were measured to investigate their effects on the electrospinning procedure. The morphology of AgNPs/PVA/CM-chitosan nanofibers was observed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy. The formation and morphology of AgNPs were investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The resulted nanofibers have smooth surface and uniform diameters ranging from 295 to 343 nm. The diameters of AgNPs mainly distributed in the range of 4–14 nm, and the electrostatic interaction between AgNPs and fibers was observed. Finally, in vitro Ag release from the nanofibers was measured and the antibacterial behavior of the nanofibers against Escherichia coli was studied by bacterial growth inhibition halos and bactericidal kinetic testing. The AgNPs/PVA/CM-chitosan nanofibers possessed certain antibacterial ability, which makes them capable for antibacterial biomaterials.

  14. Effect of Mixed Glass Former on Ionic Conductivity of Silver Boron Tungstate glass system x[0.75AgI:0.25AgCl]: (1-x) [Ag2O-(B2O3:WO3)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dehariya, Harsha; Kumar, R; Polu, A R

    2012-01-01

    The idea to explore new 'Superionic Electrolytes', 'Fast ionic conductors' is due to their tremendous potential applications in solid state electrochemical devices viz. solid state batteries, fuel cells, sensors, super capacitors. Superionic glasses have attracted great deal of attention due to their several advantageous over their crystalline counterparts such as high ionic conductivity, easy preparation, wide selection of compositions, isotropic properties and high stability etc [4-7]. Large numbers of silver ion based glasses have been reported in the literature for the glassy system of AgI:Ag2O: MxOy (MxOy = B2O3, SiO2, P2O5, GeO2, V2O5, As2O5, CrO3, SeO2, MoO3 and TeO3 etc many of them shows high silver ion conductivity [8]. Ion transport behavior of Silver Boro Tungstate glass system x[0.75AgI:0.25AgCl]: (1-x) [Ag2O(B2O3:WO3)], where 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 in molar wt% prepared by melt quench technique were reported. The new host [0.75AgI:0.25AgCl] was used as a better alternate in place of conventional host salt AgI. Conductivity measurement were carried out on this glass system as a function of frequency from 50 Hz to 5 MHz, over a temperature range of 27 C to 200 C, for different compositions by Impedance spectroscopy. The composition 0.7[0.75AgI:0.25AgCl]: 0.3[Ag2O(B2O3:WO3)] shows the highest conductivity of the order of σrt ∼ 2.76x10-2 S/cm, referred to as the Optimum Conducting Composition (OCC). The enhancement in the conductivity has been obtained by mixed former effect. XRD result shows that the system is completely amorphous. Temperature dependence of conductivity of all compositions were studied and reported. Activation energies (Ea) were also evaluated from the slope of .Log(σ) vs 1000/T, Arrhenius plots.

  15. Effect of Mixed Glass Former on Ionic Conductivity of Silver Boro Tungstate glass system x[0.75AgI:0.25AgCl]: (1-x) [Ag2O-{B2O3:WO3}

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dehariya, Harsha; Kumar, R.; Polu, A. R.

    2012-05-01

    The idea to explore new 'Superionic Electrolytes', "Fast ionic conductors" is due to their tremendous potential applications in solid state electrochemical devices viz. solid state batteries, fuel cells, sensors, super capacitors. Superionic glasses have attracted great deal of attention due to their several advantageous over their crystalline counterparts such as high ionic conductivity, easy preparation, wide selection of compositions, isotropic properties and high stability etc [4-7]. Large numbers of silver ion based glasses have been reported in the literature for the glassy system of AgI:Ag2O: MxOy (MxOy = B2O3, SiO2, P2O5, GeO2, V2O5, As2O5, CrO3, SeO2, MoO3 & TeO3 etc many of them shows high silver ion conductivity [8]. Ion transport behavior of Silver Boro Tungstate glass system x[0.75AgI:0.25AgCl]: (1-x) [Ag2O{B2O3:WO3}], where 0 <= x <= 1 in molar wt% prepared by melt quench technique were reported. The new host [0.75AgI:0.25AgCl] was used as a better alternate in place of conventional host salt AgI. Conductivity measurement were carried out on this glass system as a function of frequency from 50 Hz to 5 MHz, over a temperature range of 27°C to 200°C, for different compositions by Impedance spectroscopy. The composition 0.7[0.75AgI:0.25AgCl]: 0.3[Ag2O{B2O3:WO3}] shows the highest conductivity of the order of σrt ~ 2.76 × 10-2 S/cm, referred to as the Optimum Conducting Composition (OCC). The enhancement in the conductivity has been obtained by mixed former effect. XRD result shows that the system is completely amorphous. Temperature dependence of conductivity of all compositions were studied & reported. Activation energies (Ea) were also evaluated from the slope of .Log(σ) vs 1000/T, Arrhenius plots.

  16. Evaluation on the toxicity of nanoAg to bovine serum albumin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Rutao, E-mail: rutaoliu@sdu.edu.cn [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan 250100 (China); Sun Feng; Zhang Lijun; Zong Wansong; Zhao Xingchen; Wang Li; Wu Ruolin [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan 250100 (China); Hao Xiaopeng [State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100 (China)

    2009-06-15

    Measuring protein damage by nanomaterials may give insight into the mechanisms of toxicity of nanomaterials. The toxic effects of nanoAg on bovine serum albumin (BSA) were thoroughly studied using fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, resonance light scattering spectroscopy (RLS), circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). NanoAg had obvious toxic effects on BSA: nanoAg could increase the amount of helix and decrease the beta sheet structure, leading to a loosening of the protein skeleton. In the loose structure, internal hydrophobic amino acids are exposed and the characteristic fluorescence of BSA is obviously quenched. When the ratio of nanoAg and BSA increased to 1: 96 (wt/wt), the impact of nanoAg on the spectral properties leveled off. The RLS spectrum, TEM, CD spectra and electrophoresis results showed that BSA had destroyed the double-layer structure of nanoAg and covered its surface, generating a BSA-nanoAg complex held together by van der Waals and electrostatic forces. This paper provides a new perspective and method for determining the toxic effects of nanoAg on biological macromolecules.

  17. Performance Analysis of Measurement Inaccuracies of IMU/GPS on Airborne Repeat-pass Interferometric SAR in the Presence of Squint

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deng Yuan

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available In the MOtion COmpensation (MOCO approach to airborne repeat-pass interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR based on motion measurement data, the measurement inaccuracies of Inertial Measurement Unit/Global Positioning System (IMU/GPS and the positioning errors of the target, which may contribute to the residual uncompensated motion errors, affect the imaging result and interferometric measurement. Considering the effects of the two types of error, this paper builds a mathematical model of residual motion errors in presence of squint, and analyzes the effects on the residual motion errors induced by the measurement inaccuracies of IMU/GPS and the positioning errors of the target. In particular, the effects of various measurement inaccuracies of IMU/GPS on interferometric SAR image quality, interferometric phase, and digital elevation model precision are disscussed. Moreover, the paper quantitatively researches the effects of residual motion errors on airborne repeat-pass interferometric SAR through theoretical and simulated analyses and provides theoretical bases for system design and signal processing.

  18. Reversible conversion between AgCl and Ag in AgCl-doped RSiO{sub 3/2}-TiO{sub 2} films prepared by a sol-gel technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kawamura, Go, E-mail: gokawamura@ee.tut.ac.jp [Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Tsurumi, Yuuki [Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Muto, Hiroyuki [Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Sakai, Mototsugu; Inoue, Mitsuteru [Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Matsuda, Atsunori [Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan)

    2011-10-17

    Highlights: {center_dot} The reversible redox behavior between AgCl and Ag in RSiO{sub 3/2}-TiO{sub 2} film is studied. {center_dot} TiO{sub 2} component induces Cl to remain in the film after conversion of AgCl to Ag. {center_dot} The survival of Cl is essential for reconversion of Ag to AgCl. {center_dot} The film shows potential to be applied as rewritable holographic material. - Abstract: The reversible redox behavior exhibited by AgCl-doped organosilsesquioxane-titania gel films is studied. Films prepared by the sol-gel method show reversible color changes with blue laser irradiation and subsequent heat treatment, which is based on the formation of Ag and AgCl nanoparticles, respectively. Two-beam interference exposure experiments reveal that the films have potential to be applied as rewritable holographic materials. A large titania content is essential for the conversion of Ag to AgCl because it induces the Cl to remain near the Ag nanoparticles during blue laser irradiation, allowing the Cl to react with neighboring Ag nanoparticles to reform AgCl upon subsequent heat treatment.

  19. Effect of chemically and biologically synthesized Ag nanoparticles on the algae growth inhibition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anna, Mražiková; Oksana, Velgosová; Jana, Kavuličová

    2017-12-01

    Over the past few years green methods for preparation of silver nanoparticles has become necessary due to its friendly influence on ecosystem. In the present work antimicrobial properties of biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (Bio-AgNPs) using green algae extract and chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles (Chem-AgNPs) using sodium citrate against algae Parachlorella kessleri is investigated. Both used Bio-AgNPs and Chem-AgNPs exhibit long-term stability as demonstrated by UV-vis spectroscopy measurements. The results revealed stronger toxic effects of Bio-AgNPs on agar plates what was confirmed clear inhibition zone around wells impregnated with Bio-AgNPs. On the other hand Bio-AgNPs were confirmed to be less toxic in aquatic environments for the growths of green algae P. kessleri comparing to Chem-AgNPs.

  20. Short-term Changes of Apparent Optical Properties in a Shallow Water Environment: Observations from Repeated Airborne Hyperspectral Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, M.; English, D. C.; Hu, C.; Carlson, P. R., Jr.; Muller-Karger, F. E.; Toro-Farmer, G.; Herwitz, S. R.

    2016-02-01

    An atmospheric correction algorithm has been developed for AISA imagery over optically shallow waters in Sugarloaf Key of the Florida Keys. The AISA data were collected repeatedly during several days in May 2012, October 2012, and May 2013. A non-zero near-infrared (NIR) remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) was accounted for through iterations, based on the relationship of field-measured Rrs between the NIR and red wavelengths. Validation showed mean ratios of 0.94 to 1.002 between AISA-derived and field-measured Rrs in the blue to red wavelengths, with uncertainties generally turbidity (light attenuation) and bottom contributions. Some of these changes are larger than two times of the Rrs uncertainties from the AISA retrievals, therefore representing statistically significant changes that can be well observed from airborne measurements. The case study suggests that repeated airborne measurements may be used to study short-term changes in shallow water environments, and such a capacity may be enhanced with future geostationary satellite missions specifically designed to observe coastal ecosystems.

  1. Transport characteristics of a silicene nanoribbon on Ag(110

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryoichi Hiraoka

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available We present the transport characteristics of individual silicene nanoribbons (SiNRs grown on Ag(110. By lifting up a single SiNR with a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope tip, a nanojunction consisting of tip, SiNR and Ag is fabricated. In the differential conductance spectra of the nanojunctions fabricated by this methodology, a peak appears at the Fermi level which is not observed in the spectra measured either for the SiNRs before being lifted up or the clean Ag substrate. We discuss the origin of the peak as it relates to the SiNR.

  2. [Ag(NH3)2]Ag(OsO3N)2: a new nitridoosmate(VIII)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wickleder, M.S.; Pley, Martin

    2004-01-01

    Dark brown single crystals of [Ag(NH 3 ) 2 ]Ag(OsO 3 N) 2 were obtained from the reaction of Ag 2 CO 3 , OsO 4 , and NH 3 in aqueous solution. The crystal structure was solved in the monoclinic space group C2/m, with the following unit-cell dimensions: a=1962.5(3), b=633.1(1), c=812.6(1) pm, β=96.71(1) deg. The final reliability factor was R=0.0256 for 1034 reflections with I>2σ(I). Linear [Ag(NH 3 ) 2 ] + ions are present oriented perpendicular to the [010] direction, leading to short Ag + -Ag + distances of 316 pm. A second type of Ag + ions in the crystal structure present coordination number '6+1' and are surrounded by oxygen and nitrogen atoms of the nitridoosmate groups. Within the first of the two crystallographically distinguishable anions one can clearly differentiate between oxygen and nitrogen atoms while the second one exhibits a N/O disorder over two positions. The infrared spectrum of [Ag(NH 3 ) 2 ]Ag(OsO 3 N) 2 shows the typical absorptions which can be attributed to the complex anions and the NH 3 ligands

  3. Silver environment and covalent network rearrangement in GeS3–Ag glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rátkai, L; Jóvári, P; Kaban, I; Wágner, T; Kolář, J; Valková, S; Voleská, Iva; Beuneu, B

    2013-01-01

    The structure of Ag-doped GeS 3 glasses (0, 15, 20, 25 at.% Ag) was investigated by diffraction techniques and extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements. Structural models were obtained by fitting the experimental datasets simultaneously by the reverse Monte Carlo simulation technique. It is observed that Ge has mostly S neighbours in GeS 3 , but Ge–Ge bonds appear already at 15% Ag content. Sulfur has ∼2 S/Ge neighbours over the whole concentration range, while the S–Ag coordination number increases with increasing Ag content. Ag–Ag pairs can already be found at 15% Ag. The Ag–S mean coordination number changes from 2.17 ± 0.2 to 2.86 ± 0.2 between 15% and 25% Ag content. Unlike the As–S network in AsS 2 –25Ag glass, the Ge–S network is not fragmented upon Ag-doping of GeS 3 glass. (paper)

  4. AGS intensity record

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bleser, Ed

    1994-01-01

    As flashed in the September issue, this summer the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS) reached a proton beam intensity of 4.05 x 10 13 protons per puise, claimed as the highest intensity ever achieved in a proton synchrotron. It is, however, only two-thirds of the way to its final goal of 6 x 10 13 . The achievement is the resuit of many years of effort. The Report of the AGS II Task Force, issued in February 1984, laid out a comprehensive programme largely based on a careful analysis of the PS experience at CERN. The AGS plan had two essential components: the construction of a new booster, and major upgrades to the AGS itself.

  5. Crystal structure and properties of tetragonal EuAg4In8 grown by metal flux technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Subbarao, Udumula; Sarkar, Sumanta; Peter, Sebastian C.

    2015-01-01

    The compound EuAg 4 In 8 has been obtained as single crystals in high yield from reactions run in liquid indium. X-ray diffraction on single crystals suggests that EuAg 4 In 8 crystallizes in the CeMn 4 Al 8 structure type, tetragonal space group I4/mmm with lattice constants a=b=9.7937(2) Å and c=5.7492(2) Å. Crystal structure of EuAg 4 In 8 is composed of pseudo Frank–Kasper cages occupied by one europium atom in each ring, which are shared through the corner along the ab plane resulting in a three dimensional network. The magnetic susceptibility of EuAg 4 In 8 was measured in the temperature range 2–300 K, which obeyed Curie–Weiss law above 50 K. Magnetic moment value calculated from the fitting indicates the presence of divalent europium, which was confirmed by X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy. Electrical resistivity measurements suggest that EuAg 4 In 8 is metallic in nature with a probable Fermi liquid behavior at low temperature. - Graphical abstract: The tetragonal EuAg 4 In 8 has been grown as single crystals from reactions run in liquid indium. Magnetic and XANES measurements suggest divalent nature of Eu and resistivity measurements suggest metallic nature. - Highlights: • EuAg 4 In 8 phase having tetragonal phase is grown by metal flux technique. • Magnetic and XANES measurements exhibit divalent nature of Eu in EuAg 4 In 8 . • Resistivity measurement suggests metallic nature and probable Fermi liquid behavior

  6. Cytotoxicity of serum protein-adsorbed visible-light photocatalytic Ag/AgBr/TiO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seo, Ji Hye; Jeon, Won Il; Dembereldorj, Uuriintuya; Lee, So Yeong; Joo, Sang-Woo

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: ► Photocytotoxicity of visible-light catalytic NPs was examined in vitro. ► Ag/AgBr/TiO 2 NPs were well internalized in cells after adsorption of serum proteins. ► Cell viability was decreased by 40–60% using ∼8 ppm NPs and 60 W/cm 2 visible light within 5 h. ► Mitochondria activity test indicated the reactive oxygen species for photo-destruction of cells. ► Ag/AgBr/TiO 2 NPs were found to eliminate xenograft tumors significantly in vivo. - Abstract: Photocytotoxicity of visible-light catalytic Ag/AgBr/TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) was examined both in vitro and in vivo. The Ag/AgBr/TiO 2 NPs were prepared by the deposition–precipitation method. Their crystalline structures, atomic compositions, and light absorption property were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, X-ray photoelectron (XPS) intensities, and ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopic tools. The Ag/AgBr/TiO 2 NPs appeared to be well internalized in human carcinoma cells as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The cytotoxicity of cetylmethylammonium bromide (CTAB) appeared to be significantly reduced by adsorption of serum proteins in the cellular medium on the NP surfaces. Two types of human cervical HeLa and skin A431 cancer cells were tested to check their viability after the cellular uptake of the Ag/AgBr/TiO 2 NPs and subsequent exposure to an illumination of visible light from a 60 W/cm 2 halogen lamp. Fluorescence images taken to label mitochondria activity suggest that the reactive oxygen species should trigger the photo-destruction of cancer cells. After applying the halogen light illumination for 50–250 min and ∼8 ppm (μg/mL) of photocatalytic Ag/AgBr/TiO 2 NPs, we observed a 40–60% selective decrease of cell viability. Ag/AgBr/TiO 2 NPs were found to eliminate xenograft tumors significantly by irradiating visible light in vivo for 10 min.

  7. Thickness measurement of Sn-Ag hot dip coatings on Large Hadron Collider Superconducting strands by coulometry

    CERN Document Server

    Arnau-Izquierdo, G; Oberli, L R; Scheuerlein, C; Taborelli, M; 10.1149/1.1715094

    2004-01-01

    Amperostatic coulometry is applied for the thickness measurement of Sn-Ag hot dip coatings, which comprise an extended Sn-Cu interdiffusion layer. Complementary measurements, notably weight loss, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopy (DSIMS) have been performed in order to obtain a better interpretation of the coulometry results. Based on the experimental results presented in this article the three potential changes that are observed during coulometry measurements are ascribed to (1) the entire dissolution of pure Sn, (2) the formation of a CuCl salt layer and (3) the surface passivation. The measurement of the pure Sn mass is well reproducible despite of strong coating thickness variations that are detected by XRF. Several experimental problems, in particular a coating undercutting, hamper the determination of the Sn mass in the intermetallic Sn-Cu layer.

  8. Application of a repeat-measure biomarker measurement error model to 2 validation studies: examination of the effect of within-person variation in biomarker measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preis, Sarah Rosner; Spiegelman, Donna; Zhao, Barbara Bojuan; Moshfegh, Alanna; Baer, David J; Willett, Walter C

    2011-03-15

    Repeat-biomarker measurement error models accounting for systematic correlated within-person error can be used to estimate the correlation coefficient (ρ) and deattenuation factor (λ), used in measurement error correction. These models account for correlated errors in the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and the 24-hour diet recall and random within-person variation in the biomarkers. Failure to account for within-person variation in biomarkers can exaggerate correlated errors between FFQs and 24-hour diet recalls. For 2 validation studies, ρ and λ were calculated for total energy and protein density. In the Automated Multiple-Pass Method Validation Study (n=471), doubly labeled water (DLW) and urinary nitrogen (UN) were measured twice in 52 adults approximately 16 months apart (2002-2003), yielding intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.43 for energy (DLW) and 0.54 for protein density (UN/DLW). The deattenuated correlation coefficient for protein density was 0.51 for correlation between the FFQ and the 24-hour diet recall and 0.49 for correlation between the FFQ and the biomarker. Use of repeat-biomarker measurement error models resulted in a ρ of 0.42. These models were similarly applied to the Observing Protein and Energy Nutrition Study (1999-2000). In conclusion, within-person variation in biomarkers can be substantial, and to adequately assess the impact of correlated subject-specific error, this variation should be assessed in validation studies of FFQs. © The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved.

  9. Antimicrobial and cell viability measurement of bovine serum albumin capped silver nanoparticles (Ag/BSA) loaded collagen immobilized poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakare, Rotimi; Hawthrone, Samantha; Vails, Carmen; Gugssa, Ayele; Karim, Alamgir; Stubbs, John; Raghavan, Dharmaraj

    2016-03-01

    Bacterial infection of orthopedic devices has been a major concern in joint replacement procedures. Therefore, this study is aimed at formulating collagen immobilized poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) film loaded with bovine serum albumin capped silver nanoparticles (Ag/BSA NPs) to inhibit bacterial growth while retaining/promoting osteoblast cells viability. The nanoparticles loaded collagen immobilized PHBV film was characterized for its composition by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Anodic Stripping Voltammetry. The extent of loading of Ag/BSA NPs on collagen immobilized PHBV film was found to depend on the chemistry of the functionalized PHBV film and the concentration of Ag/BSA NPs solution used for loading nanoparticles. Our results showed that more Ag/BSA NPs were loaded on higher molecular weight collagen immobilized PHEMA-g-PHBV film. Maximum loading of Ag/BSA NPs on collagen immobilized PHBV film was observed when 16ppm solution was used for adsorption studies. Colony forming unit and optical density measurements showed broad antimicrobial activity towards Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at significantly lower concentration i.e., 0.19 and 0.31μg/disc, compared to gentamicin and sulfamethoxazole trimethoprim while MTT assay showed that released nanoparticles from Ag/BSA NPs loaded collagen immobilized PHBV film has no impact on MCTC3-E1 cells viability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. More Thoughts on AG-SG Comparisons and SG Scale Factor Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crossley, David; Calvo, Marta; Rosat, Severine; Hinderer, Jacques

    2018-03-01

    We revisit a number of details that arise when doing joint AG-SG (absolute gravimeter-superconducting gravimeter) calibrations, focusing on the scale factor determination and the AG mean value that derives from the offset. When fitting SG data to AG data, the choice of which time span to use for the SG data can make a difference, as well as the inclusion of a trend that might be present in the fitting. The SG time delay has only a small effect. We review a number of options discussed recently in the literature on whether drops or sets provide the most accurate scale factor, and how to reject drops and sets to get the most consistent result. Two effects are clearly indicated by our tests, one being to smooth the raw SG 1 s (or similar sampling interval) data for times that coincide with AG drops, the other being a second pass in processing to reject residual outliers after the initial fit. Although drops can usefully provide smaller SG calibration errors compared to using set data, set values are more robust to data problems but one has to use the standard error to avoid large uncertainties. When combining scale factor determinations for the same SG at the same station, the expected gradual reduction of the error with each new experiment is consistent with the method of conflation. This is valid even when the SG data acquisition system is changed, or different AG's are used. We also find a relationship between the AG mean values obtained from SG to AG fits with the traditional short-term AG (`site') measurements usually done with shorter datasets. This involves different zero levels and corrections in the AG versus SG processing. Without using the Micro-g FG5 software it is possible to use the SG-derived corrections for tides, barometric pressure, and polar motion to convert an AG-SG calibration experiment into a site measurement (and vice versa). Finally, we provide a simple method for AG users who do not have the FG5-software to find an internal FG5 parameter that

  11. More Thoughts on AG-SG Comparisons and SG Scale Factor Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crossley, David; Calvo, Marta; Rosat, Severine; Hinderer, Jacques

    2018-05-01

    We revisit a number of details that arise when doing joint AG-SG (absolute gravimeter-superconducting gravimeter) calibrations, focusing on the scale factor determination and the AG mean value that derives from the offset. When fitting SG data to AG data, the choice of which time span to use for the SG data can make a difference, as well as the inclusion of a trend that might be present in the fitting. The SG time delay has only a small effect. We review a number of options discussed recently in the literature on whether drops or sets provide the most accurate scale factor, and how to reject drops and sets to get the most consistent result. Two effects are clearly indicated by our tests, one being to smooth the raw SG 1 s (or similar sampling interval) data for times that coincide with AG drops, the other being a second pass in processing to reject residual outliers after the initial fit. Although drops can usefully provide smaller SG calibration errors compared to using set data, set values are more robust to data problems but one has to use the standard error to avoid large uncertainties. When combining scale factor determinations for the same SG at the same station, the expected gradual reduction of the error with each new experiment is consistent with the method of conflation. This is valid even when the SG data acquisition system is changed, or different AG's are used. We also find a relationship between the AG mean values obtained from SG to AG fits with the traditional short-term AG (`site') measurements usually done with shorter datasets. This involves different zero levels and corrections in the AG versus SG processing. Without using the Micro-g FG5 software it is possible to use the SG-derived corrections for tides, barometric pressure, and polar motion to convert an AG-SG calibration experiment into a site measurement (and vice versa). Finally, we provide a simple method for AG users who do not have the FG5-software to find an internal FG5 parameter that

  12. Ag-rich precipitates formation in the Cu–11%Al–10%Mn–3%Ag alloy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, R.A.G., E-mail: galdino.ricardo@gmail.com [Departamento de Ciências Exatas e da Terra, UNIFESP, 09972-270 Diadema, SP (Brazil); Paganotti, A.; Jabase, L. [Departamento de Ciências Exatas e da Terra, UNIFESP, 09972-270 Diadema, SP (Brazil); Adorno, A.T.; Carvalho, T.M.; Santos, C.M.A. [Departamento de Físico-Química, Instituto de Química, UNESP, 14801-970 Araraquara, SP (Brazil)

    2014-12-05

    Highlights: • Cu-rich nanoprecipitates are formed in the presence of Ag. • Bainite precipitation is shifted to higher temperatures in the Cu–11%Al–10%Mn–3%Ag alloy. • The eutectoid α phase and bainite α{sub 1} phase compete by the Cu atoms during precipitation process. - Abstract: The formation of Ag-rich precipitates in the Cu–11%Al–10%Mn–3%Ag alloy initially quenched from 1123 K was analyzed. The results showed that nanoprecipitates of a Cu-rich phase are produced at about 523 K. In higher temperatures these nanoparticles grow and the relative fraction of Ag dissolved in it is increased, thus forming the Ag-rich phase.

  13. Measurements of activation reaction rate distributions on a mercury target bombarded with high-energy protons at AGS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takada, Hiroshi; Kasugai, Yoshimi; Nakashima, Hiroshi; Ikeda, Yujiro [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Ino, Takashi; Kawai, Masayoshi [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan); Jerde, Eric; Glasgow, David [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2000-02-01

    A neutronics experiment was carried out using a thick mercury target at the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS) facility of Brookhaven National Laboratory in a framework of the ASTE (AGS Spallation Target Experiment) collaboration. Reaction rate distributions around the target were measured by the activation technique at incident proton energies of 1.6, 12 and 24 GeV. Various activation detectors such as the {sup 115}In(n,n'){sup 115m}In, {sup 93}Nb(n,2n){sup 92m}Nb, and {sup 209}Bi(n,xn) reactions with threshold energies ranging from 0.3 to 70.5 MeV were employed to obtain the reaction rate data for estimating spallation source neutron characteristics of the mercury target. It was found from the measured {sup 115}In(n,n'){sup 115m}In reaction rate distribution that the number of leakage neutrons becomes maximum at about 11 cm from the top of hemisphere of the mercury target for the 1.6-GeV proton incidence and the peak position moves towards forward direction with increase of the incident proton energy. The similar result was observed in the reaction rate distributions of other activation detectors. The experimental procedures and a full set of experimental data in numerical form are summarized in this report. (author)

  14. A facile method for electrospinning of Ag nanoparticles/poly (vinyl alcohol)/carboxymethyl-chitosan nanofibers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Yinghui; Zhou, Ying [Beijing Key Laboratory for Solid Waste Utilization and Management, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Center for Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Wu, Xiaomian [Center for Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Department of Orthodontics College of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401147 (China); Wang, Lu [Beijing Key Laboratory for Solid Waste Utilization and Management, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Xu, Ling, E-mail: lingxu@pku.edu.cn [Beijing Key Laboratory for Solid Waste Utilization and Management, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Center for Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); PKU-HKUST ShenZhen-HongKong Institution, Shenzhen 518057 (China); Wei, Shicheng, E-mail: sc-wei@pku.edu.cn [Center for Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Peking University, Beijing 100081 (China)

    2012-09-01

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer AgNPs/PVA/CM-chitosan nanofibers were prepared via electrospinning method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer AgNPs were in situ synthesized in electrospinning solution via a facile method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer AgNPs distributed homogeneously on the surface of nanofibers. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The prepared nanofibers possessed certain antibacterial ability against Escherichia coli. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The AgNPs containing nanofibers had potential as antibacterial biomaterial. - Abstract: A facile method to prepare silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) containing nanofibers via electrospinning has been demonstrated. AgNPs were in situ synthesized in poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/carboxymethyl-chitosan (CM-chitosan) blend aqueous solution before electrospinning. UV-vis spectra, viscosity and conductivity of the electrospinning solution were measured to investigate their effects on the electrospinning procedure. The morphology of AgNPs/PVA/CM-chitosan nanofibers was observed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy. The formation and morphology of AgNPs were investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The resulted nanofibers have smooth surface and uniform diameters ranging from 295 to 343 nm. The diameters of AgNPs mainly distributed in the range of 4-14 nm, and the electrostatic interaction between AgNPs and fibers was observed. Finally, in vitro Ag release from the nanofibers was measured and the antibacterial behavior of the nanofibers against Escherichia coli was studied by bacterial growth inhibition halos and bactericidal kinetic testing. The AgNPs/PVA/CM-chitosan nanofibers possessed certain antibacterial ability, which makes them capable for antibacterial biomaterials.

  15. Electrically conductive nanostructured silver doped zinc oxide (Ag:ZnO) prepared by solution-immersion technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Afaah, A. N.; Asib, N. A. M.; Aadila, A.; Khusaimi, Z.; Mohamed, R.; Rusop, M.

    2016-01-01

    p-type ZnO films have been fabricated on ZnO-seeded glass substrate, using AgNO_3 as a source of silver dopant by facile solution-immersion. Cleaned glass substrate were seeded with ZnO by mist-atomisation, and next the seeded substrates were immersed in Ag:ZnO solution. The effects of Ag doping concentration on the Ag-doped ZnO have been investigated. The substrates were immersed in different concentrations of Ag dopant with variation of 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 at. %. The surface morphology of the films was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). In order to investigate the electrical properties, the films were characterized by Current-Voltage (I-V) measurement. FESEM micrographs showed uniform distribution of nanostructured ZnO and Ag:ZnO. Besides, the electrical properties of Ag-doped ZnO were also dependent on the doping concentration. The I-V measurement result indicated the electrical properties of 1 at. % Ag:ZnO thin film owned highest electrical conductivity.

  16. The diffusion of Ag in the graphitic matrices A3-3 and A3-27

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoinkis, E.

    1994-01-01

    Ag-110m contributes significantly to the plate-out activity in the coolant circuit of pebble bed reactors. The diffusion coefficient in graphitic matrices is needed to estimate the core release rate. The diffusion of Ag-110m in original, oxidized and fast neutron irradiated graphitic Matrix A3-3 and in original A3-27 was studied in vacuum by measuring the release kinetics from cylindrical specimens. The latter were previously doped with carrier-free Ag-110m at 1000 C. Concentration profiles were measured after the release of a part of the Ag-110m present initially. The release kinetics and the concentration profiles satisfied Ficks second law. In the temperature range of 800-1300 C at Ag concentrations < 4 appm the diffusion coefficient data are given. Oxidation of A3-3 accelerated the Ag migration. Ag-110m was found to be strongly enriched in the binder carbon which links the graphite grains in the matrix. (orig./HP)

  17. Variable temperature 127I MAS NMR of β-AgI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wagner, G.W.

    1991-01-01

    Variable temperature 127 I MAS NMR of β-AgI powder, measured from 123 to 413 K is sensitive to Ag + diffusion through the iodine lattice. In low temperature spectra, the iodine ions appear to be in nearly static environments in agreement with the low temperature crystal structure. However, at higher temperatures, substantial broadening of the central transition linewidth is consistent with the presence of two types of Ag + diffusion with activation energies of 0.17 and 0.0080 eV. (author). 15 refs.; 5 figs.; 1 tab

  18. The effect of Ag layer thickness on the properties of WO{sub 3}/Ag/MoO{sub 3} multilayer films as anode in organic light emitting diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zadsar, Mehdi, E-mail: mehdi_zadsar@yahoo.com [Physics Department, University of Isfahan, Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Fallah, Hamid Reza; Mahmoodzadeh, Morteza Haji [Physics Department, University of Isfahan, Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Quantum Optics Research Group, University of Isfahan, Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Tabatabaei, Seyed Vahid [Physics Department, University of Isfahan, Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2012-04-15

    Transparent conductive WO{sub 3}/Ag/MoO{sub 3} (WAM) multilayer electrodes were fabricated by thermal evaporation and the effects of Ag layer thickness on the optoelectronic and structural properties of multilayer electrode as anode in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) were investigated using different analytical methods. For Ag layers with thickness varying between 5 and 20 nm, the best WAM performances, high optical transmittance (81.7%, at around 550 nm), and low electrical sheet resistance (9.75 {Omega}/cm{sup 2}) were obtained for 15 nm thickness. Also, the WAM structure with 15 nm of Ag layer thickness has a very smooth surface with an RMS roughness of 0.37 nm, which is suitable for use as transparent conductive anode in OLEDs. The current density-voltage-luminance (J-V-L) characteristics measurement shows that the current density of WAM/PEDOT:PSS/TPD/Alq{sub 3}/LiF/Al organic diode increases with the increase in thickness of Ag and WO{sub 3}/Ag (15 nm)/MoO{sub 3} device exhibits a higher luminance intensity at lower voltage than ITO/PEDOT:PSS/TPD/Alq{sub 3}/LiF/Al control device. Furthermore, this device shows the highest power efficiency (0.31 lm/W) and current efficiency (1.2 cd/A) at the current density of 20 mA/cm{sup 2}, which is improved 58% and 41% compared with those of the ITO-based device, respectively. The lifetime of the WO{sub 3}/Ag (15 nm)/MoO{sub 3} device was measured to be 50 h at an initial luminance of 50 cd/m{sup 2}, which is five times longer than 10 h for ITO-based device. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Investigation of Ag thickness effect on the properties of WO{sub 3}/Ag/MoO{sub 3} films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electrical conductivity of multilayer films increases with increasing Ag thickness. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Optical transmittance increases by Ag thickness and at 15 nm, reaches 81.7%. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Power efficiency of WO{sub 3}/Ag (15 nm)/MoO{sub 3} based devices is higher than that of

  19. Hysteresis of magnetostructural transitions: Repeatable and non-repeatable processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provenzano, Virgil; Della Torre, Edward; Bennett, Lawrence H.; ElBidweihy, Hatem

    2014-02-01

    The Gd5Ge2Si2 alloy and the off-stoichiometric Ni50Mn35In15 Heusler alloy belong to a special class of metallic materials that exhibit first-order magnetostructural transitions near room temperature. The magnetic properties of this class of materials have been extensively studied due to their interesting magnetic behavior and their potential for a number of technological applications such as refrigerants for near-room-temperature magnetic refrigeration. The thermally driven first-order transitions in these materials can be field-induced in the reverse order by applying a strong enough field. The field-induced transitions are typically accompanied by the presence of large magnetic hysteresis, the characteristics of which are a complicated function of temperature, field, and magneto-thermal history. In this study we show that the virgin curve, the major loop, and sequentially measured MH loops are the results of both repeatable and non-repeatable processes, in which the starting magnetostructural state, prior to the cycling of field, plays a major role. Using the Gd5Ge2Si2 and Ni50Mn35In15 alloys, as model materials, we show that a starting single phase state results in fully repeatable processes and large magnetic hysteresis, whereas a mixed phase starting state results in non-repeatable processes and smaller hysteresis.

  20. Hysteresis of magnetostructural transitions: Repeatable and non-repeatable processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Provenzano, Virgil; Della Torre, Edward; Bennett, Lawrence H.; ElBidweihy, Hatem

    2014-01-01

    The Gd 5 Ge 2 Si 2 alloy and the off-stoichiometric Ni 50 Mn 35 In 15 Heusler alloy belong to a special class of metallic materials that exhibit first-order magnetostructural transitions near room temperature. The magnetic properties of this class of materials have been extensively studied due to their interesting magnetic behavior and their potential for a number of technological applications such as refrigerants for near-room-temperature magnetic refrigeration. The thermally driven first-order transitions in these materials can be field-induced in the reverse order by applying a strong enough field. The field-induced transitions are typically accompanied by the presence of large magnetic hysteresis, the characteristics of which are a complicated function of temperature, field, and magneto-thermal history. In this study we show that the virgin curve, the major loop, and sequentially measured MH loops are the results of both repeatable and non-repeatable processes, in which the starting magnetostructural state, prior to the cycling of field, plays a major role. Using the Gd 5 Ge 2 Si 2 and Ni 50 Mn 35 In 15 alloys, as model materials, we show that a starting single phase state results in fully repeatable processes and large magnetic hysteresis, whereas a mixed phase starting state results in non-repeatable processes and smaller hysteresis

  1. Synthesis and characterization of Ag/AgBrO{sub 3} photocatalyst with high photocatalytic activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Limin, E-mail: songlmnk@sohu.com [College of Environment and Chemical Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Hollow-Fiber Membrane Materials and Membrane Processes, Tianjin Polytechnic University, Tianjin, 300387 (China); Li, Tongtong [College of Environment and Chemical Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Hollow-Fiber Membrane Materials and Membrane Processes, Tianjin Polytechnic University, Tianjin, 300387 (China); Zhang, Shujuan [College of Science, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457 (China)

    2016-10-01

    A new Ag/AgBrO{sub 3} photocatalyst was prepared by mixing aqueous solutions of AgNO{sub 3} and NaBrO{sub 3}. The catalyst’s structure and performance were investigated with X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The UV–vis absorption spectrum of Ag/AgBrO{sub 3} exhibits a band gap of 3.97 eV. The results show that the Ag/AgBrO{sub 3} semiconductor can be excited by ultraviolet–visible light. The photodegradation of Rhodamine B displayed much higher photocatalytic activity than that of N-doped TiO{sub 2} under the same experimental conditions. Moreover, ·OH and ·O{sub 2}{sup −} generated in the photocatalysis played a key role of the photodegradation of Rhodamine B. - Highlights: • Ag/AgBrO{sub 3} with higher photodegradation ability was synthesized. • ·OH and ·O{sub 2}{sup −} radicals were the main active species in the oxidation of RhB. • The possible reaction mechanism was discussed in details.

  2. Effect of cysteine and humic acids on bioavailability of Ag from Ag nanoparticles to a freshwater snail

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luoma, Samuel N.; Tasha Stoiber,; Croteau, Marie-Noele; Isabelle Romer,; Ruth Merrifeild,; Lead, Jamie

    2016-01-01

    Metal-based engineered nanoparticles (NPs) will undergo transformations that will affect their bioavailability, toxicity and ecological risk when released to the environment, including interactions with dissolved organic material. The purpose of this paper is to determine how interactions with two different types of organic material affect the bioavailability of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Silver uptake rates by the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis were determined after exposure to 25 nmol l-1 of Ag as PVP AgNPs, PEG AgNPs or AgNO3, in the presence of either Suwannee River humic acid or cysteine, a high-affinity thiol-rich organic ligand. Total uptake rate of Ag from the two NPs was either increased or not strongly affected in the presence of 1 – 10 mg 1-1 humic acid. Humic substances contain relatively few strong ligands for Ag explaining their limited effects on Ag uptake rate. In contrast, Ag uptake rate was substantially reduced by cysteine. Three components of uptake from the AgNPs were quantified in the presence of cysteine using a biodynamic modeling approach: uptake of dissolved Ag released by the AgNPs, uptake of a polymer or large (>3kD) Ag-cysteine complex and uptake of the nanoparticle itself. Addition of 1:1 Ag:cysteine reduced concentrations of dissolved Ag, which contributed to, but did not fully explain the reductions in uptake. A bioavailable Ag-cysteine complex (> 3kD) appeared to be the dominant avenue of uptake from both PVP AgNPs and PEG AgNPs in the presence of cysteine. Quantifying the different avenues of uptake sets the stage for studies to assess toxicity unique to NPs.

  3. Non-toxic silver iodide (AgI) quantum dots sensitized solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moosakhani, S.; Sabbagh Alvani, A.A.; Sarabi, A.A.; Sameie, H.; Salimi, R.; Kiani, S.; Ebrahimi, Y.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • We have demonstrated AgI sensitized solar cell for the first time. • Obtained mesoporous titania powders possessed small crystallite size, high purity and surface area, and developed mesopores with a narrow pore size distribution. • Photovoltaic measurements revealed the electron injection from AgI to TiO 2 . • The assembled AgI-QD solar cells yielded a power conversion efficiency of 0.64% under one sun illumination. • AgI may be a suitable candidate material for use as a non-toxic sensitizer in QDSSC. - Abstract: The present study reports the performance of a new photosensitizer -AgI quantum dots (QDs)- and mesoporous titania (TiO 2 ) nanocrystals synthesized by sol–gel (SG) method for solar cells. Furthermore, the effects of n-heptane on the textural properties of TiO 2 nanocrystals were comprehensively investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N 2 adsorption–desorption measurements, and UV–vis spectroscopy. TiO 2 powders exhibited an anatase-type mesoporous structure with a high surface area of 89.7 m 2 /g. Afterwards, the QDs were grown on mesoporous TiO 2 surface to fabricate a TiO 2 /AgI electrode by a successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) deposition route. Current–voltage characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data demonstrated that the injection of photoexcited electrons from AgI QDs into the TiO 2 matrix produces photocurrents. The assembled AgI-QD solar cells yielded a power conversion efficiency of 0.64% and a short-circuit current of 2.13 mA/cm 2 under one sun illumination

  4. Application of the specific thermal properties of Ag nanoparticles to high-resolution metal patterning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Son, Yong; Yeo, Junyeob; Ha, Cheol Woo; Lee, Jinhwan; Hong, Sukjoon; Nam, Koo Hyun; Yang, Dong-Yol; Ko, Seung Hwan

    2012-01-01

    Metal nanoparticles exhibit specific electronic, chemical and optical properties due to the thermodynamic size effect, which cannot be observed in bulk materials. Ag NPs show size dependent melting temperature depression phenomena. In this study, the thermal sintering behavior of the self-assembled monolayer protected Ag NPs has been observed using in situ transmission electron microscopy. The thermal characteristics of the Ag NPs have also been examined with a thermogravimetric analysis, a differential scanning calorimetry and a thermal conductivity measurement. These assessments have shown that the melting of the Ag NPs starts at 150 °C, which is much lower than the melting temperature of bulk silver (960 °C). The measured thermal conductivity of the Ag NPs (0.37 W/(m K)) is also lower than that of bulk silver (429 W/(m K)). These specific thermal properties of the Ag NPs can be applied to a low-temperature and a high-resolution direct-metal patterning process.

  5. Transfer of radiosilver (Ag-110m) in the food chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Handl, J.

    1993-01-01

    Following the Chernobyl accident, Ag-110m (Half-life: 250 days) has been reported in some important components of the terrestrial environment such as pasture vegetation and pasture animals. A review of the available literature showed that the behaviour of silver in the terrestrial environment is relatively poorly understood. A research programme to study the behaviour of Ag-110m along the soil - vegetation - animal - man pathway was therefore initiated. In an in-vivo study in cooperation with the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Animal Behaviour, Mariensee with pigs the transfer of Ag-110m from feed to animal tissues was followed for 30 days using Ag-110m labelled meat as feed. The observation has not yet been finished. After the evaluation of all measurements, transfer factors animal tissue/feed as well as the biological half-life for Ag-110m in animal organs will be determined. (orig./BBR)

  6. Label-Free Ag+ Detection by Enhancing DNA Sensitized Tb3+ Luminescence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimberly Kleinke

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available In this work, the effect of Ag+ on DNA sensitized Tb3+ luminescence was studied initially using the Ag+-specific RNA-cleaving DNAzyme, Ag10c. While we expected to observe luminescence quenching by Ag+, a significant enhancement was produced. Based on this observation, simple DNA oligonucleotide homopolymers were used with systematically varied sequence and length. We discovered that both poly-G and poly-T DNA have a significant emission enhancement by Ag+, while the absolute intensity is stronger with the poly-G DNA, indicating that a G-quadruplex DNA is not required for this enhancement. Using the optimized length of the G7 DNA (an oligo constituted with seven guanines, Ag+ was measured with a detection limit of 57.6 nM. The signaling kinetics, G7 DNA conformation, and the binding affinity of Tb3+ to the DNA in the presence or absence of Ag+ are also studied to reveal the mechanism of emission enhancement. This observation is useful not only for label-free detection of Ag+, but also interesting for the rational design of new biosensors using Tb3+ luminescence.

  7. Room temperature synthesis and photocatalytic property of AgO/Ag2Mo2O7 heterojunction nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hashim, Muhammad; Hu, Chenguo; Wang, Xue; Wan, Buyong; Xu, Jing

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: The AgO nanoparticles are attached on the surface of the Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 nanowires to form a heterojunction structure. The AgO nanoparticles start embedding into the nanowires with increasing reaction temperature or time. Highlights: ► AgO/Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 heterojunction NWs were synthesized at room temperature for the first time. ► AgO particles embed into the Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 NWs with increase in reaction time and temperature. ► The heterojunction NWs display much better photocatalytic activity than the none-heterojunction NWs. ► The catalytic mechanism was proposed. -- Abstract: AgO/Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 heterojunction nanowires were synthesized at temperatures of 25 °C, 50 °C, 80 °C, and 110 °C, under magnetic stirring in solution reaction. The catalytic activity of AgO/Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 nanowires was evaluated by the degradation of Rhodmine B dye under the irradiation of the simulated sunlight. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, energy dispersive spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the AgO nanoparticles are attached on the surface of the Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 nanowires to form a heterojunction structure. The length of the nanowires is up to 10 μm and the size of the AgO nanoparticles is 10–20 nm. The length of nanowires increases with increasing reaction time and temperature while the AgO particles are gradually embedded into the nanowires. The photocatalytic activity is greatly improved for the AgO/Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 heterojunction nanowires compared with that of the pure Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 nanowires, indicating a remarkable role of AgO particles on the Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 nanowires in the photodegradation.

  8. Picosecond laser fabricated Ag, Au and Ag-Au nanoparticles for detecting ammonium perchlorate using a portable Raman spectrometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byram, Chandu; Moram, Sree Sathya Bharathi; Soma, Venugopal Rao

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, we present the results from fabrication studies of Ag, Au, and Ag-Au alloy nanoparticles (NPs) using picosecond laser ablation technique in the presence of liquid media. The alloy formation in the NPs was confirmed from UV-Visible measurements. The shape and crystallinity of NPs were investigated by using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area diffraction pattern (SAED) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The SERS effect of fabricated NPs was tested with methylene blue and an explosive molecule (ammonium perchlorate) using a portable Raman spectrometer and achieved EFs of ˜106.

  9. Ag@Ag_8W_4O_1_6 nanoroasted rice beads with photocatalytic, antibacterial and anticancer activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Selvamani, Muthamizh; Krishnamoorthy, Giribabu; Ramadoss, Manigandan; Sivakumar, Praveen Kumar; Settu, Munusamy; Ranganathan, Suresh; Vengidusamy, Narayanan

    2016-01-01

    Increasing resistance of pathogens and cancer cell line towards antibiotics and anticancer agents has caused serious health problems in the past decades. Due to these problems in recent years, researchers have tried to combine nanotechnology with material science to have intrinsic antimicrobial and anticancer activity. The metals and metal oxides were investigated with respect to their antimicrobial and anticancer effects towards bacteria and cancer cell line. In the present work metal@metal tungstate (Ag@Ag_8W_4O_1_6 nanoroasted rice beads) is investigated for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using Mueller-Hinton broth and the anticancer activity against B16F10 cell line was studied. Silver decorated silver tungstate (Ag@Ag_8W_4O_1_6) was synthesized by the microwave irradiation method using Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB). Ag@Ag_8W_4O_1_6 was characterized by using various spectroscopic techniques. The phase and crystalline nature were analyzed by using XRD. The morphological analysis was carried out using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). Further, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Raman spectral analysis were carried out in order to ascertain the presence of functional groups in Ag@Ag_8W_4O_1_6. The optical property was investigated using Diffuse Reflectance Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy (DRS-UV–Vis) and the band gap was found to be 3.08 eV. Surface area of the synthesized Ag@Ag_8W_4O_1_6 wasanalyzed by BET analysis and Ag@Ag_8W_4O_1_6 was utilized for the degradation of organic dyes methylene blue and rhodamine B. The morphology of the Ag@Ag_8W_4O_1_6 resembles roasted rice beads with breath and length in nm range. The oxidation state of tungsten (W) and silver (Ag) was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). - Highlights: • Synthesis of Ag@Ag_8W_4O_1_6 nanoroasted rice beads using

  10. AGS intensity upgrades

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roser, T.

    1995-01-01

    After the successful completion of the AGS Booster and several upgrades of the AGS, a new intensity record of 6.3 x 10 13 protons per pulse accelerated to 24 GeV was achieved. The high intensity slow-extracted beam program at the AGS typically serves about five production targets and about eight experiments including three rare Kaon decay experiments. Further intensity upgrades are being discussed that could increase the average delivered beam intensity by up to a factor of four

  11. Measurement of excitation functions and isomeric ratios of the reactions 103Rh(3He, xn) sup(106-x)Ag where x=2, 3 and 4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borges, A.M.

    1981-01-01

    The excitation functions and isomer ratios for the reactions 103 Rh( 3 He, xn) sup(106-x)Ag, where x=2, 3 and 4, were measured with projectile Lab energy varying from 23 to 35 MeV. Since the half-life of sup(103m)Ag is equal to 5.7 s. the use of a recoil nucleous gas jet transport system became necessary. The values measured for the cross-sections were compared to those yielded by the ALICE code. The experimental isomer ratios are smaller than those calculated using the residual nucleus spin distribution obtained with the ALICE code. By-pass fractions as expected in this mass region were also obtained. (Author) [pt

  12. Bifunctional Ag@Pd-Ag Nanocubes for Highly Sensitive Monitoring of Catalytic Reactions by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jumei; Liu, Jingyue; Yang, Yin; Qin, Dong

    2015-06-10

    We report a route to the facile synthesis of Ag@Pd-Ag nanocubes by cotitrating Na2PdCl4 and AgNO3 into an aqueous suspension of Ag nanocubes at room temperature in the presence of ascorbic acid and poly(vinylpyrrolidone). With an increase in the total titration volume, we observed the codeposition of Pd and Ag atoms onto the edges, corners, and side faces of the Ag nanocubes in a site-by-site fashion. By maneuvering the Pd/Ag ratio, we could optimize the SERS and catalytic activities of the Ag@Pd-Ag nanocubes for in situ SERS monitoring of the Pd-catalyzed reduction of 4-nitrothiophenol by NaBH4.

  13. Microstructure evolution during 300 °C storage of sintered Ag nanoparticles on Ag and Au substrates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paknejad, S.A. [King’s College London, Physics Department, Strand, London WC2R 2LS (United Kingdom); Dumas, G. [Eltek Semiconductors Ltd, Nelson Road Industrial Estate, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 9LA (United Kingdom); West, G. [Loughborough University, Materials Department, Loughborough LE11 3TU (United Kingdom); Lewis, G. [Eltek Semiconductors Ltd, Nelson Road Industrial Estate, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 9LA (United Kingdom); Mannan, S.H., E-mail: samjid.mannan@kcl.ac.uk [King’s College London, Physics Department, Strand, London WC2R 2LS (United Kingdom)

    2014-12-25

    Highlights: • Shear strength of pressure-free sintered Ag found to increase during ageing at 300 °C on Ag substrate. • Rapid collapse of void number density after 24 h ageing in the sintered Ag layer. • Higher porosity at edge of joint compared to the middle. • Shear strength of pressure-free sintered Ag decreases during ageing at 300 °C due to high porosity layer growth. • Void free layer and high porosity layer growth explained in terms of atomic diffusion and grain boundary migration. - Abstract: A silver nanoparticle based die attach material was used in a pressure free process to bond 2.5 mm square Ag plated Si die to Ag and Au plated substrates. The assemblies were stored at 300 °C for up to 500 h and the morphology of the sintered Ag and the shear strength were monitored as a function of time. On Ag substrate it was found that die shear strength increased and that the Ag grains grew in size and porosity decreased over time. There was also a clear difference in morphology between sintered Ag at the die edge and centre. On Au substrate, it was observed that the initially high die shear strength decreased with storage time and that voids migrated away from the Ag/Au interface and into the Ag joint. This has led to the formation of a void free layer at the interface followed by a high porosity region, which weakened the joint. The microstructure reveals a high density of grain and twin boundaries which facilitate the Ag and Au atomic diffusion responsible. The grain structure of the plated Au led to diffusion of Au into the Ag via high-angle tilt grain boundaries, and grain boundary migration further dispersed the Au into the Ag layer.

  14. Probable metal-insulator transition in Ag{sub 4}SSe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drebushchak, V.A., E-mail: dva@igm.nsc.ru [V.S. Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, SB RAS, Pr. Ac. Koptyuga 3, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State University, Ul. Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Pal’yanova, G.A.; Seryotkin, Yu.V. [V.S. Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, SB RAS, Pr. Ac. Koptyuga 3, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State University, Ul. Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Drebushchak, T.N. [Novosibirsk State University, Ul. Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry, SB RAS, Ul. Kutateladze 18, Novosibirsk 630128 (Russian Federation)

    2015-02-15

    Highlights: • New phase transition in Ag{sub 4}SSe was discovered with scanning calorimetry and supported with X-ray powder diffraction. • The thermal effect relates to the anomaly in electrical and thermal conductivity of Ag{sub 4}SSe. • Similar thermal and electrical effects in K{sub 3}Cu{sub 8}S{sub 6} are explained with the metal-insulator transition. - Abstract: New phase transition (285 K) in low-temperature monoclinic Ag{sub 4}SSe was found out below the α-β transition (358 K) after the measurements with differential scanning calorimetry. The transition reveals significant hysteresis (over 30 K). X-ray powder diffraction shows that the superlattice with doubled a and b parameters of the unit cell exists below the new transition point. The signs of this new phase transition can be found in thermal and electrical conductivity of Ag{sub 4}SSe published in literature. Elusive phase transition in Ag{sub 2}Se shows similar properties. The new transition is likely related to the metal-insulator type transition, like K{sub 3}Cu{sub 8}S{sub 6}.

  15. Hierarchical Ag/AgCl-TiO{sub 2} hollow spheres with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Xu Long; Yin, Hao Yong [College of Materials Environment Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Nie, Qiu Lin, E-mail: nieqiulin@hdu.edu.cn [College of Materials Environment Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Wu, Wei Wei [College of Materials Environment Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Zhang, Yang; LiYuan, Qiu [College of Science, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China)

    2017-01-01

    The hierarchical Ag/AgCl-TiO{sub 2} hollow spheres were synthesized by depositing Ag/AgCl nanoparticles on TiO{sub 2} hollow spheres via a precipitation photoreduction method, and they were further characterized using TGA, SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, UV–vis DRS and photoelectric chemical analysis. The analysis showed that the hierarchical Ag/AgCl-TiO{sub 2} hollow spheres exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, which was approximately 13 times higher than that of TiO{sub 2} hollow spheres. The high photocatalytic activity of the composites is due to efficient electron-hole pairs separation at the photocatalyst interfaces, and localized surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles formed on AgCl particles in the degradation reaction. - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} hollow spheres were prepared by a sacrificial template method. • The hollow spheres were modified with Ag/AgCl to form the heterojunctions. • The modification may produce synergistic effect of LSPR and hollow structure. • Visible light photocatalytic activity was enhanced on this hollow catalyst. • The mechanism of the improved photocatalytic performance was discussed.

  16. Removal of Ag+ from water environment using a novel magnetic thiourea-chitosan imprinted Ag+

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan, Lulu; Luo, Chuannan; Lv, Zhen; Lu, Fuguang; Qiu, Huamin

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Coating modified chitosan on magnetic fluids, which were using Ag(I) as imprinted ions, is a new method to expand function of the chitosan. → The method can improve the surface area for adsorption of Ag + and reduce the required dosage for the adsorption of Ag(I). → The imprinted magnetic chitosan can be used effectively and selectively to remove Ag(I) ions from aqueous solutions. → It shows the facile, fast separation process of magnetic chitosan during the experiments. The absorbent has a good application prospect. - Abstract: A novel, thiourea-chitosan coating on the surface of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) (Ag-TCM) was successfully synthesized using Ag(I) as imprinted ions for adsorption and removal of Ag(I) ions from aqueous solutions. The thermal stability, chemical structure and magnetic property of the Ag-TCM were characterized by the scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), respectively. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to evaluate the adsorption conditions, selectivity and reusability. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity was 4.93 mmol/g, observed at pH 5 and temperature 30 o C. Equilibrium adsorption was achieved within 50 min. The kinetic data, obtained at the optimum pH 5, could be fitted with a pseudo-second order equation. Adsorption process could be well described by Langmuir adsorption isotherms and the maximum adsorption capacity calculated from Langmuir equation was 5.29 mmol/g. The selectivity coefficient of Ag(I) ions and other metal cations onto Ag-TCM indicated an overall preference for Ag(I) ions, which was much higher than non-imprinted thiourea-chitosan beads. Moreover, the sorbent was stable and easily recovered, the adsorption capacity was about 90% of the initial saturation adsorption capacity after being used five times.

  17. Photovoltaic Properties and Ultrafast Plasmon Relaxation Dynamics of Diamond-Like Carbon Nanocomposite Films with Embedded Ag Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meškinis, Šarūnas; Peckus, Domantas; Vasiliauskas, Andrius; Čiegis, Arvydas; Gudaitis, Rimantas; Tamulevičius, Tomas; Yaremchuk, Iryna; Tamulevičius, Sigitas

    2017-12-01

    Ultrafast relaxation dynamics of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with embedded Ag nanoparticles (DLC:Ag) and photovoltaic properties of heterojunctions consisting of DLC:Ag and crystalline silicon (DLC:Ag/Si) were investigated by means of transient absorption (TAS) spectroscopy and photovoltaic measurements. The heterojunctions using both p type and n type silicon were studied. It was found that TAS spectra of DLC:Ag films were dependent on the used excitation wavelength. At wavelengths where Ag nanoparticles absorbed light most intensively, only DLC signal was registered. This result is in good accordance with an increase of the DLC:Ag/Si heterojunction short circuit current and open circuit voltage with the excitation wavelength in the photovoltaic measurements. The dependence of the TAS spectra of DLC:Ag films and photovoltaic properties of DLC:Ag/Si heterostructures on the excitation wavelength was explained as a result of trapping of the photoexcited hot charge carriers in DLC matrix. The negative photovoltaic effect was observed for DLC:Ag/p-Si heterostructures and positive ("conventional") for DLC:Ag/n-Si ones. It was explained by the excitation of hot plasmonic holes in the Ag nanoparticles embedded into DLC matrix. Some decrease of DLC:Ag/Si heterostructures photovoltage as well as photocurrent with DLC:Ag film thickness was observed, indicating role of the interface in the charge transfer process of photocarriers excited in Ag nanoparticles.

  18. Measurement of activation reaction rate distribution on a mercury target with a lead-reflector and light-water-moderator for high energy proton bombardment using AGS accelerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kasugai, Yoshimi; Takada, Hiroshi; Meigo, Shin-ichiro

    2001-02-01

    Characteristic of spallation neutrons driven by GeV protons from a mercury target with a lead-reflector and light-water-moderator was studied experimentally using the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS) facility of Brookhaven National Laboratory in a framework of the ASTE (AGS Spallation Target Experiment) collaboration. Several reaction rates along with the mercury target were measured with the activation method at incident proton energies of 1.94, 12 and 24 GeV. Indium, niobium, aluminum, cobalt, nickel and bismuth were used as activation detectors to cover the threshold energy of between 0.33 and 40.9 MeV. This report summarizes the experimental procedure with all the measured data. (author)

  19. Steady state creep during metastable phase transition in Al-16 wt% Ag and Al-16 wt% Ag-0.1 wt% Zr alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deaf, G.H.; Youssef, S.B.; Mahmoud, M.A. [Ain Shams Univ., Cairo (Egypt). Dept. of Physics

    1998-08-16

    The early stages of decomposition of Guinier-Preston zones (G.P. zones) in Al-16 wt% Ag and Al-16 wt% Ag-0.1 wt% Zr alloys were investigated through creep measurements and electron microscopy observations. It was found that the strengthening and softening of the alloys has been achieved during the formation of metastable phases (G.P. zones and {gamma}`-phase) in the ageing temperature range (428 to 498 K). TEM investigations confirmed that the addition of zirconium to the Al-Ag alloy accelerates the formation and coarsening of the metastable phases. The mean values of activation energy of both alloys were found to be equal to that quoted for precipitate-dislocation interactions. (orig.) 23 refs.

  20. Identification of Ag-acceptors in $^{111}Ag^{111}Cd$ doped ZnTe and CdTe

    CERN Document Server

    Hamann, J; Deicher, M; Filz, T; Lany, S; Ostheimer, V; Strasser, F; Wolf, H; Wichert, T

    2000-01-01

    Nominally undoped ZnTe and CdTe crystals were implanted with radioactive /sup 111/Ag, which decays to /sup 111/Cd, and investigated by photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). In ZnTe, the PL lines caused by an acceptor level at 121 meV are observed: the principal bound exciton (PBE) line, the donor-acceptor pair (DAP) band, and the two-hole transition lines. In CdTe, the PBE line and the DAP band that correspond to an acceptor level at 108 meV appear. Since the intensities of all these PL lines decrease in good agreement with the half-life of /sup 111/Ag of 178.8 h, both acceptor levels are concluded to be associated with defects containing a single Ag atom. Therefore, the earlier assignments to substitutional Ag on Zn- and Cd-lattice sites in the respective II-VI semiconductors are confirmed. The assignments in the literature of the S/sub 1/, S /sub 2/, and S/sub 3/ lines in ZnTe and the X/sub 1//sup Ag/, X/sub 2 //sup Ag//C/sub 1//sup Ag/, and C/sub 2//sup Ag/ lines in CdTe to Ag- related defect complexes are ...

  1. Synthesis and characterization of Ag@polycarbazole coaxial nanocables and their enhanced dispersion behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahoor, Ahmad; Teng, Qiu; Wang, Haiqiao; Choudhry, M. A.; Li, Xiaoyu

    2011-06-01

    Ag@polycarbazole coaxial nanocables (CNCs) have been successfully fabricated by the oxidative polymerization of carbazole over Ag nanowires (NWs) in acetonitrile. The morphology of Ag NWs and CNCs was studied by employing a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), which showed them to be a monodisperse material. The thickness of the polymer sheath was found to be 5 nm to 8 nm by observation under a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM). Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), FT-IR and Raman measurements were used to characterize the polymer sheath, which demonstrated it to be a carbon material in polycarbazole form. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used for an interfacial study, which revealed that Ag surface atoms remained intact during polymer growth. In the end, zeta potential showed that the dispersion stability of Ag NWs increased due to polymer encapsulation, which is significant to obtain a particular alignment for anisotropic measurement of electrical conductivity.

  2. Use of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms 62 (CCAPS-62) as a Repeated Measure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Arpita; Rieder Bennett, Sara; Martin, Juanita K.

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this initial, exploratory study was to examine the utility of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62) as a repeated measure tool at one university counseling center. This study investigated whether clients engaged in individual counseling changed in symptomology while in treatment and when (e.g.,…

  3. Removal of I by adsorption with AgX (Ag-impregnated X Zeolite) from high-radioactive seawater waste

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Eil Hee; Lee, Keun Young; Kim, Kwang Wook; Kim, Hyung Ju; Kim, Ik Soo; Chung, Dong Yong; Moon, Jei Kwon; Choi, Jong Won [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-09-15

    This study aimed to the adsorption-removal of high- radioactive iodide (I) contained in the initially generated high-radioactive seawater waste (HSW), with the use of AgX (Ag-impregnated X zeolite). Adsorption of I by AgX (hereafter denoted as AgX-I adsorption) was increased by increasing the Ag-impregnated concentration in AgX, and its concentration was suitable at about 30 wt%. Because of AgCl precipitation by chloride ions contained in seawater waste, the leaching yields of Ag from AgX (Ag-impregnated concentration : about 30-35 wt%) was less than those in distilled water (< 1 mg/L). AgX-I adsorption was above 99% in the initial iodide concentration (Ci) of 0.01-10 mg/L at m/V (ratio of weight of adsorbent to solution volume)=2.5 g/L. This shows that efficient removal of I is possible. AgX-I adsorption was found to be more effective in distilled water than in seawater waste, and the influence of solution temperature was insignificant. Ag-I adsorption was better described by a Freundlich isotherm rather than a Langmuir isotherm. AgX-I adsorption kinetics can be expressed by a pseudo-second order rate equation. The adsorption rate constants (k2) decreased by increasing Ci, and conversely increased by increasing the ratio of m/V and the solution temperature. This time, the activation energy of AgX-I adsorption was about 6.3 kJ/mol. This suggests that AgX-I adsorption is dominated by physical adsorption with weaker bonds. The evaluation of thermodynamic parameters (a negative Gibbs free energy and a positive Enthalpy) indicates that AgX-I adsorption is a spontaneous reaction (forward reaction), and an endothermic reaction indicating that higher temperatures are favored.

  4. Highly efficient degradation of thidiazuron with Ag/AgCl- activated carbon composites under LED light irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Yisi [College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128 (China); Hubei Key Laboratory for Processing and Application of Catalytic Materials, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); College of Chemical Engineering, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); Zhang, Yan [Hubei Key Laboratory for Processing and Application of Catalytic Materials, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); College of Chemical Engineering, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); Dong, Mingguang; Yan, Ting; Zhang, Maosheng [College of Chemical Engineering, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); Zeng, Qingru, E-mail: 40083763@qq.com [College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128 (China)

    2017-08-05

    Highlights: • Photocatalytic degradation of thidiazuron was performed in a neutral water matrix. • This was carried out in the presence of Ag/AgCl-activated carbon composites and LED light. • The pH effect and the dominant active species were explored. • Degradation products and pathways in water were studied for the first time. - Abstract: Thidiazuron (TDZ; 1-phenyl-3-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl)urea) is one of the most widely used defoliant and easy to dissolve in surface water. Risk associated with the pesticide is not clearly defined, so it is important to remove/degrade TDZ with an efficient and environment friendly technology. Here, we investigated the use of Ag/AgCl-activated carbon (Ag/AgCl–AC) composites in photocatalytic degradation of TDZ under LED light. By the synergic effect of Ag/AgCl and AC, the optimum Ag/carbon weight ratio of 2:1 exhibited superior visible-light photocatalytic activity, the highest removal efficiency was close to 91% in pH 7 matrix. Different types of Ag/AgCl–AC composites were tested, all showed much faster photodegradation kinetics than bare Ag/AgCl in 210 min. The degradation products as identified by HPLC–MS revealed that the hydroxylation by hydroxyl radicals and that of oxidation by superoxide radicals as well as holes were the two main pathways for TDZ degradation. Results revealed that the adsorption concentrated TDZ molecules and the photocatalytically generated radicals rapidly degradated TDZ, the two contributions functioned together for removal of the pollutant from water.

  5. Highly efficient degradation of thidiazuron with Ag/AgCl- activated carbon composites under LED light irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Yisi; Zhang, Yan; Dong, Mingguang; Yan, Ting; Zhang, Maosheng; Zeng, Qingru

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Photocatalytic degradation of thidiazuron was performed in a neutral water matrix. • This was carried out in the presence of Ag/AgCl-activated carbon composites and LED light. • The pH effect and the dominant active species were explored. • Degradation products and pathways in water were studied for the first time. - Abstract: Thidiazuron (TDZ; 1-phenyl-3-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl)urea) is one of the most widely used defoliant and easy to dissolve in surface water. Risk associated with the pesticide is not clearly defined, so it is important to remove/degrade TDZ with an efficient and environment friendly technology. Here, we investigated the use of Ag/AgCl-activated carbon (Ag/AgCl–AC) composites in photocatalytic degradation of TDZ under LED light. By the synergic effect of Ag/AgCl and AC, the optimum Ag/carbon weight ratio of 2:1 exhibited superior visible-light photocatalytic activity, the highest removal efficiency was close to 91% in pH 7 matrix. Different types of Ag/AgCl–AC composites were tested, all showed much faster photodegradation kinetics than bare Ag/AgCl in 210 min. The degradation products as identified by HPLC–MS revealed that the hydroxylation by hydroxyl radicals and that of oxidation by superoxide radicals as well as holes were the two main pathways for TDZ degradation. Results revealed that the adsorption concentrated TDZ molecules and the photocatalytically generated radicals rapidly degradated TDZ, the two contributions functioned together for removal of the pollutant from water.

  6. Theoretical repeatability assessment without repetitive measurements in gradient high-performance liquid chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotani, Akira; Tsutsumi, Risa; Shoji, Asaki; Hayashi, Yuzuru; Kusu, Fumiyo; Yamamoto, Kazuhiro; Hakamata, Hideki

    2016-07-08

    This paper puts forward a time and material-saving method for evaluating the repeatability of area measurements in gradient HPLC with UV detection (HPLC-UV), based on the function of mutual information (FUMI) theory which can theoretically provide the measurement standard deviation (SD) and detection limits through the stochastic properties of baseline noise with no recourse to repetitive measurements of real samples. The chromatographic determination of terbinafine hydrochloride and enalapril maleate is taken as an example. The best choice of the number of noise data points, inevitable for the theoretical evaluation, is shown to be 512 data points (10.24s at 50 point/s sampling rate of an A/D converter). Coupled with the relative SD (RSD) of sample injection variability in the instrument used, the theoretical evaluation is proved to give identical values of area measurement RSDs to those estimated by the usual repetitive method (n=6) over a wide concentration range of the analytes within the 95% confidence intervals of the latter RSD. The FUMI theory is not a statistical one, but the "statistical" reliability of its SD estimates (n=1) is observed to be as high as that attained by thirty-one measurements of the same samples (n=31). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Ag/AgCl Loaded Bi2WO6 Composite: A Plasmonic Z-Scheme Visible Light-Responsive Photocatalyst

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiangchao Meng

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Hierarchical flower-like Bi2WO6 was successfully synthesized by facile hydrothermal method at low pH. And Ag/AgCl was loaded by photoreduction on its surface. As-prepared photocatalysts were characterized by various techniques. Bi2WO6 was successfully synthesized at a size of 2-3 μm. Depositing Ag/AgCl did not destroy the crystal structure, and both Ag+ and metallic Ag0 were found. The band gap of the composite was 2.57 eV, which indicates that visible light could be the activating irradiation. In the photocatalytic activity test, the composite with 10 wt% Ag/AgCl boasted the highest removal efficiency (almost 100% in 45 min. The significant enhancement can be attributed to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR effect and the establishment of heterostructures between Ag/AgCl and Bi2WO6. A possible mechanism of photocatalytic oxidation in the presence of Ag/AgCl-Bi2WO6 was proposed. This work sheds light on the potential applications of plasmonic metals in photocatalysis to enhance their activities.

  8. Au, Ag and Au:Ag colloidal nanoparticles synthesized by pulsed laser ablation as SERS substrates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Vinod

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Chemically pure colloidal suspensions of gold and silver nanoparticles were synthesized using pulsed laser ablation. The dependence of laser fluence on the surface plasmon characteristics of the nanoparticles was investigated. Au:Ag colloidal suspensions were prepared by mixing highly monodisperse Au and Ag nanocolloids. The plasmon band of these mixtures was found to be highly sensitive to Au:Ag concentration ratio and wavelength of the laser beam used in the ablation process. The Au:Ag mixture consists of almost spherical shaped nanostructures with a tendency to join with adjacent ones. The surface enhanced Raman scattering activity of the Au, Ag and Au:Ag colloidal suspensions was tested using crystal violet as probe molecules. Enhancement in Raman signal obtained with Au:Ag substrates was found to be promising and strongly depends on its plasmon characteristics.

  9. Improvement in the properties of Ag-doped YBa2Cu3O7-x grain boundary Josephson junctions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bolanos, G.; Baca, E.; Osorio, J.; Prieto, P.

    2000-01-01

    Ag-doped YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x (YBCO) thin films using 5 to 20 wt% Ag-doped YBCO targets have been grown by a DC sputtering technique on SrTiO 3 bicrystals. Critical currents of 4 to 5 x 10 6 A/cm 2 at 77 K were measured in YBCO films doped with 5 wt% Ag which has been found to be higher than the value of 1 x 10 6 A/cm 2 measured in undoped samples. The normal resistivity decreases by a doping of 5 wt% Ag and increases for higher Ag concentrations. The critical temperature, T c , of the Ag-YBCO films remained unchanged at 92 K as in the undoped YBCO samples. An I c R n product of 170 μV at 77 K was found in grain boundary Josephson junctions (GBJJs) with 5 wt% Ag, compared with the value of 100 μV measured in undoped samples at the same temperature. Current-voltage characteristics were measured in GBJJs, showing Shapiro steps under microwave radiation and Fraunhofer patterns with an external magnetic field. The improvement in the normal and superconducting properties of Ag-doped YBCO films has been interpreted using the De Genes model to establish that YBCO containing metallic Ag addition shows a superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (S-N-S) behavior, thereby the Ag-doping enhances the weak link behavior and is, therefore, appropriate for electronic applications. (orig.)

  10. Single-molecule conductance with nitrile and amino contacts with Ag or Cu electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Dong-Fang; Mao, Jin-Chuan; Chen, De-Li; Chen, Fang; Ze-Wen, Hong; Zhou, Xiao-Yi; Wang, Ya-Hao; Zhou, Xiao-Shun; Niu, Zhen-Jiang; Maisonhaute, Emmanuel

    2015-01-01

    The single-molecule conductance of 1,4-dicyanobenzene (DCB), 1,4-benzenediamine (BDA) and 4,4'-biphenyldicarbonitrile (BPDC) with Ag and/or Cu electrodes is measured by electrochemical jump-to-contact STM-break junction. All single-molecule junctions present three sets of conductance values revealing different contact geometries. We observe that the single-molecule conductance of Ag-BDA-Ag junction is larger that of Ag-DCB-Ag junction, and DCB with Ag contacts are more conductive than that with Cu ones. This is related to a different electronic coupling between the molecules and the electrodes. Tunneling decay constants of 1.70 and 1.68 per phenyl group were found for Ag and Cu electrodes, respectively. The present study therefore shows that nitrile and amino groups can also be used as effective anchors for other metals than gold

  11. Non-toxic silver iodide (AgI) quantum dots sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moosakhani, S. [Faculty of Polymer Engineering and Color Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Color and Polymer Research Center (CPRC), Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sabbagh Alvani, A.A., E-mail: sabbagh_alvani@aut.ac.ir [Color and Polymer Research Center (CPRC), Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sarabi, A.A. [Faculty of Polymer Engineering and Color Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sameie, H.; Salimi, R.; Kiani, S.; Ebrahimi, Y. [Faculty of Polymer Engineering and Color Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Color and Polymer Research Center (CPRC), Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2014-12-15

    Highlights: • We have demonstrated AgI sensitized solar cell for the first time. • Obtained mesoporous titania powders possessed small crystallite size, high purity and surface area, and developed mesopores with a narrow pore size distribution. • Photovoltaic measurements revealed the electron injection from AgI to TiO{sub 2}. • The assembled AgI-QD solar cells yielded a power conversion efficiency of 0.64% under one sun illumination. • AgI may be a suitable candidate material for use as a non-toxic sensitizer in QDSSC. - Abstract: The present study reports the performance of a new photosensitizer -AgI quantum dots (QDs)- and mesoporous titania (TiO{sub 2}) nanocrystals synthesized by sol–gel (SG) method for solar cells. Furthermore, the effects of n-heptane on the textural properties of TiO{sub 2} nanocrystals were comprehensively investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption measurements, and UV–vis spectroscopy. TiO{sub 2} powders exhibited an anatase-type mesoporous structure with a high surface area of 89.7 m{sup 2}/g. Afterwards, the QDs were grown on mesoporous TiO{sub 2} surface to fabricate a TiO{sub 2}/AgI electrode by a successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) deposition route. Current–voltage characteristics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data demonstrated that the injection of photoexcited electrons from AgI QDs into the TiO{sub 2} matrix produces photocurrents. The assembled AgI-QD solar cells yielded a power conversion efficiency of 0.64% and a short-circuit current of 2.13 mA/cm{sup 2} under one sun illumination.

  12. Ag nanoparticles hosted in monolithic mesoporous silica by thermal decomposition method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Wei; Zhang Junying

    2003-01-01

    Ag nanoparticles were obtained by thermal decomposition of silver nitrate within pores of mesoporous silica. Microstructure of this composite was examined by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Optical measurements for the nanocomposite show that Ag particle doping leads to a large red shift of the absorption edge

  13. Parsimonious Structural Equation Models for Repeated Measures Data, with Application to the Study of Consumer Preferences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elrod, Terry; Haubl, Gerald; Tipps, Steven W.

    2012-01-01

    Recent research reflects a growing awareness of the value of using structural equation models to analyze repeated measures data. However, such data, particularly in the presence of covariates, often lead to models that either fit the data poorly, are exceedingly general and hard to interpret, or are specified in a manner that is highly data…

  14. First-principles study of surface plasmons on Ag(111) and H/Ag(111)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yan, Jun; Jacobsen, Karsten Wedel; Thygesen, Kristian Sommer

    2011-01-01

    Linear-response time-dependent density functional theory is used to investigate the relation between molecular bonding and surface plasmons for the model system H/Ag(111). We employ an orbital-dependent exchange-correlation functional to obtain a correct description of the Ag 3d band, which...... is crucial to avoid overscreening the plasmon by the s-d interband transitions. For the clean surface, this approach reproduces the experimental plasmon energies and dispersion to within 0.15 eV. Adsorption of hydrogen shifts and damps the Ag(111) surface plasmon and induces a new peak in the loss function...... at 0.6 eV below the Ag(111) plasmon peak. This feature originates from interband transitions between states located on the hydrogen atoms and states on the Ag surface atoms....

  15. Efficient visible light photocatalytic NO{sub x} removal with cationic Ag clusters-grafted (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} hierarchical superstructures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feng, Xin [Chongqing Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Functional Organic Molecules, College of Environment and Resources, Engineering Research Center for Waste Oil Recovery Technology and Equipment of Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Resources, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing 40067 (China); Zhang, Wendong [Department of Scientific Research Management, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331 (China); Deng, Hua [State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085 (China); Ni, Zilin [Department of Scientific Research Management, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331 (China); Dong, Fan, E-mail: dfctbu@126.com [Chongqing Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Functional Organic Molecules, College of Environment and Resources, Engineering Research Center for Waste Oil Recovery Technology and Equipment of Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Resources, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing 40067 (China); Zhang, Yuxin, E-mail: zhangyuxin@cqu.edu.cn [College of Materials Science and Engineering, National Key Laboratory of Fundamental Science of Micro/Nano-Devices and System Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China)

    2017-01-15

    Graphical abstract: The cationic Ag clusters-grafted (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} hierarchical superstructures exhibits highly enhanced visible light photocatalytic air purification through an interfacial charge transfer process induced by Ag clusters. - Highlights: • Microstructural optimization and surface cluster-grafting were firstly combined. • Cationic Ag clusters were grafted on the surface of (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} superstructures. • The Ag clusters-grafted BHS displayed enhanced visible light photocatalysis. • Direct interfacial charge transfer (IFCT) from BHS to Ag clusters was proposed. • The charge transfer process and the dominant reactive species were revealed. - Abstract: A facile method was developed to graft cationic Ag clusters on (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} hierarchical superstructures (BHS) surface to improve their visible light activity. Significantly, the resultant Ag clusters-grafted BHS displayed a highly enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance for NOx removal due to the direct interfacial charge transfer (IFCT) from BHS to Ag clusters. The chemical and coordination state of the cationic Ag clusters was determined with the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and a theoretical structure model was proposed for this unique Ag clusters. The charge transfer process and the dominant reactive species (·OH) were revealed on the basis of electron spin resonance (ESR) trapping. A new photocatalysis mechanism of Ag clusters-grafted BHS under visible light involving IFCT process was uncovered. In addition, the cationic Ag clusters-grafted BHS also demonstrated high photochemical and structural stability under repeated photocatalysis runs. The perspective of enhancing photocatalysis through combination of microstructural optimization and IFCT could provide a new avenue for the developing efficient visible light photocatalysts.

  16. Structure of Ag, Fe and Ge microclusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montano, P.A.; Shenoy, G.K.; Schulze, W.

    1989-01-01

    The structures of Ag, Fe and Ge microclusters were determined using EXAFS. The measurements were performed over a wide range of clusters sizes. The clusters were prepared using the gas aggregation technique and isolated in solid argon at 4.2 K. The measurements were performed at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at beam line X-18B. A strong contraction of the interatomic distances was observed for Ag dimers and multimers. Silver clusters larger than 12 A mean diameter show a small contraction of the nn distance and a structure consistent with an fcc lattice. By contrast clusters smaller than 12 A show the presence of a small expansion and a strong reduction or absence of nnn in the EXAFS signal. This points towards a different crystallographic structure for Ag microclusters with diameter less than 12 A. In iron clusters we observe a gradual reduction of the nn distance as the cluster size decreases. The interatomic distance for iron dimers was determined to be 1.94 A, in good agreement with earlier measurements. The iron microclusters show a bcc structure down to a mean diameter of 9 A. Iron clusters with 9 A mean diameter show a structure inconsistent with a bcc lattice. The new structure is consistent with an fcc or hcp lattice. The measurements on Ge clusters show the presence of only nearest neighbors. There was clear evidence of temporal annealing as determined by variations in the near edge structure of the K-absorption edge. Absorption edge measurements were also performed for free Ge clusters travelling perpendicular to the direction of the synchrotron radiation beam. The measurements performed on the free clusters were consistent with those obtained for matrix isolated clusters. (orig.)

  17. Thermal characteristics and performance of Ag-water nanofluid: Application to natural circulation loops

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koca, Halil Dogacan; Doganay, Serkan; Turgut, Alpaslan

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Thermal conductivity and viscosity of Ag-water nanofluid were measured. • Thermal performance of Ag-water nanofluid was compared with water. • Effectiveness enhanced up to 11% with 1 wt% Ag-water nanofluid. • Effectiveness of Ag-water nanofluid samples increased with inclination angle. • Ag-water nanofluid has potential to be used in flat-plate solar collectors. - Abstract: The goal of this study is to investigate the thermal conductivity, viscosity and thermal performance in a single-phase natural circulation mini loop of Ag-water nanofluid which can be a potential working fluid for natural convective flat-plate solar collectors. The silver-water nanofluid with 5 wt% concentration, which contains also polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) with 1.25 wt%, was purchased. Then, the sample was diluted with de-ionized water to four different concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 wt%. Thermal conductivity and viscosity were measured by 3ω method and Brookfield rheometer, respectively. An effectiveness factor was used to define the thermal performance of Ag-water nanofluids for different inclination angles and heating powers. The results showed that nanofluid samples are thermally less conductive than the literature, at ambient temperature (23 °C). The viscosity of nanofluid decreases significantly with increasing temperature and increases with increasing concentration. Our measurements appear to be more compatible with PVP solution results available in the literature. Effectiveness is enhanced up to 11% with 1 wt% concentrated nanofluid compared to de-ionized water and the effectiveness of the mini loop indicates an enhancement with increase in inclination angle and particle concentration at whole applied power. According to obtained results, it is concluded that Ag-water nanofluid has a promising potential to be used in natural convective flat-plate solar collector.

  18. The Effect of Ag and Ag+N Ion Implantation on Cell Attachment Properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Urkac, Emel Sokullu; Oztarhan, Ahmet; Gurhan, Ismet Deliloglu; Iz, Sultan Gulce; Tihminlioglu, Funda; Oks, Efim; Nikolaev, Alexey; Ila, Daryush

    2009-01-01

    Implanted biomedical prosthetic devices are intended to perform safely, reliably and effectively in the human body thus the materials used for orthopedic devices should have good biocompatibility. Ultra High Molecular Weight Poly Ethylene (UHMWPE) has been commonly used for total hip joint replacement because of its very good properties. In this work, UHMWPE samples were Ag and Ag+N ion implanted by using the Metal-Vapor Vacuum Arc (MEVVA) ion implantation technique. Samples were implanted with a fluency of 1017 ion/cm2 and extraction voltage of 30 kV. Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) was used for surface studies. RBS showed the presence of Ag and N on the surface. Cell attachment properties investigated with model cell lines (L929 mouse fibroblasts) to demonstrate that the effect of Ag and Ag+N ion implantation can favorably influence the surface of UHMWPE for biomedical applications. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to demonstrate the cell attachment on the surface. Study has shown that Ag+N ion implantation represents more effective cell attachment properties on the UHMWPE surfaces.

  19. Phonons and colossal thermal expansion behavior of Ag3Co(CN)6 and Ag3Fe(CN)6.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mittal, R; Zbiri, M; Schober, H; Achary, S N; Tyagi, A K; Chaplot, S L

    2012-12-19

    Recently colossal volume thermal expansion has been observed in the framework compounds Ag(3)Co(CN)(6) and Ag(3)Fe(CN)(6). We have measured phonon spectra using neutron time-of-flight spectroscopy as a function of temperature and pressure. Ab initio calculations were carried out for the sake of analysis and interpretation. Bonding is found to be very similar in the two compounds. At ambient pressure, modes in the intermediate frequency part of the vibrational spectra in the Co compound are shifted slightly to higher energies as compared to the Fe compound. The temperature dependence of the phonon spectra gives evidence for a large explicit anharmonic contribution to the total anharmonicity for low-energy modes below 5 meV. We have found that modes are mainly affected by the change in size of the unit cell, which in turn changes the bond lengths and vibrational frequencies. Thermal expansion has been calculated via the volume dependence of phonon spectra. Our analysis indicates that Ag phonon modes within the energy range 2-5 meV are strongly anharmonic and major contributors to thermal expansion in both systems. The application of pressure hardens the low-energy part of the phonon spectra involving Ag vibrations and confirms the highly anharmonic nature of these modes.

  20. Green synthesis of graphene/Ag nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan Wenhui; Gu Yejian; Li Li

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: A facile and green approach to synthesis of GNS/AgNPs is reported by employing sodium citrate as reductant, and this study represents the use of biocompounds for nontoxic and scalable production of GNS/AgNPs under a suitable concentration of silver ions and the prepared GNS/AgNPs can be used in the field of disinfection. Highlights: ► Graphene/Ag nanocomposites were prepared by a green and facile strategy based on sodium citrate. ► The influence of AgNO 3 amount on particle size and size range of AgNPs was studied. ► The surface plasmon resonance properties of AgNPs on graphene was investigated. ► The antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles was retained in the nanocomposites. - Abstract: Graphene/Ag nanocomposites (GNS/AgNPs) were fabricated via a green and facile method, employing graphite oxide (GO) as a precursor of graphene, AgNO 3 as a precursor of Ag nanoparticles, and sodium citrate as an environmentally friendly reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized GNS/AgNPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectra (RS), respectively. The results indicated that graphite oxide was completely reduced to graphene, and the silver ion was reduced by sodium citrate simultaneously. Under a suitable dosage of silver ions, well-dispersed AgNPs on the graphene sheets mostly centralized at 20–25 nm. The surface plasmon resonance property of AgNPs on graphene showed that there was a interaction between AgNPs and graphene supports. In addition, antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles was retained in the nanocomposites, suggesting that they can be potentially used as a graphene-based biomaterial.

  1. Synthesis and Characterization of BSA Conjugated Silver Nanoparticles (Ag/BSA Nanoparticles) and Evaluation of Biological Properties of Ag/BSA Nanoparticles and Ag/BSA Nanoparticles Loaded Poly(hydroxy butyrate valerate) PHBV Films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambaye, Almaz

    Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the etiological agents of several infectious diseases. Antibiotic resistance by these three microbes has emerged as a prevalent problem due in part to the misuse of existing antibiotics and the lack of novel antibiotics. Nanoparticles have emerged as an alternative antibacterial agents to conventional antibiotics owing to their high surface area to volume ratio and their unique chemical and physical properties. Among the nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles have gained increasing attention because silver nanoparticles exhibit antibacterial activity against a range of gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Nanoparticles of well-defined chemistry and morphology can be used in broad biomedical applications, especially in bone tissue engineering applications, where bone infection by bacteria can be acute and lethal. It is commonly noted in the literature that the activity of nanoparticles against microorganisms is dependent upon the size and concentration of the nanoparticles as well as the chemistry of stabilizing agent. To the best of our knowledge, a comprehensive study that evaluates the antibacterial activity of well characterized silver nanoparticles in particular Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) stabilized against S. aureus and E. coli and cytotoxicity level of BSA stabilized silver nanoparticles towards osteoblast cells (MC3T3-E1) is currently lacking. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to characterize protein conjugated silver nanoparticles prepared by chemical reduction of AgNO3 and BSA mixture. The formation of Ag/BSA nanoparticles was studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The molar ratio of silver to BSA in the Ag/BSA nanoparticles was established to be 27+/- 3: 1, based on Thermogravimetric Analysis and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Based on atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering,and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) measurements, the particle size (diameter) of

  2. Improvement of photocatalytic activities of Ag/P25 hybrid systems by controlled morphology of Ag nanoprisms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Ti, E-mail: r01527017@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Chao, Bo-Kai, E-mail: d98527007@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Kuo, Yu-Lin, E-mail: ylkuo@mail.ntust.edu.tw [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan (China); Hsueh, Chun-Hway, E-mail: hsuehc@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China)

    2017-05-01

    Constructing hybrid systems with noble metal nanostructures is one known way to improve the poor photocatalysis efficiency of TiO{sub 2} under visible light. In our study, two different Ag nanostructures were prepared: (1) Ag nanospheres synthesized by chemical reduction method, and (2) Ag nanoprisms transformed from nanospheres with an additional photo-conversion process. Both Ag-TiO{sub 2} hybrid systems were prepared by mixing various concentrations of Ag solutions with commercial TiO{sub 2} powder (P25), and they were then utilized as photocatalysts for the photodecolorization test of methyl blue under various light sources (fluorescent, UV light and red LED lamps) irradiations. Results of the photodecolorization tests showed that Ag nanostructures could evidently enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} under different light sources, while an optimal composition of 0.432 wt% Ag nanoprisms/TiO{sub 2} displayed superior photocatalytic properties under visible light irradiations (fluorescent and red LED lamps). The enhanced photocatalytic activities could be mainly attributed to the mechanisms of hot electrons injection and resonant energy transfer by the localized surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanostructures and the electronic states favorable of charge separation at the interface between metals and semiconductors. - Highlights: • We used Ag nanostructures to improve photocatalysis efficiency of TiO{sub 2}. • Ag nanoprisms were more efficient than Ag nanospheres under visible light. • Ag nanoprisms/P25 is about 7 times more efficient than P25 under fluorescent lamp. • Mechanisms rely on hot electrons injection and resonant energy transfer by LSPR.

  3. Improvement of photocatalytic activities of Ag/P25 hybrid systems by controlled morphology of Ag nanoprisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Ti; Chao, Bo-Kai; Kuo, Yu-Lin; Hsueh, Chun-Hway

    2017-01-01

    Constructing hybrid systems with noble metal nanostructures is one known way to improve the poor photocatalysis efficiency of TiO_2 under visible light. In our study, two different Ag nanostructures were prepared: (1) Ag nanospheres synthesized by chemical reduction method, and (2) Ag nanoprisms transformed from nanospheres with an additional photo-conversion process. Both Ag-TiO_2 hybrid systems were prepared by mixing various concentrations of Ag solutions with commercial TiO_2 powder (P25), and they were then utilized as photocatalysts for the photodecolorization test of methyl blue under various light sources (fluorescent, UV light and red LED lamps) irradiations. Results of the photodecolorization tests showed that Ag nanostructures could evidently enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO_2 under different light sources, while an optimal composition of 0.432 wt% Ag nanoprisms/TiO_2 displayed superior photocatalytic properties under visible light irradiations (fluorescent and red LED lamps). The enhanced photocatalytic activities could be mainly attributed to the mechanisms of hot electrons injection and resonant energy transfer by the localized surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanostructures and the electronic states favorable of charge separation at the interface between metals and semiconductors. - Highlights: • We used Ag nanostructures to improve photocatalysis efficiency of TiO_2. • Ag nanoprisms were more efficient than Ag nanospheres under visible light. • Ag nanoprisms/P25 is about 7 times more efficient than P25 under fluorescent lamp. • Mechanisms rely on hot electrons injection and resonant energy transfer by LSPR.

  4. Ozone decomposition on Ag/SiO2 and Ag/clinoptilolite catalysts at ambient temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nikolov, Penko; Genov, Krassimir; Konova, Petya; Milenova, Katya; Batakliev, Todor; Georgiev, Vladimir; Kumar, Narendra; Sarker, Dipak K.; Pishev, Dimitar; Rakovsky, Slavcho

    2010-01-01

    Silver modified zeolite (Bulgarian natural clinoptilolite) and Ag/silica catalysts were synthesized by ion exchange and incipient wet impregnation method respectively and characterized by different techniques. DC arc-AES was used for Ag detection. XRD spectra show that Ag is loaded over the surface of the SiO 2 sample and that after the ion-exchange process the HEU type structure of clinoptilolite is retained. UV-VIS (specific reflection at 310 nm) and IR (band at 695 cm -1 ) spectroscopy analysis proved that silver is loaded as a T-atom into zeolite channels as Ag + , instead of Na + , Ca 2+ , or K + ions, existing in the natural clinoptilolite form. The samples Ag/SiO 2 and Ag-clinoptilolite were tested as catalysts for decomposition of gas phase ozone. Very high catalytic activity (up to 99%) was observed and at the same time the catalysts remained active over time at room temperature.

  5. Magnetic and photocatalytic response of Ag-doped ZnFeO nano-composites for photocatalytic degradation of reactive dyes in aqueous solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahmood, Asif; Ramay, Shahid Mahmood; Al-Zaghayer, Yousef S.; Imran, Muhammad; Atiq, Shahid; Al-Johani, Meshal S.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Self-consistent sol–gel based auto-combustion route was used. • Photocatalytic degradation of reactive dyes in aqueous solution was investigated. • Due to Ag doping, band gap reduced. • Activity of Ag-doped samples was higher than that of un-doped ones. - Abstract: To investigate the photocatalytic degradation of reactive dyes in aqueous solution, pure ZnO and Fe/Ag-doped magnetic photocatalysts having nominal compositions of Zn 0.95−x Fe 0.05 Ag x O (x = 0.0, 0.05 and 0.1) have been synthesized via self-consistent sol–gel based auto-combustion route. Thermally stable samples were subsequently confirmed to exhibit wurtzite type hexagonal structure, characteristic of ZnO. The nature of chemical bonding was elaborated by Fourier transform analysis. Electron microscopic techniques were employed to investigate the structural morphology and to evaluate the particle size. Ferromagnetic nature of the Fe/Ag doped samples was revealed by vibrating sample magnetometry, enabling the photocatalytic samples to be re-collected magnetically for repeated usage. The enhanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation with 5 and 10 wt.% Ag/ZnFeO has been observed validating the potential applications of these materials in the field of photo-degradation of organic pollutants

  6. Using Ag/Ag2O/SnO2 Nanocomposites to Remove Malachite Green by a Photocatalytic Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taufik, A.; Paramarta, V.; Prakoso, S. P.; Saleh, R.

    2017-03-01

    Silver/silver oxide/tin oxide nanocomposites of various weight ratios were synthesized using a microwave-assisted method. The Ag/Ag2O:SnO2 nanoparticle weight ratios used were 25:75, 50:50, and 75:25. All samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The Ag/Ag2O/SnO2 nanocomposites contained cubic structures provided by the Ag and Ag2O and tetragonal structures provided by the SnO2. The silver resulted in surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at a wavelength of about 435 nm. The silver oxide material was transformed into pure Ag at a temperature of about 370 °C The photocatalytic activity was tested on the degradation of malachite green (MG) from an aqueous solution. The results showed that Ag/Ag2O/SnO2 at a ratio of 50:50 exhibited the best photocatalytic performance for degrading MG under visible-light irradiation. The degradation of MG using Ag/Ag2O/SnO2 nanocomposites followed pseudo first-order kinetic reactions, and electron holes were found to be the main species acting on the degradation process.

  7. Influence of bath temperature and bath composition on Co-Ag electrodeposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia-Torres, Jose; Valles, Elisa; Gomez, Elvira

    2010-01-01

    A study of the best conditions to prepare smooth heterogeneous Co-Ag films with low amounts of S from a thiourea-based electrolytic bath has been performed. Using a 0.01 M AgClO 4 + 0.1 M Co(ClO 4 ) 2 + 0.1 M thiourea + 0.1 M sodium gluconate + 0.3 M H 3 BO 3 + 0.1 M NaClO 4 bath, low temperature (10 o C) allowed obtaining compact and smooth deposits containing 2 wt.% sulphur. Decreasing thiourea content 0.06 M and increasing gluconate concentration up to 0.3 M, better deposits (more compact with lower sulphur content (1.2 wt.%)) were obtained. A clear influence of the species present in the bath on the film quality was observed: while gluconate favoured film cohesion, boric acid hindered hydrogen adsorption. For all films, fcc-Ag, hcp-Co and hcp-CoAg 3 phases were always detected by XRD, TEM and electron diffraction, their proportions varying with the electrodeposition conditions. Magnetic measurements revealed that the increase in the CoAg 3 led to an increase in the film coercivity. GMR values were only measured at cryogenic temperatures, they being higher for the deposits with the lowest sulphur content revealing that sulphur exerts a negative effect on magnetoresistance.

  8. Studies on electronic structure of interfaces between Ag and gelatin for stabilization of Ag nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tani, Tadaaki; Uchida, Takayuki

    2015-01-01

    Extremely high stability of Ag nanoparticles in photographic materials has forced us to study the electronic structures of the interfaces between thin layers of Ag, Au, and Pt and their surface membranes in ambient atmosphere by photoelectron yield spectroscopy in air and Kelvin probe method. Owing to the Fermi level equalization between a metal layer and a membrane coming from air, the electron transfer took place from the membrane to Pt and Au layers and from an Ag layer to the membrane, giving the reason for poor stability of Ag nanoparticles in air. The control of the Fermi level of an Ag layer with respect to that of a gelatin membrane in air could be widely made according to Nernst's equation by changing the pH and pAg values of an aqueous gelatin solution used to form the membrane, and thus available to stabilize Ag nanoparticles in a gelatin matrix. (author)

  9. Rapid chromatographic separation of dissoluble Ag(I) and silver-containing nanoparticles of 1-100 nanometer in antibacterial products and environmental waters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xiao-Xia; Liu, Rui; Liu, Jing-Fu

    2014-12-16

    Sensitive and rapid methods for speciation analysis of nanoparticulate Ag (NAg) and Ag(I) in complex matrices are urgently needed for understanding the environmental effects and biological toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Herein we report the development of a universal liquid chromatography (LC) method for rapid and high resolution separation of dissoluble Ag(I) from nanoparticles covering the entire range of 1-100 nm in 5 min. By using a 500 Å poresize amino column, and an aqueous mobile phase containing 0.1% (v/v) FL-70 (a surfactant) and 2 mM Na2S2O3 at a flow rate of 0.7 mL/min, all the nanoparticles of various species such as Ag and Ag2S were eluted in one fraction, while dissoluble Ag(I) was eluted as a baseline separated peak. The dissoluble Ag(I) was quantified by the online coupled ICP-MS with a detection limit of 0.019 μg/L. The NAg was quantified by subtracting the dissoluble Ag(I) from the total Ag content, which was determined by ICP-MS after digestion of the sample without LC separation. While the addition of FL-70 and Na2S2O3 into the mobile phase is essential to elute NAg and Ag(I) from the column, the use of 500 Å poresize column is the key to baseline separation of Ag(I) from ∼ 1 nm AgNPs. The feasibility of the proposed method was demonstrated in speciation analysis of dissoluble Ag(I) and NAg in antibacterial products and environmental waters, with very good chromatographic repeatability (relative standard deviations) in both peak area (<2%) and retention time (<0.6%), excellent spiked recoveries in the range of 84.7-102.7% for Ag(I) and 81.3-106.3% for NAg. Our work offers a novel approach to rapid and baseline separation of dissoluble metal ions from their nanoparticulate counterparts covering the whole range of 1-100 nm.

  10. Ruhrgas AG. Business report 2000; Ruhrgas AG. Geschaeftsbericht 2000

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-07-01

    A detailed account of the situation of the international gas market provides the basis of the status report of Ruhrgas AG and the group of affiliated companies. Emphasis is placed on gas procurement aspects, sales volumes, the construction and operation of natural gas distribution systems, and on development, utilization and application aspects. The activities and situation of major Ruhrgas AG holding companies are described, and the annual financial statements are documented. (orig.) [German] Ausgehend von einer eingehenden Beschreibung des internationalen Gasmarktes wird ein Lagebericht des Konzerns sowie der Ruhrgas AG gegeben. Dabei wird insbesondere auf Fragen der Gasbeschaffung, des Gasabsatzes, des Baus und Betriebs von Erdgasverteilungsnetzen, sowie der Entwicklung und der Anwendungstechnik eingegangen. Ferner wird ueber den Geschaeftsverlauf wesentlicher Ruhrgas-Beteiligungsgesellschaften berichtet. Abschliessend wird der Jahresabschluss dokumentiert. (orig.)

  11. Precipitation of Ag{sub 2}Te in the thermoelectric material AgSbTe{sub 2}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sugar, Joshua D. [Materials Physics Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA (United States)], E-mail: jdsugar@sandia.gov; Medlin, Douglas L. [Materials Physics Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA (United States)

    2009-06-10

    The microstructure of AgSbTe{sub 2}, prepared by solidification, is investigated using electron microscopy. During solidification and thermal treatment, the material separates into a two-phase mixture of a rocksalt phase, which is Ag{sub 22}Sb{sub 28}Te{sub 50}, and silver telluride, Ag{sub 2}Te. Ag{sub 2}Te formation results either from eutectic solidification (large lamellar structures), or by solid-state precipitation (fine-scale particles). The crystal structure of the AgSbTe{sub 2} phase determined by electron diffraction is consistent with a rocksalt structure that has a disordered cation sublattice. A preferred crystallographic orientation relationship at the interface between the matrix and the low-temperature monoclinic Ag{sub 2}Te phase is defined and discussed. This orientation relationship is observed for both second-phase morphologies. In both cases, the orientation relationship originates from a topotactic (cube-on-cube) alignment of the Te sublattices in the initially cubic Ag{sub 2}Te and the matrix at elevated temperature. This Te sublattice alignment is retained as the Ag{sub 2}Te undergoes a cubic-to-monoclinic transformation during cooling. This orientation relationship is observed for both second-phase morphologies.

  12. ±25ppm repeatable measurement of trapezoidal pulses with 5MHz bandwidth

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(SzGeCERN)712364; Arpaia, Pasquale; Cerqueira Bastos, Miguel; Martino, Michele

    2015-01-01

    High-quality measurements of pulses are nowadays widely used in fields such as radars, pulsed lasers, electromagnetic pulse generators, and particle accelerators. Whilst literature is mainly focused on fast systems for nanosecond regime with relaxed metrological requirements, in this paper, the high-performance measurement of slower pulses in microsecond regime is faced. In particular, the experimental proof demonstration for a 15 MS/s,_25 ppm repeatable acquisition system to characterize the flat-top of 3 ms rise-time trapezoidal pulses is given. The system exploits a 5MHz bandwidth circuit for analogue signal processing based on the concept of flat-top removal. The requirements, as well as the conceptual and physical designs are illustrated. Simulation results aimed at assessing the circuit performance are also presented. Finally, an experimental case study on the characterization of a pulsed power supply for the klystrons modulators of the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) under study at CERN is reported. In ...

  13. Site-Selective Carving and Co-Deposition: Transformation of Ag Nanocubes into Concave Nanocrystals Encased by Au-Ag Alloy Frames.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Jaewan; Wang, Daniel; Ding, Yong; Zhang, Jiawei; Qin, Dong

    2018-01-23

    We report a facile synthesis of Ag nanocubes with concave side faces and Au-Ag alloy frames, namely Ag@Au-Ag concave nanocrystals, by titrating HAuCl 4 solution into an aqueous mixture of Ag nanocubes, ascorbic acid (H 2 Asc), NaOH, and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) at an initial pH of 11.6 under ambient conditions. Different from all previous studies involving poly(vinylpyrrolidine), the use of CTAC at a sufficiently high concentration plays an essential role in carving away Ag atoms from the side faces through galvanic replacement. Concurrent co-deposition of Au and Ag atoms via chemical reduction at orthogonal sites on the surface of Ag nanocubes leads to the generation of Ag@Au-Ag concave nanocrystals with well-defined and controllable structures. Specifically, in the presence of CTAC-derived Cl - ions, the titrated HAuCl 4 is maintained in the AuCl 4 - species, enabling its galvanic replacement with the Ag atoms located on the side faces of nanocubes. The released Ag + ions can be retained in the soluble form of AgCl 2 - by complexing with the Cl - ions. Both the AuCl 4 - and AgCl 2 - in the solution are then reduced by ascorbate monoanion, a product of the neutralization reaction between H 2 Asc and NaOH, to Au and Ag atoms for their preferential co-deposition onto the edges and corners of the Ag nanocubes. Compared with Ag nanocubes, the Ag@Au-Ag concave nanocrystals exhibit much stronger SERS activity at an excitation of 785 nm, making it feasible to monitor the Au-catalyzed reduction of 4-nitrothiophenol by NaBH 4 in situ. When the Ag cores are removed, the concave nanocrystals evolve into Au-Ag nanoframes with controllable ridge thicknesses.

  14. A repeating fast radio burst.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spitler, L G; Scholz, P; Hessels, J W T; Bogdanov, S; Brazier, A; Camilo, F; Chatterjee, S; Cordes, J M; Crawford, F; Deneva, J; Ferdman, R D; Freire, P C C; Kaspi, V M; Lazarus, P; Lynch, R; Madsen, E C; McLaughlin, M A; Patel, C; Ransom, S M; Seymour, A; Stairs, I H; Stappers, B W; van Leeuwen, J; Zhu, W W

    2016-03-10

    Fast radio bursts are millisecond-duration astronomical radio pulses of unknown physical origin that appear to come from extragalactic distances. Previous follow-up observations have failed to find additional bursts at the same dispersion measure (that is, the integrated column density of free electrons between source and telescope) and sky position as the original detections. The apparent non-repeating nature of these bursts has led to the suggestion that they originate in cataclysmic events. Here we report observations of ten additional bursts from the direction of the fast radio burst FRB 121102. These bursts have dispersion measures and sky positions consistent with the original burst. This unambiguously identifies FRB 121102 as repeating and demonstrates that its source survives the energetic events that cause the bursts. Additionally, the bursts from FRB 121102 show a wide range of spectral shapes that appear to be predominantly intrinsic to the source and which vary on timescales of minutes or less. Although there may be multiple physical origins for the population of fast radio bursts, these repeat bursts with high dispersion measure and variable spectra specifically seen from the direction of FRB 121102 support an origin in a young, highly magnetized, extragalactic neutron star.

  15. Fabrication and characterization of Ag-Cd/CdO materials produced by incorporation of CdO particles to liquid Ag-Cd alloys; Fabricacion y caracterizacion de materiales Ag-Cd/CdO producidos mediante incorporacion de particulas de CdO en aleaciones Ag-Cd liquidas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Equihua-Guillen, F.; Ruiz-Mondragon, J.; Servin-Castaneda, R.; Orozco-Gonzalez, P.; Zaldivar-Cadena, A.; Martinez-Villafane, F.; Villarreal-Garza, E. J.

    2014-04-01

    In the present work it has been investigated the kinetic behavior of internal oxidation processes of strips of Ag-Cd/CdO materials fabricated by adding CdO particles (size of 5 and 20 {mu}m) in liquid Ag-Cd alloys. It has been established the metallurgical mechanism that controls the formation of the thickness covered with CdO particles produced by internal oxidation of the Ag-Cd/CdO material. It has been developed, successfully, a metallographic preparation technique for characterizing the morphology, size and distribution of CdO particles produced by heat treatment of internal oxidation on the surface of each sample based on the distance from the original surface to the boundary of dispersed CdO particles. The material strips were sequentially roughed on its surface and the roughing thickness was measured in the cross section of each new surface to determine the number of particles per area and average particle size. (Author)

  16. A research on shape-controllable synthesis of Ag3PO4/AgBr and its degradation of ciprofloxacin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jingran; Yang, Xingyu; Zhu, Chenyu; Xie, Xin; Lin, Cuiping; Zhao, Yalei; Yan, Qishe

    2018-03-01

    Antibiotic ciprofloxacin is one of the commonly used broad spectrum fluoroquinolone human and veterinary drugs. Because of the overuse of human beings, the presence of ciprofloxacin has been detected in a variety of environmental matrices. To solve this problem, a facile, environmentally-friendly Ag 3 PO 4 /AgBr composite photocatalyst was synthesized by a simple precipitation method at room temperature in the presence of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). CTAB was served as surfactant and the source of bromide ions. The as-prepared Ag 3 PO 4 /AgBr microspheres were characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). The results revealed that the Ag 3 PO 4 /AgBr sample (synthesized with CTAB, 0.8 g) exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity to the photodegradation rate of 96.36%. Moreover, mechanism detection experiment indicated that h + was the major active species in the degradation process. So the enhanced photocatalytic activity of Ag 3 PO 4 /AgBr composites is attributed to its excellent separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs through Ag 3 PO 4 /AgBr heterojunction. Also, Ag 3 PO 4 /AgBr heterojunction has a lower band gap compared to pure Ag 3 PO 4 and pure AgBr, so higher efficiency of light harvesting is equipped.

  17. Comparison of anterior segment measurements using Sirius Topographer® and Nidek Axial Length-Scan® with assessing repeatability in patients with cataracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Resat Duman

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate anterior segment measurements obtained using CSO Sirius Topographer® (CSO, Firenze, Italy and Nidek Axial Length (AL-Scan® (Nidek CO., Gamagori, Japan. Methods: A total of 43 eyes of 43 patients were included in this prospective study. The central corneal thickness (CCT, anterior chamber depth (ACD, white-to-white distance (WTW, flat keratometry (K1, steep keratometry (K2, and mean keratometry (K values were randomly measured three times with each device by the same examiner. The intraclass correlation coefficient of repeatability was analyzed. The compatibility of both devices was evaluated using the 95% limits of the agreement proposed by Bland and Altman. Results: Examiner achieved high repeatability for all parameters on each device except the WTW measured by Sirius. All measurements except WTW and K1 taken with the Sirius were higher than that taken with the Nidek AL-Scan®. The difference in CCT, ACD, and WTW values was statistically significant. Conclusion: High repeatability of the measurements was achieved on both devices. Although Km, K1, and K2 measurements of the Sirius and the AL-Scan® showed good agreement, WTW, CCT, and ACD measurements significantly differed between two devices. Thus, anterior segment measurements except for Km, K1, and K2 cannot be used interchangeably between Sirius and Nidek AL-Scan® devices.

  18. Ag Transport Through Non-Irradiated and Irradiated SiC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szlufarska, Izabela [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Morgan, Dane [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Blanchard, James [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

    2016-01-11

    Silicon carbide is the main barrier to diffusion of fission products in the current design of TRistuctural ISOtropic (TRISO) coated fuel particles, and Ag is one of the few fission products that have been shown to escape through this barrier. Because the SiC coating in TRISO is exposed to radiation throughout the lifetime of the fuel, understanding of how radiation changes the transport of the fission products is essential for the safety of the reactor. The goals of this project are: (i) to determine whether observed variation in integral release measurements of Ag through SiC can be explained by differences in grain size and grain boundary (GB) types among the samples; (2) to identify the effects of irradiation on diffusion of Ag through SiC; (3) to discover phenomena responsible for significant solubility of Ag in polycrystalline SiC. To address these goals, we combined experimental analysis of SiC diffusion couples with modeling studies of diffusion mechanisms through bulk and GBs of this material. Comparison between results obtained for pristine and irradiated samples brings in insights into the effects of radiation on Ag transport.

  19. Ag Transport Through Non-Irradiated and Irradiated SiC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szlufarska, Izabela; Morgan, Dane; Blanchard, James

    2016-01-01

    Silicon carbide is the main barrier to diffusion of fission products in the current design of TRistuctural ISOtropic (TRISO) coated fuel particles, and Ag is one of the few fission products that have been shown to escape through this barrier. Because the SiC coating in TRISO is exposed to radiation throughout the lifetime of the fuel, understanding of how radiation changes the transport of the fission products is essential for the safety of the reactor. The goals of this project are: (i) to determine whether observed variation in integral release measurements of Ag through SiC can be explained by differences in grain size and grain boundary (GB) types among the samples; (2) to identify the effects of irradiation on diffusion of Ag through SiC; (3) to discover phenomena responsible for significant solubility of Ag in polycrystalline SiC. To address these goals, we combined experimental analysis of SiC diffusion couples with modeling studies of diffusion mechanisms through bulk and GBs of this material. Comparison between results obtained for pristine and irradiated samples brings in insights into the effects of radiation on Ag transport.

  20. [Comparison of the clinical performance of the ECLusys HBsAg II assay with the Lumipulse f and HISCL 2000-i HBsAg screening assays].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiura, Aya; Iwahara, Kunihiro; Suga, Yasuyuki; Uchiyama, Sachinori; Maekawa, Masato

    2012-02-01

    We compared the ECLusys HBsAgII (ECL HBsAg) assay to the Lumipulse Forte (LPf HBsAg) and HISCL (HIS HBsAg) assays. Measurement of dilution panels for which the WHO HBsAg international reference panel was the parent specimen revealed that the ECL and HIS assays enabled detection to a theoretical level of 0.04 IU/mL, whereas the LPf assay enabled detection to a level of 0.08 IU/mL. In a specificity test using high RF positive specimens (n = 33), pregnancy specimens (n = 35), cytomegalovirus antibody positive specimens (n = 36), and high M protein positive specimens (n = 21) that were confirmed negative for HBsAg by the LPf assay, negative results were obtained for all specimens on the HIS assay, but the ECL assay yielded a positive result for one of the high RF positive specimens. This individual was suggested on further testing to be an HBV carrier who was strongly positive for HBc antibody. In HBsAg mutants detection test, the detection rate was 92.3% with the ECL assay and 69.2% with the HIS assay. In a correlation test using routinely collected clinical specimens (n = 155), including positive stock specimens, aside from the one case where the LPf assay gave a negative result but both the ECL and HIS assays gave positive results, all of the results were consistent for all specimens. The above results confirmed that the ECL assay is both highly sensitive and specific, and also enables a high rate of HBsAg mutant detection.

  1. Improved thermal conductivity of Ag decorated carbon nanotubes water based nanofluids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Farbod, Mansoor, E-mail: farbod_m@scu.ac.ir; Ahangarpour, Ameneh

    2016-12-16

    The effect of Ag decoration of carbon nanotubes on thermal conductivity enhancement of Ag decorated MWCNTs water based nanofluids has been investigated. The pristine and functionalized MWCNTs were decorated with Ag nanoparticles by mass ratios of 1%, 2% and 4% and used to prepare water based nanofluids with 0.1 vol.%. An enhancement of 1–20.4 percent in thermal conductivity was observed. It was found that the decoration of functionalized MWCNTs can increase the thermal conductivity about 0.16–8.02 percent compared to the undecorated ones. The maximum enhancement of 20.4% was measured for the sample containing 4 wt.% Ag at 40 °C. - Highlights: • MWCNTs were decorated with Ag nanoparticles by the mass ratios of 1, 2 and 4%. • The decorated CNTs were used to prepare water based nanofluids with 0.1 Vol.%. • 1–20.4% increase was observed in thermal conductivity (TC) compared to pure water. • Ag decorated CNTs increased TC of nanofluid up to 8% compared to CNTs nanofluid.

  2. A biodynamic understanding of dietborne and waterborne Ag uptake from Ag NPs in the sediment-dwelling oligochaete, Tubifex tubifex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tangaa, Stine Rosendal; Winther-Nielsen, Margrethe; Selck, Henriette; Croteau, Marie-Noele

    2018-01-01

    Metal nanoparticles (Me-NPs) are increasingly used in various products, such as inks and cosmetics, enhancing the likelihood of their release into aquatic environments. An understanding of the mechanisms controlling their bioaccumulation and ecotoxicity in aquatic biota will help support environmental risk assessment. Here we characterized unidirectional parameters for uptake and elimination of silver (Ag) in the sediment-dwelling oligochaete Tubifex tubifex after waterborne (0.01–47 nmol Ag/L) and dietborne (0.4–482 nmol Ag/g dw sed.) exposures to Ag NPs and AgNO3, respectively. Worms accumulated Ag from AgNO3more efficiently than from Ag NPs during waterborne exposure. The Ag uptake rate constants from water were 8.2 L/g/d for AgNO3 and 0.34 L/g/d for Ag NPs. Silver accumulated from both forms was efficiently retained in tissues, as no significant loss of Ag was detected after up to 20 days of depuration in clean media. High mortality (~50%) during depuration (i.e. after 17 days) was only observed for worms exposed to waterborne AgNO3 (3 nmol/L). Sediment exposures to both Ag forms resulted in low accumulation, i.e., the uptake rate constants were 0.002 and 0.005 g/g/d for AgNO3 and Ag NPs, respectively. Avoidance was only observed for worms exposed to sediment amended with AgNO3. Incorporation of the estimated rate constants into a biodynamic model predicted that sediment is likely the most important route of uptake for Ag in both forms in ecologically relevant aquatic environments. However, inference of bioavailability from our estimations of Ag assimilation efficiencies (AE) suggests that Ag (AE: 3–12% for AgNO3 and 0.1–0.8% for Ag NPs) is weakly bioavailable from sediment for this species. Thus, Ag amended to sediment as NPs might not pose greater problems than 'conventional' Ag for benthic organisms such as T. tubifex.

  3. 109Ag nuclear magnetic resonance studies of organic and inorganic silver complexes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jucker, K.; Sahm, W.; Schwenk, A.

    1976-01-01

    The NMR lines of 109 Ag have been investigated in solutions of several silver salts in acetonitrile, propionitrile, pyridine, and ethylenediamine, and also in aqueous solutions of Na 2 S 2 O 3 and ethylamine. In these solvents the Ag + -ions form one or several complexes. In any case a single NMR line was to be detected, i.e.a. rapid chemical exchange between different complexes in a sample may be assumed. In two samples of AgNO 3 dissolved in organic solvents, the ratio ν ( 109 Ag)/ν ( 107 Ag) = 1.149640 (1) was measured in good agreement with the value from silver salts in aqueous solutions; i.e. no primary isotopic effect was to be detected within these limits of error (0.9 ppm). (orig./WBU) [de

  4. Effect of nano/micro-Ag compound particles on the bio-corrosion, antibacterial properties and cell biocompatibility of Ti-Ag alloys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Mian; Yang, Lei; Zhang, Lan; Han, Yong; Lu, Zheng; Qin, Gaowu; Zhang, Erlin

    2017-06-01

    In this research, Ti-Ag alloys were prepared by powder metallurgy, casting and heat treatment method in order to investigate the effect of Ag compound particles on the bio-corrosion, the antibacterial property and the cell biocompatibility. Ti-Ag alloys with different sizes of Ag or Ag-compounds particles were successfully prepared: small amount of submicro-scale (100nm) Ti 2 Ag precipitates with solid solution state of Ag, large amount of nano-scale (20-30nm) Ti 2 Ag precipitates with small amount of solid solution state of Ag and micro-scale lamellar Ti 2 Ag phases, and complete solid solution state of Ag. The mechanical tests indicated that both nano/micro-scale Ti 2 Ag phases had a strong dispersion strengthening ability and Ag had a high solid solution strengthening ability. Electrochemical results shown the Ag content and the size of Ag particles had a limited influence on the bio-corrosion resistance although nano-scale Ti 2 Ag precipitates slightly improved corrosion resistance. It was demonstrated that the nano Ag compounds precipitates have a significant influence on the antibacterial properties of Ti-Ag alloys but no effect on the cell biocompatibility. It was thought that both Ag ions release and Ti 2 Ag precipitates contributed to the antibacterial ability, in which nano-scale and homogeneously distributed Ti 2 Ag phases would play a key role in antibacterial process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Differential Phytotoxic Impact of Plant Mediated Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) and Silver Nitrate (AgNO3) on Brassica sp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vishwakarma, Kanchan; Shweta; Upadhyay, Neha; Singh, Jaspreet; Liu, Shiliang; Singh, Vijay P; Prasad, Sheo M; Chauhan, Devendra K; Tripathi, Durgesh K; Sharma, Shivesh

    2017-01-01

    Continuous formation and utilization of nanoparticles (NPs) have resulted into significant discharge of nanosized particles into the environment. NPs find applications in numerous products and agriculture sector, and gaining importance in recent years. In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesized from silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ) by green synthesis approach using Aloe vera extract. Mustard ( Brassica sp.) seedlings were grown hydroponically and toxicity of both AgNP and AgNO 3 (as ionic Ag + ) was assessed at various concentrations (1 and 3 mM) by analyzing shoot and root length, fresh mass, protein content, photosynthetic pigments and performance, cell viability, oxidative damage, DNA degradation and enzyme activities. The results revealed that both AgNPs and AgNO 3 declined growth of Brassica seedlings due to enhanced accumulation of AgNPs and AgNO 3 that subsequently caused severe inhibition in photosynthesis. Further, the results showed that both AgNPs and AgNO 3 induced oxidative stress as indicated by histochemical staining of superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide that was manifested in terms of DNA degradation and cell death. Activities of antioxidants, i.e., ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) were inhibited by AgNPs and AgNO 3. Interestingly, damaging impact of AgNPs was lesser than AgNO 3 on Brassica seedlings which was due to lesser accumulation of AgNPs and better activities of APX and CAT, which resulted in lesser oxidative stress, DNA degradation and cell death. The results of the present study showed differential impact of AgNPs and AgNO 3 on Brassica seedlings, their mode of action, and reasons for their differential impact. The results of the present study could be implied in toxicological research for designing strategies to reduce adverse impact of AgNPs and AgNO 3 on crop plants.

  6. Differential Phytotoxic Impact of Plant Mediated Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs and Silver Nitrate (AgNO3 on Brassica sp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kanchan Vishwakarma

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Continuous formation and utilization of nanoparticles (NPs have resulted into significant discharge of nanosized particles into the environment. NPs find applications in numerous products and agriculture sector, and gaining importance in recent years. In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs were biosynthesized from silver nitrate (AgNO3 by green synthesis approach using Aloe vera extract. Mustard (Brassica sp. seedlings were grown hydroponically and toxicity of both AgNP and AgNO3 (as ionic Ag+ was assessed at various concentrations (1 and 3 mM by analyzing shoot and root length, fresh mass, protein content, photosynthetic pigments and performance, cell viability, oxidative damage, DNA degradation and enzyme activities. The results revealed that both AgNPs and AgNO3 declined growth of Brassica seedlings due to enhanced accumulation of AgNPs and AgNO3 that subsequently caused severe inhibition in photosynthesis. Further, the results showed that both AgNPs and AgNO3 induced oxidative stress as indicated by histochemical staining of superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide that was manifested in terms of DNA degradation and cell death. Activities of antioxidants, i.e., ascorbate peroxidase (APX and catalase (CAT were inhibited by AgNPs and AgNO3. Interestingly, damaging impact of AgNPs was lesser than AgNO3 on Brassica seedlings which was due to lesser accumulation of AgNPs and better activities of APX and CAT, which resulted in lesser oxidative stress, DNA degradation and cell death. The results of the present study showed differential impact of AgNPs and AgNO3 on Brassica seedlings, their mode of action, and reasons for their differential impact. The results of the present study could be implied in toxicological research for designing strategies to reduce adverse impact of AgNPs and AgNO3 on crop plants.

  7. The production of 103Pd and 109Cd from a proton irradiated tandem natAg/natAg targets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ineza, C.; Mphahlele, J.

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes a new method for the production of 103 Pd and 109 Cd using the 66 MeV proton beam of iThemba LABS on a tandem natural silver target (Ag/Ag). The radiochemical separation of the Pd radionuclides ( 103 Pd, 100 Pd) from the bulk nat Ag was done using a Chelex-100 chelating resin column. The recovery of 103 Pd from the irradiated nat Ag target was found to be >98 % without any Ag or Rh impurities detected. The radiochemical separation of 109 Cd from the bulk nat Ag target was done by the precipitation of Ag ions by Cu followed by the separation of 109 Cd, traces of Ag, Cu 2+ and Rh using a AG1-X10 anion exchange resin column. The recovery yield of 109 Cd was >99 % without any Ag or Rh impurities detected. (author)

  8. Facile preparation of Ag-Cu bifunctional electrocatalysts for zinc-air batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin, Yachao; Chen, Fuyi

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Ag-Cu dendrites are observed for the first time to exhibit high catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction. • Ag-Cu dendrites are directly synthesized through galvanic displacement on the current collector layer made of Ni foams. • A bifunctional air cathode is fabricated using Ag-Cu dendrites as a carbon-free, binder-free catalyst layer. • Both the primary and rechargeable zinc–air batteries fabricated by Ag-Cu catalysts exhibit excellent performance. - ABSTRACT: An inexpensive, facile galvanic displacement reaction for the direct growth of silver–copper (Ag-Cu) catalysts on nickel foams is developed for the first time. The resulting Ag-Cu catalysts exhibit dendritic morphologies. Ag and Cu atoms are in their metallic state while the presence of CuO and Cu 2 O are limited on the surface of catalyst. The catalysts demonstrate high catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solution, as evaluated by both linear scanning voltammetry and rotating disk electrode polarization measurements. The ORR catalysed by Ag-Cu catalyst in alkaline solution proceeds through a four-electron pathway. An air cathode is fabricated using Ag-Cu catalyst as a carbon-free, binder-free catalyst layer. Using this Ag-Cu catalyst based air cathode, both the primary and rechargeable zinc-air batteries show excellent battery performance. The specific capacity of the primary zinc-air battery is 572 mAh g −1 . Especially, the rechargeable zinc-air battery shows high round-trip efficiency, appealing stability at a long charge-discharge cycle period

  9. Optical and electrical characterization of AgInS2 thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calixto-Rodriguez, M.; Martinez, H.; Calixto, M.E.; Pena, Y.; Martinez-Escobar, Dalia; Tiburcio-Silver, A.; Sanchez-Juarez, A.

    2010-01-01

    Silver indium sulfide (AgInS 2 ) thin films have been prepared by spray pyrolysis (SP) technique using silver acetate, indium acetate, and N, N-dimethylthiourea as precursor compounds. Films were deposited onto glass substrates at different substrate temperatures (T s ) and Ag:In:S ratios in the starting solutions. Optical transmission and reflection as well as electrical measurements were performed in order to study the effect of deposition parameters on the optical and electrical properties of AgInS 2 thin films. X-ray diffraction measurements were used to identify the deposited compounds. It was found that different compounds such as AgInS 2 , Ag 2 S, In 2 O 3 , and In 2 S 3 can be grown only by changing the Ag:In:S ratio in the starting solution and T s . So that, by carefully selecting the deposition parameters, single phase AgInS 2 thin films can be easily grown. Thin films obtained using a molar ratio of Ag:In:S = 1:1:2 and T s = 400 o C, have an optical band gap of 1.9 eV and n-type electrical conductivity with a value of 0.3 Ω -1 cm -1 in the dark.

  10. Electrical and mechanical properties of Bi-2223/Ag/barrier/Ag composite tapes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kovac, P.; Husek, I.; Goemoery, F.; Oduleye, O.O.; Alford, N.McN.; Pachla, W.; Diduszko, R.

    2000-01-01

    Bi-2223/Ag/barrier/Ag single-core tapes with various oxide barrier materials (BaZrO 3 , SrCO 3 , ZrO 2 and Al 2 O 3 ) have been prepared by PIT. The I-V curves and ac susceptibility measurements have been performed for tapes with identical heat treatment history. Young's moduli of these tape samples have been evaluated by three-point bending and the structure of barrier powders and BSCCO cores was analysed by SEM and XRD, respectively. It was found that the shape of I-V curves, the current transfer lengths and the mechanical properties of tapes are all affected by the oxide barrier type and the barrier thickness, as well as by its porosity and uniformity. This is because the oxide barrier controls the oxygen diffusion during the tape heat treatment and simultaneously the HTS phase formation kinetics, its purity and content within the superconducting core. On the base of the results obtained for single-core tapes, two kinds of multifilamentary composite were made and tested. (author)

  11. Evaluation on the Toxic Effects of NanoAg to Catalase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bin; Zhai, Wenxin; Liu, Rutao; Yu, Zehua; Shen, Hengmei; Hu, Xinxin

    2015-02-01

    Protein is the functional actor of life. Research on protein damage induced by nanomaterials may give insight into the toxicity mechanisms of nanoparticles. Studying nano silver over the impact of the structure and function of catalase (CAT) at the molecular level, is of great significance for a comprehensive evaluation of their toxic effects. The toxic effects of nanoAg on catalase were thoroughly investigated using steady state and time resolved fluorescence quenching measurements, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, resonance light scattering spectroscopy (RLS), circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). NanoAg could decrease the amount of alpha-helix and increase the beta sheet structure, leading to loose the skeleton structure of catalase. The characteristic fluorescence of catalase was obviously quenched, which showed the exposal of internal hydrophobic amino acids enhanced, and its quenching type is dynamic quenching. The result of RLS and TEM showed that the distribution and size of nanoAg become more uniform and smaller after their interaction, resulting in a decrease of RLS intensity. NanoAg could make the activity of catalase rise. By changing the structure of catalase, nanoAg increases its enzymatic activity to a certain extent, breaking down its balance in vivo, thereby affecting the normal physiological activities. NanoAg has obvious toxic effects on catalase. This paper provided a new perspective and method for the toxic effects of nanoAg to biological macromolecules; provided basic data and reference gist for the hygienics and toxicology studies of nanoAg. It is conducive to the toxicity prevention and control work of nanoAg, promoting nano-technology applied to human production and living better.

  12. HBcrAg Identifies Patients Failing to Achieve HBeAg Seroconversion Treated with Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2b

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Ma

    2016-01-01

    Conclusions: Effective antiviral treatment can decrease HBcrAg levels in the serum. The NPVs of HBcrAg for predicting HBeAg seroconversion at 24-week follow-up was 100%, but the PPVs were not satisfactory (all <31%. The serum HBcrAg levels of the patients with HBeAg seroconversion at the end of the 24-week follow-up steadily declined or even became undetectable during the LTFU.

  13. Repeatability of two-dimensional chemical shift imaging multivoxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy for measuring human cerebral choline-containing compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puri, Basant K; Egan, Mary; Wallis, Fintan; Jakeman, Philip

    2018-03-22

    To investigate the repeatability of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the in vivo measurement of human cerebral levels of choline-containing compounds (Cho). Two consecutive scans were carried out in six healthy resting subjects at a magnetic field strength of 1.5 T. On each occasion, neurospectroscopy data were collected from 64 voxels using the same 2D chemical shift imaging (CSI) sequence. The data were analyzed in the same way, using the same software, to obtain the values for each voxel of the ratio of Cho to creatine. The Wilcoxon related-samples signed-rank test, coefficient of variation (CV), repeatability coefficient (RC), and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to assess the repeatability. The CV ranged from 2.75% to 33.99%, while the minimum RC was 5.68%. There was excellent reproducibility, as judged by significant ICC values, in 26 voxels. Just three voxels showed significant differences according to the Wilcoxon related-samples signed-rank test. It is therefore concluded that when CSI multivoxel proton neurospectroscopy is used to measure cerebral choline-containing compounds at 1.5 T, the reproducibility is highly acceptable.

  14. Thermal characterization of Ag and Ag + N ion implanted ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokullu Urkac, E.; Oztarhan, A.; Tihminlioglu, F.; Kaya, N.; Ila, D.; Muntele, C.; Budak, S.; Oks, E.; Nikolaev, A.; Ezdesir, A.; Tek, Z.

    2007-08-01

    Most of total hip joints are composed of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). However, as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is too stable in a body, wear debris may accumulate and cause biological response such as bone absorption and loosening of prosthesis. In this study, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene samples were Ag and Ag + N hybrid ion implanted by using MEVVA ion implantation technique to improve its surface properties. Samples were implanted with a fluence of 1017 ion/cm2 and extraction voltage of 30 kV. Implanted and unimplanted samples were investigated by thermo-gravimetry analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy (OM) and contact Angle measurement. Thermal characterization results showed that the ion bombardment induced an increase in the % crystallinity, onset and termination degradation temperatures of UHMWPE.

  15. Transformation of AgCl nanoparticles in a sewer system — A field study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaegi, Ralf, E-mail: ralf.kaegi@eawag.ch [Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf (Switzerland); Voegelin, Andreas; Sinnet, Brian [Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf (Switzerland); Zuleeg, Steffen [KUSTER + HAGER Group, Oberstrasse 222, 9014 St. Gallen (Switzerland); Siegrist, Hansruedi [Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf (Switzerland); Burkhardt, Michael [HSR University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Environmental and Process Engineering (UMTEC), Oberseestrasse 10, 8640 Rapperswil (Switzerland)

    2015-12-01

    Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP) are increasingly used in consumer products and their release during the use phase may negatively affect aquatic ecosystems. Research efforts, so far, have mainly addressed the application and use of metallic Ag(0)-NP. However, as shown by recent studies on the release of Ag from textiles, other forms of Ag, especially silver chloride (AgCl), are released in much larger quantities than metallic Ag(0). In this field study, we report the release of AgCl-NP from a point source (industrial laundry that applied AgCl-NP during a piloting phase over a period of several months to protect textiles from bacterial regrowth) to the public sewer system and investigate the transformation of Ag during its transport in the sewer system and in the municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). During the study period, the laundry discharged ~ 85 g of Ag per day, which dominated the Ag loads in the sewer system from the respective catchment (72–95%) and the Ag in the digested WWTP sludge (67%). Combined results from electron microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that the Ag discharged from the laundry to the sewer consisted of about one third AgCl and two thirds Ag{sub 2}S, both forms primarily occurring as nanoparticles with diameters < 100 nm. During the 800 m transport in the sewer channel to the nearby WWTP, corresponding to a travel time of ~ 30 min, the remaining AgCl was transformed into nanoparticulate Ag{sub 2}S. Ag{sub 2}S-NP also dominated the Ag speciation in the digested sludge. In line with results from earlier studies, the very low Ag concentrations measured in the effluent of the WWTP (< 0.5 μg L{sup −1}) confirmed the very high removal efficiency of Ag from the wastewater stream (> 95%). - Highlights: • First field study on the transformation of AgCl nanoparticles released from a point source into the municipal sewer system. • Transformation of AgCl-NP into Ag{sub 2}S already occurred during 30-min transport in the

  16. Antibacterial biodegradable Mg-Ag alloys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D Tie

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The use of magnesium alloys as degradable metals for biomedical applications is a topic of ongoing research and the demand for multifunctional materials is increasing. Hence, binary Mg-Ag alloys were designed as implant materials to combine the favourable properties of magnesium with the well-known antibacterial property of silver. In this study, three Mg-Ag alloys, Mg2Ag, Mg4Ag and Mg6Ag that contain 1.87 %, 3.82 % and 6.00 % silver by weight, respectively, were cast and processed with solution (T4 and aging (T6 heat treatment.The metallurgical analysis and phase identification showed that all alloys contained Mg4Ag as the dominant β phase. After heat treatment, the mechanical properties of all Mg-Ag alloys were significantly improved and the corrosion rate was also significantly reduced, due to presence of silver. Mg(OH2 and MgO present the main magnesium corrosion products, while AgCl was found as the corresponding primary silver corrosion product. Immersion tests, under cell culture conditions, demonstrated that the silver content did not significantly shift the pH and magnesium ion release. In vitro tests, with both primary osteoblasts and cell lines (MG63, RAW 264.7, revealed that Mg-Ag alloys show negligible cytotoxicity and sound cytocompatibility. Antibacterial assays, performed in a dynamic bioreactor system, proved that the alloys reduce the viability of two common pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus (DSMZ 20231 and Staphylococcus epidermidis (DSMZ 3269, and the results showed that the killing rate of the alloys against tested bacteria exceeded 90%. In summary, biodegradable Mg-Ag alloys are cytocompatible materials with adjustable mechanical and corrosion properties and show promising antibacterial activity, which indicates their potential as antibacterial biodegradable implant materials.

  17. Ag diffusion in cubic silicon carbide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shrader, David; Khalil, Sarah M.; Gerczak, Tyler; Allen, Todd R.; Heim, Andrew J.; Szlufarska, Izabela; Morgan, Dane

    2011-01-01

    The diffusion of Ag impurities in bulk 3C-SiC is studied using ab initio methods based on density functional theory. This work is motivated by the desire to reduce transport of radioactive Ag isotopes through the SiC boundary layer in the Tristructural-Isotropic (TRISO) fuel pellet, which is a significant concern for the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) nuclear reactor concept. The structure and stability of charged Ag and Ag-vacancy clusters in SiC are calculated. Relevant intrinsic SiC defect energies are also determined. The most stable state for the Ag impurity in SiC is found to be a Ag atom substituting on the Si sub-lattice and bound to a C vacancy. Bulk diffusion coefficients are estimated for different impurity states and values are all found to have very high activation energy. The impurity state with the lowest activation energy for diffusion is found to be the Ag interstitial, with an activation energy of approximately 7.9 eV. The high activation energies for Ag diffusion in bulk 3C-SiC cause Ag transport to be very slow in the bulk and suggests that observed Ag transport in this material is due to an alternative mechanism (e.g., grain boundary diffusion).

  18. Higher baseline viral diversity correlates with lower HBsAg decline following PEGylated interferon-alpha therapy in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hu; Zhang, Li; Ren, Hong; Hu, Peng

    2018-01-01

    Viral diversity seems to predict treatment outcomes in certain viral infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between baseline intra-patient viral diversity and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) decline following PEGylated interferon-alpha (Peg-IFN-α) therapy. Twenty-six HBeAg-positive patients who were treated with Peg-IFN-α were enrolled. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cloning, and sequencing of the hepatitis B virus S gene were performed on baseline samples, and normalized Shannon entropy (Sn) was calculated as a measure of small hepatitis B surface protein (SHBs) diversity. Multiple regression analysis was used to estimate the association between baseline Sn and HBsAg decline. Of the 26 patients enrolled in the study, 65.4% were male and 61.5% were infected with hepatitis B virus genotype B. The median HBsAg level at baseline was 4.5 log 10 IU/mL (interquartile range: 4.1-4.9) and declined to 3.0 log 10 IU/mL (interquartile range: 1.7-3.9) after 48 weeks of Peg-IFN-α treatment. In models adjusted for baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and HBsAg, the adjusted coefficients (95% CI) for ΔHBsAg and relative percentage HBsAg decrease were -1.3 (-2.5, -0.2) log 10 IU/mL for higher SHBs diversity (Sn≥0.58) patients and -26.4% (-50.2%, -2.5%) for lower diversity (Sndiversity. Baseline intra-patient SHBs diversity was inverse to HBsAg decline in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving Peg-IFN-α monotherapy. Also, more sequence variations within the "a" determinant upstream flanking region and the first loop of the "a" determinant were the main sources of the higher SHBs diversity.

  19. Microstructure, mechanical properties, bio-corrosion properties and antibacterial properties of Ti-Ag sintered alloys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Mian; Zhang, Erlin; Zhang, Lan

    2016-05-01

    In this research, Ag element was selected as an antibacterial agent to develop an antibacterial Ti-Ag alloy by a powder metallurgy. The microstructure, phase constitution, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties of the Ti-Ag sintered alloys have been systematically studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), compressive test, electrochemical measurements and antibacterial test. The effects of the Ag powder size and the Ag content on the antibacterial property and mechanical property as well as the anticorrosion property have been investigated. The microstructure results have shown that Ti-Ag phase, residual pure Ag and Ti were the mainly phases in Ti-Ag(S75) sintered alloy while Ti2Ag was synthesized in Ti-Ag(S10) sintered alloy. The mechanical test indicated that Ti-Ag sintered alloy showed a much higher hardness and the compressive yield strength than cp-Ti but the mechanical properties were slightly reduced with the increase of Ag content. Electrochemical results showed that Ag powder size had a significant effect on the corrosion resistance of Ti-Ag sintered alloy. Ag content increased the corrosion resistance in a dose dependent way under a homogeneous microstructure. Antibacterial tests have demonstrated that antibacterial Ti-Ag alloy was successfully prepared. It was also shown that the Ag powder particle size and the Ag content influenced the antibacterial activity seriously. The reduction in the Ag powder size was benefit to the improvement in the antibacterial property and the Ag content has to be at least 3wt.% in order to obtain a strong and stable antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The bacterial mechanism was thought to be related to the Ti2Ag and its distribution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Interfacial magnetic coupling between Fe nanoparticles in Fe–Ag granular alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alonso, J; Fdez-Gubieda, M L; Sarmiento, G; Chaboy, J; Boada, R; García Prieto, A; Haskel, D; Laguna-Marco, M A; Lang, J C; Meneghini, C; Fernández Barquín, L; Neisius, T; Orue, I

    2012-01-01

    The role of the interface in mediating interparticle magnetic interactions has been analysed in Fe 50 Ag 50 and Fe 55 Ag 45 granular thin films deposited by the pulsed laser deposition technique (PLD). These samples are composed of crystalline bcc Fe (2–4 nm) nanoparticles and fcc Ag (10–12 nm) nanoparticles, separated by an amorphous Fe 50 Ag 50 interface, occupying around 20% of the sample volume, as determined by x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Interfacial magnetic coupling between Fe nanoparticles is studied by dc magnetization and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements at the Fe K and Ag L 2,3 edges. This paper reveals that these thin films present two magnetic transitions, at low and high temperatures, which are strongly related to the magnetic state of the amorphous interface, which acts as a barrier for interparticle magnetic coupling.

  1. Comparison of partial structures of melts of superionic AgI and CuI and non-superionic AgCl

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kawakita, Yukinobu [Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, 4-2-1 Ropponmatsu, Fukuoka 810-8560 (Japan); Tahara, Shuta [Department of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Physics, Graduate School of Sciences, Kyushu University, 4-2-1 Ropponmatsu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-8560 (Japan); Fujii, Hiroyuki [Department of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Physics, Graduate School of Sciences, Kyushu University, 4-2-1 Ropponmatsu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-8560 (Japan); Kohara, Shinji [Research and Utilization Division, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI, SPring-8), 1-1-1 Koto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan); Takeda, Shin' ichi [Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, 4-2-1 Ropponmatsu, Fukuoka 810-8560 (Japan)

    2007-08-22

    Neutron and high-energy x-ray diffraction analyses of molten AgI have been performed and the partial structures are discussed in detail with the aid of the structural modelling procedure of the reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) technique by comparison with those of molten CuI and AgCl. It is well known that AgI and CuI have a superionic solid phase below the melting point, in which the cations favour a tetrahedral configuration, while solid AgCl has a rock-salt structure with an octahedral environment around both Ag and Cl atoms. Even in the molten states, there is a significant difference between superionic and non-superionic melts. The cation is located on the triangular plain formed by three iodine ions in molten AgCl and CuI, while molten AgCl favours a 90 deg. Cl-Ag-Cl bond angle, which is understood to maintain a similar local environment to that in the solid state. The atomic configurations of the RMC model suggest that the cation distributions in superionic melts of CuI and AgI exhibit large fluctuations, while Ag ions in the non-superionic melts of AgCl are distributed much more uniformly.

  2. Technique and Feasibility of a Dual Staining Method for Estrogen Receptors and AgNORs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lukas Günther

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available A new staining method for dual demonstration of Estrogen receptors (ER and argyrophilc Nucleolus‐Organizer Regions (AgNORs was developed. To rule out possible reciprocal effects, serial slides of 10 invasive ductale breast cancers were stained with either the single staining method or the simultaneous ER/AgNOR‐staining method and investigated comparatively. By measuring the slides with the image analysis system AMBA, reciprocal effects could be excluded. It was proven that dual staining of both markers results in a reproducible and specific staining result. We concluded that it is justified to measure AgNORs in immunohistochemically stained cells.

  3. Antigens of hepatitis B virus: failure to detect HBeAg on the surfaces of HBsAg forms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gerin, J L [Oak Ridge National Lab., Rockville, MD; Shih, J W.K.; McAuliffee, V J; Purcell, R H

    1978-01-01

    The particulate forms of HBsAg were analysed for the presence of HBeAG on their surfaces. By immunodiffusion analysis, anti-HBe did not form precipitin bands with the purified forms of HBsAg and hyperimmune guinea pig antisera to these forms did not react with HBeAg. Lines of non-identity were observed between the HBeAg determinants (e/sub 1/ and e/sub 2/) and the Dane particles and filaments isolated from an HBeAg-positive serum. Finally, anti-HBe failed to precipitate the polymerase-positive subpopulation of Dane particles, indicating that anti-HBe has no direct role in virus neutralization.

  4. The effect of soil properties on the toxicity and bioaccumulation of Ag nanoparticles and Ag ions in Enchytraeus crypticus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topuz, Emel; van Gestel, Cornelis A M

    2017-10-01

    Standard natural Lufa soils (2.2, 2.3 and 5M) with different organic carbon contents (0.67-1.61%) and pH CaCl2 (5.5-7.3) were spiked with ionic Ag (AgNO 3 ) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (AgNP-PVP) and citrate (AgNP-Cit) coated Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Enchytraeus crypticus were exposed for 21 days to assess effects on survival and reproduction. Soil, pore water and animals were analyzed for Ag. AgNP-Cit had a strong increasing effect on soil pH, leading to high enchytraeid mortality at concentrations higher than 60-100mg Ag/kg dry soil which made it impossible to determine the influence of soil properties on its toxicity. LC50s were lower for AgNO 3 than for AgNP-PVP (92-112 and 335-425mg Ag/kg dry soil, respectively) and were not affected by soil properties. AgNO 3 and AgNP-PVP had comparable reproductive toxicity with EC50s of 26.9-75.2 and 28.2-92.3mg Ag/kg dry soil, respectively; toxicity linearly increased with decreasing organic carbon content of the soils but did not show a clear effect of soil pH. Ag uptake in the enchytraeids was higher at higher organic carbon content, but could not explain differences in toxicity between soils. This study indicates that the bioavailability of both ionic and nanoparticulate Ag is mainly affected by soil organic carbon, with little effect of soil pH. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Label-free sensitive luminescence biosensor for immunoglobulin G based on Ag6Au6 ethisterone cluster-estrogen receptor α aggregation and graphene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Nannan; Guo, Wenjing; Lin, Zhixiang; Wei, Qiaohua; Chen, Guonan

    2018-08-01

    A specific and label-free "on-off-on" luminescence biosensor based on a novel heterometallic cluster [Ag 6 Au 6 (ethisterone) 12 ]-estrogen receptor α (Ag 6 Au 6 Eth-ERα) aggregation utilizing graphene oxide (GO) as a quencher to lead a small background signal was firstly constructed to detect immunoglobulin G (IgG) with a simple process and high selectivity. The efficient photoluminescent (PL) Ag 6 Au 6 Eth-ERα aggregation is strongly quenched by GO. In the presence of IgG, the PL of this system will be restored, and perceivable by human eyes under UV lamp excitation (365 nm). The quenching mechanism of GO on Ag 6 Au 6 Eth-ERα and enhancement mechanism of IgG on Ag 6 Au 6 Eth-ERα-GO were investigated in detail. Under the optimum conditions, the biosensor for high sensitive IgG detection expressed a wider linear range of 0.0078-10 ng/mL and a lower detection limit of 0.65 pg/mL with good stability and repeatability, which provided a new approach for label-free IgG detection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Control of texture in Ag and Ag-alloy substrates for superconducting tapes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gladstone, T.A.

    2000-01-01

    The use of a biaxially textured silver tape as a substrate for high temperature superconductor (HTS) phases is one possible route towards the fabrication of high-J c superconducting tape. Using a cold-rolling and annealing process we have reproducibly fabricated {110} textured silver which is stable up to 900 deg. C. We have found that there are two critical process requirements for the formation of this texture; a low oxygen content in the material prior to deformation, and a cold-rolling thickness reduction of less than 97%. To overcome the problems associated with the poor mechanical strength of pure silver, texture development in Ag-Mg and Ag-Hf alloys with improved mechanical properties has been studied. Heat treatments in a reducing atmosphere allow the {110} annealing texture to be obtained in Ag-0.1 wt%Mg. The recrystallization behaviour of a Ag-Pd alloy with an increased stacking fault energy was also investigated and a partial cube texture was obtained in this material. Using orientation distribution function (ODF) analysis we have shown that minor variations in the deformation texture of both pure silver and Ag-based alloys can lead to significant differences in the recrystallization textures obtained. (author)

  7. Identification of Ag and Cd photoluminescence in $^{111}$Ag-doped GaN

    CERN Document Server

    Stötzler, A; Deicher, M

    1999-01-01

    In order to unambiguously identify the chemical nature of Cd and Ag related optical transitions in GaN, epitaxial GaN layers were implanted with the radioactive isotope $^{111}$Ag which decays into stable $^{111}$Cd. This chemical transmutation was monitored by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Being an element specific property, the half-life of this decay was used to establish the chemical assignment of the optical transitions to a specific defect. We found that the Ag related transitions consist of a series of four single lines (1.610, 1.600, 1.594, and 1.573 eV), each accompanied by two phonon replicas separated by 63 meV. Cd produces two PL bands centered at 2.7 and 3.2 eV. Additional Cd-related single transitions at 3.341, 3.328, and 3.249 eV have been observed. Exponential fits to the PL intensities yield half-lives of $t_{1/2}^{Ag}$= (7.61$\\pm$0.27) d and $t_{1/2}^{Cd}$=(7.60$\\pm$0.27) d, respectively, in good agreement with the half-life of $^{111}$Ag of 7.45 d. (13 refs).

  8. Crystal growth, spectroscopic and laser properties of Tm:LuAG crystal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, X. D.; Wang, X. D.; Lin, Z. F.; Cheng, Y.; Li, D. Z.; Cheng, S. S.; Wu, F.; Zhao, Z. W.; Gao, C. Q.; Gao, M. W.; Xu, J.

    2009-11-01

    Tm:Lu3Al5O12 (Tm:LuAG) crystal was grown by the Czochralski method. The segregation coefficient was measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer. The cell parameters were analyzed with X-ray powder diffraction experiments. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of Tm:LuAG crystal at room temperature were investigated. With a 20 W fiber-coupled diode laser as pump source, the continuous-wave (CW) laser action of Tm:LuAG crystal was demonstrated. The maximum output power at 2020 nm was obtained to be 3.04 W, and the slope efficiency was 25.3%.

  9. Synthesis of biocompatible AuAgS/Ag2S nanoclusters and their applications in photocatalysis and mercury detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Qian; Chen, Shenna; Zhang, Lingyang; Huang, Haowen; Liu, Fengping; Liu, Xuanyong

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, a facile approach for preparation of AuAgS/Ag 2 S nanoclusters was developed. The unique AuAgS/Ag 2 S nanoclusters capped with biomolecules exhibit interesting excellent optical and catalytic properties. The fluorescent AuAgS/Ag 2 S nanoclusters show tunable luminescence depending on the nanocluster size. The apoptosis assay demonstrated that the AuAgS/Ag 2 S nanoclusters showed low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility. Therefore, the nanoclusters can be used not only as a probe for labeling cells but also for their photocatalytic activity for photodegradation of organic dye. Moreover, a highly selective and sensitive assay for detection of mercury including Hg 2+ and undissociated mercury complexes was developed based on the quenching fluorescent AuAgS/Ag 2 S nanoclusters, which provides a promising approach for determining various forms of Hg in the mercury-based compounds in environment. These unique nanoclusters may have potential applications in biological labeling, sensing mercury, and photodegradation of various organic pollutants in waste water.Graphical Abstract

  10. Surface alloy formation by adsorption of holmium on Ag/Mo(112) bimetallic surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kołaczkiewicz, Jan; Oleksy, Czesław

    2018-03-01

    Work function change measurements, low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and density functional theory (DFT) are used to determine the structures formed on Ag/Mo(112) bimetallic surfaces upon deposition of 0.5 monolayer (ML) of holmium. As the bimetallic surfaces, we have chosen the Mo(112) substrate covered with 1 or 2 ML of Ag. Such surfaces have the same symmetry as the Mo(112) face but different electronic properties. LEED experiment indicates that the c(2 × 2) structure is formed on (1 ML Ag)/Mo(112) bimetallic surface upon deposition of 0.5 ML of Ho. DFT calculations show that a type of Ag-Ho surface alloy is formed, with Ho atoms 0.6 Å below the distorted layer of Ag. This is neither a substitutional nor a subsurface alloy. It is found that the adsorption structure formed on the (2 ML Ag)/Mo(112) bimetallic surface depends on the annealing temperature. After deposition of 0.5 ML of Ho at 300 K, the LEED pattern of p(2 × 2) symmetry is observed. Annealing of the overlayer at 640 K irreversibly changes the p(2 × 2) pattern into a pattern of c(2 × 2) type. The results of DFT computations show that the c(2 × 2) structure of the Ag-Ho surface alloy is energetically most favorable. In this structure, 0.5 ML of Ho is between the two monolayers of Ag, and the symmetry of the topmost layer is changed. The work function change calculated for the c(2 × 2) structure is in a good agreement with the measured value (0.22 eV). The results show that adsorption of Ho on the Ag/Mo(112) bimetallic surfaces is substantially different than on the clean Mo(112).

  11. Ballistic electron emission spectroscopy on Ag/Si devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bannani, A; Bobisch, C A; Matena, M; Moeller, R [Department of Physics, Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 47048 Duisburg (Germany)], E-mail: amin.bannani@uni-due.de

    2008-09-17

    In this work we report on ballistic electron emission spectroscopy (BEES) studies on epitaxial layers of silver grown on silicon surfaces, with either a Si(111)-(7 x 7) or Si(100)-(2 x 1) surface reconstruction. The experiments were done at low temperature and in ultra-high vacuum (UHV). In addition, BEES measurements on polycrystalline Ag films grown on hydrogen-terminated H:Si(111)-(1 x 1) and H:Si(100)-(2 x 1) surfaces were performed. The Schottky barrier heights were evaluated by BEES. The results are compared to the values for the barrier height reported for macroscopic Schottky diodes. We show that the barrier heights for the epitaxial films substantially differ from the values measured on polycrystalline Ag films, suggesting a strong effect of the interface on the barrier height.

  12. Structure and photoelectrochemistry of silver-copper-indium-diselenide ((AgCu)InSe2) thin film

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lin Rui; Li, Tong; Wang, Hao; Pang, Wei; Chen, Yi Chuan; Song, Xue Mei; Zhang, Yong Zhe; Yan, Hui

    2018-02-01

    In this work, silver (Ag) precursors with different thicknesses were sputtered on the surfaces of CuIn alloys, and (AgCu)InSe2 (ACIS) films were formed after selenization at 550 °C under nitrogen condition using a rapid thermal process furnace. The structure and electrical properties of the ACIS films were investigated. The result showed that the distribution of Ag+ ion was more uniform with increasing the thickness of Ag precursor, and the surface of the thin-film became more homogeneous and denser. When Ag/Cu ratio ≥0.249, the small grain particles disappeared. The band gap can be rationally controlled by adjusting Ag content. When (Ag + Cu)/In ratio ≥ 1.15, the surface of the ACIS thin-film mainly exhibited n-type semiconductor. Through the photoelectrochemistry measurement, it was observed that the incorporation of Ag+ ions could improve photocurrent by adjusting the band gap. With the Ag precursor thickness increased, the dark current decreased at the more negative potential.

  13. Structural, optical and electrical characterization of Ag doped lead chalcogenide (PbSe) thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Al-Ghamdi, A.A., E-mail: aghamdi90@hotmail.com [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia); Al-Heniti, S. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia); Khan, Shamshad A. [Department of Physics, St. Andrew' s College, Gorakhpur, UP (India)

    2013-03-15

    Research and development efforts are currently underway to fabricate a variety of solid state devices. A good deal of information regarding the synthesis, structural, optical and electrical properties of Ag doped lead chalcogenides have been revealed. The bulk polycrystalline (PbSe){sub 100-x}Ag{sub x} ternary chalcogenides are prepared by diffusion technique. The XRD patterns recorded for the (PbSe){sub 100-x}Ag{sub x} thin films prepared by vacuum deposition technique, show that these films are polycrystalline in nature. The optical measurements reveal that the (PbSe){sub 100-x}Ag{sub x} thin films possess direct band gap and the band gap energy decreases with an increase of Ag concentration. The extinction coefficient (k) and refractive index (n) are found to be changing by increasing Ag concentration in PbSe. These results are interpreted in terms of the change in concentration of localized states due to the shift in Fermi level. The dc conductivities of (PbSe){sub 100-x}Ag{sub x} thin films are measured in temperature range 303-403 K. It is observed that the dc conductivity increases at all the temperatures with an increase of Ag content in PbSe system. The experimental data suggests that the conduction is due to thermally assisted tunneling of the charge carriers in the localized states near the band edges. The activation energy and optical band gap are found to decrease with increasing Ag concentration in lead chalcogenide and there are good agreements between these two values. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer (PbSe){sub 100-x}Ag{sub x} thin films has been investigated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polycrystalline nature has been verified by X-ray diffraction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Optical absorption data showed the rules of direct transitions predominate. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dc conductivity increases with an increase of Ag content in PbSe system. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Increase of Ag concentration causes a decrease in E{sub g

  14. Ag@Ag{sub 8}W{sub 4}O{sub 16} nanoroasted rice beads with photocatalytic, antibacterial and anticancer activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Selvamani, Muthamizh; Krishnamoorthy, Giribabu; Ramadoss, Manigandan; Sivakumar, Praveen Kumar; Settu, Munusamy [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025 (India); Ranganathan, Suresh [Department of Chemistry, SRM University, Ramapuram Campus, Chennai, 600 089 (India); Vengidusamy, Narayanan, E-mail: vnnara@yahoo.co.in [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025 (India)

    2016-03-01

    Increasing resistance of pathogens and cancer cell line towards antibiotics and anticancer agents has caused serious health problems in the past decades. Due to these problems in recent years, researchers have tried to combine nanotechnology with material science to have intrinsic antimicrobial and anticancer activity. The metals and metal oxides were investigated with respect to their antimicrobial and anticancer effects towards bacteria and cancer cell line. In the present work metal@metal tungstate (Ag@Ag{sub 8}W{sub 4}O{sub 16} nanoroasted rice beads) is investigated for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using Mueller-Hinton broth and the anticancer activity against B16F10 cell line was studied. Silver decorated silver tungstate (Ag@Ag{sub 8}W{sub 4}O{sub 16}) was synthesized by the microwave irradiation method using Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB). Ag@Ag{sub 8}W{sub 4}O{sub 16} was characterized by using various spectroscopic techniques. The phase and crystalline nature were analyzed by using XRD. The morphological analysis was carried out using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). Further, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Raman spectral analysis were carried out in order to ascertain the presence of functional groups in Ag@Ag{sub 8}W{sub 4}O{sub 16}. The optical property was investigated using Diffuse Reflectance Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy (DRS-UV–Vis) and the band gap was found to be 3.08 eV. Surface area of the synthesized Ag@Ag{sub 8}W{sub 4}O{sub 16} wasanalyzed by BET analysis and Ag@Ag{sub 8}W{sub 4}O{sub 16} was utilized for the degradation of organic dyes methylene blue and rhodamine B. The morphology of the Ag@Ag{sub 8}W{sub 4}O{sub 16} resembles roasted rice beads with breath and length in nm range. The oxidation state of tungsten (W) and silver (Ag) was investigated using X-ray photoelectron

  15. Analysis of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) using high-sensitivity HBsAg assays in hepatitis B virus carriers in whom HBsAg seroclearance was confirmed by conventional assays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozeki, Itaru; Nakajima, Tomoaki; Suii, Hirokazu; Tatsumi, Ryoji; Yamaguchi, Masakatsu; Kimura, Mutsuumi; Arakawa, Tomohiro; Kuwata, Yasuaki; Ohmura, Takumi; Hige, Shuhei; Karino, Yoshiyasu; Toyota, Joji

    2018-02-01

    We investigated the utility of high-sensitivity hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) assays compared with conventional HBsAg assays. Using serum samples from 114 hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers in whom HBsAg seroclearance was confirmed by conventional HBsAg assays (cut-off value, 0.05 IU/mL), the amount of HBsAg was re-examined by high-sensitivity HBsAg assays (cut-off value, 0.005 IU/mL). Cases negative for HBsAg in both assays were defined as consistent cases, and cases positive for HBsAg in the high-sensitivity HBsAg assay only were defined as discrepant cases. There were 55 (48.2%) discrepant cases, and the range of HBsAg titers determined by high-sensitivity HBsAg assays was 0.005-0.056 IU/mL. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of nucleos(t)ide analog therapy, liver cirrhosis, and negative anti-HBs contributed to the discrepancies between the two assays. Cumulative anti-HBs positivity rates among discrepant cases were 12.7%, 17.2%, 38.8%, and 43.9% at baseline, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, respectively, whereas the corresponding rates among consistent cases were 50.8%, 56.0%, 61.7%, and 68.0%, respectively. Hepatitis B virus DNA negativity rates were 56.4% and 81.4% at baseline, 51.3% and 83.3% at 1 year, and 36.8% and 95.7% at 3 years, among discrepant and consistent cases, respectively. Hepatitis B surface antigen reversion was observed only in discrepant cases. Re-examination by high-sensitivity HBsAg assays revealed that HBsAg was positive in approximately 50% of cases. Cumulative anti-HBs seroconversion rates and HBV-DNA seroclearance rates were lower in these cases, suggesting a population at risk for HBsAg reversion. © 2017 The Japan Society of Hepatology.

  16. Ozone decomposition on Ag/SiO{sub 2} and Ag/clinoptilolite catalysts at ambient temperature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nikolov, Penko, E-mail: penmail@mail.bg [Institute of Catalysis, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Genov, Krassimir; Konova, Petya [Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Milenova, Katya; Batakliev, Todor; Georgiev, Vladimir [Institute of Catalysis, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Kumar, Narendra [Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Process Chemistry Centre, Abo Akademi University, Biskopsgatan 8, 20500 Abo/Turku (Finland); Sarker, Dipak K. [School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4GJ (United Kingdom); Pishev, Dimitar [University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 1756 Sofia (Bulgaria); Rakovsky, Slavcho [Institute of Catalysis, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria)

    2010-12-15

    Silver modified zeolite (Bulgarian natural clinoptilolite) and Ag/silica catalysts were synthesized by ion exchange and incipient wet impregnation method respectively and characterized by different techniques. DC arc-AES was used for Ag detection. XRD spectra show that Ag is loaded over the surface of the SiO{sub 2} sample and that after the ion-exchange process the HEU type structure of clinoptilolite is retained. UV-VIS (specific reflection at 310 nm) and IR (band at 695 cm{sup -1}) spectroscopy analysis proved that silver is loaded as a T-atom into zeolite channels as Ag{sup +}, instead of Na{sup +}, Ca{sup 2+}, or K{sup +} ions, existing in the natural clinoptilolite form. The samples Ag/SiO{sub 2} and Ag-clinoptilolite were tested as catalysts for decomposition of gas phase ozone. Very high catalytic activity (up to 99%) was observed and at the same time the catalysts remained active over time at room temperature.

  17. Thickness-dependent spontaneous dewetting morphology of ultrathin Ag films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krishna, H; Favazza, C [Department of Physics, Washington University in St Louis, MO 63130 (United States); Sachan, R; Strader, J; Kalyanaraman, R [Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States); Khenner, M, E-mail: ramki@utk.edu [Department of Mathematics, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101 (United States)

    2010-04-16

    We show here that the morphological pathway of spontaneous dewetting of ultrathin Ag films on SiO{sub 2} under nanosecond laser melting is dependent on film thickness. For films with thickness h of 2 nm {<=} h {<=} 9.5 nm, the morphology during the intermediate stages of dewetting consisted of bicontinuous structures. For films with 11.5 nm {<=} h {<=} 20 nm, the intermediate stages consisted of regularly sized holes. Measurement of the characteristic length scales for different stages of dewetting as a function of film thickness showed a systematic increase, which is consistent with the spinodal dewetting instability over the entire thickness range investigated. This change in morphology with thickness is consistent with observations made previously for polymer films (Sharma and Khanna 1998 Phys. Rev. Lett. 81 3463-6; Seemann et al 2001 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 13 4925-38). Based on the behavior of free energy curvature that incorporates intermolecular forces, we have estimated the morphological transition thickness for the intermolecular forces for Ag on SiO{sub 2}. The theory predictions agree well with observations for Ag. These results show that it is possible to form a variety of complex Ag nanomorphologies in a consistent manner, which could be useful in optical applications of Ag surfaces, such as in surface enhanced Raman sensing.

  18. Fabrication of Z-scheme plasmonic photocatalyst Ag@AgBr/g-C3N4 with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Yuxin; Guo, Wan; Guo, Yingna; Zhao, Yahui; Yuan, Xing; Guo, Yihang

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Z-scheme plasmonic photocatalyst of Ag@AgBr/g-C 3 N 4 is prepared for the first time. • Ag@AgBr/g-C 3 N 4 shows enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity. • Photocatalytic mechanism based on the experimental results is revealed. • Photocatalytic degradation pathway of MO is put forward. - Abstract: A series of Ag@AgBr grafted graphitic carbon nitride (Ag@AgBr/g-C 3 N 4 ) plasmonic photocatalysts are fabricated through photoreducing AgBr/g-C 3 N 4 hybrids prepared by deposition–precipitation method. The phase and chemical structures, electronic and optical properties as well as morphologies of Ag@AgBr/g-C 3 N 4 heterostructures are well-characterized. Subsequently, the photocatalytic activity of Ag@AgBr/g-C 3 N 4 is evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange (MO) and rhodamin B (RB) under visible-light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of Ag@AgBr/g-C 3 N 4 compared with g-C 3 N 4 and Ag@AgBr is obtained and explained in terms of the efficient visible-light utilization efficiency as well as the construction of Z-scheme, which keeps photogenerated electrons and holes with high reduction and oxidation capability, evidenced by photoelectrochemical tests and free radical and hole scavenging experiments. Based on the intermediates identified in the reaction system, the photocatalytic degradation pathway of MO is put forward

  19. Effects of silver nanoparticle (Ag NP on oxidative stress biomarkers in rat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akram Ranjbar

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s: Nanotechnology and nanoparticles are increasingly recognized for their potential applications in aerospace engineering, nanoelectronics, and environmental remediation, medicine and consumer products. More importantly is the potential for the application of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs in the treatment of diseases that require maintenance of circulating drug concentration or targeting of specific cells or organs the aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective role of Ag NP antioxidative biomarkers in rats. Ag NPs are used to investigate the potential risks for the environment and health. Materials and Methods: Rats received Ag NP, 5, 50, 250 and 500 mg/kg/day IP. After two week of treatment, the activity of enzymatic scavengers such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx, superoxide dismutase (SOD and total antioxidant capacity (TAC of blood samples were measured. Results: Ag NP in 5, 50, 250 and 500 mg/kg reduced activities of CAT, SOD and increased TAC in plasma. Conclusion: In this study, Ag NP with 500mg/kg induced activities of CAT, SOD and decreased TAC. It is concluded that antioxidative properties of Ag NP is dose dependent.

  20. Posintro™-HBsAg, a modified ISCOM including HBsAg, induces strong cellular and humoral responses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schiött, Asa; Larsson, Kristina; Manniche, Søren

    2011-01-01

    HBsAg vaccine formulation, Posintro™-HBsAg, was compared to two commercial hepatitis B vaccines including aluminium or monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) and the two adjuvant systems MF59 and QS21 in their efficiency to prime both cellular and humoral immune responses. The Posintro™-HBsAg induced...

  1. Fabrication of AgX-loaded Ag2CO3 (X = Cl, I) composites and their efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Hui; Zhu, Jiaxiang; Song, Yongxiu; Zhu, Tingting; Zhao, Wenkai; Song, Yanhua; Da, Zulin; Liu, Chengbao; Li, Huaming

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The novel AgX/Ag 2 CO 3 composites have been synthesized by ion exchange reaction. • AgX/Ag 2 CO 3 exhibit higher photoactivity and stability than that of Ag 2 CO 3 . • The band structure of AgX/Ag 2 CO 3 is beneficial to improve the photoactivity. - Abstract: The novel visible-light-driven AgX/Ag 2 CO 3 (X = Cl, I) hybrid materials were synthesized by ion exchange reaction. The physical and chemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffuse-reflection spectra (DRS) and photocurrent techniques. The as-prepared AgX/Ag 2 CO 3 (X = Cl, I) composites showed higher photocatalytic activity than that of the pure Ag 2 CO 3 photocatalyst under visible light irradiation (λ ⩾ 400 nm) in the process of methylene blue (MB) degradation. The optimal mass percentage of AgCl and AgI in the AgX/Ag 2 CO 3 (X = Cl, I) composite was 20.54 wt% and 40 wt%, respectively. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity was attributed to the suitable band potential between AgX and Ag 2 CO 3 , which was beneficial to increase the separation efficiency of electrons and holes. Besides, the photocatalytic mechanism of AgX/Ag 2 CO 3 (X = Cl, I) composites was also proposed

  2. Application of a newly developed high-sensitivity HBsAg chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay for hepatitis B patients with HBsAg seroclearance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shinkai, Noboru; Matsuura, Kentaro; Sugauchi, Fuminaka; Watanabe, Tsunamasa; Murakami, Shuko; Iio, Etsuko; Ogawa, Shintaro; Nojiri, Shunsuke; Joh, Takashi; Tanaka, Yasuhito

    2013-11-01

    We modified and automated a highly sensitive chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) for surface antigen (HBsAg) detection using a combination of monoclonal antibodies, each for a specific epitope of HBsAg, and by improving an earlier conjugation technique. Of 471 hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers seen in our hospital between 2009 and 2012, 26 were HBsAg seronegative as determined by the Abbott Architect assay. The Lumipulse HBsAg-HQ assay was used to recheck those 26 patients who demonstrated seroclearance by the Abbott Architect assay. The performance of the Lumipulse HBsAg-HQ assay was compared with that of a quantitative HBsAg detection system (Abbott Architect) and the Roche Cobas TaqMan HBV DNA assay (CTM) (lower limit of detection, 2.1 log copies/ml) using blood serum samples from patients who were determined to be HBsAg seronegative by the Abbott Architect assay. Ten patients had spontaneous HBsAg loss. Of 8 patients treated with nucleotide analogues (NAs), two were HBsAg seronegative after stopping lamivudine therapy and 6 were HBsAg seronegative during entecavir therapy. Eight acute hepatitis B (AH) patients became HBsAg seronegative. Of the 26 patients, 16 were HBsAg positive by the Lumipulse HBsAg-HQ assay but negative by the Abbott Architect assay. The differences between the two assays in terms of detectable HBsAg persisted over the long term in the spontaneous loss group (median, 10 months), the NA-treated group (2.5 months), and the AH group (0.5 months). In 9 patients, the Lumipulse HBsAg-HQ assay detected HBsAg when HBV DNA was negative by the CTM assay. HBsAg was also detected by the Lumipulse HBsAg-HQ assay in 4 patients with an anti-HBs concentration of >10 mIU/ml, 3 of whom had no HBsAg escape mutations. The automatic, highly sensitive HBsAg CLEIA Lumipulse HBsAg-HQ is a convenient and precise assay for HBV monitoring.

  3. Analyzing repeated data collected by mobile phones and frequent text messages. An example of Low back pain measured weekly for 18 weeks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Axén Iben

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Repeated data collection is desirable when monitoring fluctuating conditions. Mobile phones can be used to gather such data from large groups of respondents by sending and receiving frequently repeated short questions and answers as text messages. The analysis of repeated data involves some challenges. Vital issues to consider are the within-subject correlation, the between measurement occasion correlation and the presence of missing values. The overall aim of this commentary is to describe different methods of analyzing repeated data. It is meant to give an overview for the clinical researcher in order for complex outcome measures to be interpreted in a clinically meaningful way. Methods A model data set was formed using data from two clinical studies, where patients with low back pain were followed with weekly text messages for 18 weeks. Different research questions and analytic approaches were illustrated and discussed, as well as the handling of missing data. In the applications the weekly outcome “number of days with pain” was analyzed in relation to the patients’ “previous duration of pain” (categorized as more or less than 30 days in the previous year. Research questions with appropriate analytical methods 1: How many days with pain do patients experience? This question was answered with data summaries. 2: What is the proportion of participants “recovered” at a specific time point? This question was answered using logistic regression analysis. 3: What is the time to recovery? This question was answered using survival analysis, illustrated in Kaplan-Meier curves, Proportional Hazard regression analyses and spline regression analyses. 4: How is the repeatedly measured data associated with baseline (predictor variables? This question was answered using generalized Estimating Equations, Poisson regression and Mixed linear models analyses. 5: Are there subgroups of patients with similar courses of pain

  4. Spherical LDH-Ag°-montmorillonite heterocoagulated system with a pH-dependent sol-gel structure for controlled accessibility of AgNPs immobilized on the clay lamellae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deák, Ágota; Janovák, László; Tallósy, Szabolcs Péter; Bitó, Tamás; Sebők, Dániel; Buzás, Norbert; Pálinkó, István; Dékány, Imre

    2015-02-17

    Aqueous suspensions of spherical ZnMgAl-layered double hydroxides [LDH(sph)] and antibacterial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) deposited on the lamellae of montmorillonite were used for the synthesis of composites, which behave like coherent gels at low pH (≲4.5) and incoherent sols at higher pH (≳4.5). The composition of the composite was chosen as LDH(sph)/Ag°-montm. = 25:75 wt % in order to ensure a sol-gel transition that can also be characterized by viscometry. This pH-sensitive heterocoagulated system consisting of oppositely charged colloid particles was suitable for the release of antimicrobial AgNPs immobilized on the clay lamellae via a pH-controlled gel-sol transition. The heterocoagulation process was also characterized by surface charge titration measurements. Spherical LDH/Ag°-montmorillonite composite samples were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The morphological properties of the composites were studied, and the presence of the heterocoagulated structure was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanoscale structure of the LDH(sph)-Ag°-montmorillonite composite obtained was also verified by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and the rheological characteristics were studied at various pH values. The viscosity and yield value of the composite decreased by an order of magnitude upon increasing the pH from 3.0 to 5.5. The sol-gel transition of the composite suspension was reversible in the previously mentioned pH range.

  5. Thermoelectric transport of Se-rich Ag2Se in normal phases and phase transitions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mi, Wenlong; Lv, Yanhong; Qiu, Pengfei; Shi, Xun; Chen, Lidong; Zhang, Tiansong

    2014-01-01

    Small amount of Se atoms are used to tune the carrier concentrations (n H ) and electrical transport in Ag 2 Se. Significant enhancements in power factor and thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) are observed in the compositions of Ag 2 Se 1.06 and Ag 2 Se 1.08 . The excessive Se atoms do not change the intrinsically electron-conducting character in Ag 2 Se. The detailed analysis reveals the experiment optimum carrier concentration in Ag 2 Se is around 5 × 10 18  cm −3 . We also investigate the temperature of maximum zT and the thermoelectric transport during the first order phase transitions using the recently developed measurement system

  6. Acute caffeine effect on repeatedly measured P300

    OpenAIRE

    Pan, Jingbo; Takeshita, Tatsuya; Morimoto, Kanehisa

    2000-01-01

    The acute effect of a single-dose of caffeine on the P300 event-related brain potential (ERP) was assessed in a study using a repeatedly presented auditory oddball button-press task. A dose (5mg/kg body-weight) of either caffeine or placebo lactose, dissolved in a cup of decaffeinated coffee, was administered double-blindly to coffee drinkers who had abstained from coffee for 24hrs, with the presentation order of the sessions counterbalanced and separated by 2–4 weeks. The caffeine-treatment ...

  7. Thermal characterization of Ag and Ag + N ion implanted ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sokullu Urkac, E. [Department of Materials Science, Izmir High Technology Institute, Gulbahcekoyu Urla, Izmir (Turkey)]. E-mail: emelsu@gmail.com; Oztarhan, A. [Bioengineering Department, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir 35100 (Turkey); Tihminlioglu, F. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Izmir High Technology Institute, Gulbahcekoyu Urla, Izmir (Turkey); Kaya, N. [Bioengineering Department, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir 35100 (Turkey); Ila, D. [Center for Irradiation of Materials, Alabama A and M University, Normal AL 35762 (United States); Muntele, C. [Center for Irradiation of Materials, Alabama A and M University, Normal AL 35762 (United States); Budak, S. [Center for Irradiation of Materials, Alabama A and M University, Normal AL 35762 (United States); Oks, E. [H C Electronics Institute, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Nikolaev, A. [H C Electronics Institute, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Ezdesir, A. [R and D Department, PETKIM Holding A.S., Aliaga, Izmir 35801 (Turkey); Tek, Z. [Department of Physics, Celal Bayar University, Manisa (Turkey)

    2007-08-15

    Most of total hip joints are composed of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE ). However, as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is too stable in a body, wear debris may accumulate and cause biological response such as bone absorption and loosening of prosthesis. In this study, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene samples were Ag and Ag + N hybrid ion implanted by using MEVVA ion implantation technique to improve its surface properties. Samples were implanted with a fluence of 10{sup 17} ion/cm{sup 2} and extraction voltage of 30 kV. Implanted and unimplanted samples were investigated by thermo-gravimetry analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy (OM) and contact Angle measurement. Thermal characterization results showed that the ion bombardment induced an increase in the % crystallinity, onset and termination degradation temperatures of UHMWPE.

  8. Microstructure, mechanical properties, bio-corrosion properties and antibacterial properties of Ti–Ag sintered alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Mian [Key Lab. for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials, Education Ministry of China, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Zhang, Erlin, E-mail: zhangel@atm.neu.edu.cn [Key Lab. for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials, Education Ministry of China, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Zhang, Lan [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China)

    2016-05-01

    In this research, Ag element was selected as an antibacterial agent to develop an antibacterial Ti–Ag alloy by a powder metallurgy. The microstructure, phase constitution, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties of the Ti–Ag sintered alloys have been systematically studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), compressive test, electrochemical measurements and antibacterial test. The effects of the Ag powder size and the Ag content on the antibacterial property and mechanical property as well as the anticorrosion property have been investigated. The microstructure results have shown that Ti–Ag phase, residual pure Ag and Ti were the mainly phases in Ti–Ag(S75) sintered alloy while Ti{sub 2}Ag was synthesized in Ti–Ag(S10) sintered alloy. The mechanical test indicated that Ti–Ag sintered alloy showed a much higher hardness and the compressive yield strength than cp-Ti but the mechanical properties were slightly reduced with the increase of Ag content. Electrochemical results showed that Ag powder size had a significant effect on the corrosion resistance of Ti–Ag sintered alloy. Ag content increased the corrosion resistance in a dose dependent way under a homogeneous microstructure. Antibacterial tests have demonstrated that antibacterial Ti–Ag alloy was successfully prepared. It was also shown that the Ag powder particle size and the Ag content influenced the antibacterial activity seriously. The reduction in the Ag powder size was benefit to the improvement in the antibacterial property and the Ag content has to be at least 3 wt.% in order to obtain a strong and stable antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The bacterial mechanism was thought to be related to the Ti{sub 2}Ag and its distribution. - Highlights: • Ti–Ag alloy with up to 99% antibacterial rate was developed by powder metallurgy. • The effects of the Ag powder size and the Ag content on the

  9. Enhanced Raman scattering and nonlinear conductivity in Ag-doped hollow ZnO microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tringe, Joseph W.; Levie, Harold W.; McCall, Scott K.; Teslich, Nick E.; Wall, Mark A.; Orme, Christine A.; Matthews, Manyalibo J. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States)

    2012-10-15

    Hollow spherical ZnO particles doped with Ag were synthesized with a two-step oxidation and sublimation furnace annealing process. Ag nanoparticle precipitates, as observed by transmission electron microscopy, were present in the polycrystalline ZnO matrix at Ag concentrations below 0.02 mol%, significantly below the 0.8 mol% solubility limit for Ag in ZnO. Enhanced Raman scattering of ZnO phonon modes is observed, increasing with Ag nanoparticle concentration. A further enhancement in Raman scattering due to resonance effects was observed for LO phonons excited by 2.33-eV photons as compared with Raman scattering under 1.96-eV excitation. Room-temperature photoluminescence spectra showed both a near-band-edge emission due to free exciton transitions and a mid-gap transition due to the presence of singly ionized oxygen vacancies. ZnO:Ag particles were measured electrically in a packed column and in monolithic form, and in both cases displayed nonlinear current-voltage characteristics similar to those previously observed in sintered ZnO:Ag monoliths where Ag-enhanced disorder at grain boundaries is thought to control current transport. We demonstrate therefore that Ag simultaneously modifies the electrical and optical properties of ZnO particles through the introduction of vacancies and other defects. (orig.)

  10. Piezoresistive Sensor with High Elasticity Based on 3D Hybrid Network of Sponge@CNTs@Ag NPs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hui; Liu, Nishuang; Shi, Yuling; Liu, Weijie; Yue, Yang; Wang, Siliang; Ma, Yanan; Wen, Li; Li, Luying; Long, Fei; Zou, Zhengguang; Gao, Yihua

    2016-08-31

    Pressure sensors with high elasticity are in great demand for the realization of intelligent sensing, but there is a need to develope a simple, inexpensive, and scalable method for the manufacture of the sensors. Here, we reported an efficient, simple, facile, and repeatable "dipping and coating" process to manufacture a piezoresistive sensor with high elasticity, based on homogeneous 3D hybrid network of carbon nanotubes@silver nanoparticles (CNTs@Ag NPs) anchored on a skeleton sponge. Highly elastic, sensitive, and wearable sensors are obtained using the porous structure of sponge and the synergy effect of CNTs/Ag NPs. Our sensor was also tested for over 2000 compression-release cycles, exhibiting excellent elasticity and cycling stability. Sensors with high performance and a simple fabrication process are promising devices for commercial production in various electronic devices, for example, sport performance monitoring and man-machine interfaces.

  11. Diabetic Foot Prevention: Repeatability of the Loran Platform Plantar Pressure and Load Distribution Measurements in Nondiabetic Subjects during Bipedal Standing—A Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martha Zequera

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This study was designed to assess the repeatability of the Loran Platform and evaluate the variability of plantar pressure and postural balance, during barefoot standing in nondiabetic subjects, for future diabetic foot clinical evaluation. Measurements were taken for eight nondiabetic subjects (4 females, 4 males, aged 47±7.2 years who had no musculoskeletal symptoms. Five variables were measured with the platform in the barefoot standing position. Ten measurements were taken using two different techniques for feet and posture positioning, during three sessions, once a week. For most measurements, no significant effect over time was found with Student's t-test (P<.000125. The ANOVA test of statistical significance confirmed that measurement differences between subjects showed higher variations than measurements taken from the same subject (P<.001. The measurements taken by the Loran Platform system were found to be repeatable.

  12. Repeated stimulation, inter-stimulus interval and inter-electrode distance alters muscle contractile properties as measured by Tensiomyography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Mark I.; Francis, Peter

    2018-01-01

    Context The influence of methodological parameters on the measurement of muscle contractile properties using Tensiomyography (TMG) has not been published. Objective To investigate the; (1) reliability of stimulus amplitude needed to elicit maximum muscle displacement (Dm), (2) effect of changing inter-stimulus interval on Dm (using a fixed stimulus amplitude) and contraction time (Tc), (3) the effect of changing inter-electrode distance on Dm and Tc. Design Within subject, repeated measures. Participants 10 participants for each objective. Main outcome measures Dm and Tc of the rectus femoris, measured using TMG. Results The coefficient of variance (CV) and the intra-class correlation (ICC) of stimulus amplitude needed to elicit maximum Dm was 5.7% and 0.92 respectively. Dm was higher when using an inter-electrode distance of 7cm compared to 5cm [P = 0.03] and when using an inter-stimulus interval of 10s compared to 30s [P = 0.017]. Further analysis of inter-stimulus interval data, found that during 10 repeated stimuli Tc became faster after the 5th measure when compared to the second measure [P<0.05]. The 30s inter-stimulus interval produced the most stable Tc over 10 measures compared to 10s and 5s respectively. Conclusion Our data suggest that the stimulus amplitude producing maximum Dm of the rectus femoris is reliable. Inter-electrode distance and inter-stimulus interval can significantly influence Dm and/ or Tc. Our results support the use of a 30s inter-stimulus interval over 10s or 5s. Future studies should determine the influence of methodological parameters on muscle contractile properties in a range of muscles. PMID:29451885

  13. Ionic-to-Electronic Conductivity Crossover in CdTe-AgI-As2Te3 Glasses: An 110mAg Tracer Diffusion Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassem, M; Alekseev, I; Bokova, M; Le Coq, D; Bychkov, E

    2018-04-12

    Conductivity isotherms of (CdTe) x (AgI) 0.5- x/2 (As 2 Te 3 ) 0.5- x/2 glasses (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) reveal a nonmonotonic behavior with increasing CdTe content reminiscent of mixed cation effect in oxide and chalcogenide glasses. Nevertheless, the apparent similarity appears to be partly incorrect. Using 110m Ag tracer diffusion measurements, we show that semiconducting CdTe additions produce a dual effect: (i) decreasing the Ag + ion transport by a factor of ≈200 with a simultaneous increase of the diffusion activation energy and (ii) increasing the electronic conductivity by 1.5 orders of magnitude. Consequently, the conductivity minimum at x = 0.05 reflects an ionic-to-electronic transport crossover; the silver-ion transport number decreases by 3 orders of magnitude with increasing x.

  14. Ag Isotopic Evolution of the Mantle During Accretion: New Constraints from Pd and Ag Metal-Silicate Partitioning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Righter, K.; Schonbachler, M.

    2018-01-01

    Decay of (sup 107) Pd to (sup 107) Ag has a half-life of 6.5 times 10 (sup 6) mega-annums. Because these elements are siderophile but also volatile, they offer potential constraints on the timing of core formation as well as volatile addition. Initial modelling has shown that the Ag isotopic composition of the bulk silicate Earth (BSE) can be explained if accretion occurs with late volatile addition. These arguments were tested for sensitivity for pre-cursor Pd/Ag contents, and for a fixed Pd/Ag ratio of the BSE of 0.1. New Ag and Pd partitioning data has allowed a better understanding of the partitioning behavior of Pd and Ag during core formation. The effects of S, C and Si, and the effect of high temperature and pressure has been evaluated. We can now calculate D(Ag) and D(Pd) over the wide range of PT conditions and variable metallic liquid compositions that are known during accretion. We then use this new partitioning information to revisit the Ag isotopic composition of the BSE during accretion.

  15. Perspectives on repeated low-level blast and the measurement of neurotrauma in humans as an occupational exposure risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carr, W.; Dell, K. C.; Yanagi, M. A.; Hassan, D. M.; LoPresti, M. L.

    2017-11-01

    A pressing question in military medical research is the nature and degree of effects on the human brain from occupational repeated exposure to low-level explosive blast, but reliable and effective means to objectively measure such effects remain elusive. In survey results, headache, difficulty sleeping, irritability, cognitive impairment, and a variety of other symptoms consistent with post-concussive syndrome have been reported by those exposed to blast and there was positive correlation between degree of blast exposure and degree of symptomology, but an important goal is to obtain more objective evidence of an effect than self-report alone. This review reflects recent efforts to measure and evaluate such hypothesized effects and current recommendations for ongoing study. Optimal measures are likely those with sensitivity and specificity to systemic effects in mild neurotrauma, that have minimal to no volitional component, and that can be sampled relatively quickly with minimal intrusion in prospective, observational field studies during routine training with explosives. An understanding of an association between parameters of exposure to repeated low-level blast and negative neurologic effects would support the evaluation of clinical implications and development of protective equipment and surveillance protocols where warranted. At present, low-level blast exposure surveillance measurements do not exist as a systematic record for any professional community.

  16. Radiochemical synthesis of {sup 105g}Ag-labelled silver nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ichedef, C., E-mail: cigdem_ch@yahoo.com; Simonelli, F.; Holzwarth, U. [Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, European Commission, Joint Research Centre (Italy); Bagaria, J. Piella; Puntes, V. F. [Institut Català de Nanotecnologia (ICN2) (Spain); Cotogno, G.; Gilliland, D.; Gibson, N. [Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, European Commission, Joint Research Centre (Italy)

    2013-11-15

    A method for synthesis of radiolabelled silver nanoparticles is reported. The method is based on proton activation of silver metal powder, enriched in {sup 107}Ag, with a 30.7 MeV proton beam. At this proton energy {sup 105g}Ag is efficiently created, mainly via the {sup 107}Ag(p,3n){sup 105}Cd → {sup 105g}Ag reaction. {sup 105g}Ag has a half-life of 41.29 days and emits easily detectable gamma radiation on decay to {sup 105}Pd. This makes it very useful as a tracing radionuclide for experiments over several weeks or months. Following activation and a period to allow short-lived radionuclides to decay, the powder was dissolved in concentrated nitric acid in order to form silver nitrate (AgNO{sub 3}), which was used to synthesise radiolabelled silver nanoparticles via the process of sodium borohydride reduction. For comparison, non-radioactive silver nanoparticles were synthesised using commercially supplied AgNO{sub 3} in order to check if the use of irradiated Ag powder as a starting material would alter in any way the final nanoparticle characteristics. Both nanoparticle types were characterised using dynamic light scattering, zeta-potential and X-ray diffraction measurements, while additionally the non-radioactive samples were analysed by transmission electron microscopy and UV–Vis spectrometry. A hydrodynamic diameter of about 16 nm was determined for both radiolabelled and non-radioactive nanoparticles, while the electron microscopy on the non-radioactive samples indicated that the physical size of the metal NPs was (7.3 ± 1.4) nm.

  17. Reproducibility and repeatability of a new computerized software for sagittal spinopelvic and scoliosis curvature radiologic measurements: Keops(®).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maillot, C; Ferrero, E; Fort, D; Heyberger, C; Le Huec, J-C

    2015-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inter- and intra-observer variability of the computerized radiologic measurements using Keops(®) and to determine the bias between the software and the standard paper measurement. Four individuals measured all frontal and sagittal variables on the 30 X-rays randomly selected on two occasions (test and retest conditions). The Bland-Altman plot was used to determine the degree of agreement between the measurement on paper X-ray and the measurement using Keops(®) for all reviewers and for the two measures; the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated for each pair of analyses to assess interobserver reproducibility among the four reviewers for the same patient using either paper X-ray or Keops(®) measurement and finally, concordance correlation coefficient (rc) was calculated to assess intraobserver repeatability among the same reviewer for one patient between the two measure using the same method (paper or Keops(®)). The mean difference calculated between the two methods was minimal at -0, 4° ± 3.41° [-7.1; 6.4] for frontal measurement and 0.1° ± 3.52° [-6.7; 6.8] for sagittal measurement. Keops(®) has a better interobserver reproducibility than paper measurement for determination of the sagittal pelvic parameter (ICC = 0.9960 vs. 0.9931; p = 0.0001). It has a better intraobserver repeatability than paper for determination of Cobbs angle (rc = 0.9872 vs. 0.9808; p rc = 0.9981 vs. 0.9953; p plane and that the use of this software can be recommended for clinical application. Diagnostic, level III.

  18. Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic activity of visible-light-driven plasmonic Ag/AgBr/ZnFe2O4 nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Xiaojuan; Tang, Duanlian; Tang, Fan; Zhu, Yunyan; He, Changfa; Liu, Minghua; Lin, Chunxiang; Liu, Yifan

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A plasmonic Ag/AgBr/ZnFe 2 O 4 photocatalyst has been successfully synthesized. • Ag/AgBr/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposites exhibit high visible light photocatalytic activity. • Ag/AgBr/ZnFe 2 O 4 photocatalyst is stable and magnetically separable. - Abstract: A visible-light-driven plasmonic Ag/AgBr/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite has been successfully synthesized via a deposition–precipitation and photoreduction through a novel one-pot process. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy were employed to investigate the crystal structure, chemical composition, morphology, and optical properties of the as-prepared nanocomposites. The photocatalytic activities of the nanocomposites were evaluated by photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and phenol under visible light. The results demonstrated that the obtained Ag/AgBr/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposites exhibited higher photocatalytic activity as compared to pure ZnFe 2 O 4 . In addition, the sample photoreduced for 20 min and calcined at 500 °C achieved the highest photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the Ag/AgBr/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite has high stability under visible light irradiation and could be conveniently separated by using an external magnetic field

  19. Anomalous growth of Ba on Ag(111)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teodoro, O.M.N.D.; Los, J.; Moutinho, A.M.C.

    2002-01-01

    Electropositive elements are often adsorbed on metals to produce a well-known decrease in the surface work function. During deposition, the work function drops steeply and reaches a minimum at coverage lower than one monolayer. Then, it increases slightly and the work function converges to the value of the deposited element. In this work, we report anomalous behavior found during the deposition of barium on a Ag(111) surface. After a minimum of about 2.4 eV the work function did not increase up to 2.7 eV, the bulk barium work function, no matter what amount of barium was deposited. Auger electron spectroscopy corroborated these results in which we measured a permanent and constant intensity of the Ag MNN peak for high barium coverage. To explain this anomalous growth of barium on Ag(111) we propose an explanation based on the diffusion of silver atoms into the barium film. Further experiments showed that coadsorption of oxygen before a second deposition of barium blocked the diffusion thus allowing the work function to reach 2.7 eV

  20. Ag nanoprisms with Ag₂S attachment.

    KAUST Repository

    Xiong, Shenglin; Xi, Baojuan; Zhang, Kang; Chen, Yifei; Jiang, Jianwen; Hu, Jiangyong; Zeng, Hua Chun

    2013-01-01

    Triangular Ag nanoprisms are a type of most-studied noble-metal nanostructures over the past decade owing to their special structural architecture and outstanding optical and catalytic properties for a wide range of applications. Nevertheless, in contrast to active research for the synthesis of phase-pure Ag nanoprisms, no asymmetric heterodimers containing Ag prisms have been developed so far, probably due to lack of suitable synthetic methods. Herein, we devise a simple ion-exchange method to synthesize Ag2S/Ag heterodimers at room temperature, through which Ag nanoprisms with controllable size and thickness can be fabricated. Formation chemistry and optical properties of the heterodimers have been investigated. These semiconductor/metal heterodimers have exhibited remarkable bactericidal activity to E. coli cells under visible light illumination.

  1. Incorporation of Pr into LuAG ceramics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchewka, M. R.; Chapman, M. G.; Qian, H.; Jacobsohn, L. G.

    2017-06-01

    An investigation of the effects of Pr in (Lu1-xPrx)3Al5O12 (LuAG:Pr) ceramics was carried out by means of x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FTIR) measurements coupled with luminescence measurements. It was found that the Pr concentration that maximizes luminescence emission depends on the thermal processing conditions. While the calcined LuAG:Pr powder showed maximum luminescence emission for Pr concentrations between 0.18 and 0.33 at.%, maximum emission of ceramic bodies sintered at 1500 °C for 20 h was obtained with Pr concentrations between 0.018 and 0.18 at.%. Further, for short sintering times up to about 3 h, luminescence emission intensity is maximum for Pr concentrations around 0.33 at.%. Longer sintering times lead to the formation of PrAlO3 as a secondary phase, concomitant with a reduction of the intensity of luminescence emission.

  2. Heterophilic interference in specimens yielding false-reactive results on the Abbott 4th generation ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavoie, S; Caswell, D; Gill, M J; Kadkhoda, K; Charlton, C L; Levett, P N; Hatchette, T; Garceau, R; Maregmen, J; Mazzulli, T; Needle, R; Kadivar, K; Kim, J

    2018-04-12

    False-reactivity in HIV-negative specimens has been detected in HIV fourth-generation antigen/antibody or 'combo' assays which are able to detect both anti-HIV-1/HIV-2 antibodies and HIV-1 antigen. We sought to characterize these specimens and determine the effect of heterophilic interference. Specimens previously testing as false-reactive on the Abbott ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab combo assay and re-tested on a different (Siemens ADVIA Centaur HIV Ag/Ab) assay. A subset of these specimens were also pre-treated with heterophilic blocking agents and re-tested on the Abbott assay. Here we report that 95% (252/264) of clinical specimens that were repeatedly reactive on the Abbott ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab combo assay (S/Co range, 0.94-678) were negative when re-tested on a different fourth generation HIV combo assay (Siemens ADVIA Centaur HIV Ag/Ab). All 264 samples were subsequently confirmed to be HIV negative. On a small subset (57) of specimens with available volume, pre-treatment with two different reagents (HBT; Heterophilic Blocking Tube, NABT; Non-Specific Blocking Tube) designed to block heterophilic antibody interference either eliminated (HBT) or reduced (NABT) the false reactivity when re-tested on the ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab combo assay. Our results suggest that the Abbott ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab combo assay can be prone to heterophilic antibody interference. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Discrepancies in reporting the CAG repeat lengths for Huntington's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Quarrell, Oliver W; Handley, Olivia; O'Donovan, Kirsty

    2011-01-01

    Huntington's disease results from a CAG repeat expansion within the Huntingtin gene; this is measured routinely in diagnostic laboratories. The European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY project centrally measures CAG repeat lengths on fresh samples; these were compared with the original...

  4. Both released silver ions and particulate Ag contribute to the toxicity of AgNPs to earthworm Eisenia fetida

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Li, L.; , van, Gestel C.A.M.

    2015-01-01

    To disentangle the contribution of ionic and nanoparticulate Ag to the overall toxicity to the earthworm Eisenia fetida, a semi-permeable membrane strategy was used to separate Ag+ released from silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in an aqueous exposure. Internal Ag fractionation, activities of antioxidant

  5. Static structure of superionic conducting glass of Ag-Ge-Se system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suenaga, R; Nakashima, S; Tahara, S; Takeda, S [Graduate School of Sciences, Kyushu University, 4-2-1 Ropponmatsu, Fukuoka 810-8560 (Japan); Kawakita, Y [Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, 4-2-1 Ropponmatsu, Fukuoka 810-8560 (Japan); Kohara, S [Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Inst., 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan)], E-mail: takeda@rc.kyushu-u.ac.jp

    2008-02-15

    Superionic conducting glasses are the important materials as solid electrolytes. Amorphous Ag-Ge-Se system is well known to exhibit the superionic conducting behavior where silver ions easily migrate into the mixed structure of Ag{sub 2}Se and Ge-Se chalcogenide glass. It will be good material to study how the superionic conducting region distributes in the glassy network, and whether the conducting paths extends to the entire of the material, or the localized and limited area in an isolated region. In this paper, we will present the results of the static structure of Ag-Ge-Se system by high-energy X-ray diffraction measurements.

  6. Antibacterial property of Ag nanoparticle-impregnated N-doped titania films under visible light

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Ming-Show; Chen, Chun-Wei; Hsieh, Chia-Chun; Hung, Shih-Che; Sun, Der-Shan; Chang, Hsin-Hou

    2015-07-01

    Photocatalysts produce free radicals upon receiving light energy; thus, they possess antibacterial properties. Silver (Ag) is an antibacterial material that disrupts bacterial physiology. Our previous study reported that the high antibacterial property of silver nanoparticles on the surfaces of visible light-responsive nitrogen-doped TiO2 photocatalysts [TiO2(N)] could be further enhanced by visible light illumination. However, the major limitation of this Ag-TiO2 composite material is its durability; the antibacterial property decreased markedly after repeated use. To overcome this limitation, we developed TiO2(N)/Ag/TiO2(N) sandwich films in which the silver is embedded between two TiO2(N) layers. Various characteristics, including silver and nitrogen amounts, were examined in the composite materials. Various analyses, including electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum and methylene blue degradation rate analyses, were performed. The antibacterial properties of the composite materials were investigated. Here we revealed that the antibacterial durability of these thin films is substantially improved in both the dark and visible light, by which bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter baumannii, could be efficiently eliminated. This study demonstrated a feasible approach to improve the visible-light responsiveness and durability of antibacterial materials that contain silver nanoparticles impregnated in TiO2(N) films.

  7. Effects of acute versus repeated cocaine exposure on the expression of endocannabinoid signaling-related proteins in the mouse cerebellum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana ePalomino

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Growing awareness of cerebellar involvement in addiction is based on the cerebellum’s intermediary position between motor and reward, potentially acting as an interface between motivational and cognitive functions. Here, we examined the impact of acute and repeated cocaine exposure on the two main signaling systems in the mouse cerebellum: the endocannabinoid (eCB and glutamate systems. To this end, we investigated whether eCB signaling-related gene and protein expression (CB1 receptors and enzymes that produce (DAGLα/β and NAPE-PLD and degrade (MAGL and FAAH eCB were altered. In addition, we analyzed the gene expression of relevant components of the glutamate signaling system (glutamate synthesizing enzymes LGA and KGA, mGluR3/5 metabotropic receptors, and NR1/2A/2B/2C-NMDA and GluR1/2/3/4-AMPA ionotropic receptor subunits and the gene expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis, because noradrenergic terminals innervate the cerebellar cortex. Results indicated that acute cocaine exposure decreased DAGLα expression, suggesting a down-regulation of 2-AG production, as well as gene expression of TH, KGA, mGluR3 and all ionotropic receptor subunits analyzed in the cerebellum. The acquisition of conditioned locomotion and sensitization after repeated cocaine exposure were associated with an increased NAPE-PLD/FAAH ratio, suggesting enhanced anandamide production, and a decreased DAGLβ/MAGL ratio, suggesting decreased 2-AG generation. Repeated cocaine also increased LGA gene expression but had no effect on glutamate receptors. These findings indicate that acute cocaine modulates the expression of the eCB and glutamate systems. Repeated cocaine results in normalization of glutamate receptor expression, although sustained changes in eCB is observed. We suggest that cocaine-induced alterations to cerebellar eCB should be considered when analyzing the adaptations imposed by psychostimulants that

  8. Antibaryon production in AU+AU collisions at the AGS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heintzelman, G.A.; Back, B. B.; Betts, R. R.; Chang, J.; Chang, W. C.; Chi, C. Y.; Gillitzer, A.; Henning, W. F.; Hofman, D. J.; Nanal, V.; Wuosmaa, A. H.

    1999-01-01

    Experiment E917 at the Brookhaven AGS has made a measurement of near-mid-rapidity antibaryon production in both the antiproton and antilambda channel. Results on dN/dy and inverse slope parameters are shown. A preliminary measurement of the ratio bar Λ/bar p is also presented

  9. Plasmonic back contacts with non-ordered Ag nanostructures for light trapping in thin-film silicon solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paetzold, Ulrich W.; Meier, Matthias; Moulin, Etienne; Smirnov, Vladimir; Pieters, Bart E.; Rau, Uwe; Carius, Reinhard

    2013-01-01

    In this work, we investigate the light trapping of thin-film silicon solar cells which apply plasmonic Ag back contacts with non-ordered Ag nanostructures. The preparation, characterization and three-dimensional electromagnetic simulations of these back contacts with various distributions of non-ordered Ag nanostructures are presented. The measured reflectance spectra of the Ag back contacts with non-ordered nanostructures in air are well reproduced in reflectance spectra derived from the three-dimensional electromagnetic simulations of isolated nanostructures on Ag back contacts. The light–matter interaction of these nanostructures is given by localized surface plasmons and, thus, the measured diffuse reflectance of the back contacts is attributed to plasmon-induced light scattering. A significant plasmonic light-trapping effect in n-i-p substrate-type μc-Si:H thin-film solar cell prototypes which apply a Ag back contact with non-ordered nanostructures is identified when compared with flat reference solar cells

  10. Plasmonic back contacts with non-ordered Ag nanostructures for light trapping in thin-film silicon solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paetzold, Ulrich W., E-mail: u.paetzold@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Meier, Matthias, E-mail: ma.meier@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Moulin, Etienne, E-mail: e.moulin@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Smirnov, Vladimir, E-mail: v.smirnov@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Pieters, Bart E., E-mail: b.pieters@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Rau, Uwe, E-mail: u.rau@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Carius, Reinhard, E-mail: r.carius@fz-juelich.de [IEK5-Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Juelich, D-52425 Juelich (Germany)

    2013-05-15

    In this work, we investigate the light trapping of thin-film silicon solar cells which apply plasmonic Ag back contacts with non-ordered Ag nanostructures. The preparation, characterization and three-dimensional electromagnetic simulations of these back contacts with various distributions of non-ordered Ag nanostructures are presented. The measured reflectance spectra of the Ag back contacts with non-ordered nanostructures in air are well reproduced in reflectance spectra derived from the three-dimensional electromagnetic simulations of isolated nanostructures on Ag back contacts. The light–matter interaction of these nanostructures is given by localized surface plasmons and, thus, the measured diffuse reflectance of the back contacts is attributed to plasmon-induced light scattering. A significant plasmonic light-trapping effect in n-i-p substrate-type μc-Si:H thin-film solar cell prototypes which apply a Ag back contact with non-ordered nanostructures is identified when compared with flat reference solar cells.

  11. One-pot solvothermal synthesis of highly efficient, daylight active and recyclable Ag/AgBr coupled photocatalysts with synergistic dual photoexcitation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Caihong; Ai, Lunhong; Li, Lili; Jiang, Jing

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Ag/AgBr photocatalysts were controllably synthesized by solvothermal process. • Ag/AgBr composites showed excellent daylight driven photocatalytic activity. • The remarkable activity is attributed to the synergistic dual photoexcitation. -- Abstract: Efficient light harvesting has been considered to be critical for manipulating the photocatalytic behavior of photocatalysts, because it directly determines the generation of reactive redox charge carriers involved in photoreaction process. In this study, we present a successful example on efficient conversion of solar energy by Ag/AgBr coupled photocatalysts that hold unique synergistic dual photoexcitation. A series of Ag/AgBr coupled photocatalysts were controllably synthesized by an easily manipulated mild solvothermal process. The physicochemical properties of the as-prepared Ag/AgBr coupled photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results showed the solvothermal reaction time played key role for control of crystalline structure, morphology, composition, and visible light absorption ability of the resulting photocatalysts. The as-prepared Ag/AgBr coupled photocatalysts exhibited remarkable photocatalytic performance and good reusability for decomposing organic dyes in aqueous solution under the irradiation of commercial 20 W cool daylight fluorescent lamp, owing to the synergistic dual photoexcitation cooperating between plasmonic Ag nanoparticles and narrow-band-gap AgBr

  12. Development and electrochemistry of a novel Ag/AgCl reference electrode suitable for mixed chloride-fluoride melts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pal, Rahul; Ananthasivan, K.; Anthonysamy, S.; Ganesan, V.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → An Ag/AgCl reference electrode for mixed chloride-fluoride melts was developed. → Non-polarizability, reversibility and stability of the electrode were tested. → Dependence of emf vs T for Fe/Fe 2+ and Ni/Ni 2+ couples in KCl-KF melt was reported. - Abstract: Accurate values of electrode potentials are useful in understanding the electrodeposition of boron from a melt containing fluoride, chloride and fluoroborate, as well as in the determination of the thermodynamic properties of this system. A suitable reference electrode for use with this molten mixture is essential for the determination of these potentials. An Ag/AgCl reference electrode was fabricated for this purpose and its stability, reversibility and polarizability in a melt containing chloride and fluoride were studied in the temperature range 1073-1123 K. Cyclic-voltammograms (CVs) of this melt on a platinum working electrode were recorded at regular intervals over a period of 12 h. These CVs did not show any appreciable variation with time, indicating the stability of this reference electrode. The reversibility of this reference electrode was established by carrying out a micropolarization test. Cathodic and anodic polarization tests were carried out by passing a current of 1 mA and 5 mA through the cell for a duration of 300 s. After these polarization tests, the electrode swung back to its equilibrium potential within about 250 s. Reduction potentials of Fe 2+ /Fe and Ni 2+ /Ni couples in the KF-KCl melt were measured for the first time.

  13. AGS experiments: 1990, 1991, 1992

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Depken, J.C.

    1993-04-01

    This report contains a description of the following: AGS Experimental Area - High Energy Physics FY 1993 and Heavy Ion Physics FY 1993; Table of Beam Parameters and Fluxes; Experiment Schedule ''as run''; Proposed 1993 Schedule; A listing of experiments by number; Two-page summaries of each experiment begin here, also ordered by number; Publications of AGS Experiments; and List of AGS Experimenters

  14. Influence of the surface properties on bactericidal and fungicidal activity of magnetron sputtered Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wojcieszak, D., E-mail: damian.wojcieszak@pwr.edu.pl [Faculty of Microsystem Electronics and Photonics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Janiszewskiego 11/17, 50-372 Wrocław (Poland); Mazur, M.; Kaczmarek, D. [Faculty of Microsystem Electronics and Photonics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Janiszewskiego 11/17, 50-372 Wrocław (Poland); Mazur, P. [Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Wrocław, Max Born 9, 50-204 Wrocław (Poland); Szponar, B. [Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla 12, 53–114 Wrocław (Poland); Domaradzki, J. [Faculty of Microsystem Electronics and Photonics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Janiszewskiego 11/17, 50-372 Wrocław (Poland); Kepinski, L. [Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Okólna 2, 50-422 Wrocław (Poland)

    2016-05-01

    In this study the comparative investigations of structural, surface and bactericidal properties of Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films have been carried out. Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag coatings were deposited on silicon and fused silica substrates by magnetron co-sputtering method using innovative multi-target apparatus. The physicochemical properties of prepared thin films were examined with the aid of X-ray diffraction, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods. Moreover, the wettability of the surface was determined. It was found that both, Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films were nanocrystalline. In the case of Ag–Ti film presence of AgTi{sub 3} and Ag phases was identified, while in the structure of Nb–Ag only silver occurred in a crystal form. In both cases the average size of crystallites was ca. 11 nm. Moreover, according to scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy investigations the surface of Nb–Ag thin films was covered with Ag-agglomerates, while Ti–Ag surface was smooth and devoid of silver particles. Studies of biological activity of deposited coatings in contact with Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus hirae, Klebisiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans were performed. It was found that prepared coatings were bactericidal and fungicidal even in a short term-contact, i.e. after 2 h. - Highlights: • Surface and biological properties of Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films were examined. • Ag content was related to sputtering yields and nucleation of Ti and Nb. • For Nb–Ag film the agglomeration of silver at the surface was observed. • Composition and surface topography had an impact on antimicrobial properties. • Fine-grained surface was important in Ag ions release process.

  15. Influence of the surface properties on bactericidal and fungicidal activity of magnetron sputtered Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wojcieszak, D.; Mazur, M.; Kaczmarek, D.; Mazur, P.; Szponar, B.; Domaradzki, J.; Kepinski, L.

    2016-01-01

    In this study the comparative investigations of structural, surface and bactericidal properties of Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films have been carried out. Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag coatings were deposited on silicon and fused silica substrates by magnetron co-sputtering method using innovative multi-target apparatus. The physicochemical properties of prepared thin films were examined with the aid of X-ray diffraction, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods. Moreover, the wettability of the surface was determined. It was found that both, Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films were nanocrystalline. In the case of Ag–Ti film presence of AgTi_3 and Ag phases was identified, while in the structure of Nb–Ag only silver occurred in a crystal form. In both cases the average size of crystallites was ca. 11 nm. Moreover, according to scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy investigations the surface of Nb–Ag thin films was covered with Ag-agglomerates, while Ti–Ag surface was smooth and devoid of silver particles. Studies of biological activity of deposited coatings in contact with Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus hirae, Klebisiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans were performed. It was found that prepared coatings were bactericidal and fungicidal even in a short term-contact, i.e. after 2 h. - Highlights: • Surface and biological properties of Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films were examined. • Ag content was related to sputtering yields and nucleation of Ti and Nb. • For Nb–Ag film the agglomeration of silver at the surface was observed. • Composition and surface topography had an impact on antimicrobial properties. • Fine-grained surface was important in Ag ions release process.

  16. Conformable Skin-Like Conductive Thin Films with AgNWs Strips for Flexible Electronic Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuhang SUN

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Keeping good conductivity at high stretching strain is one of the main requirements for the fabrication of flexible electronic devices. The elastic nature of siloxane-based elastomers enables many innovative designs in wearable sensor devices and non-invasive insertion instruments, including skin-like tactile sensors. Over the last few years, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS thin films have been widely used as the substrates in the fabrication of flexible electronic devices due to their good elasticity and outstanding biocompatibility. However, these kind of thin films usually suffer poor resistance to tearing and insufficient compliance to curved surfaces, which limits their applications. Currently no three-dimensionally mountable tactile sensor arrays have been reported commercially available. In this work, we developed a kind of mechanically compliant skin-like conductive thin film by patterning silver nano wire traces in strip-style on Dragon Skin® (DS substrates instead of PDMS. High cross- link quality was achieved then. To further improve the conductivity, a thin gold layer was coated onto the silver nanowires (AgNWs strips. Four different gold deposition routines have been designed and investigated by using different E-beam and spin coating processing methods. Owning to the intrinsically outstanding physical property of the Dragon Skin material and the uniform embedment built in the gold deposition processes, the DS/AgNWs thin films showed convincible advantages over PDMS/AgNWs thin films in both mechanical capability and conductive stability. Through experimental tests, the DS/AgNWs electrode thin films were proven to be able to maintain high conductivity following repeated linear deformations.

  17. Synthesis of β-AgVO3 nanowires decorated with Ag2CrO4, with improved visible light photocatalytic performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouyang, Qi; Li, Zhonghua; Liu, Jiawen

    2018-05-01

    Silver chromate‑silver vanadate (Ag2CrO4/β-AgVO3) heterojunction composites are synthesized through a facile precipitation process. The Ag2CrO4/β-AgVO3 hybrids obtained exhibit better photocatalytic activity in degradation of RhB than both pure Ag2CrO4 and β-AgVO3 under visible light irradiation. The 20 wt% Ag2CrO4/β-AgVO3 heterojunction possesses the best photocatalytic ability for degrading RhB: 24.4 times that of pristine β-AgVO3 nanowires and 3.2 times that of individual Ag2CrO4 particles. The phase of the nanocomposites was analyzed using x-ray diffraction as well as x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Their morphology was observed via scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The improvement in photocatalytic performance is chiefly ascribed to the synergies between Ag2CrO4/β-AgVO3 heterostructure, which can enhance the light absorbance ability and also accelerate the separation and transfer of photoinduced electrons and holes under visible light irradiation; this is also confirmed by UV–vis diffuse reflection spectrometry and fluorescence emission spectra.

  18. The creep behavior of In-Ag eutectic solder joints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reynolds, H.L.; Kang, S.H.; Morris, J.W. Jr.; Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA

    1999-01-01

    The addition of 3 wt.% Ag to In results in a eutectic composition with improved mechanical properties while only slightly lowering the melting temperature. Steady-state creep properties of In-Ag eutectic solder joints have been measured using constant load tests at 0, 30, 60, and 90 C. Constitutive equations are derived to describe the creep behavior. The data are well represented by an equation of the form proposed by Dorn: a power-law equation applies to each independent creep mechanism. Two parallel mechanisms were observed for the In-Ag eutectic joints. The high-stress mechanism is a bulk mechanism with a thermal dependence dominated by the thermal dependence of creep in the In-rich matrix. The low-stress mechanism is a grain boundary mechanism. Results of this work are discussed with regard to creep behavior of typical eutectic systems

  19. A novel metal-to-metal bonding process through in-situ formation of Ag nanoparticles using Ag2O microparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirose, Akio; Tatsumi, Hiroaki; Takeda, Naoya; Akada, Yusuke; Ogura, Tomo; Ide, Eiichi; Morita, Toshiaki

    2009-01-01

    The metal-to-metal bonding has been successfully achieved via the bonding process using Ag metallo-organic nanoparticles at a bonding temperature of around 300-, which can be alternative to the current microsoldering in electronics assembly using high-temperature solders. However, further reduction of bonding temperature and/or bonding pressure is needed. In the present research, a novel bonding process through in-situ formation of Ag nanoparticles instead of the filler material of the Ag metallo-organic nanoparticles has been developed. The Ag nanoparticles can form by the reduction of Ag 2 O particles. In this study, the Ag 2 O particles were mixed with triethylene glycol as a reducing agent to form a paste for bonding. The Au coated cylindrical specimens were bonded using the paste. The Ag nanoparticles formed at around 130 to 160 through the reduction process of Ag2O particles with triethylene glycol. The Ag nanoparticles were immediately sintered each other due to a great surface energy per volume. A transmission electron microscope observation revealed that the sintered Ag metallurgically bonded to the Au substrate at around 160 and a dense Ag layer formed after further heating. The tensile strength of the joint bonded at 250 under a bonding pressure of 5MPa was around 60MPa

  20. Repeated stimulation, inter-stimulus interval and inter-electrode distance alters muscle contractile properties as measured by Tensiomyography.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hannah V Wilson

    Full Text Available The influence of methodological parameters on the measurement of muscle contractile properties using Tensiomyography (TMG has not been published.To investigate the; (1 reliability of stimulus amplitude needed to elicit maximum muscle displacement (Dm, (2 effect of changing inter-stimulus interval on Dm (using a fixed stimulus amplitude and contraction time (Tc, (3 the effect of changing inter-electrode distance on Dm and Tc.Within subject, repeated measures.10 participants for each objective.Dm and Tc of the rectus femoris, measured using TMG.The coefficient of variance (CV and the intra-class correlation (ICC of stimulus amplitude needed to elicit maximum Dm was 5.7% and 0.92 respectively. Dm was higher when using an inter-electrode distance of 7cm compared to 5cm [P = 0.03] and when using an inter-stimulus interval of 10s compared to 30s [P = 0.017]. Further analysis of inter-stimulus interval data, found that during 10 repeated stimuli Tc became faster after the 5th measure when compared to the second measure [P<0.05]. The 30s inter-stimulus interval produced the most stable Tc over 10 measures compared to 10s and 5s respectively.Our data suggest that the stimulus amplitude producing maximum Dm of the rectus femoris is reliable. Inter-electrode distance and inter-stimulus interval can significantly influence Dm and/ or Tc. Our results support the use of a 30s inter-stimulus interval over 10s or 5s. Future studies should determine the influence of methodological parameters on muscle contractile properties in a range of muscles.

  1. Physical properties of glasses in the Ag2GeS3-AgBr system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moroz, M. V.; Demchenko, P. Yu.; Prokhorenko, S. V.; Moroz, V. M.

    2013-08-01

    Glasses have been prepared by quenching melts in the Ag2GeS3-AgBr system in a range of 0-53 mol % AgBr. The concentration dependences of density, microhardness, glass transition temperatures, and crystallization of alloys have been established. The conductivity of glasses has been investigated by the dc probe method in a range of 240-420 K. The models of the drift motion of silver and halogen ions have been proposed.

  2. The effect of soil properties on the toxicity and bioaccumulation of Ag nanoparticles and Ag ions in Enchytraeus crypticus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Topuz, Emel; van Gestel, Cornelis A.M.

    2017-01-01

    Standard natural Lufa soils (2.2, 2.3 and 5 M) with different organic carbon contents (0.67–1.61%) and pHCaCl2 (5.5–7.3) were spiked with ionic Ag (AgNO3) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (AgNP-PVP) and citrate (AgNP-Cit) coated Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Enchytraeus crypticus were exposed for 21 days to

  3. 细粒棘球绦虫AgB8/1-AgB8/2重组嵌合抗原表达系统的构建%Establishment of Echinococcus granulosus AgB8/1-AgB8/2 chimeric recombinant protein expression system

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    古力帕丽·麦曼提依明; 马海梅; 吾拉木·马木提; 陈洁; 陈璐; 丁剑冰; 马秀敏; 温浩

    2011-01-01

    目的 构建pET32a-AgB8/1-AgB8/2原核表达载体,并对其重组蛋白进行原核细胞表达.方法 从细粒棘球绦虫原头蚴中提取总RNA,反转录生成cDNA,以此cDNA为模板,用基因特异性引物分别扩增EgAgB8/1和EgAgB8/2基因编码其分泌型多肽的片段,经测序后,以此两条基因片段为依据,人工合成EgAgB8/1-EgAgB8/2嵌合抗原编码核酸序列,将其克隆至pUCm-T载体,测序鉴定其正确性.通过对pUCm-T/AgB8/1-AgB8/2重组质粒进行双酶切,将获得的AgB8/1-AgB8/2嵌合抗原编码核酸序列用定向克隆技术克隆至原核表达质粒pET32a上,测序鉴定插入片段正确后,转化至E.coli BL21(DE3)Lys S,IPTG初步诱导表达pET32a-AgB8/1-AgB8/2重组嵌合蛋白.用SDS-PAGE电泳分析鉴定重组蛋白的表达水平.结果 测序表明,AgB8/1-AgB8/2嵌合抗原编码核酸序列正方向插入至pET32a质粒.SDS-PAGE电泳分析显示,IPTG诱导后重组嵌合蛋白得到成功表达,在相对分子量约38 kD处有表达条带.结论 成功构建了pET32a-AgB8/1-AgB8/2原核表达质粒,并初步诱导表达出AgB8/1-AgB8/2嵌合重组蛋白,为进一步研究其免疫学特性奠定了基础.%In order to construct the pET32a-AgB8/1-AgB8/2 chimeric antigen prokaryotic expression recombinant plasmid and the expression of its recombinant protein, the total RNA was extracted from protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus,and reverse transcribed into cDNA, the cDNA encoding mature form of EgAgB8/land EgAgB8/2 antigen were amplified by PCR using gene specific primers.Based on the both gene fragments, a nucleotide sequence encoding EgAgB8/1-EgAgB8/2 chimeric antigen were artificially synthesized after sequence confirmation.The synthesized nucleotide sequence encoding EgAgB8/1-EgAgB8/2 chimeric antigen were conformed by sequencing after cloning into pUCm-T vector, then the target sequence was directionally ligated into pET32a plasmid after double digestion with restriction enzymes for prokaryotic

  4. Plasmonics effect of Ag nanoislands covered n-Al:ZnO/p-Si heterostructure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Venugopal, N., E-mail: venu369@gmail.com; Kaur, Gurpreet, E-mail: gkaurdnt@iitr.ernet.in; Mitra, Anirban, E-mail: mitrafph@iitr.ernet.in

    2014-11-30

    Highlights: • Effect of Ag plasmonic nanoislands on n-aluminum doped zinc oxide (Al:ZnO)/p-silicon (p-Si) heterostructure device. • Morphology of Ag nanoisland in consequence with the optical (absorbance and photoluminescence) and electrical properties of the device. • Ag nanoisland/Al:ZnO heterostructure shows remarkable improvement of absorbance in both visible and UV region compare to the bare silicon. • Near band edge emission in photoluminescence has been enhanced with the deposition of Ag nanoisland. • Dark and illumination current density also increases with the deposition of Ag nanoisland. - Abstract: A plasmonic heterostructure of Ag (nanoisland)/n-Al:ZnO/p-Si is fabricated using pulsed laser deposition and thermal evaporation method. In this structure Al:ZnO plays an important role of transparent conductive oxide (spacer layer) as well as the rectifying junction with silicon. By introducing the silver nanoislands on Al:ZnO, light harvesting has been enhanced because of plasmonic and light scattering effect. Morphology of Ag nanoparticles in consequence with the optical and electrical properties of the device has been studied. Optical reflection measurement of the device with Ag nanoisland shows remarkable improvement in both visible and UV regions compared to the bare n-Al:ZnO/p-Si heterostructure. Near band edge emission in photoluminescence has been enhanced with the deposition of Ag nanoislands. Dark and illumination current density has also been increased with the deposition of Ag nanoisland. Our experimental results suggest that integration of Ag nanoislands may help to improve the efficiency of hybrid silicon based photonic devices.

  5. Understanding the Composition Dependence of the Fragility of AgI-Ag2O-MxOy Glassy Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aniya, M

    2011-01-01

    It has been reported that the fragility in the AgI-Ag 2 O-M x O y (M = B, Ge, P, Mo) system is determined by Ag 2 O-M x O y and does not depend on the amount of AgI. This is an interesting result and provides a hint to understand the nature of the glassy state of these materials. However, the origin of such behavior has not been sufficiently discussed. In the present report a model for the above behavior is presented. According to the model, the behavior arises from the solid like nature of the network formed by Ag 2 O-M x O y and the liquid like AgI which flow between the networks. The model is consistent with the structural model of superionic glasses proposed previously.

  6. Influence of particle coating and matrix constituents on the cloud point extraction efficiency of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and application for monitoring the formation of Ag-NPs from Ag(+).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartmann, Georg; Baumgartner, Tanja; Schuster, Michael

    2014-01-07

    For the quantification of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in environmental samples using cloud point extraction (CPE) for selective enrichment, surface modification of the Ag-NPs and matrix effects can play a key role. In this work we validate CPE with respect to the influence of different coatings and naturally occurring matrix components. The Ag-NPs tested were functionalized with inorganic and organic compounds as well as with biomolecules. Commercially available NPs and NPs synthesized according to methods published in the literature were used. We found that CPE can extract almost all Ag-NPs tested with very good efficiencies (82-105%). Only Ag-NPs functionalized with BSA (bovine serum albumin), which is a protein with the function to keep colloids in solution, cannot be extracted. No or little effect of environmentally relevant salts, organic matter, and inorganic colloids on the CPE of AgNPs was found. Additionally we used CPE to observe the in situ formation of Ag-NPs produced by the reduction of Ag(+) with natural organic matter (NOM).

  7. Rapid microwave-assisted nonaqueous synthesis and growth mechanism of AgCl/Ag, and its daylight-driven plasmonic photocatalysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Jing; Zhang, Lizhi

    2011-03-21

    We report on a rapid microwave-assisted nonaqueous synthesis and the growth mechanism of AgCl/Ag with controlled size and shape. By rationally varying the reaction temperature and the microwave irradiation time, we achieved the transformation of nanocubes to rounded triangular pyramids by a combined process of "oriented attachment" and Ostwald ripening. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) properties of the as-prepared AgCl/Ag have been found to be somewhat dependent on the size, morphology, and composition. The as-prepared AgCl/Ag exhibits high photocatalytic activity and good reusability for decomposing organic pollutants (such as methyl orange (MO), rhodamine B (RhB), and pentachlorophenol (PCP)) under indoor artificial daylight illumination (ca. 1 mW cm(-2)). The AgCl/Ag has also been found to display a superior ability to harvest diffuse indoor daylight (ca. 5 mW cm(-2)), and could complete the degradation of 10 mg  L(-1) MO within 15 min. Experiments involving the trapping of active species have shown that the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in the AgCl/Ag system may proceed through direct hole transfer. This study has revealed that plasmonic daylight photocatalysis may open a new frontier for indoor pollutant control around the clock under fluorescent lamp illumination. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Thickness-dependent spontaneous dewetting morphology of ultrathin Ag films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishna, H; Sachan, R; Strader, J; Favazza, C; Khenner, M; Kalyanaraman, R

    2010-04-16

    We show here that the morphological pathway of spontaneous dewetting of ultrathin Ag films on SiO2 under nanosecond laser melting is dependent on film thickness. For films with thickness h of 2 nm < or = h < or = 9.5 nm, the morphology during the intermediate stages of dewetting consisted of bicontinuous structures. For films with 11.5 nm < or = h < or = 20 nm, the intermediate stages consisted of regularly sized holes. Measurement of the characteristic length scales for different stages of dewetting as a function of film thickness showed a systematic increase, which is consistent with the spinodal dewetting instability over the entire thickness range investigated. This change in morphology with thickness is consistent with observations made previously for polymer films (Sharma and Khanna 1998 Phys. Rev. Lett. 81 3463-6; Seemann et al 2001 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 13 4925-38). Based on the behavior of free energy curvature that incorporates intermolecular forces, we have estimated the morphological transition thickness for the intermolecular forces for Ag on SiO2. The theory predictions agree well with observations for Ag. These results show that it is possible to form a variety of complex Ag nanomorphologies in a consistent manner, which could be useful in optical applications of Ag surfaces, such as in surface enhanced Raman sensing.

  9. Electrochemical cell and electrode designs for high-temperature/high-pressure kinetic measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagy, Z.; Yonco, R.M.

    1987-05-01

    Many corrosion processes of interest to the nuclear power industry occur in high-temperature/high-pressure aqueous systems. The investigation of the kinetics of the appropriate electrode reactions is a serious experimental challenge, partially because of the high temperatures and pressures and partially because many of these reactions are very rapid, requiring fast relaxation measurements. An electrochemical measuring system is described which is suitable for measurements of the kinetics of fast electrode reactions at temperatures extending to at least 300 0 C and pressures to at least 10 MPa (100 atmospheres). The system includes solution preparation and handling equipment, the electrochemical cell, and several electrode designs. One of the new designs is a coaxial working electrode-counter electrode assembly; this electrode can be used with very fast-rising pulses, and it provides a well defined, repeatedly-polishable working surface. Low-impedance reference electrodes are also described, based on electrode concepts responding to the pH or the redox potential of the test solution. Additionally, a novel, long-life primary reference electrode design is reported, based on a modification of the external, pressure-balanced Ag/AgCl reference electrode

  10. Electrochemical cell and electrode designs for high-temperature/high-pressure kinetic measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagy, Z.; Yonco, R.M.

    1988-01-01

    Many corrosion processes of interest to the nuclear power industry occur in high-temperature/high-pressure aqueous systems. The investigation of the kinetics of the appropriate electrode reactions is a serious experimental challenge, partially because of the high temperatures and pressures and partially because many of these reactions are very rapid, requiring fast relaxation measurements. An electrochemical measuring system is described which is suitable for measurements of the kinetics of fast electrode reactions at temperatures extending to at least 300 0 C and pressures to at least 10 MPa (100 atmospheres). The system includes solution preparation and handling equipment, the electrochemical cell, and several electrode designs. One of the new designs is a coaxial working electrode-counter electrode assembly; this electrode can be used with very fast-rising pulses, and it provides a well defined, repeatedly-polishable working surface. Low-impedance reference electrodes are also described, based on electrode concepts responding to the pH or the redox potential of the test solution. Additionally, a novel, long-life primary reference electrode design is reported, based on a modification of the external, pressure-balanced Ag/AgCl reference electrode

  11. Optical and electrical characterization of AgInS{sub 2} thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calixto-Rodriguez, M., E-mail: manuela@fis.unam.mx [Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apartado Postal 48-3, 62210, Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico); Martinez, H. [Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apartado Postal 48-3, 62210, Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico); Calixto, M.E. [Instituto de Fisica, Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, Apartado Postal J-48, 72570, Puebla, Puebla (Mexico); Pena, Y. [Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 66451, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon (Mexico); Martinez-Escobar, Dalia [Centro de Investigacion en Energia-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, 62580, Temixco, Morelos (Mexico); Tiburcio-Silver, A. [Instituto Tecnologico de Toluca-SEP, Apartado Postal 20, 52176, Metepec 3, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Sanchez-Juarez, A. [Centro de Investigacion en Energia-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, 62580, Temixco, Morelos (Mexico)

    2010-10-25

    Silver indium sulfide (AgInS{sub 2}) thin films have been prepared by spray pyrolysis (SP) technique using silver acetate, indium acetate, and N, N-dimethylthiourea as precursor compounds. Films were deposited onto glass substrates at different substrate temperatures (T{sub s}) and Ag:In:S ratios in the starting solutions. Optical transmission and reflection as well as electrical measurements were performed in order to study the effect of deposition parameters on the optical and electrical properties of AgInS{sub 2} thin films. X-ray diffraction measurements were used to identify the deposited compounds. It was found that different compounds such as AgInS{sub 2}, Ag{sub 2}S, In{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and In{sub 2}S{sub 3} can be grown only by changing the Ag:In:S ratio in the starting solution and T{sub s}. So that, by carefully selecting the deposition parameters, single phase AgInS{sub 2} thin films can be easily grown. Thin films obtained using a molar ratio of Ag:In:S = 1:1:2 and T{sub s} = 400 {sup o}C, have an optical band gap of 1.9 eV and n-type electrical conductivity with a value of 0.3 {Omega}{sup -1} cm{sup -1} in the dark.

  12. A Simple Method for the Preparation of TiO2 /Ag-AgCl@Polypyrrole Composite and Its Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Tongjie; Shi, Lei; Wang, Hao; Wang, Fangxiao; Wu, Jie; Zhang, Xiao; Sun, Jianmin; Cui, Tieyu

    2016-01-01

    A novel and facile method was developed to prepare a visible-light driven TiO2 /Ag-AgCl@polypyrrole (PPy) photocatalyst with Ag-AgCl nanoparticles supported on TiO2 nanofibers and covered by a thin PPy shell. During the synthesis, the PPy shell and Ag-AgCl nanoparticles were prepared simultaneously onto TiO2 nanofibers, which simplified the preparation procedure. In addition, because Ag-AgCl aggregates were fabricated via partly etching the Ag nanoparticles, their size was well controlled at the nanoscale, which was beneficial for improvement of the contact surface area. Compared with reference photocatalysts, the TiO2 /Ag-AgCl@PPy composite exhibited an enhanced photodegradation activity towards rhodamine B under visible-light irradiation. The superior photocatalytic property originated from synergistic effects between TiO2 nanofibers, Ag-AgCl nanoparticles and the PPy shell. Furthermore, the TiO2 /Ag-AgCl@PPy composite could be easily separated and recycled without obvious reduction in activity. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Preparation of Ag{sub 2}O/Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/MWNTs composite photocatalysts for enhancement of ciprofloxacin degradation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Huiqin [School of Materials Science & Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Li, Jinze [School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Huo, Pengwei, E-mail: huopw1@163.com [School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Institute of Green Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Yan, Yongsheng [School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Institute of Green Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Guan, Qingfeng [School of Materials Science & Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China)

    2016-03-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Ag{sub 2}O/Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/MWNTs were prepared by calcination of the obtained precipitate. • The holes were main contributor for the degradation processes of ciprofloxacin. • The synergistic effect enhanced the activity and stability of composites. - Abstract: The Ag{sub 2}O/Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNTs) composite photocatalysts were prepared by calcination of the obtained precipitate. The structures and morphology of as-prepared composite photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Ag{sub 2}O/Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/MWNTs composite photocatalysts exhibit higher degradation rate of ciprofloxacin (CIP) than the pure Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, Ag{sub 2}O/Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} and Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/MWNTs under visible light irradiation. The amount of loaded Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} onto MWNTs and calcined time for Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/MWNTs were systematically investigated, and the optimal amount of loaded Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} and calcined time of Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/MWNTs are 150 wt% and 10 min, respectively. The highest photocatalytic degradation rate of CIP could reach 76% under optimal conditions. The active species trapping experiments were also analyzed, the results show that the holes are main contributor for the degradation processes of CIP, furthermore the electrons, ·O{sub 2}{sup −} and ·OH are also crucially influenced the photocatalytic degradation processes of CIP. The possible photocatalytic processes of CIP with Ag{sub 2}O/Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/MWNTs composite photocatalyst are also proposed.

  14. UV-VIS absorption spectra of molten AgCl and AgBr and of their mixtures with group I and II halide salts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greening, Giorgio G.W. [Technische Universitaet Darmstadt (Germany). Eduard-Zintl-Institut fuer Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie

    2015-07-01

    The UV-VIS absorption spectra of (Ag{sub 1-X}[Li-Cs, Ba]{sub X})Cl and of (Ag{sub 1-X}[Na, K, Cs]{sub X})Br at 823 K at the concentrations X=0.0, 0.1, 0.2 have been measured. The findings show that on adding the respective halides to molten silver chloride and silver bromide, shifts of the fundamental absorption edge to shorter wavelengths result. A correlation between the observed shifts and the expansion of the silver sub-lattice is found, which is valid for both silver halide systems studied in this work.

  15. Design of medium band gap Ag-Bi-Nb-O and Ag-Bi-Ta-O semiconductors for driving direct water splitting with visible light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Limin; Cao, Bingfei; Kang, Wei; Hybertsen, Mark; Maeda, Kazuhiko; Domen, Kazunari; Khalifah, Peter G

    2013-08-19

    Two new metal oxide semiconductors belonging to the Ag-Bi-M-O (M = Nb, Ta) chemical systems have been synthesized as candidate compounds for driving overall water splitting with visible light on the basis of cosubstitution of Ag and Bi on the A-site position of known Ca2M2O7 pyrochlores. The low-valence band edge energies of typical oxide semiconductors prevents direct water splitting in compounds with band gaps below 3.0 eV, a limitation which these compounds are designed to overcome through the incorporation of low-lying Ag 4d(10) and Bi 6s(2) states into compounds of nominal composition "AgBiM2O7". It was found that the "AgBiTa2O7" pyrochlores are in fact a solid solution with an approximate range of Ag(x)Bi(5/6)Ta2O(6.25+x/2) with 0.5 semiconductors with the onset of strong direct absorption at 2.72 and 2.96 eV, respectively. Electronic structure calculations for an ordered AgBiNb2O7 structure show that the band gap reduction and the elevation of the valence band primarily result from hybridized Ag d(10)-O 2p orbitals that lie at higher energy than the normal O 2p states in typical pyrochlore oxides. While the minimum energy gap is direct in the band structure, the lowest energy dipole allowed optical transitions start about 0.2 eV higher in energy than the minimum energy transition and involve different bands. This suggests that the minimum electronic band gap in these materials is slightly smaller than the onset energy for strong absorption in the optical measurements. The elevated valence band energies of the niobate and tantalate compounds are experimentally confirmed by the ability of these compounds to reduce 2 H(+) to H2 gas when illuminated after functionalization with a Pt cocatalyst.

  16. Enhanced Visible Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants over Flower-Like Bi2O2CO3 Dotted with Ag@AgBr

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuanglong Lin

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available A facile and feasible oil-in-water self-assembly approach was developed to synthesize flower-like Ag@AgBr/Bi2O2CO3 micro-composites. The photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated through methylene blue degradation under visible light irradiation. Compared to Bi2O2CO3, flower-like Ag@AgBr/Bi2O2CO3 micro-composites show enhanced photocatalytic activities. In addition, results indicate that both the physicochemical properties and associated photocatalytic activities of Ag@AgBr/Bi2O2CO3 composites are shown to be dependent on the loading quantity of Ag@AgBr. The highest photocatalytic performance was achieved at 7 wt % Ag@AgBr, degrading 95.18% methylene blue (MB after 20 min of irradiation, which is over 1.52 and 3.56 times more efficient than that of pure Ag@AgBr and pure Bi2O2CO3, respectively. Bisphenol A (BPA was also degraded to further demonstrate the degradation ability of Ag@AgBr/Bi2O2CO3. A photocatalytic mechanism for the degradation of organic compounds over Ag@AgBr/Bi2O2CO3 was proposed. Results from this study illustrate an entirely new approach to fabricate semiconductor composites containing Ag@AgX/bismuth (X = a halogen.

  17. No response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants born to HBsAg(+) mothers is associated to the transplacental transfer of HBsAg.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jing; He, Yingli; Jin, Dongfang; Liu, Jinfeng; Zheng, Jie; Yuan, Ningxia; Bai, Yun; Yan, Taotao; Yang, Yuan; Liu, Yong; Zhang, Shulin; Zhao, Yingren; Chen, Tianyan

    2017-08-01

    No or low hepatitis B (HB) vaccine response is more frequent in infants from HBsAg(+) mothers than those from HBsAg(-). Our previous study found temporary positivity of HBsAg in infants from HBsAg(+) mothers. In this study, we hypothesized that HBsAg in infant blunt immune response to standard hepatitis B vaccination. A total of 328 consecutive HBsAg(+) mothers and their offspring were enrolled. Blood samples were taken from mothers and their infants and quantified for HBsAg, anti-HBs titer and HBV DNA load concentration; Placenta samples were collected to stain for HBsAg. First, 6.7% infants (22/328) showed anti-HBs titer lower than 10 mIU/mL after HB vaccination (non-response to HB vaccine). HBsAg(+) newborns showed higher risk of non-response than HBsAg(-) infants (13.0% versus 5.0%, p = 0.016). Infants from high HBsAg titer mothers displayed higher risk of HBsAg positivity at birth than those from low titer mothers (45.3% versus 2.8%, p < 0.001). HBsAg titer in mothers of HBsAg(+) newborns was much higher than mothers of HBsAg(-) newborns (p < 0.001). All those data supported HBsAg can be transferred through placenta. Our hypothesis was further reinforced by immunostaining with specific antibody against HBsAg, a substantial higher prevalence (87.5% versus 30.8%, p = 0.024) and stronger immunostaining (p = 0.008) was demonstrated in HBsAg(+) group comparing with placenta of the HBsAg(-) group. No response to HB vaccine in infants of HBsAg(+) mothers was associated to the transplacental transfer of HBsAg.

  18. Role of Ag-alloy in the thermal stability of Ag-based ohmic contact to GaN(0 0 0 1) surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiong, Zhihua; Qin, Zhenzhen; Zhao, Qian; Chen, Lanli

    2015-01-01

    First-principles calculations are performed to study Ag and Ag-alloy adsorption stability on GaN(0 0 0 1) surface. We find Ag only contact to GaN surface is unstable under high temperature. While Ag-alloy adsorption exhibits better adsorption stability and electronic properties than that of the Ag only contact,due to the enhanced interaction between Ag-alloy and GaN(0 0 0 1) surface. The Ag-alloy, particularly AgNi, is proposed to be used as very promising ohmic contact to GaN for practical applications

  19. Synthesis and characterization of high photocatalytic activity and stable Ag3PO4/TiO2 fibers for photocatalytic degradation of black liquor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cai, Li; Long, Qiyi; Yin, Chao

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Ag 3 PO 4 /TiO 2 fibers were prepared via in situ Ag 3 PO 4 particles onto the surface of TiO 2 fiber. • Ag 3 PO 4 /TiO 2 fibers have stronger catalytic activity and excellent chemical stability. • Ag 3 PO 4 /TiO 2 fibers act as an efficient catalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of black liquor. - Abstract: The TiO 2 fiber was prepared by using cotton fiber as a template, and then Ag 3 PO 4 /TiO 2 fibers were synthesized via in situ Ag 3 PO 4 particles onto the surface of TiO 2 fiber. Their structure and physical properties were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), specific surface analyzer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis absorption spectra and photoluminescence spectra (PL). SEM analysis indicated that the well-defined surface morphology of natural cotton fiber was mostly preserved in TiO 2 and Ag 3 PO 4 /TiO 2 fibers. Compared with TiO 2 fiber, the absorbance wavelengths of Ag 3 PO 4 /TiO 2 fibers were apparently red shifted and the PL intensities revealed a significant decrease. By using the photocatalytic degradation of black liquor as a model reaction, the visible light and ultraviolet light catalytic efficiencies of TiO 2 , Ag 3 PO 4 and Ag 3 PO 4 /TiO 2 fibers were evaluated. The reaction results showed that Ag 3 PO 4 /TiO 2 fibers had stronger photocatalytic activity and excellent chemical stability in repeated and long-term applications. Therefore, the prepared Ag 3 PO 4 /TiO 2 fibers could act as an efficient catalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of black liquor, which suggested their promising applications. It was proposed that the • OH radicals played the leading role in the photocatalytic degradation of the black liquor by Ag 3 PO 4 /TiO 2 fibers system

  20. Bacterial adhesion forces to Ag-impregnated contact lens cases and transmission to contact lenses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Wenwen; Busscher, Henk J; van der Mei, Henny C; Hooymans, Johanna M M

    2013-03-01

    To measure adhesion forces of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Serratia marcescens to a rigid contact lens (CL), standard polypropylene, and Ag-impregnated lens cases using atomic force microscopy and determine bacterial transmission from lens case to CL. Adhesion forces of bacterial strains to Ag-impregnated and polypropylene lens cases and a rigid CL were measured using atomic force microscopy. Adhesion forces were used to calculate Weibull distributions, from which transmission probabilities from lens case to CL were derived. Transmission probabilities were compared with actual transmission of viable bacteria from a lens case to the CL in 0.9% NaCl and in an antimicrobial lens care solution. Bacterial transmission probabilities from polypropylene lens cases based on force analysis coincided well for all strains with actual transmission in 0.9% NaCl. Bacterial adhesion forces on Ag-impregnated lens cases were much smaller than that on polypropylene and CLs, yielding a high probability of transmission. Comparison with actual bacterial transmission indicated bacterial killing due to Ag ions during colony-forming unit transmission from an Ag-impregnated lens case, especially for P. aeruginosa. Transmission of viable bacteria from Ag-impregnated lens cases could be further decreased by use of an antimicrobial lens care solution instead of 0.9% NaCl. Bacterial transmission probabilities are higher from Ag-impregnated lens cases than from polypropylene lens cases because of small adhesion forces, but this is compensated for by enhanced bacterial killing due to Ag impregnation, especially when in combination with an antimicrobial lens care solution. This calls for a balanced combination of antimicrobial lens care solutions and surface properties of a lens case and CL.

  1. Influence of Ag thickness of aluminum-doped ZnO/Ag/aluminum-doped ZnO thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Hung-Wei, E-mail: hwwu@mail.ksu.edu.tw [Department of Computer and Communication, Kun Shan University, No. 949, Dawan Rd., Yongkang Dist., Tainan City 710, Taiwan (China); Yang, Ru-Yuan [Graduate Institute of Materials Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1, Shuefu Rd., Neipu, Pingtung City 912, Taiwan (China); Hsiung, Chin-Min; Chu, Chien-Hsun [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1, Shuefu Rd., Neipu, Pingtung City 912, Taiwan (China)

    2012-10-01

    Highly conducting aluminum-doped ZnO (30 nm)/Ag (5-15 nm)/aluminum-doped ZnO (30 nm) multilayer thin films were deposited on glass substrate by rf magnetron sputtering (for top/bottom aluminum-doped ZnO films) and e-beam evaporation (for Ag film). The transmittance is more than 70% for wavelengths above 400 nm with the Ag layer thickness of 10 nm. The resistivity is 3.71 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} {Omega}-cm, which can be decreased to 3.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -5} {Omega}-cm with the increase of the Ag layer thickness to 15 nm. The Haacke figure of merit has been calculated for the films with the best value being 8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} {Omega}{sup -1}. It was shown that the multilayer thin films have potential for applications in optoelectronics. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High-quality Al-doped ZnO (AZO)/Ag/AZO Transparent Conducting Oxide films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer AZO films (30 nm) made by RF sputtering; E-beam evaporation for Ag film (5-15 nm). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Influence of Ag thickness on optical and electrical properties were analyzed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High quality multilayer film with optimal intermediate Ag layer thickness of 10 nm. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 3.71 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} {Omega}-cm resistivity, 91.89% transmittance at 470 nm obtained and reproducible.

  2. Excitation of long living isomers 107m,109m Ag in the fast neutron inelastic scattering reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alpatov, V.G.; Borzakov, S.B.; Chinaeva, V.P

    1999-01-01

    The cross sections for excitation of 107m,109m Ag isomeric states are measured in the reactions of inelastic scattering of reactor fast neutrons. The measurements were performed on the rabbit tube 'Regata' of the IBR-2 reactor (JINR, Dubna). The method consisted in comparing the γ-line intensities of silver isomers with the 103m Rh isomer irradiated in the same neutron flux. The cross sections of 103 Rh are well known in wide range of neutron energy. The measured values are the following: σ( 107m Ag) = 204 ± 18 mb, σ( 109m Ag) = 262 ± 26 mb. The estimate is made of the possible yield of 109m Ag isomeric nuclei if one uses the high-current proton accelerator with heavy target to produce fast neutrons in reactions of spallation. (authors)

  3. Synthesis and Characterization of Ag-Ag2O/TiO2@polypyrrole Heterojunction for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajeev Kumar

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid multi-functional nanomaterials comprising two or more disparate materials have become a powerful approach to obtain advanced materials for environmental remediation applications. In this work, an Ag-Ag2O/TiO2@polypyrrole (Ag/TiO2@PPy heterojunction has been synthesized by assembling a self-stabilized Ag-Ag2O (p type semiconductor (denoted as Ag and polypyrrole (π-conjugated polymer on the surface of rutile TiO2 (n type. Ag/TiO2@PPy was synthesized through simultaneous oxidation of pyrrole monomers and reduction of AgNO3 in an aqueous solution containing well-dispersed TiO2 particles. Thus synthesized Ag/TiO2@PPy was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DSR. The photocatalytic activity of synthesized heterojunction was investigated for the decomposition of methylene blue (MB dye under UV and visible light irradiation. The results revealed that π-conjugated p-n heterojunction formed in the case of Ag/TiO2@PPy significantly enhanced the photodecomposition of MB compared to the p-n type Ag/TiO2 and TiO2@PPy (n-π heterojunctions. A synergistic effect between Ag-Ag2O and PPy leads to higher photostability and a better electron/hole separation leads to an enhanced photocatalytic activity of Ag/TiO2@PPy under both UV and visible light irradiations.

  4. Irradiation-induced displacement of Ag atoms from lattice sites in an Al-0.2% Mg-0.1% Ag crystal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Swanson, M.L.; Howe, L.M.; Quenneville, A.F.

    1976-01-01

    In irradiated alloys of Al containing approximately 0.1 at% Ag, the backscattering - channelling method shows that Al-Ag dumbells are created by the trapping of Al interstitial atoms at Ag solute atoms. The present results demonstrate that the addition of 0.2 at% Mg to such irradiated alloys retards not only the formation of Al-Ag dumbells during annealing from 30 to 100 K but also their annihilation during annealing from 180 to 240 K. Al interstitials are released from Mg traps at 100 to 160 K, causing further trapping at Ag atoms. Approximately 70% of the Ag atoms return to lattice sites at approximately 200 K (stage III) (compared with 100% in the Al-0.1% Ag alloys) and the remainder return to lattice sites at approximately 260 K. These results favour migration of Al-Ag dumbells rather than vacancies during stage III annealing. (author)

  5. Fabrication of graphene oxide enwrapped Z-scheme Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 3}/AgBr nanoparticles with enhanced visible-light photocatalysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wan, Yujuan; Liang, Chunyan; Xia, Yue, E-mail: xiayue_chem@126.com; Huang, Wei; Li, Zelin

    2017-02-28

    Highlights: • A novel GO/Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 3}/AgBr composite was prepared via a solution method. • It showed enhanced photocatalytic performance to degrade dyes under visible light irradiation. • Its photocatalytic ability was effectively maintained for 4 cycles without sacrificial reagents. - Abstract: A novel graphene oxide (GO) enwrapped Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 3}/AgBr (GO/Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 3}/AgBr) composite was fabricated through a facile solution approach via electrostatic interaction and precipitation transformation reaction for the first time. The results of XRD, Raman, SEM, TEM and XPS confirmed the structure, morphology and composition of the GO/Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 3}/AgBr composite very well. The Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 3}/AgBr nanoparticles were found to be encapsulated by GO sheets. The photocatalytic activity of the composite was investigated by the degradation of methyl orange (MO), rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) in water under visible light. The incorporation of GO sheets not only significantly enhanced the photocatalytic activity but also improved the reusability of Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 3}/AgBr nanoparticles. The photocatalytic ability of GO/Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 3}/AgBr can be maintained at a high level for 4 times cycle experiments. The trapping experiments confirmed that holes and superoxide ion radicals were the main active species responsible for the degradation reaction. A plasmonic Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism was proposed to illustrate the possible transferred and separated behavior of electron-hole pairs among Ag, Ag{sub 2}SO{sub 3}, AgBr and GO quaternary system under visible light irradiation.

  6. Fabrication, characterization and photocatalytic properties of Ag/AgI/BiOI heteronanostructures supported on rectorite via a cation-exchange method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Yunfang [School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong (China); Fang, Jianzhang, E-mail: fangjzh@scnu.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong (China); Guangdong Technology Research Center for Ecological Management and Remediation of Urban Water System, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Lu, Shaoyou [Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Wu, Yan; Chen, Dazhi; Huang, Liyan [Institute of Engineering Technology of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Water Environmental Pollution Control of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510440 (China); Xu, Weicheng; Zhu, Ximiao [School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong (China); Fang, Zhanqiang [School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong (China); Guangdong Technology Research Center for Ecological Management and Remediation of Urban Water System, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

    2015-04-15

    Highlights: • Ag/AgI/BiOI-rectorite was prepared by twice cation-exchange process. • Ag/AgI/BiOI-rectorite photocatalyst possessed SPR and adsorption capacity. • Ag/AgI/BiOI-rectorite exhibited highly photocatalytic activity. • Trapped holes and ·O{sub 2}{sup −} were formed active species in the photocatalytic system. - Abstract: In this work, a new plasmonic photocatalyst Ag/AgI/BiOI-rectorite was prepared via a cation exchange process. The photocatalyst had been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, nitrogen sorption (BET), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The photocatalytic activity, which was evaluated by degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and bisphenol A (BPA) under visible light irradiation, was enhanced significantly by loading Ag/AgI/BiOI nanoparticles onto rectorite. The photogenerated holes and superoxide radical (·O{sub 2}{sup −}) were both formed as active species for the photocatalytic reactions under visible light irradiation. The existence of metallic Ag particles, which possess the surface plasmon resonance effect, acted as an indispensable role in the photocatalytic reaction.

  7. Microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis of flower-like Ag/AgBr/BiOBr microspheres and their high efficient photocatalytic degradation for p-nitrophenol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Tingting; Luo, Shenglian; Yang, Lixia

    2013-01-01

    Flower-like Ag/AgBr/BiOBr microspheres were successfully fabricated by the approach of microwave-assisted solvothermal and in situ photo-assisted reduction. A reactive ionic liquid 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C 16 mim]Br) was employed as Br source in the presence of surfactant polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The photocatalytic activity of Ag/AgBr/BiOBr towards the decomposition of p-nitrophenol under visible light irradiation was evaluated. The results indicated that Ag/AgBr/BiOBr showed enhanced photocatalytic activity towards p-nitrophenol, comparing with P25, BiOBr and Ag/AgBr. More than 96% of p-nitrophenol was decomposed in 3.5 h under visible-light irradation. The excellent photocatalytic activity of flower-like Ag/AgBr/BiOBr microspheres can be attributed to the large specific surface area, strong visible-light absorption, suitable energy band structure and surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag nanoparticles. The possible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on the active species test and band gap structure analysis. - Graphical abstract: The photocatalytic reaction mechanisms of the as-prepared Ag/AgBr/BiOBr. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Successful synthesis of flower-like Ag/AgBr/BiOBr microspheres. • The Ag/AgBr/BiOBr showed much higher photocatalytic activity towards p-nitrophenol as compared to BiOBr and Ag/AgBr. • The reasons for the excellent photocatalytic activity are the large specific surface area, strong visible-light absorption and surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag nanoparticles. • The O 2 · − , Br 0 and photogenerated h + play key roles in the photocatalytic degradation process

  8. Nonvolatile conductive filaments resistive switching behaviors in Ag/GaO{sub x} /Nb:SrTiO{sub 3}/Ag structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, P.G. [Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communication, Beijing (China); Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Center for Optoelectronics Materials and Devices, Hangzhou (China); Zhi, Y.S.; An, Y.H.; Guo, D.Y.; Tang, W.H.; Xiao, J.H. [Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communication, Beijing (China); Wang, P.C. [Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Center for Optoelectronics Materials and Devices, Hangzhou (China); Sun, Z.B. [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Electronics and Information Technology for Space Systems, National Space Science Center, Beijing (China); Li, L.H. [State University of New York at Potsdam, Department of Physics, Potsdam, NY (United States)

    2016-07-15

    Ag/GaO{sub x} /NSTO/Ag structures were fabricated, and the electrical properties measurement results show that the device behaviors a unipolar resistance switching characteristic with bi-stable resistance ratio of three orders. In the positive voltage region, the dominant conducting mechanism of high resistance state obeys Poole-Frenkel emission rules, while in the negative region, that obeys space-charge-limited current mechanism. Both the I-V curves of ON and OFF states and temperature-dependent variation resistances indicate that the unipolar resistance switching behavior can be explained by the formation/rupture of conductive filaments, which composed of oxygen vacancies. The stable switching results demonstrated that the structure can be applied in resistance random access memory devices. (orig.)

  9. Analyzing repeated data collected by mobile phones and frequent text messages. An example of Low back pain measured weekly for 18 weeks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Axén, Iben; Bodin, Lennart; Kongsted, Alice

    2012-01-01

    to recovery? This question was answered using survival analysis, illustrated in Kaplan-Meier curves, Proportional Hazard regression analyses and spline regression analyses. 4: How is the repeatedly measured data associated with baseline (predictor) variables? This question was answered using generalized...... involves some challenges. Vital issues to consider are the within-subject correlation, the between measurement occasion correlation and the presence of missing values. The overall aim of this commentary is to describe different methods of analyzing repeated data. It is meant to give an overview...... for the clinical researcher in order for complex outcome measures to be interpreted in a clinically meaningful way. METHODS: A model data set was formed using data from two clinical studies, where patients with low back pain were followed with weekly text messages for 18 weeks. Different research questions...

  10. Study on synthesis of ultrafine Cu–Ag core–shell powders with high electrical conductivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng Yuhsien; Yang Chihhao; Chen Kuanting; Popuri, Srinivasa R.; Lee, Ching-Hwa; Tang, Bo-Shin

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► This synthesis method is relatively facile, novel and eco-friendly. ► Toxic agents were not used for chelating agent, reductant or dispersant in our method. ► The reaction can under room temperature for energy saving purpose. ► Cu–Ag core–shell powders with homogeneous cover-silver layer. ► The resistivity of Cu–Ag core–shell powders has the same value as the pure silver. - Abstract: Cu–Ag composite powders with high electrical conductivity were synthesized by electroless plating of silver sulfate, copper powders with eco-friendly sodium citrate as reducing agent, dispersant and chelating agent in an aqueous system. The influences of sodium citrate/Ag ratio on Ag coatings of Cu powders were investigated. Ag was formed a dense coating on the surface of Cu powders at a molar ratio of sodium citrate/Ag = 0.07/1. SEM showed an uniformity of Ag coatings on Cu powders. SEM-EDX also revealed that Cu cores were covered by Ag shells on the whole. The surface composition analysis by XPS indicated that without Cu or Ag atoms in the surface were oxidized. The resistivity measurements of Cu–Ag paste shows that they have closer resistivity as the pure silver paste's after 250 °C for 30 min heat-treatment (2.55 × 10 −4 Ω cm) and 350 °C for 30 min heat-treatment (1.425 × 10 −4 Ω cm).

  11. Association of social class in HBsAg and hepatocellular carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pervez, T.; Anwar, M. S.

    2001-01-01

    Objective: To find out the social class difference in relation to frequency of HBsAg and hepatocellular carcinoma in our population. Design: An analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in Oncology Department, Services Hospital, Lahore from December 1997 to December 2000. Subjects and Methods: The HBsAg positive voluntary and apparently healthy blood donors were grouped into three, based on monthly income. Lower socioeconomic group and had monthly income less than 3,000 Pakistani rupees, middle socioeconomic group had monthly income between 3,000-10,000 rupees and upper socioeconomic group had income of more than 10,000 Pakistani rupees. On the same pattern patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma coming for treatment were also grouped. During this period, 1000 blood donors were screened for HBsAg and 95 biopsy proven liver cancer by causes were treated. Medical and demographic data of all subjects were recorded. HBsAg test was performed immuno-chromatographic technique using Daina Screen HBsAg kit manufactured by Dainabot Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan. Results: Patients from lower and middle social class had higher percentage (80% and 75%) of hepatocellular carcinoma as compared to higher social class (66.6%). In the healthy asymptomatic blood donors lower social class had higher (13.76%) HBsAg positively as compared to middle social class (11.25%) and higher social class (8.06%). Conclusion: Preventive measures should be taken in identifying and reducing factors predisposing high frequency of these conditions. (author)

  12. Deposition, structure, and properties of cermet thin films composed of Ag and Y-stabilized zirconia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, L.S.; Barnett, S.A.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports that Ag 1-x [(Y 2 O 3 ) 0.1 (ZrO 2 ) 0.9 ] x (YSZ) cermet thin films have been deposited by reactive magnetron cosputtering from Ag and Zr/Y targets in Ar-O 2 mixtures. The deposition conditions were such that the YSZ component in the films was fully oxidized. The film densities varied from ∼75% to >85% as the total pressure was decreased from 20 to 5 mTorr. Film resistivities ρ varied with Ag volume fraction f Ag from 5 x 10 -6 Ω-cm to >10 9 Ω-cm. For f Ag Ag . For f Ag > 0.4, ρ decreased more gradually with increasing f Ag . ρ in annealed films ranged from 4 x 10 -4 Ω-cm for f Ag = 0.4 to 5 x 10 -6 Ω-cm for pure Ag. Long term (>100 h) annealing at ≥700 degrees C resulted in a gradual increase in cermet resistivity due to Ag evaporation and Ag segregation to surface islands. Both decomposition mechanisms were effectively suppressed due to Ag evaporation and Ag segregation to surface islands. Both decomposition mechanisms were effectively suppressed at up to 750 degrees C by depositing a 1 μm thick porous perovskite cap layer on the cermet. Complex impedance spectroscopy measurements in air of cermet electrodes on YSZ electrolytes gave interfacial resistances that were a factor of ∼6 lower than those of pure AG electrodes, e.g., 1.4 Ω-cm 2 at 750 degrees C. Ag-YSZ cermets thus have potential as high-conductivity, low-overpotential air electrode materials for solid-oxide electrochemical devices operating at temperatures ≤750 degrees C

  13. Measurement and modelling of the radiation damage of silicon by MeV Ag ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lindner, J.K.N.; Eder, J.; Stritzker, B.

    1999-01-01

    Depth profiles of the radiation damage produced by 4 MeV Ag ions in Si(111) at temperatures of 210--450 K are studied by optical reflectivity depth profiling and TEM for doses between 10 12 and 10 15 Ag/cm 2 . For high implantation temperatures, the depth of maximum damage is shown to be dose dependent. Point defect diffusion is shown to result in long tails of defect depth profiles. High-temperature amorphization is observed to proceed via the formation and bridge-like coalescence of isolated amorphous volumina. The damage at the depth of the maximum in the nuclear stopping power is described as a function of dose and temperature by the Hecking model. The model parameters and a comparison with those obtained for lighter ions reflect the particular properties of heavy ion collision cascades

  14. AGS silicon gold collisions measured in the E-810 TPC [Time Projection Chamber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonner, B.E.; Buchanan, J.A.; Chiou, C.N.; Clement, J.M.; Corcoran, M.D.; Kruk, J.W.; Miettinen, H.E.; Mutchler, G.S.; Nessi, M.; Nessi-Tedaldi, F.; Roberts, J.B.; Chan, C.S.; Kramer, M.A.; Etkin, A.; Foley, K.J.; Hackenburg, R.W.; Longacre, R.S.; Love, W.A.; Morris, T.W.; Platner, E.D.; Saulys, A.C.; Hallman, T.J.; Madansky, L.; Lindenbaum, S.J.

    1990-01-01

    The tracking detector of AGS Experiment 810 is a three-piece Time Projection Chamber (TPC) intended to measure all charged tracks in the forward hemisphere of the nucleon-nucleon center of mass system, i.e. forward of an angle of about 20 degrees in the lab. Each module of the TPC contains twelve rows of short anode wires which give 3-D space points on each track, but no dE/dx information useable for particle identification. The TPC was operated in a beam of silicon ions at the end of June 1989 and this talk reports the results of analysis of the data taken with a thin gold target in that run. We have gathered a similar amount of data from thin copper and silicon targets, the analysis of which is in a less advanced state. The results of our investigation of the neutral strange particle decays appear in a separate contribution by Al Saulys. This paper presents the current state of the analysis of the charged tracks from the silicon gold collisions. 1 ref., 15 figs

  15. The relationship between HBcrAg and HBV reinfection in HBV related post-liver transplantation patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urabe, Ayako; Imamura, Michio; Tsuge, Masataka; Kan, Hiromi; Fujino, Hatsue; Fukuhara, Takayuki; Masaki, Keiichi; Kobayashi, Tomoki; Ono, Atsushi; Nakahara, Takashi; Kawaoka, Tomokazu; Hiramatsu, Akira; Kawakami, Yoshiiku; Aikata, Hiroshi; Hayes, Clair Nelson; Maki, Noboru; Ohdan, Hideaki; Chayama, Kazuaki

    2017-03-01

    Post-transplant hepatitis B virus (HBV) reinfection is one of the major problems facing patients who undergo HBV-related liver transplantation (LT). We analyzed the clinical impact of serum hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) on HBV reinfection in post-LT patients with HBV-related liver diseases. Serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), HBV DNA, and HBcrAg were measured over time in 32 post-LT patients. Twenty-one out of 32 patients had HCC at LT. The effects of HBcrAg, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence, and HBs gene mutation on HBV reinfection and withdrawal from hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) were analyzed. Sixteen out of 32 patients (50 %) were positive for HBcrAg even though only six patients were thought to have experienced HBV reinfection based on reappearance of either HBV DNA or HBsAg during a median follow-up time of 75 months. Three of these six patients who became re-infected with HBV experienced HCC recurrence after LT. The HBV DNA reappearance rate was significantly higher in patients with HCC recurrence after LT (p HBV re-infected patients without HCC recurrence had HBs gene mutations G145R and G145A, respectively. Anti-HBs antibody development rate by HB vaccination was similar between HBcrAg-positive and negative patients (p = 0.325). HBV reinfection is more common than is usually considered based on conventional measurement of HBsAg and HBV DNA. HCC recurrence and mutations in the HBV S gene were associated with HBV reinfection after LT.

  16. Positron lifetime spectroscopy of internally oxidised Ag-In alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wegner, D.; Lieb, K.P.

    1989-01-01

    The effects of In 2 O 3 precipitates on positron lifetimes after internal oxidation of α-Ag-In alloys have been investigated. A positron trap associated with the lifetime τ 205(3) ps was detected. On the basis of the experimental results obtained for different oxidation kinetics parameters, a trapping model is proposed according to which positrons thermalised in a dislocation field around oxide precipitates are trapped at the oxide/metal phase boundary. The transition from internal to external oxidation of Ag-In was also studied. The positron lifetime in In 2 O 3 was measured to be τ = 263(8) ps. (author)

  17. Comparison of diffusion coefficients and activation energies for AG diffusion in silicon carbide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Bong Goo; Yeo, Sung Hwan; Lee, Young Woo; Cho, Moon Sung

    2015-01-01

    The migration of silver (Ag) in silicon carbide (SiC) and 110mAg through SiC of irradiated tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel has been studied for the past three to four decades. However, there is no satisfactory explanation for the transport mechanism of Ag in SiC. In this work, the diffusion coefficients of Ag measured and/or estimated in previous studies were reviewed, and then pre-exponential factors and activation energies from the previous experiments were evaluated using Arrhenius equation. The activation energy is 247.4 kJ·mol -1 from Ag paste experiments between two SiC layers produced using fluidized-bed chemical vapor deposition (FBCVD), 125.3 kJ·mol -1 from integral release experiments (annealing of irradiated TRISO fuel), 121.8 kJ·mol -1 from fractional Ag release during irradiation of TRISO fuel in high flux reactor (HFR), and 274.8 kJ·mol -1 from Ag ion implantation experiments, respectively. The activation energy from ion implantation experiments is greater than that from Ag paste, fractional release and integral release, and the activation energy from Ag paste experiments is approximately two times greater than that from integral release experiments and fractional Ag release during the irradiation of TRISO fuel in HFR. The pre-exponential factors are also very different depending on the experimental methods and estimation. From a comparison of the pre-exponential factors and activation energies, it can be analogized that the diffusion mechanism of Ag using ion implantation experiment is different from other experiments, such as a Ag paste experiment, integral release experiments, and heating experiments after irradiating TRISO fuel in HFR. However, the results of this work do not support the long held assumption that Ag release from FBCVD-SiC, used for the coating layer in TRISO fuel, is dominated by grain boundary diffusion. In order to understand in detail the transport mechanism of Ag through the coating layer, FBCVD-SiC in TRISO fuel, a

  18. Repeatable aversion across threat types is linked with life-history traits but is dependent on how aversion is measured.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidson, Gabrielle L; Reichert, Michael S; Crane, Jodie M S; O'Shea, William; Quinn, John L

    2018-02-01

    Personality research suggests that individual differences in risk aversion may be explained by links with life-history variation. However, few empirical studies examine whether repeatable differences in risk avoidance behaviour covary with life-history traits among individuals in natural populations, or how these links vary depending on the context and the way risk aversion is measured. We measured two different risk avoidance behaviours (latency to enter the nest and inspection time) in wild great tits ( Parus major ) in two different contexts-response to a novel object and to a predator cue placed at the nest-box during incubation---and related these behaviours to female reproductive success and condition. Females responded equally strongly to both stimuli, and although both behaviours were repeatable, they did not correlate. Latency to enter was negatively related to body condition and the number of offspring fledged. By contrast, inspection time was directly explained by whether incubating females had been flushed from the nest before the trial began. Thus, our inferences on the relationship between risk aversion and fitness depend on how risk aversion was measured. Our results highlight the limitations of drawing conclusions about the relevance of single measures of a personality trait such as risk aversion.

  19. In situ controllable synthesis of novel surface plasmon resonance-enhanced Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}/Ag/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} composite for enhanced and stable visible light photocatalyst

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lv, Jiali [College of Physics and Electronic Information, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei 235000 (China); Dai, Kai, E-mail: daikai940@chnu.edu.cn [College of Physics and Electronic Information, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei 235000 (China); Zhang, Jinfeng [College of Physics and Electronic Information, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei 235000 (China); Lu, Luhua, E-mail: lhlu@cug.edu.cn [Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China); Liang, Changhao, E-mail: chliang@issp.ac.cn [College of Physics and Electronic Information, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei 235000 (China); Key Laboratory of Materials Physics and Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 23003 (China); Geng, Lei; Wang, Zhongliao; Yuan, Guangyu; Zhu, Guangping [College of Physics and Electronic Information, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei 235000 (China)

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Novel Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}/Ag/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} ternary photocatalyst was prepared. • Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}/Ag/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} showed enhanced catalytic activity. • Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}/Ag/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} showed long reusable life. - Abstract: A novel hierarchical Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}/Ag/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} ternary visible-light-driven photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by in situ doping Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4} with Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} nanosheets through a facile hydrothermal and photochemical process. The morphology, structure, optical performance and crystallinity of the products were measured by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}/Ag was uniformly dispersed on the surface of Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} nanosheets. The photocatalytic performance of Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}/Ag/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} heterostructures was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under 410 nm LED arrays. The ternary Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}/Ag/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} nanocomposite exhibits higher photocatalytic activity than Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} and Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}. The synergistic effect of Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4} and Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} could generated more heterojunctions which promoted photoelectrons transfer from Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4} to Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6}, leading to the improvement of photocatalytic performance by photoelectrons-holes recombination suppression. At the same time, the surface plasmon resonance of Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}/Ag/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} is another crucial reason for the high photocatalytic performance of organic pollutants degradation. And the 20 wt% Ag{sub 2}WO{sub 4}-loaded Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} shows the optimal photocatalytic performance in the degradation of MB. In addition, the ternary composites can be easily reclaimed by precipitation and exhibits high stability of photocatalytic

  20. Recombination luminescence of Cu and/or Ag doped lithium tetraborate single crystals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Romet, I. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi Str. 1, 50411 Tartu (Estonia); Aleksanyan, E. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi Str. 1, 50411 Tartu (Estonia); A. Alikhanyan National Science Laboratory, 2 Br. Alikhanyan Str., 0036 Yerevan (Armenia); Brik, M.G. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi Str. 1, 50411 Tartu (Estonia); College of Sciences, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 400065 Chongqing (China); Institute of Physics, Jan Dlugosz University, Armii Krajowej 13/15, PL-42200 Czestochowa (Poland); Corradi, G. [Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Konkoly-Thege M. út 29-33, H-1121 Budapest (Hungary); Kotlov, A. [Photon Science at DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg (Germany); Nagirnyi, V., E-mail: vitali.nagirnoi@ut.ee [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi Str. 1, 50411 Tartu (Estonia); Polgár, K. [Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Konkoly-Thege M. út 29-33, H-1121 Budapest (Hungary)

    2016-09-15

    Complex investigations of thermostimulated luminescence (TSL) and radioluminescence properties of Li{sub 2}B{sub 4}O{sub 7} (LTB), LTB:Cu, LTB:Ag and LTB:Cu, Ag crystals suitable for tissue equivalent dosimeters were carried out in the temperature range 4.2–700 K. TSL, cathodoluminescence and X-ray excited luminescence spectra are compared to those measured under photoexcitation. The emission band at 4.6 eV in LTB:Ag is reliably related to Ag{sup +} ions based on the comparison of the results of optical spectroscopy studies and first principle calculations. Energy transfer from the relaxed exited state of the Ag{sup +} ion to the Cu{sup +} ion in double-doped LTB:Cu, Ag crystals is demonstrated. Thermostimulated recombination of charge carriers in irradiated crystals is seen to take place mainly at oxygen sites at low temperatures and at impurity sites at high temperatures. For the first time, the appearance of the low-temperature TSL peak at 90 K is assigned to ionic processes in LTB crystals. The appearance of pyroelectric flashes due to the lattice relaxation in the temperature region 90–240 K is demonstrated and their surface-related nature clarified. In accordance with EPR studies the dosimetric TSL peaks in copper and silver doped LTB crystals are attributed to thermally released electrons recombining with Cu{sup 2+} and Ag{sup 2+} centres.